RICHLAND REFLECTIONS
Week of 5/3/21 at Richland Elementary School
Dear Richland Families,
It's May! We have many events to look forward to this spring, including virtual author visits that kick off our virtual book fair this week, followed by International Week. We will have spirit days every day in May and June, beginning with Staff Appreciation days this week.
This past year has been one of the most difficult for everyone, including families, students, and staff. We know we are in this together. Richland teachers and staff are among the most dedicated educators, and I appreciate their commitment to navigating a hybrid environment and addressing students' academic, social, and emotional needs. Please join me in expressing gratitude during this Teacher and Staff Appreciation Week!
Thank you to many of you who have already completed the intention to register form for the 2021-2022 school year. If you have not, please complete it to help us plan for next year.
We recognize our April student leaders of the month below as wonderful examples in classrooms and throughout Richland.
Have a wonderful first week of May!
Nicole Zuerblis
Richland Principal
If you did not complete this form for each child, please click the image to do so now.
Thank you!
To best make decisions on future classroom sizes, placements, and ordering supplies for next year, we like to know which families plan to attend Richland for the 2021-2022 school year. Please take a few minutes to fill out
this Google Form to help us make those decisions. Please note that every student needs to have a response, so if you have two or more students, you will need to fill them out for each student.
Thank you for your help in our planning for next year!
STAFF APPRECIATION SPIRIT WEEK!
Monday is SEL/YOU MATTER Day: Tell a teacher how much they matter!
Tuesday is Team Day: Wear your favorite team shirt!
Wednesday is Teachers are Superheroes Day: Dress like a Superhero!
Thankful Thursday: Thank a teacher!
Friday is RES Spirit Day: Proud to be a Panther!
THANK YOU FOR YOUR JUMP ROPE DAY DONATIONS! WE RAISED $2800!
CONGRATS TO MRS. TRAUMULLER'S CLASS WHO WINS A RITA'S PARTY!
INTERNATIONAL WEEK IS ALMOST HERE! 5/10-5/14
ENTER THE BOOKMARK CONTEST BY MONDAY
VIRTUAL AUTHOR VISITS 5/4
CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR APRIL LEADERS OF THE MONTH!
FROM MRS. STAUFFER, OUR SCHOOL NURSE
PSSA TESTING FOR GRADES 3-5
The Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) will be administered online to students in grades 3-5 in early June. Scheduled dates for the PSSA are below.
June 2-4: English Language Arts (ELA)
June 8-9: Math
June 10-11: Science (grade 4 only)
Students receiving in-person instruction will take online assessments at school on the morning of these dates.
Students learning virtually will take online assessments at school in the afternoon, after in-person students are dismissed. Parents will be contacted with details closer to the PSSA dates.
Students in grades 3-5 who are scheduled to take the PSSA but opt-out will have required asynchronous learning at home on the testing dates.
Should you have any questions related to PSSA testing, please contact our school office.
MRS. MOHLENHOFF, LEARNING SUPPORT INSTRUCTIONAL ASSISTANT
Habit 3, Put First Things First & Habit 4, Think Win-Win
In our house, we use Habits 3 & 4 a lot!
We "put first things first" by getting our homework and chores done before doing the fun and entertaining activities. This allows us to focus and do our best on our work (and keep our house welcoming and relaxing!), and then be able to truly enjoy our free time together. We also try to foster "win-win" attitudes in our house, to encourage thinking about others. So we compromise and take turns deciding which movie to watch or game to play. Keeping the habits in our thoughts and actions helps our interactions stay positive and bonds our family together!
MRS. HEARN, SECOND GRADE TEACHER
After “Putting First Things First” and working hard at school and sports, in the Hearn household, we strive to find balance by “Sharpening the Saw.” Being outside in nature is so rejuvenating! My kids and I love the go hiking, fishing, swimming, and on bike rides. Watching the sunrise and sunset is so breathtaking and calming. We do our best to keep our immune systems strong by eating fruits and vegetables daily. Reading has always been part of our bedtime routine. I’m even in a book club that meets every Sunday evening! Whenever we can, we get together with family and friends, too. By sharpening our brains, bodies, hearts and souls, we do our best to live a balanced lifestyle.
MRS. TRAUMULLER, FIFTH GRADE TEACHER
Habit 7, Sharpening the Saw, has always been a habit that I’ve made a priority in my daily life. However, a few months into the pandemic, I felt I was go making less and less time for myself and my family and something needed to change. By beginning with the end in mind, habit 2, I worked out a plan that would ensure I made time to sharpen the saw daily by finding a better balance between my new, more demanding work and family schedules. For me, I knew this was key to our health and happiness! While it wasn’t always easy sticking to my plan, I realized building in time to see family and friends helped my heart, focusing on my health by eating right and exercising helped by body, taking time to read for enjoyment helped my mind, and helping others during these difficult times helped my soul. Maintaining a good balance between the 4 areas by having dinner together as a family, taking long walks with our dogs, and traveling to our bucket list places keeps me and the Traumuller family sharpening the saw every day!
A great way to express gratitude. I share these weekly with staff. Keep the shout outs coming!
THIS WEEK'S DAILY QUESTIONS
Each day, we read a question of the day that stems from our work with Leader in Me. We encourage you to continue the conversations at home! Below are this week's questions. We'd love you to participate! Share your answers each day on Twitter @RichlandQCSD.
MONDAY: Would you rather do school work by yourself or in a group?
TUESDAY: What is a recent problem you’ve solved with others?
WEDNESDAY: How have you been a friend to someone even if they haven’t been a good friend to you?
THURSDAY: What is your greatest strength?
FRIDAY: What is your greatest struggle?
This month's theme is all about reflecting on what gives our life meaning.
Being a part of something bigger than ourselves and focusing on things that we value is key to our wellbeing. So let's take time to reflect on what we care about this month and keep these things at the front of our minds as our societies begin to open up again.
CONSIDER APPLYING FOR FREE AND REDUCED LUNCH
Currently, our district is providing ALL families with children up to the age of 18 with FREE breakfast and lunch for the remainder of the school year through funds from the US Department of Agriculture. However, if you do not have a current application on file for the 2020-2021 school year, you could miss benefits from the State, should it decide to provide the Pandemic EBT Benefits again.
Please click here for the Free & Reduced Meal Program applications.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Stacy Reiss, Free & Reduced Lunch Program, at sreiss@qcsd.org or 215-529-2022.
A dedicated section of the website serves as a
COVID-19 directory place for families to locate resources and see the impact of the pandemic on the district. It's located in the Community Section and titled
COVID-19 directory.
OUR WORDS FOR 2020-2021 SCHOOL YEAR
Each school year, Richland staff adopts one word. This year called for two! We invite you to join us in supporting each other with courage and grace and explore what these words mean to you.
DISTRICT BOOSTS PAY FOR SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS
Hoping to incentivize more people with a Bachelor’s degree to become substitute teachers, the Quakertown Community School District is significantly increasing pay for substitute teachers for the 2020-21 school year.
The per diem rate is being raised from $105 to $120 per day. Long term per diem pay is being raised from $140 to $175 per day, highest in the area. The average per diem rate in Bucks County and surrounding districts is $109. The long term substitute rate is $125. Please click here for the story.
QCSD has several job openings that can be found by clicking here. They include substitute nurses, aides, and food service workers.
Click here for job openings in the Upper Bucks County Technical School.
ALL SCHOOL YEAR FREE BREAKFAST AND LUNCH FOR ALL QCSD STUDENTS
The free food program is funded by the United States Department of Agriculture.
The United States Department of Agriculture has extended a nationwide waiver to allow the Quakertown Community School District to provide FREE meals to ALL students regardless of need. No qualification or identification is needed.
ALL students are eligible to receive FREE breakfast and FREE lunch through the end of the school year in June.
Breakfast will be served at Richland in our lunch room or classrooms from 8:45-9:00.
Lunch will have three selections daily: A sandwich/wrap/hot entree, a salad with a protein and roll, or a Grape/Peanut Butter Uncrustable. An assortment of fresh fruits and vegetables along with milk will be available daily. Students will order their lunches in the morning and will eat lunch in their classrooms. Lunches will be assembled by the cafeteria staff in bags, with aides delivering to rooms at the scheduled lunch times.
For Virtual Learners, free meal pickup is now held two days a week, Mondays and Wednesdays. On Mondays, students can receive meals for two days, and on Wednesdays for three days. Pickup remains at the Quakertown Community High School bus loop from 11:15 AM until 12:30 PM.
LIVE AND VIRTUAL DAILY ATTENDANCE
Attendance is mandatory for school age children, and the live portion of our school day is 9:00-2:00, with additional time allotted for work after these hours.
Every day Monday through Friday is a school day.
Please keep your child home if they show any symptoms and call to let us know. You will receive a follow up call from our school nurse. We will confirm if your child will become a virtual learner for a period of time so they are not marked absent from in person instruction while staying home with symptoms.
FOR STUDENTS WHO ARE PHYSICALLY IN THE BUILDING:
Attendance will be taken as in the past, and students will be marked absent if they are not physically present. *Please note, only students who need to quarantine or are approved by the principal or school nurse will learn virtually instead of in person.
FOR STUDENTS WHO ARE 100% VIRTUAL LEARNERS:
Attendance will be taken daily. All students are to complete their "check-in" activity as explained by their teachers by 2:00 daily. To allow for the completion of work asynchronously, students may complete other school activities after 2:00, but the check-in must be completed by 2:00 in order to be marked as present.
IF YOUR CHILD IS ABSENT:
You will receive an email at 3:00 on the day your child is marked absent. The school must receive an excuse from you within 3 days of the absence.
New this year, you may respond to the email with your absence reason. You can also email an excuse to lmoyer@qcsd.org. If you prefer, you may send in an absence note to the office. All excuses must be received within 3 days of the absence.
ARRIVAL AND DISMISSAL PROCEDURES
Thank you for your support in making the changes to this year's drop off and pick up run so smoothly! To accommodate more car riders, that location has been moved to the back of the school. Please enter in the morning and afternoon from 313 on Chestnut Street.
The live school day begins at 9:00 and ends at 2:00.
Please note AM Kindergarten pick up at 11:00 and PM drop off at 12:00 are in the front of the school.
All buses will drop off and pick up in the front of the school.
SEL DAY 5/3
Social-emotional Day/ YOU MATTER Day
VIRTUAL AUTHOR VISITS 5/4
See newsletter for Google Meet links.
VIRTUAL BOOK FAIR 5/6-5/18
See newsletter for link.
INTERNATIONAL WEEK 5/10-5/14
VIRTUAL RAINFOREST ASSEMBLY 5/10
ELECTION DAY - NO SCHOOL 5/18
DIGITAL PROJECT PROUD 5/21
RES REDISTRICTED STUDENTS VISIT NEW SCHOOLS 5/25
MEMORIAL DAY- NO SCHOOL 5/31
PSSA TESTING FOR GRADES 3-5
6/2-6/4 ELA
6/8-6/9 MATH
6/10-6/11 SCIENCE (grade 4 only)
Virtual students will come to Richland at 2:30.
VIRTUAL SCIENCE ASSEMBLIES 6/17
KINDERGARTEN GRADUATION 6/18
Live streamed at 9:15
5TH GRADE PROMOTION 6/18
Live streamed at 10:00
Richland Elementary School
