The Pennsbury School District
2007-2008
ANNUAL REPORT
www.pennsbury.k12.pa.us
Securing the Future, Together
New Kindergarten Plan Provides
Equity and Extra K
INSIDE:
A Look Back at
2007-2008
School Highlights from
Across the District ............. 2-5
Remembering
Patricia Johnston, Ph.D. ...... 6
Partnerships and Grant
Programs Flourish ................. 7
School Board Member
Profiles ................................ 8-9
News from the
Foundations .................... 10-11
Looking Ahead
at 2008-2009
A Message from
Dr. Long .......................... 12-13
2008-2009 School
Calendar ................................ 14
Budget Approved ................. 15
Editor’s Note: This school year heralds the
dawn of a new kindergarten program across
all elementary schools in Pennsbury. What
follows is a summary detailing the process
leading up to this new approach and a
description of the new “Extra K” educational component.
A Kindergarten Study Steering
Committee was formed in mid-September 2007, following the charge by the
Pennsbury School Board to develop a
committee that would formulate a
proposal for a kindergarten program to
meet the educational needs of Pennsbury students in an equitable manner
across all schools, while remaining
within the constraints of available funds
and facilities.
A committee of administrators,
parents, and teachers was formed after
the School District received more than
100 applications for participation in the
work of the Steering Committee. Meetings began in early October 2007 and
continued through January 7, 2008.
After considering and evaluating more
than 20 options, the Kindergarten Study
Steering Committee acknowledged the
benefits of a full-day kindergarten
program in Pennsbury for all students.
A full-day program offers extra time for
deeper learning opportunities and
sustained social interaction. However,
after detailed analysis, the determination was made that existing facilities and
funding make this unfeasible at the
present time.
As a result, the committee recommended a plan for reduced class size for
all primary classes — defined as kindergarten to second grade — with limited
additional instructional time for kindergarten students. The Kindergarten Study
Steering Committee supported this
comprehensive approach to instruction
at the primary level, stating that this
recommendation provides the development of a strong foundation for all of
Pennsbury’s students.
The additional instructional time,
called “Extra K,” will be provided
between the morning and afternoon
Kindergarten sessions, from 11:50 a.m.
until 12:50 p.m. The program will be
offered on an optional basis in 30-day
segments. Students will be scheduled to
attend one of these sessions during the
course of the school year. Students
assigned to attend morning Kindergarten will stay the extra hour after class;
afternoon Kindergarten students will
arrive an hour early for their Extra K.
Transportation will be provided by the
School District for all participating
students.
(Continued on page 13)
Emergency Notification
System Introduced ............... 16
Looking Ahead to 2008-2009:
Secondary Reading Curriculum Restructured
PHSAA Invitation
to Alumni .............................. 16
A new framework for middle school, a 10th grade reading proficiency course, and
English requirements for grades 9-12 take effect this school year. See pages 12 and
13 for an overview by Dr. Paul Long, Pennsbury’s Chief Executive Officer.
www.pennsbury.k12.pa.us
Annual Report • 1
The Pennsbury School District • A Look Back at 2007-2008
Highlights from Across the District
Each school year, Pennsbury
students achieve remarkable accomplishments in academic, athletic,
artistic and musical arenas. They also
participate in a variety of activities,
community service efforts and
fundraisers. Following is a brief
summary of just a few highlights from
the 2007-2008 year.
PENNSBURY HIGH SCHOOL
Choirs Perform “Carmina Burana”
at the Gewandhaus
Vocal music coordinator Jim Moyer
led a group of 98 students representing several Pennsbury High School
choirs to Leipzig, Germany for a
performance of a lifetime. The students sang the classic “Carmina
Burana” by Carl Orff in tandem with
the Leipzig Youth Orchestra and the
Amici Musicae singers under the
direction of German Maestro Ron
Dirk Entleutner. In addition to this
performance, the students had the
opportunity to travel and perform at
other cultural destinations such as
Prague in the Czech Republic and
Salzburg, Austria. The partnership
between Pennsbury and the Amici
Musicae group marks the beginning
of a continuing series of musical
exchange visits.
Marching Band Visits Hong Kong
Under the direction of Frank
Mazzeo, the Pennsbury Marching
Band traveled to Hong Kong in late
March to appear as the featured halftime entertainment during the popular Hong Kong Sevens international
rugby tournement. The world-famous
band also marched down Main Street
in Hong Kong Disneyland, making it
the only high school band of its type
to travel the world and perform at
every Disney theme park. The parents’ Band Boosters group oversaw an
impressive year-long fundraising
campaign to help the students make
Annual Report • 2
Used with permission
News Chopper 3 captured this spectacular view over Pennsbury’s commencement ceremonies in June.
the trip as well as to fund the shipment of their instruments overseas.
Falcon Strings Play Carnegie Hall
The Falcon Strings, directed by
instrumental music teacher Walt
Evanowicz, performed at New York’s
Carnegie Hall in the National Band
and Orchestra Festival in June, 2008.
Previously, this talented group of
string musicians received the
Adjudicator’s Choice Award and the
National Orchestra’s Cup at Lincoln
Center.
Challenge Day at PHS
The internationally-known “Challenge Day” program was introduced
at Pennsbury High School in the
spring, with 170 students and 25
adults participating over a two-day
period. The students were in ninth,
tenth and eleventh grades and the
adults included teachers, administrators, counselors, psychologists, and
School Director Linda Palsky. The
thematic goal of Challenge Day is
stated this way by the non-profit
organization: “Imagine a school
where every child feels safe, loved
and celebrated; where bullying,
violence and other forms of oppression are things of the past. This is the
work of Challenge Day.” To maintain
some of the ties formed in the program, and to introduce the Challenge
Day concepts to others, a new group
was formed at Pennsbury High
School known as H.I.P. (Humanity in
Progress). Comprised of students,
faculty and administrators, the group
will develop activities and learning
opportunities to foster connections in
the Pennsbury community and to
further develop the basic tenets of
Challenge Day. PHS Assistant
Principal Robert Johnson, Administrative Intern Reggie Meadows and
Social Studies teacher Mary
Cherepko spent many months
researching the program to bring it
to Pennsbury.
Graduation Seating Spells “PHS”
For the first time in the school’s
history, the Pennsbury High School
commencement exercises were
enhanced with a special seating
pattern that allowed the boys in black
gowns to spell out the letters “PHS”
against a backdrop of white formed
by the girls in their gowns. The
computer program necessary to
engineer the seating arrangement was
designed by three AP computer
science students led by department
chairman Ray Hendrickson. The
students, all seniors, were Joshua
www.pennsbury.k12.pa.us
The Pennsbury School District • A Look Back at 2007-2008
Highlights from Across the District
Ewing, Brian Jacobson and Brian
Sirovetz.
MIDDLE SCHOOLS
Charles Boehm Middle School
Members of Charles Boehm’s
National Junior Honor Society helped
all students in the school observe
National Veterans’ Awareness Week
through educational morning announcements. The week culminated
with the second annual luncheon for
area veterans, during which VFW Post
6393 Commander Chris Desmond
recognized three seventh grade students who were winners in the Patriot’s
Pen Essay Contest. Cassidy Williams
placed first and Tyler Moeller and
Hannah Papazian tied for second place.
The students received savings bonds
and gift certificates for their efforts.
The Charles Boehm Student Council
spearheaded a fundraiser tie-in with the
American Cancer Society’s Daffodil
Days in March. The students sold
daffodils (the flower of hope) during
lunches with the help of Student
Council Advisors Lynn Gordon,
Michelle Meehan and Daffodil Day
coordinator Ruth Levan. Altogether, the
students and staff bought 1,000 flowers
and raised over $900. Seventy five cents
of every dollar went toward helping
patients in Bucks County, while the
remainder went toward research. The
effort also made it possible for one
pediatric cancer patient to attend
summer camp.
Swanson and Joyce Bigley.
The Pennwood Co–ed Track & Field
Team, coached by Physical Education
teachers Brian Davis and John Daidone,
competed at the 40th annual Kiwanis
Invitational Track Tournament against
the top Middle School Track Teams in
Southeastern Pennsylvania. The boys’
4 x 400 relay team, including Eric
Brennan, Adam Lewis, Chris Wall, and
Ethan Paraboschi, and the girls’ 4 x 400
relay team, consisting of Sara Sargent,
Audrey Stringer, Paige Bayer, and
Zakiyyah Richardson, both broke the
All–Time Records, running the fastest
times in the 40-year history of the
Tournament. Pennwood also won the
Tiger Classic Track Tournament,
breaking the record for most team
points ever scored. This was the 3rd
consecutive year that Pennwood has
gone undefeated, raising their win total
to 43 – 0.
William Penn Middle School
In a year-long effort, William Penn
Middle School families raised a total of
$10,000 for Alex’s Lemonade Stand, a
charitable group founded to help find a
cure for pediatric cancer. The organization is named in honor of Alex Scott, a
young child who was diagnosed with
the disease and sold lemonade to help
raise funds to fight it. Alex’s mother,
Liz Scott, was on hand to accept the
school’s check as the fundraiser drew to
a close. Presenters included Portland
Thomas, Sarah Hludzinski, Michael
Gallagher, Joanne Egan, Marisa
Borusiewicz, and Sylvia Biscoveanu.
The student body also paid special
recognition to the family of Melissa
Carrell, a substitute nurse at the school
whose own daughter, 7-year-old Mia, is
being treated for the same illness. It was
little Mia’s courage that inspired the
William Penn students and faculty to
conduct their highly successful, yearlong fundraiser.
Congressman Patrick Murphy was a
special guest for eighth graders at
William Penn Middle School in conjunction with a presentation on the
current situation in the African region
of Darfur. Seventh grader Adele
Goldberg presented a project she
researched on the subject. The day of
his visit also happened to be the
Congressman’s birthday and after his
remarks, the eighth graders joined him
in a special celebration.
ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS
Afton Elementary School
As Pennsbury marks its 60th anniversary in 2008, Afton Elementary
Pennwood Middle School
The Lockheed Martin Commercial
Space Systems “Women in Engineering” Program took place again this year
in February. A total of 47 young female
participants who excel in math and
science visited the Lockheed Martin
campus in Newtown twice to meet with
female engineers and to design their
own catapults. This annual Pennsbury
Partners Program is coordinated on-site
at Pennwood by science teachers Jamie
www.pennsbury.k12.pa.us
The Pennwood Co-ed Track & Field Team enjoyed an impressive year.
Annual Report • 3
The Pennsbury School District • A Look Back at 2007-2008
Highlights from Across the District
celebrated its 10th year during the
spring with a special gala and art
auction at the Northampton Valley
Country Club. The Afton PTO organized the anniversary party as a
fundraiser to improve technology at
the school. Over $21,000 was raised
for the purchase of a mobile computer
lab. The gala, attended by over 150
people, was truly a memorable and
meaningful event for the Afton
community.
Edgewood Elementary School
The past school year saw incredible
generosity from the families of
Edgewood Elementary School. In the
spring, a representative from the
Leukemia & Lymphoma Society was
on hand to accept the school’s $10,
613 donation to the Society. Students
Ryan McHenry and Marissa Slaven
represented the student body in
presenting their check to Ms. Lauren
Lawson. The school was recognized
by the Society for the highest
fundraising total in Eastern Pennsylvania. What makes it even more
remarkable is that the total amount
was achieved in just nine days. This
charitable donation was in addition to
the 700 toys collected for the Marines’
Toys for Tots campaign during the
holidays and the 40 food baskets
prepared by the faculty and students
for the United Way at Thanksgiving.
Eleanor Roosevelt
Elementary School
Principal Bob Wurst challenged the
student body at his school to read all
year long and in return, Mr. Wurst
agreed during the last week of school
to kiss a special guest — Karabelle,
the Pig! The students clearly wanted
to see this occur, as their end-of-year
reading totals were most impressive:
first graders read 14,042 books,
second graders declared that they
read 12,275 books, and third graders
read 4,122 books. Fourth and fifth
Annual Report • 4
instructional arts program for children emphasizing musicianship
training and vocal study for the
cultural enrichment of its members
and the community.
Manor Elementary School
Mr. Wurst made a new friend named Karabelle.
graders kept a log of how many
minutes they devoted to reading
during the school year, with both
grade levels exceeding 300,000
minutes each. Not only did Mr. Wurst
kiss Karabelle, but he also rolled
around in mud for the students.
Karabelle, who looked freshly washed
and pampered for her big moment,
did not join Mr. Wurst in the mud pit.
Fallsington Elementary School
A generous donation by Exelon
Generation funded an after-school
enrichment program on Thursdays
throughout February at Fallsington.
Funds from the local energy company
helped pay for staff, supplies and
transportation for the 120 student
participants. This was the second year
of the winter enrichment program at
Fallsington. Exelon is an awardwinning member of the Pennsbury
Partners Program (see article on page
7 in this issue).
Makefield Elementary School
Five of vocal music teacher Lindsay
Linderman’s 4th grade students at
Makefield were accepted into the
Pennsylvania Youth Chorale: Tessa
Ramsey, Georgia McCullough, Noah
Smith and Evan O’Rourke. The Youth
Chorale is a community children’s
choir based in Bucks and Montgomery Counties for boys and girls ages
seven to fifteen. Founded in 1977, the
choir is an educational and civic
The Pennsbury music curriculum
places an emphasis on authentic,
meaningful assessment. Students are
expected to be active musicians and
attain a high level of proficiency in
reading and notating music during
their elementary years. This past
school year, Manor music teacher
Laurie Gougher led her students
through a year-long project in which
they were asked to create a musical
theater production. Inspired by the
familiar novel, The Wizard of Oz,
students wrote original instrumental
music and three new songs during
music class and also during their
lunch periods. In addition to the
original class songs, 16 students
composed new solos for their characters. Ms. Gougher reports that students applied virtually every concept
studied during their years at Manor in
completing this task. The original
musical was performed for fellow
Manor students, parents and the
community in April.
Oxford Valley Elementary School
In tandem with numerous reading
initiatives, many Pennsbury schools
form Reading Olympics Teams each
year to compete with other area
schools. Oxford Valley sent two teams
to the Bucks County Reading Olympics in April this year. The students
read from a list of 45 books and met
weekly with their teams to share and
discuss the books. Representing
Oxford Valley were The Book Busters,
coached by Mrs. Gallagher and Mrs.
Tuohy. A second team, known as We
the Readers, was coached by Mrs.
Brennan-Watson, Mrs. Jacko, and
Mrs. Ortolano.
www.pennsbury.k12.pa.us
The Pennsbury School District • A Look Back at 2007-2008
Highlights from Across the District
Penn Valley Elementary School
The students in Jennifer
Kochersperger’s fourth grade class
achieved first place honors in the
regional Phanatic Reading Program,
earning them a special school-wide
appearance by the Phillie Phanatic
in April. To win the competition,
Miss K’s students each devoted at
least 30 minutes to reading every
day. As they completed each book,
the students filled in Miss K’s
special “Play-by-Play” summary
forms. The entire Penn Valley
student body shared in the excitement with their teachers and
principal, Dr. Peggy Schiavone.
Quarry Hill Elementary School
An elaborate tile mural depicting
the seasons and stages of learning
adorns an outside wall at Quarry
Hill after four months of patient,
detailed work by artist David
Woods. Assisting Woods throughout the process were the school’s 630
students, faculty and alumni. In
February, a special ribbon-cutting
ceremony marked the dedication of
the tile mural as part of a year-long
celebration of the school’s 50th
anniversary. In addition to donated
materials, the wall was made possible through a variety of funding
sources, including a grant from the
Pennsylvania Council on the Arts as
well as the Pennsbury Arts Foundation, the Quarry Hill PTO, the
Student Council and Tinkermen’s
Construction Company. The school’s
“second generation” – children of
alumni – had the honor of cutting
the ribbon at the mural’s dedication.
Village Park Elementary School
Each year, students across Pennsbury participate in the “Elementary
Students Go to Work” program,
which is organized by Lisa
Macdonald, School to Career
Coordinator. At Village Park, fifth
www.pennsbury.k12.pa.us
graders were dispatched in groups
of two to five students to various
local businesses to work and job
shadow for the day. Students gained
on-the-job training in such fields as
retail, hotel and restaurant management, grocery and pharmacy
operations.
Walt Disney Elementary School
The Pennsylvania Historical
Museum Commission has announced
that Pennsbury’s Walt Disney Elementary School is now listed on the
National Register of Historic Places.
Built in 1955, the school was visited
by its world-famous namesake for a
special dedication ceremony. Throngs
of area residents greeted Walt Disney
at the Levittown train station. To the
delight of the students, the animator
brought several life-size Disney
characters with him for an assembly
in the school’s custom-decorated
“Little Theater.” In 2007, Disney’s
daughter, Diane, visited the school for
a special re-dedication ceremony after
major renovations were completed.
SPORTS HIGHLIGHTS
Pennsbury teams excel in
interscholastic competitions every
year, and 2007-2008 was no
exception. Last year:
In the Fall, the Girls’ Tennis
Team earned a record of 20-3 and
placed third in the State Championships after becoming PIAA
District 1 Champions.
During the Winter, the Boys’
Basketball Team had a recordbreaking 30-3 season and made it
to the Final 4 State Championships.
In the Spring, the Boys’ Volleyball Team had an outstanding 222 season and won the PIAA
District 1 Championship.
Congratulations to all of our
stellar athletes!
CLASSROOMS FOR
THE FUTURE
This past school year, the
Pennsbury School District was
awarded a $1.17 million dollar
grant from the Pennsylvania
Department of Education through
the Classrooms for the Future (CFF)
project, designed to equip the state’s
high schools for the digital age.
This grant, representing the largest
competitive grant in Pennsbury’s
history, provided state-of-the-art
instructional technology and
professional development to
Pennsbury High School for 48
teachers of math, science and social
studies classes. The Classrooms for
the Future program is creating 21st
century learning environments
which students find more engaging
and relevant to their world – two
critical components to boosting
student achievement.
CFF puts a laptop on every
student’s desk and provides
teachers with extensive training and
“smart classrooms” equipped with
Promethean interactive white
boards, teacher laptops, printers,
webcams, and projectors – all useful
for teaching and learning.
Pennsbury administrators and
teachers recognize student-centered, collaborative work as a
research-proven strategy to increase
student performance. Teachers are
changing their delivery methods
and students are changing the way
they learn in a more hands-on,
activity-based classroom. The
standards-based curriculum content
remains the same with the addition
of skills such as critical thinking and
problem-solving. Students will use
technology and communication
tools to present, publish, and share
results of their learning. Based on
these integrated lessons, Pennsbury
students will be better prepared for
tomorrow’s higher education and
workforce opportunities.
Annual Report • 5
The Pennsbury School District • A Look Back at 2007-2008
Remembering Patricia Johnston, Ph.D.
In July, 2008, the Pennsbury School
District lost a respected administrator
with a passion for children’s education.
Dr. Patricia Johnston served Pennsbury
from 1998 – 2008, most recently as
Assistant Superintendent, Curriculum
and Instruction, K-12. Over the course
of her distinguished career, Pat established herself as a visionary leader in
education who remained on the cutting
edge of the latest educational practice
and theory.
“Pat truly personified the spirit of
Pennsbury,” said Dr. Paul Long, Chief
Executive Officer. “She inspired many
with her educational leadership, not
only in Pennsbury, but also at area
colleges and universities. We will miss
her very much.”
A colleague, friend and mentor to
hundreds of educational professionals,
Pat was considered a teacher of teachers. Her emphasis on training and
development knew no bounds as she
advocated for bringing the best ideas to
the School District.
“The rigor of the Pennsbury curriculum and the data-driven assessment
systems in place reflect the visionary
work of Pat Johnston,” said School
Board president Gregory Lucidi.
“Pennsbury was lucky to have Pat for
the ten years she spent here as an
inspirational administrator and educational leader. She served as a guiding
force throughout her career, marking
every decision with fairness, diplomacy
Annual Report • 6
and an acute sense of good judgment.
The students of this district will benefit
from her fine work for many years to
come.”
In addition to her influential work in
Pennsbury, Pat was also an adjunct
assistant professor at the University of
Pennsylvania, where she fostered the
careers of educators from across the
country. She was often invited to
lecture on current educational topics
and trends at other institutions of
higher learning.
Pat’s colleagues will attest to the fact
that one of the most prominent things
for which she will be remembered at
Pennsbury is “The Wheel.” A circular
diagram that helped teachers understand the constant interplay among
curriculum, standards, and assessment
to promote student achievement, this
symbol also came to represent the deep
commitment to academic excellence
that was Pat’s heartfelt mission.
“Dr. Johnston’s positive influence
and trademark grace have left an
everlasting imprint on our School
District and our hearts,” said Penn
Valley Elementary Principal Dr. Peggy
Schiavone. “She will be deeply missed.”
A new department of Curriculum
and Instruction for kindergarten
through 12th grade was created when
Pat joined the Pennsbury administration in 1998. Under her leadership, the
School District established clear goals
for improving education for
Pennsbury’s nearly 12,000 students. Pat
created procedures for implementation
of the No Child Left Behind legislation.
She also worked individually with each
of the School District’s 16 principals to
develop their goals and objectives and
evaluated their performance. She was
responsible for the coordination and
articulation of the K-12 curriculum,
implementation of appropriate instructional strategies, and also oversaw the
continuous cycles of curriculum
renewal in each subject area. Pat
developed a team of Curriculum
Coordinators to facilitate the School
District’s implementation of standardsbased education, and annually assembled a group of Demonstration
Teachers to help faculty members
witness outstanding practices and
classroom techniques first-hand.
Pat’s staunch support for professional development reflected her belief
that equipping teachers with state-ofthe-art knowledge and training leads to
creating the best possible educational
environment for students. Her work in
initiating the data-driven decision
making movement in Pennsbury has
now evolved into the establishment of a
data culture that will help target
instruction for students. Many of Pat’s
educational initiatives demonstrated
how she felt every child deserved a
program geared toward personal
achievement and success. For example,
Literacy Teams were formed in schools
where there might be a demonstrated
need for extra involvement by such
professionals as the principal, reading
specialist and teacher volunteers. The
teams would first analyze testing data
and then develop goals and action
plans to target improvement in reading
and writing. The Literacy Team concept
reflects just one example of Pat’s many
lasting legacies in Pennsbury. Her
leadership and expertise influenced
every teacher in every Pennsbury
school. Other accomplishments included:
• Implementing reading courses
at PHS to improve students’
proficiency.
• Directing the realignment of the
sequence of mathematics study at
PHS to increase the rigor of
mathematics courses.
• Integrating reading and English
curricula and revised foreign
language courses at the middle
schools to improve reading
proficiency of students.
• Implementing formative literacy
(Continued on page 11)
www.pennsbury.k12.pa.us
The Pennsbury School District • A Look Back at 2007-2008
Partnerships and Grant Programs Flourish in Pennsbury
The Pennsbury
Partners Program
(PPP) has forged over
1000 partnerships
with businesses and
local community
organizations during
the last decade for the benefit of Pennsbury students. These partnerships
enable the School District to:
• demonstrate real-life applications
of the Pennsbury curriculum;
• offer opportunities for students
to provide community service;
• offer mentoring programs and
other career awareness and
development activities to prepare
students for satisfying careers.
Each partnership helps to prepare
students for higher education and the
workforce of our future.
In addition, partnerships may help
provide services, products and expertise
to schools and students at reduced or no
cost. This year, grantsmanship has been
formally included in the program.
Pennsbury’s grantmakers are, or will be,
our future partners. They offer alternative funding to implement creative and
innovative ideas that enrich the standard
curriculum or meet un-funded needs in
the classroom.
For businesses and local community
members, partnerships provide a
“hands-on” role in the education of
future employees and consumers.
Partnerships offer business leaders and
their employees opportunities to
contribute to their community.
On-Line Database for Teachers
Thanks to the contributions of
teachers, staff members, and especially
Pennbury’s partners, approximately 115
community-business partnership
activities were reported online through
the Partnership Activity Knowledgebase
(PAK) during the 2007-2008 school year.
The interactive PAK database, which
debuted in June, 2008, is available to all
Pennsbury teachers to leverage existing
partnership relationships and provide
www.pennsbury.k12.pa.us
ideas to form new ones. PAK is searchable by subject, grade level, and activities. An alphabetical listing of partners is
also available.
9th Annual Partnership
Recognition Dinner & Sponsors
Over 130 guests attended the 9th
Annual PPP Recognition Dinner in the
spring of 2008. Partners had an opportunity to network and exchange ideas with
Pennsbury teachers and administrators
as well as members of the business,
government, non-profit and academic
communities.
The 2007-2008 PPP Recognition
Awards were presented to the outstanding school/business and school/
non-profit partnerships:
• Exelon Generation and
Fallsington Elementary School.
This corporate partner funded a
variety of activities this year for
Fallsington Elementary as its
“adopted” school, including a
weekly after-school winter
enrichment program, teaching
materials, as well as transportation for the 120 participating
students.
• Newtown Chamber Orchestra
and Pennsbury School District.
The non-profit Newtown Chamber Orchestra (NCO) conducted
on-site concerts and teaching
demonstrations across Pennsbury
throughout the academic year,
introducing students to the work
of Beethoven, Bach, and Brahms.
Additionally, Pennsbury High
School’s Falcon Strings had the
honor of inaugurating NCO’s
free community concert titled
“Kids Connect to the Classics,”
held at the high school on
March 9, 2008.
Special thanks goes to Exelon Generation – Gold Sponsor of the Pennsbury
Partners Program this year – and to inkind sponsors, The Bucks County
Courier Times, Metz & Associates, Ltd.,
and Carisma, LLC.
Additional thanks goes to other
financial supporters of the Pennsbury
Partners Program: Commerce Bank,
Faridy Veisz Fraytak, First National
Bank & Trust Co. of Newtown,
McCaffrey’s Markets, Waste Management, Ameriprise Financial Advisor
Bonnie Abrams, Nancy Russell Energy
Therapy, The Hibbert Group, Snipes
Farm, William R. Urban & Associates,
Yardley Flower Company, Arkema, Inc.,
Levittown-Fairless Hills Rotary, New
Jersey Department of Transportation,
Bucks County Community College, and
Bucks County Workforce Investment
Board. These funds will be used to
support the PPP Mini-Grants for the
2008-2009 school year.
School Partnership Mini-Grants
During the 2007-2008 school year, ten
schools were awarded PPP mini-grants
in the amount of $500. Mini-grant funds
paid for partnership activities (with
appropriate curriculum tie-ins) at the
following schools:
1. Afton Elementary School – “Earth
Day Every Day” (Science)
2. Edgewood Elementary School –
Cultural Olympics (Physical fitness,
Art, Music, Social Studies, Reading/
Language Arts, and Writing)
3. Eleanor Roosevelt Elementary
School – Courtyard Beautification
(Science and Reading)
4. Fallsington Elementary School –
Two community outreach celebrations
(Introducing Community Service and
Character Values). Healthy Eating &
Healthy Learning (Wellness & Nutrition, “Foods from Home” standard)
5. Makefield Elementary School –
“Walk Across America” event utilizing
pedometers (Physical Education and
Math)
6. Penn Valley Elementary School –
“Miles of Smiles” event utilizing
pedometers (Wellness, Physical
Education, Math, Reading/Language
Arts, Writing, Communication skills)
(Continued on page 15)
Annual Report • 7
The Pennsbury School District • A Look Back at 2007-2008
School Board Member Profiles
GREGORY LUCIDI, JR.
PRESIDENT
OCCUPATION:
• Computer Operations Manager, NJ
Division of Law
• Part-time Adjunct Faculty, Holy
Family University
EDUCATION:
• AAS, Mercer County Community
College, General Business
• BA, Holy Family University, Computer
Management Information Systems
• MS, Holy Family University,
Information Systems Management
LENGTH OF SCHOOL BOARD SERVICE:
• 4 years
RESIDENCE:
• Falls Township, School Board Region 2
ARLENE GORDON
VICE-PRESIDENT
RICHARD B. JOHNSON
ASSISTANT SECRETARY
OCCUPATION:
• Human Resource Manager, Penndel
Mental Health Center
EDUCATION:
• BS, Bradley University, Peoria, IL
LENGTH OF SCHOOL BOARD SERVICE:
• 18 years
RESIDENCE:
• Lower Makefield Township,
School Board Region 1
OCCUPATION:
• Retired
EDUCATION:
• BA, Yale University
• MBA, Columbia University
LENGTH OF SCHOOL BOARD SERVICE:
• 14 years
RESIDENCE:
• Lower Makefield Township,
School Board Region 3
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
WAYNE DEBLASIO
GENE DOLNICK
HOWARD GOLDBERG
OCCUPATION:
• Business Owner
EDUCATION:
• High School
• Tech School, 4 years
LENGTH OF SCHOOL BOARD SERVICE:
• 2001-2005, 2007RESIDENCE:
• Falls Township, School Board Region 2
OCCUPATION:
• Retired
EDUCATION:
• BS, Pennsylvania State University,
Education
• MS, Temple University, Special
Education
• Post-graduate work in education and
administration
LENGTH OF SCHOOL BOARD SERVICE:
• 18 years
RESIDENCE:
• Lower Makefield Township,
School Board Region 1
OCCUPATION:
• Attorney
EDUCATION:
• BA, Haverford College, Economics, 1988
• JD, New York University School of
Law, 1994
• LLM, New York University School of
Law, Taxation, 1995
LENGTH OF SCHOOL BOARD SERVICE:
• 2 years
RESIDENCE:
• Lower Makefield Township,
School Board Region 3
[email protected]
[email protected]
Annual Report • 8
[email protected]
www.pennsbury.k12.pa.us
The Pennsbury School District • A Look Back at 2007-2008
School Board Member Profiles
ADELE GOVERNATORE
LINDA PALSKY
GARY SANDERSON
OCCUPATION:
• Educator and Businesswoman
EDUCATION:
• BS, Temple University, Education
• MS, Temple University, Education
LENGTH OF SCHOOL BOARD SERVICE:
• 6 years
RESIDENCE:
• Lower Makefield Township,
School Board Region 1
OCCUPATION:
• Registered nurse; work with
husband’s pediatric practice
EDUCATION:
• Albany Medical Center Hospital,
Albany, NY
• Adirondack Community College,
Glens Falls, NY
LENGTH OF SCHOOL BOARD SERVICE:
• 10 years
RESIDENCE:
• Lower Makefield Township,
School Board Region 3
OCCUPATION:
• Environmental Specialist, NJ
Department of Environmental
Protection
EDUCATION:
• BS, SUNY, College of Environmental
Science and Forestry, Syracuse, NY
Majors: Resource Management and
Forest Biology
LENGTH OF SCHOOL BOARD SERVICE:
• Elected to office 2007
RESIDENCE:
• Falls Township, School Board Region 2
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
The Board of School Directors meets regularly at 8:00 pm. Meetings are held in the Multi-Purpose Room at the School District Administration Building,
134 Yardley Avenue, Fallsington. The first meeting of the month sets an agenda for the regular meeting. The second meeting is a regular meeting at which
the Board transacts business. The public is invited to attend meetings. Public comment is accepted at both meetings. Please refer to the Activity Calendar
of the Pennsbury School District or www.pennsbury.k12.pa.us for the Board Meeting Schedule and other information about the School Directors.
Contact Information:
Chief Executive Officer ........................................................................... Paul B. Long, Ed.D. ............................ 215-428-4111
Assistant Superintendent of Administration K-12 ............................. Donald E. Harm .................................. 215-428-4199
Interim Director of Curriculum & Instruction K-12 ........................... Kevin J. McHugh, Ed.D. .................... 215-428-4196
Business Administrator ........................................................................... Isabel Miller ........................................ 215-428-4115
Director of Special Education ................................................................. Diane Paul ............................................ 215-428-4186
Director of Human Resources ................................................................ Bettie Ann Rarrick .............................. 215-428-4139
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Administrative Services Director .......................................................... Sherwood Taylor, Jr. .......................... 215-428-4181
Athletics Coordinator & Assistant Principal-PHS West .................... Shawn Neely ....................................... 215-949-6862
Communications Coordinator ............................................................... Ann Langtry ......................................... 215-428-4178
Community Partnerships and Grants Coordinator ............................ Christine Zervos, Ph.D. ..................... 215-428-4217
Financial Services Director ..................................................................... Joanne J. Godzieba ............................. 215-428-4127
Informational Technology Director ....................................................... Daniel DiLorenzo ............................... 215-428-4116
Physical Plant & Facilities Director ....................................................... Thomas P. Gillette .............................. 215-428-4162
Purchasing Agent ..................................................................................... William Reed ....................................... 215-428-4156
Special Education Supervisor (K-5) ...................................................... Peter Kurtzer, Ph.D. ........................... 215-428-4100
Special Education Supervisor (6-8) ....................................................... Beverly Ryan ....................................... 215-428-4200
Special Education Supervisor (9-12) ..................................................... Kelly Lambert ...................................... 215-428-4201
Transportation Director ........................................................................... Charles Williams ................................ 215-428-4163
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Food Services Director (Metz) ................................................................ Stephen Kline ...................................... 215-949-6820
Kids Care ................................................................................................... Richard Jadico ..................................... 215-230-3445
www.pennsbury.k12.pa.us
Annual Report • 9
The Pennsbury School District • A Look Back at 2007-2008
Pennsbury Scholarship Foundation Awards
$120,000 to 46 Students
The Pennsbury Scholarship Foundation
awarded $120,000 to 46 Pennsbury graduates for the 2008-2009 school year. More
than 100 people attended a reception in June
to recognize the scholarship recipients.
The evening’s program included remarks
Alicia
from Alicia Fuscellaro, a 2003 Pennsbury
Fuscellaro
graduate and previous scholarship recipient.
Ms. Fuscellaro spoke about how the scholarship she
received motivated her to believe that she could be successful. She also stressed the importance of giving back,
saying “My award from the Pennsbury Scholarship
Foundation taught me a lesson about giving back to the
community which has given so much to me.”
Ms. Fuscellaro concluded her remarks by presenting a
check to President Robert H. McLaren for her complete
loan repayment, together with a generous donation.
Now in its 52nd year of existence, the PSF has awarded
over $1,800,000 to more than 1,150 Pennsbury graduates.
The awards, which are one-half grant and one-half zero
interest loan, are based on four equally weighted criteria:
academic record, financial need, character and leadership.
These scholarships are partially funded by donations
from members of the Pennsbury community who also
want to help students in their quest for post-secondary
education. As a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, all
donations to the Pennsbury Scholarship Foundation are
tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law.
For additional information, please contact the Pennsbury Scholarship Foundation at (215) 428-4145 or email
[email protected].
2008 Pennsbury Scholarship Foundation Recipients
Front Row: Rachel Margolis, Zari Salimnejad (Nate DeTample
Memorial Scholarship), Melissa Alexander (Clayton W. Mills Memorial
Scholarship), Julia Watson, Laura Caligiuri (Edith Allen Memorial
Scholarship), Stephanie Nocito (Dr. Cynthia Schaffer Memorial Scholarship), Brittany Kobal, Alexandra Miller (Brenda Carlen Zellner Memorial
Scholarship), Carly Warren.
Back Row: Christian Wedekind (Bill Godshalk “Hartmann &
Friends” Memorial Scholarship), Beau Lachance, Glenn Aust, Zachary
Bates, Adam Hamberg (Dr. Cynthia Schaffer Memorial Scholarship),
Sawyer Bernath (Joan Falconi Farrell Memorial Scholarship), James
Laskowski, Lauren Mascibroda (Anne Ehrenhardt Nolting Memorial
Scholarship), Christine Luby, Alexandra Welch (Warren H. Gift
Memorial Scholarship).
Not Pictured: Amit Bhandutia, Brittany Bigley, Jenine Boileau,
Svetlana Chudnovski, Andrew D’Agostino (Nate DeTample Memorial
Scholarship), Patrick Champey (Garrett Montgomery Memorial Scholarship), Lindsay Chiarello, Kevin Clark (Bill Godshalk “Philadelphia 76ers”
Memorial Scholarship), Max Cove (F. Glenn Breen Memorial Scholarship),
Zachary Drummond, Carolyn Fafara, Josie Ferri (Scott Noel Gitomer
Memorial Scholarship), Jacob Friedman, Katelyn Grubb, Yumna Hamid
(Bill Godshalk “Bond & Grace Maureen Godshalk Family & Friends”
Memorial Scholarship), Amanda Klock, Harrison Kratz, Lindsey
McNeil, Melanie Perlstein, Allison Pfender, Rishabh Phukan, Teri
Price (Chad Stein Memorial Scholarship), Lisa Rake, Thomas Reedman,
Madeline Rosnick (Peter Dierks Memorial Scholarship), Christopher
Shellhamer (Hank Keller Memorial Scholarship).
Two New Namesake Scholarships Established
Hank Keller Memorial Scholarship – (December 2007 by Wendy Keller, Al & Janis Keller, Family, Friends
and Colleagues) Hank was a 1969 graduate of Pennsbury and a teacher from 1975 until 2006. He was
involved with the Theatrical Program and the Service Learning Program at Pennsbury. He wanted the
kids to think about others and to give back to make the world a better place. Hank ended each class with
his favorite saying, “Go be the good people.” He followed in his parents’ footsteps as a teacher and was
very proud of the Keller family legacy at Pennsbury.
Hank Keller
Nate DeTample Memorial Scholarship - (November 2007 by the Makefield Women’s Association & the
Pennsbury Community) Nate, a 2004 Pennsbury graduate, was Killed In Action in 2005 outside of Bayji,
Iraq while serving with the Pennsylvania Army National Guard. This is the second endowed scholarship
donated in his memory. It was made possible through an outpouring of contributions from the Pennsbury
community, and particularly the Makefield Women’s Association, who donated the proceeds from their
2006 and 2007 Yardley Harvest Day fundraisers. Additionally, the students at Makefield Elementary
School have raised money toward Nate’s scholarship over the past several years through their annual
Nate DeTample “Walk to Remember” fundraiser.
Annual Report • 10
www.pennsbury.k12.pa.us
The Pennsbury School District • A Look Back at 2007-2008
Ralph Nuzzolo Joins Arts Foundation Board
Former Pennsbury Superintendent Ralph Nuzzolo recently joined the executive board of the Pennsbury Arts Foundation
(PAF), a non-profit he envisioned and nurtured while serving as Superintendent for the School District. Former Pennsbury
School Board Director Michielle Deis now leads the foundation, following the tenure of outgoing president David Yantz.
A non-profit since 1998, the Pennsbury Arts Foundation links the arts to learning by providing mini-grants to enrich
Pennsbury student achievement. As an enhancement to Pennsbury’s nationally recognized visual and performing arts
curricula, the PAF awards grants of up to $500 to teachers demonstrating creative means to bring the arts to any content area.
Teachers may apply for the grants in September and January and the awards are disbursed on a semi-annual basis. Since the
first PAF mini-grants were awarded in the spring of 2001, the PAF has provided over 85 grants amounting to more than
$40,000.
The PAF will host its fourth annual Art Auction on Saturday, October 25th at the Lower Bucks Masonic Hall in Lower
Makefield to raise funds for student programs. The art preview begins at 6:00pm and the auction starts at 7:00pm.
To volunteer for the PAF or to learn more about the organization’s Art Auction event, e-mail [email protected] or
phone 215-499-5350. To make a tax-deductible donation, visit www.pennsburyarts.org.
Education Foundation Marks An Important Year
The 2007-2008 school year proved to be a momentous one for the Pennsbury Education
Foundation (PEF). The first annual Lendo Fellowships were awarded to five deserving
students participating in Pennsbury programs or curricular extension projects. The
Fellowship Program was made possible through a generous endowment established by
Dr. Arthur Lendo ’64 (pictured, at center with PEF President Liz Siporin) to honor
Lendo’s parents and three uncles who served in the military. This year’s fellowship
recipients included, from left, Brian Dratch ‘11, Alexa Dobre ’10, Mollie French ’09, Bailey
Commander ’08, and Megan Fulmer ’10.
In addition to the Fellowship Program, the PEF raises funds through an annual corporate event planned in conjunction
with the businesses in the Keystone Industrial Port Complex. This fruitful alliance has allowed the PEF to disburse monies to
help support curricular and instructional needs for the past several years. During the 2007-2008 year, funds were granted to
support the following Pennsbury-related programs: Technology Education, Robotics II ($7,500); Art Photo Class, digital
cameras ($2,500); Read 180 supplementary materials ($5,000); and a Big Brothers/Big Sisters contribution ($1,500).
Remembering Patricia Johnston, Ph.D.
(Continued from page 6)
assessment of students in the primary grades, which is
used by all elementary classroom teachers in grades K-3.
• Instituting changes in formative mathematics assessment in grades 3-5 with further expansion into the
middle school grades.
• Leading the review and revision of the district-wide
kindergarten structure to achieve improved learning by
small sections and the Extra K program for all students.
• The list could go on and on…
Pat’s compassionate manner and kind personality belied
her rigorous work ethic, highest standards, and boundless
capabilities. Very few can build a consensus among a large
group of intelligent professionals the way Pat could. Even
www.pennsbury.k12.pa.us
fewer know how to inspire others to do their very best
against all odds the way Pat did. We can only hope that the
standards and inspiration that she brought to Pennsbury will
continue for many years to assist and guide teachers and
their students.
“Words cannot accurately describe the loss for the Pennsbury community with the passing of Pat,” said one of her
closest colleagues, Donald Harm, Assistant Superintendent,
Administration K-12. “Her smile and laugh coupled with her
child-like innocence are what I will miss the most. She was a
leader, a life-long learner, champion for women in administration and child advocate. The most important thing for me,
however, is that I had the opportunity to call her my friend.”
Annual Report • 11
The Pennsbury School District • Looking Ahead at 2008-2009
Important Initiatives Take Hold in the 2008-2009 Year
By Paul B. Long, Ed.D. – Chief Executive Officer
The new school year at Pennsbury
as one course covering two periods a
looks like it will be a good one. More
day, all year long. That same integrathan a few improvements and initiation of reading and English will occur
tives are planned that will reach every in seventh grade in the fall of 2008.
corner of the School District. Thank
There will also be changes in eighth
you for taking a moment to read
grade this year. Normally, a half-year
about a few of the more
reading course is balanced
significant changes.
with a half-year of foreign
Parents and students
language survey courses.
will notice some differSo, eighth grade students
ences in curriculum and
take reading for a semesinstruction this year. For
ter, and then they take
example, at Pennsbury
three six-week introducHigh School, a new English
tory courses, one each in
curriculum will be introGerman, French and
duced at eleventh and
Spanish. This established
twelfth grades. The
process will be maintained.
changes will be along the
However, students who
Dr. Paul B. Long
lines of what were made
are not proficient readers
last year in grades nine and
will take an extra half-year
ten. All PHS students will still be
of reading instead of the foreign
required to take an English course
languages. In other words, these
every year in high school. However,
students will have a year-long readthere will be three course levels at
ing course.
each grade from which to select:
There is a reason for all of these big
honors, academic and foundations.
changes in English and reading. The
Two advanced placement courses will adjustments are the result of curricube continued: these are AP Language
lum renewal that has been developed
& Composition and AP Literature &
and planned over the last couple of
Composition. Also, there will still be
years. Every seven years or so we go
English electives, but fewer than in
though a review and update of
previous years.
curriculum in each academic departAnother curricular change at PHS
ment. This summer and into 2008will be a second year reading profi2009, we will be begin renewal of the
ciency course, to be provided at tenth
mathematics curriculum. A commitgrade. The course will be similar, but
tee of teachers and administrators will
more rigorous than last year’s ninth
review mathematics standards,
grade reading proficiency course.
examine existing curriculum, courses,
Students who have not demonstrated
sequence of courses and continuity of
reading proficiency in middle school
curriculum through the sequence. The
are required to take the ninth grade
renewal will address all grades, K
course. The tenth grade course will
through 12. The results of the math
be yet another chance to develop
curriculum renewal will be changes to
reading proficiency for students who
courses, as well as possible deletion or
need it.
addition of courses. Needs for new
At the middle schools, there will be textbooks, staff development and
changes to the English and reading
instructional technology will also be
curriculum. The English and reading
addressed.
curricula for sixth grade have already
However, we are not waiting for
been combined and are being taught
the math curriculum renewal to deal
Annual Report • 12
with challenges we face now. For
example, at Pennsbury High School,
we will continue efforts to improve
the rigor of our mathematics program
of study. Ninth grade students who
have not demonstrated proficiency in
mathematics will continue to take a
year-long – or 180 day – algebra
course. The course sequence for these
students would then become another
algebra course in tenth grade and an
applied geometry course in the first
semester of eleventh grade.
In the elementary schools, the
biggest change in curriculum and
instruction will be to follow through
on data culture initiatives. This
concept deserves some explanation.
Teachers use information about
student learning to adjust teaching to
meet individual students’ learning
needs. Parents, students, teachers –
and everyone who reads the newspaper - see the tip of the data iceberg
with the PSSA reports for each
Pennsbury school and the School
District as a whole. Underlying that
school and district data are other
kinds of data about individual
students that are collected and
monitored by principals and teachers.
Two examples are PSSA and Iowa
Cogat standardized assessments, both
of which are administered annually.
Last year, at Pennsbury elementary
schools, we introduced shorter and
more precise assessments that are
administered more frequently during
the year. These formative assessments, as they are called, are done in
reading in kindergarten through fifth
grade and in mathematics in grades
three, four and five. The use of these
formative assessments will provide
teachers with individualized, valid
data to enable improved teaching and
better learning. We look forward to
wider and better use of the formative
assessments in all elementary classes
in 2008-2009.
www.pennsbury.k12.pa.us
The Pennsbury School District • Looking Ahead at 2008-2009
This year will bring other initiatives
apart from curriculum and instruction. One big project will be reviewing
the Strategic Plan. Each of the five
areas of strategic concentrations will
be examined, which are:
1. To develop a data culture
2. To enrich relationships
3. To promote the quality of
student life
4. To effectively use technology
5. To examine resource allocation
processes
Strategic goals and action plans
have been developed for each of these
areas – and work has been ongoing.
An example is the data culture
initiative in regard to formative
assessments in elementary mathematics and reading, as addressed above.
For student life, we have been
looking for ways to enrich and
improve what students experience at
school. You may have read or heard
about the wonderfully successful
event last spring at Pennsbury High
School with Challenge Day. We will
be looking for ways to repeat and
expand that kind of event, which will
enhance the experience that students
have at PHS.
Under relationships, we will
continue to try to increase our knowledge of the community we serve.
Also, we will continue to endeavor to
enhance the reputation of the Pennsbury Schools in the community.
With respect to the strategic area of
technology, great improvements have
been seen at Pennsbury High School
with updates and upgrades of computer equipment and software. The
School Board invested over two
million dollars in PHS technology
over the last year, about half of which
was grant funded. Right now there
are more than 2,400 new computers at
PHS that were not there a year ago.
Furthermore, a program of staff
development has been put in place to
help teachers better utilize technology
that is now available to them. Looking forward to 2008-2009, a major
www.pennsbury.k12.pa.us
refresh of middle school instructional
technology is being implemented.
Also, planning is getting underway
for a simlar refresh of elementary
school technology, which is scheduled
to begin in 2009-2010.
The last strategic planning area is
resource allocation; last but not least,
because it sustains all the rest. The
most important resource allocation
initiative in the upcoming year has to
do with human resources, and the
salaries and benefits that our professional staff members earn. The
teachers’ contract between the Pennsbury School District and the Pennsbury Education Association expires
on June 30, 2009. Negotiations for a
new contract are expected to begin in
January 2009.
There will be another important
human resources initiative. We will
begin a two-year process in 2008-2009
to ensure that all paraprofessional
instructional aides are highly qualified. This requirement and the qualification criteria for paraprofessionals to
be considered as “highly qualified,”
which are set by the Pennsylvania
Department of Education, must be
implemented by all Pennsylvania
school districts. Most Pennsury
pararprofessionals already have
achieved what is necessary to be
considered highly qualified.
In another resource area, construction will be completed at Oxford
Valley Elementary School. We will
move ahead with approvals, planning
and construction at Makefield Elementary School. Also, planning for a
renovation of Eleanor Roosevelt
Elementary School is getting started
in 2008-2009.
Another important facilities-related
resource initiative is getting started in
2008-2009. A District-wide energy
conservation program is to be implemented that will require the support
and participation of all staff members
and students. I am confident that
most, probably all, staff and students
will be supportive of energy conservation that is environmentally sound
and financially prudent.
Of course, a major part of our
attention to resource allocation has to
do with the budget. We will continue
to do our best to contain expenditures
as we maintain, and even improve,
high quality education at Pennsbury.
The financial challenge to the School
Board and the Administration will be,
as it has been, to make the best use of
the limited resources that the Pennsbury community is able to provide for
what is educationally most valuable
to Pennsbury students. The 2008-2009
General Fund Budget kept expenditure and tax growth below the rate of
inflation. I expect that the next general
fund budget will again hold down the
growth of expenditures and real
estate taxes at or below the rate of
inflation.
The 2008-2009 year will be challenging. But that is how it should be.
We at Pennsbury – teachers, support
staff members and administrators –
must continue to challenge ourselves
to improve the School District. By
making change for the better, we will
move toward our goal of providing
the children of the Pennsbury community the best education that we
possibly can.
New Kindergarten Plan
Provides Equity and Extra K
(Continued from page 1)
Features of the Extra K program
include:
• 30 additional hours of literacy
instruction;
• flexible program designed to
match curriculum goals and meet
the enrichment and/or skill
development needs of students;
• focus on reading, writing,
thinking and social skills;
• instruction by certified teachers.
If you have questions concerning
Pennsbury’s Kindergarten program,
please discuss them with your school
principal.
Annual Report • 13
The Pennsbury School District • Looking Ahead at 2008-2009
2008 - 2009 SCHOOL CALENDAR
PENNSBURY
SCHOOL DISTRICT
AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2008
S
24
31
7
14
21
28
M
25
1
8
15
22
29
T
26
2
9
16
23
30
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W
27
3
10
17
24
Th
28
4
11
18
25
F
29
5
12
19
26
S
30
6
13
20
27
8/28 - Teacher Workshop
8/29 - Teacher Workshop
9/1 - Labor Day
9/2 - First Day of School
9/30 - Rosh Hashanah
OCTOBER 2008
S
M
T
5
12
19
26
6
13
20
27
7
14
21
28
7
14
21
28
M
1
8
15
22
29
T
2
9
16
23
30
W
3
10
17
24
31
Th
4
11
18
25
F
5
12
19
26
S
M
T
W
4
11
18
25
5
12
19
26
6
13
20
27
7
14
21
28
T
3
10
17
24
31
W
4
11
18
25
S
4
11
18
25
S
Th
5
12
19
26
7
14
21
28
T
2
9
16
23
30
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W
3
10
17
24
Th
4
11
18
25

W
Th
F
3
10
17
23
30 24
4
11
18
25
5
12
19
26
6
13
20
27
7
14
21
28
Th
1
8
15
22
29
S
7
14
21
28
S
M
T
5
12
19
26
6
13
20
27
7
14
21
28
W
1
8
15
22
29

L
F
5
12
19
26

6/16 - PHS Commencement (Tentative)
6/17 - End of Fourth Marking Period &
Last Day for Students (Tentative)
6/18 - Teacher Workshop (Tentative)
6/19,22,23 - Snow Days (If Needed)
Annual Report • 14
S
6
13
20
27


E
S
1
8
15
22
29

FEBRUARY 2009
F
2
9
16
23
30
S
3
10
17
24
31

S
1
8
15
22
M
2
9
16
23
Th
2
9
16
23
30
G
T
3
10
17
24
W
4
11
18
25
Th
5
12
19
26
F
6
13
20
27
S
7
14
21
28
2/16 - Presidents' Day
2/17 - Teacher Workshop (Trade Day)
APRIL 2009
F
6
13
20
27
JUNE 2009
M
1
8
15
22
29
T
11/4 - General Election Day
11/7 - End of First Marking Period
11/10 - Teacher Workshop (Tentative)
11/11 - Veteran's Day
11/12,13,14 - Parent Conference ½ Day
11/26 - ½ Day PM Students (Thanksgiving)
11/27,28 - Thanksgiving Recess
MAY 2009
F
3
10
17
24
S
4
11
18
25
4/7 - End of Third Marking Period
4/8 - Teacher Workshop (Tentative)
4/9,10 - Passover/Easter/Spring Recess
4/13 - Teacher Workshop (Trade Day)
4/15,16,17 - Parent Conference ½ Days
S
M
2
9
16
1/1,2 - New Year's Recess
1/19 - Martin Luther King Birthday
1/29 - End of Second Marking Period
1/30 - Teacher Workshop (Tentative)
MARCH 2009
M
2
9
16
23
30
F
3
10
17
24
31
JANUARY 2009
S
6
13
20
27
12/1 - Teacher Workshop (Trade Day)
12/24-31 - Christmas/Winter Recess
S
1
8
15
22
29
Th
2
9
16
23
30
10/1 - Rosh Hashanah
10/9 - Yom Kippur
DECEMBER 2008
S
W
1
8
15
22
29
NOVEMBER 2008
E
S
M
T
W
Th
3
10
17
24
31
4
11
18
25
5
12
19
26
6
13
20
27
7
14
21
28
F
1
8
15
22
29
S
2
9
16
23
30
5/19 - Primary Election
5/25 - Memorial Day
N
D
Student/Teacher Holiday
Teacher Workshop/Staff Development
End of Marking Period
Snow Days (if needed)
Parent/Teacher Conferences
½ Day-Students Grades 1-5
In the future, school for students will start
First Day of School
after Labor Day when that holiday falls on
9/1, 2 or 3 and before Labor Day when the
Commencement

holiday falls on the 4th, 5th, 6th or 7th.
www.pennsbury.k12.pa.us
The Pennsbury School District • Looking Ahead at 2008-2009
Budget Approved for 2008-2009
At the June 12, 2008 meeting of the School Board, a new
budget was approved for the fiscal year of 2008-09 at a
total of $174,054,000. District expenditures break down
as follows:
• Instructional costs, at 64.29% of the budget, include
teacher salaries and benefits, special education,
vocational education, homebound students, summer
school, the Drug Free School program, and the
Twilight School, among many other expenses.
• Support Services (27.87%) include transportation
costs, physical plant operations, health services,
administrator salaries and benefits, business services,
plus warehouse and print shop fees.
• Non-Instructional monies (.77%) primarily go toward
student activities and community crossing guards.
• Other outlays (7.07%) include primarily debt
service fees.
TOTAL BUDGET
$174,054,000
Revenue for the District comes from the following
sources:
Local ........................... 75.7%
State ............................ 21.4%
Federal .......................... 0.8%
Fund Balance ............... 2.1%
Partnerships and Grant Programs Flourish in Pennsbury
(Continued from page 7)
7. Charles Boehm Middle SchoolLook Who’s Reading! (Literature
appreciation and promotion of reading
throughout the community)
8. William Penn Middle School –
Earth Day Eco-Friendly Lesson (Science standards/recycling)
9. PHS West Campus – French 2
Students Visit La Creperie Restaurant
(Cultural foods and communication)
10. PHS East Campus – Multimedia
Display Case Promoting Partnerships
(Family & Consumer Science-community activities/benefits)
Successful District & School Grants
The Partners Program is happy to
announce a successful year of various
grants awarded to the Pennsbury
School District.
www.pennsbury.k12.pa.us
Competitive district awards include:
PA Dept. of Education: “Classrooms
for the Future” in the amount of
$1,127,786 to benefit Pennsbury High
School; and Library Services Technology Act Awards in the amount of
$27,000 to benefit Afton, Edgewood,
Eleanor Roosevelt, Manor, and Quarry
Hill Elementary School libraries, and
the Pennwood Middle School library.
Pennsbury also received several
competitive school grant awards from
existing partners: Waste Management:
Teacher Recognition Award (Walt
Disney Elementary), Mini-Grant
(Fallsington Elementary), and Environmental Education Award (PHS West);
Target Field Trip Grant (Quarry Hill
Elementary); PA Council on the Arts
Grant (Quarry Hill Elementary);
McDonald’s Go Active! Awards Grant
(Village Park Elementary); Bucks
County Performing Arts (two residencies at various schools); Pennsbury
Arts Foundation (various schools); and
Mid-Atlantic Dairy Council (various
schools).
PPP oversees several continuing
district-wide grant applications, such as
Title III and the Accountability Block
Grant. In addition, PPP offers support to
individual schools and teachers interested in applying for grant funding.
Over 15 grant opportunities provided by
corporate grants and foundations were
shared with PPP Action Team Members
throughout the school year.
To learn more about the Pennsbury
Partners Program, visit
www.pennsbury.k12.pa.us/partners or
call 215-428-4217.
Annual Report • 15
The Pennsbury School District • Looking Ahead at 2008-2009
Emergency Notification System
Introduced This Fall
Beginning with this school year, the Pennsbury School District administration will be able to relay important messages to parents via a new emergency
notification system known as Connect-ED. This telephone and email messaging
service enables the District to send a single customized message at once to
thousands of recipients via Connect-ED’s phone and computer networks.
Messages will be sent out only when circumstances call for such an alert, such
as snow delays and closings, unexpected early dismissals, emergency situations in schools, and similar circumstances that may warrant instant communication. Each family is being asked to identify updated home, work and/or cell
phone numbers so that the Information Technology department may maintain
this database. The information will be retained and updated on a continuing
basis each year. This service is also equipped to send similar messages to
specified e-mail addresses. The emergency notification system is a valuable
communication tool connecting the School District with the families of Pennsbury.
Where Did We All Go?
The Falcon Wants To Know!
Did you know that a Pennsbury
High School Alumni Association
(PHSAA) has formed? The group’s goal
is to share in the Pennsbury experience
with past, present and future alumni.
You may have viewed the PHSAA
presentation to the School Board on the
Pennsbury Channel. The PHSAA is
updating alumni information and
looking for other alumni to join.
Beginning in September, the group
meets the second
Tuesday of the month
at 7 PM in the PHS East
Library. Further information
may be found on the Pennsbury web
site; check the PHS page, where you’ll
find a link to PHSAA.
PHSAA is open to all PHS alumni.
Please sign up on the Web site or
contact [email protected]
for more information.
BOARD OF SCHOOL DIRECTORS
Gregory Lucidi, Jr., President
Arlene W. Gordon, Vice President
Richard B. Johnson, Assistant Secretary
Wayne DeBlasio • Gene Dolnick • Howard Goldberg
Adele Governatore • Linda Palsky • Gary Sanderson
Isabel M. Miller, Secretary
Joanne J. Godzieba, Treasurer
Samir Bhandutia, Student Representative
Meghan Toft, Student Representative
PENNSBURY CELEBRATES
60 YEARS
Founded in 1948
as a merger of
School Boards
from Yardley
Borough, Falls and
Lower Makefield
Townships, Pennsbury has
continued to develop its reputation for excellence in education
over the past 60 years. In 1964,
Tullytown Borough joined the
Pennsbury Schools Jointure, and
in 1966, the four separate School
Boards became one Board of nine
regional representatives for the
Pennsbury School District.
In celebration of this special
anniversary, a commemorative
school activity calendar was
created for the students of Pennsbury and their families. A photographic timeline from 1948-2009
marks memorable milestones in
the School District’s history.
Plans are still being formulated
at this time for a special fall event
at Pennwood Middle School that
will allow the class of 1952 to
open the time capsule placed in
the date stone of that building.
Pennwood was originally built as
the first high school in Pennsbury
in 1951.
Pennsbury School District
134 Yardley Avenue • P.O. Box 338
Fallsington, PA 19058-0338
Non-Profit Organization
U.S. Postage Paid
Levittown, PA 19057
Permit No. 145
Paul B. Long, Ed.D., Chief Executive Officer
Donald E. Harm, Assistant Superintendent of Administration
Kevin J. McHugh, Ed.D., Interim Director, Curricculum
and Instruction, K-12
Isabel M. Miller, Business Administrator
Ann Langtry, Editor
Annual Report • 16
www.pennsbury.k12.pa.us