April 13, 2015 - ChaddsFordLive.com

Unionville schools keep No. 1 state ranking

For the second year in a row, the Unionville-Chadds Ford School District achieved the top rating in the state, based on three years of state-administered assessment tests.

The Pittsburgh Business Times, which is published by American City Business Journals, annually uses the scores to rank the state’s 500 school districts. In the region, Garnet Valley moved from 21 to 20, Kennett advanced from 103 to 102, and West Chester held steady at 33.

“To be top-rated by Biz Journal two years in a row is an honor,” said Unionville-Chadds Ford Superintendent John C. Sanville in an email. “The recognition of the success of our many programs supports the UCFSD mission to honor, nurture, and help grow our students in multiple arenas. We are dedicated to ensuring that our curricula, strategies, and the expertise of our faculty promotes the ‘whole child’ – be it on stage or field, in classrooms or competitions, in groups or independently.”

In November, Unionville was identified as No. 15 in the nation – and No. 3 in the Philadelphia region – out of more than 13,000 public school districts in a ranking by Niche.com. Its analysis of public school district included activities, sports, facilities, and overall student and parent satisfaction as well as test scores.

A rating by SchoolDigger.com in December placed the district at No. 1 and the high school at No. 5 in the state, identified C.F. Patton as No. 3 among middle schools, and declared a tie for first place for elementary schools with Hillendale and Pocopson. The rankings are based on the most recently reported PSSA scores for math and English, according to the organization’s website.

For more information on the ranking by the Pittsburgh Business Times – or to see how other districts fared – visit http://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/news/2015/04/10/chester-county-district-ranks-no-1-in-pennsylvania.html/.

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Victoria Wyeth will be tending bar at a fundraiser for the Chadds Ford Historical Society on Tuesday, April 14, at the Brandywine Brewing Company in Greenville, De.

Step up to bar to support Historical Society

Arts & Entertainment

The youngest member of the family renowned for its art dynasty, Victoria Wyeth, has enjoyed a prodigious and multi-faceted career that has included working as a docent, lecturer, therapist, researcher and educator.

On Tuesday, April 14, the 36-year-old niece of Jamie Wyeth and granddaughter of the late Andrew Wyeth will show off another talent as she takes on the role of bar wench. She will be the headliner at a fundraiser for the Chadds Ford Historical Society (CFHS) being held at the Brandywine Brewing Company (BBC) in Greenville, De.

A host of enthusiastic guest bartenders, including Wyeth, will be collecting tips, all of which will go directly to the society. The bartender who collects the most money will win a prize. Checks made out to CFHS will be accepted for those who want a tax deduction. To make sure your favorite bartender gets credit, put their name in the check’s memo line.

In addition, guests can enter a raffle to win a basket of cheer and other prizes. For supporters who have dinner, 10 percent of the bill will be donated by the BBC to the historical society; just make sure to tell the server that CFHS is the reason for your visit – not that you didn’t feel like cooking that night.

If you can’t join the festivities but want to support the efforts of CFHS – which include maintaining the historic John Chad House and the Barnes Brinton House – you can mail a check payable to: Chadds Ford Historical Society, P.O. Box 27, Chadds Ford, Pa., 19317. You can also make a donation online at chaddsfordhistory.org.

In addition to Wyeth, the guest bartenders will include Frank Mendenhall, Dick Gies, Mark Trozzi, Tom Singer, Heidi Murtagh, Patrick Brennan, Nadia Barakat, Lora Englehart, Lisa Vonderstuck, Kendal Reynolds, Emily Reichard, Kirk Reichard, Steve Liberace, and Sara Liberace.

The BBC Tavern & Grill is located at 4019 Kennett Pike, Greenville, De., 19807. It shares a shopping center with the Wine & Spirit Company of Greenville, the UPS Store, the Delaware Running Company, Wells Fargo, Walgreens and Quills Bunches.

For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/events/1585216178397787/.

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Kennett Square Police: Armed robbers sought

Police

Kennett Square Police are seeking the public’s help to apprehend the armed robbers who hit a borough business on Saturday, April 11, at 5:50 a.m.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA — Anyone with information about Saturday’s alleged armed robbery is asked to call Kennett Square Police at 610-268-3171.

Police said they responded to 700 W. Cypress St. and learned that two males wearing all black clothing – both armed with handguns – entered Tienda Mexicana La Pequena II, the store at the Kennett Gas & Go, and took an undetermined amount of cash. The suspects also stole a cellphone from one of the employees and fled on foot in an unknown direction, a press release said.

The release said both suspects were also wearing masks, and estimated to be in their mid- to late-20s. One suspect was light skinned, about 5-foot-10, with a medium build; the other was slightly shorter and smaller than the first. One of the actors had a piercing above his left eye, and both suspects spoke Spanish, the release said.

Police said the stolen cellphone was recovered a short time later in Hockessin, De., lying on the road. The Kennett Square Police Department said it received assistance from the New Garden Township Police and the New Castle County Police in Delaware.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact the Kennett Square Police at 610-268-3171.

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Letter to the Editor: Toomey doesn’t get it

Opinion

U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey doesn’t get it. For most hardworking Americans it’s no secret that student loan debt is becoming one of our nation’s most pressing national crises. Americans now suffer approximately $1.2 trillion in student loan debt. This is significantly higher than either auto loan or credit card debt.

In particular it has affected the millennial generation to such an extent that they are drastically delaying things prior generations took for granted like investing in houses, starting a family and buying cars. In turn, this hamstrings our consumer driven economy. Due to tremendous student debt there is less enrollment in professional and graduate school programs which means we may be falling behind in an increasingly competitive global market.

Despite these harsh facts, Sen. Toomey doesn’t seem to understand or simply doesn’t care. He has consistently voted against any student debt relief legislation to include providing interest rate caps and stopping interest rate hikes on several proposed bills. He seems to focus more on the fact that banks no longer get windfall profits from federally guaranteed student loans, a program that ended in 2010. And that the standard way of accounting for the cost of the federal Direct Loan Program does not make it look as expensive as other ways to track costs. We would all be better off if he cared more about middle class borrowers and less about Wall Street bankers.

The president’s proposal to make a community college education free to everyone, if done well, has real promise to reduce the need to borrow or at least to borrow less. However, for those who already have student loan debt and for those who will borrow in the future, Congress can make a few simple changes that will make living with this loan debt a bit easier.

Repealing the 2005 law that made it extremely difficult to discharge federally and private student loans through bankruptcy is a step in the right direction. The federal government gained almost nothing through this law. The benefit to banks was that it made the risk of investments based on student loans look more secure, which helped pave the way to the Great Recession.

Bankruptcy is bad enough, and most Americans – at least those who are not corporations – would rather not go that route by choice. For those who have no choice, lingering debt just makes it more difficult for them to once again become fully productive citizens.

Chris Pielli
West Chester

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Massive Barn Market to debut at CFHS

Home and Leisure

CFHSIMG_4218 — A Massive Barn Market will be held on Saturday, April 18, at the Chadds Ford Historical Society on Creek Road.

Looking for that one-of-a-kind antique or perfect piece of architectural salvage? The First Annual Massive Barn Market promises to offer those and more on Saturday, April 18, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Chadds Ford Historical Society.

The inaugural event came about after the society approached Lisa Vonderstuck, the owner of Brandywine View Antiques on Route 1 in Chadds Ford. Vonderstuck said she had been hosting barn markets – which she described as a pop-up shop with vendors and food trucks – at her store a couple times a year for some time.

The markets became so popular, she said, that parking became a problem. So when the Chadds Ford Historical Society expressed interest in partnering with her for a new event on its grounds, Vonderstuck said she was thrilled. “I eat, sleep and drink antiques!” she said.

Vonderstuck said in less then three months, they combined efforts to “put together a fantastic lineup of vendors and food trucks.” Food purveyors will include the Meat House, Farmers Road Drive Thru, Dia Doce Cupcakes and Southbound BBQ.

She explained that the event would not resemble a flea market with kids’ clothes or toys. Quality antiques, vintage, country, primitive, handmade, salvage, reclaimed, cool tools, garden, art and more will be available, she said.

One difference from other pop-up shops is that a rope-cutting will signal the beginning of the sale. She said the more than 30 vendors would not be permitted to buy from one another until the 9 a.m. start in order to ensure a level playing field for all prospective patrons.

For more information, visit www.Brandywineview.com or www.chaddsfordhistory.org.