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Narwhal Newsletter
January 28th, 2024
Hello Marsh Creek,
I hope that everyone had a great week. Our students and families now have access to Infinite Campus in order to complete the course selection process for next school year. Below, we have included directions on how students and parents can make choices related to the electives they would like to take as 7th graders at Downingtown or Lionville Middle Schools. The course selection window will remain open until February 2nd. This week's newsletter contains information related to several fundraising opportunities, and community events taking place over the next month. Thank you all for your support of our students, and our amazing community. I hope that everyone has an amazing week!
-Matt
This week at Marsh Creek - Week of January 28th
- The course selection window for 7th grade is now open! Parents and students will have access to the course selection process for our middle schools until February 2nd. Please see below for more detailed information.
7th Grade Course Selection Headquarters
Submitting Course Requests through Infinite Campus (IC)
Between January 22 and February 2, students will submit their course requests electronically through IC. The majority of courses will be pre-loaded for your student on the 22nd. Students will need to select their Encore classes for 7th grade during this window.
Directions for Course Selection Through Infinite Campus
PATH: Infinite Campus > Campus Student > More > Course Registration
- After logging in to Campus Student/Campus Parent, select More from the Index. Then select Course Registration. A list of Course Registration Enrollments displays.
- Select the desired enrollment (Next year's enrollment (Middle School).
- You are now ready to enter Course Requests (Reference course selection information below).
- Directions with screenshots can be viewed by clicking the attached PDF document below.
Student Selected Encore Classes (electives)
1. Rising 7th Graders must pick four electives from the five Encore area options: Physical Education, World Language, Music, Family/Consumer Science, and Art (a required Tech Ed & Health course will be pre-loaded)
2. Please note that you are encouraged to take one course from each content area by the time you leave LMS/DMS at the end of 8th grade.
Below is a list of available electives for our students to choose in 7th grade. You will see that Technology & Engineering Foundations and Health have already been added, as all 7th graders will take these electives. Our students will need to select 4 additional electives from the options remaining.
Middle School Program of Study
For more detailed information related to course offerings at both Downingtown and Lionville Middle School, click on the link below to access the DASD Middle School Academic Program of Study.
Donuts with Your Driver
This week we get to celebrate the students on Bus 52, and their wonderful driver that supports the students on the trip to and from Marsh Creek every day. Keep up the good behavior on the bus Narwhals for a chance to have your bus be the next monthly winner!
POD Pride Update
Safety and Security
Each month, our schools around the district conduct drills in order to ensure that our students are prepared in case of an emergency. These drills include Severe Weather, Fire, and Safety and Security drills. During the month of January, our focus will be on conducting a Safety and Security drill. This week, we will conduct a Safety and Security drill. Teachers will work with our students to ensure that they are aware of our procedures, and we want to thank everyone for your support as we work to promote safety throughout the Downingtown Area School District.
Please Support our Students and Childhood Cancer Research
In order to support St. Baldrick's and our student Frankie Knowles, long time friend Teaghan has decided to shave her head to support TEAM FRANKIE. Please consider supporting Frankie and Teaghan by clicking on the link below to donate to St. Baldrick's! We are truly inspired by these students, and want to do all that we can to support research designed to address childhood cancer. Thank you so much for anything that you can do to help support this worthy cause, and our amazing students!
Please Support Aidan's Heart Foundation!
Shop for your sweetheart or treat yourself and support Aidan's Heart Foundation's efforts to empower youth and protect young hearts! Visit www.KendraScott.com and enter code GIVEBACK-FSHUF at checkout on any item! Orders will arrive in time for Valentine's Day. This fundraiser ends tomorrow (Monday) night! Aidan's Heart continues to make our communities heart-safe through teaching CPR, placing AEDs, and screening young hearts. Thank you for your support!
Community and Family Support - Backpack Boost Program
This program provides supplemental nourishment for our students. Participating students receive a bag of non-perishable food items every Wednesday, which will be distributed in a discreet and caring manner by our staff. Click on the flyer below to complete the confidential form so that we can help in any way that we can.
Strengthening Families Program for Parents and Youth Ages 10-14 (SFP 10-14)
SFP 10-14 has been implemented throughout Chester County since 2010. SFP 10-14 is a universal, evidence-based prevention program that targets adolescents ages 10 to 14 and their parents/caregivers. This free skill-building program is delivered in seven weekly sessions and is offered as independent, concurrent learning sessions for caregivers and youth, followed by joint family sessions. The primary goals of the program are to build life skills in youth, including stress management, conflict resolution, and refusal skills. For caregivers, the program enhances parenting skills and promotes effective parenting styles, with the goal of strengthening family bonds, increasing positive communication, and enhancing collaborative problem-solving skills within the family unit.
Free dinner and childcare will be provided to all those in attendance. Dates, time and location will be announced shortly.
If you’d like your family to participate in the Strengthening Families program, please scan the QR code on the flyer with your cell phone and fill out the linked google doc to indicate your interest.
If you have any difficulty accessing the google document through the QR code and you’d like to register your family for the program, please reach out to your child’s counselor at MC:
Teams A, D, E – Mrs. Lyman at klyman@dasd.org
Team B and G- Ms. Mallon at dmallon@dasd.org
Team C, F and H- Mrs. Busby at mbusby@dasd.org
Counselor's Corner
Greetings from the Marsh Creek Counseling Department! We will use this area to keep you in the loop with updates from our department as well as helpful resources throughout the year. Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions or concerns. We are here to help!
Narwhals, let’s become amazing test takers in the third marking period. Over the next few weeks, we will share tips to help you ace your tests! You got this!
Check out these community resources!
A great local resource! Communities That Care offers groups, blogs and podcasts to support parents and guardians in the Downingtown area.
Click here for more information.
Please encourage your child to check out the Marsh Creek Counseling Department Schoology course. It’s filled with lots of great resources including stress management strategies, study skills, directions for how to check your grades and more!
As always, reach out if you need anything!
Chromebook Care
The most frequent damage to a Chromebook is a cracked screen. Follow these tips to avoid damage.
- Always carry a Chromebook closed. Never hold a Chromebook by its screen and always use two hands to carry the device.
- If carrying the device from classroom to classroom, hold the Chromebook close to your chest much like a hug.
- Be sure to set a Chromebook on a flat surface during use and avoid slanted, uneven surfaces which could lead to the device sliding off and dropping to the floor.
For more tips about protecting your device, and information related to getting a protective case for your device, click the following link to our technology page. Thank you for your assistance!
https://www.dasd.org/departments/technology/11-technology-initiative/chromebook-care
Clubs and Intramurals
Below is a link to the Activities page on our Marsh Creek website, which has been updated with all information that students and parents will need to engage in our extracurricular programs. It contains information related to the options available this year, as well as information related to Activity Fees, and the Activity Shuttle Bus. Students can work with our teachers to pick up information and to express interest in the activities offered this Fall.
Cultural Connections Club
Join MC6 Cultural Connections Club!
The CCC will allow students to get together once a month for group discussions, activities, leadership opportunities, and games. It will be a fun way to make new friends while celebrating diversity and strengthening our connection to the school community.
There is still time to join MC Cultural Connections Club! Sign Up Here -
MC6 Cultural Connections Club Interest Form
“We are more alike, my friends, than we are unalike.” ~ Maya Angelou
Marsh Creek Home and School Association (HSA)
Thank you to our HSA for all that they have done this year to support our students and staff! We are so lucky to have a wonderful team of parents willing to help Marsh Creek. If you are interested in participating in our HSA this year, please consider joining us for future meetings. If you would like to contact our HSA to find other ways to support our students and school, please feel free to contact them at marshcreekhsa@gmail.com.
DASD Community Events
Downingtown Area School District is thrilled to announce that Philadelphia Eagles' defensive end, Brandon Graham, will be visiting Downingtown High School East on February 26th, 6-8 pm, for a special program titled "The Importance of Community." The event is organized by the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) office, showcasing Graham's insights on fostering unity, looking out for one another, and sharing lessons learned during his time with the Eagles, including his experience as part of a Super Bowl-winning team.
To register: Click Here
Cornelius Minor, a distinguished Brooklyn-based educator is set to lead a transformative training session for the Downingtown Area School District (DASD) Cultural Equity Taskforce. The training, scheduled for February 26th at 3:45 pm, will take place on the Zoom platform and is open to teachers, staff, and community members. This event is offered free of charge, aligning with Minor's commitment to advancing equitable literacy reform.
Date: February 26th
Time: 3:45 pm
Location: Zoom Platform
Registration: Click Here
Employment Opportunities at Marsh Creek
Interested in working at Marsh Creek? We have several positions available for anyone interested in supporting students as a Paraprofessional. Please click below to start the application process, or feel free to reach out to Matt Barr at mbarr@dasd.org to express your interest! We would love to have you join our team!
2023-24 Yearbook Sale
Order your child’s 2023-2024 Marsh Creek 6th Grade Center Yearbook online at www.balfour.com. Click on Shop My School and enter our school name. Then click on the icon for Yearbook Products and Ads. You will need to enter your child’s name and grade. Then select your child’s Advisory teacher. Yearbooks cost $30 and will be delivered to students at school during the last week in May. Order now before they are all sold out!
Any Questions? Please contact:
Mrs. Allen at lallen@dasd.org or Mrs. Leister at rleister@dasd.org.