Good afternoon Cougars!

I hope you are having a wonderful summer so far! My summer was filled with family fun. We enjoyed having our daughters home and together again. We were fortunate enough to enjoy a week of vacation together, taking time to enjoy each other without thinking about the many to do’s before we drive my youngest daughter to college tomorrow morning.

Since I will be embarking on this new adventure the next two days, I wanted to share my first update of the summer with you all. I am hoping it may answer your questions as we await the start of the school year. Thanks to our summer custodial team, our school is looking brand new and ready to be filled with our community again! I'd also like to thank Mrs. Greider and Mrs. Merritt for their efforts to prepare for our opening.

Teacher assignments will be available for you to view in Infinite Campus on August 15, 2024.

Transportation information will be updated and available for families to view on Infinite Campus the week of August 19th.

You will receive PickUp Patrol info along with a detailed map of procedures for walkers, car riders, and bus pickup early next week.

Much of the summer has been spent interviewing and hiring new faculty and staff for East Ward. To begin, please join me in welcoming all our faculty and staff.

Ms. Abby Linderman, is our new math specialist. Ms. Linderman is joining the East Ward team from Great Valley School District where she was the Supervisor of Specialized Programs. Prior to that role she was a curriculum supervisor, a middle school assistant principal, and an elementary math, science, and social studies teacher. She has her master’s degree from Penn State and is currently finishing her Doctorate through Neumann University. In her free time, she likes to be outside near water, enjoy time with her family and pets, and cheer on the Philadelphia sports teams!

Ms. Kate Tobin will be joining East Ward (and a bit at Shamona Creek as well) this year as our second ELD teacher. She attended Millersville and Penn State University, earning her BS in Elementary Education with her ESL certification. She also has a Master of Science in Language and Literacy with Reading Specialist Certification. Ms. Mazzoli and Ms. Tobin will be teaching our English Language Learners. They will also have the support of Ms. Silvia Cubos on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Ms. Cubos is DASD's ELD Family Liaison. Her office will be at East Ward, but she will be supporting families across our district.

East Ward will have a new teacher in joining our Full Day Kindergarten this year, Mrs. Molly Johnson. Mrs. Johnson is coming to us from Bradford Heights where she taught last year. Mrs. Johnson is a former Downingtown graduate who is so excited to be teaching Kindergarten learners just starting their DASD journey. She holds a B.A. in Dance and a minor in Psychology from Franklin & Marshall College and a M.S. in Teaching, Learning, and Curriculum from Drexel University. This year, Ms. Alaina Seygal will be working as a teacher on special assignment. Her assignment is to plan and prepare for full implementation of full day kindergarten across DASD. While you may be sad to hear this news, please don't be. We will have her back to open the 2025-2026 school year, and I am so proud that she will be leading this work for our district.

After teaching third grade at East Ward last year, Ms. Kate Lewis has moved to the first floor, and joined our first grade team. Ms. Lewis is thrilled to be joining the East Ward community! Ms. Lewis graduated from Penn State with a B.S. in Elementary and Early Childhood Education.

After teaching second grade last year, Mrs. Grace Griffith has moved down the hall to third grade. Mrs. Griffith is a graduate of Eastern University with a degree in Elementary Education and a Master's Degree in Multicultural Education.

Teacher assignments for this coming year will be shared with you in two ways. First, You will also have access to view teacher assignments in Infinite Campus starting on Thursday, August 15. Homeroom teachers will be in touch before Back to School night/Open House to share pertinent information about the upcoming school year. Information on how to access the Parent Portal is below.

Please know that we have carefully considered classroom assignments. We incorporate academic and social/emotional strengths and needs, peer relationships, and continuing student enrollment figures in our planning so that we are able to create a positive learning environment for all students. Because of the intricacy of this task, we are not able to honor any requests to change classroom assignments.

New families to DASD- Infinite Campus Parent Portal Accounts will be created and activation instructions will be sent electronically to the email address identified for the parents/guardians on your enrollment application. Separate accounts are created for each parent/guardian. For security purposes, when you receive the link to activate your account, it will be valid for 48 hours after the date/timestamp on the email and may only be clicked one time. You must complete the enrollment process at the time you select the link. If your link expires, or you are unable to complete the enrollment process, please contact the Technology Service Desk for assistance to reset your password. Returning families- If you have forgotten your password, you can reset. More information can be found on the DASD Technology Page.

There are many sites in DASD that parents frequent. However, ClassLink is a place where all of the sites caregivers need are located. Simply click on this link (ClassLink Parent Portal) to log in. Once there, you will see all the sites needed each year. You do have to log in the first time, but after that, it will open when you select an icon.

There are many links to visit in the EW Backpack. Under Supply Lists and Teacher Letters, caregivers will find Optional School Supply lists, welcome letters from each of our homeroom teachers, AND summer math and/or reading assignments by grade. To access this page, click here. If you need assistance with school supplies, please call us in the main office.

This year, our teachers will share video presentations (by way of email) introducing themselves and their curriculum. This enables all caregivers the opportunity to see what your students will learn during the 2024-2025 school year. Additionally, we will hold an Open House for all grades from 6-7 PM in order for students and children and their caregivers to meet teachers and tour East Ward Classrooms and spaces.

Our Open House is a time for you to ask general questions about the school year. If you have specific questions about your child, contact the teacher at another time to arrange a meeting. Please be reminded that teachers will be reaching out prior to Open House to share all information to prepare you and your child for a successful school year.

Tuesday, 8/20 6-7PM- K-2 Open House

Wednesday, 8/21 6-7 PM- 3-5 Open House

The cost for breakfast will be free for all students again this year, and lunch will be $2.50. Every year, families need to apply to receive free/reduced meal benefits. If you need assistance with school meals, field trips, activity fees, and insurance for student devices, you can apply here: https://www.schoolcafe.com/DASD for our Free or Reduced Meal Program. This application is confidential.

If you are in need of assistance/support for subsidized childcare, Medical Assistance, Cash Assistance, SNAP, LIHEAP, CHIP, and school meal benefits apply through COMPASS by clicking here: https://www.compass.state.pa.us/compass.web/Public/CMPHome.

Email: ewinfo@dasd.org
Website: https://ew.dasd.org/
Location: 435 Washington Ave, Downingtown, PA 19335, USA
Phone: 610-269-8282
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dasdew
Twitter: @dasd_ew