EAST WARD COUGAR NEWS - Feb '26

Happy 100th Day Cougars!

Many thanks to all of you for contributing to our MLK Day of Service collection. The outpouring of support was incredible. Thank you to those who braved the elements to participate in our day of service. A large number of families in our DASD community benefitted from the event!

Everyone Matters at East Ward Elementary School. In all that we say and do, our faculty and staff strive to exemplify this message. It is my hope that everyone feels this at our school! We are working very hard this year to ensure that every child gets the instruction that they need to grow as learners. To that end, your child’s iReady diagnostic scores are posted in the Backpack tab in Infinite Campus. You should have received a communication from DASD about the iReady assessment this week. If you have questions, there is a great deal of information that can be accessed at https://i-readycentral.com/familycenter/. I recommend caregivers become as familiar with this fun educational tool. You can also email your child’s teacher if you have additional questions.

As a parent myself, I totally understand the need to stay connected with your child. The world we live in can be a scary one at times, and for that, I appreciate caregivers who want to have the immediate availability to connect with their child. This, coupled with the ability for students to communicate with their friends on these smartwatches has negatively impacted the learning environment.

In order to minimize distractions and avoid communication breakdown between home and school, we encourage both students and caregivers to not engage in back and forth communications via a smartwatch or similar devices during the school day. Additionally, fairly frequently, students have been messaging their friends. For these reasons, smartwatches will be treated as other electronic devices with the exception of any students whose device is critical to their educational programming. Otherwise, they should remain in students’ bookbags until the end of the school day.

If your child is not feeling well during the day, we encourage them to alert their teacher or closest support staff member. The teacher or support staff member will ensure your child is seen by our school nurse. At that point, communication home via the school nurse will be initiated if necessary. Should you need to communicate a message to your child, please do not hesitate to call the office. We will ensure they get the information they need.

Please see this SMORE for more info on Smartwatches at EW.

Thank you for your support in reinforcing this message at home and keeping our students safe and engaged in the classroom.

February is Black History Month. During our morning announcements, students will hear inspiring words from and about African Americans who have made an impact in our world. I encourage everyone to have conversations with your children about what they learn during morning announcements.

At the end of each newsletter, please find helpful information. This section may give you answers to questions you have about things like the student handbook, attendance, or car rider pickup. There's too much for any of us to remember, so I want for everyone to know it can be found below.

Thank you for your support, encouragement, and involvement of all things East Ward!

Best regards,

Dr. Argonish

This month, we come together to celebrate Black History Month—a time to honor the remarkable contributions, resilience, and legacy of Black leaders, artists, and visionaries who have shaped our past and inspire our future. It is a time for learning, reflection, and action as we continue to build a community that values differences and promotes respect for all.

Across the district, many of our schools are engaging in meaningful projects, highlights, and activities that celebrate Black history and culture, and we look forward to sharing and spotlighting these important contributions throughout the month. Through our collective efforts, we can ensure that every student feels empowered, seen, and celebrated for who they are.

February also brings Valentine’s Day, a beautiful reminder of the importance of love and care in our school community. Acts of kindness, compassion, and connection have a ripple effect, creating a school climate where everyone feels valued and supported. Let’s use this opportunity to model empathy and understanding, reminding one another that small gestures of care can make a significant difference.

Thank you for the countless ways you positively influence our students, staff, and school culture. Your dedication and passion are at the heart of what makes our community so special. Together, let’s continue to honor the past, celebrate the present, and inspire a future filled with love, understanding, and progress.

Here’s to a month of celebration, connection, and kindness!

We are excited to announce that DASD is hosting K-6 Open Houses at each of our elementary schools (K-5) and Marsh Creek Sixth Grade Center on Wednesday, February 18 from 4-4:40pm.

You and your child are invited to visit your designated home school during this time, where you’ll both have a chance to explore classrooms, meet teachers, and register for kindergarten.

This event is for preschoolers entering kindergarten in 2026, as well as families exploring enrollment in the Downingtown Area School District. Learn more about Full Day Kindergarten and Downingtown Area School District.

Congratulations to our January Cougars of the Month!!!

Respectable, Responsible, Safe and Kind

Second Step lessons this month continue to focus on empathy and kindness. With this month also being Valentine's Day, it's a great time to reflect on the ways that we show love and kindness to others. In several of my lessons, we talk about how kindness is like a ripple; it spreads from one person to another. We talk about how simple it is to perform an act of kindness, but how meaningful it can feel for the person on the receiving end. That kindness could end up brightening their day, causing them to show kindness to others. What are we doing to promote the spread of kindness, love, and compassion?

How can I promote kindness in my child?

• Notice when they are kind. Verbally appreciate it to them or to someone in front of them: "Wow, did you see what Vivaan just did? That was so helpful and kind!"
• Tell them how you feel when they perform kind acts. Demonstrate the impact they had on you. "That compliment really made me feel warm and happy inside. Thank you for sharing how much you appreciate this meal!"
• Point out acts of kindness you notice throughout the day, whether it's in books, movies, or in real life. Talk about the potential impacts of those acts of kindness. Is there a visible ripple effect?
• When asking about their day, ask questions like "who did you include today?" or "how did you show kindness today?" Our focus and attention shows what is worthy of focus and attention.

Counseling lessons this month align with the social-emotional topic of empathy/kindness in an effort to have consistent language and focus across the school day. You'll find linked the take-away note that will be posted to Class Dojo after each lesson.

K - Friendship

1st - Kindness

2nd - Kindness

3rd - Inclusion

4th - Empathy

5th - Identity/Who am I?

Draw or write about something that has been on your mind. You might feel better once it's out on the paper instead of swirling around in your head!

Dr. Katie Rastetter, School Counselor

krastetter@dasd.org

610-269-8282 ex 23040

Tuesday, February 3: Early Chorus Rehearsal 🎤 7:45-8:45 AM

Wednesday, February 11: Math and Literacy Night 5:30pm - 7:00pm

Thursday, February 12: Spirit Day

Monday, February 16: School Closed - President's Day

Wednesday, February 18: K-6 Open House 4:00-4:40 PM

Friday, February 20: Early Chorus Rehearsal 🎤 7:45-8:45 AM

Wednesday, February 25: Spring Picture Day 📸

Friday, February 27: Spirit Day

Monday, March 2: Early Chorus Rehearsal 🎤 7:45-8:45 AM

Tuesday, March 3: Early Orchestra Rehearsal (4th/5th Gr) 🎤 7:45-8:45 AM

Friday, March 6: Early Band 8:00 AM-8:45 AM 🥁

In celebration of Women’s History Next Month, the Downingtown Area School District is proud to host an inspiring community event featuring former NBC10 Philadelphia News Anchor, Tracy Davidson.

📍 Downingtown East High School Auditorium
📅 Monday, March 2nd
⏰ 6:00–8:00 PM
🎟️ FREE Event

Tracy Davidson is a 15-time Emmy Award–winning anchor and investigative consumer reporter, a breast cancer survivor, and a powerful speaker and advocate. She will be sharing her personal journey and insights on resilience, perseverance, and overcoming life’s challenges.

This is a unique opportunity for students, families, and community members to hear from a nationally respected journalist and inspirational leader—live and in person.

👉 Reserve your free tickets now

💖 Healthy Hearts, Healthy Cougars: Cold and flu season is still in full swing! Please keep your student home if they are sick (fever, vomiting, diarrhea or persistent coughing). This helps us keep everyone safe and ready to learn!

💉 Immunization Requirements: Don’t forget! Pennsylvania law requires students to be up-to-date on vaccinations. If you’ve received any recent immunization updates, please send us a copy for your child’s record.

🧤 Bundle Up: February mornings are chilly! Make sure your students are dressed warmly with coats, hats, and gloves to stay cozy and safe during recess. Encourage water to offset dry skin from exposure to many heat sources during the winter.

🍎 Valentine’s Tip: Sweet treats are fun, but balance is key! Pair those chocolates with healthy snacks like fruit or whole-grain crackers to fuel your student's growing mind.

As always, Nurse Brii and Nurse Jill are here to keep our Cougars happy, healthy, and thriving. If you have questions or concerns, feel free to reach out to us!

Wishing you a February filled with love, learning, and good health! 💌

Literacy in the Sciences: Activity No. 13

Almost every week there is a news story about a new finding or discovery in science. These news stories are one of the exciting steps in the science world: sharing what you find! Helping kids share their own scientific findings will really help them feel like part of the scientific community.

When scientists publish their work, they often have to summarize what they’ve done for readers and listeners who don’t know much about the topic area. Because of that, scientists and researchers have to be able to say what they know in a way that everyone can understand. Summarizing what they’ve learned and explaining it in a simple way are two great activities for young science minds.

Summarizing

A good way to work on summarizing is to start with the big picture. “What was the purpose of our experiment?” “To see how much rain fell during the month of April.” Once the purpose is clear, ask your child to supply some facts. “We made a rain gauge with a plastic cup and a magic marker. We put it in our deck. Every day we checked on it, and poured out any water that was in it. Every day I wrote down how much water was in the cup. Then, I colored in how much rain we got on our bar graph.”

Using descriptive words and definitions

Using any field notes or journal entries, help your child describe the equipment he used, and any vocabulary you talked about throughout the experiment. In the rain gauge example, a gauge and a ruler were used to collect and measure the water. A stretch of long, dry days led to a discussion of the words drought, and a stretch of rainy days led to conversations that included drizzling and pouring. Help your child pair new vocabulary words with simple definitions. “A gauge measures the amount of something, like how much water we collected.”

Sharing what you learned

Once all the information is collected, have your child use a combination of drawing, dictation, and writing to summarize, make simple, and share what he’s learned. Encourage your child to introduce the topic, use facts, and to provide a concluding statement. Some creative ideas for sharing include creating a newspaper article announcing results. “Wettest April in History!” Complete the article with a short paragraph and the bar graph created throughout the month. Another suggestion for sharing findings is to use a variety of digital tools to produce and publish the writing. Photo sharing services or blogging services allow one to easily share published work.

Sharing results from simple experiments brings the scientific process full circle. It provides children with an opportunity to reflect on what they’ve done, and to share that work with others.

February may be short, but it’s full of heart! As we head into this month of kindness, connection, and community, the HSA is excited to keep spreading warmth and school spirit. Our Pizza Bingo night on 1/23 was a huge success - thank you to all of the families who came to play bingo before the big weekend snow storm! In February, we have many announcements, events, and ways to give back to our teachers & staff - learn more below!

• **HSA Board Members Needed for 2026-27**

• Are you interested in getting more involved at East Ward? Consider joining the HSA Board, where you can become a part of a fun, active community of caregivers while giving back to our school community. Please fill out the Google Form if you have any interest: https://forms.gle/MFr7VQC53ZdzKMtK6

• Spring Fair Committee Meeting - Tuesday, February 3, 7pm at Wegmans Cafe

• Are you interested in helping plan East Ward’s biggest event of the year? Please consider stopping by for the first planning meeting for Spring Fair (on May 8, 2026). There are many ways - big and small - to get involved. Please fill out a short Google Form to let us know you'd like to join our Spring Fair Committee: https://forms.gle/KG5sNeYZYinUHndo7

• Teacher Appreciation - Soup(er) Bowl - Friday, February 6

• Help us show appreciation to our EW teachers and staff for our annual Soup Day! Soup Donations are needed! Sign up here: https://tinyurl.com/EWSouperBowl or donate money here: https://tinyurl.com/EWSouperDonate

• Dine & Donate at SNAP Pizza in Exton! Sunday, February 15 from 12pm - 4pm

• Support East Ward by dining at SNAP Pizza in Exton. All proceeds go towards the HSA to support events, field trips, author visits, and more!

• HSA Caregiver Meeting - Wednesday, February 18, 7pm in EW Library

• Join us for our HSA caregiver meeting. During this meeting, the HSA board will provide updates on financials, events, fundraisers, and more. It’s an excellent opportunity to learn more about the school community, connect with other families, and get involved!

• Spring Picture Day! Wednesday, February 25

• Sign-up to volunteer during Spring Picture Day. This is a fun, easy volunteer opportunity - and you can volunteer during your child’s class picture time! https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0D48A5AD28A2FDC43-61946244-spring

★ It’s time to order yearbooks! The East Ward yearbook is a beautiful display of our entire student population. Beyond picture day photos, we capture home and school events, classroom highlights, and more. It truly is special, and always in high demand.

★Order your East Ward Yearbook today! tinyurl.com/EWYearbook26

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/EastWardHSA

Instagram: @EastWardHSA

Website: https://linktr.ee/eastwardhsa

The WBYA Girls Lacrosse League is a fun yet competitive local recreation program. WBYA Girls Lacrosse program has partnered with the Pennsylvania Girls Lacrosse Association (PAGLA) to host teams in the k/2, 3/4, 5/6, and 7/8th grade divisions.

https://wbya.org/girls-lacrosse/?la-sport=Lacrosse&la-gender=FEMALE&la-hasCustomFilters=true

Contact GIRLSLAX@WBYA.ORG for more info and with any questions.

Email: ewinfo@dasd.org
Website: https://ew.dasd.org/
Location: 435 Washington Ave, Downingtown, PA 19335, USA
Phone: 610-269-8282
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dasdew
Twitter: @dasd_ew