News

Exeter Township School District & Police Present Sexting & Sextortion Parent Presentation

December 15, 2023

During a joint presentation between the district and the Exeter Township Police Department held earlier this month, Detective Sergeant Rocco DeCamillo of the ETPD, and Mrs. Alycia Lenart, the district's K-12 Student Support Coordinator, educated parents about the growing prevalence of sexting and sextortion in the community and how children and teens are often targeted by adults posing as their peers online. If you were unable to attend the presentation but would be interested in learning more about how to protect your child against this growing threat, please take a moment to review the slideshow as well as resources Detective Sergeant DeCamillo and Mrs. Lenart shared during the workshop earlier this month.

Should your child fall victim to a sexting or sextortion scheme, please contact your child's principal as well as the Exeter Township Police Department by calling 911. The ETPD asks that you refrain from deleting the affected account(s) to help preserve evidence as they begin their investigation.

9 Tips to Prevent Cyber-Sextortion

For more information on how to keep you and your loved ones safe from sextortion, visit www.fbi.gov or www.missingkids.org.

Remember that anyone can pretend to be someone else online.

Do not open attachments from anyone that you do not know.

Be aware that anything done online may be available to others. Do not send images of yourself that you want to remain private to anyone, no matter who they are—or say they are.

Keep your computer safe from hackers by keeping your computer’s firewall turned on; installing and updating antivirus software and antispyware technology; and keeping your computer’s operating system up to date.

Turn off your electronic devices and web cameras when you are not using them to minimize a hacker’s ability to activate them remotely.

Ensure applications and social networking sites’ privacy settings are set to the strictest levels.

Parents should review and approve all applications downloaded to electronic devices and regularly monitor content of all applications and social networking platforms used by their children.

Parents should keep computers used by children in a central location in the home and utilize parental controls. Parents should be present and engaged when children communicate via webcam.

Parents and educators should discuss Internet safety with their children. Parents should reinforce to their children that they should tell an adult if anyone threatens them or asks them for sexual acts or sexually explicit images.

PREVENTING SEXTORTION FLYER

Social Media Safety Tips & Parental Controls

Discord

Age Rating*: Rated 12+ by the App store

Review & Safety Tips:

Discord is usually used by students to chat while playing video games with someone. In 2020, Discord was rebranded with the tagline, “Your place to talk,” and 70% of users are using the platform for non-gaming purposes
There is a concern about predators using Discord. The National Center on Sexual Exploitation in 2021 described how Discord can and has been used to groom youth. They cite numerous examples of youth being taken advantage of through this platform, such as sexual exploitation, abuse, and sharing nonconsensual pornography. The National Center on Sexual Exploitation also named Discord among their “Dirty dozen 2021:” a list of platforms failing to address sexual abuse online.
There are parental controls and articles on how to set them up.

Instagram

Age Rating*: Rated 12+ by the App store

Review & Safety Tips:

Instagram tries to control inappropriate content, but it is an enormous task. Instagram has a reporting function and ways for inappropriate content to be identified and removed, but as with anything, people find ways around the controls.
If youth have not been exposed to sexualized content, drugs, and mental health topics, there is a high probability for them to be exposed after they create an Instagram profile.
There is a high level of sexual content available as well. You should be prepared for your kids to see this content as it’s easy to stumble upon and kids. If you choose to let your child(ren) use Instagram, talk to them about not posting sexual or provocative content. Teach them that self-esteem is based upon the content of their character, not the appearance of their body.
Be aware of “Finstas” (Fake Instagram Accounts) as well. Youth will sometimes have a well-curated appropriate account that you know of but will also make a Finsta account that you will not be aware of. More questionable behaviors tend to occur on this Finsta account.
Do not use full names as usernames.
Set the account to Private and only accept followers of people they know in person. Remove any unknown followers that they currently have.
Turn off location services and do not respond to Direct Messages from people they don’t know.

Snapchat

Age Rating*: Rated 12+ by the App store

Review & Safety Tips:

There is a high potential for them to be exposed to sexualized content, mental health and substance use topics after they create a Snapchat account.
There are “Publisher Stories” about sex available. You should be prepared for your kids to see these as it’s easy to stumble upon.
Adult Snapchat accounts can be accessed through a purchase. You can also search WatchMyFeed and find accounts that will, for a fee, allow you access to sexually explicit Snapchat accounts. The fees are monthly and some are available for purchase for a year. Fees range from $14-$60 a month and around $99 for a year’s access.
Be aware of multiple accounts as well. Youth will sometimes have a well-curated appropriate account that you know of, but will also have other accounts where questionable behaviors will occur.
If your youth has a snapchat you should have an account as well. You should “friend” each other on Snapchat to assist in monitoring behaviors.
Do not use full names as usernames.

Set the account to Private and only accept followers of people they know in person. Remove any unknown followers that they currently have.

Tellonym

Age Rating*: Rated 12+ by the App store

Review & Safety Tips:

Tellonym is an app where you can create an account to see what your friends are talking about and let them answer your questions. Tellonym is an app that allows for anonymous messaging on IOS and Android. Check out Askfm, Sendit and YikYak.
With anything anonymous, there is a possibility for a wide range of inappropriate posts, comments, threats, cyberbullying and sexualized content/questions/themes.
Fairly new, you should do more research on this before letting your student use it.

TikTok

Age Rating*: Rated 12+ by the App store

Review & Safety Tips:

Main concerns are for younger youth using Tik Tok and what they will be exposed to and how easy it is to find inappropriate content.
Do not use full names as usernames.
Set the account to private and set up privacy settings and who can see/download content.
Do not post personal information such as drivers’ licenses, school IDs, state IDs, phone numbers, birth certificates, school schedules, and/or other identifying information.
Turn off your location services
Be aware that videos can be easily saved from TikTok.
Even though an account is private, privacy isn’t guaranteed. Once a post is shared it is totally out of the user’s hands.
Where kids are online, predators are online. Predators especially would be attracted to apps that young people use and apps that parents are not well-versed with. TikTok has many young users posting borderline inappropriate content. There is also direct private messaging on TikTok. This could make this app very desirable for a predator. Be aware of who your children are talking to online.

VSCO

Age Rating*: Rated 12+ by the App store

VSCO is a photography editing and sharing app. Users cannot make their accounts private, but there are no notifications or comments. Users can see who is following them and who reshares or favorites their posts, but followers, likes, etc. are not public.
VSCO’s default setting is to share location services. Users must go in and turn off the location services manually.
The platform is an easy place for youth to share the drug related or sexualized photos they would not post on other platforms. However, nudity is prohibited on VSCO. There are no privacy settings so all profiles are public, making it an easy platform for a youth to make a mistake by sharing too much personal information.
Check out information about “becoming VSCO famous” and “VSCO Girls”

Wink

Age Rating*: Rated 12+ by the App store

Wink is an app where you can easily connect with anyone in the world and add them on Snapchat.
Many accounts on WINK were fake accounts and were trying to connect users with their paid premium services platform where they would sell nude pictures/videos. Most middle school students would not realize these are fake accounts..
Hoop is a very similar app and functions just about the same as Wink.

YouTube

Age Rating*: Rated 17+ by the App store

Review & Safety Tips:

For younger kids up to 6 years old you should use the YouTube Kids app for kids up to age 5 or 6.
For older kids using the regular YouTube app or channel, make sure to turn on Restricted Mode. This will help catch inappropriate content and filter it out.
You must be signed into an account to view the “Age-Restricted” content. Since there is no way to verify age, you simply click on a warning that the content “may be inappropriate for some users.”
Be aware of various ways to access YouTube. YouTube can be accessed through an app on a device, the web browser on a device, smart blu-ray players, smart TVs, video games, and other connected devices, such as a Nintendo Switch.
Manage privacy settings. It can be difficult to login to YouTube without being connected to a Google account attached to your child’s identity.
Remind your children not to post personal information, such as drivers licenses, school IDs, state IDs, etc. They should not discuss where they live, their full names, their school, or places they frequent.
Turn off location services when uploading videos.
Know your youth’s account password.
Subscribe to your youth’s YouTube channel to monitor their content.

Following that winter presentation and a restructuring of the district’s debt during the spring to allow borrowing to complete outstanding projects, Quandel took a deeper dive during the summer and September to fully examine each building’s needs and assess the costs of the remaining projects. During that process, Quandel discovered more issues than were reported in the 2017 KCBA report.

On Tuesday night, Quandel presented their updated findings along with bids, as well as an updated price tag of $33 million for the projects. (Note: the price tag of $33 million is excluding athletic upgrades and the HVAC work already completed at the Junior High.) “As we know, inflation has hit everyone hard–school districts are no different–and supplies, labor and materials have all substantially increased,” said Dr. Haller prior to Quandel’s presentation. “So the numbers you’re going to see tonight are going to be different than the original numbers that were presented because, at that point, that was a surface-level look at KCBA’s report and (Quandel) has now been able to do a deeper dive with their engineers to really go into our buildings and see where we are.”

Prior to Quandel’s presentation, Dr. Haller said “Sticker shock is a real thing. I just want to make sure everyone knows–our board members, our community–that this is a high-level look. It’s an estimate. Some of these numbers may go down. Hopefully they don’t go up. But just like when you’re going through a personal home project, you’re going to look at the highest level… and then as the numbers become real, you start to scale back on that project or maybe you take some things out.” But she warned, “There’s probably not too many things that we can take out of these projects because of what needs to be done to keep the buildings running, but there are things that can be downgraded.”

“All of the projects will eventually have to be done,” she emphasized. Now, she said, it’s just determining how and when they’ll be done.

Quandel broke the projects down into several categories for each building as follows (please click HERE for a larger PDF)

Key:

HVAC/Controls Upgrades: Whole building heating and air conditioning systems, units, ventilators, air exchangers, piping/venting, thermostats
Electrical Upgrades: Replacement of electrical panels, generators
Plumbing Upgrades: Fixing leaks, replacing dysfunctional toilets
Auditorium, Cafeteria & AV Upgrades: Replacing auditorium seats, flooring, stage surfaces, and audio and sound systems for concerts, plays, assemblies and performances.
Envelope Repairs: Fixing and sealing exterior walls, windows and roofs
Flooring Repairs: Fixing or replacing flooring, stair treads, replacing worn carpets
Masonry Repairs: Fixing expansion joints and loose or missing bricks, reappointing concrete in between bricks for stability and security
Storm Water Management: Ensuring water is not leaking into the building through roofs, windows or the ground
Repurpose Room: Converting rooms for one use to another
ADA Upgrades: Ensuring toilets, stairs, etc. all are accessible to those with physical disabilities
Site Repairs: Repairing grading for emergency vehicles
Interior Doors, Egress, Walls: Replacing doors, and building permanent walls to replace movable walls that are no longer functional.

While most bids came in close (or less) than the estimates that Quandel provided in February, the most notable exception was the Senior High’s estimate, which, Quandel recommended, needed approximately $10 million more of HVAC work from their initial assessment earlier this year.

This presentation is one of several that will be upcoming to flesh out the final list of projects to finalize borrowing, which was worked into the budget with no change in existing debt payment.

In an effort to manage costs, Dr. Haller and Mr. Feick will now work with Quandel to take a closer look at the project list to prioritize the work and projects. It is expected that there will be an update of the capital projects during Tuesday’s Committee of the Whole meeting, which will be on October 3rd at 6PM.

To view the administration's capital projects presentation, please click HERE.
To view Quandel's presentation, please click HERE.
A video of the committee meeting is below.

Exeter Publishes 2022-23 PSSA and Keystone Exams Data

December 8, 2023

Dr. Christy Haller, Superintendent, and Dr. Josh Hoyt, Director of Teaching and Learning, presented the results of the 2022-23 PSSA and Keystone Exams. Mrs. Becky Bush, Supervisor of Literacy and ESL, also presented Fall 2023 Acadience results, which were given at the beginning of the year independently by the district to K-2 students to help teachers and reading specialists benchmark young students' reading abilities.

During a lengthy presentation, Drs. Haller and Hoyt highlighted research conducted over the summer to help the district identify instructional deficiencies. They also presented the 2023-24 action plan and specific steps the district has implemented to improve this upcoming year's test scores. Specifically, they noted that teachers are incorporating new software, assessment systems, professional development, data analysis, curriculum and more to help them teach and students learn more effectively. While not an immediate fix, these steps are believed to be working, said Dr. Hoyt, citing current student data.

Jacksonwald Teacher and Family Help Deliver Letters to Santa

December 4, 2023

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Sadie, Parke, Max, Amy and Ryan Parsons stand by their Santa mailbox outside of their home.

In a Jacksonwald art teacher's home right here in Exeter, holiday magic happens every night between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Here, Mrs. Amy Parsons lives with her husband, Ryan, who works as an estimator for Independence Steel, and her three children, Max (6th grade), Parke (4th grade) and Sadie (2nd grade). And here, for the past four years, children from all around Exeter and beyond trek with their families to the top of Church Lane Road to the Parson's front yard at 1004 Hartman Road to mail or drop off letters to Santa in a special mailbox they had installed in their front yard during 2020. The mailbox, which is a brightly-colored vintage red and is adorned with twinkling lights and garland, was placed there by request by the big jolly man himself during the height of the COVID pandemic when social-distancing restrictions meant he wasn't able to see as many children in-person at malls, stores, Christmas tree farms and other places around town. Reaching out for help, Santa asked the Parsons if they could assist him in collecting letters, and from there, a new Exeter holiday tradition began.

During the past four years, as word has spread around the community, social media and the local news, the Parsons family has seen their collection grow from about 100 to 400 letters, some coming as far away as Florida and South Dakota. On their way to Santa, Ryan and Amy will take some time to read each one before Santa responds--a process that takes about a week depending on how many letters are received each day. "There are definitely letters that have made us cry and many that have made us laugh," said Amy, recalling letters that asked for a real dinosaur, a Christmas tree that makes snowmen come to life, or a door that would make someone invisible when they walked through it. But she also shared that some letters are difficult to read, too. "Some letters have shared how families are losing their homes and don't think there will be much of a Christmas. There have been letters that have shared that a beloved family member is very ill and asking Santa to do anything he can to help them get better. There are also letters from people who feel so sad that they can't be themselves because they are bullied and made fun of."

Thanks to some known and not-known elves, the Parsons have been able to also offer gift cards at their mailbox for those who may need one (or an encouragement to leave one if the visitor is so inclined). They've also been blessed with donations of stamps, calligraphy markers, stationery, envelopes and more to help Santa respond to each child's letter. This year, thanks to donations from friends, neighbors and a local organization called Connections Work, they're proud to also include a free library stocked full of children's holiday books that visitors may borrow and return.

Too humble to take credit for helping Santa with the letters, Ryan and Amy, who spend much of their time outside of work during the year volunteering with community youth organizations, including sports teams, Cub Scouts or the Jacksonwald APT, are quick to acknowledge the donations, support and help they receive from the community, friends, neighbors and their family--including their own children who eagerly collect the letters each day to give to their elf, "Buddy," who personally delivers them to the North Pole and brings back answered letters the following morning. "We are truly honored to be able to do this for so many families. Many kid letters are accompanied by a parent letter explaining how their child is starting to question Santa, but we are helping them get another year or two of them believing," said Amy. Continuing, she wraps up the spirit of the season by simply saying, "Our family absolutely loves doing this and it has given us so much more back than we have ever imagined."

How to get your letter to Santa:
Letters to Santa can be mailed or hand delivered to the mailbox in the Parsons' front yard. Their address is 1004 Hartman Road; Reading, PA 19606.

How long will it take to receive a response from Santa?
About a week, depending on the number of letters the Parsons receive each day. Please make sure a return address is included in your original letter.

Do you need to celebrate Christmas to send a letter to Santa?
No! Santa answers letters from children, adults (and even pets) who celebrate a variety of different holidays during December.

Can I help the Parsons?
Yes! People may donate books for their library, gift cards for those in need or supplies to help Santa write his responses. Donations can be dropped off in person or mailed. The Parsons also have an Amazon Wishlist here that will magically allow your purchase to travel to the North Pole: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/1A77EKSIVGIM9?ref_=wl_share

November Internship Spotlight: Rachael Haldeman with BCTV

November 30, 2023

Copy of internship spotlight (Instagram Post)

Rachael Haldeman is a senior completing an internship in video production at BCTV in Reading.

Rachael, can you tell us a bit about what your plans are for after graduation? Have you selected a college and a major?
I hope to get accepted into Temple University so I can attend there after high school. I plan on majoring in Film and Media Arts.

Can you tell us a bit about your internship? What does a typical day look like for you?
When I arrive at the BCTV office, there may or may not be a recording going on or starting. If there is, I join in and help in any way I can, typically manning a camera. If there is not, I’ll end up editing bumpers, which are little 10-15-second clips for in-between programs, or I’ll edit a program instead.

How did you select your internship? Did someone help you select it? Did you seek out the opportunity on your own? Were you asked to do the internship?
I really wanted an internship to help me decide what I wanted to do in college. I knew we had an internship program here at Exeter, so I reached out to Mr. Ricketts in hopes of something to do with film and video production.

Do you think your internship is helping you feel more confident about your decision to go to college and pursue your major?
Absolutely. I was unsure about if I really wanted to go into film, but I knew I had a slight interest in it at the very least. Working at BCTV and seeing the filming and post-production processes has really helped and inspired me.

What do you like most about your internship?
I thoroughly enjoy it when I’m operating a camera. When I was still learning the basics of the field cameras they have, it really interested me. Now that I know how to use them, it’s a joy to be operating them.

And finally, what would be your advice to a high school student who's thinking about Exeter's internship program?
My advice would be to just do it. If you’re unsure or debating it, do it. Take advantage of it. It’s a chance to learn about what you may or may not enjoy in the future, and what kind of work environments you can handle. There are plenty of different businesses that are willing to work with students at Exeter. I highly recommend the program.

Lions Club Recognizes JHS Artists

November 30, 2023

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This year's Lions Club International Peace Poster contest invited students to "Dare to Dream" by creating a poster that explored and visually expressed how they’ll turn their dream of a peaceful world into reality. From the Junior High, three 8th grade students were recognized and received cash prizes by the Exeter Township Lions Club for their outstanding interpretation of this theme through their original artwork, including first place winner, Kylie Milshaw (left); second place winner, Nohelia Ortiz (second from right); and third place winner, Madeline Bieber (right). They were joined by a representative from the Lions Club this morning to receive their certificates and cash prizes as well as a hearty congratulations from the Lions Club mascot, Leo. Our warmest congratulations to our talented Eagles and our thanks to the JH's art teacher, Mrs. Kimberly Lopez, and the Lions Club for their yearly support of our students and this fantastic project!

Exeter Inducts Four Into Academic Hall of Fame and 60 Into NHS

November 28, 2023

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NHS Officers: Gavin Marr, Hayden Adams, Brody Oswald, and Rebecca Cherry

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Mr. Matthew Goldstan inducted Dr. Timothy Wright into the Academic Hall of Fame

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Lt. Col. Brian Roberts' mother speaks on his behalf following his induction into the 2023 Academic Hall of Fame

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2023 Academic Hall of Fame honoree, Lucy Lutz

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2023 Academic Hall of Fame honoree, Julia Huckleberry

The Exeter Township School District celebrated the achievements of students as 60 juniors and seniors were inducted into the Claude W. Dundore chapter of the National Honor Society and four notable alumni, educators or community members were inducted into the Exeter Alumni Association’s Academic Hall of Fame on Saturday, November 11, 2023. Those inducted into the Academic Hall of Fame were Timothy Wright, Ph.D., an internationally-recognized biomechanical scientist; Brian Roberts, an infantry lieutenant colonel in the Army; Lucy Lutz, a retired science teacher from the Exeter Township School District; and Julia Huckleberry, one of the founders of the district’s Alumni Association. Inductees are chosen for their contributions to society and their impact and credit they've brought to the Exeter Township School District through their achievements, volunteerism and/or work.

During his career, Dr. Wright has developed biomechanical implant systems for knee, hip and elbow replacement that have gone on to commercial distribution to patients worldwide. He’s written more than 300 peer-reviewed articles and has lectured around the world at hospitals and medical schools. He has appointments in New York at Cornell University, and the Hospital for Special Surgery, where he currently serves in the Department of Biomechanics working with surgeons and other engineers to research and develop systems to improve care for patients with orthopedic conditions. He’s developed numerous patents and awards for outstanding research and significant lifetime contributions in orthopedics. He is a 1967 graduate of Exeter; a graduate of Lehigh University, where he received his undergraduate degree; and Stanford University, where he received his graduate degrees. Dr. Wright was unable to attend the awards ceremony; however, he thanked the committee for his recognition and selection through prepared remarks. “This is a wonderful honor. I”ve been fortunate to have an ongoing career of 47 years working at the intersection of engineering and medicine. Looking back at my time at Exeter High, the highlight was teachers like the late Harry Shank, who instilled in me a thirst for knowledge and the leadership and teamwork skills that I learned playing sports and serving on the Key Club.”

Lt. Col. Brian Roberts was commissioned as an infantry officer in 2006 from the United States Military Academy at West Point. As a system evaluator in the Army, he leads military and civilian teams to develop and modernize future combat systems. He holds a Masters of Arts in Defense and Strategy from the U.S. Naval War College and is a 2002 graduate of Exeter Township Senior High School.

Lucy Lutz worked as an Exeter science teacher in the Junior High and Senior High for more than 36 years, retiring in 2007 and continuing to substitute regularly until 2014. She began her teaching career at Albright College in the biology department as an undergraduate. Following her graduation from Albright in 1968, she studied at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where she earned a master’s degree in Zoology, focusing on research of the physiology, life history and paleontology of bats. Despite her academic achievements and years of experience, Mrs. Lutz joked during her acceptance that “I will be remembered as the one who you called to fix the copy machine.”

Julia Huckleberry graduated from Exeter in 1966 and has spent most of her time since then serving the district either professionally as an administrative assistant or as a volunteer. In 2009, she was an instrumental figure in the creation of the Exeter Eagles Alumni Association, which is primarily responsible for the development, selection and distribution of scholarships to graduates. Since its inception, the scholarship committee of the association distributes approximately $30,000 through 30 different scholarships from alumni or friends of alumni. During his induction of her, Mr. John Fidler, an Exeter Academic Hall of Fame committee member, recalled the story of how a family called the association in the hopes of creating a scholarship in the name of Exeter’s football coach, Leonard Meckalavage. After a few moments of confusion, Mrs. Huckleberry realized that the family had meant to call the alumni association of Exeter High School in New Hampshire. Still, she proceeded to tell the family about the virtues of Exeter Township’s football program and coaches. The family was so impressed that they decided to award the scholarship to Exeter Township, where it is still given to a deserving student every year.

The Academic Hall of Fame began in 2005 as a project of the Exeter Community Education Foundation and typically selects four to six inductees each year. This year's class brings the number of honorees to 78, who are presented with a plaque, as well as their names added to a display in the Senior High's main office.

During the second part of the ceremony, the current members of the National Honor Society presented and inducted 60 new members from the Class of 2024 and 2025 into its chapter through its candle-lighting ceremony that represents the Society's four pillars: character, leadership, scholarship and service. To be considered for membership, students must be sophomores or juniors with a weighted cumulative GPA of at least 92.000, involvement in at least one school activity or club and completion of at least five community service hours. This year’s inductees are: