The Bobcat Beat
March 27, 2021
The initial shut down of schools due to COVID-19 was this time last year. While it has been a difficult year filled with many challenges and hardships, our staff, students, and community persevered! It has been great to welcome back more of our students for in-person learning.
As you saw from Dr. Missett's email, I have accepted a new position within the WCASD. Starting July 1, 2021, I will be the Assistant to the Director of Teaching and Learning at the Elementary Level. While this is a great opportunity for me, I am so very sad to be leaving the Fern Hill community. Serving in this capacity for the last 11.5 years has been a true blessing and joy. There is truly no other place like Fern Hill - our community is just the best! But, as I have been reminded - Once a Bobcat, Always a Bobcat! I will be back to Fern Hill (and Greystone) often to visit all of the kiddies! :)
Update on Attendance from Dr. Scanlon: We are modifying this procedure to clarify that if a parent is unsure of whether a child is beginning to exhibit COVID-19 symptoms, we do ask you to err on the side of caution and keep your child home (please refer to our COVID symptom checklist) and we will do our best to allow your child to remote into the classroom if they are feeling well enough to do so. If your child is in a classroom that no longer has students remoting in, we may not be able to accommodate remote instruction immediately.
We do understand that especially as we enter allergy season, it may be challenging to determine whether your child is experiencing the beginning of COVID-19, or not. (I believe we’ve all had a moment over the last year where we’ve wondered if a headache or sniffles is the beginning of COVID.) We do not want to ever compromise the safety of our in-person students or staff.
Some important notes:
- If your child is sick, please keep them home and resting and not remoting in.
- If you are unsure of whether your child is beginning to exhibit COVID symptoms, please notify the school and keep them home.
- If your child feels well enough to participate, and is in a classroom/classes where students are already learning remotely, it should not be problematic for them to temporarily join the remote students. Please contact your child’s teacher.
- However, if your child’s classroom does not currently have students learning remotely, a teacher may not be able to automatically provide remote instruction. It takes a significant amount of work to move from an in-person to virtual model. In this instance, teachers will work with students the way they have in previous years to make up instruction for that day.
- The ability to remote in is not an option for in-person families who want to take a long weekend (e.g. remoting in from the shore or other vacation spot), or want to keep their student home because of a sporting event.
- If a student wants to participate in an after-school activity, and has chosen the in-person option, they need to be in class that day in order to participate.
This school year has required us to quickly reinvent a lot of ways in which we do things. We very much appreciate your understanding and patience as we continue to work through this. We know this hasn’t been easy and we’re grateful for your support for our students and staff.
Schedule for Week of March 29th
Monday 3/29 and Tuesday 3/30: All students in-person
Wednesday 3/31: All students remote, including 5 day in-person
Thursday 4/1, Friday 4/2, and Monday 4/5: NO SCHOOL - SPRING BREAK!!
March Calendar
Coulter's Counseling Corner
Kindergarten & New Student Registration
Please encourage your friends/neighbors to register ASAP, we use these #s to determine our staffing (number of teachers).
If you or someone you know has a child who is turning 5 before September 1, 2021, it is time to enroll them in kindergarten. Simply go to our district site, www.wcasd.net, and click on the enrollment icon. Please scan all necessary documents if possible: birth certificate, immunizations, health records, dental records and 2 proofs of residency. We will reach out to you to set up an appointment to complete the registration.
Kids Heart Challenge 2021 (Cyber Families - read too!)
We set a new record ($13,051.12) last year by over $2,000.00
Jump Rope for Heart is April 13 (rain date April15), 2021. Look Below for the Times!
All FHE Cyber students are invited to attend their specified grade level time. For example, if you are in a 3rd grade cyber class, you are invited to attend with the 3rd graders at FHE from 10:50am-11:30am.
The Kids Heart Challenge will be held: April 13, (rain-date) April 15, 2021 for K thru 5th grades. This year we have waited until April so we can be outside and still have time to get prizes out to the kids before the end of school. Your children will get their prize sheet in PE class or if you are remote or cyber you can stop by the main office and grab one.
Jump Rope for Heart Times (see below)
All specialists will be together Art, Music, Band, P.E. for one united day of Fun…
5th Grade 9:10-9:50
4th Grade 10-10:40
3rd Grade 10:50-11:30
Kindergarten 12:45-1:25
1st Grade 1:35-2:15
2nd Grade 2:25-3:05
Unfortunately, at this time we are not able to invite parents! We will have extra staff on hand to monitor and interact with the kids! The children will be wearing masks and given spaces for “mask breaks”
Thank you for your generosity in advance. If you have any questions, please email Mr. Mike Usilton at musilton@wcasd.net.
Reminder from the Nurse
What to do if child is not feeling well?
Do the Daily Home Screening checklist with your child every day, and follow the guidelines for keeping sick children home.
Call the Safe Arrival line to report your child’s absence. 484 266-1610
Contact your health care provider if your child has symptoms.
Contact the nurse’s office if your child or another person in the household is getting a test for Covid-19. Keep your child home if he/she is waiting for test results or if your child has a known exposure to someone who tests positive for Covid-19.
Nurse: Wendy McGregor RN wmcgregor@wcasd.net, 484 266-1606
PTO News
All FHE Families – In-Person, Remote, and Cyber
- Fern Hill Yearbook is available for Purchase online!
- Order the 2020-21 Yearbook, use this link: www.treering.com/validate School Passcode: 1015983535492295. The hardcover book is $21. If you are not sure if you have ordered or set up an account, please email Mel Olsen at fhptoyearbook158@gmail.com to prevent duplicate orders.
- The book will have ALL FHE Students including cyber so set up an account today and starting adding pictures from this school year to our Shared Photo Files on Treering for you to upload your child(ren)’s photos for the editor to use throughout the book. The book includes all grades and highlights our graduating 5th grade Bobcats.
- Shared Photo Folders include but are not limited to the following:
- Grade – Teacher name (parties/special activities/ZOOM screenshots, etc.)
- Back to School 1st Day Aug 2020 (ALL)
- Back to School Building (whenever your child went to the building)
- Bobcat Sighting On ZOOM and otherwise
- BOBCAT STRONG - All Students should have a picture of themselves doing something that makes them feel strong (Exercising, Having Fun, Being Happy, or Being Kind)
- Halloween Costume 2020 and drive-by of teachers
- Pumpkin Patch Candids
- Snow Day Pictures
- Spirit Week Pictures
- Virtual Concert Pictures
Any questions or trouble uploading pictures, email them to Mel Olsen at fhptoyearbook158@gmail.com
**167 students on Treering and 104 books purchased**
PTO Help needed for 2021-22
Are you staying at Fern Hill Elementary next year? Fill out this form by April 23 if you'd like to join our PTO executive board or hear more about our volunteer committees! Your reply will greatly help us plan for next year.
Fern Hill PTO '21/'22 - Interest Form (google.com)
Love awesome programs offered to your students and teachers throughout the year?? We have positions available with different levels of commitment. Don't know where to start? We can tell you more!
We will *greatly* miss our Bobcat friends leaving us next year, but also look forward to welcoming new families from Exton Elementary and Glen Acres Elementary. We wish EVERYONE a smooth start to the 2021/2022 school year!
WCASD Counseling and Mental Health Professionals Service Guide
We recognize that our students at home may feel isolated. Please know that one of our main goals is to help your children feel connected to their teacher, classroom and Fern Hill! Our district has a Counseling and Mental Health Professionals Service Guide to provide supports and resources if your child is having a difficult time through all of this. This guide provides Counselor and Mental Health Professionals' contact information, services, important forms, and additional resources for parents of students Kindergarten through 12th grade.
Request for Assistance
In an effort to provide additional support for students and parents during remote learning, the district has created a “Request for Academic Assistance” form for each of the WCASD schools. Students, parents and faculty may complete a form on behalf of a student who is struggling with attendance, work completion or social/emotional learning. This form will be reviewed by a member of the Multi-Tiered System of Supports Team (MTSS) to determine the available resources that can be provided. While the form is available, we still recommend reaching out directly to your child's teacher to discuss any concerns.