Pennsbury on Point is a weekly newsletter designed to keep the Pennsbury community up-to-date on district news, events, and information. The newsletter is emailed to families weekly and archived on the district's Public Relations webpage.

If you have any photos or story ideas you would like to see featured, please email the Public Relations Department at publicrelations@pennsburysd.org.

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• Affordable Connectivity Program - Bringing Affordable Internet to Families
• Confidential Residency Reporting Tip Line
• District Emails Archive
• E-Flyers
• Employment Opportunities at Pennsbury School District
• Part-Time Jobs for Students
• Pennsbury Community School Registration Spring 2024
• Pennsbury Parent Academy - Events & Recordings
• Pennsbury Sports Schedules
• PHS Project Updates
• Purchase tickets to the PHS Performance of Anastasia
  
• Remote Learning Information
• Safe2Say - Anonymous Tip Line
• Special Education Advisory Council (SEPAC) - Events and Info
• Winter Weather Planning Information

Schedule reminders:

• Tuesday, February 13 - All Schools are closed for students - Special Election
• Friday, February 16 - Early dismissal for students - Staff Professional Development.
• Early dismissal times are:
• PHS 10:15 am
• Middle 11:00 am
• Elementary 11:50 am
• Monday, February 19 - Schools and offices will be closed in honor of Presidents Day.

It is National School Counseling week! Please join us in recognizing the hard work of our school counselors who support our students, staff, and families throughout the year. It is no secret that when students are supported and have a trusted adult in their lives, they are more likely to be successful and have better academic outcomes. Our school counselors are vital to the success of our students! Thank you for all that you do!

Diana Callahan (Afton)

Nancy Axler (Edgewood)

Lorraine Brut (Eleanor Roosevelt)

Kristen Cahill (Fallsington)

Laurie Bloom (Makefield)

Carmella Bunch (Manor)

Lori Frankel (Oxford Valley)

Arlene Johnson (Penn Valley)

Lindsay Goldman (Quarry Hill)

Deidra O'Brien (Walt Disney)

Lauren Gray (Walt Disney)

Sarah McIntyre (Charles Boehm)

Kevin Perkins (Charles Boehm)

Nicole Smith (Charles Boehm)

Molly Gray (Pennwood)

Meghan Hess (Pennwood)

Meredith Naskiewicz (Pennwood)

Dina Cole (William Penn)

Vince Jones (William Penn)

Laura Sitvarin-Garstka (William Penn)

Pennsbury High School

Dana Arbakov

Samantha Fitzpatrick

Megan Lawless

Sherry Snyder

Sandy Spencer

Jillian Cahill

Evan Altieri

Brooke Stoudt

Shannon Barnum

Erin Salmon

Renee Ferdinand

Paul DiFede

Kim Krajci

Lisa Rugarber

Joyce Cesari

Sarah Dyson

Julie Gartner

Edgewood Elementary's Fuel Up to Play 60 team hosted its Super Bowl taste test for the 8th year this week! The 5th-grade students teamed up with the Nutrition Group to encourage all students to try healthy, new foods in connection with Super Bowl LVIII. After trying the Kansas City Cinnamon Bites and the San Francisco Strawberry Pineapple Slush, and giving them an enthusiastic thumbs up, the students were asked to rate the foods and then drop their rating form into the bucket named after the team they think will win the Super Bowl. The final results were 231 votes for the San Francisco 49ers and 325 votes for the Kansas City Chiefs!

The taste test has become a tradition that the older students, particularly, look forward to each year! Thanks to the Nutrition Group, the 5th-grade helpers and teachers, and all who participated in this fun, positive, and healthy activity!

Fallsington Elementary celebrated this weekend's upcoming Super Bowl by hosting a Jersey Day! Each class added the number on their jersey together to see who had the highest total. Taking home the trophy this year was Mr. Kull’s fifth grade class with a total of 825! Kindergarten student Nolan O’Rourke helped his class to second place wearing SIX jerseys! A lot of fun was had by all…stay tuned to see who gets the trophy next year!

On Monday, February 12, 2024, the Pennsbury Parent Academy presents LIKE, a powerful film that explores the impact of social media on children's lives and promotes positive online interactions.

LIKE breaks down why we find social media so irresistible, examines who controls whom and gives you the tools to pivot to a more balanced and contented relationship. It features candid interviews with Silicon Valley entrepreneurs, including the co-creator of the 'LIKE' button, experts in brain science, and teenagers.

Learn about technology's effect on the brain and the addictive algorithm behind social media apps, as well as exercises, tips, and strategies to balance online and offline activities, maintain healthy digital relationships, and reduce screen time.

Details

When: Monday, February 12, 2024 at 6:30 p.m.*

Where: Pennsbury High School East Auditorium (705 Hood Boulevard, Fairless Hills)

The film will be followed by a follow up discussion with Falls Township Police Chief Nelson Whitney.

*This presentation will be livestreamed for those unable to join us in person.

Livestream link - https://youtube.com/live/vHylEL1CMu0?feature=share

Wings were on the menu this week at Pennsbury High School in honor of the Super Bowl. Chef Todd with The Nutrition Group served this traditional football favorite to students who had the option of three-wing sauce, carrots, and celery.

Showtimes

March 8, 2024 - 8:00 p.m. (Friday)

March 9, 2024 - 8:00 p.m. (Saturday)

March 10, 2024 - 2:00 p.m. (Sunday)

Pricing

$20 Orchestra (Reserved Seating)

$15 Lower Balcony (Reserved Seating)

$10 Upper Balcony (Unreserved Seating/General Admission)*

*Upper Balcony tickets are available for purchase during in-person ticket sales or at the box office on the day of the performance only.

Discounts

Seniors presenting a Pennsbury Gold Card and Veterans with proper ID will receive one free unreserved upper balcony ticket, or $10 off of any other ticket level. Discounted tickets are available for purchase during in-person ticket sales or at the box office on the day of the performance only.

Online Ticket Sales

Click here to purchase!

In-Person Ticket Sales

CASH ONLY. Sale located in the Auditorium Lobby at Pennsbury High School East

- Tuesday March 5, 2024 from 7:00 - 8:00 p.m.

- At the door one hour before showtime for that evening’s performance only

Questions: Contact Mrs. Fallacaro at dfallacaro@pennsburysd.org.

All Sales are Final. No Refunds or Exchanges.

Dr. Deborah Veis, a professor from Washington University in St. Louis, recently visited Mrs. Becker's kindergarten class at Walt Disney Elementary School to educate the young students about how the heart works. During her engaging presentation, Dr. Veis explained the importance of the heart and how it pumps blood throughout the body to keep us alive and healthy. To make the lesson more interactive, each student had the opportunity to listen to their heartbeat using a stethoscope. This hands-on experience helped the children better understand how their heart functions. Dr. Veis' visit provided valuable knowledge about the human body and sparked curiosity and excitement among the young learners about science and health.

Congratulations to the Pennsbury Concert Jazz Band on receiving a Superior Rating at the North Penn Knight of Jazz on Friday, February 2, 2024. The group of talented musicians also took home the Best Rhythm Section award, and vocalist Meghan Crohe received an Honorable Mention Soloist award. To quote director Francis Carpino, "The cats were swingin'!" Congratulations PCJB!

It's Super Bowl weekend and that means one thing - today was the Eleanor Roosevelt Elementary School Super Duper Bowl!

Fifth-grade students, led by their teachers, participated in this time-honored school tradition to help support the Bucks County Emergency Homeless Shelter in Levittown. The school holds a food drive leading up to the game, and students and their families are encouraged to donate non-perishable food items, which will be delivered to the shelter.

Now in its 14th year, the friendly competition is played on the Friday before the Super Bowl. The intra-grade level flag football competition is the brainchild of 5th-grade teachers Jason Miller and Roger Kean.

Each class proudly wore custom-designed t-shirts for the game based on their team mascot.

The teams were:

• The Kean Kongs (Roger Kean, teacher)
• The Mean Machines (Jason Miller, teacher)
• The Rodriguez Raptors (Kelly Rodriguez, teacher)
• The Toledano Tornadoes (Arlene Toledano, teacher)

While it's the 5th-graders who laced up their sneakers and hit the gridiron, the whole school got involved by making signs and cheering on their favorite teams. The winning team will receive the coveted "Falcon" trophy. The designation of "Most Valuable Player" will also be awarded.

"The game is a friendly competition amongst the 5th-grade homerooms, but it is more about having fun and working together as a team while displaying our three Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports core values of being responsible, respectful, and safe," said Lisa Follman, principal of Eleanor Roosevelt Elementary School.

Congratulations to the Miller Mean Machines on winning this year's competition. The MVP of the game was Morgan Brown from the Rodriguez Raptors!

Fallsington Elementary students got to listen to a live reading of Seals Are Jerks by the author Jared Chapman, thanks to Reading Specialist Sheila Miley, in honor of World Read Aloud Day. Jared Chapman talked about how he came up with the story, answered questions, and then treated the students to an art tutorial on how to draw the seal and penguins from the story. It is important to read aloud to students because reading aloud increases students' vocabulary, listening skills, and the ability to recognize words. Ms. Kooker’s Kindergarten class enjoyed listening to the story and then drawing their own seal and penguin which they then got to write about for KidWriting.

World Read Aloud Day is celebrated annually on the first Wednesday of February. The day celebrates “the joy and power of reading and sharing stories,” and “expanding the definition and scope of global literacy.”

Quarry Hill's Student Council held a canned soup drive benefitting a local food pantry. The school used the food drive to predict who will win the Super Bowl. Quarry Hill picked the Chiefs over the 49ers!

It is time for another "Parents Night Out", benefitting the Best Prom in America! PHS students will lead little ones, ages 4 - 8 , through arts and crafts, games, and other fun activities on Thursday, February 15 from 5:00 - 7:30 p.m. in the PHS East Cafeteria. The money raised from "Parents Night Out" will help to support this year's senior prom, Enchanted Environments. Please click here to register! Registration deadline is this Sunday, February 11.

At Afton Elementary School, SPARK teacher Kristin Slota designed a lesson where students created their very own parade floats! Students drew plans, gathered recycled materials, designed, and spent weeks bringing their plans and creations to fruition.

Each week, the students would return from SPARK ready to share how they reworked their plans or added different elements, such as a push or pull to their floats. Their excitement was so infectious that other Afton teachers integrated and connected their designs into their writing block.

The students drew their floats, labeled the parts, and wrote the steps of their design process. When the projects were complete, Mrs. Slota led the students with their floats on a parade route through the halls for all to celebrate and see. The students decided to turn their writing pieces into a class book as a thank-you to Mrs. Slota and presented it to her after the parade!

Congratulations to the following students in the Pennsbury Instrumental Music Department who successfully auditioned for this year's Bucks County Music Educators Association Band and Orchestra Festival! The festival will take place at Pennridge High School Thursday, March 14 - Saturday, March 16. These students competed amongst all middle schools and high schools in all of Bucks County. This is a tremendous achievement and we are very proud that they will be representing Pennsbury School District at this festival!

CHARLES BOEHM

Gabriel Appel, French Horn

Lucas Brown, Viola

Parker Chou-Fung, Clarinet

Alex Daniel, Violin

John Baker, Percussion Mallets

Sarene Julin, Violin

Ryan Kang, Clarinet

Brayden Killian, String Bass

Luella Wang, Cello

PENNWOOD

Wyatt Couchoud, Tenor Sax

Madison Mothes, French Horn

Shaurya Patel, Trombone

Samantha Prentice, Alto Sax

Chloe Rivera, Piccolo

Priscilla Santiago, Trumpet

Annabelle Whitlock, Clarinet

WILLIAM PENN

Benjamin Ashmore, Cello

Oliver Duan, Oboe

Elora Duffin, Violin

Penelope Fisher, Trombone

Lily Griffin, Viola

Jackson Haynes, Flute

Josie Kieley, Alto Sax

William Kim, Trombone

Erik Muller, Violin

AJ Nigro, Alto Sax

Claire Payonk, Viola

Sophie Ramos - Espinoza, Cello

Pooja Rao, French Horn

Vincent Saiz, Bass Clarinet

Michael Shaffer, Trumpet

Beckett Smith, String Bass

Aubree South, Violin

PENNSBURY HIGH SCHOOL

Reginald Acierto, Clarinet

Lauren Bobb, Cello

Aleksandra Cheeseman, Tuba

Anna Chiang, Flute

Matthew Combs, Trombone

Simon Couchoud, Oboe

John Darrington, Trombone

Debarghya Dhar, Violin

Muhammad Adam Dombrowski, Violin

Maisarah Dombrowski, Violin

Naima Doraiswamy, Violin

Gabe Fuentes, Percussion - Snare

Bradley Hill, Trumpet

Noah Howington, Trumpet

Chloe Huang, Cello

Tiffany Huang, Violin

Luka Jezyk, Percussion - Snare

Gianni Kitchens-Rodriguez, Tenor Sax

Alexander Li, Oboe

Jasmin Manalili, Flute

Hope Massey, French Horn

Will McKeever, Tuba

Cooper Pauliks, Trombone

Elyse Perez, Flute

Sean Ponento, Euphonium

Christian Schaal, Percussion - Snare

Ayush Shah, Trumpet

Daniel Shen, Trumpet

Owen Spiegelberg, Trumpet

Jonathan Vazapphilly, Tenor Sax

Caroline Venkatesulu, Trombone

Nate Vollaro, Euphonium

Alex Weissgerber, String Bass

Mark Wheeler, Percussion - Snare

Kevin Ye, Trombone

At Pennwood Middle School, Mrs. Hughes' 6th grade Family Consumer Sciences class practiced their newfound babysitting skills! Students demonstrated how to properly hold and swaddle a baby, put a baby correctly in a car seat, and sort appropriate books and games for different ages.

Capital Health’s newly-formed “Capital Healthy Students” initiative has announced this year’s video contest, “Teens Off Screens.” Middle school students in grades 6-8 are invited to participate in their video creation challenge in which they produce a 60-second public service announcement (“PSA”) in a video format addressing various aspects of excessive screen time. The video can include personal stories, statistics, and creative storytelling to engage the audience.

Goals:

• Raise Awareness: Increase awareness among teenagers and their families about the negative consequences of excessive screen time, such as physical health issues, mental health challenges, and diminished academic performance.
• Empower Teenagers: Empower young individuals to become advocates for digital wellness and responsible screen use, promoting a balanced and mindful approach to technology.
• Promote Creativity: Encourage students to unleash their creativity and storytelling skills through the creation of 60-second videos that convey important messages about screen time and its impact.
• Generate Conversations: Spark conversations within schools, homes, and communities about the need to find a healthy balance between screen time and real-world activities.

One winner will be selected for each of the following categories:

• Most Impactful: $2,000 for your school's PTO
• Most Creative and Original: $2,000 for your school's PTO
• Best Use of Messaging: $2,000 for your school's PTO
• Honorable Mention: $2,000 for your school's PTO

Students can work in groups or individually. Deadline for submissions is Friday, March 1, 2024. Click here to submit your video!

Now that the we've had two "traditional snow days," Pennsbury schools will transition to remote learning for all students in the event of another weather-related issue. This will allow us to count these days as instructional days and avoid lengthening the school year.

Please click the button below to familiarize yourself with the District's Remote Learning procedures.

Summer is right around the corner and Pennsbury wants to make it easy for students to obtain their work permit. Register today to obtain a work permit at the PHS Career Fair. Any student between the ages of 14 and 17 must have a work permit to be employed in Pennsylvania.

Families must complete this work permit form by February 21, 2024 in order for work permits to be processed at the Career Fair.

PHS Career Fair Details
What: Pennsbury High School Career Fair

When: February 26, 2024 from 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Where: Pennsbury High School East Gymnasium (705 Hood Boulevard, Fairless Hills)

Check out the new and exciting classes Pennsbury Community School will be offering this Spring. Registration is Open Now! Classes begin in February and are filling fast! (You do *not* need to be a resident of the Pennsbury School District to participate.)

Click here for a list of class offerings

Click here to register

Pennsbury High School Cheerleading announces **SAVE THE DATES** for clinics and tryouts for the 2024-2025 Season. Male and female athletes with experience of all levels are welcome. Parents and guardians of interested athletes are strongly encourage to attend the May 6 meeting so that all parties involved understand the level of commitment expected of Pennsbury cheerleaders. All questions can be directed to pennsburyhscheercoaches@gmail.com

Monday, February 12, 2024 - Indieflix Film Viewing

• 6:30 p.m. at Pennsbury High School East Auditorium (705 Hood Boulevard, Fairless Hills)
• Livestream link for those who can't attend in person - https://youtube.com/live/vHylEL1CMu0?feature=share

Monday, March 4, 2024 - What Caregivers Need to Know About Trauma

• This workshop explores the nature of trauma, how trauma impacts a child's development and learning, and what we can do as caregivers to help children who have been traumatized feel safe at home.

The Pennsbury Parent Academy is a series of educational programs and presentations offered to Pennsbury parents and guardians to support school success and continued home-school partnerships. The PPA program includes monthly, live in-person and/or virtual programming on a variety of topics to promote parent and guardian community engagement, such as:

• Mental Health & Wellness
• Supporting School Success
• Social Media & Internet Safety
• Diversity & Inclusion

Visit our website for recordings of recent presentations.

The Pennsbury Community Chorus Musical Theatre presents Beauty and the Beast, Jr., July 22 - August 1, 2024. Led by PHS Choral Director, Lindsey Strauss, this unique opportunity is open to rising 5th graders through rising 10th-graders. Students will learn theatrical skills during the two-week camp, held at Pennsbury High School West, culminating in a performance showcasing those skills. For more information and to register, visit www.pennsburysings.org.

With winter weather upon us, stay informed about Pennsbury's Winter Weather Procedure.

Click here for more information.

The Affordable Connectivity Program is a Federal Communications Commission program that helps connect families and households struggling to afford internet service. This new benefit provides a discount of up to $30 per month toward broadband service for eligible households. Eligible households can also receive a one-time discount of up to $100 to purchase a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet from participating providers.

Eligible households can enroll through a participating broadband provider or directly with the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) using an online or mail-in application. You can learn more about the benefit, including eligibility and enrollment information, by visiting www.fcc.gov/ACP, or by calling 877-384-2575.

How to Get Started:

1. Create a training account at PaTTAN: pattan.framwelder.com
2. Complete the 7 online courses: Bureau of Special Education Para Credential of Competency Entry Level Training Series and save your certificates.
3. Email paras@pennsburysd.org to set up an interview to complete the process.

Questions? Email us at paras@pennsburysd.org

Do you enjoy working with children? Do you like working close to home and earning a competitive salary? Then becoming a Pennsbury Bus Driver is the job for you!

We offer:

• A competitive salary
• Flexible hours
• Student-centered work environment
• Paid training for your CDL

Questions? Email transportation@pennsburysd.org

Click here to view Pennsbury High School's Student Job Board and find local area businesses with open positions. Some positions allow applicants as young as 14 years old.

Click here for information on how to obtain a work permit.

PHS Key Club is cleaning pill bottles to be donated to developing Latin American countries. These pill bottles will be used to package medical supplies for those in need. Students have cleaned over 180 bottles and are looking to clean even more throughout the school year. If you are looking to declutter your medicine cabinet, please reach out to Vanessa Fry (vfry@pennsburysd.org) or Oksana Cheeseman (ocheeseman@pennsburysd.org) to donate!

The PHS Crochet Club wants to outfit the troops this winter, and they need your help! Pennsbury crafters are going to make handmade hats and scarves for U.S. troops through Operation Gratitude's Handmade with Love Program. If you have any extra yarn lying around, please consider donating it to the PHS Crochet Club. Donations can be dropped off at PHS East. To arrange pickup of large donations or for more information, please contact club advisor Breanne Weeden at bweeden@pennsburysd.org.

Click the links below to view the current schedules for Pennsbury Athletics.

Weekly Sports Schedule

Current Team Schedules - Schedules are subject to change at any time. Check this page often for the latest updates!

Click here to visit the Pennsbury School District's E-Flyers Page.

These flyers represent current or ongoing announcements of interest to Pennsbury students and their families that emanate from local community organizations, sports leagues, scouting groups, and other non-profits. Browse through our gallery!

To obtain approval for a flyer to be posted on the E-Flyers Page, please email your request to Macy Cellitti at mcellitti@pennsburysd.org.

Safe2Say Something is a youth violence prevention program run by the PA Office of Attorney General. Report a confidential tip to help prevent violence and tragedies.

Click here to submit an anonymous tip.

Did you miss an email from the District? Check the archive!

The Nutrition Group is now hiring! Positions include Food Service Workers, Cooks, and Kitchen Managers with rates from $15 - $17 per hour. The hours are Monday-Friday, school hours only. No nights, weekends, or holidays! Apply today by calling the Nutrition Group office at 215-949-6740 ext. 2, or click here and search for "Pennsbury"!

The Pennsbury School District is making a concerted effort to ensure that students who reside within our District boundaries are able to attend the school they are assigned to based on their home address. To help us, we have established a Confidential Residency Reporting Tip Line. If you believe someone is falsifying their student's address to attend the Pennsbury School District, please call or email:

residency@pennsburysd.org

(215) 428-4100 ext. 84777 (TIPSS)

Click here for more information.

Have a question about Pennsbury? Don't trust the rumors, ask Penny!

Send Penny an email at askpenny@pennsburysd.org, or leave a message at 215-428-4100, ext. 73669 (PENNY).

Download the FREE, Pennsbury School District App today and receive important alerts, news, and information. Customize your app experience and follow specific schools, calendars, lunch menus, and more! Available for FREE in the App Store and Google Play.

Apple (iOS) - Click Here to Download

Android (Google Play) - Click Here to Download

Dr. Thomas Smith, Superintendent of Schools

tsmith@pennsburysd.org

215-428-4111

Email: publicrelations@pennsburysd.org

Website: www.pennsburysd.org
Location: 134 Yardley Avenue, Fallsington, PA 19058
Phone: (215)-428-4100