Pennsbury On Point
February 11, 2022
February 11, 2022
Welcome to Pennsbury on Point!
If you have any photos or story ideas you would like to see featured, please email the Public Relations Department at publicrelations@pennsburysd.org.
Eleanor Roosevelt Students Have Fun in the Name of Charity!
Fifth-grade students at Eleanor Roosevelt Elementary School laced up their sneakers and hit the gridiron for a worthy cause. The students, led by their teachers, played in the 12th annual Super Duper Bowl, benefiting the Bucks County Emergency Homeless Shelter in Levittown.
The Super Duper Bowl is a yearly flag football competition that takes place the Friday before the Super Bowl. It has become a time-honored tradition at the school. As part of the tradition, students collect canned goods to donate to the shelter.
“Each class created their own team name and mascot using their homeroom teacher’s name. They also designed custom team t-shirts which they proudly wore during the big game. The students look forward to ending their last year at Eleanor Roosevelt by experiencing this exciting event,” said Jason Miller, a 5th-grade teacher at Eleanor Roosevelt.
The rest of the student body contributed to the fun and the cause as well, by making signs to cheer on their schoolmates and donating canned goods.
Fallsington Elementary School's Stuffed Pet Adoption Night
Students at Fallsington Elementary School made some new friends during a recent Stuffed Pet Adoption Night. The evening was designed to engage students in literacy and mathematics and provided parents with strategies to help support their children. Each student adopted a stuffed animal with the promise to read to their new friend for 15 minutes, three times per week, and practice math facts three times per week. After the students selected their stuffed animals, they decided on a name, completed an adoption certificate, measured their height and weight, and made them a name collar. Before the night concluded, students spent some time reading and practicing math facts before taking their new friends home.
William Penn NJHS Predicts Winner of the Super Bowl Through Charitable Efforts
The William Penn National Junior Honor Society held a four-day canned soup drive from Monday, February 7th to Thursday, February 10th leading up to the Super Bowl. Students donated cans of soup in support of the team they wanted to see win the Super Bowl. The soup cans were displayed in the front showcase under the logos of both the LA Rams and the Cincinnati Bengals. Each day the cans were tallied and the totals were reported out as if each day was a “quarter” in the big game. On Friday, February 12th, a final tally revealed William Penn’s predicted winner of the Super Bowl as the Cincinnati Bengals by a “score” of 130 to the LA Rams 62. Students collected a total of 192 soup cans. All donations will support local food banks through the Bucks County Opportunity Council.
Junior Jacob Rabinowitz bravely volunteers to take a polygraph test.
Tell the Truth!
Students enrolled in Biology 2 at Pennsbury High School got a first-hand look at the science behind the polygraph machine this week. On Tuesday, February 8, Bucks County Detective Lt. David Kemmerer paid a visit to Mrs. Helmes' class at PHS West to talk about polygraphs, the physiological responses they record, and how the machines are used in the field of forensics and criminal justice.
Lt. Kemmerer explained the various lines on a polygraph test and what they measure. The green line measures the Galvanic Skin Response (GSR), or sweat levels; the thick red line tracks blood volume, measured by a blood pressure cuff; and the blue line tracks respiratory rate. Control questions are asked to set a baseline followed by questions relevant to the examination, which are compared to the baseline questions. A significant change like a faster heart rate, higher blood pressure, or increased perspiration indicates that the person is lying. As a trained polygraph examiner, Lt. Kemmerer's job is to analyze the different physiological responses seen on the polygraph to determine whether someone is telling the truth.
Jacob Rabinowitz, a junior, bravely volunteered to take a polygraph test. Jacob was instructed to lie when questioned to demonstrate changes to his heart rate, blood pressure, and perspiration. Students were able to see the changes in the polygraph.
In addition to demonstrating how a polygraph machine works, Lt. Kemmerer shared his professional journey with students. He began his career as a dispatcher in Middletown Township before attending the police academy. After graduating from the academy, he joined the Middletown Police Department before becoming a Bucks County detective. As part of his job, Lt. Kemmerer conducts polygraphs for the District Attorney's office. He has worked on some very high-profile cases, including the murders of four young men in 2017 in Solebury Township.
Lt. Kemmerer explains the different lines on a polygraph test.
Pennsbury School District Awarded PASBO School Operations Impact Award
Pennsbury School District has been awarded the 2022 School Operations Impact Award by the Pennsylvania Association of School Business Officials (PASBO).
The award recognizes a PASBO member, school, or group of school employees who have undertaken a project and demonstrated making a significant impact in their school business operations. In addition to this prestigious recognition, the District will receive a $3,000 scholarship which will be used for professional development for business and operations staff, competition resources for the Pennsbury High School speech and debate students, or a combination of the two. Click here to read more about the award.
Pennsbury's Zero Waste Day!
Mark your calendars for Pennsbury's Zero Waste Day on Thursday, February 17th!
The day-to-day operations in a typical school require lots of resources, very little of which gets reused, reclaimed, or recycled. We hope to change this in Pennsbury. With over 12,000 students and staff members in 16 buildings, and over 150 vehicles, we are essentially a small city and our environmental impact can be substantial. Last year, Pennsbury generated 1,367 tons of trash, and sadly only 14% was recycled.
Watch the video below for more information, made by students from Ms. Rowland's class at Quarry Hill and Ms. Cohoon's classes at Fallsington and Oxford Valley elementary schools.
Click here to read Dr. Smith's email about Zero Waste Day and how to participate.
Top Academic Honors for Pennsbury High School Seniors
Three Pennsbury High School Seniors have been named candidates in the 2022 U.S. Presidential Scholars Program.
Aidan Catalano, Nicholas Terry, and Arthav Vyas are among the more than 5,000 candidates selected from nearly 3.6 million students expected to graduate from United States high schools this year.
"I am incredibly proud of these tremendous academic achievements by these students," said Mr. Reggie Meadows, principal of Pennsbury High School.
"It is a testament to the hard work of the students during their career at Pennsbury High School. I would also like to acknowledge the teachers that fostered a rigorous academic environment and the rest of the staff that had a role in their development. This is truly a milestone for these students and the Pennsbury community."
Inclusion in the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program is one of the highest honors bestowed upon graduating high school seniors. Scholars are selected on the basis of superior academic and artistic achievements, leadership qualities, strong character, and involvement in community and school activities.
The U.S. Presidential Scholars Program was established in 1964 by Executive Order of the President to recognize some of our nation’s most distinguished graduating seniors for their accomplishments in many areas: academic success, leadership, and service to school and community. It was expanded in 1979 to recognize students demonstrating exceptional scholarship and talent in the visual, creative, and performing arts. In 2015, the program was expanded once again to recognize students who demonstrate ability and accomplishment in career and technical fields. Annually, up to 161 U.S. Presidential Scholars are chosen from among that year’s senior class, representing excellence in education and the promise of greatness in America’s youth.
A distinguished panel of educators will review these submissions and select approximately 600 semifinalists in early April. The Commission on Presidential Scholars, a group of up to 32 eminent citizens appointed by the President, will select the finalists, and the U.S. Department of Education will announce the Scholars in May.
U.S. Presidential Scholars are honored for their accomplishments during the National Recognition Program each June. To commemorate their achievement, the Scholars are awarded the Presidential Scholars Medallion.
Pennsbury High School Boys Bowling Clinches SOL League-Patriot Division!
Congratulations to the Pennsbury High School Boys Bowling team on winning the Suburban One League-Patriot Division! The team completed the season with an impressive record of 47-1. The team will compete in the Suburban One League Conference Championship on February 23.
Four team members have automatically qualified for regionals as singles. Vincent B., Casey F., Gavin S., and Ryan T. are all in the top eight of the SOL standings. Erin M. from the PHS's Girls bowling team has also qualified. The SOL League Tournament will be held on February 15, giving remaining varsity members the opportunity to qualify for singles.
Mrs. Greiner shares that these unique self-portraits were created by 7th & 8th-grade students from William Penn Middle School.
"Students broke down their portraits into six shape values ranging from light to dark using a method called posterization. Once their portraits were mapped out, they filled each value with a corresponding glitter color. These self-portraits were challenging and fun!"
(Click on the images below to enlarge.)
The Pennsbury Education Foundation (PEF) is dedicated to ensuring the success of all students in the district and recognizes that their needs are diverse. The PEF believes every child deserves the opportunity to learn, be appropriately challenged, and succeed.
A 501(c)(3) organization, the PEF relies on donations from individuals and businesses to support the purpose of improving teaching and learning in Pennsbury through innovative educational initiatives. Grants are awarded to teachers and administrators through an application process that occurs twice each year.
Please consider supporting the PEF with a tax-deductible donation. For more information, please click here.
Parents, Save the Date! Parent Education Night on Youth Social Media Safety
Internationally recognized magician/hypnosis and wellness “edutainer” Robert Hackenson Jr. will be at the PHS East Auditorium on Tuesday, March 22nd from 7pm - 8pm to teach about cyber safety in an unexpected and engaging way for parents.
Hackenson's presentation infuses magic, eye-catching illusions, skits, and more in a way that engages his audience while reinforcing the educational lessons. Every piece of magic, story, video clip, etc. is used to deliver a message and make it memorable, without making light of this serious issue. His presentation helps start a conversation amongst parents and students about social media safety and responsible posting. The audience will leave understanding the importance of thinking before you post.
Hackenson will also be presenting to each level of students in schools on Wednesday, March 23rd.
Pennsbury School District's E-Flyers Page
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. These flyers emanate from local community organizations, sports leagues, scouting groups. and other non-profits. 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.
Pennsbury High School Presents The Music Man!
Limited tickets will be available the day of the show. You can also purchase tickets in-person (cash only) this Tuesday, February 15, from 6:00 - 8:00 pm at the Pennsbury High School East auditorium lobby.
"The Music Man follows fast-talking traveling salesman, Harold Hill, as he cons the people of River City into buying instruments and uniforms for a band that he vows to organize – despite the fact that he doesn't know a trombone from a treble clef! His plans to skip town with the cash are foiled when he falls for Marian, the librarian. Funny, warm, romantic, award-winning, critically acclaimed Broadway classic featuring a nostalgic score of rousing marches, barbershop quartets, and sentimental ballads. The Music Man is family entertainment at its best!
Please note: By purchasing a ticket to this event you agree to be masked while in the building and throughout the show. Pennsbury Gold Cards, Veteran discounts, and Upper Balcony Tickets are ONLY available at the box office on the night of the performance or during in-person sales on Saturday, Feb 5 from 10 - 12 pm and Tuesday, Feb 15 from 6-8 pm at Pennsbury High School East near the auditorium. Masks are required to be worn while in the building.
The Music Man Rehearsal Photos
Pennsbury High School Hall of Fame
We are excited to announce the rollout of the Pennsbury High School Hall of Fame! The PHS Hall of Fame is designed to recognize and honor graduates who have distinguished themselves as contributing members of society. Please click here to nominate an outstanding graduate today!
Pennsbury School District Senior Tax Rebate
The purpose of Pennsbury School District's Senior Tax Rebate is to provide property tax relief to eligible senior citizens residing in the district. Please click here to learn more.
Pennsbury School District Covid-19 Resources
Do you have questions about Covid-19? Click here to view the Pennsbury Covid-19 Resource page.
Superintendent Emails
Giant Feeding Kids Program
Pennsbury School District Community School
There is one week left to register for spring Pennsbury Community School classes! Pennsbury Community School is open to all adults 18 and older and not currently a high school student, whether or not you are a resident of the district. Visit our website to register or click the file below to download the catalog. Then, click on the course name to register.
Yes You Can 5k
Sign up today for the 3rd Annual Yes You Can 5K, Sunday, April 24 at the Pennsbury Middle School Complex! This chip-timed 5K race, organized by Makefield Elementary School, is open to the entire Pennsbury community and benefits all PTO's in the Pennsbury School District. Lace-up your shoes and prepare for a fun-filled day of community, confidence, and wellness!
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About Pennsbury
215-428-4111
Email: publicrelations@pennsburysd.org
Website: www.pennsburysd.org
Location: 134 Yardley Avenue, Fallsington, PA 19058
Phone: (215)-428-4100