Thank you to those families who have already completed our Leader in Me Measurable Results Assessment Survey. We value your input and use survey results to help us determine areas of strength for Richland and areas for growth. Please complete the survey at the link below by Friday. Thank you for your participation!

International Week is here! Students will participate in spirit days and activities, including a virtual Rainforest Adventure assembly and a virtual visit from the Bucks County Children's librarian. Information and links to assemblies are below.

Our student reading leaders have organized a book donation drive! Read on to see how families can contribute!

We are pleased to share that any Richland students redistricted to another school beginning next school year will visit their new schools as a “field trip,” chaperoned by our school staff, on May 25. Students will have this first opportunity to see their new school and meet school staff to ease their transition. More information is below.

Have a Happy Mother's Day, and I hope you enjoy time with family!

Nicole Zuerblis

Richland Principal

Our school is participating in the Measurable Results Assessment (MRA) through our Leader in Me platform. The MRA is a set of surveys that provides our school with insights on the growth of our school and the areas we may need additional focus on.

One survey is for students in grades 4 and 5. In-person students will take the survey in school, and virtual students will receive a link to complete the survey from home.

The MRA includes a survey for parents/guardians. Please take a few moments to complete the survey during the open window. With your responses, we are hoping to learn how we can continue to make our school a great place for students and their families. We will share results with families when they are available.

Here is the parent link via Survey Monkey.

Here is the parent link in Spanish.

• The online survey will take 10-15 minutes to complete.
• The questions are about you and your child’s experiences with our school.
• Your answers will be confidential and anonymous. You will not be asked to share your name or other identifying information.
• You can take the survey from any computer, smartphone, or tablet with internet access.

The parent survey link is open now through May 14, 2021.

The Spanish parent survey link is open now through May 14, 2021.

Thank you for your participation!

If your child is redistricted to a different QCSD elementary school beginning in the 2021-2022 school year, they will visit their new school on a "field trip" chaperoned by school staff during the school day on May 25.

Students will have this first opportunity to see their new school and meet school staff to ease their transition. Each school will hold additional opportunities for new students this summer.

Virtual students are invited to join this field trip and may be brought to school at 9:00. Parents should return to school to pick up virtual students at 10:30.

Permission slips will be sent home on Monday to all redistricted students, and families of virtual students will receive electronic copies.

All QCSD elementary schools and staff are looking forward to fostering a smooth transition for all redistricted students!

The Quakertown Community School District has a wonderful kindergarten program.

Registration information can be found here. To be eligible for Kindergarten in the 2021-22 school year, a child must be five years of age on or before August 31. Registration needs to be completed by May 31st.

Please click here for information and an application about the Bucks County Pre-K Counts program.

Please click here for information about Head Start and Early Head Start programs.

The Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) will be administered online to students in grades 3-5 in early June. Scheduled dates for the PSSA are below.

June 2-4: English Language Arts (ELA)

June 8-9: Math

June 10-11: Science (grade 4 only)

Students receiving in-person instruction will take online assessments at school on the morning of these dates.

Students learning virtually will take online assessments at school in the afternoon, after in-person students are dismissed. Parents will be contacted with details closer to the PSSA dates.

Students in grades 3-5 who are scheduled to take the PSSA but opt-out will have required asynchronous learning at home on the testing dates.

Should you have any questions related to PSSA testing, please contact our school office.

MONDAY: If you could have an adventure in a different country, where would you go? Why?

TUESDAY: What is one book you’ve read that is set in a different country or culture?

WEDNESDAY: If you could go to school in a different country for one year, where would you go and why?

THURSDAY: What are some of the differences among the people in our classroom and school? What are some of our similarities?

FRIDAY: What is a special cultural tradition to you and your family? Why is it special?

Being a part of something bigger than ourselves and focusing on things that we value is key to our wellbeing. So let's take time to reflect on what we care about this month and keep these things at the front of our minds as our societies begin to open up again.

Currently, our district is providing ALL families with children up to the age of 18 with FREE breakfast and lunch for the remainder of the school year through funds from the US Department of Agriculture. However, if you do not have a current application on file for the 2020-2021 school year, you could miss benefits from the State, should it decide to provide the Pandemic EBT Benefits again.

Please click here for the Free & Reduced Meal Program applications.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Stacy Reiss, Free & Reduced Lunch Program, at sreiss@qcsd.org or 215-529-2022.

Hoping to incentivize more people with a Bachelor’s degree to become substitute teachers, the Quakertown Community School District is significantly increasing pay for substitute teachers for the 2020-21 school year.

The per diem rate is being raised from $105 to $120 per day. Long term per diem pay is being raised from $140 to $175 per day, highest in the area. The average per diem rate in Bucks County and surrounding districts is $109. The long term substitute rate is $125. Please click here for the story.

QCSD has several job openings that can be found by clicking here. They include substitute nurses, aides, and food service workers.

Click here for job openings in the Upper Bucks County Technical School.

The free food program is funded by the United States Department of Agriculture.

The United States Department of Agriculture has extended a nationwide waiver to allow the Quakertown Community School District to provide FREE meals to ALL students regardless of need. No qualification or identification is needed.

ALL students are eligible to receive FREE breakfast and FREE lunch through the end of the school year in June.

Breakfast will be served at Richland in our lunch room or classrooms from 8:45-9:00.

Lunch will have three selections daily: A sandwich/wrap/hot entree, a salad with a protein and roll, or a Grape/Peanut Butter Uncrustable. An assortment of fresh fruits and vegetables along with milk will be available daily. Students will order their lunches in the morning and will eat lunch in their classrooms. Lunches will be assembled by the cafeteria staff in bags, with aides delivering to rooms at the scheduled lunch times.

For Virtual Learners, free meal pickup is now held two days a week, Mondays and Wednesdays. On Mondays, students can receive meals for two days, and on Wednesdays for three days. Pickup remains at the Quakertown Community High School bus loop from 11:15 AM until 12:30 PM.

Every day Monday through Friday is a school day.

Please keep your child home if they show any symptoms and call to let us know. You will receive a follow up call from our school nurse. We will confirm if your child will become a virtual learner for a period of time so they are not marked absent from in person instruction while staying home with symptoms.

FOR STUDENTS WHO ARE PHYSICALLY IN THE BUILDING:

Attendance will be taken as in the past, and students will be marked absent if they are not physically present. *Please note, only students who need to quarantine or are approved by the principal or school nurse will learn virtually instead of in person.

FOR STUDENTS WHO ARE 100% VIRTUAL LEARNERS:

Attendance will be taken daily. All students are to complete their "check-in" activity as explained by their teachers by 2:00 daily. To allow for the completion of work asynchronously, students may complete other school activities after 2:00, but the check-in must be completed by 2:00 in order to be marked as present.

IF YOUR CHILD IS ABSENT:

You will receive an email at 3:00 on the day your child is marked absent. The school must receive an excuse from you within 3 days of the absence.

New this year, you may respond to the email with your absence reason. You can also email an excuse to lmoyer@qcsd.org. If you prefer, you may send in an absence note to the office. All excuses must be received within 3 days of the absence.

The live school day begins at 9:00 and ends at 2:00.

Please note AM Kindergarten pick up at 11:00 and PM drop off at 12:00 are in the front of the school.

All buses will drop off and pick up in the front of the school.

6/8-6/9 MATH

6/10-6/11 SCIENCE (grade 4 only)

Virtual students will come to Richland at 2:30.