February 2025 e-News

One way to think about Honesty is being truthful in what you say and do. Throughout February, students will be discussing what it means to be Honest and how practicing Honesty can help strengthen relationships and reduce stress. For additional information regarding CharacterStrong, including our middle school monthly traits, please visit our CharacterStrong & Social Emotional Learning website.

• February 1-28 - Black History Month - We will be honoring Black History Month through relevant teaching, learning, and activities in our schools. We encourage our school community to join us in honoring the accomplishments of black Americans past and present.

• February 1-28 - National Children's Dental Health Month

• February 1-28 - Career and Technical Education Month

• February 3-7 - National School Counseling Week
  

• February 7 - 100th Day of School

• February 15 - School Resource Officer Appreciation Day

Grades 7-12 Second Marking Period Grades Available in PowerSchool

Scheduled Remote Learning Day
Teachers will provide asynchronous work for students equal to a half day of instruction. Student work may be completed that day or anytime over the weekend and submitted the next day school is in session. Students will NOT attend Zoom sessions and all students will be marked present unless reported as absent. In the event of an absence, families should follow regular procedures for absence notification and the standard make-up procedures will apply.

No School

District offices will also be closed.

West Shore Middle School Junior Honor Society Inductions

Allen, Crossroads, and New Cumberland will each host their own induction ceremonies.

February 19, 2025: 6:00-8:30 p.m.

Cedar Cliff Auditorium

In coordination with local partners, a viewing of the film My Ascension will be presented at Cedar Cliff High School. The film tells the story of Emma Benoit, who attempted to take her own life at 16-years old. The film will feature details regarding anxiety and depression and is intended for a teenager and parent audience only. Audience members below the middle school level are not recommended. A panel discussion will follow. Admission is free.

Monday, March 3, 2025: 4:00-6:00 p.m.

Administration Center for Education - 507 Fishing Creek Road, Lewisberry

Have you ever considered becoming a teacher? Join us at our Annual Future Educator Open House and take the first step toward a rewarding career as an educator in the West Shore School District. During the Open House, you will have the opportunity to learn more about the options available for obtaining your teaching certification and meet with representatives from local universities and organizations.

All are welcome to attend; however, this event will be particularly valuable to current or future high school graduates, individuals in the process of obtaining a degree, and college graduates with a degree in a non-education area. If you plan to attend, kindly RSVP online by Friday, February 28.

Beyond stress and anxiety, there are heightened concerns about the rates of suicide, self-harm, depression and school violence among American students. Instructively, half of all behavioral and mental health challenges emerge during or before adolescence, and about one in six students will experience a significant mental health challenge during their school years. As a result, prevention and early intervention for mental health issues among youth are especially important within the scope of public education.

The West Shore School District will begin administering behavioral health screenings at the end of February and into March for 7th and 9th grades only, staggering between schools. Parents of students will receive additional information and opt-out reminders before the screenings are administered.

The West Shore School District has been selected as a Local Educational Agency (LEA) to participate in a statewide survey of parents of students with disabilities. We value your thoughts on how we can better work together to improve education for our children. Your family, like others with a child who receives special education services, has a unique opportunity to help shape how families are involved in their children’s learning. Don’t miss out on having your voice heard!

Parents receiving the survey were selected from PA Special Education Data using a random sample of school age students in each LEA. Surveys will be mailed directly to the parents in the near future and are anonymous. Not every special education parent in the District will be asked to complete the survey.

Presented by Red Land High School

February 4 at 6:00 p.m. - Movie Night, Cast Meet & Greet - West Shore Theatre

February 26 at 4:00 p.m. - Free Senior Citizen Matinee

February 27, 28 and March 1 at 7 p.m.

March 2 at 2 p.m.

Tickets are $10 for students, $15 for adults, and $15 for all tickets purchased at the door. Click here to purchase your tickets.

The Addams Family Character Breakfast

February 15 from 8:30-11 a.m.
Admission $10. Children under 3 years old are free. Click here to purchase your tickets.

Presented by Cedar Cliff High School

March 12 at 4 p.m. - Free Senior Citizen Matinee

March 13, 14, and 15 at 7 p.m.

March 16 at 2 p.m.

Tickets are $10 for students, $15 for adults, and $15 for all tickets purchased at the door. Click here to purchase your tickets.

We continue our driver spotlight series with three-year First Student and West Shore School District veteran Nikita Daniels! Nikita works both as a Special Education van driver and a home nurse after spending 20 years as a daycare teacher. Seeing 13 students a day between Cedar Cliff, Fishing Creek, Newberry and Red Mill, Daniels says one of the best part of her job with the District includes and goes beyond her students.

"I have genuine relationships with my parents," Daniels said. "It's the personal thing for me. That interaction is the best part of driving."

We thank Nikita for her service to her students and the larger community each and every day. We are #WestShoreProud to have her on our team!

We will begin kindergarten registration on February 10, 2025. If you have a child who will be joining us in August 2025 for kindergarten, please visit the District’s registration page on and after Monday, February 10, 2025, for directions on how to complete the enrollment process. This group is enrolling for the class of 2038!

We do not have a deadline for registering for kindergarten; however, by enrolling early, parents help us with staffing and class sizes to ensure a smooth start to the school year. Additionally, once registered we will have your contact information to invite your family to our Camp Kindergarten event where parents and children get to meet staff members, tour their primary school, and enjoy a day with future classmates.

Please Note: The 2025-2026 registration portal will be open for kindergarten only. Enrollments for next school year for students entering grades 1 through 12 will be accepted in April.

Thursday, February 13

We thank everyone who took the time to provide feedback on the proposed school calendar for the 2025-2026 year. As of the publication of this newsletter, we are currently reviewing community feedback and anticipate finalizing the 2025-2026 school calendar at the meeting of the Board of Directors on February 13, 2025. We will provide further information when applicable.

If you're looking for a flexible and rewarding part-time position, the West Shore School District is actively looking for additional substitute teachers for the remainder of the school year. Whether you are a parent/guardian looking for more ways to stay connected or know someone in your family and friend circles who may be interested, please contact us! The Emergency Permit process allows candidates with a Bachelor's Degree in any field to serve as a Substitute Teacher. The District Partners with Substitute Teacher Service (STS) to fill needs within the District throughout the year. You may click this link for more information.

The West Shore School District is also hiring for additional positions in the following categories:

• Food Service (highly customized shifts may be permitted)
• School Nurse
• Maintenance/Custodial

If you are interested in obtaining more information regarding any of these positions, please click here.

Our Technology Department has resources available online to assist students and families successfully utilize Zoom, Seesaw, Schoology, Clever, and PowerSchool. Click here to visit the Instructional Technology Help Center.

The Academic Bowl, sponsored by the West Shore Foundation, is designed for students throughout the District in grades four through eight to showcase their general knowledge across a vast spectrum of topics. As of February 3, competitions for grades 5-8 have been completed, with Grade 4 occurring on February 5-6. You can find tournament brackets by clicking here.

Grade 5-8 Champions

• Grade 5 - Old Trail Intermediate School
• Grade 6 - Old Trail Intermediate School
• Grade 7 - Crossroads Middle School
• Grade 8 - Crossroads Middle School

The West Shore Foundation awarded their latest Educator Innovation Grants to members of the West Shore School District community in late January. The Foundation funded eight projects in seven buildings, totaling more than $13,000! We are very grateful for the Foundation's continued support every year to ensure our teachers and staff members can dream BIG and find new ways to empower our students to live meaningful, purposeful and impactful lives. You can find more information about the projects by visiting the District website.

West Shore School District Social Worker Erika Stiffler has been named a 2024 Super Care Hero by our mental health partner, Care Solace. The Super Care Hero Award celebrates mental health advocates, school counselors, and school mental health staff who go above and beyond to connect students to the care they need.

This recognition highlights Erika's dedication to changing lives, supporting student well-being, and creating a positive impact in our community. Please join us in congratulating her on this well-deserved honor. Her hard work and compassion makes a difference every single day!

What is Care Solace?

The West Shore School District partners with Care Solace to coordinate mental health care that helps individuals and families find reliable, verified therapists and resources—quickly and confidentially. Care Solace is not an emergency response service or mental health services provider, but it can be used if you are interested in counseling-related services for your child, yourself, or another family member and need assistance finding those services. For more information, visit this link.

For a look at some of the latest information on our biggest projects and achievements of the school year so far, don't forget to check out our tri-annual magazine Points of Pride!

The latest edition was mailed to families just before Thanksgiving and can be found on the District website. Click here for more information.

You can expect another edition to hit the printers in March 2025!

All meetings are held at the Administration Center and are open to the public. For those unable to join us in person, Board Meetings and Board Committee Meetings are also livestreamed.

SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS

Thursday, February 13, 6:30 p.m.

Thursday, February 20, 6:30 p.m.

COMMITTEE MEETINGS

Facilities - Wednesday, February 12, 4:30 p.m.

Finance - Thursday, February 13, 4:30 p.m.

Transportation - Tuesday, February 18, 5:00 p.m.

Related Links

• In Person and Electronic Public Comment Guidelines
• Watch Board Meetings & Committee Meetings Online - Meetings are streamed live and archived for viewing following the meeting
• Board Agendas - published 24 hours before the meeting
  
• Board Minutes - posted after Board approval
• 2025-2026 Budget Development - presentations made to the Board during the budget development process

We realize many of our families utilize Medicaid and wanted to pass on some information about renewing your benefits (something that must be done each year).

The West Shore School District has partnered with Highmark Wholecare to offer free help sessions who may be applying for or renewing Medicaid Coverage. These sessions will take place at 10AM to Noon, with no appointment necessary, as follows:

• Cedar Cliff High School - First Wednesday of the Month
• Red Land High School - Second Wednesday of the Month

To find your renewal date, visit dhs.pa.gov/COMPASS or use the free myCOMPASS PA mobile app. If you want to renew by phone, call 1-866-550-4355. If interested, additional information can be found below from Highmark.

• Annual Notices - Numerous federal laws require school districts to provide students, parents, and/or the public with notices.
  

• Care Solace - Care Solace assists individuals find mental health care providers and substance use treatment centers. Their services may be accessed by students, staff and their families at no cost to you, 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, 365 days per year, and in 200+ languages. To utilize Care Solace, call 1-888-515-0595 or visit www.caresolace.com/westshore.

• Employment Opportunities - We have a variety of open positions perfect for parents, grandparents, and other caregivers interested in working a schedule similar to our students.
• Transportation Exception Request - May be used to request a bus stop different from the assigned stop associated with the child’s residence provided the alternative stop is in the same school attendance area as the child’s school.
• Electronic Absence Submission - If your child will not be in school for the day due to illness or doctor/dentist appointment, you can submit their absence electronically through PowerSchool.
  
• Volunteer Clearance Policy & Procedures - Adults wishing to volunteer in our schools are required to complete the Volunteer Application Process before being approved to do so.
• Technology Help Center - Contains videos, resources, FAQs, and guides on using Seesaw, Schoology, PowerSchool, iPads, Chromebooks, and more.
  

• Damage, Loss, Theft of District Technology Devices and Chargers - Information related to device expectations and repair costs.