Welcome to the 2023-2024 school year. We are excited to begin this year with all of you. 

I look forward to a fantastic beginning of the school year and our journey together as we develop our Learning CommUnity!

Sincerely, 

Randal A. Lutz, Ed.D.

Superintendent of Schools

Orientation Program Schedule

Welcome to BHS!

2023-2024 Course Catalog

Welcome 6th Grade Students! 

Welcome to BMS! (7th & 8th Grade Students)

A Note from Your Principal

Greetings from the Great Outdoors!

Greetings from Your Principals! 

Registration for the BWSD Cyber Academy is closed for currently enrolled BWSD students.

Additional Information

The first day of school is Monday, August 28th, 2023.

We are proud to continue to offer a staggered start to the school year for our Kindergarten students.  This is a way for our youngest learners to enter the school for the first time in a smaller group setting to get acclimated to their new environment.  You will receive your student’s staggered start date and their homeroom assignment in the elementary electronic back-to-school mailing on August 18th.  

It is important to review your contact information in your Skyward Family Access account at least once a year. Watch this quick video that demonstrates how to update your contact information.

Skyward Student and Family Access will be available on the following dates:

Elementary: (Grades K-6): August 18, 2023

Secondary (Grades 7-12): August 18, 2023

Baldwin Middle School Supply Lists

J.E. Harrison Education Center Supply Lists

McAnnulty Elementary School Supply Lists

Whitehall Elementary School Supply Lists 

Title I Information for Elementary Schools

Procedures will be established at each school and communicated to parents related to parent pick-up and drop off from each school. 

School Name	School Day	Arrival Window	Dismissal Window
Baldwin High School	7:30 a.m. – 2:15 p.m.	7:10 a.m.-7:25 a.m.	2:20 p.m.-2:40 p.m.
Baldwin Middle School	7:30 a.m. – 2:15 p.m.	7:10 a.m.-7:25 a.m.	2:20 p.m.-2:40 p.m.
J.E. Harrison Education Center	9:15 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.	8:50 a.m.-9:15 a.m.	3:40 p.m.-4:00 p.m.
McAnnulty Elementary School	8:30 a.m. - 3:15 p.m.	8:15 a.m.-8:30 a.m.	3:00 p.m.-3:15 p.m.
Whitehall Elementary School	8:30 a.m. - 3:15 p.m.	8:15 a.m.-8:30 a.m.	3:00 p.m.-3:15 p.m.

2023-2024 Printable School Calendar

Visit your school's homepage from the Our Schools menu on the District's homepage to view your individual school's calendar for open house, orientation and curriculum night dates, as well as other upcoming building and district-wide events.

To view multiple school calendars at once, visit the calendars page on the District's site. Customize your preferences to display any combination of calendars now and any time you visit this page by using the filter.

From any calendar, you can either subscribe to event alerts or use the iCal feed option to sync selected calendars with your own personal calendar. 

Additionally, for our families of students in grades K-5, you can access the Encore rotation calendar for the first semester. 

Skyward Student and Family Access will be available on the following dates:

Elementary: (Grades K-6): August 18, 2023

Secondary (Grades 7-12): August 18, 2023

BWSD Cyber students should look for direct communication from the cyber program regarding accessing the schedule and courses. 

Overview of Food Services for 2023-2024

Menus are posted each month on the Food Services page of the website. Please stay connected with us on Twitter @BWFOODSERVICE for updates to menus. Food Services will provide a variety of meal services to meet the needs of BWSD enrolled students. Expanded vegetarian options will be available at all schools to meet the growing trends of our district students. 

Menu Special Features:
● Vegetarian Meals Available Daily
● Taste It Tuesday Program (BHS/BMS -New recipes, Global recipes, new items coming)
● A la carte options for 6th grade at HEC (Middle School Students a la Carte Selections)
● A la carte program for Elementary Schools starting in October - HEC & November -WES

National School Lunch Program returns for 2023-2024. All student meals will be FULL PRICE unless families qualify for government assistance or apply for benefits.

Elementary Prices	Secondary Prices
Grades K-5 Breakfast: Free	Grades 6-12 Breakfast: Free
Grades K-5 Lunch: $3.30	Grades 6-12 Lunch: $4.00

Families who may qualify for free and reduced meals based on income or other qualifying factors will need to complete the meal benefits application at the SchoolCafe website for the upcoming school year.  Meal applications must be dated on or after July 1, 2023 for the current school year.

If you feel you may qualify for meal benefits, please go to the SchoolCafe site and complete a meal application online.

If the family household receives government assistance and or is eligible for direct certification by the government, then the family does not need to complete a meal application for the current school year. 

Families that are eligible for direct certification will receive a letter from BWSD in August confirming that their child is eligible for free meals in the 2023-2024 school year.  The letter will state that they do not need to apply for meal benefits.  

FAQ Free and Reduced Price School Meals

All meal payments must be made online using e-funds. Use this guide to help use e-funds if you are a new user or if you need a few reminders!

Credit card and check payments are accepted on e-Funds. Please note that e-Funds is a separate company that provides services to the district.  E-Funds will charge a minimal fee per transaction for their service of processing payments. More information is in the e-funds Parent Guide.

Any questions regarding e-Funds should be communicated directly to e-Funds.  Select "contact technical support" and fill out the form.  E-Funds support team will contact you to resolve the issue with their software.  If your student is not "matched" within the e-Fund software, contact the food service secretary at 412.884.63300 x 7443.

Nepali Translation

If your child has a medical condition that requires a special diet to meet their needs, please have your doctor complete the Medical Plan of Care for School Food Service form and return it to your child’s school nurse. The school nurse will forward the form to the school's cafeteria manager.

You can access the Medical Plan of Care for School Food Service form on the Food Services page, or by clicking here.

It is important to review your contact information in your Skyward Family Access account at least once a year. Watch this quick video that demonstrates how to update your contact information.

Skyward Student and Family Access will be available on the following dates:

Elementary: (Grades K-6): August 18, 2023

Secondary (Grades 7-12): August 18, 2023

In the event of a school delay or closing, you will receive an automated notification from the District Skylert messenger system. Messages are sent out as a “general” message within the system. The Skylert system can be customized for the manner in which the message is received (i.e., email, text, and/or phone). Your caller ID will display “Baldwin‐Whitehall School District Superintendent’s Office” along with the District’s main phone number of 412‐884‐6300. Please update your contact information to ensure the notification system meets your family’s individual needs. Additional information regarding the Skylert system can be found on the District website under the “Parents” tab.

While the Skylert system is an excellent way to stay informed of the latest events within the School District, we will also utilize the following information sources for communication of delay or closing information:

• Baldwin‐Whitehall School District website (www.bwschools.net)
• Local Media:
  • KDKA TV and kdka.com
  • WPXI TV and wpxi.com
  • WTAE TV and thepittsburghchannel.com
• Twitter: @BWSDNews
• Facebook: BaldwinWhitehallSD

During the 2020-2021 school year, the District adopted a feature of our Skylert mass communication tool that allows us to send customized documentation to our students in lieu of paper malings. This allows us to share with you the most current information in our systems at the time of the communication distribution. We use this tool to send transportation information for all students who have indicated a need for transportation.

Transportation messages will be emailed to families using this method of distribution.

We also use this tool to email report cards and interims to families. 

Pennsylvania School Law, Section 1402, mandates physical and dental examinations in specific grades. The state encourages parents to have the family physician or dentist complete the examinations since these doctors know the student’s health status and history. Examinations by the family physician or dentist are at the parent’s expense. 

If your child is entering one of the following grades 3, 6, 7, or 11, it is important that you complete the following requirements.

Dental Examination (Grades 3 & 7)

Physical Examination (Grades 6 & 11)

Scoliosis Screening (Grades 6 & 7)

If you prefer, the school district’s physician or dentist will provide the appropriate exams during the school year. There is no charge for the school exam. Please complete this form and return it to your child’s school if you are opting for the school district’s physician and/or dentist to provide the necessary exams.

Health Services Permission Form for District Physician and/or Dentist

If you have any questions, please contact your child’s school nurse or refer to the Health Requirements.

Parents are encouraged when at all possible to dispense medications for their children at home. We realize that some students will need to take medications at school. For the safety of the students, no medications will be administered to students by school personnel unless:

1. Medication is in properly labeled container with student’s name, dosage, and time schedule for administration of medications.
2. Physician’s directions for administering medication are clearly stated if the medicine is prescribed.
3. Directions for administering commercial medication are clearly stated by the parent.
4. Parent’s written permission including a full waiver releasing the school district and school personnel from all liability has been obtained.

Please contact the school nurse if you have any questions about the administration of medications for your children.

Authorization for Administration of Inhaler at School

Authorization for Administration of Over-the-Counter Medication at School

Authorization for Administration of Prescription Medication at School

Pennsylvania's Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP)

K-12 Voluntary Student Accident Insurance

Access the current version of the Health and Safety Plan.

Transportation letters will be emailed for families during the week of August 21, 2023.

The Baldwin-Whitehall School District provides extensive services to many users on a daily basis. 

• All routes have been revised, resulting in buses traveling on a more “main line” system.  While some children may have to walk further to their bus stop, changes were made to improve timing and safety for all students. Home stops will continue to be provided only on routes deemed by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation as Hazardous Routes.  (for more information, please review BWSD Policy #810)
• A GPS tracking program for the buses to allow parents to monitor the time and location of their child’s bus.  

  • Versatrans My Stop FAQ

  • Versatrans My Stop Account Information

• Students are entitled to one bus stop location in the morning as well as the afternoon.  These stops may be different based upon child care needs.
• Students needing two different stops (different days of the week) in either the morning or afternoon must have proper documentation related to custody or licensed/certified day care.  Issues of convenience cannot be honored.
• Bus stop changes related to family emergencies shall only be granted with the approval of the school administration.
• Request for bus stop changes (consistent with BWSD Policy #810) must be made using the change request form found on the BWSD website (www.bwschools.net) under the Transportation tab.  Changes for students with existing bus stops shall be made within 2 weeks.
• Students not having a transportation schedule shall receive priority status and will be handled within 72 hours of submission of request. 

Thank you for your anticipated support as we work to ensure all students are provided safe and efficient transportation services.

Contact Information:

If you believe the transportation information is incorrect or if you have a question, please call the Transportation Hot Line at 412‐885‐7807 and leave a message (24 hours a day).

Transportation letters will be emailed for families during the week of August 21, 2023.

The District uses the Versatrans My Stop app to give all families the ability to know when their child's bus will arrive at the bus stop both in the morning and afternoon.  This information will allow families to better plan their morning and afternoon routines.   

The links below will give you the directions on how to download the app and access your information as well as provide answers to some common questions. 

We hope that you find the app useful and it aides in helping all of us transport children to and from school safely. 

• Versatrans My Stop FAQ
• Versatrans My Stop Account Information

To learn more about our one to one program, please click on the button below.

One to One Program for Students in Grades K-12

 

Chromebook Protection Plan

This year the District is only accepting electronic payments for the protection plan.  This is the same system that is used for meal payments with the food services department. Click here for Directions for new e-funds users. Credit card and check payments are accepted on e-funds.

Click The Payment Button To Make A Protection Plan Payment

Payment

technology accounts at a glance

Do you have questions about Skyward, Canvas, and Google accounts? Check out this document. 

After a successful first year of implementation during the 2017-2018 school year, we expanded our 1:1 program during the 2018-2019 school year to reach every student in grades 6-12 by providing each student with his or her own Chromebook. The events during the spring of 2020, fast tracked our move to 1:1 for all students as starting with the 2020-2021 school year, all students in grades K-12 had a Chromebook.

The devices will be used to help students personalize their learning and gain appropriate media skills. Students will interact with this technology actively in practicing skills, creating content and products, and communicating with teachers and parents using specific apps and not passively using their devices to watch programs. 

Details regarding distribution of devices will be forthcoming from the individual schools. More information about the District's 1:1 program can be found here.

Baldwin-Whitehall School District Chromebook Handbook

During the 2020-2021 school year, the District adopted a feature of our Skylert mass communication tool that allows us to send customized documentation to our students in lieu of paper malings. This allows us to share with you the most current information in our systems at the time of the communication distribution. We use this tool to send transportation information for all students who have indicated a need for transportation.

Transportation messages will be emailed to families during the week of August 21, 2023.

We also use this tool to email report cards and interims to families. 

Skyward Family Access is an online portal will help you both monitor and participate in your child’s education and communicate with teachers. In Family Access, you will view your student’s attendance, grades, upcoming assignments, and other important information. Your children will have their own accounts, where they will check grades, complete online assignments, and more.

To learn more about Family Access, be sure to check out Skyward’s parent toolkit at skyward.com/parents. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the main office at your child's school for K-6 families or the guidance office at Baldwin High School. You can also download the Family Access Mobile App for iOS and Android.

Skyward Family Access

Skyward Student and Family Access will be available on the following dates:

Elementary: (Grades K-6): August 18, 2023

Secondary (Grades 7-12): August 18, 2023

In our ongoing efforts to enhance your children’s safety, we began using the PikMyKid Dismissal Application. Throughout the country, it has been proven to simplify dismissal, reduce traffic congestion, and most importantly, improve overall safety.  

There are so many unique and exciting features of the application that we are eager to use, but with your help, we’d like to get a few of the basic settings for car riders established first. 

We need a few things from you to help us get started.

First, if you have a smartphone, please download the PikMyKid Parent app.

Apple Store

Google Play Store

Each parent or authorized pickup delegate who is actively involved in the dismissal routine will need to download the PikMyKid Parent app from their respective app stores. Once the app has been downloaded, select the "Register a New Account" option to register. Each person will need to register with their own credentials. Please be sure to register using the cell phone number and email addresses that are associated with your Skyward account. The app will only connect you to your child(ren) if the mobile number on school records (Skyward) matches your registered mobile number. 

Once you receive a car tag from your school, please display it in your vehicle’s front passenger window. 

Depending on your school's dismissal sequence you will either announce once you have pulled into the single-car line, or once you've arrived on campus. To announce, simply hit the green Announce Button on your PikMyKid App found in the Pick Up menu (located in the app at the bottom of the page-third icon) .  By announcing, you are notifying us that you are in line to “Pick Up Your Kid”. This will help us sequence the children in the same order as you have entered the lot. 

Answers to frequently asked questions (i.e. how to turn on location services, how to make changes to my child's calendar, how do I see other children delegated to me, etc.)

Guide for Delegates

General Directions for Using PikMyKid for Families

Training Videos