The Panther Press

DTA 2.0 Parent's Edition 9/27/23

zoom_out_map

PPS All Stars Penguins Games 9/24,9/28,10/4

Congratulations to Mrs. Dougan and our 5th grade vocalists on their selection to sing the National Anthem at tomorrow's hockey game! Use the following link for your two free tickets to attend the game tomorrow evening or October 4th.

zoom_out_map

PBIS Rewards & ABC Crew Presentation 9/29

Friday is a half-day, 12:25 dismissal. We encourage all students to come to school for a fun-filled day beginning with a performance by the Anti-Bully Crew during morning meeting. All grade levels will partake in PBIS Rewards activities to celebrate students for exceeding expectations by being SAFE, ENGAGED, RESPONSIBLE, AND KIND! PBIS! YES!!

zoom_out_map

Birthday Do's & Don'ts

We absolutely love celebrating our students on their special days. Birthday pencils, birthday runs, and birthday songs are all part of making our panthers feel extra loved on their birthday. Due to increased allergies and dietary restrictions, please do not send in edible treats of any sort for birthdays. If you'd like to volunteer to read to the class, that would be the most memorable gift!

Limitless PAWSibilities!

The PPS Inaugural Take A Child to School Day was so much fun! We hope you enjoyed the red carpet treatment! One parent noted that the day felt like a typical day at Dilworth! That's what I call a "flex!" Kudos to all of our fathers, father figures, and all parents for your commitment to raising up respectful and responsible top notch students!

Safety always comes first at Dilworth! Thank you for adhering to speed limits during pick up and drop off. Our unique location coupled with seemingly endless construction makes for a spirited experience during arrival and dismissal.

Please do not pull into the staff lot during drop off/pick up. Also, be sure to greet and respect our favorite crossing guard, Mrs. Rita and our favorite para, Mrs. Williams. They will remind you to park/stop in designated safe locations. If you are stopped in an unsafe area, please move. It may not be convenient, but the safety of every student is more important than two minutes of any of our time.

Another safety reminder is around footwear. Please send students in sneakers, tennis shoes, and rubber bottomed shoes so that they can run and play freely with less risk of injury. Please do not send students in Crocs, slippers, slides, heels, or other shoes that have minimal/no traction and/or easily fall off of feet.

Any specific requests to add information should be emailed directly to Principal Zyhier with the subject line, "The Panther Press DTA Request." Requests should be made by Tuesday morning each week. Please note that although requested, not all requests are guaranteed approval.

zoom_out_map

Important CUBmunications!

Hybrid PTA Meetings

Please join us in person or virtually for the second monthly meeting of the Pittsburgh Dilworth PTA on October 17th from 6-7:30.

PTA contacts:

Linda president@pghdilworthpta.org

Alexis vicepresident@pghdilworthpta.org

Natasha secretary@pghdilworthpta.org

Backpack Program

Have you heard about Dilworth PTA’s Backpack Initiative? Its mission is to assist Pittsburgh Dilworth Pre-K through 5th grade students experiencing food insecurity by providing weekend food supplies. Each participating student receives a bag packed with child-friendly single-serving snacks and easily prepared meals every Friday. Food is donated, packed, and distributed by Dilworth volunteers, and we strive to include protein, whole grains, fruits, and dairy products in each bag (*please note: peanut products will be included in the bags*).

If you would like to enroll your child in the program for this school year, please fill out the online form at http://tinyurl.com/DTABackpackSignup2023-24 or sign and return the permission slip that will be sent home with students as part of the September PTA Newsletter.

If you’re interested in volunteering or donating to the program, we would love to hear from you! The Backpack Initiative relies on having a strong team of volunteers and donors to keep it running smoothly, and we would love to have your help. Please email Megan Spak at dtabackpacks@gmail.com to find out more.

Spirit Wear Sale Opens 9/15/23

Here's the website for the apparel sale!

https://stores.embroiderypgh.com/Dilworth/shop/home

Dilworth Uniform Exchange

Dilworth provides a volunteer-run Uniform Exchange where you can donate old school uniforms your child has outgrown and request additional sizes!

In order to donate, please send clean clothes in a bag to the main office and label "For Uniform Exchange." These donations will be sorted and put away by volunteers. We are only able to accept clothing that conforms with the Dilworth Uniform Policy.

In order to request clothing from the uniform exchange, please fill out the form below:

Dilworth Uniform Exchange Request Form

Clothing is distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis. We tend to have an abundance of smaller sizes and fewer options for larger sizes. Requests will be delivered to your child's homeroom. You will be notified if your request cannot be filled. Please allow one week for your request to be filled and delivered. Any items that are sent home and do not fit can be returned to the uniform exchange and additional items can be requested.

If you would like to volunteer to help out with the uniform exchange, please email Rachous1@aol.com.

Arrival & Dismissal

Students will be welcomed into the foyer of the building at 8:55 am. All students should keep 1-2 books in their backpack for reading during arrival until morning meeting begins at 9:10 am. At 9:00, students may go to the cafeteria for breakfast or directly to the auditorium. Students are not permitted to leave the auditorium until dismissal from morning meeting. Differentiated instruction takes place daily from 9:25-9:50. During this time students will engage in proactive/restorative circles, academic enrichment/assistance, music practice, and more. Arriving at 9:10 am daily is contributes to a positive learning experience.

Please arrive no later than 3:55pm for pick up, if your child does not ride the school bus. If you have challenges picking your child up on time, reach out to any one of several after school programs (Deakings Daycare, Mt. Arayat, Boys & Girls Club, etc.) to see if they have availability.

Early Dismissal Reminder

Early dismissals may occur up until 3:30 pm daily. Please utilize this EARLY DISMISSAL LINK to complete the form prior to arriving. If you are unable to complete this prior to arriving at Dilworth, a QR code is posted at the main door to complete while you wait for your child to be dismissed.

Self Screening Tool, Covid Decision Tree, & Covid Updates

Please utilize this self-screening document and follow the necessary steps to adhere to district mitigation strategies in our fight against the spread of Covid-19. Review the PPS Decision Tree to understand how decisions are made regarding next steps for individuals exhibiting one or more symptoms of Covid-19. Please utilize the district website for up to date Covid related information, procedures, and resources.

Breakfast & Lunch Menu

Please visit PPS Food Services to access the breakfast and lunch menus.

Student Handbook 2023-23

Please review the linked STUDENT HANDBOOK with your child and to understand and reiterate our schoolwide expectations. Teachers will review schoolwide and classroom procedures and expectations regularly with students.

zoom_out_map

Cultural & Global CATnections

National Hispanic Heritage Month

September 15th through October 15th is recognized as Hispanic Heritage Month. During morning meetings we are learning Spanish greetings such as, “Buenos dias” and “Como estas”, please encourage dialogue around Hispanic culture and language as we embrace and celebrate diversity at Dilworth.

Sickle Cell Awareness Month

Sickle Cell disease is an inherited blood disorder in which blood cells become sickle shaped and hardened. About 1 in 13 African Americans carry the sickle cell trait and many don’t know they have it. African Americans have the top common incidence and Latinos have the second most common incidence in the United States. Websites for families include: www.sicklecelldisease.org.

Purr-Fect Resources for Health & Wellness

Below are two links including resources and community activities for families. The first link is for the UPMC Health Neighborhood-Center where they offer numerous resources to the public and network members. The second link is for the City of Pittsburgh’s International Day and Parade Celebration. Families can learn more information (receive this information translated in other languages) and register to participate in the festivities using the second link below.

https://www.upmchealthplan.com/about/community/neighborhood-center/

https://engage.pittsburghpa.gov/international-day-parade-and-festival

Engage Kidz LLC- Tackling Back to School Anxiety

Back to School Anxiety (mailchi.mp)