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Kindergarten Registration 2
Inclement Weather 2
Report Cards 2
Attendance -- TARDY 2
March Madness 3
Ready for Recess 3
Outstanding Cafeteria
Balance
3
February Calendar 4
Counselor's Corner 5
Willow Dale Geo Bee 6
From the Reading Specialists 6
Home and School News 7
CATS Ticket Winners 8
C.E.F. 8
Family Vacations 8
Lost and Found 9
From the Nurse 9
The Wellness Committee 9
Inside this issue: From the Principal...
February 2013
The end of January brings an end to the second marking period and marks the halfway point of the school year. As we embark upon the second half, it is important that we maintain the same excitement and enthusiasm that we brought with us at the start. This is also a good time to reflect upon our school journey thus far. The building hums with the daily activities of teachers teaching and students learning. It is this same enthusiasm and sense of purpose that leads us into the second half of the school year. February, like the months before, promises to be a busy month filled with exciting learning opportunities! Each day it is comforting to hear the sounds of math facts recited aloud, small groups sharing the inferences they made in the book, or the simple sound of children’s laughter as they tell each other kind jokes and stories. All in all, Willow Dale is a great place to be! In tandem with our instructional program, this month we will honor our Presidents, celebrate Valentine’s Day, participate in Read Across America Day, and begin the March Madness basketball tournament. We will also be sending home the second marking period report cards on Wednesday, February 6. If you have any questions regarding your child’s progress, please contact his or her teacher. It is this continuing partnership between home and school that supports the successful learning of all the Willow Dale students, academically, socially and emotionally.
“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” ~Helen Keller
Our best to you and your families,
Mr. Michael W. Donnelly
Principal
PSSA Testing
-Mark Your Calendar-
PSSA Testing Dates
February 13: PSSA Writing
Field Test (Grades 3, 4, 5)
March 11—15: PSSA Writing
(Grade 5)
April 8—19: PSSA Math and
Reading (Grades 3, 4, 5)
April 22– 26: PSSA Science
(Grade 4)
The PSSA is a state-mandated
test, which means all students
must take the test. Please do not
schedule vacations or
appointments during these testing
days. Thank you!
Page 2 February 2013
While we all
recognize the
importance of daily
attendance at school,
we also need to keep
in mind that students
need to be on time for the start of the
school day. When students
consistently arrive late to school, they
miss the opportunity to participate in
the morning routines, including time
to meet and greet their classmates
and time to discuss the day’s schedule
with the teacher.
Sometimes a doctor’s appointment
makes it necessary for students to
arrive late to school, which is
understandable, as it is not something
that happens every day. However,
when students arrive late on a regular
basis, learning may be affected. Let
us work together to have our students
arrive on time, take part in the
morning routines, have a clear
understanding of the day’s schedule
for learning, and be full participants
in the learning process.
Remember, the student day begins
promptly at 8:45 AM. If a student
arrives to class after 8:45 AM, s/he
must then report to the main office to
receive a pass to class so that his/her
attendance record can be updated to
reflect “present”, but tardy. Should
you have any questions regarding
your child’s attendance record, please
contact your child’s homeroom
teacher.■
Although the weather, at times, feels
spring-like, we are still in the middle of
the winter season. Sometimes winter
weather can interrupt the school day
or cause the school district to close.
Take time to review with your child
your family’s plan if there is an early
dismissal or a school closing.
When inclement weather arrives,
announcements of school closings will
be made on KYW (1060 AM). The
radio stations identify school districts
by name and/or by specific numbers.
Centennial’s school closing number is
753. When schools open late, 753 will
be announced, along with details of the
delayed opening. Additional channels
(3, 6, and 10), as well as the local
Comcast cable channel, 28, and
Verizon cable channel, 36, will post
information. As always, the district
website, www.centennialsd.org, will be
updated with up-to-the-minute
information. Don’t forget that this
information can be sent directly to
your inbox if you are signed up for e-
alerts. Visit the district website for
further information.■
Inclement
Weather
Report Cards
The end of the second marking
period will be Thursday,
January 31st, 2013. Report cards
will be distributed to the students
on Wednesday, February 6th.
This is an excellent time to
discuss with your child any
future goals he or she might have
for the second half of the school
year. If you have any specific
questions or concerns, please
contact your child’s teacher.■
Kindergarten Registration
If you have a little one who will be
turning 5 by August 31st of 2013,
then it’s time to register him/her for
kindergarten! Kindergarten
registration is scheduled for
Wednesday, March 6th beginning
at 7:00 PM. Registration will take
place in the gym (Alta S. Leary All-
Purpose Room at Willow Dale).
During the evening’s presentation,
you will meet school staff, learn
about the kindergarten curriculum,
and have an opportunity to complete
the forms required to register for
kindergarten.
You must bring the following items
in order to register your child:
The child’s birth certificate that
we will copy
The child’s social security
number
The child’s immunizations
And (4) proofs of residency for
yourself. Examples are:
telephone bill, electric bill,
driver’s license, etc.
Registration forms will be available
on the district website if you would
like to print them out and complete
them in advance. This will be the
only opportunity to register a
kindergarten child at this building.
After March 6th, the registration
process is handled by the
Centennial School District
administrative offices in Johnsville.
In order to register there, you will
need to call for an appointment
(215) 441-6000, ext. 11046.■
Attendance -- TARDY
Attention 4th and 5th Grade Boys
and Girls: Mark your calendars
for our annual 3v3 basketball
March Madness Tournament.
Informational meetings will be
held during your recess towards
the end of January. You will
receive a registration/permission
form.
Please make sure to hand these
forms into Ms. Jenkins by
February 5, 2013.
Boys will play on Tuesdays
beginning on February 12 and
Girls will play on Thursdays
beginning on February 14, 2013.
All after school games will run
from 3:45-4:30 in the Alta S.
Leary All-Purpose Room/Gym
here at Willow Dale. While we
encourage spectators to cheer on
our students, we cannot allow any
siblings (whether students from
Willow Dale, Log or WTHS) to be
here without a parent/guardian
also present. Any student who
does not have a grown-up with
him/her will have to wait in the
office until a grown-up has arrived.
Thank you for helping us to keep
keep the event fun and safe for our
student participants here at Willow
Dale! ■
Page 3 February 2013
Below, please find the suggested
temperatures and times for re-
cess during colder weather.
Below 60 degrees—Jacket or long
sleeves
Below 50 degrees—Coat and long pants
Below 32 degrees—Gloves and hats to
go outside
Below 15 degrees—Shortened recess (5-
10 minutes)
Below 10 degrees—Indoor recess
To access the current local temperature
including wind chill—
1) Type www.weather.com
2) Type in your zip code
3) Look at the current temperature for
Southampton
4) Look right below that current tempera-
ture to get the “Feels Like” temperature
Recess is an opportunity for stu-
dents to get some fresh air and
play with their friends. Because we
will continue to go outside during
the winter months (weather per-
mitting), we ask that students be
dressed appropriately for the sea-
son. Long pants, hats, coats,
gloves, and scarves keep students
warm while they enjoy the sun-
shine and fresh air on a wintry
day. Thank you for your help with
this!
Outstanding Cafeteria Balance
The Food Service Department has a
procedure that students owing more
than an established obligation
($25.00 ELEM, $8.00 MS/HS) be
provided with a basic, healthy
“snack” in lieu of the full lunch when
these amounts are exceeded. The
cafeteria continues to enforce this
procedure and asks that payments
are made in a timely manner.
If you are eligible, free or reduced
price lunches are available by filing
an application through the Business
Office of the Centennial School
District.
You can also pre-pay for lunch through
the “Pay-for-It” system and credit can
be immediately applied to the
account. If you have any questions,
please contact Bill Gretton at
215-441-6000 ext.
11006.■
Page 5 February 2013
Counselor’s Corner
Every parent knows the joy of seeing their child smile or hearing their laughter echoing
through the halls. Humor can help turn some of the most stressful days into favorite
memories. It can also provide some significant benefits to ourselves and our children. Here
are some interesting benefits of humor, courtesy of PBS.org.
Cognitive benefits of humor:
Increased creativity
Improved problem-solving ability
Enhanced memory (for humorous material)
Increased ability to cope with stress, by providing an alternative, less serious perspective on one’s problems
Emotional benefits of humor:
Elevated mood and feelings of well-being
Reduced depression, anxiety, and tension
Increased self-esteem and resilience
Increased hope, optimism, energy, and vigor
Social benefits of humor:
Bonding with friends and family
Reinforcement of group identity and cohesiveness
Increased friendliness and altruism
Increased attractiveness to others
Happier marriages and close relationships
Physical benefits of laughter:
Increased endorphins and dopamine
Increased relaxation response
Reduced pain
Reduced stress
Page 6 February 2013
From the Reading Specialists
Willow Dale’s “Buzzing” following the Bee
The National Geography Bee has been
supported by Willow Dale Elementary
School for a number of years. Our
fifth grade students prepared for this
year’s competition through map and
Atlas study questions, exploring
geography concepts in the History
Alive textbook, and also through
computer research skills.
This year was very successful and
produced three wonderful champions.
Grabbing third place honors was
Valerie Pendrak. Earning second
place honors was Austin Peronace.
And finally, the winner of the 2013
National Geography Bee School Level
Competition was Abigale Lomas!
Abigale obtained the championship
medal and a $25
gift certificate,
while earning the
opportunity to
complete in the
State
Championships.
Congratulations to
Abigale and all the
participants! The
teachers and staff
would like to send
a special thank you
to all the parents,
guardians,
students, and loved
ones who attended the Bee.■
To Build Literacy Skills With Your Child…..
Try This at Home:
Talk often with your child to build listening and talking skills.
Include your child in daily conversations as much as possible…as you eat together, shop for groceries, walk to
school, wait for a bus, drive in a car.
Have your child use his imagination to make up and tell you stories. Ask questions that will encourage him to ex-
pand the stories.
Look at family photographs and have conversations about what is going on in the pictures.
Listen to your child’s questions patiently and answer them just as patiently. If you don’t know the answer, re-
search it together showing her how to go about solving problems. The use of technology to research answers is a
good idea as long as there is close grown-up supervision.
Talk about books that you’ve read together. While you are reading make sure you pause often and talk about the
characters in the story or where the story is taking place. Making connections with the story is a powerful strategy
to model for your child. They will soon learn that this is what good readers do all the time.
Monitor the time that children spend watching television or playing video/computer games. Make sure your child
is getting enough time reading, speaking, listening, and interacting with peers and grown-ups so they can thrive in
an environment that will prepare them for an exciting and productive life.
Page 7 February 2013
Home and School News
There are lots of fun events coming up for our students in the next few months! Keep an eye on the Wednesday folder and be sure to check the “For Parents” tab on Willow Dale’s website
for Home & School info.
Our next meeting will be Monday, February 11 at 7:00 PM in the library.
There will be a Fun Fair committee meeting held immediately following.
Kids’ Night Out
Friday, March 8th.
6:30 to 9:00 PM
Volunteers are needed to help out
with this event.
Please contact Jen Howe:
The Valentine’s Classroom Parties
will take place on
Thursday, February 14th
at 2:15 PM.
Look for a letter from the front office with important information.
Save the Date!
Second and Third
Grade classes will be having an
Ice Cream Social
hosted by our
Special Events Committee on
February 22nd.
The Annual Willow Dale
Walk-A-Thon
will be held on Friday, April 5th.
Paperwork will be coming home at
the end of the month.
If you would like to volunteer, please
contact WDHS.
February
2013
Page 8 February 2013
CATS Ticket Winners
As part of our Character
Education Program here at
Willow Dale, we celebrate the
pillars of character each and
every day. Students, teachers
and staff are invited and
encouraged to complete CATS
coupons to honor others for their
being of good character. CATS
stands for: Character,
Achievement, Teamwork and
Service. Each Friday morning,
on the announcements, a
handful of names are read aloud,
and these students receive a
small prize from our Guidance
Department. While all of our
students and staff at Willow
Dale know that character counts,
everywhere, all the time, the
following students and staff were
selected in January for being of
especially outstanding
character!:
Congratulations to Mr.
D’Andrea, Mrs. Monaghan and
Ms. Wirsch for having been our
January staff members
nominated for a CATS coupon!
Keep up the great work■
*Andres Aguado
*Zaya Benton
*Lily Bollendorf
*Paul Broccardi
*Kaitlin Buono
*Madison Brown
*Damian Calhoun
*Sean Campbell
*Graciela Cohen
*Brennen Corcoran
*Giavonna Demos
*Lucas DuBeck
*Omar Elbanna
*Jacqueline Faulk
*Zachary Goldman
*Elena Goines
*Alyssa Gorman
*Trevarian Hellwig
*Tyler Hargraves
*Kyla Hollinsworth
*Jillian Jeffreys
*Ronald Kaczmarek
*Kevin Keating
*Brent Kehoe
*Dawson Kirsch
*Riley Loughlin
*James Leamon
*Phoenix Lehman
*Ruby Loughlin
* Rachel Lowenthal
*Sean Maddox
*Christine McLaughlin
*Holden Meakim
*Jamar Mitchell
*Ryan Murray
*Karla Olguin
*Joseph Podgorski
*Alexis Roytman
*Kay Shannon
*Brandon Sher
*Ketorah Smoot
*Angelina Stancker
*John Stanfield
*Alexandra Willauer
*Alyssa Williams
*Kaylee Wood
*Rachel Yost
Family Vacations
Are you planning a family trip or
vacation during the school year?
If so, keep in mind that district
policy specifies that trip/vacation
requests must be made to the
Principal at least two weeks
before the trip occurs. Request
forms are available in the main
office or on the Willow Dale
website.■
Centennial Education Foundation (C.E.F)
The Centennial Education Foundation
is a nonprofit organization dedicated
to providing the best opportunities for
our children, which helps to fund
grants throughout the district. Our
commitment is that all funds go
directly to the students. By investing
in our children, we enhance the
enrichment of our community’s future.
Are you looking for the perfect gift for
that special staff or faculty
member? Then look no further than
the CEF Annual Giving
Campaign. You may make a
donation, starting as low as $10, in
honor of any staff member. The staff
or faculty member will receive
notification that a donation was made
in their honor. Your donation will be
used to help fund grants that staff
members can apply for during the
school year. If you are interested in
making a donation, please contact Bob
Schrader at 215-441-6000 ext.
11008.■
Page 9 February 2013
The Wellness Committee
Centennial School District
Willow Dale
Elementary School
720 Norristown Road
Warminster, PA 18974
Phone: 215-441-6093
Mr. Michael W. Donnelly
Principal
Mr. Miles Roe
Assistant Principal
From the Nurse
Hello Parents and Guardians and Happy
February! We just wanted to remind you
all of some important information we
should have on file about your child.
•Immunizations: A review of current im-
munization records for students K-5 shows
missing immunizations for some stu-
dents. This is most likely a DOCUMEN-
TATION issue. We will be calling or notify-
ing you by letter. Note to all parents; if
your child receives immunizations at their
yearly visit please send the most recent
immunization record to us so we may up-
date our records.
•Dental Exams: All students in Kinder-
garten & Grade 3 should have an updated
Report of Dental Exam. Please send in if
you have not already.
•Physical Exams: All students entering
school should have a Report of Physical
Exam on file.
•Out door Recess: Please remember to
send your child to school with a coat, hat &
gloves.
If you have any questions please feel free to
call us (215-441-6093, ext.17025). Please
remember to update your numbers with the
front office and/or the Nurse’s Office. We ap-
preciate all of your help and support!■
Lost and Found
Is your child missing a hat,
gloves, lunchbox, or even a
coat? If so, you may want
to stop in the cafeteria and
check out the Willow Dale
Lost and Found. To help in
identifying misplaced
items, please take time to
label your child’s clothing.
This assists us in returning
those lost
items more
quickly to
their owners.
Thank you!■
Thank you to all of the wonderful volunteers who helped to make our
annual Cradles to Crayons collection another huge success!
This year the wellness committee
will be working hard on several
events that will help lead our
PUMA families down the path to
healthy lifestyle. Be on the
lookout for several events
focusing on the 6 major nutrients
(Protein, Carbohydrates, Fat,
Minerals, Vitamins and Water)
that our body needs to function
properly.
In the spring we will be hosting a
Willow Dale Healthy Families
Day Health
Fair.■