PRINCIPAL NEWSLETTER FEBRUARY 2026

FEBRUARY 💖 & MARCH 🍀

🔴⚫🟢🟡 BLACK HISTORY MONTH

Feb 1: Q2 Report Cards Available in Jupiter

Feb 3: PAC/PTO Meeting, 4 pm, STEAM Lab

Feb 5: 100th Day of School 👴👵

Feb 9: RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS WEEK

Feb 12: 4/5 Field Trip, Peter and the Star Catcher 💫

Feb 12: Valentine's Day Activities 💕

Feb 13 & 16: SCHOOL CLOSED: Presidents Day

Feb 26: 4/5 Field Trip, Miller Symphony Hall, Celebrate 250! 🎻

Mar 3: Musician in Residence, Allentown Symphony Orchestra, Jorge Vera 🎻

ATTENDANCE UPDATES
Students who turn in their FID packets will have their attendance updated for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday as needed, if they didn't have access to their Chromebook.

CHROMEBOOKS

Remember to send your first through fifth grade student back with their Chromebook. Remember, we did not send home chargers.

FID PACKET # 5 WILL BE SENT HOME SOON

We have used 4 of our 5 FID days. We have also used our extra built-in Snow Day. We have one more FID left to use before we would need to take a day back from Spring Break. This last FID packet will be sent home early this week.

This Thursday, we wear our best Centenarian outfits as we celebrate our 100th Day of School!

PAC Agenda, 4:00 pm

Learn about our Title 1 & English Language Learner Services and How to Help Your Child at Home

PTO Agenda, 4:30 pm

PTO event planning: K-1 Snowball Our Snowball Dance is a very popular event that we are proud to host each year! We need parent volunteers! Join us to learn how you can help support our Snowball Dance!

Black History Month:

In honor of Black History Month, we welcome our families to come read a book to your child's classroom, or speak about your heritage, career or other topics you propose. Please contact office@artsacademyecs.org if you are interested!

Spring Showcases:

Our Spring Showcases are held in the mornings in our cafeteria. Space is limited. An RSVP form will be sent out soon. Save the dates below:

• Mar 23: 2nd Grade 8:30 am
• Mar 23: 3rd Grade 9:30 am
• Mar 31: 1st Grade 9 am

Random Acts of Kindness Week, Feb 9 - 12:

This tradition is one of our faves! Teachers and staff hand out tickets to students caught performing a random act of kindness. Tickets are then included in a lottery, where we choose 2 students to be our Principals for a Day!

Valentine's Day: 💝

Classrooms will celebrate Valentine's Day on Thursday, Feb 12.

These celebrations will include heart and friendship-themed Reading and Math Centers, decorating Valentine's Day bags and exchanging of Valentine's Day cards. Your child's teacher will send home a list of their students' first names for writing out cards.

Please know that we cannot have students sending in candy in line with our Health and Wellness Policy and to protect those with allergies. Non-candy items like pencils or stickers are options, but not required. The cards alone are fine. If you are not able to pick up Valentine's cards, please let your teacher know. We will make sure your child has card to give out.

Last year was the first year all of our students took their PSSAs online. This year, the PA Department of Education is requiring all schools to test online. While we had some glitches to work out with our first year online, but we are very pleased to announce that we are no longer on TSI Status!

TSI, or Target School for Improvement, is a warning status issued by the state, for schools who are at-risk of not meeting state requirements. Even though we want our scores to be better, our students have demonstrated growth to qualify us for removal of this warning status, so we are very proud of that!

It is essential that all students are present for this year's testing and we know they will knock it out of the park! All grades 3-5 students have taken the ELA and Math Firefly Tests, which are online practice tests the state offers to ensure students are familiar with the online format.

Our PSSA Carnivals were a huge hit last year, so we plan to continue recognizing and celebrating our students who arrive on time, take their time on their test and utilize their test-taking strategies. Look for more details as we get closer to April!

Any family who has a sibling to enroll for next year will need to apply. Applications are availalbe in Jupiter. Parents who wish to enroll a sibling will be able to apply through Jupiter. Siblings get priority status to enroll, but only if you apply by the deadline.

Visit our website for more information.

Note: All current students are automatically enrolled each year, unless you withdraw them.

🔴 🟠 🟡 🟢 🔵 🟣 🔴 🟠 🟡 🟢 🔵 🟣

All students who achieve 95% or higher attendance this year will take part in a special incentive activity in June!

Did you know:

• 95% Attendance equates to no more than 10 absences by the end of the school year. That's about 1 day each month.
• School attendance is required by law.
• Arriving late and leaving early adds up and still counts as missing school.

• A written excuse is required within 3 days of an absence. Allowable excuses include illness, appointments, religious holidays or death in the family. Please note, lack of transportation is not an allowable excuse.

• Good attendance will be rewarded! Keep an eye out for more information our 95% Attendance Incentive!

Help your child "Make 95" with these habits:

• Set a consistent bedtime

• Prepare the night before

• Allow ample time in the morning

• Schedule appointments before or after school when possible.

• Get Involved! Parent involvement promotes a healthy attitude toward school and attendance.

We are here to help if you or your child is struggling to attend school.

Learn more by visiting the Attendance page of our website.