Looking Ahead at Lincoln
Week of September 19-23, 2022
Day Rotation
Week of 9/19 - 9/23/2022
- Monday – Day 5
Tuesday – Day 1
Wednesday – Day 2
Thursday – Day 3
Friday – Day 4
Week of 9/26- 9/30/2022
- Monday – Day 5
Tuesday – Day 1
Wednesday – Day 2
Thursday – Day 3
Friday – Day 4
Upcoming Events
Lincoln School Picture Day
Our annual school pictures will be taken on Wednesday, September 21st. This will allow us to include all of our students at the school. Order forms were sent home with the students early last week. Some reminders so the students are ready for picture day:
Complete the order form and have your child bring it to school
Make checks payable to Wayne’s World of Photography or complete the credit card information on the order form
Students should come to school “ready” for their school pictures
School staff will be present to help the students look their best before stepping in front of the camera
Weather permitting, ALL photos will be taken outside
Homeroom classes will take a group picture outside in front of the school
For additional information about our photographer, please access his website at http://waynesworldofphotography.com/
Fall Benchmark Assessments
This week, we will continue to administer the fall benchmark assessments to students in using AimsWeb Plus and Measures of Academic Progress (MAP). The MAP assessments (Measures of Academic Progress) are given in reading and mathematics for all students in Grades 1–5. The MAP assessments are administered on-line using Chromebooks and/or iPads. Additionally, students in Kindergarten – Grade 3 will take the AIMSWeb Plus literacy and mathematics assessments. These tests target literacy and math development skills and are proctored individually to each student in Kindergarten - Grade 1, while students in Grades 2 - 3 will take these assessments within their homeroom classes.
All of this data is used by our teachers to monitor the students’ growth and progress. Staff members also use this data to inform instructional planning within the regular classroom setting, as well as for instructional support services in reading and math. Year end reports will be sent home with all students in June 2023. If you have questions about these assessments or about how they impact when support services are offered, please speak with your child’s classroom teacher or Dr. Kitsko.
Pupil Attitudes to Self and School (PASS) Survey
As you may recall, as part of the District’s ongoing commitment to the social and emotional wellbeing of our students, we piloted the PASS Survey last spring. After careful analysis and review, we have determined that this tool will be helpful in achieving the District mission of providing the best education possible for each and every student.
PASS provides teachers with highly reliable and valid information into how students feel about themselves as a learner and how they feel about school. Research backed and standardized, PASS allows schools to detect possible barriers to student learning, including issues around confidence, resilience, motivation, and concentration. The PASS survey will allow our school to proactively address non-academic barriers to learning, which can compromise the wellbeing and academic success of our students.
The survey questions for Grades K-2 and Grades 3-5 are available for your review. We plan to administer the survey at Lincoln beginning on Tuesday, September 20. If you wish to not have your child participate, please inform your child’s teacher by Monday, September 19, 2022. Questions about PASS can be directed to me or Dr. Marybeth Irvin, our Assistant Superintendent of Elementary Education, at mirvin@mtlsd.net.
Dr. Ron Kitsko
Principal
Team Jersey Day - Friday, 9/23
Friday, September 23rd will be Favorite Team Jersey/Shirt Day. Dig out your favorite jersey/shirt to show off your pride for you favorite sports team.
Upcoming Field Trips
Please make sure that the students have submitted the appropriate permission forms to the classroom teachers in advance of the trip. Parent chaperones MUST have all three (3) clearances on file to serve as a program volunteer for all of these field trips. Feel free to contact the school office with questions. Thanks to the Lincoln PTA for its financial support for many of the Lincoln Elementary School field trips.
Grade 2
- Walking Tour of Uptown
- Thursday, September 22, 2022
- 8:45 am – 2:00 pm
Kindergarten
- Simmons Farm
- Monday, October 17, 2022
- 8:45 - 11:30 am
HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH
Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated from September 15th to October 15th each year in the United States. This celebration honors numerous people from Spanish-speaking backgrounds who have come to the United States. We celebrate their cultures and traditions during this month. September 15th was chosen as the starting point for the celebration because it is the anniversary of independence of five Latin American countries: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. Also, Mexico celebrates its independence day on September 16th and Chile celebrates its independence day on September 18th.
Check out these websites for more information about Hispanic Heritage Month and how you can celebrate!
Technology Information
Schoology (LMS)
Schoology, the Mt. Lebanon School District's official Learning Management System (LMS) provides families with a deeper look into their student's classwork and learning progress. As of the Fall of 2022, all online assignments will be collected through Schoology.
Calendars in Schoology will have school events listed as well as course events and assignments. Beginning in 2022-2023, the Schoology calendar will replace Dashboard/PowerSchool as the primary calendar for classroom activity. Classroom assignments, due dates, reminders and other events will be posted by teachers in the Schoology calendar.
If you have questions or need support with Schoology, please email us at SchoologySupport@mtlsd.net
Schoology Information for Families
For Families
- Families can sign into Schoology by going to app.schoology.com and signing in using the email address registered through PowerSchool.
- Once signed in, parents can follow these directions to join a course.
- The access code for Lincoln families to join MTLSD's Family Guide to Schoology is NTSQ-D33Z-MCD3R.Families with more than one student only need to join one course, though it is suggested to join a secondary course if the oldest student in that family is enrolled in one of our secondary schools.
- If you have not received initial communication from Schoology about your account, email us at schoologysupport@mtlsd.net.
For Students
- Students sign into Schoology using Clever, or at mtlsd.schoology.com with their Google account.
Mobile Phones and Smart Watches
Some reminders about the use of smart watches and mobile phones by students during the school day:
- Students are expected to keep mobile phones stored in their lockers
- Mobile phones should be in silent or airplane mode when stored away
- Students may take their mobile phones with them if heading home or to shops (Grades 4-5 only) for lunch
- Video and audio recording of other students and staff members with personal mobile phones/devices and smart watches is prohibited
- Students should keep smart watches in silent or airplane mode once inside the school
- Students are not permitted to call home (or to others) using personal mobile phones or smart watches
- If students need to speak with a parent or family member, they need to seek staff approval to use one of the many phones we have located throughout the school
- Students that are ill or not feeling must be seen in health office and are not to call home using a mobile phone or smart watch - the health office staff will make ALL phone calls home when students are ill
- Family members should not call or text students during the school day - if a student's smart watch alerts the student of an incoming notification during class time, it distracts everyone that hears the device
Awesome Abe School Wide Positive Behavioral Program
What is a School Wide Positive Behavioral Program?
PBIS or Positive Behavioral Interventions or Supports is a school-wide positive behavior support system or set of strategies and systems to increase the capacity of schools to (a) reduce school disruption, and (b) educate all students including those with problem behaviors
- Clearly defined outcomes
- Research-validated practices
- Supportive administrative systems
- Use of information for problem-solving
WHAT ARE THE FEATURES OF PBIS?
- Establish regular, predictable, positive learning & teaching environments.
- Train adults & students to serve as positive models.
- Teach and model behavioral expectations
- Create systems for providing regular positive feedback.
- Acknowledge students when they are “doing the right thing”.
- Improve social competence.
- Develop environments that support academic success.
Important Information
District Seeking Odyssey of the Mind and Academic Games Head Sponsors
The district is seeking directors for the District's Odyssey of the Mind and Academic Games extracurricular programs, to coordinate student teams, coaches, and judges, and participation in local, state, and national competitions. To learn more on the District's Job Posting Page please visit:
School Day Time Schedule
Grades 1-5
8:30 am to 12:00 Noon
1:00 to 3:30 pm
Late bells ring at 8:35 AM and 1:00 PM
Kindergarten (AM)
- 8:30 to 11:20 am
- Late bell rings at 8:35 AM
Kindergarten (PM)
- 12:40 to 3:30 pm
- late bell rings at 12:45 PM
Arrival and Dismissal
Arrival and Dismissal Times
- AM Arrival - 8:25 to 8:35 AM
- Late bell rings at 8:35 AM
- K(AM) dismissal - 11:20 AM
- K(PM) arrival - 12:40 to 12:45 PM
- Late bell for K(PM) rings at 12:45 PM
- PM Dismissal - 3:30 PM
We are asking students to use the following doors for arrival and dismissal:
- Kindergarten - Door C13 - K(AM) arrival and K(PM) dismissal
- Grade 1 - Door D16
- Grade 2 - Door C15
- Grade 3 - Door C14
- Grade 4- Door C10
- Grade 5 - Door A2
- GO ZONE - Door A1 - also used for K(AM) dismissal and K(PM) arrival
Entering and exiting through these doors will allow the students to enter and leave the building in a less congested manner. You can view a map here of the arrival and dismissal locations. We will have adults at each door to welcome and guide the students to their homerooms.
Lincoln Dismissal and GO ZONE Form
Please complete this form indicating your dismissal plans for the student listed below. Unless we are informed of different plans, students will be released at dismissal to walk home. GO ZONE car riders may only be be picked up by the adult(s) listed on the form. Please be prompt when picking up students at dismissal and follow established GO ZONE procedures. If you have multiple students at Lincoln, please complete this form for each student.
Lunch and Recess Information
Lunch and Recess Times
Lunch
- Grade 3 (Ms. Roehrig), Grade 4 & Grade 5
Recess
- Grade 1, Grade 2 & Grade 3 (Mrs. Crouthamel and Mrs. Flinter)
12:30 - 1:00 pm
Lunch
- Grade 1, Grade 2 & Grade 3 (Mrs. Crouthamel and Mrs. Flinter)
Recess
- Grade 3 (Ms. Roehrig), Grade 4 & Grade 5
12:55 pm
- Line up bell
12:58 pm
- Return to class bell
Lincoln Lunch Preference Form
Students will have the option to return home during their scheduled lunch & recess hour. Students in Grades 4-5 also have the option to go to Shops as well. If you plan on having your student come home (or go to Shops in Grades 4-5) for their lunch & recess hour, please complete the form below so we can make the proper arrangements each day. Contact your student's homeroom teacher any day that there is a change to your student's lunch/recess plan so that we can be prepared for their lunch & recess hour.
If you have multiple students at Lincoln, please complete this form for each student who will be traveling home. You only need to complete this form if your student will be leaving for lunch & recess.
Free and Reduced Lunch Program Application
Children need healthy meals to learn, so the Mt. Lebanon School District is committed to offer healthy meals every school day for our students. Your children may qualify for free meals or for reduced price meals. Reduced price is $.40 for lunch. Click the link below for free or reduced price meal benefits, and a set of detailed instructions to help you apply.
You can also apply for free and reduced meals online via the state's COMPASS portal. Please follow the link below to begin the online application.
PaySchools Central Information
Payschoolscentral.com is an online lunch money accounting system where you easily monitor and deposit money into student lunch accounts.
By logging onto www.payschoolscentral.com, you can easily:
Set up an account
Deposit money at your convenience using a credit card
Set e-mail reminders to notify you when your child's account has a low balance
Set up recurring payments
Check your child's account balance (no fee charged)
Request an activity report to check account activity for the previous 30 days (no fee charged)
To set up an account, all you will need is:
- A valid email address
- A credit card
- Your child's student identification number, school and grade
There will be a 3.9% per transaction fee. Each child in your family can be set up on the same account therefore you can add money to each child's account during the same transaction. Transactions processed by pay are safe and secure using Secure Socket Link. With this technology, schools can be assured that all student information, credit card and all other student data will be highly encrypted and secure. Once the money is put on the account, it typically appears on the account in about 30 minutes.
Please follow the link below to a video that will walk you through how to add funds to your student's account.
If you choose not to use pay for credit card transactions, the District will continue to accept cash and checks. Click here for more information.
Other Information
Lincoln Yearbook Volunteers
Interested in helping with the Lincoln yearbook? If so, please email erindawndavies@gmail.com. We will be assigning volunteers in the next few weeks.
Job descriptions are below...
Yearbook PHOTOGRAPHER:
- Photographers will be contacted throughout the school year by their yearbook coordinator or the yearbook chair people to see if they are available to take pictures at a class party &/or other events/activities at the school.
- Smartphone cameras take great pictures for the yearbook, no fancy cameras are needed.
- Photographers submit their pictures to their assigned yearbook coordinators. When sending, please select "actual size" if given a choice. If sent smaller, they are too blurry to use.
- It is preferable to have several photographers per class to make sure there is proper coverage of all parties. There will only be one photographer assigned to each party. If you are already volunteering to help lead a class party, it is preferable that you do not volunteer to be a photographer for the same party. Also, there is not a separate photographer assigned to field trips.
- You can be a photographer for more than one class or grade. Photographers do go to the school, therefore, clearances or a signed casual volunteer form is needed.
Yearbook COORDINATOR:
We need at least one coordinator per grade. If more than one person volunteers to coordinate a grade, we can split the job up by classes. A coordinator is in charge of:
- reaching out to their assigned grade(s)/class(es)'s photographers to see who is available to take pictures
- calling the front office to let the school know who will be photographing which class(es)
- collecting all photos from their assigned class(es)/grade(s)
- making sure there are at least TWO candids of each child in their assigned grade(s)/class(es)
- sifting through pictures - eliminating anything too blurry and, for example, if someone sends 5 photos of the same three kids on the same day, selecting the best one to be used (PHOTOGRAPHERS, please avoid doing this)
- uploading and TAGGING all your pictures to the yearbook website (further instructions &/or training sessions will be given on how to upload & tag photos)
- if interested, coordinators can also put pictures on their grade/class pages of the yearbook - training sessions will be available for those interested!
Coordinators can also be photographers, in which case they would also need the clearances or a casual volunteer form.
Also, if you have not been asked to take pictures, but you think the yearbook should include a picture of a school event we may not know about, take the pictures and send them to us as FULL SIZE images (at our new yearbook gmail account - LeboLincolnYearbook@gmail.com) noting the event & class/grade if applicable.
Please share this info with anyone you think might be interested in helping out with the yearbook. Thank you!
Erin Davies & Maggie Shiels
412-657-5152
MTLSD Health and Safety Plan Update
The MTLSD Board of School Directors has approved the 2022-23 Health & Safety Plan. Key highlights include the following:
Continue optional masking in accordance with CDC guidance
Permit full utilization of instructional and cafeteria spaces.
Continue established cleaning and ventilation protocols
Continue symptomatic testing program as testing supplies remain available to schools from the Commonwealth
Discontinue optional pool testing program
Reporting a Positive COVD-19 Case
If your child is experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19, please contact your child's school nurse immediately. The direct contact for any illness/COVID-19 or injury related questions or reporting of symptoms should be your child's school nurse.
If your student is COVID positive, please complete the COVID Student Notification Form in addition to notifying the school nurse.
Important Reminders
Attendance
- Attendance will be taken in every class and will be recorded into our student accounting system around 8:35 am and 1:00 pm daily.
When Can Parents Meet or Speak with the Teacher
- Teachers typically schedule parent meetings from 8:00-8:30 am or 3:30-4:00 pm. If you would like to schedule a meeting, please email the teacher directly.
Safety and Security
The school building will be locked down all day except during the AM arrival and PM dismissal times. All visitors/parents that want to access the school must enter through the main entrance (Door A1) and be buzzed into the school office. Visitors should be prepared to identify themselves when asked by the school office staff. All visitors MUST have a photo ID handy when the office staff asks for identification. While in the school, visitors must wear a visitor’s pass (in a clearly visible manner). Visitors need to check out in the school office before leaving the school. Please remember that these measures are in place to protect the students and staff.
Check Your Clearances
Please be aware that we are coming up on the 5-year mark from when many past volunteers have submitted their clearances. Clearances for volunteering within the district will expire after 5 years and will need to be renewed. If you have any questions or need to know the date(s) your clearance(s) expires please email Mrs. Sharp at lsharp@mtlsd.net.
PTA Information
Lincoln Elementary School PTA Membership
Our PTA Membership Drive will continue for the next few weeks and we can't wait for you to join us! Students should have brought home a yellow PTA Membership Form with them last week. If you have not signed up for the PTA yet, please make sure to do so soon! To join the Lincoln PTA, you can fill out and return the yellow Membership Form to school or fill out the Google Form below.
We hope to encourage more families to join the PTA through our Membership Incentives which will take place during the week of September 13th. Each day of that week the PTA will have a daily drawing of ‘Scoops Free Ice Cream’ gift certificates!!! Students, whose families have turned in their membership form, will be entered in the drawing and will have a chance to win each day! The drawing winners will be announced by Dr. Kitsko each day and we will pick 6 winners each day (one from each grade).
In addition, the class in each grade with the highest number of PTA Memberships as of September 20th will win a class reward! The reward will be decided on by the teacher and the class but could be things such as extra recess or a movie!
Please contact Lorraine @LincolnAwesomeAbesPTA@gmail.com or message our Lincoln PTA Facebook page @LincolnAwesomeAbesPTA if you have any questions! Thank you so much for your support!
5th Grade Farewell Fundraising in Conjunction with the Philly Pretzel Factory
Please support the Lincoln Elementary 5th Grade Farewell with an order from the Philly Pretzel Factory! Pretzels are being sold for $2.00/pretzel and will be distributed after school from the cafeteria door, door C-15, on Friday 09/30/22.
Orders must be placed by Wednesday 09/28/22 and payment received by 09/29/22. Payments may be made via Venmo @lebolincolnpta-2022, a check made out to the Lincoln Elementary School PTA, or cash submitted to your homeroom teacher.
Thank you in advance for supporting our 5th graders in their fundraising efforts. If you have any questions or are unable to collect your pretzel order after dismissal on 09/30/22 please contact Joanna Whitlock Streets at jwhitlockstreets@gmail.com
Request for Participation in Box Tops for Education and AmazonSmile
Amazon Smile and Box Top App Instructions Sheet for Families
Links to Other Technology Resources
Lincoln Elementary School
Lincoln Elementary School, named after President Abraham Lincoln, opened in 1925 and is the second oldest school in the Mt. Lebanon School District. Lincoln was awarded three United States Department of Education National Blue Ribbons (2001, 2003 and 2013) for its overall academic excellence and outstanding student achievement. Lincoln Elementary School presently serves students in Kindergarten - 5th Grade. The dedicated faculty members take great pride in working with the students and collaborating with their families to "provide the best education possible for each and every student" that attends Lincoln.
Email: rkitsko@mtlsd.net
Website: www.mtlsd.org/Lincoln
Location: 2 Ralston Place, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
Phone: 412-344-2147
Twitter: @LinkedAtLincoln