SWS Update: Mid-October
Fall news you don't want to miss!
BUSY TIME OF THE YEAR!!
Hi all!! This is a busy time of year, and there are lots of details in this newsletter.
Please scroll down to see specifics about all these events:
- Spirit Week--October 14 - 18
- Book Fair--October 21 - 25
- No-Cook Night--October 24
- Halloween Parade--October 31-- 9:30 am
- Mr. Meanix presentation & PTO Meeting--Nov 6th @7 pm
- Cornhole Social--Saturday, November 16 (new date)
ARE YOUR KIDS ONE OF THE 163??? We have about 163 students for whom we do not have updated back to school information. For steps on how to update information, click PARENT PORTAL, log in, and then complete the Back To School information. We need to know how to get in touch with you or your emergency contacts--you'd be surprised how often the phone numbers are incorrect!!
Thanks!
John Meanix, Principal
SWS Spirit Week Begins on Monday!
These FUN THEMES are sure bring on the wolf pride:
Monday, Oct. 14--Pajama Day (no slippers)Tuesday, Oct. 15--Crazy Hair Day
Wednesday, Oct. 16--Mustache Day
Thursday, Oct. 17--Crazy Sock Day
Friday, Oct. 18--Show your Starkweather pride by wearing Blue & Green!
8th Annual Fun Walk is Friday, Oct 18th
The Plan: All day long, students will enjoy walking with their classmates and teachers for 30 minute sessions. The designated walking course will be fun, silly, creative and crazy! Participation will promote health, fitness, camaraderie, & school spirit.
Prizes: There will be a variety of prizes for the students to win throughout this week. Make sure to check out the Fun Walk flyer sent home with the kids for more details!
Volunteers: The Fun Walk is not possible without parent volunteers! Just click FUNWALKSIGNUPGENIUS to help out! Clearances are not required. If you plan to volunteer, please stop into school this week for your updated license-scanned badge. On Friday, be sure to sign in and get your badge before your volunteer time slot. Thank you!
THE SWS FALL BOOK FAIR IS FROM OCTOBER 21, 2019 – OCTOBER 25, 2019
- PARENT SHOPPING NIGHT will now be held on Thursday, OCT 24th (NOT OCT 23RD-due to the WC Halloween parade) The times remains the same, from 5-7:00 pm in the Atrium.
- ONLINE BOOK FAIR will be available Oct 16th to the 29th.
- Click SWS SCHOLASTIC HOMEPAGE to preview books and online orders.
- Click Book Fair eWallet to set up a no worry, cash-free way for your kids to purchase books! You simply create a free account & authorize a spending limit using your credit card.
- Please click SWS BOOK FAIR SIGNUPGENIUS to help out! All three clearances are needed. Volunteers make the book fair a success! Thank you in advance!
SWS Exclusive Fundraiser Packet: Now Open to all SWS parent supported businesses
If the company you work for would like to have an opportunity to advertise to Starkweather parents, then please reach out to us ASAP. All Ad proceeds will go directly to Starkweather! This is a wonderful opportunity for companies and businesses to support our school while supporting their business! Deadline for flyers has been extended to October 15. Please contact swspto.president@gmail.com for more details!
ART UPDATE by Mrs. Loveland
We are off to a great start in the art room this year. All classes have completed their Square 1 Art projects. Order forms should be arriving in a few weeks.
Kindergarteners have been getting to know the routines of the art room and working on their basic fine motor skills. Lots of cutting and gluing!
Kindergarten, 1st and 3rd graders have been working on pumpkin-themed art work. Kindergarteners have been tracing, sponge painting and cutting pumpkins. 1st graders are drawing and painting pumpkins to appear ROUND and the 3rd grade has been drawing and coloring pumpkins the art style of Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama.
2nd graders are observing shapes in Victorian architecture and watercolor painting sunset silhouettes.
4th graders have been learning about the many art styles of Pablo Picasso and creating a Cubism portrait.
5th graders are designing the 2019-2020 Starkweather yearbook cover. The final cover will be voted on by the 5th grade students and should be announced in the beginning of November.
After 27 years, the art room is getting a new kiln and we should be back on track with clay projects very soon.
“Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up”- Pablo Picasso
Happy Fall,
Katie Loveland kloveland@wcasd.net
What in the world is Freckle anyway?
You have probably heard about Freckle from teachers during Open House or from your children themselves. But what exactly is Freckle and how can you support your children’s progress?
Freckle is a FUN app that is intended for practice and reinforcement--and so far the kids LOVE IT!! Our main reason for using Freckle this year will be MATH, but there are also other learning opportunities including Math videos and Inquiry Based Lessons, Social Studies articles, Science lessons, and ELA articles.
By now, students in most classes are ready to CLICK ON THE PIG! If your child says they don't know what Freckle is, please wait to use it at home. If your child does use it at school but cannot remember the way to log in, click on FRECKLE for a document that can help guide them. Also, click on the pig picture to go directly to the Freckle site!
Reach out to Mrs. Christine Sommer, our SWS Instructional Coach, if you have any questions! csommer@wcasd.net
BEST BUDDIES Program at Starkweather!!
We are excited to kick off our Best Buddies club here at SWS. We are one of the only elementary schools to have this beneficial program in the state of PA!
More information will be coming home soon about our goals, plans, and how your child can participate.
OCTOBER'S NO-COOK NIGHT IS AT PJs
*Please note: This is the same night as the the Parent Shopping Night for the Book Fair. So, maybe some fun book shopping and yummy dinner afterwards? Make a family night out of it! :)
SWS Trunk & Treat is on October 31
Mr. Mx--Report Card Presentation & PTO Meeting--Nov 6th @7pm
Do you know what Standards are included on the K-2 report card? Or even what it means? Or how you can interpret all the information on there?!??! As you may know, Pennsylvania adopted the PA Common Core in 2010. The standards indicate what all students in each grade level should know and be able to do by the end of that school year. In the WCASD, our administrators and educators have aligned our curriculum to the PA-CC standards. For initial information, please see this Standards-Based Report Card informational newsletter. Additionally, please save the date for our PTO meeting on Wednesday, Nov 6th, at 7pm. At this meeting, I will share a brief presentation about standards and standards-based reporting, as well as answer any questions. I also hope to have a few teachers in attendance to help with questions as well. See you there!
DATE CHANGE: SWS Cornhole Social
Date: Saturday, November 16
Time: 7 To 11 pm
Where: Milestone Events
Address: 600 E. Market Street in West Chester
~We hope this new date and time works for many parents!~
Tickets are $45 dollars per person & includes heavy hors d’oeuvres, beer, wine, & entertainment!
If interested, the tournament is a $10 extra fee per team and entrance must be submitted by Nov. 8! After the 8th, tickets will go up to $50 per person.
All friends and family of SWS families are welcome to attend this event!
Here's how to get your tickets:
Go to https://starkweatherpto.membershiptoolkit.com/ to purchase online.
Or, you can send cash or check (made out to Starkweather PTO) in an envelope to school marked with your name and Cornhole Tickets.