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.

We are thankful. We are Pennsbury Proud.

We are thankful for our teachers and staff members who tirelessly work to inspire and guide the next generation. Their support, dedication, and commitment to the well-being of our students inspire us every day.

We are thankful for the parents and guardians actively involved in their children's education, attending school events, volunteering their time, and offering unwavering support.

We are thankful to be part of a vibrant and supportive community. Our community is a tapestry of diverse backgrounds, cultures, and perspectives. This rich diversity makes us stronger.

We are thankful for our community connections that enhance the educational experience. Our relationships with local businesses, organizations, and government agencies have been instrumental in providing resources and opportunities for our students.

We are truly grateful for our remarkable community. Together, we are Pennsbury Proud. Happy Thanksgiving to the Pennsbury School District community!

November 22 - 24 - NO SCHOOL - Thanksgiving Recess

School resumes Monday, November 27.

Don't forget to tune in to the 6abc Dunkin' Thanksgiving Day Parade tomorrow and cheer on your favorite marching band! The Pennsbury High School Marching Band makes its 39th appearance in the parade. The broadcast begins at 8:30 a.m., with the parade stepping off at 9:00 a.m.The Long Orange Line has performed on five continents, countless parades, and almost all of the Disney Parks. Whether entertaining the crowd at a Pennsbury football game, marching in local parades, or performing in another country is a strong point of pride for the district!

The world-famous Harlem Wizards, proudly presented by NorthPoint Development, are returning to Pennsbury! This family-friendly event will take place on Saturday, December 2, 2023, at 7:00 p.m. at Pennsbury High School East (705 Hood Boulevard, Fairless Hills.) Order your tickets today and watch as the Wizards take on some of your favorite teachers and staff members for a night of tricks, hoops, and alley-oops!

All event proceeds will benefit the Pennsbury Education Foundation (PEF). Since its inception in 2003, the PEF has raised nearly $300,000 which helps cover the costs of classroom mini-grants to enhance curriculum for Pennsbury students. Your support of the Pennsbury Education Foundation helps our teachers bolster the District's mission to prepare all students to become creative, ethical, and critical thinkers for lifelong success in a global society.

Get ready for high-flying entertainment and fun for the whole family. Last year's game sold out! Tickets are going fast! Click here to order yours today! Thank you to our generous sponsors NorthPoint Development, KidsCare of Pennsbury, McCaffrey's Food Markets, CG Orthodontics, and Shoprite of Yardley!

Big J from the Wizards visited all ten of our elementary schools over the last two weeks, giving students a sneak peek at all the fun. Check out the video below to see some of the fun!

Schools across the District wrapped up the last days before Thanksgiving recess with their annual Turkey Bowl festivities. These annual events provide a fun opportunity for the staff and student body to come together in school spirit and camaraderie.

Students and staff at the Academy at Pennsbury High School came together for a Thanksgiving Day of Mindfulness before the Thanksgiving recess. The day was filled with team-building activities, including an escape room, kickball game, and a "family-style" meal. Mr. Demore, the administrative intern at the Academy, led the group in a "toast" at the beginning of the meal and asked everyone to share what they were thankful for. The day was designed with a focus on gratitude and appreciation.

Second and 3rd-grade students from Penn Valley Elementary School celebrated the upcoming holiday with a Charlie Brown Thanksgiving Feast. Parents and guardians generously donated plates, popcorn, pretzels, jelly beans, and Hawaiian Rolls. Students made Thanksgiving placemats and turkey hats and gathered in the hallways as a school community. They read poems during the feast to remind everyone of the many reasons to be thankful.

Makefield Elementary School was stuffed with Thanksgiving activities! Students had the opportunity to eat a Thanksgiving feast served by the Nutrition Group, create their own turkey hats, and perform some Thanksgiving songs. What a great way to head into Thanksgiving break!

Every quarter, Manor Elementary School comes together for a celebration of their shared values. Students have wholeheartedly embraced the spirit of being Manor Strong by embodying the qualities of respect, responsibility, and safety.

For their inaugural celebration, Manor chose to commemorate the 50th Day of School. On this special day, both students and staff transformed into characters from the 1950s, creating a lively atmosphere reminiscent of that era. As the day concluded, everyone gathered to dance to the fantastic tunes of the 50s, learning iconic dances such as the Twist and the Hand Jive. It was an incredibly enjoyable time for everyone involved!

Seniors recently had the opportunity to participate in Instant Decision Day at Pennsbury High School. Instant Decision Day allows high school seniors the opportunity to learn immediately whether they have been admitted to a particular college or university. Students spent roughly 15-20 minutes interviewing with an admissions officer and reviewing their high school transcript. At the end of the interview, the students were informed if the institution was extending an offer of admission.

"Our seniors received 55 college acceptances and tens of thousands of dollars in scholarships! The students did a wonderful job of representing PHS throughout the event," said Brooke Stoudt, Postsecondary Counselor at Pennsbury High School.

Participating schools included Alvernia Unversity, Arcadia University, Commonwealth University, East Stroudsburg University, Gwynedd Mercy University, Holy Family University, Kutztown University, La Salle University, Millersville University, Rider University, and Widener University.

Pennsbury High School held its annual Powderpuff football game on Falcon Field Monday night. The senior came out on top this year with a 14-0 victory over the juniors. The flag football game has become a beloved tradition at PHS.

Pennsbury Falcons Cheer Athletics (PFCA) Fireflies team recently participated in the Eagles Autism Cheer Clinic at Lincoln Financial Field. The young athletes practiced alongside Eagles cheerleaders, learning new cheers and routines. They even got the chance to meet Swoop, the Eagles mascot!

The Fireflies team consists of Pennsbury students in grades 5 through 9 and two junior coaches, Althea Worthington and Jenavieve Thorp, from Manor Elementary and William Penn Middle School, respectively.

Congratulations to Isabelle Badner, Dakota Blumberg, Kamryn Hawthorne, Sarah Maddie Halloran, Riley Mikulasko, Juliana Rutch, and Zenith Zunair.

PFCA is an independent, non-profit recreational cheer organization open to athletes interested in sideline, special abilities, and competition cheerleading.

Kindergarten and fourth-grade students at Fallsington Elementary School paired up for their "Buddies Feast" this week. These two grade levels engage in various buddy activities throughout the school year to learn from and support each other.

Edgewood Elementary School recently held their first town hall meeting, celebrating the success of students as a part of their School-Wide Positive Behavior Intervention Support (SWPBIS) recognition program. Seven impressive students were awarded superhero capes for showing schoolwide ROARS traits! ROARS stands for Respectful actions, Open-hearted minds, Achieving goals, Responsible behaviors, and Safe choices.

Congratulations to the following students:

• Atlas Stough
• Charlotte Tustin
• Kingston Leonard-Young
• Carmen Battiste
• Tessa Sinanaj
• Emma Skolnik
• Logan Mabee

Fallsington Elementary School's certified therapy dog Bailey paid a visit this week! Bailey and his owner, Principal DePaola spent the past two days visiting classrooms and reading a book to students all about therapy job. Student got to hear about the training Bailey went through and what his job is at school. Mr. Depaola and Bailey would like to thank the Black Family for sharing the book with us so they could share it with students. Bailey is one of several certified therapy dogs in Pennsbury. He and Mr. DePaola went through a year-long intense therapy dog training program last year, along with several other administrators and their dogs. The District is currently training its second cohort of therapy dogs, with the ultimate goal of having a therapy dog in each of Pennsbury's school buildings.

Last Saturday 's community SWAP Meet held at Manor Elementary School was a resounding success! With lively music setting the festive tone, numerous families in the community found exactly what they were looking for, while over 40 families successfully decluttered by parting with their unused items.

It was an overall triumph, and organizers are already gearing up for their next SWAP in the spring, just in time for some thorough spring cleaning! A heartfelt thank you goes out to Patty Kropp for her brilliant ideas and tireless efforts in bringing this event to life. Gratitude is also extended to Kathy Hartley for her unwavering assistance throughout the day, as well as to Desirae Valenzuela and Nick Camaioni for their valuable participation. Special thanks to Desirae Valenzuela, Cyndy O'Donnell, and Peggy Diaz for providing extra tables, and to Nick, Dave, and Leanna for ensuring the setup was perfect for a successful day. The collaborative efforts of this fantastic team truly made this event one to remember.

Pennwood Middle School held a pep rally on Tuesday, November 21, before the Thanksgiving recess to celebrate positive student behavior. The event, which is part of Pennwood's School-Wide Positive Behavior Intervention & Supports Program (SWPBIS,) was filled with music, games, raffle prizes, and more. SWPBIS is a proactive approach to discipline that promotes appropriate student behavior and increased learning. Students are rewarded for being respectful, responsible, and ready to learn.

Staff members of Pennsbury's M.O.S.T. Program have worked hard to find community partners and help extend their classrooms into our local community. M.O.S.T. would like to highlight their new partner, Shady Brook Farm. Pictured above are some young adult learners in M.O.S.T. participating in a Work-Based Learning Experience at Shady Brook Farms. The young adult learners report to the farm, supported by job coaches, to perform a variety of tasks. The tasks are based upon the needs of the farm for that particular day. Great job, everyone, and thank you to Shady Brook farm for supporting our students.

On Tuesday, November 14th, the PHS Key Club cleaned pill bottles to be donated to developing Latin American countries. These pill bottles will then be used to package medical supplies for those in need. Students worked to clean over 180 bottles and are looking to clean even more throughout the school year. If you are looking to declutter your medicine cabinet, please reach out to Vanessa Fry (vfry@pennsburysd.org) or Oksana Cheeseman (ocheeseman@pennsburysd.org) to donate!

Pennsbury Kids is collecting gently-used Halloween and costume items to have on hand for students in Pennsbury schools. If you have any children's costumes or items that you no longer need and you would like to donate them, please put them in a bag and drop it off at either of the following locations:

2122 N. Crescent Boulevard,

Yardley, PA 19067

OR

1083 Independence Drive

Yardley, PA 19067

Pennsbury Kids is a 501(c)(3) that provides funds to help support students in the Pennsbury School District. Questions? Please email keller@pennsburykids.org.

The PHS Crochet Club wants to outfit the troops this winter, and they need your help! Pennsbury crafters are going to make handmade hats and scarves for U.S. troops through Operation Gratitude's Handmade with Love Program. If you have any extra yarn lying around, please consider donating it to the PHS Crochet Club. Donations can be dropped off at PHS East. To arrange pickup of large donations or for more information, please contact club advisor Breanne Weeden at bweeden@pennsburysd.org.

Please join us for our Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC) event on Thursday, November 30 from 6:15 - 7:15 p.m. in the Pennsbury High School East Auditorium. This event will focus on Presuming Competence from a Parent/Guardian's Perspective. All parents/guardians are encouraged to listen, learn, and share.

If you are unable attend, the event will be recorded and posted on the district's SEPAC page. If you are interested in joining SEPAC, please complete this interest form to be notified of upcoming events and important information.

The mission of Pennsbury's SEPAC is to collaborate with administration and parents to facilitate communication, sharing of resources, and offer 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 the links below to view the current schedules for Pennsbury Athletics.

Weekly Sports Schedule

Current Team Schedules - Schedules are subject to change at any time. Check this page often for the latest updates!

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.

Click here for detailed instructions. If you are having difficulty with a payment, please email ChromebookPaymentQuestions@pennsburysd.org.

If you are having difficulty logging into PowerSchool, please contact the appropriate person at your student’s school:

• High School and Middle Schools - Guidance Office
• Elementary Schools - School’s Main Office

Download the new FREE, Pennsbury School District App today and receive important alerts, news, and information. Customize your app experience and follow specific schools, calendars, lunch menus, and more! Available for FREE in the App Store and Google Play.

Apple (iOS) - Click Here to Download

Android (Google Play) - Click Here to Download

Click here to visit the Pennsbury School District's E-Flyers Page.

These flyers represent current or ongoing announcements of interest to Pennsbury students and their families that emanate from local community organizations, sports leagues, scouting groups, and other non-profits. Browse through our gallery!

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.

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

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.

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.

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, such as:

• Mental Health & Wellness
• Supporting School Success
• Social Media & Internet Safety
• Diversity & Inclusion

Visit our website for recordings of recent presentations.

The Affordable Connectivity Program is a Federal Communications Commission program that helps connect families and households struggling to afford internet service. This new benefit provides a discount of up to $30 per month toward broadband service for eligible households. Eligible households can also receive a one-time discount of up to $100 to purchase a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet from participating providers.

Eligible households can enroll through a participating broadband provider or directly with the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) using an online or mail-in application.

You can learn more about the benefit, including eligibility and enrollment information, by visiting www.fcc.gov/ACP, or by calling 877-384-2575.

The Pennsbury School District is making a concerted effort to ensure that students who reside within our District boundaries are able to attend the school they are assigned to based on their home address. To help us, we have established a Confidential Residency Reporting Tip Line. If you believe someone is falsifying their student's address to attend the Pennsbury School District, please call or email:

residency@pennsburysd.org

(215) 428-4100 ext. 84777 (TIPSS)

Click here for more information.

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).

The Nutrition Group is now hiring! Positions include Food Service Workers, Cooks, and Kitchen Managers with rates from $15 - $17 per hour. 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