Exploring the SV Academy of Choice: Drop-in Center, Summer Camps and More with Ms. Sarah Parish

With summer right around the corner, we're exploring the exciting lineup of summer camps offered through Seneca Valley's Academy of Choice. From Culinary Arts to FIRST Robotics, this episode highlights unique options for camps, how to register and a brief overview about SV's Academy of Choice and the Drop-in Center.

IN THIS EPISODE, WE WILL REVIEW

• An overview of the Seneca Valley Academy of Choice (SVAOC) 
• The SVAOC Drop-in Center
• Summer camp offerings
• What's new for summer camps
• Deadlines and registration information for summer camps
  • Summer Camp Registration - Deadline for registration is May 23

SPECIAL GUEST
Ms. Sarah Parish, Seneca Valley Academy of Choice Assistant Principal

Ms. Sarah Parish is the Assistant Principal at Seneca Valley Academy of Choice, where she supports students in both virtual and blended learning environments. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts and Communications and a Master of Education from Westminster College. She also earned a K-12 Master of Science in Art Education from St. Joseph’s University and her Principal Certificate from Westminster College. At SVAOC, she focuses on student engagement, innovative programming, and building strong relationships with families and the community. Ms. Parish believes in meeting students where they are, creating inclusive spaces where they can thrive and empowering them to take ownership of their learning.

Transcript

FULL TRANSCRIPT (with timecode)

00:00:02:28 - 00:00:10:15
Welcome to Voices, a national award-winning podcast brought to you by the Seneca Valley School District. 

00:00:11:14 - 00:00:20:20
Jeff Krakoff: This is Jeff Krakow. Today, our guest is Sarah Parish. She's the Assistant Principal of the Seneca Valley Academy of Choice. Thanks for talking to us today. 

00:00:21:26 - 00:00:23:00
Sarah Parish: Thanks for having me. 

00:00:23:04 - 00:00:30:28
Jeff Krakoff: So why don't we just start kind of an overview? What is the Academy of Choice? The history of it, what it's all about. 

00:00:31:18 - 00:00:49:02
Sarah Parish: So the Academy of Choice started in 2007. Um, Dr. Manganello was, you know, a driving force of the Academy of Choice, and it's our cyber program. So we operate as a program serving our full time cyber students and our hybrid students. 

00:00:49:23 - 00:01:00:18
Jeff Krakoff: Okay. Now, I understand there's a Drop-in Center. Uh, I don't really know much about that. Can you explain that to the listeners and what it offers? 

00:01:00:28 - 00:01:40:15
Sarah Parish: Yes. So the drop in center is located in Cranberry Township. Um, we have specific days where our students can come, um, participate in activities. We have two days for K-4, two days for 5-8, and then 9-12 can come in, um, pretty much whenever we want them to come in or whenever they are in need. We have a gym here that the students can come and work on their P.E. credits. Um, different spaces. There's, you know, a space for gaming. Um, all of the teachers are here, so we're all working from the Drop-in Center. Um, it's a really unique space. 

00:01:40:27 - 00:01:52:21
Jeff Krakoff: Okay. You mentioned there's lots of activities. So you mentioned gaming. You mentioned athletics for P.E. credits. Are there other types of academic type activities taking place there too? 

00:01:53:02 - 00:02:21:06
Sarah Parish: There are. We have reader's theater. Um, there's a crafty corner. Students are, you know, working on music and art here. Depending on the day, depending on the rotation that they're in. We have Spanish happening as well in-person, and we're working on integrating VR and the Immerse Me program into that. So students wear the VR headsets and they're fully immersed learning a language here. 

00:02:21:08 - 00:02:26:14
Jeff Krakoff: Okay. The crafty corner sounds fun. What is that? Is it crafts like it sounds? 

00:02:26:17 - 00:02:45:27
Sarah Parish: Yes. Yeah. Um, our team is very creative, so they're they're always creating something. Last week, after PSSA testing, we were creating, um, tie dye towels, um, wind chimes, different things like that. More hands on, project based, um, activities with the kids. 

00:02:46:12 - 00:03:02:22
Jeff Krakoff: Okay. So as we're starting to wind down, we still have weeks to go. Um, but I know the Academy of Choice organizes and offers summer camps. Um, when are they? What are they? What do people need to know about them? 

00:03:03:16 - 00:03:24:00
Sarah Parish: So summer camps are starting in June and they run um, mid to late June, all of July except for the 4th of July week and then the first week of August. Um, times are 8:30 AM to noon, and then the afternoon session is 12:30 to 4 PM. Um, we have some exciting things planned for the summer. 

00:03:24:16 - 00:03:29:29
Jeff Krakoff: Well, tell me about some of those. Is there anything new? Uh, compared to previous years? 

00:03:30:05 - 00:04:02:19
Sarah Parish: So some of the camps were revamped, and we were really looking at the structure and content in each camp to strategically place morning camps and afternoon camps. Um, so one that I, I really want to stop by is the culinary arts and the pastry arts camp. Um, I maybe a little bit of a foodie. So that one is of interest to me. But we also have gaming and VR, 3D printing paired up, um, arts camp and, um, some stem happening. 

00:04:02:25 - 00:04:10:09
Jeff Krakoff: Okay. so the students sign up. Is it either or the morning or afternoon camps or can it be all day? 

00:04:11:00 - 00:04:33:09
Sarah Parish: So it's more of an a la carte so they can pick a morning camp and an afternoon camp. And we kind of paired them that would be thematic. Um, so a lot of our kids are staying all day based on the variety. Um, some camps are offered like similar content in the morning and then in the afternoon as well. 

00:04:33:15 - 00:04:38:21
Jeff Krakoff: Okay. Could you describe what is a typical morning or afternoon camp look like? What what goes on? 

00:04:38:28 - 00:05:14:25
Sarah Parish: So camp's short. It's four days of the week, so it's rapid fire. I think getting to know you activities to start all of the camps off. And then they'll be working on activities. Our musical camps will be breaking down into um groups and focusing in on their specific, um, instrumental groups. And then a few of those um, musical camps will be holding a concert at the end of the week, so they're all working on taking something away.  A lot of them are making things. They're learning new skills. Um, yeah. 

00:05:15:00 - 00:05:20:21
Jeff Krakoff: Sounds fun. So is there still a lot of availability? Are they starting to fill up? 

00:05:21:12 - 00:05:48:23
Sarah Parish: We pushed the, uh, registration out a little bit earlier, so we have, um, more students registered. Um, we also have some students outside of Seneca Valley signed up who, um, were interested in attending. So they're more than welcome to attend if you're outside of Seneca Valley. But in the area, um, there is registration left in most of our camps. Um, but we will be shutting down registration May 23rd. 

00:05:49:06 - 00:05:55:10
Jeff Krakoff: Okay, so we have until May 23rd. How do parents go about signing up? Where do they go? 

00:05:55:21 - 00:06:09:29
Sarah Parish: If you go to the svsd.Net website and top right corner, you're going to click on SVAOC. And then there is a summer tab in and the registration is on that tab. And it's super easy to sign up there. 

00:06:10:08 - 00:06:21:25
Jeff Krakoff: Okay, awesome. What else can you tell parents before we let you go about the Academy of Choice? The Drop-in Center? The camps. Is there anything we missed? 

00:06:22:21 - 00:06:42:13
Sarah Parish: Um, I, I don't think anything that, um, we missed, but I do think that it's, you know, a great place to be. Um, we really work to meet the needs of our students and customize, um, their learning and their education to make it work for whatever their unique situation is. 

00:06:42:24 - 00:06:47:07
Jeff Krakoff: So who would you say would be good candidates for the Academy of Choice? 

00:06:47:18 - 00:07:09:14
Sarah Parish: Everyone. Anyone? Yeah. If you're, you know, we have, um, athletes who travel or students who maybe have some medical conditions or, um, maybe they just like a smaller setting, um, that, you know, we serve everyone. So if you're wanting to come. Come on. We'll we'll figure it out. 

00:07:09:25 - 00:07:14:27
Jeff Krakoff: Awesome. And roughly how many students and staff are involved in the Academy of Choice? 

00:07:15:06 - 00:07:42:01
Sarah Parish: So in the building, we have 28 staff members in the building that covers K-12 and then students. We have around 200 full time students. But a lot of our students are hybrid. So they report to the traditional building. So there's probably, I don't know, 2,000 students otherwise that use our program to get other credits and, um, that attend the traditional building. 

00:07:42:09 - 00:07:43:29
Jeff Krakoff: That's a good number. Yeah. 

00:07:44:01 - 00:07:45:18
Sarah Parish: A thousand keeps us busy. 

00:07:45:23 - 00:07:58:19
Jeff Krakoff: I'm sure. I'm sure. Well, good luck. As you prepare for the the summer activities. Um, this was Sarah Parrish, Assistant Principal of the Seneca Valley Academy of Choice. Thanks so much for joining us today. 

00:07:58:26 - 00:08:00:08
Sarah Parish: Thanks so much for having me. 

00:08:00:17 - 00:08:01:19
Jeff Krakoff: All right. Take care. 

00:08:02:03 - 00:08:02:23
Sarah Parish: You too.