The Puma Pride
January 4, 2021
Principal's Message
Hello, Willow Dale Families!
Welcome back, and Happy New Year! We look forward to having students return to hybrid learning this week. Our teachers are gearing up for an exciting 2021 year. With the New Year upon us, many of our classrooms will be 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.
On January 4, 2021, the Centennial School District will be returning to our hybrid schedule model with Cohort A students in-person on January 4 and 5. Cohort B students will attend on January 7 and 8. Special Education and English Learners will continue to attend for four days. All students are virtual on Wednesdays. See the Return to School Reminders Presentation below.
Please take a moment to review your child’s Skyward profile designation (Hybrid A, Hybrid B, or Virtual). Should you choose to request a change to your child’s designation, please contact your child’s homeroom teacher or the main office.
Please continue to remain vigilant in following the CDC safety protocols at home to maintain our in-person learning. Take some time to review the COVID 5 reminders below.
Thank you for your continued support and hard work in ensuring that our students are successful.
Stay safe, stay well, and have a PAWSome week!
~Dr. Perkins & Mr. Julius
Phone: 215-441-6093
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WillowDaleEl
Twitter: @Willow_Dale_ES
Hybrid Schedule
Don't Forget to Bring & Wear Your Mask (Pack a Spare)
Santa Visits Willow Dale (Virtually)
Calling All Families for our Willow Dale Family Project
As part of our second No Place for Hate project, we would love for families and staff to create a collaborative cookbook with lots of family favorites and traditional recipes from your culture. This is optional but we would love as much participation as possible!!!
In classes, teachers read Everybody Cooks Rice and learned about how food is connected to cultural identity. Families often have food traditions and favorite recipes they love to make for meals or holidays. Please look in your child’s google classroom or Seesaw to find the recipe template for your family to use. Only one per family is necessary. Families will "turn in" a recipe slide with a recipe their family loves to make or something they traditionally make for holidays or family meals. There will be an example from the family of Mrs. Zemitis and a template you will use for your recipe. The slide has a space for inserting the name of your dish, your family name, ingredients, directions, and a picture of your dish. You can also get fancy with inserting a video or tik tok tutorial of you making your dish. Check out Mrs. Zemitis' TikToc of her family making chocolate covered pretzels on her sample slide. Click here to view!
The directions for how to complete the slide are in the notes section at the bottom of the slide. When it is all complete, please click the turn in button. Please let your child’s teacher or Mrs. Zemitis know if you need help or have any questions. You have until February 12th to complete your recipe slide. We will put it all together in a Willow Dale Family Favorites cookbook slides presentation and possibly printed to be shared with our school community!
We Need your Help!
Free and Reduced Lunch Application
Willow Dale depends on funding based on the number of free and reduced applications approved. Please help us maintain our funding that directly assists our students.
This year, our numbers are lower due to the free meals provided. If you already receive SNAP benefits and have not applied this year, please take a minute to apply.
If your financial situation has changed, please visit schoolcafe.com to apply today!
Applications can be submitted at any time during the school year. All information submitted to the school is kept confidential. Since meal transactions are computerized, there is no discrimination or identification of free or reduced paying students, so all families are urged to consider this program.
For questions or assistance, please reach out to:
Mrs. Shannon Stone - Supervisor of Food & Nutrition Services
StonSh@centennialsd.org 215-441-6000 x11015
Resources for Families
https://www.education.pa.gov/about/Resources/ResourcesFamilies/Pages/default.aspx
Counselors' Corner
Building Resilience in Children and Teens
Article from: www.childwelfare.gov
What's Happening?
All youth face difficulties, which can range from traumatic losses to everyday disappointments. The ability to cope and recover (or “bounce back”) after a setback is important to their success. Experts call this “resilience,” and it’s a skill that can be learned.
What You Can Do?
You can help your children develop resilience by taking the following steps:
- Model a positive outlook. Children will learn from your ability to bounce back from difficulties. When faced with a challenge yourself, model an “I can do it” attitude. Remind yourself and your child that the current problem is temporary, and “things will get better.”
- Build confidence. Comment frequently on what your child does well. Point out when he demonstrates qualities such as kindness, persistence, and integrity.
- Build connections. Create a strong, loving family and encourage your child to make good friends. This will help ensure that she has plenty of support in times of trouble.
- Encourage goal-setting. Teach children to set realistic goals and work toward them one step at a time. Even small steps can build confidence and resilience.
- See challenges as learning opportunities. Tough times are often when we learn the most. Resist the urge to solve your child’s problem for him—this can send a message that you don’t believe he can handle it. Instead, offer love and support, and show faith in his ability to cope. Remind him of times when he has solved problems successfully in the past.
- Teach self-care. Many challenges are easier to face when we eat well and get enough exercise and rest. Self-care can also mean taking a break from worrying to relax or have some fun.
- Help others. Empower your child by giving her opportunities to help out at home or do age-appropriate volunteer work for her school, neighborhood, or place of worship.
For More Information For more about building resilience, see the following websites:
- Building Resilience (American Academy of Pediatrics): https://www.healthychildren.org/English/healthy-living/ emotional-wellness/Building-Resilience/Pages/default. aspx
- Resilience Guide for Parents and Teachers (American Psychological Association): http://www.apa.org/ helpcenter/resilience.aspx
Remember: With your help and support, children can learn to be more resilient. This tip sheet was created with input from experts in national organizations that work to prevent child maltreatment and promote well-being.
At https://www.childwelfare.gov/topics/preventing/promoting/parenting/ you can download this tip sheet and get more parenting tips, or call 800.394.3366.
If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact your child’s counselor.
- Mrs. LaRose - Grades 1, 3, 5
- laroka@centennialsd.org
- X 17031
- Mrs. Zemitis - Grades K, 2, 4
- zemile@centennialsd.org
- X 17030
Tech Support for Families
- Featured Videos -CSD Online Learning Resources - CSD STUDENT & FAMILY VIDEO TUTORIALS site.
- CSD Online Learning Resources
- Site contains videos and tutorials for students and families
- 1:1 Initiative Resource Center
If you have a technology issue, please submit a help desk ticket (link below) for the fastest response.
CSD Community Technology Support Desk Options for Support
- CSD Community Technology Help Desk: http://helpdesk.centennialsd.org/support/login (this option allows you to create an account, create and submit new tickets, view the status of your ticket, and leave comments on the ticket).
Willow Dale Elementary School's Technology Support Desk Contact
Please call Ms. Kwasniuk (215) 441-6000 and enter the extension 17020.
Important Message from the Nurse's Office
Parents, we need your help to keep our students safe and healthy.
Please remember to check your student for the COVID 5 every morning before they come to school.
If you answer yes to any of the following questions, please keep your student home.
- Do they have a temperature of greater than 100.3?
- Do they have an altered taste or smell?
- Have they been exposed to someone with a lab-confirmed case of COVID 19?
- Are they awaiting test results of a recent COVID 19 test?
- Do they have an unexplained cough or shortness of breath?
Thank you in advance for your support! We are all in this together!
- Mrs. Salita and Mrs. Kleinschmidt-Willow Dale Nurses
Attendance in Virtual Learning
Children who attend school regularly make the best academic progress, graduate, and go on to successful post-secondary education and/or careers. It is important, even on virtual days for students to join the classroom teacher for learning via Google Meet.
If your child is going to be absent, late, or leave early, please notify the homeroom teacher and the school to let us know. More details below.
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 by 10:00 AM 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
Email: WDAttendance@centennialsd.org
Phone: 215-441-6093
Nutrition Services Information
All Students are Eligible for a FREE Breakfast & Lunch Daily
The USDA has extended the waiver to continue feeding under the Summer Programs which entitles all children 18 and under to eat for free. These programs have been extended throughout the entire school year.
Parents, please continue to apply for free and reduced programs, as this helps fund other programs in the district which could benefit families. Now more than ever, we need families to complete the Free and Reduced meal application even though all meals are currently free. Please complete the application today.
Schools Resume - Hybrid
Cohort B attends on January 7 & 8
All students virtual on Wednesday, January 6
Monday, Jan 4, 2021, 08:45 AM
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Home and School Meeting-Virtual
Monday, Jan 11, 2021, 06:15 PM
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All Schools and Offices - Martin Luther King - Holiday
Monday, Jan 18, 2021, 08:30 AM
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Help the Home & School Raise Extra Funds!
Buses and Bus Schedule Information
CENTENNIAL 2020-2021 BUS SCHEDULE INFORMATION
***You can access your child's busing information in SKYWARD
Information can also be accessed by clicking on the below link.
- Type in your address to access your child's busing information.
- Addresses with east, west, north, or south use the abbreviation E, W, N, or S with no punctuation. If that does not work, omit using it in your address.
If you have any questions, please contact us at 215-441-6000.
Child Care Arrangement Form
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.
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 3 days before the trip.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact 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