Scenically located four miles east of Boyertown on Route 73 in Gilbertsville, Boyertown Junior High School East Center has 870 students enrolled in grades 7, 8, and 9. Our school is centered on meeting the needs of our students by providing relevant experiences through which they can learn and grow. Parents/guardians and other community members are encouraged to participate with us in our educational and co-curricular programs.

Parent/guardian involvement is critical to the success of junior high students. All parents/guardians are invited to a series of informal discussions with the principal. These will be held on the following Thursday mornings: October 1, December 10, February 25 and April 29 from 9:30-10:30 a.m. in the Library. Any time that questions arise, we encourage parents/guardians to call the main office at (610) 754-9550.

The Week in Review e-newsletter mailing is another resource to find pertinent information regarding our school. The following link, http://www.boyertownasd.org/pages/email-signup.aspx, will allow you to sign up as an active member of the listserv for this e-newsletter mailing.  The Week in Review is also available on the East web page. Click on the Announcements tab.

Seventh and eighth students are grouped into interdisciplinary instructional teams. Each team is comprised of four or five academic area teachers – language arts, mathematics, social studies, and science. The team of teachers meets twice each cycle with our school counselors to discuss their students and how they can best meet each student’s needs. Parents/guardians are encouraged to schedule a visit to a team meeting to help bridge the gap between home and school.

Students are provided a strong, academically-oriented educational program. Our program starts with a more structured seventh grade offering and gradually increases the number of elective choices that students make as they reach ninth grade. We have a full array of technology equipment to support our instructional program. Projectors, SMARTboards, and laptop computers, as well as four desktop computer labs are available for use. A continuing focus is the alignment of curriculum, instructional and assessment with the Pennsylvania Academic Standards. Our scores in state PSSA testing continue to be excellent.

Our staff has developed a system of extensive support services for our students. Instructional aides are available to assist students in study halls. During our flex period, we have developed a plethora of remedial opportunities. Students can get help from either a teacher from their team or a subject area teacher. Besides the help at East during school hours, the district will continue to offer the Math Hotline. The hotline is available Monday through Thursday evenings from 7:00 until 9:00 p.m. Students can call the hotline at (610) 473-3720, (610) 473-3721, or (610) 473-3722 or come in to Room 17 at Junior High West for help or tutoring for their mathematics assignments.

Junior High East provides an excellent educational opportunity for all students who attend. Our faculty knows the importance of providing a positive learning environment. Students are always encouraged to achieve to their fullest potential. The staff sets the example for students by continually updating their knowledge through professional development workshops and graduate courses to keep themselves well informed on all the new issues in education. Students are urged to get involved in student activities, choosing from a broad selection of clubs, athletic teams, music groups, student government and student publications. We try to combine the academic and co-curricular programs to help develop a well-rounded student.

The staff works with students, parents/guardians, and local police officers to provide a safe school environment. Respect for all is emphasized and modeled. A corps of ninth grade students serves as mentors for our seventh grade students through the Bear Ambassador program. Our Student Assistance Team works with the parents/guardians of students who are at risk for depression or drug/alcohol involvement. Local police officers teach eighth grade students about avoiding drug/alcohol use in the DARE program. Those skills are reinforced with seventh grade and ninth grade students through Project ALERT lessons in physical education classes. Our AOK program allows staff members to recognize and reward students for an Act of Kindness. We have earned our fourth consecutive No Place for Hate designation through the Anti-Defamation League this past school year. We look forward to continuing this program again this year.

Some Important Dates for 2009-2010:
Thursday, August 20, 1:00-3:00 p.m. – New Student Orientation
Tuesday, August 25, 9:00-11:00 a.m. – New Student Orientation
Tuesday, September 1, 7:00 p.m. – Orientation Night for 7th grade students and parents
Wednesday, September 2 – First Day of School
Friday, September 4 – Monday, September 7 – Labor Day Holiday
Thursday, September 10, 6:30 p.m. – 7th Grade Fun Night/Parent Survival Night
Tuesday, September 22 – Student Picture Day (Retakes – Tuesday, November 3)
Wednesday, September 23, 7:00 p.m. – “Back to School Night” for parents of all 8th and 9th grade students
Thursday, September 24, 7:00 p.m. – “Back to School Night” for parents of all 7th grade students
Monday, October 12 – Staff Development – No School for Students
Wednesday, November 18 and Tuesday, November 24, 5:30-8:30 p.m. – Parent Conferences
Tuesday, November 24 – Early Dismissal
Wednesday, November 25 – Early Dismissal
Thursday, November 26-30 – Thanksgiving Holiday – No School
Friday, December 23 – Early Dismissal
December 24-January 1, 2008 – Winter Break – No School