NEWS FROM THE PANTHER DEN

This week, I had the opportunity to serve as a guest speaker during our Peer Leader Leadership Training. It was a chance to spend time with a group of students who have taken on an important responsibility: helping others feel connected, supported, and welcomed as members of our PTHS community.

During our time together, we focused on what it really means to be a leader. We talked about leadership being more than a title or a position. It is about understanding who you are, recognizing the strengths you bring to others, acknowledging the challenges that help you grow, and being intentional about the impact you want to make.

I introduced the students to the idea of a Leadership Compass, built around four important directions: My Strengths, My Challenges, My Impact, and My Next Steps. I asked them to take an honest look at themselves. What do you bring to leadership? Where do you still need to grow? How do your words and actions affect the people around you? Most importantly, what steps can you take to become the kind of leader you want to be?

As I worked through these questions with our students, I found myself thinking about my own compass. It is easy to spend so much time leading others, making decisions, solving problems, and focusing on the needs of our school community that we don't always stop to examine our own leadership journey. What are my greatest strengths? What challenges continue to push me outside my comfort zone? What impact am I having on the people I work with and the students/staff I serve? Perhaps most importantly, what are my next steps? Ironically, this being National Principal's Month, it gave me a chance to have some candid, honest conversations with the students about what is like to be a leader in the building.

I was reminded that leadership is never a finished product. Regardless of our position, experience, or years of service, there is always room to learn, grow, and become better. We all have strengths to build upon, challenges to embrace, and opportunities to make a difference in the lives of others.

Our Navigate with Purpose theme reminds us that a compass is only useful when we take the time to understand our direction and make intentional choices about where we are going. It applies to our students, our staff, and each of us as individuals.

So, as you think about your own journey, I leave you with the same questions I posed to our peer leaders: What are your strengths? What challenges are helping you grow? What impact are you having on others? What are your next steps?

We spend a great deal of time helping others find their direction. Whether it is our students, our colleagues, friends or family members, every now and then, it is important to pause, look at our own compass, and ask ourselves a simple question: Is my compass pointing me in the direction I want to go? Well, maybe it isn't so simple. I could use Christopher Robin right about now. (See picture below) #nocknation

The PTHS PAWS HSA is proud to support programs and opportunities that enhance the students' experience, including senior scholarships, college and career events, student activities, staff appreciation, and more.

HSA membership is just $25 per family, and every dollar directly supports these initiatives.

Join or renew your membership here: Dues

A reminder for families of future graduates: to be eligible for an HSA senior scholarship, families must maintain HSA membership for all years their student attends PTHS. We are excited to announce that this year we will award $10,000 in scholarships to the class of 2027.

In addition, families who wish to further support their student's graduating class may make an optional class donation. These funds do not go to the HSA. Instead, they are given directly to the class officers or representative for deposit into their class account and help support senior-year activities such as prom, the senior cruise, and other class events. Starting to build class funds early gives students more opportunities to fundraise and helps offset the cost of senior-year activities.

Support Your Student's Class: Class Donations

Whether you join, renew, donate, volunteer, or attend our events, your support helps create meaningful opportunities and lasting memories for our students.

The first marking period ends on Wednesday, November 4th. Grades will be due on Thursday, November 12th at 9:00 am.

The district will be closed for Teacher's Convention on November 5th and 6th. If you are heading to the convention, please make sure you let me know so we can share out some of the things you learn!

Please see the schedule below for Panther Periods and Lunch Support Blocks. You can begin setting up your flex periods in SmartPass. Please title it "Mr. Hayzler- LUNCH Support (Room #)" and Mr. Hayzler PANTHER PERIOD (Room #)

LUNCH SUPPORT

PANTHER PERIOD

We continue to ask for your partnership in bringing students to school each day when they are well, and scheduling vacations around school days. Please note that the state still counts all absences, even those with doctor's notes or a parent phone call (even ones that we mark as "excused"). At 10 or more days absent, we will often request a conference or a phone call where we can help develop personalized strategies to improve your child's attendance. Please reach out if you notice any signs of school avoidance, or if you have questions about whether to keep your child home. As always, thank you for your support!

Information regarding free and reduced lunch can be found by following this link.

November 3rd: Faculty Meeting

November 4th: End of Marking Period 1

November 5th and 6th: District Closed for Teacher's Convention

November 9th: Start of Marking Period 2

November 19th -21st: PTHS Fall Play 7:00 pm

November 25th: Single Session Day for students and staff

November 26th and 27th: Schools Closed (Thanksgiving Recess)

Email: attendance@pequannock.org
Website: www.pequannock.org
Location: 85 Sunset Road, Pompton Plains, NJ, USA
Phone: (973) 616-6000