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Since our founding in 1909, Milton Hershey School has helped children break the cycle of poverty. We are a place where students can be their greatest selves, meeting their potential with life-changing opportunity.

MHS thrives as a cost-free, private, coeducational home and school for more than 2,100 boys and girls from families of lower income across the U.S. Students receive an excellent education, nurturing home life, college and career readiness support, and comprehensive health and wellness care, including medical and dental services, food, and clothing.

As you know, valuing ALL of your students’ cultures helps kids and teens connect to their classrooms and school. Celebrations are a big deal in our social-emotional lives!

Here are five holidays celebrated by many U.S. families that fall in or around winter break (information from Wikipedia):

Diwali: Autumn; in 2021, November 2-6

• A five-day festival of lights celebrated by Hindus, Jains, Sikhs, and some Buddhists that symbolizes the victories of light over darkness and knowledge over ignorance.
• Highlights include food, gifts, sweets, flowers, and candles/sparklers.

Hanukkah: Winter; in 2021, November 28-December 6

• An eight-day festival of lights celebrated by Jewish families that commemorates the recovery of Jerusalem and the miracle of one night’s wick burning for eight nights.
• Highlights include food, songs, lighting the menorah, games, and gifts.

Winter Solstice (example: Shaloko ceremony of the Zuni): December 21 or 22

• Religious ceremonies or community celebrations marking the shortest day of the year are practiced by many indigenous tribes to celebrate deities, honor good fortune, and share stories.
• Highlights include dances, storytelling, and sharing traditions with young people.

Christmas: December 25

• A religious celebration of the birth of Jesus for Christian families, and a secular celebration of Santa Claus and gifting for billions of people around the world.
• Highlights include food, songs, masses, Christmas trees, and gifts.

Kwanzaa: December 26-January 1

• A celebration of African-American culture echoing African harvest traditions and celebrating the seven principles of Kwanzaa.
• Highlights include decorations of art, fabric and fruits; celebrations and symbols; readings; candle lightings, and a feast of faith.

Which holidays do your students celebrate? Let us know on Twitter (follow us and tag @MGForumSTW in your tweet!).

American College of Education is giving away ten Amazon gift cards worth $100 each! *Plus, each organization with one or more participants will be entered into a drawing for a $500 DonorsChoose gift card.*

Enter to win from December 1 to December 10. We will notify the winners on December 15th. Find the full raffle rules here.

Please share this along to staff so they can enter the contest as well. As always, thank you for supporting ACE!

Our PAMLE Webinar Series continued on November 10 with a session entitled, "Supporting Student Goals in the Midst of the SEL Debt Crisis" You may view a recording of the webinar on our PAMLE YouTube Channel.

Act now to take advantage of the recent changes to Public Service Loan Forgiveness. Long-time PAMLE corporate supporter and sponsor of the PA Schools to Watch program,  Horace Mann, wants to help ensure you’re aware of the recent changes to Public Service Loan Forgiveness. On Oct. 6, 2021, the U.S. Department of Education announced a change to PSLF program rules for a limited time due to the COVID-19 national emergency. From now until Oct. 31, 2022, you may receive credit for past payments made on loans that would otherwise not qualify for PSLF. What this means: Any prior loan payments made while working full time for a qualifying employer (such as a public school) will count as a qualifying PSLF payment, regardless of loan type, repayment plan, or whether the payment was made in full or on time. Private loans and Parent PLUS loans do not qualify. What next: This opportunity is only available until Oct. 31, 2022 so act now to take advantage. Not sure where to start? Horace Mann’s Student Loan Solutions program can give you the resources, tools and guidance to help you navigate these changes all in one place. Learn more or sign up for your complimentary account today! Source: https://studentaid.gov/announcements-events/pslf-limited-waiver

 

The information provided here is for general informational purposes only and should not be considered a recommendation. Horace Mann’s Student Loan Solutions program includes services provided by an independent third party, Tuition.io. Horace Mann is an independent company not affiliated with the Department of Education or the federal government. Horace Mann does not negotiate, adjust or settle debts. No assistance provided by Horace Mann constitutes official action for purposes of student loan forgiveness programs or guaranteed results. Horace Mann’s Student Loan Solutions program terms are subject to change. Horace Mann Service Corporation and certain of its affiliates (Horace Mann) enter into agreements with educational associations where Horace Mann pays the association to provide services aimed at familiarizing association members with the Horace Mann brand, products or services. For more information, email your inquiry to association.relations@horacemann.com. EMX-00097 (Oct. 21)

Call for Presenters: Highland Middle School will be hosting the 2022 VIRTUAL Western Region PAMLE Professional Development Institute on Monday, January 17, 2022. We are excited to host the conference virtually with the theme of “Resiliency, Relationships, and Remaking Learning.” We hope to provide all attendees with many opportunities to make connections with other middle level educators, as well as gain a collection of best practices for educating middle level learners.

Currently, we are seeking educators and administrators that will present a 30 minute virtual session geared towards middle level learners. Presenters can lead up to three sessions and will host their virtual session via Zoom. Presenter applications will be completed electronically via the below link. The deadline to submit presentation applications is November 5, 2021.

Application Link: https://forms.gle/wU6aGve2LmvhqweE7

Please contact Amy Anderson at andersona@bsd.k12.pa.us or Bryce Egger at eggerb@bsd.k12.pa.us with any questions.

We know this year continues to look a little bit different and we hope this message will spread joy to our educators and partner districts. Would it be possible to pass the below information along to staff? We would love to have PAMLE members included.

American College of Education is celebrating back-to-school season by giving away ten $100 Amazon gift cards to individuals at our many valued partner and affiliate organizations!

Enter to win from September 20 to October 1. We will notify the winners on October 6. Find the full raffle rules here.

Please share this along to your faculty, staff or members so they can enter the raffle as well. As always, thank you for supporting ACE and for all you do every day!

Dear Pennsylvania Educators,

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is excited to announce the 2022 Radon Poster Contest for students. Students ages 9-14 years old as of November 30 are encouraged to combine science and art by creating an educational poster that shows the physical aspects of radon, the harmful effects of indoor radon gas, or the importance of testing for radon in the home.

The U.S. Surgeon General lists radon exposure as the second leading cause of lung cancer. Radon is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas that enters homes through cracks in the foundation, becoming part of the air indoors. It’s estimated that 40 percent of homes in Pennsylvania have elevated levels of radon, and conducting a simple radon test is the only way to detect the amount of radon present.

Please submit only the top three radon posters from your school by November 1st. Mail the posters to DEP at the address provided in the attached flyer. A panel of DEP staff will select the top three posters across the state and notify the teachers of the winners by email by November 19th. The First Place Winner will be entered into the 2022 National Radon Poster Contest, sponsored by the Conference of Radiation Control Program Directors (CRCPD). The top three posters will be used throughout the year for educational outreach. See the attached form for details and submission instructions.

Please help us spread awareness by educating the children in your care this year! If you need a limited amount of literature, or educational tools, or have any questions, please contact me.

Sincerely,

Jamie Ruminski | Radiation Health Physicist
Department of Environmental Protection
Bureau of Radiation Protection | Radon Division
P.O. Box 8469
Harrisburg, PA 17105-8469
Email: jruminski@pa.gov
Phone: 717.787.4936 l Fax: 717.783.8965