Effective today, the High School guest wireless network is fully operational. Students, staff and visitors may connect to the guest network via personal laptops, iPods, iPads and netbooks.  Students are welcome to utilize personal electronic devices for educational purposes with teacher permission.  Please see the attached Technology Letter.

The Superintendent is currently conducting State of the District meetings to discuss the 2010-2011 budget, financial projections for coming years and the potential impact on educational and co-curricular programs. These meetings are open to the public. Please join us on Wednesday, December 8 at 7:00 PM in the high school auditorium.

In addition, the PLAN/PSAT portion of the night will follow the State of the District on Wednesday, December 8, 2010.  Understanding the PLAN and PSAT results will be the focus.  On October 13th, sophomores took the PLAN test and juniors took the PSAT.  Students will receive their individual reports early next week.  Parents are welcome to join us for information on utilizing the reports which were provided to students.  Please call the guidance office with questions or for further information at 872-9520 ext. 1820.

Come out and join us as the Junior ladies take on the Senior ladies during our Powder Puff Football game.  The game will be held Thursday, December 9th at 6:30 PM.

Admission:  one canned good per person or $1.00 per person.

There will be refreshments available and the crowning of the Powder Puff King at half time for the senior boy who raised the most money for the Jimmy V Foundation.

All Powder Puff participants are required to report to the cafeteria @ 5:00 for a school sponsored pre-game dinner.

Please click on Straight Talk for Parents for information on a presentation to reduce the rise in medication and substance abuse.  There is a need to pre-register for this seminar as seating is limited. Please register through Drug Free Pennsylvania’s website at http://www.drugfreepa.org/seminar/iu13.asp.

November 24, 2010

Dear Parents/ Guardians,

I want to alert you to a scheduling change at the high school that will help us accomplish two goals: improving PSSA scores and working with all students in essential skill areas.

To do this, beginning December 1, we will be Adopting An Anchor. On each Monday, Wednesday, and Friday students will report to one of their four classes during what has been our homeroom period. We will continue to have homeroom/clubs/tutoring on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Additionally, once we return from Winter Vacation, identified juniors will be attending PSSA prep sessions during the Tuesday/Thursday homeroom.

The Monday, Wednesday, and Friday time will be used for enrichment activities that are aligned with the Math and Reading Assessment Anchors produced by the Pennsylvania Department of Education. The assessment anchors are one of the many tools that PDE believes will align curriculum, instruction and assessment practices throughout the state. The Assessment Anchors clarify the standards assessed on the PSSA and can be used by educators to help prepare their students for the PSSA.

Teachers will be designing purposeful activities that focus on a Math or Reading Assessment Anchor as it relates to their daily curriculum.

Our first activity will focus on the math anchor that requires students to answer questions that can be addressed with the organization, interpretation or analysis of data. The second area of focus will be on the reading anchor that requires students to interpret and analyze nonfiction reading. These are both defined areas of need for students at all levels – those who need remediation or enrichment as well as those at every level in between.

Once we have completed a cycle of enrichment periods that focus on the anchors mentioned, teachers will then engage their students in purposeful activities that focus on an anchor the teacher has selected that best fits with the curriculum and concepts of a particular course. Teachers will provide enrichment of a skill that a student has already learned or remediation of a skill that students have not yet mastered.

This change in our schedule is necessary and timely. Our seniors are quickly approaching graduation and it is vital that we prepare them for life after high school. For our juniors, the state-mandated PSSA test is rapidly approaching and we want to make sure that they are ready. Our freshmen and sophomores will be enriched or remediated depending on their individual needs.

Thank you for your continued support as we work to prepare your child for his or her future after Penn Manor.

Sincerely,

Philip B. Gale

Principal

There is a post prom meeting on Tuesday November 16 at 6:30 in the cafeteria.  All parents of seniors are welcomed.  Also, we are currently having a poinsettia sale.  If you would like to purchase a poinsettia or receive more post prom information, please contact Donna Carle at jcdc217@comcast.net.

The Penn Manor School District has formed a Co-Curricular Task Force to examine the philosophy and function of co-curricular activities. The committee is comprised of members of the community, students, district administrators, the athletic director, and members of the Board of Directors.

The Task Force will hold its first meeting on Tuesday, November 9, 2010 at 6:30 p.m.in the library of Penn Manor High School. Interested individuals are invited to attend to observe the discussion that will take place.

Jeff Roth, Penn Manor’s Athletic Director, has been named the Athletic Director of the Year for the Lancaster-Lebanon League and District 3. Please see Jeff Reinhart’s blog at the following link:

http://blogs.lancasteronline.com/jeffreyreinhart/2010/10/15/ad-honors-for-penn-manors-jeff-roth/