Chadds Ford Elementary School

Happy November.

There is much to celebrate this fall, throughout the newsletter take notice to the November spirit days, conference details and dates, and many other events!

We look forward to collaborating with our families during conferences, your support and partnership help us all succeed in life and contribute to society.

Charge on Chargers for a month ahead filled with fun, thanks, and gratitude!

CFES explores and teaches concepts to help our students develop strong character. The Core Essentials program infuses the social-emotional learning competencies with each of our monthly values.

Thank you for support to engage in conversations at home that enhance the learning at home about the Core Essential traits we will be learning this school year. Our hope is that our Charger students will embody these skills and traits to build their character and succeed in life.

☑Competencies addressed throughout the year: Self-Awareness, Self-Management, Social Awareness, Relationship Skills, Responsible Decision-Making

☑ Big Idea Values addressed throughout the year: creativity, friendship, integrity, gratitude, generosity, responsibility, kindness, peace, patience, and commitment

During the month of November, our students will be focusing on the concept of gratitude. Gratitude is defined as letting others know you see how they've helped you. Chat with your child about navigating situations that require you to express and show your gratitude and discuss how you can support practicing this skill with your child. The resources below provide helpful tips on getting the conversations started at home.

"There is as much greatness of mind in acknowledging a good turn, as in doing it." — Seneca

Attendance Alerts - attendance, travel plans, and dismissal changes should be communicated on Powerschool and to cfeattendance@ucfsd.net, and please cc the homeroom teacher. All changes to dismissal plans should be submitted before 2:30 pm to ensure a safe dismissal process.

Attendance Reminder for Requested Assignments- 2023-2024 Parent Handbook

If a student is absent from school two days or more days due to illness or injury, homework assignments may be requested by contacting the school. Parents are asked to contact the elementary school before 10:00 A.M. Assignments will be available by the close on the day following the request. Missed assignments for one day of absence can be provided upon the students return to school.

School Schedule Reminder:

• School starts at 9:10 am and dismissal is at 3:40 pm
• AM Kindergarten reports from 9:10 am - 11:45 am
• PM Kindergarten reports from 1:05 pm -3:40 pm

Important Transportation Note:

A huge shoutout and thank you for honoring and following procedures for the car line. We appreciate your help in maintaining a safe campus for all. As a reminder: If you are a picking up a car rider and arrive on campus before 3:15 pm for a 3:35 pm dismissal you will be asked to wait in the lower gravel lot. The crowded car line poses safety concerns and challenges for late in the day deliveries to the school that need to access the back of the building. Please make note and plan accordingly, car riders will still be dismissed starting at 3:35 pm.

Car line map

Thank you for your patience with the arrival and dismissal procedures. Safety on campus is extremely important. You can assist in the process by:

• Please stay attentive and pull forward to maximize our car line capacity.
• Stay in your vehicle and advance forward in the loading zone between the cones.
• Drop off and pick up can occur anywhere between the orange cones, pulling forward helps expedite the process.
• If you need more time before your journey home please pull into an open parking space or proceed to the lower gravel lot, this will allow the car line to flow smoothly and quickly.
• Please be mindful of staff entering and leaving the parking areas, you can help by leaving space for parking as needed.
• Keep a watchful eye on traffic control and flow, watch for staff in yellow vests and signs to direct traffic.
• Remember the speed limit on school grounds is 15 MPH!
• When on the driveway entering and exiting the school please yield to the school buses on the smaller bridge area.

Safety Drills - we participate in monthly safety drills to ensure are practices are relevant, timely, and proactive. Being prepared and responsive is paramount to the safety of our students and school. Our monthly safety drills will occur to practice and refine our processes. Please chat with your child about preparedness and the importance of drills at home. Please review the attached flyer and review the website, https://iloveuguys.org/The-Standard-Response-Protocol.html

Smartwatches and cell phones - as noted in the Parent Handbook - During school hours, speaking/texting on cell phones (smartwatches) is prohibited. Please review the policy with your child.

Communication - Please regularly check your email or voicemail for updates from the school for any upcoming communications or weather-related events that may impact the school day.

It is important that you review your Parent Portal in Powerschool. All information for your child and family is stored in this portal for communications. A helpful area to review is under the 'Forms' section. In this section, you will find pertinent forms (FERPA, Acceptable Use, etc.) which link permissions to your child that the school references frequently. As a family keeping your portal updated ensures that you receive communications from the school and district. In addition, the school will follow your preferences indicated in the portal. Take a moment to check the portal. Reach out to the main office at Chadds Ford if you need further support.

Staying connected is an important part of the home and school partnership. We appreciate working and growing with our families to create a strong bond that benefits your child. Please keep in mind the school day is busy and it will take some time for staff to respond to emails and calls. We are in this together, your support and understanding are paramount to our success as a team!

Please take a few moments to acquaint yourself with the Student Code of Conduct (as outlined in Board Policy #218, AG-1). This essential document serves as the compass for our decision-making regarding student behavior and disciplinary measures across UCFSD. I can't emphasize enough the pivotal role the Student Code of Conduct plays in our commitment to fostering a safe learning environment for our students. During the first week of school, our teachers will set expectations and teach our students about their responsibilities as a Charger.

The Student Code of Conduct categorizes infractions into four levels of severity, ranging from level one (minor infractions) to level four, indicative of the most severe transgressions. This framework also provides specific consequences that correspond to each violation, ensuring a transparent and equitable approach.

Above all, our foremost objective is to establish a safe and secure environment for every student, extending throughout our classrooms, hallways, and shared spaces. We are committed to upholding a proactive and equitable stance in addressing disciplinary matters. Please don't hesitate to contact me if you need clarification or guidance concerning the Student Code of Conduct. Your engagement is vital as we work together to uphold the values of safety, transparency, and consistency within our school community.

Updates:

• Health screenings have been completed for 5th graders. Screenings are continuing this month for K-4rd graders. If your student receives a referral for an eye exam or hearing evaluation due to failed screening at school and you need assistance completing these exams, please reach out and I would be happy to help facilitate these appointments.
  

• As cold and flu season is upon us, just a reminder that in accordance with the Parent Handbook, these symptoms indicate that a student should NOT attend school: Fever in the last 24 hours (100 degrees or above)
  
• Vomiting in the last 24 hours
• Diarrhea in the last 24 hours
• Unidentified rash
• Draining eye/eyes

• Snacks! - remember to send in a healthy snack with your student daily. Research confirms that hunger can negatively impact academic performance.

• Links to plan are below. Forms can also be found on UCF webpage -> Quicklinks -> Nurse/Health Services

• Allergy Action Plan
• Asthma Action Plan
• Prescription Medication Authorization

If you have any questions do not hesitate to reach out to the school nurse, mhocking@ucfsd.net

How to Help Kids Learn to Fail

Written by: Beth Arky

Failure is a part of life. Teaching kids to fail and bounce back makes them stronger and more ready to face life’s challenges. When kids fear failing, they’re at risk for anxiety and meltdowns when things go wrong. But how do parents teach kids to fail well?

It’s hard, but parents need to try step back and give kids room to mess up. If you’re always over their shoulder guiding them, they can’t fail and try again. That’s an important experience that they need to learn and grow.

When your kid does fail at something, let them know you see how frustrated and disappointed they are. Skipping right to bouncing back doesn’t give kids the time they need to feel their feelings.

Then, you can make failing a teachable moment. When your kid is ready, talk about what went wrong and how they might do things differently next time. Or how they might try again. Help them weigh the pros and cons of their choices.

You can also talk about your own mistakes or failures. Show them those moments are part of life. It’s okay that things don’t always go our way.

Contact Ms. Campanaro

Email: dcampanaro@ucfsd.net

Phone: 610-388-1112 X3758

Linked below are the county links to locate services within the county you reside that include but are not limited to housing, food, and behavioral health needs.

Delaware County Department of Human Services Resources

How to Find Health and Human Services in Chester County

Here are other resources that are meaningful to inform you about the importance of attendance.

https://www.attendanceworks.org/resources/handouts-for-families-2/

Child Mind Institute Family Resource website to support parents/guardians to find information to help them support their child who may be struggling with mental health, behavior or learning challenges.

Contact Kate Rentschler

Phone: 610-347-1700 X3575

Email: Krentschler@ucfsd.net

Children need healthy meals to learn. Free breakfast is available to all students who wish to participate. Breakfast is served in the cafeteria upon student arrival. Lunch is available for all students who wish to purchase ($3.00). Meal requirements are put in place to ensure that the food items contribute to a sufficient and healthy meal for each child. The webpage has a wealth of information about our meal program, click the button below.

Tuesday, November 7th - No School for students - Election Day

Wednesday, November 8th- Java with John at Chadds Ford - more details to come

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, November 20th-22nd - Early dismissal for conferences

Early Dismissal Schedule:

• Pre-1st-5th grades 12:25 pm dismissal
• AM Kindergarten - 9:10 am - 10:40 am
• PM Kindergarten - 10:55 am - 12:25 pm

Thursday, Friday, November 23rd and 24th - No School

Tuesday, November 28th - End of 1st Trimester

Fall conferences are planned for the week of November 20th. CFES utilizes an online parent/teacher conference sign-up system called PTCfast.

If you have multiple children at CFE, you can view the conference schedules for all staff you choose. The service will allow you to align times that are most convenient for you. Conference times are meant only for homeroom teachers, but you may request additional personnel to attend.

Important Information:

• Conferences will be offered in-person, by phone, or virtual (Google Meets or Zoom). Please indicate a conference time and type “phone”, “in-person” or “virtual” after your child’s last name (ex: Last Name: Smith/Phone) or in the box at the bottom of the time slots

• If you cannot find a time that works for you within the teacher’s conference schedule, do not have access to the internet, or want to schedule a conference with another teacher other than your child’s homeroom teacher, please contact the teacher directly to schedule a time. Information regarding each teacher can be found in the attachment: 23 Fall Parent Conferences.pdf

To register and choose a conference time, enter this link into your internet browser:

Link: https://www.ptcfast.com/schools/Chadds_Ford_Elementary_School_1

This link will be available to schedule until November 9th, after that date please contact the front office or the teacher directly to schedule. If you have any questions regarding the process, please contact our main office at 610.388.1112 x3700. Thank you!

November Spirit Days:

• Wednesday, Nov. 1st - Pajama day
• Friday, Nov. 17th - School Spirit - Wear your Chadds Ford spirit wear

Be on the lookout for additional special spirit days!

Franklin Mint Federal Credit Union Foundation is committed to education of youth in our community.

We are now seeking nominations for the Excellence in Teaching Award, which recognizes 20 outstanding and dedicated teachers in our area each year. Recipients of this award receive $1,000 towards classroom expenses their school also receives a $1,000 award. Deadline is December 22, 2023.

Be on the lookout for information from homeroom teachers about the First in Math app. Chargers will be working hard to build math fluency and problem solving skills. We will be computing our way to the goal of acquiring 1 million stickers in the First In Math program by May 3, 2024. If we make our goal, there will be a special celebration day planned for the students! Keep those math minds going and solve those problems!

Check out this video of our students sharing information about the program.

First In Math - click on the hyperlink

Thank you PTO for your support and funding for signage on the trail which was installed this summer. We look forward to our students, staff, and community enjoying our walking and learning trail!

Walking and Learning Trail - click on the hyperlink

Birthday Books, If you would like more information about Birthday Books, please click here and print out the form. You can submit forms to the library.

Chadds Ford Elementary Chargers are committed to supporting service projects. Thank you PTO for organizing the September food collection for KACS (Kennett Area Community Service) Food Cupboard. Thanks to the amazing generosity of our Chadds Ford Community and the hard work of our student volunteers, we were able to deliver 1,894 lbs of food to KACS. Thank you to each of you for making this drive an overwhelming success through your support, publicity efforts, and coordination!

Supporting a variety of organizations and making thoughtful donations to important causes is one way that Chargers contribute to society. Stay tuned for upcoming projects throughout the year.

The components of the greenhouse are delivered and on campus. We could use an expert to assist the team with the build. If you have experience with building or projects of this scope we would appreciate your insight, help, and expertise. Please contact dclark@ucfsd.net to explore how you can contribute to this amazing project.

The PTO meeting is on Wednesday, November 1st at 6:30 pm virtually. We welcome all to attend, here is the link for the meeting on Wednesday: https://meet.google.com/kvd-xvzt-hsi

Many thanks to our PTO and volunteers for a wonderful Book Fair and Buddy Breakfast.

There are many great ways to get involved and be a part of the Charger spirit! Please consider how you can be a part of the PTO in this upcoming school year.

Stay connected and share your story: X #ChaddsFordUCFSD Instagram chaddsforducfsd Facebook @ChaddsFordChargers search and use CFES hashtags #chaddsforducfsd #cfeschargers #UCFProud. Charge on Chargers!