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Spectrum Gazette
fall 2022

A Message From Our CEO/Principal, Dr. Matthew Erickson

Happy Fall Spectrum Families,
 
I hope this message finds you well. I am very thankful to see students actively engaged in learning and venturing out into the community during these early months of the school year. Throughout the course of the school day, we have many things happening ranging from volunteer work during transition, students coming in from sessions at the Career and Technical Center, and buzzing from one class to the next. It is always a positive experience to learn more about the things our students are learning.
 
This past month, we welcomed representatives from the Autism Caring Center and volunteers from T-Mobile to our Welcome Back to School luncheon that was attended by approximately 80-90 parents/guardians, students, and staff. This event was a great way to kick off the new school year and bring families in to see the school and meet others.
 
Our school lunch program continues to grow and we have almost half of our student population participating in this new program. We are working hard to make positive changes to support this new initiative and will keep you posted as this progresses. It has truly been a team effort to prepare meals and put this in place and I am very grateful for the hard work and dedication from our faculty and staff. We could not do it without them!
 
During the month of October, we are continuing to remodel the old Autism Society house on our campus. Our team is working hard to paint and make some minor repairs in order to move transition services and the business office next door. The house will also have space for meetings and events and a bedroom and kitchen area dedicated to teaching independent living skills. We are planning to hold an open house even later in the semester so our families and members of the community can check out our new spaces.
 
We are looking forward to our fall events for students including visits from Deputy Tarap, Veteran’s Day events, STEM Fair, and our annual Thanksgiving Feast. Over the next month or so, please watch for information regarding ways to support our school. We have some new and exciting opportunities coming out soon and we appreciate your time and support.
 
I hope to see you at our next school board meeting online or in person if you can make it. The next meetings are scheduled for October 19 and November 16. Please watch for updates and links on the Spectrum Charter School website.
 
 
Thank you for your time, hope to see you soon!
 
Matt 
 
 
Matthew J. Erickson
Chief Executive Officer/Principal, Spectrum Charter School

Community Participation at Spectrum

Spectrum students have returned to volunteering in the local community! Student groups visit Lincoln Park Community Center, Monroeville Public Library, Westmoreland Food Bank and the Western Pa Diaper Bank. Working as a team, students assist with sorting, organizing and packaging. Students are acquiring career-readiness skills while making a difference in the community.
 
At our newest site, Western PA Diaper Bank, students count and package diapers. The Diaper Bank partners with social service agencies to provide free diapers to qualified families. “The Western Pennsylvania Diaper Bank enjoys having Spectrum Charter School’s students volunteer and help wrap diapers. These students are such hard workers and are helping us make a difference to the 12,000 families we serve.” said Morgan Bergman, Marketing and Development Associate at the WPA Diaper Bank.

Peace One Day Celebration

This year our students celebrated Peace One Day by creating pinwheels for peace during their art class. Pinwheels for Peace is a way for students to use Peace Day to express their feelings about what is going on in the world and in their lives. A pinwheel is a childhood symbol – it reminds us of a time when things were simple, joyful, peaceful. 
 
During history class, Mr. Stedina and Mrs. Snyder discussed Great Peacemakers. Students were introduced to the lives of well-known individuals who have become great peacemakers. They were asked to explain what qualities they thought the peacemaker possessed enabling him or her to work for peace. At the end of the Peace One Day the students created a human peace sign. This is our fifth year to create the peace sign and it has become a tradition for Spectrum students.  
 
After a fun day of activities, the students watched a documentary series titled, “Not the Science Type.” They learned about Gitanjali Rao, the TIME’s 2020 Kid of the Year, and Dr. Jayshree Seth, Chief Science Advocate at 3M. So, what does a scientist look like? A scientist looks like you and me!

Welcome Back Lunch from The Autism Caring Center

A great way to start the new school year is with food, family, friends and community connections! On September 14th, Spectrum students, staff and families gathered to enjoy a lunch provided by The Autism Caring Center, supported by volunteers from T-Mobile. It was a great opportunity for students and families to ease into the school year and connect with school staff and other families. 
 
The Autism Caring Center’s mission is “to enhance the lives of individuals and families by working diligently to provide support, resources, advocacy and offer training to community businesses to raise awareness and acceptance.” They offer a variety of family activities and social events throughout southwestern Pennsylvania. 
 
Thank you to Kelly Cain from The Autism Caring Center, the T-Mobile volunteers and our Spectrum families for joining us for the fun event! 

Spectrum Student Helps to Educate Seniors on Cyber Security

My name is Larson Blum, and I attend Spectrum Charter School and Forbes Road Career & Technology Center. Through the CyberPatriot – Cyber Guardian program, I work with a group of students in the Computer Networking Security class at Forbes Road CTC to educate seniors on internet safety. Currently we are covering important information related to online threats, scammers, and viruses. We visit locations like the Monroeville Public Library on the 4th Wednesday of every month, excluding November and December due to holidays, and are planning to expand to senior centers in the area. Our group is designing and fine tuning our curriculum to work with seniors in a way that isn’t condescending like a lot of sources related to this kind of education. With only more expansion planned, we hope to provide a free source of important information and education to one of the most targeted demographics on the internet.

MY Work Initiative

MY Work Initiative is a summer employment program created by the PA Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR) with the goal of providing high school students with disabilities the opportunity to work in their local community. Students are paid through OVR to work a summer job. Three students from Spectrum Charter School participated, working at CCAC, Renziehausen Park in McKeesport and Braddock Borough.  
 
“I liked to do sorting and cleaning,” said Aaron, who worked in the Braddock Water Authority Building. Aaron said he thinks this program is a good way for students to learn about working a job.  

Classroom Corner

Let your imagination explore, read more…
 
We have started ELA off this year with emphasizing a love for reading! Students are encouraged to read both inside and outside of school as they track their monthly reading progress with their reading logs. Two of our ELA classes are enjoying the timeless fantasy classic, A Wrinkle in Time, by Madeleine L’Engle. As students read the novel, they are building their vocabulary, analytic skills, and comprehension of literary texts.
 
In addition, two of our ELA classes are reading the chilling literary masterpiece, Lord of the Flies, by William Golding. As students read this tale, they are analyzing the text for imagery, figurative language, and symbolism. Our students are constantly expanding their vocabulary through vocabulary word studies as well as brushing up on their grammar by completing daily “Grammar Gaffs.” There is no doubt about it, our ELA students at Spectrum are developing an appreciation and love for reading that will assist them to be lifelong readers! 
Chemistry Class
 
In Mrs. Rosendale’s Chemistry class, students are busy learning about matter. During this lab experiment, students separated a mixture of salt, sand, iron filings, and poppy seeds by determining physical properties of matter. The students were successful in separating the mixture using distilled water, magnets, filters, and evaporation. 
 
Next, students will explore Chemistry and the Engineering Design Process before learning about atoms and elements.
 
Joke: Why can you never trust atoms?
They make up everything!

Fall Flavors from Mrs. Yurkovich's Class

Mrs. Yurkovich’s class would like to share an easy fall recipe. 
We hope you enjoy it!
 
 
Ingredients: 
¾ cup of all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
⅔ cup canned pumpkin
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
 
Filling: 
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoon butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar, ply more for dusting
 
Instructions: 
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a jelly roll pan (15 x 10”) with parchment paper, leaving an extra inch of parchment sticking up on both long sides of the pan so that you can easily lift the cake out after baking. (You can VERY lightly grease the parchment paper, if you want to, but you don’t need to!)
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice. In a separate bowl mix the eggs, sugar, vanilla and pumpkin until smooth.
  3. Add dry ingredients to the bowl and stir just until combined and no dry streaks remain.
  4. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan.
  5. Bake for 14-15 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  6. Immediately lift the payment paper and hot cake out of the pan and onto a flat (heat-safe) surface. 
  7. While the cake is hot, starting at one of the short ends, use your hands to gently and slowly roll the cake (and parchment paper!) all the way up. Allow it to cool completely, on top of a wire cooling rack. (This allows it to cool underneath the roll, and keeps the cake from sweating).
  8. While the cake roll is cooling, mix the cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and powdered sugar together with an electric mixer until it is fluffy and smooth.
  9. Once the cake roll is cooled completely, unroll it very carefully. Gently smooth the filling in an even layer over the cake.
  10. Roll up the cake without the parchment paper. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, before serving.
  11. Dust the top with powdered sugar, if desired. You could use a duster, spoon, or even your fingers to lightly sprinkle it on top of the roll. Cut into slices and serve.
  12. Store in the fridge, covered, for up to three days.
 

School Closings & Delays

It’s that time of year again when inclement weather delays and closings are a possibility. The following is a description of the process we use to determine whether or not to close school and where to go to get information about school closings or delays.
 
DELAYS AND CLOSING OF SCHOOL: 
  • Will be determined by Spectrum Charter School Administration
  • May differ from local school districts
  • Decisions to delay or cancel school will be made as early as possible, but by 6:00 AM at the latest.  
  • If Spectrum Charter School is on a two-hour delay, school will begin at 10:30 AM
  • If the decision to change from a delay to a closure is made, it will be posted by 8:00 AM at the latest
  • All notifications will be posted on KDKA, WTAE and WPXI stations — however, Spectrum Charter School has no control over when the postings are made
 
PARENTS SHOULD:
  • Check news stations regularly for predictions of inclement weather during the cold months
  • Check the news stations for postings of closings or delays
  • Have a plan in place in the event that school is closed or delayed 
  • Contact your child’s bus driver or transportation department to find out their policies on transporting your child if the home school district closings/delays differ from Spectrum Charter School’s
 
This year, The Pennsylvania Department of Education has approved Spectrum Charter School to conduct remote-instruction for days that school cannot be held in-person due to weather emergencies. If that occurs, teachers will reach to families and students with the Google Classroom instructions.
 
*SCHOOL CLOSINGS FOR REASONS OTHER THAN WEATHER:
May occur due to heating, gas, water, sewage or other unforeseen issues
May require Spectrum Charter School to be closed or delayed
Will be determined by Spectrum Charter School Administration as early as possible

 

School Picture Day

Inter-State Photography will be on-site to take school pictures on:
Monday, October 17th
 
Make up/retakes will be on:
Friday, December 2nd
 
Order forms and online ordering instructions have been sent home with students, but please feel free to contact the school if you have any questions.
 
Say Cheese!

Upcoming Notable Dates & Events

October 17th

School Picture Day

October 25th

End of 1st Marketing Period

October 28th

Mix It Up Day
Halloween Dance (evening)

November (TBA)

Student Council Elections

November 11th

Veteran's Day

November 23rd

Thanksgiving Tree
Thankful Day

November 24th - 28th

Thanksgiving Break

December 22nd

Holidays Around the World

December 23rd - January 2nd

Winter Break

January 10th

End of 2nd Marketing Period

january 13th

Snowflake Dance