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2026-2027 School Year:

• 9/30/26- Phillies Spirit Day
• 10/1/26: Back to School Night, please see details below
• 10/8/26- Save the Date- PBIS Family Night- 6:00-7:30 pm- see details below
• 10/17/26- PTO Fall Fest- Save the Date- see details below
• 10/22/26- Save the Date- Literacy Night- 6:00-7:30 pm.- see details below
• 10/29/26- Picture Retake Day; Dine and Donate at JB Dawsons
• 10/30/26- Half day for students- 11:10 am dismissal, Halloween Parade
• 11/3/26- No School, main office is open
• 11/11/26- District Closed/ Veteran's Day
• 11/25/26- No school/ main office is open
• 11/26 & 11/27/26- District closed/ Thanksgiving
• 12/11/26- No school for grades K-4, Elementary Conference Day
• 12/23/26- 1/1/27 No School- Winter Break
• 1/4/27- First day back from Winter Break
• 1/18/27- No School- MLH Jr. Holiday
• 2/12/27- Half Day- 11:10 am dismissal
• 2/15/27- No School- District closed- Presidents' Day
• 2/16/27- No School for students, main office open
• 4/47, 4/28, 4/29- ELA PSSAs

• 5/4 and 5/5 Math PSSAs

Students earn Cub Code stickers for being respectful, responsible, and safe. The image below shows our most recent weekly winners! Congratulations to all students who have earned a Cub Code Sticker!

After students receive a Cub Code sticker, their name is placed in a grade level bin. Each week student's names are pulled from the grade level boxes. Students receive a weekly winner bracelet, a prize from the treasure box, and a donated book.

Ms. Leonardi's class filled their first WOW Board of the year! The students have earned a classroom reward by being respectful, responsible, and safe!

These second graders started off the year with a presentation about something they are passionate about. They were required to incorporate their learning style from our Multiple Intelligence Theory activity.

Presenters:

• Cole K. made a cardboard working vending machine.
• Shilah P. loves to read mysteries, so she told us about a Cam Jansen book she read and gave us clues to see if we could solve the mystery.
• Wesley S. Loves to play checkers and taught us how to play and follow the rules.

Mrs. McHugh's class did Apple STEAM Friday to celebrate the Fall season. The students weighed and measured the length and width of a Granny Smith Apple. Then the students observed if the apple would sink or float in water and finally counted the seeds inside the apple. To continue with the theme, the students packed their favorite apple for snack time.

Students have the option to participate in our walking program at recess called Cubs in Motion. Each student has their own QR code and as they complete each mile they scan their code to track their miles.

Congratulations to the following students who are in our top ten:

• Camryn F- Mrs. Gregory's class- 6.60 miles
• Mia M. - Ms. DiMeglio's class- 6.40 miles
• Scarlett K.- Mrs. Takacs' class- 5.40 miles
• Riley T.- Mrs. Takacs' class- 4.60 miles
• Mary F.- Ms. Martindell's class- 4.40 miles
• Molly S.- Ms. McLaughlin's class- 3.80 miles
• Kennedy W.- Ms. Martindell's class- 3.360 miles
• Lainey S.- Mrs. Monaco's class- 3.50 miles
• Cali. W.- Mrs. Blaydon's class- 3.30 miles

The PDF below shows the specials cycle days for the month of September and October.

Reading Specialists, Mrs. Jen Gross and Ms. Cara Gulden-Buttari welcomed students to Camp Read A Lot! The Core Creek Cubs who completed the Summer Reading Challenge were invited to a camping celebration. Each reader earned their very own mini flashlight, a certificate, and a gift card to shop at the school store (Thank you, PTO!). Great job Cubs and keep reading!

Our students are participating in the Phillies’ Phanatic About Reading program, presented by Xfinity! This free program encourages students to read—or be read to—for at least 15 minutes each day. Information went home in a previous Thursday folder.

Families should use the provided reading log to track their child’s progress. Students should hand in their logs at the end of each month. A chart in the main hallway will highlight each month's percentage of reading minutes. A new calendar will be sent home each month for completion.

Our reading specialists, Mrs. Gross and Ms. Gulden, held grade-level assemblies to introduce the program to the students. Throughout the year, students will have opportunities for special recognition. Our school could even earn a visit from the Phanatic! At the end of the year, teachers will also nominate Most Improved and Most Outstanding readers for a chance to be recognized at Citizens Bank Park.

Thank you for encouraging reading at home and helping our students become Phanatic About Reading!

We love celebrating our Core Creek readers! Throughout the school year, families are encouraged to send in pictures of their children enjoying a good book at home, on the go, or anywhere their reading adventures take them.

Submitted photos may be featured in the Core Creek Chronicle as part of our Phanatic About Reading feature and on a bulletin board in the main hallway.

Keep those pages turning—and don’t forget to capture your reader in action!

Universal Assessments
All students take universal assessments three times during the school year. These assessments give us valuable information that helps our school team to:

• Create small intervention groups for English Language Arts (ELA) and math

• Set personalized goals for each student

• Identify focus areas for our What I Need (WIN) period

• Track student growth from the start to the end of the year

• Share with families which skills can be reinforced at home

How Students Take the Assessments
Students complete their ELA and math assessments through the i-Ready platform. These are computer-adaptive assessments, which means the questions adjust to each child’s learning level.

What Students Need to Bring
To be ready for testing, students should come with:

• Headphones

• A fully charged laptop

Assessment Dates

• English Language Arts:

• Kindergarten: 9/28-10/2
• Grades 1 & 2: 9/8-9/15- completed
• Grades 3 & 4: 9/8 - 9/10- completed

• Math:

• Kindergarten: 10/6-10/12
• Grades 1 & 2: 9/16-9/23= completed
• Grades 3 & 4: 9/11/- 9/15- completed

What is DIBELS?
DIBELS (Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills) is a short, one-on-one assessment that helps us understand how students are developing important early reading skills. Teachers sit with students individually and guide them through quick activities such as:

• Naming letters and sounds

• Reading simple words

• Listening to and repeating parts of stories

• Reading short passages aloud

These activities take only a few minutes but give us a clear picture of each child’s reading strengths and areas for growth. The results help teachers provide the right support in class and share ways families can continue building strong reading skills at home.

• DIBELS (Grades 1–4): September 14–29




• DIBELS (Kindergarten): September 22–October 6

Families will receive information once all testing is complete.

Back to School Night is a great opportunity for parents and guardians to meet their child’s teacher and learn more about the classroom, expectations, and what students can look forward to this school year. Back to School Night will be held on October 1st.

Please note that Back to School Night is an adults-only event.

To help accommodate families with multiple children, we will offer two sessions for each grade level. Families may attend the session that works best for their schedule.

In addition to meeting with homeroom teachers, parents and guardians will have opportunities to:

• Meet our specials teachers and learn about Art, Music, Library, and Physical Education
• Learn more about the experiences and activities students will participate in throughout the year
• Attend one of two Specials Education sessions if your child receives Special Education services

We look forward to welcoming our families and sharing more about the exciting year ahead!

Times for each session are listed below:

5:00 pm - 5:30 pm

• Meet the Specialists and Special Education Teachers

5:30 pm – 6:00 pm

• Kindergarten Session 1
• Meet the Specialists and Special Education Teachers

• Kindergarten Session 2
• Grades 1-4 - Session 1

7:00 pm – 7:30 pm

• Grades 1-4 - Session 2

We’re excited to invite you to PBIS Family Night at Core Creek on October 8 from 6:00–7:30 p.m.!

Families will explore the school on a fun scavenger hunt while learning what it looks like to be respectful, responsible, and safe in different areas of our building.

Event Details:

• Date: October 8

• Time: 6:00–7:30 p.m.

• Location: Core Creek

• Open format: Come anytime during the event window and complete the activities at your own pace.

After students complete the scavenger hunt and assemble their puzzle, they’ll earn a special incentive and Cub Code sticker!

Did you join us in the spring? Come back and try it again! All of the clues and locations have been updated, so there will be a new adventure waiting for you.

We hope you and your family can join us for a fun evening of learning and exploring together! Please reach out if you have any questions.

Core Creek parents and guardians are invited to join us for Literacy Night on October 22nd from 6:00–7:30 PM! Come learn about grade-level literacy and math skills and discover ways you can support your child’s academic growth at home. We look forward to an evening of learning!

Please note: This event is designed for parents and guardians only—no students.

Who needs to obtain volunteer clearances?

Any adult applying for or holding a volunteer position who is responsible for a child's welfare or has direct contact with children during curricular or co-curricular activities needs to obtain volunteer clearances. Examples include classroom volunteers, Home & School activity volunteers, or field trip chaperones.

If you have any questions as to whether a clearance is needed for a particular volunteer role or activity, please contact our main office, 215-809-6390.

Please view additional information on our District website.

Don't Wait!

Act 34 - the Pennsylvania State Police Clearance - can take 2 to 4 weeks to process and Act 151 - the Child Abuse History Clearance - can also take 2 to 4 weeks.

You will NOT be allowed to volunteer or chaperone a school trip unless all appropriate volunteer paperwork is complete and submitted.

Neshaminy School District is pleased to offer a new efficient student absence reporting system called SafeArrival.

You can now report your child’s absence in advance of the official start of the school day using any of these three methods:

• Using your mobile device, download and install the SchoolMessenger app from the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store. The first time you use the app, select SIGN UP to create your account. Select Attendance and then Report an Absence.
• Use the SafeArrival SchoolMessenger website. The first time you use the website, select SIGN UP to create your account. Select Attendance and then Report an Absence.
• You can call 1-888-256-5072 to report an absence to the SafeArrival system.
• While we strongly encourage parents and guardians to use SafeArrival, hand-delivered notes and phone calls to the Main Office will still be accepted for absences.

Please note that absences called into Main Offices will be marked “unexcused” until a written note is provided.

Your username and password are the same whether you use the mobile app or the website. You must register your account using the email address on file with Neshaminy.

To use the phone reporting option, you must use the phone number on file with Neshaminy. You can verify or modify your contact information by logging into the Home Access Center (HAC). If you do not recall your HAC credentials, please call our main office. The automated absence reporting systems is available 24/7. If you report on the day of an absence, you must do so by 11:45 pm or contact the main office or attendance office at your child’s school during normal school hours.

Please see the attached form for additional information.

Families may request approval for students to be excused from school to participate in an educational trip or tour that is not sponsored by the school. Requests must be submitted in writing to the building principal at least five school days in advance (except in emergencies).

Please note:

• Trips are not approved during the first 10 school days or during PSSA testing for Grades 3–4

• A maximum of five school days per school year may be approved

• Make-up work is the student’s responsibility, and not all classroom instruction can be recreated.

Families will be notified if a request is denied. For questions, please call the main office at 215-809-6390.

You can view our current menus anytime here. Food Services / Food Services Menus and Info.

Families may qualify for free or reduced-price meals. Find out more or apply using the link below.

Food Services / Free & Reduced Meal Program

Meal Prices for 2025–26

Breakfast: FREE

Lunch: $2.80

The breakfast and lunch menus for September are listed below.

October Menus

Student Laptops:

Students should not be placing stickers on district devices.

Cellphones & Smartwatches:

Students are not permitted to use their cellphones and smartwatches to communicate with families during the day. If a parent or guardian needs to communicate a message to their child, please email the teacher or call the main office at 215-809-6390.

Please see the information below from our District Student Handbook regarding cellphones and smartwatches.

We permit students to have cell phones in school. However, there are specific guidelines your student must follow:

• Students must turn off their cell phones and smartwatches when they arrive to school.
• Phones and smartwatches are not to be visible during normal school hours (backpack, etc.).

Students in violation of these guidelines may have their electronic devices including cell phones and smart watches confiscated and returned at the end of the day. A second offense may result in confiscation and a parent must pick up the electronic device. For the protection and avoidance of electronic devices being lost/stolen, we recommend that students do not bring any type of electronic device to school.

Below is a copy of the Parent-Student Handbook for the 2026-2027 school year. I encourage all families to review the handbook to stay up to date on any changes to procedures and district information.

Meeting Dates for the 2026-2027 School Year:

• 10/21
• 11/18
• 12/16
• 1/20
• 2/17
• 3/17
• 4/21
• 5/19

KINDERGARTEN REPRESENTATIVE

We have one PTO Board position open this year: Kindergarten Representative. Click here to fill out the Core Creek Election - Candidate Google Form if you are interested.

FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK & INSTAGRAM

Please like our Facebook page and/or our Instagram page for information on school activities and highlights of PTO events throughout the year.

Facebook: Core Creek Elementary PTO

Instagram: @CoreCreekPTO

SCHOOL STORE

The School Store would not be possible without our amazing parent volunteers! We are looking for 10 volunteers for each grade. All volunteers must have current, valid clearances, so please make sure yours are up to date before signing up. To volunteer, please click the SignUpGenius link and sign up under your child’s grade: Click here to volunteer for the School Store

We truly appreciate all of the time, help, and support our Core Creek families provide. Thank you for helping us make the School Store a success!

SAVE THE DATE FOR FALL FEST WITH TRUNK OR TREATING

Trunk or Treat is getting even more festive this year! Join us on Saturday, October 17 at 4 PM for our expanded Fall Fest with Trunk or Treating—featuring all the Trunk or Treat fun you love, plus even more fall activities for the whole family!

Core Creek will hold our annual Fall Fest on October 17th. The event will run from 4:00- 7:00 pm. Tickets are $15 per person. The Fall Fest will include food trucks, games, pumpkin painting, crafts, inflatable slide and obstacle course, as well as the Trunk or Treat event. See image below for the QR code to purchase tickets or sign up to do a trunk.

Core Creek PTO is holding a dine and donate fundraiser at J.B. Dawson's on October 29th. This is an all day event for both dine in or take out meals. Twenty percent of total sales during that window will go towards the PTO. Please make sure you mention Core Creek and present the flyer when paying. Flyer will go home. Adult beverages are not included.

Fundraiser dates from 9/11-10/30. Proceeds from every ticket purchased using the promo code CCEPTO2026 will go towards our PTO.

Our PTO School Store is held in school on select Fridays throughout the year. Each grade level will take turns visiting the store. Please refer to the schedule below for your child’s 2026–2027 School Store dates.

On your child’s designated School Store day, please send money in a Ziploc bag labeled with your child’s name and the amount enclosed.

Participation in the School Store is completely optional. Thank you to our PTO for providing this fun opportunity for our students!

October:

10/9- 3rd and 4th grade

10/16- 2nd grade

10/23- Kindergarten and first grade

November:

11/6- 3rd and 4th grade

11/13- 2nd grade

11/20- Kindergarten and first grade