April 1, 2026

This week brought a lot of energy and excitement, highlighted by Monday’s Jump Rope for Heart event! Thanks to our rain date, students were able to show off their impressive jumping skills under beautiful blue skies. It was wonderful to see so many families join us to cheer on our jumpers—thank you for being part of such a special day. A big shoutout to Mr. Usilton and our special areas team for organizing a fantastic event for our school community.

As we head into Spring Break with today’s early dismissal, we hope all of our families enjoy a well-deserved break. Please remember that school will be closed through April 6, and we look forward to welcoming students back on Tuesday, April 7.

We also appreciate your support in giving our staff a true break from communication during this time. This allows everyone the opportunity to rest, recharge, and spend time with their own families before we head into a busy and exciting spring season ahead.

Don't Miss Out!

Below is information about a night at the Blue Rocks stadium cheering on our 5th grade band students! This is an event you don't want to miss!

April 2 -6 - Schools Closed - No School for Students; Spring Break

April 21-23 - PSSA ELA Grades 3-5

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

Happy Autism Acceptance Month! Throughout April, we are excited to celebrate, learn, and grow together as a school community. This month is an opportunity to build understanding, foster inclusion, and celebrate the unique strengths of every learner.

Autism Acceptance Spirit Week
Week of April 13–17
We invite all students to participate in our Spirit Week as a fun way to show support and spread awareness. Be sure to check out the themed days and join in!

Classroom Learning & Conversations
Our Autistic Support teachers will be visiting classrooms to lead age-appropriate discussions and activities that help students better understand autism and what acceptance looks like in our everyday school community.

We're excited to share that our FHE 5th grade band students have been invited to perform at a Wilmington Blue Rocks game on Friday, May 1st! They will be joining several other WCASD band programs to perform “God Bless America” along the third-base line before the first pitch—such a special opportunity for our students.

We would love to invite all FHE families to come out, support our students, and enjoy a fun evening at the ballpark. There will even be a Friday night fireworks show at the end of the game!

If you’re interested in attending, please use the ticketing link below to purchase your tickets. A portion of each ticket sale will be donated back to our FHE band program.

WCASD 5th Grade Band Night at Blue Rocks – Tickets Here!

• Yes, it is the Starkweather PTO page as they are spearheading the organization of sales across all WCASD elementary schools attending -- all schools will split the Blue Rocks donation from ticket sales!

Gates open at 5:30 PM, and we encourage families to arrive early, find your seats, and cheer on our amazing 5th grade band students.

Please contact our band director, Miss Lauren Letherland (lletherland@wcasd.net) with any questions.

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.

• PSSA Letter
• Spanish PSSA Letter

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)

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.

We are excited to host our FHE Heritage Day on Thursday, May 28, 2026, from 9:00-3:30 and are looking for parent and guardian volunteers to participate. Heritage Day is a full-day event where students learn about and explore cultures from around the world. Volunteers may share their culture through materials, presentations, food, pictures, or by teaching students about customs and traditions. If you are interested in volunteering, please fill out the Google Form linked below. We would love to celebrate and learn from our school community.

In WCASD’s full-day kindergarten, learning begins with play. Through hands-on, play-based experiences, children build language skills, confidence, creativity, and friendships while learning how to work together and try new things.

It’s a joyful foundation that supports your child’s growth today and sets them up for success in the years ahead. We can’t wait to welcome your family to the WCASD Way!

If you have used child-sized cleats or shin guards, please consider donating them. Real Futbol Club is a local soccer club dedicated to bringing soccer to families in our area. Mrs. Christine Miller and Mrs. Lisa Baker will have boxes in their rooms for any donations. We will take donations until February 13. Thank you!

The Fern Hill PTO is offering discounted Hersheypark tickets for just $49 each (regularly up to $90+ for ages 3+ during summer). Tickets are valid April 3, 2026 – January 3, 2027, and every purchase supports our PTO.

Order online via the PTO website by Sunday, April 19th and tickets will be distributed the following week via e-mail. Note: You may purchase tickets for family and friends, but you cannot sell them to the general public. For orders over 9 tickets, please submit an additional form.

The spiritwear store is reopening on Monday March 23!

Show your Bobcat pride, purchase a gift for a current or incoming Bobcat, or just refresh your Bobcat’s spiritwear wardrobe. Click here to browse and purchase. The store will be open for 1 more week with a 4 week expected delivery.

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 Megan Kazanjian at meghankaz@gmail.com

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.

Want one less thing on your to-do list in May? Order your yearbook early and save 10%—but hurry, the discount ends October 31st!

Click here to purchase [web.treering.com]

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!

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.

If you are planning a family trip, please complete the Trip Approval Form to notify the Main Office and gain approval for your trip. The Vacation Request Form will also always be available on our Fern Hill Website under the "For Parents" section.

• Fern Hill Website
• PTO Website
• Vacation Approval Request Form

• FHE: Kindergarten Lunch Duty
• FHE: 1st Grade Lunch Duty

Jennifer Southmayd

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