Penn Wood Elementary School
March 21, 2024
About us
Email: mgarvin@wcasd.net
Website: https://www.wcasd.net/Domain/752
Location: 1470 Johnnys Way, West Chester, PA, USA
Phone: 4842661900
Twitter: @PennWood1470
Penn Wood Newsletter
Penn Wood Vision: Highly Effective - Academic Excellence, Personal Growth, Creative Thinking, Service to the Community
From the Principal's Office
Greetings Penn Wood!
Spring is here and Parent/Teacher conferences are next week! The garden club is adding a couple more garden beds to the interior courtyard, which will enable us to donate more veggies to the WC Food Cupboard. The PW annual spring book fair is up and running thanks to Patty Arabia who has been leading this work for as long I have been a principal at PW. Thank you!
Lastly, please take a moment to check out some important dates on the horizon and some of the attachments towards the bottom of the page.
With Penn Wood Pride,
Dr. Mike G. Garvin
Follow us on X - @PennWood1470
Important Dates:
- March 12-27 Spring Book Fair
- March 25 Half Day Conferences - Dismissal 12:05
- March 26 Half Day Conferences - Dismissal 12:05
- March 27 Conferences – School Closed
- March 28-April 1 Spring Break
- April 3 - Spring Picture Day
- April 10 - WCASD Strengthening Steps Registration Close Date (see attachment below)
Erin Crystle - PWE Home and School Visitor
Dear Penn Wood families,
I am excited to announce a new program being offered exclusively to our WCASD families. This FREE program offers lots of fun, interactive activities to engage both you and your children! Please take a look at the flier attached to find out more about The Strengthening Steps program. Registration closes on April 10th and space is limited. If you are interested and have additional questions, please contact our Home and School Visitor, Erin Crystle, ecrystle@wcasd.net 484-266-1920 .
Nurse's Corner
I hope this communication finds everyone well or at least on the way to feeling better! We are currently experiencing an increase in sickness here at PW. There has not been a specific symptom/ diagnosis or grade level identified, but I thought a general reminder of when your child should stay home and when your child will be sent home would be beneficial:
1. Students with temperatures of 100.0 degrees Fahrenheit and above are to be kept home or sent home. They must be fever free for 24 hours WITHOUT fever reducing medications (acetaminophen and/or ibuprofen) in order to return to school.
2. Students with persistent and /or witnessed vomiting should be kept home or sent home. The child should go 24 hours without vomiting to return to school.
3. Students with any communicable disease or suspected communicable disease should be kept or sent home. Communicable disease is defined as an illness which is capable of being spread to a susceptible person through the direct or indirect transmission of an infectious agent (aka. GERM) Including but not limited to, Flu, Covid, untreated Strep, untreated pick eye.
4. For ALL Covid infections, please refer to your primary care physician for guidance.
Please reach out with any questions. Stay healthy and don’t forget to wash your hands!!
Amy Becker RN, CSN
484-266-1906
Pick Up Patrol (PUP)/District Attendance Policy
Important Change to Absence Notes
Thank you to all of our parents/guardians who have registered for Pick-Up Patrol and already began using it this school year. Pick-Up Patrol (PUP) should be used for all dismissal plans and changes. Absences must be reported by 9:30 a.m., either through PUP OR through the Safe Arrival Line. When we initially rolled out PUP, our understanding was that it could be used in lieu of submitting an excuse form. We have just learned that is not the case.
Excuse forms, completed with the necessary data such as child’s name, date and reason for absence, are to be turned in by the student within three (3) days, after his/her return from an absence. The absence of any student failing to comply with this time period, will automatically become unexcused and/or unlawful and the school laws of Pennsylvania shall be applied. Excuse notes via email from a registered email address in PowerSchool will be accepted without an original signature. (Per District Attendance Guidelines Code 204AG1)
Excuse forms need to be kept on file in accordance with district and state policy. For absences reported in Pick Up Patrol, you may forward your Pick-Up Patrol Absence Confirmation email to garmstrong@wcasd.net.
Safe Arrival phone line at 484-266-1910, is still available to report your child’s absence.
Thank you for your understanding and cooperation with this policy.
Car Line Arrival and Dismissal
Morning Arrival Updates for Car Riders: A few reminders that would be helpful for morning carline.
- Parents should not get out of the car
- If kids need help with their backpack, they can get out of the car, on the “kids side” of the cones and staff can help.
- Unload all along the cones, 5 - 7 cars should be able to unload at once to move the line along.
- Arrival carline drop off - 8:30 - 9:00am (please do not arrive prior to 8:25)
- After 9:00 am (Late Arrivals) - drop off is in the front of the building
Afternoon Carline - 3:30 - 3:45 (after 3:45 children will be brought to the office).
Please follow these protocols:
1) Please stay in car
2) If students can't buckle themselves in the car...please pull forward to the cul-de-sac and buckle there. Please do not block any drive ways.
3) Please do not enter the carline until 3:10. Vehicles cannot line up and wait as this causes unnecessary congestion on Johnny’s Way.
4) Enter the campus eastbound on Johnny’s Way. (PM Carline Directional Map) Below...
5) Do not block driveways on Johnny’s Way or Bobolink Lane.
Early Dismissal Reminders
Early Dismissal end at 3:00. If you have to take your child to a doctor’s appointment, sporting event, etc.…please arrange to pick up prior to 3:00 and update Pickup Patrol
Thank you in advance for your understanding as we look to increase efficiency and safety with our dismissal procedures.
Please see attachments for additional information on programs in the building:
New Student Registration – 2024-25 School Year
Have a child turning 5 years old on or before 9/1/24? Have a neighbor or friend with a child turning 5? Spread the word……….it’s time to pre-register for kindergarten! Click here to register for 2024-25. Please note that 23-24 is still open for new residents so be sure to select 2024-25 if your child will be starting next school year.
Items to upload electronically when pre-registering online:
- Birth Certificate
- Immunizations
- Physical Report
- Dental Report
- Proof of Residence #1 – copy of mortgage statement, deed or lease agreement
- Proof of Residence #2 – copy of utility bill, car insurance card, tax bill or insurance declaration page (we need to see current date, name and address)
Please be sure to complete all fields and upload all documents before clicking “submit”.
Once you click on “submit”, you no longer have access to the pre-registration file. If you have any questions, please email Kathy Oswald at koswald@wcasd.net. Thank you!!