News From Fort Zeller Elementary

Hello to our Fort Zeller Families,

How can it be November already! It has been such a wonderful first quarter of school. I would like to say THANK YOU to all of our Fort Zeller families. I appreciate your partnership as we work as a team to create the best learning experience for your students. Your work in providing a caring environment at home that nurtures and respects education provides a solid platform for us to build on. Our work together creates a team of support for your child that allows great learning to happen academically, socially, and emotionally.

November is a perfect time of year to reflect and practice gratitude. Do you have a moment to send a quick thank you note or email to a staff member at Fort Zeller Elementary? A simple note of appreciation can change a staff member's day. Positive connections between home and school foster mutual respect, which in turn creates a stronger learning environment for all. I encourage you to share a quick thank you with someone having a positive impact on your child.

We have many exciting things coming up in the next few months. Keep an eye out for communication about what's happening at Fort Zeller. Please always feel free to contact the school with any questions you may have.

All the Best,

Jodi Houck

This year, Fort Zeller will be using PTCFast to sign up for conferences. Please click on the button below to sign-up for a conference time. If you are unable to physically come in for a conference and would prefer a phone conference, please reach out to your child's teacher.

If you would like to meet with a specialist, feel free to pop into their rooms while you are in he building. Mr. Babiarz (Phys. Ed.), Mr. Whitman (Music), and Mrs. Davis (Library/STEM) will be in the building on Monday, November 25. Mrs. Panza (Art) and Mrs. Davis (Library/STEM) will be at Fort Zeller on Tuesday, November 26.

1. Trip Forms - If you are planning on going on a trip, please make sure to fill out a trip request form and turn it into the office. Planned trips require the principal's approval in order to be excused. For all other absences, you can complete the excuse on Power School, or turn in an excuse to the office through email (fzattendance@elcosd.org) or paper copy.

2. Power School Forms - We are still looking for a number of families to complete the required forms on Power School. These forms provide us with up-to-date important information. Please see below for more information. If you need help, please make sure to contact our office.

3. Book Fair - Fort Zeller's Book Fair will be held from November 21-26. Our preview day will be on 11/21 and then your child will be able to shop on 11/22. It will be open during parent conferences on 11/25-11/26. Please see below for more information. There is a schedule of when each class will be previewing and buying at the book fair below.

4. Break - We will not have school for students from November 25-29. November 25-26 will be when our parent/teacher conferences will be taking place. This is the time you will be receiving your child's report card. The rest of that week, students and staff will be off school. We DO have school this year on the Monday following Thanksgiving weekend.

5. ELCO's Annual Holiday Program - ELCO's annual holiday program to support our families is back! Please see below for more information.

All classroom teachers will be sending home their FID packets on November 1. These will be used in the event that we have used our two weather emergency days and are now using flexible instruction days. It is important that you keep these packets in a safe place so that they are readily available for your child to complete if we are off.

If a flexible instruction day is called, a mass email will be sent to all families with instructions and a link for families to "sign" their child in for the day. This must happen by 12:00 pm or your child will be marked as absent for the day.

Click here for more information about flexible instruction days. If you have any questions, please reach out to your child's teacher or Mrs. Houck.

Nov. 4: (Day 3)

• School Board Meeting @ 6:00 pm

Nov. 5: (Day 4)

• Two-Hour Late Start
• Election Day

Nov. 6: (Day 5)

• PTO Meeting @ 6:30 pm

Nov. 7: (Day 1)

• Picture Retake

Nov. 11: (Day 3)

• Veteran's Day
• Veteran's Day Breakfast - 7:45 - 8:20 am

Nov. 14: (Day 1)

• Raider Reader

Nov. 18: (Day 2)

• Author Visit - Annette Whipple (AM)
• School Board Meeting @ 6:00 pm

Nov. 21: (Day 3)

• Book Fair (11/21-11/26)
• Preview Day

Nov. 22: (Day 4)

• Book Fair (11/21-11/26)
• Student Buying Day
• PBIS Assembly

Nov. 25-26: (Conferences)

• No School for Students
• Book Fair Open

Nov. 27-29: (Thanksgiving Break)

• No School for Students

We are excited to once again be offering the annual Holiday Program for ELCO families. As in years past, families who need support may access that support and families who wish to donate may do that as well. Below are links to the forms if you would like to donate or request assistance.

If you would like to DONATE a gift card, make a monetary donation to our Family Fund, or donate stocking stuffers, please use the link https://tinyurl.com/4j85t6kx to send me your contact information. Monetary donations collected will be used to purchase gift cards for families requesting assistance. Please complete the form no later than Friday, November 18th.

If you would like to REQUEST ASSISTANCE from the Holiday Program, please use the link https://tinyurl.com/39wendbw to share your information with me and I will contact you regarding the program. This link will close on Friday, November 18th.

Both forms can also be accessed by the above links or from the school district web page https://www.elcosd.org. . If you have questions or have difficulty accessing either form, please do not hesitate to contact me at: kellysmith@elcosd.org or 717-306-3242.

Thank you all for continuing to make this program a success!

Our book fair will take place from Thursday, November 21st through Tuesday, November 26th in the main lobby next to the office.

If you would like to sign-up to help out at the book fair, please use this link.

Book Fair Help Sign-Up

Visit our Book Fair homepage to learn more and get started with eWallet and online shopping:

Book Fair Homepage

Congratulations to our October students of the month and class of the month!

Kindergarten - Thatcher E. (Yocum) & Delanie F. (Stuart)

First Grade - Rylen W. (Hartman) & Ariana P. (McDonnell)

Second Grade - Corbin S. (Jackson), Kaylena C. (Frederick) & Caleb H. (Wentzel)

Class of the Month - Ms. Kolovani's Kindergarten Class

During the month of September, we were focused on self-control. Throughout the month of November, we are focusing on citizenship. Being a good citizen means being loyal and doing the right things for your school, community, and country.

This year, Fort Zeller Elementary and Jackson Elementary are continuing to team up and provide family workshops for next year's incoming kindergarten families. We had our first event on October 16 at Fort Zeller Elementary. It went very well and was enjoyed by the families and future students who attended. We are hoping to have more families join in for our next workshop, which will be held in March at Jackson Elementary. Please help spread the word to any families who have a child who would be entering kindergarten next year. Thank you!

On October 24, our first graders went on their field trip to Corn Cob Acres in Mountville, PA. It was a perfect day to be outside and have fun. They learned about pumpkins, took a hayride, played in some of their attractions and got to bring home their very own pumpkin. They had a wonderful time and did an amazing job.

The ELCO Raider Food Pantry is Open!

The ELCO Raider Food Pantry is now open and available for the ELCO families. With the support of our ELCO staff, local businesses and churches, we are able to provide our ELCO families with an additional resource.

If you are in need of immediate assistance or you'd like to donate to the ELCO Raider Pantry, please reach out to Kelly Smith, ELCO Social Worker, at 717-306-3242 or David Ludwig, Director of Food and Nutrition, at 717-306-3270 for a confidential appointment to the pantry.

Hello Families! Happy Fall! Here’s a little bit of what we’ve been doing in the counseling department and what’s coming up!

R.E.A.C.H. Lessons

In October, Kindergarten students were introduced to my friends, The Little Spots! The Little Spot series is something I started using with students last year as a tool for feelings identification and they loved it! Kindergarten students will get to know all the spots this year! First grade students reviewed the Little Spots from last year and were detectives, using clues such as facial expressions and body language to figure out each feeling! Second graders focused on our character trait of the month, Self-Control, by making self-control remotes after reading the story Hunter and His Amazing Remote Control.

In November, Kindergarten and 1st graders will be introduced to a Little Peaceful Spot and a Little Calm Spot and we will talk about positive coping skills to help us stay calm when things get tough! Second graders will be talking about what it means to be a good citizen and what might happen if we’re not!

Library Sparks – Mrs. Davis

We learned about fire prevention and dove deeper into trees and leaves during library this month. We had fun sorting acorns, make leaf rubbings and building our nature vocabulary. First and second graders learned about deciduous and evergreen trees. See if your student can remember the difference between the two!

STEM Discoveries – Mrs. Davis – October

We began our Natural Resources Unit this month focusing on trees. Students have been making scientific observations, recording data and photo documenting everything they are learning about trees. We have been outside observing the trees bordering the school property near Millcreek Lutheran Church. In STEM we are importing our photos into our Tree Journals. We are looking forward to getting outside a few more times before it’s too cold!

A few weeks ago, we welcomed two new members to the Fort Zeller Family. Mrs. Davis adopted Sherlock and Watson (guinea pigs). They reside in the library. All day long, they have a constant stream of friends visiting. They are already so loved by the students and staff.

In Kindergarten students are finding the heartbeat of music through songs like Johnny Works With One Hammer and Alligator Pie. Students are writing quarter notes and eighth notes. (Ta’s and Ti-ti’s)

First grade students are learning orchestral and concert band instrument families. They are recognizing each instrument’s sound by hearing it play a popular song.

Second grade students are reading music on the staff and playing the notes on different instruments.

October Art Recap: in Mrs. Panza’s art classroom, ELCO artists were focused on learning about and creating art! In Kindergarten, artists learned about lines, listened to the story Lines that Wiggle by Candace Whitman, and practiced drawing lines. They used a paint scraper tool to “draw lines into paint” to create their work at teacher time. First grade artists worked with printmaking tools & tempera paints to create a blend of fall foliage after being inspired by the book Fall Leaves Fall by Shari Halpern. We also discussed how to create depth in our abstract fall forest artwork. Second grade artists were challenged to create a unique version of sky color after listening to Peter H. Reynold’s Sky Color. Artists used mark-making, and the watercolor technique of wet-on-wet to create their artwork. The results are stunning!

Information about artwork:

· Many finished artwork pieces stay at school and are on display.

· Several practice drawings stay at school for a portion of time so artists can add on to these drawings

· Mrs. Panza is also starting to collect and save artwork for ELCO’s district-wide art show! Also, "Save the Date"…Celebrate the Arts/ELCO Art Show is scheduled for Wednesday May 15, 2024. (more information forthcoming).

· Some of our student artwork is being displayed at Stoneridge. We appreciate the partnership between ELCO's Art Department and Stoneridge.

Physical Education classes in October were all about teamwork and fun. Students worked together to play games and conquer challenges using the giant parachute. Parachute activities were as active as they were exciting, as students got their hearts pumping and their muscles working!

As we move to the month of November, all classes will begin a manipulatives unit. This unit will challenge students to manipulate objects such as scarves, beanbags, balls and hula hoops. Everyone will become experts at tossing, catching, balancing, sliding and rolling lots of fun objects in a variety of games and activities!

Kindergarten has been working hard on letters, sounds, and their new words. Students are excited to be able to “read” some words in their special books. They are also working on numbers and number writing. Kindergarten students have been using their five senses to become aware of their surroundings and to write about their observations. The students are working on the STEM concept of Pushes and Pulls and had a STEM lesson with Mr. Wright and worked as a team to make pumpkin catapults. They also enjoyed learning about fire safety. We talked about the big word “Respect,” and how we can show respect to all of our friends and the community. We are very good at practicing Self Control, which was the character trait for this month!

October: First graders practiced reading and printing words using short e, and short u word families. We introduced words that have double final consonants, ck endings and blends with r, as well as reviewing all the short vowel sounds. During math time, students used counters to model subtraction stories and practiced printing subtraction number sentences. Science and social studies activities included planting seeds to see the growth process and scholastic news reviews.

The first graders enjoyed participating in the Race for Education and going on their field trip to Corn Cob Acres in Mountville, PA. A special shout out to the Fort Zeller PTO for their support in both of those activities. Students also had the opportunity during Fire Prevention Week to view several safety vehicles.

The second graders ended the week with our fun movie reward and snack from the PTO for meeting our race for education goal! In reading, the second graders have been using story clues to draw conclusions. We have also been practicing and applying the double consonants and ck spelling pattern. In math, the students are adding two digit numbers with and without regrouping. They have practiced adding the ones place first and the tens place last! They like the fun poem: If 9 or LESS, let it rest! If 10 or MORE, carry next door.

We had a special visit this week from our local firefighters and first responders for fire prevention week. Last, we have started our good citizenship unit. Ask your child, “What are the traits of a good citizen?” We will also talk about rules and laws that keep us safe.

First grade students had a blast making their own play-doh with Mr. Wright. Each student had a job and they worked together to complete the task. They did an amazing job and LOVED this activity!

On Monday, November 18th, Annette Whipple, a children's author, will be visiting Fort Zeller Elementary School. We are so excited for her visit! Annette Whipple writes informational books to inspire curiosity and wonder in children. She’s the author of twelve published books including The Laura Ingalls Wilder Companion: A Chapter-by-Chapter Guide (Chicago Review Press), Whooo Knew? The Truth about Owls (Reycraft Books), and The Story of the Wright Brothers (Rockridge Press). She's also written articles and activities for several magazines including Cobbletone and Highlights for Children.

To get our students excited about her visit, she graciously donated her books to our school library. Your child will be hearing one of Annette Whipple's books in library class. If you are interested in purchasing one of her books, please complete the book order form, which has been sent home. Order forms and money are due Friday, November 3rd. If you misplaced the form and would like another one, please send an email to Mrs. Faust, sfaust@elcosd.org.

1. On Wednesday, November 6, 2024, at 6:30, our PTO will host its next meeting in our library at Fort Zeller. We hope that you will consider joining our meetings and provide your valuable input to support our students and staff at Fort Zeller.

2. Volunteering: If you have an interest in being a volunteer in your child's classroom or in our school, please use this link, https://www.elcosd.org/site/Default.aspx?PageID=918, to complete the necessary paperwork on clearances. Don't hesitate to call our office at (610) 589-2575 if you need additional assistance.

Thank you everyone that participated in the Justino’s Fundraiser, tickets will be sent home with students on Monday, November 4th. The classroom winner of the pizza party will be announced next week.

📘📕📗 Book Fair 📘📕📗

We are looking for volunteers to help with Book Fair on November 21 & November 22 -

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A0449AFAD29A0FC1-52512739-2024

🥣🍲Conference Meal for Teachers - November 25

We are providing a meal for around 40 staff during conferences below is our sign up genius for contributions -

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A0D4EAFAD2EA4F85-51277506-conference#/

Upcoming Meetings -

💛💙 November PTO Meeting - Wednesday, November 6 - 630PM

💛💙 December PTO Meeting - Wednesday, December 4 - 630PM

🛼 Mark your calendars! 🛼

The annual Roller Skating Party is scheduled for Saturday, January 11th. More info to come!

🔴 Scan your grocery receipts - Box-Top Rewards

Earn money for our school through Box Tops for Education!

Download the Box Top mobile app onto your cell phone

(https://www.boxtops4education.com/s/get-the-app),

create an account with “FORT ZELLER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL” as your participating school, and scan your receipts within 14 days of your purchase.

🔴 October Box Top Offers!

https://www.boxtops4education.com/s/how-to-earn#app-offers

On Friday, October 11, Fort Zeller students and staff participated in our Race for Education event organized by our amazing PTO. Everyone had fun racing around the track, maneuvering through the obstacles, and then cooling off with water and apple slices while listening to a story being read by the Richland librarians. It was the perfect day. The event raised over $10,000 to help our PTO fund all the wonderful programs and field trips for our students. Thank you to everyone who donated and came out to support and cheer on our students!

Mrs. Yocum's class had a BLAST with their ice cream treat and glow party that they won for being the top fundraising class for our Race for Education event. Thank you to everyone for donating and making the event so successful and fun!

Thank you to the Newmanstown Fire Company, Richland Fire Company, and the Richland EMT Crew for coming to Fort Zeller and teaching our students about fire safety. Each classroom went out to the fire trucks throughout the day to learn about them.

ELCO School District is growing our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram channels. Click on the icons and follow along!

Facebook - @ELCOSD

Twitter - @elcosd

Instagram - @elcosd

Why:

1. Celebrate our students.

2. Keep parents, students, alumni, and the community in the loop of what is happening in our district.

3. Promote the great things happening such as athletics, activities, and other events.

4. Build an ongoing conversation about the positive impact our district is making in the lives of our students!

What do I need to do?

• If you are on these social media channels – follow us!

• Help promote these accounts to your family and friends.

• If you aren’t on these platforms – that’s OK. The district will continue to provide communication through traditional channels.

Hello Fort Zeller Families,

Mark your calendars, on December 6th, we look forward to welcoming our school dentists, Dr. Noone and Flanigan. More information will be sent out closer to their visit.

Just a quick reminder, heading into cold and flu season, it is super beneficial to educate our children about the importance of covering our sneezes and washing our hands. This will teach them how to prevent the transfer of germs to our friends/family/staff and promote a healthy learning environment.

Additionally, if your child is presenting a chronic cough, sore throat with difficulty swallowing, fever 100 degrees or higher, ear pain that keeps them awake at night, or vomiting/diarrhea, we kindly advise them to remain at home.

If medication is required during school hours, please request your doctor to fill out the Medication Administration Form found on our district website or stop by the office for a copy of the form.

Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions that you may have.

nbergman@elcosd.org or (610)589-2575. ~Ms. Bergman, LPN.

November

2 - Evelyn Arndt

3 - Alexander Strasz

7 - Greyson Auker & Kale Llitera

12 - Ja'cory Brandon

15 - Cael Ziegler

16 - Tristan Cornett & Myla Saul

18 - Milo Ebling

19 - Reid Thomas

21 - Richard Moyer

23 - Emmett Fullerton & William Huttsell

26 - Cooper Martin & Jonah Yeakley Gladden

27 - Makenna Weiler & Flynn Moyer

28 - Ainsley Ernfield & Elijah Mejias

29 - Anna Renyard & Harper Reber

30 - Harriet Miller

Fort Zeller Elementary School

243 North Sheridan Road

Richland, PA 17087

Phone: (610) 589-2575

Fax: 610-589-5815

Twitter: @ElcoFort

Email: jhouck@elcosd.org
Website: https://www.elcosd.org/Domain/211
Location: 243 North Sheridan Road Richland, PA 17087
Phone: (610) 589-2575
Twitter: @ElcoFort