News from the Nest
Cardinal Pride in UDSD - April 25, 2023
A Message from Dr. Yanni...
Is it really the end of April? Before you know it, summer vacation will be knocking on our door! There's still a great deal to accomplish this year, and we look forward to ending the year in a strong and positive way on behalf of our students, staff, and community.
We are sharing our SY 2023-2024 calendar for your quick reference as you begin planning for the upcoming academic year. The calendar was initially approved in December 2022; however, a change was made. Elementary conferences have been moved from December to November; you will see the appropriate notation on the calendar. Other than that, the remainder of the calendar remains unchanged.
Safety continues to be a top priority for all of us; as such, we have included reminders about safety and security from our last edition of News from the Nest below. We have also linked our safety page to this newsletter. Forthcoming editions of News from the Nest and other communications will include updates on safety and security, as we continually assess, revise, and refine our processes and procedures.
As you know, the state assessment season has officially arrived. The PSSAs and Keystone exams are important, and the results help us analyze our practices - from our curriculum and instructional materials, to the manner in which we deliver instruction. We also know, however, that the data we glean from these assessments tell only part of our students' story. Therefore, we do not use these assessment results for high-stakes decision-making such as course placement, etc. No one assessment measure can ever capture a student's strengths and areas for targeted improvement.
Spring always brings many wonderful opportunities for our students to showcase their skills and talents. Concerts, art shows, games days, etc., bring opportunities for our community to see our students at their best. I hope to see many of you at events throughout the spring. It is great to celebrate our students!
In closing, please know that our committed administrators, faculty, and staff are here to support our students. If we can be of any assistance, please do not hesitate to reach out. Our Pathways of Communication is a great tool to assist you in determining who to contact for any number of questions or concerns. When you have questions or concerns, we want you to get the answers and resolutions quickly.
Onward!
Dr. Steve Yanni
Reminders about Our Focus on Safety & Security
The information below is included as a reminder of what we shared in last month's News from the Nest newsletter. Additionally, you can visit our District's Safety page at any time to learn about the safety processes and protocols we have in place. We continually review and refine our practices and protocols. We will include updates, etc., in editions of News from the Nest - and in other District communications - moving forward.
Reminders from last month's edition of News from the Nest:
Below is a summary list as a reminder of the physical safety measures that we are continuing to take - and those that have been increased/strengthened for SY 2022-2023.
- We continue to utilize the Raptor system at all of our schools.
- All visitors to buildings will be asked a series of questions in addition to completing the Raptor process before gaining entry to our schools.
- Emergency response/panic buttons that immediately contact the police have been added in each of our schools.
- We have increased security personnel in the District.
- We continue to require all visitors and volunteers to wear their identification sticker in a prominent place on their clothing.
- We added card readers to numerous exterior doors to prevent the possibility of doors being "propped" open.
- We will conduct a series of unannounced security checks at each of our buildings. This helps us identify any potential vulnerabilities we have to rectify immediately.
- We conduct a series of announced and unannounced drills at each of our buildings. These drills include but are not necessarily limited to fire drills, intruder drills, lockouts, lockdowns, and off-site evacuations. Members of the UDPD attend our drills and provide feedback to our Leadership Team.
- The Upper Dublin Police Department will continue having a presence on our school grounds and in our buildings.
In addition to physical safety, it remains important to support the emotional and mental well-being of our students and staff. Below is a summary list as a reminder of the supports we have continued or increased for the 2022-2023 school year:
- We continue to provide five (5) counselors at UDHS, three (3) at SRMS, and one (1) at each of our elementary schools. Our school counselors provide support for students in several areas, including social and emotional well-being.
- We provide additional counselor support via our Lakeside counselors. We contract with three (3) of these counselors.
- Our schools continue their Child Study Teams (CST) and Student Assistant Programs (SAP). These processes involve identifying students' needs and providing the necessary interventions to improve academic, social, and behavioral outcomes.
- We will have additional Student Assistance and mental health support available throughout the year for students.
- We are expanding our collaboration with service agencies, such as Montgomery County Crisis and Victim Services of Montgomery County, to provide targeted assistance to students and families when needed.
The following resources have also been previously shared with our community. We are sharing them again so that our community is reminded of them.
- Montgomery County Mobile Crisis Support - Montgomery County Mobile Crisis provides immediate support for crisis situations, as well as assistance with managing recurring or future crises. Support is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-855-634-HOPE (4673). This service is available to anyone in Montgomery County, including children, teens, adults, and families. There is no fee and everyone, regardless of insurance, is eligible for assistance.
- Victim Services of Montgomery County - The mission of Victim Services of Montgomery County is to provide advocacy and counseling for all who have been affected by sexual violence and other crimes against the person and to promote sensitivity and awareness in the community through education.
- Safe2Say Something - Safe2Say Something is a youth violence prevention program run by the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General. The program teaches youth and adults how to recognize warning signs and signals, especially within social media, from individuals who may be a threat to themselves or others and to “say something” BEFORE it is too late. With Safe2Say Something, it’s easy and confidential to report safety concerns to help prevent violence and tragedies.
Unified Track & Field in UDSD
Upper Dublin is proud to have unified sports! The Special Olympics of Pennsylvania says, "By providing opportunities for students both with all types of disabilities and without disabilities to participate in sports meaningfully and by engaging other students in the school community, Interscholastic Unified Sports (IUS) helps promote inclusion, acceptance, and respect. The Special Olympics Interscholastic Unified Sports program is supported by the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) and the Bureau of Special Education, Pennsylvania Department of Education."
We had a very successful unified track and field event! Our students are hopeful that we will have a unified bocce team next year!
Summer STEM Academies
Upper Dublin School District is pleased to announce two Summer STEM camp opportunities offered on July 10-13 & July 17-20 from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm. In each session, students can expect to engage in inquiry-based learning activities that will challenge them to innovate, design, create, problem-solve, and collaborate. Infused with the Design Thinking Process, the camps will empower students to explore a variety of topics that have real-world applications. Each week will feature a unique theme that explores science, technology, engineering, and math in a supportive and engaging environment.
The cost for a one week session will be $80.00. If signing up for both weeks, the cost will be $150.00. The payment process will be shared with families in the May 22, 2023 communication. Please note that the availability of the STEM Academy will be dependent on enrollment numbers. We will notify all families on May 22, 2023.
UDHS MiniTHON - For the Kids
Upper Dublin Medals
Standardized Testing Schedules
Please Note the Updated Information for UDHS
Greenfield Foundation Youth Film Festival
This year's awards night will be held on Wednesday, April 26, 2023, at 7:00 PM in the Upper Dublin High School Performing Arts Center. We thank Ms. Jill Feldman, UDEF, and our District staff for their annual collaboration to make the film festival a reality!
Athletics Update
As our 3rd marking period concluded, we have some great news with regard to the GPAs of our student athletes. Overall our 9 programs averaged a 3.79 GPA in the quarter. For our boys programs they accumulated an average GPA of 3.654 with Tennis having the highest at 3.96. Our girls programs accumulated an average GPA of 3.91 with Girls Track having the highest with a team GPA of 3.99. Our Unified Track team had a 3.92 GPA.
There are a few weeks left in our regular seasons. Please check www.piaad1.org for up to date playoff information.
Baseball: Currently 7-1 and in 2nd place of the District 1 5A rankings. The team has been led by Aidan McCarthy and Austin Dahl on the mound. At the plate the Levis brothers (Joe and Jared) have been on fire recently.
Boys Lacrosse: Currently 8-3 and in 13th place in the District 1 3A rankings. Goalie Nate Fechter has been stellar in the cage. Al Eby, Cole Pedroso, and Kyle Spirt have been key on the offensive end.
Girls Lacrosse: Currently 10-2 and in 12th place in the District 1 3A rankings. Junior Paige Dinkel hit a milestone in their win vs. William Tennent last week by scoring her 100th goal. Anna DiMartile, Ella Lyon, Julie Zlotnikoff, and Maeve Hogan have also been key contributors for the girls.
Softball: Currently 8-4 and in the top 3 of the everchanging District 1 5A rankings. 9th grader Kyla Garrison has been sensational on the pitchers rubber this year. She recorded her 100th strikeout last week in just her 12th game. Bella Fiore, Kaelin Penna, and Kaitlyn Small have been other key contributors to the team.
Tennis: The tennis team is currently 13-0 and will await their playoff district seed on Monday May 1st. Scott Schlackman, Tim Sheaffer, Tripp Mangifesta and Zach Hunter have been very successful in their different roles this year. As has Tommaso Serafini and 9th grader Noah Cohen. Schlackman, Sheaffer, Hunter, and Serafini will represent UD in the SOL Liberty Doubles Championships later this week.
Boys Track & Field is participating in the historic Penn Relays later this week. Matt Castronuovo, Gus Platt, Elijah Smith, Kyree Butler, Matt Casey, and Dan Gorman have all been steady on both the track and the field for UD.
Girls Track & Field: The girls will also participate at the Penn Relays this week. The team has been led on the track by Mimi Pastore, Lilly Pittakus, Emily Kulak, Ashley MacNeal, and Mason Kullmann. 9th Grader Colleen Besachio has improved in field events. Sophia Horan and Veronika Medvedeva also have been strong in the field.
Unified Track & Field has just wrapped up the regular season with a meet at Wissahickon. There have been a number of strong participants so far this year. Sydney Reed, Chaim Zellis, Matthew Koch, Ryan Singer, and Luke Francek have had strong showings.
Volleyball: The team is 8-3 and currently in 5th place in the District 1 3A rankings. Terrell Turner, Landon Kullmann, Gabe Copley, and Dominick Plaku have all been key contributors to the team so far this year.
Stay up to date with all things high school athletics at the UDHS Athletic Updates Page
Also please check out the Cardinal Student Athlete Spotlight interviews. Mr. Heiland sits down with some of our athletes to allow our community to get a chance to see them off the field.
Preparing the Nest for New Cardinals
Please keep in mind that students must be at least five (5) years of age before September 15, 2023, in order to be registered for kindergarten. Next year's kindergarten students will be the Class of 2036!