Dear East Ward Caregivers,

As we wrap up another incredible school year, we want to take a moment to reflect on all that our students have accomplished. From academic growth to acts of kindness and curiosity, we are so proud of each and every Cougar!

We truly had an amazing last few months of school. Our musicians had their Spring Concerts, and they sounded wonderful! Our students' art brightened the halls for the Spring Art Show! We enjoyed a day of physical activity at Field Day! We highlighted reading and math at our Family Math and Literacy Night, offering an opportunity to demonstrate fun ways to enhance learning! We had a visit from an Eagle- Tanner McKee!! Finally, we closed the year with our Senior Walk- welcoming our former East Ward Seniors and having our End of Year Assembly to congratulate our 5th grade students who will be moving on!

To our families—thank you. Your ongoing support, encouragement, and partnership have meant the world to us. We truly could not have done it without you!

As summer begins, we encourage everyone to take time to enjoy the simple joys of life—spend time with family and friends, explore the outdoors, stay curious, and most importantly, keep learning! Read books together, write stories, ask big questions, and use your imaginations. Exercise your bodies and your brains!

Every student received a Summer Practice Packet designed to keep their minds sharp and ready for the next school year. We ask that students try their best to complete it. A little practice each week can go a long way!

Wishing you a summer full of joy, discovery, and relaxation. We can’t wait to see you in the fall!

With Cougar Pride,

Dr. Argonish

Congratulations to EW Special Olympics Team. The EW students competed at track and field day, hosted by Downingtown West High School. What a beautiful day to meet up with our friends from the other schools in the Downingtown School District.

May was Jewish American Heritage Month and Asian Pacific Islander Heritage Month. As May begins, we enter a month devoted to honoring the rich cultural legacies, stories, and contributions of Jewish Americans and Asian Pacific Islanders.

Jewish American Heritage Month invites us to reflect on a history of resilience, achievement, and vibrant tradition that has shaped our nation in profound ways. At the same time, API Heritage Month celebrates the diverse cultures, languages, and experiences of Asian and Pacific Islander communities—reminding us of the strength found in unity, heritage, and the shared pursuit of belonging.

This month offers an opportunity not only to celebrate, but to deepen our understanding. By opening our hearts to new stories and perspectives, we strengthen the fabric of our community. When we listen with intention and support one another with care, we move closer to a world rooted in empathy, dignity, and hope.

Here’s to a month of learning, connection, and honoring the remarkable impact of these communities.

🎉 Cinco de Mayo (May 5)

Cinco de Mayo honors the Mexican victory at the Battle of Puebla and is often celebrated as a day to recognize Mexican culture, pride, and heritage in the U.S.

📚 Books to Celebrate Mexican Culture:

· “Cinco de Mouse-O!” by Judy Cox – A fun introduction to the holiday with a mischievous mouse.

· “Just a Minute: A Trickster Tale and Counting Book” by Yuyi Morales – A delightful story that introduces Spanish numbers.

· “What Can You Do with a Paleta?” by Carmen Tafolla – A colorful look at a cherished Mexican treat and community.

· “Abuela” by Arthur Dorros – A sweet story of love between a grandmother and granddaughter told in English and Spanish.

💐 Mother’s Day (May 12)

A time to celebrate moms, grandmothers, aunts, caregivers, and all the loving women in our lives!

📚 Books for Celebrating Mother’s Day:

· “My Mom Is Magical” by Sabrina Moyle – A joyful celebration of all the things moms do.

· “Llama Llama Mother’s Day Present” by Anna Dewdney – A sweet story of a little llama’s special surprise.

· “The Night Before Mother’s Day” by Natasha Wing – A rhyming story about preparing for the big day.

· “Thank You, Omu!” by Oge Mora – A celebration of community and generosity inspired by a loving grandmother.

What is the PA Climate Survey?

We would like to thank everyone who participated in our PA Climate survey! This online survey, designed for students, teachers, parents, and community members in PA schools, collects valuable data to enhance school climate. It explores key areas like Student Support, Social Emotional Learning, Safe School Climate, and more, offering insights into actions, relationships, bullying, and feelings of belonging from diverse perspectives.

These efforts support DASD's strategic plan, specifically Goal 1: "Students feel Safe, Connected, and Engaged." By focusing on metrics such as the percentage of students who feel safe, connected, and heard; attendance rates; participation in co-curricular and extracurricular activities; and suspension rates across all demographic groups, this initiative fosters a more inclusive and supportive educational environment.

You can review the Climate Data at the website below.

Now that registration is open for the 2025-2026 school year, we want to be sure every prospective kindergarten family is aware we have Full Day Kindergarten available to ALL students next year! We are close to having 5 classes in K next year, so if you have not yet registered, please do so. I want to be sure we have time to hire another amazing teacher at East Ward if needed!

We held our Open House for students and families to become familiar with kindergarten on January 8, 2025 from 4-4:45 PM. We held our Kindergarten Orientation on April 30th. At this event, students and caregivers had the opportunity to hear from Dr. Argonish, meet teachers, and tour the school. Lastly, the last task for caregivers, aside from completing their registration was to sign up for our kindergarten screening (May 5th, May 6th, and June 4). During screening, the children had the opportunity to do several tasks. We will review all data collected, and use this data to create balanced kindergarten classes for the 2025-2026 school year.

Please use the link Kindergarten Jumpstart to sign up your incoming Kindergartner.

Congratulations to our Cougars of the month for April!! These students really demonstrated our expectations of being Respectful, Responsible, Safe and Kind.

May always marks the beginning of the final push to the end of the school year. For some students (and parents!), the end of the year can bring about a lot of feelings, both comfortable and uncomfortable. As exciting as summer break is, it is normal to experience some anxiety or sadness as students know that they will not be seeing friends and teachers daily once summer rolls around, or that they will be saying goodbye to East Ward if they’re transitioning to a new school. If you notice your child displaying unexpected behaviors or acting out more than usual, it could be because they are anticipating this big change in routine. Try talking to your child about what kinds of thoughts or feelings they are having around the end of the school year. It may help them to know that their feelings are completely normal and shared by many. If you have further concerns, I am always happy to speak with them, as well!

Keep a gratitude journal. Write down all of the things that you are thankful for. When you're having a heavy feeling or a tough day, look over the journal to help put things in perspective.

Dr. Katie Rastetter, School Counselor

krastetter@dasd.org

610-269-8282 ext 23040

Thursday 5/1- 5th Grade Early Band Rehearsal 7:45 AM

Saturday 5/3- Parents Night Out (see flyer below for information)

Monday 5/5- Early Chorus Rehearsal 7:45 AM

Thursday 5/8- 5th grade Move UP Day

Thursday 5/8- 5th grade EL students to Art Museum

Friday 5/9- 5th Grade Early Band Rehearsal 7:45 AM

Tuesday 5/13- Early Chorus Rehearsal 7:45 AM

Wednesday 5/14- Spring Concert 6:30 PM

Thursday 5/15- Literacy Night 5:30-7:00 PM

Friday 5/16- HSA Spring Fair 5:30 (See Flyer below H&S section)

Monday 5/19- Field Day

Tuesday 5/20- No School for Students- Professional Development Day

Thursday 5/22- Beginner Strings Concert 9:30 AM

Monday 5/26- No School - Memorial Day

Tuesday 5/27- 5th grade bowling trip

Tuesday 5/27- Cougar Ambassador Celebration 3:45-4:30

Friday 5/30- 2nd grade Field Trip DE Museum Natural Science

Saturday 5/31- Chorus National Anthem at Reading Phillies 6:45 pm

Monday 6/2- 4th Field Trip Franklin Institute

Wednesday 6/4- 5th Grade Graduation 9:30-11:30 am

Wednesday 6/4- Last Day AM/PM Kindergarten

Thursday 6/5- Last Student Day (Half Day NO Lunch)

Friday 6/6- Last Teacher Day

Each student received a copy of this packet, but in case you have not seen it, here's a link. Additional copies can be received if needed in the office!

Rising Kindergarten

Rising 1st grade

Rising 2nd grade

Rising 3rd grade

Rising 4th grade

Rising 5th grade

Rising 6th grade

Please click VEXMEN CODERS AND BUILDERS CAMP to see information and sign up for camp at Exton Square Mall.

Talking Counts!

Most words in a child’s vocabulary come from everyday encounters with language. Children pick up language from books, media, and conversations with the people in their lives. You can increase your child’s vocabulary and background knowledge—two important pieces of the reading puzzle—by having conversations with them. Giving children a rich language environment is one of the best ways to build a foundation for reading success.

With babies:

■ Talk to them about what you’re doing so they can begin to connect words with concepts.

■ As your baby begins to speak, start asking, “What’s that?” when pointing to objects or pictures. Elaborate on their simple answers as a way to have them listening to more words. “Yes, that is a banana! It’s yellow and smooth.”

With young children:

■ Talk about the things you see in your neighborhood, on trips around town, or on television. These conversations help build a child’s understanding of her world.

■ When reading, pause to ask questions or comment on the story. Ask, “Why do you think he did that?” or “What do you think is going to happen next?”

■ Use interesting and new words with your child. For example, “This cookie is scrumptious! It is really good!” or “I can see you’re reluctant to leave, but we can come back tomorrow.”

■ Tell your children stories from your own life, or about the day they were born. This helps develop their personal and cultural identity. It doesn’t matter what language you use— a rich language environment creates better readers!

For more ideas to help your kids build vocabulary, visit: www.ReadingRockets.org/article/5136 Visit our sister sites, ColorinColorado.org and LDOnLine.org, for more information about learning

Hello parents! If your child has any type of medication, Epi-pen or inhaler at school, please remember to pick it up before/on your child's last day of school. Any medications not picked are disposed of. If you prefer to donate your child's Epi-pen to the school, if you will get new ones over the summer, we will accept them. Looking forward to a safe and healthy summer for all!!

Jill Yeager, RN, BSN, CSN, MS Ed

Certified School Nurse

East Ward & Springton Manor Elementary Schools

JYeager@DASD.org

Call DASD Transportation if you need assistance with a bus after 4:00pm.
Phone number: 610-269-8460. Select the transportation prompt to be connected with someone who can help you.

Please refer to the link below this map for all the details for walkers or picking up students by car if you have not already done so. Many thanks!

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