News From Fort Zeller Elementary
December 2023
Principal's Message
What a great time of the year! It is exciting to see the joy in the faces of our students during the holiday season. Due to the busy nature of the season, sometimes schedules and added responsibilities can cause stress. Concerts, parties, family visits and so many other events seem to be packed into a limited amount of time. Scheduling becomes an issue and we always seem to be looking for ways to complete our to-do list.
As the holiday season approaches, please give your child the gift of extra time. Put an I.O.U. for a special event or activity in his/her stocking. When students are asked to write about a memorable event in their lives, it isn't a special gift they usually choose to write about, but a particular experience they have had with someone special.
During this season of the year we would like to say thanks to:
- Parents and guardians who spend quality time with their child.
- All the volunteers who give countless hours to Fort Zeller Elementary for students and staff.
- Community members and parents who organize fund raisers, make phone calls, and bring food to classes and the staff lounge on special days.
- All the people in our district who are committed to giving their best to your children every day. For example: custodians, food service staff, bus drivers, school nurses, paraprofessionals, secretaries, teachers, and members of the school board.
- All of you who are doing your very best to send your child ready to learn every day. I am proud of how much our community gives during this time of the year. We have many programs that reflect the caring community culture that is growing through our population.
We always welcome and appreciate your support in all the endeavors we take on. On behalf of the staff of Fort Zeller Elementary, have a joyous holiday season and a prosperous New Year!
Take care,
Jodi Houck
Important Information
1. December 22 - We will have an early dismissal at 11:30 am on the last day before winter break. Students will not be receiving lunch, but a substantial breakfast will be served that morning.
Kindergarten AM students: will be dropped off at their normal mid day stop location and will arrive approximately 15 minutes earlier than normal.
All Day Kindergarten, Gr. 1 & 2 students: will go home to their normal end of day stop.
PM Kindergarten - will not have school
If you need your child to go to a different location than the above, please email Mrs. Newswanger in the main office with the location and name of the person your child will go home to, or call the office at 610-589-2575.
2. Drop Off - With the weather getting cooler and for student safety, please remember that parents SHOULD NOT drop students off prior to 8:30 unless you see a staff member outside greeting students and the doors are opened. Students dropped off prior to staff being available are out in cold weather and unsupervised which is not safe.
3. Power School Forms - We are still looking for a number of families to complete the required forms on Power School. These forms provide us with up-to-date important information. Please see below for more information. If you need help, please make sure to contact our office.
4. Break - We will not have school for students from December 23-January 1. School will resume on January 2. We hope everyone has a wonderful break and a Happy Holiday!
LOOKING AHEAD
Dec. 4: (Day 1)
- Board Meeting @ 6:00 pm
Dec. 6: (Day 3)
- PTO Meeting @ 6:30 pm at the Franklin House (please RSVP to fortzellerpto@gmail.com if you are planning on attending)
Dec. 22: (Day 3)
- Early Dismissal @ 11:30 am
- No PM Kindergarten
- No Lunch
Dec. 23-Jan.1: (Winter Break)
- No School for Students
Jan. 2: (Day 4)
- Back to School
Holiday Dress Days
Family Groups
Operation Warm-A-Child
Operation Warm-A-Child: (December 1 - December 22) Operation Warm-A-Child will ask our community to donate children's socks (they need socks!!), hats, gloves, coats, scarves, etc., all of which can be placed under our Giving Tree in the lobby. These articles of clothing will benefit the Lebanon Rescue Mission
Students and Class of the Month
Kindergarten - Brantley B. (Mrs. Yocum), Saanvi P. (Mrs. Zurick) & Aidan V. (Miss Breiner)
First Grade - Kaylyn B. (Miss Crandall) & Chance S. (Mrs. Booth)
Second Grade - Peyton S. (Mrs. Lucky) & Evelyn A. (Mrs. Withrow)
Class of the Month - Miss Kolovani's Kindergarten Class
During the month of November, we were focused on digital citizenship. Throughout the month of December, we are focusing on cooperation. Cooperation means that we are working together toward a common goal.
Author Visit - Kathy Miller
In addition to the images found in her multi-award-winning children's books (Chippy Chipmunk Parties in the Garden, Chippy Chipmunk: Babies in the Garden, Chippy Chipmunk: Friends in the Garden and Chippy Chipmunk Feels Empathy). Miller's photographs have been published in newspapers and magazines, as well as brochures including Hawk Mountain News and the Schuylkill County Visitors Guide.
In 2014 Ms. Miller received the "President's Volunteer Service Award" in recognition and appreciation of her commitment to strengthening our Nation and for making a difference through volunteer service.
In 2015 Ms. Miller received the "Celebrate Literacy Award" from the Northeastern Pennsylvania Reading Association, a council of the International Literacy Association. The Celebrate Literacy Award recognizes organizations, institutions, and individuals that have made significant literacy contributions at the local, state, or provincial level.
Ms. Miller's multi-media nature program has been presented to numerous nature centers, libraries and schools across North America. Highly engaging and interactive, it includes aural and visual components about backyard nature. It also includes tips on photography, video clips and a hands-on burrow building simulation. She is a speaker at various reading and library association conferences.
Thank you to our PTO and our reading specialists for organizing this wonderful experience for our students.
Veterans Day Breakfast
ELCO Food Pantry & Caring Closet
The ELCO Raider Food Pantry is Open!
The ELCO Raider Food Pantry is now open and available for the ELCO families. With the support of our ELCO staff, local businesses and churches, we are able to provide our ELCO families with an additional resource.
If you are in need of immediate assistance or you'd like to donate to the ELCO Raider Pantry, please reach out to Kelly Smith, ELCO Social Worker, at 717-306-3242 or Jenelle Himmelreich, Director of Food and Nutrition, at 717-306-3270 for a confidential appointment to the pantry.
Counselor's Corner With Mrs. Brosius
R.E.A.C.H. Lessons
In November, Kindergarten students were introduced to our new friend, A Little Peaceful Spot. We learned what it means too feel peaceful, calm, and relaxed. In first grade, Grumpy Monkey Jim taught us all about coping skills and things we do to help stay healthy and keep our brains in our calm spot. In second grade, we talked about ways to be a good digital citizen and how to stay safe when we’re online. We made cool posters about our digital footprints!
Small Groups
I am starting to finish up the first round of small groups. Some new groups will be starting after Thanksgiving break.
PBIS
Our students are doing an amazing job of being Respectful, Responsible, and Ready to learn! So far this year they have filled 1,637 Bee Cards! We are so proud of them!Library Sparks - Mrs. Davis
We celebrated Dino-vember at the library this month!
Kindergarten explored fictional dinosaur characters and laughed at How Dinosaurs Eat Their Food by Jane Yolen.
First Grade learned about what it means to be extinct and loved meeting Mo Williams character Edwina in Edwina: The Dinosaur Who Didn’t Know She was Extinct. First grade also worked on dinosaur activities in Keynote on their ipads.
Second Grade began learning about research, fact and opinion and strategies for finding information. Second grade enjoyed finding facts, collecting data in a Would You Rather survey, and sorting facts vs. opinions about dinosaurs.
What's New in Music Class? - Mr. Whitman
Kindergarten: We are working on a new note called the rest. It looks like a “Z.” We are using tubano drums to hear how rests make no sound.
First grade: We are listening to songs from the musical, Sound of Music, as we learn Solfege syllables (Do, Re, Mi). Students are also using note values to make musical sentences by incorporating simple math!
Second Grade: We are learning our 5th chord (G major) on the ukulele! Students will be able to play some of their favorite new pop song on ukulele. Students have learned the chords, C, A minor, F, A, and D.
A Note From ART - Mrs. Panza
Get Moving in Physical Education - Mr. Babiarz
What's Happening in Kindergarten
What's Going on in 1st Grade
November: During the month of November, first grade students focused on finishing up short vowel sound reviews. Plus listened for the “ck” and double final consonants at the end of words and the “R”, “L” and “S” blends at the beginning of words. In math, the students explored the use of different strategies to help solve addition problems to 20. Several different thankful activities and projects were also completed. First graders also enjoyed a visit from Author Lisa Papp.
2nd Grade Updates
The second grade students have been identifying the main idea and the supporting details in text to help them better understand what they read! We continue to practice reading and applying new spelling patterns. This month we focused on words with double consonants, diagraphs, and base words with endings.
2-digit addition and subtraction are key concepts and skills for second grade! We are working on addition and subtraction strategies to develop fluency with two digit addition and subtraction.
In science, we learned pumpkins and apples float! Apples are one of the only fruits that float in water, apples are less dense than liquid water. Pumpkins, although large, are mainly hollow inside. The second graders learned that there is enough air trapped in the center of the pumpkin that it floats.
Reading Corner
Students and faculty enjoyed Mrs. Kathy Miller’s (children’s author and photographer) assembly, which occurred early November. They learned about how Kathy uses nature to inspire her stories and photographs. Videos and photographs were also shown of the equipment that is used to make published books. In addition to understanding how books are made, students also were taught interesting facts about chipmunks and how they collect and store food for the winter months. Finally, Kathy talked about how students can identify (seeing and hearing) the birds that we find in our area. The assembly was very fun and informative, and it would not have been possible without the support of Fort Zeller Elementary PTO. Thank you PTO!
Social Media #ELCOexcellence
ELCO School District is growing our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram channels. Click on the icons and follow along!
Why:
Celebrate our students.
Keep parents, students, alumni, and the community in the loop of what is happening in our district.
Promote the great things happening such as athletics, activities, and other events.
Build an ongoing conversation about the positive impact our district is making in the lives of our students!
What do I need to do?
If you are on these social media channels – follow us!
Help promote these accounts to your family and friends.
If you aren’t on these platforms – that’s OK. The district will continue to provide communication through traditional channels.
Nurse's News
Cold season is in full swing, and we encourage parents to keep their children home if their child has a fever over 100 degrees, ear pain that is keeping them awake at night, sore throat with difficulty swallowing, red eyes with drainage, vomiting or diarrhea within 24 hours before school, or a chronic cough. We would like to keep our students and staff as healthy as possible and reduce the spread of any contagious disease.
DONATIONS NEEDED:
The nurse office is taking donations. Boys size Large (10-12) & small (6-7) sweatpants. Girls size small (6-7) sweatpants/leggings/shirts and Large (10-12) sweatpants/leggings/shirts. Please no jeans.
If your child has come home with any clothes borrowed from the school, this is a friendly reminder to please wash and return the clothes as soon as you can.
SCHOOL DENTIST NEWS:
The dentist has rescheduled and is due to visit our school Friday, December 8th. Please return your private dental forms to the nurse by that day. Please call if you have any questions. Thank you and have a great break!
PTO
1. On Wednesday, December 6, 2023, at 6:30, our PTO will host its next meeting at the Franklin House in Schaeffertown. Please RSVP to fortzellerpto@gmail.com if you are planning on attending. Most meetings will be held on the first Wednesday of every month. We hope that you will consider joining our meetings and provide your valuable input to support our students and staff at Fort Zeller.
2. Volunteering: If you have an interest in being a volunteer in your child's classroom or in our school, please use this link, https://www.elcosd.org/site/Default.aspx?PageID=918, to complete the necessary paperwork on clearances. Don't hesitate to call our office at (610) 589-2575 if you need additional assistance.
News from Fort Zeller's PTO
Hello Fort Zeller Families!!!
Here are some reminders for upcoming events -
🗓️ December PTO Meeting - Wednesday, December 6 @ 630PM
December’s Meeting will be held at the Franklin House.
Please RSVP by Friday, 12/1 to fortzellerpto@gmail.com
🎁 Gingerbread Shop 🎁
December 14 & 15
The sign up for volunteers has been created!
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A0449AFAD29A0FC1-45961056-gingerbread#/
Looking ahead, mark your calendars for Saturday, February 3 for our annual Roller Skating Party at Mt. Gretna Rollers Skating Rink! 🛼 🛼 🛼
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
December
2 - Jayce Fetterhoff
3 - Matthew Weiser
4 - Anthony Hurley
5 - Jasper Kent
6 - Christopher Rojas-Zimmerman
7 - Antonia Weister
9 - Parker Randler
10 - Avacyn Krause & Lukas Sipe
12 - Cora Shirk
14 - Braelyn Ritchie
15 - Jaron Bollinger & Riley Capone
16 - Lydia Anspach
17 - Whitney Martens
18 - Brynlee Diem
20 - Levi Brandt
21 - Sophia Wells
26 - Ariana Polukhin
27 - Hudson Horning & Ryker Klick
28 - Jaxson Warluft
29 - Markus Hames
Contact us
Fort Zeller Elementary School
243 North Sheridan Road
Richland, PA 17087
Phone: (610) 589-2575
Fax: 610-589-5815
Email: jhouck@elcosd.org
Website: https://www.elcosd.org/Domain/211
Location: 243 North Sheridan Road Richland, PA 17087
Phone: (610) 589-2575
Twitter: @ElcoFort