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Knife on Wissahickon school bus causes furor

Wiss Now's weekly newsletter

May 15, 2025

Welcome back to Wiss Now’s weekly newsletter! Pennsylvania’s new distracted driving law will go into effect on June 5. Here’s what you need to know.

In This Week's Email:

🚨 Calls for transparency after bus knife incident

Courtesy of Homes.com

Members of the Wissahickon School District community remain on edge after an elementary school student allegedly brandished a knife on a district bus. Parents allege the district was not forthcoming about what happened and have decried a lack of urgency when dealing with sensitive matters.

Officials did not acknowledge the incident until days after the fact, when Blue Bell Elementary Principal Angela Farlow sent the following email to families:

Last week, there was an incident on the bus involving a young student who brought a Swiss Army-style knife to school and showed it to two other students while on the bus. We responded immediately by implementing disciplinary action in accordance with our Code of Student Conduct and putting additional safety measures in place.

We recognize that hearing about situations like this can be concerning. Please know that while we are committed to keeping families informed, we are also legally required to protect student privacy, which limits the level of detail we can provide. These protections are in place to preserve the rights and dignity of all children.

We also want to take this opportunity to remind families of the importance of regularly speaking with your child about what is appropriate to bring to school—and what is not.

One parent alleges the student who carried the knife had recently made a threat referencing a gun to classmates and local police were involved; Whitpain Police confirmed they investigated in March, but they determined there was no immediate danger. The parent said she was told the student would be barred from riding the bus after that incident.

Wissahickon Superintendent Dr. James Crisfield conceded the district must strive for more consistent and rapid communication with parents, but said privacy laws limit how much information can be provided.

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Thursday, May 15

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Courtesy photo

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🍺 ‘Sunday Social’ weekly series at Parx Casino

Parx Casino in Bensalem has launched its new Sunday Social weekly series to add more sunshine to your Sundays this spring,

Parx will offer something new and exciting every Sunday at its Liberty Bell Beer Garden -- a unique outdoor/indoor open-air seating area that is perfect for all types of weather. The Sunday Social series will include interactive experiences, live music and entertainment, boozy brunches, celebrity appearances and a little bit of March Madness.

A full calendar can be found here. On the schedule this weekend:

Sunday, May 18, 2025: Boozy Brunch with DJ Capp

From 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., let DJ Capp entertain you, while you enjoy a delicious brunch and your favorite beverages. Tickets are $75 per person and include made to order omelets, 3 carving stations, lox and bagels, shrimp cocktail, waffles, French toast, pizza and two drink tickets for the Bloody Mary or Mimosa bar or whatever else you like.

🐶 Rescue of the Week

James Short | Wiss Now

Meet Thelma, a nine-year-old Jack Russell Terrier currently being fostered through Home At Last Dog Rescue.

Thelma was rescued from a puppy mill in Lancaster. She is a highly motivated and loving girl looking for her forever home. She loves to curl up on your lap, eat treats and play with her toys, especially a tennis ball. Thelma is crate- and house-trained and does well with other older and submissive dogs. She would do great in just about any household however, she would do best with kids over 6.

If you are interested in adopting Thelma or would like more information, you can reach out to Home At Last Dog Rescue at [email protected] or visit the group's website.

Thanks for reading! See you next week. Be sure to follow Wiss Now on Facebook.