Bellefonte Area School District

Bellefonte Area School District would like to highlight a recent new hire: Elijah Himes! Elijah is a 6th grade Social Studies teacher at Bellefonte Area Middle School. Here is a little information on Elijah: What is something you are passionate about outside of work? I'm very passionate about movies/cinema outside of work, especially during the summer when I have more time. You can find me at the movie theatre during their discount night (who wants to make $12 to see a movie?!) taking in the new releases. Who would you choose if you could pick 1 person (living or not living) to have dinner with? As a history teacher, I should say somebody like FDR or Bobby Kennedy, but I'd actually rather have dinner with Beyoncé and discuss her contributions to the music industry and chat as she has avoided interviews for the past several years. Using 3 different adjectives, describe yourself in 3 words. Conscientious, kind, and lighthearted. What is the best piece of advice someone has ever given you? The best piece of advice that I have ever been given is the importance of showing up and being present - even if it's challenging. Just your presence can greatly impact others. Why did you choose BASD? I cannot see myself living or working in any other place other than Central Pennsylvania. I've lived in this area my whole life and plan to continue. I feel beyond welcomed into this role and it's equally exciting to have such strong community support of the education that takes place within this district - not every district is as unique as Bellefonte. We hope that you enjoyed learning about Elijah Himes! BASD is very excited to have him on our staff.

The Football Team will be playing in their D6 Playoff Game on Friday! Here is the information that you need to know: District 6 Playoff Game will be held at Rogers Stadium (home) on November 1st: -Bellefonte Football vs. Greater Johnstown at 7:00PM – Gates will open at 5:45PM. Tickets are $8.00 per person and need to be purchased using the PIAA Box Office Ticketing system. You can find that here: https://piaad6.hometownticketing.com/embed/all Instructions for purchasing the tickets: 1. Scan QR Code with your device’s camera or click the above link. 2. Select the Event that you would like to purchase tickets for. 3. Select the number of tickets and continue to the purchase page. 4. The tickets will be emailed to you once you successfully purchase. 5. Have the tickets pulled up on device and ready to be scanned. 6. Enjoy the event!

Both of the Bellefonte Soccer Teams will be battling for the D6 AAA Championship on Tuesday! Here is the information that you need to know: District 6 AAA Boys’ Championship Game will be held at Bald Eagle Area High School on October 29th: -Bellefonte Boys’ Soccer vs. Hollidaysburg at 5:30PM District 6 AAA Girls’ Championship Game will be held at Mansion Park in Altoona on October 29th: -Bellefonte Girls' Soccer vs. Hollidaysburg at 8:00PM Tickets are $8.00 per person and need to be purchased using the PIAA Box Office Ticketing system. You can find that here: https://piaad6.hometownticketing.com/embed/all Instructions for purchasing the tickets: 1. Scan QR Code with your device’s camera or click the above link. 2. Select the Event that you would like to purchase tickets for. 3. Select the number of tickets and continue to the purchase page. 4. The tickets will be emailed to you once you successfully purchase. 5. Have the tickets pulled up on device and ready to be scanned. 6. Enjoy the event!

Congratulations to the four cross country PIAA State Qualifiers: -Addison Fry (20:17) -Natalie Jolley (20:56) -Kaiden Williams (16:47) -Maverick Muchmore (16:55) And an honorable mention to Jonathan Gasper (17:12) for running under 17:15 as a freshman! The four runners will compete in the State Championship race on Saturday, November 2nd at Hershey.

The Boys' and Girls' Cross Country teams will be competing tomorrow for their District 6 Championship Races at the Indian Valley Elementary School in Reedsville, PA. The girls' team races at 11:00AM and the boys' team will race at 11:30AM. Admission is free. Good luck to these runners!

The Girls’ Volleyball Team will be playing in their D6 Playoff Match on Monday! Here is the information that you need to know: District 6 Playoff Match will be held at the Central Mountain High School in Mill Hall, PA on October 28th: -Bellefonte Girls’ Volleyball vs. Central Mountain at 7:00PM Tickets are $8.00 per person and need to be purchased using the PIAA Box Office Ticketing system. You can find that here: https://piaad6.hometownticketing.com/embed/all Instructions for purchasing the tickets: 1. Scan QR Code with your device’s camera or click the above link. 2. Select the Event that you would like to purchase tickets for. 3. Select the number of tickets and continue to the purchase page. 4. The tickets will be emailed to you once you successfully purchase. 5. Have the tickets pulled up on device and ready to be scanned. 6. Enjoy the event!

Bellefonte Soccer Playoffs begin on Thursday! The First Round District 6 Playoff Games will be held at Rogers Stadium, October 24th: -Bellefonte Girls' Soccer vs. Somerset at 5:30PM -Bellefonte Boys' Soccer vs. Tyrone at 7:30PM Tickets need to be purchased using the HomeTown Ticketing system. You can find that here: https://piaad6.hometownticketing.com/embed/all Instructions for purchasing the tickets: 1. Scan QR Code with your device’s camera or click the above link. 2. Select the Event that you would like to purchase tickets for. 3. Select the number of tickets and continue to the purchase page. 4. The tickets will be emailed to you once you successfully purchase. 5. Have the tickets pulled up on device and ready to be scanned. 6. Enjoy the event!

For Your Calendars: November 6th is Family STEAM Night! Family STEAM Night is an evening event will be held at the Bellefonte Area High School on Wednesday, November 6th from 6:00-8:00PM. Featuring activities include: a slime room, planetarium, hands on activities, book giveaways, and much more! This event is for all ages and is free! We hope to see you there!

In 6th grade science, Mr. Gregor’s young scientists have been hard at work unraveling the mysteries of science class! They have delved into the traits of a true detective, exploring curiosity, observation, and critical thinking. From conducting experiments to analyzing data, these students have been honing their skills like real-life scientists.

Hispanic Heritage Month is observed from September 15 to October 15 every year. This month-long celebration provides time to recognize the important contributions that Hispanic/Latino Americans have made to the United States. Students at the high school, in Profe and Mrs. Smith’s classes, dedicate their class time to educating themselves and their peers about this honor. Students line the hallways with posters about the Hispanic/Latino Americans who have impacted the United States. Passing students can read about the lives of these interesting individuals as they walk through the hallway to their classes. This provides an opportunity for all students to learn about and celebrate the diversity and resilience of individuals with Hispanic heritage. Here are a few of the examples that can be found in the hallway!

The Bellefonte Area School District is hiring! Listed below are some of the highlighted positions: 1. Instructional Coach - Secondary Level 2. Reading Specialist - Middle School Level 3. Health Room Assistant/Special Education 4. Cafeteria Help at all Building Locations 5. Paraprofessional - Special Education There are many more listed on our website, which can be viewed here: https://bellefonte.tedk12.com/hire/index.aspx Please share with family and friends - a fully employed school district is what our children deserve!

On Thursday, October 3rd the United Way held their annual Day of Caring. This is an event that the Bellefonte Area High School has participated in for decades. On that day, over 400 juniors and seniors went out into the community to help clean, rake, weed, organize, pick up trash, paint, and a variety of other tasks that need to be done. Students went to Boalsburg, Bald Eagle State Park, Shaver’s Creek, Seven Mountains, each of our school building areas, and multiple other places in downtown Bellefonte to volunteer their time and efforts. If you have an area that could use assistance next year, please contact Andy Caruso at scaruso@basd.net and he will work out those details with you. Here are a few photos from the day!

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. At the high school there is a display in the library called, Empty Place at the Table. Empty Place at the Table is a memorial for the lives lost to domestic violence in Centre County and as a reminder that domestic violence leaves an empty place at the table for family and friends of the loved one who was lost to domestic violence. Students can stop by the display to learn about a victim's story and honor their life, taken too soon. Individuals can also learn more about Centre Safe and important resources and services.

Penn State University is offering a Vaccine Field Day at Easterly Parkway Elementary School on Sunday, October 20 from 12:00PM-4:00PM. There will be many activities available for students in grades 3-6. Please see the flyer for more information! *This is not a BASD sponsored event.

It is National School Lunch Week! This year's theme is “School Lunch Pirates- Find Your Treasure!” Time to get ready for a full week of treasure hunts and tasty meals! Here is an activity packet that highlights National School Lunch Week that you can complete with your child if you would like: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1HDKxSAWFUXpCnMXUQHXCUkdNEPGRogOP/view?usp=sharing

Next month, the BASD will be hosting its annual family STEAM Night. At this event, they like to give a free book to every child that attends. Please consider donating a new or gently use science or STEAM themed book or purchase a book from the Amazon Wishlist. Donations can be turned into the office of your child's school building. Family STEAM Night is November 6th! Amazon Book Wishlist: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/1B3WB266QP70C?ref_=wl_share

Today starts the district wide spirit week for Bullying Prevention Month. Wear orange today to celebrate unity for kindness, inclusion, and acceptance. If you wear orange today, please share these pictures with publicrelations@basd.net or hashtag them #basdpreventsbullying (with a public account) and we will create a slideshow that will be shared on our website and on social media. Please direct any questions to publicrelations@basd.net.

Dr. Roy Rakszawski introduces Bullying Prevention Spirit Week, which will occur October 14-18. BASD staff will be discussing this topic throughout the school year with students and will continue to update their resources about the topic. You can view the video here: https://youtu.be/swCqvLP8MDs

October is Bullying Prevention Month! Bullying Prevention Month is an important initiative in schools because it helps create awareness, educates students, promotes empathy, empowers bystanders, and contributes to developing safe and inclusive school environments. This month is a good time to focus on fostering a culture of respect and kindness. There will be a district wide spirit week to help us unite against bullying. On Monday, October 14th we are encouraging both the district and the community to wear orange to celebrate unity for kindness, inclusion, and acceptance. Please share these pictures with publicrelations@basd.net or hashtag them #basdpreventsbullying (with a public account) and we will create a slideshow that will be shared on our website and on social media. Please direct any questions to publicrelations@basd.net.

It's Worker Wednesday! The Bellefonte Area School District is hiring. Listed below are some of the highlighted positions: 1. JH Assistant Boys' Basketball Coach 2. Utility Assistant positions - MW Elementary, PG Elementary, and BAHS 3. Health Room Assistant/Special Education 4. Cafeteria Help at all Building Locations 5. Intervention Paraeducator - PG Elementary There are many more listed on our website, which can be viewed here: https://bellefonte.tedk12.com/hire/index.aspx Please share with family and friends - a fully employed school district is what our children deserve!