Pennsbury On Point

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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• Back to School Night - Dates & Times
• Confidential Residency Reporting Tip Line
• District Emails Archive
• E-Flyers
• Employment Opportunities at Pennsbury School District
• Part-Time Jobs for Students
• Pennsbury Parent Academy - Events & Recordings
• PHS Project Updates
• Safe2Say - Anonymous Tip Line
• Special Education Advisory Council (SEPAC)

• The first day of school orientation for Kindergarten, 6th Grade, and 9th Grade is Tuesday, September 3.

• The first day of school for all students, K-12, is Wednesday, September 4.

• New Family and ELD Orientation Night is Thursday, September 5 from 6:00 - 7:30 p.m. at Village Park Elementary School (75 Unity Drive, Levittown)

• Bus assignments, PHS Student Schedules, Middle School Homeroom/Team Assignments, and Elementary Teacher Assignments are now available in PowerSchool! To view your child's information, log in to PowerSchool from a web browser, NOT the PowerSchool mobile app. Need help with PowerSchool? Email familytechhelp@pennsburysd.org

• Please check your bus routes and times once more. Some changes have been made. Allow the routes to run for two weeks before requesting any changes.
  

• Click here to view dates and times for Back to School Night.

Dr. Smith, superintendent of schools, and the Pennsbury principals put together a special back-to-school video to welcome students and families to the 2024-25 school year!

We want to ensure you receive timely and important updates from our school district. The best way to stay informed about emergency situations, weather-related notifications, and other critical news is through our text message alerts.

👉 To opt-in, simply text the letter Y or YES to 67587 from the mobile device you have on file with the school district.

🔍 Not sure which mobile number is on file? No problem! Just check with the front office staff at your child's school to confirm the correct number.

The district does not charge recipients for the text messages they receive or send to the short code; however, wireless providers may charge for individual text messages, depending on the plan associated with the wireless device. Please check with your carrier if you are uncertain.

Stay informed and stay safe. Sign up today to make sure you never miss an important update from Pennsbury School District! 📚✨

Download and sign up for the FREE SchoolMessenger app and receive all of your Pennsbury School District emails & notifications in one place! There are several different SchoolMessenger apps available. Make sure to download the app that says "SM Home". You will create your account using the email address you have on file at your child's school.

Believe it or not, back to school time has arrived in Bucks County, and hundreds of school buses will be back on the road very soon!

Click here to learn more about the PA School Bus Stopping Law.

Starting this year, the Pennsbury Activities Calendar will no longer be in PDF format. It is now built directly into the Pennsbury website. Click here to view! (Be sure to scroll down.)

This week, Pennsbury School District teachers, support staff, and administration gathered at Pennsbury High School East for their annual convocation. The special event is designed to reunite everyone and reflect on the year ahead. Employees were also congratulated on their milestone years of service for the district.

Penn Valley student Sloane Lawrence began the event by performing the National Anthem. Students Sawyer Trapani (5th-grader at Makefield,) Luke Sherratt (8th-grader at Pennwood), Kingston Ford (sophomore at PHS,) and Sarah Mudrick (senior at PHS) each gave their own personalized speeches to the staff, thanking them for their hard work and sharing personal anecdotes of when their teachers made a difference in their own lives. Superintendent Dr. Smith and PEA President Nicole Peirce also took a moment to thank our fellow staff for the job they do and reflect on the excitement of a new school year.

A select group of students from each school in the district, led by director Matt South and accompanied by special guests Dr. Smith on drums and vocal music teacher Monica Chuong on keys, performed a beautiful and inspirational rendition of "When I Grow Up" from Matilda the Musical, and "I Lived" by One Republic, reminding all in attendance of what it means to be a part of the Pennsbury family.

Check out the video above to view a fun recap of the event, set to the finale student performance of "I Lived."

The video below features Sloane Lawrence performing the National Anthem.

Last week, the Pennsbury Transportation Department held their annual kickoff meeting where Director Becky Kurtz recognized drivers for perfect attendance and safety.

Congratulations to Elvin Oquendo, Michael Hughes, Joseph Hennigan, and Robert Bill for remaining accident free and having perfect attendance, and congratulations to Rich Behrman for being named Driver of the Year!

Pennsbury is grateful to all of our drivers for their hard work and dedication to our students.

The Pennsbury School District proudly hosted its 2nd annual Start School "Write" Event at Village Park School on August 26, 2024. This community-driven initiative, designed to support students and families as they prepare for the new school year, was a resounding success, drawing in families from across the district.

The Start School "Write" Event is part of Pennsbury School District’s ongoing commitment to ensuring that every student has the resources they need to succeed. This year’s event not only provided essential back-to-school supplies but also featured professional barbers and hairstylists who offered free haircuts to students. These services aim to help students start the year with confidence, looking and feeling their best as they head back to school.

Many thanks to Pennsbury Kids founder Keller Arnold and staff members Beth Alon, Amy Waters, and Sumana Kanubaddi for their support. We would also like to thank the following Pennsbury employees for the countless hours of work preparing for this community event: Stacy Kirsh, Noelle Murphy, Meredith Naskiewicz, the Village Park Custodial Staff, Seth Wendel, Steve Lowden, Shauna Love, Stephanie DePaolo, Mary Hughes, Tammy Leimer, Arlene Johnson, Stephanie Piech, Julie Samples, and Laurie Ruffing for all of their help.

And last but not least, special thanks to the following volunteers, businesses, and hair stylists for their time and support:

Nicole Cordisco, Leslie Morales, Krista Wertz, Sandra Brown, Nicole Percell, Amanda Barnes, Jay Jimenez, Shannon O'Connor, Kate Dauber, Lisa Rice, Donna Visco, Nick Heilig, Alex Zoker, Maryanne Bing, Haley Palma, Lea Mohan, Maria Marucci Smith, Montana Mormando, Brayden Naskiewicz, Jamie Warner, Lori Salley, Christopher Potter, Lee Kirsh, Eli Kirsh, Heather Towne, Lois Brodsky, Wendy Robson, Suzie Drake, Donna Kramer, and Diane Woodruff

Advantage Auto Tags & Insurance, Nailed It 2 Cabinets, Century 21 Real Estate, Levittown/Fairless Hills Rotary, Raising Cane's, Wegmans, The Home Depot, Target, Carlucci's Express, Shoprite of Yardley, Minuteman Press Levittown, BluePearl Pet Hospital, Hilltop Farm & Fence, PESPA, Kane Communication Group, PEA, Yardley Ortho, B&J Group, Starbucks of Newtown & Yardley, Big Oak Citgo, NFT, Arden Courts, and CAPS

Friends and family gathered at Pennwood Middle School on August 19 for the Pennsbury Instrumental Music Department's Summer Music Program Showcase. This fantastic event displayed the incredible talents of our young musicians!

The Summer Music Program is a unique opportunity for our middle and elementary school students to hone their musical skills and broaden their horizons during the break. The showcase, a culmination of their hard work, featured beautiful performances by our band and orchestra students.

Led by Adam Pfannenstiel, the Pennsbury Summer Music Program staff included Patrick Bailey, John Brunozzi, Mark Capriotti, Francis Carpino, Lisa Chippendale, Tina DiMeglio, Christina Dobson, Peter Gregory, Kevin Haugland, Felicia Hebensteit, Ashley Parry, Spencer Randle, Evan Rondinelli, Carly Sienko, Jordan Spivack, Jason Steiner, Nick Terramani, Jonathan Tomaro, and John Westenberger.

Bravo to these young students and their families for continuing to foster a love for music. We look forward to seeing how these budding musicians grow in the coming school year!

From June 22 to June 25, Afton Elementary's Green Team attended the prestigious NEED (National Energy Education Development) Youth Energy Conference and Awards in Washington, D.C. The event is designed to bring students from around the country together to learn and exchange ideas centered around energy education in schools.

Afton’s Green Team was recognized as the NEED PA School of the Year and a National Elementary Runner-Up! Congratulations! Click here to read the full press release.

Rising Pennsbury junior Jenna Thompson has spent the summer traveling all over the world playing softball for Great Britain's Women's U-22 National Fastpitch Team. On August 10, Jenna and her team competed at the U-22 European Softball Championships in Kutno, Poland and beat the Czechs for the bronze medal. What an amazing summer for this Pennsbury student! 👏⚾🧡🖤 Click here to read more.

Photo: J&D Photography

This past July, Pennsbury sophomores Padraig Conlon and Grace Farsiou were accepted into the prestigious Future Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) program. Padraig and Grace were chosen from a competitive pool of applicants, joining 45 other students from nine counties in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

The week-long program, held from July 22-26 in Philadelphia, provided an immersive experience where students learned about the role of an Assistant U.S. Attorney, observed court cases, and met with key federal law enforcement leaders. This transformative opportunity introduces students to various career paths and prepares them for a future in criminal justice.

Grace and Padraig expressed their enjoyment and are grateful for the valuable insights they gained from the program. The photos shown above are from the closing ceremony, featuring Padraig and Grace with Ms. Jacqueline Romera, U.S. Attorney for Eastern PA.

This summer, 11 Pennsbury School District boys played for the 12-under team of the Cal Ripken Major/70 World Series in Branson, MO. This group of 11 boys has played baseball together on the Pennsbury A.A. baseball team since they were 7 and 8 years old. They have won numerous tournaments, 4 District Titles, 2 Southeastern PA State Titles, and finished in the semi-finals of the 2024 Cal Ripken World Series.

They demonstrated remarkable resilience, beating teams from Alabama, Kentucky, and Hawaii to make it to the semi-finals and finishing in the top 8 out of 40 National and International teams at the tournament.

Congratulations to this fine group of young athletes!

Team: Will Block, Ryan Curry, Marshall Hopkins, Mason Klose, Evan Lawrence, Elliott Ottaggio, Stephen Pio, Nicholas Prebola, Sam Rebar, Owen Shelton, and Charlie Walsh

*Photo Credit Kristin Lawrence

At the National Speech and Debate Association (NSDA) District Leader Luncheon on Sunday, June 16, Pennsbury High School's coach, Mr. Chris Berdnik, received the 2024 District Bronze award for outstanding district leadership. Mr. Berdnik is the District Leader for Valley Forge, PA.

Additionally, on Thursday, June 20, Mr. Berdnik was honored with his second Diamond Award. This prestigious accolade reflects both excellence and longevity in the activity. To earn a first diamond, a coach must accumulate 15,000 points after achieving the degree of merit (25 points). A second diamond requires an additional 15,000 points and a period of five years since the first.

Congratulations to Mr. Berdnik for these remarkable achievements.

Pennsbury Community Chorus

25th Annual Winter Concert

"Long Ago" featuring Handel's Messiah and other traditional holiday songs

First Rehearsal: September 9 at 7:30 p.m. in Keller Hall

Winter Concert: December 14 at 3:00 p.m. in Keller Hall

For more information, visit pennsburycommunitychorus.art

We are always looking for passionate new singers!

To audition for our this semester, please contact PCCArtisticDirector@gmail.com.

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!

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

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

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 past presentations.

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.

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.

The Nutrition Group is Now Hiring Kitchen Managers, Cooks, and Food Service Workers at Pennsbury School District!

Great opportunity! Monday through Friday, daylight shifts, no nights or weekends. Competitive wages offered.

Learn more about additional opportunities with us and join our team today! Apply online now at: tngcareers.com and search “Pennsbury” or call our office at 215-428-4100 ext. 22201

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.

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