Oct. 4-25, Fused Dichroic Glass and Ceramics Community Artworks Course, Room A-207, Springhouse Middle School, 7-9 p.m. Oct. 4 is the first of four classes where students can cut and fuse glass and create a ceramic piece on Thursday nights in October.

For more information, contact art teacher Kerri Griffin at griffin@parklandsd.org .

Oct. 6: Jaindl Elementary PTO Flapjack Fundraiser, Applebee's Trexlertown, 8-10 a.m.

Oct. 8: Professional Development Day. No school for students

Oct. 9-12: Fire Prevention Week, all elementary schools. Fire departments from various areas within Parkland will present fire safety programs to elementary students.

Oct 9-13: High school Homecoming Week, themed "Into the Wild," sponsored by student council, will benefit the Lehigh Valley Zoo to support educational programming for district students and staff.

Students will be able to participate in many activities planned and organized by student council led by Co-presidents Alicia Lawler and Lauren Knafo. Among the highlights are the daily spirit dress-up days throughout the week, the 18th annual Garter Bowl on Wednesday, float building and homecoming parade Friday, and the Homecoming Dance Saturday night.

Oct. 10: 18th annual Garter Bowl, 6 p.m., football stadium. Rain date is Oct 11. A girls powder puff flag football event where the freshmen girls play the junior girls 6 p.m.; the sophomores face the seniors at 7 p.m.; and then the winners of the two previous games face off in a championship game at 8 p.m. This year's event will support the Lehigh Valley Zoo.

October 12: Homecoming Float Building, Orefield Middle School Bus Garage, all day. Student organizations will team-build floats for Friday night's homecoming game with floats focused on the "Jungle, Safari, Into the Wild" theme.

Judging of the floats will take place in the parking lot adjacent to the upper bus garages behind the stadium at 5:30 p.m. Floats will remain available for viewing throughout the first quarter of the football game and then will follow the Homecoming Court around the stadium for the annual half-time parade during the football game.

Oct. 13: Semiformal Homecoming Dance "Jungle Love," 7:30-10:30 p.m., high school cafeteria.

Homecoming king and queen will be announced at the dance Saturday night.

Oct. 14: Parkland cheerleaders' pancake breakfast in the high school, 8-11 a.m.

Oct. 14: Fifth annual John Steinmann Memorial Golf Tournament, Willowbrook Golf Course, 8:30 a.m.

Sponsored by the high school Lacrosse Booster Club.

Email Darin DiPasquale at depo32@ptd.net.

Achievements

Sixteen Parkland High School students were named Commended Students in the 2013 National Merit Scholarship Program.

They demonstrated outstanding performance on the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Qualifying Test.

They are: Nida Bajwa, Danielle Berman, Dustin Brinker, Brian Dinkelacker, Sayem Imam, James Ko, Erin Korp, Jeffrey Kurtz, Eric Mikitka, Fahim Mobin, Alisha Rege, Camille Roberts, Amanda Schleicher, Harsimran Thind, Adrian Tsou and Jack Walton.

The high school Latin Club donated a check for $400 in memory of Scott Bowers, former Latin teacher, thanks to the generosity of many in the Parkland community who sponsored the club as they participated in the Lehigh Valley Pancreatic Cancer Walk.

Music teacher, Dr. Scott Watson, will be delivering the keynote address, and several sessions about incorporating technology into his creative lesson plans, at the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association District 7 Workshop Oct. 8 in Harrisburg.