The Falcon Feed

Dear Parents/Guardians,

I am writing to invite you to Parent/Teacher conferences on Monday, November 22nd and Tuesday, November 23rd from 12:00 noon until 8:00 p.m.

Monday’s conferences will be held In-Person and/or Virtually, you choose what is best for you. You will choose which type of conference when you sign up.

Tuesday’s conferences will all be held Virtually.

CLICK HERE to sign up to meet with your son/daughter’s teachers.

These conferences are an important opportunity to review your child’s progress and to learn more about their performance in school. If you are not available to come in during these times, please contact your son/daughter’s teacher and set up a conference during the school day. You can do this by calling the school at 610-326-5105.

Sincerely,

Bill Ziegler, Ed.D.
Principal

PGHS Spark the Wave and PGHS National Honor Society are hosting the 2021 Winter Festival as a club fundraiser. The Winter Festival is for students in elementary school and will feature a bake sale, many holiday themed games, crafts, movies, and the opportunity to take a picture with Santa!!! Join us for a fun-filled day of holiday activities!!

Details are below:

Date - Saturday, December 4th

Location - Pottsgrove High School Cafeteria

Time - 12 to 2pm

Admission fee - $6

*Masks are required for all attending*

PLEASE CONSIDER DONATING!!!

Would you like to bring holiday joy to the Pottsgrove community?

Pottsgrove Highschool is having their annual winter festival and we are in need of donations for our raffle baskets. If you would like to promote your local business, group, or club contact us about donating a basket or a few items that represent your organization. We would also appreciate any individual donations from parents/students/teachers for our themed baskets

Themes for our baskets:

• Self care basket

• Movie night basket

• Beach basket

• Pottsgrove spirit wear basket

• Gift card basket

We would like to send out a special congratulations to Gary DeRenzo, our own Director of Co-Curricular Programs & Community Relations. Gary was the recipient of the Tri-County PA Sports Hall of Fame Lifetime Achievement Award. This award comes from the Pottstown local chapter of the PA Sports Hall of Fame and is entitled the Elmer “Chump” Pollock award. Elmer Pollock was one of the founding fathers for this chapter in 1978. Gary is the 6th recipient of this annual award for his tireless work in athletics in a non-coaching and non-player role. We thank Gary for having a profound effect on sports for the betterment of our student athletes.

Volunteers are needed for helping with a Special Olympics Tournament on

December 5th, 2021. Mrs. Cappiello is looking for Students and Staff to help out from 8am to 12:30pm. There will be up to 200 Athletes at Limerick Bowl.

If interested please reach out to Mrs. Cappiello in room 104, periods 3rd, 6th or 7th.

You can also email her at tcappiello@pgsd.org.

ATTENTION POTTSGROVE:

Are you interested in learning more about Western Montgomery Career and Technology Center?

Check out the Virtual Open House on December 8, 2021. There are three sessions: 6-6:30, 6:45-7:15, and 7:30 to 8.

You must register first at https://bit.ly/WMCTCOPENHOUSE

Class of 2021: Order your Caps and Gowns Today!! Click Here: Cap and Gown Orders

Remember: *You MUST order online, By February 28th.

*You will pay $26, plus tax

*You will need to include your height, weight, and gender.

*All orders will be sent to the HS not to your address. They will be distributed by Mrs. Grubbs

*Orders received after March 6th will include a $10 late fee.

Be sure to check out the Senior Class Page on the website for lots of important senior information!!! CLICK HERE FOR SENIOR CLASS PAGE

If you haven't joined the Senior Remind group yet, you might be missing important information!! Below is a graphic showing how to join. (This group is intended for senior students and parents only.)

BE FEATURED IN THE YEARBOOK! Complete one of our surveys below:

ALL STUDENTS:

Best Friends: Do you have a best friend forever? Tell us your story and send us a picture.

Feel This Moment Questionnaire: We are back in school after being virtual! How are you? How are classes? We want to relish in these very important times with you!

Job / Work Page: Do you have a job? Tell us all about your place of employment!

New Student?: Are you a new student to the district? Share some deets w us.

Pet Page: Furry Critters....amphibious monsters...? What do you have? The Yearbook Staff is currently looking to feature you and your pet(s). Please share!

Siblings: Brothers - Sisters - Half Brothers - Half Sisters - Step Brothers - Step Sisters - Whatever they are, family is family! :) Send us a picture of your siblings!

SENIORS ONLY:

CAP AND GOWN PHOTO SELECTION: The Prestige Portrait website only allows you to choose your tux or drape photo. Please send us the numbers of the cap and gown photo you would like to use.

10 - 50 year predictions: Where do you see yourself in 10 years? In 50 years? Use the Snap Chat filter or some aging technology and send us a picture now and then a picture of you aged! :)

Car Page: What are you driving?

Senior Best Memories: What is the best memory you have of you high school career?!

Senior Superlative Voting Best Hair. America's Next Top Model? Teacher's Pet. Vote now *We are going to try to limit seniors winning just one category.

Senior Quote: Seniors, show your gratitude to someone...leave a note...write a quote and send us a picture!

Time is now! Order Your Yearbook Now. https://www.jostens.com/apps/store/customer/1043817/Pottsgrove-High-School/

Interested in helping others? Is volunteering a passion of yours? Key Club is a great way to help our community and build a network of friends!

Were you already a member? Fill out the information on our Schoology Course. Want to get involved? Email Ms. Willcox at awillcox@pgsd.org for the Course code and fill out the member information!

Welcome to the 21-22 school year. While our seniors are preparing to fill out the FAFSA for financial aid help with their four-year colleges, technical colleges and trade schools, our juniors are trying to figure out their next steps in planning for their future. Either way financial aid is a factor in this process.

Each year Pottsgrove High School presents a financial aid presentation to about fifty or so parents to bring them up-to-speed with the steps for financing a continued education program, while we work individually with many families in our community. There are still families who we are not reaching due to busy work lives of parents and those affected by COVID. To ensure this information is received by all the necessary parties, PHEAA has partnered with us to provide to all families with students in any grade the opportunity to access this information and program anytime it is convenient for you.

This year we are happy to bring to you through on-line content the financial aid program and resources you will use over the next few years to assist your student with the financial aid process. The recording of "Financial Aid 101" and the resource link will give you all the information you need to take the right steps within the convenience of your own home.

After you view the information, if you still have questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to your student's school counselor. The school counselors are happy to assist you with this process.

PHEAA Financial Aid 101 Overview. (use password below to access)

https://pheaaconf.webex.com/pheaaconf/lsr.php?RCID=98e137e3c9d23092e7f7a4cf788c301a

Recording Password:EfuaR6Ri

PHEAA Financial Aid Resources for Students & Parents

As we move further into the season of applying and paying for post secondary education, families and students will begin to receive their Financial Aid Offer letters and consider the costs. PHEAA is offering November webinars that focus on those topics to assist in making knowledgeable decisions:

Covering the Gap: Pieces of the Puzzle to Help Pay Your Education Bill

Understanding education balances can be confusing. Whether you’re trying to address the costs or beginning to plan for higher education, this review is for you. Join PHEAA representatives Linda Pacewicz and Daniel Wray for a 1-hour webinar that will emphasize best practices (such as seeking grants and scholarships first), remind families about additional resources (such as payment plans), and review private/alternative loans as a last resort in the process of covering the gap and keeping balances affordable. The discussion will also include the basics of credit, what factors impact a credit score, how can a credit score be improved, and the effects on your borrowing capability.

November 30th Noon

Understanding the Offer Letter and Balances

The “Offer Letter” or “Financing Plans” that you receive provide an idea of the costs associated with attending a postsecondary institution and can be confusing because each school formats their information differently. PHEAA, represented by Linda Pacewicz and Daniel Wray of PA Forward Student Loan Program, will assist you in this 1-hour webinar in understanding and navigating through the types of aid that are listed, what you are being offered, identifying the balances, and next steps needed so you can make knowledgeable and affordable decisions. Q&A interaction is encouraged.

November 23rd Noon

REGISTER HERE

Attention students interested in Architecture, Construction, and Engineering:

ACE Mentoring is an opportunity to interact with professionals in these fields, and work with like-minded students on real-life projects. ACE is a program that meets once a week virtually and is great for the resume and also offers scholarship opportunities. See the flyer below for more information and how to get involved!

Join the PTSA by CLICKING HERE it's only $10.00 to become a member of the PTSA. Your membership supports the efforts of the PTSA and projects in the school.

PTSA Meetings dates are below - They meet in the HS Library

Dec 20th (6:30PM)

Jan 24th

February 28th

March 21st

April 25th

May 23rd

June 23rd (6:30PM)

PGHS National Honor Society student's are available to tutor any student in any subject during all study halls, and after school Monday-Thursday. Tutoring after school runs from 2:25 - 3pm. Contact your guidance counselor to get set-up with a peer tutor. Tutoring begins on Wednesday, September 15th.

Check out the latest and greatest from The Falcon. The Falcon is Pottsgrove High School's student online newspaper, and it's written, edited, and designed by students in Journalism class. You will read about student life, entertainment, art & music, sports, clubs, and more!

When we think of gratitude, we often think of showing gratitude towards others. We talk about showing it towards our students, using words of gratitude and thankfulness in our conversations, etc. While these external practices of gratitude are valuable for relationship building and emotional safety, it is important to recognize that gratitude can, and should, be an internal practice as well. Taking a few moments each day to draw mental attention to things you are thankful for can have a profound impact on your brain. In the short-term, it can help to relieve stress and move you towards operating from higher regions of the brain. Additionally, in the long term, it can have health benefits, and even increase your trauma resilience.

You may have heard us say before that the brain is use-dependent. What this essentially means is that how you use your brain is how it will then become wired to operate. I am sure we have all met someone before who is consistently negative, they see the downside of everything, they could win a new car and immediately complain about the cost of insurance. This is likely a person who has inadvertently wired their brain to find negative in things. The great news though, is that our brains can change!

When we repetitively practice something, such as reflecting on things we are grateful for, we create stronger neural pathways. Then, over time, our default can become gratitude and positivity instead of fear and negativity. This is why we encourage not just taking a moment to be thankful, but rather creating a consistent practice of thankfulness. It can sometimes feel like we are at the mercy of our brains and bodies, but they are really at the mercy of the routines and practices we put in place. Neuroplasticity gives us the power to develop our brains in ways that can support our overall wellbeing, and that’s something to be grateful for!

Helpful Tip- Don’t over-think this, there is no right or wrong way to start a mindfulness practice. Try to fit it into your regular routine. Each morning, on your way to work, take 60 seconds before turning on your radio to think of as many things as possible that you are grateful for. Between classes during the day, consider one thing you are grateful for from the period before. Don’t avoid this because it feels like too much work, embrace it, and recognize that each second of gratitude is progress towards positively changing your brain!

By Josh MacNeill, M.Ed., Director of NeuroLogic® by Lakeside

and Alexandra Murtaugh, Ed.D., Research and Development Coordinator

Williamson College of the Trades 12/1 @10am

Universal Technical Institute of PA 12/2 @12pm

SIGN UP ON NAVIANCE

Attention Seniors: All seniors must turn in the 21-22 Transcript Release form to Mrs. Crowell ASAP. In addition, seniors please check out the College Application Process overview. Forms are available in the guidance office or they can be downloaded from the College and Career Information folder in Naviance.

November:

17- 6:30 PM PGML Meeting

18- 6:30 PM Mandatory Athletic Parent Meeting

19- Winter Sports Start

22- No School for Students

22-12:00 PM - 8:00 PM Parent/Teacher Conference

23- No School for Students

23- 12:00 PM - 8:00 PM Parent/Teacher Conference

24- District Closed, No School for Students

25- District Closed, No School for Students

26- District Closed, No School for Students

December:

7- 7:30 PM School Board & Reorganization Meetings

8- WMCTC-Virtual Open House

8- 7:00 PM Band, Orchestra and Chorus Concert

11- 12:00 PM - 3:00 PM PGEF-Alumni Honor Roll

14- 7:30 PM Booster Club Meeting

20- 7:30 PM PTSA Meeting

22- Half Day for Students

23- District Closed, No School for Students

24- District Closed, No School for Students

27- District Closed, No School for Students

28- District Closed, No School for Students

29- District Closed, No School for Students

30- District Closed, No School for Students

31- District Closed, No School for Students

You spoke and we listened!! Continuing in the 2021-2022 school year, Pottsgrove School District is now accepting electronic excuse notes. To excuse your student via email, please send a note along with the date, name of your child, grade, and reason for the absence to HSAbsent@pgsd.org within 3 school days of the absence.

Note: emails sent to teachers email address will not be accepted as an excuse note. As a courtesy, teachers may forward the email one time to the appropriate attendance email.

The mission of the Pottsgrove School District is to educate and inspire all students to excel as productive, responsible citizens, and lifelong learners.