PASD is excited to share a full schedule of activities in celebration of Black History Month. Students at all grade levels will engage in a rich slate of experiences both in and out of the classroom. Look to our social media throughout the month to see photos and stories from our buildings!
Barkley
· Barkley teachers spent time doing various activities where students learned about Martin Luther King Jr. (videos, stories). This focused on his advocacy, kindness, and service work. These include:
o Kindness Week - (Jan. 21-Jan.24) Students celebrated with kind acts to themselves, to each other and toward our school. (Kindness)
o Food Drive - (Jan. 29 - Feb. 7) All food is donated to PACS to provide for our community. (Service)
o Black History Month Celebration (Feb. 1 - Feb. 28) Each day Barkley showcases people, books, and music. Our students will be featured on the announcements to talk about their culture and customs. (Advocacy)
· 4th Grade students will put on their Black History Month Wax Museum (Feb 12).
· Living Museum visits: Students will visit the Living History Museum at the high school, and our daily announcements will spotlight notable Black figures.
Manavon/PAELC
· Author Quartez Harris visited PAELC to share his new book, Go Tell It, which explores how James Baldwin became a writer. During his visit, he spoke with kindergarten and first-grade students about the importance of reading and writing, inspiring them to embrace storytelling and literacy.
· Living Museum visits: Students will visit the Living History Museum at the high school, and our daily announcements will spotlight notable Black figures.
· Ursinus College Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority will read books about Black history to our students.
· Additionally, all of our classes will incorporate lessons on the contributions of influential Black Americans.
Schuylkill Elementary
· Black History Month Virtual Library (Month of February) was created for students to access online materials about Black history.
· Math classes will learn about John Urschel to connect football, math, and Black History. They will also read about Alma Thomas and complete projects in which students mimic her artistic style of using shapes and patterns to create art to explore the connection between math and art.
PAMS
· Africans and Labor: With the work of our Equity Team, a list of labor-oriented words and black leaders who exhibit those attributes was compiled. Those segments are running on PAMS TVs throughout the month.
PAHS
· Black History Month Assembly: Tuesday, February 4th Under the direction of Ms. Anita Lewis and Mrs. Alexis Son, PAHS students presented Rise: A Presentation of African Americans from their roots through today. The assembly was presented to students in grades 6-12 as well as live streamed on Phantom TV. The broadcast will re-air throughout the month. The assembly featured stories of resilience and preservation and included a combination of spoken word, song, and dance, as well as a fashion show, and spiritual music under the direction of Ms. Natalie James.
· Celebration of Black Music and Food: Week of February 10th: Music will be played in the cafeteria during the lunches via a playlist created Mr. Jaycox. There will also be a Soul Food Sampling after school in the cafeteria on Wednesday, February 12.
· Living Museum: Tuesday, February 18- PAHS students will present their annual Living Museum to elementary students on Tuesday in the auditorium. Students research and learn the history of important Black Americans and bring them to life as a living wax museum.
· Human Library: DATES TBD The HOPE Club will host a human library in which participants can “check out” a human to engage in conversation and discussion about their lives. This is part of an international movement designed to engage in listening to understand and learn.
· Morning announcements: Throughout February, morning announcements will feature information on Black history.