Dear Parents/Guardians and Students:
I hope you are enjoying your summer. We are quickly approaching the start of school for the 2023-24 school year so I would like to take this opportunity to share some information with you.
Student schedules will be posted to the Sapphire Portal on Friday, July 28. Students and parents may login using their account information from last school year. If you do not have an account, or are in need of assistance with your account, please see the following link. Parents are strongly encouraged to create a private login that is separate from their student’s account. The keyword to create an account is “comets”.
Please note the following items regarding the schedule:
- The schedule contains information about the student’s eight classes (class name, the block each class meets, the semester each class meets, teacher, and room number).
- Our counselors work a limited schedule during the summer. However, they have been working hard to resolve schedule change requests that have been received and to respond to emails. If you contacted a counselor requesting a schedule change but have not heard back, you will be contacted before the beginning of school. Please be patient.
- If a mistake has been made to your schedule on our part, please contact your counselor immediately. You may contact the counseling office at 872-9520, ext. 1820 or email your counselor directly. When calling, please inform the secretary that you are calling with an error on your 2023-24 schedule.
At this point in the scheduling process, the only changes that may be made are for educational reasons. This includes changing your course selection based on a career goal. If you desire to make this type of change, counselors will be available to meet virtually the week of August 7-10 or in person on August 9. - All non-error/preferential requests for schedule changes will be addressed and made based upon approval and availability on these dates only.
- A student’s third block class will determine the lunch he or she will eat for the fall and spring semesters. Information regarding lunches will be posted on the high school website and grade level Google Classrooms before the beginning of school.
The Pennsylvania Department of Education has yet to release student raw scores for the Keystone Exams that students took in May, 2023. Once we receive a paper copy of the scores, we will mail this information home. We may be making changes to the schedules of those sophomores and juniors who have not scored proficient on the Algebra, Biology and/or Literature Keystone Exam so that they are taking a class that will appropriately prepare them to take the Keystone Exam in January, 2024.
Orientation for new students is scheduled for Wednesday, August 16 at 6:30 p.m.. We will meet in the auditorium for a brief orientation presentation to assist students in the transition to the High School. After the presentation, attendees will be able to tour the building to locate their classrooms. Students are encouraged to bring a copy of their schedules to the orientation.
All incoming freshmen students are highly encouraged to participate in our new orientation and transition program, Link Crew. Link Crew is excited to welcome the class of 2027 to the high school in August! “We can’t wait to meet incoming freshmen with last names A-L on Thursday, August 24th from 8:00-12:00 and incoming freshmen with last names M-Z on Friday, August 25th from 8:00-12:00. Freshmen, please leave phones and bags at home and wear comfortable clothing as it is going to be an active day.” Specific questions about Link Crew or the orientation program can be directed to Mrs. Courtney Harting or Mr. Joshua Fisher.
Attention Seniors: Per the Pennsylvania Department of Health’s School Code, by Thursday, August 24 for full-day senior CTC students and Monday, August 28 for all other seniors (including PMVS), the school needs to have received documentation that students have received a dose of MCV (Meningococcal) or documentation that they have an appointment scheduled to receive this dose that includes the date, time, and location/provider for the appointment or documentation of moral or religious exemption from this vaccination. Students who do not meet this requirement will be excluded from school starting Wednesday, September 6. For all seniors missing this required documentation, a letter was posted to their Sapphire account in April, a letter was mailed to their home address listed in Sapphire, and their legal guardian received an Alert phone call message from Dr. Gale. Specific questions can be directed to the school nurse, Mrs. Braun, at kimberly.braun@pennmanor.net
Incoming freshmen are highly encouraged to obtain the district provided laptop prior to the New Student Orientation on Wednesday, August 16 between 4:30 – 6:00 p.m.. Additionally, students may pick up their laptop at the conclusion of their scheduled Link Crew Orientation on either August 24 or 25. Students who do not obtain their laptop on these two opportunities will be scheduled to pick up their laptop on the first day of school.
Parking registration will occur for juniors and seniors in August. Students are encouraged to review their email and grade level Google Classroom announcements for additional information and timing. All students requesting a parking pass need to have a signed drug screening permission form on file, must be in good academic and behavior standing and must complete the Google registration form when it’s posted in August. The cost of a parking pass is $30 per year and parking spots will be reserved on a first come, first served basis.
We encourage all parents/guardians to attend our Fall Semester Meet the Teacher Night. Meet the Teacher Night will be held on August 30, 2023 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.. Parents and guardians will have the opportunity to speak with their student’s teachers through a drop-in format. Parents may arrive at any time between 6:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. Please mark your calendars now. Additional information will be shared about the Fall Meet the Teacher Night in August.
I encourage everyone to visit our website for more information regarding these events; information on many activities that occur throughout the school year. You can reach the website directly at highschool.pennmanor.net/ or access the link from the district website at www.pennmanor.net.
Those students enrolled in classes with summer assignments should work to complete those assignments before the start of school.
As the days of summer begin to dwindle and the start of school approaches, I ask that each student spend some time thinking about what he or she hopes to accomplish this school year. Penn Manor High School offers an immense number of opportunities for students. I would encourage students to think about what ways they can seize the opportunities that Penn Manor offers with academic, co-curricular and extra-curricular offerings. Enjoy the remaining days of your summer!
Sincerely,
Douglas C. Eby
Principal