APRIL

• Saturday April 12th
• Spring Fair--see PTO eblast for details

• Thursday, April 17th - Monday, April 21st
• Spring Break

• School re-opens Tuesday, April 22

• Wednesday April 23rd - Friday, May 2nd
• PSSAs
• Grades 3-4-5 only
• Friday, May 2nd
• Special Olympics for our MDS friends
• Thursday, May 8th
• Band performs at Blue Rocks game!
• Wednesday, May 14th
• Track Meet for 4th / 5th gr
• Thursday, May 15th
• Spring Concert
• Tuesday, May 20th
• NO SCHOOL--Teacher In-Service Day
• Wednesday May 21st
• Field Day
• Monday, May 26th
• NO SCHOOL--Memorial Day
• Tuesday, May 27th
• Senior Walk

The annual PSSA tests for grades 3-4-5 are right around the corner.

PSSA Testing Dates

English Language Arts

4/23-4/25

Mathematics

4/29-4/30

Science (5th grade only)

5/1-5/2

Information was sent to families in grades 3-4-5, but in case you missed it, here it is:

Each year, after the winter holidays, we seem to get an increase in students with some sort of smart watch. Please understand that these are a pretty big distraction to the kids. Imagine having a computer on your wrist when you were in elementary school!

Parents, please do not text your kids during the school day. If your kid texts you, you don't need to reply.

If your child is able to handle having this without it being an issue, great. If it becomes a distraction, it will need to stay home.

Thanks for understanding!!!

We are VERY excited to be one of the elementary schools chosen to pilot this program next year!!!! This will be for students in 4th / 5th next year and the plan is to roll it out to all 4th and 5th gr students next year, district-wide. Please check out the attachment.

District-wide, students in grades K-5 will begin to receive Standards-Based Grading beginning next school year. For years, students in grades K-2 received this type of reports, and it will be expanding into grades 3-4-5 moving forward. Click below for the information which was recently sent to all families.

Dear Parents/Guardians,

Kindergarten registration is now open for the 2025-26 school year, and we are excited to welcome new Wolves to the Starkweather Wolf Pack! Please begin the registration process if you have a rising Kindergarten student, and reach out to your friends and neighbors who have upcoming Kindergarten students to encourage them to get the process started. Early registration allows us to include families with Kindergarten students in all upcoming communication and helps us prepare for a smooth transition. Use this link to access the district's registration site.

New This Year! To receive details about our Kindergarten Introduction Day in May and Kindergarten Assessments in June, your child must be registered in advance. This is a change from previous years, and only registered students will be contacted for participation.

For more information or assistance with registration, please contact the Starkweather office. We can’t wait to meet you and your future kindergartener soon!

Any questions, reach out to Ms. Christine Savage in the office. csavage@wcasd.net or 484-266-2202.

Have you heard about our new app, Bus Status 4? You can get bus delays, cancellations, and changes right on your phone! Information and instructions can be found on the WCASD transportation website: https://www.wcasd.net/Page14097

As you likely already know, SWS is a Title 1 school, and this year that also includes math support via Title 1 funds. For more information, please check out one of the attachments below.

The recently approved PA state budget includes the funding for Universal Free breakfast for all Elementary and Middle School Students for 2024-25. This means all SWS students are able to access a free breakfast at school for the duration of the school year.

Starkweather uses PickUp Patrol for ALL plan changes, including late and early dismissals and absences. Please do not send notes, emails or call the school for changes, except in an emergency.

Any questions about PickUp Patrol can be directed to Mrs. Kathy Walker in our main office. kwalker@wcasd.net or 484-266-2202.

A couple quick updates--

• 
  
• Pick Up Patrol can be used to submit absence notes for your students
• this replaced the model of absence notes needing to be submitted in writing

If you would like to volunteer to help out here at Starkweather, and especially if you think that you will want to be a chaperone for a field trip, please make sure your CLEARANCES are on file. This process is kind of a pain in the neck, to be honest, but the forms do last for 5 years.

Check out VOLUNTEER FORMS to get the process started. Thanks for helping out!

This is in an effort to increase and improve parent familiarity with our counselors and their services.

We have several students that use a wheelchair. Cones have been placed at one of the ramps on the front loop. Please do not block the ramp when dropping off or picking up. Thanks!

• DROP OFF is from 8:30 - 9:00.
• Please notice the green line on the map to use the CAR LOOP to drop off kids for regular arrival.
• ALL STUDENTS WILL ENTER THE BUILDING THROUGH THE MAIN ENTRANCE DOORS.
• Parents who are using ACP for Before School Care should notice the RED dashes on the map and drive around the side of the building. ACP uses the cafeteria and the back playground.
• If you are later than 9:00, please park your car and walk your child to the door to sign them in, too.
  
• If it is later than 9:00 but the buses are also still emptying, you are able to drop them off on the curb as we will still have staff out front.
• YIELD to BUSES--we usually do not have too much congestion in the mornings, but if needed, buses will pass the cars on the way up the hill.
• The best way to cut down on car-line congestion is to have your child use the bus!!

• PICK UP for afternoon dismissal is from 3:30 to 3:50.
• Any student ‘left over’ after 3:50 will need to be picked up from the office.
  
• As a parent pulls in to the car line, a staff member will use the Pick Up Patrol app to notify the classroom that the parent is here. The student will leave from the classroom and meet the parent in the carline.
  
• We will have staff members out front making note of the cars as they arrive into the CAR LOOP and helping students get into the cars (notice the green line on the map)
  
• As you’re waiting in the Car Line on the hill, be aware that buses will pass you on the way up the hill. It is ok, we have done this for years...LOOK BOTH WAYS as you enter and exit the Car Loop.
  
• YIELD TO THE BUSES!! Look at the RED ARROWS on the map above--those are spots where parents need to be careful when pulling into and out of the car loop. YIELD TO THE BUSES!!
  
• The best way to cut down on car-line congestion is to have your child use the bus!!