Greetings,

Our monthly newsletters are meant to highlight student life and accomplishments at EPAHS. The month of March saw perhaps the widest breadth of student accomplishments to date. Two of the biggest events of the year were held in March, our Mini-THON and school musical. The Mini-THON raised more money than ever before (over $58,000) for children afflicted with cancer. That huge sum is the result of tremendous student leadership and community support. Our school musical Hello Dolly! received rave reviews from community members and provided an opportunity for many students to participate, even if they did not have a role on stage. Winter sports competition culminated in March with some outstanding individual performances. Veronica White will forever be the first female wrestler in East Pennsboro history to place in the PIAA tournament. She placed 8th in the state in her weight class. Also at the PIAA level, Sam Kil earned a 4th place medal in her swimming event, the 200 Fly. Finally, Brecken Swope earned All-America status with his performance in indoor track. Our Character Education committee hosted its annual school volleyball tournament, our NJROTC program received a commendation from the United States Navy in its bi-annual inspection, and you will read about numerous other accomplishments and happenings this past month at EPAHS.

While each newsletter offers a look backward, they also offer a glance forward in anticipation of future events. The most notable upcoming scheduling event will be a slight modification to our bell schedule. For the first two weeks of April, our Advisory Period will be offered first thing in the morning. Advisory at EPAHS has been used as an opportunity for study hall, remediation, and teacher support, a time during which there are a handful of curricular classes, and they have served as a respite for staff and students during the seven-period academic day. As we refine and develop our high school’s program to meet the needs of our students, community, and modern world, offering Advisory before first period will provide feedback that will help us make future decisions. For the last three weeks, we held our weekly Character Strong period first thing in the morning, and we experimented with running it on Fridays. While nothing in life yields unanimous support, Character Strong offered in this manner received widely positive reviews in a recent survey. We value routine and comfort, yet if we are going to make sound decisions on behalf of our students’ futures, we should engage in a spirit of managed experimentation. The bell schedule we will use from April 1 – April 12 is below. When report cards are posted, we will offer eligible seniors late arrival privileges at 8 am.

April and May will undoubtedly bring excitement and rites of passage for our students. Let’s enjoy these last two months of our 2023-24 school year.

Take care,

Dr. Bianchi

Congratulations to the Mini-THON team of students and faculty for continuing to raise funds and increase awareness regarding the fight against childhood cancer. Not only did our school break last years record but with support from our community, sponsors, and Kids vs. Cancer we set the highest Mini-THON total in EPAHS history. FTK

Way to go Panthers

The past weekend we hosted the Kids Vs. Cancer Basketball Tournament. Ten 5th/6th grade girls' basketball teams from the area participated in this year's tournament. Although they were competing against each other on the court, they all came together to go against a bigger opponent - childhood cancer. Thanks to all the sponsors, volunteers, coaches, players and communities supporting the event, we were able to raise $25,000 dollars that will all go to Four Diamonds and their fight against childhood cancer. This annual event will continue to get bigger and stronger, and we won't stop until childhood cancer is defeated for good. Thank you to Steve Chernov, our sponsors, and everyone who made this event possible! We are Panther Proud!

From left to right:

Dr. Michael Robinson, Keith Oates, Ashlyn Brysiak, Asia Daskalakis, Steve Chernov

• 3/26: In-service Day, No School for Students
• 3/27: Spring Break, All Schools and Offices Closed
• 3/28: Spring Break, All Schools and Offices Closed
• 3/29: Spring Break, All Schools and Offices Closed
• 4/1: Snow Make-up Day - Schools in Session
• 4/3: PSAT 10 Exam
• 4/3: Report Cards Posted in Sapphire (MS & HS)
• 4/4 - Open house (Art Show), 5 pm (before the board meeting), EPE LGI
• 4/5: 8th-grade Visit to the HS
• 4/9: STEM Summit
• 4/17: Senior Mock Interviews
• 4/17: College Signing Day
• 4/18: Open house (Art Show), 5 pm (before the board meeting), EPE LGI; awards announced during the board meeting
• 4/26: Early Dismissal, 12:20pm
• 4/28: Panther Prowl, 12:00pm

The board approved an updated school year calendar.

Due to the February 13th snow day, all schools and offices will now be open on Monday, April 1st. Per our district calendar, this was the next scheduled inclement weather make-up day.

To view the district calendar, please see below or visit our website here.

• 3/25, 3/26, and 3/27: CTC Open - Students will need to provide their own transportation to EPAHS to catch the Vo-Tech bus that departs at 11:40 AM. Students will also need to be picked up at EPAHS at 3:20 PM after they are dropped off at the end of their day from CTC.
• 4/1: CTC Closed - Spring Break, CTC Students will take the EP buses home at 11:45 AM
• 4/26: CTC NOCTI Testing Day (12th Graders) - 10th -11th Graders will not go to CTC, they will be dismissed from the HS at 12:20 PM for early dismissal. 12th Graders will be testing at CTC on 4/26, any 12th grader that will be testing in the afternoon at CTC will be provided transportation from the HS at 11:30 AM and dropped off at the HS at 3:20 PM.

See this link for more information on CTC scheduling:

https://www.cpatech.org/events?start_date=2024-03-01&end_date=2024-03-31

We are reaching out to you today about an IMPORTANT need we have for volunteers for an event that is going on at East Pennsboro High School on Tuesday, April 9th. Junior Achievement of South Central PA will be here with their STEM Summit program and all 192, 9th graders will be participating in day-long activities designed to inspire students to pursue careers in STEM fields.

Volunteers will work alongside other volunteers to facilitate one thirty-minute activity nine times during the day with small groups of students. Check out the link to the Volunteer Overview in the attached flyer for more information. You can also view the activities on our website.

https://www.jascpa.org/stemsummittraining

JA will provide training the morning of the event and as soon as you sign up you will receive a link to both written instructions and a brief training video. You do not need to have any specific background or training to help. The school will provide a light breakfast and lunch!

We are just 2 weeks from the event and we are still in need of 4 more volunteers to fill the day. I hope you will please join us as we spend the day impacting and inspiring our students at our school! I also hope you will share this opportunity with other friends, neighbors, and colleagues who may be interested in helping the students of our school!

To sign up or for more information, please contact Shannon Baker at Sbaker@jascpa.org or click on this link, Junior Achievement STEM Summit Volunteer Sign Up.

• Junior Achievement of South-Central PA will host the annual STEM Summit for 9th graders on Tuesday, April 9th, 2024, from 8:55 AM- 2:05 PM.

• The goal of the STEM Summit is to inspire students to consider how STEM-related fields fit into their future ambitions and course selection. Click here to learn more about STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics).

• If you are interested in volunteering to facilitate an activity, Click here. Online training is provided as well as on-site support. We will also provide a light breakfast and lunch for volunteers!

• For more information, please contact Shannon Baker, Vice President of Program Operations, at sbaker@jascpa.org.

We will be holding meetings during Advisory for students interested in learning more about scheduling, career, and college opportunities.

See the Course Selection Night presentation by clicking the link below:

A list of videos describing the course offerings from each department at East Pennsboro Area High School. Please take some time to check out all of the amazing things we offer at our HS!

We are experiencing increased traffic on campus between 7:20 and 7:30 am. If you are dropping off, please pull to the furthest point possible in your lane before dropping students off in order to alleviate a backlog. This map depicts the current drop-off route. We are considering other options and will post them in our monthly newsletter Friday. From 7:00-7:20, traffic remains relatively light.

Jovie got 1st place and received the gold medal in nursing assisting at the 2024 Penn HOSA State Leadership Conference. She competed against 60+ students from all over Pennsylvania! This competition included round 1 (written exam) and round 2 (skills exam). In the skills exam, she performed donning/doffing PPE and Ostomy Care. She now has the opportunity to compete at the HOSA International State Leadership Conference in Houston TX in June. She is super excited about this! She will also be attending the University of Kentucky studying Nursing this fall.

We are Panther Proud

At the Mechanicsburg-North Rotary meeting on Thursday, March 21st, three East Pennsboro Area High School students were honored as Students of the Month. Congratulations to students Nicholas Leone, Lucy Anglin, and Anastasia Daskalakis ! All three students had the opportunity to speak at the Rotary meeting, talking about their accomplishments, interests, and future plans. Thank you to the Mechanicsburg-North Rotary Club for recognizing our students!

At the school board meeting on Thursday, March 7th, several of our Cumberland Perry Area Career and Technical Center (CPACTC) students were recognized. Students Jovie Bush, Abigail Orris, Sydney Ozio, Austin Pickel, Blake Tilden, and Tyler Westhafter were celebrated as the CPACTC Students of the Quarter. The Administrative Director of the CPACTC, Mr. Justin Bruhn, also attended the board meeting to give a presentation with students Jovie Bush and Austin Pickel. Congratulations to all of our CPACTC students -- we are Panther Proud!

On February 26th Dr. Waldman and Mrs. Chandra took eight students to participate in the Millersville University High School Math Contest.

The exam was approximately two hours in length and consisted of two parts. Part 1 was an individual short answer portion and Part 2 was a team portion with four students on each team.

We took two teams, Aaron Strite, Piyush Agarwal, Ace Agbay and Lucy Anglin were on one team and Marwa Sbai, Julia Dierwechter, Brian Wallace, and Karem Megahed were on the other team.

The students had a good experience and are looking forward to attending again next year.

The Harrisburg Senators recently ran an All-Star Student program to highlight students who may otherwise fly under the radar, and to recognize those who have improved academically or socially throughout the school year. We are so Panther Proud to announce that William Hoke, a 9th grade Life Skills student, was nominated and selected as an All-Star! Teacher Robert Standland surprised William at the Coffee Friday event this morning with the news. William will get to attend a Harrisburg Senators game in May with box seats, and will be recognized and honored in an on-field ceremony at the game. Congratulations to William! We are Panther Proud!

We are excited to have two EPAHS students who presented at the following conference: Protect Our Planet Students Speak Out

Morgan Stellfox & Luca Strickland

The Harrisburg Senators and the high school Drama Club are sponsoring an “East Pennsboro Schools Day” at FCB Field, home of the Harrisburg Senators, on Sunday, May 5 at 1:00 pm.

Tickets are $15 and a portion of the proceeds will defray the costs of the fall high school drama production. There is a dedicated website set up to order tickets. It can be found here: https://fevo-enterprise.com/event/Eastpennsboro8

Our high school Life Skills students hosted their popular Coffee Friday event this morning! Their themed event this morning included new offerings -- fresh popcorn and soft pretzels! Our Life Skills students are responsible for planning, purchasing, and preparing food, along with running the event for our high school students and staff. Coffee Fridays are extremely popular and enjoyed by all. Thank you to Life Skills teacher Alexis King for her amazing work in making this wonderful event possible!

We are thrilled to share some photos from another recent grant this school year. Mr. Erick Hanson submitted a proposal with his vision to reboot EP Media at East Pennsboro Area High School. Historically EPEF has been very supportive of this program and when Mr. Hanson came to us with his vision of expanding this program, we were all for it! You can see that video announcements (are back!) along with some of new equipment that our students are learning to learn and grow with. We are excited to watch the program grow!

Students were living outside of their comfort zones today! On 03/05, a group of 10 brave students attended Spooky Nook Sports for climbing and leaps of faith. As a group, we discovered what it meant to find what we thought were our limits and push just a little further. The exercises done today help with self-confidence, and self-esteem, and allow for some quality team building. Memories were made and lessons were learned. Among the highlights, we watched Ms. Coulson take the leap of faith and jump off a 25-foot platform! Congratulations to all who attended. You pushed yourselves hard and learned some great life lessons.

Hello students! My name is Mrs. Sanders and I am your high school's LMLC librarian. I wanted to inform everyone about the resources we have available to you both physically and digitally. Attached you will find two flyers, one highlighting our most valuable resources and another one highlighting one specific digital resource called PowerLibrary. Throughout the year, I will be sharing an informational online flyer spotlighting certain digital resources for both students and staff to discover and hopefully inquire the LMLC how to utilize.

The LMLC does have a new website, developed last year, housing all your research needs. Digital resources that will be highlighted can be found through the LMLC Resources webpage. My hope is for everyone to check out the website and see the vast array of both physical and online opportunities the LMLC provides. You can find the LMLC website through Clever (see the attached picture to locate).

At the LMLC, both the wonderful Mrs. Boston and myself live by our mission: "EMBRACE CURIOSITY – READ BOOKS – BE HAPPY!". We strive to provide a space that helps students embrace curiosity, want to read more books thus learn new information, and just overall feel happy meaning less stressed. We hope you come down to visit us because we are a really cool place to use. We even have a free coffee/hot chocolate bar (must bring your own drink cup though). If you have any questions or just want to visit, please come visit us sooner rather than later :-).

GO EP PANTHERS!!!

Mrs. Sanders

Info.Tech.for Bus.Ed.

EPAHS Librarian

East Pennsboro Area School District

High school parents – order your 2024 yearbook today!

Order by January 28 to ENSURE you receive a copy! After that date, we finalize the quantity of books that will be printed, so we will have the potential to SELL OUT!

Don’t miss out on owning your copy of East Pennsboro’s award winning yearbook – pre-order today at our website bit.ly/ep-yearbook!

Contact hschaffer@epasd.org with any questions.

Career & Technical Center

Dave Payne, a school counselor from Cumberland Perry Area Career & Technical Center (CPACTC), visited the high school on Thursday, October 5th to share information about their programs to our 9th grade students. Students who are interested in attending CPACTC next school year should aim to turn in their application by the first-round deadline of December 22nd.

Here are some upcoming nights hosted by CPACTC:

• November 1st: Career Exploration Night for Arts & Technology, Health Sciences, Human Services & Hospitality
• November 2nd: Career Exploration Night for Advanced Manufacturing, Construction & Maintenance, Transportation & Logistics

Diona Brown, a representative from Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA), visited East Pennsboro Area High School on Wednesday, October 11th for our Financial Aid Night to present information to students and families.

If you couldn't make it, click the link to her presentation below:

For any student interested in health careers, the Pennsylvania Area Health Education Centers is providing a virtual health careers awareness program. The program is completely free and a good opportunity to explore possible careers. Please see the attached flyer for more information on deadlines and schedule of events for February 2024:

In honor of Children's Grief Awareness Day on Thursday, November 16th, a table will be set up in the cafeteria during both lunches to provide students with information about grief resources as well as an optional activity to memorialize the loved one's students have lost.

The PA Youth Advisory Council (YAC) is currently accepting applications! YAC gives teens a voice to make a difference in health policy and programming that affects them and their peers. Teens will join the YAC for two years to provide feedback on youth-related healthcare, practices and policies impacting youth across PA. By participating in YAC, teens will gain real-world experience collaborating with the Department of Health and other youth-serving agencies, add skills and volunteer experience to their resume, and receive a certificate of participation for college and job applications. The online application (due November 3rd, 2023) and more information can be accessed through the attached flyer and application:

On November 8th, a college admissions representative from Shippensburg University will be visiting East Pennsboro Area High School for an "Instant Decision Day". That means you will have the opportunity to meet with the college admissions representative for a 10-minute session to review your application and be notified of your admittance THE SAME DAY! No waiting!!

The benefits of an Instant Decision Day:

• No waiting for your acceptance letter!
• This is non-binding, meaning you do not have to attend Shippensburg, even if you are accepted
• You will have the opportunity to discuss your application and make your case about why you should be accepted to their school
• You will have the chance to ask them questions about their school

Here is what you will need to be prepared for your Instant Decision Day:

• A completed online application to Shippensburg a few days in advance
• A copy of your high school transcript on November 8th
• Dress appropriately for an important (but brief!) interview on the 8th

To sign up for this Instant Decision Day, please complete this Google Form by TUESDAY, Oct 31st:

For Attendance in 12th Grade: 1 dose of MCV (Meningococcal) on the first day of 12th grade. If one dose was given at 16 years of age or older, that shall count as the twelfth-grade dose. The student will be excluded on August 30th without evidence of vaccination.

Letters have been sent out if your student is missing their twelfth-grade dose. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me at 717-287-8764 or bhawk@epasd.org.

Illnesses: If you are sick, stay home. You may be sent home if you show signs of a sore throat, headache, stomachache, or cough.

Medication Policy: If you need medications during the day, you will need to provide a doctor’s note stating that you need the medication during school hours. The medications should be brought In by an adult/guardian in the pharmacy-labeled container. Empty containers may be sent home with the students, but the refills will need to be brought in by the parent/guardian.

Parents/Guardians - Please remember you have the option to submit absence notes, doctor, tardy, early dismissal, and educational trip forms to our high school attendance mailbox at ephsattendance@epasd.org

EPAHS accepts attendance notifications (excuse cards, absence notes, etc.) via email. Parents can email ephsattendance@epasd.org as a means of reporting your child’s absence. Paper notes will still be accepted as well. A reminder that all excuse notifications are required to be submitted within three school days of your child’s absences.

Excused Absences:

When a child is enrolled in the district’s educational program, the student is subject to the

Pennsylvania State Attendance Laws. The Board considers the following conditions to constitute an excused absence from school:

1. Illness

2. Quarantine

3. Student required court attendance

4. Prearranged doctor and dentist appointment for the time of appointment and appropriate travel time only

5. Authorized school activities

6. Pre-approved educational tours and trips, not school-sponsored

7. Other urgent reasons, including funerals, that apply to the child and approved by the building administrator

Parents/guardians are expected to telephone the school when students are absent for any reason. In addition, a written excuse from a parent/guardian is required for each absence.

Unexcused Absences:

An unexcused absence shall be defined as:

• Absence from school with parent/guardian consent for reasons other than those considered

excusable.

• Leaving school during school hours without permission from the administrator.

• Absence from school without knowledge/permission of parent/guardian (truancy).

• Absence from school without knowledge/permission of school authorities.

• Absences from school without written parental excuse submitted within 3 school days of the absence.

Please refer to the Student Handbook to review more specific information about our attendance policies. Contact our school office if you have any questions about our attendance policies or procedures.

Automated Absence Alert:

The Automated Absence Alert system was implemented to inform parents when their students are absent from school. If/when your student is absent or does not report to their classroom they are recorded as absent. When the daily attendance is submitted electronically, an automated message will be sent to a phone identified by the parent/guardian. This call will normally occur by approximately 10:00 am. Should you have questions or concerns you may contact the attendance secretary by calling: East Pennsboro Area High School (EPAHS), at (717) 732-0723.

Click the link below for the 2023-2024 School Year Calendar:

https://www.epasd.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=2166191&type=d&pREC_ID=2198708

Please create a Sapphire Parent Portal account. There are several benefits to creating a parent portal account:

• You can access your child's report cards when they are published
• You can keep track of your child's attendance
• You will be able to receive important notifications about your child

To create a parent portal account:

• Go to our website www.epasd.org
• Hover over the "Students" tab
• Click "Sapphire Community Web Portal"
• Click "Create a Web Portal Account"
• Follow the remaining on-screen instructions to enter your information.

If you have any questions, please contact Ms. Suzette at sdavis@epasd.org. She would be happy to help!

Open 24 hours for all of your EP Spirit needs!

We are so Panther Proud of EP student Veronica White -- she is EPASD's first state-qualifying girls' wrestler! Veronica continues her run at the state championship tournament tonight at the Hershey GIANT Center. Congratulations to Veronica for her amazing accomplishments! We are PANTHER PROUD!

Congratulations to Veronica White for medaling and taking 8th in the state in girls wrestling! You made us EP Proud!

Congratulations to Breckin Swope for finishing 4th at the Adidas National Track and Field Championships this past weekend in Virginia Beach! Breckin achieved All-American by jumping 15’7”. We are EP proud!

Congratulations to Sam Kil who grabbed 4th in the state in the 200 fly! We are panther proud!

The girls medely relay placed 2nd and Hannah Turner placed 3rd in the 100 IM! Great work swimmers!

Congratulations to our District 3 Champion Samantha Kil as she won the 100 butterfly with a time of 56.58!

Congratulations to Paul Sanderson(4th) and Ryshaun Johnson(5th) for placing in the District 3 AA Wrestling tournament today and qualifying for next week’s Regional tournament!

On Thursday, February 29th, students across the district had the opportunity to see a preview of "Hello, Dolly!" at the high school. Thank you to our staff at all levels for making this day possible so that our high school performers had the opportunity to shine on stage for all of our students!

Click the link for a parent-friendly guide to navigating your student's Google Classroom.

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1GSel8xwNYfbQhodBdogt9RC_TZpolTXb2TlZLQKwb_0/edit?usp=sharing

Did you know that in addition to accessing your student’s lunch account, you can also pay fees through MySchoolBucks?

If you have a newly enrolled student in grades 6-12, an invoice will be created for the initial device insurance fee. Please check your student’s account on MySchoolBucks.com. Please select School Store, then School Invoices to view all device invoices.

If your student has needed their device repaired, the insurance fee will cover the cost to repair the device. A new insurance fee will be applied to cover the cost of future incidents. Full details and payment information are available in our District’s 1:1 Device Guide. (epasd.org - parents & guardians - EPASD 1:1 Device Information - EPASD 1:1 Device Guide) To check your student’s account, please go to MySchoolBucks.com, select School Store, and then School Invoices to view all device invoices.

Payments can be mailed to the Administration Center: EPASD — Business Office, 890 Panther Parkway, Enola PA 17025. Please include the student number on the check.

The Cumberland County Library System is offering virtual tutoring sessions. Click the link for more information.

www.cumberlandcountylibraries.org/tutor

Email: tbianchi@epasd.org
Website: https://www.epasd.org/east-pennsboro-area-high-school/
Location: 425 West Shady Lane, Enola, PA, USA
Phone: 717-732-0723
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EastPennsboroAreaHigh/