Avon Grove Charter School Spotlight
April 2021
From the desk of Kristen Bishop, CEO
Dear AGCS Community,
As we recently acknowledged the first anniversary of COVID-19 as a global pandemic, we are starting to see glimpses of light at the end of the tunnel. Spring is a time of renewal; let’s make the best of the final stretch of the 2020-2021 school year. We all have a lot to be proud and thankful for in our AGCS family.
With COVID-19 cases on the rise in our community, please take a moment to review our health and safety plan regarding symptom screening, contact tracing, and quarantine procedures. All students, caregivers, and staff are expected to self-screen for any COVID-19 symptoms before coming to school each day. While the physical distancing requirement was decreased to no less than three feet of separation between students, the Chester County Health Department continues to define a close contact as being less than six feet of a confirmed positive person for 15 minutes or more. As a result, a more significant number of students would be identified as close contacts and be required to quarantine.
As usual, in a positive or close contact case, updates will be made on the school COVID Dashboard, and families affected will be contacted directly.
Most of our teachers are vaccinated, and access to vaccinations is now available to students over 16. This makes us all hope that we may soon resume activities we have enjoyed before, but now is not the time to let our guard down. We are nearing the finish line, so we must finish strong.
The well-being of our students and staff remains our top priority. We will continue to follow all current health and safety requirements in an ongoing effort to keep our schools and our community safe.
Forward Together,
Kristen Bishop
Chief Executive Officer
Kristen Bishop, CEO, testifies before the Senate Education Committee
Please take a moment to watch Kristen Bishop, CEO, testify before the Senate Education Committee during a hearing that focused on school choice and education reform.
Read Mrs. Bishop written testimony and view the recording of the Senate Education Committee Hearing by visiting pacharters.org.
New Student Enrollment for 2021-2022 continues
Invite your friends and family to come be a part of the AGCS P.A.C.K.! Enrollment is open and we are currently accepting applications for new students in grades K-12 for the 2021-2022 school year.
Share this amazing school community where your child is experiencing a caring, nurturing and rigorous academic learning environment. Share our standards for academic excellence, positive learning environment, high behavioral expectations, and dedicated staff that will help your child reach their full potential.
Any prospective family seeking enrollment or looking to enroll a sibling of a current AGCS student for the upcoming school year, can complete an initial Enrollment Application.
Spring Assessments at AGCS
Learn about the PSSA/Keystone assessments and our spring testing schedule.
There will be an opportunity for participants to ask questions about the testing plan.
Register here to attend.
Best Communities for Music Education
Avon Grove Charter School has earned the national distinction of being named one of the 2021 Best Communities for Music Education. The National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM), a national non-profit, recognized AGCS for our outstanding commitment, support, and access to music education to our students. AGCS is one of 686 schools/districts in the nation chosen for this esteemed honor.
To qualify for the Best Communities designation, the Performing Arts department answered detailed questions about funding, graduation requirements, music class participation, instruction time, facilities, support for the music program and community music-making programs.
We are proud of the Performing Arts department and the teachers who make AGCS one of the best!
From the desk of Dwayne Degler, President AGCS School Board
The Board appreciates the AGCS community for their feedback, support, and commitment to all students.
Transportation Form - due June 1, 2021
Per guidelines from the PA Department of Education, Pennsylvania school districts are required to have a new/updated transportation form on file for all new and returning students every school year. This means that all AGCS families will be required to provide an updated transportation request form for ALL students on a yearly basis.
Failure to complete this paper form will result in your child(ren) not being scheduled for district transportation in the 2021-2022 school year.
The included forms are required to be completed by every family, for every student whether you are requesting or declining transportation services by your district.
If your district requires any type of child-care information for alternative transportation you must also fill out the associated forms.
We are requesting that all families print, complete, sign and return this form to AGCS by June 1, 2021. We will collect, organize and then transfer these forms to your home school district for you.
To return the forms you can:
1.) Scan and send to transportation@agcharter.org;
2.) Mail to: 110 East State Road, West Grove, PA 19390;
3.) Fax to: 610-869-5892; or
4.) Have your child return the completed form to their Homeroom Teacher
Click here to access your district’s transportation card.
This information is also available on our website
Health Services Update
The past year has been challenging to both adults and children. Children and their families have experienced many stressors, from school closure, job loss, food insecurity, illness, and isolation, which can lead to depression or behavioral changes. Through June, the Chester County Health Department is offering interactive sessions to discuss topics that include managing stress and anxiety, self-care, coping with loss, and developing resiliency. More information can be found here.
Children will react differently to stress based on age.
● Infants and young children may manifest distress through disruptions of physiologic functions like sleep, toileting, and feeding. They may have difficulty with separation and regress in their skills or become more irritable.
● Older children and adolescents may express their distress through internalizing symptoms such as withdrawal, fearfulness, and overt anxiety; externalizing behaviors such as oppositionality, irritability, argumentativeness, and aggression; or somatic symptoms such as abdominal pain or headaches.
● Adolescents and young adults may be able to verbalize their distress but may also purposely hide their concerns and share few behavioral manifestations because of fear, shame, or a sense of responsibility to avoid burdening others. Distress may present as irritability, lack of concentration, declining school performance, and substance use.
● Severity of symptoms: For most children and adolescents, appropriate support by sensitive and caring adults or supportive peers will be sufficient to help manage their stress. For others, disruption in function, including disruption of sleep, change in appetite, difficulty concentrating, decreased engagement with school and family, isolation, dysregulation of mood and behavior, and displays of hopelessness may indicate that further assessment is needed. Children and adolescents experiencing anxiety and depression at baseline are at greater risk for an exacerbation of those symptoms. In these situations, additional treatment and resources may be needed. Rates of suicidal ideation and attempts have increased during the pandemic. These crises have strained further an already challenged behavioral health infrastructure and underscore the severity of the behavioral health crisis that is unfolding.
Caregivers should be encouraged to have open and honest conversations with their children and adolescents about what they are hearing in the media. Avoidance of such conversations does not protect children. The lack of an authoritative voice may leave them prone to believing false information they hear from their friends and the media. Parents/caregivers should answer children’s questions honestly and acknowledge that they may not have all the answers but will do their best to listen and keep them safe and well.
Promoting resilience: For all ages and stages, facilitating resilience is key. Practicing techniques together such as mindfulness, relaxation, and focusing on the present moment can help the entire family build coping skills to deal with uncomfortable and frightening feelings. When practiced regularly, children and caregivers can build skills that promote self-regulation and greater awareness of their feelings and the feelings of others that last long beyond the duration of the pandemic.
Information Technology Update
If you require assistance from IT, please enter an IT Support Ticket here.
Teachers Lounge Podcast
Welcome to the Teachers Lounge
This month, Matt Arters chats with Krista Lauterwald. Miss Krista is the agriculture teacher at the AGCS State Rd. campus. She operates and maintains the micro farm and invites students to learn about and experience a variety of activities featuring plants, animals, and aquaponics.
AGCS Micro Farm Thanks Tim Beardsley
Thank you Tim Beardsley for the generous donation of hay bales that have adorned both campuses this school year.
Athletics Update
The Girls Soccer and Boys Lacrosse teams have started their spring seasons. Season schedules are on the school website. Home games will be played at Harmony Park in West Grove for the 2021 spring season. Fans are welcome to attend, please wear a mask and social distance as necessary.
Questions can be directed to Jay McGehean at jmcgehean@agcharter.org.
2021 AGCS Neighborhood Directory
It's here! A resource to find local businesses in our AGCS Community, including:
- Agriculture, Food & Natural Resources
- Architecture & Construction
- Arts, A/V Technology & Communications
- Business, Management & Administration
- Education and Training
- Finance
- Health Science
- Hospitality & Tourism
- Human Services
- Information Technology
- Manufacturing
- Marketing, Sales & Service
- Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics
The purpose and goal of this directory is to provide a list of resources to our parents and our community. However, this is not an endorsement or recommendation by Avon Grove Charter School, its Board of Trustees, or staff for any particular goods or services identified in this directory.
Community Outreach - We need your help!
Check out the AGCS playlist on Spotify
Look for additional playlists in the coming months. Remember to follow the playlist and AGCS account!
Join us this summer for Camp Invention - Week of June 21st, 2021
The fun, hands-on activities at this year’s Camp Invention, Recharge, are just what children need this summer. At AGCS, we’ll be hosting this wonderful program during the week of June 21st, 2021 for students entering grades K-6.
Discover all the fun you’ll have at camp: https://youtu.be/aX4r8bQSsJA
Exciting news - we are offering an Extended Day experience, making our program schedule more convenient for busy families. With Extended Day, your program will run from 7:30 AM to 5:30 PM with an additional cost of $90 per week. To sign up for this program schedule, please select the Extended Day option during the second step of registration.
Parent Teacher Organization (PTO)
Avon Grove Charter School
Early Learning Center
Grades K - 3rd
1769 New London Road
Landenberg, PA 19350
610-255-5325
State Road Campus
Grades 4th - 12th
110 E. State Road
West Grove, PA 19390
484-667-5000
Website: agcharter.org
Location: 110 East State Road, West Grove, PA, USA
Phone: 484-667-5000
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AvonGroveCharterSchool/
Twitter: @agcharter