Stonehedge News

This page provides thoughts and commentary from Amanda Simmons, the Principal of Stonehedge Elementary School in the West Genesee Central School District.

Happy Friday, Stonehedge!

Can you believe it is the end of January already? The time is flying by. We have had an exciting week at Stonehedge. Our Grade 2 students had a wonderful experience with the Rev Theatre Company as they had individual classroom workshops and then an interactive performance of The Magic Paintbrush! It was truly absolutely MAGICAL! I was able to join Mrs. Stalter's class for a virtual field trip where we got to meet the baby calf they adopted. (Check out the picture below!) This was a great culminating field trip to wrap up their Farming Unit. And, if you have a child in Third grade, you should ask about the Roly-poly bugs that have come to Stonehedge!

Do you have a Kindergarten student starting in the fall? Please see the information below about registration. The kindergarten team and I are already planning for Readiness Night and Kindergarten Screening. You'll want to be register to assure you find out all of the upcoming Kindergarten information.

Planning way ahead-- 4th grade teachers have asked me to mention that the 4th grade Moving Up Ceremony will be held on the morning of Tuesday, June 24th

I hope everyone has a fantastic weekend and we'll see everyone on Monday.

Best-

Amanda

Stonehedge Main Office

phone: 315-487-4633

fax: 315-487-4699

email: stonehedgeoffice@westgenesee.org

Stonehedge Health Office

phone: 315-487-4636

fax: 315-487-4599

1/30/25 - Gertrude Hawk Fundraiser Begins

1/30/25 - PTA Souper Bowl Begins (see details below)

1/30/25 - 2nd Grade Assembly - Rev Tour Presents: "The Magic Paintbrush"

2/4/25 - PTA Meeting - Founder's Day - 6:30pm - Library

2/5/25 - UPK, K, and 1st Grade "The Little Mermaid" Preview - WGHS

2/12/25 - Wellness Wednesday

2/12/25 - WG SEPTSA Family Event - 5:30pm - 7:30pm - Library

2/13/25 - The Giving Bean Fundraiser Order Pickup - 4:00pm - 7:00pm - Blue Cafeteria

2/13/25 - BOE Meeting - 6:00pm - WGHS

2/17/25 - 2/21/25 - No School - Winter Recess

The P2 focus this week has been Social Intelligence. Social intelligence means understanding and caring about how other people feel. It’s about noticing when someone is happy, sad, or upset and knowing how to help or how to act in that situation. For example, if you see a friend looking lonely, you might invite them to play. Or, if someone is upset, you might give them kind words to make them feel better. Social intelligence helps us build stronger friendships and be kind to everyone around us!

Our amazing Stonehedge PTA is famous for sponsoring fantastic author visits to celebrate PARP (Pick a Reading Partner) month. This year the PTA is bringing Alicia Klepies to Stonehedge on March 19th. Ms. Klepies is the author of almost 200 books covering all sorts of interesting topics…we have quite a few right in the Stonehedge library!

Stonehedge families have the opportunity to purchase books before the visit. All sales are online and must be ordered by February 20. Use code VIP10 when checking out to receive 10% off your entire order. Just click here to access the online store. Ms. Klepies will be autographing purchased books. You can enter a first name on the order form to have the autograph personalized.

If you would like to donate books to Stonehedge students in need, please order any additional books and place the word “DONATION” in the personalization field.

Kindergarten Registration for the 2025-2026 school year will open on December 4, 2024 and will go until March 28, 2025.

Watch for registration information on the Central Registration webpage. If you have any questions, email the Central Registrar at centralregistrar@westgenesee.org, or call Central Registration at (315) 487-4683.

When registering, parents/guardians should be prepared to upload the following:

• Two proofs of residency (i.e. mortgage or property statement or signed lease agreement, utility bill )

• proof of age

A physical examination and proof of immunizations are also required for entry into kindergarten and a dental certificate is requested for entry into kindergarten. These examinations should be done up to one year prior to the first day of school. Children who enter kindergarten this fall must be five years of age on or before December 1, 2025.

To access the most updated health requirements click here.

The annual West Genesee Culture Celebration is an exciting opportunity to showcase the rich diversity of the West Genesee district and the broader Camillus community. This special event highlights the many cultures that make up our community through performances and table displays by students, families, and community groups.

DONATIONS!

Attendees are encouraged to bring an item to benefit one or both of these two deserving organizations.

AccessCNY's new respite center for children facing mental health crises: Children's books, art supplies, fidget spinners, playdough, and puzzles.

West Genesee Power Pack Program: Easy Mac; packaged fruit cups; granola brs, soup, Chef Boyardee, Pop-Tarts.

The Stonehedge yearbook is officially available for purchase! This year, all sales will be conducted online, making it quick and easy to secure your copy.

📚 Cost: $17
📅 Order Deadline: May 1, 2025

Yearbooks will be delivered directly to Stonehedge and sent home with students once they arrive. Don’t miss this opportunity to capture and cherish the memories of the school year!

If you have any questions, please contact the Stonehedge PTA for assistance stonehedgepta@gmail.com.

Enrichment Day is a fantastic opportunity for kids to explore exciting new skills and activities taught by local business leaders, makers, and artists. They year's lineup includes martial arts, acting, cooking, art activities, hands-on classes with animals, crafts, parkour, juggling, and much more! Space is limited so please sign up by Friday, February 14th at: https://forms.gle/sfAoJRoAuNtsGUoLA

The next General PTA Meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, February 4th at 6:30 in the Stonehedge Library. It will also include our special Founders' Day celebration. The PTA Founders' Day meeting celebrates the history of the PTA and honors the people who support our school community. It's a time to reflect, recognize, and inspire!

We hope to see you there!

The Special Education PTSA will be having a meeting Wednesday, Feb 12 at the Stonehedge Elementary School Library at 6:30pm. Come on in out of the cold to play some fun winter themed games and learn more about SEPTSA! SEPTSA (Special Education Parent Teacher Student Association) supports students with special needs, their families, and educators. It fosters inclusion, provides resources, and offers a space to connect and learn about special education services.

To Join SEPTSA please follow this link

https://wgseptsa2018.givebacks.com/store

A few of our students took to the announcements to share about the Lunar New Year, a holiday that marks the start of a new year and the arrival of spring on the lunisolar calendar. This important celebration is observed in many countries, including China, Vietnam, and South Korea, with traditions that bring families together for feasts, festivities, and well wishes for the year ahead.

As part of their presentation, the students shared how to say "Good morning" in Chinese: Zǎo shàng hǎo (早上好).

Thank you to our students for helping us learn more about this special holiday!

Mrs. Stalter's kindergarten class celebrated the Lunar New Year by making snake headbands in honor of the Year of the Snake.

Mrs. Stalter's class zooms with North Harbor Dairy Farm to meet the baby cow they have adopted.

As part of their study on light, a Pre-K mom from Mrs. Elliott’s class visited Stonehedge to teach Pre-K students about the amazing light tools doctors use every day. Students had the exciting opportunity to try out otoscopes and ophthalmoscopes firsthand, making for a fun and illuminating learning experience!

Mrs. Boyle's Pre K classroom were celebrating the end of their Light Study Lesson.

Announcements about school closings, delayed openings, or early dismissal will be posted on the News Headlines section of the District website home page. They will also be broadcast on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and the following stations which you can access by clicking here.

Also, ParentSquare communications software allows us to send emails, texts, and make phone calls. (Phone calls will be used for emergency situations only.)

With the changing weather, children are now wearing layers of cold-weather clothing. We kindly request that you label your child's outerwear. This small effort can be a big help in reuniting lost items with their rightful owners, and you'll be grateful you took the time to do so.

Please keep in mind that our students will continue to go outside for recess. If the temperature is 20 degrees Fahrenheit or above, recess can take place outside. If the temperature is below 20 degrees Fahrenheit (this includes factoring in the WINDCHILL), recess will be indoors. Students should always have appropriate clothing for the weather: Coat, boots, snow pants, hat, and gloves.

As the colder weather sets in, it often brings with it an increase in seasonal illnesses. To help keep all students and staff healthy, we ask families to monitor for certain symptoms before sending children to school.

If your child displays any of the following, please keep them home:

• Fever of 100 degrees or higher in the past 24 hours
• Vomiting or Diarrhea in the past 24 hours
• Strep Throat. Your child should be on an antibiotic for at least 24 hours before returning to school
• Bad cold with congestion or bad cough, especially if it has kept your child awake at night; and/or the cough is continuous and consistent throughout the day.
• Pink eye. Your child should be on an antibiotic for at least 24 hours before returning to school.

If your child becomes ill at school and the nurse and/or teacher feel your child is too sick to benefit from school and is contagious to classmates and staff, you will be called to pick up your child.