Dragon Blast
Mary C. Howse Elementary School
From the Principal
Dear MCH Parents:
Happy Halloween!!! See some pics below from today! Please, please be extra cautious as you go trick or treating this evening. This is such a special time and memory for children. I still remember about 13 years ago when I grabbed a doctor costume last minute and borrowed a wheelchair from my parents. My wife had a minor procedure the day before so walking was very uncomfortable so we decided to go as doctor and patient - I pushed her around in the wheelchair as we took our 6 and 7 year old around the neighborhood!
Now that we are two months into the school year, it is normal for children to begin to exhibit a variety of emotions that you may not have seen in August - sadeness, frustration, anxiety, anger, to name a few. It is so extremely important to remember that ALL of these emotions are 100% normal - they are a natural bodily response to any given situation. So, if your child is exhibiting anything out of the ordinary and sharing something about school - could be a struggle in writing, feeling like they get in trouble all the time, or they have lost some friends, to name a few. Keep supporting and listening to them. Reach out to their teacher and have a conversation - sometimes we are unaware because they hold it together so well here, muhc like we do at our own jobs. Communication and working together is critical - it takes a village!!! Have you heard me say that before?
Dr. Cat
Announcements and Reminders
Date - Event
November 5th - No School - Teacher In-Service Day
November 25th & 26th - Half Days K-5 Parent teacher conferences
November 27th - NO SCHOOL - AM Conferences
November 27th - December 2nd - Thanksgiving Break
VETERAN'S DAY COLLECTION AT MCH
Veteran’s Day 2019
If you, a family member, or friend would be interested in coming to MCH and speaking to your child’s class, please email that teacher as soon as possible so he/she can schedule a time on November 11th for your visit.
Also the WCASD marches every year in the Veteran’s Day parade. If your child and a veteran would like to walk, please open the links below to read more about it.
Students are encouraged to participate in the WCASD Parade. Here are links to the parade staging and FAQs about the parade. Please share this link with your class and their families to sign up to participate in the West Chester Veterans Day Parade.
The VA Hospital Collection will start October 29th until December 3rd . There will be boxes in the front hallway for all donations.
Snacks and Treats
Coffee & Tea (K-cups or Ground)
Snack packs - cookies, chips, crackers
Hard candies (no chocolate please!)
A NOTE FROM THE GYM
Hello MCH Families, my name is Becki Monte and I am your child’s Physical Education teacher. So far this school year we have been learning about teamwork, cooperation, developing game strategies and improving our spatial awareness. Grades 3-5 have been focusing on inclusion and game strategies while learning some basic flag football rules, while grades K-2 have been working on maintaining a safe speed and space during partner activities and group tag games. We have also been having great conversations about health topics such as how to recognize signs of being too hot and what to do about that (K-2), as well as how the body grows from year to year (3-5). Please remember your child must wear sneakers for PE classes. Improper footwear can result in injuries; therefore, your child will sit out and not participate in the class activities. If you have questions please contact me at rmonte@wcasd.net.
AFTER SCHOOL SPORTS
After School Sports are in full swing for the 2019-2020 school year. This program is open to any interested 4th and 5th grade student. Sports meet every Tuesday for girls, Thursday for boys, and ends at 5:00. We have just finished the soccer session. We will be moving on to field hockey for girls and flag football for boys. It is not too late to sign up. If interested please have your child stop by the gym and pick up an information packet and permission form. Any questions please contact rmonte@wcasd.net
FROM THE NURSES OFFICE
Nurses Notes: Check out the MCH Nurses Office Website for Bike Safety Tips:
https://sites.google.com/wcasd.net/nursing-office-news/health-update
FROM THE LIBRARY!!
POSTIVE PRAISE
Good evening,
At tonight’s Girl Scout meeting for the 5th grade troop, we were working on the social butterfly badge. As part of the badge we were teaching the girls about starting a conversation. One of the questions was “if you could have any teacher again who would it be?”
Here was their answers:
Mrs Seese
Mrs Forbes
Mr Benefield
Mrs DeCicco
Mrs Kane
Mr Fabian
Mrs Baer
Mrs Skalski
Mrs Flynn
Mrs Grecco.
I thought it would be nice to share with you how passionate they were about these special teachers and how these teachers made an impact on them.
Hi Dr. Cat,
Thanks for checking in. We're all doing okay, thankfully! It was just more shocking than anything! I went to turn left out of the school and I ended up hitting someone who crossed over the double line into the opposing lane to pass a car turning into the school, which is not illegal believe it or not, so I am at fault. I'm just glad everyone is okay, but I hate that the kids had to see me so upset. I did want to let you know that one of your kindergarten teachers, Mrs. McAllister, was such a great help to us. She called for help, directed traffic to help me get back into the school parking lot and stayed with me until she knew I had family on the way. She was so sweet and calm during a very traumatic time and very helpful to me and my kids! Please let her know how thankful we are!
Thanks so much!
Anytime you feel like sending us some good news, please do so! With the world so full of negativity in the news, we cannot get enough of the good stuff!!!
Parent Portal
Use the link below to access the parent portal page:
http://home.wcasd.net/pages/West_Chester_Area_SD/ForParents/Parent_Portal
On the page, there is written documentation (English and Spanish,) as well as videos (English only) that walk parents through how to set up your parent portal account, how to access grades and set alerts, how to view the online report card, how to check attendance, etc. There is even an app for your phone if you prefer.
Please call the office for your child’s user name and password if you do not have the information that was provided to you at the beginning of the school year.
Keeping in Touch
· Please bookmark our school website. This is where we post many updates, school newsletter, supply list, pictures and our parent/student handbook. It can be found at: https://www.wcasd.net/Domain/661
·
· Mary C. Howse Webpage - https://www.wcasd.net/Domain/661
o See MCH School Tour link in upper right hand corner
· Twitter – Follow - @MCH_Elem - you’ll receive updates once you are a follower.
· Youtube – Mary C. Howse – found here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCveR39XTwn8AgmiOVqA6GZA
· MCH PTO Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/mchpto/ - be sure to become a follower to receive updates when changes occur.
Parent Resources
Community Bulletin Board:
For activities offered around West Chester, see:
http://home.wcasd.net/pages/West_Chester_Area_SD/Community_Bulletin_Board/Other
Articles to consider:
Children and Anxiety - what to look for and not everyone has it
https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/anxiety-disorders.html?WT.ac
Standards Based Reporting v Grades?
Our Mary C. Howse School Pledge
I pledge
To be the best that I can be
Respect myself and others
Make safe choices
And take responsibility
For my learning and behavior
Contact and Additional Information
Email: scatrambone@wcasd.net
Website: http://www.edline.net/pages/mary_c__howse_elementary_schoo
Location: 641 West Boot Road, West Chester, PA, United States
Phone: 484-266-1302
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mchpto/
Twitter: @SteveCat19