The Puma Pride
December 14, 2020
Principal's Message
Hello, Willow Dale Families,
It is hard to believe we are half-way through December. The holiday spirit is in full swing in our hallways and classrooms. Daily lessons and activities integrate various winter and holiday themes. The wonder and excitement we see in the students remind us that despite what is going on in the world around us, we must continue to create new or different memories and traditions during this time of year.
Report cards were posted on December 9, 2020. Parent/Teacher Conferences will take place next week on December 22 and December 23. These will be held virtually. If you have not scheduled a conference, please reach out to your child's homeroom teacher.
Thank you to the Willow Dale Home and School Association for sponsoring the Holiday Project. We want to extend a special thank you to all of the donors. The Home and School presented the counselors with $325 in gift cards that will be going to our families in need this holiday season. The generosity of our community is appreciated, especially during these challenging times.
Later this week, the weather forecast includes the possibility of some snow. Please check your email and the district website for weather-related procedures and updates, which will most likely look a bit different this year.
Next week, students will have a short week. Monday, December 21 is a full day for students, and Tuesday, December 22 is an early dismissal day, with parent conferences scheduled into the evening. The teachers and staff have some fun planned for the students next week.
Thank you for your continued support.
Stay safe, well, and warm. Have a Pawsome week!
~Dr. Perkins & Mr. Julius
Phone: 215-441-6093
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WillowDaleEl
Twitter: @Willow_Dale_ES
What's Happening in 1st Grade
First grade sure is fabulous! You wouldn’t believe how hard they are working and progressing in this unconventional learning situation.
First-grade students have been very busy learning about the winter holidays. This week they started learning about Hanukah. The children made beautiful number sentence menorahs and put Hanukah vocabulary words in alphabetical order. They listened to the story There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Dreidel and used their knowledge of geometric shapes to create dreidels. In language arts they listened to various Hanukkah stories and wrote facts they learned about the holiday. Also, during this cross-curricular unit of study, the students created dreidels with recycled materials they had at home.
In the next two weeks, they will explore Christmas, Kwanzaa, and other winter holidays.
Happy Holidays from first grade!!!!!!!!!!!!
Menorah Math Activity
Family Reading and Writing Ideas for the Winter Holidays
Family Reading and Writing Ideas for the Winter Holidays
Winter break means a well-deserved reprieve from homework and daily obligations. But before you know it, the holidays will be over and it will be back to the bus stop. To prepare for a smooth re-entry and a successful second semester, don't let school skills like reading, writing, and math slide completely during winter vacation. Try these family-friendly activities to keep skills sharp:
Read for pleasure. Whether your child is in the mood for holiday stories like The Night Before Christmas or the newest installment from his favorite series, winter break provides the perfect opportunity to stash schoolbooks and read for fun. Encourage relatives to give books as holiday gifts or gather in front of the fire (big kids too!) to take turns reading from classic tales.
Cook up an easy lesson. Invite your child into the kitchen to help you whip up a special dish — from Christmas cookies to potato pancakes. All of those half-tablespoon and quarter-cup measurements are great practice with fractions.
Write thank-you notes. Penning notes of appreciation to gift-givers teaches gratitude and helps polish writing and spelling skills. One final tip: a mug of hot cocoa can make this task feel more festive!
Make the most of car rides. Turn the drive to or from a holiday get-together into an opportunity to practice letters and numbers. You can look for license plates from different states, try to find the alphabet on the license plates, or count the number of red (or white or green) cars you see.
Maintain reasonable bedtimes. With no school to get up for in the morning, it can be tempting to let kids become night owls. A few days before school starts up again, ease back into the regular bedtime schedule so your child can start the year bright-eyed.
Have a family game night. Chances are many of your family's favorite board and card games reinforce skills such as counting, reading, and drawing. Gather the group to play games you usually don't have time for on school nights.
Below are some great electronic sites or apps that will reinforce what’s being instructed on in school. Your child’s teacher can supply you with passwords for any site that requires a login and password and he/she can’t remember!
- Khan Academy www.khanacademy.org
- Lexia www.lexiacore5.com
- RAZ kids (for K-2) www.kidsa-z.com (see teacher for login information)
- ST Math (‘Gigi’) (for K-1) www.stmath.com
- Epic www.getepic.com
- Starfall www.starfall.com
- ABCya www.abcya.com
Congratulations, Mr. Martin!
Congratulations to Mr. Woody Martin, a 4th-grade teacher at Willow Dale, for being selected to receive a Music and Arts grant for the Drama Club!
The $250 grant is awarded by California Casualty. Mr. Martin’s application was one of the hundreds received across the country.
Thanks for all you do for students, Mr. Martin!
How Can I Keep My Kids Motivated and On-Task While They’re Distance Learning?
Resources for Families
https://www.education.pa.gov/about/Resources/ResourcesFamilies/Pages/default.aspx
Weekly Virtual Schedules
Counselors' Corner
With the holidays right around the corner, here are some ways to reduce holiday stress.
The holidays are a time of great joy and excitement for children and their families. But they can also sometimes bring with them the added stress of trying to deliver the best holiday celebration ever. Children's Hospital Boston psychiatrist Stuart Goldman, MD, offers the following tips and advice to help children and parents enjoy healthy, happy holidays.
School Vacation
Add a little structure to your child's school vacation. Plan activities, such as playing board games, going to the movies or sledding outside. Consider scheduling activities the whole family can participate in together.
Get Outdoors
Keep children active. The winter brings less daylight, which can lead to more inside time and less physical activity. Try to get outdoors, even if only for a little while.
Bedtime
Make sure children get plenty of sleep. Holiday time often begets later bedtimes. Make sure you get your child gets back on his regular sleep schedule before going back to school.
Talk
Be mindful of past events, like the death of a loved one or a divorce in the family, that may resurface around the holidays. Address these changes in advance, explaining that the holidays will be different and that it's okay to express feelings about it.
Information is taken from: http://www.childrenshospital.org/patientsfamilies
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.
Early Dismissal
Tuesday, Dec 22, 2020, 08:45 AM
undefined
Winter Break
Wednesday, Dec 23, 2020, 08:00 AM
undefined
Schools Resume - Hybrid
Cohort B attends on January 7 & 8
All students virtual on Wednesday, January 6
Monday, Jan 4, 2021, 08:45 AM
undefined
Home and School Meeting (No Meeting in December)
Monday, Jan 11, 2021, 06:15 PM
undefined
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 two (2) weeks 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