Helpful Hints for a Fantastic Start to the 2025-2026 School Year!
Hello, Palisades Families!
We hope you had a wonderful summer. We’re looking forward to seeing all of the students’ smiling faces back in our school buildings. The first day of school is Monday, August 25th.
Please note that kindergarten students will have a “staggered start” for the first week in order to get them acclimated to school: half of the kindergarten class will attend school on Monday, August 25th while the other half will attend school on Tuesday, August 26th. Full kindergarten classes will attend together beginning on Wednesday, August 27th. Building principals will be communicating with parents about these start dates.
This year’s theme is “Learning Happens When We Are Connected!” Learning is enhanced and deepened when individuals are connected to others, their interests, and the world around them. This connection fosters a sense of belonging, motivation, and engagement, leading to more effective and meaningful learning experiences. We are excited to celebrate another school year with our wonderful Palisades community!
We hope that you will find the following information useful in the coming weeks as we head into the 2025-2026 school year. You can also download this information in PDF format here.
- PowerSchool Student Information System
ALL of our families must review and update the information every year for their child(ren) in our PowerSchool Student Information System. It is especially important to update your child's emergency contact and medical information, as soon as possible, so that we have the most current information on file in the event that you need to be reached in an emergency.
You can update these forms by following the steps below. Video instructions on how to access and complete these forms are also available here.
1) Log into your PowerSchool Parent Portal account, select your student, and click on the FORMS link on the left hand side.
2) In the right panel, click on the links for each of the three on the General Forms tab for your student(s). If you have completed these forms in the past much of the information will be pre-filled, so they can be edited only where changes are required. See the screenshot below.
3) After confirming/updating the information, each of the three forms MUST BE SUBMITTED using the SUBMIT button at the bottom of each form. The Permissions/Agreements/Questions form asks for an updated date of submission, so please be certain to update that as well before hitting SUBMIT.
If you do not have a PowerSchool Account, please see the directions linked here and contact the school’s main office for your child(ren)’s Access ID(s) and Access Password(s). Once it is created, you will be able to access other important information (like bus info and grades at the secondary level) on PowerSchool for your student(s).
- Transportation
Bus schedules will be sent out to all families via email in early August. A Bus Stop Exception Form can be filled out for transportation exceptions for daycare or custodial arrangements. Otherwise, a one-day-only pass can be approved by the building principal or Transportation Director in the event of an emergency or medical need. Please review the letter and helpful hints document that was emailed to all families on August 4, 2025 from the Transportation Department. If there are any errors or issues with your child’s bus schedule, please call 484-812-0150 or email [email protected].
- LightSpeed Systems (Was GoGuardian)
This summer we will be transitioning from GoGuardian, our current filtering and classroom management solution, to Lightspeed Systems. Lightspeed Systems offers several products designed to enhance student safety, manage classroom environments, and filter online content, all while prioritizing student data privacy. Click on this document for more information: Lightspeed Systems.pdf
- Summer Reading Reminder
Please make sure your children have finished their Summer Reading Requirements before the first day of school. All students, entering grades 6-12, are required to complete summer reading assignments. Research has shown students’ reading abilities will decrease with extended time away from reading. This program has helped maintain and increase students’ literacy skills while providing for classroom discussion around the content of the texts.
PALMS Summer 2025 book lists can be found here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1DtJjap5sMgA2_p-g9KA9mcuwSJcxyA0HSe6BdJfALng/edit?tab=t.0
PHS Summer 2025 book lists can be found here: https://sites.google.com/palisadessd.org/palisadeshssummerreading/home
- Open Houses and Back-to-School Nights
Mark your calendars for the following Open Houses and Back to School Nights! Each building will send out information to parents that is specific to the school’s schedule, so please check your email for updates.
Durham Nockamixon:
Back-to-School Night: 9/11/25, Time: 5:30-7:00pm
Springfield:
Back-to-School Night: 9/11/25, Time: 5:30-7:00pm
Tinicum:
Back-to-School Night: 9/11/25, Time: 5:30-7:00pm
Palisades Middle School:
New Student Open House & Tours: 8/13/25 @ 1:00-3:00pm; 8/22/25 @ 12:00-2:00pm
Back-to-School Night: 9/4/25 @ 5:30-7:00pm
Palisades High School:
Class of 2029 Orientation: 8/22/25 @ 8:00-11:00am (Purple Gym)
Back-to-School Night: 9/2/25, Time: TBD
- School Supplies and Backpacks
With the start of the new school year approaching quickly, it's time to start thinking about school supplies! To ensure your child is prepared for a successful learning experience from day one, please take some time in the coming weeks to review the supply list for their grade level, which is available on each of the school websites.
The Palisades Community Foundation is generously donating backpacks again this year to any student who is in need of one. Backpacks will be distributed in the Gold Gym at the high school on Saturday, August 23rd from 9am-Noon, along with gently used clothing which will be available. Thank you, PCF, for your ongoing support of our students and community!
Anyone wishing to donate school supplies or gift cards, please bring them to the front office at the high school before August 23. Thank you for your support and generosity!
- After School Late Bus (Now 3 days!)
We are delighted to share that late buses will now be available three days a week after school on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays at PALMS (4:45pm) and PHS (5:00pm). We hope this new service will help our families!
- Attendance Policy
As we kick off the new academic year, we want to thank you in advance for all your support in making attendance a priority. Absenteeism, especially chronic absenteeism (missing 10% or more of school days), has significant negative effects on students, including lower academic achievement, social isolation, and increased risk of dropping out. These effects can extend beyond academics, impacting mental health and future opportunities.
When your child is absent for illness or other reasons, a signed excuse must be returned to school within three days of the absence, or it will automatically be classified as an unexcused absence. You must call the absence line at your child’s school the morning of the absence before school starts. Excuse notes may be emailed to the building secretary. Legitimate reasons for a student’s absence include: illness, quarantine, recovery from an accident, required court attendance, death in the family, observance of a religious holiday, and family educational trips with prior approval of the principal. All other reasons for absence are considered unexcused. For additional information about our attendance policy, please see Policy 204 in BoardDocs on our website.
- Food Service
The Palisades School District will continue to provide a free breakfast for all students this school year! The PSD offers many great choices for lunch. A complete lunch can include: fruit, vegetables, meat or meat alternative, bread, roll or crackers, and/or a milk. To be considered as a meal, all lunches must include fruit or vegetables. All lunch menus are posted online. Please review the cafeteria menu with your child to help them plan for a balanced meal. If you have questions about something being served, you may contact your school nurse, or the Food Services Director, for more nutritional detail.
The cashless POS system speeds up the service lines by providing a debit account for student purchases, eliminating the need for students to handle cash during meal service times. You may pay by a check payable to Palisades Food Services, 20 School Drive, Kintnersville, PA 18930 or manage the account funding via the SchoolCafe app or online at www.schoolcafe.com.
- Free/Reduced Lunch Applications
Students who previously qualified under the National School Lunch Program Free and Reduced Meal Benefit at the end of the 24-25 School year will continue to receive the same benefits for the first 30 school days in session of the 25-26 School Year only. If you have not been approved through the application process for the 25-26 school year, or via the Direct Certification notification, your child will be charged a full meal price for their purchase until a new application approval is attained. You must reapply every school year for each child.
If you believe that your family may qualify, we urge you to apply for benefits. Students are protected from overt identification by staff and by a computerized point-of-sale system. Every student automatically has an account and everyone makes purchases in the same manner. Complete a Free & Reduced application at the beginning of the 25-26 school year using Compass (an online tool for Pennsylvanians to apply for many health and human service programs and manage benefit information), or by using the SchoolCafe app, or on the PSD website at: https://www.palisd.org/departments/food_services/free_or_reduced_price_lunch_information.
Follow the directions carefully to ensure receipt of the correct benefits for your family. You will receive an application response notification via email. Please review the letter, application and helpful hints documents that were emailed to all families on 8/5/25 for additional information.
- 2025-2026 District Calendar
The annual printed PSD district calendar will be available to distribute to families during the first week of school. This year’s theme is “Learning Happens When We Are Connected!” Be sure to get your copy from your child’s school office.
- Chromebooks
Our goal is for every student in grades K-12 to have access to a computer to use for doing school work. This initiative is known as a 1:1 program – one device for every student. More information about this program can be found by visiting: https://121.palisd.org.
An optional $30 annual fee will be available to middle school and high school students to cover accidental damage, theft and vandalism. The Chromebook Accidental Damage Protection Plan Request Form for 25-26 can be found at the following link: https://capp.palisd.org
Upon the completion of the form (one form per child), an invoice will be sent to you. Once the invoice is paid, your child's Chromebook will be covered for the duration of the current school year.
** Please make sure that students have their Chromebooks fully charged and ready to go on the first day of school! **
- Cell Phone Use
After much discussion at public Policy Committee Meetings, our school board approved a new cell phone policy (#237 - Personal Devices on BoardDocs). Dr. O’Connell will be sending a letter to all families which highlights the policy changes that will be implemented at the beginning of the 2025-2026 school year. Building principals will also send more information regarding the procedures that will be used to manage student cell phone use in school.
- Volunteer Clearances
Anyone considering volunteering in a classroom this year or participating on a field trip must have current clearances on file with the District. If new clearances are required, please do so before October 15th. New clearances are required to be updated every 5 years. Here is a link to the necessary information.
- Employment Opportunities
The Palisades School District is hiring! Please check out current openings on our website at https://www.palisd.org/our_district/employment_opportunities
In addition, Palisades subcontracts with ESS for substitute services. If you are interested in a substitute position within the Palisades School District please visit the ESS website or call ESS at 1-856-482-0300.