The 27th Annual Senior Holiday Event is right around the corner, and that’s music to our ears! Listen as Mike and Maxine Botti, esteemed former Seneca Valley educators and longtime attendees of the event share what makes this celebration so special, why it continues to draw hundreds each year, and how it captures the true spirit of the holidays.

IN THIS EPISODE, WE WILL REVIEW

• What is the Senior Holiday Event
• When and where the event takes place
• What makes the Senior Holiday Event so special and why it's important to attend
• RSVPs are required by Dec. 15. Please call 724-452-6040, ext. 0 to reserve your spot.
• See below for more information:
  • Senior Holiday 2025 flyer

SPECIAL GUESTS
Mr. Mike Botti, former principal of Evans City Elementary/Middle School and Mrs. Maxine Botti, former Seneca Valley elementary teacher

Mr. Botti graduated from Clarion State Teachers College in 1965. Prior to graduating, he was hired to teach science in the sixth-grade building in Zelienople. Over the next 35 years he taught science at Rowan and Evans City Elementary/Middle Schools. He later became assistant principal of Evans City Elementary/Middle School then finished his career as principal. "Being hired by Seneca Valley was one of the greatest blessings of my life," said Mr. Botti.

Mrs. Botti graduated from Clarion State Teachers College in 1964. She taught third grade at Cranberry Elementary. Throughout her 35 years, she taught in all of Seneca Valley's Elementary Schools as a first-grade teacher. "I feel that choosing to be a teacher was the best career I could have chosen," said Mrs. Botti. "There was never a day I regretted my decision. I loved my job, my students and their parents."

Classrooms across the Seneca Valley School District are now phone-free from the first bell to the last under “Phone-Free SV,” a new districtwide policy designed to reduce distractions, support student well-being and boost academic engagement. Listen as Ryan Gloyer Middle School Principal Ms. Trisha Butschle, Seneca Valley Intermediate High School Principal Dr. Chet Henderson and Director of Student Services Dr. Cassandra Doggrell share the positive feedback they’ve received, the increased interaction they’re seeing among students, and how everyone is adjusting to the new policy.

IN THIS EPISODE, WE WILL REVIEW

• New cell phone policy, "Phone-Free SV"
• Positive feedback from teachers and students
• How classroom engagement has improved
• An increase in peer-to-peer interaction between students
• How students, teachers and parents are adjusting to the new policy

Overview

SPECIAL GUESTS
Ryan Gloyer Middle School (RGMS) Principal Ms. Trisha Butschle, Seneca Valley Intermediate High School Principal Dr. Chet Henderson and Director of Student Services Dr. Cassandra Doggrell

Ms. Trisha Butschle is in her 28th year with the Seneca Valley School District. After 19 years teaching English at the Intermediate High School, she transitioned to the middle level to join the administrative team and now proudly serves as the middle school principal. She enjoys spending her days surrounded by the students and staff, prioritizing safety, wellness, and a supportive learning environment. Ms. Butschle feels fortunate to work alongside an amazing team and the wonderful students who make each day meaningful.

Dr. Chet Henderson is in his 4th year serving as the principal of the Seneca Valley Intermediate High School and his 19th year in education. Dr. Henderson enjoys the collaborative nature of his position and is proud of the work being done at the IHS to best support students and staff. He has taken part in the development and implementation of a peer mentoring program with students from the IHS and RGMS. In addition, Dr. Henderson has implemented building wide learning walks and personalized professional development for the staff at the IHS to strengthen the collaboration and instructional practice throughout the IHS.

Dr. Cassandra Doggrell began her career at Seneca Valley in 2010 as an Autism and Emotional Support Teacher at Rowan Elementary. She has held various administrative positions, including Principal of Haine Middle School and Assistant Principal at Evans City and Haine Middle. Before returning to Seneca Valley, she spent five years at Upper St. Clair School District as Director of Student Support Services and Special Education. Her research and practice interests include comprehensive mental health systems in schools, students with autism, students with emotional/behavioral disorders, and inclusionary service delivery models. Dr. Doggrell holds multiple degrees, including a doctorate in Educational Leadership from the University of Pittsburgh.

In this episode, we’re talking about online dangers that students can potentially face, including sextortion and cyberbullying. We’ll hear from school leaders and one of our School Resource Officers about how these issues impact students, ways to stay safe, the importance of understanding your digital footprint, and what steps to take if you or someone you know is targeted.

IN THIS EPISODE, WE WILL REVIEW

• Sextortion, cyberbullying and the misuse of AI-generated images
• Legal consequences of sextortion and cyberbullying
• Steps students, parents and educators can take to prevent sextortion and how to respond if it happens
• Ways students can protect themselves from online scams, predators or sextortion
• Reporting tools
  • Sprigeo
  • Takeitdown
  • National Center for Missing & Exploited Children

Overview

SPECIAL GUESTS
Ryan Gloyer Middle School (RGMS) librarian Ms. Angie Kotula, tech facilitator Dr. Lou Nagy and School Resource Officer Chris Miller

Ms. Angie Kotula is in her 18th of teaching at Seneca Valley. She has taught second grade, 7th grade English and is currently the librarian at RGMS. Ms. Kotula graduated of both Robert Morris University and Edinboro University where she received a Bachelor of Science and Master’s in Education. She holds certifications in K-6 Elementary Education, 7-9 and 7-12 English, K-12 Reading Specialist, and K-12 Library. Additionally, she has received numerous online-safety certifications from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and has taken a graduate level course in digital citizenship. She is a current member of the digital citizenship committee at Seneca Valley and has years of experience teaching middle school students about online safety alongside local law enforcement and building colleagues.

Dr. Lou Nagy is currently in his 37th year at Seneca Valley. He began his career at SV as a Biology Teacher for General Biology, Advanced Biology and AP Biology. As Seneca Valley began incorporating technology into the classroom, Dr. Nagy left teaching Biology and became one of the first technology facilitators, a role that he continues in today. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Biology and Molecular Biology from Westminster College and obtained his Master of Arts in Teaching as well as his doctorate with a concentration in Instructional Technology from the University of Pittsburgh. In addition to his tenure at Seneca Valley, Dr. Nagy has taught Biology at Highlands High School and Duquesne University in the department of Educational Technology and Leadership.

Officer Chris Miller has been a Police Officer employed by the Jackson Township Police Department for the last 17 years. He attended the University of Pittsburgh and is a graduate of the Indiana University of Pennsylvania Police Academy Class #63.