News Archives

Take a piece of your childs’ high school memories home with you. Graduation, Senior Awards, and Scholarship Night DVDs are for sale. Please click here to fill out the form. All DVDs can be picked up at the Administration Building on or after June 25, 2013. Payment is expected at the time of the pickup. The sales are CASH only.

Teen Events

Ambler

Blue Bell

Dear Parents and Guardians,

I am writing to inform you that we are postponing the Graduation Ceremony to Friday, June 14, 2013 at 6:00 p.m. 

Please understand that this was an extremely difficult decision to make. As explanation, in normal circumstances, we would graduate from our field and if it rained, our back-up plan would be to move the ceremony inside.

This developing weather event, however is shaping up to be anything but “normal”. Our latest update is that the late afternoon will bring severe thunderstorms, hail, damaging winds, flooding and a possible tornado. In addition, there may be widespread power outages which would affect even an indoor graduation event. 

Our first priority always is the health, safety and welfare of our students, staff, and the community. It is not advisable to hold an event of this magnitude and importance with the threat of severe weather in our community.  As an extra precaution we also contacted Mr. Steve Beck, School Safety Coordinator for Montgomery County Department of Public Safety and local police who concurred with our decision considering the magnitude and severity of this storm. 

I know that this may create an inconvenience for some of our families who have visitors traveling from out of town, however, I cannot risk the safety of our students and families. Graduation is an important culminating activity.  It is our hope that by making the change to Friday we will be able to have the ceremony in a safe situation that is memorable and meaningful for all.

I thank you in advance for your support and understanding given this extremely serious situation and I look forward to sharing this once in a lifetime event with your children and families.

We will keep you updated throughout the day on Thursday through the District’s Web site.

Sincerely,

Judith M. Clark                                                                                             

Superintendent of Schools

Weather Briefing Presentation

 Art Show 2013

The 26th Annual Art Exhibition is coming to the WHS Circle Gym.  Opening night is Wednesday, May 22nd from 6:30-9:00, and closing night is Thursday, May 23rd from 6:30-9:00 pm. 

Your child may be delayed in returning home due to downed wires in the area of Penllyn-Blue Bell Pike between Lantern Lane and Wister Avenue until approximately 5:00 PM today.

Due to this disruption many of our buses will be affected. Bus arrival times may be delayed.

As more information becomes available we will contact you. We thank you for your patience.

The Wissahickon School District is currently reviewing its policy on calendar development and would like to solicit feedback from parents/guardians.  If you would, please take a few minutes to complete the following survey to assist the Board Policy Committee with its deliberation.

Calendar Survey (English Version)

Calendar Survey (Spanish Version)

Individual student reports for the winter Keystone administration will be mailed home between April 5^th and April 10^th. This mailing will contain your child's individual results. Retesting will occur in May with the Spring Keystone administration. Below is a link to the Keystone Exam page, which includes additional information and Student Report Interpretation Guides in multiple languages.

Keystone Exams page

All students in Grades 3 – 8 will be taking the Mathematics and Reading PSSA during the April 8^th – 19^th testing window. Students in Grade 4 and 8 will the take the Science PSSA during the week of April 22^nd. Please avoid the scheduling of doctor’s appointments and vacations during this time frame. For additional information regarding the PSSA, please click the link to access PDE’s Information for Parents or Guardians - Frequently Asked Questions document.

A reminder that electronic devices are not permitted in the testing rooms during the assessment. Please encourage your child to leave electronic devices, such as cell phones, smart phones, cameras, ipads, kindles, etc. at home on testing days.

Wissahickon has raised thousands of dollars throughout the years that has been donated to Autism Speaks. Our staff is always in the loop with the latest news and info regarding Autism. The student body is well informed and always looking to volunteer and help our students every way possible.

During the month of April Wissahickon holds various fundraisers that involve all students and staff. This year students made bookmarks to sell across the entire district. We are also selling silicone bracelets that read “WSD Autism Awareness” as well as T-shirts. Not only do we sell within the schools, but we will have a booth set up at Spring Zing to raise awareness to the community.

Autism Awareness Month Flyer

The Wissahickon School District, Montgomery County Intermediate Unit and the Police Departments of Ambler Borough, Lower Gywnedd Township and Whitpain Township will host a community presentation on Safe Schools.  The program will be held on Thursday, March 14, 2013 from 7 to 8 PM in the Wissahickon High School Auditorium.  All members of the Wissahickon School District community are invited to attend.  The program will also be videotaped and broadcasted on the District’s cable channel and website.  The program will be available for viewing during the week of March 18, 2013.

BBES- Black History Month Activities

As a result of the closing of Mattison Avenue Elementary School at the conclusion of the 2012-13 school year, and the significant enrollment shifts during the past 10 years, the Wissahickon School District is beginning the process of developing a redistricting plan that will be in effect at the beginning of the 2013-14 school year.

Redistricting Letter

Redistricitng Letter (Spanish version)

On December 20, 2012, the Wissahickon School District received by mail a copy of a notice that a Complaint had been filed with the United States Department of Education, Office of Civil Rights. The Complaint generally alleges a discriminatory impact against Hispanic persons related to the recent school closure of Mattison Avenue Elementary School and in communications with Hispanic parents of limited English proficiency at that school. This Complaint was filed over six weeks after the completion of the public hearing related to the school closure issue. The Complaint curiously makes no mention of the fact that the District provided translation services during the hearing process, nor that the District translated into Spanish various notice and content-based documents during the school closure hearing process. Members of the Wissahickon community should recognize that the fact that mere allegations have been made in a complaint does not mean that those allegations have any merit whatsoever. The District has appointed private counsel to defend the District in this matter. The District will necessarily be required to expend substantial funds and, more importantly, the valuable time of its Board members and administrators in properly defending these allegations. In sum, the allegations are without merit and the District will at all times continue to treat persons of all national origins and races fairly and equally and as required by law.

During the week of February 11, 2013, students in Grades 3, 4, and 5 will be participating in the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s ELA Writing Field Test.  The purpose of the field test is for PDE to collect data on assessment items, and it is the first step in the transition to the Common Core version of the PSSA in 2014.  For more specific information regarding the field test, please click the link to review an informational letter for parents and guardians.  A Spanish translation of the letter is also included below.

ELA Writing Parents and Guardians Letter

ELA Writing Parents and Guardians Letter (Spanish Version)

The attached letter is from the Superintendent of Schools, Judy Clark, regarding the next sequence of events scheduled to occur regarding the transition of the Mattison Avenue Elementary School students for the 2013-14 school year.

Transition of Mattison Avenue Elementary Letter

Transition of Mattison Avenue Elementary Letter (Spanish version)

Please take notice that a public meeting of the Board of School Directors of the Wissahickon School District will be held on Monday, January 14, 2013 at 7:30 p.m. at the District Administration Building, located at 601 Knight Road, Ambler, Pennsylvania, for the purpose of considering various agenda items, including a motion for the permanent closure of Mattison Avenue Elementary School effective immediately upon the completion of the 2012-2013 school year ending on June 30, 2013, pursuant to the Pennsylvania Public School Code of 1949, as amended and supplemented. Click below for the entire public notice.

WSD Notice of January 14, 2013 School Board Meeting

WSD Notice of January 14, 2013 School Board Meeting (Spanish version)

An Overview of the 2013-2014 Kindergarten program will be held on Wednesday March 6, 2013 at each of the elementary schools at 9:30 am. Registration packets can be picked up from each elementary school, beginning March 6, 2013, until Tuesday, April 30, 2013. Each school will provide details regarding return of registration packets. Kindergarten Open Enrollment will be held from April 8 – April 26, 2013.

UPDATED: January 16, 2013: For Ambler residents currently residing within the Mattison Avenue Elementary School Attendance Area, a Kindergarten program will be held on Wednesday, March 6, 2013 at the Administration Building Board Room at 9:30 am. Registration packets will be made available at the District office and at each elementary school, beginning on March 6, 2013 through Tuesday, April 30, 2013.

The 2013-14 elementary school attendance boundaries are scheduled to be considered at the April 22, 2013 School Board Meeting. Immediately following approval of a redistricting plan, any resident affected by a boundary change will be officially notified regarding their new elementary school assignment, along with times for open houses.

Please stay tuned to additional updates at www.wsdweb.org.

Children turning 5 on or before September 1, 2013 are eligible to enter kindergarten in the Wissahickon School District. Contact Mrs. Toni Reed, District Registrar, with any questions, at 215-619-8000 x 3009, or email treed@wsdweb.org.

Kindergarten Registration Overview (Spanish Version)

Please click here for a letter from the Superintendent regarding the tragedy in Connecticut. There is also a link to a handout on how to talk to your child regarding school violence, which was posted last week.

How to Talk to your Child Handout

“If schools are closed for inclement weather or emergencies, make-up day #3 will be February 15 if the closure is before that date. Subsequent make-up days will be June 20, 21, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28. If fewer than 2 days are used for inclement weather, school will not be held on June 18 and/or June 19.”

Therefore, in order to make up the loss of 2 days, the following calendar revisions will be in effect for the 2012-13 school year:

- A regular school day will be scheduled for students on Friday, February 15, 2013. 

- The last student day for the 2012-13 school year will be Thursday, June 20, 2013. 

Please make note to these calendar changes for your planning purposes.   

Calendar Press Release

Due to technical difficulties we are unable to broadcast on the district channel at this time. We are working quickly to try and resolve the issue.