If you would like to purchase a video copy of the 2013 Serra Catholic Musical "The Boys from Syracuse" the order form is available below. The cost of the video is $30 per copy and it is in DVD format. Order forms are due in the Main Office by May 21, 2013. The videos will be available on May 28, 2013.
If you would like to purchase a copy of the 2013 Graduation Video, the order form is available below. The cost of the video is $30 per copy and it is in DVD format. Order forms are due in the Main Office by June 8, 2013. The videos will be available on June 22, 2013.
On Tuesday, May 14, Mrs. Kathy Sigg received the Outstanding Math Teacher Award from the CMU Chapter of Sigma Xi. The organization chose Mrs. Sigg from a large pool of candidates because they were particularly impressed with Mrs. Sigg’s leadership regarding hands-on scientific investigation and its application to the real world. Congratulations, Mrs. Sigg!
Mrs. Koval’s Personal Financial Management classes learned what it’s like to be the vacation planner of the family. Students got a glimpse into their future as adults with two children as they planned a typical family vacation! Students had to choose a destination and the ages of their two children, while calculating the cost of airfare or cost of gas for driving, planning out meals, entertainment, and vacation necessities. Students were, of course, given a budget to follow just like real life families have.
Students chose such destinations as Hawaii, Ocean City, Cedar Point, the Outer Banks, and some even did a European vacation.
The students enjoyed doing this project as it gave them a real understanding of what things cost, what goes into planning a trip for the family, and making everyone happy, all while sticking to a budget.
By: Mrs. Jennifer Salvador '00, Development Director
On Tuesday, May 7, 2013, the REACH Foundation celebrated the 12th Birthday of the EITC (Educational Improvement Tax Credit) Program in Harrisburg, PA. I had the pleasure of bringing a group of four students from Serra Catholic to this event where we gathered at the Capitol Building with other families, students and legislators to support this crucial program for our schools across the state. The event opened with our students leading the Pledge of Allegiance and then various state representatives spoke about the importance of school choice with the help of the EITC program.
As an added bonus, our very own Natalie Condrac '14, won the contest for the best t-shirt design for the Rally! Everyone at the event wore these shirts and Natalie was presented with a $500 check for Serra that will go towards tuition assistance. Natalie’s Mom, Cathy Condrac, also traveled to Harrisburg with us for this birthday celebration. It was a wonderful day in our state capital and I was very proud of our students.
The chemistry classes at Serra Catholic have been busy exploring molecular geometry and gas laws through in-class activities. In the molecular geometry lesson, students learned about the different shapes that molecules make when they are being bonded covalently. The students built these models during in-class discussion of molecular geometry, to help support their understanding of covalent bonding through 3D models.
The students also conducted activities using popcorn and eggs to learn more about gas laws. Using popcorn, the students were able to show Gay Lussac's Law, which states that when the temperature of a substance rises, the pressure also rises. The students were able to demonstrate this by placing popcorn kernels in water and heating the water, which resulted in the kernels of popcorn popping open.
Students were also able to learn more about Gay Lussac's Law using the eggs. The students placed a lit match inside a bottle and then placed an egg at the top of the bottle, lowering the amount of oxygen in the bottle. Once the match extinguished due to a lack of oxygen, the temperature dropped in the bottle, which lowered the pressure level as well. This meant that the atmospheric pressure was higher outside of the bottle than inside the bottle, resulting in the egg being pushed into the bottle.
Serra Catholic has an opening for the position of head girls volleyball coach. If interested, please email resume and cover letter to Bill Cleary, athletic director at clearyw@serrahs.org. Deadline is Thursday, May 23.
Serra Catholic will be selling Kennywood tickets for $24 each (cash only) in the main office during school hours from Monday, May 13, 2013 through Friday, May 17, 2013.
Catholic School Picnic Day at Kennywood will be on Tuesday, June 11, 2013.
Ms. Jennifer Cairns, Class of ’94 spoke to Mr. Raible's Pre-Law class on Monday, April 22. Ms. Cairns is a Partner with the law firm of McGuire-Woods, specializing in toxic torts and product liability. Ms. Cairns’s discussion covered a wide range of topics including undergraduate majors that best prepare students for law school, factors to consider when choosing a law school, different areas of the law, her typical work day, and challenges of being an attorney.
Mr. Raible created the Pre-Law elective three years ago to give students a chance to explore a possible career option in a social studies field. The semester-long course covers torts and criminal law and the final project consists of two mock trials. One trial is a civil lawsuit against the White Star Cruise Line for the Titanic sinking and the other is a criminal trial of Wyatt Earp for the killings at the gunfight at the OK Corral.
The Serra Catholic Music Department is proud to announce the return of Jazz Celebration Day. Join the McKeesport Middle School Jazz Band, the McKeesport High School Jazz Band, and the Serra High School Jazz Band for a fun evening concert on Wednesday May 8th at 7:00 PM at Serra High School. Jazz is truly an American art form so don’t miss this opportunity to hear fine young musicians sharing their talents. Guests can expect to hear a wide range of music including swing, blues, funk, rock and more. Come out and support the performing arts at Serra High School!
Ms. Corcoran's core science class recently conducted an activity where students were to show the different phases of mitosis using twizzlers, chocolate and marshmallows. Twizzlers acted as chromosomes (red and blue) and spindle fibers (white), while the chocolate bars were the centrioles and the marshmallows were the centromeres.
