The Skippack Star
September 16, 2022
Weekly Message from Skippack Elementary
Dear Skippack Families,
It was another great week at Skippack! Our students continue to do a great job transitioning into their established classroom and school routines. This week, our teachers finished teaching behavior expectations through our PBIS framework for all areas of our students' day and our PBIS team is preparing to "kick off" our Viking 200 Club (Golden Ticket System) which will be coming soon!
Just a reminder, this week will be our annual Meet the Teacher Night (Grades 1 through 5) on Thursday, September 22nd at 7:00 - 8:30 PM. Please see below for detailed information. We look forward to seeing you on the evening of September 22nd!
In this week's Skippack Star, you will find information about Meet the Teacher Night, Safety Information, Try It Tuesday, our Home and School organization updates and other important information that you need to know moving forward.
On behalf of everyone at Skippack, I wish you a wonderful weekend!
Warm Regards,
Leslie Nassoiy
Skippack Elementary Principal
Important Dates
22-23 Perkiomen Valley School Calendar
9/13 - Student Picture Day - *Information below
9/22 - Meet the Teacher Night Grades 1-5 - *Information below
9/26 - Holiday/Rosh Hashanah - NO SCHOOL
9/28 - Home and School Meeting at 7:00 PM *Information below
10/5 - Holiday/Yom Kippur- NO SCHOOL
Week of September 19th
- Monday, September 19th: B Day
- Tuesday, September 20th: C Day
- Wednesday, September 21st: D Day
- Thursday, September 22nd: E Day
- Friday, September 23rd : F Day
Meet the Teacher Night
Skippack parents and guardians are welcome to attend our annual Meet the Teacher Night on Thursday, September 22, 2022. Doors will open at 6:50 PM and our first session will begin promptly at 7:00 PM. Skippack teachers will be offering three identical sessions during this event. For the Meet the Teacher Night Schedule, please access this document link below. The parking lots in the front, side and playground will be open for parking.
Please note that this event is intended for parents only. Please note that the purpose of this evening is to help parents gain a stronger understanding of grade level curriculum and the classroom community. Meet the Teacher Night is not a venue for conferences regarding your child’s progress. Parent/teacher conferences will be held in November. Conference sign ups will occur at a later date. We look forward to seeing you on the evening of September 22nd!
Safety Information
Anyone picking up a child (early dismissal or afternoon dismissal) and all visitors MUST have their ID.
It is important that students learn how to be safe during the school day. Last week, we had classroom discussions about our various safety protocols. Then, this week we practiced the different Standard Response Protocols including the Hold, Secure, Shelter, Lockdown, and Evacuate safety drills. Student friendly and age-appropriate language was used when speaking with our students.
For more information about our emergency preparedness, please visit https://iloveuguys.org/The-Standard-Response-Protocol.html
Counselor Corner
Welcome Back to the 22-23 School Year!
A new school year, while exciting and fun, can also bring with it new or different challenges. A smooth adjustment helps set the tone for a successful year ahead. Check out these tips below for ways to support your student during this time of transition.
Helping Your Child Adjust to School
Be enthusiastic about upcoming changes. Your child will pick up the messages you are sending. If you are positive and hopeful, chances are they will be, too! Have high expectations for your child’s learning and behavior, at home and at school.
Get Involved! Connect with other families through Home and School, set up playdates or time with friends outside of school, connect your child with extracurricular activities in the community. These elements help to strengthen connections. Connections build relationships and a more positive outlook!
Start (and stick to!) daily routines!. Let your child become involved with packing lunch, organizing the backpack or supplies, setting up a homework spot/time, or laying out the next day’s outfit. Think of those things that help make the evenings or mornings easier. Involve your child and do your best to stick to these routines. This is also a good time to revisit the amount of time children are playing video games, watching TV, or using devices. Establishing a bedtime routine that allows your child to get 9-10 hours of sleep a night will go a long way in setting your child up for success!
Put aside extra time for chatting and communicating together. Your child may not share a lot or maybe they share everything! Holding that space for them to be able to chat when they need to is helpful in sending the message that you are ready to listen and support, if need be. No time to chat? Consider setting up a notebook that is special for just you and your child. Your child can jot a note to you and leave it in a designated location for your eyes only. Then, you write back and the conversation just continues. This is also very helpful for those children who are not as open verbally but will consider writing or drawing about their day, worries, or hopes.
Say good-bye with love and support, but be firm about separating. Never ridicule a child for crying. Instead, make supportive statements like, “It’s hard to say good-bye.” Send the message that school is a “must do” while validating the feeling of sadness about leaving. This can be very hard for parents. Just remember, you are sending the message to your child that he/she can handle the challenge when you remain firm in your stance.
The Skippack Counseling team is here for you and your child during this time of adjustment! Feel free to reach out and connect with us!
Mrs. Jessica Barnett jpuckett@pvsd.org Grades K, 2, 4
Mrs. Stacia Hang shang@pvsd.org Grades 1, 3, 5
No Dogs Allowed
*Parent Pick Up Notes/Emails ~ Important!
If you plan to pick up your child during dismissal, please remember to send in a note or an email to our office staff, pjacobson@pvsd.org and/or syanulevich@pvsd.org and your child’s classroom teacher. Please include your child’s name, date of the pick up and the adult who will be picking up your child. This is to ensure an efficient pick up procedure process and the safety of our students.
Educational Trip Forms
Attendance Information
Attendance Information ~ If you have a child who will be absent or missing class time, please send an email (from the email you have listed in ParentVue) to: SkAttendance@pvsd.org. This will count as your call-out AND parent excuse. Please indicate in the email the date of absence, student’s grade and the reason for the absence. An absence is considered unexcused when the child’s school has not received an email providing an acceptable reason for the absence within a 3-day period. Parents may also call our attendance line at: 610-409-6060, option 1. If you do this, you would still need to submit an email with the above information in order for it to be excused. Any medical notes should be scanned or sent in with your child, send to pjacobson@pvsd.org.
Dismissal Change?
If you need to make an unexpected dismissal change for your child during the day, please contact the main office via telephone (610-409-6060) by 2:30 PM, if possible.
Try It Tuesday
PV Power Packs
PV Power Packs is a weekend food program for students experiencing food insecurity. Bags of food, including 2 breakfast items, 2 lunch items, 2 snacks, and 2 fruits, are sent home with students prior to every weekend. There is no financial information required to participate in this program and students pick up their bags from their counselor or designated person every week.
For more information regarding how to receive a Power Pack for your child or to make donations to the Power Packs program, click here: https://www.pvsd.org/families/pv-power-packs/
Flexible Instructional Days (FID) in 22-23
The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) approved the use of Flexible Instructional Days (FID) as an alternate form of instruction in response to inclement weather or other emergencies. On a FID day, instruction will be virtual. FID assist schools in meeting the required 180 student days. PA Schools may use up to five (5) FID per school year - in PVSD, we will utilize FID when all 3 inclement weather days built into the district calendar are used.
For more information and and the elementary FID schedule, CLICK HERE.
Cafeteria Account Information
Parents/Guardians put money in their student(s) accounts electronically in SchoolCafe or by sending cash or checks in with their students. If you are sending funds in with your students, please note the students’ names and account number on the envelope and ask them to give the envelope to their classroom teacher and/or the cashier in the cafeteria.
Upon entering the serving area, students make their selections and enter their 6 digit Student ID number on the pin pad or scanner. Our staff will be happy to help them become more comfortable with the system. For the School Cafe link and other Food Service information, please visit the PV Food Service website: https://www.pvsd.org/departments/food-service/.
APPLY FOR FREE & REDUCED MEAL PROGRAM
Financial situations have changed for many families and you may qualify for our Free & Reduced Meal Program.
If you've already received a Letter of Direct Certification and all children are listed in the letter, you're all set and you do not need to apply.
Click HERE to view the Income Eligibility Guidelines for the 2022/2023 school year.
If you think you may qualify, please click HERE to apply online or call the Food Service Office for assistance: 610-489-8506 ext 1109.
Home and School Information
GARDEN FUN DAY! Sunday, September 18th from 5pm-7pm
Join us at Skippack Elementary’s Learning Garden for a Fall Clean Up. We will be winterizing the garden. Everyone from the community is welcome and we will sign off on service hours. If you would like to get on the email chain for the Learning Garden please contact Cortney at skippackgarden@gmail.com.
Fall Clean Up: SEED Committee: Fall 2022 Garden Fun Day! (signupgenius.com)
HOME AND SCHOOL MEETING September 28th at 7:00pm, Library
All parents are welcome to attend and this is a great way to hear what is going on and get involved! Meetings alternate between mornings helda t 9:30am in the Faculty Lounge and 7:00pm in the school library. For information on getting your clearances to volunteer and attend field trips, please visit: https://www.pvsd.org/families/volunteer-procedures/
WAlK A THON SAVE THE DATE!
Friday, October 14th
Join us Friday, October 14th at Skippack Elementary to cheer on students as they fundraise for Home & School, in our annual Walk-A-Thon Event!
Volunteer Sign Up: TBA
TRUNK OR TREAT SAVE THE DATE!
Friday, October 21st from 6pm-7:30pm
Join us Friday, October 21st from 6pm-7:30pm at Skippack Elementary and enjoy a night full of fun for our Skippack Community. Children are welcome to dress up and enjoy a safe trick or treating experience. We will need lots of trunkers and candy donations this year. Rain date is October 28th.
Trunker and Volunteer Sign Up: TBA
Student Sign Up: TBA
Join us on our FACEBOOK page to stay up to date on all the latest information. We are very careful to only allow current staff and parents/caregivers of students at Skippack to join the page, so please answer the questions that pop up after your request to join the group. If you have requested to join, but have not answered the questions, your request will not be accepted. https://www.facebook.com/groups/skippackhomeandschool/
Skippack Elementary
Email: lnassoiy@pvsd.org
Website: www.pvsd.org
Location: 4081 Heckler Road, Collegeville, PA, USA
Phone: (610)409-6060
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/skippackelem
Twitter: @Skippack_E