Burgettstown Area School District

Every week is a great week in Blue Devil Country! Please scroll down to learn more. #True2theBlue

• February 19: No School
• March 18: Act 80 Day: No School
• March 21: End of 3rd Nine Weeks

We know families are interested in what the school calendar will be for the 2024-2025 school year. We are currently working on it and anticipate that it will work through the review process with our Educational Advisory Committee of teachers, administrators, and school board members and be scheduled for approval by the school board at the March, 2024 meeting.

Students Hudson Daugherty, Nora Fiola, and Jaelynn Gilbert were recognized at February's Board meeting for recent accomplishments. Hudson was recognized for his essay entitled "Importance of Voting." He did a fabulous job reading it for the Board. Nora was recognized for her responsibilities as a part of ESALT as well as her appearance on WJPA Radio over this past Christmas holiday season. Jaelynn was recognized for her success in the Voices of Democracy essay "The Greatest Attributes of Our Democracy," which was mentioned in the January 26th Weekly Update. We congratulate all three of these students for their accomplishments!

This week, senior Eric Kovach signed a letter of intent to continue his baseball career at Salem University. A signing event took place in the LGI with his family, coaches, and teammates present. We wish Eric all the best as he enters his senior baseball season and then continues on to Salem!

Several Burgettstown students recently had the honor of participating in Washington County Band and Chorus at Ringgold High School. Our students were exemplary representatives of our school district. This opportunity for enrichment in musicianship is so important, and the camaraderie they found with students from other school districts was so heartwarming to witness.

From Penn West to Penn State, our Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science students returned from last Saturday's regional competition with all 1st awards. From Left to right: Sean Yates in chemistry, JT Newark and Julia Smith in computer science, Shelby Powers in biology, and Deedra Closser and Lucy Snatchko in botany, Julia Smith was also recognized with the special award for computer science. Congratulations to all of our scientists! We will be sure to cheer them on as they prepare for the State competition at Penn State in May!

On Friday, students in grades 9-12 had the opportunity to participate in a career fair held in the gymnasium and the gymnasium lobby. After listening to a keynote speaker in the auditorium, they were able to visit with representatives from 17 different career clusters. They were encouraged to take full advantage of the event by introducing themselves to the representatives present. They had a chance to network, engage in meaningful conversations and learn more about the possible paths they may wish to pursue. Later in the day, after the fair, students wrote reflections to upload as portfolio evidence our Smart Futures program. The career clusters represented were: 1) Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources 2) Architecture and Natural Resources 3) Arts, A/V Technology, and Communications 4) Business Management and Administration 5) Education and Training 6) Finance 7) Government and Public Administration 8) Health Science 9) Hospitality and Tourism 10) Human Services 11) Information Technology 12) Law, Public Safety, and Security 13) Manufacturing 14) Marketing, Sales, and Services 15) Military 16) Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics 17) Transportation, Distribution, and Logistics

Our elementary students embraced Valentine's Day on Wednesday and the photos below tell the story!

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.

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