Leib Lights Family Newsletter

Mission Statement

Educate, empower, and inspire all students to become contributing citizens in an ever-changing world.

Vision Statement

DASD students will achieve success by engaging in rigorous and relevant instruction, exploring a broad range of opportunities, and discovering unique pathways to a productive future through the supportive collaboration of the entire school community.

Instructional Vision Statement

To provide a nurturing and student-centered learning environment that engages all students in rigorous curriculum, opportunities, and experiences to prepare them with essential skills for career and college.

I hope you are enjoying your summer vacation and making wonderful memories with family and friends. Ryan, Kaity, Andrew, and I traveled with my mom to Washington state for my brother's wedding. We also had the opportunity to spend time at the beach. We always enjoy taking time to spend together, especially as our kids get older.

In this edition of Leib Lights, several of our new faculty and staff members will be introduced. I know you will help me give them each a warm welcome. I would also like to welcome our new Leib families.

Each month, I will share a Leib Lights Family Newsletter highlighting our fantastic school. This edition of the newsletter will provide information to begin to assist with your back-to-school planning. Here is the link to our Summer 2024 Leib Lights Family Newsletter. This newsletter provides additional information about summer reading and math activities for your family to enjoy.

During this time of the summer, some students begin to think about the new school year. Students can locate their homeroom teacher by logging into Skyward on August 5. Please note that if your child has recently enrolled, their homeroom teacher may not be listed until the week of August 5. Your child's teacher will communicate with you and your child via Skyward after August 5. If a teacher is requesting any additional supplies (supply list is included in this newsletter) these will be provided with their communication.

Please reach out to the school office should you have any questions or need any clarification. We are here to serve you, our Leib community.

With Leib pride,

Mrs. Jody Wickenheiser

Principal

I am thrilled to be joining the kindergarten team here at Leib Elementary! I graduated from Syracuse University with a degree in education and taught in New York City before having children and moving to York with my family. Over the past few years, I have been subbing at local elementary schools, and I am delighted to be back in a classroom full-time.

I love teaching kindergarteners. I enjoy being part of a child’s first experience at school and seeing the huge growth they make during the year.

I live in York with my husband and two teenage sons, Jordan and Ryan. I enjoy going for long walks, lifting weights, playing board games, reading, and traveling with my family. I am very excited to return to the classroom to help create a class community and to become a part of the Leib family.

Hi everyone! My name is Julie Grap and I am the new first grade teacher joining Leib Elementary this year. I am so excited to be a part of the team and to begin my first year teaching!

I graduated from Wilkes University with a degree in Early Childhood and Elementary Education and wrapped up student teaching in 2nd grade at my Alma Mater- South Western School District. Prior to graduating, I worked as a paraprofessional in 8th grade learning support, math, science, and social studies and I was a substitute teacher.

I live with my fiance, Devin, in Hanover and we are getting married in June of 2025! We love going to the beach, watching the Orioles and Army Football, and are currently having fun decorating our new home. I can’t wait to get to know you all and to meet my wonderful first group of students!

Hi all! I am Amber Butler, and I will be joining Leib Elementary as a third grade teacher. I graduated from Shippensburg University in December. I was then a long term substitute with a great group of first graders from January to the end of the year. I truly love teaching, and I am so excited to be joining the Leib family. I can't wait to meet all of you this year!

A little bit about me outside of the classroom... I grew up in a small town in Virginia until we moved to York when I was in middle school. My fiance and I currently live in Dover with our two crazy dogs- a 7 month old and a 9 year old. We love spending our free time with our friends and family. I enjoy cooking/baking, shopping, crafting, and spending time outside in the sunshine- especially at the beach!

Hello, my name is Karen Wallace and I am thrilled to be returning to the Leib family this school year as the school nurse. My husband, Joe, and I have 3 wonderful young adults Catie, Ashley and Joey and a very sweet 9 year old Jaxson who we fostered when he was a baby. I have been a nurse for almost 30 years and have been working in Dover schools for 17 of them. Currently we also have 2 dogs and 5 cats (yes, I'm a crazy cat lady) and 4 grand dogs. In my free time, I sew and machine embroider small items and cheer on our favorite baseball team. I look forward to getting to know all of you

Hello, my name is Maria Ridgley CCC-SLP/L and I am excited to start my third year contracting with the Lincoln Intermediate Unit and providing Speech and Language Support services to students at Leib Elementary. I obtained my undergraduate degree in Speech and Hearing Sciences from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania and my graduate degree in Communication Disorders from California University of Pennsylvania. I have been a Speech-Language Pathologist for four years. I have expertise in all areas of communication but enjoy treating speech sound disorders and childhood language disorders the most. In my free time, I enjoy spending time with my family, especially my husband and one-year-old son, as well as reading novels.

Hello! My name is Kalah Hake. I have been a speech-language pathologist with the LIU since 2014. I am a York county native. I grew up as a Northeastern Bobcat, and I am looking forward to being part of the Dover Eagle family. I love reading novels, especially historical fiction. I've had a great summer with my dogs. I also got engaged, so I expect to have a name change soon!

• August 5: Skyward opens for Family Access. Once family access opens, you can log into Skyward to see teacher assignments. Please note that some students may not yet be assigned a homeroom. You will need to update the information in Skyward before accessing teacher information.
• August 14 and 15: Teachers return for Professional Development and Start of Year Activities.
• August 16: Clerical Day for Teachers
• August 19: Kindergarten Orientation
• The 9:30 to 11:30 AM session is for children with last names starting with A - L.
• The 1:00 to 3:00 PM session is for children with last names beginning with M - Z.
• August 20: First Day of School (Grades K - 5)

• School hours are 8:55 AM –3:35 PM.

• The doors open at 8:40 each morning.

• August 29: Back to School Night (6:00 - 7:30 PM)
• Back to School Night will be for families of students in Grades 1 - 5.
• Kindergarten does NOT attend Back to School Night.
• August 30: No School for Students (Professional Development Day)
• September 2: School Closed (Holiday)
• September 27: Three-hour early dismissal (School will dismiss at 12:35 PM.)
  

• District School Calendar (24-25)

• Leib Arrival and Dismissal Procedures (24-25)

• Car Drop Off/Pick Up Information (24-25)

• Breakfast and Lunch Menus COMING SOON!

• If your child is a car rider and you have not done so, please complete the car rider application form so a car permit can be assigned to you.

• Transportation updates will be provided to you directly from the Transportation Department. Student transportation information will be available in Skyward. Please be advised that bus times often fluctuate for the first weeks of school as changes occur and drivers familiarize themselves with their routes.

• When students arrive on the first day, they will go to the classroom indicated in Skyward (unless they are eating breakfast) as their homeroom. If they are unsure how to get to their homeroom, staff will be waiting to assist them.

• Students who want to eat breakfast at school will report to the cafeteria as soon as they arrive at school. Lunch will be served in the cafeteria at the designated time for each grade level. Recess will follow lunch each day.

• We recommend you begin a morning routine before the start of school. Practicing the morning routine in advance will help students transition back to school.

The PTO needs your help and support. The PTO cannot successfully support the students if the work falls on only a few people. Please consider joining the PTO and help out wherever you can. We do not expect anyone to participate in every PTO activity, so your support is appreciated, even if you can only take on a couple of things throughout the school year.

Please mark your calendar for PTO meetings throughout the year. Meetings begin at 6:00 PM in the Leib cafeteria.

PTO Meeting Dates:

• Tuesday, September 24

• Tuesday, October 22
• No Meeting in November
• No Meeting in December
• Tuesday, January 28
• Tuesday, February 25
• Tuesday, March 25
• Tuesday, April 22
• May date TBD

August 29, 2024

• Grades 1-2: 6:00-6:30 PM
• Grades 1-5: 6:30-7:00 PM
• Grades 3-5: 7:00-7:30 PM

Overflow parking will be available across the street at New Creation Church.

Hello Dover Families. We hope you are enjoying your summer! This is a reminder from the Transportation Department for Dover Area School District. If your student requires transportation from a Childcare provider or private babysitter within the Dover Area School District, please remember to complete the Childcare/Daycare Form for the 24/25 School Year and submit to the Transportation Department. No adjustments will be made to your students transportation without a written request. The form can be found on the District Website, or click the link below to access the form. This form must be submitted on a yearly basis.

Childcare/Daycare Form 24/25 SY

If you've had an address change and or have a split custody arrangement with both parents living in the Dover District, please complete the Transportation Change Request Form and submit this form, along with proof of residency and or a copy of your Custody Order, to the Transportation Department. No adjustments will be made to your students transportation without a written request. This form can be found on the District Website, or click the link below to access the form.

Transportation Change Request Form

Please complete and submit these forms to the Transportation Department by July 1, 2024. If you have already completed and submitted these forms for the 24/25 School Year, you do not need to submit them again.

Please note, no changes will be made to your students transportation from August 5th through September 3rd for the 24/25 School Year.

Thank you.

Transportation Department

Meal Prices:

Breakfast - Free for Students and $2.85 for Adults

Lunch - $2.85 ES full pay, reduced and free approved students are offered at no cost and $4.65 for Adults

Making a Meal

Students are offered meals that meet the nutritional guidelines established by the USDA and include a Meat/Meat Alternate (protein), Whole Grain Serving, Vegetables, Fruits and Fluid Milk. Students must take 3 of the 5 food items and 1 must be a fruit or vegetable. Students DO NOT have to take milk.

Meal Benefit Applications

If the child has no older siblings in school, the parent/guardian should apply for free/reduced priced meals using the www.schoolcafe.com link. This can be found on our website under SchoolCafe square. They will have to create an account to complete the application. The account will also allow them to make payments to the child's meal account and see what they are eating. Approval allows families to qualify for other benefits beyond free or reduced priced meals such as discounted and waived fees.

If the child does have older siblings, be sure that the sibling has been included with the application for meals. There is a 30 day grace period at the start of school where the status for the family on the last day of the previous school year is carried over to the new school year. Applications must be submitted each school year unless families are notified of approval through Direct Certification. (A letter is automatically emailed notifying them of approval for benefits for the school year.)

Birthday Bins are available for guardians to purchase to celebrate the student's birthday with classmates. A treat and beverage for all students and "gift" for the birthday child is included. It must be pre ordered and pre-paid. A specific date for celebrating must be included with the order. An order form will be sent home with your child.

Meals that Move are bagged lunches available for field trips. These are reimbursable school lunches that will be "charged" to the student's meal account at their approved eligibility. They are pre-ordered with the permission slips for the specific trip.

Now Hiring!

Would you love to work where your child attends school? If so, we are currently accepting applications for several positions within the district. Please click on the following link to apply:

https://skyward.doversd.org:444/scripts/wsisa.dll/WService=wsFin/rapplmnu03.r

For attendance questions, please call Mrs. Link (Attendance Secretary): 717-292-8070, extension 50112, or follow the menu options.

For other questions (scheduling, enrollment, paperwork, transportation), please call Ms. Vance (Secretary): 717-292-8070, extension 50111, or follow the menu options.

For health questions, please call Mrs. Wallace or Mrs. Krug (Nurses): 717-292-8070, extension 50701, or follow the menu options.

For social-emotional concerns for your child, please call Mrs. Flesch (School Counselor): 717-292-8070, extension 50401, or follow the menu options.

For academic or behavioral concerns for your child, please call Mrs. Brinkley (Interventionist): 717-292-8070, extension 50301, or follow the menu options. Please note Mrs. Brinkley will be returning to Leib in mid-October due to being on FMLA.

Please feel free to contact Mrs. Wickenheiser (Principal) at 717-292-8070, ext 50111, or email jwickenheiser@doversd.org.

All other contact information can be found on the Leib Homepage under Staff Directory.

The Dover Area School District prohibits sex discrimination in any education program or activity that it operates. Individuals may report concerns or questions to the Title IX Coordinator. The notice of nondiscrimination is located at https://go.boarddocs.com/pa/dove/Board.nsf/goto?open&id=BX9VA37FBBB0.