FC's Summer 2025 Update Newsletter

Tuesday, August 5

Camp Kindergarten (information is shared with K families through email)

Tuesday, August 19 at 6:30 PM

New Family Orientation (see information below)

Wednesday, August 20 at 6:30 PM

Back to School Night for Kindergarten, 1st Grade, & 2nd Grade

Tuesday, August 26 - First day of School!

Tuesday, September 2 at 6:30 PM

Back to School Night for 3rd Grade and 4th Grade

These evenings are designed as informational evenings for the parents/guardians. We recommend that children do not attend, if possible. Once you enter the building, please head directly to your child’s classroom. Staff members will be present to help point you in the correct direction once you enter the building.

There will not be a general assembly for parents beforehand. I will share a video with families prior to the start of the school year outlining important information for the coming year. In order to accommodate families who may have multiple children across multiple grade levels and/or classrooms, we will be doing rotations so that you can visit each classroom and teacher. An announcement will be made over the intercom prior to this occurring. We hope to see you there!

On August 12, PowerSchool will be open and able to be accessed to gain teacher and schedule information. If you need help accessing PowerSchool please contact the Fishing Creek Office at (717) 938-6565. There is secure login information you will need to sign up to access PowerSchool. Kindergarten parents will be given PowerSchool information at the Camp Kindergarten orientation session.

In addition to the PowerSchool access, on August 12, an email will be sent to parents of students in kindergarten through fourth grade with teacher assignment and detailed bus information. Please check your spam/junk mail folders if you do not see this message in your inbox. If you have multiple children in the District, your individual email messages may also be grouped together in your inbox.

The PTO is in full planning mode for the upcoming school year. We are looking to setup assemblies, during school activities, Family Fun Nights, teacher appreciations, and more!

If there’s something from last year you’d like to see changed or have ideas for the upcoming year we would love to hear from you! Reach out to us via FaceBook or email FishingCreekPTO@gmail.com

Don’t forget to follow along with the PTO via the website and Facebook!

Website - FishingCreekPTO.com

FaceBook - Fishing Creek Elementary School PTO

🐟 Fishing Creek Sharks—Let’s Make a Difference! This year, we will be collecting aluminum can tabs to support the Ronald McDonald House of Central PA. Your tabs help provide comfort and care for families with children at the Penn State Hershey Medical Center. Every tab counts—let’s get a head start collecting over the summer and see how much good we can do together! 💙 GO SHARKS!

At Fishing Creek, Sharks are Safe, Sharks are Kind, and Sharks are Responsible—and we work hard to teach and celebrate those expectations all year long. Through our PBIS (Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports) program, students learn what those behaviors look like in different parts of the school. When they demonstrate them, they can earn Shark Tickets as a form of positive recognition. K–2 students shop weekly at the Shark Cart, and students in grades 3–4 visit the Shark Store for fun prizes and experiences. We love catching our Sharks doing the right thing!

We'll be looking for volunteers to help run the 3rd and 4th grade Shark Store. Stay tuned for sign-ups at the beginning of the year.

In addition to PBIS, our team at Fishing Creek uses an MTSS (Multi-Tiered System of Supports) framework to make sure all students get what they need to be successful—academically, socially, and emotionally. This means we’re regularly looking at student data and progress to provide the right support at the right time. Whether it’s extra practice with reading or math, check-ins with a trusted adult, or small group instruction, we work together to meet students where they are. Our goal is to make sure every Shark is supported and ready to grow!

Through the use of the CharacterStrong curriculum, we have an opportunity to help our children learn the value of empathy, service, and connection. Along with strong academics, our goal is to teach students to be capable, compassionate people, and to empower them to become the best versions of themselves. When our students feel safe, supported, and part of a community, they perform better, act with more kindness, and want to show up to school each day. We believe this curriculum will have a powerful and positive impact on the climate and culture of our school, and it is our hope that families will join us in this work to build a kinder school culture and, ultimately, a kinder world. Find out more about CharacterStrong on our district website at: https://www.wssd.k12.pa.us/CharacterStrongSEL.aspx

As always, please contact us if you have questions or need assistance!

Matthew Wensel

Principal - Fishing Creek Elementary School

wenselm@wssd.k12.pa.us

717-938-6565

Mr. Adam Marshall

Assistant Principal - Fishing Creek Elementary School

marshalla@wssd.k12.pa.us

Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter @FCSharks1 and Instagram @FCSharks1 to see the awesome things happening here at FC!