Saturday, September 23, 2000
School plans 10th birthday party
Shawnee Elementary bigger than ever
By Sue Kiesewetter
Enquirer Contributor
WEST CHESTER TWP. — When Shawnee Elementary School opened 10 years ago, it was already overcrowded. Some of its 629 pupils had to be tought in two modular classrooms.
The Lakota district had 10 schools — including Shawnee and Woodland, which also opened that year — and an enrollment of 9,361.
Today, as the community gathers for a 10-year birthday party from 4:30 to 9 p.m., enrollment is at all- time high of about 730 at Shawnee and 15,191 in the district, which now has 17 schools. Principal Cecilia Schmidt and 22 of the school's 32 teachers have stayed at Shawnee all 10 years.
“We've had very little turnover. I think the culture and climate here is positive. People don't want to leave,” Mrs. Schmidt said. “This is the place they want to be.”
Highlights of the last decade at Shawnee — including the opening of its eight-classroom addition in 1993 and its 1997 designation as a U.S. Department of Education Blue Ribbon Exemplary School — are spotlighted on three murals that parents and free-lance artist Sue Pallo have prepared for the party.
Two of the 3-foot-high, 13-foot-long drawings will be colored in by students — one with markers, the other crayons — during the gathering.
“The project has evolved from drawing a Shawnee Firebird for the kids to color to something more interesting and interactive,” said Ms. Pallo. “We want the adults to write comments about Shawnee and sign it, too.”
Planning for the party, sponsored by the school's Parent Teacher Association, began in April with 30 volunteers under the direction of party chairwoman Judy Turner. The group budgeted about $3,000 for the affair.
Sixth-grader Shanae Foster said she's looking forward to the celebration.
“It will be exciting. I've never had one of those (birthday parties) at a school,” Shanae said.
Free food will be available, and a shuttle bus will transport visitors between Shawnee and parking at Crestview Presbyterian Church.
“This is our celebration,” Mrs. Turner said. “It's kind of nice to do something nice for our families who do so much for the school. We're hoping for a big turnout.”
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