Burgettstown Area School District

• Keystone Testing (see chart below)
• May 25: Memorial Day- No School
• June 4: Last Student Day (early dismissal)
• June 4: Commencement- 7:00 PM Pavilion at Star Lake
• June 12: Kennywood Day

The Class of 2026 officially kicked off their final week as Burgettstown students with the annual senior trip this weekend. This year's trip was to Hersheypark in Hershey, PA. Seniors had the opportunity to participate in this special outing, and those who made the trip enjoyed a great day of rides, laughter, and making memories with classmates.

As graduation approaches, events like this provide one more opportunity for our seniors to celebrate their journey together and enjoy the friendships and experiences that have defined their time at Burgettstown. We are excited to celebrate the Class of 2026 throughout the week as they prepare to take the next step beyond BMHS.

The Burgettstown Science Club returned from “Happy Valley” after an exciting trip to the Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science (PJAS) State Competition, held May 17–19 at Penn State University Park. Representing the Blue Devils were Shelby Powers, Lucille Snatchko, Ryder Chappel, Kaylie Cratsley, and Cameron Vergenes, who showcased their research, creativity, and passion for science among students from across Pennsylvania.

The trip was highlighted by outstanding results from our student researchers. Kaylie Cratsley earned a 2nd Place Award for her project, “Can Personality Traits Be Passed Down to Future Generations?” and Lucille Snatchko also earned a 2nd Place Award for her investigation, “The Effect of Watering on Poinsettia Stomata.” Cameron Vergenes earned a 1st Place Award for his project exploring “Can Humans Recognize A.I. Images Compared to Real Ones?”

We are incredibly proud of these students for their hard work, curiosity, and commitment to scientific discovery. Congratulations to our Blue Devil scientists on a fantastic showing at the state level! We can’t wait to see where their questions and discoveries take them next.

The success of our Burgettstown Science Club’s trip to “Happy Valley” for the Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science (PJAS) State Competition was made possible not only through the hard work of our students, but also through the generosity of our community partners.

A special thank you goes to Energy Transfer for their generous $2,000 donation in support of our student scientists. Representatives from Energy Transfer recently visited Burgettstown Middle/High School to present the donation and recognize the accomplishments of our PJAS participants.

This contribution helped provide our students with the opportunity to showcase their research at Penn State University Park, compete alongside students from across Pennsylvania, and create lasting educational memories. We are grateful for Energy Transfer’s investment in our students and their continued support of learning opportunities beyond the classroom.

Thank you for helping our Blue Devils shine!

A new reading opportunity will be rolling into the halls of Burgettstown Middle/High School next year! Students in Mr. Dempster’s class recently designed and constructed a mobile lending library that will operate much like the neighborhood lending libraries many are familiar with—students can take a book, leave a book, and share the joy of reading with others.

This student-built project is a great example of hands-on learning creating something that will have a lasting impact on our school community. We look forward to seeing the mobile lending library make its debut next school year and inspire Blue Devils to discover their next great read!

Temperance Swogger

Ava Closser

As graduation week begins, members of the Class of 2026 had the opportunity to participate in the annual Baccalaureate celebration, which was held at Paris Presbyterian Church. This year’s event was well attended, with approximately 30% of the senior class choosing to take part in this long-standing tradition.

Baccalaureate is a non-denominational, community-organized event that is not sponsored or coordinated by the Burgettstown Area School District. Participation is completely voluntary and provides seniors who wish to attend an additional opportunity to gather, reflect on their journey, and celebrate the milestone of graduation alongside classmates, families, and community members.

Congratulations to all members of the Class of 2026 as they prepare for Commencement!

Mrs. Goodburn and Ms. Nonack recently celebrated the seventh grade students' hard work and growth with a “Level Up Party!” Throughout the year, students set personal goals focused on improving their performance on CommonLit ELA assessments and challenged themselves to continue growing as readers and learners.

The celebration recognized not only individual effort and achievement, but also the success of the classes as a whole, as students worked together to show measurable growth. Their progress is a reflection of perseverance, goal setting, and a commitment to continuous improvement.

Congratulations to our students for “leveling up” and finishing the year strong!

One of Burgettstown Elementary Center’s favorite traditions returned this week as our fourth grade students presented the 14th Annual Wax Museum! Originally started by Mr. Rendulic, this special event has continued to grow and improve each year, becoming a memorable experience for students, families, and visitors.

After researching influential figures from history, students transformed into their chosen individuals by creating displays, preparing presentations, and stepping into character to share their stories. From scientists and athletes to leaders, inventors, and changemakers, our students did an outstanding job bringing history to life!

A special thank you goes to Mr. Rendulic and the entire fourth grade team for their continued commitment to making this tradition such a meaningful learning experience. Congratulations to our fourth graders on another incredible Wax Museum!

Our fifth grade students enjoyed a special trip to Steel Valley Bowling Center in Weirton this week as they continue to celebrate the conclusion of their time at Burgettstown Area Elementary Center.

The field trip provided students with one more opportunity to laugh, have fun, and make memories together as a class before they officially close this chapter of their educational journey and prepare for the exciting transition to Burgettstown Middle/High School next year.

While we will miss seeing them in the halls of BAEC, we are excited to watch this group of Blue Devils continue to learn, grow, and achieve great things as they take the next step into middle school.

As the school year comes to a close, we want to recognize all of our dedicated Burgettstown bus drivers who truly go the extra mile for our students!

While most people see our drivers during the morning and afternoon routes, their commitment extends far beyond the regular school day. From field trips and athletic events to evening activities and special programs, our drivers make countless student experiences possible by spending additional hours behind the wheel.

Every competition attended, memory made on a field trip, and opportunity experienced outside the classroom begins with someone making sure our students get there safely. Thank you to our entire transportation team for their flexibility, dedication, and commitment to supporting our Blue Devils wherever the road may take them!

(above) Mrs. Ferris greeting 5th grade students as they prepare to depart for their bowling field trip.

• Competitive Benefits
• Team-Centered
• Essential Role in School Safety
• Pride In Facilities

• Work Directly With Students
• Be A Part Of A Collaborative Team
• Make A Meaningful Impact
• 185 Day School-Day Work Schedule

• Split Day Schedule
• Supportive Work Environment
• Make A Daily Impact On Students
• Training Facilitated
• See Ad Below

We are always looking to hire substitutes in all job categories: teacher, custodian, cafeteria, maintenance, bus driver, paraprofessional, secretary.

If you are interested in employment with the Burgettstown Area School District, please check the employment section of our website at https://www.burgettstown.k12.pa.us/employment/employment-opportunities/overview-employment and/or contact Marci Campa at mcampa@burgettstown.k12.pa.us

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.

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. After last year's Commencement, we informed the management at Star Lake that our preferred date for this year's Commencement is June 5, 2026. 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.

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.

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.