FC April 2026 Family Newsletter

Spring is in full swing at Fishing Creek, and with it comes a season filled with learning, celebration, and new opportunities for our students. This month, we’re excited to welcome families into our school for Spring Open House, a special evening to visit classrooms and see the great work happening throughout the building.

Our school community is also enjoying this year’s One School, One Book experience as we follow the new adventures of Winnie the Pooh and his friends together. It has been wonderful to see students talking about the story, making connections, and sharing in the excitement across grade levels.

At the same time, our 3rd and 4th graders are preparing for PSSA testing, and we are confident they will shine as they show all they have learned this year.

Below you’ll find important dates, classroom highlights, and ways to stay involved. Thank you for your continued support in making Fishing Creek a place where students learn, grow, and thrive!

Thursday, April 2 - Remote Learning Day

Friday, April 3 - No School

Monday, April 6 - No School

Wednesday, April 8 from 5:30 - 7:00

Open House - See below for more information

Tuesday, April 14 at 6:30

PTO Meeting in the Library

Thursday, April 16 at 6:00

PTO Skate Night at Fountainblu

**The date on the printed district calendar is incorrect because we needed to change the date**

PSSA Testing - 3rd and 4th Grade

April 21 thru April 23 (English Language Arts)

April 28 and 29 (Math)

Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSAs) are rapidly approaching... We will be testing on the following dates for students in grades 3-4:

Morning Start Times (immediately after student arrival)

· April 21 thru April 23 (English Language Arts)

· April 28 and 29 (Math)

Prior to testing we ask that students get a good night’s sleep and are well rested prior to the assessment. It is also important that students eat a balanced meal the morning beforehand. If students are unable to eat at home, please keep in mind that breakfast remains free here at school. It's important that students are on time each testing day. We are not permitted to allow students to enter testing sessions once the testing session has begun.

Stay tuned for more information in the coming weeks, including some communication from the district office.

• Thursday, April 16 - Purple Up (wear purple)
• Wednesday, April 22 - Earth Day (wear earthy colors- blue, green, brown)
• Wednesday, April 29 - Shark of the Month (Shark Shirt Day)

Spring Open House & Book Bash Night – Wednesday, April 8

Join us for our Spring Open House and Book Bash Night on Wednesday, April 8 from 5:30–7:00 PM! Families are invited to stop by, visit classrooms, and see the great learning happening throughout Fishing Creek.

We’ll also be celebrating our One School, One Book program together! The PTO will be hosting crafts, activities, and free food as we enjoy an evening of reading, community, and fun inspired by the adventures of Winnie the Pooh and friends.

It will also be the last chance to compete in our building-wide Penny Wars fundraiser. Historically, 4th grade has been known to get a little sneaky with this one… so don’t let your guard down!

Art Room Pickup
1st–4th grade families: Be sure to stop by the art room to pick up your student’s clay projects. Mrs. Doll will have them laid out on the tables and ready to take home.

We hope to see you there for a fun evening celebrating our students and our school community!

April is the Month of the Military Child, a time to recognize the sacrifices and contributions of children in military families. Purple represents all branches of the military, symbolizing our unity and support. On Thursday, April 16th, we invite all students, staff, and district residents to participate in Purple Up! Day by wearing purple.

Let’s come together as a community to show our appreciation and encouragement for our military-connected students. Wear your purple proudly on April 16th and help spread awareness!

Join us for Field Day at Fishing Creek! Volunteers are needed to assist on Friday, May 29th. Please Note: All volunteers must have up-to-date clearances on file with the district or submit clearances prior to Field Day. Volunteers should bring their own packed lunch. Please do not bring any additional children. A digital sign-up link will be sent through SeeSaw in a few weeks. Contact Ms. Adams with any questions: RAdams@wssd.k12.pa.us.

🐟🦈 Sharks of the Month: Cooperation!

At Fishing Creek, we know we’re stronger when we work together! Our Sharks of the Month for Cooperation have shown what it means to be great teammates—helping others, listening to ideas, and working together to solve problems.

We are so proud of the way these students support their classmates and make our school community stronger every day. Way to go, Sharks! 👏🦈

PTO Update

Spring is here and the PTO has a lot of fun events and activities in full swing! We’re excited to continue building a strong school community and hope to see many of our Fishing Creek families join in the weeks ahead.

📚 One Book, One School

Our school-wide reading event is underway! Students and families are enjoying this shared reading experience together. Thank you to Ms. Hart for all of her hard work in making this program possible, as well as to all of the guest readers who took time to participate. Be sure to join us for the Book Bash during Open House on April 8th.

🍯 Penny/Coin Wars

Our themed Penny Wars fundraiser is in full swing and ties into our One Book, One School theme. Keep the momentum going! Pennies and bills earn points for your grade, while silver and gold coins can be used to “sabotage” other grades. Penny Wars will also be available during Open House.

🏫 Open House & Book Bash – April 8 | 5:30–7:00 PM

Join us for Open House and Book Bash Night! Families can visit classrooms, enjoy crafts, free food, and celebrate our One Book, One School program together.

🗳 PTO Board Voting – April PTO Meeting

Thank you to those who have expressed interest in PTO board positions, we’re excited to see continued

involvement! Voting will take place at the April PTO meeting. There is still time to get involved if you’re

interested in helping support our school community.

🛼 Skate Night / 🦈 Shark Spirit Night – April 16 | 6:00–8:00 PM

Join us for our final skate night of the year! Wear your Fishing Creek spirit wear for Shark Spirit Night and receive $1 admission per skater (skate rentals and skate buddy rentals available at an additional cost).

🍦 Community Night: Sweet Frog – April 23

Join us for a sweet treat at Sweet Frog on April 23rd! A portion of proceeds will support the PTO; more details will be shared soon.

🌸 Spring Fundraiser – Coming Soon

Our Boosterthon Spring Fundraiser will be kicking off soon. More information will be shared in the coming weeks.

👕 Spirit Wear Available

Fishing Creek spirit wear is available for purchase:

https://store.jcarlogogear.com/fishing_creek_elementary_school/shop/home

Please note:

Prices are higher than our typical beginning-of-year sale. Also, orders will not be delivered to the school. Items can be shipped to your home or picked up from the vendor.

Thank you to all of our Fishing Creek families, staff, and volunteers for your continued support. Your

involvement helps make these events and opportunities possible for our students!

📢 Stay Connected with the PTO! 📢

Want the latest updates, event details, and our full calendar? Here’s how you can keep in touch:

📅Next PTO Meeting: April 14, 2026 - Virtual option available!

🌐 Website: FishingCreekPTO.com

📘 Facebook: Fishing Creek Elementary School PTO

📧 Email: FishingCreekPTO@gmail.com (we’d love to hear from you!)

Each evening, please take a few minutes to check your child’s Shark Folder. This is our take-home folder and may include important notes from school, homework, student work, and classroom updates. Reviewing it together helps keep families informed and students organized. Thank you for making this part of your daily routine! 🦈📂

We’re looking for volunteers to help with the Shark Store for our 3rd and 4th grade students! The Shark Store is always an exciting time for our kids to celebrate their hard work and positive choices. If you’re available to lend a hand, we’d love to have your support in making this event a success.

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0F4CAEA82CABFCC61-58424887-fishing

Character Focus: Courage & PBIS Spotlight

This month, our character focus is Courage! We’re helping students understand that courage means doing the right thing, even when it’s hard or when others might not. Whether it’s standing up for a friend, trying something new, or admitting a mistake, acts of courage help students grow stronger and more confident.

Our PBIS focus continues to be on being Safe, Kind, and Responsible, especially on the playground. We’re encouraging students to make positive choices while playing, such as including others, using kind words, following game rules, and asking for help when needed. These choices show courage and help make recess a fun and safe time for everyone.

Family Discussion Tip: Ask your child: What does courage mean? Talk about times when they or someone they know have shown courage, like trying a new activity, speaking up for what’s right, or solving a conflict peacefully. You can also share a time when you showed courage and how it helped you or others. Remind your child that even small brave actions can make a big difference!

For additional information regarding CharacterStrong, please visit our CharacterStrong & Social Emotional Learning website.

As always, please contact us if you have questions or need assistance!

Matthew Wensel

Principal - Fishing Creek Elementary School

wenselm@wssd.k12.pa.us

717-938-6565

Mr. Adam Marshall

Assistant Principal - Fishing Creek Elementary School

marshalla@wssd.k12.pa.us

Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter @FCSharks1 and Instagram @FCSharks1 to see the awesome things happening here at FC!