On Tuesday, June 12, 2018, the day before Abington Senior High School’s Class of 2018 graduates, the senior class participated in the annual Grad Walk, where students visit their old elementary schools for a procession through the halls. Three hundred students in the class participated in the event, spread across the District’s seven elementary schools. The students donned their maroon and white caps and gowns, which was meant to get the younger students excited about one day being in high school and to emphasize the importance of goal-setting.

The event was not just exciting for the Seniors, the Grad Walk was also something the younger students looked forward to as they wrote congratulatory signs and banners for the graduates and high-fived them all through the halls. Most heartwarming, however, was to see students greet and thank their former teachers who taught them all those years ago.

Following the procession, Seniors visited sixth-grade classrooms to talk about their high school experiences and to offer advice to the soon-to-be elementary school graduates, who will be going on to the Junior High next school year. 

Last year’s inaugural Grad Walk was so popular among the three schools to which the Seniors traveled, that it was decided to expand the event to all seven of the District’s elementary schools for 2018.

The Foundation for Abington School District will hold a special meeting at 7:00 p.m. in the Board Room of the Abington School District Administration Building, 970 Highland Avenue, Abington, Pennsylvania on Tuesday, June 19, 2018.  

Kenneth Roos,

Board Secretary

In a team effort between Willow Hill Elementary School and the Abington Police Department, the third annual Willow Hill Bike Rodeo took place on Friday, June 1, 2018. With the summer fast approaching, the event aimed to keep children safe by instilling the importance of bicycle safety, and establishing best practices, including:

• Providing helmets to students who didn’t have them
• Properly fitting helmets to students’ heads
• Registering bicycles with the APD to ensure if a bike is lost, the serial number will be on file
• Giving out “safety swag bags” to keep bike safety top of mind for students
• Offering tips to children and their families about bike safety

In addition, attendees were able to choose one of four specially designed courses to practice their bike skills, including stopping, turning, weaving through cones and using hand signals. Following the completion of the course, certificates were awarded to all participants, prior to the police leading families on a community fun ride through the neighborhood. Upon returning to the school, prizes were raffled off and refreshments served. 

The Willow Hill Bike Rodeo was made possible by the Willow Hill Elementary PTO and a grant from Citizens and Police Together (CAPT), in addition to support from the Police Explorers, Abington Township Public Works, Township commissioners, community members, local businesses and Willow Hill teachers and staff.

Abington Senior High School’s world language students excelled once again in this year’s national exams. Students were recognized for their excellent performances in the French, German, Latin and Spanish National Exams, as well as the Mandarin Chinese Proficiency Test.

Seven students received a medal for their performance on the National French Exam; 14 students received a medal for their performance on the National German Exam; 15 students received a medal for their performance on the National Latin Exam; and 14 students received a medal for their performance on the National Spanish Exam. In addition, two students were named winners in the Montgomery County Oral Proficiency Contest – one in Mandarin and one in French. Meanwhile, Matthew Rosen was awarded a Mandarin scholarship from the National Security Language Initiative for Youth to visit China this summer, and Sofiya Lysenko was awarded a German scholarship from the American Association of Teachers of German to travel to Germany this summer.

National French Exam

Silver

• Amanda Giannopulos, Level 3
• Ebreez Elbashir, Level 3
• Piper Kull, Level 3
• Elizabeth Belka, Level 5

 Bronze

• Lily Sellei, Level 4
• Andres Garcia Epelboim, Level 3
• Olivia Knotek, Level 3

National German Exam

Gold

• Gavin Herzig
• Ally Brubaker
• Sofiya Lysenko
• Fiona Jenkins
• Reece Thomson

Silver

• Brian Spurrier
• Nate Perreault
• Joe Papa
• Chris Kretschman
• Joe Stancavage
• Phil Thomson
• Beth King
• Mary Perkins
• Emma Perkins

National Latin Exam

Gold

• Ethan Kovnat
• Crystal Trinh
• Taninna Larbi
• Elizabeth Belka

Silver

• Jilian Poppert
• Christina Peachey
• Olivia Geissler
• Richard Youm
• Dionna Dash
• Athanasios Daftsios
• Ryan Brown

Bronze

• Victoria Belka
• Maya Stevenson
• Joseph McLaughlin
• Grace Whitney 

National Spanish Exam

Gold

• Elizabeth Belka, Level 5
• Javier Paredes, Level 5
• Victoria Belka, Level 5
• Taninna Larbi, Level 5
• Kelsey Jamison, Level 5
• Natalie Faye, Level 4
• Maria Rios Botia, Level 4
• Faith Crawford, Level 5
• Stephen Maransky, Level 5
• Daniel Dicriscio, Level 3

Silver

• Melanie Machuca, Level 3

Bronze

• Elianna Perez, Level 3
• Rebekah Shultes, Level 3

Montgomery County Oral Proficiency Contest

Mandarin

• Matthew Rosen, Overall Winner Advanced Level

French

• Jessica Reinach, Overall Winner Level 3

Scholarships

Mandarin

• Matthew Rosen, National Security Language Initiative for Youth

German

• Sofiya Lysenko, American Association of Teachers of German

On Thursday, June 7, 2018, Abington’s A.C.T.I.V.E. Academy hosted its annual Thank You Breakfast in the auditorium lobby at Abington Senior High School. The A.C.T.I.V.E. Academy at the Senior High aims to assist students, ages 18-21, in reaching their maximum potential of becoming responsible and active members of their community by gaining independent living skills. The transitional program designed for these young adults who have IEPs utilizes the classroom and community as it teaches students vocational, travel training and independent living skills. Students are provided opportunities to practice these skills in the classroom, at their job site and in the community, as many students get firsthand experience and hands-on training at local businesses across the Abington and Rockledge area. The breakfast serves as a special day to thank these businesses for their partnership, including:

Abington Hospital Jefferson Health (Cafeteria)

Abington Hospital Jefferson Health (“Delivering Smiles” in partnership with Kremp Florist)

CVS (Jenkintown location)

Rydal Park

Abington YMCA

The Office of Rep. Madeleine Dean

TJ Maxx

Chartwells Food Service

Abington School District Administration (Mail Delivery Services)

Another learning opportunity within the A.C.T.I.V.E. Academy program is the ability to practice foodservice skills and business management. Throughout the school year, students prepare and serve coffee orders for teachers and staff around the Senior High, as well as in the Administration Building, where they also deliver Chartwells-prepared lunches on a monthly basis. The skillsets learned in these roles year-round provided the perfect foundation for the students to then host the Thank You Breakfast for those same business partners who have helped them learn and grow throughout the year.

At the breakfast, which was also attended by Dr. Amy Sichel and other members of Administration, students greeted attendees, prepared coffee orders and served a breakfast spread that included bagels, pastries and fresh fruit. There was also ample time to mingle with the special guests before program teachers Mrs. Kathy Rafter and Ms. Cara Gimbel took a moment to wish a proud farewell to the Academy’s graduating seniors – many of whom are moving on to careers and even college, attending schools such as East Stroudsburg University and Temple University.

The 2018 Abington Senior High School Commencement has been added to the District cable station schedule. Please consult the schedule for times if you wish to view or record the event. It will also be available for a limited time here on our website. Congratulations to the class of 2018!

Dear Parents/Guardians, Students, Alumni, Community Members, and Business Partners:

Dr. Amy Sichel to Retire Effective November 9, 2018, After 42 Years in District, 18 Years as Superintendent

Abington, Pa. (July 9, 2018) – After more than 42 years serving Abington School District and 18 years as Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Amy Sichel announced to the Board of School Directors today her plans to retire, effective November 9, 2018.

Sichel began her career in Abington in 1976 as a school counselor, and became the District’s first female Superintendent in 2001 after serving in various administrative positions, including Director of Pupil Services and Assistant Superintendent. An Abington Township resident whose two daughters were educated in the District, Sichel has promoted a culture of community and continuity throughout her tenure that is reflected in the faculty and staff the District employs; the alumni who return to live and work in Abington and Rockledge; and the new families who move to Abington and Rockledge as a result of the quality public schools and affordable taxes — two hallmarks of Sichel’s leadership.

“For a superintendent to spend her entire career in one school district is remarkable,” said Raymond McGarry, Esquire, President of the Board of School Directors. “Dr. Sichel’s tenure in the Abington School District has been the backbone to our success with students, our achievements in many areas, our ability to be fiscally responsible, and our focus to rebuild and renovate our school buildings.”

Sichel, one of the nation’s longest-serving superintendents, achieved recognition as Pennsylvania Superintendent of the Year in 2010 by the Pennsylvania Association of School Administrators (PASA), a statewide organization of public school superintendents of which Sichel was president in 2010-2011. In addition to countless other honors and recognitions, Sichel received the Margaret Smith Leadership Award from the PASA Women’s Caucus in 2017. She served as the president of AASA, The School Superintendents Association, during the 2013-2014 school year, making her the fourth woman in the nation to be elected by her peer superintendents to lead the 150-year-old organization that represents 13,000 superintendents. In 2015, Sichel received the Distinguished Service Award from AASA for exemplary leadership, service and commitment to education.

Sichel’s list of awards and accomplishments extends to her help garnering national recognition for Abington’s schools from multiple outlets and organizations, including most recently Abington Senior High School’s fourth consecutive silver medal among the list of “Best High Schools” from U.S. News & World Report – the school’s sixth time making the list in the past decade – and the District’s 2018 recognition as one of the “Best Communities for Music Education” from The NAMM Foundation, which the District has received for eleven consecutive years. In addition, ASD has been named a “District of Distinction” by District Administration magazine in the category of student achievement, thanks to Sichel’s work spearheading the “Opportunities to Learn Initiative.”

“My aim has always been to provide the students of Abington School District with the best quality public education in a cost-effective fashion,” said Sichel. “This could only be accomplished with dedicated and committed School Board Directors, administrators, teachers, facilities team members, administrative assistants, paraprofessionals and bus drivers and monitors. These folks, with the partnership of parents/guardians, along with community involvement, help ensure each student has the chance for a strong educational foundation.”

A longstanding advocate of public education throughout her career, Sichel has authored or contributed to countless works on educational practices and excellence through equity, including a chapter she co-authored with Dr. Ann Bacon, former Director of Curriculum, about the District’s “Opportunities to Learn” initiative in the textbook by Alan M. Blankstein and Pedro Noguera, entitled Excellence Through Equity. Sichel has also represented Abington on the national level by testifying to Congress as a result of her experience and expertise, and has presented on a number of topics including opportunities to learn with a focus on educational equity, how to develop district and school-based continuous improvement plans, and women as superintendents, to name a few.

“Almost 300,000 children have been a part of my watch for the last 42 years, with 11,000 students graduating since the time I took on the role of Superintendent of Schools,” Sichel continued. “I always tried to provide to each of our students what I expected Abington schools to provide to my own children.”

In addition, many of the District’s facilities and infrastructure have been rebuilt since Sichel was first appointed as Superintendent — starting with the opening of a new school, Copper Beech Elementary School, in 2001, and continuing with the rebuilding of Overlook, Highland, Willow Hill and Roslyn Elementary Schools, as well as the upcoming additions and renovations to Abington Senior High School. This latest project includes a large renovation of the existing 1956 facility as well as significant additions and expansions, such as a two-story science and technology center and new gymnasium.

“While I will miss serving the community in this capacity, the Board of School Directors and the team of administrators, faculty and staff that I have worked with all these years will ensure that Abington’s motto of ‘Excellence is our standard; achievement is the result’ continues for the students of the Abington School District,” added Sichel. “I am grateful for my time in Abington and look forward to what’s to come in the next chapter of my life.”

Sichel’s letter to the ASD community about her retirement can be found here.

“Though we are sad to hear of Dr. Sichel’s decision, the Board of School Directors and I must consider our next steps to hire and retain her successor, on which I provide more information in my letter to the community,” McGarry added.

McGarry’s letter to the ASD community about Dr. Sichel’s retirement and the process to appoint a new superintendent can be found here. The next meeting of the Abington Board of School Directors is scheduled for Tuesday, August 14, 2018, at 7:30 p.m.

Dear Members of the Abington School District Community:

On Friday, June 8, 2018, community clean water groups, including the Tookany/Tacony-Frankford Watershed Partnership, gathered with teachers and school leaders at McKinley Elementary School to celebrate the completion of stream restoration along the East Branch of the Jenkintown Creek, situated just behind the school’s soccer fields in Elkins Park. The ribbon-cutting marked the completion of an interconnected web of clean water projects that make the school and surrounding community greener and more wildlife-rich. Built largely with volunteer and community groups, the project was underwritten by the William Penn Foundation as part of the Delaware River Watershed Initiative, designed to improve water quality around the Delaware River basin.

Dr. Amy Sichel, Superintendent of Schools, as well as McKinley Principal Marie Kim, were on site to help cut the ribbon alongside the community partners, and the school’s Roots and Shoots Club, led by Ms. Jennifer Tanay, also had the opportunity to share more about how they use the stream restoration as an environmental educational tool for hands-on learning.

The first-ever I AM ABINGTON! Performing Arts Festival, featuring an 80-act talent show and three stage shows will take place on Saturday, July 14, 2018, from 11 a.m.–7 p.m., at the property of the former Glenside-Weldon Elementary School. This celebration of the arts will include performances by Cooper Beech Elementary School’s production of The Lion King Jr., as well as performances from local theater companies. All of the shows feature the musical and acting talents of Abington elementary, Junior High, and Senior High School students.

This outdoor event will also have art workshops, a living art display where everyone gets to be the artist, face painting, and more fun art activities for kids and adults alike.

Tickets are available at the door for $12, and guests are encouraged to bring a blanket or chair to enjoy the shows. In addition, light refreshments will be sold, with proceeds benefitting the Abington Educational Foundation, a nonprofit whose mission is to enhance educational experiences and outcomes for Abington School District students through grants that support Student Achievement, Innovative Programs, and STEAM Initiatives.

To Members of the Abington School District Community,

The Board of School Directors received 35 emails as of 4 p.m. on August 10, 2018, and heard comments from 6 community members at the August 7, 2018 Special Meeting, representing 97 pieces of individual input. The pieces of input were categorized according to the Professional Standards for Educational Leaders from the National Policy Board for Educational Administration. 

Routes for Abington Junior and Senior High Schools’ sports/activities trips during the 2018-2019 school year. 

It’s officially back to school in Abington School District, and McKinley Elementary School students, teachers and staff celebrated with a special assembly starring ‘Challenger’ – the Bald Eagle that is cared for by the American Eagle Foundation. 

Challenger and the American Eagle Foundation came to McKinley as a result of the idea of one student, third-grader Camelia Florea. Last year, with the excitement of the Philadelphia Eagles heading to the Super Bowl, the McKinley community was looking for a meaningful way to celebrate, bringing to mind that the Bald Eagle is our national bird. Camelia had an idea that the school should help protect Bald Eagles, and thus an initiative was born in which students raised awareness about protecting this beautiful species and sponsored a “Protect a National Bird Day.” Students and staff showed their support for the conservation movement by wearing apparel with an eagle on it before the Super Bowl, and giving an optional donation to the American Eagle Foundation.

Challenger became the first Bald Eagle in U.S. history trained to free-fly into major sports stadiums, arenas, and ballrooms during the National Anthem – including at Lincoln Financial Field for Philadelphia Eagles games. At McKinley, Challenger’s handlers thanked the students for their awareness campaign and donation to their foundation, and provided a demonstration to teach students about protecting this beautiful species and our nation’s Bald Eagles. Challenger took a moment to spread his wings and even did some talking during the students’ applause. The following day, fresh off his visit at McKinley, Challenger had the privilege of flying into Lincoln Financial Field once again for the Philadelphia Eagles’ first home game of the season. 

Dr. Jeffrey S. Fecher speaks with attendees at the Sept. 13, 2018, meet and greet event.

Following public discussion at its regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 25, 2018, the Board of School Directors of the Abington School District voted unanimously to appoint Dr. Jeffrey S. Fecher as the next Superintendent of Schools.  

The vote from the Board of School Directors came on the heels of a Sept. 13, 2018, meet and greet with Dr. Fecher, at which he reviewed in a presentation his mission and vision for Abington School District, as well as his breadth of experience that includes serving as an administrator and teacher across both secondary and elementary educational levels. The Board of School Directors announced Dr. Fecher as the finalist for the position at its Sept. 4, 2018, meeting after a two-and-a-half-hour interview conducted on Aug. 21, 2018. Board President Raymond McGarry, Esquire, explained that the questions the Board asked Dr. Fecher – who is in his sixth year as Assistant Superintendent – were informed by the public input provided via email and during a special meeting of the Board of School Directors on Aug. 7, 2018. A letter from Mr. McGarry sent to the Abington and Rockledge communities on July 19, 2018, requested this input in order to help develop a profile of the next Superintendent.

“Appointing a superintendent is the most important job of a school board,” Mr. McGarry said. “Fortunately for us, we were able to adhere to the initial process we outlined in our July 9^th letter following Dr. Sichel’s retirement announcement, in which I expressed our desire to consider internal candidates before having to hire a firm to conduct a lengthy and expensive search that would result in candidates unfamiliar to serving this unique community. We have been impressed with Dr. Fecher’s performance to date and have heard from community members who feel the same.” 

Dr. Fecher, who has served Abington School District for 12 years, will succeed Dr. Amy F. Sichel, who announced her retirement in early July following a 42-year career in the District, 18 of which she served as Superintendent of Schools. Dr. Sichel’s retirement will be effective as of Friday, Nov. 9, 2018, at which point Dr. Fecher will begin his commission.

Previously, Dr. Fecher was principal of Abington Senior High School and principal-elect of Willow Hill Elementary School. Before joining Abington School District, he was a middle school assistant principal in Flemington-Raritan School District and an English teacher at Bordentown Regional High School – both in New Jersey. He received a Doctorate of Education in educational and organizational leadership from the University of Pennsylvania, a Master of Arts degree in educational administration from Rider University, and a Bachelor of Arts from La Salle University.

Prior to voting on Tuesday, the Board of School Directors also reviewed Dr. Fecher’s contract, highlights of which are as follows:

• Appointed for a five-year term, effective Nov. 10, 2018, through June 30, 2023.
• Salary effective Nov. 10, 2018, will be $195,000, with annual raises of no less than two percent, contingent upon satisfactory performance.
• District will make an annual contribution of $7,000 to a tax-sheltered annuity, designated by Dr. Fecher.
• Fecher required to achieve objective performance standards to be published on District website.
• Annual bonus of no less than $2,500, contingent upon meeting objective performance standards.
• Fringe benefits to be the same as other administrative staff.
• Fecher agrees not to request a sabbatical leave except for restoration of health purposes.

“Tonight is a special night for me,” said Dr. Fecher following the Board’s decision. “I entered into the field of education because I wanted to influence the lives of young people, and what better way to make an impact than to lead one of the best school districts? I have been working toward the goal of becoming a superintendent, and to be appointed as the superintendent of a district that I know and love is humbling.

“I look forward to continuing to serve the communities of Abington and Rockledge alongside the 1,000-plus ASD staff members who make our District great, and advancing Abington’s legacy of excellence and achievement as we make a difference in the lives of our more than 8,300 students and their families. I am excited to have an impact on the future of public education and the opportunities for our students.”

Established in 1888, Abington School District is a public school system located outside of Philadelphia in the suburbs of Montgomery County, Pa. The District has seven elementary schools, one junior high school and one senior high school, which has been recognized six times as a “Best High School” by U.S. News & World Report. Abington School District has also been named a “District of Distinction” by the District Administration journal and an 11-time honoree of The NAMM Foundation’s “Best Communities for Music Education” program. For more information, visit www.Abington.k12.pa.us.