Penn Wood Home & School Association

• Message from the Board
• Upcoming Events
• Ice Cream Social
• Spirit Wear
  
• Back to School Sign Ups
• Pretzel Fridays

• Volunteer Clearances
• Fall FUNdraiser
  
• Dine & Donate @ Bierhaul
  
• Garden Club

Welcome back, Penn Wood! The smiles were contagious at the back-to-school events and Penn Wood's Home & School Association (HSA) is busy planning ways to keep our students and staff smiling! We'll continue beloved traditions like the Ice Cream Social on September 6 (make sure to RSVP HERE), and we will also help plan and fund some new events like Culture Day and a "Crime Scene Science" assembly. We set a BIG goal to raise $22,000 through our Fall FUNdraiser so we can fulfill these plans. THANK YOU to all who've donated already! Below is a pie chart that shows a breakdown of how funds were spent last year with two-thirds having gone directly to our students.

If you haven't already visited PennWoodHSA.com, PLEASE make sure to check it out! This is Home & School's website built on a platform called Membership Toolkit. You can access it on any browser. There is also an Apple app and an Android app for quick use on your phone. Please visit the home page and the "My Account" section of this site to verify your contact information for the Online Directory, place an order for Pretzel Fridays, donate to the Fall FUNdraiser, and view the latest information on upcoming events and volunteer opportunities like becoming a homeroom parent.

Our volunteers work hard to plan a mix of events and fundraisers, but please know everything is OPTIONAL. We hope you participate as best fits your family. We don't want anyone to miss out due to finances; reach out to our school caseworker Erin Crystle by email (ecrystle@wcasd.net) or phone (484-266-1920) for support.

Home & School's next general meeting will be held Thursday, October 10 at 6 p.m. in the school library. All are welcome!

I am looking forward to a great school year and truly hope you consider getting involved in the Penn Wood community...whether that means volunteering, attending a social, and/or donating!

Danielle Chamness, President

pennwoodhomeandschool@gmail.com

August

• 30 - No School, Ice Cream Social RSVPs due (RSVP HERE)

September

• 2 - No School (Labor Day)
• 6 - Ice Cream Social, 5:30-7:30 p.m. (RSVP HERE by August 30)
• 7 - Spirit Wear orders due (order HERE)
• 13 - Deadline for Back-to-School sign ups (Directory, Pretzel Fridays, Homeroom Parent and Volunteering Form)
  
• 16 - Garden Club Fall Session Begins, 8:15 a.m. (4th & 5th Graders register HERE)
• 18 - Half day, Dine & Donate @ Bierhaul Thornton, 12-9 p.m.
• 20 - Pretzel Fridays begin
• 27 - Fall FUNdraiser Pep Rally

Home & School is hosting an Ice Cream Social on Friday, September 6 from 5:30-7:30 p.m.! Don’t miss out – mark your calendars now and RSVP HERE by August 30! Check out Pizzeria La Familia's menu HERE.

The Penn Wood Spirit Wear store is now open! Please click HERE to check it out. The store will remain open through Saturday, September 7.

Orders will be delivered to your child's classroom approximately 3 weeks after the store closes.

Check out the following back-to-school sign ups that should be completed by Friday, September 13:

1. Online Directory Preferences - Don't miss out on birthday parties and playdates! Update your contact info for the directory by:

• Logging in to pennwoodhsa.com
• Go to "My Account"
• Click on "Family Information" to update your child's teacher info, add any new Penn Wood students, and confirm your contact info.
• Go to "Directory Publish Preferences" to update your preferences of what contact info is shown in the school Online Directory.

2. Penn Wood Homeroom Parent & Volunteering Form - Complete the 2024-25 Penn Wood Homeroom Parent & Volunteering Form to:

• Volunteer to be a classroom Homeroom Parent: Our teachers appreciate having one parent contact throughout the year for classroom needs (e.g. communicate classroom needs, organize class gifts, and help encourage class community overall). If multiple parents volunteer for the same classroom, a lottery will be held after September 13. More questions? See the attached Penn Wood Homeroom Parent Responsibilities document or contact Julie Finnegan at weareteamfinnegan@gmail.com.

• Express interest in becoming a Home & School committee chair or getting involved in a committee (e.g. 5th Grade Committee).

Pretzel Fridays are back! The 5th grade class will offer a chance for students to order regular mini soft pretzels from Philly Pretzel Factory in West Chester. The pretzels will be delivered to classrooms each full day Friday starting on September 20. Orders are due by September 13.

Pretzel Order Form

** No orders for half days or holidays and no make-up/refunds for snow days.

** The pretzels are traditional soft pretzels in the "mini" size.

** Please complete one order per student and wait to checkout and pay for all at once.

If you have any questions, please email pwe5thgrade@gmail.com.

Certain volunteer opportunities are in the presence of students and require volunteer clearances to be completed (e.g. field trip chaperone, classroom parties, lunch volunteer, library volunteer, etc.). Please email any volunteer clearances to garmstrong@wcasd.net. See more info from the district HERE.

Help support Penn Wood and our students by donating to this year's Fall FUNdraiser. This is Home & School's biggest fundraiser, providing two-thirds of our total funds. On September 27, students will learn more about the Fall FUNdraiser and this year’s dance at our Pep Rally during specials.

Then on October 18, the Fall FUNdraiser will culminate with our big Dance Party during school. We will announce the total amount raised, along with the class in each grade with the highest level of participation.

Students can win prizes for their donations – any amount receives a prize and helps the school. Donations are due by October 11. See the attachment below for a letter that can be used to share with friends/family for donations.

Click HERE for more information and to make a contribution!

Important Fall FUNdraiser dates at a glance:

• September 27 - Pep Rally during school where students will learn the Fall FUNdraiser dance
• October 11 - Fall FUNdraiser donations due to qualify for prizes
• October 18 - Fall FUNdraiser Dance Party during school to announce the total amount raised and to celebrate
• October 28 - Oasis Night Out for Fall FUNdraiser prize winners

Businesses can also support the Fall FUNdraiser by sponsoring a Home & School newsletter. See the attachment below for more information.

Meet friends or take your family out to Bierhaul in Thornton on Wednesday, September 18 and support Penn Wood! The students have a half day of school that day so stop for lunch or head there for dinner!

A portion of ALL food sales that day will be donated back to Penn Wood so make sure to share with your family and friends. Thanks for your support!

Penn Wood Garden Club's 2024 Fall Session is open to 4th and 5th grade students. Garden Club will be held on Mondays from 8:15-9 a.m. beginning September 16 and running through October 28.

4th and 5th Grade students can sign up HERE! See flyer attached below for more information.

Penn Wood Elementary Home & School Association is an organization of parents dedicated to volunteer to enhance our children's learning experiences at Penn Wood.

Email: pennwoodhomeandschool@gmail.com
Website: https://pennwoodhsa.membershiptoolkit.com/home
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/909463772548079/