September 19, 2025

Bobcat Bolt Kick-Off
This week we launched the Bobcat Bolt, our Fall PTO Fundraiser! The success of this event allows us to continue supporting field trip opportunities, classroom improvement funds, and other projects that enrich every child’s learning experience. Click here to register and donate--you also can share your child's link family and friends! Thank you for helping us get off to such a strong start!

Picture Day Smiles
We ended the week with Picture Day and loved seeing our students dressed in their picture-best smiles. We can’t wait to see how they turn out!

Next Week’s Schedule

• Monday, 9/22 – Half day with a 12:10 dismissal

• Tuesday, 9/23 – No school
  It’s a short and choppy week, but we’ll make the most of it and keep the learning momentum going.

PAWSitive Behavior Update
Further down in this newsletter, you’ll find an update on PAWSitive Behavior and reflective questions you can use during the afternoon car ride or around the dinner table to support your child’s positive choices.

A huge thank you to our families for rallying together to promote positive behavior across all settings—from classrooms to the playground, and especially on our buses. Your partnership makes a big difference!

Sept 22: Half Day for Students; 12:10 Dismissal

Sept 23: No School for Students

Oct 2 - No School

Oct 17 - 1/2 Day for Students; 12:10 Dismissal

Oct 18 - PTO Trunk or Treat

Oct 20 - No School

Oct 31 - Halloween Parade @2:15

As we wrap up week four of the school year, we are taking time to reflect on how our students are doing with our PAWS expectations: Practice kindness, Act responsibly, Work and play safely, and Show respect.

We’ve noticed that many students are eager to earn Bobcat Bucks when they see an adult nearby, which is wonderful to see. However, we are also focusing on an important reminder: true integrity shows in what we do when no one is watching. The choices our learners make when an adult’s eyes are not on them are just as important—if not more—than the ones they make in the moment when they’re being recognized.

Another area of focus is helping students remember that part of showing respect is allowing others to be themselves. At times, students are becoming overly involved in others’ business rather than giving peers the space to make their own choices and feel comfortable.

We encourage families to talk with your children about how they can live out PAWS in every setting, whether in the classroom, on the playground, in the cafeteria, or simply walking down the hallway. By practicing kindness, acting responsibly, working and playing safely, and showing respect—even when no one is watching—our learners strengthen their character and build a positive community for all.

Looking to spark conversation about PAWS at home, here are some starter questions:

• When was a time today that you showed kindness to someone without being asked?

• How did you act responsibly when an adult wasn’t watching?

• What does it look like to “work and play safely” during recess or in the cafeteria?

• How did you show respect for someone else’s space or choices today?

• Was there a time you wanted to step into someone else’s business? How did you handle it?

• What is one thing you’re proud of yourself for doing that showed integrity?

• Who did you notice practicing PAWS today, and what did they do?

Our school is proud to be a Title I school, which means we receive additional federal funding to provide extra academic support and strengthen learning for all students. Through this program, we are fortunate to have dedicated reading specialists and a math specialist who partner with classroom teachers to address learner needs and build strong skills in literacy and mathematics.

As part of being a Title I school, we want you to know that our teachers have met all qualifications as defined in ESEA. If you would like to learn more about your teacher's training and credentials, please review the "Right to Know" letter below to learn about what questions you may ask of our Title I team.

To learn more about Title I and how it benefits our Bobcats, please open the attached document for additional details.

If you are a family member of a current Fern Hill Elementary student or staff member and you are a veteran or currently serving in the Armed Forces, we would like to invite you to our annual Veterans Day Celebration on Tuesday, November 11, 2025. We want to have the opportunity to say THANK YOU for serving our nation! Guests can arrive at 8:45 AM. We will begin with refreshments in the cafeteria with your Fern Hill host from 8:45 - 9:15 a.m. Following refreshments, we will move to the gymnasium for a school-wide assembly. If you can attend, please fill out the form below so that we can be prepared for your attendance. Thank you for your service, and we look forward to seeing you there.

Click here to sign up a veteran!

Please contact our Veterans Day coordinators, Mrs. Stefano (astefano@wcasd.net) or Mrs. Heckenberger (mheckenberger@wcasd.net) with any questions.

Calling all 4th and 5th graders who love a challenge—our Unicycle Club is here! Led by Mr. Usilton, students will build balance, focus, and determination as they learn one of the toughest (and most exciting) skills in elementary school: riding a unicycle!

• Meeting Dates: Wednesdays – Nov. 5, 12, 19 & Dec. 3, 10, 17

• Time: 4:00–5:00 PM (pick-up at the library entrance car line)

• Spots: Limited to 12–15 students (lottery if interest exceeds capacity)

• Required: Students must bring their own helmet (limited helmets available if needed).

Permission slips are due by October 15. Questions? Contact Mr. Usilton at musilton@wcasd.net.

Get ready to roll—on one wheel!

PA State school health mandated immunization, physical and dental requirements for 25-26 school year:

1. All students are required to be up to date with PA state mandated immunizations within the first 5 days of school in order to avoid being excluded from school.
2. All kindergarten students and any student registering for the first time to FHE must submit updated physical and dental examination report to the school nurse within the first 60 days of school in order to avoid being excluded from school. Reports can be dated on/after September 2024.
3. Rising 3rd Graders- Your child is required to have a dental exam in his/her 3rd grade school year (2025-2026). This is not a new requirement, but WCASD now has a provisional period of 60 days from the start of school. This means your child’s dental exam report is due on or before November 1, 2025. This deadline is a long time off, but the nurse can accept upcoming or recent dental reports any time and update your child’s health record now. Exams must have been after 8/30/2024.
   

If you have questions about these requirements, please contact our school nurse, Mrs. Brittany Garraty (bgarraty@wcasd.net).

If you registered your child(ren) through WCASD portal and did not upload all or part of the above PA state school health mandates, please send the information to Mrs. Garraty at the above email address as soon as possible.

Thank you for partnering with us to ensure we have your child's most up-to-date medical records on file.

The Bobcat Bolt kicked off on Monday with a fun and energizing assembly for our Bobcats and so far we’ve raised over $6,000! Wow!

We need your help to make the Bobcat Bolt a great success! We're seeking parent volunteers to help before and during the race event on Friday, October 3rd. Please see our Sign-up genius here.

Bobcat Bolt - Registration Challenge: Now through 9/25!

Over the next week, Mrs. Mulherin is cranking up the heat in the cafeteria. She pledges that for every 50 students who register online, she will eat 1 EXTRA SPICY chicken wing at lunch duty on Thursday, 9/25. Even if you plan to donate via cash or check, this is a great way to share your donation link with family across the US. Go get registered this weekend for the kids to witness a true, spicy throwdown! CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Please don't hesitate to e-mail our event chair, Heidi Mulherin (heidi.mulherin@gmail.com) with any questions.

Save the date: Trunk or Treat:

Join us for one of the favorite events of the year: Fern Hill’s Annual Trunk or Treat, Saturday, October 18 from 6-7:15 in Fern Hill’s parking lot. New this year- we’ll have Chick-fil A on site for food purchases!

• Click here to register your trunk!
• Click here to sign up to help at the event.

Thank you to all who joined us at Fern Hill night at the Phillies - what an awesome night for a game and a WIN! We hope you all had a blast. A special and HUGE thank you to Steph Davey for organizing the event and securing tickets for our Bobcat families!

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!

Click here to purchase [web.treering.com]

The fun and success of all our school events and fundraisers depends on volunteers. We still have some open spots that need to be filled to ensure our Bobcats have an awesome fun-filled year! Check out all the open spots and sign-up where you want to lend a hand. No prior experience required. If you have questions email Meghan at Meghankaz@gmail.com.

Committee Sign-Up

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!

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.

If you are planning a family trip, please complete the Trip Approval Form to notify the Main Office and gain approval for your trip. The Vacation Request Form will also always be available on our Fern Hill Website under the "For Parents" section.

• Fern Hill Website
• PTO Website
• Vacation Approval Request Form

• FHE: Kindergarten Lunch Duty
• FHE: 1st Grade Lunch Duty

Jennifer Southmayd

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