March 6, 2026
Mystery Readers & More!
What a joyful week it has been at Fern Hill! We celebrated Read Across America Week with spirit days, special read-alouds, and lots of extra moments throughout the week dedicated to the joy of reading.
⭐ Mystery Reader Finale
Each day, students tuned in to listen to our Mystery Readers, paying close attention for clues and sharing their best guesses about who might be behind the story.
Today’s big reveal was worth the wait! Our Mystery Readers made their grand entrance in hilarious blow-up costumes, surprising students and bringing plenty of laughter as we wrapped up the week together. It was a fun reminder that stories bring us together—and that our teachers are always willing to make reading memorable for our students. 📚🎉
📊 Trimester 2 Ends Today
Today, March 6, marks the end of Trimester 2.
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Report cards will be available: March 18 in the Parent Portal
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Family conferences: If you have not yet signed up, please scroll down to secure a time
Conferences are a valuable opportunity to connect with your child’s teacher and talk together about the growth they’ve made since the fall.
🎮 Coming Next Week: 5th Grade Cardboard Arcade
Next week we’re excited to launch a new tradition—the 5th Grade Cardboard Arcade!
As a culminating project in Design Lab, our fifth graders design and build fully playable arcade games using cardboard and other creative materials.
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Friday, March 13: Students in grades K–4 will visit the arcade and try out the games created by our fifth graders. This is always a highlight for both the designers and their younger audience!
⏰ Reminder: Half Day on March 13
Friday, March 13 is also a half-day for students as our teachers participate in professional learning during the afternoon.
Upcoming Dates
Mar 13 - Half Day for Students; PM In-Service
March 13 - Cardboard Arcade hosted by the 5th Graders
March 18 - Trimester 2 Report Cards Available in PowerSchool
March 18-19 - Spring Parent-Teacher Conferences
- No School for Elementary Learners
March 20 - Schools Closed K-12; Eid Al-Fitr
March 27 - Jump Rope for Heart
April 1 - Half Day for Students; PM In-Service
April 2 -6 - Schools Closed - No School for Students; Spring Break
Spring Conference Sign-Up is Open!
It is time for families to schedule their child’s Spring Conference! Our staff is looking forward to meeting with you for a Spring conference as an opportunity to share your child's progress, strengths, and areas for growth.
To schedule your child's conference,
Go to https://ptcfast.com/schools/Fern_Hill_Elementary_School
Please check the box for your child's homeroom teacher. Families with multiple children will have to do the process individually for each child.
Enter your registration information.
Check your email (and spam folder) and click on the access link to select your conference time. If you would like to request a virtual conference, type Virtual Conference in the Special Request box.
Click Confirm Selections & Exit. If you need to schedule a conference for another child, go back to https://ptcfast.com/schools/Fern_Hill_Elementary_School
If you do not have internet access, please contact your child’s teacher.
As a reminder, the school schedule for conference week is as follows:
March 18 - No School for Students; Conferences 8-11AM and 12:20-3:20PM
March 19 - No School for Students; Conferences 8-11AM and 12:20-3:20PM
March 20 - No School for Students; Schools Closed
Please contact your classroom teacher with any questions. We look forward to seeing you in the building soon!
Heritage Day - May 28 -- Volunteer Now!
Spring Conference Teacher Luncheon: Parent Volunteers Needed
Our Fern Hill teachers and staff will be quite busy during upcoming Spring conferences, so we want to keep their bellies full during the long days!
The Hospitality Committee will be providing a luncheon and snack cart on Wednesday, March 18. Main dishes will be catered. Donations of newly purchased drinks, snacks, and dessert funding are being accepted. Please check out the Sign Up Genius here. Thank you in advance for helping to feed our wonderful teachers and staff, they are very appreciative of this long standing Fern Hill tradition!
Hersheypark Discount Tickets: Back by Popular Demand!
The Fern Hill PTO is offering discounted Hersheypark tickets for just $49 each (regularly up to $90+ for ages 3+ during summer). Tickets are valid April 3, 2026 – January 3, 2027, and every purchase supports our PTO.
Order online via the PTO website by Sunday, April 19th and tickets will be distributed the following week via e-mail. Note: You may purchase tickets for family and friends, but you cannot sell them to the general public. For orders over 9 tickets, please submit an additional form.
Spring Book Fair: March 16-24
The Literati Book Fair is coming March 16th-24th; join us as we seek stories on the seven seas! All purchases benefit our school PTO. We would love your help with the book fair. Please sign up here to help with set-up, preview days, shopping days, and breakdown! See the attached tentative class schedule to see when your child(ren) will be participating.The online book fair remains active now!
The book fair will also be open for family shopping during conferences March 18th-19th. Thank you for helping make this adventure possible! Reach out with any questions to Victoria Hackett at vhackett7928@gmail.com
All payment types are accepted; Gift cards are available to purchase online. Please make checks out to Fern Hill Elementary PTO.
Join the PTO Board
It’s not too early to start thinking about how you’d like to be involved at Fern Hill next year! The PTO Board is a fantastic way to make a difference and be involved in our many fun events and fundraisers! Several spots will be vacant with our fifth grade families moving on. If you have any questions please reach out to Megan Kazanjian at meghankaz@gmail.com
Fern Hill Unplugged
Calling all Fern Hill parents! We are looking for parents to join together to start a Fern Hill Chapter of West Chester Unplugged! Please reach out to Ali Haas at ahaas19603@gmail.com if you’re interested in joining. This is for parents interested in learning about and setting boundaries for technology with our kids, both at home and in school.
2025-2026 Yearbook: On sale now
Want one less thing on your to-do list in May? Order your yearbook early and save 10%—but hurry, the discount ends October 31st!
Scan your receipts to earn BoxTops for Fern Hill
Earning money for our school has never been easier! All you need to do is download the Box Tops app, create an account, and scan your grocery receipt. Easy and quick! Last year we earned $500 from Box Tops for Fern Hill!
Volunteer Clearances
We love having our families volunteer throughout the building. In order to volunteer, adults are required to have their clearances on file with us. Clearances can take 4-6 weeks to acquire, so please be sure to get the process started if you're looking to volunteer this Fall.
Planning a Vacation?
Fern Hill Elementary School
Principal
Email: jsouthmayd@wcasd.net
Website: https://www.wcasd.net/fhe
Location: 915 Lincoln Avenue, West Chester, PA, USA
Phone: 484 266 1600
Twitter: @FernHillES