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THE WAIT IS OVER...

Fall Play 2019

Annual Student Directed Play...On Stage at PHS the Weekend before Thanksgiving Break!  Family Friendly! Don't Miss It!  One Weekend ONLY!

 

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THIS WEEK'S SPOTLIGHT:  CAREER PATHWAY PROGRAMS AT PHS


The following is an excerpt taken from an article written by Jenn Youells (PHS senior) for our soon to be released Palisades Community Newsletter:

The Palisades Career Pathway Programs help students dive deeper into an area of interest before the first college tuition bill is paid for after graduating high school. This program helps students at Palisades to schedule more elective or core classes that will allow students to gain experience and knowledge in areas other than core classes like Math, Science, Social Studies and English. The programs are developed and specific within the different pathways. As a whole, the classes are provided to help students prepare for their future and help students be certain that they excel and are excited about their desired career choices.
At Palisades High School, we are currently running six Career Pathway Programs. Although each are unique in their content area, they are similar in structure with specific class requirements needing to be successfully completed. College courses (general ed/transferable courses) are often available by Bucks County Community College at PHS as part of the Pathway Programs. Here is a brief list of pathways with more details to come in our upcoming community-wide newsletter: Business Career Pathway - Accounting and Finance or Marketing and Media Educational Career Pathway - (our newest pathway) Elementary/Secondary Education Engineering and Design Career Pathway Medical Career Pathway (our longest running program with ties to St. Lukes and Coordinated Health) Global Studies Career Pathway Upper Bucks Technical School - offering career options in 21 technical skills


Palisades Pirates

FROM PALISADES HIGH SCHOOL:

Ethics Bowl Team Places 2nd

Congratulations to Maura Campbell, Oliver Olmstead, Ryan Musantry, Trinity Williams, and Liam McDowell for finishing 2nd in The Fleming Institute for Business Ethics 2019 High School Ethics Bowl Competition held at DeSales University.  There were 11 teams from the Lehigh Valley area that competed on Wednesday, November 20th. They were given an ethical dilemma in the form of a business case study. Each team presented their solution to the case study. The top 4 teams were then selected for the final round. Prior to the final round of competition, the teams were given a "twist" in the case that they had to present a solution/response.  


MARK YOUR CALENDAR - Vaping Information Presentation

We have all heard or seen the reports regarding the health risks that “vaping” causes. On Tuesday, November 26th, Dr. Corwin from St. Luke’s University Health Network will give a presentation to our high school students on this topic.

Please click Palisades Vaping Assembly Flyer.pdf view the brochure that outlines the presentation. We will have a parent presentation later this year. Once we have identified a date and time, we will be notifying parents. 

CDC information on vaping/e cigarettes

School Board Graphic

BUDGET 2020-21 SCHOOL YEAR:  The first round of budget presentations happened last Wednesday, November 20th.  Here are a few highlights from that presentation:

1.  The Act 1 Index for Palisades School District for the 2019-2020 budget year is 2.6%. This is the maximum increase allowable for the District without seeking exceptions. This index is set by the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

2.  There is a slight decrease in the Building Budgets for our schools even with a cost increase that we will pay for students who live in Palisades and attend an outside charter school. (NOTE:  Any Palisades student who attends an outside charter school is paid for with Palisades’ taxpayer money. The District pays $20,324 for a Non-special Education student and $46,677 for a Special Education student in the current year with rates projected to increase to $21,500 and $48,200 respectively.  Continual efforts are being made by our administrators and cyber teachers to contact families of students choosing outside charter schools to explore other options within our schools including our own cyber charter course offerings.)

3.  The Transportation budget has increased $261,855 due to an increase in mid day bus runs for students with special needs, additional needs for aides to ride with special needs students, and charges for bus runs exceeding the base hourly allowance per run (4.5 hours per run).

Here are just a few highlights from the last Regular School Board Meeting on November 20th following budget discussion:

1.  The School Board will be posting audio recordings of Regular School Board Meetings as soon as the policy governing this practice is developed/approved and the necessary equipment is in place.  Thanks to Director Vandergast for chairing this AdHoc Committee of the Board and to all who participated in this discussion.

2.  The Comprehensive Plan 2020-23 was approved by the School Board Directors and will be submitted by November 30th to the PA Department of Education as required.

3.  Two new planned courses were approved - Education Pathway Seminar and Effective Communication

4.  Two new textbooks were approved - Becoming a Teacher and Communication Matters, to be used for the Education Pathway

(All other motions were approved - click here for the agenda on Board Docs to see all motions before the School Board on November 20th - https://go.boarddocs.com/pa/pali/Board.nsf/Public )

UPCOMING BOARD MEETINGS IN DECEMBER:

12/02/19 - School Board Reorganization and Regular School Board Meeting (Monday) at 7PM in the PHS Library (budget presentations begin at 6PM)
12/04/19 - Facilities Committee Meeting at 6:30PM in the PHS Audion; guest speaker, representatives from Krapf (our transportation provider) for a Q and A session
12/04/19 - Athletic Committee Meeting at 7:30PM in the PHS Audion
12/16/19 - Fiscal Oversight Committee Meeting at 9AM in the District Office Conference Room
12/18/19 - Policy Committee Meeting at 5PM in the PHS Administrative Conference Room
12/18/19 - Regular School Board Meeting at 7PM in the PHS Library (budget presentations begin at 6PM)
12/19/19 - Joint Operating Committee at 7PM in the UBCTS Administrative Conference Room

NOTE:  The public is invited to attend the upcoming Budget Presentations scheduled for November 20, December 2 and December 18, all at 6PM in the high school library.  Highlights of the budget presentations will be posted on our Website under School Board/Budget Presentations - https://www.palisd.org/school_board/budget_information/2020-21_budget_information

Agendas and Minutes are posted under Board Docs:  use this link

The public is encouraged to attend all meetings of the Palisades School Board; meetings on Wednesdays during the school year - check www.palisd.org for dates and times.

Holiday Giving Tree

'TIS THE SEASON...IT IS HOLIDAY GIVING TIME AT PALISADES!

Please consider stopping by the high school lobby to take a tag from our Annual Christmas/Giving Tree.  Needy families from 
all Palisades’ schools could really use our help to provide Christmas presents for their children.   The tree is overflowing with tags, and there are more to come. 

You can either take a tag from the tree or contact Ann Berger at [email protected] to select a tag and send it to you.  Please wrap the gift, tape the tag onto the present, and place it under the tree.  You may contact Ann Berger if you are unable to bring gifts to the high school. 

Our deadline for gifts is Monday, December 16th, so we really don’t have a lot of time.  Thanksgiving is late this year and Christmas is just around the corner!

Thank you very much in advance.  Palisades staff and community members have always stepped up in the past and have been generous to our students and families in need.

Speaking of holiday shopping...


As the holiday season is fast approaching below are some tips from the Center for Internet Security on how to stay safe when shopping online.  Enjoy!

UPCOMING EVENTS:

11/23 - LAST DAY - Stuff the Bus - PHS Marching Band Fundraiser (see details below)
11/22 - PHS Fall Play 7PM
11/24 - PHS Fall Play 2PM
11/26 - 1/2 Day for Students
11/27-28 - Holiday Offices Closed - Happy Thanksgiving!
12/2 - Student Holiday/In-service Day
12/4 - Cybersonics Annual Spaghetti Dinner (see below)
12/5 - PHS Winter Concert 7PM
12/5 - Tinicum Kids Crafter Market 6PM
12/9 - PACT Meeting 9AM at PHS
12/9 - DN, TN AND SEPTA PTA/O Meetings (check calendar for times)
12/12 - PALMS Winter Vocal Concert
12/13 - PALMS Teens Night Out 6:30PM - RESCHEDULED TO FEB.
12/13 - SPR Barnes and Noble Night 6PM at Promenade
12/17 - ESS Hiring Event at PHS (see below)
12/17 - PALMS Winter Band/Orchestra Concert 7PM
12/19 - Elementary Winter Concert at PHS
12/23-1/1 - Student/Staff Holiday Break

Visit our web calendar at www.palisd.org for band competitions, sports and other activities!

Cybersonics Spaghetti Dinner

ESS Hiring Event

Substitute Nurses Needed

Substitute School Nurses:  Palisades School District is in need of substitute school nurses to cover school buildings and for field trips.  Building coverage responsibilities involve overseeing the building’s health office, dispensing medications, caring for emerging illnesses or injuries, implementing health care plans, etc.  Field trip responsibilities typically include coordinating with the building nurse regarding medication needs for the trip, and implementation of health care plans, if appropriate. Substitute nurses are paid $19.25 per hour.

Flexible schedule.  Requirement: RN license with medication dispensing certification, CPR/AED and First Aid certifications.  Interested candidates should submit their letter of interest, resume, copy of nursing license and certifications, and required clearances (Act 24, 34, 114, and 151 current within a year) and disclosure form to Eric Gladfelter, Director of Pupil Services at [email protected].  

Palisades requires a pre-employment drug test as a condition of employment.

Link to clearances: https://www.palisd.org/cms/One.aspx?portalId=57098&pageId=193289

EOE Holiday Wreath Making

COMMUNITY SCHOOL PROGRAMS CONTINUE...Don't miss your chance to join the fun!

Click on this link for registration and course information!  

Community School Programs Fall 2019

For a listing by date, please click here:
Fall Community School Schedule 2019-2020 rev4.pdf

One more session with the Groundwater group:

Groundwater Presentation


The Bridgeton-Nockamixon-Tinicum Groundwater Management Committee (BNTGMC) will be presenting Our Community Water Monitoring Network: Partners and Applications, a Palisades School District Community School course, at Palisades High School on Monday 11/25, 7:30-9:00 PM. The course is FREE to the public.

Water supply in our townships is drawn from home wells and disposed via septic tanks. The seminar will present local volunteer and government efforts to manage our water, avoiding overuse, avoiding drought effects, contaminated wells, and promoting citizen stewardship! Learn about hydrology basics and the data collection programs of BNTGMC. Bring along a phone, tablet, or laptop to access the various websites that archive data and provide general information. 

Presenters include Dr. Art Baehr, retired USGS hydrologist, Dr. Stephen Donovan, Chair of Nockamixon EAC, and Todd Stone, President of the Gallows Run Watershed Association and Chair of the BNTGMC.

OTHER COMMUNITY HAPPENINGS:

PHS MARCHING BAND STUFF THE BUS - Fall Dates & Times:

Friday - November 22nd - 5 pm to 8 pm
Saturday - November 23rd - 8 am to 2 pm

Acceptable Items:  Gently used/wearable conditioned/new mixed Clothing all sizes/ages

Shoes, Sandals, Sneakers, Boots, Construction Boots, Work Gear, Jackets, Coats, Rain Gear, Leathers, Belts, Ties, Pants, Shirts, Sweaters, Vests, Blouses, Dresses, Skirts, Robes, Undergarments, Bedspreads, Blankets, Comforters, Curtains, Sheets, Pillowcases, Towels, Linens, Tablecloths, Hats, Scarfs, Gloves, Handbags, Purses, Wallets, Jewelry, Watches, Uniforms, Jerseys, Backpacks, New Diapers, and Swimwear.

Bookmaking

Traditional Bookmaking

Learn traditional styles of bookmaking by joining local paper artist, Valerie Martz, to customize and create your own hard-bound everyday journal and miniature hand-stitched signature mini-book

Materials and tools provided

Class will be held in the historic Durham Mill on November 23d from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon.   Class limited to ten students.

Free mill tour provided following the class. Additional artwork (suitable for holiday gift giving) will be available for purchase.

Cost $50.00 per person. 

Pre-registration required. 

Register early on-line at [email protected] or by sending a personal check to: 

Durham Historical Society, PO Box 52, Durham, PA 18039. 

Proceeds will go to the Mill restoration fund.

Fall Used Book Sale

pipersville library

Holiday Spirit Polar Express

POLAR EXPRESS EVENT!  Get in the holiday spirit and hop aboard the polar express! Bring the kids for a morning of  train fun. Make your own Christmas ornaments, cookie decorating, crafts and more while enjoying the hot cocoa bar and movie in the background. Even get your picture taken with our live in person conductor! Come in your PJs for extra fun. FREE! Open to kids of all ages. Saturday December 7th, 10am to 12pm, come and go as you please. Springfield Mennonite Church, 1905 Pleasant View Road Coopersburg, Pa.

Breakfast with Santa

Tree Lighting Event
TREE LIGHTING!  ALL ARE WELCOME!

DECEMBER 7,2019  7 P.M.

ST. LUKE’S LUTHERAN CHURCH, FERNDALE, PA


START YOUR CHRISTMAS SEASON WITH US. THE TREE IN FRONT OF THE CHURCH WILL BE LIT, FOLLOWED BY CAROLING,HOT CHOCOLATE, MULLED CIDER AND MORE!

A GREAT WAY FOR FAMILIES TO START THE SEASON!

Gingerbread House at Riegelsville

Riegelsville Christmas Sale