Neshaminy Update
Neshaminy School District / September, 2023
On the morning of April 19, the new bridge on Trenton Road over I-295 was named in honor of Neshaminy HS graduate and Army Staff Sgt. Jae S. Moon, who was killed in action while serving in Iraq in 2006. The bridge was recently replaced, and PA Rep. Joe Hogan introduced legislation to name the new span for Sgt. Moon. The bill passed with bipartisan support and was signed by Governor Shapiro.
Moon, was 21 years old and assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo. He died Dec. 25 in Baghdad, Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom of wounds sustained there when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle while on patrol.
He was born in South Korea but spent most of his life living in Pennsylvania. The Levittown house in which he grew up is in close proximity to the memorial bridge. He graduated Neshaminy High School in 2003. He enlisted in the Army upon graduation and had plans to pursue a career as an FBI agent after his service.
Many dignitaries and family members attended the ceremony, including some of the Army veterans that served with him. At the School Board meeting on April 24, Superintendent Jason Bowman, who also attended the ceremony, said, "It is fitting that this bridge, which is near Herbert Hoover Elemetary School, will be a reminder of this young man's sacrifice for the hundreds or even thousands of people that cross that bridge every day, including many of our own students."
Congratulations to Emily Wells, Health and Physical Education teacher at Poquessing MS, who was just named the recipient of the 2024 Emerging Leader Award from the Southeastern District Local Association of SHAPE PA (the Society of Health and Physical Educators). Emily will be receiving her award at a ceremony on May 2.
From the award committee: "Your dedication, enthusiasm, and outstanding contributions to the field of health and physical education have distinguished you as a rising star in our community."
"Your innovative ideas, tireless efforts, and remarkable leadership qualities have not gone unnoticed. As an emerging leader, you have shown great promise and potential in shaping the future of our profession. This award is a testament to your hard work, passion, and commitment to excellence."
"Through all my experiences as a health and physical education teacher, my main priority is what is best for the students to enable them to become lifelong movers," said Ms. Wells when asked about this honor. "They are my “why” and what keeps me motivated to continually grow and be the best educator I can be."
Poquessing MS Principal Tim Hunt also added his thoughts to the announcement: "As a dedicated physical education teacher, Ms. Wells will leverage her leadership skills to enhance instructional practices within the Neshaminy School District. Through her innovative approaches and collaborative mindset, she will continue to foster a culture of continuous improvement, engaging her fellow educators in development opportunities that enhance the experience for our students at Poquessing Middle. The entire Poquessing Team is proud of Ms. Wells and happy for her recognition."
2024-2025 registration for the Preschool Lab at Neshaminy HS is now open. This unique part-time program, part of the Family and Consumer Science program at the high school, is available for 3- and 4-year-olds with birthdays on or before 2/28/2021. Students in the Child Development and Parenting classes at the high school under the guidance of FCS faculty actively work with the young children in a fully equipped preschool classroom. The lab offers two sessions per day (8:25 am - 10:40 am and 11:40 am - 1:50 pm) four days a week (Monday - Thursday) from mid-October through May when the high school is in session. The fee for the entire year is $425. For more information and to register, please visit Family & Consumer Science / Preschool Laboratory Information (neshaminy.org) or call 215-809-6680.
Pre-K Counts at Neshaminy is now signing up families for the 2024-2025 school year. This grant-funded preschool program provides a quality full-time preschool program at no cost to families who meet the generous household income guidelines. A family of four, for example, can have a household income up to $93,600 to qualify. Income is based on 2023 IRS tax returns for all members of the household. In 2023-2024, clases in the Neshaminy Pre-K Counts program are meeting at Walter Miller Elementary School, Albert Schweitzer Elementary School and the Lower Southampton Learning Center (the former Lower Southampton Elementary School). The locations for the 2024-2025 program will be announced by August 1.
If you child is age 3 or 4 before September 1, apply now! For additional information, full income qualification guidelines and registration materials, please visit www.neshaminy.org/pkc.
- PSSA and Keystone assessments are being held April 22-May 14. See information on district and school websites for grade-level dates and information about the tests.
- Neshaminy HS Jazz Festival, Friday, May 3 starting at 5:30 pm
- The NHS Chamber Concert, Thursday, May 9 at 7 pm.
- NHS Drama presents the comedy Boeing Boeing, May 8-11 in the Black Box Theater
- The SUNset Challenge 2K / 5K race will be held Friday, May 10 at Maple Point MS. Drive-through packet pick-up will be held outside Gym 1 at Neshaminy HS on Wednesday, May 8 from 5-7 pm.
- Neshaminy HS Jazz Concert at Playwicki Farm, Saturday, May 11, 4 pm (rain date Sunday)
- Neshaminy HS Jazz Concert at NHS, Monday May 13, 7 pm
- Neshaminy HS Spring Concerts, May 15, 17, 20 & 22, 7 pm each day
- Spring Sports Signing Night at NHS, May 15, 6 pm
- District Art Show, Gym 1 at Neshaminy HS, May 22 & 23, 6-8 pm
- Memorial Day: District closed Monday, May 27
Check the district and school websites for more important dates and events!
AUDIT REPORT
The Annual Financial Report for Neshaminy School District for the 2022-2023 school year was approved by the School Board at the April Board Public Meeting and can be viewed here.
2024-2025 BUDGET
The proposed 2024-2025 Neshaminy School District budget will be discussed at the Business Operations Committee meeting on Wednesday, May 1. The proposed final general budget will be made available later in the month for public inspection for 30 days before consideration by the School Board at their June Board Public Meeting.
STADIUM FIELD HOUSE
The Board approved a proposal by Spiezle architects for a revised pre-fabricated field house to be constructed at Harry E. Franks Stadium as part of the stadium renovation project. The cost of the project is estimated between $3.7 - 3.8 million. This structure will include a new concession area, men's and women's restrooms and training rooms.
SUMMER PROGRAMS
The Board approved the following educational programs for the summer of 2024 (note that some of these programs are by invitation only for students with identified needs; please contact school administrators for information):
- Summer School ~ Credit Recovery: Neshaminy High School for 9th -12th graders
- Summer Learning Loss Opportunities: Tutorials for Reading and Math ~ 5-12th grade
- Summer Planned Action Stimulates Success (PASS): Rising 6-12th Grade ~ Invitation by School Counselor or Social Worker
- Summer MTSS Intervention Program: Expanded to all Elementary School eligible students ~ invitation only Rising 1st – 6 th grade
- Summer Learning Loss Opportunities: Reading and Math i-Ready Access ~ Rising 1st – 5 th Grade
- Extended School Year: Specialized instruction for students with goals identified in an Individualized Education Program for extended school year services (academic, social, emotional, and or life skills).
- Intensive Learning Lab ~ English Language Learners In-person programming ~ Rising 1st – 12th Grade
- Summer Stock, Summer Workshop, Summer Showcase, Community students grades 2-12
CALENDAR ADJUSTMENT
The Board approved an adjustment to the 2023-2024 school calendar making Tuesday, June 18 the final day for teachers. The last day of school for students remains Friday, June 14. Neshaminy HS graduation is scheduled for Wednesday, June 12 at 6 pm with rain dates on the following days.
UPCOMING MEETINGS
The May Board Public Work Session is scheduled for Tuesday, May 7 at 7 pm in the District Board Room at Maple Point. The May Board Public Meeting will be held Tuesday, May 21 at 7 pm also in the District Board Room at Maple Point. The meeting agenda and livestream video link for all Board meetings can be found at www.neshaminy.org/meetings.
UPCOMING COMMITTEE MEETINGS
- Wednesday, May 1: Business Operations Committee, 6:30 pm
- Tuesday, May 14: Educational Development Committee, 6:30 pm
- Thursday, May 16: Policy Committee, 6:30 pm
Board committee meetings are open to the public and are a good opportunity to discuss specific programs and projects with committee members in a less formal, more conversational setting than the full Board meetings. The full schedule of meetings for the 2023-2024 school year will be found at the following link: 2023-2024 Committee Meeting Schedule
All committee meetings are held in the District Board Room at Maple Point unless otherwise noted. The public is invited to attend and participate in Board and Committee meetings. All meeting times and locations are subject to change due to unforeseen circumstances; please check the District website www.neshaminy.org for any updates.
Submitted by Kate Burke, Honors English and Public Speaking teacher at Neshaminy HS, recipient of a 2023-2024 Neshaminy Education Foundation grant:
Today my Public Speaking students engaged in an interactive communication and problem-solving activity called “Zoom” where they were each given an image that connects to a larger picture. The students were not allowed to show each other their image, but rather had to work together to identify where their image fit into the larger scope by using only their communication skills. Students took turns stepping up as leaders and working together to organize themselves into the correct sequence. I told them they would win doughnuts for the class if they got it right on their first try, as long as nobody cheated. They worked incredibly hard to solve the puzzle and all cheered when they got it right in the end!
An essential component of social and emotional learning is the debriefing session that should occur at the end of every learning activity in order to “deepen students’ understanding, awareness, and practice of SEL skills” (https://ggie.berkeley.edu/practice/reflecting-on-sel-skills/). In our classroom “debrief” of this lesson, students reflected that they took turns listening to each other’s ideas and realizing that they needed to reorganize a few times based on what they heard each other say. They understood that sometimes trying and failing is the only way to achieve success! Some students chose to step up and direct their classmates, while others preferred to stay back and follow their peers’ instructions. Students suggested they were motivated by the end prize, but they also enjoyed the challenge of trying to solve an unknown problem. Students of different grades and social groups all worked together collaboratively while strengthening their interpersonal skills.
According to Catherine Cote of Harvard Business School Online, problem-solving, leadership, and teamwork go hand-in-hand if people are to become productive members of society: “As a leader, it’s rarely your responsibility to solve a problem single-handedly, so it’s crucial to know how to empower employees to work together to find the best solution” (“Why Problem-Solving Skills are Essential for Leaders in Any Industry”). Consequently, it was a true joy to be able to implement 21st century skills in a fun way through the opportunities provided by the NEF Grant I received.
In 2017, Pennsylvania's Department of Health established requirements for school vaccinations. Please review this document from the Pennsylvania Department of Health and consult with your child’s healthcare provider. Communication from the District will continue as a reminder of this PA Department of Health requirement.
District Policy 203 requires that “a certificate of immunization shall be maintained as part of the health record for each student, as required by the Pennsylvania Department of Health.” Further, the Policy states that “a student who has not been immunized per state regulations shall not be admitted to or permitted to attend district schools unless exempted for medical or religious reasons or provisionally admitted by the Superintendent or designee after beginning a multiple dose vaccine series and submitting proof of immunization or a medical certificate on or before the fifth school day of attendance.”
The requirements allow for the following exemptions: medical reason, religious belief, or philosophical/strong moral or ethical conviction. Even if your child is exempt from immunizations, he or she may be excluded from school during a vaccine-preventable disease outbreak.
Communication from the District will continue as a reminder of this PA Department of Health and Policy 203’s requirements. Please contact your child’s School Nurse with questions.
A group of Maple Point MS eighth-grade students once again proudly accompanied the Bucks County Tour of Honor to Washington DC along with the veterans visiting the war memorials. The students left early in the morning from the event center at Parx Casino and greeted the veterans at each memorial that they visited. The veterans were treated to a dinner at the event center at the conclusion of the tour.
On Friday, April 26, Veterans from Amvets Post 273 in Southampton stopped by Maple Point to present a plaque and citation thanking the school for their ongoing support of the Tour of Honor. This year marks the sixth trip that the Maple Point students have taken with the Tour of Honor, starting in 2018.
On April 26 Maple Point held their annual Inclusion Social, an event that Principal Andy Sokol describes as one his favorites of the year. The goal is to provide games and activities that are less overwhelming or overstimulating for those students that are sensitive to sound, light and motion. Funded in part by proceeds of the Maple Point Coffee Cart - which is operated by the learning support students and staff each week at the school - the event features everything from a bounce house and bowling to arts and crafts and volleyball.
The Social was just the final event in a month of activities promoting inclusion, acceptance and understanding. Every Friday in April the Maple Point staff wore “Be Happy In Your Own Shell” t-shirts. PTO President Maria Gatta sponsored an event that supporting our coffee cart where parents could purchase an item from the cart for staff. On April 19, during all the lunches, students in the specialized programs worked on crafts along with the general education population which supported the development of friendships. There was a superhero day, with lots of masks and costumes.
The Inclusion Social allows the special needs students to enjoy an event with their families where sensory exposure and individualized attention is provided so the students can have an awesome time with their friends from across the building.
Congratulations to Cecelia Shine who has been named the 2024 Bucks County High School Poet of the Year, according to officials at Bucks County Community College. The 37th annual contest is part of the Bucks County Poet Laureate Program administered by the College.
With the first-place finish, Cecilia will get a $300 prize and will be honored at the annual Reading + Celebration on Saturday, May 4, 1-3 p.m., in room 142 of the historic Tyler Hall mansion on the College’s Newtown Campus. The event will feature the contest winners, finalists and judges.
Shine’s three poem submissions were entitled “one heart too many,” “The Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine” and “it might be just a dream.”
This year’s current Bucks County Poet Laureate Tara Tamburello and last year’s Bucks County Poet Laureat Tom Mallouk served as judges and reviewed a strong field of entries from all over the county.
Also congratulations to Kade Booker, also a senior, for earning the title of 2nd runner-up in the poetry contest. His profound verses, such as "The Whole Forest a Grave," "When Soup Comes to Shove, There Is," and "Can I Be a Different Piece of Your Picture," captivated readers and judges alike with their depth and resonance.
In addition to poetry, Neshaminy High School's creative writing program also received accolades in fiction. Alaina Kass, a junior, took second place for her compelling story "The Sin of Smile." Katie Krom, a senior, earned a third place for her masterfully crafted piece "Forever Shattered."
We commend their creativity, vision, and dedication to the craft of writing, and eagerly anticipate witnessing their future literary and life endeavors.
The Neshaminy HS art department would like to congratulate all the students that were chosen to participate in 29th annual High School Art Exhibition and PA 1st Congressional District Art Competition. The students that were chosen are Laura DeLasHeras, Kyler Nelson, Bri Worthen, Emily Daniels, James Gordon, Kaylie Karpovich, Jaelyn Lanzetta, Hannah Lyons, Ava Ginsberg, Juliana Bridge, Leah Krajewski, Jocelyn Stevenson, Ruby Carra, Sarah Grimes, Special congratulations go out to Samiya Osbourne for winning the Mixed Media Award. This exhibition includes schools from through out the 1st Congressional district with the awards distributed by Congressman Fitzpatrick.
On April 12, a group of Neshaminy HS Drama students had the opportunity to talk via Zoom about theater education with US Representative Madeline Dean, who represents the 4th PA Congressional District. The 45-minute call was set up by NHS senior Cameron Krauss. His grandmother, Kathleen Joyce, is an assistant to Dean, and also participated in the call. Each of the students had the opportunity to talk about what being in the drama program means to them personally and to their future plans. Rep. Dean spoke about the importance of theater education and what the federal and state governments can to support school theater programs.
Neshaminy High School was well-represented at the invitation-only Pennsylvania Music Educators Association conference in Erie, PA on April 17-20. Congratulations to the Neshaminy HS Select Choir and the following students who participated:
All State Choir: Kate Ewing-Soprano, Isabella Paglaiccetti -Soprano, Rebecca Gutierrez- Soprano, Cameron Krauss- Tenor
All State Concert Band: Alyssa Louden- clarinet, Fernando Rios- trombone
Future Music Educators Symposium: Gianna Loram, Sarah Kelly
Dr. Gary L. Bowman
Dr. Gary L. Bowman, the Superintendent of Neshaminy School District from 1992 until his retirement in 2002, passed away on Wednesday, April 3, 2024. Dr. Bowman devoted his entire professional life to education and public service as a teacher, school administrator in multiple roles, and an active leader in community organizations both before and after his retirement. He was universally admired for his friendly, outgoing demeanor and his unwavering dedication to and energetic support of Neshaminy academic and athletic programs, the district's students, his colleagues, and the entire Neshaminy community.
A memorial wake and mass was held at Saint Stephen's Lutheran Church in Feasterville on Monday and Tuesday, April 22 and 23. The obituary can be viewed here.
