ATHLETE OF THE WEEK 2020: Liam Carey - Basketball Athlete
- Liam has been playing great for the Pirates which has helped the Pirates improve to a 5-4 record with key wins over Moravian Academy and Bangor.
- Liam is averaging 13 points, 4 assists, 3 steals and 5 rebounds per game.
Coach’s quote: Liam is our floor general that makes us go. He makes us a better team when he is pushing the ball. He helps get everybody open shots.
“Everybody has talent but ability takes hard work”
------Michael Jordan
Upcoming FREE event at Palisades -
Click Here for pdf version
SPOTLIGHT ON SAFE2SAY SOMETHING (S2SS) PROGRAM: This information was run in a previous Patch, but a reminder of this program and how important it is cannot be stressed enough. This is an important reminder that it is safe to say something if you are aware of any behavior that might bring harm to students, staff or our schools; please contact either a district administrator (610-847-5131), the police (PSP 215-249-9191, Tinicum 610-294-9158 or Springfield 610-346-6700) or use the Safe2Say website (www.safe2saypa.org) for an anonymous report.
Here is what was run in the Patch earlier this school year about the Safe2Say Something (S2SS):
The S2SS program is explained by their administrators of the program as a life-saving and life-changing school safety program that teaches students, educators, and administrators how: (1) to recognize the signs and signals of individuals who may be at risk of hurting themselves or others, and (2) to anonymously report this information through the S2SS app, website, or 24/7 Crisis Center Hotline. The following provides an overview of how the program works and will be implemented in schools:
HOW IT WORKS 1. A tip is submitted via mobile app, website, or phone call—arriving first at the S2SS Crisis Center. 2. Crisis Center analysts vet and triage the tip, then engage the tipster in anonymous two-way chat in order to provide detailed and immediately-actionable information to schools and dispatch. 3. Crisis Center analysts deliver the tip to the impacted school and, as needed, local law enforcement via 911 County Dispatch. 4. The school and, as needed, local law enforcement, assess and intervene with the at-risk individual. 5. The school then closes out the tip and reports actions taken as a record for their school.
PROGRAM BACKGROUND The Office of Attorney General (OAG) has established S2SS and will manage and maintain the program. The OAG, in partnership with Sandy Hook Promise (SHP), a leader in anonymous reporting systems, has built out the app, website, and PA-based 24/7 Crisis Center. SHP is a national non-profit committed to creating safe schools and communities through their four evidenced-based Know the Signs intervention programs. To date, SHP has delivered its programs to 10,000+ schools and trained 5+ million youth and adults in every state resulting in countless suicide, school shooting and firearm threat interventions and countless bullying, drug use, and other acts of violence and victimization interventions. TIP PROCESSING OAG Crisis Center analysts are trained to vet and triage tips by: (1) conducting 2-way anonymous dialog with tipsters to gather missing information and ensure enough information is provided for schools and local law enforcement to act upon, (2) categorizing each tip as either “Life Safety” or “Non-Life Safety,” for ease of prioritization by tip recipients, and (3) delivering the tip to the impacted school and, when needed, its local law enforcement via 911 county dispatch.
Earlier this fall, students at the middle school and high school were trained on the use of the system. To view the videos that were shown to students, please click the following links. These videos were prepared by a team at the state level in conjunction with Sandy Hook Promise:
Introduction Video (2+ minutes): https://youtu.be/QtQi-Xn1EIE
Refresher Video (16+ minutes): https://youtu.be/AmjsJNHdb3E
GET MORE ACTIVE IN THE NEW YEAR! There are a few options through our evening school program that will continue through the winter months:
- Fitness Center at the High School - open to the public from 5-8:30PM on Monday through Thursday and on Saturday mornings from 8AM until noon. $5/visit or $25/month.
- Tai Chi on Mondays beginning 1/13/20 - This introductory series will focus on an easy-to-learn Tai Chi form. You will learn a shortened traditional Tai Chi form, using classic movements to teach basic Tai Chi principles. Participants will finish the session having practiced routines that can be easily done at home, as well as providing a foundation for future learning. Health benefits of Tai Chi include less stress and more energy, improved balance, and a greater sense of health and well-being. PALMS Cafeteria from 5:30-6:30PM; cost is $120 for 8 weeks.
- Men’s Basketball - FREE and drop ins welcome - Mondays at 6PM in the PHS Gold Gym and Saturdays at 3PM in the PHS Purple Gym.
- Adult Volleyball on Tuesdays (starting 1/7/20) and Thursdays (starting 1/16/20) - from 7:30PM; cost is $5/night - in the PALMS Gym - all levels welcome!
- Pickleball - TBA
- Country Line Dancing - Open to anyone who just wants to have some fun! Walk in on Wednesdays at PALMS Cafeteria starting at 6PM.
- Indoor Tennis - Visit Bucks County Tennis Association - click HERE
SHOUT OUT! PHS students achieved 1st and 2nd place at this week's Environmental Literacy Hackathon at the Bucks IU. Students were tasked with developing a mobile app in 3.5 hours with the ability to inform, involve, and engage the public relating to environmental issues.
1st Place Team: Abby Voth, Zoe Ganszewski, Erin Deangelis and Maddie McGovern
2nd Place Team: Amy Farese, Lizzie Gilmore, Liam McDowell and Sean Johnson
KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION COMING SOON! Incoming kindergarten students must be age 5 before September 1, 2020. The new student link will be posted on our website in early February. The screening dates will be March 24, 26 and April 6 from 4-7:30PM and March 27 from 8:45AM until 3:15PM. Kindergarten screening will take approximately 30 minutes. When the link is available (coming soon) on our site, you will be able to make the appointment for you and your child. In addition to the screening and presenting any needed paperwork, a nurse and counselor will also be available on those dates for any questions or concerns you may have.
If you are registering a student for kindergarten, we do require a copy of the child’s birth certificate, an immunization record and three (3) proofs of residency - a lease or property tax bill, along with two other forms, ie., driver’s license, insurance, utility bill, etc. If the child and family are living with a resident, the attached form (page 1 only) must be submitted in place of the lease/tax bill. Questions? Please contact Ann or Donna in the Community Relations Office, ext. 2446 or 2401.
January is School Board Recognition Month! Hats off to the School Board Directors who serve as volunteers and devote countless hours of their time representing the families and residents of their communities. Click here for a notice from the PA School Board Association for some little known facts about School Boards across the state - CLICK HERE
Special thanks to our School Board Directors:
Region 1 - Tinicum/Bridgeton: Scott Freeman, Jim Hallowell, and Sylvia LeBlanc
Region 2 - Durham/Nockamixon/Riegelsville Borough - David Haubert, James Ott, and Shari Vandergast (VP)
Region 3 - Springfield: Bob Fumo, Dawn Grochowiak, and Bob Musantry (Pres)
The next regular meeting of the Palisades School Board of Directors is scheduled for Wednesday, January 15th at 7PM in the high school library. A Fiscal Oversight Meeting precludes the regular meeting and begins at 6PM.
Other School Board Meetings this Month:
1/16/20 - Joint Operating Committee at 7PM at the UBCTS
1/22/20 - Facilities Committee at 6:30 PM in the PHS Audion
FROZEN IS COMING TO PALMS!
Thursday, Jan. 30th (7 PM)
Friday, Jan. 31st (7 PM)
Saturday, Feb. 1st (3 PM)
Be a patron...
WINDOW CLOSES NEXT WEEK! Second Chance to purchase Chromebook Insurance
A second window will be open for Chromebook Insurance - 1/2 - 1/17/2020
Click here - GPO Excel Flyer Palisades SD updated.pdf - to learn more about the costs and the process to purchase insurance for your student's chromebook.
FOR HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS - League of Women Voters Holding High School Poster Contest
The League of Women Voters of Bucks County invites Bucks County high school seniors to enter the 2020 High School Senior Poster Contest. The contest is open to students enrolled in their senior year in a Bucks County public or private high school or in their senior year of home-schooling in Bucks County.
Students are asked to create posters illustrating their feelings about voting and the democratic process, in keeping with this year’s theme “What Voting Means to Me.” The posters must be nonpartisan and free from political bias and affiliation. The contest is now open and the deadline is February 28. An independent panel of recognized representatives from the local art community, collegiate art education and the League of Women Voters will judge the art on relevant criteria. The winner will be announced April 30. A $500 prize will be awarded.
Official contest rules, entry form and model release for the 2020 High School Senior Poster Contest can be found at https://my.lwv.org/pennsylvania/bucks-county .
IN OTHER COMMUNITY NEWS:
http://www.silvercreekathleticassociation.com/registration-2020.html
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http://www.palisadessoftball.org/registration.html
MLK DAY VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY FROM WORTHWHILE WAREHOUSE:
Did you know that Martin Luther King Junior day is the largest volunteer-day of the year? While many enjoy Martin Luther King Jr. Day as a day off from school and work, the Corporation for National and Community Service encourages individuals to make it a "day on" rather than a "day off". There is little that can nourish a soul better than serving in the community and giving your time to those that are marginalized by society.
This year, Worthwhile Wear has several opportunities for volunteering on MLK day and we would love to have you serve with us! Below are the opportunities, times, locations, and how many volunteers we're hoping to have for each project . If you are interested, please respond to this email with the project you're interested in and I will sign you up!
Pipersville store - All day project from 9:30AM - 4PM, about 20 volunteers able to offer 2 - 4 hour increments (6516 Easton Road, Pipersville, PA 18947): as most of you know, we closed our Pipersville store on November 23rd and are looking for a new property. While we prepare the store for new tenants, we will need to:
- Deep clean the store (sweeping, mopping, dusting, window cleaning, scrubbing, vacuuming, organizing)
- Furniture moving (loading furniture from the store into our truck that we will be bringing to ReStore - if you have a truck for moving furniture that you would like to bring for less trips, please feel free to do so!)
Plumsteadville store - open 10AM - 7PM, about ten volunteers available in 2 - 4 hour increments (Plumstead Square Shopping Center, 5835 Easton Road, Doylestown, PA 18902)
- We will be having a sale at our Plumsteadville store and can use some extra hands with cleaning the store, folding and sorting clothes, manning the floor, and other odds and ends to help the sale run smoothly
- Deep clean of the safe house and Education and Counseling Center (sweeping, mopping, dusting, window cleaning, scrubbing, vacuuming, carpet cleaning)