Pennsbury On Point is a weekly newsletter designed to keep the Pennsbury community up-to-date on district news, events, and information. The newsletter will be emailed to families weekly and archived on the district's Public Relations webpage.

If you have any photos or story ideas you would like to see featured, please email the Public Relations Department at publicrelations@pennsburysd.org.

All schools will be closed on Wednesday, October 5 in observance of Yom Kippur. Yom Kippur, known as the “Day of Atonement”, is considered the holiest day of the year in Judaism

Four Pennsbury High School students were recently named National Merit Scholarship semifinalists. These academically talented high school seniors have the opportunity to continue in the competition for some 7,250 National Merit Scholarships worth nearly $28 million that will be offered next spring.

Congratulations to Henry Franklin, Avery Mackey, Robert Papshev, and Varun Patel!

In addition, eight PHS students received commended status. Congratulations to Abhinav Akenapalli, Gabrielle Bamberski, Shivam Bhavsar, Sebastian Godun, Samuel Labrecque, Shivani Parekh, Amanda Qu, and Joshua Raj.

Students entered the 2023 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2021 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT®) during their junior year, which served as an initial screen of program entrants. The nationwide pool of Semifinalists, representing less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors, includes the highest-scoring entrants in each state.

From over 16,000 semifinalists, more than 15,000 are expected to advance to the finalist level. All National Merit Scholarship winners will be selected from this group of Finalists. Merit Scholar designees are selected based on their skills, accomplishments, and potential for success in rigorous college studies.

To learn more about the National Merit Scholarship Program, visit the National Merit Scholarship Corporation website.

Free breakfast will be available to all Pennsbury students beginning on October 1, 2022. The Universal Free Breakfast Program will run through the end of the 2022-23 school year. More than 1.7 million Pennsylvania children enrolled in public schools, intermediate units, charter schools, career and technology centers, and childcare institutions that participate in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs will benefit from this state-funded program.

New York Times best selling author and children's yoga and mindfulness expert Susan Verde paid a visit to Afton and Quarry Hill Elementary Schools on Thursday, September 29. Verde is the author of the "I Am" series and other books.

Verde shared her writing process with students, confessing that even as a professional author, she faces writer's block sometimes. She encouraged students to ask themselves questions when that occurs and that the answers would often help them to develop their stories.

Before reading her latest book in the "I Am" series, "I Am Me, a Book of Authenticity," Verde led the students in a mindfulness minute and taught them a few yoga poses to help them focus. "I Am Me, a Book of Authenticity" is described as a "bighearted celebration of individuality, of being comfortable in our own skin, respecting others for who they are, living authentically, and loving ourselves."

To coincide with Johnny Appleseed day on September 26, kindergarten students at Walt Disney Elementary students enjoyed a fun-filled week with apples! Teachers Mrs. Bosack and Mrs. Collins shared that students learned about the different parts of an apple, the life-cycle of an apple, and even conducted apple taste tests to determine which type of apple they liked the best!

The first Pennsbury Parents Academy session was held on Thursday, September 29 at Pennsbury High School East. Mental Health & Wellness with George Scott, EdS, LMFT focuses on raising healthy children and what they need to thrive. Catch the recording below.

The Pennsbury Parent Academy (PPA) is a series of educational programs and presentations offered to Pennsbury parents and guardians to support school success and continued home-school partnerships. The PPA program includes monthly, live in-person and/or virtual programming on a variety of topics to promote parent and guardian community engagement.

Pennsbury is working hard to improve educational outcomes for all students by implementing Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS.) The framework focuses on educating the "whole child." MTSS gives schools a structure to meet all students' academic, behavioral, health, enrichment, and social-emotional needs. The photo above features 2nd-grade teachers and specialists at Edgewood Elementary School who met this week to review student groupings, skills focus, and strengths to better target instruction. Each fall, all schools assess students to identify their strengths and weaknesses. Based on the results, teachers may adjust classroom instruction to support student needs.

Please click here to learn more about MTSS in Pennsbury.

Did you know Heather McGurrin, a third-grade teacher at Penn Valley Elementary school is also a frequent content contributor to Visit Bucks County? We love this video narrated by and featuring McGurrin, which highlights some of the amazing and educational things to do in Bucks County! "Bucks County is My Home" is a cinematic video series where locals offer their perspectives on Bucks County through their careers, passions, and lives. The video also features Pennsbury students Matthew W., Maggie K., and Teagan K., whom Ms. McGurrin has the distinct honor of calling her nieces and nephew.

Thank you to Artis Senior Living of Yardley, Serenity Hospice Care (above) and Giant of Fairless Hills (below) for their recent generous donations of school supplies. We are incredibly fortunate and grateful to have such caring community partners! Special thanks to "Manor Strong" 5th-grade ambassadors Alice B, Daniel D, and Balazs H. for helping out when the Artis Senior Living and Serenity Hospice dropped off their donations at Manor Elementary School.

Cast your vote daily, for the Long Orange Line! The winning marching band will receive a $1,000 prize! Voting is open until October 7. Click below to vote!

The PHS Drama Department will be hosting an interview and Q&A with Pennsbury Alumni and thespian extraordinaire Richard Kind.

Thursday, October 13, 2022

5:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Orange Auditorium (The Cave) at Pennsbury High School West Campus

Tickets $10 for adults and $5 for students

Purchase online or at the door. Seats are limited.

Click here to purchase tickets.

Session links are below.

October 10, 2022

• Establishing Routines at Home

November 7, 2022

• The Importance of Relationships

February 6, 2023

• How to Help Your Child Manage Emotions

March 6, 2023

• Anxiety: How Caregivers Can Help

The annual required Chromebook fee that allows students in grades 5-12 to take their device home can now be paid online. The price is $40.00 (reduced to $15 for students who qualify for free and reduced lunch). The Chromebook fee can be paid by logging on to PowerSchool through a web browser, not the PowerSchool mobile app. Cash or check payments are also accepted at each school.

Please click here for more details

The mission of the Pennsbury School District's Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC) is to collaborate with administration and parents to facilitate communication, sharing of resources, and offering of support programs. SEPAC strives to improve the experiences and education of all students who receive special education, while promoting understanding, acceptance, and inclusion within the Pennsbury School District. Click here to learn more.

SEPAC holds monthly meetings, and all parents are welcome to join. If you are interested in attending meetings, please fill out this interest form.

Their next meeting will be Thursday, October 20 from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Have a question about Pennsbury? Don't trust the rumors, ask Penny!

Send Penny an email at askpenny@pennsburysd.org, or leave a message at 215-428-4100, ext. 73669 (PENNY).

Click here to visit the Pennsbury School District's E-Flyers Page. On this page, you will find flyers that represent current or ongoing announcements of interest to Pennsbury students and families. To obtain approval for a flyer to be posted on the E-Flyers Page, please email your request to Macy Cellitti at mcellitti@pennsburysd.org.

Click here to view Pennsbury High School's Student Job Board and find local area businesses with open positions. Some positions allow applicants as young as 14 years old.

Click here for information on how to obtain a work permit.

Safe2Say Something is a youth violence prevention program run by the PA Office of Attorney General. Report a confidential tip to help prevent violence and tragedies.

Click here to submit an anonymous tip.

Did you miss an email from the District? Check the archive!

The Nutrition Group is now hiring! Positions include Food Service Workers, Cooks, and Kitchen Managers with rates from $13-$15/hr. The hours are Monday-Friday, school hours only. No nights, weekends, or holidays! Apply today by calling the Nutrition Group office at 215-949-6740 ext. 2, or click here and search for "Pennsbury"!

Dr. Thomas Smith, Superintendent of Schools

tsmith@pennsburysd.org

215-428-4111

Email: publicrelations@pennsburysd.org

Website: www.pennsburysd.org
Location: 134 Yardley Avenue, Fallsington, PA 19058
Phone: (215)-428-4100