Wildcat Weekly
WELCOME BACK EDITION
Hello Wildcat Families!
With the start of a new school year just a few weeks away, I wanted to reach out to share some important items before the year is off and running. I hope you found time this summer to relax and enjoy time with friends and loved ones. As hard as it can be to say goodbye to summer each year, the excitement of a new year and fresh beginnings more than makes up for it.
Although lengthy, this newsletter includes a lot of important information to make for a smooth opening. Thank you in advance for taking the time to read through it all.
Below are some important dates to make note of before school starts:
August 12th: Teacher Assignments available on Parent Portal at 3:00 p.m.
August 17th: New Family Tours
August 26th: Final Bus Schedule Available via Parent Portal
August 30th: FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS
See you soon!!
Dr. Cruice
First Week of School & Open House Dates
First Week of School:
- Monday, August 30th--FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL FOR ALL STUDENTS
- This is a full week of school.
- Kindergarten Tuesday, August 31st 6:30
- First Grade Tuesday, August 31st 7:00
- Second Grade Wednesday, Sept 1st 6:30
- Third Grade Wednesday, Sept 1st 7:00
- Fourth Grade Thursday, Sept 2nd 6:30
- Fifth Grade Thursday, Sept 2nd 7:00
Second Week of School:
- Monday, Sept 6th--No School--Labor Day
- Tuesday, Sept 7th--No School--Rosh Hashanah
- Wed, Th, Fri--School for all Students
Parent Portal
Parents will be able to access PARENT PORTAL beginning at 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, August 12th to check for classroom teacher assignments and tentative bus schedules. There are also several back-to-school forms parents are asked to fill out, and they are all found via the portal.
Mrs. McGonagle will be returning to the office on Monday, August 16th. If you have any issues getting into parent portal, please email Mrs. McGonagle or call our main office number. mmcgonagle@wcasd.net 484-266-1802
Mask Update
Dr. Sokolowski announced that all students and staff will be wearing masks while inside the buildings beginning August 16th. The exceptions will be for outdoor activities/lessons and while eating. We will also be spacing students at 3 feet whenever possible. Buses will be at a higher capacity than last year, with masks worn on buses. Dr. Sokolowski's letter to families can be found HERE.
Kindergarten Kickoff
Construction
Construction will begin this year for 6 new classrooms that will be built off the 4th grade wing. The current modular units will be removed and additional parking will be created. This will give us a net gain of four classrooms for next year so making do this year will be worth the wait!
New Staff
- Rebecca Lawless - Kindergarten
- Catherine Ahern - 1st grade
- Kristyn Demi - 2nd grade (returning from cyber last year)
- Sara Nyholm - 3rd grade (returning from cyber last year)
- Jenna Nieves - 4th grade
- Katie Beall - 5th grade
- Jessica Worrilow - Library
- Maddie Hess - Strings
- Brandon Olmeda - Band (returning as LTS)
- Maggie Reilly - Instructional Coach
- Ashley Kleckner - School Counselor
- Kellie Wallace - part time nurse
New Family Tours
All new families are invited to sign up for a tour of the building with Dr. Cruice on Tuesday, August 17th. Any kindergartener who missed the kindergarten kickoff is welcome to sign up as well. PTO will be on site as well to welcome the new families and answer any questions about the school that you might have. The link to sign up is below. See you there!
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/8050a4babaa29a2fe3-principal1
Attendance
ABSENCES/LATE ARRIVALS/EARLY DISMISSALS
For all absences or late arrivals, please call the Safe Arrival phone line at 484-266-1810. This answering system can be accessed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to leave messages. For all early dismissals, you MUST send in a signed note with your child on the day of the early dismissal. Only if it is a last-minute emergency change, please CALL the office at 484-266-1802 or 1803.
Drop Off
The school day begins at 9:10 which means students must be in their classroom by 9:10.
This year the gate to the parent drop-off will be closed at 9:00 sharp.
Please be sure to drop your child off with enough time to get to their classroom by 9:10 so that they are not marked late.
- ACP uses the cafeteria and the back playground. If you are later than 8:30 for ACP drop off, continue all the way to the back in the regular CAR LOOP with the rest of the parents, please.
- Buses are able to transport more kids than last year, so that should help alleviate our large car line from last year (hopefully).
- If you are later than 9:00, please park your car and walk your child to the door to be let in. If it is after 9:10, you will need to sign them in, too. If it is later than 9:00 but the buses are also still emptying, you are able to drop them off at the walkway as we will still have staff out front.
School iPads Update
This year, students will keep their iPads in school instead of bringing them back and forth each day.
iPads over the Summer
- Your child should have his or her iPad at home this summer.
- Please use the charger that was already issued during first iPad distribution.
- District Tech Support is available over the summer. If you have any questions, please click this link https://www.wcasd.net/Page/13033 to locate the correct support email address.
- You will be required to bring your iPad and charger back on the first day school for the 2021-2022 school year.
- Rising 6th grade students will trade their iPads in for their 6th gr Laptops at Stetson.
- If you are transferring to another district, please coordinate with the building to return both the iPad and the iPad charger.
- Incoming Kindergarten students and new students in 1st - 5th will get their iPads during the first week of school.
Updates from the School Nurse
- Kindergarten Toileting Letter
- Back to School Letter for All Parents
Breakfast & Lunch-- UPDATE
Parent Pick-Up at Dismissal
Dismissal begins at 3:30 this year. If you arrive early for car line, please do not park directly in front of the gate as we have students playing outside for recess. The car line should start at the flag pole. Please do not arrive before 3:00 for car line.
Once the gate is opened, you will be directed to pull all the way down to the lower lot and loop around. Cones will once again be out to designate the spots where students will be walked to their car. See the pictures as well as additional reminders below.
IMPORTANT REMINDERS
1. PARENTS MUST STAY IN CARS during pick up. Staff members will assist students in getting into the cars.
2. NAME CARDS (provided on the first day of school) MUST BE DISPLAYED IN WINDSHIELD. If you need a new one, please notify the office.
3. CARS MUST STAY IN THE CAR LINE. Please DO NOT try to cut around a car that is still loading in front of you.
4. If you need to pull over to get situated after picking up your child, please pull all the way up to the basketball hoops parallel to Westbourne road and pull over to the side out of the car line.
Thank you for your cooperation!