Neshaminy Update

The 131st commencement ceremony for Neshaminy High School was held at Harry E. Franks Stadium on a beautiful June Saturday morning. Originally scheduled for Wednesday, June 10, the ceremony was postponed due to a three-day run of hot, stormy weather.

Principal Stephen Garstka opened the proceedings, reflecting on the significance of the milestone to himself and the 788 members of the Class of 2026, the first that spent all four of their years at the high school under his leadership. Class Vice President Finneas Pfluger and Treasurer Stephanie Harkins opened student remarks by recognizing the perseverance, growth, and shared experiences that brought their classmates to graduation day. They encouraged their classmates to embrace the opportunities ahead, reminding them that “the future is yours to shape, and what you do with it is up to you.”

A recurring theme throughout the ceremony was the importance of friendship and community. Class Secretary Sara Quinn and Historian Emerson Rooney reflected on the bonds formed over years of shared experiences, noting that the Class of 2026 would be remembered not only for its accomplishments but also for the way students supported one another.

“Friendship is what makes our class so special,” they said, adding that “when we look around this field today, we don’t just see classmates. We see teammates, lab partners, club members, and friends who somehow became family.” Their remarks captured the bittersweet nature of graduation, while celebrating the connections that will continue long after students leave Neshaminy High School behind.

Superintendent Jason Bowman challenged graduates to enter a rapidly changing world with strong values and integrity. A member of the Neshaminy High School Class of 1991, Bowman spoke about the impact of emerging technologies and artificial intelligence but emphasized that character would remain the defining factor in future success. “Technology may change what we do, but your character determines who you become,” he said. He reminded graduates that qualities such as trust, empathy, leadership, resilience, and kindness cannot be replaced by technology and concluded that “the future will belong to people who combine intelligence with integrity, achievement with humility, and success with service.” Faculty adviser Len Davis also reflected on the class’s journey, celebrating cherished memories from homecoming games, Gym Night, class trips, proms, and other traditions that helped define the high school experience for the Class of 2026.

Student Council President Preston Christie, Vice President Jacob Tardiff, Secretary Lia Shubin, Public Relations Chair Grace Yimyam and Committee Chair Bhakti Patel took to the stage together and reflected on the traditions, events, and experiences that brought the Class of 2026 together. They emphasized the strong sense of community and school spirit that developed over the past four years, encouraged classmates to embrace new opportunities and share their unique talents, and expressed gratitude to the friends, families, teachers, and staff who supported them along the way.

The ceremony concluded with the official confirmation of diplomas, the turning of tassels, and the presentation of the graduating class. Before dismissing his classmates, Senior Class President Nathan Lenihan delivered a lighthearted address centered on pursuing passions and living a fulfilling life. Drawing on his love of food, he shared his own philosophy: “You can’t live life to the fullest on an empty stomach.” He encouraged fellow graduates to seek out experiences, relationships, and opportunities that bring purpose and fulfillment, telling them to “find that passion, follow it, and don’t look back.” After a final class selfie and words of gratitude to family and friends, Lenihan closed by urging his classmates to embrace the future with enthusiasm before proudly declaring, “Class of 2026, you are dismissed!”

Ceremony Video

🔗 Class of 2026 Graduation Ceremony Photo Gallery

The 2026 Neshaminy Baseball team etched its name into school history with one of the most remarkable seasons the program has ever seen. Finishing with a 21-7 overall record, the team tied the school record for the most wins in a single season while capturing the first State Championship in Neshaminy Baseball history. Led by the leadership, experience, and determination of 14 seniors, the group embraced every challenge that stood in its way. Their championship run was especially impressive, as they defeated four district champions that entered the state tournament ranked No. 1 in their respective districts. Through resilience, toughness, and an unwavering commitment to one another, the 2026 squad set a new standard of excellence and created a legacy that will be remembered for generations of Neshaminy players and fans.

A large group of family members, friends, NHS softball team players and other supporters gave the team boisterous send-off as they departed from the high school for the championship game on Wednesday, June 10. Due to a weather delay at the game in State College, the victorious team did not return to the high school until 3:30 am Friday morning. They were met with a police and fire truck escort despite the time.

The Neshaminy Education Foundation was pleased to announce five $1,000 scholarships awarded to NHS seniors at the awards ceremony on Wednesday, June 3. Congratulations to the following:

• Molly Pritchard, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
• Peyton York, Clemson University
• Neel Shirwalker, The College of New Jersey
• Kayla Stilwell, Thomas Jefferson University
• Adelia Hunter, University of Pittsburgh

FOUNDATION SEEKS COMMUNITY PARTNERS

The NEF has been a part of the Neshaminy community since 1993, and relies on volunteers for all its operations. The NEF is especially in need of local business owners and professionals who would like to bring their expertise and community connections to the cause of helping Neshaminy schools succeed and thrive. If you are interested in serving as a board member or just volunteering some time and ideas, please contact NEF Board Vice-President Chris Stanley, cstanley@neshaminy.org.

Does your student's Chromebook need repairs? Don’t wait until school starts – you can easily take care of this over the summer. The Neshaminy School District Chromebook Repair Depot will be open on Tuesday and Thursday mornings for drop-off repairs during the summer.

If your child’s Chromebook isn’t working properly, please don’t delay. Dropping it off early ensures it will be ready for the new school year!

Summer Repair Depot Hours

Neshaminy HS Repair Depot (in Facilities building across the bus parking lot from the high school, see map for directions)

Repair Depot Contact:

215-809-6576

ELEMENTARY

The Elementary Summer Reading and Math Newsletter highlights our Summer Outdoor Adventure, Wild About Reading and Math initiative, along with resources shared with students before the last day of school.

This summer, we invite all elementary students to keep their skills strong while enjoying fun and engaging learning opportunities. Families will find information about our Summer Reading and Math programs, as well as helpful resources, videos, and links to support their child's learning.

🔗 2026 Summer Outdoor Adventure: Reading & Math Newsletter

SECONDARY

To support continued learning over the summer, students may continue working on their assigned online learning programs through August 15.

• ELA (Grades 6–11): Students may continue working on their IXL Action Plans.

• Math (Grades 9–11, excluding Algebra 1): Students may continue working on their IXL Action Plans.

• Math (Grades 6–8 and High School Algebra 1): Students may continue working on their ALEKS Pie assignments.

In addition, optional summer math packets are available for high school mathematics students who are entering the courses below and would like additional practice:

🔗2026 Secondary Optional Summer Learning Opportunities

Summer is a good time to catch up on student vaccination requirements for the new school year. Please review the information below:

ALL NEW STUDENTS, RISING 7TH GRADE STUDENTS, and RISING 12TH GRADE STUDENTS (including NSDVA) must have updated immunization records prior to the start of the 2026-27 school year. We understand that annual appointments are difficult to schedule, therefore we encourage that you begin planning those appointments with your family’s medical provider now so there is no delay to the start of school year for your child(ren).

Parents and guardians are encouraged to review their child's immunization status and submit updated documentation to your child’s school office as soon as possible to avoid any interruption of school attendance this fall. The link below can help guide you through your information needs regarding immunizations requirements:

🔗 Neshaminy Vaccination Information Website

If there is any doubt or you are not sure that your child’s immunizations are up to date, you should consult your primary care doctor, pediatrician, or local health department for further guidance about what immunizations your student may need.

FINANCE PLAN TO FUND NHS EXPANSION AND RENOVATION PROJECT

At the June 9 Public Work Session, the School Board heard a presentation on a financing plan to support upcoming capital projects in the amount of $50 million. Among these is a proposed 16-classroom addition at Neshaminy High School, which is needed to accommodate projected enrollment growth to between 3,100 and 3,200 students from the current 2,861 students by the 2029 school year.

The proposal includes issuing roughly $55.3 million in bonds, with the difference in the amounts covering financing and issuance costs. This plan would issue debt in four phases over several years, helping to spread out the financial impact on taxpayers while aligning borrowing with project spending needs.

The plan also includes a debt restructuring component that would refinance principal payments from the district’s 2021B and 2023B bond issues. By extending approximately $4.8 million in principal payments over the next ten years, the district could reduce debt service payments in fiscal year 2026–27 from about $10.7 million to $5.9 million, creating an estimated $4.7 million in budget relief. Board members indicated that these savings could be used to replenish reserves while preparing for future capital expenditures. Subsequent years would see gradual increases in debt service as new bond issues are implemented.

If approved at the June 2026 Board Public Meeting, the finance team would have some flexibility on timing to enter the bond market when conditions are favorable. A bond sale would be anticipated in July and settlement in August. The high school expansion project is expected to spend approximately one year in design followed by two years of construction, with completion targeted for the start of the 2029 school year. Board members emphasized that the enrollment growth driving this project was not anticipated when the current facility was planned, making the classroom addition a necessary long-term investment.

BOARD APPROVES ADMINISTRATOR, ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT AGREEMENTS

The School Board unanimously approved employment agreements with the following groups:

• Confidential Secretaries Agreement (4 years)
• Neshaminy Administrative Support Association Agreement (3 years)
• Neshaminy School District Administrators Association Agreement (3 years)
• Neshaminy School District Cabinet Agreement (4 years)

NESHAMINY WELCOMES NEW TEACHERS

At the June 9 Board Public Work Session, Neshaminy welcomed several new additions to the teaching staff who attended the School Board meeting as their hires were approved by the board. Each had the opportunity to introduce themselves to the board and administrators.

The next full Board Public Meeting will be held on Tuesday, June 23 at 7:00 pm. There is only one School Board meeting in July on Tuesday, July 21. All meetings are held in the District Board Room at Maple Point. The meeting video livestream, agenda and archive video of past meetings can be found at www.neshaminy.org/meetings.

COMMITTEE MEETINGS

Attending a committee meeting is a great way to interact with School Board members and district administrators in a less formal, more conversational setting. Committee meetings are held throughout the school year. The next committee meetings will be held starting in August.

All committee meetings are held at 6:30 pm in the District Board Room at Maple Point unless otherwise noted. Times and dates may change — please check the Neshaminy district website for updates.

• Friday, July 3: Independence Day weekend, district closed
• Wednesday-Sunday, July 22-26: Neshaminy Summer Stock shows, NHS (see article below)
• Monday, August 17: First day of fall sports at NHS
• Tuesday and Wednesday, August 18 and 19: NHS orientations (by last name, times TBA)
• Thursday, August 20: Middle school orientations (times TBA)
• Friday, August 28: Elementary school orientations (times TBA)
• Monday, August 31: First day of school for grades K, 5 and 9
• Tuesday, September 1: All grades report

For updated event and sports information please see the district and school website calendars.

Registration is still open for the 2026-2027 Pre-K Counts preschool program at Neshaminy. This is a grant program funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania that provides free, high-quality pre-kindergarten education to families who meet the age and financial criteria. Classes in the Neshaminy Pre-K Counts program are held at locations in the district, including in Neshaminy schools. To be eligible for the 2026-2027 PA Pre-K Counts program, children and families must meet the following criteria:

• Your child turns 3 or 4 by September 1, 2026.
• Your total household income may not exceed 300% of the federal income guidelines.

Click on the link below for guidelines and registration information.

🔗 Neshaminy Pre-K Counts Information and Registration

Between Monday, June 29 and Sunday, July 26 more than 250 students in grades 2 through 12 will experience the hard work, camaraderie and fun that is Neshaminy Summer Stock, a tradition for nearly six decades. During that short time period, they will rehearse, stage and perform three shows under the guidance of a staff of experienced theater professionals at Neshaminy High School. The 2026 Summer Stock Shows are:

• School of Rock, a hit musical based on the 2003 Jack Black movie (Main Stage, grades 7-12)
• Matilda the Musical, based on the 1988 book by Roald Dahl (Workshop, grades 4-6)
• Hollywood Revisited, an original musical production (Showcase, grades 2-3)

The shows will be performed from Wednesday, July 22 through Sunday, July 26. Showtime and ticket information will be found at the Summer Stock website, www.neshaminysummerstock.com.

Neshaminy School District is looking for both certified and support staff for the 2026-2027 school year. Visit our employment website to see the available positions and complete an application or join us at one of our ESS Hiring Events held on several Fridays in the District Board Room at Maple Point.

STUDENT SERVICES

Families are encouraged to visit the district website for information about the following important services and policies:

• Special Education Services
• Gifted Students
• Services for Protected Handicapped Students
• Destruction of Records
• Medical Assistance
• Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

HOMELESSNESS RESOURCES

Life is uncertain, but your child’s education doesn’t have to be. The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act can help provide school stability for your child if you do not have a permanent home. More information is available here. Additional information and resources can be found on the district website here.

MEAL ASSISTANCE

Families in need of food assistance can take advantage of the following resources:

The Bucks County Opportunity Council Food Program

721 Veterans Highway

Bristol, PA 19007

Ph: 215-781-2661

🔗 Food Program: https://bcoc.org/food-program/

🔗 Food Pantries: https://bcoc.org/food-pantries/

🔗 Summer meal programs: https://www.fna.usda.gov/sfsp/sitefinder

The Bucks County HUB (“Live” Human Services Directory)

Phone: 215-348-6201

Monday - Friday, 9:00 am - 4:00 pm

🔗 Contact the Hub

The United Way 211 Helpline

Phone: Call 211

🔗 https://www.211.org/

Clap-Out at Walter Miller ES

With their sights set on the future and graduation just hours away, groups of Neshaminy High School seniors had the opportunity to take a step back and visit their former elementary and middle schools. "Clap Out" is a growing tradition at Neshaminy, with dozens of seniors dressed in their full red and blue graduation caps and gowns parading through the halls of their alma maters to the accolades of students cheering them on. Bucks County Technical High School students from Neshaminy were also invited to participate. The elementary schools hosted their Clap Out on Tuesday, June 9 and the three middle schools on the following day. Throughout the parades hugs were exchanged as the seniors encountered the teachers that helped them on their journey to graduation day.

Maple Point MS

A group of Middletown Township Fire & Emergency Services & Penndel-Middletown EMS first responders played a kickball game with the fourth graders at Herbert Hoover ES on June 5.

The Core Creek Choir had the opportunity to sing at a Trenton Thunder game on June 4.

The Hearts of Harmony, a group of fourth-graders from Joseph Ferderbar ES led by music teacher Ashley Patrick, sang for the residents of the memory care unit at Oxford Valley Rehabilitation and Healthcare in late May. A week later, most of the group also sang for the residents of Crescent Fields at Huntingdon Valley. The residents of both facilities were delighted.

Albert Schweitzer ES student Carina Nichols was honored for winning the 4th-6th grade Bucks County Bar Association Law Day Essay Contest. She wrote about the challenge of women having equal rights and becoming leaders. Students in fourth through sixth grades throughout Bucks County submitted essays in the contest.

Walter Miller’s Family Math Night was a huge success. Families worked together to play hands-on games, solved puzzles, and learned cool new math tricks. It was a night full of fun, learning, and smiles!

In early June, sixth graders at Carl Sandburg MS held a walkathon as part of a project that grew out of a book that they read in class, "A Long Walk to Water." The students gathered pledges for their walk which will be used to support a non-profit foundation, Water for South Sudan. The group drills water wells and builds water delivery systems in drought-stricken areas of the country.

In mid-June two Neshaminy HS Future Problem Solving Club teams competed at the Future Problem Solving International Conference at Indiana University. The Middle Division team of freshmen Kriti Sunkara, Maya Kopansky, Maiia Khimich, and Anna Seckinger were recognized as the 11th place team in the world. 71 Middle Division teams competed from 14 countries and 34 states.

During the 2025–2026 school year, 41 Neshaminy High School seniors earned a total of 92 BCIT academic certificates. The Business, Computers, and Information Technology (BCIT) Department offers nine certificate programs designed to recognize student achievement, dedication, and competency in specific areas of study.

To earn a certificate by the end of their senior year, students follow a planned program of study and maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA across all BCIT elective courses completed. Students can begin working toward a BCIT certificate as early as 9th grade by enrolling in BCIT electives as part of their high school schedule.

Certificate programs are offered in Accounting, Business Analytics, Computer Technology, Economics, Entrepreneurship, Financial Literacy, Law, Management, and Marketing. The BCIT Department is proud of these students for their commitment to academic excellence and congratulates all certificate recipients on this outstanding achievement.

MOS Certification Recipients

Students enrolled in the BCIT Honors Information Technology 2 course successfully earned the Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) Certification in Excel. This industry-recognized certification is administered by Microsoft and respected worldwide. Honors Information Technology 2 students complete two years of curriculum designed to develop advanced Excel skills, including managing worksheets and workbooks, working with cells and ranges, analyzing table data, performing operations with formulas and functions, and creating charts. The BCIT Department is pleased to see students succeed and earn this valuable industry credential. The MOS Certification assessment also serves as a validation of the curriculum and instruction provided through the program.

Neshaminy HS art student Defne Demir had a painting accepted for exhibition at a juried art show at Saint Joseph's University this month.

🔗The Neshaminy HS Senior Picnic was held on Friday, June 5. Unlike last year, when a bear sighting in the nearby Our Lady of Grace Cemetery forced the picnic indoors, this year the seniors enjoyed the food, games and fun outside.

🔗 NHS Senior Picnic Photo Gallery

Neshaminy High School May Students of the Month were honored on June 5 at the final recognition ceremony of the year in the Black Box Theater. Left to Right: PA Senator Frank Farry, DJ Vanderwarker, PA Representative Hogan and daughter, Joseph Cahill, Alex Mauro (Congressman Fitzpatrick’s office), Gavin Buff, Keir Riegen, Jackson Becker, Sebastian Oprea, Michael and Nicholas Sassano, Principal Stephen Garstka, and Jack Allen

On May 28 the NHS football team held a spring practice, which the team opened to the community. Neshaminy football alumni were invited to join the players on the field, and had the opportunity to talk with the players, offering advice and their fond recollections of their days on the team.

Neshaminy football will be holding their annual Future Skins Youth Football Camp Monday, July 6 through Thursday, July 9. The camp is open to students entering grades 1 through 9. The camp is being held at Neshaminy High School. Visit the link below to register:

🔗 Future Skins Football Camp Registration

Neshaminy Update is published monthly during the school year and distributed to the Neshaminy community via email and web. To submit comments, suggestions or news items for consideration, please email Chris Stanley, Community Relations Coordinator.

Neshaminy School Board of Directors

Marty Sullivan - President

Tina Hollenbach - Vice-President

Erin Brosious

Kristin Egan

Jake Krause

Beth Marshall

Nicholas McGoldrick

Carlos Rodriguez

Jill Waldbieser

Contact Information

View Upcoming Meetings

Meeting Videos

Neshaminy School District

Superintendent

Jason Bowman

Assistant to the Superintendent for Educational Operations

Dr. Sean Haines

Assistant to the Superintendent for Elementary Education

Dr. Michelle Burkholder

Assistant to the Superintendent for Secondary Education

Dr. Kate Hinshaw

Assistant to the Superintendent for Pupil Services and Special Education

Dr. Kevin Kane

Business Administrator

Deborah Klahold

Director of Human Resources

Felicity Hanks

Neshaminy School District

2001 Old Lincoln Highway

Langhorne, PA 19047

www.neshaminy.org