BHMS Wednesday Message
October 14, 2026
Weekly Message
Good evening Beverly Hills Middle School Families,
We are into mid October. The Fall sports season is in full swing and our kids are playing hard and our fans are coming out to cheer on their peers. Please see the information below for the Fall Fling that is next week, we encourage all our students to come out for some fun and dancing. Finally, please review the Home Access Center for updated interims.
Interim Reports
Interim reports are now viewable on the Home Access Center (HAC). This is a great time to check on your student’s progress. Please reach out to your student’s teachers if you have any questions or concerns. Please also review the HAC Alert set up flyer
BHMS Fall Fling
Attention, BHMS students! The Fall Fling is coming up on Friday, October 23rd, from 5 to 7 p.m. in the cafeteria, and it's open to all 6th, 7th, and 8th graders.
Tickets are $10 and will NOW include a slice of pizza along with a water and a snack. Thank you to the generous Teachers and Staff of BH for making this happen!!!
Additional Pizza, snacks, and drinks will be for sale at the dance. Pay and turn in your signed permission slip at lunch or after school in Room 130! The last day to turn them in is Wednesday, October 21st. No late slips or payments will be accepted, and there will be no sales at the door.
Remember to bring your school ID, and you must be in school the full day to attend. Doors close at 5:45, so don't be late.
Questions? See Mrs. Cocco. We'll see you at the Fall Fling!
Equipping families with strategies to support children experiencing anxiety and barriers
to regular school attendance
On October 19, 2026, Dr. Katherine Dahlsgaard will be speaking to our families concerning
supporting children who are experiencing anxiety and school avoidance behaviors. The event is taking place at Beverly Hill Middle School. We will have dinner for our families starting at 5:30 PM. Dr. Dahlsgaard’s presentation will begin at 6:30 PM. If you know someone who is struggling in these areas, you will definitely learn strategies that will help. This event is open to all Upper Darby School District families. If you would like to learn more about our speaker, please visit https://www.katherinedahlsgaard.com/about.
PBIS Fall Rewards Criteria
We will be holding a Fall PBIS Rewards day on October 23, 2026. Students will be required to earn the participation to the Rewards Day. Therefore, there are certain actions that will result in a student not earning the right to participate.
12 or more tardy to school from 9/8/26 to 10/16/2026
2 or more administrative reflections assigned from 9/8/26 to 10/23/2026
1 or more suspension days 9/8/26 to 10/23/2026
PBIS Lessons
Please see our PBIS lessons for this month. We encourage you to follow along with the students and use these to guide discussions at home with your students!
Thursday Early Dismissal
Tomorrow, there will be a Thursday early dismissal. There will be no asynchronous assignments for students to complete as this is a professional development day for our staff.
Athletic Events- Concessions available from the Home School Association
10/16/2026: Volleyball @ 3:30 PM BHMS Gym, Girls Soccer @ 3:30 PM Front Field
10/19/2026: Boys Soccer @ 3:30 PM BHMS Front Field
10/20/2026: JV Football @ 3:30 PM BHMS Front Field
Best Regards,
Wayne Remmey
Principal
A Message from Dr. McGarry, Superintendent
Re: Act 80/Section 133: District Updates and Opportunities to Participate
Wednesday, October 14, 2026
Dear Upper Darby School District Families,
The Upper Darby School District is committed to keeping our families and community informed about the ongoing exploration of Act 80/Section 133 and its potential implications for our schools, students, and staff.
Since January 2024, the District has discussed the possibility of exploring Section 133/Act 80 through numerous public forums and opportunities for engagement. These discussions have included information about instructional hours at each school level, required school days, and other relevant considerations.
Information has been shared through Superintendent’s Reports, District-Wide Home and School Association (HSA) Meetings, individual school HSA Meetings, Morning Coffee Conversations, Board Committee Meetings, and Regular Board Meetings.
In November 2025, the District held a public discussion regarding approval to form a committee to explore this topic. In December 2025, an invitation to participate in the committee was shared with our school community through the Wednesday Folder. The committee formation process was also revisited during the Superintendent’s Report in January 2026.
Most recently, the District provided an update in August 2026. Community engagement has continued into the fall through meetings with school communities and staff, Districtwide HSA Meetings offered during morning and evening hours, and Districtwide staff question-and-answer sessions. Act 80/Section 133 has been addressed with staff on multiple occasions as part of these ongoing conversations.
Following a recent District-Wide HSA Meeting, a parent expressed interest in receiving an email summarizing the District’s ongoing discussions and providing access to information shared publicly, including the District’s presentation available through BoardDocs. In response to this feedback, we are sharing this overview to help families access information about the topic and revisit materials presented during public meetings.
Review the District’s BoardDocs presentation:
Join the Act 80 Exploration Committee
As a follow-up to the invitation shared in December 2025, the Upper Darby School District is seeking additional parents and community members to join the ongoing Act 80 Exploration Committee, led by Dr. John Council, Assistant Superintendent of Recruitment, Retention, and Culture.
Your input is essential to ensuring that family needs, childcare considerations, student experiences, and community perspectives are included in the exploration process. We encourage interested parents and community members to participate and share their perspectives as the District continues this work.
If you are interested in participating, please click the link below and provide your contact information.
https://forms.gle/hmoKNPzedd6doRui9
Current Status of the Act 80 Exploration
The Act 80 Exploration Committee is part of the District’s ongoing exploration and information-gathering process. No decision has been made regarding the implementation of Act 80/Section 133. The purpose of this process is to examine the relevant considerations, gather input, and ensure that family needs, childcare considerations, student experiences, and community perspectives are taken into account as the District explores this option.
Future Updates
The District remains committed to transparency, open communication, and meaningful opportunities for our community to stay informed and engaged as we continue exploring this topic. We appreciate the interest our families and community members have demonstrated and encourage continued participation in these important conversations. We will keep you up to date as the exploration process continues and will provide an update at the March 2027 Board Committee meeting.
Other Considerations — AI and Screen Time
As artificial intelligence (AI) and digital technology continue to shape education, the District is examining their impact on teaching and learning. While these tools can personalize instruction and address students’ diverse learning needs, it is equally important to consider their effects on student well-being and social development. The District seeks to balance meaningful, age-appropriate technology use with hands-on learning, discussion, collaboration, and movement.
To guide this work, the District has established a committee led by Dr. Christine Kelley, Director of Curriculum, and Daniel Kitchen, Director of Technology. The committee’s findings will inform the work of the Act 80 Exploration Committee. Please contact Dr. Kelley at ckelley@upperdarbysd.org if you are interested in joining the AI & Screentime Committee.
Thank you for your continued engagement and partnership in supporting our students and the Upper Darby School District community.
Sincerely,
Dr. Daniel McGarry
Superintendent of Schools
Attachments
Safe2Say Something Reminder
The Safe2Say Something system teaches youth and adults how to recognize warning signs and signals, especially within social media, of individuals who may be a threat to themselves or others and say something, using our anonymous reporting system. Safe2Say Something is also a way to anonymously report unsafe, potentially harmful, dangerous, violent or criminal activities in any school in Pennsylvania.
https://www.upperdarbysd.org/departments12/safety-security/safe2say-something
