Barkley Elementary News
Weekly Updates from Dr. Nic 9-8-23
UPDATES!!
Hello Barkley Families!
Wow! What a great second week of school. Our STARS are doing wonderful in their Barkley STARS behavior and earning lots of ClassDojo points. Be sure to ask your child how many they have so far!
We will be challenging their Barkley STARS knowledge with an all-school activity Friday! We can't wait to see what they have learned since being here! The winning homeroom will earn extra recess!
Don't forget to come join us for our Back to School Social on September 15 @ 6:00PM out on the playground. This is always a fabulous family event that includes free water ice and a chance to dunk your favorite teachers in the dunk tank. Can't wait to see you all there!
This update contains a lot of important information so please carefully review.
Enjoy the weekend!
Well Wishes,
Danielle Nicolino, Ed.D.
Principal
Barkley Elementary School
SECOND STEP!
Here at Barkley, we want your child to be successful in school and that means supporting and encouraging their whole development. While excelling in academic classes is important, children also need skills to take on learning challenges, make good decisions, manage strong emotions, and get along with others.
This Friday, September 15, we’ll begin Second Step® Elementary, a research-based social-emotional learning program designed to improve children’s social-emotional skills. Second Step skills and concepts are designed to help children both in and out of school.
Four units will cover the following:
- Growth Mindset & Goal-Setting: Children learn how to pay attention and manage distractions, develop a growth mindset, and apply goal-setting strategies to their social and academic lives.
- Emotion Management: Children learn how to identify and label emotions and use emotion management strategies—including stress management for older students—to calm strong feelings.
- Empathy & Kindness: Children learn how to recognize kindness and act kindly, have empathy for others and take others’ perspectives, and recognize kind acts and empathy as important elements of building and maintaining relationships.
- Problem-Solving: Children learn how to identify and state a problem, recognize if a problem is an accident, and use the STEP problem-solving process:
S: Say the problem
T: Think of solutions
E: Explore the outcomes
P: Pick a solution
You’ll receive weekly communications from me to help you reinforce Second Step language, skills, and goals at home. If you have any questions about Second Step Elementary, please don’t hesitate to contact me for more information. Thank you for your support as we work to build a safe and supportive school community!
START WITH HELLO WEEK!
Barkley Elementary School is one amazing school community and we are going to show our extraordinary compassion with a START WITH HELLO week, the week of September 18-22. Start With Hello originated in Sandy Hook with a promise that if I see someone that seems alone, I will notice, and I will do something, by starting with hello!
Loneliness is the overwhelming feeling of being left out and social isolation is not having frequent interactions with friends. Young people who feel this way may pull away from society, and struggle with learning and social development. Due to COVID-19, all students can empathize with the feelings of isolation due to physical and social distancing. Start With Hello is an important social and emotional learning program to reintroduce students to the power of connecting and helping one another. Start With Hello also pairs well with our message #PASDyoubelonghere
Our Start With Hello week will have a daily dress theme along with a challenge for each day.
Monday, September 18
Dress Theme: Smile! Wear a shirt with an inspiring message or something that makes you or someone else smile (Be kind shirt or any shirt that makes you feel happy, ex. favorite color, team, character…)
Challenge: Learn how to say “hello” in another language, maybe even the language of someone in your class! Also, decorate a piece of paper with a positive message, ex. a smile, a kind message, or draw a sunny picture!
Tuesday, September 19
Dress Theme: Crazy about saying Hello. Wear crazy socks, hats, and hair!
Challenge: Come up with a class slogan. What is something your class represents? What is a message of your class community?
Wednesday, September 20
Dress Theme: Green with Kindness! Wear green. Why green? - Because green is the global color of kindness and empathy.
Challenge: Have a conversation with someone new. Ask them a question. Maybe you will find something you have in common, or learn about something new!
Thursday, September 21
Dress Theme: Team Kindness! Wear your favorite sports team and know here at Barkley we are all on the same team. Let’s focus on teamwork today. Go Barkley STARS!
Challenge: Do something today to be a positive part of a team; could be your sports team, your classroom team or even team Barkley.
Friday, September 22
Dress Theme: Vacation Day! Dress for vacation. Wear what you would wear on vacation or what you might put on to relax at home.
Challenge: Do something today to help someone out; something to make someone’s day a little easier or brighter. Share with your class a time you Started with Hello or someone Started with Hello with you.
Our hope is that this week helps to build socially inclusive learning environments for all our Barkley students and spread kindness, empathy, compassion and positivity by remembering the message we are spreading…if we see someone alone, reach out to help and “START WITH HELLO!”
PICK UP PATROL
We still have parents not registered for PickUp Patrol. Please be sure that even if your child rides a bus or is an independent walker, that you still register for PUP. Please see directions below.
Barkley Elementary School will be using PickUp Patrol effective at the start of the year to help us better manage our dismissal process. PickUp Patrol saves time for our office staff, reduces classroom interruptions, and most importantly, adds a layer of safety for our students.
If you have still not received the email please contact Dr. Nic on Remind or at nicolinod@pasd.com.
Use the PUP web app for:
ATTENDANCE: Notify the school office when your child will be absent, arriving late or leaving early. If your child has an early dismissal, please try to indicate that in PUP before 10:30AM.
DISMISSAL CHANGES: Submit changes to your child’s regular dismissal plans.
For example:
- Your child normally rides the bus but is getting picked up today.
- Your child usually goes to aftercare but is leaving early for an appointment.
How it works:
Your child's regular dismissal plan is entered into the system. This is called their Default Plan. Then whenever you have a change to the Default Plan, you’ll submit it through the PUP app. When the change is submitted, the school will be notified, and your child’s teacher will relay the change to them.
Getting started:
1. REGISTER: On August 8, 2023, you will receive a registration email with a link to set up your account.
- The web app is free to parents, and you can use it from your smartphone or computer.
- For easy access, follow the instructions in your registration email for how to add it to your phone’s home screen (PUP is not accessed through the app stores).
2. ENTER DEFAULT PLANS: Once you register, log into your PickUp Patrol account no later than August 25, 2023 to confirm your child’s default dismissal plan. It’s important that you complete this step so that we can accurately dismiss your children.
Notes, emails, or phone calls will be accepted for changes for the first week, but starting September 5, 2023, all changes should be submitted through PickUp Patrol.
Thank you for using PUP to make safety a priority and to ensure our dismissal process is efficient for all our students. If you have any questions, please first check the PUP FAQ page. If you still need help, contact us here in the office.
ELD NIGHT!
YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN IN CHARGE
HSA ANNOUNCEMENTS
BACK TO SCHOOL SOCIAL!
The fabulous event is coming up fast! Please help us make this a great event by helping to volunteer or donate!
Volunteer for Back to School Social - https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0B45A4AF2EABFA7-back
Donate Raffle Basket for Back to School Social - https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0B45A4AF2EABFA7-basket
CLUBS/ACTIVITIES
BARKLEY CHORUS
For more information and to sign up your student to be in chorus, simply click this link.
To translate the form to Spanish or Portuguese, click the word “English” in the upper right corner and select your preferred language.
If you prefer a hard copy of the permission slip, please message Mrs. Dengler on Remind or at denglerk@pasd.com and she is happy to send one home with your student.
UPCOMING EVENTS
- Back to School Social: September 15
- Start With Hello Week: September 18-September 22
- PASD ELD Night @ PAMS: September 20 @ 6:00PM
- PASD Community Cookout @ Washington Field: September 22 @ 5:00PM
- Barkley Book Fair: October 9-October 13
- Barkley Book Fair Family Night: October 11
- Barkley Picture Day: October 11
- PASD Early Dismissal: October 20 @ 11:45AM
REOCCURING INFORMATION!
DEPARTMENTALIZATION FOR ALL GRADES
REMIND
We will be using Remind again this year!
All communication will go through Remind only. Download the app today!
You have an important role in communicating with your child's teacher. Remember that during the school day, teachers are working with students and are directed to limit their communication so that they can teach. If your child's teacher does not respond immediately, trust that they will respond within 24 hours.
In addition, our teachers have families too! Evenings are spent much like yours and I have asked the teachers to take this time with their families and catch up on communication the next day.
PARENT VOLUNTEERS
As we prepare for another year of in-person events and activities, we will need parent volunteers. All volunteers will need to be board approved. Please click here to register for board approval. We are planning trips and activities beginning in the fall and look forward to welcoming parent volunteers.
PHANTOM BACKPACKS
TECHNOLOGY
SCHOOL LUNCHES
Free and Reduced cost meals are available for eligible students. If you believe your family is eligible and have not yet applied for the 2023-2024 school year, please visit Free and Reduced Meals - Phoenixville Area School District (pasd.com) to learn more and access the School Café application.
Reminder: if your student was eligible last year, they will continue to be eligible only until October 10, 2023 unless you have received a notice of direct certification or an approved application for 2023-2024 (please check all email folders for determination letters).
If you need assistance completing the application, please contact Alyson Riffey at 484-927-5117/ riffeys@pasd.com or Myra Hernandez at 484-927-5027/ hernandezm@pasd.com. For questions on your application status, please contact Mary Jane Weiss at 484-927-5000 or Weissm@pasd.com.
UNDERSTANDING YOUR CHILD'S REPORT CARD
Understanding Your Child's Report Card - Phoenixville Area School District (pasd.com)
BIRTHDAY TREATS
ARRIVAL PROCEDURES
Please be sure to read through our Arrival Procedures. It is extremely important for the safety of our students, staff, and parents, that we following these guidelines.
Please note: Parents are not permitted inside of the gates to the playground. Please allow your child to walk to their designated line or door on their own.
8:40 a.m. - 8:55 a.m.
Students enter the building through the back playground doors. Students who need breakfast report to the dining room. There will be a Grab and Go breakfast again this year. Once students get their breakfast they will report to their homerooms. Students who are not eating breakfast will report to their classroom and wait for directions from their teacher.
Late Arrival
After 8:55 a.m.
Students must be signed in by a parent
Arrival at 8:40 a.m.
Please drop your child(ren) off on Quick Street. Please note: this is a one-way street. You will need to enter through Second Avenue.
Please do not park or exit your vehicle as we need to keep the flow of traffic moving.
For the safety of our students, please do not drive around the car in front of you.
Bus riders who need to purchase breakfast will be released from the bus when the bus arrives to school.
Arrival Locations
All students will enter the building through the Third Avenue playground doors in the morning. 2nd and 3rd grade students arriving between 8:40-8:55 a.m. will enter through door 3A and report directly to their classroom. 4th and 5th grade students arriving between 8:40 – 8:55 a.m. will enter through door 3D and report directly to their classroom and line-up in the hallway.
Late Students
Students arriving after 8:55 a.m. are late. Parents will need to escort their child(ren) to the front entrance and sign their child(ren) in. The attendance clerk will meet you at the front doors.
Important
Students should not be dropped off at school prior to 8:40 a.m. unless they are participating in a before school activity such as band or chorus. There is no supervision available prior to 8:40 a.m., so please do not drop students off before this time. Students should not be dropped off at the main entrance of the building unless they are late or participating in a before school activity such as band or chorus.
DISMISSAL PROCEDURES
Please remember that if you are picking up your child, you must bring your ID. Your child's safety is important to us, and we must be sure you are the individual that is supposed to be picking up your child. Please help us keep your child safe by bring your ID for us to check. Thank you!
- 3:39 p.m. - Dismissal Announcements
- 3:40 p.m. - Independent Walkers are dismissed (students must live within walking distance and have parental permission to walk home independently). Students will exit through the playground doors.
- 3:41 p.m. - 2nd grade parent pickup students will be dismissed. Students with last names beginning with A-M will exit through the front doors and students with last names beginning with N-Z will exit through the Quick Street doors.
- 3:42 p.m. - 3rd grade parent pickup students will be dismissed. Students with last names beginning with A-M will exit through the front doors and students with last names beginning with N-Z will exit through the Quick Street doors.
- 3:43 p.m. - 4th & 5th grade parent pick-up students will be dismissed. Students with last names beginning with A-M will exit through the front doors and students with last names beginning with N-Z will exit through the Quick Street doors.
- 3:44 p.m. - Bus dismissal will begin.
- 3:50 p.m. - Buses will exit school.
- 3:50 p.m. - Students participating in the YMCA after care program and clubs/extra-curricular activities will be dismissed.
* Please note that these are approximate dismissal times
Barkley Elementary School
Email: nicolinod@pasd.com
Website: https://bes.pasd.com/
Location: 320 2nd Avenue, Phoenixville, PA, USA
Phone: 484-927-5300