Neshaminy Update
Neshaminy School District / September, 2023
The Neshaminy Coalition for Youth, an independent non-profit community group dedicated to programs that support the health and well-being of children in the community, just released their latest youth podcast in October. This episode is dedicated to Neshaminy's Summer Stock program, a 60-year tradition that offers students a professional-level theater program each July. The podcast is one in a series, "Giving Youth a Voice," which is produced by the Coalition and features Neshaminy students conducting interviews and discussing a variety of topics. All podcast episodes are available for free on multiple podcast platforms including Apple, Android and other podcast apps.
Neshaminy is excited to introduce the LinkIt! Student Portal, a valuable tool that allows parents and guardians to access their student's academic data with ease. Through this portal, they can view their child’s performance on both benchmark and state assessments, along with a variety of other local assessments. The service can be accessed by loging into the LinkIt! Student Portal using their child’s school-issued Chromebook, then entering their student username and password.
This platform provides a clear, comprehensive overview of a student's progress and performance, supporting a partnership in their academic success. Step-by-step instructions can be found on the Neshaminy School District website at the link below.
The 2025 Neshaminy STEAM Expo will be held on Thursday, April 10 from 6:30 - 8:30 pm at Neshaminy High School. Since it was founded in 2015, this celebration of all things Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math has grown to become one of the most beloved and well-attended educational events in the district and a great night for students and their families.
We are looking for individuals, businesses and organizations who would like to share their STEAM expertise with the next generation to join the 2025 Expo as presenters. Please contact David Geanette at dgeanette@neshaminy.org for more information and to sign up.
The "Every Day Every Student" campaign is continuing throughout the school year! As a reminder, here is the information about student absences that was shared with Neshaminy families recently:
"An absence is an EXCUSED absence for any of the following reasons: illness, quarantine, death of an immediate family member, medical or dental appointments, authorized school activities, exceptionally urgent reasons, required court attendance, religious holidays observed by bona fide religious groups, religious instruction up to 36 hours per school year, as per the Pennsylvania School Code.
In the case of an excused absence, you can make up any work or tests missed. However, the student is responsible for making arrangements with their teachers for make-up work.
All student absences are marked UNEXCUSED until an excuse note is submitted to your child's school. An UNEXCUSED absence is a serious matter. It occurs when a student is absent for reasons other than those listed as excused. Please note that an unexcused absence is unlawful for all students of compulsory school age and can lead to significant consequences."
The full text of the letter can be found at the link below.
Neshaminy Pre-K Counts and Family Service Association of Bucks County have partnered again this year to support families in making connections to community resources. Their parenting group meets monthly at locations throughout the area providing resources on various topics such as emotions, friendship, and technology. Educational tools are provided from the Family Service Association - Family Strengthening programs. Guest speakers will share resources on various topics. Information on the next session:
- Wednesday, November 11, 1-2 pm: "Anger and Disappointment," Family Services Association of Bucks County, 4 Cornerstone Drive, Langhorne.
Families with infants, preschool and school-age children are invited to attend. Refreshments will be provided. Children are welcome to attend with their caregivers. These meet-ups are free, but pre-registration is required. Sign up at the link below.
🔗 Coffee Talks Sign-Up
NEW I.T. DIRECTOR APPOINTED
The School Board approved Todd Perry as the new Director of Technology, effective January 1, 2025. He is the current Data Manager for the district and will be replacing Kathy Christie, who is retiring on December 31. Ms. Christie has been with the district in this role since 1997, and has overseen many major technology upgrades during that time such as the 1:1 Technology Program (student Chromebooks), the installation of wireless gigabyte internet throughout the district, the addition of smart boards in classrooms, planning digital infrastructure for two new school buildings and the high school renovation, and the implementation of multiple cloud-based learning, communication and organizational applications.
Mr. Perry has been with Neshaminy as the Data Manager since 2009. Prior to that he worked in the private sector for a software development company. He is a 1989 Neshaminy graduate and a district resident with three grown children, all of whom are in or studying to be in the education field.
DEREK ALBARRAN NAMED ACTING PRINCIPAL AT SANDBURG
At the October 8 meeting, the School Board appointed Derek Albarran as the Acting Principal at Sandburg, effective January 1, 2025. Mr. Albarran has been the Assistant Principal at Sandburg for 20 years, and an Assistant Principal at Upper Merion High School for three years and a science teacher for six years before that. He is a 26-year resident of the district and all six of his children have attended or are attending Neshaminy schools.
He is replacing Dawn Kelly, the principal at Carl Sandburg Middle School, who recently announced her retirement (which was accepted by the School Board at their September 24 meeting). Ms. Kelly has been the principal at Sandburg since 2001 and taught at Herbert Hoover Elementary for ten years before that. She started her career as a teacher in Philadelphia and Bensalem public schools. Her final day is December 31, 2024.
This month, students in grades 3-8 had the opportunity to participate in the 2nd Annual Neshaminy Castleball Tournament, which is a fundraiser for the Neshaminy Education Foundation. First-round tournaments were held at each elementary and middle school, and the winning teams from each school will be competing at a District Castleball Tournament on Monday, November 4 in Gym 1 at Neshaminy High School. Students paid $5 each to participate with the proceeds going to the NEF.
Also in November, the Alumni Committee of the NEF is holding their 3rd Annual Neshaminy Alumni Achievement Award Ceremony on Monday, November 25 at Neshaminy HS. This year, six Neshaminy graduates will be honored for their success in careers, business, or community service.
The NEF Eagles Ticket Raffle has been a big success this fall. The final opportunity to purchase raffle tickets will be at the District Castleball Tournament on November 4. The winner will be announced on Monday, November 11.
Pink was the color of choice on several throughout the district at Neshaminy once again showed their support for cancer awareness and victim support during the annual Pink Out. The Student Council at Neshaminy High School started the tradition and sponsors the main event at the high school, which was centered around Pink Out at the varsity football game on Friday, October 10. Several other Neshaminy HS varsity and JV teams also held their own Pink Out games during October, and some of the elementary and middle schools also held their own Pink Out celebrations both on that Friday or on other days during the month. Money was raised for cancer support organizations through t-shirt sales, coin collections, and other fundraising activities.
October is Fire Prevention Month and the first responders from Neshaminy's fire companies visited the elementary schools to share safety tips and give tours of their firefighting equipment. Above is a kindergarten class at Tawanka with first responders from the Lower Southampton Fire Department, and at right they visited Joseph Ferderbar ES. Below, the Penndel Fire Company visited Pearl S. Buck ES.
In early October, students at Walter Miller ES held a "PJ" Day as a fundraiser for a Neshaminy family that lost their home to a September 14 house fire. While nobody was injured in the blaze, the fire devastated the home, and the family lost all of their belongings. The Miller students donated $1 for the right to wear their pajamas to school with the proceeds going to the family. Similar fundraisers were held at Carl Sandburg MS, Albert Schweitzer ES and in the Levittown community to assist the family.
Poquessing MS 7th-grade and 8th-grade students were acting out history in Mrs. Scott's class this past month.
The 8th-grade students immersed themselves in history by becoming attorneys, defendants, jurors, and even judges during a two-day mock trial of British soldiers after the Boston Massacre. The 8th-grade juries in each class reached their verdicts after hearing testimony from several witnesses.
The 7th graders acted out the Middle Ages in Europe by becoming serfs, knights, lords, and a monarch for each class. The lords and their knights also had to successfully defend their castles against the Vikings.
Fifty students from five Bucks County high schools (including Neshaminy) gathered in the NHS auditorium on Friday, November 25 to participate in the "Senator for a Day" program. This annual event, sponsored by PA Sen. Frank Farry, gives the students the opportunity to work with legislative professionals from throughout the state in a real-world scenario of breaking into committees, drafting legislation and presenting it to the entire group for a vote. The students learned about the process as well as the careers associated with the legislative side of state government. Former Pennsylvania Governor Mark Schweiker spoke to the group at the start off the workshop and answered questions.
The Neshaminy Interact Club is sponsoring a Book Drive for CopsNKids, a group dedicated to getting FREE books into the hands and homes of children. Very gently used or new children's books will be accepted at Neshaminy High School until Thursday, November 14. Books should be in good condition with no visible wear and tear. The target age pre-school through middle school; they cannot accept books beyond middle school readers. Types of books needed are picture books, board books, intermediate books, and chapter books. For information, please contact the Interact advisor, Ms. Drake at sdrake@neshaminy.org.
