Principal Newsletter January 2026

JANUARY

Jan 1 & 2: School Closed, Winter Break ❄️

Jan 5 - 7: Gr 4 & 5 Auditions for Little Mermaid, Jr!

Jan 15: Gr 4 & 5 Art Museum Event
Jan 19: School Closed, MLK Day
Jan 21: Q3 Begins
Jan 22, 6 pm: ⭐ New Location! ⭐ Gr, 4/5 Winter Showcases at Christ Lutheran Church

Jan 26: No School, Staff In-Service

We have 2 different Separate Events for our Grades 4 & 5 Winter Arts Majors

Visual Arts Majors

will attend a special Grand Opening Reception featuring our students' artwork at the

Allentown Art Museum
31 N 5th St, Allentown, PA 18101
Thursday, January 15 at 5 pm

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All other Majors (Theatre, Music, Dance)

will perform at our Winter Showcase at

Christ Lutheran Church
1245 Hamilton St, Allentown, PA 18102
Thursday, January 22 at 6 pm.

We have created a new ticket form to ensure all families receive the message about the updated location. Please submit the form to request tickets. Space is limited.

Winter Showcase Tickets Request Form

All grade 4 & 5 students have selected their Spring Arts Major, which determines how they will perform in or support this year's Spring Musical, Little Mermaid Jr! Preparation for the Spring Musical will begin after our Winter Showcases. All rehearsal and preparations are held during their Arts class.

All students who expressed interest in an on-stage acting or singing role will be participating in auditions this week, starting Monday! The Arts Team works very hard to support students through his process. Each audition is held in private, with the Music and Theatre teachers.

Our K-3 students will be walking to Miller Symphony Hall on Tuesday, May 19 to watch Cast A's dress rehearsal. We are very excited and hope you are too!

Important Update

At this time, due to various factors, we are unable to plan for a Middle School opening in 2026-27. We continue to plan our expansion, but need to resubmit our application. Our current K-5 programming will continue next school year.

We thank you all for your support and will have an update for you shortly!

Any family who has a sibling to enroll for next year will need to apply. Applications will be posted on our website this week. Parents who wish to enroll a sibling will be able to apply through Jupiter. Siblings get priority status to enroll, but only if you apply by the deadline.

Keep an eye out for details. Visit our website for more information.

All current students are automatically enrolled each year, unless you withdraw them.

Enrollment Website

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🎯🎯🎯AS OF JANUARY 5, 2026, IF YOUR CHILD HAS 9 OR FEWER ABSENCES, THEY ARE STILL AT 95% OR HIGHER FOR DAYS ATTENDED! WE WILL BE RECOGNIZING THESE STUDENTS AT OUR NEXT CHARACTER ASSEMBLY. MAKE SURE YOU HOLD YOUR 95% BY ATTENDING SCHOOL FOR THE UPCOMING MONTHS! 🙌

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All students who achieve 95% or higher attendance this year will take part in a special incentive activity in June!

Did you know:

95% Attendance equates to no more than 10 absences by the end of the school year. That's about 1 day each month.
School attendance is required by law.
Arriving late and leaving early adds up and still counts as missing school.
A written excuse is required within 3 days of an absence. Allowable excuses include illness, appointments, religious holidays or death in the family. Please note, lack of transportation is not an allowable excuse.
Good attendance will be rewarded! Keep an eye out for more information our 95% Attendance Incentive!

Help your child "Make 95" with these habits:

Set a consistent bedtime
Prepare the night before
Allow ample time in the morning
Schedule appointments before or after school when possible.
Get Involved! Parent involvement promotes a healthy attitude toward school and attendance.

We are here to help if you or your child is struggling to attend school.

Learn more by visiting the Attendance page of our website.

This month, all students will be participating in the testing below. Your child's teacher will let you know your child's exact dates. These tests are important to help us track student progress toward our end of year goals.

GR. 3-5 ONLINE FIREFLY TESTING (PSSA PREP):

Like other schools who transitioned to online PSSA testing, our 3rd through 5th grade students' ELA scores dropped last year. All students in grades 3-5 took the ELA Firefly Test prior to the winter break. This online test offered by the PA Department of Education, is designed to match the format of the PSSA and is encouraged to prepare students. Students in grades 3-5 will take the Firefly Math this month. Fifth grade students will also take the Firefly Science online test this month.

K-5 STUDENTS, iReady MOY Math and Reading Benchmark

All students will be taking their Middle of Year iReady benchmark tests. This test adjusts according to your child's performance. Testing may take longer if your child is answering questions correctly, so this is a good thing! Students are limited as to how much time is spent each day and they are permitted to take breaks and to continue testing another day.

English Language Learners (ELLs), WIDA ACCESS Testing

Each year, students in English learner programs take the ACCESS for ELLs language proficiency test. The test measures academic English language proficiency for students learning English in our school and throughout our state. Teachers in our school use testing results to help them make decisions about instruction for your child. Teachers also use these test scores to monitor the progress your child makes toward English proficiency. These tests are scheduled in small groups throughout January and February. Contact Mr. Neil, English Language Development Coordinator for questions.

Please send students with coats. We will continue to do outdoor recess as long as it is above freezing. Sometimes, due to the wind, we will not go out even if it's not quite that cold or we may shorten how long we go out.

❗️ Important!

Please label your child's coat! Lost and found increases tremendously during the winter season. Please know our teachers and staff every day, will stand in front of their students holding up coats and asking who they belong to with no response. This is typical for elementary - aged children, but does not help us preserve your child's clothing and other items.

Labeling clothes, lunch boxes and bookbags helps us return them to your child!

Dear Parents and Guardians,

As we move into the fall and winter seasons, we often see an increase in communicable illnesses among children. We want to take a moment to share important information with you regarding some of the common illnesses we are seeing in our school community and how you can help prevent the spread.

Common Illnesses Seen This Time of Year:

1. Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease (HFM):
A common viral illness, especially among younger children. Symptoms include:

Fever
Sore throat
Painful mouth sores
Skin rash (typically on hands, feet, and sometimes buttocks)

2. Influenza (Flu):
Highly contagious and can spread quickly through classrooms. Symptoms include:

Fever and chills
Body aches
Cough and sore throat
Fatigue
Headache

3. COVID-19:
Continues to circulate and may present with a range of symptoms. Symptoms include:

Fever or chills
Cough and congestion
Shortness of breath
Loss of taste or smell
Fatigue
Sore throat or headache

4. Common Cold and Stomach Viruses:
While often less severe, these can still disrupt learning and spread quickly. Symptoms include:

Runny or stuffy nose
Sneezing and coughing
Mild fever
Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea

When Should My Child Stay Home?

To keep everyone healthy and safe, please follow these guidelines:

Fever: Children must be fever-free for at least 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication before returning to school.
Vomiting/Diarrhea: Children must be free from vomiting and diarrhea for 24 hours before returning.
Contagious Illnesses (Flu, COVID-19, HFM, etc.): Children must stay home until they are no longer contagious and must provide a note from their healthcare provider clearing them to return to school.
If your child is not feeling well enough to participate in normal activities, it’s best to keep them home to rest and recover.

Help Prevent the Spread

We encourage families to continue practicing good hygiene, including:

Frequent handwashing
Covering coughs and sneezes
Cleaning high-touch surfaces at home
Keeping sick children home

We appreciate your support in keeping our students and staff healthy. If you have any questions or need guidance, feel free to contact the school nurse or office.