September 26, 2025
Even though this week included a day and a half off for students, it was still packed with meaningful staff professional development and student learning. We’re especially proud of our students in the car line, who have been practicing improvements to safety and efficiency by keeping their feet in the newly painted blue zone on the blacktop and waiting until cars come to a complete stop—great work, Bobcats!
Our Bobcat Bolt Fundraiser (click here to donate!) continues to gain momentum and has already surpassed the $16,000 mark! Students have enjoyed seeing Mrs. Mulherin take on a hot chicken wing challenge, earning an extra recess, and can look forward to watching Dr. Southmayd in an inflatable axolotl costume next week.
Next week, the race is officially on as we build toward our Bobcat Bolt Run on Friday morning. Don’t forget to join in the fun of Spirit Week to keep the excitement high as we count down to race day! Families are encouraged to come cheer on their Bobcat(s) during the run—see the PTO section below for grade-level times.
Reminder: There is no school on Thursday, October 2 in observance of Yom Kippur.
Upcoming Dates
October 2 - No School
October 3 - Bobcat Bolt!
October 17 - Half Day for Students (12:10 Dismissal)
October 19 - PTO Trunk or Treat
October 20 - No School for Students
October 31 - Halloween Parade and Class Parties
Calling all Veterans!
If you are a family member of a current Fern Hill Elementary student or staff member and you are a veteran or currently serving in the Armed Forces, we would like to invite you to our annual Veterans Day Celebration on Tuesday, November 11, 2025. We want to have the opportunity to say THANK YOU for serving our nation! Guests can arrive at 8:45 AM. We will begin with refreshments in the cafeteria with your Fern Hill host from 8:45 - 9:15 a.m. Following refreshments, we will move to the gymnasium for a school-wide assembly. If you can attend, please fill out the form below so that we can be prepared for your attendance. Thank you for your service, and we look forward to seeing you there.
Click here to sign up a veteran!
Please contact our Veterans Day coordinators, Mrs. Stefano (astefano@wcasd.net) or Mrs. Heckenberger (mheckenberger@wcasd.net) with any questions.
Unicycle Club – New This Fall!
Calling all 4th and 5th graders who love a challenge—our Unicycle Club is here! Led by Mr. Usilton, students will build balance, focus, and determination as they learn one of the toughest (and most exciting) skills in elementary school: riding a unicycle!
-
Meeting Dates: Wednesdays – Nov. 5, 12, 19 & Dec. 3, 10, 17
-
Time: 4:00–5:00 PM (pick-up at the library entrance car line)
-
Spots: Limited to 12–15 students (lottery if interest exceeds capacity)
-
Required: Students must bring their own helmet (limited helmets available if needed).
Permission slips are due by October 15. Questions? Contact Mr. Usilton at musilton@wcasd.net.
Get ready to roll—on one wheel!
Bobcat Bolt News:
One week to go until our scheduled race day! So far, we've raised over $15,000 as a school community - your support has been incredible. We accomplished this with 150 students -- imagine where we could be with 300 kids next week?! Register and donate online, or our form sent home!
To get in the spirit, please join us with some fun theme days for kiddos that want to participate. See our flyer for daily details. Keep it simple or go wild -- we can't wait to see your outfits!
On Friday, October 3rd - our race schedule is listed below. Be sure to send your student with comfortable race shoes, and a water bottle! Join us to cheer on your Bobcat from the sidelines on our soccer field, or volunteer on the field (clearances required).
9:15 - 10am: Kindergarten & 1st Grade
10:00 - 10:45am: 2nd & 3rd Grade
10:45 - 11:30 am: 4th & 5th Grade
Trunk or Treat- Ticket sales open:
Join us for one of the favorite events of the year: Fern Hill’s Annual Trunk or Treat, Saturday, October 18 from 6-7:15 in Fern Hill’s parking lot. New this year- we’ll have Chick-fil A on site for food purchases! Tickets are on sale now and are $5 per child, age 5+. Use the links below to get tickets, sign up to help, or register your trunk. We can’t wait to see you there!
Scan your receipts to earn BoxTops for Fern Hill
Earning money for our school has never been easier! All you need to do is download the Box Tops app, create an account, and scan your grocery receipt. Easy and quick! Last year we earned $500 from Box Tops for Fern Hill!
Cub Scout Pack 122 Update
Explore the outdoors and have fun with friend too! Scouting America (formerly Boy Scouts of America) has activities and adventures for Boys and Girls from Kindergarten to 12th grade!
On Wednesday, September 10th at 6PM, Cub Scout Pack 122 (chartered to the East Goshen Elementary School HSA) will hold their "Join Scouting Night" event at East Goshen Park near the amphitheater. Join the pack this year will be Troop 21B and Troop 76G - so middle and high school kids are welcome to come too! We will be teaching some fire safety while roasting marshmallows, exploring a model campsite, building edible fires and launching paper rockets. Bring your family out to learn about the Scouting program and the fun activities each unit has lined up for this school year.
Questions? Email cubscoutpack122.westchester@gmail.com.
Volunteer Clearances - Get a Jump Start!
We love having our families volunteer throughout the building. In order to volunteer, adults are required to have their clearances on file with us. Clearances can take 4-6 weeks to acquire, so please be sure to get the process started if you're looking to volunteer this Fall.
Planning a Vacation?
Fern Hill Elementary School
Principal
Email: jsouthmayd@wcasd.net
Website: https://www.wcasd.net/fhe
Location: 915 Lincoln Avenue, West Chester, PA, USA
Phone: 484 266 1600
Twitter: @FernHillES