News from the Eagles' Nest

Hello EXE Families,

It's been another wonderful week at EXE! It is hard to believe we are heading into the final week of October. Our students have been busy learning, growing, and enjoying all that this time of year brings. We have a few exciting events and important reminders to share as we head into the weekend.

We are looking forward to seeing our EXE families tonight at our PTO-sponsored Trunk or Treat! This is always such a fun evening for our students and families to come together, show off their creativity, and enjoy time with our school community. A BIG thank you to our PTO and the many volunteers who make these special events possible. We can't wait to see everyone's costumes and decorated trunks!

Next Friday, October 30, students are welcome to wear their Halloween costumes to school! As you plan costumes, please remember that students are not permitted to bring fake or replica weapons to school. Also, we need to be able to see our students' faces during the school, so masks or face coverings that complete cover their face, should be left home. Thank you for your help and keeping any of those items at home on October 30.

Today, we successfully completed one of our required school safety drills. I am proud of our students and staff for the way they followed our procedures and practiced the expectations that help keep our school safe. Just as we practice fire drills each month, school safety drills are an important part of ensuring that our students and staff know what to do in the event of an emergency. We will continue our monthly fire drills and conduct another school safety drill in the spring. While we certainly hope we never need to use these procedures in a real emergency, practicing helps us be prepared. Our teachers approach these drills in a calm, age-appropriate manner, reminding students that they are practicing and that the adults at school are here to keep them safe. Thank you for your continued partnership in helping our students understand the importance of being prepared.

As we look ahead to our upcoming parent-teacher conferences on November 23-25, families will have the opportunity to connect with teachers to celebrate student growth, discuss progress, and identify goals for continued learning. Families may sign up for their child's conference using the link below. One conference time is available for each student, and we ask that families coordinate their availability when selecting a time that works best. This allows our teachers to dedicate time to discussing the progress and learning needs of every student while ensuring that all families have an opportunity to connect. The conference sign-up link can be found here.

Thank you, as always, for your partnership and for helping make EXE such a wonderful school community. We look forward to seeing everyone running back to school on Monday!

With EXE pride,

Dr. B

Beginning Monday, October 26, students in grades 1–5 will participate in our W.I.N. (What I Need) intervention block. This dedicated time during the school day allows us to provide targeted instruction based on each student's individual learning needs.

Over the past several weeks, our grade-level teams, reading specialist, and instructional coach have worked collaboratively to review students' Beginning-of-Year (BOY) benchmark assessment data to identify areas of strength and opportunities for growth. This thoughtful analysis, along with ongoing classroom observations, has helped us determine instructional priorities and create targeted learning groups for W.I.N.

During W.I.N., students may work with their classroom teacher, another teacher within their grade level, or one of our support staff members, depending on their learning needs. Groups are flexible and will be adjusted as students develop new skills and demonstrate growth. Some students will receive additional support with specific skills, while others will have opportunities for reinforcement or enrichment.

Our goal is simple: to ensure every student receives what they need to continue growing and achieving their personal best! We are grateful for the collaboration and thoughtful planning of our teachers and instructional support staff in bringing W.I.N. to life and are excited about the opportunities this dedicated instructional time will provide for our students.

We are pleased to let you know that your child’s beginning of year (BOY) benchmark assessment results are now available in LinkIt! portal. This is the first time district benchmark data has been added to the portal, joining the PSSA and Keystone Exam results that have been available since July. Please be aware that currently Science PSSA and Biology Keystone results are still on hold from the Pennsylvania Department of Education with an estimated release in late November.

If you already have an account: Log in at https://wcasd.linkit.com/parent and click the Reports icon. You will see new benchmark results listed alongside the state assessment data you have already been viewing.

If you have not yet set up your account: Now is a great time to get started. You will need the registration code that was sent to your email from noreply@linkit.com. If you cannot find it or did not receive one, contact your child’s school office to confirm the email address on file and request a new code.

What are benchmarks?

District benchmark assessments are given at key points during the school year in English Language Arts, Science and Math. They measure your child’s current skill levels against grade-level standards and help teachers plan instruction.

An important note about fall scores: BOY benchmarks measure skills at the beginning of the year before much of the grade-level content has been taught. These scores establish a starting point. You should expect to see growth as your child progresses through the school year, with winter and spring benchmarks reflecting that development.

Looking for more information about the acronyms included in your child's benchmarks? Check out this resource.

If you are having difficulty accessing your account, please contact assessment@wcasd.net

We want every student to have the chance to enjoy dressing up for Halloween! If your child is in need of a costume, please reach out to Katie Carlin at kcarlin@wcasd.net. Students who need a costume will be able to shop our pop-up costume shop in the library next week.

Know a WCASD staff member who makes a difference every day? Nominations are now open for the Chester County Champions of Education Awards, celebrating the outstanding educators and support staff who help our students and schools thrive.

Nominate a Champion of the Classroom for educators or a Champion of Service for staff serving in support roles, from paraprofessionals and custodians to food service staff and beyond. Nominations close November 30, 2026. Link found here.

Thank you to our students, families, teachers, and sponsors for making the EXE Fun Run 2026 & Coin War a great success, and to everyone who joined us for the Sky Zone private jump and Dining Night Out at Handel’s. Your energy and generosity made each event special, and your support benefits our school community!

Curious how your support makes a difference? Check it out here.

Shop for holiday gifts while supporting our school! Register, then share the fundraiser with friends and family to help the PTO reach its goal. Check it out here.

Join us for a fun night of BINGO and music provided by DJ J-Smoove! Our hosts will generously donate a portion of the proceeds from this event to the Exton Elementary PTO to support the 5th grade class of 2027.

• When: Tuesday, November 3 at 7:00 PM
• Where: Marchwood Tavern

Preserve this year's memories in a keepsake yearbook. Order by October 31 and save 10%.

• Hardcover: $38.68
• Softcover: $32.31

(Sales tax not included, if applicable.)

Every book includes two free custom pages, printed only in your copy. Add photos from your computer, Facebook, Google Drive, and more, and answer fun memory prompts to help capture the year.

To purchase, visit treering.com/validate and enter the school passcode 1015682207284627 (you must be a parent or a student aged 13 or older). The deadline to create custom pages is April 30.

At Exton, our top priority is student safety during arrival and dismissal. Please read the following carefully so you’re fully prepared for a smooth start to the school year.

Exton uses PickUp Patrol (PUP) to manage all dismissal changes.

• After-School Events: If your child is staying after school for a club or activity, you must log the change in PUP. This ensures staff are aware of your child’s updated dismissal plan. For clubs that meet weekly, please log the change in PUP each day your child is attending.
• Same-Day Changes: All dismissal changes must be entered in PUP by 2:15 PM. Calls, emails, and handwritten notes are not accepted, except in emergencies.

📲 Get started here: PUP Parent Guide

Questions? Contact Kirsten Yantis, EXE Attendance Secretary, at kyantis@wcasd.net.

Download the free Bus Status 4 app to get notifications if your child’s bus is delayed or changed.

Even during construction, all cars should turn onto Hendricks Avenue and follow the posted pickup and drop-off signs. To avoid blocking traffic and allow cars to exit the parking lot smoothly, drivers must complete the full loop on Hendricks Avenue before entering the playground area. This loop maximizes space and helps maintain a steady traffic flow. After looping through the playground area, cars will exit through the main parking lot near the EXE main entrance.

Please pull all the way forward along the sidewalk so more cars can unload safely. For safety, students must exit on the passenger side. A staff member will be at the door to welcome and assist students. Parents remain in their cars during drop-off. If your child needs extra time or support, please park in a designated space and walk them to the door.

Transportation FAQs

PickUp Patrol – PickUP Patrol (PUP) is used for reporting any changes in your child's normal dismissal plan. Questions? Contact Kirsten Yantis, EXE Attendance Secretary, at kyantis@wcasd.net.

A new districtwide attendance reporting system is being used for reporting absences, early dismissals, and late arrivals. You can continue to report early dismissals and late arrivals on Pickup Patrol as well as Parent Portal. Absences will only be reported via the Parent portal or email to kyantis@wcasd.net or EXEAttendance@wcasd.net

For more information: https://www.wcasd.net/families-students/report-attendance-in-parent-portal

Managing your child’s meals and school-related fees is simple with PaySchools Central!

🥗 Menus & Meal Info

• Breakfast & Lunch Menus

• National School Lunch Program

• Breakfast Program Details

We love having our Exton Eagle 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. We can’t wait to see our Eagles in action—both big and small! Click here for more information!

Oct 23 - PTO-sponsored Trunk or Treat Event 6 PM

Oct 24 - Trunk of Treat rain date

Principal: Dr. Kristin Bulgarelli

Email: KBulgarelli@wcasd.net

301 Hendricks Avenue

Exton, PA 19341

Phone: 484-266-1400

Website