Diwali
10/20/2025 8:30 am
Happy Diwali
Monday, October 20
We are excited to celebrate and honor Diwali at PAS. Often called the Festival of Lights, Diwali will be celebrated by Hindus across the country with joy and enthusiasm.
If you or someone you know would like to share your Diwali tradition with our community, we are grateful for the experience to learn with you. If interested, please fill out the form and PAS will reach out to coordinate.
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Fall Festival Help Needed
10/16/2025 4:00 pm
Sign up for a Fall Festival Volunteer Shift
Our Most Fun Carnival Event of the Year!
Time Commitment: shifts range from 1-3 hours
We are currently calling volunteers to help at the Fall Festival. Opportunities include:
- Help bake and frost 500 cupcakes in the PAS kitchen on October 14 and/or October 15 (we especially need more frosters on 10/15!)
- Bake a batch of nut-free treats and drop off on October 15 or 16.
- Set up games, activities, crafts, and stations throughout the entire school on October 16.
- Donate needed supplies (sign up HERE).
- BIGGEST NEED: Please sign up for a shift during the event, October 16 from 4:00-5:00 PM or 5:00-6:00 PM. Pair up with some parent friends to tag-team childcare duty with taking a volunteer shift; or volunteer together. Volunteers who take a shift on the day of the festival will get 10 FREE tickets!
Annual Family Giving
10/1/2025 7:30 am
Please Give Today!
The HSA's mission is to help maintain, empower, and further enhance Penn Alexander School in order to provide the best possible learning environment for our children. One of the ways we do that is by raising money to help fill in the gaps, and we ask for donations several times a year.
We are launching our 2025-26 fundraising with a goal of $75,000 for the general fund.
Penn Employees: please donate through Penn's Way, and Penn will match your donation! See the Penn's Way page for more details.
If you donate through Penn's Way, a Donor Advised Fund, a Family Foundation, or other corporation match program, please use THIS FORM to let the HSA know and have your donation get counted towards our goal.
We strive for 100% family participation, with gifts in the past ranging from $1 to $1,000+. We know that not everyone can afford to give much, but every single dollar helps and is appreciated! Thank you so much!
Read MoreClearances
9/24/2025 8:30 am
Get Your Clearances
Necessary for Chaperoning Field Trips and Helping in School
Time Commitment: approx. 1 - 2 hours; lasts for 5 years!
You may have noticed field trip permission slips have started coming home with your child(ren)! Field trip details and payment links can be found HERE. The School District of Philadelphia still requires parents to sign a paper permission slip.
Most volunteer positions, including chaperoning field trips, require that individuals complete this School District of Philadelphia Volunteer Checklist before helping at school.
This process can take time, particularly if you have not lived in Pennsylvania for 10 years, so please act now!
Once all paperwork is completed, submit this form:
Read MoreStaff Breakfasts
9/22/2025 7:30 am
Monthly Teacher & Staff Appreciation Breakfasts
Bring in or Bake Something Special!
Each Grade Hosts One Breakfast
We are excited to formally introduce our family-led Teacher & Staff Appreciation Breakfast Program! As part of this program, we will ask each grade at PAS to host ONE breakfast during the school year. On a designated date, families from the grade will be asked to bring home-baked sweet and savory goods, juice, and other contributions to provide a special breakfast for all our teachers and staff.
Click More for dates and grade assignments. The next one will be on Friday, October 24, hosted by 7th Grade Families. Form only visible to 7th grade families.
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Hispanic Heritage Month
9/15/2025 8:30 am
Hispanic Heritage Month
September 15-October 15
Share your Story!
We are excited to celebrate and honor the history, culture, and influence of current and past generations from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. If you or someone you know would like to share your culture with our community, we are grateful for the experience to learn with you. If interested, please fill out the form HERE, and PAS will reach out to coordinate.
Click More for additional resources for parents and caregivers.
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Auditors Needed
8/28/2025 3:30 pm
Help Audit the HSA Books
Important Yearly Task
Time Commitment: approx. 10 hours
Are you good with numbers and spreadsheets? Or are you (or do you know) a CPA? Per the HSA Bylaws section 20.1, the HSA must be audited once a year by a CPA (which can be very expensive) or an auditing committee of 3 or more non-board members.
If you are interested in helping, please log in and contact HSA Treasurer Cory Walker or fill out the Volunteer Interest Form.
Read MoreAttendance Form
8/25/2025 8:30 am
NEW: How to Report an Absence
New Guidelines!
Fill out a Google Form for ALL Absences
In an effort to increase efficiency for the staff and to ease and improve communication between teachers, staff, and families, a new Google form has been created for parents to use for all absences. Please use this electronic form to submit an excuse for your child's absence from school within three days of the absence. A doctor's note must be provided for three consecutive days of absence. After 10 parent excuses, a doctor's note will be required.
See the Family Handbook HERE for more details about the attendance policy (page 8) and the school district policy HERE.
Read MoreSocial Media Moderator
8/23/2025 8:00 am
Help with Social Media
Medium-level Commitment, Big Audience!
Time Commitment: 1-2 hours per week
Did you know the HSA has a private, parents and guardians-only PAS Facebook group where we can all post and share resources? The HSA could use some help managing the group and posting content. Information from the e-Pony can be used as a guideline, and related posts can be scheduled to pop up throughout the week--an easy, weekly task.
Read MoreSchool Gear
4/1/2025 2:00 pm
School Gear for Sale!
Need a Few More Shirts or Pants?
Prices Range from $20-$40
The HSA is currently selling PAS-branded (and uniform compliant) sweatpants, short sleeve T-shirts, long sleeve shirts, hoodie sweatshirts, and hats. All proceeds support the HSA.
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