Principal's Back to School Letter
8/17/26
Dear Stonehurst Families,
I hope you are enjoying a wonderful summer filled with exciting memories with your loved ones. I also hope that you and your child(ren) are relaxed, recharged, and ready to start a new school year. It is with great pleasure that I officially welcome you to the 2026-2027 school year. Students’ first day of school is Monday, August 31, 2026. This year, we are thrilled to welcome our Charles Kelly families to Stonehurst Hills Elementary! We are excited to have you join our school community and look forward to getting to know your students and families throughout the school year.
Stonehurst’s highly qualified and devoted educators are working hard to ensure students will be presented with learning opportunities that will allow your children to thrive and grow. During this school year, I am committed to maintaining the highest standards so that there will be no shortage of opportunities for your child(ren) to feel challenged on a daily basis with high-quality instruction.
Important information for the start of the 2026-2027 School Year:
Monday, August 31st, through Thursday, September 3rd, are half days. STUDENTS WILL BE DISMISSED promptly at 12:15. District schools are closed on Friday, September 4th, and Monday, September 7th, for Labor Day. Back to School Night will be held on Tuesday, September 15th from 5:30 pm- 6:30 pm.
On Thursday, August 27th, we will be hosting our annual Ice Cream Social from 3:00 – 4:00 pm.
Thursday, August 27th, Home Access Center (HAC) account information will be e‑mailed to parents. HAC opens for K–12 registration, student schedules, transportation information, and contact information updates
On Wednesday, September 9th, students will have an early dismissal. All students will be dismissed promptly at 12:30 pm.
We will be hosting our Back to School Night on Tuesday, September 15th from 5:30 – 7:00 pm.
Wednesday, September 16th will be our first Home and School meeting from 5:30 pm- 6:30 pm. I hope you will be able to join us.
Homeroom Assignments – Home Access Center
It is critical that all families familiarize themselves with the Home Access Center (HAC). Parents can update their contact information, including email addresses, through HAC. This will allow you to receive regular updates from schools and the district. Schedules, homeroom assignments, and cohort information can also be obtained through HAC. The HAC system is closed each summer for maintenance and planning and will reopen on August 27th. For your convenience, your HAC credentials will be emailed to you. If you do not receive this information by the 27th you may email parentportal@upperdarbysd.org to have your username sent to you.
Grade-level supply lists can be found on the main page of the Stonehurst website or by clicking the link: https://app.smore.com/n/m3hy5u. These are recommendations and may vary slightly based on your child’s teacher (additional information will be shared during the first few days of school).
Attendance: Like in previous years, all absences require a written note from a parent and should also follow up with a phone call to the attendance line at 610-626-9111, ext.6841 You are encouraged to report absences via email at shes-attendance@upperdarbysd.org. Absences should not exceed 10 days in the school year. Please refer to District Policy 204 for more information on the UDSD website.
1st Day of School Arrival/Dismissal– Students will be greeted at their grade-level entrances beginning at 8:35 am. Each door will have a grade-level sign indicating which door students are to use. 3rd- and 4th-grade support students will enter the doors in the bus loop at the corner of Ruskin and Timberlake, while 4th, and 5th-grade students will enter the door closest to Millbank (the driveway behind the top playground) and Ruskin Lane. First- and 2nd-grade students will use the main gate at Patterson and Woodcliffe Road to drop off students in the schoolyard. This is the only gate that will be open for arrival and dismissal throughout the school year. 1st-grade students will sit in designated rows by the lunchroom doors, and 2nd-grade students will sit in rows by the basketball courts and be escorted into the building by their teacher. Teachers will have classroom signs to assist parents with finding students. Once students are in the building, teachers will then teach the daily morning arrival routine and expectations to their students. Students will be dismissed at the end of the school day at 3:15 pm. Please arrive to pick up your 1st and 2nd-grade students through the gate on Patterson. The Patterson gate will be the only entrance and exit to our schoolyard this school year.
Starting on Tuesday, September 8th, parents will NOT be permitted to enter the schoolyard at arrival time. Please walk your child to the gate and say your goodbyes at the gate. This is a safety measure that will be put into effect for the remainder of the school year.
Arrival and Dismissal- School starts promptly at 8:45 a.m. No entrance to the school will be accessible until 8:40 a.m. (adult supervision will come outside to support with arrival at 8:40 a.m.). For your child’s safety, students may arrive no earlier than 8:40 a.m. Dismissal will begin at 3:15 pm. Plan to meet your child (or have siblings meet) at the child’s outside assigned area. As we begin making plans for the return of the students, it is extremely important that you communicate your arrival and dismissal plans with your child’s teacher. Stonehurst is a 100% walking/neighborhood school. Therefore, it is important to understand that when children are being dismissed at their dismissal time, THEY WILL NOT BE ALLOWED BACK INTO THE BUILDING. Please make sure your child knows where they will be going when they are dismissed at their dismissal time. If you are picking your child up at their dismissal time, it is important that your child knows where to meet you and that you are there on time. There will not be ANY adult supervision after dismissal time. Please start having conversations with your children about your plan for picking them up and exiting the school grounds immediately.
Student Emergency Cards-Student emergency cards will be sent home to all families at the beginning of the school year. Parents/guardians should review the information and make any changes to send it back to the school. Schools will need the most up-to-date phone numbers, home addresses, and email addresses to ensure clear home-school communication. Please note any new medical information so that the school nurse is aware and can keep your child safe.
Volunteers: If you are a VOLUNTEER or want to be a volunteer, please be sure to visit our website to review a full description of the requirements for a volunteer (https://www.upperdarbysd.org/volunteering). All parents interested in becoming volunteers must contact the principal to apply by completing a volunteer application that can be found on BoardDocs. We can also provide you with a paper application upon request. Our District’s website also provides instructions on how to obtain the three mandatory clearances under the Human Resources department. Please review the Parent Volunteer Resource Packet for more information—https://app.smore.com/n/8nzfy
Lunch and Breakfast Program-The school district has been approved for the Community Eligibility Provision through the PA Department of Education. This means that ALL students in grades K-12 are automatically eligible to receive breakfast and lunch at no charge to families every day, beginning the first full day of school. Families do not have to fill out an application. Free breakfast and free lunch will be provided automatically to any student who would like them.
Chromebook Distribution - Every Stonehurst student will receive a Chromebook once again. Students will be issued a Chromebook in school from their homeroom teacher within the first week of school.
UDSD Family Handbook-The purpose of our District handbook is to communicate with families any expectations, policies, or procedures. You can view the handbook HERE
Elementary School Code of Character—https://app.smore.com/n/zsk5q
Home Access Center (HAC) Guide—https://app.smore.com/n/3geq8w
Online Learning Manual for Students and Parents — https://app.smore.com/n/572048
Emergency Communications Plan—https://app.smore.com/n/gq8c7
CrisisGo Subscription Flyer–https://app.smore.com/n/8w120
Emergency Preparedness Safety Terms FAQs—https://app.smore.com/n/aceyh
School Closing Plan Due to Employee Absences and Bus Driver Shortages — https://app.smore.com/n/zq42r
I am truly honored to serve as your principal of Stonehurst Hills Elementary School. It is a privilege to be a part of a community where families, educators, and students care for each other and strive to build positive relationships that support student success. In closing, I appreciate your support and attentiveness, and I value our partnership to ensure a quality educational experience for our students at Stonehurst. I hope this letter answers many of your questions. Have a wonderful conclusion to your summer.
Warm Regards,
Mr. Desmond Chisholm
Principal
Stonehurst Hills Elementary