Academic Calendar 2020-2021

By unanimous vote at the Tuesday, February 11 Legislative board meeting, the Board of School Directors of Cheltenham School District adopted the following schedule for the 2020-2021 academic year.

In Remembrance: Civil Rights Icon John Lewis

Civil rights icon and longtime Georgia Congressman John Lewis passed away Friday, July 17 after a battle with stage 4 pancreatic cancer. He was 80 years old. The son of Alabama sharecroppers, Lewis was a central figure in the key civil rights battles of the 1960s, including the Freedom Rides and the Selma to Montgomery voting rights march.

Juneteenth 2020

Today, African-Americans celebrate Juneteenth, an annual holiday dating back to 1865 commemorating the end of slavery in the United States. In recent years, and particularly following nationwide protests over police brutality and the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and other African-Americans this year, Juneteenth has experienced renewed interest as a day to celebrate freedom.

Jim Taylor Named Interim Principal at Cedarbrook

With Cedarbrook Middle School Principal Marcy Hockfield heading into retirement after five years in the position, Jim Taylor, who spent the past six months as the interim principal at Wyncote Elementary, will be assuming the role of interim principal at Cedarbrook Middle School for the 2020-21 school year, effective Wednesday, July 1, 2020. The CBK Principal position will be posted again in the ...

CBK PBL Manual Cinema Documentary Features Student Voice

As part of his Avalon Foundation Design Fellowship, CBK project based learning teacher Isaac Stanford created a student voice-focused video highlighting the three core practices (collaboration, student choice and community partnerships) of the class’ Manual Cinema project. In this project,...

CBK Digital Media Students Explore Canva, Create Coronavirus Safety-Themed Social Media Posts

This past week, Cedarbrook students in Alissa Levinson’s Digital Media class utilized Canva, a graphic design platform allowing users to create social media graphics, presentations, posters and other visual content, to create coronavirus safety-themed social media posts....

Cedarbrook’s Gabriela Fernandez Takes Second in Cancer Support Community Essay Contest

Cedarbrook eighth grader Gabriela Fernandez was named the runner up in the middle school category of the Cancer Support Community Greater Philadelphia’s (CSCGP) eighth annual Ben Strauss Essay contest. Fernandez penned the essay “True Beauty” about the strength her mother illustrated in her ultimately victorious battle against cancer.

Silver Anniversary Employees Celebrated

Six Cheltenham employees were recognized for their 25th anniversaries with the school district at April's legislative board meeting. Congratulations and thank you!

CSD Chromebook Loaners & Repairs

The Cheltenham School District recognizes the difficulties of our current shared circumstances, and wants to help alleviate the strain families are feeling as the result of the government-mandated school shutdown. To that end, the CSD Office of Technology is distributing a limited number of loaner Chromebooks to K-6 students from our most in-need families, and replacing damaged Chromebooks.

Board of School Directors Holds Inaugural Virtual Legislative Meeting

As a result of the COVID-19 government-mandated school shutdown and upon the public gatherings recommendation of Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf, the Cheltenham Board of School directors held a virtual legislative meeting on March 31 in lieu of its previously scheduled March 10 Legislative meeting. The meeting was streamed live and is available in the board meeting video archive.

Equity Statement

The district has undertaken the challenge of eradicating the systemic inequities existing in our school district with regards to the disparity among and between students of particular demographic groups as it relates to student achievement outcomes. Our strategic plan was built on a foundation of equity, access and opportunity. Within each of the strategic plan’s five pathways, you will find language speaking to our commitment to excellence for every student....

Senior Atara Saunders to Keynote UPG’s “Why Choose Cheltenham” Open House

CHS senior Atara Saunders, who has been a student in district since kindergarten, will kick off the United Parents Group’s inaugural “Why Choose Cheltenham” Open House on Monday, March 23. “Cheltenham is an amazing district and I want to support it in any way possible,” said Saunders, who volunteered to speak after learning of the event at a student council meeting. “I’m happy to use my voice to do so.” Saunders cites founding two CHS clubs, Junior Classical League and Jewish Student Union, as her formative experiences in the district. The Classical League plans an ...

CBK Student Chemists Finish Third in “You Be the Chemist” Competition

This past weekend, a team of Cedarbrook chemists called “Chemically Compelled” finished third in the Chemical Educational Foundation’s “You Be the Chemist” competition at the DOW Research Center in Collegeville, Pa. Rheva Wolf, Theodore Peebles, Trinity Peak and Griffin O’Connor comprised the team, and worked well together, tapping into each other’s strengths, while maintaining a positive energy and enthusiasm that permeated the audience. The competition required....

Cheltenham School District Receives $45K Meritorious School Safety Grant from PCCD

The Cheltenham School District has received a $45K school safety grant from the School Safety and Security Committee of the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD). Cheltenham will use the funds for the real-time school crisis and emergency management application Ruvna for CHS, CBK and EP, security radios and cameras and a safety and security assessment. “If we want our students to receive a quality education, we need to...

Documentary Featuring Young Alumni to Premiere at UPG’s “Why Choose Cheltenham” Open House

As part of its “Why Choose Cheltenham” Open House on Monday, March 23, the United Parents Group (UPG) will debut the short documentary “Why Choose Cheltenham: Alumni Voices” featuring interviews with recent CHS graduates. Alumni interviews include 2016 grads Corin Duey, Jonathan McCoy and Lucy Toledo; 2017 grad Matthew O’Neill; 2018 grads Jeremy Elvas, Sophie Koval and Zachariah Gharrafi; and Class of 2019 grads...

PBL Teachers Embedded at High Tech High

Through the school district’s partnership with the Avalon Foundation, a dozen teachers and administrators spent a week at world’s premier project based learning school, High Tech High in San Diego, Calif. The teachers spent the week...

United Parents Group’s “Why Choose Cheltenham” Showcase to be Held March 23

Cheltenham’s United Parents Group (UPG) will host the inaugural Why Choose Cheltenham showcase highlighting the Cheltenham School District’s academics, extracurricular activities and student community on March 23 from 6:30 - 9 p.m. at Cedarbrook Middle School (300 Longfellow Avenue, Wyncote, PA 19095). Come experience the many reasons to choose and celebrate CSD...

CBK Principal Marcy Hockfield to Retire in June

After 35 years as an educator, Cedarbrook Middle School Principal Marcy Hockfield announced her retirement, effective Friday, June 19, to staff this week. Hockfield has served as the proud principal of Cedarbrook since 2016, and, in that time, has created a feeling of home and family for all students and staff. When the CBK family was spread among three buildings before the new Cedarbrook opened in August 2018, Hockfield worked diligently to ensure unity and community among the students and staff. Focused on...

CSD School Counselors Recognized during National School Counseling Week

Sponsored by the American School Counselor Association, National School Counseling Week kicks off Monday, Feb. 3 to highlight the impact school counselors make in helping students achieve success and plan for a career. “National School Counseling Week provides recognition for school counselors who implement comprehensive, data-driven, school counseling programs, a vital part of the educational process for all students as they work to meet the challenges of the 21st ...

CBK PBL “CultureCrew” Attends Performing Arts Conference

More than CBK PBL Culture Crew a dozen Cedarbrook students - the CultureCrew - attended two International Performing Arts for Youth (IPAY) Conference Showcases at Avenue of the Arts theater venues this past week and watched plays, participated in Q&A sessions and meet other CultureCrews from across the area. With the aim of providing students with..

Cheltenham Awarded PAsmart Targeted Grant to Grow K-8 Computer Science

The Cheltenham School District (CSD) has received a $35,000 PAsmart Targeted grant to expand K-8 computer science (CS) classes and teacher training. Cheltenham is one of 136 school districts, five career and technical centers, 15 charter and cyber charter schools and seven intermediate units to receive funding from the state. The grant will support K-8 growth in computer science, specifically to train teachers through ...

CBK Students Meet with Holocaust Survivor

Several Cedarbrook students attended Reform Congregation Keneseth Israel’s International Holocaust Remembrance Day event on Tuesday, Jan. 21, honoring Auschwitz survivor David Tuck. Students spent time chatting and learning from Tuck, who showed them the number tattooed on his arm from when he was captive at Auschwitz. Tuck shows this number as often as he can to help ensure no one denies or forgets the tragedies of the holocaust. Elkins Park sixth grade teacher Lise Marlowe organized the event. ...

CSD Hosts All-Schools MLK “Day On”

More than 300 students, family members and staff dedicated a few hours of their time to honor Dr. Martin Luther King for the 25th annual Greater Philadelphia MLK Day of Service at the high school. Common Pleas Court Judge Steven Tolliver kicked off the event with reflections about Dr. King and why it’s important to remember his legacy. With assistance from numerous parent and Greek-letter organizations, students got to work, assembling care packages of all sorts for those less fortunate....

Cheltenham School District Rolls out Texting Service

Cheltenham School District families can now utilize their mobile phone’s text messaging (SMS) feature to receive district news and events, school closings updates and safety alerts. Families will receive a text message on Monday, Jan. 20 inviting them to opt into the service. If families do not receive a text, the district does not have a mobile phone number on file. To remedy that situation, contact CSD registrar ...

PBL9 Publishes Literary Journal “The Future through Our Eyes”

Project Based Learning freshmen have published the literary journal “The Future through Our Eyes,” a collection of original student fiction, non-fiction and poetry now available on Amazon. Students selected one word they felt connected to their lives and wrote about the word and connection. Topics included everything from high school life to the world waiting beyond graduation. ...

2019-2020 Academic Calendar

By unanimous vote at the Tuesday, March 12 Legislative board meeting, the Board of School Directors of Cheltenham School District adopted the following schedule for the 2019-2020 academic year.

Learn How To Set Up The PowerSchool Mobile App

We'd like to make several points of clarification regarding the PowerSchool app. Only parents/guardians of 5th through 12th grade students need to access PowerSchool. Grade K through 4 parents/guardians do not have PowerSchool portals. Access codes were mailed home or sent home with your student, including returning and new students. If you do not know your student and/or parent access code, please contact...

CBK’s Beacon Leadership Program Students Visit the Barnes, View “30 Americans” Exhibition

This week, members of the Beacon Leadership Program visited the Barnes Foundation to experience the “30 Americans” exhibition, which highlights the incredible painting, sculpture and photography of 30 contemporary African American artists from across the country. From the canonical to the cutting-edge, these artists explore identity against a backdrop of pervasive stereotyping — of...

Seventh Annual Lady Panthers Alumnae Game - January 4

Cheltenham High School Lady Panthers alumnae are giving cancer the full court press. Now in its seventh year, the Lady Panthers Alumnae youth clinic and game on Saturday, Jan. 4 at Cheltenham High School aim to support those who are fighting cancer and raise funds and awareness for the American Cancer Society’s Coach vs. Cancer program. Tipoff for the alumnae game is noon....

Tyrone M. Scott Officially Joins CSD Board of School Directors

After being elected to the Cheltenham School District Board of School Directors in November, Mr. Tyrone M. Scott II stated his oath of office and officially took his seat at the board’s annual reorganization meeting Tuesday, Dec. 3. A lifelong advocate for children and families, Mr. Scott works for the regional nonprofit First Up, an educational advocate specializing in preschool and elementary education. First Up aims to improve early childhood education quality and access in Southeastern Pennsylvania. Mr. Scott's knowledge of child development, business management and education policy make him a trusted...

CSD PBL Teachers Participate in Avalon Foundation Design Workshop

Cheltenham School District project-based learning teachers Isaac Stanford, Omar Rose, Brian Smith, Jerome Lowery, Lyndie Dubbs, Patrick Fleury, Lisa Sunny, Mark Hoff and Karen Shaffran participated in a two-day design fellow workshop this past week. Facilitated by High Tech High’s Graduate School of Education professional learning staffers Alec Patton (Editor of “Unboxed Learning”), Randy Scherer (PBL Leadership Academy Project Director) and Brent Spirnak (multimedia ethnographer), the workshop asked the essential questions, “What drives student learning?” and...

Skills for Life Students Host Thanksgiving Feast

Against the backdrop of a YouTube video of a roaring fire, more than 20 CHS Skills for Life (S4L) students enjoyed the fruits (turkey rolls?) of their labor with students, teachers and administrators at their 10th annual Thanksgiving Feast.

Polar Panthers Freezin’ for a Reason

The Cheltenham Polar Panthers are back at it, readying themselves to brave the frigid air and icy water at the Suburban Cool Schools Polar Plunge at Souderton Area High School on Friday, Dec. 13 to raise money for Cheltenham’s Unified Bocce and Track and Field programs and the Special Olympics.

PBL7 Social Studies Class Learns about GIS and Story Mapping Websites

Cedarbrook Middle School Project Based Learning seventh-grade students learned all about the capabilities of geographic information systems and story map websites Tuesday in Mr. Isaac Stanford’s Social Studies class from guest speaker Eric Wagner, a geographer for Esri. Students are creating story maps in class and understanding uses outside the classroom like in business, industry and storytelling is critical.

Marching Panthers Wrap Season, Finish Seventh at Cavalcade of Champions

Performing “Bent,” the Cheltenham Marching Panthers finished their season Saturday at the Cavalcade of Bands Open Class Championship at West Chester, finishing seventh out of 13 squads.

High School Stages Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing November 22-23

A cast and crew of 30 CHS students is set to tell “Much Ado About Nothing,” William Shakespeare’s classic comedic tale of romance, trickery and revenge, in which friends scheme to bring a couple together, while breaking another couple apart set against the backdrop of a “merry war” of wit between its protagonists. The production also features singing and dancing by CHS vocal ensemble members.

CBK Performing Arts Mounts Dramatic Comedy “She Kills Monsters” Nov. 14-15

With CHS, CBK and The University of the Arts alumnae Alison Ormsby directing, Cedarbrook’s performing arts group is mounting the award-winning ”She Kills Monsters” Thursday and Friday, Nov. 14 and 15 at 7:30 p.m. Acclaimed playwright Qui Nguyen authored the dramatic comedy as a look into the world of fantasy role-playing games. The New York Times claimed the play “... will slash and shapeshift its way into your heart.”

Student Services Partners with CARing for Kids Foundation to Distribute Winter Coats

With winter fast approaching, the Cheltenham School District received 150 coats from the Auto Dealers Association of Greater Philadelphia-Auto Dealers CARing for Kids Foundation to disperse to families in need. Thank you to Faulkner Nissan of Jenkintown for facilitating...

Unified Student-Athletes to Serve as Honorary Football Captains

Unified Track and Field student-athlete Olivia Daniels served as the honorary captain at this past Friday’s football game between the CHS Panthers and Quakertown Community High School Panthers. As the first honorary captain for this new tradition, Daniels entered the field alongside CHS Panthers, was introduced to the fans, facilitated the coin toss and enjoyed the game in her commemorative t-shirt from a special viewing area. Each honorary captain will also work with peers in general education classes to be their "buddies" for the event. Daniels received the...

Character Day 2019

Cheltenham School District encourages staff, students and families to observe Character Day on Friday, Sept. 27. An annual event, Character Day unites millions in schools, companies and homes to develop and deepen character strengths like empathy, grit, gratitude and leadership. Character development is important because it leads to school and career success and stronger, more engaged individuals and a more just world. Last year, more than ...

CSD Department of Innovation Delivers Internet Safety and Digital Citizenship Presentation at CBK

During Cedarbrook’s What I Need (WIN) period on Thursday, Sept. 12, Brandon Lutz, supervisor of instructional technology, delivered an internet safety and digital citizenship presentation to 653 students in more than 40 classrooms at the same time. Utilizing the student engagement platform Nearpod, Lutz “broadcast” the ...

6th Annual Food Truck Jamboree

Bring the family for a great day of community building with delicious food for every taste, local musical talent, fun kids’ activities and a fabulous silent auction with items including platinum seats for Chance the Rapper at the Wells Fargo Center in October....

Back to School Backpacks

CSD Home and School Visitor Jen Mosher worked with numerous organizations this summer to help CSD students in need begin the school year on the right foot. The Glenside Rotary (37) and Cradles to Crayons (100) donated backpacks filled with school supplies. The CSD Board of School Directors donated school supplies and much needed lunch bags, while the United Parent Group also donated backpacks....

David Teasdale Named Director of Facilities and Maintenance at Cheltenham School District

David Teasdale has been appointed the director of facilities and maintenance at the Cheltenham School District (CSD), and begins his tenure Monday, July 1. The CSD Board of School Directors approved his hiring at its June 11 Legislative meeting. Most recently the director of operations for the New Hope-Solebury School District, in New Hope, Pa., the Australian native who moved to the United States in 2017, is an experienced facilities manager with 18 years of experience, including 13 years in a management capacity, in the education sector.

Wyncote Resident Charles Burdell-Williams to Fill Vacant Board Seat

Wyncote resident Charles Burdell-Williams was sworn in at Tuesday evening’s legislative board meeting as the newest member of the Cheltenham School District Board of School Directors. Mr. Burdell-Williams will complete the remaining tenure of Kate Thomson, who resigned her position, effective Sunday, June 16 after nearly 18 months of service because she is moving out of district. Having moved to Cheltenham for its rich diversity and ...

Five Years after Shuttering, Cheltenham’s Cedarbrook Middle School Celebrates its First Graduating Class

Cheltenham School District’s Cedarbrook Middle School, which reopened this past August as a 180,000 square-foot, ultra-modern facility four years after shuttering due to mold, celebrated its first class to graduate from the new building. Against the backdrop of the seventh-grade orchestra’s playing “Pomp and Circumstance,” almost 350 students filed into the gymnasium amid cheers from family, friends and teachers....

PBL7 Creates Tangranimals for CES Students

On Friday, June 7, PBL7 exhibited and presented their "Tangranimals" as gifts to their first-grade buddies in celebration of their culminating project. The project launched in early May with a visit to Cheltenham Elementary School, where PBL students met the first-grade students and immersed themselves into the first-grade environment and conducted interviews to gain empathy and insight into their buddies' lives. The “Tangranimals” project was a ...

CBK Students Place Second and Third at Regional 24 Game Tournament

For the final Challenge activity of the school year, Cedarbrook sent four students to the Montgomery County Intermediate Unit on Thursday, June 6 for its annual 24 game tournament. MCIU hosts an annual event for fourth through eighth graders divided into three grade level groups (Grades 4/5, 6 and 7/8). A dozen students from across the county qualified for the regionals, including eighth graders Clare Rajapakse, Vaughn McCain, Jesse Packel, were selected from all the participants to...

CHS, CBK Students Earn Top Spots at Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science States

Cheltenham High School and Cedarbrook Middle School each sent contingents to the Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science (PJAS) state competition at Penn State in mid-May and came away with some high marks. Students qualified for the state competition by finishing first at a regional competition this past winter. Approximately 3,000 of the best and brightest science students from Pennsylvania’s 12 separate PJAS regions presented their research in 13 different categories: Behavioral psychology, biology, biochemistry, botany, chemistry, computer science, Earth and space, ecology, engineering, mathematics, microbiology, physics and zoology. Four CHS students won first place...

CSD Earns Sustainable Cheltenham Award

The Cheltenham School District and other organizations and individuals were honored with Sustainable Cheltenham Awards on Sunday, June 2 at the 24th annual Arts in the Park at High School Park. The Cheltenham Township Environmental Advisory Council established the annual awards program to recognize stakeholders who make significant contributions to the Sustainable Cheltenham mission. CSD was recognized for the introduction of...

Second Annual Mindful May Wraps with Visit to Elementary Schools

CSD’s second annual Mindful May culminated May 29 and 30 with Cedarbrook and CHS mindful ambassadors visiting and facilitating mindfulness activities with their younger peers at all four elementary schools. CBK students, who practiced mindfulness all year, joined the CHS Mindfulness Club members teaching mindful coloring, breath control, mindful eating and mindful balancing. Covering 34 elementary classes, students experienced...

Latest Innovation Podcast Centers on Assessment-based Student Empowerment

In the fourth podcast of this school year, the CSD Innovation team of gifted and professional development supervisor Matt Pimental and STEM supervisor Dr. Brian Reilly chatted with Empower co-author A.J. Juliani about empowering students through assessments, the topic of chapter eight in Empower. Juliani keynoted a professional development day this past November about...

CBK‘s Project LIT Students Light Out to Elementary Schools

On Wednesday, May 29, more than 40 Cedarbrook students involved in Project LIT, visited all four CSD elementary schools in the name of literacy. A national, grassroots literacy movement, Project LIT is a network of dedicated teachers and students who are committed to increasing access to culturally relevant books and promoting a love of reading in our schools and communities. The CBK students read several primary readers to...

CSD Skills for Life Students Participate in Special Olympics Track and Field Meet

Twenty-six Skills for Life students from the Cheltenham School District students joined students from Abington, Colonial, Hatboro-Horsham, Lower Merion, Upper Dublin, Norristown and Wissahickon in a one-day Special Olympics-sponsored track and field event Wednesday, May 29 hosted by Hatboro-Horsham. The Cheltenham Special Olympics team is comprised of the Skills for Life students 8-years-old and above from CHS, CBK and Myers Elementary. Six CHS “students buddies” supported the students during ...

Cedarbrook Shines at Annual Junior Solar Sprint

Cedarbrook students Mina Rothberg, Maris Raisch and Andrew Marcus and their solar car “Kenneth Applewood” won the Sustainability category to lead a strong CBK showing at the 26th annual Junior Solar Sprint on Saturday, May 18. Eighty students built cars and 30 cars were registered for the competition, which took place at the Drexel University Quad in West Philadelphia. Kaylee Brown, Jacob Spector, Kal Bosniak and their car “Working Title” finished second in the Sustainability category. “Kenneth Applewood” finished second In the...

CBK Musical Groups Receive High Marks

On May 10, the Cedarbrook WildClefs, Jazz Band and Chamber Orchestra performed at the High Notes Music Festival at Elizabethtown College. The ensembles performed at the highest level and earned the rating of “Superior,” respectively. The judges were impressed with each group’s musicality, technique and professionalism. After a thorough warm up by a lake, the chamber orchestra performed for the judges and received the highest score in...

CBK Workshop Teaches Students to Create Cinematic Puppet Shows with Overhead Projectors

On Thursday, May 16, Sarah Fornace, one of the artistic directors of the Chicago-based Manual Cinema, conducted workshops for seventh-grade PBL Social Studies students in Isaac Stanford’s class about how to create cinematic shadow puppet shows with old-fashioned overhead projectors. Fornace concentrated on showing the students the narrative possibilities of cinematic shadow puppetry. Students learned about the different types of shots (close up, medium, tracking, over the shoulder) and terminology (motif, puppet, show versus tell) they will need to employ while working collaboratively to create their own “movies” about...

CBK Students Celebrate Brazil Day

Cedarbrook seventh graders enrolled in Isaac Stanford’s Social Studies class experienced the dynamic cultural experiences associated with the Land of the Palms at this past week’s Brazil Day celebration. Students observed and heard the dance and music representing the 208 million Brazilians and enjoyed traditional Brazilian food, including Guaraná Brazilian soda and pão de queijo (Brazilian cheese bread). According to Stanford, the program gives...

Cheltenham Alumnus Presents “How to Win a Nobel Prize”

Cheltenham High School alumnus Dr. Michael Brown, regental professor of Molecular Genetics at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School and 1985 Nobel Prize laureate, will present “How to Win a Nobel Prize” in the Arcadia University Great Room on May 16 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. This event is free and open to the public. In his presentation, Dr. Brown will discuss his work with his scientific partner, Dr. Joseph Goldstein and the importance of mentorship, which led the physicists to ...

Cindy Goldberg Presents at Positive Education Conference

CSD Mindfulness Coach Cindy Goldberg is a featured presenter at the Shipley School’s Introduction to Positive Education Conference for educators, administrators and school specialists June 17-19. The professional development program is designed to introduce participants to the concepts, skills and best practices of positive psychology as they apply to schools. Goldberg’s “Mindfulness in the Classroom” workshop offers 25 activities that work to bring fun into the classroom, including ...

EP, CBK Scrabble Players Putting Skills to the Test

Scrabble Club Advisor Scott Appel has been working with Elkins Park and Cedarbrook students for the past year, including Sunday meetings at the EP Cosi to practice, to help the students see playable words where others would see a random collection of tiles. The hard work has paid off as the students showed well at this past weekend’s Hasbro National Scrabble Championships at the Grand Ballrooms at Philadelphia Airport Marriott. The students’ Scrabble skills have advanced so far they were

Mindful May Life Hacks

Each week during the month of May our Positive Psychology Teacher Leaders are offering us a simple, easy to use life hack to help live more mindfully. Click on the videos and give mindfulness a try!

Cedarbrook Students Compete in County, Regional Science Competitions

Cedarbrook Middle School students have been working tirelessly since September with Cedarbrook Challenge teacher Beth Kenna to prepare for this year’s “science fair competition season.” Completing a science fair project and performing at this level “is quite a challenge,” said Kenna. Congratulations to the following students for their persistence and hard work: Maduara Boominathan, Kai Bosniak, Courtney Claxton, Victoria Crocker, Max Fulmor, Saqara Green, Matthew Greenidge, Lydia Hessel-Robinson...

CBK Runners Qualify for Penn Relays

CSD Cedarbrook Middle School (left to right) eighth grader Mariah Winfield, seventh grader Kira Murray and eighth graders Jael Sykes and Eyota Bey ran the top qualifying time of 51.76 in the in the 4x100m relay at a recent Penn Relays qualifier meet. The relay order was ...

Tie Dye Party

On Friday, March 29, 24 general and special education students participated in the annual CHS springtime ritual of tie dying the t-shirts for CHS, CBK and Myers Elementary Special Olympics participants. Hatboro Horsham High School will host the Special Olympics on Sunday, May 19. Skills for Life teachers Philip Cohen and Vonnie Gillick collaborated with Math teacher Craig Deiley to teach and support students in the...

Baseball Team Service Project

Members of the CHS baseball team traded in their mitts and bats for garden gloves and rakes this weekend to give Cheltenham Little League’s Woodland Complex and Gimbel Fields thorough spring cleanings as part of a team service project. Many of the team’s players started their diamond careers with the Cheltenham Little League (CLL), which hosts its Opening Day festivities Saturday, April 6. CLL sponsors baseball (ages 5-16), ...

CBK’s Sadie Leary Advances to National Spelling Bee

Cedarbrook eighth grader Sadie Leary won the 25th annual Scripps Regional Spelling Bee at West Philadelphia’s School of the Future on Saturday, spelling “p-o-l-t-e-r-g-e-i-s-t” and “p-r-e-c-i-p-i-c-e” in the final two rounds to take the title. Along the way, Leary, whose favorite word is “boggle,” spelled “magnanimous,” “precocious,” “entourage,” “cedilla,” “prodigal” and “asterisk.” She ran into trouble with “triumvirate,” but took her time and spelled it correctly. With the victory, Leary won...

International Day of Happiness

The Cheltenham School District was one of the happiest places on Earth on Wednesday, March 20 for the International Day of Happiness. Students and staff celebrated all over the district with projects created by Positive Psychology teacher leaders. View these photos for a sample of the happiness that flowed....

YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS WORKSHOP

Cheltenham School District is offering free training on Youth Mental Health First Aid, which is the help offered to a young person experiencing a mental health challenge, mental disorder, or mental health crisis. The training will be presented by Ms. Jane Donohue, Elkins Park School Counselor, and Dr. Nicole Warren, Cheltenham High School Psychologist. The objectives of the training are as follows:...

CBK’s Project Lit Travels to Glenside Elementary to Share Love of Reading

This past week, as part of Cedarbrook’s newly established “Project Lit,” nearly two dozen students illustrated their commitment to service projects championing the love of reading by traveling to Glenside Elementary School to read to third and fourth graders. A national, grassroots literacy movement, Project Lit is a network of dedicated teachers and students who are...

CBK HipHop Club Hits the Road to Spread Its Message

On Thursday, March 14, members of the CBK HipHop Club students traveled to Northeast Philadelphia’s Frankford High School to spread the message of social justice and power of education. Frankford representatives invited the HipHop club to perform at their school after watching the club’s stirring performance of “Letters from a Birmingham Jail Cell” at CSD’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service....

27th Annual Future Problem Solving Bowl

For the 27th consecutive year, teams of critical, creative thinkers from across the district came together for the annual Future Problem Solvers (FPS) Bowl. Each of the problem solvers has worked for months with their coaches to learn and refine the difficult future problem-solving process, which emphasizes cooperation and critical thinking and de-emphasizes competitiveness...

International Day of Happiness - March 20

CSD Positive Psychology teachers leaders spread happiness at Wednesday's faculty meetings in preparation for the International Day of Happiness on March 20. According to positive psychology researcher Dr. Sonja Lyubomirsky, individuals have great control over their happiness. Half of our happiness is based upon our genetics, 10 percent on our...

Cheltenham School District Adopts “Safe2Say Something” Anonymous Reporting System

The Cheltenham School District has adopted the “Safe2Say Something” (S2SS) anonymous reporting system for grades 7-12. Mandated under the Pennsylvania General Assembly’s 2018 Act 44, the program educates students and adults to recognize and report at-risk behavior – especially on social media. The Say Something Anonymous Reporting System (SSARS) is provided through Sandy Hook Promise (SHP), a nationwide non-profit organization with programs in 50 states, encompassing more than ...

CBKTheatre Returns Home to Stage Monty Python's "Spamalot

“Lovingly ripped off” from the classic 1975 comedy film “Monty Python and the Holy Grail,” Monty Python’s “Spamalot” tells the legend of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table in a whole new way. Featuring gallant (and not so gallant) knights, showgirls, showboys, cows, killer rabbits and French people, this irreverent spoof includes hilarious parodies of Broadway theatre along the way. At the 2005 Tony Awards, “Spamalot won four awards, including Best Musical, from its 14 nominations. With over 75 Cedarbrook students ...

Cedarbrook Phenom Eyota Bey Takes Middle School 400M Title at Colgate Women’s Games

After four weeks of preliminary races which saw her with a one-point lead over the field, Cedarbrook eighth grader Eyota Bey turned on the jets in the semifinals and finals to take the middle school 400m title at the 45th Colgate Women’s Games with 72 points, 12 points ahead of the second-place finisher. At the semifinals, Bey ran 59.47, nearly half a second better than the closest competition, to take the race and garner its 15 points. In the finals, she finished...

Kindergarten Registration 2019-2020

Kindergarten Registration and Readiness Screening for the 2019-2020 school year will take place Monday, May 6 through Thursday, May 23, 2019, 8:30 a.m. - 3 p.m. at the Administration Building located at 2000 Ashbourne Road, Elkins Park, PA 19027. There will be no registration on May 21, 2019, due to Professional Development Day. Prior to making an appointment, you must submit an application online....

Building Strengths Book Club

Cheltenham families and staff met recently to discuss ways to focus on what's good with our children in part two of the parent workshop/book club “Building Strengths.” Workshops are based on the book The Strength Switch by Dr. Lea Waters. Workshop participants discussed and engaged in activities around noticing and navigating strengths, attention, goofing off, gratitude, savoring and mindfulness. Parents and guardians played gratitude ping pong and balanced feathers as they explored ways to disconnect from technology and reconnect with their children in ...

Cedarbrook’s Isabella Rey Earns Spot in Philly Young Playwrights’ Mouthful Monologue Festival

Eighth grader Isabella Rey is on a roll, having recently published “Tibiri’s Adventure,” a book originally penned as a play about her godfather’s dog. Her latest accomplishment is earning a spot in the Philadelphia Young Playwrights’ (PYP) Mouthful Monologue Festival at the Louis Bluver Theatre at The Drake (341 S Hicks St, Philadelphia) from Thursday, Feb. 28 through Saturday, March 9. Rey’s monologue, Becoming Friends with David Copperfield, will have six public performances, and Rey will...

CSD Earns $25K Safety Grant

The Cheltenham School District has received a $25,000 school safety grant from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency. The grant will be utilized by purchasing security-related technology. The PCCD initiates, validates and financially supports justice-related programs put forth by practitioners and experts in the justice system. The commission focuses on...

Service Projects, Historic Recitations, Song and Dance to Highlight Cheltenham’s MLK “Day On”

Hundreds of Cheltenham School District students, parents and community members will gather at Cheltenham High School on Monday, Jan. 21 for service projects, performances and birthday cake to commemorate the memory and vision of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at the District’s annual “Day On.” Each school will perform its own service project, some of which include creating flashcards for incoming kindergarten students, no-sew blankets and bags to fill with toiletries and other essentials for those less fortunate, breakfast bags for the homeless, and collecting books, coats and stuffed animals for children. Some of the organizations...

CSD School Board Accepts Tax Incremental Financing Resolution to Redevelop Elkins Estate

By an 8-1 vote, the Cheltenham School District Board of Directors accepted the tax incremental financing resolution concerning the Elkins Estate at 1750 Ashbourne Rd. in Elkins Park. The resolution reads: “Approval of a resolution of the Board of School Directors of the Cheltenham School District, approving the school district's participation in a tax increment finance districting within the Township of Cheltenham, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania in connection with ...

Community Conversation on Climate, Culture and Equity

Equity, access and opportunity drive the District's work to ensure the eradication of the pervasive and inequitable outcomes in student achievement, results and performances. To that end, the Cheltenham School District hosted its second Community Conversation on Climate, Culture and Equity on Thursday, Jan. 10 at Wyncote Elementary. At the meeting...

CBK Eighth Grader Isabella Rey Publishes “Tibiri’s Adventures”

An award-winning student and accomplished playwright, Cedarbrook eighth grader Isabella Rey recently published “Tibiri’s Adventure,” an 80-page book originally penned as a play at the request of her godfather when he asked her to write a play about his dog Tibiri. The book is available in paperback and Kindle. According to Amazon, “Tibiri is a dog who lives happily in Miami with his human companion. One day he accepted ...

CBK's Bey Continues to Run Away from the Competition

With two wins and a fifth place finish in the 400-meters in the first three weeks of the 2018-19 Colgate Women’s Games, the nation’s largest amateur track and field series for women, Cedarbrook eighth grader Eyota Bey enters this weekend's fourth round of competition in contention to take a cumulative title. Bey was among thousands of females from...

CBK 8th Grader Takes First in Colgate Women’s Games 400-Meter Dash

Congratulations to Cedarbrook eighth grader Eyota Bey who won the 400 meters in 1:00.12 in the Mid School division of the opening preliminaries at the 45th anniversary Colgate Women’s Games at Brooklyn’s Pratt Institute on Saturday, Dec. 15. Every year, thousands of girls and young women compete in the games in grade divisions for ribbons, medals and points. Events include ...

Wellbeing Initiative Brings Glenside’s Won Institute to CBK for Acupuncture

Through her wellbeing initiative, Cindy Goldberg has been hosting monthly stress-relieving events across the district. This month, Goldberg invited Glenside’s Won Institute to Cedarbrook for an all-day acupuncture event designed to enhance relaxation and reduce stress. Won’s Director of Clinical Education Doreen Lafferty brought a handful of colleagues to administer seated acupuncture designed for relaxation. Monthly staff wellbeing events, such as Soul Collage in October, yoga in ...

Cheltenham Lady Panthers Host Sixth Annual Alumnae Basketball Game

Cheltenham High School Lady Panthers alumnae are giving cancer the full court press. Now in its sixth year, the Lady Panthers Alumnae youth clinic and game on Saturday, Jan. 5 at Cheltenham High School aims to support those who are fighting cancer and raise funds and awareness for the American Cancer Society’s Coach vs. Cancer program. Tipoff for the alumnae game is noon. Participating alumni and alumnae include players from the Lady Panthers 2000 and 2007 state championships and four...

Cedarbrook PBL Students Explore the Concept of Identity in Inaugural Exhibition

Throughout the first marking period, Cedarbrook students participating in the project-based learning (PBL) program explored the concept of identity, asking questions about who they are and how others perceive them. These probing questions were integral to staging the school’s first PBL exhibition, which combined elements of design, building and storytelling and enabled students to share their identities with the Cheltenham community. Projects were...

Parent Workshop and Book Club Kicks Off with “A Strengths Based Approach to Flourishing”

District parents and positive psychology teacher leaders joined CSD Mindfulness/Positive Psychology coach Cindy Goldberg on Tuesday for an interactive evening centered on the importance of focusing on children’s strengths, rather than noticing their weaknesses. The Strength Switch by Lea Waters, Ph.D., was the featured reading for...

CBK Theatre Returns Home

Join CBK Theatre on November 8 and 9 at 7:30 p.m. as we return home to our own theater for this year's fall play, "The Frogs: A Modern Adaptation." Disgusted with the state of current entertainment, Dionysus, God of Wine and Poetry, decides that it's time to retrieve Shakespeare from the underworld. Surely if the Bard were given a series on HBO, he'd be able to raise the level of discourse! Accompanied by...

Cheltenham Resident Byron Ryan Named Vice Principal at Cedarbrook Middle School

With more than a decade of experience as a school-level administrator in the School District of Philadelphia, Cheltenham resident Byron Ryan has been named the vice principal at Cheltenham School District’s Cedarbrook Middle School. His hiring was approved at the Tuesday, Oct. 9 legislative school board meeting. His first day on the job is Monday, Oct. 29....

Cheltenham School District Launches Mobile App

This week, the Cheltenham School District launched a branded mobile application by SchoolMessenger. The app is available for download to mobile device in the App Store and Google Play. A collaboration between CSD Communications and Technology...

CSD Receives $20K Safety Grant from PA Department of Education

The Cheltenham School District has been awarded a $20,000 safety grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s Safe Schools program. The funds will be utilized to create and launch the district’s threat assessment team. The Alexandria, Virginia-based...

Cheltenham Student Council Partners with Komen in the Fight against Breast Cancer during “Pink Out” Week

The Cheltenham Student Council is sponsoring its “Pink Out” partnership with the Susan G. Komen Philadelphia Foundation. The 2018 “Pink Out” Week will run from October 8 -12, and culminate at the CHS football team’s “Pink Out” game versus Hatboro Horsham on Friday, Oct. 12 at 7 p.m. The goal of this program is to raise awareness and funds to help more women and men in our community survive breast cancer. Under the umbrella of Dietz & Watson’s unique “Pretty in Pig”program...

CSD Foundation’s Fifth Annual Food Truck Jamboree Raises Hits the Spot

With food trucks for every taste, a dunk tank featuring CSD teachers and administrators, kids’ activities and silent auction and raffle with fabulous prizes, the fifth annual Cheltenham School District Foundation's Food Truck Jamboree held on Saturday, Sept. 22 at CHS raised funds for innovative educator grants. According to event chair...

CSD Shows its Character

On Wednesday, Sept. 26, CSD students and staff joined a celebration of the unique strengths which make people who they are as part of the fifth annual Character Day. An annual global event, Character Day brings together millions of people of all ages in schools, classrooms, companies, homes — anywhere people already gather — to engage...

CBK Challenge Teacher Beth Kenna Receives STEM Research Grant

Cedarbrook Challenge Consultant Beth Kenna has been named one of 24 educators across the country to receive a STEM Research Grant from the Society for Science & the Public, which will enable her to support students in conducting original scientific research. With the grant, Kenna plans to...

District Celebrates "Start With Hello" Week

This week (September 24-28), the district will once again recognize Start with Hello Week, a national initiative to raise awareness and educate students and school communities about social isolation – the overwhelming feeling of being left out, lonely or treated like one is invisible. Start with Hello teaches students ...

Cheltenham Students Take Center Stage at Philadelphia Young Playwrights Annual Festival

Can Tony Award nominations be far behind? Aspiring playwrights from across the Cheltenham School District showed well at this year's Philadelphia Young Playwrights annual Playwriting Festival, capturing ...

Cheltenham School District Foundation Awards Innovation Grants

The Cheltenham School District Foundation awarded 24 grants totaling nearly $25,000 to 27 Cheltenham educators at this year’s school-opening festivities. The individual grants ranged from $1,500 to $100. Grant ideas included funding requests for creating classroom mindfulness spaces, an outdoor classroom...

Cheltenham Transportation Adds 40 Propane-Fueled Buses to Its Fleet

The Cheltenham School District Board of Directors and Administration continue their commitment to sustainability through the introduction of 40 72-passenger propane-fueled buses to the existing Cheltenham Transportation fleet. Propane-fueled school buses provide a number of environmental advantages, including ...

Cedarbrook Hosts Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

More than four years after closing abruptly due to mold, the Cheltenham School District’s new 180,000 square-foot, ultra-modern Cedarbrook Middle School marked its rebirth with a ribbon cutting ceremony on a gorgeous evening in front of more than 100 state and local officials, school board members, township administrators and Cheltenham families...