Weekly Message

Greetings, Upper Darby Family!

So many exciting opportunities for our students and families are happening this week!

This weekend, come prepared to laugh, gasp, and fall in love with the magic of theatre in an original revue compiled and performed in Showstoppers. Our fall play will feature dances, songs, and scenes from Pippin, Something Rotten, Ragtime, and Songs for a New World. Come see the show Friday at 7:30, Saturday at 2:00, and Saturday at 7:30. Don't miss the show that everyone will be talking about for the rest of the year! Tickets are available at the box office or using this link.

Starting next Monday, October 26, we will be celebrating Red Ribbon Week! Students have the opportunity to decorate the doors of their flex classrooms with anti-drug messages. One flex room per floor will win a pizza lunch.

Next week is also College Application Week. There will be events for students Tuesday and Thursday during the school day and a virtual program for families at 6:00 on Thursday, October 29 on paying for college. Seniors will also be able to receive assistance in competing their applications throughout the week. See the flyer in the Class of 2027 section for more details.

As we move forward, we will continue to keep our 2026–2027 theme, “Through the Eyes of Those We Serve,” at the center of all that we do. Our commitment is to consistently look at our decisions, our actions, and our school experience through the eyes of our students and ask ourselves how we can continue to provide them with the support, opportunities, relationships, and academic experiences they deserve.

Please do not hesitate to reach out to me if you have any questions, concerns, or thoughts that you would like to share. We are grateful for your continued trust, partnership, and support as we work collectively to provide our students with the very best educational experience possible.

Thank you for being a valued part of the Upper Darby family!

Dr. Craig L. Parkinson

Principal, Upper Darby High School

The FAFSA is a free application that can help students access grants, scholarships, work-study opportunities, and student loans for college, career school, or other eligible training. Families who choose not to complete it may submit an opt-out form without giving a reason. A student will not be prevented from graduating or penalized for not completing either form.

Please visit the FAFSA Requirement for Seniors under the Class of 2027 tab on the Upper Darby High School website. It explains both options and provides links to the FAFSA and the opt-out form.

Upper Darby High School will offer opportunities in October, January, and February to support students and families with completing the FAFSA. We will share dates and details for those events soon.

If you have questions in the meantime, please reach out to your school counselor. We look forward to supporting you as you plan for life after high school.

At the end of September, the senior center held two college and career planning events - one during the day for the seniors and a second one in the evening for parents.

For anyone who was unable to attend, a video of this presentation is available here.

Students/families are encouraged to review the College Application Support Guide. Everything that students need to know concerning the steps to apply to college, have their transcripts released, etc. are in the guide.

Remember that you MUST allow three weeks for you counselor to complete all necessary steps (letter of recommendation, release of records/transcripts, etc.). PLAN AHEAD!

October 26 - 30 is UDHS College Application Week! All seniors will have an opportunity to participate in senior workshops, presentations, and support blocks to start and complete their college applications. Presentations will include:

• Tuesday, October 27 at 12:30 - Delaware County Community College: What to know if you are considering DCCC
• Thursday, October 29 at 11:00 - Paying for College: A Presentation from Citizens Bank
• Thursday, October 29 at 6:00 - Paying for College: A VIRTUAL presentation from Citizens Bank

There will be many opportunities for students to move forward with their plans to attend college. More information about the week's events will be shared with seniors on Schoology.

Have you had your senior portrait taken yet?

• You will NOT be included in the senior section of the yearbook if you do not have a senior portrait taken.
• Information about scheduling your senior portrait was sent in an email last May.
• There is still time to schedule an appointment. Use the link to schedule an appointment and don't be left out.
• If you do not want to purchase senior portraits but still want a portrait taken for the yearbook, you still need to schedule. Just click on the "Basic" package when selecting a session.
• Check out this video from Ms. Flanagan for more for a step-by-step guide to scheduling.

If you have NOT yet completed your Act 158, please remember this is a GRADUATION REQUIREMENT! Mr. Peterkin and Ms. Flanagan have been sending reminders to those who are NOT finished. Please check your school email. Don't let Act 158 stop you from walking across the stage in June!

If you are not receiving a reminder, you have completed this requirement!

Congratulations to Sallyba Dukurray, Maria Farez Quito, Hindowa Jengo, Ariana Markawicz, Ava Sykes, and John Xiloj Grijalva for being ready and responsible when it comes to their education!

On Friday, November 13, the counselors will be holding two virtual chats for parents. This is your chance to ask questions about college and career planning or anything else you want to know.

The first session will be at 8:00 AM. The second session will be at 12:00 PM.

Please complete the form to register. A link to the Google meet will be sent to you on Thursday, November 12.

You should be working on your Junior Year Checklist!

By the end of October, you should be:

1. using Naviance to sign up to meet college & technical school reps at UDHS.
2. checking Schoology/email for career field trip opportunities.
3. getting INVOLVED! Pick an activity and join.

You should have:

1. taken the PSAT.
2. met with your counselor to organize testing strategies & beyond high school plan.
3. started your post-secondary school search on Naviance- looking at region, size, academic specialty, and cost.
4. developed an organization system for post-secondary documents (use a personal email).

Everyone enjoyed the Homecoming Dance this past weekend, and it was a great opportunity for students to enjoy the closing of spirit week.

Royal Government will be meeting next week and once the date is determined, we will post it on Schoology!

• Arisha Chowdhury for her communication skills! Arisha is an asynchronous student who has been keeping in contact with Ms. San Diego, consistently reaching out about questions and concerns she has.
• Robert Holstein! Robert is pleasant and kind to everyone. He goes out of his way to make people feel welcome and heard. He is always a joy to be around.
• Gabriella Semerjian for her respectful manner! Gabby is always respectful to teachers and staff, and is kind and mindful of others!

Congratulations to our most recent Students of the Week:

• Jack Battersby
• Laura Gonzalez-Florez
• Saige Yarde

The end of the first marking period is coming quickly! It ends on Friday, November 6. Be aware of our school's late work policy. Students are not able to turn in missing assignments from previous units. Once a test has taken place, work from that unit can no longer be turned in.

One of the biggest things that will help your student do well in school is to be here consistently. Please keep a close eye on your student's attendance at school. If your student is sick, or otherwise needs to be absent, please email 9udhs-attendance@upperdarbysd.org. Students can also bring a doctor's note or handwritten parent/guardian note to our center secretary so that absences can be excused.

The UDHS SAP Team with the UDHS PBIS Team will be celebrating Red Ribbon Week 2026 (10/26/26 - 10/30/26) with a UDHS Door Decorating Contest. Details of the contest can be found here. To be eligible for prizes, doors should be decorated by the end of the day Wednesday, October 29. Judging will occur during Flex on Thursday, October 30.

UDHS Location/Sub-Theme:

• Assemble Your Squad - 1st Floor: Use familiar superheroes or give advice for developing your own personal squad for good decision-making.
• Myths vs. Facts - 2nd Floor: Create your own mythological theme or gather myths and real facts from trusted substance prevention sources.
• What's Your Super Power - 3rd Floor: Decor showing your superpower to develop real skills to support your life's goals.
• Shield Your Future - Basement and T-Wing: Creating your armor for future success, building your protective layer when faced with choices.

High school students can submit original-content videos depicting why our democratic institutions and the fundamental rights and principles associated with them are critical to the future of the country. Videos are to be 5-7 minutes in length, and a rotating subcommittee of our circuit-wide committee will judge the videos and select one winner. The winner will be celebrated at the federal courthouse in the winner’s home district (or division) during a naturalization ceremony. The winning video will be played during all districts’ naturalization ceremonies until the next winner is selected. The winning video also will appear on the Third Circuit’s website, district websites, and other related social media platforms.

Video Contest submissions are due on Monday, November 2, 2026, and the award will be presented in early to mid-December, in celebration of Bill of Rights Day. The videos will be evaluated based on creativity, adherence to the theme, and content.

Click on the link for further details.

Delaware County Technical School operates specialized career and technical education campuses in Folcroft, and Aston Township, where students receive hands-on training for real-world careers. Industry experts shape our programs so you get the latest tools, technology, and knowledge. That means when you graduate, you're ready for work, ready for college, and ready for the future.

What You Get at DCTS

• high-quality programs taught by skilled teachers with real industry experience
• real-world training in labs, shops, and work sites
• industry-recognized credentials that help you stand out to employers
• pathways to college with skills that give you a head start
• connections to local employers through internships and job placements

The UDHS Library is hosting our first-ever reading challenge, where students can read books and complete reading-related challenges for various prizes, including candy, fidget toys, and other novelty items.

The rules are simple:

1. You must fully read a book to mark it off on the challenge sheet.
2. You can only complete one challenge per book. If a book can be used for multiple challenges, you must pick which one it will go towards. The only exceptions are the activity-based challenges (Reading Outside and Reading on Public Transit).
3. Log which titles you have read on the back of the challenge sheet.
4. Have your challenges confirmed by a Library staff member (Ms. Rachel, Mr. Arek, or Dr. Downing).

Each challenge has points assigned to them which can be turned in at the Library for various prizes! Students can also earn Bonus Points for completing a set of challenges.

There is also the mysterious Grand Prize for the student student to complete all of the challenges!

Start today by picking up a challenge sheet at the UDHS Library.

Our UDHS College and Career Center and Staff support the post-secondary plans of all of our students and work in coordination with our center counselors. Please see the attachment for our events throughout the year and consider joining us.

Want to learn how to manage emotions? Manifest calm? Cope with stress? Check out the flyer for information on a free online wellness group.

Heading into the 2026-2027 school year, Upper Darby School District is making a more concerted effort to address student attendance. One of the ways that families can support this effort is to make sure that they have access to Home Access Center (HAC) and are regularly checking the attendance for their student(s).

If you do not currently have access to HAC or want to set up automatic alerts in HAC, please check out the resource HERE.

Families can also make sure that they are submitting absence notes in a timely manner. Per the state of Pennsylvania, once they return from being absent, students have three (3) days to submit a valid absence note. If a note is submitted after three (3) days, the absence note will not be accepted and the absence(s) will be turned to Truant days. In addition to submitting paper notes, each grade level at the high school has a dedicated email to submit absence notes. They are as follows:

9th Grade - 9udhs-attendance@upperdarbysd.org

10th Grade - 10udhs-attendance@upperdarbysd.org

11th Grade - 11udhs-attendance@upperdarbysd.org

12th Grade - 12udhs-attendance@upperdarbysd.org

*Please note that if you have a current 9th grader, then you would use the 9th grade email address for the 2026-2027 school year.

Academic success, growth, and achievement is directly tied to student attendance, which is why the district is making an effort to continue encouraging good attendance from students. We look forward to continuing to partner with our families in supporting and growing our students.

If your child has an early dismissal, please do the following:

• send a message to the grade-level attendance email and follow up with a phone call
• remind your student that morning of their early dismissal
• remain in your car, as your student will come out to you once they sign out in their center

1. Reporting

• All damaged or lost Chromebooks must be reported to the building technician.

2. Replacement

• A replacement device will be issued within 24–48 hours, depending on inventory availability.

3. Billing

• The parent or guardian will receive an invoice detailing the damage and the appropriate charge.

4. Repeat Incidents

• If a student damages or loses more than two devices within the same school year, it becomes a disciplinary matter.

• In such cases, the student will be assigned a device for in-school use only. This device may not be taken home.

5. Handbook & Policy References

• The Student & Family Handbook outlines Chromebook expectations and responsibilities.

• Parents and guardians are also directed to review relevant board policies, including Policy 815.

Handbook Link

"Failure to return an assigned device will result in a charge on the student’s record, and a billing statement will be sent to the parent or guardian."

"It is the policy of the Board that students who willfully cause damage to school property shall be subject to disciplinary measures. Students and others who damage or deface school property may be prosecuted and punished under law. Parents/Guardians shall be held accountable for the actions of their child."

Policy 815 Link

"Users of district computers and network resources shall be responsible for damages to the equipment, systems, platforms and software resulting from deliberate or willful acts."

https://upperdarbysd.schooldish.com/

https://secure.smore.com/n/1n7gk

https://youtu.be/1A8COkV5Vbc

Ensure Your Contact Information is Up-to-Date!

It's important to update your contact information to receive important information and notices.

Home Access Center (HAC)

Central Registration Office

Home and Access Center Handbook

Students and Parents, please follow the instruction in the attachments below to download the Crisis-Go app to stay well-informed if our school has to initiate the Crisis-Go app. The district does an excellent job of providing updates every 10 minutes in the event the app has to be initiated. This will help all students and parents stay informed of what is talking place.

Parents are invited to explore our website helpdesk, available on the Parent Support Channel of the district’s YouTube channel. This resource offers step-by-step guidance, tips, and answers to common questions to help you navigate our online platforms with ease. Be sure to check back often, as we will continue to add more helpful videos throughout the school year.

Website Support:

How to Subscribe to Your Child's School Newsletter 2025

Navigating the New School Websites for Parents and Families 2025

Exploring Accessibility Features on the Upper Darby School District Website 2025

How to Subscribe to Your School's Monthly Newsletter

As technology continues to evolve, artificial intelligence (AI) tools are becoming more common in both educational and everyday settings. At Upper Darby High School, we recognize that AI has the potential to be a powerful support for learning when used thoughtfully and appropriately.

We are encouraging our students to view AI as a tool to enhance learning and not replace it. When used responsibly, AI can help students brainstorm ideas, organize thoughts, review concepts, and strengthen their understanding. However, it is essential that students continue to demonstrate their own thinking, effort, and academic integrity in all coursework.

We ask for your partnership in reinforcing the following expectations at home:

• AI should be used as a support, not as a shortcut to complete assignments.

• Students are responsible for understanding and being able to explain any work they submit.

• All school policies related to academic honesty remain in effect, regardless of the tools used.

• Ethical use of technology is a critical life skill that prepares students for college, careers, and responsible citizenship.

Our teachers are actively guiding students on appropriate AI use and helping them develop the critical thinking skills necessary to evaluate information, ask meaningful questions, and apply knowledge independently.

Thank you for your continued support as we work together to prepare our students for a future that includes emerging technologies while maintaining high expectations for learning, responsibility, and integrity.

Please refer to board policy 815.1 below for additional guidance.

• https://go.boarddocs.com/pa/udar/Board.nsf/Public?open&id=policies#

https://www.upperdarbysd.org/departments12/communications-media-services/information-on-threats-to-youth-online

All 11th grade students must receive the 2nd dose of the Meningococcal Conjugate (MCV) before entering 12th grade. If one dose was given at 16 years of age or older, that shall count as the 12th grade dose.

Please send proof of your child's second MCV immunization as soon as possible. You may mail it to the school..."Attention School Nurse", scan/email it to highschoolnurse@upperdarbysd.org or have your child drop it off at the Nurses' Office.

We do not receive this information from the doctor's office, it is up to parents to provide immunization records to the school.

On the first day of 12th grade, unless the child has a medical or religious/philosophical exemption, a child must have had the Meningococcal vaccine or they will be excluded from school.

The Delaware County Intermediate Unit (DCIU) has developed a RESOURCES WEBPAGE that connects individuals with local food banks, housing assistance, energy programs, and other community services offering immediate support. We encourage everyone to share this information widely so that those affected by the government shutdown can access the help they need as quickly as possible.

Click the image to the right.

The Student Assistance Program works by assisting students who appear to be experiencing barriers to their school success. Please click here for more information about SAP.

Supportive resources for families can be found on our Google Site.

Child Guidance, in partnership with Girls Spark, presents in-person and virtual sessions, "Family Resilience in the Wake of Trauma," for parents and caregivers. Please click here for more information and to register.

NAMI, Sharing Hope, offers "Sharing Sacred Stories," created by Black and Brown communities for Black and Brown communities. A 3-part series designed to introduce discussions on mental health and wellness. Register using the QR code to learn more and to participate.

The Upper Darby School District takes the safety and security of our staff and students very seriously and recognizes that the uncertainties and pressures that students and families have faced the uncertainty of a pandemic has clearly demonstrated that the mental health of students as a priority.

The Safe2Say Something system teaches youth and adults how to recognize warning signs and signals, especially within social media, of individuals who may be a threat to themselves or others and say something, using our anonymous reporting system.

Safe2Say Something is also a way to anonymously report unsafe, potentially harmful, dangerous, violent or criminal activities in any school in Pennsylvania. For anyone who is feeling unsure or unsafe, please remember that there is help and it is okay to ask for help.

Find below videos and the District’s webpage outlining the Safe2Say Something PA Program:

Safe2Say Something PA Program

UDSD Safe2Say Something Presentation 2024

UDSD Safe2Say Something Webpage

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact your building principal.

The linked Mental Health Resource Guide has been created to make you aware of many of the resources that are available for your children and your family as it relates to mental health supports.

You will find that we have information in this guide for supports in our schools, community, county, state, and nationally. Please note that we are here to assist our students and families. If you need assistance, please know that we want to help. If you are feeling overwhelmed by the amount of resources that are outlined in the guide and you would like assistance, please reach out to a member of our pupil services team. We will help you navigate finding the right supports.

Dr. Brian Ursone,

Director of Pupil Services