Paw Power Press

The Summer Days continue to flow as we begin the month of August - looking forward to the 2024-2025 school year! We hope this Summer Edition of Butler's Paw Power Press provides a nice overview of the things happening "in and around" the school!

Our Butler Office, Technology, and Operations Teams has been preparing for the coming year, readying supplies, staffing, classroom prep, and cleaning the entire facility! Mr. Sutton, Mr. Garza, and the summer custodial crew are getting each room and every inch of hallway glistening with that "first-day shine!" Our office team - Ms. Bernabei and Mrs. Droxler - continue to organize new registrations and other managerial tasks that will help our teachers on their first days back in the building. Mrs. Dowd and Mr. Funseth (principals) are making final preparations for the new school year - completing staffing needs, readying teacher trainings, and updating Butler's Paw Power behavior support program!

We all are looking forward to a wonderful beginning of school - focused and ready for an amazing 2024-2025 year! Whether your student is a new Kindergartener who is entering our hallways as Butler Bear for the first time -or- a seasoned 6th Grader... we are so excited to see everyone on Tuesday, September 3rd!

Over the summer months, the Butler Community is saying goodbye to two important members of our school team.

Mrs. Michele Charters announced her retirement at the end of June following a wonderful career as an elementary school teacher. After joining Central Bucks in 2002, she spent time as a Kindergarten, 2nd, and 4th grade teacher. We wish her the very best in her retirement!

Mr. David Filson was chosen as one of Central Bucks' new elementary assistant principals, where he will be serving the Linden and Titus communities. Mr. Filson came to CB having taught in the Princeton Public School System prior - and just completed his sixth year at Butler at the end the 2023-24 school year. Mr. Filson is looking forward to this new role as a CBSD administrator!

Please join our principals and staff in congratulating Mrs. Charters and Mr. Filson.

Summer is a great opportunity for many important projects to see completion in preparation for the new school year! This summer, our CBSD Operations Department was focused on our Butler building (circa 1965), completing many essential needs around our school and property. This included:

1. The installation of playground lighting for safety, visibility, and monitoring needs.
2. The repainting of our cafeteria, gym, and stage - walls, ceiling, duct work.
3. Repair and refinish of our school stage.

More is coming, including (a) the placement of a camera system by the back playground to better monitor activity and to deter neighborhood vandalism. (b) New benches will be placed in Ashley's garden to promote it as an outdoor classroom. Finally, (c) a high-efficiency boiler system will be installed for heating during the winter months. Thank you to the Operations Department for their focus and work at Butler this summer.

Thanks to the Butler PTO, our school will be receiving/installing a new sign for the back entrance of our property. It will be located by the end of the bus loop when pulling in from the Highland neighborhood. We are in the process of working with our CBSD Operations Department and the New Britain Township Public Works Department on the approved location while going through the proper channels for the install. We continue to strive in making Butler Elementary an attractive place within our neighborhood community and hope to have it installed by the end of August! Thanks PTO!

Much has happened since Butler's Move-Up Day on June 7th.

We are very excited to announce staff new to Butler this year!

(Listed Alphabetically)

Kim Carrelli - Learning Support - Having taught 1st Grade, Building Literacy Coach, Reading Specialist, and Special Education teacher serving in both the SD of Philadelphia and Hatboro-Horsham SDs, Mrs. Carrelli will be joining the Butler Special Education Department.

Christine Conzelman - Learning Support - Spending most of her career in Lower Merion SD as a Special Education teacher, Ms. Conzelman will be joining Butler's Learning Support Department working with our intermediate students.

Amanda Devlin - 4th Grade - Since 2022, Mrs. Devlin has served as a QUEST teacher, 1st grade long-term substitute, and building substitute at Titus Elementary.

Samantha Griggs - Speech - Ms. Griggs will be our additional Speech teacher supporting Ms. Rothstein and the Butler students.

Elena Habel - Kindergarten - Joining Butler after having taught Kindergarten in Lower Merion SD since 2013.

Kristina Kash - 1st Gr. LTS - Rejoining our Butler team after teaching in our 4th Gr. and Autistic Support last year. Prior to CB, taught Kindergarten, Math & Literacy Enrichment, STEAM (like QUEST) all in NYC, and then Grades 4-6 in NJ. She will be in 1st grade until Mrs. Dubinski's return.

Joelle Pitts - Social Worker - Ms. Pitts will be joining Butler as our new school-based social worker, where she will be serving our school, along with Barclay & Groveland.

Sarah Teeple - 5th Grade - Rejoining Butler following her long-term placement in our 1st Grade last year. Mrs. Teeple joins Butler having taught in Pennridge SD - Grades 2 & 4 and English Language 1st Grade.

Jack Wilde - 6th Grade - Mr. Wilde received his elementary degree from the University of South Carolina, where he taught in the 4th & 5th grades. He is also a local soccer coach for Warrington U10 boys. Mr. Wilde is a CB East graduate!

**Miranda Pilla (Formerly Miss Van Houton) - 3rd Grade - Mrs. Pilla taught Kindergarten for Butler during 23-24 as "Miss Van Houton" - we are announcing her name-change and excited for her new teaching capacity!

Of note, we are still in the process of hiring for several more positions and are waiting for things to process with our Human Resources Department. Until then, several positions may still be listed as "Vacancy" once class placements open. Butler Elementary will announce directly with those classrooms once plans have been finalized.

This summer, Butler partnered with local businesses to promote reading. Continued reading throughout the summer ensures skills are maintained, and students are better prepared for the 24–25 school year! Students going into 1st - 7th Grades were invited to participate beginning back on June 14th.

The Reading Rewards Challenge program continues - through August 31st! For each day a student reads at least 15 minutes, they will color in one book on their log. After coloring 8-books in a stack, your student may claim a reward from one of our local businesses below. Students must present their log to claim a reward. Students do not need to claim rewards in any specific order. Only one reward is redeemable per establishment. Rewards can only be redeemed at the locations listed on the back of the reading log or page two of the electronic attachment. Addresses can be found on the backs of the reading logs from previous emails.

Happy Reading!

Thank you to our local Chalfont/Montgomeryville partners:

To provide children with a positive summer outlet, the Butler Principals and Reading Team issued a "rewarding" summer reading challenge (outlined above) in preparation for the new school year! When your child reads this summer, tracks their progress, and submits the online form with local companies, they will qualify for free product, food, and more!

Encouraging children to read at home is one of the most powerful ways that parents can support students’ learning. Just 15 minutes of reading per day can make a difference in students’ reading fluency, stamina, and preparedness - especially during those first weeks of school! The National Association of Elementary School Principals organization published “The Rewards of Reading,” offering families ideas and strategies to get kids reading more outside of school.

"The seeds for success in the classroom are sown at home. Encouraging children to read at home is one of the most powerful ways that parents can support students’ learning. Just 15 minutes of reading at home per day can make a difference in students’ reading fluency. Prioritize reading with these tips..."

To read the 1-page article from NAESP, please click here.

District-wide, elementary class placement details will go LIVE on Thursday, August 1st at 4:00 PM. To access, please refer to your Parent Portal account, via the CBSD website's Parent Page. For families new to CBSD, please sign-up for an Activation Key to obtain account information.

Per the July 24th District email blast, parents must complete the Annual Student information Update before access to schedules and assessments, including class placements, will be granted. That can be accessed here.

• Special Education case managers will contact families during the month of August.
• Math Placement for 5th & 6th Grades will be determined and communicated to families at the start of the school year.
• Individual teacher websites have been deleted. Please refer to the District email notice sent on July 31st.

As a reminder, all placements are final. Our Butler Team of teachers (general education, special education, PEN, Reading Specialists), counselors, school psychologist, and principals worked extensively throughout June and into July in placing students carefully in balanced classrooms. Even one change can offset the academic and social-emotional needs the team which are so thoughtfully considered.

With 2024-2025 Class Placement Access going live on August 1st, many families will be eager to make a connection with their child's new teacher! Classroom Welcome Letters will be posted on the Butler Website of the Department/Grade Level Tab at the top (no longer individual teacher pages). To access, use Butler Elementary's Website and click your child's grade level and find the "welcome letter" link in the staff list. (Please Note: Some from our staff new to Butler are still being added by our IT Department - those letters will be sent from the new teachers, directly, and posted).

In addition to your welcome letters, please be sure to locate your child's grade-level Supply List. This was created at the end of last school year and communicated then for your planning purposes. Please refer here to review items recommended by your child's grade-level in preparation for the year ahead!

Welcome to Butler Elementary School. The Health Office is always available to students for any healthcare needs. We are happy to take care of your child!

Gina Giovinco, Certified School Nurse (M-F) ggiovinco@cbsd.org

Tara Cheney, Staff Nurse (M-W)

Eileen McNammee, Staff Nurse (W-F)

If your child has any medical needs, please contact the Butler Health Room with any questions or concerns. The Health Office number is 267-893-4265.

Required Health Examinations

Pennsylvania mandates the following health examinations as indicated: Physicals: School entry, grades 6 and 11 Dentals: School entry, grades 3 and 7.

Parents are urged to have physical and dental examinations completed by their family physician or dentist and submitted prior to October 15th of the year that they are due. Exams may be completed any time after September 1st of the prior calendar year. Forms can be found by clicking HERE. Please submit these forms to the school directly or via email to ggiovinco@cbsd.org.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health has the following immunization requirements for students:

• 4 doses of tetanus, diphtheria and acellular pertussis (1 dose on or after 4th birthday) (DTaP)
• 4 doses of polio (4th dose on or after 4th birthday and at least 6 months after previous dose given) (IPV)
• 2 doses of measles, mumps and rubella (MMR)
• 3 doses of hepatitis B (Hep B)-properly spaced
• 2 doses of varicella or evidence of immunity (chickenpox)

You may check your child’s school immunization record by logging onto the parent portal through the district website at www.cbsd.org or by consulting with your child’s physician. Immunization records can be sent to the school directly or via email to ggiovinco@cbsd.org.

The Annual Student Information Update for the 2024-2025 school year is now available until September 30th. New this year upon logging into the Parent Portal, you will be directed to complete the Annual Student Information Update before accessing other information such as schedules, assessments, and demographics. To begin, login to Parent Portal, navigate to the menu (top), select “more” and then “Annual Student Information Update”. For assistance, please contact parentportal@cbsd.org.

UPDATING THE INFORMATION IS CRITICAL. Unless the update is completed:

• School nurses may NOT administer acetaminophen, antacids (Tums), antihistamines (Benadryl), or ibuprofen.
• The school may not be able to reach you in an emergency if phone numbers or email addresses are not up to date.
• You may miss school closing, early dismissal information, emails from classroom teachers, and MORE.

Instructional videos have been prepared to assist families in accessing and completing the update. Watch here: English| Spanish.

For more assistance you have any questions or would like help with this, please call or email Lori Rebstock at 267.893.5714/lrebstock@cbsd.org.

Butler is always striving to make our dismissal procedures smooth and coordinated for our students, families, and staff! The system in place works well when EVERYONE follows the plans of the school. There is always a learning curve the first few weeks of school, but soon after, the efficiency of the system becomes optimal once everyone is familiar with the plan. In the next few weeks, more information will be provided on our procedures with an important update to our carline process - which will include a new program (Schoolhouse Driveline) to be used by our staff that notifies our staff/students when each parent/guardian arrives to the school to pick up their child.

Thanks to our Butler PTO for providing the funds for the new system!

Central Bucks adopted a rotating specials schedule for the 23-24 school year (Art, Library, Music, Physical Education, and QUEST). It followed a Day-1 through Day-5 schedule with the main reason adjusting for a "better distribution" of scheduled special classes for all elementary students.

There will be a slight adjustment to this plan for the 24-25 school year. Tuesday, September 3rd, the first day for students, will be Specials Day-1. The remainder of the days will follow the school calendar and are set for the year. If there happens to be a day cancelled (due to inclement weather, etc.), the district specials schedule will follow the predetermined day. (We will no longer "push" the next number). This is being done so students, staff, and families know that each special class is assigned to one of the numbered days.

Days 1-4 will begin with September 3-6 followed by Day 5 on Monday, September 9th. Classroom teachers will be sure to communicate the classroom schedule regularly, so the children are prepared for each day's special.

To access the application and understand important details regarding the "Free & Reduced Breakfast & Lunch" Program, please CLICK HERE.

The 24-25 Before & After Care Community School Program is now open. Please visit the CBSD Childcare Program site for more information on how to register your child.

CLICK HERE to Register for Before/After Care with CB Community School!

Registration for all new K-6 students remains OPEN across Central Bucks Schools. Please use this link to begin the registration process for your child in the upcoming 2024-2025 school year. CLICK HERE.

Kindergarten classrooms are quickly filling - and staffing needs may adjust sooner if all our potential students register as early as possible. Late registrations may result in larger class sizes. Register today!

We look forward to welcoming our new Butler Bears!

August:

Aug. 1 - Class Placements Published (via Parent Portal Backpack)

Aug. 13 - CB School Board Meeting - 7:30 PM - 16 Weldon (ESC)

Aug. 29 - New Family Tours (AM) - See Below for Details

Aug. 29 - Kindergarten Welcome and Transportation Orientation (PM) - See Below for Details

September:

Sept. 2 - Labor Day Monday - School/Offices Closed

Sept. 3 - TUESDAY - First Day of School for Students (Day 1 - Specials Schedule)

Sept. 5 - BTSN Grades: 5 & 6 (Schedule Below); NOVA Parent Presentation @ 6:00 PM (Gym)

Sept. 9 - BTSN Grades: 3 & 4 (Schedule Below); PEN BTSN @ 6:00 PM (Gym)

Sept. 10 - Picture Day (Make-Ups 10/22)

Sept. 10 - CB School Board Meeting - 7:30 PM - 16 Welden (ESC)

Sept. 11 - BTSN Grades: Kdg (Gym), 1, & 2 (Schedule Below)

Sept. 12 - CB South BTSN

Sept. 19 - Unami BTSN (7th Grade)

Sept. 20 - Butler PTO Bingo Night - Evening

Sept. 26 - Unami BTSN (8th & 9th Grades)

Sept. 27 - PTO Butler Bash (Grades K-3 Only) - Evening

Sept. 30 - Half-Day for Students (12:25 PM Dismissal)

Sept. 30 - **Annual Student Update Information Due (Click Here)

On the morning of August 29th, our new students and families to Butler Elementary are invited to join our 6th Grade Butler Ambassadors and staff for "In-Person" School Tours! Come directly to the gymnasium entrance for our program - beginning at 10:00 AM. We hope to see all of our newest Butler Bears to learn all about the school and community!

On the afternoon of August 29th, our Butler kindergarten students and parents are encouraged to join teachers and administration for a school welcome in our gymnasium - starting promptly at 1:30 PM. Prior to that, students can drop off supplies to the classroom at 1:00 PM. Welcome to Butler!

With the start of school comes our Back to School Nights (BTSNs) as they are an important opportunity for all parents to meet their child’s teacher and learn about the year ahead!

BTS Nights will be held according to the following schedule:

• Thursday, 9/5 - Gr. 5 @ 5:00 PM; Presentation - Social Media Awareness (Gym) @ 6:00 PM; Gr. 6 @ 7:00 PM. ** 5th & 6th Grade parents are encouraged to arrive for/stay through the 6:00 PM presentation in the gym. **

• Monday, 9/9 - Gr. 3 @ 5:00 PM; PEN @ 6:00 PM; Gr. 4 @ 7:00 PM

• Wednesday, 9/11 - Kindergarten @ 5:00 PM; Gr. 1 @ 6:00 PM; Gr. 2 @ 7:00 PM

*Please Note: When you arrive, walk directly to your child’s classroom so you do not miss any of your teacher’s presentation - presentations will last 45-minutes. Kindergarten and PEN - please report directly to the Gymnasium. For each of our grade levels, BTSN will start promptly at noted times.

Mark your calendars, comb/brush your hair, and find you best outfit for Butler's 24-25 Picture Day on September 10th! More details and information to be sent home in the Wednesday Folders!

Picture Retake Day is scheduled for October 22nd, 2024

President: Christine Hartman

Vice President: Shirley Schombs

Treasurer: Alison Ficociello

Co-Recording Secretaries: Donna Katzman & Sarah Villamayor

Co-Family Programming Chairs: Kelly Kaufman & Stacey Tocci

Fund Raising: Amy Wigo

Following the classroom placement process going live in CB on August 1st, the Butler PTO will send communication for a sign-up genius to begin planning for the 24-25 homeroom coordinator & party planner process. The PTO is organizing Homeroom Parent Volunteers early in order to prepare for the important school events throughout the year.

**IMPORTANT: "Volunteer Clearances" are essential to fulfill and participate in these rolls. Please be sure to complete any required paperwork (Access forms using link in email) in order to volunteer and support your child's classroom or school-wide PTO Events.

Superintendent: Steven Yanni, Ed. D.

Assistant Superintendent-Secondary: Charles Malone, Ed. D.

Assistant Superintendent-Elementary: Nadine Garvin, Ed. D.

Website: cbsd.org
Location: 20 Weldon Drive, Doylestown, PA, USA
Phone: 267-893-2000
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cbschools/
Twitter: @CBSDSchools

Principal: Karl Funseth

Principal's Secretary: Peggy Bernabei

Assistant Principal: Lauren Dowd

Assistant Principal's Secretary: Michele Droxler

Website: cbsd.org/butler
Location: 200 Brittany Drive, Chalfont, PA, USA
Phone: 267-893-4250
Twitter: @CBButler