What a great day the students had at Move-a-Thon today! Thank you to the PTO for organizing this for our students, and thank you families for your financial support! These funds are used all year to support assembly programs, field trips, and other areas for all of our students. THANK YOU!!

Exciting Events Coming up!

Thursday 10/20 - Superhero Spirit Day!; PTO meeting 7pm

Saturday 10/22 - PTO Trunk or Treat

Monday 10/24 - No School

Friday 10/28 - Halloween Parade begins at 2:00pm on our big playground. All visitors are welcome outside for the parade, only assigned volunteers are permitted in the building.

Candy Donations

We are collecting candy donations BEFORE Halloween for the PTO Trunk or Treat event and AFTER Halloween to send to our Military Troops. All donations can be brought to the front office.

Student Accident Insurance

WCASD offers parents the opportunity to purchase accident insurance for their child(ren). Please click the button below for more information and an application.

Thurs 10/20 – Superhero Spirit Day; 4th to Stroud Preserve;

PTO mtg 7pm

Sat 10/22 – Trunk or Treat
Mon 10/24 – No School (Diwali)

Fri 10/28 - Halloween Parade & Parties

Tues 11/8 - No School (Election Day)

11/21 - 11/23 - Parent Teacher Conferences - Save the date!

WCASD Special Education and Pupil Services department is holding four evening sessions this year for parents. Please see the flyers below. All parents are invited. Click on the button below to register.

Welcome to Autumn! We are all enjoying the change in temperatures! Thank you to everyone that came out to the Volunteering 101 session and PTO meeting on Tuesday 9/20. It was great to see so many new faces! There are many opportunities coming up in October, so looking forward to seeing you at school!

Security Update

If you are visiting our school, you will notice the second set of doors are now locked for added security. So, when you arrive at school and ring the bell, please tell the office why you are here so they can grant you the appropriate access. Things like lunches, water bottles, and instruments will be left on the table in the vestibule. Visitors that have a meeting , are volunteering in the building, or are picking up/dropping off a child will need to be buzzed through the second set of doors.

Attendance Reminder

If your child is absent from school for reasons other than a vacation or doctor's appointment, in addition to putting it in Pick Up Patrol, you must turn in a written note telling us why your child was absent. This note will count toward your 10 parent notes for the year. Family vacations require a vacation request form (attached below), and doctor/dentist appointments require notes from their offices.

Free Breakfast

Beginning Monday, Oct 3rd breakfast will be free to all students, in accordance with PA Dept. of Education's recent announcement. School lunches will continue to be offered at the regular price, or at the free or reduced price for students enrolled in the National School Lunch Program.

To learn more about this change, access our breakfast and lunch menus, see price lists, and more, you can visit www.wcasd.net/foodservices.

Picture Day is Friday, Oct 7th and save the date for our Halloween Parade and Party on Friday Oct 28th. Details to come!

Please see information about Scouting opportunities below as well.

A few things to note:

1) Volunteers must have clearances.

2) Younger siblings are not permitted at school while you volunteer.

3) Volunteers are held to the same confidentiality standards as any WCASD employee.

4) While you may see and interact with your child when you are volunteering, you are here to assist all children.

5) Volunteer links will be sent out every other month for two months at a time.

From the Nurse:

1. 1. Please keep your child(ren) home when they are sick. If you child(ren) is home sick they need to be symptom free for 24 hours (this is especially the case if they have a fever, are vomiting or has diarrhea) before returning to school. WCASD is returning to pre-Covid attendance processes so please send a note to Mrs. Fithian for the days that your child(ren) is absent. If you are sending a doctor’s note, it must reflect the reason/diagnosis as to why your child(ren) was unable to attend school.
   2. Reminder that the exclusion date for students missing any of the PA state school health mandates is November 1, 2022. If you have been notified by Mrs. Dugan that your child(ren) are missing a physical or dental examination report, please send that in by October 31, 2022 to prevent exclusion from school on November 1, 2022. Absences related to non-compliance with PA state school health mandates are considered unlawful.
   3. Covid protocols are changing frequently. Please contact Mrs. Dugan to get the latest Covid updates/protocols.
   4. Please include Mrs. Dugan on any communications you send to your child(ren)’s teacher(s), Mrs. Fithian, Mrs. Merten or Mrs. Taggart if it relates to medical, health, safety, illness or injury. Thank you.
   5. Again, please send a parent note to Mrs. Fithian for absences and update Pick Up Patrol if you child(ren) are out sick.

Thank you for your attention to these important issues.

Colette Dugan, MEd, BSN, RN, CSN

Certified School Nurse

cdugan@wcasd.net

Hillsdale Elementary (M-F – 484-266-2006)gan@wcasd.net.

As we approach the fall season, here are some tips to keep children healthy:

1. Practice good hygiene, especially hand washing. Handwashing is one of the most effective ways to prevent illness.
2. Find time to rest and relax.
3. Keep children moving, even as the weather gets cooler.
4. As always, drink plenty of water.
5. Offer healthy snacks.
6. Limit additional screen time.
7. Prioritize sleep.

Our lost & found is growing with the changes in temperatures. Please have your child check for missing sweatshirts. We will be donating clothes at the end of October.

Our school is committed to protecting kids' brains by building resilience in the early years. In conjunction with Red Ribbon week, a national effort to build drug-free communities, we are pleased to partner with West Chester Communities That Care in their Pledge Project. While drugs are not always top of mind while our children are young, the foundations we lay now will make a difference for a lifetime. We were please to host WCCC to our Welcome Back Bash in September, where over 40 families signed the pledge and spun the wheel for prizes!

If your child is in Kindergarten through fifth grade then Cub Scouting is for him or her (yes, Cubs is for girls too!!). It’s for your family, as well. In Cub Scouting, children and their families have fun and adventure in a program that builds character and instills values. Cub Scouting embraces the values of citizenship, compassion, cooperation, courage, faith, health and fitness, honesty, perseverance, positive attitude, resourcefulness, respect, and responsibility. These values come to the girls and boys in all parts of the Cub Scout program – all while they’re having a great time with their friends and families.

Interested? Join us at Kenmara Park (Hillsdale Gym if rain) on October 14th, 6-7pm for a Pumpkin Carve. Bring a hollowed out pumpkin, some carving tools, and a blanket. We will carve them and light them up for all to see. Get all of the event details as well as information on the Pack at cubpack110.com

National Hispanic Heritage Month celebrates, and honors the contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America.

Board Policy 237- Use of Personal and District Technology Devices

Relevant Parts of Board Policy 237

Purpose

In consideration of the recent proliferation and extensive utilization of both personal and district technology devices, the district recognizes the need to establish guidelines for the use of such so as not to disrupt the primary function of the schools.

Definitions

Personal technology devices (personal technology) shall be defined as any device capable of capturing, storing, and/or transmitting information, including text, audio, picture, and/or video data, not owned by the district. These include, but are not limited to, such devices as:

1. Cellular telephones and smartphones.
   
2. Handheld, tablet, and laptop computers.
   
3. Digital music players, including without limitation iPods and MP3 players.
   
4. Still and video cameras.
   
5. Wearable technologies including without limitation smart watches, smart glasses, or earbuds.

Devices With Cellular or Satellite Connectivity

Students shall not use cellular or satellite connectivity except when permission is granted by the building administrator for the following reasons:

1. Health, safety, or emergency reasons.
   
2. An individualized education program (IEP).[4]
   
3. Classroom or instructional-related activities, as outlined in this policy.
   
4. Other reasons determined appropriate by the building principal.

Please click on the following link to access Board Policy 237:

https://go.boarddocs.com/pa/wche/Board.nsf/Public#

Los enlaces para los boletines del distrito WCASD y desde el correo electrónico del director pueden encontrarse también en los sitios web del distrito y de la escuela. La traducción será generada por una máquina por lo que no será completamente exacta.

1. Haga clic en el botón para traducer

2. Haga clic en la fecha para seleccionar el idioma

3. ¡Disfrute el boletín! Las imágenes con palabras no se pueden traducir, para obtener una traducción, envíe un correo electrónico al director.

We use Pick Up Patrol for a number of things here at school. It has replaced the need for parents to phone in absences, early dismissals, and/or changes in dismissal. It is truly helpful to us. Parents can make changes to their children’s status up until 1:30pm. At dismissal time the software becomes incredibly valuable to us to help make sure all the children are exactly where they're supposed to be. We are to count how many children to expect on each bus, as walkers and as car pick up we have each day. So, please, be sure that you have the app and are making changes when needed!

You should have received an email from Pick Up Patrol to set up your account this week.

Si usted prefiere comunicarse en español por favor llame al 484-266-1690 para contactarse con personal escolar.

(If you prefer to speak to a Spanish speaking operator, please call 484-266-1690 to connect with school personnel.)

Email: pmerten@wcasd.net
Website: https://www.wcasd.net/Domain/602
Location: 725 West Market Street, West Chester, PA, USA
Phone: 484-266-2001
Twitter: @HDEelem