The Puma Pride
Willow Dale's MARCH Newsletter
From the Principal
Dear Willow Dale Families:
March is finally here which means one thing: SPRING! While, thus far, this winter season has not been too cold, I'm sure that rising temperatures and sunny days are highly sought after by one and all.
We are looking forward to many exciting activities this month. We begin the month with our celebration of literacy and reading! Read Across America week is a national initiative to celebrate Dr. Seuss and the love of reading. Please take some time during the week for a family read-along. Some ideas of activities can be found here: http://www.nea.org/grants/886.htm
Our annual March Madness basketball tournaments will be taking place. Thank you to our team of teachers who serve as the coaches, referees and cheerleaders for this annual event! March 8th will kick off Kindergarten registration. This process is now on-line. Please visit the Centennial website (http://www.centennialsd.org/) for more information. We are very much looking forward to registering our new Pumas as they join our family for the next six years! Please be sure to remind neighbors, friends and family that registration begins on March 8th for any child who will be 5 years old by August 31st!
Our annual Open House and Science Fair will be held on Wednesday, March 29th from 6 - 8 PM. New this year is the addition of an art show, during which every student will have a piece of his/her artwork framed. The framed art can be purchased, with proceeds returning to our art department to sponsor ongoing activities and work by our boys and girls. We are looking forward to seeing everyone present for the Open House / Science Fair / Art Show!
Additionally, we will host our first early morning meeting later this month for our Muffins with Moms K - 2 activity. This will take place on Thursday, March 23rd, from 7:30 - 8:00 AM. We will send home information so if you are available to join us for some muffins and fellowship, we’d love to have you! Our 3 - 5 morning will take place in early April. (Don’t worry, Dads. We’ll host Donuts with Dads in April/May!) And, speaking of Dads, our Home and School will be hosting its annual Guys/Gals Dance on Friday, March 10th, so mark your calendars now! This year's theme is a 50's Sock Hop!
Finally, looking ahead, April will bring the 2017 PSSA testing cycle. Within this newsletter, please find the updated schedule. Additionally, specific information will be coming home later this month. We know that our Pumas will do their best. All we expect is that each boy and girl does the very best that he/she can do. We are confident that our third, fourth and fifth graders will be successful!
Here’s looking forward to a beautiful Spring!
Best to you and yours,
Dr. Donnelly
Principal
Willow Dale Elementary School
What Does It Mean To Have Puma Pride?
Dominic M. - Grade 3 - Mrs. Sobczak's Class
Puma Pride also means if you give someone a character counts coupon because when you give someone one it means that they did something nice for you. You should always be these six pillars but sometimes you make mistakes. Everyone makes mistakes, even when you are a grown up. If you don't do some of the pillars all the time, don't feel sad, just try to do them later.
It also means when you nominate someone for doing one of the pillars of character and that is showing puma pride because you support someone else doing good things. For example, if someone helps you when you fall, that's showing caring and that is a pillar of character, which means to show puma pride. This is what puma pride means to me. I hope you are showing puma pride every day!
Maura K. - Grade 4 - Mrs. Harkins' Class
To have puma pride also means to be helpful to those in need. You can help your teacher. When she or he is talking, you are listening. Also, you can behave yourself when you have a substitute. We should always notice when people need help in our neighborhood and do what we can for them.
Last, but not least, to have puma pride means to not only show good character at school, but also at home. This is what puma pride means to me.
Tiana D. - Grade 5 - Mrs. Hopkin's Class
It was a nice, sunny spring day and Mrs. Hopkin was going to eat her lunch outside. Jordan and I couldn't find enough things to write down about our states. We told the teacher that we were having trouble and we expected her to tell us to do if for homework. Instead, Mrs. Hopkin told us that we could pick a time to do it, and she even said that she could help during her lunch time, which was our recess. At first, I didn't want to go with that idea because it was taking Mrs. Hopkin's lunch. I felt really bad for Mrs. Hopkin because she was taking time out of her lunch to help us. She was sacrificing her free time. Mrs. Hopkin always goes out of her way to help her students.
While we were both working on the computer, Mrs. Hopkin let us both print out pictures about our states. She also read some of the information that she saw and we didn't. She was teaching us a lot and we were having fun learning. Mrs. Hopkin was very patient and respectful of Jordan and I being confused about what we had to do. This was so helpful because we got both of our projects done early and we were able to help our other friends with their states.
Mrs. Hopkin is a great teacher and encourages us to show Puma Pride no matter what. She also shows Puma Pride herself by being a kind and helpful person every day. Mrs. Hopkin goes above and beyond for others and is an amazing role model. I have learned patience, respect, generosity, and the love to help others from Mrs. Hopkin. She is helping me and other kids to be better towards others and better students. Now, if that's not Puma Pride...what is? Thank you, Mrs. Hopkin, for being of the best role models in the world and the best teacher I could ever ask for!
Centennial Education Foundation Gala
For more information, visit here: http://www.centennialef.org/20th-anniversary-gala.html
Saturday, Apr 29, 2017, 07:00 PM
Ann's Choice Way, Warminster, PA, United States
Congrats to our most recent Silver Spoon Award winners, Mrs. Hopkin's fifth grade class!
From our Reading Specialists...
The third marking period ends on Thursday, March 30th. Let's keep up the great focus and dedication to our learning!
From the Counselors...
Do you need a teacher to complete a form from a doctor or other agency?
If you are working with an agency outside of school (pediatrician, psychologist, therapist, behavior specialist, etc.) and they would like to have any information from teachers or other school staff, we would need your written permission in order to communicate with said agency. First, please request a “consent to release” form from your child’s teacher or school counselor (Ms. Hopkins – Grades K, 2, 4; Mrs. LaRose – Grades 1, 3, 5). Once that form is completed, the teacher would have one week to complete the form and it would be sent directly to the requesting agency via mail or fax that you provide. For example, if you provide a form to be completed by a teacher along with a signed consent form on Tuesday, it would be completed and sent to the agency by the following Tuesday. The consent form is required even if you already signed consent with the agency. If you have any questions about this procedure, please contact your child’s school counselor.
Students love working on Khan Academy!
Early Dismissal!
There is a half day of school on Friday, March 31st. There is NO PM Kindergarten. AM Kindergarten will be in attendance.
Home and School Connection
Visitors to Willow Dale
Inclement Weather - Be Prepared!
December is upon us, which means winter weather is right around the corner. Please be sure to have a family plan in place for early dismissals or cancellations of school. Announcements of school closings will be made on KYW (1060 AM). The radio stations identify school districts by name and/or by specific numbers. Centennial’s school closing number is 753. When schools open late, 753 will be announced, along with details of the delayed opening. Additional channels (3, 6, and 10), as well as the local Comcast cable channel, 28, and Verizon cable channel, 36, will post information. As always, the district website, www.centennialsd.org, will be updated with up-to-the-minute information. Don’t forget that this information will be provided to you via a phone call, making use of our School Messenger system. When possible, we will also update our Twitter account. Don’t forget to follow us, @Willow_Dale_ES! Visit the district website for further information.
Student Dress
As the daylight becomes less and the temperatures become cooler, it is important to remember to dress according to the weather. We will continue to have outdoor recess for as long as we can, as it is important to take a healthy break each day. To that end, it is essential that students are coming to school prepared for the various weather conditions we will experience. Also, please remember that our students should feel comfortable at school, but are not permitted to wear hats during the day and make-up, if any at all, should be limited.
Attendance
When a child is absent, you must send in an excuse note. You can either write a note and send it in or send it in electronically (WDattendance@centennialsd.org). This note must be received within three days of returning from an absence in order to be considered excused. Students who do not turn in notes within this period of time, per policy, will receive an unexcused absence on his/her record. Let's work together to ensure our students are healthy, safe, and accountable.
GIANT Donations!
Don’t forget to register your GIANT grocery store card! You can enter your store card number online (23591) at this website: http://giantfood.com/savings-and-rewards/rewards-program/aplus/. If you have already been registered, you do not need to register again. Be certain, though, to reach out to neighbors, friends and relatives and ask that they, too, designate Willow Dale as their school! (Each card can support two schools.)
With as many cards registered as possible, Willow Dale will receive a percentage of total sales via a donation check next summer! Let’s see how much money we can raise to support our programs and services. In advance, all of us here at Willow Dale give to you a GIANT thank you!
Save-the-Dates: PSSA 2017
-Mark Your Calendar-
PSSA Testing WINDOW*
April 3-6: English/Language Arts (Grades 3, 4, 5)
April 24, 25 and 27: Mathematics (Grade 3, 4, 5)
May 2-3: Science (Grade 4)
The PSSA is a state-mandated test, which means all students must take the test. Please do not schedule vacations or appointments during these testing days.
Thank you!
Willow Dale Elementary School
Email: donnmi@centennialsd.org
Website: http://www.centennialsd.org/Domain/692
Location: 720 North Norristown Road, Warminster, PA, United States
Phone: 215.441.6093
Twitter: @Willow_Dale_ES