Avon Grove School District Newsletter
Schools Closed During Thanksgiving Week 11/21-11/25
 
This is a reminder that schools are closed during Thanksgiving week, Monday, November 21st , through Friday, November 25th. Offices will be open Monday, November 21st , Tuesday, November 22nd  and Wednesday, November 23rd . Classes will resume on Monday, November 28th.  Happy Thanksgiving!
AGSD Annual Holiday Basket Drive
  The Avon Grove School District will be conducting a Holiday Food Collection Drive to support the ABVM Christmas Basket Program now through December 15, 2016. Last year this program provided food baskets to nearly 425 families in our Avon Grove School District area. Collection sites for the program will be located at all of the AGSD schools. Items desired include canned and non-perishable food items. Please consider donating to this worthwhile program.
Stroud Water Research Center comes to AGI…

The Stroud Water Research Center, located in Avondale PA, visited Avon Grove Intermediate Schools’ outdoor classrooms. Educators from Stroud taught two different 4th grade science courses that aligned to the PA Core science standards:
1. MACRO STATION:  covered adaptations of macros, life cycle, similarities/differences in macros.
2. FOREST/WATERSHED WALK: Physical characteristics of a watershed (boundary, elevation, lotic/lentic), erosion, importance of trees. “The lessons incorporated hands on science activities and used a portion of the White Clay Creek tributary that runs through our backyard,” said Fourth Grade teacher Mrs. Kelley Crist. “This really enabled lasting connections to the material we cover in class.”   
AGHS Music Boosters' Santa Breakfast
The Avon Grove Instrumental Music Boosters invite everyone to attend their annual   Santa Breakfast  on   Saturday, December 10th, a charity event benefiting local families in need.  Breakfast is served from 8:00-10:30 in the AGHS cafeteria. Less than 2 weeks before Christmas even Santa has time for the most important meal of the day.

AGHS Basketball Community Pep Rally

A "Welcome to the Pit" Pep Rally for the AG High School Boys and Girls Basketball program will be held on Friday, November 18 in the High School gymnasium. Doors will open at 7:15 pm.

The cheerleaders and band will help pump up the crowd, and everyone in the Avon Grove community is invited! There is no admission charge for the event, which will feature a variety of activities, demonstrations, some give-away items and a DJ. Also the entire crowd will be part of the largest JuJu dance and Mannequin Challenge . Concessions will be available before and after the event. The girls basketball team is holding a half-court shot contest and the boys team is selling chances to throw a pie in the face of the new boys basketball coach, Roy Blumenthal.

Come join the fun and show your support of the Girls and Boys Basketball programs at Avon Grove!

Kindness Matters at Fred S. Engle Middle School
Students at Fred S. Engle Middle School participated in World Kindness Day.  Student members of a group called Crossing Boundaries wrote kind messages to each student and placed them on lockers prior to the day beginning.  Students were reminded via school announcements and class discussions how easy and important it is to show kindness every day! Crossing Boundaries is a group that discusses issue such as tolerance, diversity, respect, and compassion. They host a variety of activities that support inclusion and acceptance, including No Name Calling Week.           

Guest Teacher Program for Non-Certificated Substitutes


Interested in Substitute Teaching but do not have a certificate? Fast-track your career in substitute teaching by participating in a Guest Teacher Program. The program provides substitute teacher training to those who have a Bachelor’s Degree but do not hold an active Pennsylvania teaching certificate. Source4Teachers has partnered with the Chester County Intermediate Unit (CCIU) to provide a Guest Teacher Program for those who wish to substitute teach in Chester County. Click here for information on upcoming program.


PLE Principals are Challenged to Become Shining Examples for Literacy
National Young Readers Week has been an annual event held during the second week of November to raise awareness around the importance of reading. The event was co-founded by Pizza Hut and the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress. Principals across the country are challenged to become shining examples for literacy by choosing one day to read their heart out all day long!  Penn London Elementary School’s Principal Dr. Cynthia Holland and Assistant Principal Suzanne Magee rose to the challenge on Friday, November 11th by reading to students in the Learning Media Center all day long.

Citadel Heart of Learning Award Nominations

Citadel and the Chester County Intermediate Unit are pleased to announce that the nomination period for the 2017 Citadel Heart of Learning Award is open October 1 to December 31, 2016.  Thousands of teachers have been nominated, hundreds of teachers have been named finalists, and to date 45 have been named winners at the annual awards banquet.  The nominations they receive speak volumes about the significant impact teachers have in our community.  I am sure as you read this, you may be thinking of at least one teacher whose hard work and dedication touches the lives of students, their families and the community,  The Citadel Heart of Learning Award Committee would enjoy the opportunity to formally recognize and reward these efforts.  Nominations may be submitted online at CitadelHeartofLearning.com.


Avon Grove School District Implements a New Gold Card Program


The new Gold Card Club is one way that Avon Grove School District recognizes and honors senior citizen members of the school community. It provides an opportunity for senior citizens to take advantage of the programs and events provided by the school district. All residents of the Avon Grove School District who are at least 62 years or over would be eligible for membership in the Avon Grove Gold Card program. The membership benefits would include the following:

  • Free admission to all Avon Grove School District events such as plays, musicals and concerts in all district schools with the exception of fund-raising events and events sponsored by school-connected organizations such as Home and School Associations, Band Boosters, etc., where admission is charged. These organizations may make their own provisions for accepting Avon Grove Gold Cards.

  • Free admission to regular season Avon Grove School District athletic events. Events sponsored by the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) are not included in the Avon Grove Gold Card program.

  • The Avon Grove Gold Card becomes effective on the date of issue and provides lifetime membership. The card is only valid when the member is present and is not transferable.

For additional information concerning the Avon Grove Gold Card, please click here.


We're Excited About FDK Preparations for the 2017-2018 School year

The current half-day kindergarten program is rapidly becoming an antiquated model that gives our youngest learners less than 3 hours a day to master critical literacy and math foundational concepts, as well as to learn social and emotional skills necessary to be successful in a classroom setting. More than three quarters of schools nationwide offer full day kindergarten programs, where students have the time to learn more thoroughly and deeply instead of rushing through key concepts. Not only is moving to a full day program the appropriate academic move for a district with high standards, but we anticipate the program will actually save the district money as more charter school students return to Avon Grove to take advantage of full day kindergarten.

For more information concerning Full Day Kindergarten, please click here.

Check Out the Latest Edition of The Devil’s Herald,
Avon Grove’s Student Newspaper
News
  • Skits bring entertainment to morning announcements
  • College tours made easier
  • Discover prepares students for future  
Sports
  • Athlete Leadership Academy strives to make an impact in the school, community
  • Winter Sports Schedules  
AG Life
  • Black Friday: Wait in lines or shop at home?
  • Get ready for a busy holiday season
  • Falling for Thanksgiving  

Commended Students in the 2017 National Merit Scholarship Program
Seven Avon Grove High School students are being recognized as Commended Students in the 2017 National Merit Scholarship Program.  “These students represent some of the best and brightest students in our school.  Their dedication to excellence in their academic pursuits is significant.”  noted Avon Grove High School Principal Scott DeShong.  The Avon Grove High School students being recognized are Caroline Gerwig, Kieran Hannon, Kyle Holman, William Kephart, Owen Lucas, Kai Myran, and Victoria Provost.                     

About 34,000 Commended Students throughout the nation are being recognized for their exceptional academic promise.  Although they will not continue in the 2017 competition for National Merit Scholarship awards, Commended Students placed among the top five percent of more than 1.6 million students who entered the 2017 competition by taking the 2015 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT).             

The young men and women being named Commended Students have demonstrated outstanding potential for academic success,” commented a spokesperson for NMSC.  “These students represent a valuable national resource; recognizing their accomplishments, as well as the key role their schools play in their academic development, is vital to the advancement of educational excellence in our nation. We hope that this recognition will help broaden their educational opportunities and encourage them as they continue their pursuit of academic success.”
In the photo from left to right are: Dr. Marchese (Superintendent), Kai Myran, Caroline Gerwig, Kieran Hannon, Owen Lucas, Victoria Provost, William Kephart, and Mrs. Ortega-Moran (Assistant Principal for students in grades 10 & 12).  Not pictured is Kyle Holman. 
AGSD Launches a New Website Community Page

Avon Grove School District values the impact the community continues to have on schools in various partnerships and initiatives. A new Community webpage was created to provide information to our community on various partnership opportunities as well as to provide our community with updated news and events occurring in the District.

Click here to view the the Community webpage.
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