Weekly Principal's Newsletter

Our Life Skills program has been buzzing with culinary creativity this month! Students have been sharpening their cooking and nutrition skills through fun, hands-on food preparation activities. Some of their delicious creations include Macaroni and Cheese Cups, Peanut Butter “Bluey” Sandwiches, Dirt Pudding Cups, Fruit Kebabs, and Halloween-themed Chocolate-Covered Pretzel Rods.

Our science classes have been diving into fascinating experiments that encourage critical thinking and data collection:

• Ramp Experiments: Students calculated distances using different forces and incline angles
• Sound Investigation: Exploring acoustic changes by adding weights to cow bells
• Probability Study: Collecting and analyzing data from coin flip experiments

Thank you to Mrs. Caputo and the team for making the start of the year incredibly successful!

🍂 Fall Fun in the Courtyard! 🍂

Groups of students have been soaking up the beautiful fall weather during lunch in the courtyard! The crisp air and colorful leaves have created the perfect backdrop for friends to relax, laugh, and enjoy their time together. From chatting over lunch to playing games and just hanging out, it’s been great to see so many students making the most of these golden autumn days.

Strayer’s courtyard has truly become a favorite lunchtime spot — filled with smiles, good vibes, and plenty of Panther pride! 🐾

🎉 We Have a New Name! 🎉

Students from all across Strayer put their creativity to the test this week, coming up with clever and catchy names to replace Dr. Crater’s original “Weekly Principal’s Newsletter.” After gathering all the awesome suggestions, Dr. Crater teamed up with a little AI magic to blend the best ideas into one perfect title.

✨ Welcome to The Panther Pulse! ✨

Your go-to source for all the energy, excitement, and everyday happenings at Strayer!

• October 13/14: Educators Cooperative Survey
• October 14: BMX Bike Event (PBIS Incentive)
• October 21: Strayer PTO Meeting (5:00-5:45) DATE CHANGE
• October 21: K-12 Parent Informational Math Session (6:00-7:30) DATE CHANGE
• October 31: PAYS Survey (8th Grade)
• November 3: Conferences (more information to come - including signups - on 10/19)
• November 4: No School for Students
• November 26-28: Holiday - School Closed

Students will be completing this survey in school on October 13 and 14 during social studies class. A consent form is attached below. This is a passive consent form, which means you only need to return it if you do not wish for your child to participate in the survey. If we do not receive a signed form, your child will be included.

We appreciate your partnership in this important process.

Our school is taking part in the 2025 Pennsylvania Youth Survey (PAYS) sponsored by the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency, the Pennsylvania Department of Education, and the Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs. The survey will ask questions about the behaviors of students in the 6th, 8th, 10th, and 12th grades, including questions about school climate, mental health, violence, bullying, and substance use. Please review the attached document for more information about the PAYS survey.

Red Ribbon Week is 10/27-10/31

DID YOU KNOW? Children of parents who talk to their teens regularly about drugs are 42% less likely to use drugs than those who don’t; yet, only a quarter of teens report having these conversations. Red Ribbon Week® (October 27-31), the oldest and largest drug prevention campaign in the nation, is your opportunity to get the ongoing conversation started. This year’s theme is "Life Is A Puzzle, Solve It Drug Free.". Visit www.redribbon.org to learn more about Red Ribbon Week® and get tips for talking to your kids about drugs. The life you save may be that of your own child or a dear friend. We will be celebrating RRW week at Strayer 10-27 - 10/31. Here are our spirit days:

TO PARTICIPATE for the First Day of Practice, You Must Complete ALL of the Following:

• A PIAA physical (Sections 5 & 6), PERFORMED on or after MAY 1, 2025 must be ON FILE with the Middle School Athletic Trainer.
• COMPLETE the FAMILYID Registration (Link Below).

Parent/Guardian, please complete the registration link below. Once the student-athlete has been cleared by the Athletic Department and Athletic Trainer, their name will be listed on the clear to participate list. Please turn in a hard copy of Section 5 & 6 PIAA physical form to the Middle School Athletic Trainer. Athletes must comply with a 24 hour waiting period (to process medical forms) after the receipt of physicals prior to being permitted to practice.

If you have any registration issues, please contact Evan Gasparetti, Strayer Athletic Secretary, at egasparetti@qcsd.org.

The Request for Assistance Form should be completed if you have non-urgent concerns regarding an area of your student’s educational programming that may need attention from the school team. Submission of this form does not trigger immediate intervention, but it will alert the school’s MTSS team to review your student’s data and follow up with you regarding your concern.

Reporting Student Absences: Information on how to report student absences can be found under "Attendance Information" on our website.

Join the QCSD Team and make a difference in the lives of young people! Check-out the QCSD Employment Opportunities. Let’s build a bright future together.

We have lots of information on the community bulletin board. Please click here for the QCSD Community Opportunities.