Perkiomen Valley School District Recognizes Science Olympiad and Retiring Employees

During the Monday night business meeting, the Perkiomen Valley School Board recognized the high school Science Olympiad team and eight retiring employees.

Vice President Lori Snyder and Superintendent Dr. Clifford Rogers presented the more than a dozen high students with certificates for netting second place at regional level, and sixth place at state level.

According to the district, "The competition requires students to build a robot, a tower, a helicopter, two musical instruments, and a Rube Goldberg-style 'Mission Possible' device. Students competed in such diverse events as ornithology, protein modeling, chemistry lab, forensics and many others."

The team consisted of the following students: Alexander Bafaloukos, Scott Barnefiher, Katherine Casty, John Delaney, Joanmarie DelVecchio, Meaghan Dougher, Andrew Grasberger, Christopher Grasberger, Joshua Gray, Mitchell Henry, Michael Huang, Matthew Jaeger, Oliver Krauss, Kevin Lang, Dan Marsh, Max Mattes, Ryan McKenna, Peter Moran, Brennen Novak, Soo-Jin Park, Shaine Quigley, Jonathan Tang, James Warren and Diana Zhu.

Volunteer assistant coach Howard Eskin and chemistry teacher Mary Cutillo also netted recognition and applause at the meeting.

“This is a brain trust up here,” Snyder said about the present students. "You worked together and accomplished great things," she said.

The soon-to-be-retired workers include the following:  recent business teacher F. Hayden Cochran, high school school social studies teacher  T. Scott Conver, recent cook at the high school Patricia DiPiano, sixth-grade teacher JoAnn Carol Ewing, high school special education teacher Helen Jackson, health and physical education teacher Lynn Krum, high school study hall monitor Winifred Scogna, and high school gifted support teacher Patricia Wallace.

None of the employees were able to attend Monday's meeting, but each will receive a "goody bag" filled with items and mementos to remember the district, Snyder said.

“We appreciate these folks and their years of service,” said Snyder.