News from the Nest
Cardinal Pride in the Upper Dublin School District
August 2022
From Dr. Yanni's Desk...
At the end of every school year, I look at my calendar, thinking about how much time I will have over the summer not only to plan for the upcoming year, but also to catch upon on all of those things we put off until the summer to complete. Each August, I look back at my summer calendar and wonder where the time went! We have had a productive summer, complete with preparing to welcome our students and staff to the 2022-2023 school year.
This newsletter contains a great deal of information; hence, I am keeping my remarks brief. As we begin the 2022-2023 school year we wish all of our students, staff, families, and community members much health and happiness as we end our summer and return to school!
Onward!
Dr. Steve Yanni
Superintendent
New Website Launched August 9, 2022
The New SRMS Opens Soon!
Currently, contractors are working through punch-list items inside the school. Punch-list items are those finishing touches that need to be taken care of after construction. The outdoor site work is currently being completed. Please remember that the SRMS site is currently a demolition/construction zone, and it is not safe to explore those grounds. Thank you to all of our community members for not trespassing on the SRMS site.
Once we have access to ample parking, we hope to schedule community tours so that everyone can enjoy a trip through SRMS as we think about our future! We will also provide a tour to our gracious neighbors whose properties touch the SRMS site. They have been with us every step of the way!
Click here to see pictures of our new Sandy Run Middle School.
Physical Safety & Security Measures
The safety of our students and staff remains a top priority for our District. Below is a summary list of the physical safety measures that we are continuing to take - and those that are increasing/strengthening for SY 2022-2023.
- We will 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.
- We will 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 will help us identify any potential vulnerabilities we have to rectify immediately.
- We will also 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. Please note that we will share information about drills throughout the school year.
- The Upper Dublin Police Department will continue having a presence on our school grounds and in our buildings.
Families will receive updates about building-specific safety and security measures from their Principals.
Behavioral and Emotional Well-Being
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 of the supports were are continuing or increasing for the 2022-2023 school year:
- We will continue providing 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 will also continue providing additional counselor support via our Lakeside counselors. We contract with three (3) of these counselors.
- Our schools will 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 recommit ourselves to School-Wide Positive Behavior. The beginning of the new school year will include direct, explicit teaching of expectations in all building areas. Students are never too young or too old to receive direct, explicit instruction on behavioral expectations.
- Our Student Code of Conduct will continue to emphasize restorative measures, rather than punitive discipline for students.
- We will have additional Student Assistance and mental health supports available throughout the year for students.
- We are expanding our collaboration with service agencies, such as Montgomery County Crisis and Victim Servies of Montgomery County, to provide targeted assistance to students and families when needed.
Crisis and Supportive Resources
Throughout the year, we will share crisis and supportive resources with our families and community. Please consider bookmarking these for easy access should you ever need to access any of the supports included below.
- 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 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.
- Safe Harbor - The Safe Harbor program provides peer support groups for children/teens from 4 to 18 years of age. Children and teens meet peers and their families who have also experienced the death of a parent, primary caregiver, brother, sister, or friend. Participants experience talking circle time and can express their feelings and thoughts through play, art, or music activities in well-equipped and supervised rooms. All groups are facilitated by professional staff members and trained volunteers. A music therapist, art specialist, and animal-assisted therapist are also available to assist our support groups.
New Assistant Principal at Upper Dublin High School
Student Services Leadership Appointments
The Student Services Department has several new members. As we begin the 2022-2023 school year, we look forward to introducing our team members to the entire UDSD community.
- Dr. Cheryl Blankman - Dr. Cheryl Blankman is our new Director of Student Services. She officially joined UDSD on July 1, 2022. Dr. Blankman has extensive experience as a special education case manager and school psychologist. Her background, leadership skills, and proven track record of success in both Pennsylvania and New Jersey school districts will serve her well as she becomes an Upper Dublin Cardinal. Known as an "advocate for students, staff, and families for more than two decades," Dr. Blankman is exceptionally well regarded by her colleagues. We are excited to have Dr. Blankman on our team!
- Ms. Joanna Adelman - Ms. Joanna Adelman will soon join UDSD as a Supervisor of Special Education. She will work primarily at UDHS. Ms. Adelman will join us from the Bucks County Intermediate Unit where she has served as a Program and Training Specialist, responsible for working with several districts on the following processes: Universal Design for Learning and Behavior, Multi-Tiered System of Support, and School-Wide Positive Behavior programming. Prior to her current role, she was a Special Education Program Specialist in the Central Bucks School District, where she was responsible for helping staff write and implement IEPs. Further, she supported the District's Emotional Support, Autistic Support, and Low Incidence programs. Her teaching experience includes serving as an MDS teacher and an Emotional Support teacher. We look forward to welcoming Ms. Adelman soon!
With the hiring of Ms. Adelman, Ms. Char Seiverling will now serve as Supervisor of Special Education, predominantly serving at Sandy Run Middle School. Ms. Sarah Feather will continue her role as a Supervisor of Special Education, providing support primarily at the elementary level. With the Student Services team complete, we we look forward to this team working together for years to come!
We're Looking for Great People to Join Our Team!
- Teaching Positions - High School English; Middle School Special Education
- Educational Support Positions - Educational Assistants, Playground Assistants
- Transportation Department - Drivers and Substitute Drivers
- Food Services - Cooks and General Workers
- Facilities Department - Custodians, Administrative Assistant
- Athletics Department - Various Coaching Positions
- Activities - Various Advisor Positions
Reminders - Important Information & Resources for Families
Communication Resources
- eNotifications - You can sign up for eNotifications from the District to ensure you receive timely communication.
- Pathways of Communication - This document provides direction as to who to contact when you have questions or concerns. By contacting the appropriate District staff members, questions can be answered and concerns can be alleviated in a timely manner.
Construction Updates
- SRMS construction updates will be shared by Dr. Dan Ortiz, Principal, moving forward. Specific questions should be directed to Dr. Ortiz.
- FWES construction updates will be shared by Mr. Shawn McAleer, Principal, moving forward. Specific questions should be directed to Mr. McAleer.
- Athletic facilities/fields updates will come from Mr. Matt Heiland, Athletic Director, moving forward. Specific questions should be directed to Mr. Heiland.
Health and Safety Information
- Health and Safety Plan Overview - This one-page document shares the main points of our HSP.
- Health and Safety Full Plan - This document contains our entire HSP.
Planning Resources
- Online Registration - Our online registration portal remains open. Enrollment for the 2022-2023 school year remains ongoing!
- School Year Calendar - It is hard to believe that the 2022-2023 school year is on the horizon! Our first student day is Tuesday, September 6, 2022. Consider bookmarking the calendar for ease of access in the future.
Important Dates - Mark Your Calendar!
Parents/guardians and families will soon have access to their students' school information. Below are some dates that you will want to mark on your calendar. Parents/guardians and families will receive notifications when the information is available.
- Fall Sports - The fall sports season officially begins on Monday, August 15, 2022. We are excited to see our student-athletes in action over the next few months. We wish all of our student-athletes, coaches, and trainers a successful fall season! Click here to view Mr. Heiland's Athletics Update, and click here to sign up to receive sports schedule updates.
- Transportation Schedules - Transportation schedules will be available on August 16, 2022, at 9:00 AM.
- Schedules (Secondary Students) and Homerooms (Elementary Students) - Secondary students' schedules, and elementary students' homeroom assignments will be available on August 26, 2022, at 12:00 PM.
- Jitters Away (Elementary Only) - Jitters Away will be held at our elementary schools on September 1, 2022, at 2:00 PM.
Contact Information
Email: syanni@udsd.org
Website: www.udsd.org
Phone: (215) 643-8800
Twitter: @UpperDubSuper