Weekly Newsletter - 5.30.26

As we head into the final weeks of the school year, there is a lot of excitement happening across the district. Field days, concerts, awards ceremonies, moving-up celebrations, and graduation are all right around the corner, and our schools are busy preparing for these special milestones.

This time of year always serves as a reminder that while academics are certainly important, school is also about experiences, relationships, growth, and memories. It is a chance to celebrate how far our students have come and recognize the many people who have supported them along the way.

As we look ahead to summer, I encourage families to continue supporting learning outside the classroom. Whether it's reading together, exploring a new interest, attending a local event, or simply spending time outdoors, summer offers many opportunities for children to learn and grow. If you have a child who will be joining us in kindergarten next year and have not yet completed registration, now is a great time to do so as we continue preparing to welcome our newest Panthers this fall.

As I attend end-of-year events across the district, I continue to be impressed by the talent, character, and accomplishments of our students. Thank you for your continued support throughout the year and for allowing us the privilege of being part of your child's journey. I look forward to celebrating these important milestones with many of you as we conclude the 2025–2026 school year.

Dr. Lisa Hoffman

*If you have any questions or ideas for content, please email us at communications@qcsd.org

We know how much this building means to so many, and now, you have a chance to preserve a piece of its legacy. Staff, alumni, community members, and local organizations are invited to submit a request for consideration to receive salvaged items from the current QE building before demolition.

Whether it's a small keepsake or a meaningful artifact, this is a unique opportunity to honor the history of a school that has impacted generations.

Click here to request your keepsake.
*Please note, it may not be possible to honor all requests.

Want to get up-to-date on the project? Click here to learn more!

The Quakertown Community School District Kindergarten registration for the 2026-2027 school year closes on May 31st! Don't miss out! Our kindergarten classrooms provide a warm, caring, learning environment that honors the unique characteristics of each child.

Click here to learn more!

On May 18th, the halls of Richland Elementary School became a vibrant art gallery, filled with presentations focused on students’ areas of expertise and interest. Thank you to Mrs. Robison for all of your hard work—she transformed student artwork from throughout the year into amazing displays across Richland, showcasing each class’s creativity and accomplishments.

Along the way, students and parents viewed fair project displays such as:

• Space

• The Art of Dance

• Asphalt Rollers

• Strawberry Life Cycle

• The Invisible World of Bacteria

• What Is Diabetes

• Seahorses

• Aviation

• The World of Barbie

• The Human Body

• Golden Retrievers

• How to Make Electricity from Fruits and Vegetables

  
  

It was truly amazing to see students so excited to share their work with their families and to witness how impressive our young artists and experts are at Richland.

Congratulations to all of our Richland Panthers on a job well done!

Fresh air. S’mores. Fishing. And friends. What a joy and privilege it was to join our 7th-grade students at Camp Nock-A-Mixon for Outdoor School this past week. Students spent two days participating in outdoor activities such as canoeing, archery, hiking, and more—even Dr. Hoffman got in on the fun!

But the work of creating Outdoor School’s menu began last winter in Ms. Jerrom’s health and physical education class. Eighth-grade students explored an interactive nutrition lesson on food groups to help create the Outdoor School menu. Each class began with independent interactive activities where students focused on different food groups each day. This project was developed with ongoing support from QCSD Instructional Coach Mr. Silvius. Together, they designed the lesson to provide students with faster feedback, create a more collaborative experience, and allow teachers to be more present during instruction.

The interactive activities gave students choices in how they completed assessments and allowed them to select learning and testing pathways that best matched their preferences. Student scores determined the customized path forward, and while all students completed the same lesson objectives, they did so through engaging formats such as educational games, matching activities, drag-and-drop exercises, and more. The path to the finish line may have looked different for each student, but the assessment outcome remained the same. After completing the activities, students took a follow-up quiz and needed to meet a target score before moving on to the next food group.

Following the individual sessions, students worked together to highlight key facts from each day’s food group and connect them to the culminating project: designing a four-day meal plan for Outdoor School.

This lesson gave students authentic insight into nutrition and the planning involved in large-scale food preparation. Food Services Manager, Ms. Beatrice, answered student-generated questions using a podcast creation tool shared by Principal Dr. Crater. Through this work, students created menu proposals for Outdoor School with the goal of having their menu selected and earning the opportunity to attend Outdoor School to help serve the meal they designed. Students also collaborated with cafeteria staff to learn about large-group meal planning, nutrition basics, trash management, and additional food service considerations. Once the project was complete, the top four meal-planning teams were selected to assist with serving lunch at this year’s Spring Outdoor School.

Once the project was complete, the top four meal-planning teams were selected to assist with serving lunch at this year’s Spring Outdoor School.

Congratulations to Ms. Jerrom and Mr. Silvius on creating this interactive lesson that took students beyond the classroom and into the real world of meal preparation and healthy food choices. Students shared that the experience had them “locked in” and enjoyed how this creative blend of technology and real-world application helped them discover healthy meals, teamwork, and strong leadership skills—especially:

Ellie B.
Morgan A.
Cameron H.
Xander B.
April D.
Carter M.
Leanna S.
Sammi M.

On Wednesday, May 27th, Alumni Field was filled with proud families and friends celebrating the Class of 2026 as they completed their studies at the Upper Bucks County Technical School and received their certificates.

Guests were welcomed by Dr. Michael Herrera, UBCTS Executive Director, and Mr. Joseph Lyons, Chairman of the UBCTS Joint Operating Committee, who opened the ceremony with remarks praising students for this remarkable achievement.

Quakertown Community High School’s Cameron Beaudoin was selected as a student speaker for the occasion and shared stories about his time at UBCTS and the incredible teachers who guided him on his journey into construction technology.

Upper Bucks County Technical School has long been an institution of excellence, giving students the opportunity to explore potential careers and graduate fully prepared to begin their futures. The technical skills, leadership opportunities, and real-world problem-solving experiences offered at UBCTS have helped shape this graduating class into outstanding skilled professionals ready to take on any challenge life may bring. With pathways in construction, healthcare, manufacturing, culinary arts, automotive technology, welding, IT, and many other essential industries, these students are stepping directly into meaningful opportunities.

Thank you to our families, educators, mentors, and business and industry partners for supporting these incredible students. Our future is bright with a community as strong and talented as the Class of 2026.

Congratulations, Class of 2026!

Mark your calendars and get involved! We welcome members of the community and QCSD to attend all our upcoming meetings in person at 100 Commerce Drive, Quakertown, PA, 18951, or join us online at our YouTube channel by clicking here!

Upcoming Meetings:

• 6/4 - UBCTS – Articles of Agreement Committee and Facility and Finance Subcommittee Meetings, 5pm
• 6/9 - QPAC - Quakertown Planning Committee, 35 N. Third Street, Quakertown, PA, 7pm
• 6/10 - QCEF Bi-Monthly Meeting, 8am
• 6/11 - QE Ad-Hoc Committee, 4:30pm
• 6/11 - Facilities and Finance Committee Meeting, 7pm
  
• 6/17 - QCSD School Board Meeting, 7pm
• 6/18 - UBCTS – Policy and Program Subcommittee Meetings followed by the JOC Meeting, 5pm
• 6/23 - BCIU Monthly Meeting – 705 N. Shady Retreat Road, Doylestown, PA 18901

As we approach the end of another wonderful school year, we are excited to share important information about the upcoming events celebrating our Class of 2026. Please review the details below carefully and mark your calendars.

Monday, June 1st

Senior obligations due for commencement ceremony eligibility

Senior grades due by 2PM

Tuesday, June 2nd

Senior Picnic at 11AM - 2PM at Alumni Stadium
*A Senior Picnic will be held on Tuesday, June 2, 2026, with a rain date of Wednesday, June 3, 2026. Attendance will be taken at the picnic, and it will count as a school day.

Senior Award Ceremony at 7PM
*The Senior Awards Ceremony will be held in the QPAC on Tuesday, June 2, 2026, starting at 7PM (doors open at 6:30PM). Seniors who have won one or more awards will be invited to the ceremony by May 26, 2026. Students will learn what exact award(s) they won on the day of the ceremony.

Wednesday, June 3rd

Cap and Gown Pickup

Senior Strut - Click here for details

Thursday, June 4th

Senior Picnic Rain Date

Friday, June 5th

Commencement Practice & Ticket Distribution at 9:15AM - 12PM

Senior Parade (5PM Arrival, 5:30PM Start)

*This year's parade is scheduled for Friday, June 5, 2026. Cars will start lining up in the parking lot at 5PM, and the parade will start moving at 5:30PM.

Please arrive at the school between 5PM and 5:15PM, and enter the rear parking lot from 7th Street. Please avoid using Park Avenue or 5th Street for arrival! We ask that all graduates arrive via the following route: South Main Street to South 9th Street, then left onto South 7th Street (through the bus lane of the Sixth Grade Center). Once you enter the parking lot via 7th Street, you will be guided to park in one of the available spaces in the lot.

Parade Route
The parade will start in the school's rear parking lot and end on Park Ave, in front of our building. The parade will depart from the parking lot on 5th Street and cross over Park Avenue. Graduates will make a left onto Juniper Street, then another left onto 11th Street, and a final left onto Park Avenue. Upon completion of the parade, graduates will turn right onto 5th Street, drive through the rear parking lot, and turn left onto 7th Street. No one is permitted to exit their car at any time before, during, or after the parade. We strongly encourage someone to drive the graduate.

Reserved Parking
The street adjacent to the QCSD property will be reserved for school personnel. This includes the school parking lots and Park Avenue street parking in the following places:

- Park Ave, adjacent to the High School

- Park Ave, adjacent to the high school's school parking lot

Monday, June 8th

Commencement at 7:30PM

(6:45PM Seniors report to Lower Gym)

*To stream Graduation live on YouTube, click here!

*Graduation will take place at 7:30PM on Monday, June 8, 2026, at Alumni Field. Doors will open at 6:30PM. Rain dates for the event are June 9 and June 10, and we will keep with the same start times. Each graduating student will receive six tickets at their graduation rehearsal.

Tuesday, June 9th

Commencement Rain Date #1

Wednesday, June 10th

Commencement Rain Date #2

Thursday, June 11th

Diploma pickup: 10AM - 2PM

*Please click here to read a message from QCHS Principal, Dr. Van't Hoenderdaal on End of the Year Events

Click below to learn more!

Apply today and make a difference like QCSD Paraprofessional Yolanda Torres! Just click the graphic below to visit our employment website.