December 20, 2024

What an incredible week it has been leading up to our winter break! From caroling in the halls and the holiday sing-along to winter class parties, Bingo fun, and more, our school has been filled with laughter, joy, and holiday spirit. These special traditions are a wonderful way to end the year together.

As we reflect on 2024, we are deeply grateful for the strong partnerships we share with our families. Your support and collaboration make our school community so vibrant and connected. As a community, we are proud to share that we rallied together to support 40 families to ensure all of our bobcats have a happy and joyful holiday season. Thank you for your donations to the Giving Tree!

We encourage everyone to fully enjoy the holiday season and the winter break ahead. To ensure this time is restful and joyful for all, we kindly ask families to hold off on email communication with teachers until we return on January 2.

Wishing you a holiday season filled with happiness, and we can’t wait to welcome everyone back in the new year!

As a reminder, our school will be closed from December 23 through January 1. We look forward to starting 2025 with our bobcats on Thursday, January 2.

Ms. Dana DiLiberto, our current school nurse, is transferring to Greystone Elementary School upon our return from winter break on January 2. We are thankful for her dedicated care of our students and families. During Ms. DiLiberto's time at Fern Hill this Fall, she experienced many medical emergencies and always demonstrated utmost professionalism and care for every child and community member involved. Please join me in expressing your appreciation for the compassionate support she has provided to our community.

Beginning on January 2, Mrs. Brittany Garraty will be returning to Fern Hill to step back into the role of our school nurse. Mrs. Garraty was our school nurse for the past three years. She was transferred to Peirce Middle School this Fall and will fortunately be returning to us at FHE in January! Mrs. Garraty will bring along her outstanding communication, organization, and student-centered approach. We’re thrilled to welcome her back and know she will rejoin us with the same warmth and professionalism that our community values.

4th and 5th Grade Families

Please see the invitation for 4th and 5th grade students to participate in our Math Club. Our club advisors, Mrs. Zarr (kzarr@wcasd.net) and Mrs. Vanegas (avanegas@wcasd.net) will be sharing about this additional opportunity this week, so we encourage you to talk with your child about getting in on the math fun!

Join the Math Club Adventure! 🎉

Are you ready to unleash your inner math wizard? The FHE 4th & 5th Grade Math Club is the place to be! Each Monday morning, from January to May, we’ll explore engaging activities that bring math to life:

✨ Warm up with the Proof card game for quick-thinking fun.
🧩 Solve tricky logic puzzles that challenge your brainpower.
🤖 Create math-inspired projects using micro:bits and coding.
🎨 Use the design thinking process to turn your ideas into real-world solutions.
🌟 Showcase your work in a final exhibition for friends and family!

If you love math, creativity, and teamwork, this club is for YOU! Space is limited, so sign up today and get ready to think, solve, and shine! 💡

Math Club Google Form Sign-Up

The next session of After Schools Sports will begin on Monday, January 13. Please register your child if you are interested in having them participate in the second, and final session of the year. All details for After School Sports including dates, start/end times, and more are included in the registration form.

Register your child now!

Looking for the perfect gift to support the young innovator in your family? Our Design Lab Gift Guide offers thoughtful suggestions that align with our Design Lab class, fostering creativity, problem-solving, and hands-on exploration. After opening the link, select any of the red price tags to shop for the item online.

• Fern Hill Bingo Night: Join us for the Annual Fern Hill Bingo Night on Friday, January 31, 6-7 pm. Tickets go on sale January 3rd and are $15 per family which provides 2 Bingo cards per student. You will also be able to pre-order pizza again this year and purchase concessions at the door. Check out the flyer for more information.

Join us February 23 from 12-2 for Fern Hill Ice Skating at Ice Line in West Chester. This is a private event just for our school community. $5 per skater, price includes skate rental. Check out the flyer for more information.

The PTO is planning to switch things up in 2025 and are considering hosting a free family picnic with yard games, craft stations, etc. in lieu of the Spring Carnival fundraiser. Before the plan is finalized, we would like input from our school community. Please take a few moments to complete the survey through the QR code on the attached flyer to share your ideas and feedback.

Coming in January! For anyone who did not order pretzels in the beginning of the year, we will be opening up pretzel orders again in January to order through the end of the school year. More details to follow.

Check one thing off your end of school year to do list and purchase your 2024-2025 Fern Hill yearbook now. It’s never too early! Click HERE to order.

We love having our families volunteer throughout the building. In order to volunteer, adults are required to have their clearances on file with us. Clearances can take 4-6 weeks to acquire, so please be sure to get the process started if you're looking to volunteer this Fall.

If you are planning a family trip, please complete the Trip Approval Form to notify the Main Office and gain approval for your trip. The Vacation Request Form will also always be available on our Fern Hill Website under the "For Parents" section.

Jennifer Southmayd

Principal

Email: jsouthmayd@wcasd.net
Website: https://www.wcasd.net/fhe
Location: 915 Lincoln Avenue, West Chester, PA, USA
Phone: 484 266 1600
Twitter: @FernHillES