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September 6, 2023
Bensalem High School (BHS) students were excited to return to school on August 28, 2023, especially the Class of 2024. They are BHS’s 100th graduating class!
Bensalem High School will be hosting the 100th Anniversary Kick-Off celebration with Music, Food Trucks, Student Performances, Building Tours, and more.
HISTORY
THE CORNWELLS SCHOOL – 2400 Bristol Pike, Cornwells Heights, PA:
According to history records, the first one-room school, erected in 1823, was torn down in favor of a two-room school building in 1893. A third room was added in 1918. A fourth room was added in 1923. The four-room building housed the first Bensalem Township High School and two elementary groups. The first graduating class, the Class of 1925, consisted of five students.
The records also show that in July 1923, Samuel K. Faust was invited to take charge of the district for the express purpose of organizing a high school. Previously, high school age students who lived in the Cornwells Heights area were sent to other high schools in towns nearby, such as Bristol, Langhorne, Jenkintown, and Frankford.
Mr. Faust served as Supervising Principal of Bensalem Township Schools and as the first Superintendent of Schools from 1923 until his death in 1940.
In 1954, Bensalem Township High School was re-established at its new building and location at 2201 Street Road, Bensalem.
In September 1969, the new Bensalem High School, located at 4319 Hulmeville Road, opened its doors. A flag raising ceremony was held on September 10, 1969, the corner-stone was laid on May 13, 1970, a formal dedication of the building was held on May 15, 1970, and an open-house program for the community was held on May 17, 1970.
Currently, there are 556 students in the 100th graduating class, the Class of 2024.
We look forward to our community celebrating with us on September 23!
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August 23, 2023
Dear Parents/Guardians, Students, and Community Members,
We hope this letter finds you well and eager to embark on another successful school year. As we prepare for the 2023-2024 school year, we want to take a moment to address an important aspect of our continuous commitment to the safety and well-being of our students, staff, and community. In collaboration with the Bensalem Township Police Department, we have meticulously designed comprehensive safety protocols and procedures to ensure a secure learning environment within our schools. These protocols are designed to be proactive, preventative, and responsive in nature, empowering us to address various emergency situations swiftly and effectively. Throughout the school year, we will conduct a series of safety drills to ensure that our students and staff are well-prepared in the event of an emergency. These drills are an essential component of our safety strategy, providing valuable opportunities for practice and familiarization with procedures.
The safety drills will include, but are not limited to:
- Fire Drills: These drills help familiarize students and staff with evacuation procedures in the event of a fire or smoke-related emergency.
- Lockdown Drills: Lockdown drills are designed to simulate a threat inside the school building. Students and staff will practice securing themselves in designated safe areas until an official "all clear" is given.
- Tornado/Severe Weather Drills: These drills prepare students and staff for safe actions during severe weather conditions, such as tornadoes or other extreme weather events.
- Evacuation Drills: Evacuation drills involve safely moving students and staff to designated assembly points outside the building, mimicking a situation that requires the building to be vacated.
- Medical Emergency Drills: These drills focus on the appropriate responses to medical incidents within the school premises, including administering first aid and alerting the proper authorities.
- Shelter-in-Place Drills: Shelter-in-place drills involve securing the building's interior to protect students and staff from external hazards, such as chemical spills or airborne threats.
Each drill will be conducted with a commitment to maintaining a safe and supportive environment for all participants. The Bensalem Township Police Department will actively collaborate with our school staff during these drills, ensuring seamless coordination and the application of best practices. In the event of an actual emergency, parents will be notified and provided information regarding how to personally respond, if needed.
We understand that safety drills can sometimes raise questions or concerns, especially for our younger students. Therefore, we will work diligently to ensure that these drills are age-appropriate, communicated clearly, and conducted in a reassuring manner. Additionally, our teachers will provide age-appropriate explanations to help students understand the purpose and importance of these safety measures. We encourage parents/guardians to have open conversations with their children about the drills, emphasizing their role in maintaining a safe school environment. Should you have any questions or require further information about our safety protocols, please feel free to reach out. Thank you for your ongoing support and partnership as we prioritize the safety of our school community. Together, we can provide a secure and nurturing environment that fosters learning and growth.
Sincerely,
Dr. Victoria Velazquez, Assistant to the Superintendent for K-12 Administration
Deputy Director R. Race, Bensalem Township Police Department
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MESSAGE FROM OUR TRANSPORTATION TEAM:
With the start of a new school year comes new routes and bus stop location changes for drivers and students. In the first two weeks of a new school year, this process moves at a slower pace as we learn the new routine. Parents speaking with the driver and taking pictures of their children, along with increased traffic at the schools, cause delays.
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- Bensalem students attending BCTHS, non-public, parochial and charter schools can contact their school for transportation information beginning on August 21.
- View Elementary class assignments on SCP beginning at noon on August 21.
- Shafer and Snyder Middle School students can view their schedule on SCP beginning at noon on August 21. Students will receive a printed schedule on the first day of school.
- Bensalem High School students can view their schedule on SCP beginning at noon on August 14. If you do not have access to SCP, please e-mail your guidance counselor.
- Frank Kern A – CAS Ext. 3012
- Pina Heslin CAT – FRE Ext. 3011
- Eileen Gallagher FRI – KAZ Ext. 3014
- Dayna Harrison KE – MIL and ALT Ext. 3018
- Elyse McGowan MIN – PAZ Ext. 3035
- Jeff Szczepaniak PE – SHA Ext. 3013
- Maryann Smith SHE – Z Ext. 3015
- Doree Watkins Counseling Secretary Ext. 3030
- View Transportation information on Sapphire Community Portal (SCP) at noon on August 21.
NOTE: If you cannot access SCP, please contact your child’s school using the below phone extensions.
215-750-2800
Belmont Hills Elementary School, ext. 1100
Cornwells Elementary School, ext. 1200
Samuel K. Faust Elementary School, ext. 1300
Benjamin Rush Elementary School, ext. 1400
Russell C. Struble Elementary School, ext. 1500
Valley Elementary School, ext. 1600
Robert K. Shafer Middle School, ext. 2200
Cecelia Snyder Middle School, ext. 2300
Bensalem High School
12th Grade Office, ext. 3051
11th Grade Office, ext. 3061
10th Grade Office, ext. 3072
9th Grade Office, ext. 3041
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AUGUST 2nd MESSAGE FROM OUR TECHNOLOGY TEAM:
All Bensalem student accounts will be reconfigured starting on August 3rd.
Once the reconfiguration begins, students will not be able to login with their current
credentials. The new credentials will be published to Sapphire Community Portal (SCP)
on August 3rd.
Please note: Parent/guardian SCP log-ins are NOT changing.
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2023-2024 School Hours
High School 7:21 am to 2:11 pm
Middle Schools 8:10 am to 2:56 pm
Elementary Schools 8:55 am to 3:41 pm
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2023-2024 School Year
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Orientation Week Schedule:
Bensalem HS Freshman & New Student Orientation: Tuesday, August 22, 6:30-8pm
Shafer MS Parent/Student Orientation for newly enrolled students: Tuesday, August 22, 12-1pm
Snyder MS Parent/Student Orientation for newly enrolled students: Tuesday, August 22, 1-2pm
Belmont Hills ES
Kindergarten Orientation: Friday, August 25, 10:30am
Cornwells ES
Kindergarten Orientation: Friday, August 25, 9:30am
New Student Orientation: Friday, August 25, 11:30am
Faust ES
Kindergarten Orientation: Friday, August 25, 11:15am
Rush ES
Kindergarten Orientation: Friday, August 25, 11:30am
Welcome Back Open House: Friday, August 25, 12pm
Struble ES
New Student Orientation: Thursday, August 24, 2:30pm
Kindergarten Orientation: Friday, August 25, 10am
Valley ES
Kindergarten Orientation: Friday, August 25, 11:30am
If you have any questions, please contact the Main Office at your child's school.
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Back to School Nights 2023
All Back to School Nights begin at 6:30 PM.
Belmont Hills Elementary School - Wednesday, September 6
Cornwells Elementary School - Thursday, September 7
Samuel K. Faust Elementary School - Wednesday, September 27
Benjamin Rush Elementary School - Wednesday, September 13
Russell C. Struble Elementary School - Thursday, September 14
Valley Elementary School - Thursday, September 28
Robert K. Shafer Middle School - Thursday, September 21
Cecelia Snyder Middle School - Monday, September 18
Bensalem High School - Tuesday, September 19
Posted 7/24/23
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While there is no charge for both breakfast and lunch for all BTSD students this year, families are encouraged to apply for the Free/Reduced Meal Program. Approval for the program may allow you to qualify for possible additional P-EBT benefits from the state, fee waivers for college applications and fee waivers for certain testing, i.e. SAT’s. Please apply for the Free/Reduced Meal Program at www.schoolcafe.com.
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Important Information for 2023-2024 Kindergarten Families
Welcome to Kindergarten! We hope you and your future Kindergarten student are enjoying the summer. As we get ready for the first days of Kindergarten, we will be holding a Kindergarten screener. The purpose of a Kindergarten screening is not to test how much your child knows; but, rather it is to assess where your child is with their Kindergarten readiness skills. This will allow their teacher time to plan how to best support your child starting on the very first day of school. Your child will spend approximately 10 minutes with a teacher to complete the kindergarten screening.
All screenings will take place at Bensalem High School in the school library.
Monday, July 31st: Valley Elementary School
Tuesday, August 1st: Struble Elementary School
Wednesday, August 2nd: Rush Elementary School
Thursday, August 3rd: Faust Elementary School
Monday, August 7th: Cornwells Elementary School
Tuesday, August 8th: Belmont Elementary School
We recommend signing up for a time slot on the date your child’s school will be represented; however, you can sign up for any of the 6 days if your school’s date does not work for your family.
• Download the App to see bus status changes
• Receive notifications if a bus is delayed
• Stay up-to-date
The Bus Status mobile app is free to download from the App Store and Google Play. Parents and students select their bus(es) in the App and receive a push notification any time one of their bus(es) is delayed or cancelled.
We appreciate your patience and understanding as we navigate our way through this new notification system.