December 2016

1

www.pmes.pennsmanor.org 6003 Route 553 Hwy, Clymer, PA 15728 724-254-2666

5-8 PTG: Santa's Workshop (Art Classes)

9 PTG: Santa's Workshop Make-Ups

12 Boys & Girls Club Cancelled

14 Band/Choral Christmas Concert, 7:00 PM

15 Band/Choral Christmas Assembly, 9:30 AM

15 PTG: Evening With Santa, 6:30-8:00 PM

16 Parent Sign-Off Reward: Movie & Popcorn

21 3rd Grade Parent Lunch

21 Boys & Girls Club: Last Day Before Break

22 Early Dismissal, 1:10 PM

23-30 Christmas Break: No School

2 Christmas Break: No School

6-7 Elem. Basketball: 6th Grade Boys Tournament

9 Boys & Girls Club Resumes

13-14 Elem. Basketball: 6th Grade Girls Tournament

16 Act 80 Day: No School For Students

17 End of 2nd Grading Period

18 2nd Grade Parent Lunch

19 PTG Meeting, 6:30 PM

20-21 Elem. Basketball: 5th Grade Boys Tournament23-27 PTG Book Fair: Library Specials

24 Report Cards Go Home

26 PTG Book Fair Family Night, 6:00-8:00 PM

27 Parent Sign-Off Reward: Basketball

27-28 Elem. Basketball: 5th Grade Girls Tournament

December Calendar

January Calendar

Life Imitates Art For Fifth Grade Submitted by Mrs. Carpenter, 5th Grade Teacher

Once again, fifth grade students made cozy blankets for the homeless in Indiana County. To inspire students for the project, teachers shared the story, The Quiltmaker's Gift by Jeff Brumbeau. In this heartwarming story the main character learns the importance of giving from the heart to help others in need.

The fifth grade teachers purchased fleece for thirteen blankets and taught the students how to make no-sew fleece blankets. Students used teamwork and leadership skills to help accomplish a job well done. The lesson also taught citizenship and a sense of community.

On December 1, the blankets were presented to Andrea Sheesley from ARIN IU 28’s Pennsylvania’s Education for the Children and Youth Experiencing Homelessness Project.

Clockwise from bottom left: Ethan Depp, Jacob Tate, Leland Johnston, Savannah Bencic, and Sydney Shaffer.

December 2016

2

It’s Great to Give

During November, the Spirit Committee at Penns Manor Elementary got the holiday giving started by collecting non-perishable food items, paper products, and cleaning supplies to donate to the Love Basket Foundation, helping to provide a happier holiday season for some families suffering hardship. Students, faculty, and staff donated 436 items.

Major Storm Coming

Penns Manor Elementary is expecting a full-blown blizzard to hit its hallways this month! You may notice the black street light silhouettes in the hallway leading from the library to the art room. This is where the blizzard is happening.

Our Spirit Committee, led by Mr. Cowles, is collecting cash donations as part of its efforts to support the annual Teddy Bear Fund Drive, sponsored by Renda Broadcasting. For each quarter a student donates, he or she will create a small paper snowflake to hang between their grade’s lampposts. A larger snowflake reflects each $1 donated.

The Teddy Bear Fund benefits the Indiana Regional Medical Center’s Pediatric Unit as well as the Free Care Fund at Pittsburgh Children’s Hospital. According to Cat Country 106.3’s website, “traditionally Indiana County schools play the largest role in making the fund drive a success.” According to Mr. Cowles, Penns Manor has been supporting this cause since the beginning, and we hope to keep this tradition alive for many years to come. Last year, through several different fundraisers, PM Elementary raised $1,793.60 for the fund. This is well over TWICE as much as what was raised in 2014. Let’s see if we can get over the $1800 mark this year!

IUP Basketball Promotes Hoop Troop

IUP coaches and players visited PM to promote the Hoop Troop program, which promotes basketball, as well as the character traits necessary to be successful in any area of life, such as responsibility, respect, and teamwork.

Students can sign up for Hoop Troop at IUP home basketball games or by emailing or calling Coach Brian Urso at 412-427-9392/burso@iup.edu or Coach Travon Woodall at 412-715-3008/twoodall@iup.edu. Membership is $5 and students will receive a Hoop Troop t-shirt, free admission to all IUP basketball home games, and a pizza party with the players later in the season.

Below, Nina Twigg wins a free t-shirt for sinking a basket and wow’s Coach Woodall, players Milo Luciano and Blake Danielak, and Coach Urso.

January 23-27 Students attend during

library specials

Family Night January 26

6-8 PM

December 2016

3

Lunchables Alert!

When purchasing Lunchables (or other such prepackaged lunch items), please be sure to read the ingredients labels. Some of the items included in the package may violate our nut free policy, especially packages including Nestle’s Crunch candy bars.

Remember, that items which include statements such as, “may contain nuts,” and, “processed on equipment used to process nuts” are not permitted to enter the elementary building. Any food items which violate the policy will be placed in a sealed plastic bag and the student’s parent will be called. If items are not picked up, they will be discarded. This includes items in student lunches, as well as any classroom treat items.

Please read all ingredient labels for food items sent to school to ensure they are safe.

Don’t Forget:

Evening With Santa!

December 15 6:30-8:00 PM

A fun-filled holiday event for Penns Manor students and their

families!

Santa’s Workshop will also be open for

holiday shopping

The fall Box Tops race was a resounding success, bringing in 8,450 labels, raising $850 for classroom technology and supplies.

The winner of the fall competition is fourth grade, with 106 sheets of labels collected. Second grade came in at a close second with 100 sheets. Since competition was so tight, both grades will receive a pizza party sponsored by PTG!

The spring contest begins in January, so keep clipping and sending in those labels!

Shoes Boxes For Veterans

At the request of fourth grade student Ben Smith’s mom, Mrs. Carney’s social studies students decorated and donated show boxes to be filled with gifts for veterans at the Heinz VA Adult Day Health Care Center at their annual Christmas party.

Pictured at right with their boxes are (standing) Dominic Freeman, Carley Kunselman, Troy Williams, Kaiden Shields, Nina Twigg, Kaleb Kerchensky, (middle row) Summer Fennell, Kirsten Lute, Grace Strong, Amara Hemphill, (front) Evan Tuorinsky, Emma Pratt, Mya Calhoun, Christian Filipovich, Larry Rummel, Logan Pearce, and Aaron Miller.

December 2016

4

Big Winners Announced

PTG has announced the top sellers in this year’s fundraiser. The three highest selling students were presented with cash awards. Pictured at right are Aela Walls (PreK, 1st place), Kylee Shaffer (1st grade, 3rd place), and Noah Lowmaster (1st grade, 2nd place).

PTG also recently conducted the Computers In Education fundraiser. Parents were asked to complete a magazine sales address book and return it to school. PTG receives money for each page completed in the books. One of the books was drawn to win a remote control Minion blow-up toy. Pictured at middle right is winner Emilee Palmer (1st grade).

Now that all students have received their new PTG T-shirt, you may be wondering where the design came from. PTG purchases T-shirts for students, faculty, and staff every two years to be worn for field trips and other events, such as spirit days. As part of their art class, students are asked to create a shirt design and the final design is chosen by PTG members from these submissions. This year, there were over 300 designs submitted! The final design was created by fourth grade student, Breezy Horn (pictured at bottom right).

Congratulations to all winners and thank you to everyone for their support of PTG fundraisers and other activities!

Immunizations Reminder

Immunization reminder for parents: Please remember to send a copy of any new immunizations your child receives to the nurse’s’ office. The Department of Health requires all students to be immunized.

December 2016

5

Those Elves Are At It Again!

December may not have brought much snow yet, but it did bring back Wintergreen and Comet, North Pole elves on special assignment at Penns Manor on orders from The Big Guy himself to keep an eye on them and report back to you-know-who. They’ve taken up residence in the display case across from the art classroom. (This just so happens to also be the location for the PTG’s Santa’s Workshop. Not sure if this is just coincidence or not.)

The elves first appeared after Thanksgiving break last year and students looked forward to checking on them each day to see what antics they had been up to the night before. (It’s been rumored that some teachers have been thinking that they should report back to you-know-who about what the ELVES have been doing!) They returned to the North Pole in time for Christmas, promising to return this year.

Once again, this reporter has contacted the North Pole to find out how the elves came to be assigned to our school, but no one there would comment, except to say that the entire operation is VERY secret. Mr. Grimaldi and Mrs. Zeglen, however, have been seen hanging out in that area of the hallway with their ears pressed up to the display case glass as though they are listening to someone. It has been speculated that they may have some inside information about how and why the elves are here, but they too will not give out any information. No matter how Comet and Wintergreen got here, students are enjoying their daily capers and are happy they have visited us again. They’re also hoping that you-know-who is receiving REALLY good reports about them. Top right, when they arrived one morning, Ms. Myers and Mrs. Rhea couldn’t believe what they found…the elves had ESCAPED! Right, kindergarten students from Mrs. Buterbaugh’s class, Lewis Sears and Aussie Johnson, catch Wintergreen and Comet on a practice run with Santa’s reindeer. Or is it a practice run? It looks like it might be a run AWAY! Santa and Mrs. Santa don’t look too happy with those elves!

December 2016

6

Just The Facts Submitted By Mrs. Lezanic, 5th Grade

Support Teacher

Mr. Shearer and Mrs. Lezanic challenged the white math group at the beginning of the year to learn their math facts from zero to twelve. Students tested weekly one number at a time up to twelve.

Ava Wenzel (left) and Ethan Smith (right) were the first students in the white math group to learn their multiplication facts from 0-12. They were presented with Sheetz gift cards by their teachers Mr. Shearer and Mrs. Lezanic for their achievement.

Change For A Change Submitted By Mrs. DaBella, Guidance Counselor

Penns Manor Elementary faculty, staff, and students have been donating their money to the "Change for Change" community service project this school year, sponsored by the Olweus Bully Prevention Committee. So far, we have collected $502.82 just in the change brought in by everyone. The faculty and staff also had a fundraiser which earned another $314.25. We now have collected $817.07 for the year. The goal for the project was to raise money and then provide people providing community service with treats or donations. 80 treat bags have been given to Clymer, Pine Township and Cherryhill volunteer fire companies for their volunteers. We have provided snacks every day for the helpers working at Santa's workshop. We have provided snacks for the Evergreen Boys & Girls club staff who help our students in their program. We will be providing treats to the Evergreen Boys & Girls Club board of directors this month as well. We will continue to give to these local service groups as the year progresses. Thank you for helping all of us learn that helping others is an admirable action.

2016-2017 Yearbooks On Sale

On sale now! Reserve your copy online at www.jostensyearbooks.com

today!

Christmas Vacation!

Early Dismissal December 22

No School: December 23-30, 2016

January 2, 2017