Burgettstown Area School District

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

• April 24-28: PSSA ELA Testing Window
• May 1-4: PSSA Math and Science Testing Window
• May 12: Senior Awards Ceremony- 8:00 AM
• May 15-26: Keystone Testing Window
• May 18: WACTC Certificate Ceremony- 6:00 PM Chartiers Houston Auditorium
• May 19: Jr/Sr. Prom (Grand March begins at 5:00 PM in the BPAC)
• May 23: CHAMPS Carnival- returns to The Pavilion at Star Lake
• May 28: Baccalaureate- 7:00 PM Paris Presbyterian Church (Not School Sponsored)
• May 31: Commencement- 7:00 PM The Pavilion at Star Lake
• June 1: Last Day of School

Monday, April 24th will be the start of PSSA testing throughout the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Specific to Burgettstown, testing at the MSHS begins on Monday the 24th, and it begins at the Elementary Center it begins on Tuesday the 25th. Parents/Guardians of our 3rd-8th grade students should have received information specific to the testing dates and times in their child's school building.

Our teachers and our students have worked very hard all year long to prepare for the assessments. We believe in all of our students, and know they will all try their hardest. This is all we ask of students: Put forth your best effort. Attend school every day during testing so make up testing is not needed. Get a good night of sleep every night before a test day. Eat a good breakfast. We don't want our students to stress, though for some this is natural. The assessments are one series of assessments only. They are not a reason to stress. If your child is expressing anxiety or stress related to the PSSA testing, please assure them that all anyone can ask is that they try their best. If this happens, we know good scores will follow.

The management at Kennywood has changed substantially over the past several years, and these changes have affected our participation. While we, like everyone, look forward the annual Kennywood Day, the manner in which Kennywood promotes and supports our participation make it a bit more difficult.

• Kennywood no longer sends a staff member to schools to sell tickets
• Kennywood no longer reimburses/offsets school districts for the costs of transportation
• Kennywood no longer provides advertisement posters and other promotional items
• Kennywood no longer provide paper bus tickets
• Kennywood has placed age restrictions on unaccompanied youth after a certain hour

While these changes may seem small, in years past they really did help partner with us when having a school picnic. Therefore, we have had to alter our approach.

• Tickets can now only be purchased online
• The school district will no longer provide a bus

The District recognizes that some may be unhappy with our changes. Kennywood has been very popular with our community for many years. However, with a combination of Kennywood's changes and low participation and low bus ridership, changes on our end had to happen. We hope that Kennywood Day will still provide an opportunity to have a nice family outing. We anticipate continuing to have "Kennywood Day" for many years to come.

Exciting news! The National Autism Conference (NAC) offers scholarship opportunities for parents and students. We also have opportunities for student volunteers interested in gaining experience working with children with autism during the conference.

• Parent Scholarship Deadline to Apply: May 1, 2023 The Parent Scholarship is available for first-time attendees to the National Autism Conference who are Pennsylvania residents and parent(s) of a child with autism. Parents of children who receive Early Intervention services are eligible, regardless of whether they have attended in the past.
• Student Volunteer Summer Teaching Experience Deadline to Apply: June 23, 2023 The National Autism Conference offers college students a unique opportunity to take advantage of conference presentations and gain experience hours working with students on the autism spectrum.
• Student Scholarship Deadline to Apply: June 23, 2023 Student scholarships are available for the National Autism Conference to encourage Pennsylvania university and college students and recent graduates to pursue a career working with students with autism spectrum disorders and to become informed on evidence-based practices.

Here is the direct link: https://autism.outreach.psu.edu/about/scholarships/

Penn State Beaver hosts a series of summer STEAM and Sports Camps. Please click HERE for the flyer listing the camps, or click on the logo below to access the Penn State Beaver Summer Camp website.

Students in all grade levels are able to receive a free school breakfast. This breakfast is not paid for by the school district, rather, it is an initiative of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. We encourage students to start the day with the "most important meal!"

We continue to monitor student and staff COVID cases. We ask that you continue using preventive measures such as keeping your child or children home if they are experiencing symptoms of illness and/or if someone in your home is testing.

When to Quarantine?

According to the CDC, COVID Quarantine for illness or positive test:

• Isolate for 5 days. If no symptoms are present or symptoms are resolving (fever free 24 hrs without medication) on day 5, students may return to school on day 6 with mask wearing days 6-10.

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