Salisbury High School senior, Chris Dryfoos is holding a winter coat drive for his Eagle Scout project for Boy Scout Troop 5. He is collecting new or clean, gently used winter coats to benefit the Allentown Rescue Mission through Dec. 6. Collection boxes for the coats are located at Salisbury High School, Holy Spirit Lutheran Church on Cedar Crest Boulevard in Emmaus, St. Timothy's Church on Ott Street and Hope United Church of Christ on Flexer Avenue.

St. Timothy's is where Troop 5 holds its weekly meetings. So, please, go through your closets, pull out any coats still in great shape and donate to this worthy cause. Boy Scouts is a wonderful program training boys to be fine citizens and all-around good men.

The SHS Class of 2016 is holding its annual oranges, grapefruit and tangelo sale. Orders are due Nov. 13 at the school. Because the Florida fruit is picked and immediately placed on a refrigerated truck for delivery, there is an estimated delivery date between Dec. 2 and Dec. 22. For questions or orders, call Mrs. Butterbaugh at 610-797-4107, ext. 2121 or email kbutterbaugh@stsd. org.

The SHS Class of 2016 is also selling KidsStuff coupon books. For more information or to order a book, email krossetti@ stsd.org.

With Thanksgiving right around the corner, we all know what that means….early dismissals and parent/teacher conferences. I hope everyone had a chance to go on the community portal and print out the report cards for their students at SHS and Salisbury Middle School. I did, and I will say, it was a happy day in the Foehrkolb household. I am very proud of how well my boys did this quarter.

SHS has early dismissal 12:15 p.m. Nov. 22.

From Nov. 22 to 27, SMS will dismiss 12:15 p.m., Western Salisbury Elementary and Harry S Truman Elementary will dismiss 1 p.m. These three schools will hold parent/teacher conferences in the afternoons.

I encourage all parents to make time in their schedules to attend conferences. Having one-on-one time with a teacher can be so beneficial to find out what your child may be struggling with and things you can do at home to help and encourage them. Even if they aren't struggling academically, sometimes there can be social or emotional issues your student won't share with you, but their teacher has witnessed throughout the day. Again, I encourage all of you to attend.

All Salisbury Township schools will be closed Nov. 28 through Dec. 2 for the Thanksgiving holiday.

Western Salisbury Elementary will hold picture re-takes Nov. 26.

Also, at WSE, the PTA has a lot going on. The PTA is having a Barnes and Noble Night 6 to 9 p.m. Nov. 15 at the Promenade Shoppes in Saucon Valley. The WSE chorus will perform and children's author Eli Kowalski will sign books along with his dog, Kuska, the main character in his book series.

The PTA is also in the middle of the Perkins pie fundraiser. All orders need to be in by Nov. 18 and you can pick up your pies anytime between Nov 26 and 28 at the Cedar Crest location.

Last, but not least, the WSE gym will transform into a Scholastic Book Fair Nov. 20 to 27. Each classroom will visit the fair during the week and it will be open during conferences, so parents can shop. There is also a family event 6 to 8 p.m. Nov. 21 where Stan Griffis will play live music. Christmas is right around the corner and books make fabulous gifts.

"Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it." ~William Arthur Ward