Dear Parents/Guardians:

There is something special about this time of year. The days are getting longer, the weather is warming up, and all across the district, there is a real buzz in the air. Spring is here, and with it comes a flurry of activity and excitement as we head into the final stretch of the school year. It is also an excellent time to pause and reflect. Since the winter months, our students and staff have accomplished so much—whether in the classroom, on the stage, on the field, or out in the community.

It has been a season full of learning, growth, and inspiring moments.

In this edition of Pennridge Pulse, we asked each of our schools and departments to share some wonderful things happening in their buildings—from student and staff spotlights to fun events and special milestones. We are excited to showcase just a few of the many reasons we are Pennridge Proud. We hope you enjoy reading these stories as much as we enjoyed collecting them. Thank you, as always, for being such an important part of our Pennridge family.

This newsletter is just a small sample of the hundreds of happenings at Pennridge every month. We encourage you to follow our website and social media If you want to see them all!

My best,

Angelo

#WomensHistoryMonth, the Career Pathways Program and Pennridge High School Student Council collaborated once again to facilitate the 3rd annual Women in the Workforce Speaker Series.

The goal of this special event is to have successful females in our community share their career insights with Pennridge High School students interested in their respective fields. The morning started with a breakfast for female student leaders in the High School and an impactful Keynote address by Dr. Kathy Scheid, Assistant Superintendent of Teaching, Learning, and Assessment at Pennridge.

After breakfast, all students were invited to attend breakout sessions with nearly a dozen guest speakers.

The last few months have seen a conscious effort to increase our students' exposure to STEM opportunities and futures. From new curriculum involving Wood, Metal, and Plastics manufacturing paired with Entrepreneurship inside the former Metal Shop, collaborative Enrichment opportunities with NASA and PennDot through our Enrichment Learning Community, and an All-Star Rookie Robotics team that merges mechatronics and manufacturing students from UBCTS with CAD, Coding and AP Computer Science and Business students from PHS- Pennridge is starting to make a big name for themselves in all areas of STEM!

The German department celebrated German music during March Musik Madness. German students district-wide listened to 16 tracks from German-speaking performers and voted for their favorite songs. In true March Madness form, there was also a bracket, and students won prizes for correctly guessing the winners for each round. Students enjoyed rooting for their favorite artists.

In addition to all of the Super Bowl madness In February around our District cheering on our Eagles, the Transportation Department, "kicked it up a notch" and held a soup cook off contest for the "Souper Bowl." Celebrity judges Dr. Berrios, School Board President Ron Wurz and Assistant Superintendent, Dr. Palmer had the very "tough" task of sampling all of the delicious entries. In the end, the winners were crowned; Koly Kramer, Cathy Martin and Sue Lima.

Also, the Pennridge Transportation has been a partner in the adopt a highway program for 24 years and counting. Each spring the team cleans the roadway along Walnut St between Rt 113 and South Perkasie Rd. The team is gearing up for another clean up in early May.

8th graders at North Middle School have been participating in a mock constitutional convention. They have been working so hard and have been having such a fun time doing it. The staff at North MS is so proud of their enthusiasm and effort. They explain event like this. "Stepping back in time to 1787! Our students have been hard at work reenacting the Constitutional Convention. Each student was assigned a delegate—like Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, George Mason, Roger Sherman, and Benjamin Franklin—to represent their state's interests. After weeks of research and preparation, they’ve been debating the same major conflicts and compromises that shaped our nation right in the heart of Philadelphia at the State House."

We are excited to share highlights from our recent Student of the Marking Period celebration! Each marking period, teachers select three students from each grade level who consistently demonstrate our school mantra: Be Safe, Be Respectful, and Be Responsible. These students are recognized for their positive behavior, strong character, and commitment to creating a supportive and welcoming school environment. We are proud to celebrate their hard work and the example they set for their peers.

Central Proud! Special thanks to Mr. Toomey and Mr. Pizzico for planning this quarterly event. We will all continue working to encourage, and to celebrate student success!

Central Middle School is thrilled to spotlight our ongoing Rams Reward Program, a cornerstone of our Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) initiative! Students who exemplify safe, respectful, and responsible behaviors earn Ram Rewards, which are collected in grade-level bins. We’re excited to announce that our Quarter 3 drawing was just held on Friday, April 4! Twenty lucky students from each grade had their names drawn for a chance to pick from the awesome prizes in our Ram Reward case. Keep up the great work, Central Rams! Let’s finish the year strong!

The 2nd annual "SouthFest" at South was another huge success!

You can easily see why the staff at South are so proud to be part of such a dedicated team of educators! SouthFest was started last year as an interactive alternative to the traditional Spring "Back to School Night" or "Parent-Teacher Conferences" that were usually poorly attended.

Instead, as we walked the halls, the level of planning, energy, spirit, and interaction was evident along with tons of positive comments expressed by the parents!

This unique middle school experience is filled with games, prizes, activities, and time for students, parents, teachers, staff, and administrators to collaborate too. You can also read the article below for even more information on this exciting alternative to the traditional "Back-to-School Night."

In mid-March, Pennridge South Middle School sold out all four performances of their Spring musical, Once Upon A Mattress, Jr, which is the musical comedy retelling of the fairytale The Princess and the Pea. 35 cast members and 25 stage crew members worked on the production for three months with the help of their directors and choreographer who are all teachers at South (Mrs. Small, Mrs. Draper, Miss Krall, and Mrs. Buzdygon). All their hard work came together to create fantastic performances. The students learned about the craft of musical theater both on the stage and backstage as well as how to work as a team. They also gained confidence and leadership skills.

Our Title I Parent Engagement Night: "A Thrilling Evening" was a huge success! Over 70 students and their families joined us for an exciting night filled with math and literacy games, led by our amazing high school volunteers from the Key Club and National Honor Society.

Beyond academics, families enjoyed face painting, a photo booth, crafts, and delicious snacks like hot dogs and popcorn. Students earned prizes for completing activities, while parents actively engaging with their children had the chance to win fantastic raffle prizes donated by generous community businesses, including gift cards for Philly Philly Cheesesteaks, the Rams Pint House, the Perk Restaurant, and more!

The event showcased the power of family engagement, community support, and fun learning—making it a night to remember!

Thank you to the amazing team at West Rockhill for all their hard work ensuring a successful event!

West Rockhill students and staff dressed in all of the colors of the rainbow colors during "Read Across America Week." Each grade level was assigned a different color.

In celebration of World Read Aloud Day, Mrs. Maria Sweet, West Rockhill Librarian, coordinated a virtual visit from four talented authors! Each author shared their stories and inspired our students with the power of reading. The kindergarten and first grade students were treated to Sasha Mayer reading her new book Squash the Cat: Stuck in the Middle. The first and second grade students listened to author Erica Perl share a chapter of The Great Louweezie from her Arnold and Louise series. The fourth and fifth grade students were so fortunate to have co-authors Glenda Armand and Kim Freeman read their PA Young Reader’s Choice nominee, The Ice Cream Man. This special event helped to ignite a love for books and spark creativity in every young mind.

At Sellersville Elementary, our students have truly shown their dedication, perseverance, and love for learning during this year’s Math Challenge! From 2nd grade all the way to 5th, students have been eagerly participating in biweekly challenges that tested their math skills in both accuracy and participation. It has been a rewarding journey for all involved, and we’re so proud of our students' hard work and achievements!

Mrs. Siggins, our wonderful sponsor, played a crucial role in making this event a huge success. Every two weeks, students had the opportunity to engage in fun and exciting math challenges that not only tested their math knowledge but also encouraged them to keep pushing their limits.

Throughout the challenge, students earned SWEBS tickets for participating and solving individual math problems correctly. This added a fun and motivating element to the experience, and the students’ excitement and enthusiasm were truly infectious! Every grade level had winners, based on their participation and accuracy, and we were thrilled to see so many students excited to take part in each round.

In addition, students who complete all 15 challenges will receive a special t-shirt to commemorate their hard work and success in the Math Challenge. These students will wear their t-shirts with pride as a symbol of their determination and achievement. Students who have completed 6 or more Math Challenges will also be rewarded during the May Woot Woot Wagon run by Mrs. Otto and Mrs. Siggins to celebrate student’s accomplishments.

We want to congratulate each and every student who participated in this year's Math Challenge! Your effort, enthusiasm, and dedication are what made this event so successful. A huge thank you to Mrs. Siggins for her incredible support and leadership throughout the program. We look forward to seeing the final winners and celebrating the outstanding accomplishments of our talented mathematicians!

Go, Sellersville Students! Keep up the great work, and let’s finish the challenge strong!

The 2025 Sellersville Talent Show was a true celebration of the diverse talents within our student body!

From the moment our students signed up, it was clear that we were in for a show like no other. The talent on display was extraordinary, with acts ranging from a Michael Jackson impersonator who wowed us with his smooth moves, to gymnasts performing gravity-defying routines. We were entertained by hilarious comedians who had us in stitches, as well as singers who filled the air with beautiful melodies. The show also featured musicians playing everything from the guitar to the piano, clowns who kept us laughing, karate demonstrations that showcased discipline and strength, and even a magician who left everyone in awe with his mind-blowing tricks. And of course, there were several stunning dance performances that brought the house down!

These students worked incredibly hard for over a month in preparation for this event. From the try-outs to the intense practice sessions, they gave their all, showing great dedication, enthusiasm, and teamwork. The amount of effort and commitment they put into their acts was truly inspiring.

The Talent Show not only gave our students a platform to showcase their skills but also allowed them to build confidence, learn the value of practice, and experience the joy of performing in front of a live audience. It was a true display of what makes our school community so special—our students’ unique abilities, their passion, and their willingness to support each other in every endeavor.

Our fifth-grade students are hard at work during Intervention & Enrichment Time! Using pre- and post-assessment data, our dedicated fifth-grade team has carefully grouped students by skill level to reinforce, remediate, and enrich previously taught math concepts. This targeted approach ensures that every student gets exactly what they need to grow and succeed in math this year!

Because when it comes to learning, it’s all about meeting students where they are and helping them reach their full potential.

This fall, our school participated in a very special planting day in partnership with the incredible nonprofit Bucks Beautiful as part of their Bulbs for Bucks initiative. Students across all grade levels came together to plant 500 daffodil bulbs!

We encourage our school families and community members to come check out our blooming daffodils, take some photos, and share the beauty!

Post your pictures on Facebook and tag Bucks Beautiful to help boost visibility for their amazing nonprofit work.

Thank you again to Bucks Beautiful and Gale Nurseries for helping make this possible—what a wonderful reminder that what we plant today will bloom tomorrow (just the seeds of learning we plant in our students )

Mrs. Rush's class has worked hard to develop their Habits of Mind as they learn math this year. Each day, students are encouraged to give a "brain push" to try challenging problems. The result has been tremendous growth in their math achievement. There are several students who are independently working on place value to the thousands and multiplication.

When the class assesses they use the celebratory phrase, It's Game Time! They even wrote a poem about their approach to math during writing time.

"Game Time = Math Time

1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Working carefully is our VIBE!

6, 7, 8, 9, 10

We take our time to read the question AGAIN

Addition, Subtraction, Division, and Times

We can do it all, it's game TIME!

We never give up, we are never GUESSING

We use our resources to WIN, WIN, WIN!

Our class works hard all day and NIGHT

Our math work is so accurate

We shine so BRIGHT!"

Mrs. Rush's first grade is definitely passionate about challenging themselves each and ever day.

In celebration of Autism Awareness Month in April, students listened to the book Simeon Bleeker’s Magical Sneakers, written by Paul Walsh and Ronnie Nase, Jr. and illustrated by Susie Sewell.

Fifth grade Bedminster Brigade students created a recording of this book for listening enjoyment in the classrooms. Teachers and students spent time discussing a main theme in the book, “Empathy.” The students brainstormed examples of the meaning “put yourself in someone else’s shoes” and created magical sneakers, like Simeon. Students decorated their magical sneakers and explained ways they could use their magical sneakers to understand and accept others.

Students and staff also participated in “Shine a Light for Autism” by wearing blue for support and coloring and assembling puzzle pieces.

At Bedminster Elementary, we use our magic shoes to accept all Bobcats. When we take the time to understand each other’s unique perspectives, we make our school “Pawsitively the BEST!”

We learned about being a chef in kindergarten as part of our writing curriculum. Mr. Eugene Smith, our cafeteria manager, invited the students into the Bedminster kitchen to learn about his job as a chef at Bedminster. He showed them the tools he uses, gave them a tour of the kitchen, and helped our little chefs to bake cookies that they enjoyed at lunch. Mrs. Henry's Kindergarteners left inspired and are so excited to be chefs someday. Mr. Smith's welcoming attitude and sharing of the tools in the kitchen helped to enrich the students' vocabulary and excitement with this hands-on learning opportunity.

The 2nd Trimester PBIS events were epic at Deibler! The trimester Splash Assembly featured some special guests from Pennridge High School. Ridge Rock, the high school's rock band, performed a few songs for our students and staff. Not only did they sound amazing, but they had a fantastic message about the importance of being responsible! Then, our students cashed in their hard-earned Splash tickets to participate in the 2nd Trimester Glow Dance and had a blast! We are so proud of our students for being safe, respectful and responsible!

Special shout out to our Art teachers, Mrs. Balant and Mrs. Tenney. They selected several students to have artwork displayed at the office of Representative Shelby Labs. This was an exciting opportunity for our students and their families. What a wonderful way to celebrate their amazing work!

Earlier this year, Naman Radadia and Rihaan Thumar approached Ms. Plourde, their principal at Grasse Elementary, to ask if they could play cricket during recess and teach their classmates how to play the game.

They wrote a proposal about the game and were approved to present their ideas and worked with their principal to purchase the proper materials and equipment. Now, a group of friends can be seen playing cricket almost daily at recess! What an awesome story!

Congratulations to 5th Graders, Mohil Mangrolia, Havish Vekaria, and Rihaan Thumar placing 1st at the Bucks County STEM Competition as one of three teams from Pennridge that earned their way into this awesome competition and also competed against 13 other top teams in the County!

The boys' STEM idea was to develop a safe road infrastructure integrated with an energy-generating system utilizing pressure plates. They developed this idea based on the challenge where elementary and middle school students focus on Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure by designing a prototype that addresses a real-world problem related to infrastructure, transportation, or urban development. A special thanks to their Teachers, Mrs. Lewis, Mrs. Jardine, and Mrs. Godshall for teaching and cultivating their amazing STEM ideas!

• Next up: The boys will now compete in the state finals at Harrisburg on May 9th.