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.

Fifty-eight Pennsbury High School students were recognized yesterday for their outstanding achievement in World Language Classes at levels 3H, 4H, and AP. The students were inducted into the National Honor Societies of French, German, and Spanish for academic excellence during the Spring Semester of 2022. For induction into the respective National Honor Societies, students must meet the requirements of 93% in their current level of study and an overall average of 91% throughout their language studies.

Congratulations/Felicidades/Félicitations/Herzliche Glückwünsche to the following students!

French 3 Honors

Nila Anbarasu

Anna Evanchik

Tyler Kocak

Ariana Lafferty

Zack Malinoff

Paz Manhede

Abigail Moser

Olivia Piccinotti

Ella Sayers

French Advanced Placement

Addison Blumberg

Jason Brunette

Lorelei Graffius

Shane Marchok

Emily Sryfi

German 4 Honors

Henrik Boekamp

Alexander Huegler

Dalima Lappia

Will Livingston

Peter Richards

Aneesa Shaik

Megan Spiegelberg

Spanish 3 Honors

Casey Alexander

Diya Basil

Shivam Bhavsar

Sebastian Godun

Aryan Gopal

Matthew Hicks

Kian Hecht

Grace Kean

Sahan Khounh

Ainsley Levans

Claire MacElroy

Ashley Makovsky

Camille Roi Padilla

Varun Patel

Izzy Stackawitz

Ava Storlazzi

Harry Wayne

Spanish 4 Honors

Kiersten Adair

Tyler Baglieri

Liliana Baughman

Laura Bezio

Rylie Borgman

Alexandra Crane

Charles Darrington

Mahek Dixit

Bailey Hall

Ashlyn Haymes

Heeya Jagirdar

Sanika Mistry

Joshuah Patrick

Amanda Qu

Jadyn Rogan

Dylan Thaker

Spanish Advanced Placement

Eliza Ault

Rachel Herway

Robert Papshev

The Pennsbury Speech and Debate Team swept the First Place Sweepstakes awards in the Debate, Speech, and Team categories for the third consecutive year at the LaSalle Forum Invitational held on December 10 at LaSalle College High School in Wyndmoor, PA.

The PHS team competed in a field of 37 schools from the tri-state area. In addition to the three Sweepstakes awards, PHS won 26 individual awards including:

• Amanda Qu - 1st Informative Speech and 3rd Original Oratory
• Fabiha Afaf and Olivia Beno - 1st Varsity Policy
• Daniel Kim - 2nd Humorous Interpretation; Abigail Boock - 5th Humorous Interpretation
• Zaki Ali - 3rd Varsity Congressional Debate; Swathi Boddoluri - 4th Varsity Congressional Debate; Armaghan Alvi - 10th Congressional Debate
• Ashwika Janga - 1st JV Congressional Debate; Andrew Prasanth - 2nd JV Congressional Debate
• Michael Lynott - 5th Declamation; Anwita Janga and Arjun Konru - Semi-Finalists Declamation
• Gabrielle Bamberski - Semi-Finalist Lincoln Douglas Debate
• Rachael Constantino - Semi-Finalist JV Lincoln Douglas Debate
• Riya Lakhani and Varun Patel - Quaterfinals Varsity Public Forum
• Emily Todd and Mirabelle Lowes - Quarterfinals JV Public Forum
• Kierstin Lee - 6th Program Oral Interpretation
• Noah Gannon - Semi-Finalist Oratory
• Dajan Ahluwalia, Arjun Koneru and Samarth Mannikeri - Semi-Finalists Extemporaneous Speech
• Danielle Kahler and Ava Lavin - 3rd JV Duo
• Michael Lynott - 3rd JV Extemporaneous; Danielle Kahler - 6th JV Extemporaneous
• Anwita Janga - 1st JV Original Oratory

Varsity First Place winners earned a bid to the 2023 National Individual Events Tournament of Champions (NIETOC) in Chanhassen, Minnesota. Congratulations to all of the Pennsbury competitors and Coach Chris Berdnik!

Pennsbury High School musicians helped spread some holiday cheer to the community this week. A string ensemble, under the direction of Felicia Hebenstreit, and a brass ensemble, directed by Chris Bygott, performed for residents at the Regency of Yardley, along with the Pennsbury Community Band on Thursday night. Residents packed the room for the performance of holiday favorites that showcased the outstanding talents of our students. Bravo!

A Pennsbury alumni stopped by Charles Boehm Middle School this week to talk to students in Mrs. Quinn's STEM.

Derek Quinn is a law student at Drexel University, minoring in culinary arts. He demonstrated how understanding science and STEM skills are integral to cooking with Maillard reactions and emulsions. The Maillard reaction is a chemical reaction between amino acids and reducing sugars that gives browned food like seared steaks, bread, toasted marshmallows, and other foods a distinctive flavor.

Throughout their course, Mrs. Quinn's STEM 7th and 8th-grade students have learned about energy transfer and career connections, while the 8th graders projected which high school courses would best prepare them for their future goals.

"We compared and contrasted classes and extracurricular activities that our school offers that support the pursuit of their career path. By incorporating guest speakers into the curriculum, students are motivated to learn from the onset and immediately realize that these topics are relevant to their lives and connected to their world," said Mrs. Quinn.

The students were actively engaged in Derek's presentation. His visit helped link what they learn in school to the world outside the classroom.

The Sensory Room at Makefield Elementary is back up and running! This multisensory space was shut down during the pandemic and was recently re-established with the help of Girl Scout Troop #2344 Principal Donna McCormick-Miller, staff members Diana Callahan, Chrissy Williams, Luann Spalla-Pointer, and Sara Diethorne.

Mrs. Spalla-Pointer said the troop members made positive affirmation signs and donated materials for the room. The school also received a grant from the Pennsbury Education Foundation for the additional items needed to restore the room.

Sensory Rooms have become quite common in schools. They are used to promote calm, support sensory integration, and provide a therapeutic setting. Often, sensory rooms are designed to include different zones, such as an active zone, a calming zone, and an interactive zone, so that different needs and skills can be addressed.

Thank you to the following students from Troop #2344!

Alex Mizak

Annalise Doerfler

Elise Weidhaas

Elle Ahaghotu

Emerson Robbins

Emily Loffredo

Emily Ross

Emily Strouse

Evie Hammett

Kara Siris

Madison Obermeier-Price

Ruby O’Dunne

Teagan Collier

Temidayo Daniel

Every year between December 5 -11, ten percent of students around the world celebrate Computer Science Education Week by doing an Hour of Code at their school. This is an opportunity for every child to learn how the technology around us works. Over 1,560,334,202 schools internationally participate in this event.

The 5th-graders in Mrs. Mendlow's class at Afton Elementary School dove into coding by using several programs such as AI for Oceans Minecraft, Hour of Code, and Scratch through CS First.

As a culminating activity, students virtually joined Lydia Winters and Gameplay Developer Cory Scheviak from Stockholm, Sweden as they shared their experiences as designers of Minecraft. This interactive session inspired the students to continue to explore the benefits of coding in their future endeavors!

Each student received a certificate for their hard work and expertise in coding. The students will continue to explore new applications in Computer Science throughout the rest of the school year. Code On!

The Pennsbury Thespians attended the annual Pennsylvania State Thespian Conference on Thursday, December 1 through Saturday, December 3. The conference is filled with workshops, performances, and specialty auditions. Pennsbury Thespians left with many college offers and a new State Thespian Officer - Meghan Crohe! Congrats to Meghan and all the thespians that attended and had a wonderful conference. In June, the troupe is headed to Indiana University at Bloomington to attend the International Thespian Conference!

The International Thespian Excellence Awards (or Thespys® for short) recognize the highest level of achievement in school theatre performance, technical theatre, writing, and filmmaking. This educational program celebrates the work of theatre students, giving them the opportunity to receive constructive feedback on prepared theatrical material and recognizing their achievements on local, regional, and international stages.

The Thespys journey starts at the school theatre level, where Thespians (students who have been inducted into the International Thespian Society) prepare performances showcasing their talents and skills. Tonight, Pennsbury High School students will present their Thespy Showcase. These performances will be recorded and submitted to the Pennsylvania Chapter for adjudication. Students earning superior ratings are invited to the final round of adjudication at the International Thespian Festival (ITF) at the University of Indiana at Bloomington.

Tonight, December 16 at 7:00 p.m.

PHS West Orange Auditorium - The Cave

Tickets $5 (Public is welcome)

Congratulations to the Pennsbury High School students who successfully auditioned for the PMEA District 11 Orchestra and Band! PMEA is a statewide nonprofit organization of over 4,000 members, dedicated to promoting the musical development of all Pennsylvanians. District 11 of the Pennsylvania Music Educators Associations serves all active music educators of Bucks and Montgomery Counties.

At Fallsington Elementary, Ms. Kooker's and Mrs. Tietz's kindergarten classes recently celebrated their very own Cow Day, a special day for them to celebrate their "adoption" of two real-life dairy calves, Penny and Paisley. By adopting these calves, the students will get to watch how they grow and keep track of their health and wellbeing, just like a real farmer does every day. Students will also learn about the important role dairy cows play on a farm and how one day, Penny and Paisley will make fresh milk for people to enjoy!

To mark this very special day, the Chick-fil-A Cow paid a visit! Students received free kids meals, complete with their very own toy cow, and were able to give the Chick-fil-A Cow some hugs and high fives. Then, as an extra surprise, the Fallsington Tiger stopped by to say hello to his fellow mascot friend!

This collaboration with Chick-fil-A of Langhorne was made possible through a Pennsbury Partners Program Mini-Grant.

Congratulations to the Pennsbury-LYFT Character Award winners for December. Michael Callahan, Isabella Nemeth, and Morgan Lewis* were honored at the Pennsbury School Board of Directors meeting on Thursday, December 15.

The purpose of the Pennsbury-LYFT Character Award is to recognize and reward students who embody exemplary character traits and behaviors. The character trait for December was Fairness and Sportsmanship.

Each month, students are nominated by teachers, staff, or administration, and the winners are selected by LYFT and other community partners. LYFT is a group of volunteers, individuals, and organizations throughout the community that shares the common goal of strengthening and supporting Pennsbury students. Click here to read the full press release.

*Morgan Lewis will attend and be formally honored at the January 19 School Board meeting.

Pennsbury Partner Yogamazia visited Edgewood Elementary recently to teach Ms. Rossino's fourth-grade students about the many ways to practice mindfulness. Students were encouraged to close their eyes, relax, focus on the present, and take some time for themselves. They also learned about the importance of showing compassion to yourself and others. Each student in the class received a free book/journal titled "Mission Me," filled with information, prompts, and exercises to help students practice mindfulness at home.

Research continues to demonstrate that having consistent mindfulness practice in the classroom leads to positive outcomes in students. These include improved resilience, social-emotional and behavioral outcomes, enhanced focus and attention, and reduction in anxiety and depression. There are also benefits for educators who participate as well including improved mood, classroom management, and burnout prevention.

Thank you to Dr. Michelle El Khoury, founder and owner of Yogamazia, for sharing this valuable information with our students. This collaboration was made possible through a Pennsbury Partners Program Mini-Grant.

Congratulations to our Pennsbury Fall athletes selected for the Suburban One League All League Team. Selections are based upon the nomination of an opposing coach in the division or conference. The nominations are then voted on by the division or conference to come up with an All League Team.

On December 8th, William Penn Middle School hosted its first Family Game Night. This event provided students and families with an opportunity to build relationships in a safe environment while having fun! Students and families played board games, individual and group video games, and competed in a tournament for amazing prizes.

As board game chaperone, Ms. Carol Harkins played a fierce game of Sorry! with students. Mr. Pete Cassidy hosted a Mario Kart tournament with 20 students competing for trophies for the best score. Ms. Andrea Kealy supported the group video game room to ensure good sportsmanship for all participants.

The following students placed in the Mario Kart Tournament:

1st place: Daniel Pelkey 2nd place: Mason Rowe 3rd place: Rohan Vennala.

Family Game Night provided an opportunity for the community to join William Penn in supporting the Travis Manion Foundation and the SWPBIS SOAR programs. Thank you to everyone who participated in the event!

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 winter concert season is rapidly coming to a close! Don't miss your chance to see Pennsbury musicians and thespians perform for you this holiday season.

The mission of the Pennsbury School District's Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC) is to collaborate with administration and parents to facilitate communication, sharing of resources, and offering of 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 here to learn more.

SEPAC holds monthly meetings, and all parents are welcome to join. Their next meeting is Thursday, January 19 at 1:00 p.m. If you are interested in attending, please fill out this interest form.

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)

Please click here for more information.

Do you enjoy working with children?

Do you like working close to home and earning a competitive salary?

Becoming a Pennsbury Bus Driver is the job for you!

We offer…

- A competitive salary
- Flexible hours
- A student-centered work environment
- Paid training for your CDL

Come join our team!

Apply online at: www.pennsburysd.org or call: 215-428-4140

Current CDL holders can start right away! (Once they receive proper clearances)

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.

Please click here for more details

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).

Click here to visit the Pennsbury School District's E-Flyers Page. On this page, you will find flyers that represent current or ongoing announcements of interest to Pennsbury students and families. 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.

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.

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.

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

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