Scenes from Aroound the Town Sept. 21
Scenes from Aroound the Town Sept. 21 Read More »
September 21, 2011
U-CF baseball boosters cry ‘foul ball’ to rookie superintendent
John Sanville
saw some hard pitches during his first official at bat in a school board
meeting as superintendent. The issue was the interview process for hiring a new
baseball coach for Unionville High School.
Unionville
Recreation Association President Jeff Friess, of Pocopson Township, said there
was a lack of communication.
“The selection
process made no serious effort to notify the baseball booster club. The community’s voice was not heard. The
school board directors should table the selection of the new baseball coach
until the community stakeholder voices are heard.” he said.
Several other
parents made public comments supporting Friess, who is also the current president
of the Unionville High School Booster club.
The U-CFSD
School Board directors also heard public remarks from Unionville High School
Principal Paula Massanari.
“I spoke with
the athletic director to verify the high schools written policy regarding
selecting coaches was followed and documented before I approved the selection
of the new coach,” Massanari said. “Athletic Director [Joe] Derickson’s
interview panel included a community parent and a former high school baseball
player who graduated in 2011. I
believe the interview process was fair and I know of no ulterior motives.”
Board President
Timotha Trigg said “the Board’s responsibility is to make sure there is an
impartial hiring policy in place and confirm the policy was followed.”
She also
cautioned the board meeting was not the appropriate forum for discussion of the
specific names of members of the baseball coach interview committee which voted
5 – 1 to select Michael Magee as coach.
Board Vice
President Frank Murphy agreed there was a communication breakdown, but said,
“The interview process for the new baseball coach should have been better
communicated with community stakeholders; however the board’s role is not to
micromanage the district administrative staff.”
Board director
Holly Manzone said “I urge people to read the best-selling book “The Wisdom of
the Crowds” authored by James Surowiecki. This fascinating book teaches the
audience is usually right. The numerous concerned baseball family comments
tonight will cause me to vote no at this time regarding the approval of the new
baseball coach’s contract.”
Trigg then
called for a vote on approving the contract for Magee. Directors Murphy, Keith Knauss,
Jeff Hellrung, Eileen Bushelow, Corinne Sweeney and Trigg approved the
contract. Manzone voted no. Directors Paul Price and Jeff Leiser
were absent.
During the
final public comments, Fries summarized his shared concerns.
“Magee is not a
known person. We offer no objection to his qualifications. Our concern is
appropriate information was not provided in advance to the community
stakeholders so we could have endorsed another candidate, who we believed was
qualified.”
Sanville
thanked the concerned parents for attending the board meeting and expressing
their concerns.
“The administration
followed written policy, however community stakeholder opinions should have
been considered,” Sanville said. “We will review the written policy to make
sure the community is better informed in advance of future hiring of sports
team coaches.”
Other business
Sanville
announced the Oct. 10, 6 p.m. Finance Committee meeting will review district
goals for the 2011 – 2012 school year. One of the discussion topics will be
“should there be a discussion regarding including utilization of district
elementary schools as a goal.
In response to
a request for clarification, Sanville said, “Building utilization is the
proposed discussion topic. There is no goal at this time to reconfigure the
elementary schools. My comment is to welcome the public to attend the Oct. 10
meeting so there is no concern regarding hidden agenda or lack of
transparency.”
Sanville said
he invites the public to attend the Oct. 10 meeting at the district office
meeting room to offer their remarks on this potential discussion topic.
About Jim Phreaner
After 41 years of auditing large NYSE global corporations, former IRS Agent Jim Phreaner was looking for a project in retirement with fewer regulations and more people. He joined the staff at Chadds Ford Live more than a year ago. James Edward “Jim” Phreaner, 64, died suddenly in his Birmingham Township home on Dec.17, 2012. Jim was a devoted husband, son, father, friend, and neighbor.
U-CF baseball boosters cry ‘foul ball’ to rookie superintendent Read More »
Adopt-a-Pet Sept. 22
Jessie is a spayed female Rottweiler that is currently
available for adoption at the Chester County SPCA. She was brought to the
shelter because her owner left the country and left her behind. She is looking
for a home where they will not forget about her. We are estimating Jessie’s age
to be between 3 and 5 years old. She is a sweet girl with lots of energy. All
she wants to do is play and to be loved. Jessie will need someone who can help
her maintain her weight and take her for long walks. She should be ok with cats
and children. Jessie is now looking for a responsible care giver who will
give her the love and attention she deserves. If you are able to provide Jessie a home, visit the Chester
County SPCA at 1212 Phoenixville Pike in West Goshen or call 610-692-6113. Jessie’s
registration number is 96805348. To meet some of the other animals available
for adoption, visit the shelter or log onto www.ccspca.org.
Adopt-a-Pet Sept. 22 Read More »
History Made Personal: ‘Troops by the Hundred Were Passing’
N.C. Wyeth and Chris Sanderson were both born in the year
1882. Chester A. Arthur was President of the United States, having been sworn
in after President Garfield succumbed to injuries related to his assassination.
The South was undergoing Reconstruction, yet many people in the South still
resented what they considered the “Battle of Northern Aggression” and the
subsequent laws which changed their way of life. It would take several decades
before the Southern states would regain a sense of normalcy and reach parity
with their pre-Civil War status.
Wyeth was asked to illustrate a book on the great conflict, titled
“Sally Castleton, Southerner” by Crittenden Marriott. The book describes a
Southern girl who comes into contact with a Union spy in Virginia. She’s been
asked to turn him into authorities, but she has misgivings, due to her
interaction with this attractive and interesting stranger. The oil painting
“Troops by the Hundred Were Passing” is one Wyeth did for this book, first
appearing as a serial feature in “Everybody’s Magazine” in 1912. It hangs on
the wall in the Battlefield Room of the Christian Sanderson Museum, near
objects from many other wars this country has suffered through.
Chris Sanderson collected numerous artifacts of the Civil
War and this painting is a fitting tribute from a well known artist who often
illustrated battle scenes, heroic struggles and epic conflicts. Wyeth became
good friends with Sanderson and gave the painting as a gift to Chris’s mother
Hanna. Confederate soldiers are marching behind their commanding officer, who
is on horseback as two young boys in caps run excitedly alongside the phalanx.
The painting is awash in grey-blues and dust browns, the colors of the Confederacy,
ones which clothed the brave young men who fought for a cause which was bound
to fail. “War-hardened, lean, efficient troops, whose road-pace was eagerness
itself” forms the caption of this illustration. Loyal men were following
General Robert E. Lee’s orders to defend Lynchburg- for many, to their death.
Several of N.C. Wyeth’s paintings have an ethereal look to
them, as if the scene is other worldly, part of a dream. In this painting, you
get that same feeling- and the viewer is watching through a misty haze
surrounding these young men, dedicated as they march, rifles on their shoulders
with bayonets fixed, briskly along the dirt road, their eyes unblinking. One
soldier stares straight at the young boys running up to him, knowing the
tragedy of war as they only dream about it, his gaze also nearly capturing the
eyes of the viewer as he marches steadfastly with his determined rebel comrades.
Yet, if you look closely into their faces, you can see that some of them knew…
they wouldn’t be coming back. This would be their last march. It remains an
enigma of war- of all wars- that people in later generations will be completely
horrified and yet, fascinated by them… enraptured with man’s continuous
struggle… in one way or another, to be free. The painting is one of the many
gems that await visitors at theSanderson
Museum – A Man’s Life, A Nation’s History at 1755
Creek Road (old Route 100) in Chadds Ford, PA just North of Route 1 or on-line
atwww.SandersonMuseum.org.
For information on the author of this article, visit www.GenePisasale.com.
About Gene Pisasale
Gene Pisasale is an historian, author and lecturer based in Kennett Square, Pa. His eight books and historic lecture series focus on the history of the mid-Atlantic region. Gene’s latest book is Alexander Hamilton: Architect of the American Financial System, which delves into the life and many accomplishments of this important Founding Father who almost single-handedly transformed our nation from a bankrupt entity into the most successful country in the history of mankind. Gene’s books are available on www.Amazon.com. His website is www.GenePisasale.com; he can be reached at Gene@GenePisasale.com.
History Made Personal: ‘Troops by the Hundred Were Passing’ Read More »
In My Experience: First love
Dear Jeanne-Marie,
I am a teenage girl who is in love with my first boyfriend.
He is funny and cute and I really like him. There is just one thing that
bothers me about him. He acts like a whole different person when he doesn’t get
his way. His usual nice self becomes mean until he gets his way. I don’t want
to break up over this one little thing.
Signed,
Confused
Short Answer:
Dear Confused,
This is not one little thing. This is a big thing.
It is the very first sign of an abusive person. If you think
he is mean now it will only get worse.
In My Experience:
A long time ago, I was baking a cake and as I added the
eggs, sugar, flour, and other ingredients, I started to think about how baking
a cake was a lot like building a life for yourself.
The eggs were your education, the flour your home, the sugar
your choice of work. Other ingredients were your hobbies, style, personality
and beliefs. Put all this together and you have your life (or your
“cake”).
Now when my cake was finished baking, it was beautiful. It
was a rich, red velvet chocolate and it would have been delicious just as it
was. But I wondered if I had some butter cream icing; that would really add the
perfect finishing touch to my cake.
That is when I thought, this is how all relationships should
be!
Bake your own “cake” first by:
-completing your education
-seeking a career that is satisfying
-finding a home that suits you
-decorating it with your style and personality
-seeking hobbies that you enjoy
-deciding if you want to be a parent
Then, and only then, after you have made your life (cake),
be open to adding a serious relationship (icing). Any relationship, including friends, that does not add
something positive to your life is just taking “a bite of your cake.”
Anyone who mistreats you in anyway is not “icing,”
so move on and remember this: The hardest part about breaking up is to
accept that someone does not love you. This does not mean you are unlovable. It
means you are wasting your time with that particular person. As I said, it is
very simple. Look for the “icing for your cake.”
* Jeanne-Marie Curtis came to Chadds Ford
Township from Philadelphia in 1990. She has her BA in human resources management/employment
law and is currently employed by Chadds Ford Elementary School. She is the
author of Junctions by Jeanne-Marie.
To submit a question: email Jeanne-Marie at junctionsbyjm@aol.com
About Jeanne-Marie Curtis
In My Experience: First love Read More »
Free Your Space:What’s in a Name?
Shakespeare’s Juliet might disagree, but
when it comes to mastering the stages upon which we play out our lives,
assigning names plays an important supporting role.
The tangibles or props of our lives can
actually be lost or rendered unusable because they remain hidden in ambiguous
Important piles. The electric bill that is due in October and a passport used
for a trip in June are both important but they don’t belong in the same
location and neither will be easily found as the Important pile grows. Unpaid
Bills and Vital Records are more appropriate names for the places that these
items should land.
Describing what something is and why you
have it helps in assigning names and categories. We bring clarity to the scene by
evaluating and naming each item we encounter.
Act I
The early part of organizing is sorting. Whether
you have a table-full, a room-full or a computer-full of items, gather a group
together to sort and begin with a very general naming process. The named piles
will be something like: Keep, Donate, and Toss.
It’s okay at this point to have unlike
objects mixed together – a business card and a new tube of toothpaste may both
end up in the Keep pile.
Since this step can create a seemingly
unorganized mess, it is best to tackle it in small chunks. A cluttered tabletop
or shelf will suffice, rather than an entire room.
Act I is straightforward and ends with
the tragic demise of all characters no longer needed. In other words, once your
sorting is complete, it is time to throw out, recycle or shred the trash and
bag up the donations in a bag labeled Donate.
Act II
Everything that remains is what you have
already decided to keep, so the naming process begins again. You may find some
of these names trickier to establish (possibly the reason that the items are
still sitting out). The toothpaste might easily get sorted into a Bathroom
pile, but what about the business card?
When it comes to things or information that you want to save but you’re
not sure about where to keep them, ask yourself some questions:
• Is this business related or
personal?
• Is it related to a project I need to follow up on?
• Do I just want the contact info for future reference?
If your answer is that it is related to a
project, make a To Do or Projects pile. If it is simply a reference contact,
put it in a Contacts or Computer pile.
During this stage of the process, things can be sorted further, for
example bills can be divided into Paid and Unpaid subcategories. By the end of
Act II you will have piles of items that are each headed to a particular area
of your home – the characters exit.
Act III
All the action during this step will
occur in other areas where our name game will undergo yet another refinement. In
the bathroom with all the items that were designated for this area, it is time
to decide whether that tube of toothpaste will be put with Supplies for
Immediate Use or stored with Back-Up Supplies. In the office or paperwork area
you will need to file the business card.
If it is related to a project – i.e. an architect you may call for a
kitchen renovation – label a folder or manila envelope Kitchen Remodel, add the
card and put the file with your active To Do items.
If you merely want to be able to
reference the contact info, add it to your address book, computer program or a
file folder named Contacts. Paid bills can now be sorted into subcategories such
as Medical or Credit Card. In each location, bathroom, bedroom, office, etc.,
there should be a place or home for all related items and this is the time to
put them there.
Act IV – The Grande Finale
We end where we began. Return to the
shelf or tabletop where you originally started, clean it well and replace
anything that remains and belongs in that area. Step back, admire your work and take a bow. Bravo!
* To contact Annette
Reyman for organizing work, packing/unpacking help, gift certificates or
speaking engagements in the Greater Philadelphia area call (610) 213-9559 or
email her at annette@allrightorganizing.com.
Reyman is a member of the National Association of Professional Organizers
(NAPO®) and Board Member of its Greater
Philadelphia Chapter.
Visit her blog, http://www.areyofhope.blogspot.com
or her website at www.allrightorganizing.com
or follow All Right Organizing on Facebook.
About Annette Reyman
Free Your Space:What’s in a Name? Read More »
The Doctor is In: Keep your cardiovascular system in top shape
Every 39 seconds, cardiovascular disease takes someone’s life — or the
lives of more than 2,200 people each day — according to current data
from the American Heart Association. Due to lifestyle factors, hereditary heart
disease, the aging process, congenital heart defects and other causes, many of
us will develop some form of cardiovascular disease in our lifetime.
Cardiovascular diseases include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, coronary
artery disease, peripheral arterial disease (PAD), aneurysms, hardening of the
arteries (atherosclerosis), heart failure, heart valve disease, and irregular
heartbeats (arrhythmias).
The cardiovascular system — which is composed of the heart, blood
vessels, and blood — has the important job of nourishing all of the organs
throughout the body. The heart pumps oxygen-rich blood through your body, while
the blood vessels carry blood throughout the body. Any chronic health condition
that affects the organs of the body also affects the cardiovascular system. Therefore,
if you have diabetes, high cholesterol or high blood pressure, see your doctor
for regular monitoring of your condition and follow your doctor’s
recommendations to prevent or delay long-term problems with your health. If you
are taking prescription medicine to control your condition, follow your doctor’s
prescribing instructions closely and refill your prescription as needed.
Because the development of cardiovascular disease is a long-term process,
usually beginning without any noticeable symptoms and progressing slowly over
time, many people with cardiovascular disease don’t see their doctor until they
have chest pain or find themselves in the hospital after a stroke or heart
attack. In addition, conditions such as hypertension (high blood pressure) and
hyperlipidemia (high cholesterol) have no symptoms, so you need to see your
personal physician for routine screening.
To detect hyperlipidemia, your doctor will perform a simple blood test
known as a lipid panel or lipoprotein profile — this should be done every five
years after the age of 20. Lipid panels measure your total cholesterol (aim for
less than 200 mg/dL), HDL/good cholesterol (60 mg/dL is the ideal
reading), LDL/bad cholesterol (less than 100 mg/dL is optimal), and
triglycerides (normal is considered less than 150 mg/dL). Hypertension can be
detected during your annual physical examination. The optimal blood pressure
for adult men and women is less than 120/80 mmHg.
Some of the most common symptoms of cardiovascular disease include:
·
Chest pain (angina)
·
Shortness of breath
during normal activity
·
Heart palpitations
·
Pain in the leg or
hip while walking and then goes away when you sit down (intermittent
claudication)
·
Increased heart
rate, weakness, dizziness, nausea or sweating
It’s important to know the early warning signs of cardiovascular disease
and take steps now to protect your good health — even if you think you’re too
young or too healthy right now to worry about suffering a stroke, heart attack,
high blood pressure, or other heart-health concern later in your life. This is especially true if heart attacks, stroke, or diabetes are
common in your family. And whatever your age, I cannot stress enough the importance of being physically active, keeping
your weight under control, not smoking, reducing stress, maintaining optimal
blood pressure and cholesterol levels, controlling blood sugar (if you have
diabetes), and eating a well-balanced, heart-healthy diet.
The American Heart Association has a published a list of thetop 10 cardiovascular disease myths. An information-packedHeart
Health Action Kit also is available from
theNational
Coalition for Women with Heart Disease.
*Joshua
Feinberg, D.O., is a family medicine physician in practice at the Crozer Health
Pavilion, 145 Brinton Lake Road, Suite 201, Glen Mills,
PA 19342, 610-459-1619
About Crozer Keystone Staff
Crozer-Keystone Health System’s physicians, specialists and advanced practitioners are committed to improving the health of our community through patient-centered, quality care across a full continuum of health services. Crozer Brinton Lake is Crozer-Keystone’s comprehensive outpatient care facility in western Delaware County, offering primary care, specialty services, outpatient surgery and advanced cancer treatment. Contact us: 300 Evergreen Drive, Glen Mills, PA 19342 http://www.crozerkeystone.org/Brinton-Lake 1-855-254-7425
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