Join Us! Thursday | February 6, 2025 Western Wayne Administration Building
11:00AM – 2:00PM Potential Sign – On Bonus for those that
attend!
Come discuss open positions as Substitutes in the following positions: Teacher,
Paraprofessional, Nurse, Custodian, Secretary, and Food Services.
Western Wayne FBLA recently attended the Regional Leadership Conference at The University of Scranton. Students participated in competitive events and attended workshops with local business leaders. Twenty-two Western Wayne Students qualified to compete in the State Leadership Conference in April. Students who qualified are as follows:
Clare Coccodrilli, Isabella Kolp, Avery Ullner – 1st Place, Intro to Social Media Strategy
Khloe Mistishin, Grace Moser, Maggie Kotchessa – 1st Place, Business Ethics
Chris Pane – 1st Place, Intro to Financial Math
Madelyn McClure – 1st Place, Intro to Parliamentary Procedure
Lance Maiocco – 1st Place, Networking Infrastructures
Lily Kieva & Julia Wehrmann – 1st Place, Sales Presentation
Makenzie Chearney – 2nd Place, Intro to FBLA
Phoebe Schmitt & Audrey Agnello – 2nd Place, Social Media Strategies
Colette Schmitt – 2nd Place, Public Speaking
Nathaniel Amberg – 2nd Place, Impromptu Speaking
Kyle Matthews – 3rd Place, Intro to Event Planning
Abigail Bell – 3rd Place, Intro to FBLA
Ciarra Kidder – 3rd Place, Accounting 1
Olivia Gries – 4th Place, Business Communication
Paityn Duprey – 4th Place, Intro to Business Communication
Eli Bilski – 4th Place, Intro to Business Procedures
Lastly, Madelyn McClure was voted to serve as the 2025-26 Region 22 Secretary.
The District is proud of our FBLA members’ hard work and commitment to the program.
Photo One:
From left, row one: Grace Langendoerfer, David Elias, Ethan Lamberton, Timmy Roberts, Madelyn McClure, Audrey Agnello, Phoebe Schmitt, Ciarra Kidder, Olivia Gries, Isabella Kolp, Clare Coccodrilli, Avery Ullner, Cameron Press, and Myles Lee.
From left, row two: Carmine Leggio, Connor Bryant, Jared Goldman, Emaan Tanveer, Lily Kieva, Grace Moser, Maggie Kotchessa, Graysen Valinski, Paul Borowski, and Lance Maiocc.o
From left, row three: Jason Vass, Julia Wehrmann, Khloe Mistishin, Colette Schmitt, Vinny Baldini, and Mitchell Ferraro.
From left, row four: Mia Arcadipane, Madison Trapanese, Donovan Gregorski, and Gage Roberts.
Back row: Nathaniel Amberg, Mackenzie Adams, Hannah DeStefano, Raeleigh Kromko, and Madelyn Vinton.
Photo Two:
Madelyn McClure, who was voted to serve as the 2025-26 Region 22 Secretary.
The Western Wayne School District would like to congratulate high school band director Mrs. Elaine Ort on being the recipient of the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association District 9 Citation of Excellence. Mrs. Ort is the only band director in District 9 to be chosen for the award this year. This award is given to music educators who demonstrate high musical standards both inside and outside the classroom. She will attend an awards banquet at the PMEA State Conference in April to receive the official recognition.
In addition, Mrs. Ort has had the honor of being a member of America’s Bands Directors with her most recent appearance with this group at the 2023 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
The district is proud of Mrs. Ort’s past and most recent accomplishments.
Pictured is Mrs. Ort at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Please also enjoy this link to an appearance Mrs. Ort made on PA Live last year to discuss her accomplishments in music.
https://www.pahomepage.com/pa-live/western-wayne-band-director-performs-at-macys-thanksgiving-day-parade/
Western Wayne High School’s Watershed Group is proud to announce the acceptance of a grant to sponsor a fourth-grade field trip to the Varden Conservation Area this spring. This initiative, led by students, exemplifies their commitment to fostering environmental stewardship and creating meaningful educational opportunities for younger learners.
Sophomore Aliyah Gregory wrote the grant and is thrilled to have been given it to use to help the younger students at Western Wayne have this unique educational experience.
“I really enjoy helping environmental causes,” Aliyah said. “I also aspire to be a teacher one day and think that working with the fourth graders later this year will be a good experience in leading others.”
The program, Community Connections to Our Watershed, has a legacy spanning over two decades. Each year, education staff from Lackawanna and Nescopeck State Parks collaborate with local schools to engage students and educators in an environmental forum. Participants explore local parks and public lands while learning from conservation professionals who work tirelessly to ensure equitable access to clean water—a resource vital for both human and ecological health. An overview of the 2023-2024 program, including information, pictures, and highlights from field trips, is available at https://tinyurl.com/CCTW2024
This year’s participating schools include:
Lackawanna County Teams: Carbondale, Forest City, Lackawanna Trail, Lakeland, Mountain View, Old Forge, Riverside, Western Wayne, and Wayne Highlands.
Luzerne County Teams: Crestwood, Hanover, HAAS, HACC, Hazleton, Northwest, Tunkhannock, and Wyoming Area.
Western Wayne High School students have already participated in enriching field trips to Lackawanna State Park, Keystone College, the Old Forge borehole, and the Alliance Landfill. These experiences provided hands-on lessons in understanding healthy watersheds, monitoring their condition, and implementing solutions to maintain water quality. These activities were made possible through support from Pennsylvania American Water Company, the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR), and DCNR’s Watershed Education Program.
Sophomore Dakota Douglas greatly enjoyed the trip to Keystone. Part of the experience that day was the students doing a simulated bird watching activity where they used binoculars to look at pictures of birds on trails and then identify them.
“The bird watching activity was really fun,” she said. “I love science and hope to study psychology one day in college.”
The program will culminate on May 6, 2025, with a student presentation banquet at Montage Mountain. Western Wayne students will present their project, which involves designing and implementing a field trip for fourth-grade elementary students to the Varden Conservation Area. Drawing from their own learning experiences, the high school students crafted ecology-based activities to inspire and educate their younger peers.
To fund this initiative, the students successfully applied for a grant through the Wayne County Community Foundation (WCCF). The Youth Advisory Committee (YAC) reviewed and approved their mini-grant application, which secured funding for transportation and programming costs.
The Wayne County Community Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to building a charitable reserve for the current and future needs of Wayne County. Through its grant programs, the Foundation empowers community organizations to grow, thrive, and achieve sustainability. For more information about the Foundation, visit their office at 214 Ninth Street, Honesdale, PA 18431, call 570-251-9993, email info@waynefoundation.org, or visit https://www.waynefoundation.org.
Western Wayne High School is deeply grateful for the support that made this student-led program possible. This grant underscores the power of youth initiative and collaboration in promoting environmental awareness and education within our community.
From left, kneeling: Aliyah Gregory and Kyleigh Turner. From left, standing: Dakota Douglas, Jerrah-Ann DeBree, Mark Nebzydoski Ph.D. advisor; and Giuliana Velazquez.
We are currently looking for a food service team member.
Part-time (5 hours per day) 9 am-2 pm. Rate $14.00 per hour
Great jobs when you have students in the district…you work when they are in school.
Please reach out for more info to:
Maria Liptak, RD Food Service Director
mliptak@westernwayne.org
or call 1-800-321-9973 option 1
Applicants must be in compliance with Acts 34/151/114 Guidelines
Western Wayne School District is an EOE school district
Wester Wayne FBLA members attended the Regional Leadership Workshop held at Woodloch Resorts this past December and had a great experience learning at and participating in this event. Back row, from left: Khloe Mistishin, Cameron Press, Jared Goldman, and Madelyn Vinton. Front row, from left: Phoebe Schmitt, Olivia Gries, Ms. Brooke Hochreither, Western Wayne FBLA adviser; Colette Schmitt, and Madelyn McClure.
This December 13th the Western Wayne High School Band and Chorus held their annual holiday concert. The night opened with the High School Chorus under the direction of Mr. Taber Starnes singing a variety of holiday songs. Then the High School Band performed under the direction of Mrs. Elaine Ort and entertained the audience with many holiday classics. As an added treat, the closing numbers of the show included band and chorus alumni who were invited to the stage and welcomed to join the current students in making music. This tradition started a few years ago to honor the Western Wayne School District’s 50th Anniversary, and it was so popular that alumni look forward to it each year. The current students and alumni loved making music together and can’t wait to do it again next year. The High School Chorus, Band, and Western Wayne music programs alumni wish the community the happiest of holidays this season!
Row Four, back, alumni in attendance, from left: Hope Jezorwski, class of 1997; Connor Michaud,; class of 2024; Caden Wilson, class of 2024; Joey Regalbuto, class of 2024; Logan Jerzorski, class of 2024; Seth Lamberton, class of 2018; and Damon Martzen, class of 2020. Row Three: Phil Erb, class of 2001; Mason Coccodrilli, class of 2018; and Thomas Roberts, class of 2017. Row Two: Candice Zeiler, WW alumni; Alecks Fullone, class of 2022; Amanda David, class of 2023; Jennifer Hall, class of 2023; Kristin Shandor, class of 2015; Noah Shandor, class of 2015; and Kat Moore, class of 2019. Row One: Kathy Schaffer, class of 1974; Erica Arre, class of 2003; Becky Rinella, WW band parent; Mrs. Elaine Ort, band director; Tyler Velez, class of 2018; and Alana Lamberton, class of 2022.
Mental Health First Aid training is an 8-hour evidence-based curriculum created by the National Council for Mental Well-being. This course helps adults working with youth ages 12-18 to identify, understand, and respond to the early signs of mental health and substance use challenges using the ALGEE action plan.
Participants complete a 2.5 hour online self-paced course prior to the virtual training. The next training is on: Thursday, January 16 from 6-9 PM AND Thursday, January 23 from 6-9 PM.
Download the full flyer below.
Guiding Good Choices for 4th-6th grade parents and caregivers. Attend this FREE VIRTUAL five-session program to help your youth navigate the pressures and expectations of life during their teen years to succeed and achieve a brighter future.
Parents and caregivers can enhance their parenting skills by learning how to:
On Saturday, December 14th nearly 300 members of the Western Wayne High School community including students, advisors, chaperones, administration, and SROs gathered to celebrate the 2024 Semi Formal at Camp Ladore in Waymart.
This year’s theme elected by Student Council was Disney’s Tangled and included decor complete with elements of long Rapunzel hair, frying pans, illuminated lanterns, and even a castle backdrop adorned with Pascal.
Students spent the time dining and dancing with opportunities to capture memories in the professional photo booth. Students received picture frames as favors to memorialize the event.
As is tradition, attendees voted sophomores Cole Combs and Makenzie Chearney as Price and Princess of the magical occasion.
Pictured (left to right):
Mr. Paul Gregorski (Principal), Cole Combs (Prince), Makenzie Chearney (Princess), and Mr. Robert Black (Vice Principal)
Scholarships & Career Opportunities – May EditionMay 4, 2026The May edition of Scholarships & Career Opportunities is now available. All grades should read this document to get information on college, careers, important dates, SAT/ACT exams and of course…scholarships!
Click here: https://ww3.westernwayne.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Scholarships-and-Career-Opportunities-May-2026.pdf [...]
Western Wayne Annual Art Exhibit & Spring Concerts on May 9May 4, 2026Western Wayne’s annual art exhibit and spring concerts will take place on Saturday, May 9.
The art exhibit will run in the high school gymnasium from 2 to 5 p.m. It will mainly feature high school artwork with special displays by our seniors. In addition, a select sample of middle and elementary student artwork will be on display.
The concert schedule is as follows: the sixth-grade concert will begin at 11 a.m.; the seventh- grade concert will begin at 1 p.m., the eighth- grade concert will begin at 3 p.m.; and the high school concert will begin at 5 p.m. with all concerts in the Veterans Memorial Auditorium at the high school.
There will be concessions for sale in the high school cafeteria throughout the day. All events are free of charge. Please join us in the celebrating the arts in our school. [...]
Two Western Wayne Students Place at All-State BandMay 4, 2026 Western Wayne senior percussionists Antonio Fisichella and Nicholas Fisichella placed second and third respectively at PMEA’s All-State Band event this past weekend of April 24. It is a great accomplishment to place at All-State Band, which is very competitive. The district congratulates these students and their director, Mrs. Elaine Ort.
Picture one, from left: Antonio Fisichella and Nicholas Fisichella. Picture two, from left: Nicholas Fisichella, Mrs. Elaine Ort, and Antonio Fisichella. [...]
Western Wayne Represented at Scholar-Athlete BreakfastMay 4, 2026 Western Wayne seniors Khloe Mistishin and Paul Borowski recently represented Western Wayne at the annual Ann Marie Simons Scholar-Athlete Breakfast this spring. The annual Ann Marie Simons Scholar-Athlete Breakfast, hosted by the Lackawanna Interscholastic Athletic Association (LIAA) at Montdale Country Club, honors top senior student-athletes from a variety of districts for academic and athletic excellence. The event commemorates Ann Marie Simons, a former teacher and pioneering female athletic director at Wallenpaupack Area. From left: Khloe Mistishin and Paul Borowski. [...]
National Speech-Language-Hearing Month at EverGreenMay 4, 2026May is National Speech-Language-Hearing Month, a time to raise awareness of communication and hearing disorders and to highlight the important role communication skills play in student success.
Speech and language disorders are among the most common disabilities, with over 1 million school-aged children in the United States receiving school-based speech and language services each year (ASHA, 2026). School-based Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) support students in grades K-12, as well as children ages 3 to 5 years, in developing and improving communication skills to promote success in school.
Teachers are at higher risk for voice disorders due to frequent speaking and projecting over classroom noise. Staying hydrated is one of the simplest ways to protect vocal health. In recognition of the month, EverGreen’s school-aged SLP, Alyssa Wesley, and Early Intervention SLP, Julie Conklin, provided teachers with water and mints to encourage hydration and healthy voice habits.
Hearing is an important part of learning. Even temporary hearing loss from colds, allergies, or ear infections can impact a student’s ability to follow directions, participate in class, and engage in instruction. Mild hearing loss may also affect comprehension, speech clarity, language development, the ability to distinguish speech sounds, and overall academic progress.
Sarah Taylor, one of Western Wayne’s Teachers of the Deaf & Hard of Hearing, created an ASL Nook at EverGreen, made possible through a Youth Advisory Committee Mini-Grant from the Wayne County Community Foundation. The ASL Nook is a mobile cart that includes sign language books, flashcards, games, and a rotating “ASL Challenge”. The goal is to allow students to explore American Sign Language in a fun, hands-on way while also building awareness of Deaf culture and encouraging inclusive communication. [...]
