Falcon Flash

Good Evening Stetson Families:

Although we had a shortened week it was absolutely packed with excitement between our Stetson's Got Talent event, clubs and activities during Falcon Period on Thursday, and the Phillies playoff run. Sometimes it is the activity that is happening outside the classroom that shines the brightest light on our students and their gifts. Our goal is always to provide a variety of opportunities for our students to showcase their talents and pursue their passions while here at Stetson.

Special shoutout to the vast (Stetson teachers, custodial staff, office staff, parent and student volunteers) for volunteering their time and coordinating our Stetson's Got Talent event on Wednesday night. All of our performers did a wonderful job showing us their passions and we are grateful to those who worked so hard to provide them that platform.

Just as a friendly reminder, our first marking period will officially close on Monday October 30th. Please continue to check in with your student regarding their academic progress, and please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions or concerns. Strong communication and partnership between our school and families will always lead to student success.

Have a great weekend,

Mrs. Mary Kay Puchalla

Principal

Monday, October 23rd --- Day 1

Tuesday, October 24th --- Day 2 ***Falcon Period***

Wednesday, October 25th --- Day 3

Thursday, October 26th --- Day 4 ***Falcon Period***

Friday, October 27th --- Day 5

Monday, October 30th --- Day 6

Tuesday, October 31st --- Day 1 ***Falcon Period***

Wednesday, November 1st --- Day 2

Thursday, November 2nd --- Day 3 ***Falcon Period***

Friday, November 3rd --- Day 4

Hello Stetson Parent and Guardians,

Students are getting ready for Red Ribbon Week® 2023, running the week of October 23rd to October 31st. Red Ribbon Week is the nation's largest and longest-running drug-use prevention campaign. It is an ideal way for people and communities to unite and take a visible stand against drugs. The mission of the Red Ribbon Campaign® is to present a unified and visible commitment towards the creation of a drug-free America. This year’s theme is: Be Kind To Your Mind. Live Drug Free. At school, students will engage in activities that promote a drug free and healthy lifestyle. Please partner with us and discuss this message at home, at the dinner table, at family outings, and with friends and extended family. Ask your child what activities Stetson is doing for National Red Ribbon Week®.

Here are the Spirit Days for next week:

• Monday: “Go Red for Red Ribbon Week”- Wear Red
• Tuesday: “Lei off on Drugs”- Wear Hawaiian Theme
• Wednesday: “Say Peace Out to Drugs” – Peace signs, tie-dye.
• Thursday: “Don’t Let Friends Do Drugs” – Twin day
• Friday: “Don’t let Drugs Decide your Future” – Wear college gear

Want a fun way to start or continue the conversation about drugs with your children AND have a chance to win an iPad? National Family Partnership is sponsoring a photo contest. This contest is free, simple and you could win an iPad and $1,000 for our school!!

Log onto www.redribbon.org and find out more!

We are excited to announce that the Stetson PTO now has Venmo! Please consider making your $25 PTO donation today! Thank you for your support!

It was a pleasure seeing everyone at the Back to School Nights. We look forward to a successful year of supporting our students and teachers. How can you help? If you are able to make a contribution to the PTO, please send cash or check (made out to Stetson Middle School PTO) to the school marked PTO contribution. ($25 is the recommendation, but anything is appreciated). We are also continuing with our candy bowls for the teachers: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/805054AA8A72DA7F94-teacher. Keep looking for more information to come throughout the year.

2023-24 PTO Board: Patty Arabia, Vicki Babylon, Nancy Bragger, Jamie Grant, Dee Hurford, Lindsey Rauch

Upcoming Events

October 24, 25, 26 – Limoncello Dine and Donate – Must use code provided on attached flyer

Save the date! PTO Meeting – Monday, November 13th 6:30-7:30 pm in the cafeteria. Come meet the board, hear about PTO opportunities, and enjoy light refreshments! More information will come out soon.

Sports offered in the winter for 7th and 8th graders include wrestling, boys basketball and girls basketball. Tryouts will begin for some sports around the week of November 13th. All middle school families can complete the PIAA physical registration information required for sports participation online through https://hello.familyid.com/. We do not accept hard copies of the physical packet. Family ID is a secure, user-friendly registration platform that streamlines the registration process and helps the WCASD be more administratively efficient and environmentally responsible. When you register through FamilyID, the system keeps track of your information in your FamilyID profile. Please see the registration link and introduction letter to FamilyID.

Please have the following information when you register:

Doctor information

Health Insurance Information

Current Physical Exam – dated after June 1, 2023

REGISTRATION PROCESS:

Parent/guardian click the link to register https://www.familyid.com/organizations/g-a-stetson-middle-school

FamilyID Intro Letter

The following games are schedule for next week:

Try-outs for 8th grade girls basketball will be Monday, November 6th and Wednesday, November 8th from 3 to 4:50.

Try-outs for 7th grade girls basketball will be Thursday, November 9th and Friday, November 10th from 3 to 4:50

Please have the students PIAA physical uploaded to FamilyID. The physical must be dated June 1, 2023 or later. If the student participated in a fall sport, please fill out the parent re-certification form. Links to the PIAA physical form and FamilyID are listed below.

Basketball season is relatively a short season. Players going on a week vacation between November 6th and November 20th, and November 27th to December 21st are not encouraged to try-out. If you have any questions please email 8th grade coach, Jim Ascareggi. jascareggi@wcasd.k12.pa.us or 7th grade coach, Zaire Newtown, znewtown@wcasd.k12.pa.us

PIAA and FamilyID information

https://www.piaa.org/assets/web/documents/PIAA_CIPPE_FORMS_SECTION(S)_1_-_10(1).pdf

· The West Chester Area School District uses an online portal for all families to register for sports participation and upload necessary PIAA required physicals and medical information. We do not accept hard copies of physicals.

FamilyID is a secure, user-friendly registration platform that streamlines the registration process and helps the WCASD be more administratively efficient and environmentally responsible. When you register through FamilyID, the system keeps track of your information in your FamilyID profile. You will enter your information just one time for each WCASD student for multiple uses and multiple programs. This account will remain active through all WCASD buildings. There is no fee to use FamilyID.

Please have the following information when you register:

o Doctor Information

o Health Insurance Information

o Current Physical Exam – dated after June 1, 2023

REGISTRATION PROCESS:
Parent/guardian click the link to register: https://www.familyid.com/organizations/g-a-stetson-middle-school

Follow these steps:

4. To find your sport/program, click on the link provided by the organization (above) and select the appropriate season.

5. Click on the “Fall/Winter/Spring 202X” link. If you already have an account, scroll down to “Log In”. If you need to set up an account, scroll down to “Create Account”.

6. Follow the prompts to move through setting up your new account, if necessary.

7. Once you are in your account and see the registration form for the appropriate season and sport, complete all the information requested. All fields with a red* are required to have an answer.

8. Click the “Save & Continue” button when your form is complete.

9. Review your registration summary. No payment is required.

10.Click the green “Submit” button. After selecting “Submit” the registration is complete. You will receive a completion email from FamilyID confirming your successful registration.

You only need one FamilyID account per family. Once you have an account, it is important to remember the registered email and password for future use. At any time after registration, you may log in at www.familyid.com to update information, check on registration, or upload physicals/register for another season/sport.

WEBSITE SUPPORT:

§ If you need assistance with registration, contact Family ID at support@arbitersports.com or 1-800-311-4060

§ Help is available seven days per week and messages will be returned promptly.

Middle School Families,

We’ve had a great first week of school! The energy and excitement from the return of our students has been a wonderful start to the new school year.

In addition to the start of a new school year, we’re also excited about our fall sports. Teams are ready for a successful season! The dedication of our athletes, musicians, and coaches will be on full display on the field. We can’t wait for you to join us in celebrating their hard work.

As we usher in a new season at the high school level, please know that middle school students will not be permitted entry into a West Chester Area School District (WCASD) football game without a parent or guardian present at all times and monitoring their child’s behavior throughout the event.

We appreciate your support and partnership. Our goal is to ensure that we cultivate an atmosphere that promotes school spirit and community. Any middle school student that arrives at a game without a parent/guardian will not be permitted to enter. We appreciate your support of our athletic and band programs.

Congratulations to all of our Stetson's Got Talent performers on all of your hard work and great performances. It is very evident that we have such a talented and supportive group of students in our building. It was great to see students and faculty members working together to put on such a great show for our families in such a supportive and encouraging environment.

Please help me congratulate the winners of Stetson’s Got Talent and ALL our incredible Stetson performers!!!

1st Place Winner: Grant Scanlon, guitar

2nd Place: Olivia Ward, dance

3rd Place: Maggie Perritt, voice

Pre-order your 2023-2024 yearbook now! Yearbooks are on sale for $35 from now until September 29th, 2023. This is the lowest price it will ever be! Go to jostensyearbooks.com and place your order. If you have questions about the yearbook or about joining the yearbook committee, please see Miss Nissi Zachariah in A101A or by email at nzachariah@wcasd.net!

Celebrate the Halloween season by running the Rustin 5K Zombie Run or Kids Fun Run. The 5k course is run through the school's campus. Every runner will have a race belt with 3 flags. There will be Zombies spread around the course that will try to steal your flags! The goal is to make it to the finish line with as many flags as possible still attached to your belt. The Kids Fun Run takes place on the Football practice field above the school's track. Children ages 10 and under will NOT wear a belt nor be chased by Zombies (full details on Event Info tab). The event supports the West Chester Food Cupboard, as well as the Rustin High School Cross Country and Track and Field teams. Event Parking is at the Stadium Lot.

The Rustin High School Dance Team will be hosting its annual dance workshop for students in kindergarten through eighth grade on November 11, 2023, at Rustin High School.

The workshop is a well-organized healthy day experience for student participants and provides a great preview of our high school and our high school activity offerings for young families.

The WCASD now uses the Bus Status 4 app to provide live updates about changes in regular bus times. We encourage all families to upload the Bus Status 4 app since we will not be sending bus changes out regularly, as we have done in the past. See the attached document for more information.

Stetson Middle School enforces the WCASD Attendance Policy and PA State attendance laws related to absences and tardies. Students are required to be in attendance daily to keep current with school work. When your child must be absent, please call our absence line as early in the day as possible (please do not call the nurse.) Automated phone calls are sent out by the district to notify families of absences every day, regardless of whether the absence is called in or not. If you would prefer to avoid that automated phone call, you can email a note on the morning of an absence to Heather Mazza at hmazza@wcasd.net, this would also serve as a parent note.

Call 484-266-2710 or email hmazza@wcasd.net

before 9:00 am

IMPORTANT! Submission of Excuse Notes for Absences

After an absence, a parent or doctor’s note must be submitted to the Attendance Secretary or emailed to hmazza@wcasd.net within three days of the student's return to school, or the absence will be considered unexcused/unlawful. Emailed excuse notes are acceptable, as long as they are received within three days of the absence.

Thank you for your cooperation with the start of this new school year. We have had a very successful start of the school year in regards to drop-off and pick-up. We enjoy seeing our parents smiling faces, waves, and cute dogs!

Student Drop-Off/Pick-up: Safety is the top priority at Stetson. Please use the designated lane to drop off/pick up students. There will be only one lane available for drop-off and pick-up in the morning and afternoon. Prepare for long lines and plan accordingly. Students may be dropped off as early as 7:30 am. Stay in the car line and follow staff members’ instructions. You will find the carline traffic flow map attached below. Please review the map and feel free to reach out with any questions. Students may only enter or exit cars at the designated cones. Student drop-off and pick-up can be challenging with the high volume of cars that enter the campus. We appreciate your efforts in helping keep our students safe during this time.

Due to the start time of the staff workday, students can only enter school after 7:30 am unless directed by a teacher for a pre-determined appointment. Students dropped off before 7:50 am will be directed to wait in the cafeteria (6th grade) or LGI (7th and 8th grade) until dismissed to lockers/homeroom.

Being on Time to School: Homeroom begins at 8:05 am and ends at 8:15 am. Students arriving late to homeroom (after the homeroom bell rings at 8:05 am) must report to the office for a late pass. The administration will handle lateness following the WCASD Attendance Policies and PA State Laws.

Lateness Clarification:

a. All Stetson students who are assigned and ride a bus that arrives late will NOT be marked late due to the bus’s late arrival.

b. A student who is driven to school and dropped off in the car line will be marked late if the student is not in their homeroom when the homeroom bell rings at 8:05 am.

If possible, please try to refrain from making appointments during school hours. We understand that at times this is unavoidable, so if your child must leave school early, a student must present a written request by a parent to the office upon arrival at school. Stetson’s Attendance Secretary, Mrs. Mazza, will then give a pass with the dismissal time to your child to share with their teacher at the designated time. Emailed early dismissal notes are not permissible. Keep in mind that only a doctor’s note will excuse an Early Dismissal. Any Early Dismissals, prior to 1:50 PM will be counted as a Parent Note.

Please see the School Board Policies section of the WCASD website to access more information about the WCASD Attendance Policy.

Friendly reminder regarding the WCASD Dress Code Policy:

Students are expected to wear clothing appropriate for school.

Unacceptable attire includes, but is not limited to, attire that is unsafe, unhealthy, disruptive, offensive to generally acceptable community standards, or contains obscene language; any clothing that reveals undergarments; torn clothing or clothing with holes in it; and tight fitting outfits that are inappropriate and/or revealing. During the school year and summer school, the following applies to male and female students:

1. Tops

a. Shirts, t-shirts, and sweatshirts shall not have inappropriate slogans, words, pictures, alcohol/smoking advertisements, etc.

b. No tank tops, no tops that show the midriff or cleavage, and no see-through tops shall be permitted.

2. Pants/Shorts/Dresses/Skirts

a. Dresses, shorts, and skirts shall be at an appropriate length, which has been determined to be no shorter than midway between the knee and the top of the leg.

b. No pants/sweatpants/shorts/etc. with writing located in inappropriate places are permitted.

c. Pants shall be appropriately sized and worn at the waist, and no lower than the top of the hips.

d. Undergarments shall not be displayed.

e. Pajamas shall not be permitted.

3. Outerwear

a. Coats, hats, hoods, scarves, and the like shall not be worn in the school building, except for religious reasons.

4. Footwear

a. No bedroom slippers shall be permitted.

b. Laces on shoes shall be secured.

c. Any footwear that poses a safety hazard shall not be permitted.

5. Other

a. No chain link belts.

b. Spike jewelry, chains or any other jewelry that could cause injury or constitute a hazard are not permitted.

Students should wear the standard Stetson PE uniform, gray Stetson t-shirt, green gym shorts with white socks, and sneakers. Please print the student's name on the inside of the shorts and in large print on the back of the t-shirt. We also have a limited supply of PE shirts on hand to sell (planning in the morning 2nd week of school) for $10.00. Please see Mrs. Avagliano in the main office to purchase.

Each student will have a locker assigned with a built-in lock. Students must lock the locker consistently and the combination kept private to maintain security. It is suggested that all students bring a combination lock to school to secure belongings in a locker during PE and in the athletic locker rooms.

As a school we are always looking to improve upon our building culture. This year we will be promoting positive relationships and growth with our students using the acronym PRIDE. Pride stands for:

P- Purpose (Having our students do things with intent and determination.)

R- Respect (Showing respect to our peers and adults.)

I- Integrity (Doing the right thing even when no one is looking. Strong moral principles.)

D- Diversity (Recognizing that we all come from difference places and experiences and we respect each others differences.)

E- Empathy (the ability to understand and share the feelings of another.)

One our first day of school, Monday, we held a Town Hall meetings with each of our grades to welcome them back and review expectations and PRIDE was the heart of our presentation. We encouraged all students to practice PRIDE every day at Stetson and we encourage parents to talk with their students about what PRIDE is and how they can show it. We wanted to make adults at home aware in case they hear their student mention it at home. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out.

Next week we will be starting to run our Falcon Periods on Tuesdays and Thursdays in the morning. Falcon Period runs as an extended HR from 8:15-8:50. The purpose of this additional period is to provide an academic support period during the school day for students to have the opportunity to complete work, receive remediation/enrichment, and participate in our social and emotional activities. Our bell schedule is adjusted to accommodate for the Falcon periods. Tuesday Falcon Period will concentrate on executive functioning support and Thursday will be focused on social and emotional learning. We believe through these opportunities students can make stronger connections with teachers, counselors, administrators, and peers.

Welcome Back!

Starting this school year there have been some recent updates to our food service program and federal waivers that will affect our cafeteria programs this school year. Please read carefully over the letter below for information about our Free and Reduced Lunch Program, Meals and Menu options and prices, and PaySchools Central Account information where parents can load money onto an account that students can use to purchase lunch at school. For questions about Free and Reduced Lunch please reach out to Colette McLaughlin at cmclaughlin@wcasd.net.

Each student is responsible for knowing their bus number, stop location, and pick-up time. Students should be at their bus stop at least five minutes before the scheduled pick-up time. Per WCASD policy, students are neither permitted to ride a bus to which they are not assigned nor get off at an unassigned bus stop. Bus passes will not be permitted due to continued limited bus capacity. Bus drivers have the right to assign seats on their buses. BUS ARRIVAL TIMES MAY NOT BE EXACT IN THE FIRST FEW WEEKS SO PLEASE BE PATIENT AS WE WORK TO HIT OUR SCHEDULED TIMES.

Large or Dangerous Objects

Pennsylvania Department of Transportation regulations mandate that the interior of a school bus must be free of objects which could cause injury. Objects must be secured and the aisles and emergency exits cannot be blocked. The following must be adhered to at all times:

1. No items can be placed in the driver’s compartment, doorway, or aisle. These areas must be kept clear to exit in case of emergencies.
   
2. Animals are not permitted on the bus except as otherwise required by law.[14]
   
3. Large musical instruments or school projects are not permitted on the bus unless they can be held on the student’s lap.
   
4. Items may not be placed under seats, as they can become projectiles upon impact.
   
5. Objects that endanger other students are strictly prohibited. Such objects include, but are not limited to, glass objects, large metal objects, and certain sports equipment that is large and cumbersome, including but not limited to skis, skateboards, or ice skates, unless the ice skates are in an enclosed bag.

Accidental Damage Policy:

Our students will be covered for one incidence of accidental damage coverage for each academic year. Any cost of repair/replacement of damage beyond the one incident per year will become the responsibility of the student or parent/legal guardian. This accidental damage coverage will not cover device loss or intentional damage.

Cell phones and other unauthorized electronic devices are not allowed to be carried on a person during the school day. If a student chooses to bring a device to school, it must be turned off/silenced and stored in the student’s locker for the duration of the school day. Failure to follow this directive will result in the confiscation of the item and possible further disciplinary action, including, but not limited to, the student’s parent/guardian having to pick the item up from school.

Please check Stetson's website often to find updates and school information. You may also keep up-to-date on your child's academic progress by accessing our Parent Portal system. Please follow us on Twitter to check out our latest events and announcements @GAStetsonMS.

Welcome Back! As always, if you have any questions please do not hesitate to reach out our school nurse, Mrs. Czerpak at 484-266-2706.

School health mandated screenings are completed each year for all grade levels and are conducted throughout the school year. If your student should not pass a screening, a referral will be sent home with them. Screening results are available in PowerSchool. Please feel free to reach out with any questions.

6th Grade- Height/Weight/Vision

7th Grade- Height/Weight/Vision/Hearing/Scoliosis

8th Grade- Height/Weight/Vision

Change of clothing

The health office has very limited clothing options in the event of a spill or accident. Therefore, we recommend that students keep a change of clothing in their locker and change out for the seasons.

All medications, even over-the-counter (OTC) medications, must be dispensed by the school nurse. Do not send medications with your child to take during the school day. Sending medications with your child is against school policy and the WCASD Discipline Code. A signed parent permission note must accompany medications that needs to be given during school, in addition to a written order from the doctor to include type/dosage/time. A copy of the prescription to the pharmacy is not the same and cannot be accepted. Students are not permitted to bring medications to school. A parent/guardian must personally deliver the medication to the school nurse, who must secure and dispense the medication. Any questions, please reach out to Mrs. Melissa Czerpak at 484-266-2706 or email at mczerpak@wcasd.net.

Stetson Middle School Code of Conduct

All students will be given access to an electronic copy of the WCASD Discipline & Records Policy through the distribution of the 1 to 1 laptops. Additionally, the administration will review the policy manual with each grade level during their town hall meeting the first week of school. It is vitally important to review every page of these documents with your child. Each child will be required to verify through a signature that they have received the policy. Knowing what is expected of each student and what consequences are for various offenses will be important to have a successful experience at Stetson Middle School.

Please see the attached flyer below about an opportunity from WC Young Men and Women in Charge