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Exeter Township Senior High

Grades 9-12 | 610-779-3060

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Directory

Exeter Township Senior High

201 East 37th Street | Reading, PA 19606
(610) 779-3060

Click Here For A Searchable Directory
  • Office

    x2144 Tom Campbell, Principal
    x2146 Matt Bauer, Assistant Principal
    x2147 Frank Vecchio, Assistant Principal
    x1306 Jessica Kaiser, Secondary Special Education Supervisor
    x2128 Alycia Lenart, K-12 Student Support Coordinator
    x2157 Sarah Gibney, Secretary
    x2150 Deb Poznanski, Secretary
    x2156 Jodi Stech, Attendance Secretary

  • Athletics

    x2430 Tom Legath, Director
    x2080 Audrey Dickman, Trainer
    x2401 Cristina Schmehl, Secretary

  • Counseling & Guidance

    x2133 Nicole Daub, Counselor, A-Dough
    x2135 Owen Jones, Counselor, Doughl-Hun
    x2132 Bryan Lefever, Counselor, Hu-Mo
    x2131 Ashley Zappacosta, Counselor, Mu-She
    x2134 Malorie Sassaman, Counselor, Shi-Z
    x2616 Mark Ricketts, Internship Coordinator
    x2138 Mary Matetich-Patton, Guidance Technician & Scholarship Coordinator
    x2136 Lindsey Remigio, Secretary/Registrar

  • Nurses

    x2112 Therese Knabb
    x2110 Dottie Pfeffer

  • Psychologist

    x2318 Lauren Solazzo

  • Technology/Chromebook Support

    x2333 Donna Suchomelly 

Note: Faculty phone numbers go to voice mail during school hours

  • Art

    x2012 Jennifer Buchholtz
    x2010 Christina Pinkerton
    x2011 John White

  • Business

    x2606 Sandy Blackburn
    x2604 Sherri McGaffin

  • English

    x2603 Rebekah Achor
    x2104 Julianne Bertin
    x2311 Christopher Farrell
    x2303 Matthew Hummer
    x2803 Lisa McCoy
    x2804 Heather Mills
    x2802 Jordan Sharp-Rosenbaum
    x2502 Alura Shubeck
    x2302 Kaleigh Stewart
    x2801 Robert Wickstrom
    x2301 Mark Wisniewski

  • English as a Second Language

    x2207 Brindusa Said

  • Family & Consumer Science

    x2205 Cory DiGuardi
    x2315 Trisha Master
    x2402 Courtney Preston
    x2403 Anne Thomas

  • Fitness & Wellness

    x2036 Nick Beisker
    x2034 Maggie Endler
    x2777 Kevan Schaeffer
    x2015 Hannah Woodward

  • Librarian

    x2331 Nancy Gajewski

  • Mathematics

    x2702 Thomas Craver
    x2705 Nathan Fidler
    x2704 Justin Freese
    x2703 Brandi Himmelreich
    x2708 James Mills
    x2706 Jared Guhl
    x2602 Jennifer Seymour
    x2509 Denise Stine
    x2701 Timothy Walsh
    x2605 Gabriella Wegman
    x2510 Todd Wegman

  • Music

    x2227 Micah Albrycht
    x2222 Elizabeth Combs
    x2217 Lorraine Selke

  • Science

    x2714 Parker Dundore
    x2713 Vincent Ferrizzi
    x2712 Michael Herman
    x2710 Holly Klebes
    x2408 Marijana Lake
    x2715 William Lasky
    x2407 Matthew Livingood
    x2607 Sean Reese
    x2406 Thomas Shive, Jr.
    x2404 Karen Weinhold
    x2711 Pamela Wetzel

  • Social Studies

    x2503 Louis Blair
    x2507 Matthew Burkhart
    x2505 Adrianne Lockard
    x2506 Rebecca Pfennig
    x2508 Stephanie Redding
    x2511 Stephen Todd Shelley
    x2502 Alura Shubeck
    x2501 Brian Witkowski
    x2310 Brett Witmer
    x2513 Brandon Ziegler

  • Special Education

    x2305 Michele Bautsch, Emotional Support
    x2316 Alex Dundore, Emotional Support
    x2304 Jamie Harner, Transition Coordinator
    x2306 Stephanie Isselmann, Gifted
    x2219 Noelle Janowski, Learning Support
    x2218 Michelle Klusewitz, Learning Support
    x2707 Cara Lobb, Learning Support
    x2101 Missy Losito, Life Skills
    x2308 Danielle Ninfo, Learning Support
    x2601 Tracey Prout, Learning Support
    x2314 Lisa Reppert, Learning Support
    x2200 Chris Scoboria, Learning Support
    x2504  Stephanie Shade, Learning Support
    x2330 Kristin Swartley, Speech Therapist
    x2212 Jennifer Trumbauer, Special Education
    x2103 Dorian Weidner, Autistic Support

  • Technology Education

    x2019 Robert Darrah
    x2017 Anthony Kutza
    x2020 Zachary Potter
    x2018 Jonathan Rugg
    x2016 Courtney Sussingham

  • World Languages

    x2208 Tammy DeFusco, Spanish
    x2205 Cory DiGuardi, German
    x2210 Virginia Gonzalez, Spanish
    x2303 Matthew Hummer, Latin
    x2209 Rebecca Lapic, French
    x2203 Lisa Speece, Spanish

Home » Senior High Students Celebrate Life on Day of the Dead
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The lights at the entrance to the Senior High’s auditorium were dimmed today, yet the mood inside was cheerful as students and teachers gathered in the transformed space to honor, remember and celebrate their loved ones who had passed during “Día de los Muertos,” or “Day of the Dead.” A collaborative project between students of all grade levels in Spanish and art, along with help from students from Life Skills and Wood Technology, students and teachers throughout the high school were invited to bring in photos of departed loved ones to place on tables in an act of honor and celebration, rather than mourning. 

The holiday, which is celebrated on November 2nd in Mexico and other parts of Latin America, came to prominence for American students in “Coco,” a Disney movie released in 2017, which is around the time that high school Spanish teacher, Señorita González, brought the idea to all students in the high school. Soon after the new yearly tradition was launched, however, Covid forced Señorita González to pause or scale back the celebration to just the senior high’s students in Spanish classes. Sadly, it was also during Covid that she lost her sister–a tragedy that gave her the motivation to continue to grow the event once social distancing restrictions were lifted. Her sister’s death allowed her to recognize that many students may have lost ones during the pandemic whom they never had an opportunity to properly say goodbye to or mourn. “If anyone passed away during Covid, you know that there were no funerals and we didn’t have that closure.” she said. “I’ve appreciated that I’ve been able to share (this event) with students as an outlet with others to have a moment like that and to find closure.”

On each tiered and black-draped table, beautiful arrangements of food, sculptures, photos and candles were arranged, meant to entice souls to visit from the dead. Ceramics students in Ms. Pinkerton’s class had sculpted candle holders shaped like flowers or skulls, while Spanish students had created sugared skulls that the Life Skills students had helped them decorate. Freshly baked pan de muerto (bread), apples, bananas and water were placed on each table to entice souls to the tables and give them nourishment from their long journey. Spanish students crafted and painted papier-mâché animals to represent the dead’s spirit animal, a protector of their family after their departure. Framed photos (called a nicho) of departed ones and notes to them were tucked in between the objects, some written in Spanish and others in English. Art students in Ms. Buchholtz’s and Ms. Pinkerton’s classes created beautiful papel picado banners, skull (calaveras) prints using various printmaking methods, as well as paintings with patterned watercolors. Brightly-colored skeletons created by Spanish and art students finished off the decor on the walls and ceiling, creating a festive and celebratory vibe.

While people may think that students in World Languages only focus on learning vocabulary, Señorita González said that she and her colleagues appreciate educational opportunities to bring authentic experiences to their students–as well as the entire high school. “It’s so much more than just the language. We try to be as authentic as possible, and this is something where students can really feel that authenticity through the culture.” Further, she said that students from all nationalities, cultures and religions appreciate the event–many of them finding something to appreciate and take away. 

She said that although many people outside of Latin America may view the holiday as morbid, she said that her focus and the holiday’s origins are on keeping the event joyful. “I’m from Berks County and I know that the way that we view death can sometimes be morbid–or a finite thing where when someone passes away we bury them and have a funeral but we never celebrate them again. I wanted to show our students that Day of the Dead is a beautiful celebration of life.”

Exeter Township Senior High School

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Address & Contact Info

  • 201 East 37th Street
    Reading, PA 19606

  • District Phone:
    610-779-3060

  • Fax:
    610-370-0518

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Our Schools

Exeter Township Senior High

Exeter Township Junior High

Reiffton School

Jacksonwald Elementary

Lorane Elementary

Owatin Creek Elementary