News From Fort Zeller Elementary

Greetings, Fort Zeller Families!

I hope you have all enjoyed a wonderful summer filled with time to relax, recharge, and make special memories with your families. It’s hard to believe the new school year is already here!

Our teachers and staff have been busy preparing for the return of our students, and we are excited to welcome everyone back. We look forward to a year filled with learning, growth, and meaningful experiences in a safe, caring, and positive environment where every child can thrive.

We are also grateful for our incredible PTO, whose continued partnership helps provide engaging events and valuable opportunities for our students and families throughout the year. Their support plays an important role in making Fort Zeller such a special place.

This newsletter includes important information and key dates for the month of September. Please take a few moments to review it so you don't miss any upcoming events or reminders.

We are excited to begin another fantastic school year with you and your children!

All the Best,

Jodi Houck

Fort Zeller Elementary Principal

1. This school year, we are asking that our students come with a few supplies at the start of school.

• Pencil Box
• Pencils
• 24 pack of Crayons
• Glue Stick
• Block Eraser

2. The district will continue to use the Visitor Management System, Navigate360. If this is your first year with us at Fort Zeller, you will need to bring your license into the office the first time you come in so that we can get you entered into the system. Please see below for information on what you will need when visiting a school building in ELCO.

3. We will be conducting several safety drills throughout the first three weeks of school. Thank you in advance for your help in reiterating the importance of these drills to our students at home.

4. Please be sure to complete all the forms on Power School by September 4. There is a link further down in this newsletter.

5. Prior to the first day of school, make sure you login into Bus Planner to verify your child's bus number, time of pick-up, and time of drop-off. There needs to be an adult at the bus stop at drop-off to greet your child or he/she will be brought back to school and you will need to pick them up there.

6. I urge you to join your child's Schoology Course when your child's teacher provides you with the code so you can be in communication with his/her teacher. Please don't hesitate to call the teacher if you need help.

7. If you are dropping off or picking up our students, please follow the traffic pattern provided in this newsletter. To assure the safety of our little ones, all vehicles must yield to our school buses, in addition to following the traffic pattern when pulling out. Also, please avoid stopping in the circle to talk to other parents, as this causes congestion during drop-off and pick-up times. Thank you in advance for your help and cooperation.

8. As in past practice, please complete a 'Transportation Waiver' form if you are planning to pick up your child on a daily basis for the entire school year. Additionally, please provide your child's teacher with a note if there are changes to your child's transportation mode at the end of the school day.

Dear ELCO Families,

It's hard to believe our hallways will soon be filled with students! In preparation for the arrival of our students, all information regarding your child(ren) must be up-to-date in PowerSchool. Accurate data ensures we can quickly reach you or another emergency contact and are informed about your child's important medical information. Your involvement in this process is greatly appreciated!

Completing the required yearly forms in PowerSchool for your child(ren) is a quick and easy process. The forms allow you to sign off on required documents, update health information, and confirm emergency contact information. After reviewing and making any necessary changes, simply check the "I verify the information provided is correct" box at the bottom of the form and submit. Each form should be submitted, even if there are no changes. Forms should be completed no later than August 23, 2026.

The following forms must be reviewed and updated:

• Student Information
• Legal Guardians
• Emergency Contacts
• Yearly Health Profile
• Annual OTC Medication Permissions
• Parent Permissions
• Student Digital Resources

To access and complete the forms, please log into your Parent PowerSchool account HERE. For directions on how to complete the forms, including screenshots, please click HERE. These forms can be completed via a web browser on a computer or through the most recent version of the PowerSchool app on mobile devices.

Enjoy the remainder of your summer!

We are excited to welcome Amora Cook to the Fort Zeller Elementary family as our newest first grade teacher! Many of our families may already recognize Amora, as she has been an amazing building substitute in our school for the past three years. During that time, she has built strong relationships with our students, supported our classrooms, and become a valued member of our school community.

Amora’s dedication, positive energy, and love for working with children make her a wonderful addition to our first grade team. We are thrilled that she is stepping into this new role and look forward to the many ways she will inspire and support our young learners.

Please join us in welcoming Amora to her new position at Fort Zeller Elementary!

We are excited to share that renovations to our kindergarten and second grade playgrounds are well underway! The crews have made tremendous progress, and the projects are expected to be completed within the next week or two.

We can't wait to welcome our students back to school with two beautiful, brand-new playground areas where they can play, explore, and make lasting memories. We know these updated spaces will be a wonderful addition to our school, and we look forward to seeing our students enjoy them all year long!

Aug. 18

• Kindergarten Bus Ride & Meet the Teacher Night 5:00-6:00 pm

Aug. 19

• First & Second Grade Back to School Night 5:00-6:00 pm

Aug. 20

• ELCO School District Back to School Picnic 5:30-7:30 pm

Aug. 23 (Sunday)

• FZ Chalk the Walk from 3:00-4:00

Aug. 24: (Day 1)

• First day of school

Aug. 26: (Day 3)

• Fire Drill
• PBIS Assembly

Aug. 27 (Day 4)

• Medical Emergency Drill

Sept. 2: (Day 3)

• PTO Meeting @ 6:30 pm - Fort Zeller Library

Sept. 4-7: Happy Labor Day - No School

Sept. 9 (Day 1)

• Interior Threat Drill - Instruction in Classroom

Sept. 10 (Day 2)

• Severe Weather Drill - Instruction in Classroom
• Family Groups

Sept. 11 (Day 3)

• Summer Reading Calendars-or-Library Certificate-or-Book Mobile Punchcards Due

Sept. 14: (Day 4)

• Fall Pictures

Sept. 15 (Day 5)

• Two Hour Delay Start

Sept. 16: (Day 1)

• Exterior Threat (Instruction)

Sept. 17: (Day 2)

• Read Under the Lights (HS Stadium)

Sept. 18: (Day 3)

• Summer Reading Ice Cream Reward

Sept. 21: (Day 4)

• Health Screenings
• School Board Meeting @ 6:00 pm

Sept. 24: (Day 2)

• Interior Threat Drill

Sept. 30 (Day 1)

• PBIS Assembly

All students and staff are encouraged to participate in our annual Kindergarten color days!!

The District introduced a new Visitor Management System, Navigate360, at the start of the 2025-2026 school year. All visitors, including parents, volunteers, and contractors, are required to check in at the main office and present a government-issued photo ID. The Navigate360 system will:

• Verify each visitor’s identity
• Provide a printed badge to be worn during the visit
• Maintain an electronic log of all visitors in the building

We appreciate your cooperation in having your ID ready each time you visit. This process is quick, secure, and helps us maintain record of who is in our building at all times.

All parents, guardians, and emergency contacts picking up a student from school will also be required to present their government-issued ID to be scanned.

Thank you for your support in helping us maintain a safe and secure environment for our students and staff. As this is a new system for the District, we ask for your patience as our office staff becomes familiar with it.

If your child completed one of the Summer Reading Challenges, we would like to celebrate this accomplishment! We will have an ice cream party Friday, September 19th. Also, your child will receive a free book.

In order to participate in this celebration, your child should turn in one of the following to their classroom teacher: Library certificate OR Summer Reading Calendars OR “Wild About Books” Mobile punch card and reading log. Please make sure your child’s first and last name is listed on their paperwork.

Please turn in paperwork by Friday, September 11th!

Important NOTICE!

If you feel that your family will qualify for free and reduced meals, please submit an application.

There are three ways to complete a 2026-2027 Free and Reduced Application;

• Apply online at schoolcafe.com (Preferred and most efficient method)
• Paper Application Free and Reduced Application (Printable) Available
• Apply on Compass https://www.compass.state.ps.us

For SchoolCafe.com, you will need to create a user ID and Password and then add your child(rens) information. You will need their 7 digit ID number for the online application.

Cafeteria Cash and Check Deposits - We are asking our families to have all cash and check deposits in an envelope with the students name printed, cash amount, teacher name, and the student's lunch 4-digit number. We are trying to eliminate the handling of cash at the registers. All cash deposits will be placed in the student's account and no change will be given. Please send only what you want deposited at that time. We will have extra envelopes available at the registers for the students to fill out if an envelope is forgotten.

2026-2027 Elementary Cafeteria Prices - Breakfast is free

Student lunch is $3.30 reduced is free

Adult Breakfast $3.25

Adult Lunch $5.50

Milk .60

Fruit snacks $1.25

8OZ WATER .50

16oz water $1.00

Swiss drinks for adults only $1.25

Snacks and chips $1.00

Ice cream $1.50

Rice crispy treats Big $1.50. mini .50

Fresh baked cookie $1.00

ELCO School District is growing our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram channels. Click on the icons and follow along!

Facebook - @ELCOSD

Twitter - @elcosd

Instagram - @elcosd

Why:

1. Celebrate our students.

2. Keep parents, students, alumni, and the community in the loop of what is happening in our district.

3. Promote the great things happening such as athletics, activities, and other events.

4. Build an ongoing conversation about the positive impact our district is making in the lives of our students!

What do I need to do?

• If you are on these social media channels – follow us!

• Help promote these accounts to your family and friends.

• If you aren’t on these platforms – that’s OK. The district will continue to provide communication through traditional channels.

As part of our continued effort to provide you with accurate, timely information regarding all aspects of your child’s transportation to and from school, the ELCO School District uses a student ID card swiping system and a GPS system on all of our buses. Your child will receive a new ID card within the first few days of school. This card must be used to swipe on and off the buses every day including any field trips and athletic trips.

Parents will maintain access to the portal throughout their child’s entire school career. Please keep this information for future reference. If you request a change during the school year, you must complete a transportation change form. The updated information should be viewable on the portal within two school days of being received by the transportation department.

Transportation Change Form: https://www.elcosd.org/Page/1025

To login into the Parent Portal

• Go To: https://elco.mybusplanner.com/ (also linked below)
• Click on: Parent Portal
• If you have not created an account please follow the instructions on how to create an account. You will need the following information in order to create an account, (a) Student ID, but you would need to enter their Lunch ID in the portal, (b) Student Birth Date (c) School, and (d) Grade
• Transportation tab–shows your child’s transportation information to school and from school. The route # is the bus number.
  
  

If you have any questions or if any changes need to be made, please contact Brightbill at (717)866-1420 or email Elisa Schubert at eschubert@brightbill.com or Charlene Kline at ckline@brightbill.com

1. Morning drop-off: We will not have staff members on the sidewalk until 8:30 am.

2. Afternoon pick-up: We will begin at 3:25 for K-2 students, please be prepared to show your driver's license and sign your children out until our staff is familiarized with you.

Don’t forget to return your Over The Counter (OTC) permission form or you can complete it online by logging in to your Power School account. All medications must be brought to school and given to our nurse by a parent or guardian.

1. On Tuesday, September 2nd, 2026, at 6:30, our PTO will host its first meeting in our library at Fort Zeller. Most meetings will usually be held on the first Wednesday of every month. We hope that you will consider joining our meetings and provide your valuable input to support our students and staff at Fort Zeller. This year we will continue offering a ZOOM option to attend the meetings. If you are unable to join in person, please consider joining online using this LINK.

2. Volunteering: If you have an interest in being a volunteer in your child's classroom or in our school, please use this link, to complete the necessary paperwork on clearances. Don't hesitate to call our office at (610) 589-2575 if you need additional assistance.

PTO Officers 2026-2027

●President: Kirsten Wenger

●Vice President: Anna Shanaman

●Secretary: Bobby Jo Arrigo

●Treasurer: Haley Wanner

Please join us on August 23, 2025, 3:00-4:00, for our PTO's annual 'Chalk the Walk' event. Feel free to bring your children to be part of the fun

August

3 - Nathan Tverdokhleb

4 - Viviana Musser

5 - Quinn Stauffer

7 - Christopher Young

9 - Jaxson Bohn

10 - Elaine Fullmer

14 - Bo Houser

15 - Lucas Bowman & Sophia Hoffer

16 - Avery Wolfe

17 - Dylan Witmer

22 - Silas Rubin

23 - Octavia Oberholser

30 - Thatcher Martin

31 - Dawson Stites & Oaklyn Sclesky

September

1 - Hank Leahy

3 - Averly Jauque

4 - Kenadie Smith

7 - Thomas Horning

8 - Camila Martinez-Guzman

11 - Judd Gibson

16 - Emily Tellez Leal

17 - Olivia Fox

18 - Brantlee Carver

19 - Parker Kramer

22 - Aubree Shade

24 - Willow Eberly

26 - Alexis Brandt, Raelynn Galzarano & Myles Hower

27 - Gabriel Santiago

28 - Dakota Lafaver & Eeshvi Poudyal

29 - Elianis Mendez Comas

30 - Egan Kreiser

Fort Zeller Elementary School

243 North Sheridan Road

Richland, PA 17087

Phone: (610) 589-2575

Fax: 610-589-5815

Email: jhouck@elcosd.org
Website: https://www.elcosd.org/Domain/211
Location: 243 North Sheridan Road Richland, PA 17087
Phone: (610) 589-2575
Twitter: @ElcoFort