Dr. Bridget O'Connell, Superintendent
Pennsylvania's Superintendent of the Year 2022
Brief Video as SOY 2022 - SOY Video
O'Connell Curriculum Vitae 1/2023.pdf
39 Thomas Free Drive
Kintnersville, PA 18930
610-847-5131, ext. 4024
[email protected]
Dear Palisades Community,
Welcome to the 2022-23 school year at Palisades School District!
Now in my twelfth year as Superintendent of the Palisades School District, I am so proud of our teachers and staff and the work that we do on behalf of our students and our families. Most recently, we have enjoyed these important accomplishments:
1. Tinicum Elementary was awarded a National Blue Ribbon from the US Department of Education
2. Palisades High School received recognition by US News and World Report as a top high school in the nation
3. Our high school’s Girls Varsity Softball team won the District XI Championship
These successes and many more have been enjoyed by our community over the past decade, in part because of the wonderful community partnerships we have developed. Here are just a few examples of our community partnerships at work:
We opened a new science wing in our high school in 2020 to enhance our science curriculum for students. We renovated the classrooms, purchased furniture and created a central area in the wing to provide an area for collaboration among students. And working with the Bridgeton, Tinicum and Nockamixon Groundwater Committee, we installed a weather station for students to study the data captured by the equipment installed, thus enhancing student learning.
Through the work of the Palisades Community Foundation and their donations to the school district, we have a state of the art all-weather track in our Walter T. Rohrer Stadium, new tennis courts, fitness center equipment at our high school and a new sound system in our high school auditorium to support our magnificent student performances.
We continue to monitor and make changes to our safety and security procedures throughout our schools with the help of the emergency management personnel who serve throughout the Palisades community. Our local police (Tinicum and Springfield), the PA State Police and fire department personnel provide advice to us based on local, regional and national trends. They are also invited into our schools to walk through our buildings and make recommendations for any needed improvements.
We have many educational partners who help to bolster our academic programs in each of our career pathway programs at the high school level. We offer pathways for students who may wish to pursue careers in the areas of business, education, engineering and art, global studies, vocational technical education, and medical careers. We are thankful for the support of our partners in these areas to provide a sound foundation for educating our students for success in these areas. Partners like Lehigh Valley Health Network, Coordinated Health and the Upper Bucks County Technical School, with all of their advisory councils, are vital in providing rigorous and relevant educational coursework for students.
Finally, we partner with so many of our district’s residents and invite you to be a part of our programs. We have guest speaker opportunities for community members to visit classrooms to share their knowledge and expertise; we offer Community School Programs for our residents to teach or take classes in the evenings, classes such as exercise or workout classes, pottery and ceramics, languages, music, painting and others. We also are continuing to offer our PEARL Program for senior citizens who wish to volunteer in our classrooms during the school year and receive a property tax discount in return for your service. These and other opportunities exist in our schools for you or your neighbors and friends to participate.
I am proud to say that Palisades schools continue to serve our community’s educational needs. Through our connections and community outreach, our students are stronger and are better equipped to be successful in their endeavors.
Thank you for your continued efforts on behalf of our students and staff. Over the past few years, we met the challenges of the pandemic together and we will continue to meet new challenges collaboratively. The Palisades School District is a very special place for our students, staff and families. I look forward to serving as Superintendent this year and I am excited to see what the future holds.
Best wishes for a successful school year!
Warm regards,
Dr. Bridget O’Connell
Superintendent