Phenomenal Phelps Facts
Week of September 14, 2026
Message from Ms. Scheufele
Happy Friday, Phelps Families!
As we look ahead to the week of September 14, we have a few exciting updates and opportunities to share:
- Phelps PTO Meeting: Join us for our next PTO meeting on Wednesday, September 16, from 6:30 to 7:30 PM. We are actively looking for family volunteers to help us plan and run fundraising initiatives and fun events for our students throughout the year. Whether you have an hour a month or a few hours a week, whatever time you can give makes a huge difference—we need you!
- "Name the Circle" Fundraiser Launches This Weekend! Keep an eye out for detailed information coming home today (Friday, September 11) regarding our annual "Name the Circle" fundraiser. The fundraiser officially kicks off this weekend and runs through October 6, culminating in a raffle drawing on October 8. Please check the flyer sent home today for full details, guidelines, and the amazing prizes up for grabs!
Every dollar raised directly benefits our students by funding:
Field trips for all grade levels
Essential classroom and school-wide supplies
Special events, guest speakers, and school assemblies
Important school improvement projects
Thank you for your continued partnership and support in making Phelps such a wonderful place for our students to learn and grow. Have a fantastic weekend!
Phelps Elementary PTO
First Meeting Info
Date & Time: Wednesday, September 16, from 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM
Location: Phelps Library
Who Can Attend: All parents and guardians are welcome—no membership required, and kids are allowed!
About the Phelps PTO
What They Do: Organize fundraisers (Name the Circle, Book Fair, Fun Run) to support field trips, staff appreciation, assemblies, school supplies, and special events.
How to Get Involved: Attend monthly meetings, join the Facebook group, or volunteer for events and tasks like photocopying, organizing, or inventorying.
Stay Connected
Join the Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/PhelpsElementaryPTOMembers
Phelps PTO--Name the Circle Raffle Fundraiser
PHELPS PTO NAME THE CIRCLE RAFFLE FUNDRAISER:
Enter to win a street sign with your name on it! The winning student’s street sign will remain in the Phelps bus circle for the year. After the year is over, the student gets to keep their sign!
Students will be given a packet of 10 raffle tickets ($5 each). Please send in any sold raffle tickets with your student in a sealed envelope addressed to Phelps PTO. Be sure to include your child’s name, teacher, & grade in the envelope. You can send in cash, check (payable to “Phelps PTO”). You can enter as many raffle tickets as you like! If you need more raffle tickets, please see Mrs.Reske or Mrs. Dever in the Main Office.
PRIZES!
Student Winner - Street sign with your name on it!
Buyer of the Winning Student Ticket - $500 Amazon Gift Card
Runner Up Student Winner - 4 Water Park Day Passes to Great Wolf Lodge New England
Buyer of the Runner Up Student Ticket - $250 Target Gift Card
Top Selling Class Overall - Wins an ice cream party for the whole class
Top Seller from EACH Grade - Personal “Shopping Spree” at the Phelps Holiday Shop! Student gets to pick out 10 items all for themselves!
Return All Money & Tickets By: Tuesday October 6th
Drawing Date: Thursday October 8th
Did you know the “NAME THE CIRCLE” raffle is close to a 100% profit for Phelps? Last year this raffle generated ~$8,000; all money raised from this fundraiser and future fundraisers and events is used to support student assemblies, field trip bus costs, field day and much more! Thank You for Your Support!
Stay Connected! Scan to Join the Phelps PTO Facebook Group:
Growth Mindset Assembly Today
Today we had a special assembly to kick off our first unit of the Second Step Curriculum. This program helps students build important social-emotional skills such as empathy, problem-solving, and self-management, which support both learning and growth. In this first unit, students will explore topics like growth mindset and goal setting, which encourage them to try new strategies, learn from mistakes, and work toward their personal goals.
We look forward to partnering with you as we help our students develop these lifelong skills!
Phelps Arrival & Dismissal Reminders
Thank you for continuing to follow our Phelps Elementary arrival and dismissal procedures. Your partnership keeps our 640 students, staff, and families safe and ready for a great day! As we kick off our first full week of school, here is a quick refresher on a few key routines:
Morning Arrival Routine
Doors Open at 7:15 AM: Carline and family walk-up open at 7:15 AM so students have time to unpack, settle in, and get ready.
School Begins Promptly at 7:30 AM: Learning starts right at 7:30 AM. Students arriving after this time will be marked tardy.
Staffing & Safety: At 7:30 AM, our duty staff transitions inside to start teaching and working directly with students. Even if Officer Ryan or another staff member is still near the entrance, any child entering after 7:30 AM is tardy. We want every child to start their morning smoothly and without feeling rushed!
Afternoon Dismissal Procedures
Cutoff Time is 1:30 PM: All dismissal changes must be submitted before 1:30 PM so our main office can route children accurately (emergencies excepted).
No In-Person Plan Changes: Please do not request last-minute dismissal changes in the carline or at the walk-up line. Safely dismissing 640 students requires strict organization, and sudden changes can create confusion and security delays for your child.
Please Note: If you have requested bus transportation from Noelle Novio, our district-wide transportation coordinator, and are still waiting for a bus assignment, you need to check Aspen frequently to see if a bus has been assigned. Simply log into your Aspen account, click on the top tab labeled "Transportation," and you will be brought to a page that tells you the bus number, estimated time of pick up, and pick up location. Please check this over the weekend as well, as many bus additions are added for Monday mornings.
We truly appreciate your cooperation in keeping Phelps Elementary safe, calm, and efficient for all our learners!
Rockland Public Schools District Calendar
Important Upcoming Events in September!
Friday, September 11-Tuesday, October 6--Phelps Name the Circle PTO Fundraiser
- See the detailed information sent home today, Friday, September 11. Check those backpacks!
Wednesday, September 16 6:30-7:30 pm--Phelps PTO Meeting
- Phelps Library
Thursday, September 24 5:30-6:30 pm--Title One Night/Book Bingo/Parent Engagement Course
- More information to come--Stay tuned!
Phelps Elementary Parent Contact Guide
We want every family to know who to contact for questions, concerns, or support. Here’s a quick guide to help you connect with the right person:
Main Office Issues:
Nichole Dever, Administrative Assistant, ndever@rocklandschools.org--Questions/Information about attendance, records, court documents, address/email changes, general school information, registration/enrollment, moving/withdrawal
Brenda Mallar-Reske, Administrative Assistant, bmallar-reske@rocklandschools.org--Kid Account/Dismissal changes and questions
Principal
Michelle Scheufele, mscheufele@rocklandschools.org– Oversees school vision, daily classroom visits, curriculum, instruction, and social-emotional learning. Contact for schoolwide questions or issues needing additional attention.
Grades 1 & 2 (First Floor)
Administrator: Kelsey Holbrook--kholbrook@rocklandschools.org
School Adjustment Counselor: Sarina Beauzile--sarinabeauzile@rocklandschools.org
Grades 3 & 4 (Second Floor)
Administrator: Chase Eschauzier--chaseeschauzier@rocklandschools.org
School Adjustment Counselor: Holly Gage-hgage@rocklandschools.org
Additional Student Services
Amanda MacMillan – Special Education Coordinator, amacmillan@rocklandschools.org
Contact for questions about special education evaluations and IEP process.Allie Sgambato – School Psychologist, asgambato@rocklandschools.org
Provides evaluations, IEP services, and crisis support.Beth Peckham – School Psychologist, epeckham@rocklandschools.org
Supports Phelps part-time with evaluations and IEP services.Shani McGarry--School Nurse, smcgarry@rocklandschools.org
Contact for medical questions and issues.
Parent Tips
✅ For classroom or day-to-day issues, always start with your child’s teacher.
✅ For grade-level or social-emotional concerns, contact the administrator or adjustment counselor for your child’s grade.
✅ For special education questions, contact your child's special education teacher first. If you have further issues or questions, contact the administrator for your child's grade (Mrs. Holbrook or Mr. E).
✅ For schoolwide questions or issues needing additional attention, contact Principal Scheufele.
Main Office and Guidance Staff
If you have any questions or concerns, here are some staff members you can call or email:
Nichole Dever, School Administrative Assistant, ndever@rocklandschools.org
Brenda Mallar-Reske, Administrative Assistant (Kidaccount/Dismissal), bmallar-reske@rocklandschools.org
Michelle Scheufele, Principal, mscheufele@rocklandschools.org
Kelsey Holbrook, Assistant Principal for Grades 1 & 2 & Title One Director, kholbrook@rocklandschools.org
Chase Eschauzier, Assistant Principal for Grades 3 & 4, chaseeschauzier@rocklandschools.org
Amanda MacMillan, Phelps Special Education Coordinator, amacmillan@rocklandschools.org
Allison Sgambato, School Psychologist, asgambato@rocklandschools.org
Elizabeth Peckham, School Psychologist, epeckham@rocklandschools.org
Sarina Beauzile, School Adjustment Counselor for Grades 1 & 2, sarinabeauzile@rocklandschools.org
Holly Gage, School Adjustment Counselor for Grades 3 & 4, hgage@rocklandschools.org
Shani McGarry, Nurse, smcgarry@rocklandschools.org
Morgan Tiro, CNA, morgantiro@rocklandschools.org
