Burgettstown Area School District

Weekly Update

Week Ending January 14, 2022

It was a productive week in Blue Devil Country! Please scroll down to learn more. #True2theBlue

Important Dates

Monday, January 17th: Martin Luther Jr. Day- No School
Tuesday, January 18th: In-service day: No School
Thursday, January 20th: End of First Semester
Thursday, January 27th: Report Cards

January is School Director Recognition Month

With the start of a new calendar year, we say "THANK YOU" to our Board of School Directors as we observe School Director Recognition Month. These individuals, your friends and neighbors, volunteer their time governing our school district and ensuring that our students receive the best education possible, our employees find working at Burgettstown to be second to none, and our resident's hard earned tax dollars are put to good use. Again, we say THANK YOU to...

Carrie Lonick-Snatchko, President

Tim Burgoyne, Vice-President

Melissa Secco, Secretary

William Price, Treasurer

Kevin "Kip" Kuzior

Amy Lemmon

Chris Matalik

Zach Schilinski

Nick Tasz

An Update on Bussing Issues

This week was a difficult week for our transportation department as we had a driver shortage on three different days. We are so very grateful for the wonderful service and dedication all of our drivers give to our school district. Their job is not always an easy one, but they manage to safely transport our students to and from school, come rain or shine. Sometimes, though, like the rest of us, they become ill. They also have time off that they can use. Accordingly, it is natural to have days where a driver calls off. What is different this year, as has been explained in many news stories throughout the region and, indeed, the nation, is the shortage of drivers. To BASD, what this shortage has meant is a lack of substitute drivers. So, this year, we have relied more than ever before on our Director of Transportation and our bus mechanic to pick up the slack and drive. Somehow, they manage to do the driving and their regular jobs, and do them well. We want our community to know that we understand that there is an inconvenience created when we have to cancel one of more bus runs. We wish we would not have to cancel any runs. Because we want to make sure all driver absences are accounted for before we notify parents, we wait to make the call until approximately 5:45 AM. Remember, our buses begin leaving the bus garage at 6:00 AM! We believe we have a plan in place that gives parents and students options when we must cut a run. Earlier this year, we published a letter detailing the bus driver shortage. This week, we created a letter detailing the options parents and students have when transportation is cancelled. You may access it by clicking HERE.

Bus Cancellation Instructions

Bus Driver Shortage Letter

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Mr. Dysert's homeroom students created the painting pictured to enter in the holiday banner competition and earned first place in the Jr. High School.

Pictured L to R: Destinee Bouch, Macei Hook, Sienna Berdine, Henry Miller, and Marlee Martin.

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Students in English 12 are beginning the Hamlet Hexagonal Thinking Posters/Project -- Students are to conceptualize critical thinking skills through a visual mind map using hexagons. Each side of the hexagon has to connect to any hexagon that it touches. Once the map is complete, the students are to use diamonds to show the bigger, thematic connections and must cite textual evidence/quotations to prove the importance of that theme, motif, or symbol.

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Students in Honors English 9 are beginning the Romeo & Juliet Hexagonal Thinking Posters/Project -- Students are to conceptualize critical thinking skills through a visual mind map using hexagons. Each side of the hexagon has to connect to any hexagon that it touches. Once the map is complete, the students are to use diamonds to show the bigger, thematic connections and must cite textual evidence/quotations to prove the importance of that theme, motif, or symbol.

Student Vaccination Status Update

If you are willing to voluntarily advise the District whether your child(ren) is/are fully vaccinated and boosted (where possible) the Administration will be able to more effectively and more timely deal with the implications (contact tracing, potential quarantine, etc.) should a student or staff member display symptoms and/or test positive for Covid 19/the variant. We ask that you consider volunteering your child(ren)'s vaccination status by clicking HERE. Please be assured that this information will in all other respects be kept confidential. By completing this form, you are voluntarily providing this information. Please submit a separate form for each of your children.

CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT YOUR CHILD'S VACCINATION STATUS

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Ms. Barliokos' middle school gifted education students prepared for their upcoming K'Nex challenge. The students are replicating an engine as they study the use of biodiesel, with the goal of encouraging use of renewable fuel sources.

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Students in Mr. Taylor's Career Readiness class were practicing for their mock interview final project.

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Lauren Bistarkey, Kaylin Caffardo, Cody Pietrie, and Brooke Safreed in Speech class this week.

Follow-Up Vaccine Clinic at BASD

UPMC's vaccine clinic on January 3rd was a great success. The follow-up clinic, for those who received their first dose on January 3rd need their second dose, as well as anyone needing either a first dose, or a booster, is scheduled for January 24th in the BAEC from 5:00 PM-7:00 PM. This clinic is for all eligible individuals. You do not have to be a student to receive a vaccine. NOTE: Burgettstown Area School District does not require vaccines and this clinic should not be interpreted as the school district doing so. We are simply providing space for UPMC to provide this service for our school district. Click HERE if you wish to schedule an appointment. Scheduling ahead of time is not mandatory.

Additional Vaccine Clinics Scheduled at the Intermediate Unit Campus Schools

Our partnering Intermediate Unit, IU1, operate three alternative education sites and the IU has arranged for UPMC to conduct vaccine clinics at these schools. If you were/are unable to get vaccinated at one of the clinics BASD hosted/is hosting, please consider the clinics at the Intermediate Unit's campus schools. Please see the flyer below for details. The preregistration site can be accessed HERE