Blain Update
November 2020
News from the Office
A few reminders related to our virtual learning days:
- Student attendance is tracked based upon assignment completion. If students are behind, they should use time this week to complete any missing work so they are not marked absent.
- Students should bring all completed paper assignments back to school with them when they return.
- If you have questions about your child's work completion/attendance, please reach out to your child's teacher.
- If students have access during their scheduled meeting times, they are expected to be participating in their teachers' Zoom sessions. Zoom links can be found on each teacher's Google Classroom.
- If you do not have internet access or are having technical difficulties, please notify our IT Department by sending an email with your child's name, a description of the problem, and a telephone number where you can be reached to: 6869@helpdesk.schooldude.com or by calling the school.
Our school website has been updated to include important Title I documents that have been shared throughout the year. These documents are linked below and can also be found at blain.westperry.org under Parents > Resources > Links. We encourage all families to review these documents if you haven't done so already.
Student-Parent-Teacher Compact
School Level Parent and Family Engagement Policy
District Parent and Family Engagement Policy
Blain Title I Parent Right to Know Letter
Important Dates:
November 25 - 30, 2020: Fall Break (No School)
December 1 - 2, 2020: Fall Picture Retake Days
December 22, 2020: Early Dismissal at 1:15 PM
December 23, 2020 - January 1, 2021: Winter Break
Miss Roth’s Counseling Connection
This month at Blain Elementary, we are focusing on the character trait of RESPONSIBILITY! Being responsible is an important part of everyday life, so we encourage students to practice responsibility both in school and at home. Here’s a fun activity to get responsible behaviors and conversations rolling at home!
Helping Hands Coupons
1. Have your student create 1-3 coupons for special tasks they will do at home to help their families. Have them trace their hand or a family member’s hand, then draw and decorate each one with a different task. Make sure the student includes tasks they don’t complete regularly, only makes promises they will be able to deliver, and does tasks willingly.
2. Discuss how these helping hands will make other family members feel when they are received and redeemed, as well as the importance of following through. How will it make the giver feel, too?
3. Have your student hand out their helping hands coupons to family members to be redeemed whenever they need help with the task specified!
While at school, we hand out Mustang Tickets to students who display our character trait of the month, so while students are at home, we are encouraging them to continue practicing responsibility! If your student completes this activity OR you see your student doing something responsible, please fill out this form and they will still receive their Mustang Ticket! Tickets are displayed on a bulletin board by the office and also shown on our Mustang Minute, a news report hosted by Mrs. Jones, the principal, and myself. Students who have already earned a RESPONSIBLE ticket are on display both in the hallway and on our most recent Mustang Minute, which can be found on your child’s homeroom teacher’s Google Classroom.
Be responsible + stay safe,
Miss Courtney Roth, M.Ed.
Blain Elementary School Counselor
A Message from the Nurse's Office
Pre K and kindergarten students are required by the State of Pennsylvania to submit evidence of physical and dental exams. Third grade is required by the state to submit evidence of dental exams. If your student is required to have these exams on file, and you have not already taken care of it, please take steps to complete this requirement as soon as possible. Forms are available on West Perry’s website or a form can be sent home with your student or mailed to you. We will also accept forms provided by the doctor’s or dentist’s office. If you have any questions, please email Mrs. Smith at ssmith@westperry.org or call her at 717-536-3219 X 3504. Please note that our visit from Sadler’s Smiles for Miles program has been postponed indefinitely due to the increase of COVID cases in our county.
Mrs. O'Toole's Reading Corner
There’s no better app than your lap!
For many of us, technology is a central part of our lifestyle. It’s fun to play games on our devices, text with friends, and post pictures on social media. Videos and virtual field trips allow us to visit and explore places that we may never get to see in person. Educational apps help boost our child’s math and reading skills. The tricky part is balancing our “screen time” with play and personal interaction and conversation. As we are entering the holiday season and you are starting to think about gifts for your children, don’t forget some of these fun items: board games, books, sleds, snow toys, etc. What a great way to spend an afternoon with your child! Just think of the things he/she may tell you as you talk, laugh, and play!
November Reading Challenge: Try out this recipe with your family! If you don’t have the items listed, look through your cupboards and see what you could use. I would love to see all of your creations. I hope to receive some pictures in my inbox, sotoole@westperry.org.
Apple Turkeys
Ingredients:
One apple
Toothpicks
Snack choices for “feathers” – Cheerios, Fruit Loops, Raisins, Grapes, Goldfish, Mini Marshmallows, etc.
Snack choices for “feet” – Popcorn, Goldfish Crackers, Gumdrops, Marshmallows
Snack choices for “eyes & beak” – Chocolate Chips, M & Ms, Skittles, Goldfish Cracker (beak)
Frosting or cream cheese
Directions:
1. Begin by poking toothpicks into the “back” of the apple for the feathers. The top of the apple (where the stem comes out) is where the turkey’s face will go, so you are poking into the side of the apple.
2. Add snacks items to the “toothpick feathers”
3. Poke toothpicks into the “belly” of the turkey to create legs.
4. Add one snack item to the end of each toothpick to create feet.
5. With a grownup’s help, squeeze three dots of frosting onto the turkey’s “face” to create the eyes and beak.
6. Create the beak by sticking a goldfish cracker onto the apple with frosting.
7. Display your treat for decoration, or gobble it up!
The following students were caught reading during the month of November OR they participated in the October Reading Challenge: Xavier Burke, Clara Taylor, Destiny Weiser, Quinn Cauffman, Emma Taylor, Steven Weiser, Lauryl Fedder, Caleb Reisinger, Alaina Reisinger, Colby Zettlemoyer, Adam Noel, Lyvia Deiter, Jonathan Kretzing, Vernon Smith, Magnolia Maloney, Oliva Forgione, and Miles Maloney. Congratulations on earning a free book! I would love to see your child reading. Snap a pic and email it to me at sotoole@westperry.org. I will put your child’s picture on my reading wall and also let him/her choose a FREE book.
Connect with Us
Blain Elementary School
132 Blain Road
Blain, PA 17006
717-536-3219
Website: blain.westperry.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/blainelem
Instagram: @blainelementary
"Alone we are strong ... Together we are stronger."