On Tuesday, September 12th, the video below premiered at the CSD School Board meeting. It beautifully captured the excitement of our students, teachers, and staff for the upcoming 2023-2024 school year. The video served as a heartwarming reminder of the boundless potential that each new school year brings, uniting our school community in a shared sense of purpose and optimism. Welcome back, Centennial, to the 2023-2024 school year!

Congratulations to Mr. Craig Shapiro, Health and Physical Education teacher at William Tennent High School, on publishing his first book, Dream Big. While writing the book culminates six years of hard work, the insight and energy have been collected over a lifetime. The work focuses on bringing positivity into the classroom to raise student engagement and academic and personal achievement. Copies of the book can be found in the William Tennent High School Library or purchased on Amazon.com. Make sure you check it out!

On September 11, 2023, Klinger staff and families shared stories of 9/11 with students during the day and after school. The day began with a special announcement, teaching students about some of the history of September 11, 2001, followed by a moment of silence at 8:46 a.m., the moment the first plane struck the World Trade Center's Twin Towers. Students were challenged to talk with adults and ask them to share their stories. Through these stories, the memories are alive for all those who lost their lives during and as a result of 9/11. Later, at Back to School Night, guests stood for the Pledge of Allegiance and shared in silence.

A "whiteout" at William Tennent High School's first home game of the season on Friday, September 8, 2023, included a special surprise. The game was advertised as a benefit for childhood cancer. It turned out to be a day to remember for Nathan Gonzalez and his family. At halftime of the varsity football team's game against Upper Merion High School on Sept. 8, Nate's No. 55 jersey was retired.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE

Now in its fifth year, Beyond the Canvas has become a mainstay in the collaborative program that has grown between the Student Design Lab at William Tennent and Fox Chase’s Office of Academic Affairs under the guidance of Dr. Amanda Purdy and Dr. Glenn Rall.

The Beyond, the Canvas Challenge, was born in William Tennent's Student Design Class by student Sophia Trozzi under the guidance of teacher Ignacio Jayo. William Tennent's advanced art students, typically seniors, are interviewed and selected to participate. Art teacher Rena Friedant begins recruiting artists in January. The training process goes through to May when the student artists interview their muses – people from the Fox Chase community recruited to participate with the guidance of people like Helen Gordon, Director of Volunteer Services. The artists then have three weeks to produce a work of art.

Beyond the Canvas, students work with mentors like Friedant and Sophia Trozzi to learn how to interview the selected muses and receive constant feedback and guidance during the three-week process of creation. Many participating students have never had the experience of interviewing an adult, let alone someone with life experiences far outside those of the typical suburban high school student.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE

WTHS Seniors Kevin Sides and Ethan Tiong have been recognized by the College Board’s Big Future program for their academic excellence and honored with the National Hispanic Recognition Award.

The College Board is honoring Kevin and Ethan because they have earned:

• a GPA of 3.5 or higher
• top 10% of PSAT/NMSQT® or PSAT™ 10 assessment takers in each state
• a score of 3 or higher on two or more AP® Exams

Congratulations, Kevin and Ethan on your success and achievements!

On September 12th, the Board of School Directors accepted donations from Infinity Jewelers and Christian Michael Jewelers for two milling machines. These machines were used to create molds for jewelry making and will be used to enhance the capabilities of our STEM program and give students the opportunity to learn more about trade careers. An Infinity Jeweler employee will train staff and students, enhancing the collaboration between our district and the community. Special thanks to Mr. Kevin Ferguson for facilitating and acquiring these machines.

Tuesday, September 12th, at the CSD School Board meeting, the William Tennent Alumni Association (WTAA) presented William Tennent High School (WTHS) with a check for $5,000. One of the William Tennent Alumni Association's goals is to positively impact the students and community. Realizing that there are numerous students and families in financial need at William Tennent, the WTAA would like to remove as many obstacles as possible for the students to enjoy their educational experience. Funds will be distributed for circumstances including field trips, educational materials, and even cafeteria balances. Thank you to the William Tennent Alumni Association for your donation and continued support.

Mrs. DeFortuna's class is using story stones to locate characters in their books. Mrs. Dovidio's class is taking a brain break, and Mrs. Tiger's class is drawing how they can be a bucket filler.

While many people are aware that the Writing Lab, which is going on its 5th year of operation, is available to students during 3rd period to provide assistance with writing projects, assignments, and essays, we are excited to announce that a "sister station" exists in the form of the Panther Math Lab. Students can go to the library during their lunch period to eat and get assistance with math assignments, be tutored in concepts that aren't quite connecting, or receive help in preparation for a test. Mrs. Martin and Mr. Smith, along with eight student mentors, are enthusiastic and willing to help students be more successful. The Math Lab has been very busy; we are glad to see so many students taking advantage of this resource!

Willow Dale Elementary School's Eagles Spirit Day came alive with a sea of green as students, teachers, and staff proudly donned Philadelphia Eagles attire from head to toe. The hallways were filled with cheers and E-A-G-L-E-S chants on the playground. Willow Dale's Eagles Spirit Day fosters a strong sense of school pride and instills in students the values of teamwork, support, and the importance of coming together to root for a common cause.

Over the summer, senior Sarah Bloom combined her passion for baseball with her love of psychology when she interviewed former Phillies relief pitcher Larry Andersen. A family friend, the Phillies dugout cameraman Sean Homsher, asked Larry if Sarah could interview him on how men’s mental health was not taken seriously in his time in the MLB in the 1970s-80’s.

Very generous with his time, Larry Andersen offered insight on how to be successful in athletics during his 90-minute interview with Sarah. Three major lessons from MLB experience can help students on or off the field.

• “I can’t” into an “I am, I will, I can” mindset: This mindset is important for everyone to have so they can push themselves to perform better.

• Tune out the crowd for focus: To focus on either a big task or a little, tune out distractions is important to get the job done.

• Remember that you are not the only one struggling: Many people struggle with reaching out for help, but as a reminder, there is no shame in asking for help.

Today, Andersen offers his advice to anyone who is not performing their best. “People are gonna tell you that you aren’t good enough. It is your right to tell them you are good enough. Even though it is your job, it is okay to fail. Trust and believe in yourself. To be a player in the big league, you have to have resilience. Picture yourself at your happy place, it will put you at ease. Don’t give up. Install in your head that you are going to do [what you want to accomplish.]” With his practical advice, Larry Andersen now coaches all of us to succeed, no matter our sport, job, or goals.

Sarah Bloom '24

William Tennent High School:

Thursday, September 21, 2023 | 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm

This course examines the social, legal, ethical, economic, and political interactions of business and society in the United States and internationally. Business and non-business majors learn about the relationship and impact of business to society in which they are citizens, consumers, and producers.

Wit & Wisdom, the newly adopted K-5 Reading English Language Arts Curriculum, has ignited a spark of excitement within our classrooms, setting the stage for amazing things to happen. Wit & Wisdom redefines the learning experience, placing students at the center of their own education, empowering them to think critically, express themselves confidently, and explore the richness of human culture and knowledge.

Throughout the beginning weeks of the 2023-2024 school year, students in Grades K-5 have experienced many interactive instructional routines such as Think-Pair-Share, Notice and Wonder, and Socratic Seminar. Our students have been actively engaged in thought-provoking discussions and hands-on activities. They are building knowledge and skills that will serve them well throughout their lives. With a focus on fostering a growth mindset, building resilience, and promoting empathy, this curriculum is equipping our students to thrive in an ever-changing world.

The Pennsylvania Department of Education's Division of Federal Programs administers federal programs and funding to over 570 local education agencies and non-public and charter schools in the amount of $700 million dollars. The Centennial School District receives Federal Title I funds, which are used to finance supplemental educational services in reading/language arts and math to assist students in meeting state achievement standards. Our Title I Schoolwide Schools are Log College Middle School, McDonald Elementary School, and Willow Dale Elementary School.

The schools will inform their families about these schoolwide services throughout the school year. Along with the school and district-based events, we also have resources on standards, assessments, and CSD programming on our district website: Teaching & Learning.

As an outcome of our Title I status, parents/families are invited to review, evaluate, and/or provide feedback for potential revisions to any number of the following:

• Completed Title I Application*

• Title I Parent Right to Know Letter**

• Title I Parent Compact & Family Engagement Policy**

• Title I Parent & Family Engagement Funds and Activities**

• District Policy 801: District Public Records [Right to Know] Policy 801***

• District Policy 917: District Parental/Family Engagement Policy***

• District Policy 918: District Title I Parent and Family Engagement Policy and the accompanying Administrative Regulations (ARs)***

*Your building Principal will be setting up and communicating a time for review of the Completed Title I application.

**Please visit your student's building Title I webpage, found linked to the District Title I page, for access to the Building level forms for review.

***To access our District Title I related policies, please visit the District Policies section of our website and click on the BoardDocs Icon to take you to the Centennial's BoardDocs section of the website.

Families can provide feedback through district and school in-person events and through our digital feedback form Title IA Feedback Form, which is also available on each Title I webpage, linked to the Federal Programs<Title I webpage.

The Pennsylvania Department of Education requires school districts to complete a Comprehensive Plan. Elements of the Comprehensive Plan include but are not limited to District Profile, Planning Process/Committee, Mission, Vision and Values, Instructional Strategies, Safe and Supportive Schools, Special Education Assurances, Induction Plans, Needs Assessments, Action Plan and Goals, and Professional Development. There are also a series of other State Required Reports that are included: Academic Standards and Assessment Requirements (Chapter 4), Gifted Education Plan Assurances (Chapter 16), Induction Plan (Chapter 49), Professional Development Plan (Act 48), and Student Services Assurances (Chapter 12).

The Comprehensive Plan runs on a three-year cycle, and Centennial’s 2020-23 Comprehensive Plan is due for renewal this Fall, 2023. In June of 2022, Centennial put together a Comprehensive Planning Steering Committee comprised of faculty, staff, administration, students, parents, community members, and community partners and began working on the plan. The main Steering Committee and several subcommittees worked throughout the Spring, Summer, and Fall of 2022 to complete the Comprehensive Plan and the Pennsylvania Department of Education State Required Reports due this Fall.

As part of the 28-day review requirement, embedded in this Thoughtexchange for feedback is a 1-page overview highlighting the key aspects of our Comprehensive Plan, a draft of our full Comprehensive Plan, a draft of our Induction Plan (Chapter 49), a draft of our Professional Development Plan (Act 48), and a draft of our Gifted Education Plan Assurances (Chapter 16).

To be transparent, inclusive, and informed, please take a few minutes and visit the following Thoughtexchange to provide your feedback on these documents.

https://tejoin.com/scroll/803182638

This exchange will be open until Monday, September 25 at 11:59 pm.

Quick Tips:

• This Exchange is confidential. Your thoughts will be shared with other participants, but not your identity.
  

• Please be polite and respectful as you share and rate your thoughts.

• If you see a thought that is rude, hurtful or identifies a person or group, you can report it by clicking in the upper right corner of the thought.

• You will see and rate thoughts that others have shared. 5 stars = strongly agree, 1 star = strongly disagree.

• You do not need to rate all thoughts, though it's recommended to rate at least 30.

• Please note - participants needing this Exchange in a different language will have the ability to choose that language as a drop-down option once in the Exchange.

This October, the Office of School & Student Services will be asking you, and students in grades 3-12, to take a brief survey to tell us about your experience with Centennial School District. We need your feedback to ensure we continue to provide high quality, rigorous learning experiences that meet the needs of all learners and prepare them for college, career, and life readiness. Stay tuned for more details in the coming weeks!

To start the week, the WT Girls Volleyball Team won an epic 5-set match against league rival Council Rock North, 3 sets to 2. The next day, the girls took undefeated New Hope to 4 sets, losing a close match 3 sets to 1. Finally, the girls picked up another league win over Truman 3 sets to 0 at home on Thursday.

The team has two girls closing in on milestones:

• Junior setter Izzy Goebel is closing in on her 1,000th assist
• Senior libero Addy Criss is closing in on her 1,000th dig

WTHS Varsity Girls soccer is 7-0 and currently ranked #2 in District One. Click here to read an article on Emily Ehresmann, , the starting goalkeeper for William Tennent's girls' soccer team, in her first year playing with the program.

Thursday, September 14th, the William Tennent Varsity Football Team beat Hatboro-Horsham, 24 to 6. Congratulations on the win, boys!

Are you interested in participating in a sport for William Tennent HS?

Do you have questions about any sports? Contact A Coach to learn more.

Download for Android: https://bit.ly/3zbwGO8

Download for iPhone: https://apple.co/40D838D

The Centennial School District uses Raptor Volunteer Management System to provide a more efficient and effective process to verify and track volunteer clearances. Please visit our website to learn more about our volunteer guidelines and/or to upload your clearances to Raptor Volunteer Management System.

Student Registration

Employment at CSD

CSD Weekly Update Archive

Food & Nutrition (Menus)

District eFolder (Community Flyers)
Student and Staff Wellness
Free & Reduced Lunch Information
Lunch Menus
2023-2024 Bus Schedules

September
September 25: All Schools and Offices Closed (Yom Kippur)
September 26: CSD School Board Meeting. 7:00 pm

October

October 9: Inservice- Schools Closed

October 10: CSD School Board Meeting, 7:00 pm
October 20: Early Dismissal Grs. K-5 / Grs. 6-12 Full Day of School

October 24: CSD School Board Meeting, 7:00 pm

For the Full Calendar Click HERE.

Please spread the word that Centennial School District is hiring:

If you know anyone who would be interested in these positions, please have them apply. We offer competitive rates, excellent perks, and benefits, including a pension. For questions, please call 215-441-6000, Ext. 11034.

Please check out our employment website for a complete list of vacancies. https://www.centennialsd.org/employment

Have you ever considered a job in education? Do you need a flexible work schedule? Why not try substituting?

Open Opportunities:

• Daily Substitute Teachers
• Long-term and Building Substitute Teachers
• Paraprofessionals (Instructional Aides and Personal Care Assistants)

MBIT's Adult Education Evening class schedule has been posted! Please visit their website to register! For more information visit the MBIT website.

Like solving mysteries? Think you know whodunnit?

Don't miss our Murder Mystery Dinner, hosted by Bucks County District Attorney, Matthew D. Weintraub. It's going to be one intriguing night and will also include the Ellen Masko Memorial Art Auction.

Friday, October 20th - 6:00 pm at the The Fuge

Tickets are $50 and include dinner & cash bar.

Grab your bestie, your co-workers, or your spouse, and get your tickets for this fun event! You can also reserve a table for a party of 10!

CLICK HERE to get your tickets now!

Each year, more and more people and organizations are turning to our District to help get the message out about various activities, events, fundraisers, etc. The intent of this process is to support student achievement and to provide mutual assistance and benefit through shared information. Our district spends a great deal of time collecting, reviewing, and posting flyers to the District eFolder. The District no longer is posting eFlyers to any social media outlets or the District cable channel. You may refer to Policy 913 for additional information.

Please click on this link to connect with all the community eFlyers of the month

Email: info@centennialsd.org
Website: www.centennialsd.org
Location: 48 Swan Way, Warminster, PA, USA
Phone: (215) 441-6000
Facebook: facebook.com/centennialsd
Twitter: @Centennial_SD