Walt Disney

Good Evening Walt Disney Families,

I hope everyone had a great break as we look ahead to a busy and festive December! Please take a moment to review the exciting events and important updates happening at Walt Disney Elementary in the coming weeks.

Upcoming Events

December 5th – Title 1 Parent Night
We invite you to join us for Title 1 Parent Night on Thursday, December 5th, from 6:30 to 8:00 PM. This special evening will provide families with valuable resources and strategies to support student learning at home. We look forward to seeing you there!

December 9th-13th – WD PTO Holiday Bazaar
The Holiday Bazaar will be open during the school day throughout the week of December 9th, offering students a chance to shop for holiday gifts.

NEW UPDATE: On Saturday, December 14th, from 9:00-11:00 AM, the WD PTO will host a Saturday Morning Cookies & Cocoa event! Families can enjoy delicious treats, shop for gifts, and celebrate the season together. Please note this corrected date and time!

Important Notices

Remote Learning Flyer
As winter weather approaches, we want to ensure everyone is ready for potential school closures. This week’s newsletter includes a Remote Learning Flyer with important details and guidance. Please take a moment to review and save it for reference.

WD PTO Sneaker Drive
From December 2nd to December 4th, the PTO will host a Sneaker Drive to support our community and raise funds for school initiatives. This is a wonderful opportunity to give back while helping our school. Details are included in the full Smore newsletter.

Thank you for your continued partnership and support in making Walt Disney Elementary a vibrant and welcoming community. Please mark your calendars for these upcoming events, and don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions.

Wishing you a wonderful week ahead!

Your proud principal,

Dr. Ortiz

REMINDERS

Pets on School Property

I want to remind everyone that pets are not permitted on school property. Thank you for your attention to this matter!

Riding Bikes to School

If your child wishes to ride a bike to school, please read and sign the Pennsbury Bicycle Permission Form. Please send the completed form to the Walt Disney main office.

Breakfast & Lunch Menus

You can access our breakfast and lunch menu by visiting the following page:

• Walt Disney Elementary Breakfast & Lunch Menu
  
• Reminder: every student at Walt Disney receives free breakfast and lunch!

Due to the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday break, the Walt Disney Pantry will be closed. The last bi-weekly pantry pick-up will be the week of 11/11/24. The Walt Disney Pantry form will re-open for requests on Sunday December 1st with pick-ups resuming that week. Thank you for understanding.

Pantry FAQ's

If I am interested in receiving items on a regular basis do I need to fill out the Google form each time? Yes, if you are interested in receiving items, you MUST complete the form each time. Forms must be completed by the Monday after the Walt Disney Dispatch announcement in order to schedule a pick up that week.

How will I know when my requested items are ready for pick up? Once your request has been submitted, a committee member will call you to schedule a pick up time. Requests submitted by Monday each week will be available the same week. If the form is not submitted by Monday, your items will be available for pick up during the next bi-weekly cycle.

I do not have transportation to the school to pick up requested items, may I still request items from the pantry? Yes, please complete the form and contact a member of the committee to discuss your need.

The Middletown Township Police Department Shop-With-A-Cop program application is now open and families can complete it here. Please be mindful that the Middletown Township Police Department wants as much detail as possible to determine eligibility. The application must be completed and submitted by Friday, November 15th but it would be helpful if it is completed sooner. If you have questions about the application or process, please contact the Middletown Township Police Department at 215-750-3845. If you need direct support with completing the application, please contact our School Social Worker, Ms. Tahira N. Jackson on her district cell phone at (267) 461-2522 or by email at tjackson@pennsburysd.org.

About the Shop With A Cop Program

The Middletown Shop With A Cop program, now in its sixth year, is a collaborative effort involving six police departments across Lower Bucks County. This program provides children from various school districts, including many in our own community, the opportunity to shop with local police officers during the holiday season. The Middletown Township Police Department manages the application process, determining eligibility and ensuring students from across the region can participate. We are proud to continue working with the Middletown officers to help brighten the holidays for our students.

A copy of the Pennsbury School District calendar can be found here: Pennsbury School District Calendar 2024-2025. We will operate on a 5-day cycle and September 3, 2024 will be day 1 on the cycle. Please note that if school is closed due to inclement weather or an emergency, we will continue the rotation schedule the next day that school is in session. We will not skip rotation days due to unscheduled school closings. A copy of the rotation calendar can also be found here: Rotation Calendar 2024-2025.

Each day the doors to the school will open at 8:40 AM. Students should plan to arrive at school at exactly 8:40 am. All students must be in their homeroom by 9:00 AM or they will be marked tardy and given an excuse card. Dismissal begins at 3:25 PM for kindergarten. All other students will be dismissed immediately following kindergarten.

Parents and guardians, for all students K-5, you can help your child(ren) greatly by discussing the following topics with him/her:

1. Go directly home from school each day.

2. Respect school and community property at all times.

3. Proper behavior in school and in our community is expected at all times. Disney students are always respectful, responsible and safe!

4. Proper behavior at the bus stop and on the bus is expected. Students that do not demonstrate expected behavior will have their bus riding privileges revoked.

The school board has passed an updated Elementary Student Code of Conduct. This includes information about our school-wide Positive Behavior Interventions and Support System. It also includes attendance regulations and important information regarding support systems for families and students. We are committed at Pennsbury to help our kids be their best selves. You may reference the student code of conduct here: PSD Elementary Student Code of Conduct.

Click the following link, Pennsbury School Bus Code of Conduct, to read with your child(ren) so that everyone is aware of what is expected on the bus. We request you fill out the Bus Code of Conduct to show you have read and understand the information.

Breakfast & lunch will be served starting September 3, 2024. The food service provider is The Nutrition Group. At Walt Disney, there is no cost for breakfast or lunch. Breakfast and lunch menus will be published on the district website in the weeks to come. STUDENTS THAT WILL BE EATING BREAKFAST SHOULD ARRIVE AT SCHOOL by 8:40 A.M.

Although all Walt Disney students receive free breakfast and lunch, it is still important to complete the lunch application form as this information is used to determine eligibility of other benefits your child(ren) and/or household may be able to receive. Please visit School Cafe and create an account to complete the Free & Reduced Price School Meals and Special Milk Program application form. If you have an existing account, please log in. Follow the instructions to fill out a free and reduced meal application. This application needs to be completed each school year. For more information on our Food Services Department (The Nutrition Group) or Free and Reduced Lunch Program please visit the district webpage here: PSD Food Services.

Your child will receive a small packet of information and paperwork on the first day of school. Throughout the school year, our weekly newsletter (Walt Disney Dispatch) and other routine flyers and information will be sent home via email. Please be sure to add your email address to your child’s emergency card and confirm that your contact information is correct in PowerSchool.

As part of the Pennsbury School District Wellness Policy, shared classroom snacks are not permitted in district schools. Suggested nonfood ideas for parents/guardians and staff include stickers, pencils, spirit sticks and reward activities. Please contact your child’s teacher in advance to make arrangements. You can read more about Board Policy 246 - School Wellness by visiting Pennsbury’s School Board Policies page.

Items such as stuffed animals, balloons and other party favors are not permitted to be brought into school. Birthday invitations will only be distributed if there is an invitation for each child in the classroom.

All individuals interested in volunteering in the Pennsbury School District are required to have clearances on file in the office. This includes individuals that are interested in working at school events such as parties, field trips, classroom events, PTO events, etc. While events such as field trips do not occur until the middle to end of the school year, we encourage all parents/guardians to apply for their clearances immediately. Individuals that do not have clearances on file in the office can not be chosen as chaperones or volunteer at any other school function. Once you have obtained all required clearances, you must upload them into our volunteer tracker App Garden. If you have previously submitted clearances to the school and were an approved volunteer, you are still required to complete the Volunteer Affirmation Form. Individuals are not considered an approved volunteer until that form is submitted each year. Parents/guardians are highly encouraged to check their clearance expiration dates. We have several individuals that currently have expired clearances on file. For more information about required clearances click Volunteer Clearances.

At times, we may take photos of your child(ren) involved in school activities. These photos may appear on our school/district website, social media platforms, yearbook or the local newspaper. If you DO NOT wish for your child to be photographed, please complete the Google form by clicking here: Media Release Form.

Be sure to visit our social media platforms to stay informed and engaged with Walt Disney:

• Facebook page: Walt Disney Elementary School Facebook Page.
• Instagram page: Walt Disney Elementary School Instagram Page - psd_wdes
• YouTube page: Walt Disney TV - Pennsbury School District

PSD App

Download the FREE, Pennsbury School District App today and receive important alerts, news, and information. Customize your app experience and follow specific schools, calendars, lunch menus, and more! Available for free in the App Store and Google Play.

Apple (iOS) - Click Here to Download

Android (Google Play) - Click Here to Download

Text Message Opt-In

August 26 is the District’s official “Opt-In” day to receive text messages, but you can opt-in at any time by texting “Yes” to 67587 from the mobile device you have on file with the District. To receive text messages from PSD, opting in is required!

11/11 - No School - Veterans Day Observance

11/13 - Picture Retake Day

11/15 - WD Veterans Day Program

11/25 - Early Dismissal AM - Parent/Teacher Conferences PM

11/26 - Early Dismissal AM - Parent/Teacher Conferences PM

11/27 - No School - AM Conference Makeups

11/28 & 11/29 - Thanksgiving Break

12/23-1/1 - Winter Break

Walt Disney Elementary School

200 Lakeside Drive North

Levittown, PA 19054

215-949-6868

Principal: Dr. Ernesto Ortiz, Jr. - Ext. 20801 - eortiz@pennsburysd.org

Principal's Secretary: Ms. Heather Errhalt - Ext. 20000 - herrhalt@pennsburysd.org

Secretary: Ms. MaryAnne Bing - Ext. 20000 - mbing@pennsburysd.org

School Counselor: Ms. Deidra O'Brien - dobrien@pennsburysd.org

School Nurse: Ms. Kimberly McGinniss - kmcginniss@pennsburysd.org

Walt Disney Attendance Email: wdattendance@pennsburysd.org