Weekly Updates - Students/Parents

*NEW - LISTEN TO HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE WEEKLY UPDATES - Courtesy of Notebook LM

Monday, September 7, 2026 - LABOR DAY - SCHOOLS CLOSED!

Tuesday, September 8, 2026 - Regular Bell Schedule

Wednesday, September 9, 2026 - Regular Bell Schedule

• Library closed for the day

Thursday, September 10, 2026 - 1 Hour Advisory Bell Schedule

• Community Meeting
• Dreams & Nightmares Summit - Select Seniors
• Back to School Night - 6-8 PM

Friday, September 11, 2026 - 1 Hour Advisory Bell Schedule

• Wear Eagles Gear!
• Community Meeting
• Club Fair (during Social Studies period)
• Rosh Hashanah Begins

The Eagles' season officially kicks off on Sunday, September 13. Let's support our home team by wearing green. or our Eagles gear on Friday! Go Birds!

The Club Fair will take place on Friday, September 11, 2026 during Social Studies periods. Students will have the opportunity to visit club booths and sign up for after school activities. Club tri-fold boards are due by 3:30 PM on Thursday, 9/10.

• The Palumbo Home & School Association (HSA) will hold its first monthly meeting in-person, on Thursday, September 10th at 5:00 PM prior to Back to School Night.
• The HSA is seeking members to fill positions on the executive board. If interested contact palumbogriffins@gmail.com.

*Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) College Fair.

Wednesday, November 4, 2026

4:00 PM – 7:00 PM

The School District of Philadelphia Building

440 N. Broad Street (in the Atrium), Philadelphia, PA 19130

Universities you'll meet at the fair:

• Cheyney University

• Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania (Bloomsburg, Lock Haven, and Mansfield)

• East Stroudsburg University

• Indiana University of Pennsylvania

• Kutztown University

• Millersville University

• PennWest University (California, Clarion, and Edinboro)

• Shippensburg University

• Slippery Rock University

• West Chester University

No registration required! Just show up ready to explore. The flyer is attached, and you can learn more at www.passhe.edu/collegefair.

One tip that makes a big difference: students should bring several copies of their unofficial transcript. It's the key to those on-site decisions.

*2026 HBCU Fair

The School District of Philadelphia's Office of Postsecondary Readiness is proud to announce the 28th Annual Malcolm Bernard Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) College Fair on Wednesday, November 18, 2026, from 3:30 to 7:00 PM at Martin Luther King High School, 6100 Stenton Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19138.

Here's what your students can look forward to:

• Exploring college options face-to-face with HBCU admissions professionals

• Scholarships, application fee waivers, and instant admissions

• Expert workshops and panels

Many colleges and universities will be offering on-site acceptances, so encourage your students to bring copies of their unofficial transcripts—they could walk in as an applicant and walk out as an admitted student.

Please share the attached flyer with your students and encourage them to register early. Registration is REQUIRED at tinyurl.com/hbcufair26 or by scanning the QR code on the attached flyer.

Questions? Reach out to Dolores Adriaanse at dadriaanse@philasd.org.

PSTV is excited to announce the first contest of this new school year. The Summer Recap contest gives your students the chance to reflect on their summer vacation and create content telling their story. Contest starts September 14th. See our website for more details and the link to submit your entry.

https://www.philasd.org/pstv/contest/

FREE Virtual Financial Empowerment Workshop Series!

Our school has partnered with Financial Scholars to offer personal finance education to our students and families!

• Are you looking to take charge of your finances?
• Could you benefit from financial education?
• Want to learn more about Budgeting, Borrowing / Credit, Insurance, Real Estate & Building Equity, Paying for College, and Investing?*

Join us for a FREE, six-week virtual financial empowerment workshop for school staff, parents, and caregivers!

The virtual workshops will be held on Monday evenings from October 19th – November 23rd from 7:00PM – 8:00PM on Zoom.

The first 20 people who register will receive a $250 contribution to their child’s 529 or other qualifying education savings account once they have attended all six sessions! (Only one contribution will be made for each qualifying registrant caregiver/parent)

CLICK HERE TO RSVP TODAY!

*Information provided in these seminars is for educational purposes only. Financial Scholars does not provide investment advice. Everyone’s financial situation is unique, and the products and strategies discussed may not be right for your circumstances.

This free, one-day conference features sessions on music creation, emerging technologies, branding and marketing, building sustainable music careers, and topics specific to Philly's creator ecosystem. If you know an artist, creator, student, or music professional who could benefit from being in the room, please share FamCon with them and encourage them to apply today. 5 - 7 minute application

We’re also looking for volunteers to help us bring the day to life. If you or someone in your network is interested in supporting the conference, please volunteer at FamCon.

This year’s conference is presented in partnership with the Philadelphia Department of Commerce, sponsored by Splice, Sony, and JPMorgan Chase, with special gifts from the William Penn Foundation.

Lastly, we’re excited to introduce Philly Sound Lab, a new pilot intensive presented in partnership with West Chester University. Open to student-artists 18+, this one-week intensive gives emerging music creators the space to experiment, collaborate, and create. Applications are open now through September.

Apply to become a Student Board Representative on the Philadelphia Board of Education for the 2027 calendar year.

Student Board Representatives bring the student voice directly to Board deliberations and decision-making. They publicly represent their peers across the school district, helping shape conversations about public education and advocating for student interests. With a seat at the table, they have the chance to influence plans that affect their schools and communities.

Applications are now open and will close Wednesday, September 30 at 11:59p.m.

To qualify as a Student Board Representative or Alternate, students must:

• Be a current resident of Philadelphia and attend a Philadelphia district or charter school;

• Currently in 10th or 11th grade;

• Have a minimum GPA of 2.5 or higher and be in good standing;

• Be actively involved in their school community and willing to work to support Philadelphia’s public schools, on behalf of their peers, on a regular basis; and

• Be willing to represent their peers at Board of Education meetings and to communicate student opinions to the Board and report Board deliberations and actions to the student body.

Student Board Representatives are expected to participate in the following activities throughout their term:

• Advise the Board of Education on matters in the best interest of all students in Philadelphia including the development and revision of Board policies;

• Serve on the Superintendent’s Student Advisory Council;

• Serve as leaders that represent the student voice for all Philadelphia public schools (district and charter);

• Make every effort to attend and participate in all public meetings of the Board of Education held outside of their school day;

• Receive orientation, training, and support from the Office of the Board of Education in relation to fulfilling their role on the Board; and

• Participate in weekly student board representative check-ins.

The Philadelphia Board of Education welcomes all who are interested to apply. Students can submit their application here.

Please spread the word to any eligible students and the teachers and counselors who support them. If you have any questions, contact Program Manager Shakyra Greene at sgreene@philasd.org.

Be sure that you join your graduation year's Google Classroom. Class of 2027 has a new classroom so all seniors need to rejoin:

CLASS OF 2027: w36auf3l

CLASS OF 2028: 3agcre4

CLASS OF 2029: idmyhyep

CLASS OF 2030: ab7utgnw

All students living 1.5 miles or greater from the school (1100 Catharine St.) are eligible to receive a Septa Fare Card. The card is good until the student graduates from high school. Fare cards will be distributed at new student orientation or during the first week of school. Current students should use their existing fare cards, so please keep them in a safe location over the summer. New 10th, 11th & 12th grade students who are transferring will receive a new fare card if eligible. All students are able to travel to school for free on the first day of school. For fare card questions email Ms. Khadiyah at kbunion@philasd.org. Please see the district’s website for more information on Fare Cards.

Students may not use phones during class for non-instructional purposes. Teachers may either require students to keep phones in their bags (not in their pocket), or keep phones in a wall-hanger. Students are allowed to use phones responsibly before school, after school, and during their assigned lunch period. We highly encourage parents/caregivers to call the school's office at 215-400-8130 if they need to contact their student.

Consequences for students in violation of the policy are as follows:

1. After the first infraction teachers will have a private conversation with students
2. After the second infraction teachers will call the student’s home
3. After the third infraction students will be referred to the dean’s office. Thereafter the dean will follow progressive discipline according to the code of conduct.

CLASS OF 2027: View the Gates Scholarship fact sheet here. Deadline is quickly approaching.

You may use this electronic form to submit an excuse for your child's absence from school within three days of the absence. A doctors note must be provided after three consecutive days of absence. After 9 parental excuses, a doctor's note will be required. Be sure to complete each section below to ensure the excuse is accepted. Written notes are also accepted in the main office. All request are subject to administrative approval.

WAYS TO REQUEST AN EXCUSED ABSENCE:

• Complete this form within three days of the absence.
• Send a written note within three days of the absence
• Call 215-400-8130 on the morning of the absence.