The Paw Power Press

We have had a successful implementation of the PSSA's and only have one more subtest of Science for our 4th graders (This Thursday). Thank you to the families who helped their child prepare with a good night's rest and healthy breakfast. Our Make-Up dates will take place May 6-10 for any students who missed a section of the ELA or Math

Please contact Mrs. Dowd, Assistant Principal - ladowd@cbsd.org, with any questions specific to the upcoming assessment.

Spring arrived and temps are still catching up to the thought of the coming summer! During this time, many home projects take place after a long, cold winter. Some of those projects include cleaning the garage or readying the mowers for the seasons ahead! In this months, (NAESP) National Association of Elementary School Principals - Report to Parents Publication, they tackle how to get your children involved in fun clean-up help around the home and yard!

"It’s hard to believe that spring is here! For parents, having a clean and disinfected living space can create a more positive home environment for your kids and helps to prevent the spread of illness-causing germs. As you gear up for spring cleaning, incorporate these tips to create healthy habits in the spring and all year long..."

To read further, please click here.

Thank you to those who have provided feedback and helped guide our decision-making processes. The board also approved the Realignment plan to be implemented in fall, 2026. That plan includes:

• Realignment to a K-5, 6-8, 9-12 configuration. (Current grade configuration is K-6, 7-9, 10-12).
• Implement full day kindergarten in all elementary schools in fall, 2026.
• Establish a full day kindergarten pilot for the 2025-26 school year.
• The Administration will prepare a timeline of tasks to be implemented prior to fall, 2026.

To read the most recent press release about realignment, please visit here (3/13). If you have questions, concerns, or feedback, you can share it here.

Dr. Scanlon, Superintendent

To learn about programs, events, clubs, and athletic organizations in our local area, please be sure to check on e-Friday Folder by clicking here.

Visit the CBSD Technology and Innovation website to troubleshoot issues with any district-provided device. Place a Help Desk Ticket through the website if the tips listed on the website do not resolve the issue.

This year, Central Bucks launched into our Portrait of a Graduate initiative through our Comprehensive Plan highlighting seven attributes:

• Balanced Individuals - February Focus
• Responsible Citizens - October Focus
• Resilient Learners - December Focus
• Critical Thinkers - January Focus
• Effective Communicators - November Focus
• Thoughtful Collaborators - March Focus
• Adaptable Innovators - April Focus

To learn more about our monthly Portrait of a Graduate Page, please click here.

1st grade students experimented with their understanding of line variety by designing robots - adding personality and character with unique line styles to enhance robot features, joints, and accessories. After tracing the pencil with metallic sharpie, they used the foil stickers to embellish their robot designs, such as adding shiny buttons, bolts, or other metallic details.

2nd grade worked on colorful landscapes focusing on the element of art texture. Students learned about foreground, middle ground, background, and horizon line. Artists double loaded their brush creating natural color blends with tempera paint to make the sky and grass. Before the grass paint dried, they used forks to scrape vertical lines into the green paint to reveal the yellow paper beneath. Finally, artists layered circles of tissue paper to create flowers of varying sizes. By making the flowers in the foreground-large, middle ground-medium and background-small, the illusion of depth is created!

3rd grade studied contemporary artists Jeff Koons Balloon Dog during their value study unit. The use of dark and light creates highlights and shadows that demonstrate value change on the reflective surface of the balloon dog.

Also, 3rd Grade studied the use of warm and cool colors used by author and artist Ted Harrison. Ted Harrison was a British-Canadian painter noted for his colorful landscape paintings of the Yukon. Students learned how to use the unique medium of chalk pastel to create color blends in landscapes.

One highlight of 1st Gr. Library, is when first graders "become books!” Students learn that library books have addresses (known as call numbers) located on their book spines. Call numbers include the section of the library in which the book is located and the first three letters of the author’s last name. After determining and creating their own call numbers, first graders enjoyed getting their own call numbers taped to their spines as they became books! The new “books” are directed to locate their spots if they would be shelved if they lived in the library. Our students find their place, in order, in front of their shelf location, pretending to be books on the shelves!

March Madness is not only an annual college basketball event each year... March Madness also takes place in our Music room. March Music Madness is a long-time Butler tradition among our 5th Grades! Beginning in March, students took shots at the basketball hoop after answering questions about music content learned in class. Topics ranged from opera to recorder knowledge, instruments of the orchestra, and rhythm reading. Extra points are awarded to students for showing Respect, Responsibility and Kindness.

The winner of this year's March Music Madness was Ms. Romani’s 5th grade class! This class showed remarkable ability to perform complex sixteenth note rhythms and Ms. Romani’s cartwheel trick shot earned them enough points to win the trophy! Congratulations Ms. Romani’s class!

• 1st Grade - We continue to investigate with magnets and are creating a book to capture our learning. Look for those to come home before the end of the year!
• 2nd Grade - Students planned most of the details for their unique Rhyme Crimes. They will be starting their dioramas soon to reflect the crime scenes they have created.
• 3rd Grade - Now that we have wrapped up our Game-On Unit, we are diving into architecture! We learned about iconic structures from around the world and attempted building smaller models in class! Looking forward to our architectural walking tour of Doylestown next month!
• 4th Grace - Student inventors have been hard at work engineering and marketing their original inventions. We are excited for their efforts to be on showcase next month at the Invention Convention alongside 4th graders from across the district.
• 5th and 6th Grade - We have had the opportunity to be the directors (as well as actors and editors) for our poetry and mini-movie scene videos. Now that book clubs have wrapped, students will be starting to create movie trailers for the books they read. These will premiere before the end of the year!

Students in grades 1-6 finished up their manipulative skills unit in March and started the fitness and health concepts unit in April. Kindergarten, 1st, & 2nd grade students had introductory lessons on muscles, bones, and eating healthy. They tried yoga and explored various activities with hula hoops and scooters. Students in grades 3-6 tested their flexibility, cardiovascular endurance and muscular strength during fitness testing and practiced taking their pulse before and after exercise. They also played a game called scooter handball and learned about the muscles used during scooter activities.

4th Grade students built paper rollercoasters for a marble as a dynamic activity that fosters the development of essential 21st-century skills. This challenge encouraged:

• Critical thinking and problem-solving as students strategize and design the rollercoaster's layout to ensure the marble successfully navigates the twists, turns, and loops. They must analyze the physics of motion and consider factors such as gravity, momentum, and friction to optimize the coaster's performance.
• Collaboration is also paramount as students often work in teams, sharing ideas, pooling resources, and dividing tasks to construct the coaster effectively.
• Communication skills are honed as they articulate their design concepts, negotiate differences of opinion, and provide constructive feedback to their peers.
• Additionally, Creativity flourished as students innovate and experiment with various construction techniques, materials, and structural elements to enhance the coaster's functionality and aesthetics.
• Finally, Perseverance and Resilience are cultivated as students encounter setbacks and failures, learning to iterate on their designs, troubleshoot problems, and persist in the face of challenges until they achieve success.

In essence, building a paper rollercoaster for a marble is not just a fun and engaging activity; it's also a valuable educational experience that equips students with the multifaceted skills they need to thrive in the 21st century.

Hello from the Health Office! We wanted to reach out with a few reminders.

1. Field Trips: Field Trip season is upon us! If your student has an epi-pen or inhaler that needs to accompany them on the trip, please send one in from home to our office.
2. Health Screenings: All student health screenings have been completed for the year. To see your child’s results, please log onto the Parent Portal:

Reminders About Required Medical Forms for 24-25:

• All students rising into 3rd grade require submission of a dental examination form.
• All students rising into 6th grade require submission of a physical examination form.
• All students rising into 7th grade require submission of a dental examination form. Please email 7th grade dentals to cbunaminurses@cbsd.org.
• IMPORTANT: All forms must be dated on or after September 2023 and are *due by October 15th of the 24-25 school year*. These forms can be found on the Butler Health Office website.

- Butler Health Office

Dear 5th and 6th grade parents/guardians - This upcoming week, you will receive an email communicating that your child will be participating in health instruction in May (5th grade- HIV/AIDS; 6th Grade Human Growth and Development and HIV/AIDS). You will only need to complete the form if you would like to opt your child out of instruction. The opt-out form will be made available in parent portal on April 18. (Do not complete any form if your child is to participate.)

Butler Elementary School Counselors are her to support students and families who are in need. If you are a family that needs support, please contact your School Counselor.

May:

May 2 - PSSA Science - Grade 4 Only

May 7 - National Teacher Appreciation Day & National School Nurses Day

May 8 - Butler Concert: Gr. 2 (6:30 PM); Gr. 4 (7:30 PM)

May 9 - Spirit Day - Anything Disney

May 13-17 - PTO Book Fair (School Day)

May 13 - 4th Grade PEN - Invention Convention

May 15 - Butler Concert: Gr. 1 (6:30 PM); Gr. 3 (7:30 PM)

May 20 - 6th Grade Visit to MBIT

May 21 - 6th Grade Orientation - Unami (Students Only)

May 22 - Field Day (Rain Date 5/31)

May 23 - Early Dismissal (Professional Development) - 12:25 PM

May 24-May 27 - Memorial Day Weekend - Office Closed

Butler Update to our Spring Concert Schedule - Please Make Note Grade 1-4 Families:

May 8th evening performance of 2nd grade “Sing Me A Story” and 4th grade “Earworm Extravaganza!” Show.

2nd grade evening show starts at 6:30pm

4th grade evening show starts at 7:30pm

May 15th evening performance of 1st grade “It’s a Zoo Out There” and 3rd grade “Circus ,Circus”.

1st grade evening show starts at 6:30 pm

3rd grade show starts at 7:30pm

Please see the community resource for grandparents who are raising children of loved ones. It's never too late to join during the spring dates!

Registration for the CB Kids Triathlon is on May 19th at CB South High School. This is a district-supported event that is only open to Central Bucks K-6 elementary school students. The event registration is open and is limited to 1,000 students, so once the limit is met, no additional students will be able to participate in the event. Register now! CBSD.org/triathlon

Starting Friday April 26th (through June 7th), the CB South Titan wrestling program will be hosting a “Free” Friday night wrestling and play session for all interested students grades K thru 8 for 6-weeks!

• Grades K thru 4 - Arrive 5:45 PM - 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM
• Grades 5 & 8 Arrive 6:45 PM - 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM

Students will learn, it’s not a matter of size, skill, or natural athletic ability. Champions come in all shapes and sizes! Participating schools include all buildings who feed into CB South.

Sessions held at CB South Wrestling Gym will combine wrestling-based drills along with gymnastic style games that introduce the sport to your child and begin forging the basic skills of our sport into future wrestlers. NO EXPERIENCE is necessary.

Wrestling more than any sport your child can compete in teaches and instills:

• Overall mental and physical fitness.
• Good listening skills.
• Self-confidence and independence.
• Self-discipline and respect for others.
• The ability to cope and deal with failure.
• The value of hard work in pursuit of one’s goals.
• Self-defense (Wrestling is the Ultimate Martial Art)

Interested in learning more about Volleyball or enhancing your skills with a new sport? Join the CB South Titan Volleyball Teams - both boys and girls - for a focused and energy-filled experience. Please see details below - registration can be found on MyPaymentsPlus - CB South Volleyball!

Registration Process: Go to www.mypaymentsplus.com. Once registered, click on the Events and Activities Tab on the left and search CB South Girls Youth Field Hockey Camp. Add it to your cart and checkout!

Each camper will receive excellent instruction from coaches and the current field hockey team, attention to detail, and a reversible camp pinnie.

Refer to this Calendar to anticipate Spirit Days for the year! **Updated dates for December and January.

Check Here to see what the next event will be!

The Butler Elementary School Community loves our front office staff and took special measures in recognizing their efforts as a fabulous team who help our students, staff and visitors - every single day. They work hard keeping our school organized and efficient - which is a tall task with such a large population of students and families. Thank you to Mrs. Bernabei, Mrs. Droxler, Mrs. McCreary, and Mrs. Crompton - each - for their commitment to our school and support of our students!

Last week, Butler celebrated Earth Day - which began on Monday, April 22nd. Our Earth Day Committee organized varied special activities that grade levels could choose to explore - from ideas to care for the school to learn about important Earth-friendly initiatives. In addition, Butler held colored theme days that represented the Earth and being responsible for keeping it healthy for our futures!

Spirit Week Color Themes:

Mon. 4/22 - Wear Brown (For the Earth/Soil)

Tues. 4/23 - No School - Primary Election Day

Wed. 4/24 - Wear Blue (For Sky/Air)

Thur. 4.25 - Wear Yellow (For the Sunlight)

Fri. 4/26 - Wear Green (For the Plants/Trees/Recycling)

Butler Elementary hosted the 5th & 6th Grade Lip Sync competition on Friday, April 19th. It has been weeks of coordinating and practice - coming together during a 1-night performance of amazing students and fun songs! There were 22-total acts for the night with special hosts, stage crew, and parent supports! Thanks to the parent leads of Mrs. Lynch, Mrs. Abelson, and Mr. Bender for planning and coordinating the efforts of our students during the week leading up to performance night! Also, thank you to our panel of Butler staff judges who were feeling (and grading) every beat and dance move across an eventful night!

On Thursday, April 18th, Butler Elementary hosted Comedy Sportz Improv for our school assembly! The format of a ComedySportz match featured two teams of improvisational performers competing in various head-to-head and 'Team Choice' rounds. Performers used improv games and performed various spontaneous scenes determined by our students! Audience members were the judges on results, awarding points as directed by the Referee. Fouls were even administered depending on a "bad pun" or other "groaner" jokes. The students chose the winning team in the fast paced, competitive content. Special thanks to the PTO and Mrs. Beaver for coordinating all efforts!

The second graders took a field trip to Lost River Caverns in Hellertown, PA on Tuesday, April 16th. The children were able to see a limestone cave which included varied rock formations such as stalactites and stalagmites. We all were able to enjoy an on-site nature walk in the beautiful sunny weather we had that day, too. Students panned for gems and brought home various sparkling stones/minerals to keep! This was a great culminating activity to our Science Rock Unit!

As a culminating activity for their water pollution unit, several of our 6th grade classes recently visited Peace Vallet Park on Thursday, April 18th. Students spent time studying the ecology of the stream by observing the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of our local watershed. As field scientists, students worked collaboratively to collect, identify, and research macroinvertebrates found in the stream. Using microscopes and reporting back to their peers about these living organisms was certainly a favorite part of this trip! Thank you to Peace Valley Park for hosting us - we look forward to the opportunity of our remaining classrooms later this year!

On April 23rd, Butler Elementary happily hosted another election day for two of the regions in our area. Butler families and many other area residents joined their neighbors to vote for the primary. It is a source of pride for Butler to be a region polling place and we look forward to the opportunity each year!

Each year, the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) sponsors the "Patriot's Pen" which is an essay contest our 6th grade students participate in as part of their writing efforts. For this year's event, one of our students, MJ Doebler, earned a third-place award for the State of PA! He received a medal, certificate, and gift card for this accomplishment! Congratulations to MJ on a great essay about How (he) is Inspired by America!

During the winter, Butler Elementary QUEST classes took part in Thompson Toyota's "Draw the Future" Campaign where Butler's 1st-6th grade students were invited to dream up the next breathtaking design. There were 1600 entries across Bucks and Montgomery Counties - with 48-schools participating. Three Butler students were awarded winning designs and recognized on April 18th at their award ceremony: Riann S. "Titan Thrust" - gr. 2 (3rd Place), Xavier D. "Ham L" - gr.6 (3rd Place), and Dylan A. "Lexus Flyer" - gr. 3 (1st Place) - Congratulations!

The overall winning design was by another CB Student in 5th Gr. - which will remain on a Thompson-Sponsored Billboard on Rt. 413 (Durham Rd. in Wrightsville).

Butler Elementary School prides itself on upholding to the highest standards of conduct and good work. When students demonstrate and promote our Positive Paw Power Attributes and Butler Pledge (Being: Respectful, Responsible, and Kind), it is noticed and acknowledged by all. Student tickets are placed in the collecting bin in hopes of a special selection, which may include a unique Butler t-shirt or Breakfast with the Principals! With this month's breakfast (for our March winners), students had special time with Mr. Funseth and Mrs. Dowd, while being honored with a certificate of recognition acknowledging their time being their best at Butler. Students work hard at helping our building rise to the top each and every day!

Simon Butler's students and staff embrace the Butler Pledge, the foundation of our school's positive behavior program. Our Butler Community promises to:

Be Respectful * Be Responsible * Be Kind

This pledge to all Butler Bears upholds our traditional Pillars: B.U.T.L.E.R.

Butler (at its Best!); Understanding; Teamwork; Leadership; Educational Excellence; Respect

Each week, students earn Positive Paw Power Coupons for their good deeds and honorable actions as recognition. Children enter them into our collection bins where names are drawn to earn a special "Breakfast with the Principals".

4/19 Winners: Jack Z. (Kdg.), Avish V. (Gr.1), Joey C. (Gr.2), Adeline W. (Gr.3), Marni T. (Gr.4), Aanya O. (Gr.5), Jude B. (Gr.6), T-Shirt - Austin S. (Gr.1)

4/26 Winners: Keira S. (Kdg.), Yaroslav Z. (Gr.1), Leila R. (Gr.2), Ava M. (Gr.3), Parvathy Nair (Gr.4), Lilly C. (Gr.5), Arina S. (Gr.6), T-Shirt - Abbie B. (Kdg.)

Congratulations to all students who earned Positive Paw Power awards!

The Butler PTO Newsletter is an informative publication that provides insight and info for events hosted by the Butler PTO. Please click here to open the newsletter.

Principal: Karl Funseth

Administrative Assistant to Principal: Peggy Bernabei

Assistant Principal: Lauren Dowd

Administrative Assistant to Assistant Principal: Michele Droxler

Website: https://www.cbsd.org/butler
Location: 200 Brittany Drive, Chalfont, PA, USA
Phone: 267-894-4250
Twitter: @CBButlerElem

Acting Superintendent: James Scanlon, Ed. D.

Assistant Superintendent-Elementary: Nadine Garvin, Ed. D.

Assistant Superintendent-Secondary: Charles Malone, Ed. D.

Website: cbsd.org
Location: 20 Welden Drive, Doylestown, PA, USA
Phone: 267-893-2000
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cbschools/
Twitter: @CBSDSchools