Paw Power Press

In Central Bucks, we are teaching writing in a systematic and explicit way. Writing develops along a continuum from simple to complex, and our goal is to provide clear and meaningful feedback about student learning on the progress report.

To that end, please look for an email from your child’s classroom teacher that explains the changes. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Our Car Line system is running very efficiently - both in the morning and afternoon. For dismissal, we have the benefit of the Drive Line app (purchased this year by the PTO - thank you) used to register families when they pull into our school circle. This helps our staff assist students to the staging area before exiting the building. Our staff works to make this a safe, efficient, and prompt system to help get families on their way.

Please continue to adhere to our following carline requests:

1. Have the placard on the rearview when picking up at dismissal.
2. Parents, remain in cars at all times - both morning and afternoon. Our staff are happy to assist in getting your child safely in and out of vehicles. If needing to strap your child in upon entry, please pull around to a designated parking space to help our system run efficiently.
3. Have children exit and enter from the sidewalk side of the vehicle.
4. The first car pulls all the way around to the gymnasium-side fire hydrant having subsequent vehicles filling in without gaps. This helps us serve as many vehicles as possible.
5. Please be receptive/take direction from our staff to assist with our system.
6. Have patience for the safety of our staff and students.

Thank you for your continued support of the school and our systems throughout the spring months!

We have a growing number of Lost & Found items collected since the start of school - especially since those cold winter months. If you're missing anything or wondering where it might be - consider taking a look to see what we have accumulated! We will have the lost and found available to peruse during Spring Fair - or call the office to come into school.

Please see the below schedule for family planning purposes. Students in grades 3-6 will take the state assessment on the following dates. For more information, here are PSSA FAQ's.

Please contact Mrs. Dowd, Assistant Principal - ladowd@cbsd.org, with any questions specific to the upcoming assessment.

At Butler, the use of student cell phone/SMART Watch/personal device usage in school is prohibited (medical exemptions apply). As a reminder, these devices are to be silenced and remain in backpacks during the school day. Should there be a need for communication, that would take place with the support of the school office during the school day. Please be sure to share these expectations with your child as this policy will be enforced by teachers/staff in coordination with District policy.

CBSD provides a written review of Policies and Expectations for all students (and families) in the Central Bucks Family Handbook.

Additionally, Butler has a Parent/Student Handbook that applies these district policies specific to our school.

Please familiarize to both important documents as we continue throughout the school year.

Visit the CBSD Technology and Innovation website to troubleshoot issues with any district-provided device. Place a Help Desk Ticket through the website if the tips listed on the website do not resolve the issue.

Have a Student Who Will be New to CBSD in 2025-26? Register Now!

Welcome to CBSD! Please register ASAP! Online registration for the 2025-26 school year is open for families of students who will be eligible for kindergarten in CBSD and students in all grades who will be new to CBSD next school year. Learn more about registration here and start a new registration application here.

Central Bucks School District recently made a change to the age of admission for student enrollment in kindergarten. Effective beginning the 2025-26 school year, students may be admitted to kindergarten who will be five years of age from September 1 through October 31. Learn more and access information on how to apply.

Families interested in learning all about special education, gifted, and other student services in CBSD are invited to check out a comprehensive 22-page handbook that reviews all related information, including details on clinical services and staff, extended school year, FERPA, transition information, 504 agreements, a glossary, and more. This resources, along with many others for families, can also be accessed from the district's Making Practices Public webpage.

CBSD's "Making Practices Public” webpage provides families one-stop access to important resources concerning operational processes; major projects; family supports; and more. Recent information added to the page includes: Artificial Intelligence in CBSD and the Kindergarten Early Entry Application Process. Visit webpage

Learn more about options for the capital needs at Doyle, Kutz and Linden Elementary schools and share your feedback with district leadership at the third (and final) town hall meeting on the subject on Thursday, March 27 at 7 p.m. at CB South. No pre-registration is required. Learn more and submit comments or questions.

Notice is hereby given that the Central Bucks School District’s April 17, 2025 School Board Meeting has been rescheduled. The April School Board Meeting will be held on April 24, 2025. The location and start time remain the same: 7 p.m. in the board room of the district's Educational Services Center located at 16 Welden Drive in Doylestown, PA.

Congrats to Barclay 5th grader David Martinez-Cortes for winning the March round of CBSD's lock screen contest! His original artwork inspired by the "Thoughtful Collaborators" attribute of CBSD's Portrait of a Graduate is featured on district devices throughout March. Students can now try their hand at winning the next round of the contest, inspired the "Adaptable Innovators" attribute. Submissions are due April 20. More details

Performers, musicians, and everyone behind the scenes at each of CBSD's middle and high schools welcome community members to spring musical season across the district, beginning March 6 at Holicong and Tohickon Middle schools and closing on May 4 at CB West High School. In between, the district's other four middle schools and two high schools will stage their own performances for a total of eight unique musicals performed over 16 days and nights of theater in CB! Learn more about each show and how to purchase tickets.

The CBSD Art Department is excited to announce our annual T-shirt sale, aimed at raising funds to support exceptional HS Seniors. One talented senior from each of our 3-high schools will receive a scholarship to continue their artistic journey! This is a fantastic opportunity to support our talented students while looking fabulous in a special, one of a kind design. All Colors and sizes are $15 and can be ordered on "My Payments Plus". Order a T-shirt and wear your school spirit with pride! Sale Dates: March 7 to April 11! Thanks for your support!

Did you know there's a webpage on CBSD.org where you can get information on various community events and activities happening around Central Bucks? Recent additions include flyers from the Bucks County Tennis Association, PA Rush spring soccer, and a Bucks County Kids Book Fest flyer to the e-flyer folder this week. Check it out now!

From January 1 through March 31, the GIANT Company invites customers to join in supporting its "Feeding School Kids" initiative by rounding up at the register. The GIANT Company will directly support customers’ generosity by matching all donations up to $100,000. The Barclay Elementary School Farmers Market is the beneficiary of the funds, which help to support families across CBSD's 23 schools.

Get ready for a jam-packed March newsletter! We're celebrating big wins (hello, Eagles Super Bowl!), introducing you to our awesome local partners, and unveiling our brand new Instagram page – give @AramarkCBSD a follow! Plus, you won't want to miss the delicious details on our limited-time Cajun Biscuits & Gravy. Trust us, your tastebuds will thank you. Read "The Feed"

The CBSD instructional calendar for the 2025-26 school year was approved by the Board at its monthly meeting on Dec. 2. View the calendar

CBSD welcomes qualified candidates to apply for a range of full-time career opportunities, many with benefits. School bus aides might be the perfect fit for parents and others looking to make a difference while working the same hours as a school day. View all available positions and apply now!

Today, Andy Warhol is remembered as one of the most important American artists of our time. He helped make Pop Art popular all around the world. For the first time, people realized that cartoons, movie stars, and soup cans could be art! He used Principles of Art like repetition, balance, and unity in his artwork. Warhol made social commentary of consumerism with his mass production of art in his studio called “The Factory”. 6th Grade artists drew an image from today’s popular culture, that reflected their personality. They then carved the image into printing foam and rolled ink onto it with a brayer. Each student chose a color scheme they liked most.

Please review the information for an upcoming "Community Resource Fair" - being held at Training Center in the Woods in Langhorne - April 2, 2025 from 3:00 - 6:00 PM. To register, please click here.

Since our last message, several families have been able to donate clothes for the health room - which are used with students during any given school day. Thank you to those who donated clothes which no longer "fit" their needs - it is very appreciated!

Narrative nonfiction is a genre that provides information on a particular topic in the form of a story. Our sixth graders are conducting narrative nonfiction research in Library class using high-interest narrative nonfiction books of their choice on people, places, things, events, inventions, and discoveries. After the initial reading of their narrative nonfiction books, they are generating related topics, beyond the focus of the story to extend their knowledge and research. They will be creating digital presentations of their findings to share with their classmates.

March is a busy time of year in the music room! Students in 1st-4th grade have started preparing for their grade level music shows. Be sure to check the Butler Newsletter for show dates and times.

Pictured below are first graders adding creative movement to their “Sing A Rainbow” piece which they will perform at their show in May.

2nd Gr. Junior detectives have helped solve mysteries using handwriting analysis, fingerprints, shoe prints, and bite marks. Next, they will learn about how hair analysis can be used to solve crimes!

3rd Gr. Gamers learned "game mechanics" and the strategies required for challenging games: Machi Koro, Outfoxed, Cacao, Carcassonne, Flashpoint, and Azul. In addition to the "new" games, students learned about the history/inspiration for the games - like the Portuguese Azulejos.

4th Gr. is buzzing with activity! Invention duos are working to divide marketing and engineering tasks in preparation for the Invention Convention on May 14th. Marketers are designing logos and slogans for their products, while engineers are tinkering away on their prototypes.

5th and 6th Gr. law students have learned about collecting evidence, creating opening and closing statements, and how to write direct examination questions. Most recently, they have been learning about a real case from 2009 about an elaborate hoax. Students will draft cross-examination questions for this scenario as they prep for the Mock Trial for 6th grade (5/28) and 5th grade (6/3).

K-2 are working on learning Basketball skills of dribbling and passing, as well as some fun versions of their own March Madness! (Photos Below)

Grades 3/4 are beginning station work leading to their March Madness tournament. We are reviewing passing, shooting, and 1v1 coverage.

Grades 5/6 grade are in the Human Growth and Development Lessons on our Health Curriculum. At the end of March, they will begin their March Madness Basketball Tournament!

The Finch robot is an excellent tool for drawing shapes, offering an engaging and hands-on way to explore geometry, coding, and robotics. By programming the Finch to move in precise directions and angles, 6th Gr. students create various shapes - from simple squares and triangles - to intricate patterns.

This interactive approach strengthens spatial reasoning skills and deepens understanding of mathematical concepts - such as angles, perimeter, and symmetry. Additionally, using the Finch robot fosters problem-solving and computational thinking, as students must debug their code to achieve the desired shape. The processes of programming and observing the robot in action make learning more dynamic, enjoyable, and applicable to real-world STEM concepts.

March Continued:

Mar. 17 - St. Patrick's Day (Monday) - Wear Green!

Mar. 20 - First Day of Spring (Free Rita's Water Ice)

Mar. 21 - Spirit Day - Rock Your Socks (For Down Syndrome)

Mar. 22 - Butler Spring Fair (Saturday - 10:00 AM-3:00 PM)

Mar. 24 - Report Cards (LIVE) - Parent Portal @ 1:00 PM

Mar. 25 - CBSD Parent Event - Screenagers: Elementary Edition (Lenape Middle School @ 7 PM)

Mar. 27 & 28 - Half-Day Dismissals (12:25 PM Dismissal Begins)

Mar. 27 & 28 - Parent/Teacher Conferences (PM)

April:

Apr. 2 - Spirit Day - Light it Up Blue for Autism (Wear Blue)

Apr. 8 - PTO School Assembly - Chinese Acrobats (PM)

Apr. 11 - PTO Lip Sync (5th & 6th Only) - 7:00 PM

Apr. 17 - No School for Students (Thursday) - Staff Development

Apr. 18 - School Holiday - No School

Apr. 21 - No School for Students (Monday) - Staff Development

Apr. 23-25 - PSSA English Language Arts (ELA) - Gr. 3-6

Apr. 26 - CB Kids Triathlon (Pre-Registrants Only - See details below)

Apr.29-30 - PSSA Math - Gr. 3-6

May:

May 1 - PSSA Science - Gr. 5 (ONLY)

Save the date for 6th Grade Promotion - to be held on Tuesday, June 10th in the Butler gymnasium. The ceremony will begin at 7:00 PM - with more information to be sent from the school later this spring. We look forward to celebrating this group of special Butler Bear students!

Central Bucks Aquatics offers clinics in the spring for swimming and diving. We also offer lifeguard courses. Please see the links below for information about these programs and reach out to me at jsteinberg@cbsd.org with questions.

• Spring swim clinic (program for swimmers who want to get ready for participation with a swim team and those who already have team experience)
• Spring dive clinic (program for new divers and those with team experience)
• Lifeguard courses (initial certification and recertification available)

Are you watching kids become too accustomed to using technology at too young an age? Physician and filmmaker Delaney Ruston saw this happening with her kids and wondered about the impact and the friction occurring in homes and schools around negotiating screen time. The result is "Screenagers: Elementary School Age Edition."

On Tuesday, March 25 at 7 p.m. in the Lenape Middle School auditorium, parents, guardians, and caregivers are invited to a screening of the film, which will kick off a CBSD series on digital wellness. "Screenagers: Elementary School Age Edition" is a version of the original "Screenagers" movie and addresses issues that elementary school aged kids, parents and educators are facing, such as smartwatches in class, unhooking from and monitoring video gaming, social media pressures, exposure too young, and what research shows is a healthy amount of screen time. Solutions are also offered.

No pre-registration is required. This event is for parents, guardians and caregivers only. There will be no child care available.

The Central Bucks High School South Titan Thespians are proud to present Sweeney Todd, School Edition, on Friday, March 28, and Saturday, March 29, 2025. Tickets are currently on sale via this link

Communication and planning support family-efforts on important school events. See below!

Calling all kindergarten to 6th-grade students -- it's almost time lace up your sneakers for the first annual CB Kids Run event on Saturday, April 26 then get ready to TRI something new at the third annual CB Kids Triathlon on Sunday, June 8. Registration for both events is now open. Learn more and register!

Check out the schedule for opportunities with upcoming summer music camps in CB!

This week, our Butler community celebrated “Read Across America”. This year, we celebrated authors from across the United States. Our weeklong appreciation for reading launched Monday the 3rd with a Red, White, and Blue spirit day - as well as a visit from our State Representative, Brian Munroe! He truly enjoyed reading Green Eggs and Ham with two of our AM kindergarten classes! Then each day, students learned about different American authors, listened to their books, and participated in a school-wide contest where classes guessed where each author lived. Our week concluded on Friday the 7th with a “dress like your favorite book character” spirit day, a celebration of Pennsylvania authors, and an Author’s visit by 2017 Newbery Award winner, Adam Gidwitz, for our intermediate grades! Thanks to the reading specialists for coordinating our week and to Mrs. Hanna, school librarian, with scheduling our author!

On Friday, March 7th, Newbery Award Winning Author, Adam Gidwitz - spoke to students from grades 4-6 about his life as a creator of popular children's novels - like his "Grimm" Series, "Inquisitors" Series, "Unicorn" Series, and "Max" Series. He spoke about how his personal experiences and interests in his childhood and throughout life directly connected to ideas that eventually became source material for his book. For instance, his wife studies medieval times - of which historically accurate events are depicted throughout his newer Inquisitor's Tales Series. He mixed humor with talented storytelling that kept the children engaged for the presentation! Thanks to Mrs. Hanna and the Doylestown Book Store for coordinating this visit!

Our Butler students and staff took time to celebrate the end of the 2nd trimester of the 24-25 school year on 3/14. Students and staff began our event singing, "BUTLER BEARS! Green & White! We love our school with all our MIGHT!" Afterwards, Ms. Griffin led our school through fun events including a principal competition and Blooket game. To end the celebration, we enjoyed a slide show set to fun music of our events throughout the trimester! Thanks to our Spirit Committee for planning our event!

Sixth grade Butler Bear, Matthew F. loves hosting events and began a 5th Grade March Madness tradition last year. Our 5th gr. student representatives wanted to keep his tradition going! Seven teams were determined, chose captains, and hosted a draft. During recess, teams played each other until two remained - Emily O. and Charlie M.’s teams! The Championship round did not disappoint as Charlie’s team broke the tie and prevailed as the 24-25 March Madness winners! This year, Matthew F. (founder of the MM tourney), created a 3-D printed trophy with medals to present the participants!

During our 3/14 half-day, the MVP and Charlie’s team played against our Butler 5th Grade Teachers. It was a close game with a few dunks from Mr. Goodyear and excellent defense from Mrs. Teeple, Mrs. Schlotter, and Mr. Guenst! Mr. Kelly broke the tie scoring on a foul shot to put the teachers on top! At the end, Mrs. Schlotter and the student representatives awarded Sportsmanship, MVP, and Super Fan awards. March Madness created a frenzy of fun in 5th Grade!

After learning about economic concepts, 3rd grade students created products, determined pricing, and engaged in buying and selling from other 3rd grade entrepreneurs. Students participated in creating advertising, making commercials, and applying what they knew about supply and demand. Students enjoyed the opportunity to showcase their ideas!

Congratulations to Butler's Manthan P. from Wilde 6 who participated in the 2025 First Lego League (FLL) challenge. The community-based robotics team, ElectroBOTS, earned high praise in this year’s competition, where the theme “SUBMERGED” tasked teams with designing, building, and programming a robot to solve missions related to ocean exploration. Additionally, participants were challenged to identify a problem faced by ocean explorers and develop a creative, innovative solution. The team has received many accolades throughout this year including placing in the Top 10% of teams in Pennsylvania, earning a Golden Ticket to the FLL Pennsylvania State Championships in February. Manthan and his ElectroBOTS teammates will be presenting their innovative project at the 2025 Johnson & Johnson Global Engineering Showcase. We are proud of Manthan and his accomplishments!

Simon Butler's students and staff embrace the Butler Pledge, the foundation of our school's positive behavior program. Our Butler Community promises to:

Be Respectful * Be Responsible * Be Kind

This pledge to all Butler Bears upholds our traditional Pillars: B.U.T.L.E.R.

Butler (at its Best!); Understanding; Teamwork; Leadership; Educational Excellence; Respect

Each week, students earn Positive Paw Power Coupons for their good deeds and honorable actions as recognition. Children enter them into our collection bins where names are drawn to earn a special "Breakfast with the Principals".

3/7 Winners: Seamus K. (Kdg.), Weston L. (Gr.1), Amina M. (Gr.2), Keaton S. (Gr.3), Jackson Y. (Gr.4), Amelie B. (Gr.5), Isabelle K-O (Gr.6), Staff Member - Mrs. Byrne (PEN)

3/14 Winners: Ruby N. (Kdg.), Rayya A. (Gr.1), Harper H. (Gr.2), Janice H. (Gr.3), Nora M. (Gr.4), Parvathy N. (Gr.5), Jordyn W. (Gr.6), Staff Member - Mrs. Kash (Special Education)

Individual student winners choose a special activity from the "Choice Board" - where they identify a special event in which they will participate.

"Welcome Back!" - The Butler PTO Newsletter is an informative publication that provides insight and info for events hosted by the Butler PTO. Please click here to open the newsletter.

Superintendent: Steven Yanni, Ed. D.

Assistant Superintendent-Secondary: Charles Malone, Ed. D.

Assistant Superintendent-Elementary: Nadine Garvin, Ed. D.

Website: cbsd.org
Location: 20 Welden Drive, Doylestown, PA, USA
Phone: 267-893-2000
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cbschools/
Twitter: @CBSDSchools

Principal: Karl Funseth

Principal's Secretary: Peggy Bernabei

Assistant Principal: Lauren Dowd

Assistant Principal's Secretary: Michele Droxler

Website: https://www.cbsd.org/butler
Location: 200 Brittany Drive, Chalfont, PA, USA
Phone: 267-894-4250
Twitter: @CBButlerElem