BTSD Back to School Newsletter

Dear Bristol Township School Community,

I wanted to take a moment to welcome back our staff, students and families for the 2024-25 school year. I hope everyone enjoyed the summer and had the opportunity to relax and spend time with family and friends.

As we enter the last week of summer, I am enthusiastic about the new school year, welcoming back students and staff, and the potential for achievement that awaits all the children coming back to their classrooms. The beginning of a new school year is always a special time of year. It is a wonderful feeling to see our students returning to their schools, and I am excited to see the many things they will accomplish this year in academics, activities, the arts and athletics.

For both our students and staff, the new year brings fresh challenges and goals, and we are enthusiastic about opening our doors to our students and beginning our efforts to make this school year successful for all our stakeholders. Our main goal is for each and every student to have a positive and rewarding learning experience in a supportive educational environment.

It is important to us that we are connected to our school community and there is a bridge between our classrooms and the home. Please join us for our ‘Back to School Nights’ and get to know our staff and programs. Also take advantage of many of the technological tools that exist to provide you with valuable information about our schools and your child’s progress. Check our website frequently, follow us on social media, and share our stories and updates with your family and friends. As educators, it is our goal to be accessible and available to the community we serve, and showcase all the great things taking place in our schools.

In closing, I frequently remind students that if they take pride in their school, then their school will be a place of which to be proud. To our parents, we need your support to be successful; please stay involved and connected to the schools, and support our work and endeavors. To our staff, thank you for your work on behalf of our students; please know that your efforts are valued and appreciated. Finally, to our students, work hard, be respectful and approach your studies with enthusiasm.

Please review the following newsletter for important information as we head into September. Have a great year!

Sincerely,

Michael Nitti

Superintendent of Schools

Starting the 2024-25 school year, BTSD will use School Café as the management system for school meal accounts. If your student(s) had funds on their My School Account, the positive balance will be transferred to their School Café account! Learn more here.

Parents/Guardians – Please verify the accuracy of your email addresses and phone numbers for the upcoming school year on the parent portal.

1. Log on to the Infinite Campus Portal (If you are having trouble logging in, please contact your child’s school.)

2. Select “More” on the right side of the menu bar.

3. Select “Family Information.”

4. Click the “Update” button for each of the PARENTS/GUARDIANS ONLY and edit the phone numbers and/or email address fields.

5. Make sure you check the boxes stating primary email and phone numbers to send information to.

6. Click the blue “Update” button to save changes.

*Please DO NOT update any student information.

BTSD teachers kicked off the school year today with an Opening Day pep rally! Truman Tiger Band and Truman Varsity Cheerleading welcomed teachers to the building.

The event recognized teachers for years of service, new hires and Truman grad employees. Alumni messages and highlights video of the 2023-24 school year motivated the staff, and prizes were won throughout the event.

Autism advocate and public motivator Ben Hartranft of Benergy also spoke to staff about being the "1" to stand up for kindness and inclusion.

Thank you to our community sponsors for donating more than $600 in prizes to the event, and to our Culture and Climate Committee for planning a fun morning!

Congratulations to Robyn Battershell, who is the new Supervisor of Special Education!

Battershell has worked within BTSD since 2001, teaching both general education and special education students.

Read more here.

Welcome Luke Miller, our new District Safety & Security Coordinator!

Miller is a Bristol Township resident with students in the school system. His extensive experience includes 17 years with the Princeton University Department of Public Safety.

Read more here.

Welcome Theodore "Ted" Beatty, new Assistant Principal at Truman!

Excited to return home, Beatty is a 2006 graduate of Truman, and most recently served as the Assistant Principal at Cherry Hill East High School for the past six years.

Read more here.

Welcome Christina Lang, the Interim Principal at Brookwood Elementary School.

Lang was the principal for the New Hope Solebury School District and Central Bucks School District, where she retired in 2018. Most recently, she worked at the Bucks County Intermediate Unit as an evaluator for the 21st Century Community Learning Centers. In this capacity, Lang had the opportunity to visit after-school programs at all Bristol Township schools and become very familiar with the BTSD school community.

Read more here.

Joy Stickney-McDonald, Ph.D., LSW, SSW, HSV, school social worker at Mill Creek Elementary School, earned her Ph.D. in psychology at Walden University in June.

“Learning is a lifelong process,” said Stickney-McDonald. “Obtaining my doctorate was a personal goal. I wanted to further my education to improve my interactions and expertise with students and stakeholders. To quote Maya Angelou, ‘Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.’”

Read more here.

A team of district educators and administrators participated in the Professional Learning Partnerships Innovation Summit on July 17 at Fluxspace in Norristown. They joined member districts in a day of learning and innovative thinking around current problems in K-12 education.

Participating were Malikah Upchurch, Instructional Coach; Christine Schrack, Elementary Gifted Teacher; Jon Craig, Principal Truman HS; Jeff Feeley, Teacher; Amy Coleman, Chief Academic Officer; Alexa Doyle, BCBA Truman; and Dawn Martesi, Principal Mill Creek Elem.

District Administration
5 Blue Lake Road, Levittown, PA, USA
215-943-3200
https://bristoltwpsd.org/

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