Principal's Message

As we come to the end of our second week of classes, I hope our students are establishing routines and enjoying being back in the building. It is great to have the classrooms and hallways buzzing with activity. Each day we are reminded how our students, staff and community make Conestoga a truly remarkable school.   

At our opening meetings, we encouraged students to look ahead to the many opportunities for the upcoming year as we begin anew. We encouraged students to invest themselves in Conestoga by working hard and getting actively involved.  We want all of our students to make the most of their time at Conestoga.

I look forward to working with our students and their families during the upcoming school year. I welcome your involvement, questions and input.  Please feel free to contact me at any time, and as always, go ‘Stoga!

Amy A. Meisinger, Ph.D.

Principal

Conestoga Safety Protocols

We are committed to providing full-time, in-person instruction for the 2021-22 school year. The health and safety of our students and staff remains paramount as we prepare to reopen. Detailed safety protocols are specified in our full District Health & Safety Plan. Items of particular note include:

• Individuals aged two and over are required to wear a face covering while indoors in any District building and on school buses regardless of vaccination status. Masking is optional but encouraged during outdoor activities. The mask must fit snugly, covering the mouth and nose. The CDC recommends two-ply masks with a metal wire for best protection.
• By sending your student to school, families are affirming that students do not have any COVID-19 symptoms, have not been directed to quarantine, and are not otherwise sick or ill. A daily symptom screener in Power School will no longer be required.
• CHS will maintain at least 3 feet of physical distancing between students to the greatest extent possible. Physical distancing of less than 3 feet may occur in classroom activities, building transitions, on school transportation, during lunch, or at other times.
• Students will be encouraged to spread out to the greatest extent possible during lunch. The cafeteria (6 feet of social distancing), small gym, room 142 and courtyard will be available. Masks should only be removed while eating and returned immediately when finished. ALL students are eligible for lunch privileges, which means students may leave during lunch with parent permission through the Privilege Form. The number of students electing to utilize lunch privileges will determine the extent to which we are able to distance.
• Hallway traffic and stairwells will return to full, two-way use.
• Hand sanitizer will be available throughout the building. Students are also encouraged to bring their own hand sanitizer to school.
• Contact tracing will be done by District nursing staff and administrators as needed. 

Extended Experience Fall 2021

Below are the guidelines to complete EEPE hours. Please review the information below and select an activity in which you propose to complete the 30-hour requirement for this course. A Microsoft Form survey on Schoology must be completed by September 10th in order to have your proposal completed and approved. 

Steps for completion of EEPE course: 

1. Review, with the activities' supervisor, the requirement for the course.
2. If the supervisor approves your plan, please complete the survey listed on Schoology under the EEPE course for the Fall semester.
3. Once your submission has been completed, and approved, you may begin the activity that you have submitted for approval.
4. If your submission is not approved, you will be contacted by email and asked to select an alternative activity.
5. Use the attached activity log to keep track of your hours during the semester.
6. Once you have completed the required 30-hour total, complete the EEPE Verification Form and submit it with the activity log through Schoology. The Verification Form and Activity Log must be submitted as a PDF on the due date provided.

 Requirements:

1. The experience will provide supervised instruction / physical activity.
2. 30 hours will equal one semester's credit.
3. Students will not be approved for more than one EEPE course for the Fall semester.
4. Students may not change their EEPE approved activity once it has been approved.
5. The EEPE course requirements may be completed at only one site.
6. Activities that span the first and second semester are assigned and applied to either the spring or fall semester.
7. The following Conestoga Club teams are considered as EEPE: Spring Crew, Squash, Rugby, Ice Hockey. Varsity, JV and JVA sports are considered a "Team Sport", which is a separate course.
8. EEPE is NOT A Team Sport. Team Sport is NOT an EEPE. Team Sport and EEPE are two (2) separate courses
9. The Application Survey must be submitted through Schoology by September 10th in order to be considered for approval. If the survey is not completed / approved by the assigned due date, senior students will be placed in a physical education class and underclass students will have the course dropped from their schedules. 

College Application Night

Attention all seniors,

Please join us for College Application Evening. This virtual event will be held on Tuesday, September 21 and will be available at 7pm. Come learn the how-to’s of applying to college at Conestoga! Link for program will be provided closer to the program date.  

OPEN HOUSE AND BUILDING TOUR

Thursday, September 23, 2021 at 5:00 PM

Conestoga High School is pleased to announce that our annual Open House for parents will be held virtually beginning Thursday, September 23 at 5:00pm. Open House provides parents an opportunity to view presentations by each teacher on their child’s schedule. Each video will be approximately 8-10 minutes, during which teachers will discuss expectations, course content, requirements, homework, and grading practices. These videos will be accessible from Thursday, September 23 at 5:00pm through Monday, September 27 at 7:30am. Parents who wish to see the newly renovated areas of Conestoga High School may do so in person on Thursday, September 23, from 6:00pm to 7:30pm. Maps will be provided upon entry and building administrators and security staff will be available to answer questions. All visitors to Conestoga will need to wear masks while indoors. 

Parents and guardians who wish to view Open House teacher presentations will need to have access to the parent login page in Schoology. For your convenience, directions on how to access the parent login page in Schoology are included below.

To Access Curriculum Night Videos:

1. Log into http://www.schoology.com with your parent user name and password.

(Logging in on a computer or laptop browser is best.)

1. In the top, right corner of the Schoology window, click on the drop-down menu to display your child’s name.
2. Once you are in your child’s view, click Courses in the top banner area and click into your first course.
3. You should see a Curriculum Night/Back to School folder near the top of the Materials page.
4. Within that folder you will find a video link from the teacher along with any other materials they would like to share.
5. Repeat for each course for that child. If you want to view the courses for other children, select the child’s name using the drop-down at the top-right corner.

To Create a Schoology Parent Account:

Step 1: Obtain your Child’s Access Code

1. Log into PowerSchool Parent Portal at https://powerschool.tesd.net/public. This is the same site where you would have recently completed District forms.
2. Click on your child’s tab (top, left of the site).
3. In the center of the landing page, you will see Schoology directions and your child’s access code.
4. If you have multiple children, click on each child’s name to view each access code. You will need each to link to your account.

Step 2: Create a Schoology Parent Account (must create in a computer/laptop Internet browser)

1. Visit http://www.schoology.com.
2. Click Sign Up on top, right of screen.
3. Select Parent.
4. Enter your child’s access code (just one for multiple children – you will link later).
5. Create a user name (email address) and password for the account.
6. Log in at http://www.schoology.com with your new credentials.
7. To add children to your account after logging in, click the drop-down menu in the top, right of the site and choose +Add Child. Enter each child’s access code.
8. You may now direct to Curriculum Night videos by following the steps above.

If you need assistance with obtaining your PowerSchool credentials, please contact [email protected].

For further information please contact Mr. Jamie Bankert, Assistant Principal, at (610)-240-1069

Emergency Card, Registration Form and Media Consent Form

New this year, we are asking parents/guardians to complete three forms virtually instead of on paper:

• Emergency Contact Form
• Registration Form
• Media Consent Form

All three of these forms are available to be completed on the PowerSchool parent portal https://powerschool.tesd.net. Once logged in, please click on "TESD Forms" on the left side of the site.

A Note from the Attendance Office

When your child is going to miss school or is going to be late you must:

Send an email to [email protected] or a written note within 3 days of your child's absence/ lateness with a valid reason.

If you send a note without a valid reason (listed below), then the absence or lateness will remain unexcused.

If you email with a valid reason for the absence/lateness before 9:15 a.m. on the day of the absence/lateness, you will not receive phone calls, emails and texts. If you do not send an email before 9:15 a.m. then you can respond to the automated email you receive.

You do not need to call prior to your child's absence. You only need to send an email or a note for their return.

What to include in your emails/notes:

FULL NAME OF YOUR CHILD

GRADE

VALID REASON (listed below)

Please note: missing the bus, traffic, and oversleeping are not reasons for being late.

Each semester your child is permitted 4 excused tardies and 2 unexcused tardies. Students who exceed this will receive a school detention or an ESS based on the Code of Conduct.

If you receive a phone call, email, or text that your child is absent, and you believe it is in error, please contact the attendance office as soon as possible.

Excused Absences and Tardies Reasons:

1. Personal illness

2. Family Emergency

3. Death of a Family Member

4. Medical or Dental Appointments

5. Authorized School Activities

6. Educational Travel with Prior Approval

7. Pre-approved Religious Instruction (limit 36 hours per year)

8. Bona Fide Religious Holiday

9. Tutorial Instruction in a field not offered in the District's curricula

10. Attending Court Hearings related to involvement with the County Children and Youth Agency or Juvenile Probation Office

11. When the student is required to leave school for the purposes of attending court hearings related to their involvement with the county children and youth agency or juvenile probation office

12. If the student is absent due to participation in a project sponsored by an organization that is eligible to apply for a grant under the Pennsylvania Agricultural Fair Act

13. If a student is dismissed from school during school hours for health-related reasons by a certified school nurse, registered nurse, licensed practical nurse or a school administrator or designee employed by the District.

14. For the purpose of obtaining professional health care or therapy service rendered by a licensed practitioner of the healing arts in any state, commonwealth or territory.

15. If a student whose parent or legal guardian has been called to duty for, is on leave from, or is immediately returned from deployment to a combat zone or combat support posting, with regard to school attendance, tests and extra-curricular or co-curricular activities, at the discretion of the Superintendent or designee, no penalties shall be imposed for absences of up to five (5) days.

16. Where the Superintendent has approved an attendance plan necessitated by rare and extraordinary circumstances. In this context, "rare" means typically no more than 1 or 2 per year District-wide and "extraordinary circumstances" means the student is engaged in a profession or activity at a nationally recognized level.

 Student Privileges

Conestoga High School administration and faculty believe students benefit from increased opportunity for self-direction as they mature. Consistent with this belief, our students' eligibility for privileges increases as they progress through their high school years. Privileges are granted only with permission of the parent or guardian. The student must have the ID card in his/her possession or access to their virtual ID card to exercise privileges. Students will scan their ID card or their virtual ID card when using their privileges to leave or enter school. Privileges may be rescinded at any time by the parent/guardian or by the school authorities if the student experiences academic difficulty or for failure to follow the school rules. All privileges may be suspended by the administration for safety/security reasons. The following privilege options are available to eligible students:

• Delayed Arrival: Seniors and Juniors who have unassigned time during first period have the option of late arrival in time for homeroom. Homeroom attendance is required of all students. Students are required to enter the building through the Main Lobby no earlier than five (5) minutes prior to the start of the next period. Students will be required to scan their virtual or traditional privilege cards when entering the building.

• Early Dismissal: Seniors and Juniors who have unassigned time during eighth period have the option of early dismissal. Seniors who have unassigned time during eighth, seventh and eighth, or sixth, seventh and eighth period have the option of early dismissal. Students are required to leave the building through the Main Lobby. Students will be required to scan their virtual or traditional privilege cards when leaving the building.

• Lunch Privilege: Seniors have the privilege of leaving campus for lunch during their assigned lunch period (5^th period or D Lunch). Juniors, Sophomores and Freshmen will have the privilege to leave for lunch at this time due to expanded COVID protocols. This privilege may be suspended for all students during times of inclement weather. Students are required to leave and return through the Main Lobby and return no earlier than five (5) minutes prior to the start of the next period or for their assigned class. Students must scan their virtual or traditional privilege card when leaving and rescan their virtual or traditional privilege card when returning. Students returning late from Senior Lunch Privileges will forfeit their privileges for a minimum of five days for the first offense, in addition to receiving other disciplinary consequences for any missed class time. With parent permission, seniors who do not have scheduled classes after the lunch period are not required to return to campus.

If you wish to apply for Student Privileges, please complete the Student Parent Authorization Form for Student Privileges.

CONESTOGA 2021-2022 PARENT DIRECTORY

The Conestoga Directory is now available online!

 To access the directory, you must register,

sign-in and confirm your contact information.

The CHS Directory is ‘opt-out’, so your information is included in the directory unless you indicate that you don’t want it to be. You should log in with your email address and confirm your Family Information. Once you’ve done that, you will choose Directory and Publish Preferences, where you can determine what information, you’d like others to see and what you don’t want shared.

Here is the link to register and access the directory: https://conestogahs.membershiptoolkit.com

Information in the CHS Directory is safe and secure and will not be shared or sold to third parties by the School District or by Membership Toolkit. Each person using the Directory must agree to a Privacy Statement.

We offer the directory at no cost to parents. And don’t forget, you can download the CHS Directory App (from the Membership Toolkit website) so the information is easily available on your devices.  

Class Parent Organizations & Class Meetings

Each class at Conestoga has a Parent Chairperson and the parents meet monthly with Administrators and Counselors to get updates on what is happening at school. This is a wonderful opportunity to meet other parents, get information and have your questions answered. 

We will begin the year with virtual parent meetings and assess whether we can move to hybrid meetings (in-person and virtual) at a later date. 

Class of 2025

Chairperson: Deb Delaney, [email protected]

First Meeting Date: Thursday, September 9^th, 10:00 am

Link to Meeting: Click here to join the meeting

Class of 2024

Chairperson: Diane Pancoast, [email protected]

First Meeting Date: Tuesday, September 14^th, 10:00 am

Link to Meeting: Click here to join the meeting

Class of 2023

Chairperson: Stacey Pellegrini, [email protected]

First Meeting Date: Thursday, September 23^st, 10:00 am

Link to Meeting: Click here to join the meeting

Class of 2022

Chairperson: Carrie Erickson, [email protected]

First Meeting Date: Tuesday, September 21, 10:00 am

Link to Meeting: Click here to join the meeting

Club Fair 2021

Do you have a student interested in learning more about the clubs and activities offered at Conestoga High School? Please encourage your child(ren) to spend some time at the Virtual Club Fair, which will take place from September 21 - 25, 2021. Students will have access to a FlipGrid, which highlights the various clubs and activities offered at Conestoga High School. In addition, students will have access to an online club sign-up form in Schoology. All students are encouraged to go to the club fair during a free period or during their lunch. Conestoga offers more than 150 various clubs for students to explore and participate in. During Club Fair week, student representatives from many of the CHS clubs will create short videos to advertise the goals, objectives, and activities that they hope to work on throughout the year. Student Activities provide a wonderful opportunity for students to enrich their high school experience and be connected to something fun and meaningful. Club Fair is the perfect time for students to join or re-join any clubs of interest. We encourage students to explore the clubs and activities at Conestoga High School and build community, whether virtual or in-person.

Attention Class of 2022

Senior portraits for the Class of 2022 FINAL DATES AT CONESTOGA: SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 18, 25, and OCTOBER 2. THERE WILL BE NO OTHER DATES SCHEDULED.

Information about scheduling an appointment will be mailed to your home by the studio. To contact the studio, log on to http://www.ouryear.com/ school code 87046 or call 1-800-OUR-YEAR™ (687-9327) or email [email protected]. 

The yearbook staff does not schedule your appointment. 

If you have not had a picture taken during one of the scheduled sessions and would like to appear in the yearbook, you must go to the studio in Bensalem, PA for a session. All pictures must be taken by October 31 in order to appear in the yearbook. 

Once your pictures have been taken, the studio will send you proofs. Follow their directions to select a picture for the yearbook. You must select the portrait for the yearbook by October 31. If you do not choose a pose, the studio will choose one for you. 

Fall 2021 Athletic Update

Varsity and JV teams began on Monday, August 16^th (Football will started a week earlier on August 9^th for heat acclimation). JVB and 9th grade programs will begin on Monday August 30th. As a reminder, all athletes interested in participating in a fall sport, must submit all required paperwork to the athletic office. Please use the following link for all PIAA paperwork. https://www.tesd.net/domain/1881

ARCH

Community Conversation About Teen Suicide – Monday, 9/13 at 6:30pm

September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, and ARCH is partnering with Daemion Counseling Center to offer parents a Community Conversation about Teen Suicide. 

An expert panel will discuss warning signs, community resources and reducing the stigma around teen mental health on Monday, September 13, 6:30-8:00pm. Link to flyer and registration.

Traffic Safety Reminders

• DROP OFF – Parents may drop off in the front of the building using two lanes. The bus circle is available beginning at 7:40AM as an additional drop-off location.
• PICK UP - Parents may pick up in the front of the building using two lanes. The bus circle is available at 3:00PM for parents to pick up students.
• Please DO NOT use the Main Lot for drop-off and pick-up as it creates more congestion for our student drivers.
• Drive slowly and carefully on school drop off areas and nearby roads.
• Obey all traffic flow patterns and rules of the road.
• Please be respectful of our neighbors.
• When dropping off and picking up students, please pull all the way up allowing traffic to flow.
• Discuss pedestrian safety with your kids (use crosswalks/sidewalks, look both ways, don't "walk and text," etc).

QUICK LINKS

• Student Services Department
• Conestoga High School website