Dragon Blast

It’s hard to believe we’ve already completed 10 weeks of school! Our students are in great routines, working hard, and continuing to grow. We are also looking forward to connecting with families at conferences later this month.

Next week begins National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week. MCH is collecting food for the West Chester Food Cupboard from November 9 through November 20, with each grade level collecting a specific high-need item. Please see the flyer below for details. Thank you for helping our Dragons give back to families in our community!

Conferences will take place November 23, 24, & 25: Monday afternoon, Tuesday afternoon and evening, and Wednesday morning.

Students will be dismissed at 12:10 pm on Monday and Tuesday. No school for students on Wednesday.

Please use the link below to sign up electronically for a conference with your student’s teacher.

**For 4th and 5th Graders -please sign up with your student's homeroom teacher, not 3 individual conferences.**

Conference Sign Up

When scheduling your conference(s):

• Open the link and select a time slot.
• Select your student's teacher to register for a conference.
• You will receive an email with a link to select your conference times.

If you do not have internet access, have difficulty signing up for a conference or have questions, please contact/email your student's teacher directly to schedule your conference. Conferences are held in person, but if needed, a teams link can be provided. All conferences are 20 minutes.

We are looking forward to connecting on your learner's progress so far this school year!

November 23 - Early Dismissal 12:10, Conferences 1-3:40

November 24 -Early Dismissal 12:10, Conferences 1-3:40 & 5-8pm

November 25 - No School for students, Conferences 8-11 am

November 26 - No School, Happy Thanksgiving!

November 27 - No School

December 3 - Winter Concert 6:30pm

We are so proud of fifth graders Swara and Paul for representing MCH at the October School Board meeting! They highlighted our newly renovated school, successful Fun Run, Portrait of a Graduate skills, student leadership opportunities, and some exciting events ahead. Swara and Paul did an amazing job sharing all of the wonderful things happening at the Howse!

Know a WCASD staff member who makes a difference every day? Nominations are now open for the Chester County Champions of Education Awards, celebrating the outstanding educators and support staff who help our students and schools thrive.

Nominate a Champion of the Classroom for educators or a Champion of Service for staff serving in support roles, from paraprofessionals and custodians to food service staff and beyond. Nominations close November 30, 2026.

It only takes a few minutes to recognize someone who makes a lasting impact!

Attendance Guidelines:

• School start time: 9:10am (drop off between 8:30- 9:00 out back)
• School End Time: 3:40pm
• Half Day Dismissal: 12:10pm

Excused Absences:

• Students are allotted to 15 parent notes a year.
• After the 15 parent notes are utilized, every absence after that will require a doctor’s note, or the absence will remain unlawful.
• Doctor’s notes never count against your 15 parent notes and need to be turned in within 3 days of an absence.
• When you plan a vacation, please fill out the request form.

Late Arrival, Early Dismissal, and Dismissal Changes:

• If your student is late, needs to leave early, or there is a change in their dismissal plan, please update the Pick Up Patrol.

Kick off your holiday shopping while supporting Gifted Education in WCASD!

Browse more than 60 craft vendors, enter for a chance to win school and vendor gift baskets, and enjoy festive music and delicious food. Best of all, admission and parking are FREE!

Where: Rustin High School | 1100 Shiloh Road, West Chester, PA

When: Saturday, November 14, 2026 | 10:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.

Volunteers will sign-in at the main office prior to reporting to lunch with their physical driver's license. Lunch volunteers will be issued a Visitors Badge to be worn throughout the visit.

During lunch, volunteers agree to the following:

• They will not bring special treats for their student while volunteering; including birthday related items (balloons, signs, etc).
• They will not contact other families regarding issues seen at lunch; the school will handle this.
• They will not visit other children or parts of the school.

All volunteers must have up-to-date clearances on file with the school district. Clearances are valid for five years. Once completed, clearances can be sent to Mrs. Polito. See below for clearance information.

The Elementary Activity Fee for students in grades 3-5 will be $29.00. Once you have paid the Activity Fee, your child may participate in one or multiple-funded activities.

If your child is participating in Band (grades 4 & 5) , Orchestra (grades 3,4,5), or After School Sports (grades 4 &5), please make sure to pay the activity fee. Need assistance? Please reach out to our Home School Visitor, Mrs. Liz Ball eball@wcasd.net.

Please see here for more information about the WCASD Activity Fee.

We love having our families volunteer throughout the building. In order to volunteer, adults are required to have their clearances on file with us. Clearances can take 4-6 weeks to acquire, so please be sure to get the process started if you're looking to volunteer this Fall.

There are some outside companies who rent our space after school that are NOT sanctioned or sponsored by Mary C. Howse or the WCASD district. You can find their after school offerings on the WCASD Community Bulletin Board. Some examples are Science Club and Young Rembrandts. Other community events are posted on the community bulletin board as well.