RICHLAND REFLECTIONS

Week of 4/19/21 at Richland Elementary School

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Dear Richland Families,


In case you missed it, or would like to see it again, NED's Mindset Mission assembly is available for viewing! Please see below for the link. It was a great reminder of having a positive mindset and embracing the power of YET.


Our first ever Jump Rope Day fundraiser is this week! Don't miss the video below with information and jump rope techniques. All students will have the chance to participate during recess, and virtual students can participate at home too. We thank you for your generosity of donations toward classroom supplies used this school year.


Tomorrow is the last day to order Richland Spirit Wear with some new spring options. Keep reading for more Spring highlights!


Have a wonderful week!



Nicole Zuerblis

Richland Principal

PTO JUMP ROPE FUNDRAISER THIS WEDNESDAY!

RAINDATE THURSDAY, 4/22

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WATCH THE VIDEO BELOW FOR MORE INFORMATION!

Every student will have a jump rope to use at recess and watch a video created by Mr. Kemmerer and some special friends showing jump rope skills and encouraging students to exercise, sharpen their skills, and keep on jumping! Virtual students should check out the video for ideas on how they can participate at home.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR DONATIONS!

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YOU CAN WATCH IT AGAIN!

YO-YO ORDER FORM BELOW

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To order, download the order form below and include exact amount for cash or make checks payable to Richland Elementary. Yo-yos will be distributed at school.


If you have a virtual student, you can drop off the information below with payment to the main office. Email lmoyer@qcsd.org to let her know you will come for a pick up order during the dates below.


Pay it forward yo-yo sales will run from Friday, 4/16 through Tuesday, 4/20.

RICHLAND DONATES 500 POUNDS OF FOOD TO PANTRY

CHECK OUT RICHLAND IN THE NEWS!

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FIELD TRIP FRIDAYS IN APRIL!

Every Friday in April, Richland students will go on a virtual field trip. Individual classroom "trips" will vary. You will hear from your child's teacher about weekly trip information.

HERE ARE SCENES FROM SOME OF THIS WEEK'S TRIPS!

Visit Richland's Spirit Wear store here: https://richlandelementary2021.itemorder.com/sale
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Our Richland Spirit Wear store is back open with the addition of new spring items.

Check it out here! https://richlandelementary2021.itemorder.com/sale


The store is open now and closes on April 19th.

APRIL IS AUTISM ACCEPTANCE MONTH

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What is Autism? Autism is a complex developmental disability that affects a person’s ability with social interaction and communication. Autism is a spectrum disorder, meaning it affects different people in different ways.


Show your support of Autism Awareness and Acceptance by participating in our weeklong spirit days!

AUTISM ACCEPTANCE

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PSSA TESTING FOR GRADES 3-5

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SAVE THE DATES

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.

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STAFF HABIT SPOTLIGHT!

MRS. FERRIO, SECOND GRADE TEACHER

Habit 2, Begin with the End in Mind


My favorite habit is Habit # 2: Begin with the End in Mind. I love to plan, make lists, and be organized! With two little ones at home and two working parents, our household needs to be organized to make it all work. At the beginning of the school year, I was struggling to pack all the lunches and have dinner ready every night. I needed a better plan! So, I found a weekly meal planning cookbook and a kitchen calendar just for this purpose. Now, with the end in mind, every meal gets planned out for the week ahead and it makes life so much easier!

MRS. STAUFFER, SCHOOL NURSE

Habit 3, Put First Things First


At the Stauffer house, we've always focused a lot on Habit 3, Put First Things First.


Except for rare occasions, my husband and I try to stay on the same schedule every day, especially the time we wake up and go to sleep. On weekends we try to get most of our work accomplished early in the day so we can enjoy the afternoon playing with our 16-month-old grandson, Owen.


When our children were little, we also followed a daily routine. I woke them early enough to eat a good breakfast and not feel rushed. They would do their homework right after school, eat dinner and go to their sport's practice. When they returned they would shower, read and relax knowing they were prepared for the next day. Our son plans to teach Owen the same helpful habits.

MR. MASKO, SECOND GRADE TEACHER

Habit 7, Sharpen the Saw


Listening to and playing music has always been my way of re-setting and "sharpening the saw." When life gets hectic, it's so useful to remember the calming effect of a good melody.


Whether I'm playing an old favorite, listening to a song for the very first time, or writing one of my own, I find that there is always room to grow and always more to learn. Taking a break after a busy day and focusing on music is a great way to keep on track both mentally and emotionally. Afterward, I feel rejuvenated, relaxed, and ready to approach new challenges with a fresh perspective.

A great way to express gratitude. I share these weekly with staff. Keep the shout outs coming!

HABITS HOMEWORK

LOOK FOR OPTIONAL FAMILY ACTIVITIES IN SEESAW EACH WEEK!

Every week, we'll provide activities for families to practice the 7 habits together! Share your pictures in Seesaw, with your teacher, or send them directly to nzuerblis@qcsd.org, and we'll include them in the next Richland Reflections!

THIS WEEK'S DAILY QUESTIONS

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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: What does it mean to be considerate?

TUESDAY: How do you show consideration for your friends?

WEDNESDAY: How do you show consideration for your family?

THURSDAY: How do you show consideration for your teacher?

FRIDAY: How do you show respect for people you don’t know?

ACTIVE APRIL

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This month we're encouraging you to get active, get outdoors and take care of your body! Sharpen the saw!


Let's reap the benefits of getting our bodies moving and breathing more deeply as a result of exercising, laughing, and even singing! We don't all need to run marathons - there are simple things we can all do to take care of our bodies - for example unplugging from technology, getting outside, and - importantly - making sure we get enough sleep!


Learn more at actionforhappiness.org!

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

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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

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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.

FROM MRS. STAUFFER, OUR SCHOOL NURSE

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WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO QUARANTINE?

What should you or your child do if asked to quarantine due to exposure to Covid-19? After an exposure to Covid-19, it may take between 2-14 days for symptoms to appear. When ordered to quarantine, you must stay inside of your home until cleared by the Department of Health. Even if you have no symptoms, you or your child should not be outside of your home having close contact with friends and neighbors. If you become infected with the virus, with or without symptoms, interacting with others not in your household can cause community spread of the disease.


While in school, we require children and staff to be masked, wash their hands often, and socially distance to prevent our Richland community from becoming ill. Even if your child has been diagnosed with a common cold, please ensure they avoid contact with other children to prevent transmission and missed school days. Following these same good habits outside of school will prevent you, your children, and others from becoming sick, whether it be from Covid-19, Flu, or any number of common fall and winter illnesses.


For more information, please read QCSD Exclusion from and Return to School Requirements.

LIVE AND VIRTUAL DAILY ATTENDANCE

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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

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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.

UPCOMING EVENTS

JUMP ROPE DAY 4/21

VIRTUAL AUTHOR VISITS 5/4

VIRTUAL BOOK FAIR 5/6-5/18

INTERNATIONAL WEEK 5/10-5/14

VIRTUAL RAINFOREST ASSEMBLY 5/10

ELECTION DAY - NO SCHOOL 5/18

DIGITAL PROJECT PROUD 5/21

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)

FIELD DAY 6/14

VIRTUAL SCIENCE ASSEMBLIES 6/17

LAST DAY OF SCHOOL 6/21