Modern Moves: A School Superintendent's View

The New Modern Monessen: Building Deeper Engagement in Our Phone-Free Classrooms Greetings, Monessen families, students, and community members! As your Superintendent, I frequently reflect on our journey to create "The New Modern Monessen" – a community where our schools are at the forefront of fostering environments that truly empower our students. A significant part of this journey has been the successful implementation of our Yondr bags and dedicated phone-free learning zones across the district. We established these measures with a clear goal: to minimize the digital distractions that can hinder learning and foster deeper, more meaningful connections. And indeed, we have seen positive shifts. The constant stream of notifications has lessened, and there's a sense of reduced distraction in our classrooms and hallways. Students are, without a doubt, more present in the physical space of the school. Beyond Distraction: The Next Frontier of Engagement While the Yond...

A Better Grading Scale for Brighter Futures Dear Greyhound Families, As we continue our mission to modernize Monessen and create an environment where every student can succeed, I’m excited to share an important change we’re implementing beginning this school year: we are updating our grading scale to better support, motivate, and empower our students. Here’s what’s changing: 90–100% will now be an A 80–89% will now be a B 70–79% will remain a C 60–69% will remain a D 59% and below remains an F While this may seem like a small shift on paper, it will have a big impact on how students see themselves and their potential. This decision wasn’t made lightly—it’s rooted in a commitment to equity, student motivation, and academic competitiveness. Why Make the Change? More Opportunity, Less Punishment Under the previous scale, a student who scored an 89.4%—a strong performance by any measure—would receive a B. That can be discouraging, especially when students are wor...

  Modernizing Monessen: Partnering for a Safer, Smarter Future As we continue our mission to create The New Modern Monessen School District , I'm proud to announce a transformative partnership with Twisted Computers , a forward-thinking technology company now serving as our Managed IT Services provider. This collaboration marks a significant step forward in enhancing our network infrastructure, strengthening our cybersecurity defenses, and empowering our staff – all while delivering cost savings and expert support. Why Twisted Computers? In today's digital age, every school district needs to be as intentional with its technology as it is with its teaching. Twisted Computers brings not only the technical expertise to fortify our systems but also an educational mindset to ensure those systems truly work for our students, teachers, and administrators alike. Here’s how they're helping Monessen move forward: 🔒 The Highest Level of Cybersecurity Twisted Computers is upgrad...

  Moving Right Along: Ready for Classroom Remodeling! What an exciting start to our summer construction! I'm thrilled to report that ABM, our construction partner, has completed the demolition phase of our classroom remodeling project, and they are now ready to begin the remodeling phase . And even better news: they're moving right along on schedule! If you've been by the school, you've probably seen the activity. For the past two weeks, their teams have been working diligently, carefully and efficiently clearing out the designated classroom spaces. This essential first step creates a clean slate for the modern, innovative learning environments we're envisioning for our students. It's always a bit chaotic during demolition, but I've been so impressed with the professionalism and precision of the ABM crew. Now that the dust (literally!) has settled, we're looking forward to seeing the transformation begin. Walls will start going up, new layouts will take...

Recently, I was driving through Eastern Ohio after my son's hockey tournament when something struck me: the landscape was full of shut-down and abandoned steel mills—massive buildings that once stood as symbols of strength and prosperity, now silent and forgotten. The sight stayed with me. It made me ask, What happened to all of them? So, I researched it. And what I found was not just a history lesson-it was a warning. Those mills didn’t fail because people stopped working hard. They collapsed because leadership failed to adapt. Because systems stayed rigid while the world changed around them. They ignored innovation, dismissed new global realities, and clung to "the way we’ve always done it." That refusal to evolve led to their downfall. And then it hit me: we're in danger of repeating that same pattern in education. Schools that: Ø   Resist innovation because “this is how we’ve always done it” Ø   Operate in silos without real collaboration Ø   Ignore ...

Innovation on a Budget: Reimagining Immersive Learning at Monessen As a school district committed to innovation, equity, and opportunity, we are always seeking ways to bring cutting-edge educational tools to our students—tools that can engage, inspire, and better prepare them for the world beyond our walls. One exciting vision we’ve had is the development of an immersive learning room —a space where walls, floors, and ceilings could become part of a fully interactive digital environment. Imagine walking through ancient Rome, exploring the human body, or diving deep into marine ecosystems—right from our own school building. It's an idea that captured the imagination of many of us, and rightly so. The educational potential is thrilling. However, after careful review and cost analysis , we’ve hit a sobering reality: the immersive room is extremely expensive , and unfortunately, it comes with no built-in curriculum. This means that after spending a large sum on the infrastructure, ...

  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Monessen School District Joins Forces with River Valley to Launch Transformational AI Grant Initiative Yourway AI Grant Expands to Empower Monessen Educators and Students Through Strategic Regional Partnership Monessen, PA – The Monessen School District is proud to announce it has been officially approved to join the groundbreaking Yourway AI Grant initiative through a regional partnership with River Valley School District. This strategic collaboration marks a bold step forward for public education in Western Pennsylvania, bringing artificial intelligence-driven tools and personalized learning solutions to Monessen classrooms. Awarded initially to River Valley School District as the first national pilot site, the $1 million Yourway AI Grant aims to revolutionize K–12 education by supporting instructional equity, reducing teacher workload, and enhancing student engagement through advanced AI technologies. As a newly approved partner, Monessen will begi...