Burgettstown Area School District

A look back at the week that was, and a peek at the week ahead. #True2theBlue

• November 7: Act 80 half-day
• November 14th: Inservice (no school)
• November 26, 27, 28: Thanksgiving Break
• December 1: Act 80 Full Day (no school)

In a move made to accomodate teacher professional development, the school calendar was revised, and the November Act 80 half-day will now be on November 7 and the full in-service day (no school for students) will be November 14th. PLEASE MARK YOUR CALENDAR.

The Burgettstown Cross Country teams capped off an impressive season at the WPIAL Championships this week.

The girls’ team finished 13th overall, led by standout performances from Jessica Tender (22:22) and Mia Maltony (23:12). Rounding out the Blue Devil lineup were Ellie Halyak (26:26), Savana Rush (27:36), Kendall Chalinior (27:42), and Brenna Henry (28:38).

On the boys’ side, the team placed 10th at WPIALs with strong finishes from Carter Baker (18:29), Mason Steele (19:17), Morris Harvey (19:36), Nick Secco (20:09), Trent Clem (21:05), and Joe Secco (21:51).

A special congratulations goes out to Max Maltony, who finished 21st overall with a time of 17:20, earning a trip to the PIAA State Championships—the first Burgettstown boy to qualify for states in 10 years!

The Blue Devil Cross Country program continues to impress with its dedication, teamwork, and steady progress each season. Congratulations to all athletes and coaches on an outstanding year!

Burgettstown Middle/High School celebrated Unity Day with an energetic, laughter-filled school-wide Rock, Paper, Scissors Challenge built around the theme “Together We’re Stronger!”

Each student began the day with an orange beaded necklace, symbolizing kindness and inclusion. Throughout the day, students challenged one another in games of Rock, Paper, Scissors — collecting necklaces with every win. It took five necklaces to challenge a teacher and ten to take on an administrator!

The excitement built throughout the day as students connected across grade levels, cheering one another on in the spirit of teamwork and positivity. The day concluded with a final showdown in the main foyer, where the top necklace-holders competed for the title of Unity Day Champion.

When the final game was played, Mason Steele emerged victorious, earning the well-deserved title and bragging rights as the 2025 Unity Day Rock, Paper, Scissors Champion!

In recognition of National Fire Prevention Week, students at Burgettstown Area Elementary Center learned valuable lessons about fire safety from Mr. Chris Lander and Kylie Lander. The duo shared important safety tips and strategies to help students stay calm and make smart choices in an emergency.

Our K–2 students were especially engaged, asking thoughtful and curious questions that showed just how much they were learning. The event not only reinforced important safety practices but also highlighted the importance of community helpers and the vital role firefighters play in keeping us all safe.

A big thank you to Mr. Lander and Kylie for spending the day with our Blue Devils and helping to make fire safety memorable and meaningful!

It’s never a dull moment during Mr. Rendulic’s Trivia Thursday at BAEC! Students put their knowledge to the test each week, tackling fun and challenging questions that spark curiosity and teamwork. From quick thinkers to creative problem-solvers, everyone has a chance to shine — and learn something new along the way.

Thank you to all the students who make Trivia Thursday such a lively and engaging part of our week!

October is National School Bus Safety Month, and our Burgettstown bus drivers have been visiting classrooms at BAEC to help students learn the ins and outs of safe bus ridership. From proper loading procedures to staying seated and alert, students were reminded how important safety is each and every ride.

Pictured below is Mrs. Carrie Ferris with her Bus 5 students leading one of this week’s sessions. Our other dedicated drivers Kenny McKinney, Mary Anne Maga, Jim Meyers, Janine Willy, Birgit Brown, and Nicole Cooke are also visiting the elementary center and sharing their expertise throughout the month.

Together, these drivers keep our students rolling safely and proudly in Blue Devil Country!

The Burgettstown Lions Youth Football Organization has had an incredible season filled with teamwork, determination, and Blue Devil pride! As the teams head into playoff weekend, our entire school community is cheering them on.

We’re proud of these young athletes, their coaches, and families for representing our community with sportsmanship and heart. Good luck, Lions — bring home the win!

Ms. Bebo’s middle school science students are diving into hands-on learning as they explore the concepts of mass, force, and speed — all part of Pennsylvania’s new STEELS science standards. Through engaging experiments and real-world applications, students are discovering how motion and energy connect to the world around them.

These inquiry-based lessons are helping students think like scientists — predicting, testing, and analyzing as they put the STEELS standards into action in true Blue Devil fashion!

Students in Mr. Sargent’s elementary art class have been busy bringing their imaginations to life through color, texture, and creativity! Using crayons and scratch art, young artists experimented with patterns and designs to create one-of-a-kind masterpieces.

Mr. Sargent’s art room is always a place where curiosity and creativity meet — where every student can explore, express, and proudly display their artistic talents. The smiles (and colorful creations!) say it all!

This year, the Burgettstown Athletic Department is introducing digital ticketing for regular season football, volleyball, girls and boys basketball, and wrestling. Though all fans may still purchase a ticket "at the gate," but those who wish to avoid lines and pre-purchase an electronic ticket may do so by accessing the digital ticketing feature on the Hudl Fan page. Single game regular season tickets for both students and adults are available. Also, for those who know that will likely attend all games in a particular season, a season pass can be purchased. Please note: there is a processing fee, per ticket. This fee does not go to the school district, it is a vendor fee in support of the electronic ticketing feature. Scan the QR code or the button below to access the Hudl Fan page.

We remind students, employees, parents, guardians, and community members that smoking, the possession or use of alcohol or other drugs, and the possession of weapons on school grounds, including outdoor athletic areas, by any individual, is prohibited. These acts are subject to police action and must also be reported to the Department of Education.

Our school community has embraced the uniqueness of conducting commencement exercises at Star Lake for decades. The various management groups throughout the years have supported this by donating the use of the facility and we are most appreciative. While it is early in the school year, we want to make note that in order to hold graduation at Star Lake, flexibility in planning is necessary. Believe it or not, the planning for the next year begins shortly after the school year ends. We notify Star Lake management of our desired date and it is recorded as a preferred date. There are no guarantees, and in the past several years, we have not been able to finalize the date until some point in April. We know this causes a bit of anxiousness on the part of our seniors and their families, but if we want to continue this fine tradition, we must remain flexible. After last year's Commencement, we informed the management at Star Lake that our preferred date for this year's Commencement is June 5, 2026. While this is our preferred date, there is no guarantee that we will get it. As the months go by this year, the District will remain in contact with Star Lake management. When we know the confirmed date, we will communicate it to our students and families. Though graduation may be the last thing on anyone's mind this early in the school year, we wanted to communicate this information so there are no misunderstandings.

Student and employee safety is extremely important to us. We are constantly looking for ways to make our schools, school grounds, and property safe for all. Recently, we ordered signage that will be placed on all of our school busses, warning that unauthorized boarding will be subject to criminal prosecution. This is not something new, it is simply something we are creating a greater awareness of.

According to the Pennsylvania Crimes Code:

§ 5517. Unauthorized school bus entry. (a) Offense defined.--A person who enters a school bus without prior authorization of the driver or a school official with intent to commit a crime or disrupt or interfere with the driver or a person who enters a school bus without prior authorization of the driver or a school official who refuses to disembark after being ordered to do so by the driver commits a misdemeanor of the third degree. (b) Notice.--A school district may place a notice at the entrance of the school bus that warns against unauthorized entry.

Our school district prides itself on providing the best possible learning environment for our students, and school buildings and other facilities that can be a source of pride for the community. We are constantly monitoring the conditions of our schools, athletic complexes and other district-owned property but sometimes we miss things. You can help us by completing this form when you notice something that you think needs our attention. It can be something as basic as noticing that there is a light out in our parking areas, or that the trash receptacles at the baseball field need emptied. Just like you have for your home, we have a running list of items that need our attention. These items get prioritized and acted upon. We may already know about the issue you raise, but if we don't, we can't prioritize it until we do. We are all in this together and your input is greatly appreciated. Please click her to access this form: HERE

We know our families and our communities enjoy seeing the various photographs and related information about our students and their activities through the various social media platforms and other methods of communication from our school district. If a parent or guardian objects to the use of their child's image and related information, they must notify the school district. Please see the following document for more details.