Pennridge High School

Dear Parent(s)/Guardian(s),

The school year is quickly winding down. This year has proven to be an exciting, yet challenging year. With challenges, come opportunities. Many students achieved incredible feats and we are so proud of them. I continue to be amazed at how our students and staff care for one another, their school, and their community. They embody the true essence of social and emotional learning. With students, staff, and a community sharing these important values, it's easy to achieve great things.

Best wishes to our incredible seniors as they finish out their final year but lest they remember, they will always be a Ram!

Have a great rest of your year.

Respectfully,

Gina DeBona

Principal

• March 19th - District Art Show
• March 31st, April 1st, April 7th & April 8th - Spring Musical/ Shrek
• April 22nd– Junior Prom @ Lehigh University @ 7PM - 10PM
• April 26th -- DaVinci Day Auditorium, LGI (all) 6:30-9pm
• April 27th– PHS Spring Orchestra Concert (auditorium) 7pm
• May 15 - 26 – Keystone Exam Testing Window
• May 11th - Band Spring Concert 7PM
• May 18th - Spring Arts Festival 7PM
• May 18th – Underclass Awards 7PM
• May 25th – 10 Percent/Senior Academic Dinner in Cafe @ 6PM followed by Senior Awards in the auditorium @ 7PM
  
• May 31st - Spring Choral Concert (auditorium) 7PM
• June 2 – Senior Prom @ The Palace Center 6:30-10:00PM
• June 8 - Graduation @ Lehigh University

The Student Handbook is available on-line. Your child has the Student Handbook pinned to their computer desktop. Students and parents are responsible for being aware of the content. The handbook can be found at:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BzwmbNEHRQ84em1zVnZVZkdtUWM/view

Spring is coming! Please be mindful and considerate of PHS's dress code.

Student appearance/dress may not substantially and directly endanger physical health and safety, damage property, disrupt the educational process, distract those engaged in that process, or go beyond the community and school definition of modesty. If an administrator deems an article of clothing inappropriate, the student will be asked to cover the article of clothing or change into something that meets the code before being allowed to return to class.

The Appearance – Dress Code requires students to wear:

· Clothing that does not expose underwear or the abdomen.

· Skirts/shorts at the palm or longer when arms are held to the side.

· Clothing that covers cleavage (front and rear), the back, and torso up to the underarms. Strapless tops and spaghetti straps are prohibited.

· Clothing that is free of pictures or wording that contains profanity, vulgarity, innuendo, weapons and violence, or the ridiculing of any person or group or the references to alcohol, tobacco, or illegal activity and clothing that may cause disruption to the school environment.

· Hats, hoods, head-coverings, and sunglasses must be removed by 7:13 a.m.

· Students may not wear potentially dangerous/destructive clothing/footwear, such as rivet jewelry, cleats, ornamental belts, heavy gauge chains/wallet leaches, or choke collars.

· Any special “dress-up” days must be approved by the administration.

The Pennridge School District is committed to providing a safe environment that is free of drugs, alcohol, and weapons, including explosives. Unannounced random inspections by search dogs are permitted according to School Board Policy No. 226. The canine search process may be used to determine the presence of unlawful or illegal substances on school property. Periodically, or as the situation warrants, a trained dog may be used to sniff the air around lockers, desks, bags, purses, book bags, and other items that are on district property or at a district sponsored event. Vehicles parked on district property are also subject to random searches by trained dogs. Together, we strive to provide a safe and healthy learning environment for our students.

A friendly reminder that PHS does not have staff on duty until 6:30AM. In an effort to keep students and staff safe, please do not drop students off before 6:30AM. We will also continue to make announcements to students who drive. Doors are locked and the building is unavailable before 6:30AM. If your child makes prior arrangements with a teacher to arrive before 6:30AM, your child should be dropped off and/or enter at the main entrance/main office doors. The staff member will meet him/her in the main office.

• The Keystone exams will be administered May 15 - 26. Students who are completing a Keystone course such as Algebra I or Algebra IB, 9th Grade Biology, and/or 10th Grade American Literature, will be scheduled to take these exams. There will be some students scheduled that have entered the Pennridge School District this school year that have not taken them at their previous school. Parents are able to find additional information about the Keystone exams at this link.
  
• Exams will begin at 7:15 am each day. The activity schedule will be followed on testing days. The regular schedule will be followed on Friday, May 19th and during make-up exam days. Juniors and seniors that are not scheduled to take an exam are permitted to arrive to school on testing days at 9:15 am. Freshmen and sophomores will be in homerooms during the testing days beginning at 7:15 am.
  
• There will be special transportation for students that attend the Upper Bucks Tech School. There will be an 8:10 am bus for students that are not scheduled for exams. For students that are scheduled for exams, there will be a 9:15 am bus. If needed, there will be transportation at 10:00 am for any student that needs extra time to complete the exam.
  

AP testing is also coming! Please see below for important notes about AP testing.

• AP testing window is May 1 through May 12.
• Cost is $93.00. Please make checks payable to Pennridge School District – no cash accepted
  
• Registration forms are available in the guidance office.
  
• Sign-ups are from now until Thursday March 23, 2017.
  
• Students must pay in full upon registering for exam.
  
• We offer every AP exam.
  
• Late/conflict AP testing is the May 16th - May 18th.
  

Good luck!!

• Wrestling won the Conference Tournament and finished 4th at Districts. Matt Parker, Josh Stillings and Paul O'Neill were district champions. Matt Parker and Josh Stillings both were also crowned regional champions and qualified for States this week in Hershey.

• Cheerleading won the league and district championship and were runners up in the state championship.

• Girls Swimming team finishing sixth at districts and will be compete in the state meet in 2 weeks.

• Boys indoor track team brought home 3 state medals. Alex Dimon took 5th in the 60H. Matt Eissler finished 7th in the 800. The 4x200 of John Nash, Josh Pinkney, Alex Dimon and Austin Howell took 6th.

• Girls indoor track team won 3 state medals. Kouri Peace took 2nd in the 200 and 3rd in the 60. The 4 x 800 relay finished in 6th place.

• The boys and girls basketball teams won their tip off tournaments and the boys team qualified for the district playoffs.

• Pennridge graduates Tom Nuneviller and Mary Ellen Smith are being inducted into the Bucks County Sports Hall of fame on April 27!!
  

Congratulations to all of our outstanding athletes who have achieved great feats throughout the school year!!

As you are likely aware, teachers and students have been utilizing Canvas as a learning management system this year. Canvas provides students with one location to access course calendars and materials for all high school courses.

Additionally, with the launch of parent access this past fall, parents are able to create observer accounts. This access allows parents to view all course information and materials. Linked here you will find directions on how to create an observer account. If you have trouble creating or using your observer account email canvasparentsupport@pennridge.org for assistance.

• May 1st ~ College Day! Wear your college apparel!
• The end of the year senior schedule will be sent out the first week in April
• June 2nd ~ Prom
• June 8th ~ Graudation

• The Junior Class will be having their Prom on Saturday, April 22, 2017 at Lehigh University beginning at 7:00 PM. We will be having an Informational assembly for Juniors on Tuesday, March 21, 2017 and tickets will go on sale a few days later for this event. Students are reminded that all fines and obligations will need to be paid prior to purchasing tickets for this event.
  

• Senior portraits will be taking place in late May. Dates for this event are still be planned. Please listen for announcements and also watch for postings related to the scheduling of your Senior portrait. Information related to these portraits will be given out in the next few weeks.
  

• The Junior Class Exec Council is also in the process of developing our very own class Twitter account. Information will be given out once the account is up and running.
  

• Sophomore Aidan Link traveled to Phoenix, Arizona recently with his U-17 Olympic Development Program Soccer team representing eastern PA and won the National Championship for his age group. Aidan is a 2 year varsity starter for our Men's Soccer team here at Pennridge.
  

• Sophomores Jon Post and Sean Yoder were regular starters on the boys basketball team that made the district playoffs.
  

• Kouri Peace took 2nd in the 200 and 3rd in the 60 in girl’s indoor track and Matt Eissler won a state medal by finishing 7th in the 800
  

• Evan Widing was crowned a Conference Champion in wrestling.
  

• Jasmine Chavous, Jessica Reed, and Gwen Litwak all made and are attending BCMEA County Band and James Maine is a 2017 BCMEA Chorus member
  

• Emma Zimmerman, Ivy D'Agastino and Meghan Brislin are the 3 blind mice and featured Duloc dancers. Bryce O'Connor is the Mad Hatter and the preacher who marries Shrek and Fiona. Please come see them in SHREK March 31, April 2, April 7, and April 8.
  

• Hallie Baier, Nicole Fera, Christiana Thatcher, Alyssa Woodruff, and Brandon Bryan are the last five sophomores to receive Catch Me at My Best.
  

• Mrs. O’Sullivan and Mrs. D’Angelo visited all 10th grade Health classes to teach sophomores how to research colleges on Naviance. Students were asked to consider criteria that might be important to them such as majors, location, cost, school size, athletics, admission criteria and tuition. Students used the Supermatch tool to create a list of colleges to consider and were advised to begin saving colleges to their colleges I am considering tab in Naviance.
  

• Sophomores interested in Dual Enrollment for Junior or Senior Year should attend the information session on March 22nd during the activity period.
  

• Deadline to register for the May AP Exams is March 23rd, registration forms can be picked up in the guidance office.
  

Come and support the Class of 2020! Proceeds from fundraisers go to offset prom ticket prices and other class activities.

• The bake sale is this Saturday at Landis in Perkasie from 10AM to 3PM.
• The Perk night is Monday, March 13th, from 5PM - 9PM.
• 3 vs. 3 March Madness Tournament is on Friday, April 7th from 3PM to 6:30PM.