The Puma Pride
January 6, 2020
Message from the Principal
Hello, Willow Dale Families!
Welcome back, and Happy New Year! Fortunately, our shortened week last week was just what we needed to get back into the swing of our school routine. The classrooms are gearing up for an exciting 2020 year. With the New Year upon us, many of our classrooms are reflecting on the first half of the year and setting goals for future learning. This is also a good time for family conversations about setting personal and academic goals.
With two trimesters remaining in the school year, there will be many new challenges and learning opportunities in the classrooms to move our students towards academic success. NWEA MAP assessments will begin on January 6. We are looking forward to seeing the growth of our students from the beginning of the school year. Teachers and students will review their growth and set goals for the remainder of the year. Reports will be shared with families at the end of the month. Together we can assist our students in reaching their highest potential.
All the best for a fantastic week ahead!
Kindergarten Goals
Service Project Opportunity, in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., for all Willow Dale students & families
Between now and January 20, 2020, our school will be holding our annual used children’s clothing and equipment drive for
Cradles to Crayons
Cradles to Crayons is a local organization that provides, free of charge, the basic essentials that low-income and homeless children need to be safe, warm, valued, and ready to learn.
Here’s how you and your whole family can help:
Bring in gently used or new items (see list);
Come to WDES on Monday, 1/20/20, 9 – 12 noon, to sort and bag all the donations; and/or
Volunteer to drive to the C2C local site to drop off our school’s donations that same day.
We need to know who can help on MLK Day, (all children must be accompanied by an adult), and who is willing to drive to the drop-off site. If you would like to volunteer for either or both, please let Mrs. Kerber know at: kerbha@centennialsd.org.
Sponsored by Willow Dale’s No Place for Hate Committee.
Parent Resources for Helping Students with Eureka Math
Most Willow Dale classrooms use the Eureka Math curriculum. The Eureka Math curriculum was created by Great Minds, a nonprofit that brought together teachers and experts to craft a program based on the world’s most successful math programs. Eureka was built around the core principle that students need to know more than just what works when solving a problem—they need to understand why it works. The curriculum goes beyond facts and formulas, teaching students to think about math conceptually. This helps students become not merely literate, but fluent in mathematics.
Your involvement in your child’s education can have a significant impact on his or her success in school, that’s why the teacher-writers who developed the curriculum, also created a suite of parent support resources that will help you support your child at homework time. These resources include: www.eureka.support
- Homework Helpers — A grade-level resource that provides step-by-step explanations of how to work problems similar to those found in Eureka Math homework assignments. There is a Homework Helper to go with every homework assignment in the curriculum.
- Parent Tip Sheets— Topic-level tip sheets that explain math strategies and models, provide key vocabulary, sample problems, and links to useful videos.
- Card Games- Regularly practicing these games will help students master math fact fluency.
Counselors Corner
Building Blocks of Communication
Parents often want to have good relationships with their children, but sometimes it can be difficult to know where to begin. Life is busy and it is difficult to even find the time to think about improving your relationship with your children. What does a parent do? One of the biggest keys to a good relationship is spending time with your children. Sharing in fun brings people closer together. It is important, even in the busy world we live in, to set time aside for your children. Start today and make family night a regular occasion in your house. When kids are young there is nothing better than spending time with you, their parents.
Here are a few ideas on how to fit quality time in with your kids.
- Homemade Pizza Night: This is fun for kids, parents can roll out the crust and each person in the family can put the toppings of his/her choice on a personal size pizza.
- Game Night: Take one night a week or one night a month and make it game night. Kids love to play games and they learn sportsmanship at the same time.
- Movie Night: Take one night a month and make it family movie night. Let a different person select the movie each night, pop some popcorn and hang out in the living room together.
- Family Fun Bag: Sit down and make a list of all the fun things you want to do together. Write each one on a sheet of paper and place them in a bag. Draw one slip out each week or month and do what is on the slip-on family fun night/day.
January Rotation Calendar
Home and School Meeting
Monday, Jan 6, 2020, 06:15 PM
Willow Dale Elementary
5th Grade Spelling Bee
Thursday, Jan 9, 2020, 01:30 PM
Willow Dale Elementary School, North Norristown Road, Warminster, PA, USA
Candy Bar Bingo
Friday, Jan 17, 2020, 06:30 PM
Willow Dale Elementary School, North Norristown Road, Warminster, PA, USA
All Schools Closed- Martin Luther King Holiday
Monday, Jan 20, 2020, 08:45 AM
Willow Dale Elementary School, North Norristown Road, Warminster, PA, USA
Cradles to Crayons
Monday, Jan 20, 2020, 09:00 AM
Willow Dale Elementary School, North Norristown Road, Warminster, PA, USA
All Schools Closed - In-Service Day
Wednesday, Jan 29, 2020, 08:45 AM
Willow Dale Elementary School, North Norristown Road, Warminster, PA, USA
2 Hour Delay
Monday, February 3 will be a two-hour delay for students. Students should report to their bus stops two hours later than their usual time. The school will open at 10:25 AM
Monday, Feb 3, 2020, 10:45 AM
Willow Dale Elementary School, North Norristown Road, Warminster, PA, USA
Home and School Meeting
Monday, Feb 3, 2020, 06:15 PM
Willow Dale Elementary School, North Norristown Road, Warminster, PA, USA
After School Sports Club
Cold Weather Guidelines for Recess
Cold Weather Guidelines for Recess
Below 60 degrees—Jacket or long sleeves
Below 50 degrees—Coat and long pants
Below 32 degrees—Gloves and hats to go outside
Below 20 degrees—Shortened recess (5-10 minutes)
Below 10 degrees—Indoor recess
All temperatures represent the “feels like” number. Sometimes the windchill or windspeed may necessitate an indoor recess.
*If you are in need of coats, hats, gloves- Contact the School Counselors:
Ms. Zemitis: zemile@centennialsd.org
Ms. LaRose: laroka@centennialsd.org
From the Nurse's Office
The cold weather and the start of the flu season are upon us! Please consider having your child receive the flu vaccine. Check with his or her pediatrician regarding receiving a flu shot or flu mist. Your child’s physician will be able to guide you in making the best decision. Also, you may always contact the Bucks County Department of Health for more information on flu shot clinics throughout the year at (215) 345-3318.
Remember, GOOD HANDWASHING is key to preventing the spread of germs. Remind your children to wash their hands thoroughly for at least 20 seconds, washing the front and back of their hands, between their fingers, and under their fingernails, with a good amount of friction. Make it fun for them and sing songs to make sure they are doing a good job! Encourage them to try not to touch their faces, especially their eyes, nose, and mouth unless their hands are clean. Stress the importance of this to your children in order to keep them healthy and able to learn!
The Willow Dale Nurse’s office does not keep cold and cough medicine in stock. If your child requires over the counter medicine, we advise they take it prior to the school day. Please be careful when administering any medication that may make your child drowsy.
If your child is having any fever or vomiting, they should stay home until fever/symptom-free for 24 hours. We are trying to keep all of our students happy and healthy during this time of year!
Health screenings started in the nurse’s office last month. For elementary schools, this includes a vision exam assessing near and distance vision and height and weight checks for all grades, kindergarten through 5. Also, under the Pennsylvania state mandates, hearing screenings are performed for kindergarten through grade 3. Yearly hearing screenings are only performed for grades 4 and 5 under special circumstances or concerns regarding a child’s hearing expressed by a parent and/or teacher. If there is a concern with your child’s vision, hearing, or growth during the school health screening, a letter will be sent home to notify a parent of the concerns and to recommend follow-up with a doctor. If necessary, notification of a parent via a phone call will be made. More information about health screenings can be found at the PA Department of Health website.
Please do not hesitate to call the nurse’s office for questions or concerns.
Mrs. Salita, RN, BSN, CSN
Mrs. Kleinschmidt, RN, BSN
Reporting Absences
SUBMITTING ABSENCE NOTES
Attendance Notes can be Submitted Electronically via email at WDAttendance@centennialsd.org. Please know you will still receive automated phone calls (to the primary phone listed in Skyward) if you have not submitted an absence note via email on the days your child is absent from school.
**Absence notes must be submitted within 3 days of the student's absence, otherwise, the absence will be recorded as unexcused.
E-Mailing Attendance Notes
- Parents with children in Willow Dale may e-mail attendance notifications/notes to the following address: WDAttendance@centennialsd.org
- E-mail notifications are encouraged on the morning of the absence day. However, e-mailed absence notes may be sent on the day following the absence.
- When sending an absence notification please include the following information:
- Child's Name
- Child's Grade
- Child's Homeroom Teacher
- Date(s) of Absence
- Reason for Absence
- Contact Phone # for Parent/Guardian
- Other Pertinent Information
- While you may still continue to call the school on the day of absence, a follow-up e-mail or a written note is still required for the absence to be excused.
Email: WDAttendance@centennialsd.org
Phone: 215-441-6093
Family Trips Scheduled During the School Year
Dear Centennial Families;
The Centennial School District Board of School Directors approved Policy 204.1, Family Trips Scheduled During School Year.
Although the scheduling of family trips during the instructional year is not encouraged, the Centennial School Board recognizes that students may benefit educationally by accompanying their parent(s)/guardian(s) on trips. The revision to the policy will allow the schools to approve up to five (5) days instead of three (3). Any trip beyond five (5) days will need the approval of the Superintendent.
Parent(s)/Guardian(s) who are requesting approval for a family trip need to complete and submit the attached form to their building principal at least two (2) weeks before the trip.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Dr. Perkins or Mr. Julius.
SAFETY & SECURITY
Visitors to the school must enter the school’s front foyer (white doors) and ring the bell, located next to the door that leads to the main office. Once buzzed in, our fantastic staff will be happy to serve you!
- Visitors must obtain a visitor’s pass from the main office.
- All visitors to the building will have his/her photo identification card scanned through the Raptor system to ensure everyone’s safety. Please make sure you have your driver's license or state photo ID card available upon entrance. The system was upgraded this year, therefore ALL visitors must present their driver's license when they enter the building.
- Visitors or parents may be escorted to their room where their business or volunteer work is being conducted.
- Students are requested not to bring guests to school unless permission is granted in advance by the principal.
- Forgotten books, lunch money, lunches, etc. should be left in the office. We will see that they are delivered to the student.
- If a parent or designated adult is picking a student up from school early, photo identification is required to release the student.
Thank you very much for helping us maintain a safe school for our students and staff!
Attendance
Children who attend school regularly make the best academic progress, graduate, and go on to successful post-secondary education and/or careers.
Students, who arrive late (after 8:45 am), must report to the office for a late slip. Parents should accompany tardy students to the office to sign in the student.
If your child is going to be absent, please notify the school to let us know.
SCHOOL SAFETY DRILLS
We will practice fire, lock-in, lock-out, and weather emergency drills. These drills may or may not be announced. Unannounced drills more accurately indicate the preparedness of the school and the effectiveness of safety procedures. Your child's teacher will review the exercises and procedures with their classes. Please make the teacher aware of any concerns regarding your child's participation in the safety drills.
The Warminster Director of Emergency Management Services and the Warminster Police Department will be invited to observe our drills and provided feedback for improvement.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to Dr. Perkins or Mr. Julius.
Willow Dale Elementary School
Email: perkca@centennialsd.org
Website: www.centennialsd.org/Domain/692
Location: 720 North Norristown Road, Warminster, PA, USA
Phone: 215-441-6093
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Education/Willow-Dale-Elementary-School-331460017756772/
Twitter: @Willow_Dale_ES