Panther Press Info Newsletter
"Personalizing Education" - November 2026
Little Ears, Big Headlines
Dear Seylar Families,
Sometimes the biggest questions come at the most unexpected moments...from the back seat of the car, across the dinner table, or just before bedtime. “Why are those people arguing?” “Is that really true?” “Could that happen here?”
With Election Day approaching and news reaching us through television, phones, and everyday conversations, children may hear more than we realize. Even when they do not fully understand the details, they can notice the emotions surrounding them. As families and educators, we can help children make sense of what they hear through calm, honest conversations.
Start with curiosity. Before offering an explanation, ask, “What have you heard?” or “What are you wondering about?” A child’s question may be much smaller or different than we expect. Listening first helps us respond to the concern they actually have.
Keep explanations simple and reassuring. Children do not need every detail of a complicated event. Offer clear, age-appropriate information, and let their questions guide how much you share. It is also perfectly okay to say, “I don’t know. Let’s find out together.” When a topic feels unsettling, remind children of the caring adults they can turn to at home and at school.
Show what respectful disagreement looks like. Children learn from how we speak about people whose opinions differ from our own. We can model phrases such as, “I see that differently,” or “Let’s listen to understand.” These habits matter during conversations about public events, and they also help children navigate friendships, group projects, and playground disagreements.
Practice pausing before believing or sharing. A surprising picture, video, or headline does not always tell the whole story. Encourage children to ask, “Who made this?” “How do we know it is true?” and “Can a trusted adult help me check?” These small questions help build thoughtful habits.
Make room to step away. Repeated headlines and background television can keep difficult topics present long after a conversation ends. Reading together, playing outside, sharing a meal, and maintaining familiar routines give children time to connect and enjoy being children.
As November invites us to reflect on gratitude, I am especially thankful for the partnership between our Seylar families and staff. Together, we can help our Panthers approach a complicated world with curiosity, kindness, and confidence.
We do not need to have every answer. We do need to keep the door open for questions...and remind our children that their voices, feelings, and concerns matter.
Warmly,
Mr. Roe
Many thanks to the many volunteers and families who participated in and contributed to our annual HSA Trunk or Treat on Thursday night, and our Halloween parade and parties at school on Friday. Our students truly had a magical time. We couldn't have done it without the generosity of our Seylar community. Pictures to come in our next newsletter!
In honor of Veterans Day, our Seylar Student Leadership students created special placemats to show their appreciation for the brave men and women who have served our country. These placemats will be donated to Applebee’s, where they will be shared with veterans enjoying a free meal on Veterans Day. This meaningful service project is a small way for our student leaders to say thank you to our veterans for their service and sacrifice!
Again this year, all field trip payments will be collected online at MySchoolBucks.com. Your child's teacher will share a payment link when it is time - just follow the link, select your student's name, and submit your payment. A special "thank you" to our Home & School Association for increasing their contributions to field trips to $15 per student!
Our Lost & Found is bursting at the seams. Please help us by labeling your child's clothing: sweatshirts, coats, winter hats, baseball hats and mittens with their name or their initials. We LOVE to return items to kids right away instead of hanging them in our Lost & Found to be claimed later (or never!) Thanks in advance for your help!
At Seylar, we want to make sure our families receive all the important information they need — without feeling overwhelmed or missing key updates. To help with that, we use two main communication channels, each with a specific purpose:
- School-Wide Communication (Email):
Messages that come from our main office or principal — such as the Panther Press, event reminders, and school-wide updates — are sent through email. Because these communications apply to all families, we keep them separate from classroom updates to ensure they stand out and don’t get buried in other notifications. If you are not receiving emails from "Seylar Main Office," please contact Mrs. Ogden in our office to make sure we have the correct email address for you.
- Classroom Communication (Seesaw):
Your child’s teacher uses Seesaw to share classroom-specific news, photos, learning updates, and reminders. This helps families stay connected to what’s happening directly in their child’s classroom.
On occasion, the main office may also share certain reminders or special updates through Seesaw, but this happens only on a case-by-case basis.
If you would like to contact Mr. Roe, we ask that you please send him an email: mroe@pennridge.org. That is the fastest way to get him a message and ensure that he will be able to respond to you in a timely fashion.
We appreciate your help in checking both your email and Seesaw regularly so you don’t miss any important information from Seylar! Our goal is to keep communication clear, consistent, and easy to navigate for all families.
- All elementary schools have moved to a trimester model that will be available for parents in December, March and June.
- Report cards are no longer being printed and distributed by the school. Parents will access report cards via parent portal on Power School.
- The first report card will be available in December. A specific date will be communicated by your teacher & main office.
We are excited to have the Scholastic Book Fair at Seylar Elementary the week of November 9-13. All Seylar students will visit the book fair during their scheduled library class. The links below provide information about volunteering and also ways to shop the fair. Thank you in advance for making this a great experience for our young readers.
Volunteer Sign-up: Seylar Families: Seylar Library - Fall 2026 Book Fair Volunteers
Book Fair Info: https://bookfairs.scholastic.com/bf/mmseylarelementaryschool
Thank you for your generous donations to our students! We still have more work to do to get Mr. Roe to sleep out on the roof! To help us meet our goal, donate here: Seylar Fun Run
Please make sure that you are communicating all early dismissals, late arrivals and absences through our SafeArrival system (app, website, or phone!) See here for more info.
Also, if you send in a note with your child, please make sure their first and last name and teacher's name is included. If you have any questions, please contact Mrs. Hewes in our office.
#1 MOST IMPORTANT: Make sure your notifications are turned ON if you have the free app downloaded on your phone.
- Having Seesaw notifications turned on is the only way you will get instant notifications and announcements from your teachers and school! You won’t miss any posts or announcements because you will be notified immediately!
If you are only connecting to Seesaw through a device other than a phone, PLEASE schedule a consistent moment of time to check your child’s journal and look for any announcements from teachers. Seesaw is the #1 way that teachers are communicating with home and we need you to stay involved!
For technical assistance at any time, please contact Pennridge Technology Integrator Erin Reichert (ereichert@pennridge.org)
Want to see Seylar Facebook Posts First on your Feed?
Parent conferences are a valuable tool in the education of any child. During conferences, the teacher and parent/guardian have the opportunity to talk about important information that will help their child throughout the school year. Active participation of parents is essential! Communication between home and school is one of the best ways to ensure that a child’s school experience is successful. Conferences offer parents the opportunity to find out:
- how their child is getting along with classmates,
- how they are progressing in school,
- and what can be done at home to build on strengths and overcome challenges.
All our teachers will be offering/advertising conference schedules using Sign-Up Genius. Sign-up links will be sent from your teacher in November.
Due to only a certain amount of available time slots, households that are separated/divorced are to attend one conference unless a custody agreement stipulates otherwise.
Please keep your child home until fever free for 24 hours without fever reducing medications per PSD policy. Prevent the spread of cold and flu through good hand hygiene practices and covering coughing/sneezing. Yearly flu vaccinations can be helpful in preventing the flu and complications requiring hospitalization.
Seylar Nurses, Barbara Curtin CSN and Robin Young RN
References: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024, August 8). Cold versus flu. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/coldflu.html
Winter weather is just around the corner! Read on to learn more about school closings and delays...
Please know that any decision to close school is made by the Superintendent and not by the individual schools. The decision to close early will only be made when faced with extreme weather conditions. Should school be dismissed early, your child will be sent home their normal dismissal unless specified by the parent via email.
WHEN THE DECISION TO CLOSE OR DELAY THE OPENING OF SCHOOL IS MADE, there are multiple ways you will be informed:
- Pennridge Web Site: Cancellations and delays will be posted on our website as soon as the decision is made: http://www.pennridge.org
- You will receive a message from PowerSchool Messenger Alert Message both text/email/phone call
START TIMES FOR TWO HOUR DELAYS:
- Students report to school beginning at 10:35am. The school day starts at 10:50am.
EARLY CLOSINGS WHEN SCHOOL IS IN SESSION:
A decision to close early is made by the Superintendent of Schools and will be made by 10:30am. Elementary students will be dismissed at 1:00pm. You will be notified by the Power School Messenger system. Any changes with work or home numbers should be made via the Parent Portal for Power School.
Please avoid calling the school office unless it is absolutely necessary. Car rider pick up will take place in the usual area (outside the Gym Doors, Orange Doors).
Thank you for your cooperation and for helping us ensure a safe arrival and dismissal for all!
