Pennbrook Middle School Friday, December 21, 2012 “A” Day Cycle 12 GENERAL: Pennbrook Student Council is proud to announce Pennbrook students and staff have raised $750 for the Ronald McDonald House from the annual candy cane sale. Thank you to the Pennbrook community for collecting over 200 toys during our Toys for Tots drive. Your generosity and compassion will go a long way this holiday season! Mr. Clancy and Ms. Kuhner Pennbrook Dance Team will practice Thursday, January 3rd from 3:15-4:30. Overdue books – please return or renew your books before break. Thank you! All students in chorus, band, and orchestra are invited to an assembly featuring the North Penn High School Chamber Singers and North Penn High School Brass Ensemble during lunch study on Friday 12/21. Students who wish to attend the assembly must have a RED pass, available from their directors. This optional assembly is during lunch study on Friday December 21st. Please see Mrs. Campbell or Mr. Neu for more information. Those students interested in art and stage crew: There will be an informational meeting on Thursday, January 4th during lunch study in the auditorium. Have you been watching The Voice, Dancing with the Stars, or American Idol and thinking to yourself that could be me. If so, Pennbrook’s Annual Talent Show is just the place for you. Signups for the talent show will begin when we return from break. Start practicing and be ready to sign up when you return. Ski and Snowboard Club: Please buy your 6-session passes before you return to PB after winter break. We will not be holding a meeting, everyone is in the club!! If you handed in paperwork you are in the club! Password information can be found on PB’s website under activities, then ski and board club. You can also find information on facebook, pennbrook ski and board club. If you have problems using the link please contact Bear Creek at 1-866-SKI-AT-BC EXT. 350 Yearbook meetings will take place on Tuesdays and Wednesdays in Room 56 from 3 to 5 both days. If not already signed up please see Mrs. Beard in Room 56. Cold weather is coming and the school store is prepared. Pennbrook Any students who are interested in getting involved with the JROTC program after school at North Penn High School, please stop down to the Guidance Office. There are plenty of opportunities for you – Physical Training, Drill, and Color Guard. You can take the sports bus from Pennbrook up to North Penn High School to participate. Parents Please Note: there is an Activities/Late Bus on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The students are picked up at 5:00PM from Pennbrook and dropped off at their home. Home and School has compiled a guide for parents of incoming 10th Grade students to North Penn High School. It will answer questions from "What do I need for swimming?" to "What are the try-out dates for Sports?" Please click on the link below to access the guide. 10th Grade Parent Guide To all students and staff: please save all of your plastic caps this year and bring them to school. Most plastic bottles and jars are recyclable; however, many plastic caps and lids are not. The art department plans to create a sculpture in the courtyard using these caps and lids. Collection boxes can be found in the cafeteria and bus lobby. Math Support is available every morning at 7:40AM in room 52. Don’t forget to bring your math book! Sports The North Penn High School Coach, Mr. Manero, is running a baseball camp on Saturdays from January 12th to March 2nd. Any 7/8/9 grade boy who may be interested, should see Mr. Bauer for information. Boys who are interested in trying out for 7th and 8th grade basketball. Your forms are due to Mr. Clancy in Guidance by today Friday, December 21st. 8th grade boys will try out on the day we return from break, January 2nd and the day after, January 3rd. 7th grade boys will try out January 7th and 8th. If you have any questions, see Mr. Clancy in Guidance. For sports information/questions, please call 215-853-1603 or email Mrs. Garifalos at garifac@npenn.org Pennbrook: 7/8 Girls Basketball @ NPHS-v-Pennfield/Dismiss at 2:20 9 Boys Basketball/Home-v-Upper Dublin/Dismiss at 2:50 High School: Boys/Girls Swimming @ Upper Dublin/6:00PM Boys/Girls Diving @ Upper Dublin/3:45 Girls Varsity Basketball/Home-v-CB East/7:00PM IMPORTANT INFORMATION: To schedule an appointment with Mr. Galante, please call 215-853-1600 or email Mrs. Scassero at scasseb@npenn.org Student Absences: All absences should be made by a phone call, note, email or fax. If you have reported the absence to attendance by anyone of these means, you DO NOT have to notify the school in any other way. If your student arrives late, they must present an excuse for tardiness at the attendance office. If a phone call, email, note or fax is not received by the attendance office, the absence will be unexcused. Email: _PBAttendance@npenn.org (please note that you must have the underscore _ before the PBAttendance when emailing) Fax: 215-699-0151 Attn: Attendance Office Call: Mrs. Bowers at 215-853-1602 or the main office at 215-699-9287 Days Absent: When a student is absent for three or more days a request can be made for missed assignments through Mrs. Behrens or Mrs. Bowers by emailing _PBAttendance@npenn.org You can also check your student’s teachers web page on Pennbrook’s website. Most teachers post their assignments on a regular basis. Vacation: If going on vacation during the school year please make sure to send a note at least one week in advance to the Attendance Office. If your absence will exceed ten school days, you will need to contact Kim Vanstrien, Registrar, at 215-368-0400 to make an appointment to re-register before returning to school. Student Pickup: For questions or information on picking up your child during the school day, please call 215-853-1601 or email Mrs. Behrens at behrenam@npenn.org Lunch Accounts: Remember to put money into your child’s lunch account. It is very easy with the new program: www.mypaymentsplus.com and follow the on-screen instructions to create an account. If you had an account last year through MySchoolBucks, your account should automatically transfer to MyPamentsPlus. There is also a toll free number (1-866821-0306) that families can call to make payments and check their student’s account, if they do not have access to the internet. There is a charge of 4.75% each time a deposit is made through MyPaymentsPlus. Please note these fees do not go to NPSD, but is the cost of online transactions with MyPaymentsPlus. Families can benefit by this system because it allows you to: make payments using a credit card, debit card or check; check account balances online and via a toll free phone number; auto-pay a student’s account when it reaches a low balance; receive notifications when a student’s account balance is low; view a student account balance 24/7; monitor student purchases to what they are purchasing; inform the cafeteria staff about your child’s food allergies which will enable a computerized reminder system to prompt cashiers to review the student’s purchase for possible reactions. Visitors: All visitors to Pennbrook are required to show their NPSD staff ID or a driver’s license at our reception desk. If you are coming to an IEP, Team or Teacher meeting or to volunteer, you must show your license and register with our new security system. Student Illness/Nurse: Students should not be using cell phones to call home when they are ill. Students need to visit the Nurse and the nurse should contact the parents to come and get the student. Please remind your children regarding this rule. Id Cards are available from Mrs. Lancia in the Guidance Office for $3.00. Bus Pass Reminder: In order to ride home with a friend on a different bus, a student must get a bus pass from the main office. Each student must have a note from a parent authorizing the bus pass and must include the names of all students involved, the date and a parent’s signature. If a note is forgotten, only then, can an email be sent in its place by no later than 10:00AM of that day. The email address is behrenam@npenn.org. Verbals over the phone are not acceptable. Also, all requests must be made by the end of Lunch Study; which is 11:53. Bus Passes will not be given out after this time. NO bus passes on early dismissal days per Transportation Department. IMC News: The IMC is open late every Tuesday (except early dismissal days) until 5 pm. There is a late bus that runs to take students home that day. INFORMATION CHANGES: If the home address, home/cell phone number or guardianship of your child changes, please contact the Guidance Secretary, Mrs. Lancia at lanciaks@npenn.org or call 215-853-1610.