RA Emails August-December 2020

December 23, 2020 at 11:23 AM EST - Weekly News

All School Message:

Greetings - I am sending this message out early in the day as I know the anticipation of the impending Winter Break is high in many of our students’ and families’ minds! The past twelve months have been like no other, and the community of RA community has undoubtedly dealt with its share of ups and downs, stressors, and worries, like all members of our families and communities near and far.

As you prepare to head into a (hopefully more) restful period with your families & friends, I hope you can take SOME time to relax. If this past year brought sorrow to your home, I send you wishes of peace and a glimmer of some positivity ahead. As a school community, we strive to support you in many ways and eagerly want for the coming weeks and months to be brighter than those you leave behind.

I am well aware of the struggles, complications, and challenges that the online learning platform has presented. I personally appreciate the effort of our entire school community. All of us have experienced worry, sleepless nights, and nagging wonder about what the coming weeks and months will hold. We have made plans, and we have canceled them. We have given updates and retracted them. I have personally felt the weight of anticipation and concern that so many of you have honestly and unabashedly shared.

In the wake of so much negativity, illness, and community unrest, we must be forceful in reminding ourselves to look for the good. This year, 2020, began like any other…. However, it will end like none we have seen. Despite it all, the Knights got a lot done. This list is NOT exhaustive but will remind you of some of the reasons we have to smile.

Some highlights of this year:

  • Boys’ Varsity Basketball - Awarded League Runner Up for the season.
  • Charter Renewal Authorized for 2020-2025
  • The Graduating Class of 2020 exceeded previous scholarship totals ($17,154,764.00)!
  • The 2020 Holiday Counseling Program supported more families than ever, with donations and gifts from a distance - Reaching over $7,000!
  • RA Families continued to support existing programs, such as our Costa Rica Service trip and Destination Imagination.
  • The Athletic Department Doubled sales of spirit wear from last year due to online shopping!
  • Alumni Knights support our students through tutoring, academic assistance, and involvement in Board Committee Goals involvement.
  • Grades 1st - 8th continue to score above the national norm on assessments (NWEA) despite the transition to fully online learning
  • 70% of Upper School Students (7th-12th grades) recognized Honors and High Honors during the First Trimester of the School Year
  • Over 1300 Emergency Meals have been provided to RA Families since mid-October!
  • RA’s Buildings are now running fundamentally on ‘wind power’ and using almost exclusively LED lights to support a greener world!

Thank you to ALL of our staff, families, students, alumni, volunteers, and community for your ongoing support and cooperation. Have a wonderful holiday season and a safe opening to the New Year!

Be well,  
Dr. Guarino Buli

Re-Opening / COVID Planning:

The information has continued to change and develop over the past several months regarding schools and COVID-19. At times it may seem that it is too much or sometimes not enough information. If you ever wish to check on communication or verify information without digging through emails, ALL COVID-19 School Updates are in date order on our website for your reference. COVID Information & Resources Pages

In Summary:

  • The current plan includes returning to on-site school for K, 1st & 3rd of families who have elected this option.
  • This plan depends on the move out of ‘Substantial’ Transmission for key sending districts.
  • The full return schedule:  Phased Return Schedule

*NOTE: Whenever possible, notice will be provided One Week before a cohort’s return date if that date will NOT be kept.

Version Three of our Health and Safety Plan has been approved, signed, and submitted to PDE: Health and Safety Plan V3.

Attestation Document, required by PDE, regarding compliance with COVID Mitigation efforts. Attestation Ensuring Mitigation Efforts

House Team Broadcast and Updates!

Thank you for all that have submitted challenges for October and November! We have enjoyed seeing them and sharing them on our Knightly News program!

For December, the house challenge has been explained on the Knightly News, but as a refresher, you will need to do the following for the December House Challenge:

  • Take an awkward family photo and submit it with a clever title.
  • Take an older picture and do a recreation of this photo with a clever title.
  • Use this form to submit either picture by January 4th: December House Challenge Form.

You will be scored on creativity, humor, and a clever title. Remember, ALL submissions receive a house point, and winners will receive extra points for making it to 4th, 3rd, 2nd, or 1st place!

Mrs. Lynch and Head of House Members

Visit our RA Knightly News page to enjoy this month’s episode, as well as past broadcasts.

General Dates and Reminders

  • December 23rd - Begin Winter Break - School Closed
  • January 4th - School Re-opens - Remote Instruction
  • January 6th - Notice of re-open plans updated
  • January 7th & 8th - Virtual SLCs
  • January 13th - The anticipated onsite start day for Opt-in K, 1st & 3rd Graders
  • January 18th - School Closed - Dr. Martin Luther King Day Observed
  • January 21st - Board of Trustee Meeting

Repeat Information:

The following items were included in this communication as Repeated Information from previous emails (as a reference):

From December 11th Email (below)

  • Athletic Department - Winter Sports Updates
  • FSO - January 13th Meeting, FSO Facebook, Box Tops for Education

December 18, 2020 at 4:03 PM EST - Weekly News

The Show Must Go On!

To the RA Community - The RA Winter Concert premieres tonight!! This link is being shared so that all in our community are able to view the Winter Concert 2020 Video, created by the Music Department - Jonathan Springer, Eileen Keller, Elizabeth O'Leary, and Stephan Hayes and RA's talented musicians!

Music has the power to connect us and spread joy across our community. We hope you enjoy the show and share in our joy of music making!

The RA Winter Concert link will be available for viewing after 7:00 pm, December 18, 2020.

General Dates and Reminders

  • December 23rd - Begin Winter Break - School Closed
  • January 4th - School Re-opens - Remote Instruction
  • January 7th & 8th - Virtual SLCs

From the School Nurse:

How to “Reach In” to Meaningfully Connect with Loved Ones from Afar

Repeat Information:

The following items were included in this communication as Repeated Information from previous emails (as a reference):

From December 11th Email (below)

  • Athletic Dept - Winter Sports Updates
  • FSO - January 13th Meeting FSO Facebook, Box Tops for Education
  • Senior Project Support - Hope for the Heroes

From October 30th Email (below)

  • From School Nurse - Medication Use at School & COVID-19 Testing Information

December 16, 2020 at 10:02 AM EST - Weather Notice

Good Morning,

Due to the projected forecast for the afternoon today and tomorrow, please note the following:

  • Today, Wednesday, December 16th, RA offices will be closed at approximately 1:00 pm so that our staff can safely travel home. Admin will be onsite for emergencies.
  • Tomorrow, December 17th, in anticipation of the forecast, we will have a SNOW DAY for all teachers, faculty, and staff- no assignments will be due, and no classes will be held.
  • All scheduled board meetings and committee meetings will be held as scheduled on both Wednesday and Thursday. These will be virtual.
  • Friday, December 18th, meal distribution will take place as planned. Today is the last day to sign up for this week’s pick-up, and this will be the LAST pick-up before the new year. Any changes on Friday will be communicated to families who have signed up.

The following video provides some additional information. View Dr. Guarino Buli's Video Message (YouTube)

Thank you, and have a safe day!
Dr. Guarino Buli


December 15, 2020 at 3:39 PM EST - Meal Pick Ups

Dear Parent/Guardian

This a friendly reminder to place your order for this week's Emergency Meal Kits pick-up scheduled for 12/18/2020. This is the last pick up until after winter break.

All children in your family 18 and under are eligible to receive these meals - there are No Selection Criteria. The meal kits are distributed weekly. The kits contain 5 breakfasts, 5 lunches, and 10 pints of milk.

If you reserve meals, please make sure you will be able to pick the meal kits up.

We will distribute meals on Friday, December 18, 2020, from 10:00, am to 1:00 pm. Contactless pick up will take place in the car loop between the Upper and Lower schools. Enter the car line from Grant street to retrieve your meals. When you pull up, tell us the family name, and we will place the boxes of meals into your car. We are asking that you place your family order by Wednesday afternoon @ 12:00. Use this link to reserve your meals:  Meal Order Pick Up Form

If you require additional information, please contact Ginamarie Hoy at [email protected]


December 11, 2020 at 3:35 PM EST - Weekly News

Good Afternoon,

During this time of year the school is usually a busy, hectic place. This year has shown us a very different side of life as educators. The sometimes challenging energy levels of the holiday season are weighing in, however the hallways are empty and quiet. There are no basketballs bouncing against the walls after school, no urgency to set the gymnasium up for winter concerts and no rush to get the dance costumes out of storage for the annual Nutcracker.

While writing that last paragraph brought a sense of sadness, I am confident that our school community is finding silver linings and positive glimmers at every turn. Our Music Department has been doing amazing work to produce a virtual concert with our students and the Dance Department has an online Nutcracker Celebration planned for this weekend. Our teachers are providing encouragement and cheer where they can and the outpouring of Holiday support for our families in need, through our counseling program, has been (in a good way!) unprecedented!

I urge you, our family of knights to keep looking up and finding that HOPE, a Core Value for December and ALL year long! The actions, decisions and choices that each of us makes will impact the plans we are working hard to execute. The staff and administration are eager to have your children back in school with us and the more diligent we are at preventing the spread of COVID-19 in our communities the sooner our school can be a loud, busy, student-filled place again!

Wishing you a safe and enjoyable weekend,
Dr. Guarino Buli

General Dates and Reminders

  • December 17, 2020 - Trustee Monthly Voting Meeting
  • December 23rd - Begin Winter Break - School Closed
  • January 4th - School Re-opens - Remote Instruction
  • January 7th & 8th - Virtual SLCs

Opening Night!

For our Dance Department students tonight would have been their 2020 Nutcracker Opening Night. In celebration of the 14 years of RA Nutcrackers, Narissa Wescott, RA Dance Director, has put together a wonderful tribute to all dancers, past and present. You can tune in live to see the video reveal on the RA Facebook page, tonight, December 11, 2020 at 7:00pm.

If you are unable to access the video via Facebook a link will be shared via email with the school community as well! Check back to the same email account where you received this message and view from home.

Holiday Gifts

We have had families ask to make arrangements to drop off holiday gifts for staff and teachers. This gesture is very kind and genuinely appreciated by the staff. While there is absolutely no obligation or expectation, we realize this is something that families like to do for them.

To avoid contact and multiple visitors on our campus, we ask that you drop items off on December 18th. There will be a drop off location in the vestibule / outside step area of the Main Entrance. Please be sure to clearly mark the recipient’s name on the items. Staff will be on-site later that day and will be able to pick up their gifts. Thank you for your thoughtfulness!

DI TV Raffle

The students of Destination Imagination have moved their TV Raffle online. Please consider purchasing a ticket for this fabulous Holiday Gift item! More information about the DI TV Raffle

Athletic Department Update - Winter Sports

Varsity Girls Basketball:  The season is CANCELED due to a lack of registered participants. Any girls that were interested in playing may play for their home district. If you plan to play for your home district, you must complete the form on Family ID titled "Participation in Athletics in your Home District.”  Family ID site:

Varsity/JV Boys Basketball and Varsity Coed Bowling:  At this time, both seasons are scheduled to start in January. You can find the schedules for both on the RA Athletic Website.

If any changes to these seasons occur, registered families will be notified immediately.

From the FSO

The first FSO meeting of 2021 will be January 13, 2020 at 6:30pm! FSO Virtual Meeting Link

Like our FSO Facebook page! Find us on Facebook. You can find the meeting agenda, minutes, and recordings here as well as news and updates!

Help our FSO (Family & School Organization) by Scanning your Boxtops to the app throughout the year.

Boxtops for Education is now available on the Box Tops for Education app on iOS and Android mobile phones. Download the app to scan your boxtops today. *Shopping for Groceries online? You can STILL submit your box tops via email to [email protected].

Some specials are going on right now at Box Tops for Education.

Senior Project Support

Hope for the Heroes - Handcrafted Hats on Sale to Benefit Veterans

Point of Contact: Skylar Garnett

A little bit about my project is that a lot of veterans struggle when returning to civilian life. A lot fall victim to homelessness, depression, PTSD, and even suicide. It is estimated that about 22 veterans die from suicide a day. Many homeless veterans remain homeless for about 8 to 9 times as long as they were deployed. Sadly about 70% of homeless veterans deal with substance abuse and about 50% of homeless veterans experience PTSD or other mental health issues. The stigma about veterans being broken and only trained for combat has also impeded their ability to find jobs that they can support themselves on. With these donations, you can help support programs that help veterans find jobs, affordable housing, and help for their mental health needs.

For my project, I made and will continue to make handmade hats to be sold for $20 each. The profit will be donated to Hope for the Warriors. My goal is to raise awareness about the difficulties veterans are forced to face by themselves, and to collect money to support the organization that helps them. Thank you so much for supporting this great cause.

Hope for the Warriors Hat Ordering Now Over

If you have additional questions, please reach out to Skylar Garnett at [email protected].

Why this cause- I have been around veterans for my entire life; my grandfather is a veteran, and he and my dad are also members of Rolling Thunder, an organization that supports veterans and honors lost service members. When I was about 8 years old, I helped with one of their events, Sweats for Vets. We collected donations to buy sweatpants for veterans at a local veterans hospital. When we were handing the sweatpants out, the veterans reactions left a lasting impact. The pure joy and emotion that they had because of a simple piece of clothing. It made me realize that they must be alone and get little to no visitors. This made me reflect on everything that I have and how supported I am. This has influenced me to give back and help others who don't have as much as me, especially veterans.

SLC Sign-up Links:


December 7, 2020 at 10:56 AM EST - SLC Sign Ups - 2nd Trimester

Please see the following sign-up links for SLCs (Student Learning Conferences). Conferences will be virtual on January 7, 2021, & January 8, 2021. You will receive login information before your conferences in January. Specific instructions for grade levels can be found on the links.


December 6, 2020 at 8:00 AM EST - Commitment to Return to RA

To help us plan for the coming school year, we ask you to confirm that your child will return to Renaissance Academy Charter School each year. Your child has been an important member of our school family, and we hope to see that continue!

Because we have a limited number of spaces available and a waiting list of students who want to attend our school, it is important to confirm your child’s return for the next school year.

The commitment information will be sent out via e-mail to all the families who are currently in our system.

Form opens December 7, 2020 and closes on January 8th, 2021.


December 5, 2020 at 7:00 AM EST - Weekly News

As you have likely heard, families received notification regarding the early return plans last evening. I am attaching the letter sent so that all in our school community have the same information and a full understanding of our decision-making process. Letter - Dec 9th Return Status (pdf) 

I am resending the schedule for January for your reference. This document has the same information shared on December 1, 2020, and our website. Return Schedule Table

General School Reminders:

Please sign-up for Materials Pick-up on December 5, 2020, and December 7, 2020. Materials Pick up Online Sign-up

  • ALL Lower School* students will have items to pick up.
  • Upper School students with items will receive notice from teachers. If you are unsure, please email your child’s teachers.
  • All families picking up should park in the main lot and enter through the Upstairs Main Entrance of the Upper School Building for screening.
  • *Kindergarten Families - Pick up will be in the Lower School. Staff will NOT be in the Kindergarten building during pick-ups.

General Dates and Reminders

  • December 5th - Materials Pick Up Day
  • December 7th - Materials Pick up Day
  • December 9th - Planned first phase students on campus.
  • December 23rd - Begin Winter Break - School Closed
  • January 4th - School Re-opens - Remote Instruction
  • January 7th & 8th - Virtual SLCs - Sign-ups will be sent Monday, December 7, 2020

Hot Cocoa on Saturday Materials Pick Up Day

During the Pick Up Day on Saturday, December 5, 2020, you are encouraged to enjoy a cup of safely distributed Hot Cocoa from our Academy Council to benefit PACS.

RA FSO (Family School Organization)

New: The FSO's Holiday Shop

The Holiday Shop is going Virtual this year! Starting from November 20th through December 5th, families will be able to do their holiday shopping from the comfort of home. Please see the FSO's Facebook page for further details. 

Like our FSO Facebook page!

Find us on Facebook. You can find meeting agenda, minutes, and recordings here as well as news and updates!  RA FSO Facebook Page

Box Tops for Education

Help out our FSO (Family Support Organization) by scanning your Box Tops to the app throughout the year.

Box Tops for Education is now available on the Box Tops for Education app on iOS and Android mobile phones. Download the app to scan your Box Tops today. *Shopping for Groceries online? You can still submit your box tops via email to [email protected]

There are some specials going on right now at the Box Tops for Education Website


December 1, 2020 at 7:15 PM EST - Phased Reopening Schedule

Good Evening,
In a continued effort to bring our students safely back on site, I provide our January Phased Schedule below. All schedules are subject to board approval and are subject to change based on safety mandates and local and state guidance.

Families with students in grades, Kindergarten, First Grade, and Third Grade will see that their students are phased in during the first onsite days in January. We ask families with students in those grades to confirm that they Will or Will Not send students in January. Those families will receive a second communication with the form for that purpose. We appreciate your prompt response so that we can safely plan for our students' return.

We will make all possible attempts to notify families of changes one week prior, during all phases.

During all phases, we will be following the most up-to-date PA Secretary of Health Orders, Governor's Orders, and Chester County Health Department Guidelines for mitigation and closure of schools.

Best,
Dr. Guarino Buli


November 30, 2020 at 12:38 PM EST - Weekly News

Parents and Guardians,

The past several weeks have been full of changes, updates, and new guidelines regarding COVID-19 in schools in our state and county. Below are some highlights regarding the impacts specifically on Renaissance and our plans going forward. This video message is an overview of some important information.

Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf and Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine held a press conference last week regarding updated mandates and guidance for the Commonwealth.

In summary, the following updates were noted that impact schools within Chester County, including RA.

Recommendations for Pre-K to 12 schools to Determine Instructional Models

This update addresses school leaders’ need for additional guidance in responding to COVID-19 cases in a school setting. The update includes community transmission level as a basis for the recommendations for Pre-K to 12 schools to determine Instructional Models.  For the purpose of reporting and compliance, Renaissance falls within the Chester County Health Department purview. We also include data from Montgomery County in our ongoing monitoring. For our school community’s safety, we review guidelines and reporting from both counties regularly and refer to both counties in our approved Health and Safety Plan. Chester County AND Montgomery County are currently in the ‘Substantial’ range of community transmission and have been for 2+ weeks.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the Commonwealth suggest in-person instruction when safely possible. Public school entities in the substantial category of community transmission for more than two weeks must sign an attestation form to confirm all safety protocols are in place, including universal masking. It is important to note that a significant or widespread outbreak may require moving to a more remote-based model more quickly. The approved Renaissance Attestation is attached: Attestation Ensuring Mitigation Efforts.

Travel Restrictions

The CDC guidance warns against gatherings with people not part of your immediate household and to stay home and not travel for the holidays. We realize how hard this may be to not visit with extended family during the holidays, but it is essential to follow these precautions to keep everyone, including our own family and friends, safe and healthy.

Pennsylvanians visiting any other state or traveling internationally must have a negative COVID-19 test or to quarantine for 14 days upon return to Pennsylvania (does not apply to people who commute to and from another state for work or medical treatment). This mandate means RA staff and students who travel outside of Pennsylvania for recreation and leisure, as per the Governor’s order, will be required to test negative for COVID-19 before returning onsite for work, or materials Pick-up days or quarantine for 14 days.

Stricter Masking Orders

Masks are required indoors and outdoors if you are away from your home.

When outdoors, a mask must be worn if you cannot remain physically distant (at least six feet away) from someone not in your household the entire time you are outdoors. Staff and students will be required to wear a mask on school grounds when they are outside.

When indoors, masks will be required even when physically distant from others. Even if you are six feet apart, you will need to wear a mask while inside. Anyone who does not have an office or does not work alone will be required to wear a mask. Working alone is defined as a person by themselves inside an office with four walls and a door.

When students return to campus for learning mask breaks will be safely incorporated into the school day following Chester County Health Department recommendations.

As we have done throughout this pandemic, we will continue to follow the advice and guidance of the Chester County Health Department and the Pennsylvania Department of Health. We will continue to require face coverings to be worn and modify our instructional model based upon the Governor’s orders, our local department of health, and staffing availability.

Reminder:

If you plan to travel internationally or outside of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, please inform your principal immediately upon confirmation of your travel plans. Please continue to socially distance and avoid gathering with people who do not live in your household.

Students Returning to Campus

On November 23, 2020, families with students meeting the first phase criteria received notice that their child would be permitted to return to onsite school, beginning December 9, 2020. We will be sending updates by December 3, 2020 regarding the plausibility and safety of this plan moving forward. This document was shared previously and is the tool being used to determine our phasing back to school of students in December. Return to School Matrix

We anticipate phasing additional students on campus beginning January 13, 2020. The proposed schedule for this return will be shared tomorrow, per our timeline.. Families with students in each category will be notified and asked to commit to attendance so that we can adequately plan for their arrival, staffing needs, and classroom configurations. Please be sure to respond in a timely manner when such communications are sent out.

Important Documents:

Thank you for your continued support and cooperation, 
Dr. Guarino Buli

General School Reminder:

Please sign-up for Materials Pick-up on December 5, 2020 and December 7, 2020. Materials Pick up Sign-up - Online

  • All Lower School students will have items to pick up.
  • Upper School students with items will receive notice from teachers. If you are unsure, please email your child’s teachers.

During the Pick Up Day on Saturday, December 5, 2020 you are encouraged to enjoy a cup of safely distributed Hot Cocoa from our Academy Council, to benefit PACS.. See attached flyer: Hot Cocoa

General Dates and Reminders

  • December 1st - Giving Tuesday
  • December 5th - Materials Pick Up Day
  • December 7th - Materials Pick up Day
  • December 9th - Planned first phase students on campus
  • December 23rd - Begin Winter Break - School Closed

Repeat Information:

The following items were included in this communication as Repeated Information from previous emails (as a reference): 

From November 20th Email (below)

From November 13th Email (below)

  • From the FSO (Family & School Organization):  The FSO's Holiday Shop, Like our FSO Facebook page!, Box Tops for Education

From November 3rd Email (below)

  • Winter Sports Information, Sports Registration, & New Athletic Website

From October 30th Email (below)

  • From School Nurse - Medication Use at School & COVID-19 Testing

November 23, 2020 at 4:20 PM EST - Materials Pick Up

Please sign up for our next Materials Pick Up days. All families may use the same sign-up sheet. Students do not need to attend pick-up times.

Materials will be provided for the remainder of the 2nd Trimester. All students should pick up materials regardless of plans to remain remote or return to school onsite in the New Year.* 

  • *All Lower School students will have items
  • *Most Upper School students will have items and students should check with their teachers!

Sign Up Online for T-2 Materials Pick Up


November 20, 2020 at 1:23 PM EST - Weekly News

Good Afternoon,

As we move toward the short week ahead of us, I hope you are all able to enjoy a much needed weekend! Last evening our board of trustees held their monthly meeting. Some highlights are below:

Our COVID 19 Health and Safety Reopening Plan, Version 3, was approved. As soon as the required signatures are obtained, this will be submitted to PDE and updated on our school website. The Re-opening criteria matrix was also noted by our trustees and are in use by our principals as they identify students for the first phase of return to school. That document is attached here and will also be available on our website. Return to School Matrix

To keep our families informed about the various stages of student returns, below is the timeline we are using. We will make every effort to provide such a window of notice going forward until all students are phased back into the school for in-person instruction.

Return Dates:

  • December 9th - Notice provided to families by 11/23, seeking commitment - if unable to proceed, notice will be given by 12/ 3
  • January 13th - Notice provided to families by 12/ 1 seeking commitment - If unable to proceed, notice will be given by 1/6

Thank you for your ongoing support and cooperation.
Be well,
Dr. Guarino Buli

General Dates and Reminders

  • November 24th - Deadline for NEW student applications
  • November 25th, 26th & 27th - No School - Thanksgiving Holiday
  • December 1st - Giving Tuesday
  • December 5th - Materials Pick Up Day
  • December 7th - Materials Pick up Day

Hello, Nutcracker families, past and present!

We hope everyone is staying safe and healthy through this tough time for all of us. As you may or may not know, The RA Nutcracker does not have a full production this year. However, we most certainly want to celebrate the wonderful tradition.

This year the Nutcracker will celebrate past shows, including photos, videos, and a surprise from our Seniors! We ask that you send any photos you may have or would like to see be included in putting this slideshow together. We would love to see photos from years ago (when our older ones were younger) and our current students. Please put the pictures in the google drive link below.

The slideshow will be available to watch from a YouTube link that will be provided on the weekend of December 11th. Thank you in advance for all your help in putting this together for our dancers. I look forward to seeing all the great photos of our dancers from past performances!

Please have all photos on google drive by December 1st! Thank you! :)

Take care,
Mrs. Wescott, Ms. Williams, and Mrs. Rickert (Nutcracker Directors)

From the School Nurse

Masks

If your masks are beginning to feel as old as this pandemic, it’s probably time to get yourself some new ones. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises using masks with at least two layers of tightly woven, washable, breathable fabric, such as cotton. When you wash your masks regularly, which you’re supposed to do, the fabric, as well as the fit, can begin to deteriorate. As this happens, your masks become less effective.

For PA masking requirements, visit the PA Dept. of Health Universal Face Coverings FAQ page.

40% Off Lands End School Uniform Sale!

Repeat Information:

The following items were included in this communication as Repeated Information from previous emails (as a reference): 

From November 13th Email (below)

  • 2019-2020 Yearbooks - If your order was incomplete, please respond to the following few questions on the Yearbook 2019-2020 Google Form.
  • From the FSO (Family & School Organization):  The FSO's Holiday Shop, Like our FSO Facebook page!, Box Tops for Education

From November 6th Email (below)

  • From Academic Counseling Dept. - Use The Academic Counseling Website; Nature Narratives Writing Contest; Free STEM Mentorship Day; PA Free Enterprise Week (PFEW); The Coolidge Scholarship; Virtual College Visits; and PHEAA PAForward Financial Aid Assistance Webinars

From November 3rd Email (below)

  • Winter Sports Information, Sports Registration, & New RA Athletics Website

From October 30th Email (below)

  • From School Nurse - Medication Use at School & COVID-19 Testing


November 17, 2020 at 9:28 AM EST - Winter Sports Update

Registration Deadline:

The deadline to register for winter sports will be Tuesday, December 1st. The registration link on Family ID will be closed at the end of the day on Tuesday, December 1st. If you are planning to participate in winter sports, which is currently set to begin in January, you must register on Family ID by the deadline date.

Girls Varsity Basketball and Coed Varsity Bowling currently do not have enough registered participants to be able to field a team. If we do not receive more registrations in those sports, unfortunately we will need to cancel those seasons for this winter.

Middle School Basketball Update:

Unfortunately, we will not be able to have a regular-season for middle school basketball. All of the opposing schools that we had scheduled have informed me they will not be participating in winter sports. I am hoping that we can do some open gym/intramural games or activities for those that have registered for Middle School basketball.

If you would be interested in this, please register on Family ID for Middle School basketball, if you have not done so already. More information will come out about this once the varsity schedules are finalized.

New Athletic Website:

Please make sure you visit our new RA Athletic Website for any athletic information, schedules, registration, etc..

Thank you!

Kevin Zvorsky, CAA
Director of Athletics
Renaissance Academy Charter School
610-983-4080 ext. 235
[email protected]


November 13, 2020 at 3:30 PM EST - Weekly News

Good Afternoon,

Today marks a milestone as we end our First Trimester of the school year. Student conversations and staff collaborations have gotten us to this point, despite the challenges! I am proud to take this moment to say Congratulations to everyone for what they have obtained through and for what they have learned.

Looking ahead, we continue to look up!

This past week our Lower School families received communication from Mrs. Herman regarding efforts and updates which will enhance the learning of our K-6 grade students. This update was the product of careful review and analysis of ‘what is working?’ and ‘what needs to get better?’ at various stages. The Lower School leadership is confident that these continuous reflections and adjustments will improve our students’ learning and life.

In the Upper School, we have seen Ms. Boyd and her Leadership Team add a steady scaffold of support to the students’ days. They have woven in social / club times, are working to increase Unique Experiences while maintaining consistency academically. Teachers find daily opportunities to solicit feedback from our middle and high school students and use that feedback to plan for systemic changes.

During Trustee Committee meetings this week, our administration received ‘a nod’ to move forward with solidifying plans for a student return to on-site learning. Our strategy continues to look toward December 7, 2020, for a beginning group and a more robust phasing in students on January 11, 2021. We continue to watch the local activity, positivity data, and school activity in our surrounding areas. Our Health and Safety Reopening Plan is being updated to reflect these changes.

Be well,
Dr. Guarino Buli 

Yearbooks 2019-2020

We are hearing that some families did not receive their yearbook orders from last school year! It seems in the wake of school closures, the processes with our publisher was quite disrupted.

If your order was incomplete, please respond to the following few questions on the Yearbook 2019-2020 Google Form.  We will work to get this resolved.

From the FSO (Family & School Organization):

New: The FSO's Holiday Shop

The Holiday Shop is going Virtual this year! Starting from November 20th through December 5th, families will be able to do their holiday shopping from the comfort of home. Please see the FSO's Facebook page for further details. 

Like our FSO Facebook page!

Find us on Facebook. You can find meeting agenda, minutes, and recordings here as well as news and updates! RA FSO Facebook page

Box Tops for Education

Help out our FSO (Family Support Organization) by scanning your Box Tops to the app throughout the year.

Box Tops for Education is now available on the Box Tops for Education app on iOS and Android mobile phones. Download the app to scan your Box Tops today. *Shopping for Groceries online? You can still submit your box tops via email to [email protected]

Chess Club (now forming)

Edwin Yang, a junior here at RA, is looking to bring students together in a new school chess club. The club welcomes all students grades 7th - 12th, regardless of playing level, to come together to discover, grow, and learn more about the game of chess. Even if you have never played a game of chess, fear not as the club is a great way to build off of one another for the betterment of the group.

The club will meet every Tuesday from 3:00-3:30 PM to enjoy activities such as playing against one another, watching informative videos to further grow our strengths and advance our weaknesses, and so much more! The first club meeting is on November 17th with Mr. O'Neill as our club advisor. This first-year project looks forward to your participation in joining us to launch this club!

Please use this Online Chess Club Sign Up if interested.

You may reach Edwin at [email protected] if you have any questions.

Pandemic Planning - School Phased Re-Opening:

Current timeline with which we are working to understand how plans develop and how decisions are made entirely. This situation is genuinely ever-changing, and we will continue to update or notify as timelines are adjusted or changed.

To remove redundancy, the timeline, with several completed items, has been removed. At this time, the Administration is working on finalizing ‘return to school’ documents and plans, which will be provided to our board through committees and the upcoming public meeting in November.

There will be follow-up requests for information from parents as the time to return draws near.

A few of the many resources we access and review as part of this process include but are not limited to: 

Dates and Reminders

  • November 14th & 18th - Virtual Open Houses
  • November 19th - Lower School EOT Awards - Please check your grade level calendar for specific times
  • November 19th - Board of Trustee Public Meeting Live Board Meeting Link
  • November 24th - Deadline for NEW student applications
  • November 25th, 26th & 27th - No School - Thanksgiving Holiday
  • December 1st - Giving Tuesday

Repeat Information:

The following items were included in this communication as Repeated Information from previous emails (as a reference): 

From November 6th Email (below)

  • From Counseling Dept. - Preparing for Winter Season & Stress
  • From Academic Counseling Dept. - Use the Academic Counseling Website, Nature Narratives Writing Contest, Free STEM Mentorship Day, PA Free Enterprise Week (PFEW), The Coolidge Scholarship, Virtual College Visits, and PHEAA PAForward Financial Aid Assistance Webinars

From November 3rd Email (below)

  • Winter Sports Information, Sports Registration, & New RA Athletics Website

From October 30th Email (below)

  • From School Nurse - Medication Use at School & COVID-19 Testing
  • From Counseling Dept. - Looking for Holiday Helpers

November 6, 2020 at 2:24 PM EST - Weekly News

This is a LOOONG one! Please take some time over the coming days to review this information.

Be well,
Dr. Guarino Buli

PS - Check out this Charter School Essay Contest Opportunity!

Pandemic Planning - School Phased Re-Opening:

Current timeline with which we are working to understand how plans develop and how decisions are made entirely. This situation is genuinely ever-changing, and we will continue to update or notify as timelines are adjusted or changed.

To remove redundancy, the timeline, with several completed items, has been removed. At this time, the Administration is working on finalizing ‘return to school’ documents and plans, which will be provided to our board through committees and the upcoming public meeting in November.

There will be follow-up requests for information from parents as the time to return draws near.

A few of the many resources we access and review as part of this process include but are not limited to: 

Dates and Reminders

  • November 9th & 10th - Individual Senior Portraits - Sign-up information sent to families of seniors
  • November 13th - End of 1st Trimester - Grades close
  • November 14th & 18th - Virtual Open Houses
  • November 19th - Board of Trustee Public Meeting

From the Counseling Department...Preparing for winter season and stress

During a “regular” fall or winter season, many adults and young people start to feel down at times, depressed or anxious as the weather gets colder, and it gets darker out earlier. With COVID, many more may experience this because of isolation. Our lives have been disrupted in so many ways, and we aren’t sure what the months ahead will look like. We may not have control over all of this, but we have control over our self-care plan and our perspective.

What can you do to help yourself or a loved one have a healthy winter season? You can start by trying to practice healthy coping mechanisms with your children, having open conversations about their feelings, and focusing on some of the positive things. If your child has difficulty expressing their feelings, then try making a feelings chart with them. You can have your child point to the feeling they are experiencing. If they usually answer good or bad to the question, how are you feeling today, then try asking a probing question like: “what does good look like” or “did your stress get in the way of you having a good day today?”. Maybe with an older student you would want to try, “I read an article about stress, and it made me think about…..? Have you ever seen an article like that? What are your thoughts? How do you think you would react?”

Believe it or not, kids thrive on structure and boundaries. It can reduce stress by helping a child feel more stable day-to-day. Do your best to maintain a daily schedule and provide ample time to discuss and transition to any large daily routine changes. In between their school time or during breaks, you may want to consider modeling examples of healthy breaks they can take. For example, put a timer on and have some choices for movement breaks (10 jumping jacks, jogging in place, playing with a family pet or sibling, etc.). Be sure to schedule and add in time to socialize! 

Socializing is still important for us all. You can do this in a socially distant way. Before it gets too cold out, maybe arrange a time to walk with a friend and use video chat/social media.

Don’t forget to try to find the positive out of things. We may face bad and good things in our everyday lives, but we can get through it no matter how bad it is. Next time your child feels stressed, try having them take a deep breath and remind them that they have gotten through things before. Have them look at the situation and come up with a solution. One’s outlook on situations/life can have a huge impact on overcoming obstacles and seeing adverse situations.

Examples of Healthy Coping Mechanisms:

Exercising, arts and crafts, mindfulness activities, sports, reading, writing, talking to a friend, and watching a movie.

The school counselors have created virtual counseling offices that have been shown in Homebase to students. The offices are full of healthy coping mechanisms. Please feel free to encourage your child to try one.

Examples of social media/social interactions. Please remember Renaissance Academy does not sponsor these, and you should always check first to make sure it’s appropriate for your child:

  • Messenger Kids—students can draw, compare artwork, and send silly filters and stickers. *Can be accessed on the app and Facebook
  • Netflix Party hosts watch parties and movie nights for kids. *Can be accessed through the Chrome and Google Web store
  • Marco Polo—gives students time to chat and leave videos and photos for their friends. Download on app store and Google Play

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has some information that you may find useful. Visit the CDC Daily Live Coping/Stress Management Page.  

Kind Regards,
Lisa Fleck (9-12 School Counselor), [email protected]
Rachel Murtagh (5-8 School Counselor), [email protected]
Melissa Laurento (K-4 School Counselor), [email protected]
Jennifer Illig (Social Worker), [email protected]

From the Desk of the Academic Counselor - November 2020

Use the Academic Counseling Website to see information about the college process, SAT/PSAT/AP testing, financial aid, scholarships, events, Naviance, summer programs, and more!

All Grades

The 2020 Brandywine Nature Narratives Writing Contest:  Open to all genres of writing – poetry, historical narrative, adventure, etc. Think about your own experiences in the outdoors and the connections between society and our planet. Be inspired and create stories of what you see and what the possibilities could be in the present and in the future.

The pieces must be original writing and not have been previously published elsewhere. Submissions can be either fiction or nonfiction. Entries will be placed into the following categories based upon character length (including spaces) for the Short Edition dispenser

  • 1-minute reads equal 0 to 2,600 characters
  • 3-minute reads equal 2,601 to 4800 characters
  • 5-minute reads equal 4,801 to 8,000 characters (*stories cannot be accepted as contest entries that are more than 8,000 characters)

Submit by November 23. Only one entry per person.

Grades 9-12

Are you, or a teen you know, interested in a STEM career? Join us for our Free STEM Mentorship Day: STEM In Our Lives on November 18, 2020, at 4:00pm-5:00pm ET.

Learn the varied paths of women who have made careers in STEM. Whether in research and development or leadership and activism, our mentors will share their stories with teens about how their passion in STEM took them on their personal journeys towards their current careers.

These professionals and more represent STEM fields such as astronomy, chemical/biological/aerospace engineering, aviation safety, cybersecurity, and more. Take what you have learned to start mapping out your own journey to a career in STEM!

This program is most appropriate for girls between 14 and 17 years of age, but we welcome all teens to participate in the conversation.

Register for STEM Mentoring Day  Sign up can be individually or for students groups, but we ask adults to sign up their teens/students. Questions? Please reach out to [email protected]

Grade 10

It’s time to think about participating in Pennsylvania Free Enterprise Week (PFEW)! More PFEW Information and Apply Online!

Grades 10-12

Although the Philadelphia College Fair was canceled, Pennsylvania students can still connect with colleges. Several virtual events are available to students. Please accept this digital edition of the college fair guide. Students and parents will find important information to help in the college search process.

Students may register for free.

Grade 11

The 2021 Coolidge Scholarship Application is now live.

The Coolidge Scholarship is a full-ride, four-year merit scholarship used by recipients for undergraduate study at any accredited college or university in the United States. Any high school junior who plans to enroll in college in the fall of 2022 and is an American citizen or legal permanent resident is eligible to apply (current high school seniors are not eligible to apply).

Coolidge Scholars are selected based primarily on academic excellence. Secondary criteria include an interest in public policy, an appreciation for the values President Coolidge championed, as well as humility and service. Today’s competitive academic culture regrettably sometimes drives students to hype their accomplishments and pursue ambitious efforts merely to attain credentials.

The Coolidge Scholarship pushes back on this trend. Successful candidates are indeed accomplished but exhibit humility concerning their achievements and pursue genuine interest to them regardless of the perceived prestige associated with the activity. Complete Description of Coolidge Scholarship’s Criteria.  

Grade 12

PHEAA PAForward offers a new series of Financial Aid Assistance Webinars entitled: Understanding the Financial Offer and Balances (the award letter) and following up with Covering the Gap. Once a family understands what the balance is, the next step is how to cover it. The webinars will begin in October and run through November.

Repeat Information:

The following items were included in this communication as Repeated Information from previous emails (as a reference): 

From November 3rd Email (below)

  • Winter Sports Information, Sports Registration 

From October 30th Email (below)

  • 2021-2022 Enrollment Application Information (Enrollment Webpage)
  • From School Nurse - Medication Use at School & COVID-19 Testing
  • From Counseling Dept. - Looking for Holiday Helpers
  • From RA FSO - Next Meeting, Box Tops,  & FSO's Chipotle Fundraiser
  • Past Due from Parents:  Policy Review Form and Acknowledgement Form

November 4, 2020 at 8:19 PM EST - Veterans Day 2020 Wall of Honor

During the month of November, Renaissance Academy is honoring special veterans or active members of the military in our lives and communities. Do you have a family member, neighbor, or close friend that served in our nation’s military or is currently serving? You are encouraged to submit that person to be featured on our RA Veterans Day Wall of Honor.

  • Veterans Day Wall of Honor Submission Form (form expired)
  • After submitting the form, please email your service member's picture to [email protected]. We would love to see our honored military persons wearing their uniform or insignia, but any picture (current or past) would be great!

Please join us in honoring those who serve!


November 3, 2020 at 8:57 PM EST - Winter Sports Update

The Renaissance Athletic Department is currently finalizing a plan for the winter sports season practices to begin on Friday, January 9, 2021, with competitions beginning the week of January 19, 2021. PIAA has pushed back the end of the winter sports season to February 27, 2021; which allows schools that are not starting until January to play as many games as possible and maintain eligibility for District Level Competitions.

A comprehensive plan will be available in the coming weeks which outlines practice and game procedures which must be followed by coaches, players, families, and spectators. This plan will be finalized and reviewed by our Board of Trustees at the November 19, 2020 meeting for an anticipated approval.

A few keynotes:

  • The Athletic Director and School Administration will continue to follow (Montgomery and Chester) county recommendations and guidelines related to COVID-19 and percentages of positivity rates in our school's participating districts. The plan to begin winter sports may be altered or suspended due to recommendations and guidelines if the Pandemic Team advises.
  • Due to capacity restrictions, we will only allow one team at a time in the RA gymnasium for practices which limits our ability to have a normal season for both our varsity and middle school programs.
  • No spectators will be permitted at practices and/or games.
  • Varsity Cheerleaders will be permitted to be present for home games.
  • Varsity Basketball Games will be live-streamed online so families & classmates may watch the games.
  • Middle School Basketball is currently tentative and still being evaluated. If the middle school is unable to have a competitive season we plan to offer an intramural program for those that have registered.
  • Bowling is tentative and dependent on meeting the minimum number of registrants.

Finally, if you have not registered your student for winter sports and they plan on participating, please do so as soon as possible. We will use the contact information from our registrations to contact families with any information and updates about the season.

Please feel free to contact the Athletic Director (below) with any questions/concerns. Thank you!

Kevin Zvorsky, CAA
Director of Athletics
Renaissance Academy Charter School
610-983-4080 ext. 235
[email protected]


October 30, 2020 at 4:05 PM EDT - Weekly News

Good Afternoon,

Congratulations to all those involved in making sure the past week was full of fun and celebration for our students! We had a successful Drive-in movie for High School families, a raffle of PBIS rewards and Tick or Treat Car parade for our Lower School kids and a Virtual Costume Contest for our Middle School kids! While we are not together daily, it is a joy to see so many unique events filling up the calendar. 

Each day I continue to see our students doing their best. It is continually reassuring to join classes, attend meetings and see the efforts of everyone. In so many instances we can clearly see the positive outcomes of those measures.

During this time of year, as the sun gets dimmer and the nights longer, I encourage you to make the most of the days ahead. Perhaps try to resist the hectic pace of the world and take some time to notice what is slow, kind and that which gives you joy. As we head into the weekend I wish you all some rest and peace - and of course safety.

Be well,
Dr. Guarino Buli

House Challenge October 2020

The Heads of House are Very Excited to announce the first House challenge for the 2020-2021 school year!

On Thursday, October 22nd, K-12 students watched the first Knightly News, where they could see the winner of the House Cup and were introduced to the first challenge. Now it is your chance to submit your favorite recipe for a half-time dish to win your House’s points and have your recipe shared with the school community. Here is what you will need to do:

  • Use this October House Challenge Form.
    • Upload a quick video or picture with you and your dish
    • Upload the recipe
    • Make sure to submit by November 2nd

The winning submissions will be shared on the next Knightly News!!

From the FSO (Family & School Organization):

Next Meeting:  November 11th at 6:30 pm

This will be a virtual meeting.   All are Welcome!   We hope to "see" you there!

Chipotle Fundraiser

Coming up in the next few weeks is the FSO's Chipotle Fundraiser. Be on the lookout for information regarding this dining event.

Like our FSO Facebook page!

Find us on Facebook. You can find meeting agenda, minutes, and recordings here as well as news and updates!  RA FSO Facebook page

Box Tops for Education

Help out our FSO (Family Support Organization) by scanning your Box Tops to the app throughout the year.

Box Tops for Education is now available on the Box Tops for Education app on iOS and Android mobile phones. Download the app to scan your Box Tops today. *Shopping for Groceries online? You can still submit your box tops via email to [email protected].

There are some specials going on right now at Box Tops for Education.

Pandemic Planning - School Phased Re-Opening:

Current timeline with which we are working to understand how plans develop and how decisions are made entirely. This situation is genuinely ever-changing, and we will continue to update or notify as timelines are adjusted or changed.

  • Pandemic Team - Weekly Meetings held via Google Meets
  • Administrative Team Meetings - Weekly had via Google Meets
  • October / November -
    • Continued planning, scheduling updates for re-entry schedule
    • Solidify matrix numbers
    • Ensure compliance with upcoming transportation needs
  • November 13, 2020 - Expiration of current Remote Learning Plan - End of First Trimester
  • November 16th, 2020 - Begin Phase two of the plan based on the board of trustees’ above approvals of October 15th.

Adjustment to student schedules or updates to programming to be communicated.

A few of the many resources we access and review as part of this process include but are not limited to: 

Dates and Reminders

  • November 3rd - Early Dismissal Day
  • November 3rd - Lower School Career Day
  • November 9th & 10th - Individual Senior Portraits - Sign-up information sent to families of seniors
  • November 13th - End of 1st Trimester
  • November 14th & 18th - Virtual Open House
  • November 19th - Board of Trustee Meeting

From the School Nurse:

If your child will need daily medication, as-needed medication, an Inhaler, or an Epinephrine auto-injector when at school;

  • Please go to rak12.org and click on Medical & Health under the parent section to download the appropriate form.
  • Please have the form completed by your physician, sign the proper section for parents, and return to [email protected] or fax to 610-983-4096.
  • We would like to process these forms as soon as possible to plan for the return to school.
  • Medications should be delivered by a parent/guardian when in-person learning resumes.
  • Please note that we are not permitted to give nebulizer treatments in the school setting during the pandemic.

COVID-19 Testing

If you or someone you care about needs COVID 19 testing; here are some resources:

  • AFC Urgent Care in Phoenixville
    265 Schuylkill Rd, Phoenixville, PA 19460
    610-935-4740- call for an appointment
    Open seven days a week
    Mon-Fri 8am-8pm, Sat-Sun 8am-5pm
  • Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
    550 S Goddard Blvd
    King of Prussia, PA 19406
    CHOP Specialty Office Webpage
    Monday/Wednesday/Friday: 12pm-2pm, Tuesday/Thursday: 4pm-6pm
  • Any CVS
    CVS Minute Clinic Webpage
    See website. Appointment required. Schedule online after completing screening questions. Patients will receive a self-swab test kit and instructions at the pharmacy drive-thru window.
  • Patient First
    119 Shoemaker Road
    Pottstown, PA 19464
    Patient First COVID Testing Webpage
    Open daily from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Testing is done by appointment only
  • Quest Diagnostics
    364 King Street
    Pottstown, PA 19464

Montgomery County COVID Information Webpage

Community Resource

The Black Doctors Consortium will be providing Free Flu Shots & Free COVID-19 Testing in Norristown on the following: 

  • Date: Thursday, November 5, 2020
    Time: 3pm - 7pm (Set - up team arrives at 1:30pm)
    Location: 1300 Blk of Willow Street, Norristown, PA 19401

Message from the Counseling Department: Looking for Holiday Helpers

Hello, RA, community!
The Counseling department is getting ready for our Annual Holiday Program. Can you believe this is already just around the corner? This year things may look a little different, but we hope to help and serve our community just as much as we have in previous years. We know this year that we may have families who need a little extra help around the holidays more than ever. As a community, we want to do our best to ensure each RA family has a wonderful holiday season despite everything going on this year.

Please use this form if you would like to volunteer to help a family in need: Holiday Helper (Volunteers) Interest Form (Online Form).

Reach out to your grade-level School Counselor with any questions or concerns! 
Mrs. Laurento (K-4th), Mrs. Murtagh (5-8th), and Mrs. Fleck (9-12th) 

Reminder:  Past Due Forms

During the start of typical school years, our families are provided a Policy Review form for review and completion. This is typically a ‘tear-off’ in the Student Handbook. In place of that method, please complete the attached Policy Review for your family. As noted, the acknowledgment form was requested no later than September 11, 2020.

Beginning Monday, September 21, 2020, families will be contacted if forms have not yet been received.

2021-2022 Enrollment

2021-2022 Enrollment Application has been released!

Please note: enrollment preferences, per the Enrollment Policy, do not apply to applications that come in after the deadlines posted. RA Board Enrollment Policy

Kindergarten applicants must be 5 years old by August 31, 2021.

Please have all required items prepared before starting the application process as all items will need to be attached in the document.

You can find the application and deadlines on the 2021-2020 Enrollment Information Page.

Ms. Naomi Siedlecki
Enrollment/Student Recruitment Coordinator

2020-2021 Winter Sports Information:

In light of last evening’s Board of Trustee determination, the Winter Sports Season is being evaluated by our Athletic Director for procedural feasibility and timelines. A decision will be announced by Monday, November 2nd. If your student is interested in a winter sport activity, you should proactively register now without penalty. The interest numbers may help to plan and make a recommendation effectively. 

Winter Sports Registration:  Renaissance Academy will continue to use Family ID for our online sports registration. For a student-athlete to be eligible to play a sport, they must register on Family ID for their specific sport as well as have a completed PIAA physical form (dated after June 1, 2020).

Winter Sports Registration is OPEN.

To register, please

  • Go to RA's School Website (www.rak12.org): 
    • For Students
    • Select “Athletics” from the drop down
    • Select “Register Now” under Online Registration for Sports
    • Select “Winter 202-21 Athletics Registration”
    • Select the sport, complete the required information, and submit.

Registration must be completed prior to any preseason practices/workouts.

All teams’ schedules, tryouts, and practice information can be located on our RA Athletic Website 

PIAA Physical Form Information:

All Physicals for sports MUST be completed on a PIAA Physical form and must be dated after June 1st, 2020. Any physicals not completed on a PIAA Physical form or were completed prior to June 1, 2020 will not be accepted.

*New this year - Renaissance Academy Athletic Department has collaborated with a local Physician in Phoenixville that will offer Renaissance Academy student-athletes sports physicals at his office for $20 on Tuesday and Friday mornings starting June 1, 2020. You are NOT required to use this Physician and may use your own doctor. This is just another option for you to use if you would like.

Physician Information:

Dr. Csaszar
Csaszar Institute, PLLC (share space with Tri-County Chiropractors) 
503 Kimberton Road  
Phoenixville, PA 19460 
610-983-3686 
Email will always get a faster response: [email protected]

All PIAA Physicals must be completed and turned in prior to the first official practice or tryout of the season:

  • Middle School Boys Basketball – Wednesday, November 18, 2020
  • Middle School Girls Basketball – Thursday, November 19, 2020
  • Varsity Boys Basketball – Friday, November 20, 2020
  • Varsity Girls Basketball – Monday, November 23, 2020
  • Varsity Bowling – Monday, November 23, 2020

Kevin Zvorsky, CAA
Director of Athletics


October 24, 2020 at 11:09 AM EDT - Reminder - Deadline Monday 10/26

Please complete the Learning Commit Form no later than October 26th. We are seeking your input so that the best plans can be put into place for our students.

  • Learning Commit Online Parent Form (Form Expired)

October 23, 2020 at 3:02 PM EDT - RA Weekly News

All School Message:

Good Afternoon,

Please be sure to check in on a few essential reminders this week!

Are you still in need of picking up materials for the current trimester? Please do so at this time. Today, the time window is Friday, October 23, 2020, during business hours And Tomorrow, Saturday, October 24, from 8 am - 11 am. *IF you do not pick up materials at those times, you will need to contact the office to schedule an appointment.*

Please be sure to complete the Student Learning Survey - this is due Monday, October 26, 2020, by EOD. Please be sure to submit one form for Each Child.

Student Learning Commitment Form (Form Expired)

Wishing you a healthy and restful weekend,
Dr. Guarino Buli

House Challenge October 2020

The Heads of House are Very Excited to announce the first House challenge for the 2020-2021 school year!

On Thursday, October 22nd, K-12 students watched the first Knightly News, where they could see the winner of the House Cup and were introduced to the first challenge. Now it is your chance to submit your favorite recipe for a half-time dish to win your House’s points and have your recipe shared with the school community. Here is what you will need to do:

  • Use this October House Challenge Form.
    • Upload a quick video or picture with you and your dish
    • Upload the recipe
    • Make sure to submit by November 2nd

The winning submissions will be shared on the next Knightly News!!

Lower School Career Day

The LS Counseling Team hosts their 3-6th grade Career Day on November 3rd, with a little twist. We are focusing on Entrepreneurship.  If you or anyone you know are an entrepreneur, we'd love to have you participate.  If interested, please fill out the Google Form below. We hope to see you there!

Career Day - Entrepreneurs Needed (Flyer)

Pandemic Planning - School Phased Re-Opening:

Current timeline with which we are working to understand how plans develop and how decisions are made entirely. This situation is genuinely ever-changing, and we will continue to update or notify as timelines are adjusted or changed.

Please note the following notations:  *Task Complete   **Item Added

  • Pandemic Team - Weekly Meetings held via Google Meets
  • Administrative Team Meetings - Weekly had via Google Meets
  • *October 1, 2020 - Begin Survey of current conditions/ input sent to staff - During SLCs
  • *October 5, 2020 - Begin Survey of current needs/ input sent to parents - Following SLCs
  • *October 5, 2020 - Begin Survey/collection of information from students - via Home Bases following SLCs
  • October 5, 2020 - Pandemic Team begins review/analysis of the above survey data
  • *Upper School Leadership - Initiates Student Focus Group to discuss concerns & seek input from students.
  • *October 8, 2020 - October 15, 2020 - Pandemic Team / Leadership Team / Administration - Develop plans based on the above survey data, current DOH Recommendations, Legal Guidance, and all available resources.
  • *Public Board Workshop Meeting - Scheduled to review and present updates for board review
  • *October 15, 2020 - Pandemic Team / Admin Team Recommendation to Board for changes/adjustments-approval and communicate changes, updates, revisions with the community.
  • **October 19-23 - Collection of commitment data from families
  • **October / November -
    • Continued planning, scheduling updates for re-entry schedule
    • Solidify matrix numbers
    • Ensure compliance with upcoming transportation needs
  • November 13, 2020 - Expiration of current Remote Learning Plan - In place under Board and PDE Approval until End of First Trimester
  • November 16th, 2020 - Begin Phase two of the plan based on the board of trustees’ above approvals or denials.

A few of the many resources we access and review as part of this process include but are not limited to: 

Dates and Reminders

  • October 23rd - Early Dismissal Day - Teacher In-Service
  • October 23rd - High School Evening ‘drive-in movie.’
  • October 26th - Student Learning Commitment *Due*
  • October 30th - Lower School CARnival Halloween
  • November 3rd - Early Dismissal Day
  • November 9th & 10th - Individual Senior Portraits - Sign-up information sent to families of seniors
  • November 3rd - Early Dismissal Day
  • November 3rd - Lower School Career Day

Tech Support!

To better assist, track and monitor our technology trouble shooting we will be using a new ticketing system. Going forward please submit any Technology Tickets to: [email protected]

From the School Nurse:

If your child will need daily medication, as-needed medication, an Inhaler, or an Epinephrine auto-injector when at school;

  • Please go to rak12.org and click on Medical & Health under the parent section to download the appropriate form.
  • Please have the form completed by your physician, sign the proper section for parents, and return to [email protected] or fax to 610-983-4096.
  • We would like to process these forms as soon as possible to plan for the return to school.
  • Medications should be delivered by a parent/guardian when in-person learning resumes.
  • Please note that we are not permitted to give nebulizer treatments in the school setting during the pandemic.

COVID-19 Testing

If you or someone you care about needs COVID 19 testing; here are some resources:

  • AFC Urgent Care in Phoenixville
    265 Schuylkill Rd, Phoenixville, PA 19460
    610-935-4740- call for an appointment
    Open seven days a week
    Mon-Fri 8am-8pm, Sat-Sun 8am-5pm
  • Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
    550 S Goddard Blvd
    King of Prussia, PA 19406
    CHOP Specialty Office Webpage
    Monday/Wednesday/Friday: 12pm-2pm, Tuesday/Thursday: 4pm-6pm
  • Any CVS
    CVS Minute Clinic Webpage
    See website. Appointment required. Schedule online after completing screening questions. Patients will receive a self-swab test kit and instructions at the pharmacy drive-thru window.
  • Patient First
    119 Shoemaker Road
    Pottstown, PA 19464
    Patient First COVID Testing Webpage
    Open daily from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Testing is done by appointment only
  • Quest Diagnostics
    364 King Street
    Pottstown, PA 19464

Montgomery County COVID Information Webpage

Message from the Counseling Department: Looking for Holiday Helpers

Hello, RA, community!
The Counseling department is getting ready for our Annual Holiday Program. Can you believe this is already just around the corner? This year things may look a little different, but we hope to help and serve our community just as much as we have in previous years. We know this year that we may have families who need a little extra help around the holidays more than ever. As a community, we want to do our best to ensure each RA family has a wonderful holiday season despite everything going on this year.

Please use this form if you would like to volunteer to help a family in need: Holiday Helper (Volunteers) Interest Form (Online Form).

Reach out to your grade-level School Counselor with any questions or concerns!

Mrs. Laurento (K-4th), Mrs. Murtagh (5-8th), and Mrs. Fleck (9-12th) 

Past Due:

During the start of typical school years, our families are provided a Policy Review form for review and completion. This is typically a ‘tear-off’ in the Student Handbook. In place of that method, please complete the attached Policy Review for your family. As noted, the acknowledgment form was requested no later than September 11, 2020.

Beginning Monday, September 21, 2020, families will be contacted if forms have not yet been received.

2021-2022 Enrollment

2021-2022 Enrollment Application has been released!

Please note: enrollment preferences, per the Enrollment Policy, do not apply to applications that come in after the deadlines posted. RA Board Enrollment Policy

Kindergarten applicants must be 5 years old by August 31, 2021.

Please have all required items prepared before starting the application process as all items will need to be attached in the document.

You can find the application and deadlines on the 2021-2020 Enrollment Information Page.

Ms. Naomi Siedlecki
Enrollment/Student Recruitment Coordinator

It's time to sign up for the Reading Olympics!

Reading Olympics is open to all students in grades 4 through 12. Please know spots are limited, and we plan to hold a tryout if we have a large amount of interest. Students attend weekly meetings and participate in writing trivia questions to practice for the competition in the Spring. We welcome readers of all levels. The reading requirement before the competition is 10-12; however, we are happy to work with students who are dedicated to the team and completing the material at a slower pace.

What is the Reading Olympics?

Reading Olympics is a countywide reading event that encourages students to increase the quality and quantity of books they read for enjoyment. The Reading Olympics Program is based upon the belief that good reading habits form the foundation for a productive and successful life. This program is currently active in Chester, Montgomery, Delaware, Bucks, Berks, and Carbon Lehigh counties.

Reading Olympics is designed to inspire students to read for pleasure and learn the value of teamwork at the same time! In addition to helping students develop a habit of daily reading for pleasure, Reading Olympics provides students with the opportunity to have interactive discussions with their peers on the books’ content. More information can be found on the CCIU website.

Where are the books?  Books are Online through RA's MackinVia program; *Students can access this using their school Gmail account.

To submit your name for consideration, please fill out the Reading Olympics Interest Form (Online).

Lindsey Engler, School Library Media Specialist


2020-2021 Winter Sports Information:

In light of last evening’s Board of Trustee determination, the Winter Sports Season is being evaluated by our Athletic Director for procedural feasibility and timelines. A decision will be announced by Monday, November 2nd. If your student is interested in a winter sport activity, you should proactively register now without penalty. The interest numbers may help to plan and make a recommendation effectively. 

Winter Sports Registration:  Renaissance Academy will continue to use Family ID for our online sports registration. For a student-athlete to be eligible to play a sport, they must register on Family ID for their specific sport as well as have a completed PIAA physical form (dated after June 1, 2020).

Winter Sports Registration is OPEN.

To register, please

  • Go to RA's School Website (www.rak12.org): 
    • For Students
    • Select “Athletics” from the drop down
    • Select “Register Now” under Online Registration for Sports
    • Select “Winter 202-21 Athletics Registration”
    • Select the sport, complete the required information, and submit.

Registration must be completed prior to any preseason practices/workouts.

All teams’ schedules, tryouts, and practice information can be located on our RA Athletic Website  

PIAA Physical Form Information:

All Physicals for sports MUST be completed on a PIAA Physical form and must be dated after June 1st, 2020. Any physicals not completed on a PIAA Physical form or were completed prior to June 1, 2020 will not be accepted.

*New this year - Renaissance Academy Athletic Department has collaborated with a local Physician in Phoenixville that will offer Renaissance Academy student-athletes sports physicals at his office for $20 on Tuesday and Friday mornings starting June 1, 2020. You are NOT required to use this Physician and may use your own doctor. This is just another option for you to use if you would like.

Physician Information:

Dr. Csaszar
Csaszar Institute, PLLC (share space with Tri-County Chiropractors) 
503 Kimberton Road  
Phoenixville, PA 19460
610-983-3686
Email will always get a faster response: [email protected]

All PIAA Physicals must be completed and turned in prior to the first official practice or tryout of the season:

  • Middle School Boys Basketball – Wednesday, November 18, 2020
  • Middle School Girls Basketball – Thursday, November 19, 2020
  • Varsity Boys Basketball – Friday, November 20, 2020
  • Varsity Girls Basketball – Monday, November 23, 2020
  • Varsity Bowling – Monday, November 23, 2020

Kevin Zvorsky, CAA
Director of Athletics


October 21, 2020 at 7:32 PM EDT - RA Board of Trustees Vote-Reopening

Good Evening

In light of the Board of Trustee decision last week, I am sending out a summary of the meeting’s determinations, as well as the anticipated Commitment Survey for our families. As I am sure,, everyone was not able to tune in or watch the entireties of the board meetings, please see below for basic highlights regarding our Re-Opening Plans.

What our Trustees Approved:

  • Extension of Remote Learning K-12, until January 2020.
  • Administration flexibility to return some students sooner, if warranted, by agreed-upon criteria.
  • Administration ability/authority to vet student/family readiness to support school procedures for mitigation.

Upon return to school, the expectation of compliance and enforcement of mitigation per the School Reopening Plan.

School-based standards for closure in addition to DOH minimums.

Timeline:

  • Immediately distributed - Parent Commitment Survey (see below).
  • No later than November 1, 2020 - Matrix development and organization to determine potential students for an early return to school.
  • No later than November 15-20, 2020 - Determine population needs, communicate with families of identified students for intervention including a return to school plan.
  • No later than November 20, 2020 (and ongoing) - Development of schedules, teacher assignments, physical building assignments per Safety Plan
  • December 5 & 7, 2020 - Materials pick-up for 2nd Trimester needs / those remaining remote beyond January 2021
  • January 4-8, 2021 - Teachers/staff on-site for continued teaching, planning & preparation for student return
  • January 11, 2021 - Student phase-in of on-site attendance

What is asked of our families:

All families are required to fill out the following form to determine commitment to return for the school year in person OR to remain virtual.

Families Must be filled out Per Child for the best collection of information.

Please complete by Monday, October 26, 2020.

  • Student Learning Plan Commitment Form (Form Expired)

Thank you for your attention to this important information collection. We appreciate your time and effort to give us the best information at this time as it will be necessary for the planning process.

All the Best,
Dr. Guarino Buli


October 19, 2020 at 12:55 PM EDT - Unclaimed Learning Materials

Good Afternoon,

There are some families that did not make the last pick-up day for school materials.

Please come during regular hours, 8 am-4 pm, this week or this Saturday, October 24th from 8 am-11 am.

You do not need an appointment but will be required to enter the Upper School Main Entrance. You must wear a mask to enter the school.

Thank you,
Dr. Guarino Buli


October 16, 2020 at 2:01 PM EDT - News From RA

Good Afternoon

TGIF for many of us today!  I know that this week has been a bit of a roller coaster in terms of balancing anticipation and expectations for our school community. I appreciate the patience, feedback, and constructive input from so many of our stakeholders: Families, staff, and students.

As we move forward in our remote learning plan, I will continue to update you regarding changes in the process and procedure in which the staff will be rolling out to create the best possible learning environment. The next step toward structural changes in the schedule and a return to physical school; will be our families’ required commitments regarding their family plans for their child’s learning. The information collection will begin next week.

While the time for presenting information this week was quite generous, I know there may still be unanswered questions. If you have a specific item you feel I did not fully answer, please feel free to reach out to me for clarification. I will also add some updates here each week as I become aware of concerns or questions. Lastly, I will begin hosting a regularly scheduled check-in for any family who wants to speak to me, ask questions, or voice ideas to help keep communication lines open. More details forthcoming!

All the best to you for a lovely weekend,

Dr. Guarino Buli

Pandemic Planning - School Phased Re-Opening:

Current timeline with which we are working to understand how plans develop and how decisions are made entirely. This situation is genuinely ever-changing, and we will continue to update or notify as timelines are adjusted or changed.

Please note the following notations:  *Task Complete   **Item Added

  • Pandemic Team - Weekly Meetings held via Google Meets
  • Administrative Team Meetings - Weekly had via Google Meets
  • *October 1, 2020 - Begin Survey of current conditions/ input sent to staff - During SLCs
  • *October 5, 2020 - Begin Survey of current needs/ input sent to parents - Following SLCs
  • *October 5, 2020 - Begin Survey/collection of information from students - via Home Bases following SLCs
  • October 5, 2020 - Pandemic Team begins review/analysis of the above survey data
  • *Upper School Leadership - Initiates Student Focus Group to discuss concerns & seek input from students.
  • *October 8, 2020 - October 15, 2020 - Pandemic Team / Leadership Team / Administration - Develop plans based on the above survey data, current DOH Recommendations, Legal Guidance, and all available resources.
  • *Public Board Workshop Meeting - Scheduled to review and present updates for board review
  • *October 15, 2020 - Pandemic Team / Admin Team Recommendation to Board for changes/adjustments-approval and communicate changes, updates, revisions with the community.
  • **October 19-23 - Collection of commitment data from families
  • **October / November -
    • Continued planning, scheduling updates for re-entry schedule
    • Solidify matrix numbers
    • Ensure compliance with upcoming transportation needs
  • November 13, 2020 - Expiration of current Remote Learning Plan - In place under Board and PDE Approval until End of First Trimester
  • November 16th, 2020 - Begin Phase two of the plan based on the board of trustees’ above approvals or denials.

A few of the many resources we access and review as part of this process include but are not limited to: 

¡Hola amigos!

While we may not be able to do our traditional Spanish Festival this year, you can still participate at home! The World Language Department created a list of easy crafts, recipes, and brain breaks that you can try at home. You may even recognize the "stars" in each video! If you are in the LS, your student will receive part of their grade level craft when they come in. The rest of the supplies we *think* are things you can find around your house. If you try a recipe or a craft, make sure you post it to our Facebook page with the hashtags at the bottom of the document! You will see what your friends are up to AND earn your house some house team points. Have fun, and we can't wait to see what you create!

Note Grades 5-12 - Pick up Water Color packets at the sign-in table when on-site for materials pick up!

New - Tech Support!

To better assist, track and monitor our technology trouble shooting we will be using a new ticketing system. Going forward please submit any Technology Tickets to: [email protected]

Dates and Reminders

  • October 23rd - Early Dismissal Day - Teacher In-Service
  • October 23rd - High School Evening ‘drive-in movie.’
  • October 30th - Lower School CARnival Halloween
  • November 3rd - Early Dismissal Day
  • November 9th & 10th - Individual Senior Portraits - Sign-up information sent to families of seniors
  • November 3rd - Early Dismissal Day
  • November 3rd - Lower School Career Day

From the Nurse:

If you received an email at the start of this week that your child is still out of compliance with immunizations, please send documentation to [email protected] before October 23rd to avoid your child’s exclusion from school. This step is a legal requirement and will be enforced regardless of the remote learning platform we are currently using.

As Halloween approaches during this time of the Covid 19 pandemic, it is important to use safe practices. Please view this excellent Information and ideas for safe and healthy ways to enjoy Halloween.

In a typical year, less than half of Americans get the flu vaccine. Influenza is a deadly disease on its own that killed at least 24,000 Americans last year. With the COVID-19 pandemic spreading rapidly worldwide, distributing the flu vaccine takes on a new urgency to keep the flu out of hospitals to ensure that medical resources do not reach capacity.

Do you know where to get your flu vaccine?  Here are some resources:

Message from the Counseling Department: Looking for Holiday Helpers

Hello, RA, community!
The Counseling department is getting ready for our Annual Holiday Program. Can you believe this is already just around the corner? This year things may look a little different, but we hope to help and serve our community just as much as we have in previous years. We know this year that we may have families who need a little extra help around the holidays more than ever. As a community, we want to do our best to ensure each RA family has a wonderful holiday season despite everything going on this year.

Please use this form if you would like to volunteer to help a family in need: Holiday Helper (Volunteers) Interest Form (Online Form).

Reach out to your grade-level School Counselor with any questions or concerns!

Mrs. Laurento (K-4th), Mrs. Murtagh (5-8th), and Mrs. Fleck (9-12th)

From the Academic Counseling Office

Grades 9-12

Please consider attending the Chester County Virtual College Fair October 28th from 5-8pm! CC College Fair Information and Registration

Past Due:

During the start of typical school years, our families are provided a Policy Review form for review and completion. This is typically a ‘tear-off’ in the Student Handbook. In place of that method, please complete the attached Policy Review for your family. As noted, the acknowledgment form was requested no later than September 11, 2020.

Beginning Monday, September 21, 2020, families will be contacted if forms have not yet been received.

2021-2022 Enrollment

2021-2022 Enrollment Application has been released!

 Please note: enrollment preferences, per the Enrollment Policy, do not apply to applications that come in after the deadlines posted. RA Board Enrollment Policy

Kindergarten applicants must be 5 years old by August 31, 2021.

Please have all required items prepared before starting the application process as all items will need to be attached in the document.

You can find the application and deadlines on the 2021-2020 Enrollment Information Page.

Ms. Naomi Siedlecki
Enrollment/Student Recruitment Coordinator

It's time to sign up for the Reading Olympics!

Reading Olympics is open to all students in grades 4 through 12. Please know spots are limited, and we plan to hold a tryout if we have a large amount of interest. Students attend weekly meetings and participate in writing trivia questions to practice for the competition in the Spring. We welcome readers of all levels. The reading requirement before the competition is 10-12; however, we are happy to work with students who are dedicated to the team and completing the material at a slower pace.

What is the Reading Olympics?

Reading Olympics is a countywide reading event that encourages students to increase the quality and quantity of books they read for enjoyment. The Reading Olympics Program is based upon the belief that good reading habits form the foundation for a productive and successful life. This program is currently active in Chester, Montgomery, Delaware, Bucks, Berks, and Carbon Lehigh counties.

Reading Olympics is designed to inspire students to read for pleasure and learn the value of teamwork at the same time! In addition to helping students develop a habit of daily reading for pleasure, Reading Olympics provides students with the opportunity to have interactive discussions with their peers on the books’ content. More information can be found on the CCIU website.

Where are the books?  Books are Online through RA's MackinVia program; *Students can access this using their school Gmail account.

To submit your name for consideration, please fill out the Reading Olympics Interest Form (Online).

Lindsey Engler,School Library Media Specialist


2020-2021 Winter Sports Information:

In light of last evening’s Board of Trustee determination, the Winter Sports Season is being evaluated by our Athletic Director for procedural feasibility and timelines. A decision will be announced by Monday, November 2nd. If your student is interested in a winter sport activity, you should proactively register now without penalty. The interest numbers may help to plan and make a recommendation effectively. 

Winter Sports Registration:  Renaissance Academy will continue to use Family ID for our online sports registration. For a student-athlete to be eligible to play a sport, they must register on Family ID for their specific sport as well as have a completed PIAA physical form (dated after June 1, 2020).

Winter Sports Registration is OPEN.

To register, please

  • Go to RA's School Website (www.rak12.org): 
    • For Students
    • Select “Athletics” from the drop down
    • Select “Register Now” under Online Registration for Sports
    • Select “Winter 202-21 Athletics Registration”
    • Select the sport, complete the required information, and submit.

Registration must be completed prior to any preseason practices/workouts.

All teams’ schedules, tryouts, and practice information can be located on our RA Athletic Website  

PIAA Physical Form Information:

All Physicals for sports MUST be completed on a PIAA Physical form and must be dated after June 1st, 2020. Any physicals not completed on a PIAA Physical form or were completed prior to June 1, 2020 will not be accepted.

*New this year - Renaissance Academy Athletic Department has collaborated with a local Physician in Phoenixville that will offer Renaissance Academy student-athletes sports physicals at his office for $20 on Tuesday and Friday mornings starting June 1, 2020. You are NOT required to use this Physician and may use your own doctor. This is just another option for you to use if you would like.

Physician Information:

Dr. Csaszar
Csaszar Institute, PLLC (share space with Tri-County Chiropractors) 
503 Kimberton Road  
Phoenixville, PA 19460
610-983-3686
Email will always get a faster response: [email protected]

All PIAA Physicals must be completed and turned in prior to the first official practice or tryout of the season:

  • Middle School Boys Basketball – Wednesday, November 18, 2020
  • Middle School Girls Basketball – Thursday, November 19, 2020
  • Varsity Boys Basketball – Friday, November 20, 2020
  • Varsity Girls Basketball – Monday, November 23, 2020
  • Varsity Bowling – Monday, November 23, 2020

Kevin Zvorsky, CAA
Director of Athletics 


October 14, 2020 at 10:55 AM EDT - Board Workshop & Meeting Reminder

Board Workshop / Public Presentation Reopening Plans - Oct 14th @ 8pm

Board of Trustee Voting Meeting - Oct 15th @ 6:30pm

Please submit Public Comment for Both meetings to [email protected].  All comments will be read aloud.


October 12, 2020 at 3:29 PM EDT - Family Meals Reminder

Please be sure to sign-up if you wish to pick up meal kits this Friday. This must be done weekly for your family. There is no cost, and this opportunity is open to all families. Thank you! 


October 11, 2020 at 8:05 PM EDT - Middle School Materials Pick Up

Middle School Families - The following items will need to be picked up by your student on the upcoming pick-up days: October 15th & 16th.

  • Gensert - All middle school students will need to pick up their Science books.
  • Bicking - All 7th-grade students will need to pick up their Math book.
  • Groff - All students will need to pick up a writing packet.

All of the teachers will have the books/materials in groups according to block and will also have the students' names on the materials so we know who did not come in for the material pickup.

If you need to sign-up please do so now:   Material Pick Up Sign Up Form


October 9, 2020 at 3:03 PM EDT - Weekly News from RA

All School Message:

Good Afternoon - I have quite a bit to share this week. Please take some time to review this information carefully and reach out with questions.

I have requested an additional Work Shop Session of our Board of Trustees this month. I will be using this time to share the administration’s plans and considerations for the next phase of our student learning plans. I believe this session will Only pertain to that topic and hope that by dedicating this time I am able to allow our Trustees and our public to have a clear understanding of our plans as well as updates on how our current Teaching and Learning is progressing.

Both the Workshop Session and the monthly Public Voting Meeting will be held via Google Meet and will be available on the live stream. The Google Meet codes and live stream links are listed below. The Meet will hold up to 250 participants. If you are unable to enter, please view the live stream.

Public Comment:  If you would like to submit a ‘Public Comment’ please email to [email protected]. Comments will be closed at 4 PM on the day of each meeting and will be read aloud during the Public Comment Section of the evening meeting.

Family Survey:

Thank you to the many families who shared feedback, suggestions and perceptions regarding the School Phases of Opening. The survey will close at the EOB, today. Family Survey Closed 10/9/20.

Pandemic Planning - School Phased Re-Opening: 

Current timeline with which we are working to have a fully transparent understanding of how plans are developed and how decisions are made. This is truly an ever-changing situation and we will continue to update or notify as timelines are adjusted or changed.

Please note the following notations: *Task Complete   **Item Added

  • Pandemic Team - Weekly Meetings held via Google Meets
  • Administrative Team Meetings - Weekly had via Google Meets
  • *October 1, 2020 - Begin Survey of current conditions/ input sent to staff - During SLCs
  • *October 5, 2020 - Begin Survey of current needs/ input sent to parents - Following SLCs
  • *October 5, 2020 - Begin Survey/collection of information from students - via Home Bases following SLCs
  • *October 5, 2020 - Pandemic Team begins review/analysis of the above survey data
  • Upper School Leadership - Initiates Student Focus Group to discuss concerns & seek input from students.
  • October 8, 2020 - October 15, 2020 - Pandemic Team / Leadership Team / Administration - Develop plans based on the above survey data, current DOH Recommendations, Legal Guidance, and all available resources.
  • **Public Board Workshop Meeting - Scheduled to review and present updates for board review
  • October 15, 2020 - Pandemic Team / Admin Team Recommendation to Board for changes/adjustments-approval and communicate changes, updates, revisions.
  • November 13, 2020 - Expiration of current Remote Learning Plan - In place under Board and PDE Approval until End of First Trimester
  • November 16th, 2020 - Begin Phase two of the plan based on the board of trustees’ above approvals or denials.

A few of the many resources we access and review as part of this process include but are not limited to: 

New - Tech Support!

To better assist, track and monitor our technology trouble shooting we will be using a new ticketing system. Going forward please submit any Technology Tickets to: [email protected]

Dates and Reminders

  • October 14th - Public Board Workshop Session
  • October 15th - School Board of Trustee Public Meeting
  • October 15th & 16th (Thursday and Friday) - Material Pick up for Families
  • October 16th (Friday) - Pick up for Kindergarten Only
  • October 23rd - Early Dismissal Day - Teacher In-Service
  • November 3rd - Early Dismissal Day
  • November 9th & 10th - Individual Senior Portraits - Sign-up information sent to families of seniors 

PBIS Reward App

Due to the recent updates PBIS Rewards has made, you may have gotten new QR codes for your students as well as have difficulties accessing the app. If you have any questions or need assistance, please reach out to Harold Smith at [email protected] or Kristy Grace at [email protected].

From the Academic Counseling Office

Grades 6-12

The TGR Foundation is offering Free virtual after school classes for students in grades 6-12. Choose from Introduction to Cybersecurity or Mind Craft - The Science of the Mind. See the attached flyer and register by October 15th. 

Grades 9-12

Please consider attending the Chester County Virtual College Fair October 28th from 5-8pm! CC College Fair Information and Registration

Grades 10-12

I’m happy to share that we have an all-star lineup of senior admission officials from competitive colleges and universities across the U.S. joining us through the month of October. All events are free and open to any families with students in grades 10-12. Please click on the event date to register for any sessions you’d like to attend.

October 8 | 7:00 p.m. (EDT) Cornell University Registration - Drew Schradel, Director of Admissions; University of Michigan - Erica Sanders, Director, Office of Undergraduate Admissions; Bowdoin College - Claudia Marroquin, Director of Admissions; Pomona College - Adam Sapp, Director of Admissions

October 14 | 7:00 p.m. (EDT) Harvard UniversityRegistration - Anne De Luca, Associate Dean, Admissions and Financial Aid; Washington University in St. Louis - Emily Almas, Assistant Vice Provost and Director of Admissions; Colorado College - Karen Kristof, Dean of Admission; Minerva University - Samantha Maskey, Dean of Admissions Programs

We have heard from many families throughout the summer looking for guidance on college admission this year. Please share this invitation with your friends and school community so that we can support as many families as possible. If you can’t make the live sessions, we encourage you to register and we’ll send you the recordings. Questions? Email [email protected] to get in touch with the EXPLO team.

With warm regards,
Moira Kelly, President, Exploration Learning

Grade 12

Please visit the RA Academic Counseling Financial Aid Page

Consider registering for the FAFSA workshop on Oct 15th. There are 4 different sessions. Those with unique situations should consider attending the earlier workshops which are less full and will allow for more individualized attention.

Do any of the schools to which your student is applying also require the CSS Profile? Some have deadlines as early as November 15th! Scroll down on the Financial Aid page to access useful links.

Tracey Behrens O'Brien, Academic / College Counselor Grades 7-12
(610)983-4080 x119  Fax (610)983-4096
[email protected]

Past Due:

During the start of typical school years, our families are provided a Policy Review form for review and completion. This is typically a ‘tear-off’ in the Student Handbook. In place of that method, please complete the attached Policy Review for your family. As noted, the acknowledgment form was requested no later than September 11, 2020.

Beginning Monday, September 21, 2020, families will be contacted if forms have not yet been received.

2021-2022 Enrollment

2021-2022 Enrollment Application has been released!

 Please note: enrollment preferences, per the Enrollment Policy, do not apply to applications that come in after the deadlines posted. RA Board Enrollment Policy

Kindergarten applicants must be 5 years old by August 31, 2021.

Please have all required items prepared before starting the application process as all items will need to be attached in the document.

You can find the application and deadlines on the 2021-2020 Enrollment Information Page.

Ms. Naomi Siedlecki
Enrollment/Student Recruitment Coordinator


October 8, 2020 at 11:27 AM EDT - Kindergarten Only Pick Up Information

Attention Kindergarten Families!

Please sign up for a 15-minute time slot for material pick-up. During your designated time, you will be able to pick up materials, Chromebook, etc. for the remainder of the first Trimester.

This sign-up is for Kindergarten Only. If you have multiple children, please select a different appointment time for each child using the school-wide sheet sent previously. (Link below in October 5th email) 

Students are not required to attend with their parents/guardians. Teaching staff Will Not be Present during these times.

All Healthy and Safety Plan Guidelines will be followed. Masks must be worn on campus, and we request you follow physical distancing from other families/students while in the building.

If you Only have a Kindergarten student:

  • You will come to the Kindergarten Area parking lot and enter. You do not need to go to the Main School Building. Everyone will be screened per CCDOH before entering. If you are not able to enter, materials will be brought out to you.

If you have multiple grade level children:

  • You must enter through the main entrance of the upper school. Everyone will be screened per CCDOH before entering. If you are not able to enter, materials will be brought out to you.

*Note:  Kindergarten Pick up is on Friday only.

If you have signed up for a Thursday pick-up for older siblings, please contact your Kindergarten teacher, and that child's items will be available for you in the Lower School on Thursday evening. You do NOT need to come twice.

We look forward to seeing everyone!


October 7, 2020 at 10:07 AM EDT - Senior Portrait Information

Please see the following information from our photographer regarding Senior Class Photos for the class of 2021.


October 6, 2020 at 8:19 AM EDT - Emergency Meal Location at RA

Good Morning,
We are pleased to announce that beginning this week, RA will be an Emergency Meal Pick-up Location.

This is open to ALL families. No qualifications required

Please see the details and sign up for free meal pick-ups:

Regards,
Ginamarie Hoy, School Lunch Program Coordinator


October 5, 2020 at 3:03 PM EDT - Material Pick Up Times Sign Up

The following link will take you to a sign-up for Materials Pick-up. Families have been notified by teachers (during SLCs) if there are mid-trimester items that need to be picked up. If you are unsure I will be asking staff to notify you in the coming days of your need to pick items up on these dates.

*Note - This sign-up has NOT gone to kindergarten families. You will receive a follow-up shortly for Kinder specific, due to the separate location for pick-ups.

Material Pick Up Time Online Sign Up Form

Thank you!


October 5, 2020 at 8:00 AM EDT - RA Family Survey

As indicated in the past several school communications, efforts to plan for the future of RA's learning plan have been ongoing. As we continue to look at the local, state and national data regarding safety around school settings during the COVID-19 Pandemic we wish to make the most informed decisions possible. An important element of this process is seeking input from our families. Please find the following survey in respect to your families needs and expectations.

RA Family Reopening Survey

Thank you for your time and input.


October 2, 2020 at 3:02 PM EDT - RA Weekly News

All School Message

Thank you to our families and amazing students for making our first Virtual SLC an overall success. As always, you worked through a few bumps with us and we saw some outstanding results. I was pleased to see and hear of many valuable conversations and goal setting opportunities taking place.

I am hopeful that these conference times allowed our students to express concerns and aspirations for their online learning as well as the future of their school year. Whatever the coming weeks hold, we know a solid plan and concrete goals will ensure great outcomes.

I also must note that the virtual format was a fantastic alternative for some of the roadblocks of scheduling and transportation that can sometimes be faced. I would not be surprised if we are asked to continue to offer this format as an option going forward, long after the Online Learning period has come to an end!

Thank you for your continued support and partnership, 
Dr. Guarino Buli

Alumni Resource:

Several RA Alum have come together to support students at this time of online learning. Check out their efforts and seek out their assistance! Bright610 Website 

Pandemic Planning - School Phased Re-Opening:

Current time line with which we are working to have a fully transparent understanding of how plans are developed and how decisions are made. This is truly an ever-changing situation and we will continue to update or notify as time lines are adjusted or changed.

Please note the following notations:  Task Complete  *Item Added

  •  Pandemic Team - Weekly Meetings held via Google Meets
  • Administrative Team Meetings - Weekly had via Google Meets
  • October 1, 2020 - Begin Survey of current conditions/ input sent to staff - During SLCs
  • October 5, 2020 - Begin Survey of current needs/ input sent to parents - Following SLCs
  • October 5, 2020 - Begin Survey/collection of information from students - via Home Bases following SLCs
  • October 5, 2020 - Pandemic Team begins review/analysis of the above survey data
  • *Upper School Leadership - Initiates Student Focus Group to discuss concerns & seek input from students.
  • October 8, 2020 - October 15, 2020 - Pandemic Team / Leadership Team / Administration - Develop plans based on the above survey data, current DOH Recommendations, Legal Guidance, and all available resources.
  • October 15, 2020 - Pandemic Team / Admin Team Recommendation to Board for changes/adjustments-approval and communicate changes, updates, revisions with community.
  • November 13, 2020 - Expiration of current Remote Learning Plan - In place under Board and PDE Approval until End of First Trimester
  • November 16th, 2020 - Begin Phase two of the plan based on the board of trustees’ above approvals or denials.

A few of the many resources we access and review as part of this process include but are not limited to:

Dates and Reminders

  • October 15th - School Board of Trustee Public Meeting
  • Thursday and Friday, October 15th & 16th - Material Pick up for Families - Sign-ups will be available on Monday 10/5
  • October 23rd - Early Dismissal Day
  • November 9th & 10th - Individual Senior Portraits - Schedule and details forthcoming.
  • November 3rd - Early Dismissal Day

2021-2022 Enrollment

2021-2022 Enrollment Application has been released!

 Please note: enrollment preferences, per the Enrollment Policy, do not apply to applications that come in after the deadlines posted. RA Board Enrollment Policy

Kindergarten applicants must be 5 years old by August 31, 2021.

Please have all required items prepared before starting the application process as all items will need to be attached in the document.

You can find the application and deadlines on the 2021-2020 Enrollment Information Page.

Ms. Naomi Siedlecki
Enrollment/Student Recruitment Coordinator

Virtual Scholastic Book Fair!

Time Machine: Books can take you anywhere!
The library is hosting an online Virtual Book Fair beginning next Monday, 9/28. Books will ship to your home with free shipping of purchases over $25. Please keep an eye on the RA Facebook page for teacher wish lists and student made promotions!

We would love it if students sent in their own Book Fair time machine art and pictures to promote the fair! Please contact [email protected] with any questions or to send in photos!

Attendance Reminder

Please use the Attendance E-Notification Form found on RA's School Website to report your student late or absent. If requesting vacation, please go through your student's Principal and copy your child's teacher and [email protected]

You can always call the absence line at x236 to report your student late or absent.

If you email the teachers directly regarding an absence, please copy [email protected] on your communication.

As much as we desire our students to be accountable for their time online, excuse notes from students directly to their teachers are not considered legal documentation of an absence. It's crucial we hear from you, the parent/ guardian when reporting an absence.

***Complete attendance information can be found on RA's Attendance Page and in the Parent/Student Handbooks

Past Due:

During the start of typical school years, our families are provided a Policy Review form for review and completion. This is typically a ‘tear-off’ in the Student Handbook. In place of that method, please complete the attached Policy Review for your family. As noted, the acknowledgment form was requested no later than September 11, 2020.

Beginning Monday, September 21, 2020, families will be contacted if forms have not yet been received.

Health Services Update:

All Students: Health Information Forms were distributed during supply pick up. If you did not complete your student's form while you were picking up supplies, you might return it by scanning or taking a photo of both sides and emailing it to [email protected], sending through postal mail or faxing to 610-983-4096.

FDA Issues Warning for Hand Sanitizer in Food Packaging and Flavors Article

Good Morning America - Parent Story About Hand Sanitizer

From the Nurse:

In a typical year, less than half of Americans get the flu vaccine. Influenza is a deadly disease on its own that killed at least 24,000 Americans last year. With the COVID-19 pandemic spreading rapidly worldwide, distributing the flu vaccine takes on a new urgency to keep the flu out of hospitals to ensure that medical resources do not reach capacity.

Do you know where to get your flu vaccine?  Here are some resources:


September 29, 2020 at 8:01 PM EDT - SLC Reminder

SLC (Student Learning Conferences) will take place as scheduled on October 1, 2020 from 8am-8pm and October 2, 2020, from 8am-12noon.

*See Dr. Guarino Buli's email (dated 9/29/20) for tables which contain the links for each of your child's teachers. Tables are organized by Lower School, Middle School and High School then by staff member last name. Before entering the ‘Meet’ please observe that another family is not present. Please wait until your assigned appointment time to enter.

At your appointment time:

  • Log into Your Student’s Google Account
  • Click the link for the staff member with whom you are scheduled.

Reminders for families and students during SLCs:

Student Learning Contract Conferences (SLC Conferences) holds an essential role in the collaborative educational process here at The Renaissance Academy. For our returning families, the SLC Conference is a familiar experience, and for our newly enrolled families, it is a crucial step toward solidifying the success of your child’s academic year.

Please review the following details to ensure that you are informed, prepared, and excited about this key event in your students' school year. I encourage you to contact your child’s home base teacher with any additional questions about the SLC process and the conference’s expectations.

What is expected of everyone during the SLC Conference:

  • Students:  Be present and be prepared to discuss progress and your personal goals for the current and upcoming trimesters. Students will come with specific goals in mind and be expected to formalize them during the conference. *Students Must Attend Their Conference!*
  • Parents / Guardians:  Preview the student grades/grade report prior to the conference (This can be found on the Skyward Parent Portal). The primary focus is on assisting with student goals and looking ahead to make improvements during the remainder of the trimester.
  • Teachers:  Assist students in composing SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Timely)
    • Goals. Teachers will guide students, take active roles in working on student goals, assessing progress, communicate that progress to the parent/guardians.
    • The Key to success: Conferences are to be student led!

September 24, 2020 at 12:52 PM EDT - Weekly News from RA

All School Message:

Good Afternoon,

No, it’s not Friday yet! I am sending this week’s message a day early for two reasons: 1. I hope to give some reminders / helpful hints for tonight’s Academy Nights and 2. I want to communicate a few things before the anticipation of the long-weekend takes hold tomorrow afternoon!

Academy Night Back to School Night:

This evening’s’ goal is to give you a chance to see your child’s teachers and receive general overview information. You will have the opportunity to learn about the day your child is experiencing and a preview of expectations and milestones you can expect for this school year. This meeting is not a time for specific personal questions as all classmates' families will be present.

Please use your child’s device to log on, as it will provide the best access to our RAK12 Domain. The communications went out from the Upper School and Lower School Principals.

I will also be hosting an open time from 6:30-7:30 and invite you to drop in. I do not have a set schedule and will take questions of a general nature. Grace Cavanagh, School Nurse, and Janet Tuckett, Attendance/ Student Information Manager will join me at this time. If we don’t have answers… we will get them for you!

Pandemic Planning - School Phased Re-Opening:

I wish to continue to address the ongoing efforts and conversations of school status and learning plans t RA and around PA. I do sincerely hope that it goes without saying, that my team and I KNOW that this is not an easy time. We will continue to work hard, and our staff will continue to do their best. That does not mean we are not seeking an end-point to remote learning and look forward to a time that we can all be safely back in school full-time.

Here is the current timeline with which we are working to have a fully transparent understanding of how plans are developed and how decisions are made. This is truly an ever-changing situation and we will continue to update or notify as timelines are adjusted or changed.

  • Pandemic Team - Weekly Meetings held via Google Meets
  • Administrative Team Meetings - Weekly had via Google Meets
  • October 5, 2020 - Begin Survey of current needs/ input sent to parents - Following SLCs
  • October 1, 2020 - Begin Survey of current conditions/ input sent to staff - During SLCs
  • October 5, 2020 - Begin Survey/collection of information from students - via Home Bases following SLCs
  • October 5, 2020 - Pandemic Team begins review/analysis of the above survey data
  • October 8, 2020 - October 15, 2020 - Pandemic Team / Leadership Team / Administration - Develop plans based on the above survey data, current DOH Recommendations, Legal Guidance, and all available resources.
  • October 15, 2020 - Pandemic Team / Admin Team Recommendation to Board for changes/adjustments-approval and communicate changes, updates, revisions with the community.
  • November 13, 2020 - Expiration of current Remote Learning Plan - In place under Board and PDE Approval until End of First Trimester
  • November 16th, 2020 - Begin Phase two of the plan based on the board of trustees’ above approvals or denials.

A few of the many resources we access and review as part of this process include but are not limited to:

All the best and be well,
Dr. Guarino Buli

Dates and Reminders

  • Thursday, September 24th - Virtual Academy Back to School Night
  • Friday, September 25th - Early Dismissal Day - Senior Project Presentations and Staff Professional Development.
  • Monday, September 28th - No School/Online classes, Yom Kippur.
  • Thursday and Friday, October 1st & 2nd - Virtual SLC Days - Please note the sign-up links below!
  • Thursday and Friday, October 15th & 16th - Material Pick up for Families - Sign-up and details forthcoming
  • October 23rd - Early Dismissal Day - Staff Professional Development

SLC (Conferences)

Please use the appropriate links to sign-up for an appointment to meet with your child(s) teacher(s). Each sign-up sheet has specific information pertaining to the SLC conferences and how best to plan these days with your child. Note: There are separate sign-ups for Lower School, Middle School, and High School. This change from the past practice is due to the many slots needed for virtual conferences.

We look forward to working with you and your family during this important goal setting and planning time!

House shirt orders are now open!

The form closes Thursday, October 1st, at 5 pm! The next opportunity to order will be the week of Trimester Two SLCs.

Student Cost: t-shirt $10, long sleeve shirt $15, hooded sweatshirt $20

  • Billing: Families who place an order will be billed on the portal and can pay on the portal, or mail in a check payable to Renaissance Academy ('House Shirt" written on memo line/envelope). The shirt charge will post to portal accounts after SLCs, and payment is due by Oct 9th.
  • Delivery: Shirts will be available for distribution on material pick-up days 10/15-10/16 (barring any unforeseen delays).
  • House shirt order form closed for Trimester 2

Virtual Scholastic Book Fair!

Time Machine: Books can take you anywhere!
The library is hosting an online Virtual Book Fair beginning next Monday, 9/28. Books will ship to your home with free shipping of purchases over $25. Please keep an eye on the RA Facebook page for teacher wish lists and student made promotions!

We would love it if students sent in their own Book Fair time machine art and pictures to promote the fair! Please contact [email protected] with any questions or to send in photos!

Attendance Reminder

Please use the Attendance E-Notification Form found on RA's School Website to report your student late or absent. If requesting vacation, please go through your student's Principal and copy your child's teacher and [email protected]

You can always call the absence line at x236 to report your student late or absent.

If you email the teachers directly regarding an absence, please copy [email protected] on your communication.

As much as we desire our students to be accountable for their time online, excuse notes from students directly to their teachers are not considered legal documentation of an absence. It's crucial we hear from you, the parent/ guardian when reporting an absence.

***Complete attendance information can be found on RA's Attendance Page and in the Parent/Student Handbooks

Past Due:

During the start of typical school years, our families are provided a Policy Review form for review and completion. This is typically a ‘tear-off’ in the Student Handbook. In place of that method, please complete the attached Policy Review for your family. As noted, the acknowledgment form was requested no later than September 11, 2020.

Beginning Monday, September 21, 2020, families will be contacted if forms have not yet been received.

Health Services Update:

All Students: Health Information Forms were distributed during supply pick up. If you did not complete your student's form while you were picking up supplies, you might return it by scanning or taking a photo of both sides and emailing it to [email protected], sending through postal mail or faxing to 610-983-4096.

FDA Issues Warning for Hand Sanitizer in Food Packaging and Flavors Article

Good Morning America - Parent Story About Hand Sanitizer

From the Nurse:

In a typical year, less than half of Americans get the flu vaccine. Influenza is a deadly disease on its own that killed at least 24,000 Americans last year. With the COVID-19 pandemic spreading rapidly worldwide, distributing the flu vaccine takes on a new urgency to keep the flu out of hospitals to ensure that medical resources do not reach capacity.

Do you know where to get your flu vaccine?  Here are some resources:


September 18, 2020 at 4:03 PM EDT - Weekly News from RA 

All School Message:

Good Afternoon,

During the meeting’s Public Comment portion, I noted that I would respond to a question posed by adding a notion of the board’s minutes. I realize that the questions may be time-sensitive and on the minds of many parents. As the minutes from the meeting will not be made public until after a vote, in approximately 30 days, I am taking this time to respond to here rather than waiting for that timeframe.

The question asked was regarding the current status of Pandemic Response Remote Learning ‘What Matrix RA will be using to determine the next steps for opening after the Trimester One timeline has been exhausted?”

Answer - RA initially looks to the agreed-upon standards in our PDE accepted, and Trustee approved Health and Safety Plan. According to that plan, our students’ sending counties need to be fully ‘Green.’ Unfortunately, the county and state movements to yellow and green did not follow their matrix or standard for opening. The reasoning is now somewhat flawed, forcing schools & districts to develop internal guidelines.

To continue our efforts to maintain safety for our population, we can now use the more recently released transmission tables/data provided by the Department Of Health (DOH). These tables provide a recommendation for which type of school opening is best, based on area incidence rate and COVID-19 cases’ positivity. The most up-to-date Chester County Department of Health (CCDOH) document can be found here: CCDOH Public and Private School Guidance.

The RA Pandemic team actively reviews public reports and anecdotal reports from local schools, schools with similar populations in the state and other states. A regular (weekly) review of steps that colleagues are taking in different settings and a discussion of research shows both positive and negative outcomes for those schools. Ongoing research, updates, and reading is the norm for all members of the team. We receive updates via email regularly from CCDOH, Chester County IU (CCIU), Montgomery County Department of Health (MCDOH), Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE), and we seek out updates from other sources, nationally, as desired and timely.

Our review timeline includes academic assessments to determine student progress and risk assessments to determine how to continue best delivering education. We anticipate a public recommendation regarding updates, changes, adjustments to the Health and Safety Plan; at the Board of Trustee Meeting scheduled for October 15, 2020.

All the best and be well,
Dr. Guarino Buli

Attendance Reminder

Please use the Attendance E-Notification Form found on RA's School Website to report your student late or absent. If requesting vacation, please go through your student's Principal and copy your child's teacher and [email protected]

You can always call the absence line at x236 to report your student late or absent.

If you email the teachers directly regarding an absence, please copy [email protected] on your communication.

As much as we desire our students to be accountable for their time online, excuse notes from students directly to their teachers are not considered legal documentation of an absence. It's crucial we hear from you, the parent/ guardian when reporting an absence.

***Complete attendance information can be found on RA's Attendance Page and in the Parent/Student Handbooks

Dates and Reminders

  • Thursday, September 24th - Virtual Academy Back to School Night - Schedule and Links will be sent on Monday, September 21st.
  • Friday, September 25th - Early Dismissal Day - This afternoon is reserved for our Senior Project Presentations and Staff Professional Development.
  • Monday, September 28th - No School / online classes in observance of the Jewish Holiday, Yom Kippur.
  • Thursday and Friday, October 1st & 2nd - Virtual SLC Days - Please note the sign-up links below!
  • Thursday and Friday, October 15th & 16th - Material Pick up for Families - Sign-up and details forthcoming
  • October 23rd - Early Dismissal Day - Teacher Professional Development

SLC (Conferences)

Please use the appropriate links to sign-up for an appointment to meet with your child(s) teacher(s). Each sign-up sheet has specific information pertaining to the SLC conferences and how best to plan these days with your child. Note: There are separate sign-ups for Lower School, Middle School, and High School. This change from the past practice is due to the many slots needed for virtual conferences.

We look forward to working with you and your family during this important goal setting and planning time!

Past Due:

During the start of typical school years, our families are provided a Policy Review form for review and completion. This is typically a ‘tear-off’ in the Student Handbook. In place of that method, please complete the attached Policy Review for your family. As noted, the acknowledgment form was requested no later than September 11, 2020.

Beginning Monday, September 21, 2020, families will be contacted if forms have not yet been received.

Assessment Update

The week of September 21st, students in grades 1-8 will be taking their MAP tests.

MAP tests help teachers understand what students know today, so goals can be set to improve growth throughout the year. Students cannot pass or fail this test.

This test will not affect grades. It’s normal for students to the only answer about half the questions correctly. Please don’t help them!

Given the challenges of learning from home, MAP test results are especially helpful for us this year. These results will help us know what students are ready to learn.

Please make sure your device meets testing requirements using the Workstation Diagnostic Tool in preparation for the MAP tests. If the device fails, please submit a Technology Service Request to remedy the issue.

You will receive additional information about MAP tests from your child's teacher.

David Cosme, Jr.
Director of Student Achievement

Health Services Update:

All Students: Health Information Forms were distributed during supply pick up. If you did not complete your student's form while you were picking up supplies, you might return it by scanning or taking a photo of both sides and emailing it to [email protected], sending through postal mail or faxing to 610-983-4096.

FDA Issues Warning for Hand Sanitizer in Food Packaging and Flavors Article


September 18, 2020 at 4:00 PM EDT

2020-2021 Winter Sports Information:

*NOTE - No decision has been made regarding Winter Season Sports for Renaissance*

Winter Sports Registration:  Renaissance Academy will continue to use Family ID for our online sports registration. For a student-athlete to be eligible to play a sport, they must register on Family ID for their specific sport as well as have a completed PIAA physical form (dated after June 1, 2020).

Winter Sports Registration is OPEN.

To register, please

  • Go to RA's School Website (www.rak12.org): 
    • For Students
    • Select “Athletics” from the drop down
    • Select “Register Now” under Online Registration for Sports
    • Select “Winter 202-21 Athletics Registration”
    • Select the sport, complete the required information, and submit.

Registration must be completed prior to any preseason practices/workouts.

All teams’ schedules, tryouts, and practice information can be located on our RA Athletic Website. 

PIAA Physical Form Information:

All Physicals for sports MUST be completed on a PIAA Physical form and must be dated after June 1st, 2020. Any physicals not completed on a PIAA Physical form or were completed prior to June 1, 2020 will not be accepted.

*New this year - Renaissance Academy Athletic Department has collaborated with a local Physician in Phoenixville that will offer Renaissance Academy student-athletes sports physicals at his office for $20 on Tuesday and Friday mornings starting June 1, 2020. You are NOT required to use this Physician and may use your own doctor. This is just another option for you to use if you would like.

Physician Information:

Dr. Csaszar
Csaszar Institute, PLLC (share space with Tri-County Chiropractors) 
503 Kimberton Road  
Phoenixville, PA 19460
610-983-3686
Email will always get a faster response: [email protected]

All PIAA Physicals must be completed and turned in prior to the first official practice or tryout of the season:

  • Middle School Boys Basketball – Wednesday, November 18, 2020
  • Middle School Girls Basketball – Thursday, November 19, 2020
  • Varsity Boys Basketball – Friday, November 20, 2020
  • Varsity Girls Basketball – Monday, November 23, 2020
  • Varsity Bowling – Monday, November 23, 2020

Kevin Zvorsky, CAA
Director of Athletics


September 16, 2020

Reminder - Monthly Board of Trustee Meeting

Board of Trustees Voting Meeting - Sept 17, 2020, 6:30 PM


September 14, 2020 at 7:46 PM EDT

COVID Update

Good Evening,

I have received confirmation that one staff member in the RA Community has tested positive for COVID-19. The staff member has not been on campus since September 2, 2020. If you were on campus prior to September 2, 2020 you may have come in contact with this staff member.

I am not able to share any additional personal or identifiable information.If you feel you may have been exposed to a person with COVID-19, at RA or anywhere you may have been, you are encouraged to monitor your health take notice of known COVID-19 symptoms and seek the guidance of your own doctor.

Renaissance will continue to screen all employees who come on site. As a reminder visitors and volunteers are not eligible to be on campus at this time. If you need to enter the building please enter at the Main Office of the Upper School where you will be screened. Face Coverings are mandate per PA Mandate of July 1, 2020; updated August 5, 2020.

Wishing everyone a safe evening,
Dr. Guarino Buli

If you need additional information regarding COVID-19 Safety Tips and COVID-19 in PA, please Visit the PA Department of Health's COVID-19 Page.


September 11, 2020 at 4:05 PM EDT

For students in a district that has in the past provided transportation to RA Charter School Students

District Busing Forms for the 2020-2021 School Year

Please note although we are in virtual learning model right now the district transportation departments are preparing bus assignments for our physical return.
The districts who required Act 372 forms are reporting that the majority of our families have not yet completed these. Without these forms they will not build a bus schedule for your child(ren)

Please go to your districts website and complete the ACT 372 form and send to them directly by next Friday, September 18, 2020. As we do realize the future is very foggy at this time for most families it is best practice to request the transportation then not as turn around time to have a schedule created could take longer than previous years because of COVID safety procedures.

*UPDATE - Norristown Area School District has notified us that they DO NOT require this form.

Year-End Transportation Forms (Act 372)

Some of our busing districts require their families to submit busing forms at the end of each school year. Please contact the district's Transportation Departments directly to obtain the corresponding forms.

District Transportation Page Links:

(Look for the ACT 372 Form or "Non-Public" transportation tab)


September 11, 2020 at 4:03 PM EDT

All School Message:

Good Afternoon!

Thank you for participating in and supporting another successful school week with your child. I hope you were able to take a moment to hear my message and call-to-action this morning. I appreciate the positivity that so many of you shared as examples of how strong our community can be!

As many of our colleagues and surrounding districts headed back to class this past Tuesday, it has been enlightening and encouraging to hear of them now going through many of the ‘learning pains’ that our RA staff and students experienced two weeks ago! We continue to see improvement and openly acknowledge areas of needed improvement for our educational plans and programs. We continue to watch and monitor the elementary and secondary schools in the public and private sectors that have chosen some in-person forms of instruction. Examples locally as well as around the nation, provide helpful guidance. We will learn from their experiences in the coming weeks as we plan for our months ahead.

In the coming weeks, you will receive updates on our Virtual Back to School Academy Nights, Virtual SLC Conferences, and an anticipated second round of Materials pick-up, as needed for students. Yes, we are already making plans for the mid-trimester point… time does fly!

This past week allowed me to visit several RA classroom sessions and attend many parent meetings. I continue to be reminded and rewarded to witness the hard work that our students, families, and staff are doing each day.

In humble gratitude,
Dr. Guarino Buli

Reminders

Friday, September 25, 2020 - Early Dismissal Day - Student Schedules for this day are forthcoming. We will be adhering to this calendar as planned. This afternoon is reserved for our Senior Project Presentations and Staff Professional Development.

Monday, September 28, 2020 - No School / online classes - In observance of the Jewish Holiday, Yom Kippur.

Due Now:

During the start of typical school years, our families are provided a Policy Review form for review and completion. This is typically a ‘tear-off’ in the Student Handbook. In place of that method, please complete the attached Policy Review for your family. As noted, the acknowledgment form is requested no later than September 11, 2020.

Assessment Update

The week of September 21st, students in grades 1-8 will be taking their MAP tests.

MAP tests help teachers understand what students know today, so goals can be set to improve growth throughout the year. Students cannot pass or fail this test.

This test will not affect grades. It’s normal for students to the only answer about half the questions correctly. Please don’t help them!

Given the challenges of learning from home, MAP test results are especially helpful for us this year. These results will help us know what students are ready to learn.

Please make sure your device meets testing requirements by using the Workstation Diagnostic Tool in preparation for the MAP tests. If the device fails, please submit a Technology Service Request to remedy the issue.

You will receive additional information about MAP tests from your child's teacher.

David Cosme, Jr.
Director of Student Achievement

Health Services Update:

All Students: Health Information Forms were distributed during supply pick up. If you did not complete your student's form while you were picking up supplies, you may return it by scanning or taking a photo of both sides and emailing it to [email protected], sending through postal mail or faxing to 610-983-4096.

FDA Issues Warning for Hand Sanitizer in Food Packaging and Flavors

Repeat Information:

The following items were included in this communication as Repeated Information from previous emails (as a reference): 


September 11, 2020 at 8:48 AM EDT

A 9/11 Message of Kindness & Hope from Dr. Guarino Buli


September 8, 2020 at 10:22 AM EDT

Good Morning

This is a reminder regarding Chromebook Computer Insurance. This policy is available to all students / families. As all students have Chromebooks to use at home we want to ensure you are protected regarding any damage. The purchase of the insurance is optional for families but may be beneficial.

Highlights:

  • Cost is $30 per student or $15 for those that qualify for Aide (This is determined by Free/Reduced Lunch Status)
  • Family cost maximum is two students ($60 or $30 per above)

Forms for completion are here:

Thank you,
Maurice Moon, Tech Support One:One Program


September 4, 2020 at 2:54 PM EDT

All School Message:

Good Afternoon!

As we wrap up another week it is a great time to note some of OUR accomplishments!

Each day our students and staff continue to amaze me. I have been ‘stopping by’ Google Classrooms and have truly enjoyed the interactions and attentiveness of our RA Knights. Your students are working hard at this new way of learning and it is always a refreshing break to see their smiles and faces. They have demonstrated the flexibility and resilience that we know children have!

Our staff is also working hard! Back at school, where it is eerily quiet, our office is a buzz of activity. As new students continue to enroll in our school, the support staff is hard at work getting them the needed materials that they need to jump online with us and be successful.

And it has been a joy to witness the positive use of social media. From the families sharing photos of their kids, to the welcoming messages to our newest knights, our spirits are lifted! So often, one of our own will jump in to rescue with an idea or answer to a question; such strong evidence that we are truly all working together to ensure ALL of our kids are learning no matter where they are!

Please continue to reach out with ideas, suggestions, and concerns. We are HERE for you and are happy to hear from you. The communication from the school has, thankfully, slowed down a bit and I hope that has provided a little less business in your inbox.

Wishing you a restful, small break on this long-weekend - Happy Labor Day,
Dr. Guarino Buli

Weekly News

Reminder:  Monday, September 7, 2020 - NO CLASSES - School Closed in observance of Labor Day

Food Distribution Update:

At this time we understand that some of the districts are still providing meals to families. It is not feasible for RA to do distribution, given the geographical locations of our students. We are looking at options to support and encourage you to seek out community resources as well.

Please see below for some local resources:

If you have questions or need assistance, please contact Ginamarie Hoy at [email protected] or 610-983-4080, ext. 160.

From the School Counseling Team:

Suicide Prevention Day

Thursday, September 10th is World Suicide Prevention Day. We would love to bring awareness and show support by asking students to wear yellow, purple, and/or turquoise during their virtual school day. We would also love to see their beautiful faces/pictures sharing their support on Renaissance Academy’s Facebook #YoureLoved #yourhouseteam. Be sure to type their house team name so they can earn points for their house team.

Suicide prevention can start with recognizing the warning signs and always taking it seriously. Please use the below links to learn more about the signs of suicide and how to get help.

If you or someone you know are in need of mental health support and/or in need of an assessment for safety (for example: having thoughts of suicide, self-harm, etc), please contact 911 if your needs are urgent and life-threatening. Otherwise, please contact your local county crisis resource listed below for an assessment:

  • Chester County: Valley Creek Crisis Center - 610-918-2100
  • Montgomery County: Access Services - 1-855-634-4673
  • Bucks County Crisis - 215-345-2273
  • Berks County: Service Access Management 1-877-236-4600
  • Delaware County Crisis Service - 1-855-889-7827
  • Philadelphia County: Suicide and Crisis Center (215)-686-4420
  • National Suicide Prevention Lifeline - 1-800-273-8255
  • Línea Nacional de Prevención del Suicidio: 1-888-628-9454
  • Crisis Text Line - Text HOME to 741741 or visit their website at Crisistextline.org for more information
  • PA Support & Referral Helpline: 
    • The toll-free, round-the-clock support line can be reached at 1-855-284-2494.
    • For TTY, dial 724-631-560

If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to contact your child’s school counselor.

Lisa Fleck (9th-12th grade school counselor) [email protected]
Rachel Murtagh (5th-8th grade school counselor) [email protected]
Melissa Laurento (K-4th grade school counselor) [email protected]

PBIS (Positive Behavior Interventions and Support)

During this past week, you should have received an email or text, instructing you to sign-up for PBIS accounts for your child(ren). If you DID NOT receive this please contact:

Outside Resources for Families:

Parents and those who want to help parents succeed will want to tune into to the next edition of CER’s Back to School Action Series, with Erica Komisar, psychoanalyst, parent coach and author, who will address parent questions and suggest strategies on how to create a healthy learning environment for our kids in the time of Covid 19. (Registration for CER's Action Series closed)

Repeat Information:

The following items were included in this communication as Repeated Information from previous emails (as a reference): 

Attendance Reminder!

Please use the attendance e-notification form found on the rak12.org website to report your student late or absent. If requesting vacation, please go through your student's Principal and copy your child's Homebase teacher and [email protected].

You may always call the absence line at x236 to report your student late or absent.

If you email the teachers directly regarding an absence, please copy [email protected] on your communication.

As much as we desire our students to be accountable for their time online, excuse notes from students directly to their teachers are not considered legal documentation of an absence. It's important we hear from you, the parent/guardian when reporting an absence.

Complete attendance information can be found in the Parent/Student Handbook online at www.rak12.org.

Thank you, 
Janet Tuckett, Student Information Manager

Reminder (Action Needed):

During the start of typical school years, our families are provided a Policy Review form for review and completion. This is typically a ‘tear-off’ in the Student Handbook. In lieu of that method please complete the attached Policy Review for your family. As noted, the acknowledgment form is requested no later than September 11, 2020.

Useful Documents

If you need help:


August 31, 2020 at 9:03 AM EDT

*Reminder - If you have not yet filled out this survey please do now!

Food Distribution Update

Over the past several months of school closures and summer break your local school district may have been able to provide meals for families /students. The timeline for this provision is going to expire with the re-opening of schools, although virtual. Your child will no longer be able to pick up at neighborhood schools.

RA is working on a plan to ensure students enrolled at our school are still able to receive these benefits. We are collecting the following information to solidify needs and plans for our families. Your response to these questions does not constitute a commitment or obligation from yourself or the school at this time.

If you need additional information about these benefits:

Applying for Free and Reduced Meals via SchoolCafe makes the application process easier than ever. Parents can select their students, input household information, and complete their application all within minutes. No need for cumbersome forms or mailing physical applications.

If you have questions or need assistance, please contact Ginamarie Hoy at [email protected] or 610-983-4080, ext. 160.


August 28, 2020 at 2:38 PM EDT

Weekly News From RA 

All School Message:

Congratulations! TGIF - week one of Online Learning 2020-2021 SY has been accomplished.

As shared during the week, the online adjust is coming along, but not without its bumps and turns. Thank you for our continued patience as our teachers and students navigate the tools that are necessary for our learning at this time. Google Troubleshooting has led to some improvements. You are still encouraged to remind students to enter tickets if they are experiencing difficulties. We do not want to overlook anything!

A simple reminder to close unnecessary tabs shut down at the end of the day and re-start the computer each morning may also help with productivity. For many of the adults who are accustomed to working on computers, these minor adjustments are not yet second nature to our students.

You will also see some system-wide changes that we feel will help with functionality and others in response to classroom management. One of these that may be more obvious is the removal of the students’ ability to personalize profile pictures. We have had a few reports of pictures that are distracting and will be pushing a fix that reverts all pictures to the ‘Initial’ when the camera is off; to avoid any further issues from occurring.

And, a special thank you, to the many families who have been joining our school FaceBook page and sharing tips and ideas for this crazy time. It is uplifting to see the true spirit of RA spreading among our families and modeling compassion for our students!

Have a lovely weekend,
Dr. Guarino Buli

Food Distribution Update

Over the past several months of school closures and summer break your local school district may have been able to provide meals for families /students. The timeline for this provision is going to expire with the re-opening of schools, although virtual. Your child will no longer be able to pick up at neighborhood schools.

RA is working on a plan to ensure students enrolled at our school are still able to receive these benefits. We are collecting the following information to solidify needs and plans for our families. Your response to these questions does not constitute a commitment or obligation from yourself or the school at this time.

If you need additional information about these benefits:
Applying for Free and Reduced Meals via SchoolCafe makes the application process easier than ever. Parents can select their students, input household information, and complete their application all within minutes. No need for cumbersome forms or mailing physical applications.

If you have questions or need assistance, please contact Ginamarie Hoy at [email protected] or 610-983-4080, ext. 160.

Attendance Reminder!

Please use the attendance e-notification form found on the rak12.org website to report your student late or absent. If requesting vacation, please go through your student's Principal and copy your child's Homebase teacher and [email protected].

You may always call the absence line at x236 to report your student late or absent.

If you email the teachers directly regarding an absence, please copy [email protected] on your communication.

As much as we desire our students to be accountable for their time online, excuse notes from students directly to their teachers are not considered legal documentation of an absence. It's important we hear from you, the parent/guardian when reporting an absence.

Complete attendance information can be found in the Parent/Student Handbook online at www.rak12.org.

Thank you, 
Janet Tuckett, Student Information Manager

PBIS (Positive Behavior Interventions and Support)

This is a school-wide program that all students and staff participate in. Information regarding your child’s account, how you can be involved and other details will be coming to you soon. There is nothing you need to do at this time!

Reminder (Action Needed):

During the start of typical school years, our families are provided a Policy Review form for review and completion. This is typically a ‘tear-off’ in the Student Handbook. In lieu of that method please complete the attached Policy Review for your family. As noted, the acknowledgment form is requested no later than September 11, 2020.

Useful Documents

If you need help:

Please Support A Senior!

You can learn more about the RA Senior Project Requirements Here: Senior Commencement Project

Hello everyone,

As a high school senior, I am hosting a virtual 5K in order to raise money for the RA Athletic Department to buy portable Automated External Defibrillators for the Life Fitness/ Training Room. I would also like to encourage students to stay active.

Here’s how it works:

  • Over the Labor Day Weekend, you can walk, run, or bike a 5K anywhere you are.
  • Register Online for the 5K
  • Donations: It is free to participate, but donations are appreciated.

You can complete the 5K and donate at any time over the Labor Day Weekend. You are invited to post your picture and time on the RA Facebook page. Feel free to reach out with any questions, and thank you for participating!

Resources:


August 26, 2020 at 1:56 PM EDT

Google Issues Update

Good Afternoon:

During yesterday's lessons and into today we have been having reports of issues with the Google Suite products; both from our families and our staff. Our IT Department is working with Google to troubleshoot issues and some adjustments are being made which will hopefully increase productivity. You may continue to see issues at this time.

At this point we are fairly certain the issue is the Google products and is NOT related to RA Hardware, WIFI systems in your homes or carriers. Please do not feel inclined to purchase anything that might increase speed etc. at this time. We would much rather try to fix the Google Issues which seem to be systemic.

Please continue to submit Technology Tickets and do not assume that 'someone else has reported' an issue you may be having; as we do not want any unique issues to be overlooked. Tech Online Help Desk (610)-415-4279.

We will send an update as soon as we know more.

Thank you for your patience as we (and apparently many other users!) navigate the online world!

Best,
Dr. Guarino Buli


August 25, 2020 at 10:56 AM EDT

From our RA Board of Trustees President

Good Morning, All!

Happy second day of school! I know you may be thinking, "Boy, he must have forgotten about us yesterday." Quite the contrary, I purposely waited until today. I know how the first-day nerves hit all at once and compound that with now being virtual (and maybe having your own children at home), I can only imagine the stress you all felt yesterday. The very last thing you needed was a letter from me going on. I also thought back to the second day of school when I was in the classroom and how even if I still had some nerves, there was definitely a feeling of, "I got this" (especially if you survived the Great Zoom Outage unscathed).

Anyhow, I have seen on social media, heard in conversations, and witnessed first hand, all the incredible work you each put into, not only getting off on the right foot, but also making yesterday a meaningful and unique experience for every one of your students. I am sure there were hiccups and glitches, but I am equally sure that you each took those in stride and barreled through to a positive outcome.

This will get easier and become second nature, just take it one day at a time.

Congratulations; Good Luck; keep fighting the good fight, and don't give up.

Daniel Rufo
Board of Trustees President
Renaissance Academy Charter School

[email protected]


August 24, 2020 at 10:09 PM EDT

Good Evening

Congratulations! We made it to Day One!

During the start of typical school years our families are provided a Policy Review form for review and completion. This is typically a ‘tear off’ in the Student Handbook. In lieu of that method please complete the attached Policy Review for your family. As noted, the acknowledgement form is requested no later than September 11, 2020.

Thank you for the positive start to the school year. We LOVE the photos that many of you have been sharing along with the excitement you have been expressing on our school Facebook Page!

Please look for the next school-wide communication this Friday, August 28, 2020.

Here is a snapshot of some important information you may need to reference. Much of this is from previous communications and was also shared during your student pick-up days last week.

Useful Documents

If you need help:

Please Support A Senior!

You can learn more about the RA Senior Project Requirements Here: Senior Commencement Project

Hello everyone,

As a high school senior, I am hosting a virtual 5K in order to raise money for the RA Athletic Department to buy portable Automated External Defibrillators for the Life Fitness/ Training Room. I would also like to encourage students to stay active.

Here’s how it works:

  • Over the Labor Day Weekend, you can walk, run, or bike a 5K anywhere you are.
  • Register Online for the 5K
  • Donations: It is free to participate, but donations are appreciated.

You can complete the 5K and donate at any time over the Labor Day Weekend. You are invited to post your picture and time on the RA Facebook page. Feel free to reach out with any questions, and thank you for participating!

Nurse Update:

Emails were sent last week to parents/guardians for those students in grades Kindergarten, 7th grade and 12th grade who are still in need of state mandated immunizations. Please note that the State of Pennsylvania has extended the exclusion requirement due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Students now have until October 23, 2020 to submit the required documentation. If we do not receive the documentation by that date we will be required to exclude your child from school and school related activities. Please go to rak12.org and click on Medical & Health under the Parent section for more information about immunizations.

Students entering Kindergarten, 3rd grade & 7th grade are required to submit a dental form. Forms may be found by going to rak12.org and clicking on Medical & Health under the Parent section.

Students entering Kindergarten, 6th grade & 11th grade are required to submit a physical form. Forms may be found by going to rak12.org and clicking on Medical & Health under the Parent section.

All Students: Health Information Forms were distributed during supply pick up. If you did not complete your student's form while you were picking up supplies, you may return it by scanning or taking a photo of both sides and emailing it to [email protected], sending through postal mail or faxing to 610-983-4096.

Resources:


August 23, 2020 at 5:48 PM EDT

Good Evening,

On this ‘eve’ of your child’s first official day Instruction in your home, this message will be short and sweet!

Rather than fill your email box with reminders, updates, and to-do lists… today, is about taking a moment to pause and appreciate all that has been done.

Thank you to the over 1100 families who came to school last week to retrieve the items their kiddos needed for a successful start. I was overwhelmed by the positive, grateful vibe which filled our hallways and classrooms as you entered and made your way. It was refreshing to SEE our students and feel their energy!

Please take some time to reflect on all that you and your students have accomplished already. They have managed new challenges and are moving forward with positivity and open minds. We all know there will be new challenges ahead, and we all recognize that everything will not be perfect on day one! We will continue to learn, grow, and improve, and we are excited to get started!

And most importantly, I look forward to serving you and your children in their Life-Long Learning Goals.

Be well!
Dr. Guarino Buli

Stay Tuned for some important updates and details you will receive tomorrow, Monday, August 24, 2020.

If you need help:


August 19, 2020 at 5:11 PM EDT

Welcome Back!
View Dr. Guarino Buli's 2020-2021 Greeting Video


August 18, 2020 at 8:01 AM EDT

Chromebook Registration

The following pertains to families who HAVE NOT yet registered for Chromebook for this school year.

RA provides a program that allows students to take home a school issued Chromebook for homeschool activities each school year typically reserved for 5th through 12th grades. This year we are offering the insurance plan to our entire K-12 community. If you have previously registered after May of 2020, you don't need to do anything else. This program provides insurance that covers loss and damages for devices that fall under its protection.

Please note that if a Chromebook device becomes damaged while in your students' care, and you have not registered under the 1 to 1 insurance program, you will be held responsible for any costs required to get the device working properly. In some cases this may be very costly so we highly recommend that each parent takes advantage of this program by registering.

If you’ve participated in this program before, please verify your registration by attempting to register again. If you receive a message that states that you have already registered, your registration is still active and you won’t need to re-register. If you are new, please complete the parent orientation before attempting to register. Please see the instructions below.

If You have participated in the past and have yet to register for 2020 school year:

If you have participated in the past you will need to re-register your students Chromebook under our 1 to 1 program. Instructions attached at the end of this email - Please follow every step in the registration instructions below before reporting a problem with the registration process. 

If you are NEW to the Insurance program and want to register: 

All parents new to the program will need to complete the Online Parent Orientation before students will be given a school issued Chromebook.

Please send all technical support request with details describing your problem to the following email addresses if you’re experiencing problems:

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

Thank you for your time and please let us know if you have any questions or concerns.


August 17, 2020 at 6:45 PM EDT

**RA Reopening Plan Update**

Members of The RA Community,

The RA Pandemic Team met this morning to review the updated Chester County Department of Health Guidelines regarding the COVID-19 Reopening Plans.

Present were: Michelle Boyd, David Cosme, Christine Herman, Grace Cavanagh, William Stubanas, Harold Smith, Kevin Zvorsky and myself.

The updated recommendation of the team is based on the new guidelines and our ability to manage the expectations while keeping our staff and students safely able to perform their roles.

The team, under the delegation granted to the CEO by the Trustees of Renaissance Academy, is making the following determinations:

  • Discontinue the plan for student supervision of grades k-6
  •  Discontinue all on site sport activities or practices even of a voluntary recreational nature (may continue virtually)
  • Discontinue the use of the building for any other entity such as rental agreements
  • Discontinue onsite Student Tech Help-Desk programs (may continue virtually)
  • Delay K-6 photos scheduled for August until a date later in the school year TBA
  • Staff who are able to telecommute will continue to do so
  • HR with Admin will review essential staff needs to determine if adjustments to staffing and schedules are appropriate
  • Require reservations and screening process which continues for staff who continue to need to teach or perform job duties on site

The above will be place until October 9 , 2020 with a review of updates and current guidelines no later than October 1, 2020 with the intent of planning for next steps or a continuation of the above.

This does not change the current plan for online learning to continue until the conclusion of the First Trimester (November 13, 2020), with plans to evaluate progress and needs in early October.

I am aware that these updates place an additional burden on families who had planned to partake in the on-site supervision model for elementary school. I am truly sorry that this is not a feasible option at this time and sincerely hope we can resume those plans at a later date.

We will continue to update the community as more information and updates become available.

All the best,
Dr. Guarino Buli


August 16, 2020 at 6:45 PM EDT


August 16 2020 at 1:06 PM EDT

News From RA

Good Afternoon,

As we prepare to begin the school year I hope this finds you well and enjoying the last week of summertime with your students! This past week brought our new staff into our school and celebrated the return of all the important teachers and faculty who will play a role in the year ahead!

While many of our staff meetings were via virtual systems it was truly nice to see everyone back ‘together’ working in some capacity to prepare for new routines, fresh expectations and the exciting time that we always look forward to during the start of school. Staff who were able to work on site continue to go through a daily COVID-19 Screening Process and are operating within the safety guidelines set forth by the Board Approved, and PDE posted a Health and Safety Plan.

Details of that plan, and plans for all LEAs in PA can be found on the Department of Education Website.

I know that the anticipation of this school year is somewhat muddled by additional concerns, needs and worries. We, at RA, truly are working to ensure the best plans are in place. While it may seem like those plans are still changing we are confident that the changes are in the best interest of both our staff and students’ needs. We are aware that additional guidance was released by Chester County Department of Health, late Friday afternoon. We are in the process of reviewing that guidance to determine if changes to our current plans are required. The RA Pandemic Team will be meeting Monday, August 17 to discuss and a follow-up communication will be scheduled if needed.

Have a lovely weekend,
Dr. Guarino Buli

2020-2021 School Year Information:

Support for Senior Project:

You can learn more about the RA Senior Project Requirements Here: Senior Commencement Project

Hello everyone,
As a high school senior, I am hosting a virtual 5K in order to raise money for the RA Athletic Department to buy portable Automated External Defibrillators for the Life Fitness/ Training Room. I would also like to encourage students to stay active.

Here’s how it works:

  • Over the Labor Day Weekend, you can walk, run, or bike a 5K anywhere you are.
  • Registration: Please register for the 5K using this link: (https://forms.gle/NBGDHKqo4W6GpX9u5) .
  • Donations: It is free to participate, but donations are appreciated. Donations can be made directly through the rak12.org - Support Us page or RA's Mobile Cause Donation Page Donation Allocation: Select - Virtual 5K

You can complete the 5K and donate at any time over the Labor Day Weekend. You are invited to post your picture and time on the RA Facebook page. Feel free to reach out with any questions, and thank you for participating!

PA Department of Ed Back2School Virtual Conference - Free

The Pennsylvania Department of Education, Bureau of Special Education is pleased to announce the following opportunity:

Together at Home: Back2School
Date/Location: August 19, 2020 Webinar
Time: 5:30 PM – 8:00 PM

Together at Home: Back2School is a virtual conference designed specifically for families and students as they prepare to return to school. How do we adjust to routines, busier schedules, and a new school year? The 20-minute sessions planned for this evening will address topics on the minds of students and families in an open, conversational format. Come ready to share your ideas and experiences, as well as your questions and concerns as we discuss strategies for preparing our return to school.

Presenter(s): Multiple Presenters

Registration Information:

  • Access the August Training Calendar.
  • Select Together@Home:Back2School on Wednesday, August 19 to begin registration.
  • For content related information and questions, please contact Kim Jenkins, [email protected], PaTTAN East 610-878-7206.
  • For general registration information and questions, please contact Yolanda McDermott, [email protected], PaTTAN East 610-878-7217.

Together at Home: Back2School is a web-based conference which requires each participant to log in separately to each session using the links that will be provided closer to the scheduled event.

All participants interested in earning Act 48 clock hours must login to ZOOM on a device individually. Individual registrants must stay for the duration of the conference and must complete the conference evaluation survey with session codes within one week of the conference to be eligible to receive ACT 48 clock hours.

Participants are encouraged to test their computers/devices prior to the date of the conference using https://zoom.us/test, and to seek local assistance if you encounter difficulty.



August 10, 2020 at 9:00 AM EDT

School Materials Pick Up

Good Morning

We are asking that ALL Families log on and sign-up for a time slot which will allow them to pick up school books, materials, computers, etc. from the school. These materials will be needed for the start of the school year. If you ordered a Staples Kit (Lower School) this will be available for you during this pick-up window as well.

Pick-up dates are during our first two days of school; August 20th and August 21st. You will be signing up for a slot with your child’s HOME BASE teacher only. Please only ONE slot per child.

Please park in the main parking lot, of Franklin Commons and enter the Main Entrance only. You will not be able to enter the Lower School entrance without checking in at the Upper School. All present will be screened prior to entering the building. Face coverings are required.

If you or your child are unable to comply or are unable to enter the school due to ADA qualifying needs please contact your building principal to arrange for an alternate means of picking up your child’s items.

Thank you for your cooperation and support as we prepare for the new school year!


August 9, 2020 at 9:08 PM EDT

Good Evening Upper School Families:

Please note that there is a change from our previously stated plans for starting off the 2020-2021 School Year.

In response to parent feedback, additional consideration, and what we feel is best at this time we WILL NOT be asking your child to attend a partial day of school as previously announced. Alternatively, our Upper School Students will be expected to attend one session, similar to that Lower School; along with a parent or guardian. This time will be pre-scheduled and allow your student to pick up materials, books, computers, etc. as needed.

The sign-up will be live tomorrow, August 10, 2020, along with the Skyward Schedule release. You will sign up for a time slot with your child’s HOME BASE teacher ONLY.

Please park in the main parking lot and enter the Main Entrance only. All present will be screened prior to entering the building. Face coverings are required.

*Please note. There are two staff members not yet hired. Under those Homebase names, you will see a blank on your child’s schedule, and on the sign-up, you will see a TBA with the grade level.

Best,
Dr. Guarino Buli


August 7, 2020 at 12:27 PM EDT

Good Afternoon -

This email is a combination of clarified information and repeated information. Some of the repetition is due to the fact that we have had to communicate so much lately, and truly wish to make sure everyone gets what they need! I am going to try to HIGHLIGHT new items but encourage you to re-read past messages if you feel you have missed some details.

During our planned Live Meeting on Monday, August 10, 2020, we will review information, provide the latest updates and answer any questions that remain. The platform allows for 250 live participants and we are hoping to offer a live stream for any that can not access the meeting during that time.

  • As a reminder: Start time 6:00PM
  • meet.google.com/wsv-buru-wpb
  • By Phone: ‪(US) +1 732-630-8164‬ PIN: ‪341 336 706‬#

All the Best,
Dr. Guarino Buli 

Virtual Learning School Supply Lists

Please View the K-12 School Supply Lists Page for online learning. The lists are VERY SIMILAR to the supply lists you had received in June. We DO NOT want anyone to feel the need to purchase ‘extra’ items due to online learning. Please ‘shop your panty’ first and feel free to use items you have. We know every kid loves ‘shiny new supplies’ but it is not RA’s expectation that you outfit a ‘home office’ for your child. Please do what is best for your family.

Explanation of School Day:

We have had a number of questions regarding the ‘school day’ in the online environment.

  • Your child WILL follow their daily class schedule.
  • All students, K-12 will have DAILY lessons, and assignments.
  • LIVE lessons will be conducted Monday - Thursday.
  • Live lessons will be recorded and available to watch or re-watch.
  • Schedules, breaks, lunch etc. will be built in and will be developmentally appropriate.
  • NO STUDENT will be in front of the computer ALL day!
  • Fridays will be for independent work, possible group work, check-ins, online meetings etc.

Important Dates:

  • August 10, 2020 - All student schedules (Who is my teacher?) will be posted in Skyward for families to access
  • August 10, 2020 - 6:00 pm - Live Meeting open to all families.
    • Connect via Google Meets: meet.google.com/wsv-buru-wpb
    • By Phone: ‪(US) +1 732-630-8164‬ PIN: ‪341 336 706‬#
  • August 11, 2020 & 12, 2020 - Drop Add of Classes for US - Details forthcoming
  • August 11, 2020 - First Day for our New Staff - Welcome to RA!
  • August 13, 2020 - First Day for All Staff - Welcome Back!
  • August 14-19, 2020 - Teacher/ Staff In-service and Professional Development
  • August 20, 21 & 24, 2020 - Upper School First Days of School* See below for descriptions!
  • August 20, & 21, 2020 - Lower School Family Appointments* Sign-up Coming Soon!
  • August 24, 2020 - First Day of Scheduled Online Instruction for Lower School
  • August 25, 2020 - First Day of Supervision for Lower School* You MUST have committed to this by August 6th! 

Reporting Back to School

If your child will be traveling to one of the states on the PA DOH Self-Report List, prior to the start of the school year, they must quarantine for 14 days prior to reporting to school. Please contact our school attendance office to report these absences and to ensure your child is receiving their online instruction without interruption.

While on Campus:

When entering our building, for anticipated supply pick-ups etc. ALL visitors must comply with The RA Health and Safety Plan.

  • Upon arrival you will need to park in the MAIN FRANKLIN COMMONS parking lot and enter the Main Entrance ONLY. Visitors will not be able to enter at the Lower School office.
  • You will be greeted and screened prior to entering. This will include a temperature check and a short question screen.
  • Adults and children will be expected to wear a face-covering in our buildings per the state mandate of July 1, 2020.

RE: Face coverings - If you or your child are unable to wear a mask per an ADA Compliance issue, federal law states that we are in need of documentation and we will make all reasonable accommodations to ensure equal access. These may include alternative face coverings provided by the school or physical distance / safely isolating employees or students.

Upper School - Start of Year Dates

All Students will begin their programming on August 20th, via the online plans. On August 20, 21 & 24, Upper School Students (Grades 7-12) will be assigned an attendance date. ⅓ of the students will COME TO SCHOOL on each day for distancing. The purpose of these days will be to: Meet teachers, receive materials, pick up chromebooks if needed etc.

***This has been updated-Per Email from August 9, 2020 above, we will not be asking your child to attend a partial day of school as previously announced. Alternatively, our Upper School Students will be expected to attend one session,  along with a parent or guardian. This time will be pre-scheduled and allow your student to pick up materials, books, computers, etc. as needed. ***

  • Assigned days will be communicated soon
  • Assigned days will be by family / neighborhood to the extent possible
  • School uniforms are required on these days
  • Attendance will be from 8:00am - 11:00am on these days (lunch will not be served)
  • Transportation via bus is worked on with sending districts. We do not yet know if districts will bus on these days due to their own ‘online only statuses’ Please stay tuned!
  • Masks must be worn on campus and the Health and RA Safety Plan Guidelines will be followed.

If your child is unable to attend due to a medical condition, ADA qualification or other complication, please contact Principal, Michelle Boyd, for a specific plan.

Lower School - Start of Year Dates

ALL Lower School students and ONE parent / guardian will be given a time slot to come to school, together, to: Meet teachers, receive materials, pick up chromebooks if needed etc. This will take place on August 20, 2020 and August 21, 2020. Instruction for Lower School Students will begin on Monday, August 24, 2020 and Supervision for Lower School Students will begin on Tuesday, August 26, 2020.

Sign-up for dates/ times:

  • School uniforms are required on these days. (If your child is a NEW Knight, and does not have a uniform, please wear a khaki bottom and uniform color shirt)
  • Students MUST travel with their guardian - there is no bus transportation for Lower School students on these days.
  • Only one parent / guardian may attend with the student.
  • Only one family will be in each classroom at a time.
  • Masks must be worn on campus and the Health and RA Safety Plan Guidelines will be followed.

If you or your child is unable to attend due to a medical condition, ADA qualification or other complication, please contact Principal, Christine Herman, for a specific plan. 

Some Updates on Lower School Supervision:

We have had a number of questions about the plan to provide supervision for our Lower School students during online learning. The goal of this effort is to provide support to our families who may not have the ability to keep their young child home during online learning.

  • August 6, 2020 was the last day to commit to supervision at this time. After that date, you will have a waiting period of 10 days, beginning August 20, 2020.

Here are some points to consider / be aware of for your students:

  • Masks must be worn on campus and the Health and RA Safety Plan Guidelines will be followed.
  • Daily symptom / temperature screens of staff and students will be part of the routine - You can find details in the Health and Safety Plan.
  • Any report of exposure or known positivity of COVID, on campus, will be reported to all attending families and affected staff members.
  • Exposure or positivity will result in some level of quarantine or possible complete closure of the school, at which point supervision will cease.
  • Transportation is being reviewed with sending districts. We do not yet have confirmation that transportation will be provided - stay tuned!
  • Uniforms are required while attending.
  • Students will be in small groups and will be physically distanced - they will stay with the same small group each day.
  • Breaks for snacks, lunch, hygiene will be built into the day.
  • Students will not be grouped by Homebase, but grade range.
  • Students will not be in their ‘regular’ classroom, as we will be using spaces in the entire Lower School.
  • Students will eat breakfast and lunch in the cafeteria; physical distancing will be implemented at all times.

*The learning plans will mirror the online lessons received by the children who remain at home - There will be No Onsite Teaching planned for the first trimester.*

**Onsite Supervision is NOT Onsite Instruction**

School Pictures:

Students who are on site for supervision will be photographed for IDs and safety purposes during the first days of supervision.

All of students will be scheduled at a later date in the school year, when they are able to be on campus.

Senior Portraits will be scheduled on November 9th & 10th for individual appointments.

There is NO ACTION needed at this time.

Staff News and Updates:

Please join me in welcoming our newest staff members as well as saying congratulations on some exciting moves for the new school year!

Ella Fitzgerald Team (Kindergarten)

  • Welcome, Andrea Blanton, a veteran RA Teacher who is excited about moving back to her ‘roots’ in the primary academy and will be teaching Kindergarten.
  • Congratulations to Hilary Cleary as she prepares to begin her leave in anticipation of her new baby’s arrival. Barb Krock, a current kindergarten aide, will be teaching in Mrs. Cleary’s absence.
  • Stepping in for Ms. Krock in the role of Kindergarten Aide will be a new staff member to our team, Julia Swisher.
  • We are also excited to welcome new Kindergarten Aides to the Team: Averey Newmiller and Diane Yeomans.

Shakespeare Team (1st -2nd Grade)

  • Congratulations to Dawn Wales, former kindergarten aide, who will move to 2nd Grade in place of Mrs. Blanton.
  • Welcome to Alyssa Fels who will be a Long Term Sub for Christine Mackin, who is currently on leave enjoying time with her new baby.

Walt Whitman Team (Special Education)

  • Congratulations to Amy Guarino will be joining the Lower School Special Education Team.
  • Welcome to Andrew Genuardi, who is joining our Upper School Special Education Team.

Medici Teams (Fine Arts)

  • Welcome to Stephan Hayes, our newest addition to the Music Department.
  • Welcome to Elizabeth Fels who will be a Long Term Sub for Dance due to Mrs. Wescott’s absence during her leave as she enjoys her time at home with a new baby.

Michelangelo Team (7th - 8th Grade)

  • Welcome to Maxwell Bicking our newest member of the math department.

August 5, 2020 at 9:30 PM EDT

Good Evening -

I hope this message finds you well. If your family suffered damage or power outages from the recent storms hopefully you are restored by now. If you need assistance please contact your local services or reach out to our counselors if we can be of any help!

Below are some more updates as plans continue to evolve and solidify for the new year. We will continue to roll out information as it becomes available and in a way that we hope is helpful. We do not want to send out anything that might not be confirmed and we certainly don’t want to overwhelm you!

All the Best,
Dr. Guarino Buli

Important Dates:

  • August 10, 2020 - All student schedules (Who is my teacher?) will be posted in Skyward for families to access
  • August 10, 2020 - 6:00 pm - Live Meeting open to all families.
    • Connect via Google Meets: meet.google.com/wsv-buru-wpb
    • By Phone: ‪(US) +1 732-630-8164‬ PIN: ‪341 336 706‬#
  • August 11, 2020 & 12, 2020 - Drop Add of Classes for US - Details forthcoming
  • August 11, 2020 - First Day for our New Staff - Welcome to RA!
  • August 13, 2020 - First Day for All Staff - Welcome Back!
  • August 14-19, 2020 - Teacher/ Staff In-service and Professional Development
  • August 20, 21 & 24, 2020 - Upper School First Days of School* See below for descriptions!
  • August 20, & 21, 2020 - Lower School Family Appointments* Sign-up Coming Soon!
  • August 24, 2020 - First Day of Scheduled Online Instruction for Lower School
  • August 25, 2020 - First Day of Supervision for Lower School* You MUST have committed to this by August 6th! 

Reporting Back to School

If your child will be traveling to one of the states on the PA DOH Self-Report List, prior to the start of the school year, they must quarantine for 14 days prior to reporting to school. Please contact our school attendance office to report these absences and to ensure your child is receiving their online instruction without interruption.

Upper School - Start of Year Dates

All Students will begin their programming on August 20th, via the online plans. On August 20, 21 & 24, Upper School Students (Grades 7-12) will be assigned an attendance date. ⅓ of the students will COME TO SCHOOL on each day for distancing. The purpose of these days will be to: Meet teachers, receive materials, pick up chromebooks if needed etc.

***This has been updated-Per Email from August 9, 2020 above, we will not be asking your child to attend a partial day of school as previously announced. Alternatively, our Upper School Students will be expected to attend one session,  along with a parent or guardian. This time will be pre-scheduled and allow your student to pick up materials, books, computers, etc. as needed. ***

  • Assigned days will be communicated soon
  • Assigned days will be by family / neighborhood to the extent possible
  • School uniforms are required on these days
  • Attendance will be from 8:00am - 11:00am on these days (lunch will not be served)
  • Transportation via bus is worked on with sending districts. We do not yet know if districts will bus on these days due to their own ‘online only statuses’ Please stay tuned!
  • Masks must be worn on campus and the Health and RA Safety Plan Guidelines will be followed.

If your child is unable to attend due to a medical condition, ADA qualification or other complication, please contact Principal, Michelle Boyd, for a specific plan.

Lower School - Start of Year Dates

ALL Lower School students and ONE parent / guardian will be given a time slot to come to school, together, to: Meet teachers, receive materials, pick up chromebooks if needed etc. This will take place on August 20, 2020 and August 21, 2020. Instruction for Lower School Students will begin on Monday, August 24, 2020 and Supervision for Lower School Students will begin on Tuesday, August 26, 2020.

Sign-up for dates/ times:

  • School uniforms are required on these days. (If your child is a NEW Knight, and does not have a uniform, please wear a khaki bottom and uniform color shirt)
  • Students MUST travel with their guardian - there is no bus transportation for Lower School students on these days.
  • Only one parent / guardian may attend with the student.
  • Only one family will be in each classroom at a time.
  • Masks must be worn on campus and the Health and RA Safety Plan Guidelines will be followed.

If you or your child is unable to attend due to a medical condition, ADA qualification or other complication, please contact Principal, Christine Herman, for a specific plan. 

Some Updates on Lower School Supervision:

We have had a number of questions about the plan to provide supervision for our Lower School students during online learning. The goal of this effort is to provide support to our families who may not have the ability to keep their young child home during online learning.

  • August 6, 2020 is the last day to commit to supervision at this time. After that date, you will have a waiting period of 10 days, beginning August 20, 2020.

Here are some points to consider / be aware of for your students:

  • Masks must be worn on campus and the Health and RA Safety Plan Guidelines will be followed.
  • Daily symptom / temperature screens of staff and students will be part of the routine - You can find details in the Health and Safety Plan.
  • Any report of exposure or known positivity of COVID, on campus, will be reported to all attending families and affected staff members.
  • Exposure or positivity will result in some level of quarantine or possible complete closure of the school, at which point supervision will cease.
  • Transportation is being reviewed with sending districts. We do not yet have confirmation that transportation will be provided - stay tuned!
  • Uniforms are required while attending.
  • Students will be in small groups and will be physically distanced - they will stay with the same small group each day.
  • Breaks for snacks, lunch, hygiene will be built into the day.
  • Students will not be grouped by Homebase, but grade range.
  • Students will not be in their ‘regular’ classroom, as we will be using spaces in the entire Lower School.
  • Students will eat breakfast and lunch in the cafeteria; physical distancing will be implemented at all times.

*The learning plans will mirror the online lessons received by the children who remain at home - There will be No Onsite Teaching planned for the first trimester.*

Summer Information

Please check back frequently as this page will be updated as needed throughout the summer.  The RA Summer 2020 Information Page has Expired

Repeat Information:

The following items were included in this communication as Repeated Information from previous emails (as a reference): 

From July 31st Email (link below)

  • 2020 Medical Information from the Nurse 
  • Hot Topics - Questions & Answers
  • Yearbooks

From May 29th Email (link below):

  • Busing Information
  • Moving Instructions

View March-July 2020 Emails

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