One by one, students in Shelley Territ’s class marched into Chartiers Valley Primary School’s large group instruction room and read snippets of their school’s history.
With special shirts and plastic construction hats, each child read a page of the book they wrote this school year, “The Story of the Primary School.”
The primary school opened in 1996, consolidating S.S. Nixon, Foxcroft and Henry Roberts in Scott; E.L. Shepard in Collier; Washington in Bridgeville; and Heidelberg elementary schools. Territ’s class held a 30th birthday party for the school Monday, Jan. 5.
“It was cool learning how we got here,” said student Mackenzie Dwinga.
For Mackenzie’s mother, Megan, the event was also full-circle. She was part of the first class to attend the new primary school in 1996, coming from Washington Elementary.
She was in Territ’s class. It was Territ’s first year teaching.
“I remember it was really cold, and very exciting, and the school was huge from where we came from,” Megan Dwinga said.
She still remembers the impact Territ had on her students.
“We always did projects and fun things,” Dwinga said. “She really wanted the best for us in our learning. She taught us everything she could, and filled us with knowledge. She really wanted to set us up for success at a very young age.”
That has continued throughout Territ’s tenure at Chartiers Valley, which is also her alma mater.
Her students have written books on the history of the Heidelberg Raceway, the Chartiers Valley area, and are currently working with the Old St. Luke’s Church in Scott for another book.
Territ is also the school’s adviser for Kids of Steel, which aims to promote healthy living for children and their families and prepares them to run the Pittsburgh Kids Marathon.
History is in the second-grade curriculum, Territ said.
“The past makes us stronger, and there’s so much history in Chartiers Valley that dates all the way back to George Washington,” she said.
In 1955, the school districts of Scott, Collier, Bridgeville and Heidelberg entered a jointure agreement establishing the school district.
Chartiers Valley was named after Pierre Chartiers, who established a trading post in the area in 1743.
Students at the then-new Chartiers Valley voted for the district’s “Colts” mascot, Territ said.
During the 30th birthday celebration, Territ’s class created a replica of the primary school building and presented old photographs and documents of primary school history.
Students wore plastic hard hats because there was an old picture when the school was being constructed, of its future students wearing hard hats.
Territ also put together a video, which included messages from Jerry Koziak, the first principal at the primary school; Bernie Sulkowski, district superintendent when the school opened; and former principals Melva Devin and Julia Hepp.
Kevin Kuhn, principal of the primary school from 1996 to 2009, was in attendance at the celebration. Territ gave him a large poster of a yellow piece of notebook paper that had a familiar phrase known by his teachers — “See Me, K.K.”
“That was a note he left in mailboxes for teachers,” Territ said.
Retired teacher Kathy Connolly, who worked for Chartiers Valley for 38 years and started at the primary school in 1997, said it was important for children and adults alike to learn about local history. She retired in 2020 but still volunteers at the school.
She said Chartiers Valley has grown and evolved over the years, and one of the most rewarding things now is seeing generations of families go through the school system.
“The families — teaching their kids was a joy, being involved in their lives was a joy,” Connolly said. “I met so many nice families.”
Megan Dwinga said that she hopes when her daughter’s class looks back 30 years from now, they remember the positive experiences they had in Territ’s class.
“I hope when they look back 30 years, they remember sitting here and learning about this,” she said.
