The Panther Press

DTA 2.0 Parent's Edition 1/31/24

The Positive Painting Project

Friday, February 2nd is a dress down in paint worthy clothing (not nice, not new), as all students will be participating in the Positive Painting Project as we close out Mental Wellness Month!

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Dilworth's Inaugural Title I STREAM Night

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With over 500 total attendees, our first annual Title I STREAM night (Science, Technology, Reading, Engineering, Arts, and Math) was a huge hit! We look forward to making it bigger and better for next school year.

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Welcome to Pittsburgh Dilworth, Mr. Maund!

Dilworth Community,

I am thrilled to introduce myself as the newest addition to the Dilworth family. With 10 years of teaching experience, my passion for physical education, sports, and fitness has been a guiding force throughout my career. Having been a college athlete & SW Pennsylvania native, I bring a wealth of knowledge and enthusiasm to our school. Hobbies of mine include hiking, cooking, skiing, guitar, sports, and spending time with family & friends.

I am excited about the opportunity to work with your children to encourage physical activity and well-being. Let’s embark on this journey together, promoting a healthy and active lifestyle among our students. Looking forward to a fantastic year!

Sincerely,

Mr. Maund

Cultural & Global CATnections

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Cultural & Global CATnections

February is Black History Month, a time to intentionally acknowledge the contributions of notable black people, past and present, to our ever evolving world. Presentation, representation, and celebration matter. At Dilworth, we are intentional in celebrating diversity every day, but during February, we will explicitly celebrate black excellence and highlight local citizens who have significantly impacted Pittsburgh culture, and/or have taken their Pittsburgh roots to impact change in various places and spaces throughout the nation.

Fashionista Fridays (Staff and students dress as/ display a word(s) or name of the following based on research conducted:

2/2- POSITIVE PAINTING PROJECT DDD (Schoolwide culminating project- Students should wear paint worthy clothing (no nice clothing) to participate in the Mental Wellness Month closing activity.

2/9- Black outstanding athlete and humanitarian $1 DDD

2/16- Black scientist/inventor **FFF

2/23- Black entertainer (actor, musician, dancer, etc.) and humanitarian $1 DDD

3/1- Black author/poet **FFF

PANTHER VISION- PLANNING AHEAD

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Feb 2

The Positive Paint Project

Dress Down Day- Wear clothes that are ok to paint in (no new fancy clothes)!

Half Day- Professional Development

Feb 9

Dress Down Day- Black outstanding athlete and humanitarian ***FFFDDD

Feb 16

Day With Your Stars Q2

Dress Down Day- Black scientist/inventor ***FFFDDD

Half Day- Professional Development

Feb 19- Mar 8

CDT Window

Feb 20

PTA/PSCC Meeting **Bring a buddy!!

Feb 23

Dress Down Day- Black entertainer (actor, musician, dancer, etc.) and humanitarian $1 DDD

March 1

Dress Down Day- Black author/poet **FFFDDD

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Important CUBmunications!

Sarris Fundraiser

Reminder that all Sarris BROCHURE orders and payments are due Wednesday, February 14th to homeroom teachers, or you can drop off to the front office. For more information on the PTA's Sarris Fundraiser program, including ongoing online orders, please go to: https://www.pghdilworthpta.org/announcements#h.e71zhqyji9jz or contact Anne Farris at farris.ops@gmail.com

The Big Burrito Benefit Dinner is Back!!!

This year, the Big Burrito Restaurant Group has generously donated a dinner for 50 members of the Dilworth community on Tuesday, March 5 at 7pm. (Ages 21+ only)

We are asking interested donors to purchase tickets for $60/head which includes a 10% gratuity, the remainder of the proceeds going directly to the Dilworth PTA!

For more information go to: https://www.pghdilworthpta.org/announcements#h.e71zhqyji9jz

PURCHASE TICKETS VIA PAYPAL.

*Please note in the PayPal comments who will be dining. Note that donations toward tickets for Dilworth teachers and staff are also welcome and appreciated!

Please text or email Anne Farris at 917-969-1574 or farris.ops@gmail.com with any questions.

FREE WINTER COATS!!!

Please visit the Uniform Exchange link below to put in a request for a FREE winter from the school. https://t.ly/IpbJI We also have some additional winter items like hats, gloves, and boots. Simply complete the form and we will do our best to fulfill your request.

Hybrid PTA Meetings

Please join us in person or virtually for the monthly Pittsburgh Dilworth PTA meeting on February 20th from 6-7:30.

To join the video meeting, click this link: https://meet.google.com/ftx-swyh-neh To join by phone instead, dial (US) +1 317-721-4977 and (1/2) enter this PIN: 543 024 897# More numbers: https://t.meet/ftx-swyh-neh

PTA contacts:

Linda president@pghdilworthpta.org

Alexis vicepresident@pghdilworthpta.org

Natasha secretary@pghdilworthpta.org

Backpack Initiative

The Backpack Initiative continues to provide weekend food supplies to Pittsburgh Dilworth students experiencing food insecurity all throughout the school year. Each participating student receives a bag packed with child-friendly single-serving snacks and easily prepared meals every Friday; so far this year, we’ve sent home over 165 bags with more than 1,140 meals. 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.

If you’re interested in volunteering or donating to the program, please email Megan Spak at dtabackpacks@gmail.com to find out more - we would love to have your help.

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.

Style & Safety

Self expression is key to building confidence in our stellar STARRCe students. While students are welcomed to accessorize with hairbows, jewelry, etc., it is imperative that their uniforms allow for freedom of movement, warmth, and safety while running, walking up and down stairs, and playing outside in cooler weather. Please send students in navy/white tights and leggings, in accordance with uniform policy. Students will be asked to change leggings/tights that are not solid white/navy. Please refrain from sending students in heavily belled navy bottoms, as they pose a tripping hazard. In addition, crocs and croc like shoes are not to be worn to school, as the traction is not safe in the hallways. We had a student break an arm in a previous school year by slipping while wearing crocs. Rubber soled shoes are the safest way to go.

A second safety reminder is around snacks and allergies. Due to increased food sensitivity issues, please do not send in any edible treats for birthdays and celebrations.

Lastly, please drive carefully during arrival and drop off. This school year has been a lot better! Remember not to park in the crosswalk. The safety of all of our students trumps the convenience of speeding and/or blocking crossing zones. Team work makes the dream work, so let's all do our part in keeping our students safe.

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 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.) for 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 2023-24

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.