PGHS November Newsletter

Dr. Gonzalez

PGHS Principal

Greetings PGHS Families,

The school year is traveling fast. We have entered into our 2nd quarter with our feet on the ground and running, and things are looking good. Strong engagement and active learning is continuously occurring in the building. Our fall sports teams are coming to an end, and the winter sports are revving up.

With the cold weather coming around, I want to set clear expectations for students. Students are not allowed to wear winter jackets in school. Upon entering the building, students are required to place their coat in their locker. Any form of bedding is not allowed as well which includes blankets, sheets and robes.

For attendance purposes, if students are entering the building late, they are required to have a written note excusing them for their lateness. You may send an email to HSabsent@pgsd.org if you cannot write a note. If you are picking up your student early, you must sign them out using our office iPads and also a written note is required for it to be excused. Emails are also acceptable for excusing them early.

As always, I am here for any concerns you may have. We have 3 weeks till a well deserved Thanksgiving break. Everyday, I wake up and observe the good in Pottsgrove. What we offer to our students comes from the hard work and dedication of the teachers.

Let’s continue to have a great year!

Thanks,

Mr. Zacharda

PGHS Asstistant Principal

• Tuesday, November 3: No School for Students
• Tuesday, November 10: School Board Meeting in PGHS LGI Room @ 7:00PM
• Wednesday, November 11: PTSA Meeting in PGHS Library @ 6:00PM
• Monday, November 16: Pottsgrove Village: How to Advocate for Your Child in PGHS Library @ 6:00PM
• Tuesday, November 17: CIT Committee Meeting in DO Board Room @ 6:30PM
• Tuesday, November 17 - Thursday, November 19: PGHS Musical Auditions from 5:00 - 7:30PM
• Thursday, November 19: Miller-Keystone Blood Drive in PGHS Aux Gym from 8:00AM - 2:00PM
• Monday, November 23 - Tuesday, November 24: Parent Teacher Conferences | No School For Students
• Wednesday, November 25 - Friday, November 27: No School - Thanksgiving Break

ORDER your yearbook today at the following link!

jostens.com/bts/1043817

Celebrate your student with a Yearbook "Baby Picture" or "Parent Recognition Ads" -- Create a yearbook recognition ad to celebrate your student's remarkable journey.

Submit your ad by Friday, November 20, 2026 at the following link:

jostensadservice.com/student

First Day Packets should be available to parents/guardians for all students at this time. Please check your email (including spam/junk folders) to locate this email from noreplyregistration@powerschool.com, regarding "Pottsgrove Annual First Day Packet SnapCode." You should have also received a physical letter to your home in mid September AND late October with the packet details. First day packets must be completed for each student enrolled at PGHS. If you are unable to see your student's schedule in Powerschool, please double check that the First Day Packet for your student has been completed and submitted. Please note that if your student's First Day Packet is not submitted, it will affect their ability to participate in school trips and events in the future.

CLASS OF 2027 -- SCHEDULE YOUR SENIOR PORTRAITS NOW!

Senior portrait scheduling opened on May 1.

We still have seniors that have not yet scheduled their senior portrait session.

Don't wait! Schedule your formal senior portrait session as soon as possible. November 16 is the final day for Pottsgrove seniors to be photographed for inclusion in the 2027 yearbook.

Book your appointment at: cady.com/schedule

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q: Didn't we used to use Lifetouch Prestige?

A: Yes! Lifetouch Prestige was our previous senior portrait photographer. This year, we have partnered with CADY Photography for all formal senior and undergrad portraits.

Q: Why do I need to schedule with CADY?

A: CADY is the only photographer contracted with Pottsgrove High School for formal senior portraits. The formal drape/tux and cap-and-gown photos used in the yearbook's senior portrait section must be taken by CADY.

Q: Can I use photos from another photographer?

A: No. Only formal senior portraits taken by CADY can be used in the official senior portrait section of the yearbook.

Q: Are there appointments available at Pottsgrove High School?

A: CADY offered in-school portrait sessions, but those appointments filled very quickly. We are working with CADY to see if additional Pottsgrove dates can be added.

However, CADY encourages students to visit their Exton studio, where they can enjoy the full senior portrait experience and often have more appointment options available.

Q: What photos are included?

A: Your formal senior portrait session includes the yearbook-required:

• Formal drape or tux portrait
• Cap-and-gown portrait

Q: What should I do now?

A: Schedule your appointment today!

Visit cady.com/schedule and reserve your session!

We want every member of the Class of 2027 represented in the yearbook!

November Fundraiser - Little Italy/Pourhouse Restaurant Night

November Fundraiser - Chipotle Restaurant Night

It’s a Pottsgrove Music Restaurant Night! Join us for a delicious meal and support our students! This fundraiser will benefit all students going on the DC trip. Just bring or show the attached flyer to participate in the fundraiser. Dine in or take out!

Monday, November 23, 2026

5:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Chipotle Mexican Grill

200 Shoemaker Road

Pottstown, PA 19464

Check out the flyers below to see how you can get help in any subject from your NHS peers or specific help in your math courses by your math teachers:

WHEN: Wednesdays after school
TIME: 2:30pm to 3:30pm
WHERE: Room 217
WHAT: Math teachers will be available for tutoring, homework help or to get extra support in your math class.
TRANSPORTATION: Late bus pickup is at 4pm by the cafeteria lobby

Cap and Gown ordering information for Senior Parents:

The information below was also sent to parents via email, posted on Schoology for seniors, and is also available on the Senior Class page on the High School website.

Cap and Gown Ordering

How to Order

1. Click “Graduation” on the ordering website.
2. Scroll down until you see “Cap and Gown Tassel Unit.” This is the least expensive option and includes only the cap, gown, and tassel.
3. The cost is $23.50.
4. Complete your order by December 31.

Order your Cap and Gown

Gown Color

Traditionally, male graduates wear maroon (cardinal on the order page) gowns and female graduates wear white gowns. However, students may select whichever gown color they prefer.

Please note that graduation seating will be arranged by gown color, with students wearing maroon seated together and students wearing white seated together.

The next AEVIDUM meeting will be Thursday, November 5th in Room 7!

What is AEVIDUM?

AEVIDUM is a student-led group focused on creating a school community where everyone feels accepted, appreciated, acknowledged, and cared for. Our goal is to spread kindness, support mental health and wellness, build connections, and make sure students know they are never alone.

AEVIDUM is open to everyone! Whether you’ve attended a meeting before or are brand new, we would love to have you join us.

Come to our November 5th meeting to meet other students, share ideas, help plan activities, and find ways to make a positive difference at PGHS.

💜💛 You don’t need to sign up ahead of time—just come to Room 7!

We hope to see you there!

PGHS AEVIDUM

On September 25, the Pottsgrove Business Department sponsored “A Day at Alvernia.” Students were introduced to the O'Pake Institute for Economic Development and Entrepreneurship

, where they learned about the many opportunities to study business and gain internship experience. They also toured the campus and explored the programs and options the university has to offer. To cap off the day, students created their own products and pitched them to members of Alvernia’s business department.

Guided by Herr Chad Donovan & Frau Donna Richards, this past June, students from Pottsgrove High School traveled to Sankt Augustin, Germany to visit their exchange counterparts for a short-term exchange visit as part of the German-American Partnership Program (GAPP). Students & teachers stayed with families for eleven days, and then spent nine days traveling around the German-speaking cities of Europe. Students spent their days visiting classes at the Albert Einstein Secondary School, touring local cultural sites, and learning first-hand about what it's like to be a young person growing up in modern Germany.

For the second part of the trip, students followed loosely in the footsteps of the great American author, Mark Twain, visiting Berlin, Dresden, Munich, Castle Neuschwanstein, Lake Constance from the shore of Bregenz, Austria, Luzern, Switzerland, and Heidelberg. Despite high temperatures, our travelers were mostly undaunted, and experienced first-hand some of the most beloved sites of the German-speaking realm.

From October fourth through the fourteenth, Pottsgrove families received a reciprocal visit from their partner school consisting of eighteen students, and their teachers, Frau Barbara Leisen, and Herr Leon Lucas. The exchange students enjoyed a visit to historic & cultural sites in Philadelphia, and learned where some of their countrymen, the Amish, settled long ago, and now live a life apart from modern society. They also visited our nation's capital for three days, and our nation's best-known city, New York, for six more, before returning home this past weekend.

Pottsgrove's next trip abroad is scheduled for June of 2028. Students interested in participating are best served by enrolling in German class.

On October 16th , Pottsgrove students attended Senator for a Day at the Perkiomen School, where they met State Senator Tracy Pennycuick and stepped into the role of lawmakers themselves. Serving on judicial, environmental, transportation and education committees, students held mock committee sessions, debated legislation, and voted on bills

If your child was not able to participate in Montgomery County's annual Special Olympics this school year, they need a new physical. Be sure to secure a doctor's appointment and have this attached medical form returned to Ms. DeStefano by January 4, 2027.

meetings, and other important information

from our Athletic Department.

Fall is a great time for students to explore their options after high school!

Throughout the fall, more than 40 colleges and post-secondary programs will be visiting Pottsgrove High School to meet directly with our students.

Students will have the opportunity to connect with representatives from:

🎓 4-Year Colleges & Universities

📚 2-Year Colleges

🔧 Trade & Technical Schools

🇺🇸 Military Branches

These visits are a great way for juniors and seniors to learn about programs, admissions requirements, campus life, career training, scholarships, and other opportunities—all without leaving PGHS!

Juniors and seniors interested in attending a visit should sign up IN NAVIANCE!

We encourage students to take advantage of these opportunities and start exploring their next steps!

Attention Seniors – College Application Season is Here!

Fall is an exciting and busy time for college-bound seniors! Two important platforms—Common App and Naviance—work together throughout the application process.

• Common App is one website students can use to complete and submit applications to participating colleges.
• Naviance is used to request transcripts and teacher recommendations and to track college application materials.

Seniors and families, please check out our College Application PowerPoint to learn how to use Common App and Naviance together and successfully complete each step of the application process:

All seniors must have a Parent Release of Records form on file before the counseling department can send initial transcripts as part of the college application process.

The form is:

• Available at the link below
• Available in the High School Guidance Office
• Located in the Document Resources folder in Naviance

Please note that this form does not send a transcript. It simply gives the counseling department permission to send transcripts to colleges you request through the application process.

Finally, seniors are encouraged to review the attached College Application Overview, which contains important information and timelines to help you navigate the application process successfully.

PSAT

• The PSAT will be administered to all 10th grade students and registered 11th grade students on Wednesday, October 14th.
• The PSAT (Preliminary SAT) is a standardized test for high school students, usually taken in 10th and 11th grade. Its main purpose is to serve as a practice run for the SAT, which is a key part of the college application process.
• The test will begin at 7:30 am and end at approximately 10:00 am. Students are required to bring a fully charged laptop to the test.

SAT

• This is a reminder that the SAT will be administered to registered 12th grade students on Wednesday, October 7th.

• The test will be begin at 7:30 am and end at approximately 10:15 am.
• Students: Please bring a fully charged laptop to the test.

PGHS Students are assigned to guidance counselors based on last name. Please see the alphabetic breakdown below to find which counselor to contact for your student, should you need to do so.

A-E - Mrs. Bossler, jbossler@pgsd.org

F-Le - Mr. Kincaid, skincaid@pgsd.org

Li-Ror - Mrs. Ebert, kebert@pgsd.org

Ros-Z - Mrs. Childs, lchilds@pgsd.org

Guidance Assistant - Mrs. Kelly Crowell - kcrowell2@pgsd.org

Pottsgrove High School has an onsite Drug & Alcohol Counselor, Samantha Leonard, available. Parents, feel free to contact her if you have any questions about her services and how she may be able to assist your student. Her email address is samantha.leonard@pgsd.org .

Hello Pottsgrove

Once a Falcon, always a Falcon! We’re working to reconnect with our incredible alumni and build a strong Falcon Family that lasts a lifetime. Whether you walked our halls last year or decades ago, we want to stay in touch, celebrate our shared history, and invite you to future alumni events, reunions, and special gatherings.

Your involvement can make a difference! By staying connected, you’ll have opportunities to:

🦅 Attend alumni events and reunions

🦅 Support student programs and initiatives

🦅 Network with fellow Falcons

🦅 Give back through mentorship and community involvement

We’d love to have your updated contact information so we can keep you in the loop. Please take a moment to share your phone number, email, and social media details so we can reach out with exciting updates.

Please click here to share your info!

Let’s keep the Falcon spirit alive—because our community is stronger together!

The Pottsgrove Village is a collaboration between families of children with special needs and the school district's Special Education Department with a goal of increasing understanding, inclusion and advocacy through education and networking. Learn more about the Pottsgrove Village on our website or in the brochure below.

Dr. Felicia Gonzalez

PGHS Principal

fgonzalez@pgsd.org

610-326-5105 x 7385

Mr. Mike Zacharda

PGHS Assistant Principal

mzacharda@pgsd.org

610-326-5105 x 7399

Ms. Brittny Buonnano

PGHS Dean of Students

brittny.buonanno@pgsd.org

610-326-5105 x 7398

The First View® Transportation App is now available for Pottsgrove families! Track your student's bus progress in real time and stay informed about their transportation. Families who use district transportation are encouraged to download the free app today!

For additional information, setup instructions, and resources, please visit the First View Transportation App webpage.

Stay Well, Build Your Skills is a VIRTUAL mental health/wellness group for youth grades 8-12. The first half of the session is an open support group. In the second half, youth learn about a specific mental health skill.

The skills topics for the fall will include: managing academic stress, mindfulness, breathing for balance, managing strong emotions and more. We've attached a general flyer to share - once the topics/dates are all set, we will send out an updated flyer.

The group re-started on Thursday September 24, 7-8:30pm, and runs for 6 sessions every other Thursday night.

You can find more information online at https://namimainlinepa.org/ OR to register for the fall sessions, click on the photo below:

Victim Services Center of Montgomery County offers trauma-specific counseling for victims of abuse, harassment, community violence and other crimes. See additional information below or click on the picture to be directed to their website:

Please see below for some available assistance programs in our community:

This oil program supplies heating oil or propane to qualifying, low-income families in Montgomery, Chester and Bucks counties. If you are in need of oil assistance, please check our website for oil program updates.

Questions? Contact Kelli DeSieno by calling: 610-970-5995 ext. 121.

Orion Communities is a local nonprofit organization that offers services and resources to marginalized and at-risk neighbors. ORION is currently running a program in which they can support those in need of Oil or Propane for their Heating Systems. They also may be able to assist families experiencing hardship with paying PECO bills. Please reach out to the phone number on the attached Flyer for more assistance!