South Davis Shines

Hello South Davis Families.

Today, November 18, is School Related Professionals Day. It is a day to recognize the hardworking women and men who serve as administrative assistants. teacher aides, bus drivers, custodians, and in other non-instructional roles to support our educational mission. Oftentimes these people are the first or last staff members to interact with your child, and whatever their job, they are an integral and important part of making the South Davis experience positive and meaningful for all students. Please join me in thanking them for their commitment and dedication.

This week we are taking time as grade level teams to review the data from the recently completed universal screenings to decide how best to support all students in literacy and math. We'll celebrate successes for your children and we'll identify any ways we can provide targeted supports for all students, based on their specific needs and strengths. That might be in small-group work in the classroom, working with a reading specialist or other teacher on specific skills, or exploring concepts more deeply during WIN (What I Need) time. Letters will go home by next week for any child working with our Academic Intervention team.

In the last two weeks we have welcomed two new staff to South Davis. Ms. Piscitello is a teacher aide, and Ms. Bratek is a building substitute. We are pleased to have them part of the South Davis family.

In case you missed the latest update from the District, you can find it here.

As you can see in the pictures below, the addition is progressing. Structural steel is in place and the shell is starting to go up. It will be wrapped and ready for interior work before the snow flies (for real).

We're all in this together! Have a great week!

Mr. Dolce

#WeAreSouthDavis

November 12-19 - South Davis Fall Food Drive

Tuesday, November 18 - SRP Appreciation Day; Board of Education Meeting

Wednesday, November 19 - Picture Retake Day; 3rd Grade BPO Field Trip; Food Drive Wrap Up; OPSEPTSA meeting (see below)

November 26-30 - Thanksgiving Break

December 4-5 - Early Dismissal, 11:30, Parent-Teacher Conferences

Friday, December 5 - Holiday House (see below)

Now through 12/2 OPHS PTO Krispy Kreme donut fundraiser - details below

Each year at South Davis we host this festive event at the school to welcome winter and the many holidays that are celebrated this time of year, and allow all of our South Davis families to come together and socialize! It's a winter wonderland with fun for the whole family.

CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS!

These events—as magical as they are—don't happen by pure magic. We need your support and involvement! You could:

• contribute by purchasing items from the Amazon wish list
• help with planning and coordination of activities in the next couple of weeks leading up to the event
• help setup the afternoon of the event
• supervise activities/areas during the event: Holidays Around the World, Holiday Fun, North Pole, and Merry Moose shop
• help takedown after the event

Volunteer signup:

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0D49AFAA29A1FFC07-60252096-south

Amazon wish list:

https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/1T1LAIMZ3TKYS?ref_=wl_share

Please reach out to Jordan Hegyi or Nancy Kobielski to get involved.

Make-up Day is scheduled for next Wednesday, November 19.

Instructions to participate in Absentee/Retake Day:

1. Mark your calendar!

   
   

2. We recommend letting your child's' teacher know that you wish to have a picture done so that they are sent to the photographer.

   
   

3. Students who were absent on the original pciture day should plan to be photographed on this day so they may be included on the class photos and/or the yearbook. (No purchase necessary.)

   
   

4. In order to submit a new online order, families will need to wait for the updated proof sheet and submit an order using their child's personalized online code. Online orders will be mailed directly to the home address rather than to the school.

   
   

5. It does not cost to have a retake. If you or your child are not happy with the original picture, please have a new photo taken. It is helpful to the photographer to add a note to the returned pictures explaining what you would like to have changed with their picture.

   
   

6. You do need to return the complete Picture Package in the envelope to the photographer on Retake Day. We cannot exchange your order with the Retake picture until the Picture Package envelope and its contents have been returned but we can still take a new photo if that information is not provided on picture day.

If there are questions, please contact our customer service department at 855-773-3321 (M-F, 8:30 am - 4:30 pm).

Thanks to everyone who you know November gift card raffle.

The latest winners are:

A simple way to support the PTO and the entire South Davis program 👇

OPSEPTSA NEXT MEETING:

Wednesday, November 19

6:30-7:30pm

OPCSD District Offices

2240 Southwestern Blvd, West Seneca

Join or Renew you OPSEPTSA Membership today!!

https://orchardpark.givebacks.com/shop

#specialeducation #advocate #IEP #DyslexiaAwareness #opseptsa

Our remaining meetings this year will be:

12/17/2025

1/21/2026

2/25/2026

3/18/2026

4/22/2026

5/20/2026

6/17/2026

Website - https://www.opseptsa.org/

Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/share/16L1zq8TB8/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/opseptsa?igsh=dHBhajY5OHpvejJm

Attached is information about an upcoming virtual event, Understanding Autism: Together in Experience and Advocacy.

This session will feature a panel of local experts and advocates in a timely discussion about autism. Participants will explore the facts, what we know and don’t yet know about its causes, and learn about resources available within our community.

• Wednesday, November 19, from 6:30 pm to 8 pm
• Watch the livestream on the Buffalo Toronto Public Media YouTube channel:

https://www.youtube.com/@BuffaloTorontoPublicMedia/streams

The panelists, guided by Buffalo Toronto Public Media (WBFO) Disabilities Beat Reporter Emyle Watkins, will explore the evidence about false claims about autism, and how such claims may undermine health professional and advocacy efforts. Whether you're a parent, healthcare provider, educator, or interested member of the public, you will find tools to navigate these complex health narratives and support informed decision-making.

The Special Education in New York State for Preschool and School-Age Students with Disabilities: A Parent’s Guide (the Guide) has been updated and may be accessed on the Office of Special Education’s A Parent’s Guide to Special Education webpage.

Parent Enrichment Series for K-5

Discuss and navigate the successes and challenges of parenting your elementary-aged child.

• Fall Dates: Note the changes - Thursdays - Oct. 23, 30, Nov. 6, 13, and 20
• 5:30-7:00 p.m. at the Family Solution Center; on-site childcare available

Other groups/topics at the Family Solution Center:

• Parent Enrichment Series for Universal Pre-K
• Parent Enrichment Series for pre-teens and teenagers
• Parent Partnership - Co-parenting support
• Parent Information Series topics - gambling, body image, vaping

See the attached flyer for all of the details.