Schuylkill Elementary News
Updates from Dr. Renzulli
May 25, 2024
What a Week!
- Monday brought the arrival of Mrs. Lisa McConlogue, our new Schuylkill principal following my retirement. "Mrs. MC" has been quick to learn our schedule, our procedures, and our school-wide events, but most importantly, she has been visible in every classroom, every day! This transition time is invaluable for our students, staff, and families. Stay tuned for more details on the start of the 2024-25 school year when you will have an opportunity to meet Mrs. MC personally.
- Thursday brought a surprise fire drill during lunch and recess! No worries though, the students evacuated the building without incident and returned to their previous activities within minutes. This alarm went off during a routine maintenance of the fire / smoke alarm system.
- Friday was a half day and the morning found 4th and 5th graders at the annual Kiwanis Day Celebration. The following students were honored for their essay contributions entitled, “What are some of the best things about living in America that you could tell a student your age who lives in another country?"
4th Grade
1st Place: Ayanna Trueheart
2nd Place: Zoe Thurstin
5th Grade
2nd Place: Aadhya Deval
3rd Place: Olivia Reimer
Reminder of Technology Communication
Hello PASD Students and Families,
At last night’s Board meeting, new technology goals were approved for PASD. More information about logistics, trainings, etc. will be shared in the weeks and months ahead.
At the end of this school year, all K-12 students and staff should take their district-issued device (iPads and laptops) and charger home for the summer. Students should bring their district-issued device (fully charged) to school on the first day of the ’24-’25 school year.
Beginning in the ’24-’25 school year:
Please join me in thanking the PASD Technology Vision and Planning Team (see page 2) for their industriousness and forward-thinking contributions.
District technology goals, an updated Technology Handbook, and a family-friendly Online Safety Hub is accessible on the district’s Tech Support & Information webpage.
Matt Oberecker
Assistant Director of Technology
Phoenixville Area School District
484-927-5098
SSHA Scoop
A big thank you to all who came out to the Spring Fair - it was a great success! Thanks to all the volunteers who offered their time and those who donated goods - we couldn't have pulled it off without ALL of your generosity! And a HUGE shout out to Koree Ritter for all her amazing efforts to pull off such a fun-filled night of games, music, food and festivities!!!
We have several exciting events over the next month! See the yellow fridge flyer that came home in students’ folders. Save the dates for the following-
- 5/27: No school
- 6/5: 5th Grade Celebration 1:15-2:45pm
- 6/6: 5th Grade Moving Up Ceremony 10am
- 6/7: 5th Grade vs. Staff Kickball Game 9am
- 6/7: LAST DAY OF SCHOOL, half day for students (11:45am dismissal)
Open SSHA Volunteer Positions: We have an open SSHA board treasurer position for the 2024/25 school year! We'll also have some chairperson spots opening up for a couple of our annual events. If you're interested in learning more please email sshavolunteers@gmail.com
Stanley Cups, Crocs, and Lululemon
Peer Pressure
Peer pressure comes in many forms. The most recent is in the form of name brands like Stanley, Lululemon, and Crocs. As an educator, it is heart-breaking to watch a child purchase these things as if a passage to popularity is guaranteed. Sadly, this is a myth. Please consider these expenses and how they impact your children, their self-worth, and your wallet! Can I control this? Absolutely not. Will I ban them. No, I won't. Can I empower your children to be kind, thoughtful, inclusive, and generous in spirit? You bet.
RECURRING INFORMATION
Wait Until 8th
It's a community of parents who have signed a pledge to delay a smart phone until the end of 8th grade. The organization suggests options for non-smart phones and watches that allow texting and calling. This is not a tech-free group, just a "delay the smart-phone" movement.
Great resources on their Facebook and Instagram pages, too:
Spring is Here!
Along with the great weather comes excitement in unstructured spaces. We are reminding our students that the same expectations for behavior and respect on the playground, on the bus, and in the cafeteria are still in place. Thank you for your support in having conversations with your child about being a kind person. There are only so many ways that we can sugarcoat when your child is being mean or rude to others. If you see signs of disrespect at home, there is a chance that we see it here in school. As a team, we look forward to working with you on behalf of your child!
Lice Infestation
Information Regarding Lice
Common to many environments where young children share space, lice are easily spread. Please find attached documents that will help address the problem should it visit your home. We are taking measures here at school to prevent the spread of lice but will be less successful without your support.
Technology and Our Children
SAN FRANCISCO — The people who are closest to a thing are often the most wary of it. Technologists know how phones really work, and many have decided they don’t want their own children anywhere near them.
A wariness that has been slowly brewing is turning into a regionwide consensus: The benefits of screens as a learning tool are overblown, and the risks for addiction and stunting development seem high. The debate in Silicon Valley now is about how much exposure to phones is O.K.
“Doing no screen time is almost easier than doing a little,” said Kristin Stecher, a former social computing researcher married to a Facebook engineer. “If my kids do get it at all, they just want it more.” ~ Nellie Bowles
This is a New York Times quote from 2018 and is even more relevant today. As educators and parents work as a team to fight chronic absenteeism, school anxiety, debilitating ADHD, diminishing self-motivation, and waning resiliency, a question that may be asked is, "What does your child do at home?" Schools historically create intervention after intervention to address student need, and yet they cannot possibly compete with exposure to the speed, stimulation, gratification, and the allure of technology.
Please reflect on the fact that Silicon Valley parents withhold technology from their children. Perhaps they know something that we are hesitant to face. For information about technology addiction, please check out this article.
What is your child consuming?
A Brutally Honest Look at Internet Usage
I would love to be talking about healthy food choices, soft drink alternatives, and the dangers of vaping, but the current climate of managing BIG behaviors and emotions over the use of the internet is astounding. When students are engaged in gamified activities that are sanctioned and promoted as instructional supplements, within Exact Path for example, it often results in a blatant refusal to log off and engage in other instructional tasks. While many students have found ways to bypass filters and blocked content, a larger number of students simply struggle with boundaries. I should say, they struggle with being told, "No." It leads us to believe that consuming endless online content is having a detrimental effect on our children.
A check list of reflections may include:
- Is there big reaction when I limit the use of my child's device? (mealtime, bedtime, homework, and during conversation)?
- Am I convinced that all children have devices except for my child?
- Have I tolerated levels of disrespect that "spike" when boundaries are set for gaming, chatting, and YouTube?
- Have I been alerted to situations at school and thought to myself, "Not my child"?
- What is stopping me from securing my child's devices at bedtime? ie., tantrum, backtalk, eye rolls, or the fear that my child won't like me anymore?
- Is my child using mature language or aware of mature topics?
If you would like assistance obtaining resources or having conversations around this critical topic, please let me know. Several parents have contacted me regarding the pressure of online behaviors as they pertain to child development.
Rainbow Looms - Great At-Home Activity!
Rainbow Looms
Let's leave these bracelet-making bands at home. Placing them on the finger to cut-off circulation is becoming popular. The photo is NOT a Schuylkill student, but our students have placed the bands on their fingers and the photo is an end result. 😔
When Should I Keep My Child Home from School?
Pick Up Patrol
PickUp Patrol is Back!
DISMISSAL PROCEDURES: Schuylkill Elementary School will continue to use PickUp Patrol in the 2023-24 school year. PickUp Patrol saves time for our office staff, reduces classroom interruptions, and most importantly, adds a layer of safety for our students.
On August 8, you will receive a registration email with a link to set up your account.
Use the PUP web app for:
ATTENDANCE: Notify the school office when your child will be absent, arriving late or leaving early. Your PUP entry will serve as a parent-excused absence. Medical notes may continue to be sent or emailed to sieferj@pasd.com.
DISMISSAL CHANGES: Submit changes to your child’s regular dismissal plans.
For example:
● Your child normally rides the bus but is getting picked up today.
● Your child usually goes to aftercare but is leaving early for an appointment.
How it works:
Your child's regular dismissal plan is entered into the system. This is called their Default Plan. Then whenever you have a change to the Default Plan, you’ll submit it through the PUP app. When the change is submitted, the school will be notified, and your child’s teacher will relay the change to them.
Getting started:
1. REGISTER: On August 8, 2023, you will receive a registration email with a link to set up your account.
○ The web app is free to parents, and you can use it from your smartphone or computer.
○ For easy access, follow the instructions in your registration email for how to add it to your phone’s home screen (PUP is not accessed through the app stores).
1. ENTER DEFAULT PLANS: Once you register, log into your PickUp Patrol account no later than August 25, 2023 to confirm your child’s default dismissal plan. It’s important that you complete this step so that we can accurately dismiss your children.
Thank you for using PUP to make safety a priority and to ensure our dismissal process is efficient for all our students. If you have any questions, please first check the PUP FAQ page. If you still need help, contact us here in the office.
Smart Devices
Snacks and Drinks in the Classroom
Birthday and Holiday Treats
Due to the many students with allergies and food reactions food items to celebrate student birthdays are not permitted. We are requesting that all birthday recognitions be non-food based. We do want to acknowledge student birthdays but encourage families to do so in other ways. For example, small items such as pencils or stickers for classmates or the donation of a book to the school or classroom library in honor of a child’s birthday would be appropriate. Thank you for honoring and respecting this request.
Holiday celebrations will be held in compliance with School Board Policy #246 Student Wellness. The policy states “The district recognizes that classroom parties and celebrations are a tradition at school. School staff and parents/guardians are encouraged to include healthy food offerings, as defined in this policy, at school parties and events to support a healthy environment throughout the district.” Policy 246 can be viewed in its entirety by visiting the district’s website.
Holiday celebrations and end-of-year classroom celebrations will be announced in advance for parents to be prepared in determining food choices with their children. Birthday celebrations are held randomly and do not allow for parent awareness prior to the event in the school setting, which contributed to the decision for birthday recognitions to be non-food based.
Assistance
Contact our school counselor, Mrs. McErlean, at mcerleans@pasd.com or click here for district information.
Fire Drills, Security Drills, and Weather Drills
Fire drills and security drills are required under the school code and are conducted under the observation of district administration and local law enforcement. Drills are calm and quiet with little disruption to the day. At times we follow it with a weather drill that reviews safe locations for students to sit during a weather-related event. Again, this is done quickly, quietly, and calmly.
Arrival
- School building opens at 8:40 AM. Children should arrive NO EARLIER than 8:40 AM. There is no adult supervision available prior to 8:40 AM.
- Car Riders: Students who are not bus riders should arrive to school by 8:40 AM via the car loop off of South Whitehorse Rd. The doors close promptly at 8:50 AM to allow staff to report to their assignments.
- Bus Riders: Students arriving by bus will be dropped off at the gym entrance doors.
- Walkers: Students who walk to school should enter the building by the playground blacktop area and into the cafeteria to check in with the teacher on duty no earlier than 8:40 AM.
- All open doors are supervised by teachers on duty.
- Once students enter the building, students proceed to their classrooms**.
- All outside doors are closed at 8:50 AM.
- After 8:50, parents / guardians should park legally in a parking space and escort their child(ren) to the main office to be signed in.
**During the first week of school, students in grade 2 will meet their teachers in the cafeteria.
Schuylkill Elementary School
Principal
484-927-5400
Email: renzullic@pasd.com
Website: https://ses.pasd.com/
Location: 290 South Whitehorse Road, Phoenixville, PA, USA
Phone: 484-927-5410
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PASDschuylkill/
Twitter: @pasdschuylkill