#ThisIsCheltenham
Sunday, Feb. 2
In this week's edition of #ThisIsCheltenham, high school vocal arts dazzles students and staff, CBK PBL “CultureCrew” attends performing arts conference, Cheltenham Police take Wyncote students on a “read-along,” school board bolsters commitment to equity with daylong retreat and CHS introduces dance squad. "In the News" features stories about Superintendent Dr. Wagner Marseille calling for charter school reform with other area superintendents. "Need to Know Info" features calendar reminders, including the first and last days of the 2020-21 school year, committee report, PSSA testing dates, health tips from the CSD nursing coordinator, district texting service, high school athletics schedule, upcoming meetings and events and this week's flyers.
High School Vocal Arts Dazzles Students and Staff
Diction, tone and pitch were on point as the Cheltenham High School choir groups, led by choir director Jenny Hutton, shared their amazing vocal talents on Tuesday as they toured the entire district and performed at each school and the administration building. The girls a capella group Up the Octave sang “Issues” by Julia Michaels and the boys a capella group Sons of Pitch sang “Help” by The Beatles. The Select Choir sang "I Can Tell the World" by Moses Hogan and "Amor de mi Alma" by Z. Randall Stroope. The touring ensemble, danced and sang Frank Sinatra’s “High Hopes” and “City of Stars” from the movie “La La Land.” The district tour left many students feeling the beat, as they sang, hummed and danced down hallways and in classrooms throughout the rest of the school day and even once they arrived home.
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CBK PBL “CultureCrew” Attends Performing Arts Conference
More than a dozen Cedarbrook students - the CultureCrew - attended two International Performing Arts for Youth (IPAY) Conference Showcases at Avenue of the Arts theater venues this past week and watched plays, participated in Q&A sessions and met other CultureCrews from across the area. With the aim of providing students with authentic, real-world experiences essential to a successful project-based learning program, CBK teacher Isaac Stanford partnered with IPAY to give students access to live performances from around the world and engage with international artists and meet other students from across Philadelphia. Read more>
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Cheltenham Police Take Wyncote Students on a “Read-Along”
Cheltenham Township Police Department (CTPD) officers David Sparango and Don Baldwin stopped by Wyncote Thursday to read Kindness is Cooler, Mrs. Ruler to first graders. CTPD officers come to Wyncote monthly and read on a specific topic, which for January was “kindness.” In advance of National Kindness Day on February 18, families received paper hearts on which they are writing the students’ random acts of kindness. The hearts will be sent back and hung in the hallway with the hope that a chain is completed by World Kindness Day.
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Board Bolsters Commitment to Equity with Daylong Retreat
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CHS Introduces Dance Squad
Eight Cheltenham High School girls have been working hard fine-tuning their routines in advance of the debut of the CHS Dance Squad at halftime of the boys basketball game on Tuesday, Feb. 4. Dancers include juniors Trinity Burroughs, Nibia Larocque, Jaimie Sanders, Journey Stallworth, sophomores Whitney Dixon, Laurha Herard and Summer Powell and freshman Enri Tellado. Read more>
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- Monday, Superintendent Dr. Wagner Marseille stood with more than 30 other area superintendents in the name of charter school reform. The Inquirer> | The Reporter> | WHYY
Calendar Reminders
Monthly early dismissals are generally the second Wednesday of the month. In February, the District has early dismissal on Wednesday, Feb. 12. Schools will dismiss at the following times:
- Cheltenham High School | 1:30 p.m.
- Cedarbrook Middle School | 2:10 p.m.
- Elkins Park School | 2:40 p.m.
- K – 4 Schools | 2:45 p.m.
- Schools will be closed on Friday, Feb. 14 for staff professional development.
- Schools and offices will be closed Monday, Feb. 17 in observance of Presidents Day.
- First day of the 2020-21 school year is Monday, Aug. 31.
- The final student day of the 2020-21 school year is Thursday, June 17.
For more events, visit the Cheltenham School District Calendar>
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2020 PSSA Testing Dates
- English Language Arts (Grades 3-8): Tuesday, April 21 through Thursday, April 23
- Math (Grades 3-8): Monday, April 27 and Wednesday, April 29
- Science (Grades 4 & 8): Thursday, April 30 and Friday, May 1
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Stay Informed: Communications Committee January 2020
The Communications Committee convened Thursday, Jan. 23 with Joel Fishbein presiding and board members Charles Burdell-Williams and Tyrone Scott in attendance. The agenda included communications analytics and an overview of the Cheltenham School District Foundation’s activity from this past year. Read more> | View the presentation>
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Healthy Tips from the CSD Nursing Coordinator
Cold and Flu Season 2019-2020: Influenza activity continues to increase and is widespread across the United States, including Pennsylvania. Centers for Disease Control-recommended Prevention measures include the following:
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Cheltenham School District Rolls out Texting Service
Cheltenham School District families can now utilize their mobile phone’s text messaging (SMS) feature to receive district news and events, school closings updates and safety alerts. Families can opt-in by texting “Y” or “Yes” to 67587. Subscribers can opt out of these messages at any time by replying to a message with “Stop.”
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High School Athletic Schedule
Tuesday, Feb. 4
Swimming v. Abington, 5 p.m. *Senior Night
Girls BB @ Springfield, 7 p.m.
Boys BB v. Springfield, 7 p.m. *Senior Night
Wednesday, Feb. 5
Wrestling v. Upper Moreland, 7 p.m. *Senior Night
Thursday, Feb. 6
Wrestling @ Church Farm, 4 p.m.
Girls BB v. Abington 7 p.m.
Boys BB @ Abington, 7 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 7
Girls Track @ DVGTCA Meet 7, Lehigh University, 6:30 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 8
Boys Track @ TFCAofGP Meet 8, Lehigh University, 8:30 a.m .
Facilities/Financial Affairs Committee Meeting
Tuesday, Feb 4, 2020, 07:00 PM
2000 Ashbourne Road, Elkins Park, PA, USA
SEAC Informational Session | ASD: Fostering Relationships and Social Communication in the Classroom & Community
NOTE THE LOCATION CHANGE
SEAC will host licensed clinical psychologist Brittany Lyman, Psy.D. from Autism Spectrum Diagnostics & Consulting. Dr. Lyman provides evaluation, therapy and consultation services to individuals impacted by autism spectrum disorder. Her session will focus on ASD (and other neurodivergent conditions) as it relates to fostering relationships and social communication in the classroom and community. NOTE: This session will take the place of our regularly scheduled monthly meeting. For more info, visit https://www.cheltenham.org/Page/2#calendar1/20200223/event/8351.
Thursday, Feb 6, 2020, 07:00 PM
300 Longfellow Road, Wyncote, PA, USA
CAAA Exec. Meeting
Monday, Feb 10, 2020, 06:30 PM
300 Longfellow Road, Wyncote, PA, USA
Regular Legislative Board Meeting
Tuesday, Feb 11, 2020, 07:00 PM
2000 Ashbourne Road, Elkins Park, PA, USA
CAAA - AD/ED
Wednesday, Feb 12, 2020, 07:00 PM
300 Longfellow Road, Wyncote, PA, USA
Educational Affairs Meeting
Agenda
Homework Committee
Meeting is open to all Cheltenham residents and taxpayers.