STATE

Safe2Say introduced to students

Pennsylvania recently implemented a statewide, 24/7, tip line for reporting school-related threats. This new tip line is called Safe2Say Something and is focused on providing middle school and high school students across our state a tool for anonymously reporting threats. Any tips reported to Safe2Say Something involving our district will be shared with our school safety team and local law enforcement for immediate action. Over the next week, all middle school and high school students will receive information at school about the Safe2Say Something program including information on how to text, call or email to report a concern. Details regarding Safe2Say Something are posted on the district’s website as parents and community members statewide can also download the app and report threats. Please review the website at www.safe2saypa.org/ for these details.

BASD

The Foundation news

The Foundation for the Bethlehem Area School District will hold a 20th anniversary dinner, sponsored by St. Luke’s University Health Network, at 5:30 p.m. on March 19 at the Sands Event Center.

The proceeds will support the district’s 13,500 students through teacher innovation, service-learning and leaders of tomorrow grants, project “Lead the Way” engineering and biomedical science programs, curriculum-based field trips and the Farm to School program at Broughal Middle School.

The foundation provides opportunities for all students of the Bethlehem Area School District.

For more information and other news, visit https://basdwpweb.beth.k12.pa.us/thefoundation/.

MATHCOUNTS set for Feb. 9

About 265 students from 25 middle, intermediate, elementary and junior high schools in three counties are registered to compete in the 35th annual Lehigh Valley MATHCOUNTS at 9:15 a.m. Feb. 9, (snow date: Feb. 10) at Lower Macungie Middle School, 6299 Lower Macungie Road, Macungie, 18062. The event is organized by the Lehigh Valley Chapter of the PA Society of Professional Engineers for students in Lehigh, Northampton, Carbon and Monroe Counties.

Written testing will be held from 9:15 to 11:45 a.m. in the gymnasium. The top ten scoring students will face off in the Countdown Round, a “Jeopardy” style oral competition, at 1 p.m. in the auditorium. Regional winners advance to the state competition on March 15 and 16 in Harrisburg.

Lehigh County Participating schools are, from Lehigh County: Eyer; Harrison Morton; Lower Macungie, Orefield, Southern Lehigh, Springhouse and Trexler Middle Schools; Saint Ann, Emmaus; Saint Joseph the Worker, Saint Theresa, Saint Thomas More and Swain Schools; and from Northampton County: East Hills, Easton Area, Nitschmann and Saucon Valley Middle Schools; St. Ann School, Bethlehem; St. Jane Frances de Chantal School; and Moravian Academy.

Free student financial literacy classes

Unity Bank is holding free financial literacy programs for schools and community organizations throughout Lehigh and Northampton counties for the eighth year. The bank’s Start Smart Financial Education Program is a comprehensive financial literacy program designed for grades Pre-K through 12 by up to 10 certified Unity Bank Start Smart Financial Education Instructors who are Unity employees, including branch and administrative staff.

The lesson plans have been written to meet the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics standards. Each lesson is supported with an activity that is age appropriate for grades Pre-K through 12. Classroom instruction varies depending on age group and includes, for Pre-K through four: activities focus on teaching children the basic principles of money and saving; grades five through eight: activities teach children about banking, finances, money and understanding checking and ATM transactions; and grades nine through12: activities focus on preparing students for their financial future, including basic banking practices, credit, personal finances, budgeting and understanding checking and ATM transactions.

Call the bank at 908 - 713-4310 for more information on Unity Bank’s Start Smart Financial Education Program or to request the program be offered through your school or community organization.

BATVS

Souper Bowl champions

Twenty teams competed at the 10th annual Souper Bowl culinary contest on Jan. 26 in the Musikfest Cafe at ArtsQuest.

The culinary arts students from Bethlehem Area Vocational-Technical School, with an entry of pumpkin bisque with smoked gouda, were the 2019 Souper Bowl Champions.

The competition raised $19,000 for the Arts Education Fund for ArtsQuest, the nonprofit that presents Musikfest, Christkindlmarkt Bethlehem and programs at the Banana Factory arts center and SteelStacks.

To get your news item in SCHOOL NOTES, send the information to George Taylor at gtaylor@tnonline.com or mail the information to SCHOOL NOTES, Bethlehem Press, 1633 N. 26th St., Allentown, PA 18104.