Welcome to the 2025-2026 Cougars!

The weather should be nice Monday morning. Students may arrive to East Ward at any time after 8:30 AM, but before 9:00 AM. The first few days, all East Ward staff will be on the blacktop playground to greet students, and help them get to their homeroom line. We ask that caregivers who come to school remain on the sidewalk near the playground, and not on the playground area where children are. All EW staff will have an EW t-shirt on and will be happy to help. At 8:54 AM, I'll make an announcement for teachers will begin to make their way to homeroom.

Below you will find information I have sent out before, but know not everyone had the opportunity to view.

We are so excited to see you Monday! Please get a good night sleep, and come to school ready to have a great year Cougars!

Your Proud Principal,

Dr. Argonish

I am so excited to see all our Cougars on Monday, August 25! I want to share our times with everyone so we can be sure to have a great start to our year! School attendance is very important. We want every student in school every day! Students can begin to arrive at school starting at 8:30, and not before as there is no supervision and all doors are locked.

On Monday, all faculty and staff will be on our blacktop playground to welcome students! You will be able to spot EW staff as we will have the same staff shirts on Monday!

If your student/s are walking or being driven to school, please consider planning to arrive by 8:50 (earlier if eating breakfast at school). If your student/s are not eating at EW, they can have a few minutes to find their class on the blacktop playground. The bell to head in will sound at 8:54AM. This timing will ensure all students can be unpacked and ready to begin learning by 9AM. Thank you in advance!

8:30-8:55-Student Drop Off/Arrival

9:00-3:35-Instructional Day

3:35-3:50-Student Pick Up/Dismissal

Just under 400 people reviewed my communication about pick up and drop off. Please review the map, and click on the button below for all information. Thank you for your support!

Only about 300 of you reviewed this. Please click on the button below to be sure you have all you need about PickUp Patrol! Thank you!

✅ Missed Lessons = Missed Opportunities
Even one day out can mean falling behind on key lessons, activities, and class discussions.

📈 School Today, Success Tomorrow
Consistent attendance is one of the strongest predictors of academic progress—and opens doors to future opportunities.

💪 Resilience in Action
Being present every day builds habits of responsibility, perseverance, and grit.

👯 Stronger Friendships
Daily attendance helps students form strong social bonds and feel more connected at school.

🧠 Healthier Habits
A consistent routine supports mental and physical wellness—for kids and families.

Need support getting your child to school?
We’re here to help. If your child is hesitant to come to school, reach out to our school counselor, Dr. Rastetter at 610-269-8282, ext. 23040

Caregivers, thank you for your support with attendance. Let’s make 2025–2026 a year of growth, connection, and daily learning—for everyone at East Ward!.

Marissa German

Mrs. German has over 20 years experience working in education. The last 3 years she has worked in the DASD community at West Bradford as a full time building sub. During her time at WB she loved teaching kindergarten and supporting the students and staff throughout WB community. She just finished her MAEd in Elementary Education in April and completed her student teaching in 1st grade. She also holds a MAEd in Adult Education Training and Learning. Mrs. German has 2 children who attend school in the district. She loves spending time with her family, including their 3 dogs, cooking, and the being at the beach.

Isabel Torres

Miss Torres is thrilled to join the EWES community as a kindergarten teacher this year! Isabel recently graduated from West Chester University with a degree in Elementary Education PreK-4 and a minor in Math Education PreK-8. Originally from Berwyn, Isabel recently moved to Downingtown and is excited to begin her teaching career close to home. As a first-year teacher, she is eager to learn, grow, and collaborate with her new colleagues. Outside the classroom, Isabel is a big Philly sports fan who loves spending time with her family and relaxing at the beach. She is so grateful to be welcomed into the East Ward family and looks forward to a wonderful year ahead!

Caroline Buff

Miss Buff is a graduate of West Chester University of Pennsylvania, where she earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education. Outside of the classroom, Miss Buff enjoys going to the beach, taking walks, and spending time with family and friends. She spent the previous school year working within Great Valley School District as a building substitute in grades K–4, and served as a long-term substitute in kindergarten. This year, she is excited to step into a long-term substitute role in second grade at East Ward!

Brooke Millevoi

Miss Millevoi is a 2nd Grade Long Term Substitute at East Ward Elementary for the 2025-26 school year. Prior to accepting her first full-time position, she worked as a substitute teacher through Substitute Teacher Service, spending a majority of her time substituting for various grade levels within East Ward Elementary. Brooke holds both a Master of Science in Transformative Education and Social Change and a Bachelor of Science in Early Grades Preparation PK-4 from West Chester University. She also holds a Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) certification in Elementary Education PK-4 and an Educational Technology Certificate.

Denise Farnesi

Although Mrs. Farnesi is new to grade 3 ELA this year, she has been teaching at East Ward for 20 years! She is a West Chester University graduate, with her undergraduate degree in elementary education and her master’s degree in special education. Mrs. Farnesi resides in West Chester with her husband Tom, children Tommy, Mia, Josephine, Georgia, and dog, Leroy Brown. Mrs. Farnesi enjoys watching and playing sports, the beach, and spending as much time as possible with her family and friends.

Alanna Mulrane

Miss Mulrane grew up in Manahawkin, New Jersey, and followed her older brother to Eastern University, where she earned her bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education in December 2023. After graduating early, she began her teaching career at Upper Merion Area School District. Since then, she has served in two long-term substitute roles and worked as a building substitute within the district. Outside of the classroom, Miss Mulrane enjoys taking long walks with her dog, Bodhi—a French Bulldog who loves to cuddle and has a serious weakness for snacks.

Samantha Hamill

Mrs. Hamill has been teaching for 17 years. She taught in Kennett in the 4th grade for 15 years. This is her first year at East Ward Elementary and she is excited to join the 5th grade team! Mrs. Hamill graduated with her undergraduate degree from West Chester University and has her masters degree in applied studies in teaching and learning also from West Chester University. She lives in Downingtown with her husband Tim, 8 year old son Harrison, 6 year old daughter Cameron and a boxer named Winnie. She loves basketball, reading, the beach, photography and spending time with her family! Mrs. Hamill is looking forward to building a team atmosphere and having a memorable year filled with learning.

Katie Godfrey

Katie Godfrey has been teaching for 15 years, most recently working with third graders at Glenolden School in Delaware County. She lives in West Chester with her husband, Tyler, and their three kids, Beau, who’s heading into third grade, Brice, who’s starting first grade, and Maddie, who’s four. Katie is excited to start her new role teaching ESL at East Ward and Brandywine Wallace and looks forward to working with her new students and families.

Jetzabel Angulo- Our 2nd Speech and Language Therapist

Mrs. Angulo is excited to join East Ward and our full-time speech therapist, Mrs. Schuer, as the new speech-language therapist. She is originally from San Diego, CA and completed her master’s program at Arizona State University. There she spent her clinical fellow year at an elementary school. Mrs. Angulo then moved to West Philly where she was working in early intervention for the last two years. This summer, she and her husband bought their first house in Phoenixville! In her spare time, she loves going hiking, camping, and exploring the outdoors as much as possible. Mrs. Angulo has two dogs named Captain Falcon and Mr. Peanutbutter who love joining in on all the outdoor adventures.

Ellen Prosser- Our new OT

Mrs. Prosser, OTR/L, joined the Austill’s team of exceptional school-based therapists in January 2025. She graduated from Boston University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Occupational Therapy. As an Austill’s therapist, she will provide your students with excellent, direct and consultative therapy strategies to enable children with special needs and teachers working with the students to succeed during the school day. Mrs. Prosser is excited to work with your educational teams to facilitate access and success for those children who need the expertise of an Occupational Therapist.

New families to DASD- Infinite Campus Parent Portal Accounts will be created and activation instructions will be sent electronically to the email address identified for the parents/guardians on your enrollment application. Separate accounts are created for each parent/guardian. For security purposes, when you receive the link to activate your account, it will be valid for 48 hours after the date/timestamp on the email and may only be clicked one time. You must complete the enrollment process at the time you select the link. If your link expires, or you are unable to complete the enrollment process, please contact the Technology Service Desk for assistance to reset your password. Returning families- If you have forgotten your password, you can reset. More information can be found on the DASD Technology Page.

There are many sites in DASD that parents frequent. However, ClassLink is a place where all of the sites caregivers need are located. Simply click on this link (ClassLink Parent Portal) to log in. Once there, you will see all the sites needed each year. You do have to log in the first time, but after that, it will open when you select an icon.

There are many links to visit in the EW Backpack. Under Supply Lists and Teacher Letters, caregivers will find Optional School Supply lists, welcome letters from each of our homeroom teachers, AND summer math and reading assignments by grade. To access this page, click here. If you need assistance with school supplies, we have a variety of supplies that have been donated. Please call us in the main office.

Dear Families,

School days move fast, and we’re here to keep students fueled and focused every step of the way. As your school’s nutrition partner, we’re Powering Potential this year with meals that deliver real flavor, real balance, and real energy for busy minds. Each meal, designed with student feedback in mind, also exceeds USDA guidelines for whole grains, limited sodium, sugar and fat, fueling student potential all day.

Here’s what to expect in the cafeteria:

Breakfast & Lunch Goals: Achieved

We understand that students want variety and flavor. That’s why our cafeteria menus are filled with student favorites and fresh options that change regularly to keep things exciting. Whether it’s a fan favorite or something new to try, there’s always something to satisfy every appetite. You can view our current menus anytime here. https://www.dasd.org/departments/food-services/school-menus

Have questions? Special dietary requests?

If your child has allergies or you have dietary concerns, please reach out to our registered dietitian Connor. Connor can review our allergen policy and help navigate any nutritional concerns you may have. Find more information on our website at: https://www.dasd.org/departments/food-services/school-menus Contact him at: ccooke@dasd.org

Whether it’s tackling a tough test or just needing a mid-day reset, a great meal can change everything. Every tray we serve is built to support confidence, focus, and growth, because powering potential means more than just food. It’s about showing up for students, every day.

Cheers to a great school year!

Sincerely,

DASD Foodservice Team

Breakfast will be free for all students again this year, and lunch will be $2.50. Every year, families need to apply to receive free/reduced meal benefits. If you need assistance with school meals, field trips, activity fees, and insurance for student devices, you can apply at https://www.schoolcafe.com/DASD for our Free or Reduced Meal Program. This application is confidential.

To make the few steps to pre-order meals easier for caregivers, please see the webpage below, or review the steps below.

If you are in need of assistance/support for subsidized childcare, Medical Assistance, Cash Assistance, SNAP, LIHEAP, CHIP, and school meal benefits apply through COMPASS by clicking here: https://www.compass.state.pa.us/compass.web/Public/CMPHome.

Back to School Video from Dr. A and Home and School

Welcome Back to School East Ward Cougars!

Please click on the Everyone Matters logo for a transcription of Dr. Argonish and our HSA Co-President, Mrs. Desai's words.