Shortly after the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, a group of teachers at Maple Point MS got together to discuss an idea. With Veterans Day approaching, they thought that holding a ceremony to honor America’s military would be a good way to teach their students about the vital role of the men and women who chose, and continue to choose to serve their country in the armed forces.
Every year since, the 8th grade at Maple Point participated in a ceremony that has become a school and community tradition. Over 100 veterans and active military typically attend the ceremony, held just before Veterans Day itself. There, they hear speeches by students, teachers, community leaders and special guests. A roll call of attending veterans is read, and students sing and perform patriotic songs. A large American flag is painted on a sloping field next to the school, and a portrait photo of the students and veterans is the finale to the ceremony.
In 2020, of course, this tradition had to change. 8th grade social studies teacher Anne Schmidt, one of the original organizers of the event, brainstormed with her colleagues on how to continue the ceremony while protecting students and veterans from the Covid-19 virus.
What they did was to turn the event inside-out, literally. On Monday, November, 10, veterans and their guests were invited to drive through the parking lot of the school, through a path lined by students and staff holding hand-made signs of appreciation and flags. The Langhorne-Middletown Fire Company sent a tower truck which held a large American flag. Each veteran was greeted and given a gift bag. Several television stations covered the parade and shared it on the evening news.
Students posed with the painted flag over two days, since only half of the students attend classes each day in the current hybrid learning schedule. A portable generator and floodlight was obtained to illuminate the flag at night.
A virtual video ceremony (viewer below) was produced and shared with the community on the 11th hour of Veterans Day, Tuesday, November 11. The video included all the speeches (taped during the previous week), tributes, musical performances, the roll call, and footage of the parade from the previous day. Community speakers included U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, PA Rep. Frank Farry, former U.S. Under Secretary of the Army Patrick J. Murphy. The finale of the video included a tribute to Ms. Schmidt for her hard work organizing this amazing event for 20 years.
The next scheduled Board meeting is Tuesday, November 24, 7pm in the auditorium at Maple Point Middle School. The meeting will also be livecast on the District website at www.neshaminy.org/meetings.
One of the main topics of the evening will be the plan to return students in grades K-4 to daily in-person classes Monday-Thursday starting Monday, November 30. At the November 10 School Board Public Work Session, the Board unanimously approved the plan, but also noted that they would have the opportunity to reconsider at future meetings in response to changing pandemic conditions.
HS Library Media Center Proposal
Also on the agenda is a plan to significantly update the Library Media Center at Neshaminy High School. The approximately $222,000 project would replace much of the furniture with modern units that reflect the changing role of school libraries. Under this plan, the center circulation desk will be removed to open up the space. Comfortable, flexible, cafe-style seating for casual reading, tutoring and small-group meetings will be added. Tall book shelves will be replaced with shorter units, improving site lines. Class and lab spaces will also feature modern, flexible furniture and layouts with accommodations for electronic presentations.
The project to add bipolar ionization units to the HVAC systems in each District school building is underway, and should be completed by December 31, according to Operations Director Tim Trzaska. In a report delivered to the Facilities and Planning Committee on November 18, Mr. Trzaska said the procurement period for the hardware is wrapping up, and the installation will begin on November 30. The work will be completed around school schedules, and should not interfere with any classes or school activities.
This project will make the environment in our buildings healthier. When air passes through the bipolar ionization units installed in each room, they emit charged particles that surround and deactivate harmful substances like airborne mold, bacteria, allergens, and viruses as they pass through the system. Not only is this method effective against the Covid-19 virus, but will reduce many other harmful airborne substances as well.
2-1-1 Service: If you are looking for non-educational community resources such as food pantries, housing assistance, help with utility bills, unemployment information or crisis resources, the United Way of Bucks County offers a centralized information service which can be accessed by calling 211, texting your area code to 898-211, or visiting www.pa211.org. This service is available 24/7 and is available in 42 languages.
Kindergarten registration for the 2021-2022 school year will begin on Monday, December 7, 2020. The process can be started online at www.neshaminy.org/register. Register your child early to ensure that they will have a spot in your neighborhood school for the new school year!
Neshaminy School District is looking to fill a number of positions for the 2020-2021 school year including cafeteria and playground aides, food service workers, long-term substitutes and more. Visit our employment website for more information and online application links. Additional opportunities for substitute teachers, instructional assistants, paraprofessionals and more can be found at the ESS website here.
Officer Samantha Weed of Middletown Township Police visited Pearl Buck recently, and joined in on a physical education class. There she honed her "rock-paper-scissor" strategy skills while participating in the various physical exercises intertwined within the lesson. Officer Weed is a new School Resource Officer in the District's Levittown-area schools, working along side her colleague, Middletown Officer Missy Robison.
With most of the country heavily focused on the presidential race in October and early November, students at Joseph Ferderbar ES learned all about what an election is and why it is important to vote. They participated in their own election after reading the book, Duck for President. They then registered to vote and casted their ballots for either Farmer Brown or Duck. For the record, Duck won.
In other election news, students Megan McHugh's kindergarten class at Albert Schweitzer ES voted for their favorite decorated pumpkin, while over in 2nd grade students in Elizabeth Currid's class voted for a Classroom Reward: Extra Recess, Treat, Game or Movie. At Maple Point Middle School, students used Google Docs to cast their votes in a mock election.
This year, Ferderbar Elementary School celebrated Unity Day in honor of October being National Bullying Prevention Month. Unity Day promotes kindness, acceptance, and inclusion. Red students celebrated on October 20th and blue students celebrated on October 21st. Students and staff were encouraged to wear orange to celebrate Unity Day.
To help Tawanka ES students meet their weekly math and reading iReady “My Path” goal of 60 minutes, a trophy will be given to the 3rd & 4th grade class and an iReady stuffed monster animal to grades K,1 & 2 with the highest overall percentage of students who have met the requirement. But wait…there is more! Each week, one lucky individual student from each grade who has the highest increase in minutes will be chosen to play a round of air hockey with Principal Donald Palmer, second-grade teacher Caryn Cozza or Counselor Courtenay Duffy.
Students in Beth Sanchez's 8th grade reading classes at Carl Sandburg Middle School got to show their Flipgrid app book review videos Hollywood premiere-style in November. Both students in class and those watching online watched the prerecorded efforts at the same time, and offered their feedback as fellow "movie producers." They then gave each video a rating, and the top video earned bonus points for the assignment.
Congratulations to Maple Point MS 8th grade students Julia French and Maggie Gottschalk for participating and placing in the 2020 Patriot's Pen Essay Contest sponsored by VFW Post 6393. Conducted nationwide, this VFW-sponsored youth essay competition gives students an opportunity to write essays expressing their views on an annual patriotic theme. This year's theme was "What is Patriotism to Me?" Special thanks to 8th Grade English teacher Carol Foley for her support of the students throughout the contest. Julia and Maggie will be honored by at a ceremony later this spring.
VIDEO: Patriots Pen essay contest winners read their entries
The Bucks County Challenger Flag Football program concluded their 2020 season on Saturday, November 15. Since September, football players, cheerleaders and coaches from area high schools including Neshaminy and Pennsbury worked with special needs children to offer them the opportunity to build skills and enjoy playing and cheering at Harry E. Franks Stadium on Sunday afternoons. The program was created and is managed by Bob and Joan Wargo. Bob is a retired football coach, and Joan is a retired special education teacher. This is the 14th year for the program.
