Neshaminy Update
Neshaminy School District / September, 2023
Four Neshaminy teachers were honored at the June 10 School Board meeting. The annual Neshaminy Teacher Recognition Awards celebrate educators that stand out in four areas - Leadership, Innovation, Community Partnership and The Spirit of Neshaminy. The winners were chosen from nominations submitted by Neshaminy staff members. The awards were presented at the meeting by Dr. Michelle Burkholder, Director of Elementary Education, and Dr. Kate Hinshaw, Director of Secondary Education, Superintendent Jason Bowman and the building principal for each recipient's school.
"Each year we come together to celebrate the exceptional teachers within our district," said Dr. Burkholder. "Educators whose classrooms demonstrate excellence, leadership, innovation and commumity impact, not only within the classroom but also in the community."
The 2025 award winners are:
- Megan Cahill, second grade teacher, Albert Schweitzer Elementary School, Leadership Award. Principal Dr. Amy Orlando cited her active participation in building and district-level professional development, sharing resources and tools that she created with her colleagues, modeling teaching techniques for new and experienced teachers, her effective use of data-driven instruction to create small groups and differentiated instruction to help her students grow. She also cited the relationships that she builds with her students and their families.
- Kerry Hammon, science teacher, Neshaminy High School, Innovation Award. Principal Stephen Garstka said that Ms. Hammon is a dedicated science teacher who is always looking for ways to keep her students engaged. She attends professional conferences and leads development classes with her colleagues to share what she has learned. She has embraced the new Pennsylvania STEELS science standards, developing new educational materials and instructional strategies to engage students and improve student learning within the framework of the new standards.
- Kelly Alberts, special education / life skills teacher, Carl Sandburg Middle School, Community Partnership Award. Principal Derek Albarran said that Ms. Alberts has mastered the art of helping her students thrive both inside and outside of the classroom. She actively involves here students in serving and connecting with the greater Neshaminy community through such projects as preparing meals for the homeless in cooperation with Neshaminy retirees and organizes a fundraiser supporting the Women's Humane Society by making and selling home-made dog treats. She connects families with essential services, volunteers with the Shop with a Cop program, brings her students to a monthly life skills dances and coaches the Special Olympics track team. She sponsors Sandburg's Buddy Club, which brings students of all abilities together for fun activities and friendships.
- McKenna Mullin, special education teacher, Neshaminy High School, Spirit of Neshaminy Award. Principal Stephen Garstka said that Ms. Mullin is dedicated to providing the most challenged students the opportunity to be like every other student in the building, while providing opportunities to build life skills. She embodies the values of compassion, dedication and leadership that define the Neshaminy community. She is the founder and leader of the Neshaminy Unified Track Team, creating a space where athletes of varying abilities can train, compete and grow together as equals. The program has flourished and spread to the district's middle schools, promoting the values of empathy, inclusion and teamwork from an early age.
As the sun set on a clear, warm evening, 747 members of the Neshaminy High School Class of 2025 became the school's newest alumni at Harry E. Franks Stadium on Wednesday, June 11. In front of stands filled to capacity with family and friends, two lines of graduates entered the field ready to celebrate their accomplishments.
The ceremony opened with Pomp and Circumstance performed by members of the Neshaminy HS Band under the direction of Mike Pettis and the National Anthem sung by the Senior Choir under the direction of Kristin Nichols. Principal Stephen Garstka introduced the student speakers, starting with Class Treasurer Alayna Roscoe and Vice President Claire Salocky, followed by Class Secretary Gavin Meehan and Class Historian Joey Willse. Each reflected on their time at Neshaminy, recalling challenges and life lessons learned, and thanking those that supported them including family members, Neshaminy teachers and support staff, and their fellow students.
Superintendent Jason Bowman, himself a Neshaminy graduate, emphasized resilience in his remarks.
"This ceremony is more than a celebration grades, test scores or even diplomas," he said. "Tonight, we celebrate something even more powerful, and that's your resilience. Class of 2025, you've been tested in ways that no one could have planned. You've lived through times of uncertainty and disruption, through shutdowns, remote learning and isolation, and the long, complicated journey back to normal. But what's most important is that you didn't just survive these years, you grew through them."
Assistant Principal Roberta Cimochowski and Class Adviser Laurie Johnson (the "Class Mom") spoke next followed by a performance of "We are One" by the Senior Choir. This year's graduation was a special one for the next speaker, School Board President Marty Sullivan whose daughter Katie was among the graduates.
Student Council Officers Cole Marozsan, Marissa Cavallo, Isabella Toto, Elaina Clark, and Blair Anderson took to the stage next, each reflecting on their time at Neshaminy and recalling their favorite "core memories" such as Gym Night, music and athletic trips, the Junior Class Trip to Virginia and Washington DC, Homecoming, Pink Out, Mr. Neshaminy and more.
Principal Garstka presented the graduates to School Board Vice President Tina Hollenbach, who confirmed that the members of the class met the requirements for graduation for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Neshaminy High School teacher Kim Montone and Tawanka Elementary School Coordinator of Student Affairs James Maloney (who also serves an event coordinator at the high school) read the names of each graduate as they received their diploma folders.
Senior Class President Ben Long closed out the ceremony by thanking his family and friends.
"They say high school ends, and life begins. But they forgot, this was life," he said. "We just didn't pass time here, we became someone here, between the morning alarms and missing buses, between the cafeteria tables and whispered secrets, something changed, we were growing before we even though growth felt like."
"As this chapter ends, let it end with gratitude for every teacher who cared, every friend who stayed, every moment that broke us then built us better."
- Friday, July 4: District offices, schools closed
- Wednesday, July 23 - Sunday, July 27: Neshaminy Summer Stock performances, NHS
- Monday, August 11: First day of fall sports at NHS
- Tuesday, August 19: NHS new student orientation (last names A-K), 9-11 am
- Wednesday, August 20: NHS new student orientation (last names L-Z), 9-11 am
- Thursday, August 21: Middle school orientations (see website / emails for times)
- Monday - Tuesday, August 25-26: Act 80 days, teachers report
- Tuesday, August 26: Kindergarten orientation and grades 1-4 elementary open houses
- Wednesday, August 27: First day of school for grades K, 5 and 9
- Thursday, August 28: All students report
- Monday, September 1: Labor Day, district closed
For more events and updates please visit the district and school websites.
NESHAMINY HS FOOTBALL COMMUNITY NIGHTS
The following are scheduled community nights at upcoming Neshaminy HS football games:
- Friday, September 5: Gold Out (supporting cancer awareness and research)
- Friday, September 12: Blue Out (First Responders Night, Class of 1990 Reunion, All-Sports Hall of Fame)
- Friday, September 26: Neshaminy HS Homecoming and Carnival
- Friday, October 3: Senior Night for NHS Band, Cheerleading and Football; Pink Out; 8th Grade Band Night
The complete Neshaminy HS athletic calendar can be found at www.skinsevents.com
BUS PATROL CAMERAS
Drivers who ignore school buses picking up or dropping off children at their stops will be facing steep consequences thanks to a new camera enforcement tool scheduled to be installed over the summer. Exterior cameras that will be installed on district buses by Bus Patrol, Inc. will record video of drivers who pass buses when the red lights are flashing, and the stop arm is deployed. Police from the municipalities within the district will review the video via a secure connection and issue appropriate citations for violations. The cameras will be maintained by Bus Patrol and installed at no cost to the district. The district, the police departments and the company will each receive a portion of the fines to support the operation of the system and the cost to police of reviewing the videos and issuing the citations. In Pennsylvania, the fine to motorists for passing a school bus with flashing lights and the stop arm extended is $300.
The Neshaminy School Board has approved the system along with the Middletown Township Board of Supervisors. Additional municipalities and police departments in the district are also expected to participate.
NEW BUS APP
The Transportation Department will be upgrading its bus route management and bus tracking systems over the summer. As part of that upgrade, parents and guardians will be invited to download a new app, Stopfinder, to track their students' bus and receive notifications of arrivals and departure times, bus changes and more. This application is available for both iOS and Android. The new application will be implemented over the summer, and Neshaminy parents and guardians should look for information about the new app in August. For security purposes, access to their student's bus and tracking information will be available only by invitation, which will be sent during the implementation process later this summer.
NEW DISTRICT WEBSITE
The district and school websites will get a new look over the summer. The district is switching website hosting to Power School, one of the largest providers of data services to schools in the country. The district already uses several Power School tools to manage student and staff data, and the communications application used for email, text and robocall blasts to Neshaminy families. The new website will reflect changes in the way that administrators, teachers, students, their families and the community use the site. Important links to frequently visited pages and documents will be more prominent, and a simpler layout will make finding those resources easier on desktop computers, laptops and tablets, and mobile devices.
The latest three episodes of the Neshaminy Coalition for Youth Giving Youth a Voice podcast series feature in-depth conversations between Neshaminy High School students and Dr. Debbie Van Aken, a Bucks County psychologist. The podcast is unique as the students themselves participate in writing the questions and conducting the interviews, giving the conversation relevance to their concerns and those of their peer group. Each of the three recent episodes centers on a specific aspect of mental health among teenagers:
- Talking to Parents: How to have an open discussion about issues of mental health
- Coping with Mental Health: Staying positive in a complicated world
- Social Media: How to navigate issues related to social media
The Giving Youth a Voice podcast is produced by the non-profit Neshaminy Coalition for Youth and the interviews were conducted at Neshaminy High School. All episodes of the podcast can be found on multiple platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts and the NC4Y website, https://nc4youth.org/podcast/fac.
For over fifty years, Neshaminy High School has hosted one of the premiere summer theater programs in the region. This year is no exception, with over 250 students involved in three productions, all of which will be rehearsed and staged during the month of July. Auditions for this year's shows were held in June (photo at right). Performances will be begin on Wednesday, July 23 and run through Sunday, July 27. The entire Neshaminy community is invited to enjoy these three family-friendly shows; ticket information will be posted at the link found below.
The Main Stage show (for students in entering grades 8-12) is The Sponge Bob Musical. Based on the beloved Nickelodeon animated TV series, the musical version premiered on Broadway in 2017. The Theater Workshop (for students entering grades 5-7) show is The Lightning Thief, a Percy Jackson Musical. This show is based on the 2005 fantasy adventure novel The Lightning Thief, which was adapted as a musical for young audiences in 2010.
The Showcase performance (for students entering grades 2-4) is an original production, Whodunnit. This show will feature a "create-you-own" ending giving audiences a different experience with each performance.
Neshaminy Summer Stock is an opportunity for students to learn all aspects of theater production, from staging and lighting to singing and dancing. Putting together a professional-quality show in the short space of one month is a challenge that the Summer Stock staff and performers tackle each year with energy and pride. Many "Summer Stockers" have gone on to perform in regional, national and Broadway shows.
2025-2026 BUDGET PASSES
The Neshaminy School Board approved the 2025-2026 General Fund Budget by a vote of 6-3 at the June 24 Board Public meeting. The budget includes expenditures of $226,407,676 and total revenue of $221,457,251. The budget does include a 4.7% property tax increase, which is within the Pennsylvania Act 1 limit for 2025-2026. This increase will be slightly mitigated by an increase in the homestead / farmstead exclusion for Neshaminy homeowners. An additional $1.95 million will be drawn from the district's reserve funds.
All children must have the required medically appropriate vaccines or a plan to complete those vaccines or risk exclusion from school. A child may still obtain medical, religious, or philosophical exemption from meeting the immunization requirements. State law dictates that even if your child is exempt from immunizations, he or she may be excluded from school during an outbreak of vaccine-preventable disease. Please visit our Vaccination Requirements Newsletter for more information.
Neshaminy's Pre-K Counts preschool program is gearing up for the next school year! Registration is now open for 2025-2026. Pre-K Counts is a state grant-funded program that offers a high-quality FREE preschool for children whose families meet financial qualification guidelines. For the 2025-2026 school year, a family of four can earn up to 96,450 (household income) to qualify! Neshaminy is pleased to host several classes of Pre-K Counts preschool within our district borders, including several in our Neshaminy schools.
Pre-K Counts is available to children who turn 3 or 4 years of age by September 1, 2025. To find out more about Pre-K Counts at Neshaminy and to complete a registration application, pleae visit the link below.
The Board of the Neshaminy Education Foundation is pleased to announce that six graduating Neshaminy High School seniors received scholarships for their continuing education at the Senior Awards Ceremony in June. Each scholarship is worth $1000. Congratulations to the following:
- Cailey Chin, attending the University of Pennsylvania to study economics.
- Kamryn Henry, attending West Virginia University to study criminology.
- Madelyne Shtino, attending the Indiana University of Pennsylvania, studying exercise science / physical therapy.
- Melanie Molina, attending Temple University studying biology.
- Cole Morozen, attending Slippery Rock University, studying public health / pre-physician assistant'
- Alyssa Loudon, attending Lehigh University, studying chemical or biomedical engineering.
In addition, the Foundation is pleased to be funding the annual Dr. Gary S. Bowman Memorial Scholarship in the amount of $500. Congratulations to Avery Zack, who will be attending West Chester University in the fall.
SPRING BASKET RAFFLE
Congratulations to Jeanine Zercher and Kristin McGee, winners of the Spring Basket Raffle. Thanks to all who participated in this fundraiser for the NEF.
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.
Public Notices
Neshaminy School District is required to provide annual public notice for the following: Special Education Services, Gifted Students, Services for Protected Handicapped Students, Destruction of Records, Medical Assistance, and the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). These notices are available on the Neshaminy district website HERE.
Summer Meal Programs
SUN Bucks, a federally funded Summer EBT program, is a new grocery benefits program that provides households with a one-time payment of $120 for each eligible child to buy food while school is out. Benefits can be used at local participating retailers to purchase groceries. School-aged children whose families receive SNAP, TANF, FDPIR, or certain other income-based benefits will be automatically enrolled to receive SUN Bucks. Additionally, children who attend a school that offers the National School Lunch Program or School Breakfast Program and whose household income makes them eligible for free or reduced-price school meals may also be automatically enrolled in SUN Bucks. The benefits will be added to an existing SNAP/TANF EBT card or a newly issued Summer EBT card.
The website below contain more information about this benefit. Additionally, another federally-funderd program provides free meals to children under the age of 18 during the summer. The map linked below lists sites where the meals are offered on weekdays, including locations in Bensalem, Bristol and Fairless Hills.
Dozens of Neshaminy High School seniors returned to their elementary and middle schools with their graduation caps and gowns for joyful "clap-outs" from the current students and staff just before commencement. This new tradition started at Herbert Hoover Elementary School last year and has now spread to several other buildings around the district. The "clap-outs" offer the seniors a chance to visit with some of their former teachers and administrators, and to inspire their younger counterparts who will be graduating from the high school themselves in a few years. Students from Bucks County Technical High School and private high schools who attended the Neshaminy elementary and middle schools were also invited to join the fun.
Neshaminy HS senior Kylie Maxwell was named Gatorade Player of the Year for the Pennsylvania in June. Gatorade Player of the Year is the top honor in high school sports, celebrating the nation’s best high school athletes for their success on the field, in the classroom and in the community. The award distinguishes Maxwell as Pennsylvania's best high school girls soccer player, and she joins an impressive group of alumni that spans CEOs, coaches and star athletes.
From the award committee: "The senior forward led the Redskins to a 17-4 record and the second round of district playoffs this past season. Maxwell scored 38 goals and passed for 15 assists, breaking the school’s single-season scoring record. She had multi-goal games in 15 of her 20 starts, six of which featured hat tricks. The Southeastern Pennsylvania Player of the Year, she is a member of U-17 and U-19 US youth national team pools as well as a 2024 United Soccer Coaches All-Region selection."
"Maxwell has volunteered locally as part of multiple community service initiatives in association with the National Honor Society. The Gatorade Player of the Year program annually recognizes one winner in the District of Columbia and each of the 50 states across 12 different high school sports – football, girls volleyball, boys and girls cross country, boys and girls basketball, boys and girls soccer, baseball, softball, and boys and girls track & field – and awards one National Player of the Year in each sport. The selection process is administered by the Gatorade Player of the Year Selection Committee, which leverages experts including coaches, scouts, media and others as sources to help evaluate and determine the state winners in each sport."
Kylie graduated with the Class of 2025 and has committed to continuing her soccer career while attending Wake Forest University this fall.
While appearing as Inga in the Neshaminy HS production of Young Frankenstein this past February, senior Rebecca Gutierrez may not have imagined that her performance would take her all the way to Broadway in a very short period of time. But that is exactly what happened - after she was named one of two high school performers from the region to be nominated for a national award at the recent Philadelphia Independence Awards, she appeared at the Jimmy Awards held in the Minskoff Theater in New York City on Monday, June 23. This award show, often called the "Tony Awards of high school theater," included a week of activities where nominees from around the country had the opportunity to work with top Broadway performers, directors, writers, choreographers and other theater professionals. The nominees rehearsed group performances which were performed during the ceremony.
The Neshaminy High School Class of 2025 can add yet one more thing to their Bingo card of unusual challenges they have faced over the past 12 years. Just as preparations were underway on the front lawn of the school for the Senior Picnic on the morning of Friday, June 6, an adolescent bear was spotted nearby in the Our Lady of Grace Cemetery along Route 1. It was possibly the same bear that had been spotted a day earlier near the Maple Point campus, forcing outdoors activities at Maple Point MS and Core Creek ES to move indoors.
A wildlife management team was dispatched, and as a precaution officials asked that the Neshaminy picnic be moved indoors until the bear was captured. Despite their best efforts, the bear managed to climb a fence at the cemetery and make its way toward the Neshaminy creek. The picnic organizers quickly pivoted, and the picnic food was moved indoors and food trucks moved to the courtyard area in front of the Main Office at the high school.
On Monday June 9, the high school's Orchestra Program held its first ever Strings Camp Orientation. Rising ninth grade string players were able to work with the current and returning NHS orchestra members during the event. Participating students learned a song in 45 minutes as one large group, split into sectionals to work with professional musicians/music teachers, and were shown a presentation revealing the many exciting details that the 25-26 school year will bring!
