Dear Northgate Families,

We are deeply saddened to inform the Northgate Community that recent Northgate graduate, Israel Sustayta, has passed away. We as a district are incredibly heartbroken and saddened by this loss and want to express our deepest sympathy. Please keep Israel, his family and friends in your thoughts and prayers.

Counseling will be available both virtually and in person at Northgate Middle/ High School on Monday, January 20 from noon to 3 p.m. as well as Tuesday, January 21, from 8 a.m. - 3 p.m. We appreciate your understanding as we navigate this difficult time.

Earlier this week, the Northgate School District administration learned that one of its vendors, PowerSchool, experienced a security incident of its student information system software. As you may recall, the district uses the PowerSchool product to maintain a variety of student records.

According to PowerSchool, they discovered the breach on December 28, 2024, which involved access to certain data using a compromised credential. They have assured us that no other PowerSchool products were affected, and that the incident has been contained. PowerSchool has implemented a series of measures to secure their systems, including deactivating the compromised credential, resetting passwords and enhancing access controls. 

The Northgate School District takes privacy and data security very seriously and is disappointed that this unfortunate incident has occurred. Although it occurred in PowerSchool’s system and not ours, we nevertheless are reviewing all records for any indication of personally identifiable information that may have been involved. The district will continue to follow our current policies and all relevant state laws.

As PowerSchool provides us with more information, we will provide additional updates. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us.

Congratulations to Alexis Trischler for being chosen as one of Junior Achievement of Western PA's 18 Under Eighteen honorees. 18 Under Eighteen showcases the talents and achievements of 18 of the region’s most incredible young people. 

Becoming an honoree doesn't come easy. You first must be nominated or self-nominated and then selected as a recipient. From there, a diverse group of judges evaluate each nominee in multiple categories including leadership, community service, advocacy and entrepreneurial spirit. After the judges go through each nomination, 36 finalists are chosen to move on to the second round, which consists of virtual interviews. After virtual interviews, 18 honorees are chosen.

Alexis was chosen because of the work she does with The Seen Project. What started as a personal outlet has now turned into a platform with nearly 800 followers. The goal of The Seen Project is to help create a safe space for open conversations about mental health. 

On February 4th, Alexis and the 17 other honorees will be celebrated at Acrisure Stadium for their outstanding work. Congratulations, once again, to Alexis Trischler!

The Central Valley Roundball Holiday Classic is right around the corner. This tournament has become one of the most well-known holiday basketball classics in the Pittsburgh region! 

Below is a link from the Director of Beaver County Tourism. It provides information to make your time in Beaver County a little easier:
https://visitbeavercounty.com/cvclassic24/

Tickets will be available for purchase both in person and online at GoFan this year. Tickets are for single day use only; a ticket will need purchased for both Thursday and Friday but does get you access to all the games for that day. Adult tickets are $10, and student tickets are $5; there is no multi-day pass. Tickets at the gate are cash only but cards can be used via GoFan. Below are links for the GoFan tickets directly but these can also be found on GoFan by searching both Central Valley High Basketball and your districts.
 
https://gofan.co/event/2514722?schoolId=PA6313_1 – Friday
 
https://gofan.co/event/2514736?schoolId=PA6313_1 – Saturday
 
There will be a fully stocked concession stand again this year with a wide array of food, snacks, and drinks. This is also cash only.
 
If you have any questions, please reach out to Samantha Conti at 724-683-9717.

A group of Northgate High School students recently participated in the 20th annual Model European Union Simulation hosted by the European Studies Center at the University of Pittsburgh. The students filled the roles of delegates from a number of the 27 nation-members of the EU. As delegates, the students used parliamentary procedures, motions, and speeches to debate the issues dealing with the war in Ukraine and agricultural policies.

Anastasia Beridze and Juliana Shane, 12th grade students who served as delegates from Poland, won the Excellent Delegation Award (second place) based on their impressive efforts. Darius Fields and Khamya Cobb-Hewlett represented Malta, and Kaylee Beerhalter served as delegate from Italy. Any students interested in participating in future simulations should see Mr. Bichko.

We are excited to invite you to an open house for the Verizon Innovative Learning STEM Achievers Program, taking place on December 7 at the Community College of Allegheny County's Allegheny campus. This event is designed for middle school students and their families to learn more about this transformative program.

The Verizon Innovative Learning STEM Achievers Program offers a unique opportunity for students to engage with cutting-edge technology while developing essential STEM and entrepreneurship skills. The students will work on hands-on projects, receive mentorship, and utilize advanced technologies such as 3D printing, augmented reality, and robotics. The program emphasizes design thinking and social entrepreneurship, preparing students for future success in a technology-driven world.

During the open house, you will have the chance to meet our program leaders, ask questions, and explore the benefits of this free, project-based learning experience.

Event Details:

• Date: December 7, 2024
• Time: 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM
• Location: CCAC Allegheny Campus

We hope to see you there as we work together to empower our students with the skills, they need for the future. If you have any questions or need additional information, please feel free to reach out to Felicia Parker at fparker2@ccac.edu.