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

• November 27, 28, 29: Thanksgiving Break (No School)
• December 2: Full Act 80 Day (No School) and BAEC Parent/Teacher Conferences
• December 23 through January 3: Winter Break (No School)

This is a reminder that there will be no school on Wednesday, November 27, Thursday, November 28, Friday, November 29, and Monday December 2 as the Thanksgiving holiday is upon us. The school district is closed on Thursday and Friday. As there will be no Weekly Update next week, please accept our wishes for a healthy, peaceful holiday filled with gratitude.

Kindergarten students in Mrs. Dhans' classroom continued grasping math skills on Monday!

Ms. Baker's 7th grade math class worked on tape diagrams and the distributive property this week. Students used the whiteboards as their group workspaces. This collaborative environment helps students share their thoughts and ideas and learn from each other.

Can you believe it? Mickey Mouse turned 95 this week! The character of Mickey Mouse first appeared in an animated short on November 18, 1928. To "celebrate," our elementary center students and staff dressed in Mickey Mouse themed clothes.

Students in Ms. Zitner's P.E. class had a blast playing Jedi Ball this week. Each team secretly designates one student as the "Jedi," granting them special "power" to tag teammates back into play after they have been struck out. As these pictures show, students Andi Midler and Raya Sentipal were must have had the force on their side as as they took out the opposition!

Over the past couple weeks, the students, staff and faculty in both schools were able to send a note of gratitude (Gratitude Gram) to express thanks. Each Gratitude Gram was $1.00, and the proceeds went to the annual KDKA Turkey Fund. Our students, faculty, and staff raised $450.00! At $1.00 each, that is a lot of gratitude being spread throughout both schools during this time of thanksgiving. The fundraising efforts got the attention of KDKA; the station featured us on Pittsburgh Today Live on Friday, November 22. Click on the picture of the Gratitude Gram, or the button below to see the segment on KDKA Pittsburgh Today Live.

Our high school students' pop art portraits are amazing! Mr. Roth certainly has some very talented artists in his classes!

Music Club at the Elementary Center kicked off this week. Mrs. Betchart's after school sessions are certainly popular!

It's hard to believe ordinary planks of poplar will be magnificent bird feeders when our 7th graders are finished. Ms. Wells has a talented and safety-conscious group of craftspeople in her class!

Mrs. Nardone held her first STEM Club after school meeting this week. Student engagement was certainly on display as they explored and learned.

Congratulations to our amazing middle school students who exemplified outstanding positive behavior during Quarter One. To celebrate their hard work and dedication to creating a positive environment, these students enjoyed a pizza party reward. Keep up the fantastic work!

As we continue building out our new website, we are adding features both new and old. We recently updated the practice schedule link under the Athletics tab on the District website. You may click on the button below each week to view the current schedule.

Mrs. Koratich met with her Bookworm reading club after school on Wednesday.

Children's Grief Awareness Day was Observed on Thursday, November 21. To read more about Children's Greif Awareness, click HERE

Mrs. Baker conducts "Monday Math Centers" in her classroom. Our young learners are making so much math progress!

This year, the Burgettstown Athletic Department is introducing digital ticketing for regular season football, volleyball, girls and boys basketball, and wrestling. Though all fans may still purchase a ticket "at the gate," but those who wish to avoid lines and pre-purchase an electronic ticket may do so by accessing the digital ticketing feature on the Hudl Fan page. Single game regular season tickets for both students and adults are available. Also, for those who know that will likely attend all games in a particular season, a season pass can be purchased. Please note: there is a processing fee, per ticket. This fee does not go to the school district, it is a vendor fee in support of the electronic ticketing feature. Scan the QR code or the button below to access the Hudl Fan page.

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.

Our school community has embraced the uniqueness of conducting commencement exercises at Star Lake for decades. The various management groups throughout the years have supported this by donating the use of the facility and we are most appreciative. While it is early in the school year, we want to make note that in order to hold graduation at Star Lake, flexibility in planning is necessary. Believe it or not, the planning for the next year begins shortly after the school year ends. We notify Star Lake management of our desired date and it is recorded as a preferred date. There are no guarantees, and in the past several years, we have not been able to finalize the date until some point in April. We know this causes a bit of anxiousness on the part of our seniors and their families, but if we want to continue this fine tradition, we must remain flexible. This week, the members of the Class of 2025 were informed that Star Lake was contacted on May 31, 2024, and informed that our preferred date for this year's Commencement is June 5, 2025. While this is our preferred date, there is no guarantee that we will get it. As the months go by this year, the District will remain in contact with Star Lake management. When we know the confirmed date, we will communicate it to our students and families. Though graduation may be the last thing on anyone's mind this early in the school year, we wanted to communicate this information so there are no misunderstandings.

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

We know our families and our communities enjoy seeing the various photographs and related information about our students and their activities through the various social media platforms and other methods of communication from our school district. If a parent or guardian objects to the use of their child's image and related information, they must notify the school district. Please see the following document for more details.