West Chester Area School District

Dear WCASD Community,

It is hard to believe that the holiday season is already in full swing! In the blink of an eye, summer sun and fall decorations have transformed into cold mornings and festive lights. As we find ourselves pulled in different directions while trying to fit in the recitals and concerts, holiday decorating and shopping, and the many expectations of the season, I hope you can extend the care you express for others to yourself.

Our staff, students, and families are constantly giving of themselves, whether it is through food drives, creating and sharing messages of gratitude, volunteering in the community, or spreading joy through their various talents. This generosity never fails to inspire me, and if I could give one gift in return, it would be time to rest and recharge with friends and loved ones.

My warmest (at least in spirit) wishes for a safe and joyful holiday season and a Happy New Year!

To make sure that you don’t miss a moment of the WCASD holiday magic, check out the list of upcoming events in our Celebrate the Arts Flyer.

Important Dates:

December 2: Special Education Day

December 5: School Annual Organizational Board Meeting | 7:00 p.m.

December 7: WCASD Job Fair | Virtual Session 9:00 a.m. - In Person Session 4:00 p.m.

December 18-25: Hanukkah

December19: School Board Meeting | 7:00 p.m.

December 23-January 2: Schools Closed for Winter Break

December 24: Christmas Eve

December 25: Christmas

December 26: District Offices Closed

December 26-January 1: Kwanzaa

December 31: New Year's Eve

The season of giving is upon us and our schools focused on giving back and thinking of others during the Thanksgiving holiday. From food drives to delivering meals, students and staff made a positive impact in our community!

Thank you, Shayna and Thomas, for your wonderful report on all of the excellent events, learning, and growth taking place at Peirce Middle School.

The School Board is excited to represent PMS spirit with their new keychain-carabiners!

Noah Burns, RHS class of 2021 and current West Chester University sophomore, recently completed a mural for the Friends Association for Care and Protection of Children in West Chester to bring attention to the issue of homelessness. The Friends Association supports families experiencing homelessness in Chester County and the project was part of their 200th Anniversary celebration. What excellent work, Noah!

To read the full article from the Daily Local News, click the button or the photo of the mural.

Henderson students and WCASD staff volunteered for the Greater West Chester Chamber of Commerce’s Hanging of the Greens event.

Even though it was a little colder than last year, they had a great time hanging fresh greens and bows on local businesses in Downtown West Chester in preparation for the holiday season!

Henderson High School's Art Department and the Black Student Union took an amazing field trip to Washington, D.C., to explore the National Museum of African American History and Culture, The National Gallery of Art, and the National Portrait Gallery.

They had a wonderful time learning and exploring throughout the day!

We are hosting a job fair on Wednesday, December 7, to grow our talented team of Support Professionals! Attendees will have the opportunity to interview for paraprofessional, secretary, and custodial roles.

To learn more about open positions, salary rates, and benefits and to register for the fair, click the registration button or the image. We cannot wait to see how you might fit into our WCASD team!

As we approach our winter weather season, the WCASD will soon share more information with families regarding our plans for responding to inclement weather.

Please look for additional details and FAQs regarding our 2022-23 winter weather plans from Superintendent Sokolowski next week.

We will continue to communicate any inclement weather impacts via email, call, text, our website and on social media.

The Rustin Marching Band and Color Guard has a very exciting night coming up next week as they are performing on Wednesday, December 7, at 9:00 p.m. in the Pearl Harbor Memorial Parade!

To watch the parade that evening, visit the parade website: www.pearlharborparade.org. The band and color guard are #56 of 86 units performing in this incredible lineup.

Thank you to Principal Sherlock and the incredible Henderson Warriors for giving School Board President, Sue Tiernan, School Board Members, Karen Herrmann and Laura Detre, and some of our administrators a wonderful tour of Henderson through your eyes!

The Annual WCASD Choral Festival showcased the incredible musical talents of students throughout the district in November! Students practiced for their special performances and worked with composer, Michael John Trotta, to prepare a new piece of music he composed for WCASD titled And The Night Shall Be Filled With Music.

While this video and these photos offer just a few short glimpses of the music performed, the entire show was wonderful!

East High School students studying Thermodynamics and Optics recently completed their solar oven competition. Check out the photos of them with their projects, one in visible light and one thermal image!

Looking to catch a Basketball game or cheer on your favorite wrestler at the next match? Tickets are only available online.

Visit your school’s new Online Ticketing site to purchase individual events or a season pass (what a great gift idea!!):

• https://www.payschoolsevents.com/events/org/henderson-high-school-athletics
• https://www.payschoolsevents.com/events/org/west-chester-east-high-school-athletics
• https://www.payschoolsevents.com/events/org/rustin-high-school-athletics

With his love for animals, Rustin High School senior Gavin Snyder has again created a Christmas light and inflatable display that benefits the Brandywine Valley SPCA.

With about 35 inflatables and hundreds of twinkling lights, the display is a perfect walk through for all ages.

Snyder, 18, spent time after school and on weekends for three weeks, for the sixth year, to set up the holiday display at 895 S. Concord Road, West Chester.

Read the rest of the article on the Daily Local News by clicking the button!

Save the date for West Chester East High School's 13th annual West Chester East House of Hope Charity Concert this spring! This entirely student-led, organized, and produced concert benefits Home of the Sparrow, which aims to alleviate homelessness by providing support to women and children in need in Chester County.

Bring family and friends to attend the concert on March 31, 2023, starting at 7 PM in the West Chester East High School auditorium.

Exton Elementary students spent time during their art classes decorating their own special 'kindness rocks' to include in a new Kindness Rocks Garden. Over 500 rocks were donated from a local landscaping business to create the garden which will encourage visitors to take a rock for inspiration or leave one to help kindness and the garden grow!

We can't wait to see how it turns out!

Citadel Credit Union is looking to recognize teachers from across the Greater Philadelphia area that go “above and beyond” to make a difference in the lives of their students. We know that there are many wonderful WCASD teachers who make a positive impact every single day, and we need your help to recognize their efforts!

Nominations are being accepted for the award now through Jan. 15, 2023. Teachers, counselors, and administrators at public and private schools in Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, Lancaster and Philadelphia counties are eligible.

Keystone Volvo delivered the largest donation of brand-new winter coats to the West Chester Area School District since the annual Driving Away the Cold campaign began in 2008.

District caseworkers sorted through the different sizes and colors of 300 coats to prepare them for distribution to economically disadvantaged students within the district.

To read the full article in the Patch, please click the button!

Six students from East High School performed in the Mass Youth Choir at the Philadelphia Thanksgiving Day! They did an exceptional job adding their beautiful voices to the inspiring sounds of the parade.

Wonderful job, Shauna, Cara, Paige, Paige, Alexis, and Katie!

Want to make a big difference? Looking for flexible opportunities? Join the Kelly Services Team!

Whether you are interesting in becoming a substitute teacher as a way to start your career or you are looking for a new, flexible experience, the Kelly Education Team has a fit for you. To get started, fill out the inquiry form linked in the photo or the blue button.

Know someone else who you think might make a great substitute? Refer them to Kelly Education and receive a $100 referral bonus after the complete the hiring process and work five full-day jobs! There is no limit to the number of referrals you can make, simply use this referral link!

Congratulations to Rustin High School student, Spencer Upton, on recently receiving the recognition of Eagle Scout as a member of Troop 149 Good Will Fire Co!

A scout since 1st grade, Spencer's final Eagle project included organizing fellow scouts, community volunteers, family and friends to clean and geotag burial sites so that families can more easily find and memorialize passed loved ones.

Students in Rustin High School's Technical Education Program worked together to design and build a brand new bike rack for Fern Hill Elementary! After gathering all of the materials, developing the design, and constructing the bike rack, they delivered it to some very happy recipients at Fern Hill.

Students at Exton Elementary School have been busy again this year as they created numerous ornaments for a children's tree at Longwood Gardens.

Students in grades 1 through 5 made the ornaments to match Longwood Garden's 2022 theme of "Botanical Splendor" using sewing, painting, collage, weaving, modeling clay, and coding/3D printing techniques. We think it looks gorgeous!

Don't wait, register now for the eight week SAT Prep Course at East High School! This course is open to all high school students, but space is limited.

Course runs January 17 – March 9, 2023; Pre-test March 4. Click the flyer to learn more or the blue button to register now.

Award winning local author and newspaper reporter, Bruce Mowday, visited Rustin's French classes to talk about his new book, Lafayette at Brandywine: The Making of an American Hero.

In addition to speaking about the book and its inspiration, Mr. Mowday brought in bookmarks and an informational poster to share the story of the Marquis de Lafayette and French assistance during the American Revolution with students.

In honor of Veterans Day, we had many wonderful celebrations, events, and activities going on throughout the WCASD to recognize all who serve or have served in the military!

Henderson High School is seeking nominations for the B. Reed Henderson High School Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame was designed to recognize graduates who have achieved excellence and reached the pinnacle of their field at the national or international level. A committee comprised of West Chester High School (B. Reed Henderson High School) alumni, Henderson High School staff members, and current students will review all Hall of Fame nominations

If you would like to nominate an individual for consideration, please complete the Henderson High School Hall of Fame 2023 Nomination Form.

The deadline to submit nominations is: Wednesday, January 18, 2023.

We would like to say thank you, thank you, thank you to First Resource Bank and Mid Penn Bank for their EITC donations to the West Chester Area Education Foundation!

EITC donations to the WCAEF help fund meaningful experiences for our students, like the field trip Henderson sculpture classes and studio art students took last year to Goggleworks Center for the Arts in Reading.

What else could an EITC donation fund?

• Fund grants to educational programs that enrich WCASD students' learning experiences.
• Help fund internships with area businesses.
• Ensure that our schools will continue to offer opportunities that connect curriculum to real-world experiences.
  
  

Learn more about the foundation and consider donating by clicking on the blue donate button!

At various times throughout the year, community members may request a review of instructional materials or books related to the WCASD. When this occurs, the Superintendent can create a committee to review the material in question. Parents and community members are an important part of the committee and review process.

If you would be interested and willing to serve on review committee if the need should arise, we encourage you to complete a brief interest form by clicking the blue button.

Did you know that the WCASD offers a Senior Tax Reduction Incentive Volunteer Exchange Program designed to assist Senior Citizens with the burden of Real Estate Taxes? In return for volunteering their services through this program, senior citizens may be entitled to a rebate of property taxes in accordance with the guidelines outlined on our Senior Tax Reduction Incentive Volunteer Exchange Program webpage.

Before applying to the program, we encourage those interested to review the attached brochure below and the guidelines on our website.