East Hills Connection #1

Important: Please make sure you have access to PARENTVUE. (See below for directions near the bottom of the newsletter) It is important that your information is correct. This will help us with communication about school events, releasing your child safely and to give you access to report cards.

This week we have a half day on THURSDAY, students will be going home at 11:30.

We had an amazing first dance on Friday, check out the pictures below! Thank you for your support with donations, cell phones, and pick up! We saw so many more conversations and engagement in activities when they put their phones away! It was a huge success, your children are amazing!!

Thank you for helping us connect!

9/26: Half Day 11:30 Dismissal (Teacher In-Service)

10/3: School Closed (Rosh Hashanah)

10/7-10/11: BASD Education Week (see flyer below)

10/10: Picture Day

10/17: Half Day 11:30 Dismissal (Teacher In-Service)

10/17: Walk-a-thon

10/18: School Dance @ 3:05 pm

10/29: MP 1 Ends

10/30 MP 2 Starts

11/5: School Closed (Teacher In-Service)

11/6: 3-HR Delayed Opening (MS/HS)

11/15: School Dance @ 3:05 pm

11/25 and 11/26: Parent/Teacher Conferences (11:30 Dismissal)

11/27-12-2: School Closed (Thanksgiving Break)

A parent this week asked me to BRAG about our amazing Cheer Squad this week:

"I would love to nominate not one, but ten of your EHMS students for the Braun Brags to be acknowledged and recognized for all of their hard work! These girls are the most motivated, strong, positive and athletic students I’ve ever met! They cheer on the competitive 14U cheerleading squad through BTAA, and they also cheer for EHMS cheerleading squad. These girls are doing double practices 4 hours a night, 3-4 nights per week, cheering for football on the weekend and soon to be competing on weekends as well. All while maintaining their grades, some of them in advanced classes and some of them have been inducted into the JR National Honor Society!! Please take a moment to recognize these hard working athletes that deserve to be bragged about"

This section is to celebrate a student that we'd like to acknowledge for something fantastic. Please feel free to send in such accolades with a picture of your child.

Email me the details of an amazing accomplishment of an East Hills Charger with a picture of the student you would like to nominate!

rbraun@basdschools.org

Every week the administrators celebrate a teacher or staff member. There are so many amazing things happening here and always an outstanding staff member behind those efforts!

Ms. Matyus has been a huge asset to our school ever since she arrived 7 years ago. Her content knowledge, instructional organization, and patience has made her an exemplary teacher here at East Hills. She initiated a program with another teacher to create the CHARGER CLOSET. She has painted, shelved, washed clothes, folded clothes, and organized everything in to shelves. She has a system to allow admin and counselors access to the closet to provide students privately with what they might need. This Charger Closet needs a lot of attention as clothes and supplies are gong in and out of the closet. We appreciate the efforts made by Ms. Matyus.(see below about donating clothes to our Charger Closet)

Further, Ms. Matyus has done a fantastic job with our Student Council (soon to transition to Lighthouse team). She works to expose our students to many service learning opportunities and community welfare. The projects produced by these students under her guidance are always amazing.

1. Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month with your Family

   If you are wondering how our community celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month and what activities you can do with your family, here is your go-to list of events offered by BASD and organizations in Bethlehem:

   September 26: BASD Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Night at Northeast

   September 29: Family Day Fest, Featuring Somos Amigos, and more, at Zoellner Arts Center at Lehigh University

Check out this WFMZ NEWS Lifestyle Video: Help Your Child Thrive: Back to School Homework Tips

East Hills Parents and Guardians,

Be in the know this school year by signing up for the EHMS Parent Association emails! Click the link to provide your name and email address.

This is an opt-in only list, so you MUST register your email to get the info from the Parent Association.

Sign Up Here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc_6FOsHtCB7M4phyyOkHwJBFEHZ2pxOwEmICxlp5XdWEXhEA/viewform

Check out the link provided by our athletic director, Mr. Cramsey, to order some fantastic Charger spirit wear!!

This flyer was sent home with students. Information is due back by 9/25. Space is limited.

The East Hills Gay Straight Alliance will meet this Thursday. The GSA gathers every other week in room 301 from 3:05 to 4:20. We meet to provide a fun and supportive space for LGBTQ+ students and their allies. Please see Mr. Carpenter with any questions.

Attention 8th grade girls interested in playing basketball. Coach Radio is having Fall open gym sessions on the following dates from 6pm-8pm at Freedom high school. Please see Ms. Babinsky with any questions.

Do you like Skiing or Snowboarding? Or, have interest in learning how to ski or snowboard? If so, consider joining the Snow Rider Club. Members will travel to Blue Mountain Resort after school on the Friday's in January and the first Friday in February. Please stop by Miss Matyus' room, which is room 302, or Mr. Leinbach's room, room 148, to get an information sheet.

Please note-when students are absent, a note can come in with your child the following day.

The Charger Care Closet is seeking donations of the following items: girls deodorant, boys deodorant, chapstick, toothpaste, face wash, and conditioner. Please make sure the items that are being donated are new and not used. Items can be dropped off in the main office. The Charger Care Closet greatly appreciates any donations that it receives!

Mrs. Constanzo shares some great ways to be healthy this school year!

Dear Parents/Guardians,

You received your Synergy ParentVUE Activation Key letter by USPS mail.

If you need your Synergy ParentVUE Activation Key please email awest@basdschools.org. This needs to be set up before 10/31.

PARENTVUE

Synergy ParentVUE gives parents/guardians access to your child’s schedules, grades, attendance, discipline, etc. You can see records for all of your children with this single log-in by clicking each child’s name. You can access ParentVUE through your computer’s browser or mobile devices.

Steps for activating your Synergy ParentVUE account are below. Please use a browser to complete these steps.

1. Using your computer's Internet browser, go to https://PA-BET-PSV.edupoint.com.

2. Click on "I am a Parent."

3. Click on the Activate Account button to create your account.

4. Accept the privacy statement

5. Enter your first and last name exactly as shown at the bottom of this letter, along with the activation key.

6. You'll be prompted to choose a username and password, provide an email address, and complete your account set-up. Please securely record your password where you can find it for future use. You will be returned to the login screen.

AFTER you’ve activated your account, you can then download the appropriate free mobile app:

iPhones: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/parentvue/id412054615

Androids: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.FreeLance.ParentVUE

In addition to Synergy ParentVUE accounts, parents whose children are in middle school or high school should also have a Schoology Parent account. Synergy is the District's student information system. Schoology is the district's learning management system. Synergy and Schoology are both used to support your child's learning.

For parents who already had a Schoology account, there is no change and no further action is needed. If there is a East Hills student missing on your current Schoology account, please email awest@basdschools and request that student to be added.

For parents who do not already have a Schoology account and your child is in Grades 6-12, you should've received an email invite yesterday, Tuesday, September 10, 2024, to create a Schoology account.

For parents who do not have a Schoology username and password and didn't receive an email invitation, the district does not have an email address on file for you and/or your ParentVUE account has not been activated. Please activate your ParentVUE account. If you need to provide an email to the system email that information to rlford@basdschools.org. Once that is complete, a Schoology account invitation will be sent to you at a later date.

New for 2024-25

Summer is coming to a close and often we neglect to realize many of the changes the students will need to become accustomed to when school starts. Waking up early, preparing to catch the bus or travel to school, schoolwork, homework, and the list goes on.

One major area to consider is that your children will not have the same access to their cell phones when they become students again.

Parents, please prepare your child(ren) for the adjustment. Most parents have limitations they set for their children throughout the summer days to limit screen time. However, all of the students and you as parents need to know that we are adjusting our standards for the upcoming school year. We looked back on the level of distraction vs. usefulness cell phones have provided over the past few years and we realize the need to set a tone for the school day to be largely void of the distractions of cell phones. Here is what you should prepare your child(ren) for when they return to school:

Students may not CARRY phones in hands, pockets, etc. Cell phones must not be out at all. They must remain in bags during the school day. This means:

1. Students can never use cell phones in class, hallway or office without teacher/staff permission.

2. Students can never carry cell phones in hand in the hallway.

3. Students can never take cellphones to/in the lavatory.

4. Students can never take cell phones to the cafeteria (not in purses/lunch bags if those items are brought to the cafe).

***Smart watches have similar restricted use in all the same ways as cell phones. Smart watches can and will be collected if used inappropriately.