Falcon Flash
April 23, 2021
Principal's Message
Hello Stetson Families,
Happy Friday! This week was quite challenging. In light of the Derek Chauvin verdict, we reached out to all students and created a safe/brave space for them to talk, ask questions or just listen. It is important to us that we create an inclusive environment for all students in our community. We are proud of our Stetson family and their efforts to support one another.
I would like to say thank you for your continued support for the health and safety of our students. We understand this pause to in-person instruction is disappointing. However, we feel this important mitigation strategy that will prevent future building-wide closures.
Our 7th graders who have not been given a timeline from our nurse may return to in-person learning on Monday. If you are unsure of your specific date, please check your email from Mrs. Czerpak or email her @mczerpak@wcasd.net.
Or 8th graders who have not been given a timeline from our nurse may return to in-person learning on Tuesday. If you are unsure of your specific date, please check your email from Mr.s Czerpak or email her @mczerpak@wcasd.net.
Our 6th graders participated in their first security/lockdown drill at Stetson on Thursday. They did a great job! Teachers participated in productive conversations about school safety. As we continue to return to more in-person instruction, we will implement fire and safety drills.
March and April Calendar - Rotational Day
Thanks for your time and attention in reading this week's edition!
Have a great weekend,
Mrs. Puchalla
Calendar next week (Including Cyber students)
April 26th--Day 4 AM (periods 1-4)
April 27th--Day 4 PM (periods 5-8)
April 28th--Day 5 AM (periods 1-4)
April 29th--Day 5 PM (periods 5-8)
April 30th--Day 6 AM (periods 1-4)
Technology concerns--As technical issues arise during remote learning, please use the following resources:
Tech Support @ Home – WCASD website with important information:
- Schoology Support
- Laptop Support
- Additional Resources
If there is an issue with your 1:1 device please email SMStech_support@wcasd.net
Upcoming Important Dates
Refillable Water Bottles Stations
Car line Concern
In order to keep our carline moving please do the following:
- listen/follow our staff members or police officers on duty outside
- unload students at cone sites (all the way around the bend)
- Please have your child unload once you enter the cone zone
- have students be ready to exit with books/gear in a timely manner
- Students are not permitted to walk through our parking lots, please do not park and expect your child to cross through moving traffic.
- Handicapped parking is reserved for our handicapped students/parents ONLY
- NOTE--please consider exiting straight onto Orvis (if going southbound) when exiting our campus
- NOTE--please consider going straight (over 202) and take left onto the ramp back to 202N (across from daycare)
Thank you for cooperating with our traffic procedures. We enjoy seeing your smiles, waves, and family dogs!
National Pink Day--MAY 7th
We are encouraging all students to wear pink on May 7th!
Nurse's Corner
Due to the challenging week we had, we would like to share how we determine which students to contact trace and quarantine.
When we learn of a positive Covid case, we determine the date of symptom onset and/or positive Covid test date. From there, we look at the class schedule/lunch/bus/sports (if applicable) of the positive case. Although students are 3 feet apart, we contact trace 6 feet as per the Health Department Guidelines.
Please understand that only the person in direct contact with the positive case needs to quarantine (not the whole family) unless the close contact develops symptoms or tests positive.
Quarantine Timeline:
- Date of exposure= Day 0.
- Close contacts can test day 5 or after.
- With proof of a negative test, close contacts can return to in-person learning and sports/activities after day 7.
- If close contacts chose not to test, they can return to in-person learning and sports/activities after day 10.
There may be situations in which a close contact occurred with multiple positive cases, which may alter the timeline to test. We communicate that information to you as quickly as possible to avoid multiple tests.
Intramural information--6th Graders
6th-grade intramural volleyball will begin on April 13th and last for 12 days. It will run from 3:00 until 4:15. Please have a ride home by 4:20 pm. During intramurals, students will learn the fundamentals of the game and will scrimmage each other in some games. Please wear comfortable clothes and you must-have sneakers. Knee pads are recommended, but not required. Each student should bring a water bottle to practice. Permission slips can be found in room C132 or email Tina Costin……tcostin@wcasd.net.
6th-grade intramural Track will begin on May 5th and last till May 21st. Track practice will run from 3:00 until 4:15. Please have a ride home by 4:20 pm. During intramurals, students will learn the fundamentals of track and field. Please wear comfortable clothes and sneakers. Each student should bring a water bottle to practice. If interested please sign up using the following link. For additional information email David Loescher (dloeschervelazquez@wcasd.net) or students may stop by A108 with any questions.
Contact Mr. Corcoran at wcorcoran@wcasd.net with any additional questions.
Spring Sports Information--7th and 8th grade
Spring sporting events will begin the week of April 26 and run until May 14. Here is some important information to be aware of:
* One-way busses will be provided, Stetson Middle School for all-away sporting events. In some cases, the busses will depart before the end of the academic day.
* Parents of remote students are also encouraged to drive their children to the sporting event. However, we ask that the student-athlete be at the opponent's school by 2:50.
* Rides home will be from the opponent's school.
* All games will be local this year: Fugett, Peirce & Great Valley. There will not be a return bus to Stetson. Coaches will provide parents with approximate pick-up times for away events.
* Due to the disparate numbers of participants normal game rules may be modified.
For attending the sporting events, we are requesting that parents follow these guidelines if they wish to attend the event:
* Each student-athlete is permitted to have a maximum of two (2) people attend a sporting event.
* All spectators must wear a mask when attending a sporting event & practice social distancing.
We appreciate your cooperation and thank you for your patience and support this challenging year!
Contact Mr. Corcoran at wcorcoran@wcasd.net with any additional questions.
Sports Game Schedule
Week 1:
* Monday, April 26:
Girl's Lax GREAT VALLEY @ STETSON Postponed
7 Baseball GREAT VALLEY @ STETSON Postponed
7 Softball GREAT VALLEY @ STETSON Postponed
8 Baseball STETSON @GREAT VALLEY Postponed
8 Softball STETSON @GREAT VALLEY Postponed
Boy's Lax STETSON @GREAT VALLEY Postponed
* Tuesday, April 27:
Girls Track STETSON @ PEIRCE Postponed
* Wednesday, April 28
Boys and Girls Track PEIRCE @ STETSON
* Thursday, April 29:
* 8th grade baseball STETSON @ PEIRCE
* 8th grade softball STETSON @ PEIRCE
* Boys lax: STETSON @ PEIRCE
* 7th grade baseball PEIRCE @ STETSON
* 7th grade softball PEIRCE @ STETSON
* Girls lax PEIRCE @ STETSON
Eligibility Information for extra curricular school sponsored activities
We are very excited about resuming our spring sports program next week. Now that we have begun, we must also implement the district’s extracurricular eligibility policy. See the policy by clicking the link here http://go.boarddocs.com/pa/wche/Board.nsf/goto?open&id=9Z3GMN447E5E Students who are failing 2 or more core subjects or 1 core subject and 2 or more Unified Arts classes, will be considered ineligible to participate in sports or activities the FOLLOWING week. You will receive notice of this via email.
**SPECIAL NOTE--3rd marking period report cards will be finalized on Monday, April 19th, and will decide ineligibility for a 15 day period. Any student who has a grade below 70 in 2 or more academic classes or an academic class and 2 or more Unified Arts classes will be ineligible from April 19 through May 7. 4th marking period ineligibility will begin with grades from April 21 and will be effective the week of April 25 through May 1.
Attendance Info
Effective 3/29/21, all 5 days a week students are required to learn in-person unless they are given prior approval by the school nurse (mczerpak@wcasd.net) or the Principal (mpuchalla@wcasd.net). Students who remote in without permission will be marked absent regardless of their virtual attendance. An absence note will need to be submitted within 5 days.