etsd

Exeter Again Named a Best Community for Music Education

by

The Exeter Township School District was grateful and humbled to have been chosen once again as a Best Community for Music Education by the NAMM Foundation--an honor bestowed upon fewer than 800 schools throughout the nation who demonstrate outstanding efforts by teachers, administrators, parents, students and community leaders who have made music education part of a well-rounded education. This is the 11th year that Exeter's received this honor, which is something that the Exeter's music department is especially proud to have received. "The recognition that we received is about the community. It's not just about our music department. It's all of the teachers, all of the parents, all of the students, all of the administrators and everybody who lives and works in Exeter," said Mrs. Melissa Crotty, the Junior High's music teacher and Exeter's music department chair.

Throughout local, regional and state events and performances, Exeter musicians won numerous accolades and ratings--proving yet again they were worthy of NAMM's awards. Below, our music department is thrilled to present the following highlights of this year's accomplishments by our musicians:

Senior High Marching Band

  • The marching band enjoyed an active season performing our field show, “Finding Joy.” The music utilized themes from Beethoven and Dvorak’s 9th symphonies as well as other motives of musical joy. We are proud of the progress we made over the fall season. We are looking forward to the upcoming Memorial Day parade and honoring military families during the Exeter Township ceremony at Forest Hills. We are thrilled and looking forward to marching in Disney’s Magic Kingdom in December. Be sure to look out for our new uniforms later this fall!

Senior High Concert Band

  • Since December, members of the concert band have enjoyed a more active winter and spring. The band was represented by Rob Tufariello (percussion), Nathan Bayer (French horn), Marissa Millar (trumpet), Faith Feldman (bass clarinet), Riley Mazur (trumpet), Ryan Cherry (trombone), and Ava Diaz (clarinet) in various MEBC and PMEA honors band festivals. In the month of March, the band traveled to Temple University to participate in the school of music’s Festival of Winds where we performed in the Temple Performing Arts Center and received clinics from world class musicians and conductors. This year’s spring concert culminated with a side by side performance with the historic Ringgold Band. It was an honor to perform with them in concert and also receive valuable feedback from respected community musicians.

Senior High Jazz Band

  • The jazz band enjoyed great success this past winter and spring having performed at the Reading Royals, the Kuztown High School Jazz Festival, the Twin Valley High School Festival and the inaugural Get JazzED scholastic jazz show at the internationally known Berks Jazz Fest in March. The band had the honor of performing at the DoubleTree Hotel, receiving valuable feedback from world class musicians and getting an amazing experience performing on a professional, world class stage. The band is definitely looking forward to returning to the Berks Jazz Fest next year and making it a tradition for the Exeter program. Several band members were also recognized at our jazz shows for outstanding solo performances with the band: Ryan Cherry, Esteban Ruiz-Velazquez, and Rob Tufariello. We will conclude the school year with a Summer Send-Off Concert on Thursday, June 1st. This concert will be an outdoor performance at Owatin Creek’s amphitheater beginning at 6:30pm. Bring chairs, blankets, and your own food as we play into the evening with other Exeter musical acts.

Senior High Orchestra

  • Orchestra has had a very good year for the 2022-2023 school year. We had a very successful Winter Concert. String Jam was a hit this year featuring all grade levels in the main gym, culminating in a performance of William Tell. In addition to our three major concerts, the Orchestra was thrilled to play for the Reiffton School. This year we had 14 students make Senior County Orchestra, 17 students make Junior County Orchestra, 2 students make District Orchestra, and 1 student make Region Orchestra. We are very proud of the achievements of these students.
  • For our Chamber Strings students we enjoyed playing this year for the National Honors Society Induction Ceremony, and playing for the Reading Royals Exeter night along with our Junior High School chamber strings friends.
  • We are excited to begin preparing for our trip to Disney World next school year.

Senior High Chorus & Concert Choirs

  • The Senior High Chorus and Concert Choirs adjusted to having a long term sub while their chorale teacher was on sabbatical. They spent classroom time learning some basic music theory as well as preparing music for 2 concerts in December and May. The following students participated in the Berks County Music Festival for grades 10-12: Rob Tuffariello, Tyler Casiano, Collin Warner, Ryan Claudfelter, Rebecca Cherry, Sarah McCarthy and Raelin Tufariello. The following freshmen were selected and participated in the Berks Junior County Music Festival: Kaelyn Reynolds, Leoni Choy, Ava Diaz and Gavin Isselmann. Four students were selected and participated in the District 10 music festival: Rebecca Cherry, Ryan Claudfelter, Rob Tuffariello, and Tyler Casiano. Rebecca Cherry also was selected for the Regional Choral Festival. 

Senior High Eaglaires

  • The EagleAires performed for the Exeter senior citizens’ annual spring meeting in March, as well as in the school concerts and pep rallies throughout the year.   

Junior High Chorus 

  • We had a very busy year performing at the Reading Royals, PA Renaissance Fair, the PA State Capitol as part of Music in our Schools Month, and the Fightin Phils. We competed in Hershey’s Music in the Parks where we placed 1st and earned the rating of Excellent. We also had nine students selected to participate in District 10 Intermediate Songfest and 14 students selected to perform with Berks County JHS County Chorus.

Junior High Orchestra

  • Junior High School Orchestra has had another successful year. Our Winter Concerts were highly successful, and String Jam was a thrill. During String Jam, both the 7th and 8th grade students enjoyed combining to play together. We enjoyed playing for the Reading Royals Exeter Night along with our SHS Chamber Orchestra friends. We also competed in Hershey;s Music in the Parks where we placed 1st in our division, 1st overall, and earned the rating of Superior. We had 17 students participate in Junior County Orchestra and one of our Bass players was chosen to participate in District Band on String Bass. We wish the 8th graders a great Senior High School musical experience.

Junior High Band

  • The Exeter Junior High School bands had an enjoyable and successful year. The 7th and 8th grade band members started the year by performing with the high school marching band at a football game. We have had two successful concerts and the year ended with the 8th grade band competing in Music in the Parks and Hershey and we placed in 2nd and received an excellent rating. Four of our band members represented our school at the Junior County Band festival and two members participated in PMEA District 10 band.

Elementary Schools

  • Reiffton Chorus performed in the Winter and Spring concerts. Eight students participated in the first ever Elementary Choral Festival in March at Oley Valley Middle School.
  • Elementary Strings and Band performed in their Winter and Spring concerts.

Individual Recognitions:

Senior High Orchestra:

  1. Frank Conte - MEBC Senior County Orchestra, PMEA District Orchestra, PMEA Regional Orchestra
  2. Emily Holliday - MEBC Senior County Orchestra, PMEA District Orchestra
  3. Nathan Bayer - MEBC Senior County Orchestra
  4. Esteban Ruiz - MEBC Senior County Orchestra
  5. Macy Feather - MEBC Senior County Orchestra
  6. Tyler Casiano - MEBC Senior County Orchestra
  7. George Hajj - MEBC Senior County Orchestra
  8. Carson Frederick - MEBC Senior County Orchestra
  9. Jordan Wolfe - MEBC Senior County Orchestra
  10. Zach Kauffman - MEBC Senior County Orchestra
  11. Charlotte Rismiller - MEBC Senior County Orchestra
  12. Katie Hoover - MEBC Senior County Orchestra
  13. Dylann Backenstoss - MEBC Senior County Orchestra
  14. Kendall Druzba, MEBC JHS County Orchestra
  15. Simon Bolich, MEBC JHS County Orchestra
  16. Evan Harvey, MEBC JHS County Orchestra
  17. Peyton Klein, MEBC JHS County Orchestra
  18. Ava Diaz, MEBC JHS County Orchestra
  19. Andrew Schwenck, MEBC JHS County Orchestra

Senior High Band: 

  1. Nathan Bayer - MEBC Senior County Band, PMEA District Band, PMEA Regional Band
  2. Robbie Tufariello - MEBC Senior County Band, PMEA District Band
  3. Faith Feldman - MEBC Senior County Band
  4. Riley Mazur - MEBC Senior County Band
  5. Ryan Cherry - MEBC Senior County Band
  6. Ava Diaz - MEBC JHS County Band
  7. Marissa Millar - MEBC JHS County Band

Senior High Choir:

  1. Becky Cherry - MEBC Senior County Chorus, PMEA District Chorus, PMEA Regional Chorus
  2. Robbie Tufariello - MEBC Senior County Chorus, PMEA District Chorus,
  3. Tyler Casiano - MEBC Senior County Chorus, PMEA District Chorus
  4. Ryan Claudfelter - MEBC SHS County Chorus, PMEA District Chorus
  5. Sarah McCarthy - MEBC SHS County Chorus
  6. Raelin Tufariello - MEBC SHS County Chorus
  7. Collin Warner - MEBC SHS County Chorus
  8. Daniel Pack - MEBC SHS County Chorus
  9. Ava Diaz, MEBC JHS County Chorus
  10. Leoni Choy, MEBC JHS County Chorus
  11. Kaelyn Reynolds, MEBC JHS County Chorus
  12. Gavin Isselmann, MEBC JHS County Chorus

Junior High Orchestra: 

  1. Logan Davis, 8th grade, Violin 1
  2. Dang Nguyen, 8th grade, Violin 1
  3. Aubrey Pallet, 8th grade, Violin 1
  4. Callista Schlappich, 8th grade, Violin 2
  5. Samantha Shipley, 8th grade, Viola,
  6. Morgan Kauffman, 8th grade Viola
  7. Gavin Skimski, 8th grade, Viola
  8.  Grace Campling, 8th grade, Bass 1st chair
  9. Michael Jordan, 7th grade, Bass
  10. Lilly Jordan, 7th grade, Bass
  11. Edward Farrar, 8th grade, Bass
  12. Jillian Crotty, 8th grade, French Horn, 1st chair
  13. Adam Crotty, 8th grade, Trombone

Junior High Band:

  1. Jillian Crotty - MEBC JHS County Band, PMEA District Band
  2. Adam Crotty - MEBC JHS County Band
  3. Michael Jordan, MEBC JHS County Band
  4. Grace Campling, MEBC JHS County Band, PMEA District Band

Junior High Chorus:

  1. Evianna Jones, MEBC JHS County Chorus
  2. Jacinda Motley, MEBC JHS County Chorus
  3. Samantha Shipley, MEBC JHS County Chorus
  4. Julianna McCarthy, MEBC JHS County Chorus
  5. Jillian Crotty, MEBC JHS County Chorus
  6. Callista Schlappich, MEBC JHS County Chorus, PMEA Intermediate Songfest
  7. Grace Campling, MEBC JHS County Chorus
  8. Logan Willauer, MEBC JHS County Chorus, PMEA Intermediate Songfest
  9. Kaleb Schlappich, MEBC JHS County Chorus, PMEA Intermediate Songfest
  10.  Tanner Garrett, MEBC JHS County Chorus
  11. Eddie Farrar, MEBC JHS County Chorus, PMEA Intermediate Songfest
  12. Ajus Singh, MEBC JHS County Chorus
  13. Adam Crotty, MEBC JHS County Chorus
  14.  Logan Hellwig, MEBC JHS County Chorus
  15. Yuvraj Singh, MEBC JHS County Chorus
  16. Taylor Mack - PMEA Intermediate Songfest
  17. Modallys Martinez - PMEA Intermediate Songfest
  18. Giulia Weisser - PMEA Intermediate Songfest
  19. Kiana Whetzel - PMEA Intermediate Songfest

6th Grade Songfest

  1. Matthew Bardi,  
  2. Ava Burkhart, 
  3. Claire Delewski, 
  4. Aurora Elias, 
  5. Mason Foster, 
  6. Colette Jordan, 
  7. Melanie Karasek, 
  8. Joelle Stoltzfus

Reading Music Foundation Merit Scholars: 

  1. Harrison Brumbaugh, cello, 9th grade
  2. Scarlet Jordan, violin, 3rd grade
  3. Ryan Li, violin, 6th grade
  4. Michael Jordan, bass, 7th grade
  5. Grace Campling, bass, 8th grade
  6. Colette Jordan, flute, 6th grade
  7. Molly Nemirow, Exeter Alum
  8. Robert Tufariello, percussion, 12th grade
  9. Esteban Ruiz-Velazquez, jazz, 10th grade

Reiffton Hosts Career Fair for 6th Grade

by

Parents, relatives and friends from area businesses volunteered to share more about their work all to help students in 6th graders learn more about what it's like to work as a hairstylist, engineer, physical therapist or CEO during Reiffton's career fair, which was held last week. More than 30 different volunteers from all different careers both in and beyond Berks spoke to students about their daily work, educational journey and offered advice to interested students. As students learned more about each career, they completed a "career passport," giving each occupation a thumbs up or thumbs down as they jotted down notes and thought about what it might be like to have that particular job when they grow up.

Our thanks to the many amazing volunteers who gave up part of their workday to share their careers with our 6th graders, and for Reiffton's school counselors, Mrs. Ricci and Ms. Seeberger, for organizing the very popular event, which they hope to continue next year as a new annual tradition at Reiffton!

Students Build their Brains by Building Legos

by

boys build a lego motorcycle
IE8A7844
IE8A7872
IE8A7854

Huddled around boxes of Legos and computers, Reiffton students were building their brains–as well as their coding and engineering skills–as they took part in the school’s Robotics club after school today. Thanks to a generous grant from the Exeter Community Education Foundation, who provided the Lego kits and accompanying computer programs, twenty Reiffton students were randomly chosen to be a part of the 10-week program that offers STEM-based after-school learning to interested students who volunteered to solve problems through building contraptions and coding small motors to make their Legos come to life. In one corner of the room, a team of girls designed a robotic hand that they had coded to open and close, gleefully holding up a bottle of hand sanitizer once they had figured out the correct code and configuration to make the Lego “fingers” move. In another group, a team of boys were designing a motorcycle-like car that could zoom along their desk.

To round out the club, other students were working on STEM-based learning projects, such as applying engineering principles to build a 3-foot high suspension bridge out of thin and bendy K’Nex sticks that was strong enough to hold a book when they placed it on top. Other students were huddled around a desk showing each other tips on how to use Scratch, an introductory visual-based coding-based program that allows them to create interactive stories, games and animations.

Despite all of the different projects going on in the classroom this afternoon, the students all shared the same energetic enthusiasm for tapping into their brains to solve problems–even after a full day of school. “This is awesome,” said Connor Funk as he was building his Lego set. “I love getting my energy out and showing what I’m building to my friends.” Leena Biratate agreed, and said that the club was helping her think about what she wanted to do when she grows up. “I think I want to be a software engineer,” she said as she plugged code into the computer, helping her team figure out how to make their Legos come to life. 

We are so grateful to the ECEF for funding this awesome after-school opportunity for our students, and look forward to seeing what amazing things they build and learn over the next 8 weeks! 

Reiffton Spelling Bee Names a W-I-N-N-E-R

by

spelling bee winners hold their certificates
student spells words in spelling bee

Certainly no spelling SLOUCHES were on DISPLAY this afternoon at Reiffton as 5th and 6th grade CRONIES correctly spelled word after word in 27 INNINGS during this year’s Spelling Bee. After the PANDEMIC, you might think that students wouldn’t be DEVOURING spelling competitions, but these talented Reiffton students didn’t EBB their enthusiasm or JINX each other and BROACHED the Bee with WONDER and POTENTIAL as they LIMBERED through an hour of intense spelling competition.

In the end, all but one flew the COOP as he or she accidentally SWITCHEROOED a letter or made a DEVIATION in the correct spelling of his or her given word, leaving 6th grader Jonathan Torres the winner when he mentally SCRAWLED “ENAMEL” in his head and spelled it out loud correctly for the judges.

We wish all of Reiffton’s Spelling Bee participants an ENCOMPASSING congratulations! They are (from left to right):

  • Nora Larosse, runner-up
  • Chiamaka Okpokwu
  • Paden Karpew
  • Jonathan Torres, winner
  • Landon Putt
  • Drew Roth

Please also help us wish Jonathan the best as he hits the early APEX of his spelling career when he goes on to compete in the 3rd Annual Diamond City Regional Spelling Bee in Wilkes-Barre in March. 

District to Host Drug Awareness Workshop for Families in January

by

picture of assorted edibles and vapes
picture of edibles
picture of teachers crowded around a table

“This,” said Exeter Township Detective Sergeant Rocco DeCamillo as he pointed to a table filled with confiscated THC-laced gummies, brownies, cookies and treats, “was not manufactured to appeal to adults. It was manufactured to look like candy to appeal to kids.” 

As part of the district’s professional development sessions with educators and staff last month, Detective Sergeant DeCamillo spent his day walking teachers, administrators and staff through the ever-complex and constantly-changing landscape of what drugs police are seeing being sold and being used in Exeter Township by adults and minors alike. “Things have drastically changed in the last 20 years. When the majority of us were in high school, marijuana was natural and looked like pot. Now, there’s so much synthetic stuff out there that’s chemically-produced with no regulation or oversight–and much of it’s been disguised to look like candy.”

Superintendent Dr. Christy Haller and Assistant Superintendent Mrs. Dawn Harris organized the session with Detective Sergeant DeCamillo and the district’s Student Services Coordinator, Mrs. Alycia Lenart, to bring a greater awareness to teachers of what’s out there, what it looks like, and how to engage students and their families with help for substance abuse. The sessions proved to be so popular with educators that Detective Sergeant DeCamillo and Mrs. Lenart decided to offer a similar session to parents and families so that they, too, could learn what police are seeing in the local community, and how to receive support through the district when families are faced with substance abuse. The parent and family session will be held on Thursday, January 12, 2023 at 7PM in Exeter Township Senior High School’s Large Group Instruction (LGI) room. 

During his presentation to teachers, Detective Sergeant DeCamillo said navigating the “new normal” of drug use and drug accessibility is not easy. Oftentimes, he said as he pointed to all of the items on the table, local retailers don’t even know what’s legal to sell and what isn’t since laws vary from state to state. “Most of this stuff is perfectly legal in New Jersey,” he said. Mrs. Lenart added, “I think there’s also a perception that since it’s legal in certain states, it must be perfectly safe, and it’s really not,” she said, as she ticked off statistics that indicate that 90% of ER admittance for marijuana or THC overdoses are from edibles. “It takes anywhere from 30 minutes to two hours for kids to feel the effect from an edible. Since most teens don’t have great patience, they think it’s not working, so they eat more, and more and more and then wind up in the hospital. That’s why it’s so important to bring awareness to this very scary issue.”