April 24, 2026
This Week at a Glance
It was a week full of pride, perseverance, and celebration!
- ELA PSSA Complete (Grades 3–5): Our students wrapped up testing with focus and determination. We’re so proud of their effort!
- Celebrating Dr. Ulmer: Congratulations to Dr. Ulmer on successfully defending her dissertation! Our school community loved celebrating this incredible accomplishment together, check out our school-wide celebration on Instagram here!
- Track Meet “Run Off” (Grades 4–5): Friday afternoon brought excitement as students competed for a spot in the district relay team. Great energy, teamwork, and sportsmanship all around!
Looking Ahead to Next Week
- 🚌Bus Driver Appreciation is April 28 - Blue Crew will be providing our drivers with notes and a "swag bag" including a free lunch courtesy of the PTO. Please thank your bus drivers this week for all they do to get our students to and from school safely!
- 🎶 Spring Concert: Tuesday, 4/28 at 7:00 PM at Fugett Middle School
- ➗ Math PSSA (Grades 3–5) & 🔬 Science PSSA (Grade 5)
- 🚲 Bubble Bike Parade: Celebrating our Bobcats wrapping up Autism Acceptance Month
- 🏅 Special Olympics (Friday): Wishing our participants the best of luck!
- ⚾ Blue Rocks Game (Friday Night): Our 5th grade band students will be performing—don’t miss it!
Upcoming Dates
April 28-29 - PSSA Math Grades 3-5
April 30 - WCASD AI In Education Event at Rustin High School
April 30-May 1 - PSSA Science Grade 5
May 1 - 5th Grade Band at the Blue Rocks
May 4 - May 15 - Read with Rita's
May 11 - 3rd Grade Field Trip
May 12 - Art Show & Market 5-7pm
May 13 - 4th & 5th Grade Track Meet at WCU
May 16 - Bobcat Block Party 3-6pm
May 18 - Beginner Band and Strings Concert @7pm
May 19 - No School - Teacher In-Service
May 20 - 5th Grade Field Trip
May 22 - Kindergarten Field Trip
May 25 - No School
May 26 - Senior Walk for High School Graduates
May 27 - No School
May 28 - Heritage Day
May 29 - Fun Day - Families welcome!
AI in Education
WCASD will host an AI in Education Community Event on Thursday, April 30, in Rustin High School’s Auditorium from 6:30–8:00 PM. This event will feature a moderated panel discussion with educators, industry experts, and WCASD students, focused on how artificial intelligence is shaping learning and how our district is approaching this work thoughtfully and responsibly.
Families and community members are encouraged to attend: AI in Education RSVP Link.
The Student Art Show is Coming!
Save the date for the Art Show on May 12 from 5-7pm!
Are you interested in helping the art show come alive? Email Mrs. Jenkins @ejenkins@wcasd.net to coordinate a time to hang artwork. Feel free to volunteer anytime during the school day!
Fugett Middle School 101
From Principal Lewis -
Please note that the Fugett MS 101 Parent Meeting for our feeder elementary schools will take place on Wednesday, May 6. The start time has been updated to 7:00 PM (previously 6:30 PM). Families should report to the Fugett auditorium for the opening welcome. We kindly ask that you share this update with your families to ensure a successful event.
We are excited to meet the parents and guardians of the Class of 2033 and begin building strong partnerships ahead of their transition to middle school.
Thank you for all that you do in support of our students and school communities. We look forward to welcoming our incoming 6th grade students in August 2026!
Read with Rita’s is Back!
We are excited to invite you and your students to participate in this year’s “Read with Rita’s” program, running from May 4th–15th! As the weather warms up, we know it can be tough to keep students motivated to read—but this fun and simple program is designed to reignite their enthusiasm.
Students are asked to complete 120 minutes of reading each week, either at home or in school. Reading can be done independently or with someone at home, and all time is tracked on a reading log, then confirmed by a parent or teacher. Once a student completes their goal, the bottom of their log will need to be signed by a teacher and can be redeemed at the West Chester Rita’s for a FREE kid-size Italian Ice—one per week, for a maximum of two. Let’s keep our students reading and enjoying sweet rewards along the way!
Logs will be sent home on May 4!
Fern Hill Track Meet – Grades 4 & 5
Our annual WCASD Elementary Track Meet is coming up on Wednesday, May 13 (rain date: May 15) at Farrell Stadium (WCU). All 4th and 5th grade students will attend and participate in a variety of running and field events during this exciting day of teamwork, effort, and school spirit!
Families are encouraged to join us as spectators or volunteers to help support events throughout the day.
Action Required:
👉 Please complete the permission form by April 17 (it takes just 2 minutes)
👉Consider volunteering! Click here for volunteer information and to sign up.
Additional details, including what to bring and volunteer information, can be found in the full event overview.
PSSA in Grades 3-5
The Pennsylvania State Standardized Assessments are coming up at the end of April and we want to ensure you have all the information you need as the caregiver of a student in grades 3-5 who will participate in PSSAs. Below is the PSSA letter that outlines the testing windows and provides information if you are planning to exempt your child from the assessment. Please be sure to read the letter carefully as exemptions can negatively impact our school's participation rate and therefore our potential achievement rate which has implications on state-level improvement planning, potential state funding, and teacher evaluations.
The PSSA simply serves as an opportunity for students to demonstrate their growth and achievement towards grade level standards, and it is only one indicator of their growth and achievement this school year.
If you have any questions regarding PSSA testing, please contact our School Assessment Coordinators, Mrs. Alex Stefano (astefano@wcasd.net) and Mrs. Ashley Vanegas (avanegas@wcasd.net)
Heritage Day - May 28 -- Volunteer Now!
2025-2026 Yearbook: Order yours now
As the school year starts to wind down, it’s the perfect time to make sure you’ve purchased your yearbook. It’s such a special way to capture all the memories, friendships, and moments from this year that you’ll want to look back on for years to come. Don’t miss out on having a keepsake of all the fun and milestones, be sure to order yours before it’s too late!
Save the date: Bobcat Block Party
Come on out to the Bobcat Block Party May 16 from 3-6 PM at Fern Hill. Rain date May 30. More details to come. We can’t wait to see you there!
Join us on the PTO Board
It’s not too early to start thinking about how you’d like to be involved at Fern Hill next year! The PTO Board is a fantastic way to make a difference and be involved in our many fun events and fundraisers! Several spots will be vacant with our fifth grade families moving on. If you have any questions please reach out to Meghan Kazanjian at meghankaz@gmail.com
Fern Hill Unplugged
Calling all Fern Hill parents! We are looking for parents to join together to start a Fern Hill Chapter of West Chester Unplugged! Please reach out to Ali Haas at ahaas19603@gmail.com if you’re interested in joining. This is for parents interested in learning about and setting boundaries for technology with our kids, both at home and in school.
Scan your receipts to earn BoxTops for Fern Hill
Earning money for our school has never been easier! All you need to do is download the Box Tops app, create an account, and scan your grocery receipt. Easy and quick! Last year we earned $500 from Box Tops for Fern Hill!
Dining Night Out & Important Fundraising Dates!
Tuesday, May 12: 11am - 9pm Dining Night Out at Patelmo's Pizzeria (20% of sales)
- Tuesday, June 2: 4-8pm. Dining Night Out at Chipotle West Chester (25% of sales @ 101 Turner Lane)
Volunteer Clearances
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.
Planning a Vacation?
Fern Hill Elementary School
Principal
Email: jsouthmayd@wcasd.net
Website: https://www.wcasd.net/fhe
Location: 915 Lincoln Avenue, West Chester, PA, USA
Phone: 484 266 1600
Twitter: @FernHillES