FC's January 2025 Newsletter
Welcome to January!
Greetings, Fishing Creek Families!
Happy New Year! It’s hard to believe we are nearing the halfway point of the school year—what an exciting milestone! This time of year provides a wonderful opportunity to reflect on how far our students have come and look ahead to the learning and growing that awaits!
As we kick off January, our teachers will be administering middle-of-the-year assessments. These assessments are a critical part of understanding each student’s progress and identifying areas where they may need additional support or enrichment. The data collected will guide our instructional planning and interventions, ensuring we continue to meet the needs of all learners.
Thank you for your continued partnership in supporting your child’s education. We look forward to a successful second half of the school year!
Check out the information below to find out more about what's in store for January!
Important Dates and Events
Thursday, January 2 - School Resumes after Winter Break
Thursday, January 9 at 6:00 PM
PTO Skating Night at Fountainblu
Tuesday, January 14 at at 6:30 PM
PTO Meeting in FC Library
Monday, January 20
No School for Students
School Spirit Days
January 10th: 80’s Neon Day (wear bright colors)
January 24th: Flannel Friday (wear flannel shirt)
January 29th: Shark of the Month (Shark Shirt Day)
Changes to Parent/Guardian Pick-up Procedures
To ensure a safe and efficient dismissal process, we are implementing new afternoon parent/guardian pickup procedures. Pickup for AM kindergarten will still take place under the Building 1 overhang at 11:35 AM, and afternoon pickup for all other students will continue to take place outside of the Building 2 Lobby at 3:35 PM daily.
Each student was issued a pickup card, which was sent home on Friday, December 20. The card must be presented to the staff member on duty when picking up your child starting Thursday, January 2. If you do not have the card with you, you will need to sign your child out through the office.
There will be two pickup cards on one sheet. Please cut them apart and make them available to whomever you wish to pick up your student. Note that this card is not required for picking up your child at other times, such as early dismissals for doctor’s appointments.
Check out the video for additional information: https://youtu.be/o_bUqrrTb7g
Meadow Project
The far end of our property (beyond the soccer nets) will no longer be mowed as we begin transforming it into a wildflower meadow. This project aims to reduce the mowing load on district maintenance staff and promote biodiversity, support pollinators, and beautify our grounds.
To explain the change, four signs have been placed in the area. This will be a great opportunity to discuss ecology and conservation with our students.
Bundle Up for Recess
As the colder weather sets in, we want to remind families to dress their children warmly for the school day. At Fishing Creek Elementary, we aim to give our students the chance to play outside and enjoy fresh air during recess whenever possible. Please ensure your child comes to school with a warm coat, hat, gloves, and other cold-weather essentials so they can stay comfortable and safe while enjoying outdoor activities. Thank you for helping us keep our students happy and healthy!
School-Wide Book Club
Drive with care...
Please remember to drive with extra care at the intersection at Fishing Creek Road, especially during morning arrival and afternoon dismissal. This area experiences high traffic volume with numerous cars and buses navigating the turn during peak times. The turn is very tight, especially for buses. Thank you for helping us prioritize the well-being and safety of our students and families!
Sharks of the Month
Shout out to our Sharks of the Month who were nominated for showing Empathy at FC in December! Keep up the great work, Sharks!
Updates from the FC PTO
Holiday Thank Yous
Thank you to all those who helped make the school very festive this winter by decorating doors! They look fantastic!
Thank you to everyone who contributed to the staff Holiday Brunch! This has been a newer tradition that allows us to show the school staff some much deserved appreciation for all that they do.
Gertrude Hawk - Top Sellers
Congratulations to the below on being top sellers! These top sellers have earned the opportunity to silly string staff members!
Top 5 Paper: Kaylee Cloutier, Siena Rose, Adeline Wagner, Christian Fiske, Regan Johnson
Top 5 Online: Regan Shaffer, Madison Gould, Reagan Daniels, Braelynn Brown, Piper Blisard
A huge THANK YOU again to everyone who participated in the fundraiser!
STEM / STEAM Night Events
We are looking for individuals or groups that are interested in creating and running an event at our STEM night in February. Do you have a fun science experience, a petting zoo, cool technology or something else you’d be interested in sharing with kids at STEM night? If so please reach out to the PTO via email or look for more info on our website about signing up.
Coming Soon…
Mark your calendars now, more details forthcoming:
McDonald’s McTeacher Night - January 29th
STEM/STEAM Night - February 21st
Spirit Gear
Reminder: The link to purchase Spirit Gear is available on our website, just click the Spirit Gear image!
Important Upcoming Dates
Next PTO Meeting: 1/14 6:30pm @ FC library (child care will be available for this meeting)
Next PTO Event: Skate Party 1/09 6pm-8pm @Fountainblu
Don’t forget to check out the PTO online:
Website - FishingCreekPTO.com
FaceBook - Fishing Creek Elementary School PTO
You can also reach out to the PTO via email anytime at FishingCreekPTO@gmail.com
Door Decorating
Fishing Creek Elementary is looking festive thanks to our holiday door decorating! A big thank you to our amazing PTO, parent volunteers, and staff for bringing creativity and joy to our school. Your hard work has truly brightened up the halls and brought smiles to everyone who walks by.
Learning Perseverance
Charge those iPads!
It's important that iPads come to school fully charged and ready to learn each day! Kindergartners, 3rd graders, and all new students will get their device at the beginning of the year.
Follow us on Instagram @fcsharks1
Fishing Creek is on Instagram! Follow us at FCSharks1 to see what's some of the great things happening at FC!
Join Our Team!
Looking for a rewarding job? We have immediate openings in a variety of District departments. To learn more and apply, please visit: https://www.applitrack.com/wssdk12/onlineapp/default.aspx?all=1
We are also looking for day-to-day substitute teachers. You do not have to have a teaching certificate to become a substitute. WSSD contracts with STS to fill substitute positions. To find out more or apply, please visit https://www.thesubservice.com/. You don't have to be able to substitute every day in order to sign up to be a substitute. Even if you can only substitute occasionally, that little bit will help immensely.
As always, please contact us if you have questions or need assistance!
Mr. Matthew Wensel
Principal - Fishing Creek Elementary School
717-938-6565
Mr. Adam Marshall
Assistant Principal - Fishing Creek Elementary School
Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram @FCSharks1 to see the awesome things happening here at FC!