As part of its COVID-19 mitigation efforts, Derry Township School District is currently utilizing a fully online instructional model. With the well-being of students and staff at the forefront and taking into consideration PA Departments of Education and Health guidelines, the district is also planning for multiple contingencies that will allow it to continue with a robust educational experience. Click the headline for access to data, documents, updates and resources related to COVID-19 and DTSD operations.
Derry Township School District will host an online information meeting February 3 at 6 p.m. for parents/guardians of children who will be 5 years of age before September 1, 2021 and plan to attend kindergarten in DTSD this coming fall. Pre-registration for the meeting is required; click the headline for details.
With the COVID-19 pandemic forcing new approaches to education, weโre more reliant on technology tools as part of instruction than ever. The DTSD Technology Department is here to provide support. Click the headline for helpful tips, FAQs, and directions on how to create an IT Ticket to get help from District Technology staff
In order for students to be successful as global citizens in the 21st Century, it is imperative that barriers to student learning be addressed. The Derry Township School District Student Services Department is comprised of professionals whose expertise lies in removing barriers to mental and physical well-being and academic success. To assist the families we serve, the Student Services team has put together materials which may help address some behavioral challenges exacerbated by the ongoing pandemic.
As leaders tasked with the obligation of protecting the safety of our communityโs youth and afforded the privilege of educating them, we are deeply saddened and disheartened by the violence that played out yesterday in our nationโs capital. Children look to the adults in their lives at moments such as this for guidance and direction. Our role as a public school district is to ensure those in our charge embrace the norms of a democratic society and are equipped with the tools necessary for respectful discourse and problem solving. We believe free and peaceful expression is an unequivocal bedrock principle of democracy. We condemn all acts of violence and hate.
The COCOA Principles embody a district-wide culture where students and staff demonstrate DTSD's core beliefs ofACADEMICS: Second Marking Period Honor Rolls
Second Marking Period Honor Rolls for the 2019-2020 school year have been released for Hershey Middle School and Hershey High School.
ACADEMICS: HMS Student Wins Geography Bee
Congratulations to Ben Fredrickson; the 7th Grader bested fellow competitors Rian Kelly (8th Grade, 2nd place), Brady Keller (7th Grade, 3rd place) and 30 other contestants to win the Hershey Middle School Geography Bee. The contest featured all manner of questions related to the study of the physical features of the earth.
CITIZENSHIP: School Bus Driver Recognized
At the February 10 school board business meeting, Superintendent Joe McFarland and the DTSD Board of School Directors recognized school bus driver Joe Godino. While transporting students home earlier this winter, Godino encountered a vehicle which had left the roadway, flipping on an embankment with its motor running and wheels spinning. He took immediate action to ensure the safety of the students on his bus while also notifying emergency responders and helping the driver and two passengers escape their overturned vehicle.
All schools in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, including Derry Township School District, have adopted use of the “Safe2Say Something” anonymous tip line as a means of improving campus safety and improving school climate. The tip line is operated and monitored 24/7 by the Office of the Attorney General where tips are reviewed, classified, and forwarded to the appropriate school district. Tips that are found to contain information that may indicate a "life safety" issue are prioritized and immediately forwarded to the appropriate county emergency dispatch center.
Students, parents, and community members can submit tips via three methods:
