face‑to‑face tutoring sessions she had with Fox Chapel Area
High School teacher Peter Shiner helped her.
Katy’s goal is to become a Radio City Rockette and, for the
past two years, she has participated in the Rockettes Summer
Intensive program. This is a one-week program where
students accepted by audition get to work with the world-
renown dancers and Katy has already developed friendships
with some of the Rockettes.
Now that she has finished high school, Katy has started
classes at Community College of Allegheny County to get a
jump-start on her academic studies. She will attend Point Park
College in the fall on scholarship where she plans to major
in dance, and may even double major by adding sports, arts,
and entertainment management. She also plans to spend her
summers in New York City attending the Broadway Dance
Center Professional Semester.
Another early graduate was also a fully-cyber student, starting
in 10 th grade. Eliana Tolentino is a ballet dancer who practices
and performs regularly through the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre.
She has been dancing with the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre
School since 2004 and her goal is to be a professional dancer
with a ballet company. She has appeared in several ballet
performances including “Cinderella,” “Giselle,” and the “The
Nutcracker.”
2018 Early Grads Take Part in Special Ceremony
Fox Chapel Area High School’s early graduation ceremony
has become a special tradition for graduates and their
families. Parents, family members, teachers, friends, and
school counselors often attend to see the students celebrate
this major milestone in their lives.
According to Lead Principal Michael Hower, not every school
district can offer an early graduation, but because of the
block scheduling, some students are able to obtain all of
the credits they need midway through their senior year. He
pointed out, “These students have met all the requirements
of a very rigorous curriculum. The block schedule allows
these students to start chasing that next step, that dream.”
Early graduates this year have plans to attend college, travel,
and work. One graduate, Ruopeng Wang, has since traveled
to China to visit his father and friends there. Ruopeng was
born in China and moved to the United States when he was
14-years-old. He plans to major in electrical engineering
in college. Following the ceremony, Ruopeng said he will
miss his friends and his teachers, but he won’t miss the
schoolwork, he added, laughing.
The high school hosted a reception for the graduates and their guests.
FCAO Online
Fox Chapel Area Online (FCAO) is available to students in
the Fox Chapel Area School District in grades six-twelve.
Whether a student is fully cyber or “flexes” their schedule
to include some in‑school and some online courses, the
program offers the ability for students to pursue their
dreams and interests while receiving a Fox Chapel Area
High School diploma. Over the past seven years, the
program has grown and is now up to 260 online course
enrollments and each course is facilitated by a Fox Chapel
Area teacher. The online program is perfect for competitive
athletes, students with medical needs, aspiring performers,
students with jobs, and students who want to take
more courses than their class schedule allows. For more
information, visit fcaonline.fcasd.edu.
During the early graduation ceremony, Program Principal
John McGee, Ph.D., pointed out that the special day is “not
only a milestone for you. It’s a milestone for your families.”
Perhaps, most importantly, he said, “As you go forward,
know that we are very proud of you.” He also reminded the
students that they can always call if they need anything.
“Just because you’ve graduated, doesn’t mean you are no
longer our kids.”
Students who graduate early are also invited back to special
events like the prom, and can also participate in the more
formal June graduation ceremony with their classmates.
Fox Chapel Area’s 2018 early graduation class included:
Amanda Bozic, Taylor Braun, Brea Burkovich, Taylor Grandizio,
Troy Hazard, Hailey Johnson, Ananya Malkani, Madison
Marcussen, Shanna McKaveney, Mallory McNally, Kennedie
Morris, Katelyn Photopoulos, Adam Skvorak, Eliana Tolentino,
Anna Troyan, Anthony Upton, Ruopeng Wang, and Victoria
Winegarden.
FOX CHAPEL AREA
❘
SPRING 2018
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