From the BCCT.
Musicians to get lessons from experts
By: JOAN HELLYER
About 100 Bensalem students have signed up to take part in "An Evening of Master Classes."
Pawel Bogdanowicz believes musicians, just by their nature, are constantly looking for ways to improve.
"We're always striving for perfection," said Pawel, 17, a trumpet player in the Bensalem High School band.
That's why the high school senior said he's looking forward to Jan. 14, when he and about 100 other Bensalem students will work with professional musicians, actors, teachers and college professors in free, performance-based workshops at the school off Hulmeville Road.
During "An Evening of Master Classes," clinicians will provide the students in third through 12th grade with an outside perspective on how to improve their techniques and delivery, organizers said.
"Something might click for you that didn't click before. That's what you are waiting for, that one bit of inspiration," Pawel said during a band rehearsal Monday afternoon.
High school instrumental music teacher Michael Drobish came up with the idea for the workshops after serving as a visiting clinician at a master class in the Centennial School District. The program is similar to fine arts workshops hosted by other area districts, he said.
The goal is to help students develop their talents to improve their performances and be better prepared for talent-type competitions against their peers, Drobish said.
"He cares," Bensalem senior Katie Schlenker, 17, said. "He wants us to all be better musicians."
Katie, an oboe player, hopes working with a college professor during the master class will help her build on her previous success in district band competition, where she was first chair in the oboe section last year.
The future music major said she also welcomes the opportunity to get a feel for what college will be like, since she expects to be working with a professor during the workshop.
"I think anyone who has an opportunity like this should take advantage of it," Katie said. "The [clinicians] are great performers. I hope everyone learns a lot."
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Special Meeting Recap: WE TOLD YOU SO
Did anyone attend the special meeting last night and want to add anything?
From the BCCT.
Modular classrooms approved for Reiter
By: REGIS D'ANGIOLINI
Parents in Morrisville were angry the boilers at the damaged school were allowed to fall into disrepair.
Tempers flared Monday night as the Morrisville school board approved modular classrooms for the displaced students of M.R. Reiter Elementary School.
The board unanimously approved eight modular classrooms on the property of Grandview Elementary School at a cost of $433,472. Board treasurer Brenda Worob was not in attendance.
The money for the classrooms will come from the insurance policy on M.R. Reiter Elementary School, which was heavily damaged by a boiler explosion Dec. 13. Students have since been housed at the Morrisville YMCA and the Morrisville Middle/Senior High school.
The modules, which will be rented from Mobilease Modular Space Inc. of Thorofare, N.J., will each include its own restroom and will be surrounded by a fence for added safety, according to Superintendent Dr. Elizabeth Yonson.
"They look absolutely brand new," she said, explaining that they are less than five years old. "When you go in there, you will be amazed."
During public comment, some of the 50-plus parents in attendance were critical of the school board for not acting sooner on the repair and maintenance of Reiter as well as the district's two other schools.
"We told you so, we told you so, we told you so," said parent Joanna Manning. "You knew the furnaces were well past their life expectancy. Shame on you."
Board President Bill Hellmann said the board attempted to approve a "cursory" engineering study last year to pre-empt such a crisis, but it was voted down. One of the board members who voted against it, Robin Reithmeyer, said she did so because the district was ready to take action on repair and maintenance of the schools, and she did not see the point of another study.
"I did not want to vote for anything in a cursory report," she added, explaining that the report was a brief overview with no specifics.
Manning was also critical of the board approving temporary housing before a long-term plan to house the students is in place. A public hearing on whether to permanently closer Reiter will be held Jan. 14.
From the BCCT.
Modular classrooms approved for Reiter
By: REGIS D'ANGIOLINI
Parents in Morrisville were angry the boilers at the damaged school were allowed to fall into disrepair.
Tempers flared Monday night as the Morrisville school board approved modular classrooms for the displaced students of M.R. Reiter Elementary School.
The board unanimously approved eight modular classrooms on the property of Grandview Elementary School at a cost of $433,472. Board treasurer Brenda Worob was not in attendance.
The money for the classrooms will come from the insurance policy on M.R. Reiter Elementary School, which was heavily damaged by a boiler explosion Dec. 13. Students have since been housed at the Morrisville YMCA and the Morrisville Middle/Senior High school.
The modules, which will be rented from Mobilease Modular Space Inc. of Thorofare, N.J., will each include its own restroom and will be surrounded by a fence for added safety, according to Superintendent Dr. Elizabeth Yonson.
"They look absolutely brand new," she said, explaining that they are less than five years old. "When you go in there, you will be amazed."
During public comment, some of the 50-plus parents in attendance were critical of the school board for not acting sooner on the repair and maintenance of Reiter as well as the district's two other schools.
"We told you so, we told you so, we told you so," said parent Joanna Manning. "You knew the furnaces were well past their life expectancy. Shame on you."
Board President Bill Hellmann said the board attempted to approve a "cursory" engineering study last year to pre-empt such a crisis, but it was voted down. One of the board members who voted against it, Robin Reithmeyer, said she did so because the district was ready to take action on repair and maintenance of the schools, and she did not see the point of another study.
"I did not want to vote for anything in a cursory report," she added, explaining that the report was a brief overview with no specifics.
Manning was also critical of the board approving temporary housing before a long-term plan to house the students is in place. A public hearing on whether to permanently closer Reiter will be held Jan. 14.
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