THE LIONS DEN
Schweitzer Newsletter November 2022
Albert Schweitzer Elementary School
Email: aorlando@neshaminy.org
Website: https://www.neshaminy.org/ses
Location: 30 Harmony Road, Levittown, PA, USA
Phone: 215-809-6380
Facebook: facebook.com/Schweitzeres
Important Dates
December 5th thru 8th-Holiday Boutique
December 9th-No School Grades K-4: Parent/Teacher Conferences
December 9th-Trimester 1 Progress Reports available online
December 12th-4th Grade Orchestra & Chorus Concert 7:00 pm Sandburg Auditorium (Students arrive at 6:30 pm)
December 23rd thru January 2nd-Winter Break
Hello, Schweitzer families.
November was a month for being thankful and grateful. We are thankful for our Schweitzer community and for our staff that have been working incredibly hard to meet the varied needs of all our students. I'm grateful as the principal to be back to in-person learning where we are collaborating and working in small groups to differentiate instruction for our learners. We have data at the forefront of our conversations and drive instruction based on how our students are performing and what we know about each student including the academic, social/emotional, and behavioral aspects of his/her learning.
As we finish up our first trimester, I encourage you to spend time with your child each day to talk about their learning, read with them, and help them make connections to learning in their daily lives. If it is a priority for you and your family, it will be a priority for our students. With upcoming parent/teacher conferences, please take time to understand your child's progress to date and learn all you can about how you can support you child at home. When parents and teachers work together, well...everyone wins.
I hope you had time to enjoy the Thanksgiving holiday with your family and friends and reflect on everything you are grateful for.
Take care,
Dr. Amy Orlando
Principal
Thanksgiving Help
This Thanksgiving season Albert Schweitzer helped 7 families for Thanksgiving with full meals and gift cards. Thank you so much for the families that donated items and gift cards. Your donations put a smile on the faces of Schweitzer families and gave them a delicious dinner to enjoy!
If you're interested in your child being a part of a lunch bunch group, please click the link below for a list of types of groups and the descriptions. Email Mrs. Kelly Moyer, our School Counselor, which groups you would like your child to be in. Also, take advantage of the December Kindness calendar to help your child embed kind actions into their daily routine.
https://www.neshaminy.org/Page/42987
Mrs. Moyer's School Counselor Website
Providing Winter Coats to Our Families
Ms. Flynn's First Grade Poetry Feast
First graders in Miss Flynn’s class demonstrated their reading fluency skills at their Poetry Feast on November 22nd. Their performances highlighted all of the work that they have been doing to develop fluency and expression skills. After performing a several poems for their families, the class celebrated by sharing Thanksgiving desserts that the class baked the day before.
Attendance
Regular school attendance is necessary for a successful school experience. Instructional
continuity is the valuable interaction which occurs between teachers, students and peers. When
a student is absent from school, tardy or dismissed early, he or she is missing valuable academic experiences along with social and emotional learning. Realizing that regular attendance in school is necessary for students to gain maximum benefits from public education, the Board urges all parents/guardians to stress punctuality and regular attendance habits with their children.
Excused Absence:
Any child who is absent from school must present a written excuse signed by the parent or
guardian. The excuse must clearly indicate the reason for the absence and must be presented to school staff within three school days from the child's return to school. Please note that a phone call does not excuse your child's attendance. The school will classify an absence as "excused" for one of the following reasons only:
- Illness/Injury
- Death in the immediate family
- Quarantine
- Exceptionally urgent reasons (will be used only in such unavoidable absences as affect the welfare of the child directly and not for the convenience of the parent)
- Religious observances WITH prior approval
- Family Emergency
- Educational tours or trips WITH prior approval (not to exceed three days per year)
- Non-school sponsored educational tours or trips (not to exceed five days per year)
- Health care
Any absence that can be anticipated beforehand should be brought to the attention of the
building administration in advance of the absence.
A maximum of fifteen (15) days of cumulative lawful absences verified by parental notification shall be permitted during a school year. All absences beyond fifteen (15) cumulative days shall require an excuse from a licensed medical practitioner.
Truancy:
A student is considered truant when a student has been absent for three (3) days during the current school year without a lawful excuse. Any child accumulating six (6) or more days of unlawful absences will be considered habitually truant. Notices will be provided by the district to the person in parental relation who resides in the same household as the student after the third unexcused absence.
Attached is an Absence Excuse Form that can be completed following an absence. You can also email the Absence Excuse Form to Mrs. Dorie Beisel, our Attendance Clerk at dbeisel@neshaminy.org.
Schweitzer Raises Money for 'Shop w/a Cop' for Local Families
Kindergarten Fall Festivals
Learning Blends with Mrs. Casile
Guided Reading Groups in Mrs. Cahill's 2nd Grade Class
Chomebook Care
We have seen a rise in the amount of damage for student Chromebooks. Please remind your child to care for their Chromebooks. Simple steps to assist are:
- Use two hands when holding or moving the device.
- Use clean hands while using the laptop.
- Use only the power adapter that came with the device.
- Use a microfiber cloth to clean the screen.
- Keep device stored in the provided case. This includes traveling through the hallways, on buses, or anytime the device is not being utilized.
- Make sure nothing is on the keyboard, close the lid, and remove all cables if any are plugged into the laptop. Place laptop in your bag carefully.
- Be careful when placing your case on the floor. Keep the device off the floor so screens do not get stepped on by others.
The Chromebook Student Pledge is attached as a reminder.
Complimentary Color Fun in Third Grade Art!
Donations and Stockings Stuffed for Salvation Army
Students Need Heavy Winter Coats!
It is that time of year when the weather outside is getting colder and heavy winter jackets are a MUST!
Please send students to school with appropriate outside attire. We do go out to recess any day the weather is 20 degrees or greater, so it is imperative that students come to school with a winter jacket. I also encourage a hat, scarf, and gloves. It will only get colder as we enter into the winter season.
Mystery Motivators
Holiday Boutique Debuts December 5th thru 8th
Albert Schweitzer PTO
PTO Officers for 2022-2023
Co-Presidents-Amy Kaminski & Katie Doherty
Co-Vice Presidents-Alicia Good & Kristen Devlin
Treasurer-Jamie Gomba
Recording Secretary-Victoria Barnes Lee
Corresponding Secretary-Ashley Arnold
Parliamentarian-Melanie Jackson-Panichelle
Next PTO Meeting
Date: Tuesday, December 6th
Time: 6:30 pm
Location: Albert Schweitzer Library
Volunteer Clearance Reminder
The school year brings back opportunities to volunteer in school. If you have not already done so, please click the button below to learn more about the process and requirements to volunteer in NSD. Parents need to submit all volunteer clearances via App Garden Volunteer Tracker https://appgarden5.app-garden.com/VolTrackPA97502.nsf, a contactless application and paperwork submission process. Sign-up is required for both new and returning volunteers.
Clearances expire five years after approval, so please check ahead of time to be sure yours are still current. Thank you for supporting our staff and students by volunteering your time!
Like our Albert Schweitzer Facebook Page
We are working hard to keep our Albert Schweitzer Facebook page updated with lots of photos from school events. Please be sure to visit our site often and 'Like' our page!
~~ WE BUILD FUTURES ~~