Falcon Flash

Hello Stetson Families,

Last week we talked about student emotions and actions running high lately. I am asking for your continued support from home to have daily conversations with your student by asking about their social/emotional and academic day. We are trying to remind students that feelings are okay but inappropriate behaviors and words are not. Everyone is in control of their own choices and no one else's actions determine our reactions. Students who break these school expectations will be given a consequence.

We are looking forward to our winter break later this month. We will be having another spirit week scheduled on December 20 through 23rd. There will be more details next week. We hope all of our Stetson community joins in on the fun!

Thanks for your support and please feel free to reach out to us at any time with concerns.

Be well,

Mrs. Puchalla

December 13th--Day 1 *7th-grade Chorus and Chorale concert starts at 7pm

December 14th--Day 2

December 15th--Day 3-- *Orchestra concert starts at 7 pm

December 16th--Day 4

December 17th--Day 5

Daily bell schedule

Falcon Period Schedule--Tuesday and Thursday

Technology concerns--If technical issues arise, please use the following resources:

Tech Support @ Home – WCASD website with important information:

• Schoology Support
• Laptop Support
• Additional Resources
• Schoology Parent & Student Support

If there is an issue with your 1:1 device please email SMS tech_support@wcasd.net

Please help us in reminding our students to follow our dress code policy. We have spoken to students this week about several violations. These include crop tops (mid-drift showing), pajama pants, slippers, and wearing hoods inside the school building. Students who continue to violate the dress code will receive a consequence of after-school detention.

We wanted to inform you that backpacks will no longer be allowed to be carried during the academic day at the start of the new year. We are requiring all students to use their assigned locker. This change is the result of data collection and many conversations regarding the following concerns. We feel this change is necessary for the safety of all students and staff.

Concerns:

• lack of moving space inside a classroom
• winter coats take up room
• busy hallways--bumping into others on purpose with the wide bookbag
• horseplay--grabbing each others bags
• too much weight to carry

Lockering Supports:

• independent responsibility
• foster stronger organizational skills
• cell phone distraction (it will be away in a locker)
• Physical and spine development

Please do not worry our students will be provided with additional support during this transition back to lockers. Our teachers will continue to help every student in the hallways. There are multiple opportunities for our students to locker and plenty of time to get to class. Thank you for your support.

All students must provide an absence note within three days of returning to school. Please bring a note or send an email to the attendance secretary.

Early Dismissal Procedure

• Please send a signed note in with your student on the morning of the desired early dismissal. Your student should bring that note directly to the office upon arrival to receive a pass to leave class at the appropriate time.
• Early dismissal is considered leaving prior to the end of the student day more than 60 minutes early.

Late Arrival Procedure

• Students are considered late to school after 8:05 am. Students are required to be in homeroom at this time. All late arrivals must check-in at the office/late table to receive a pass.
• A tardy is defined as a minimum of one minute of lateness to school.
• Eight (8) tardies to school and/or early dismissals will be considered one (1) unlawful absence in grades K-8.

All students will be remaining in their 8th-period class until the official school dismissal time. We will be implementing a staggered dismissal for our students to promote safety in our hallways and in the bus loop.

• 2:48 pm-- our first six buses will be dismissed (based on the arrival time)
• 2:50 pm --our walkers, athletes, and car line students will be sent to the cafe and then dismissed from the side door
• 2:55 pm--our final buses will be dismissed

Please be patient with our new process and thank you for your support.

• Drop off is between 7:30 am - 8:05 am
• Student pick-up is between 2:50-3:10 pm.
• ALL cars MUST loop up to Starkweather and loop around before entering the Stetson car line loop
• Staff members entering campus during the drop-off window will be permitted to make the left turn into the parking lot without looping up to SWE.
• It is vital to follow this procedure as we have experienced 202 traffic causing on-campus gridlock and delaying the start of the school day.
• Please allow ample time for drop off to avoid tardies
• When students arrive at school between 7:30 - 7:50 am, they will remain in one location until the first bell rings at 7:50 am.
• 6th grade will remain in the cafe
• 7th/8th grade will remain in LGI
• Students arriving after 7:50 am will report directly to homeroom
• Students will be considered late to school if they arrive AFTER 8:05 am
• Please use the crosswalk to pick up your child from the parking lot, safety is important to us! **We prefer that you use the car dismissal line for safety purposes!

• Thank you for being respectful to our staff on duty with all traffic procedures!

• We recognize that the traffic light turning left can get backed up at times. There is another option--proceed straight through the light and make the first left on Gilpin Drive. This will lead you back to 202 Northbound traffic (goes around the apartment complex).

• Good News--PennDot has finally approved a green arrow for turning left onto 202N after dismissal/drop off. The timeline for this to happen is after the new year so please be patient because some relief is on the way.

Show map HERE

Home Games this week

Girls Basketball:

12/13 SMS vs. Penns Grove

12/15 SMS vs. Peirce

12/17 SMS vs Lionville

As agreed upon by the Ches-Mont League, students will not mask in play but will be required to mask at all other times. Spectators are expected to follow the District’s masking expectations outlined in the health and safety plan and be masked.

**Call our athletic director Mr. Corcoran about any athletic concerns at 484-266-2725

Boys' basketball tryouts will take place on Thursday, December 16 (both 7th and 8th-grade teams, final cuts). Tryouts will run from 3:00-5:45 pm each day. Everyone trying out must have a valid PIAA physical uploaded to Family ID as well as a baseline concussion test. Questions? See Mr. Stolzer in room C104 or email him. pstolzer@wcasd.net

If you would like to receive more information about the ski trips please contact Mr. Kip Volkman @ stetsonski@gmail.com or call @ 484-467-6749 for more information. The ski trips are not associated/sponsored by Stetson Middle School or The West Chester School District

West Chester Rugby Football Club, the Wolfpack is made up of students from grades 5-12 and holds practices and games at Rustin. Please see the flyer if interested in signing up for this opportunity.

It is Stetson’s mission to help all students maintain passing grades, however, if a student is failing two or more academic subjects, or one academic subject, and two unified arts classes, they will be placed on our ineligibility list. Students who are on the ineligibility list are unable to participate in any extracurricular sport/activity. A report is generated every Thursday to determine eligibility status for the following week.

A reminder that our personal cell phones are not permitted to be used during school hours in the educational setting. Please review the policy below with your student.

It is important to be aware of what your kids do online. Parents need to find a balance of being aware and snoop which can alienate them and damage the trust you built together. The key is to stay involved in a way that makes your kids understand that you respect their privacy but want to make sure they are safe. Tell your kids that it's important to:

• Be nice (treat others with respect)
• Think twice before hitting enter (posting personal/private info)
• Follow the "WWGS" (What would grandma say) rule
• use privacy settings
• don't friend strangers

Chester County Reading Olympics is a countywide reading event that encourages students to increase the quality and quantity of books they read for enjoyment. The Reading Olympics Program is based upon the belief that good reading habits form the foundation for a productive and successful life.

Chester County Reading Olympics is designed to inspire students to read for pleasure and learn the value of teamwork at the same time! In addition to helping students develop a habit of daily reading for pleasure, the Chester County Reading Olympics provides students with the opportunity to have interactive discussions with their peers on the content of the books.

The teams will come together virtually in the spring to answer questions about the books. The teams accumulate points for every correct answer during three rounds of questioning earning each team member a blue, red, or white ribbon based on the number of points their team has earned.

The Stetson Reading Olympics team will meet on non-SEL days (Thursdays) during Falcon Period. For the most part, we will meet 2 times a month and then communicate on our Schoology group page.

If your child is interested in participating, please have them come see Mrs. Mesi in room A106 during homeroom by Friday, December 10th.

Order your 2021-22 Yearbook

Order on-line at

www.jostensyearbooks.com

$33 (+tax) until January 1st!

Note: Personalization is available for online orders only

See Miss Verna in B103 or email sverna@wcasd.net if you have any questions!

Thank you to all who ordered Stetson Spirit Wear! Spirit Wear orders will be distributed at lunches on Tuesday, December 21, and Wednesday, December 22. Please let your student know if they need to pick up something you ordered. We are also in need of a few volunteers to help with the distribution. Please view the signup for details and note that you must have up-to-date clearances on file at the office to volunteer. Thank you!

More PTO information can be found on our website: www.wcasd.net/domain/936

If you have any health questions, please contact our school nurse by email at mczerpak@wcasd.net.

Please take time to read