
Woodward Elementary - Fall 2023
Keystone Central School District
Notes From the Principal
Hello and Welcome to the 2023-2024 school year!
We have many activities and family events schedule for this school year (hooray!), but we want you to mark your calendars for October 16th and 17th, because we are bringing back our Fall Parent/Teacher Conferences. More information will come closer to the dates.
Please consider joining us for our monthly PTO meetings. They are on the 3rd Thursday of each month from 6:30pm-7:30pm. We hold them via Zoom so families can join us from anywhere. From 6:00pm-7:00pm I will be on the Zoom link to meet privately with families who may have questions or concerns to share. Please consider helping our PTO, because without active PTO families, our students wouldn't get to experience the many special activities that we have planned!
On September 21st is our Homecoming Parade. Our Woodward float has won two years in a row! If you are interested in having your child ride the float, adults in your family must help build it! Information will be coming home about how to join in on this event!
How to Volunteer
You apply on-line at https://www.applitrack.com/kcsd/onlineapp/ instead of using the paper form.
Clearances and Mandated Reporter training are also required. Here are the links:
· Clearances
· (Act 34) PA State Police https://epatch.state.pa.us/
· (Act 151) PA Child Abuse https://www.compass.state.pa.us/cwis/public/home
· (Act 114) FBI https://www.identogo.com/locations/pennsylvania
**email copies of your clearances to Elizabeth Nace (enace@kcsd.k12.pa.us) - see her information below.
Use service code to receive the correct clearance: 1KG6XN
Mandated Report Training http://www.reportabusepa.pitt.edu/
Elizabeth Nace is our volunteer specialist, you can use the information below to contact her, and she said she is happy to help you and answer questions!
Elizabeth Nace
Personnel Secretary
Keystone Central School District
Phone- 570-893-4900 ext: 2319
Fax: 570-893-3597
86 Administration Drive, Mill Hall, PA 17751
For morning drop off, please arrive between 7:20am-7:40am
When families arrive too early, it creates difficulties for truck deliveries and district staff trying to access the parking areas.
Please do not try to pull around cars on the left side, because children exit the vehicle on the driver's side in the morning.
If you arrive after 7:40, please park and walk your child to the main door. We do not have staff outside after 7:40.
Please be patient and safe.
We ask families to wait in a single line for drop off in the morning.
In the afternoon we ask families to follow the lead from our staff about where to line up and when to move ahead.
Please be patient and do not rush to get around other cars at any time.
We only use King Street to enter and exit the schools. We do not use Armory Drive, that's only for buses.
Please arrive after 2:20pm and before 2:40pm.
When families arrive too early, it creates a line of traffic that backs up onto Rt. 664.
It also prevents deliveries and trash disposal from being able to complete their scheduled runs.
Upcoming Activities
August 30 - First Day of School for Students
September 4 - Labor Day - No School
September 11 - 6:00pm Homecoming Float Planning Session - Woodward Gym
September 21 - Homecoming Parade - Downtown Lock Haven - 6 pm. Pep Rally to follow at LHU East Gym
Save the Date:
December 7, 2023, 6:30pm - Woodward Holiday Concert
at Central Mountain High School Auditorium
Messages & Alerts
September 8, 2023
Dear Keystone Central School District Elementary Families,
In 2022, the district worked with a group of parents, students, and teachers to create a Communication Plan that would help improve the communication between families and the district. Part of the Communication Plan was to find one communication platform for all K-12 students so that families with multiple students did not have to use several different platforms.
At the time, the group chose to use the Bloomz app as the main source of communication K-12. However, after many difficulties with their product, service, and reliability, we have decided to move away from Bloomz and begin using Class Dojo again for elementary students, as it is more reliable and user-friendly than Bloomz has been.
We apologize for the inconvenience and disruption in communication that has occurred this school year due to the technical difficulties with Bloomz. Our technology team, administrative team, and teachers have been working tirelessly to fix the issues, but the issues are with the Bloomz platform, not the district’s technology or support.
We are unwilling to waver from our commitment to easy and consistent communication with families; therefore, we will be making the switch to Class Dojo immediately for K-4 students. If you have students in grades 5-8, we will continue using Bloomz until we can find a suitable alternative.
Your student’s classroom teacher will provide you with the information you need to join their Class Dojo accounts.
Thank you for your understanding and patience!
Federal Programs
Start of Year Federal Programs Updates
All elementary schools within the district are Title I schoolwide schools and receive Title I federal funds to support the positions of Interventionist and Title I Associates. We determine how to use the funding to staff our buildings based on family input and our school data. If you are interested in becoming a part of our Title I team, please reach out to your building Interventionist or principal. Our Policy 917/918 meetings are a great place to start, because we always review our School Improvement plans and the most updated school data during those meetings.
At all school levels, we use Title IV federal funds to purchase incentives for PBIS (our positive school-wide behavior supports) rewards, and we emphasize the goal of following school rules in all schools.
Required documents for families:
Right to Request Qualifications of Teachers (see Annual Notices and Policy Review button above) - if you wish to request a paper copy, please contact rmurty@kcsd.k12.pa.us .
Note: If your child is taught for four or more weeks by a teacher who is instructing in a content area for which they are not currently certified, the district must notify you. Four-week notification letters will be added here if that becomes necessary.
Non-Discrimination Statement (see Annual Notices and Policy Review button above) - if you wish to request a paper copy, please contact rmurty@kcsd.k12.pa.us.
Title I District Parent Policy - Policy 918
Family Connections
#KeystoneCares - Reading Under the Lights
#KeystoneCares invites you to bring a blanket and your favorite book to Don Malinak's Stadium on 9/14/23. Every student will receive a snack and a FREE book of their choice! We hope to see you there!
#KeystoneCares invites you to bring a blanket and your favorite book to Frank Dwyer Memorial Field on 9/5/23. Every student will receive a snack and a FREE book of their choice! We hope to see you there!
ATTENDANCE MATTERS
Attending school regularly is essential to students gaining the academic and social skills they need to thrive. Help (ENTER YOUR SCHOOL"S NAME HERE) school reach it's attendance goal of 90% regular attendance rate!
Help Your Child Succeed in School: Build the Habit of Good Attendance Early
Wildcats on the Prowl: AttendanceMatters Now!
Be Buck Strong: Show Up and Belong!
Key points of KCSD's Attendance Policy every family needs to be aware of.
Excuses need to be turned in within 3 days of an absence. Use your school's attendance email to make sure that the excuse notes get turned in on time.
Counseling Connection
SAP
If you are concerned about a student for any reason, you can make a SAP referral. The SAP referral can potentially lead to any needed services and/or supports the student may need to be successful.
Click on the picture to make a referral!
Healthy Mind, Healthy Home, Healthy YOU!
Translation Services
If your family speaks a language other than English, the district has access to translators and interpreters that can accompany you in meetings with teachers and school members. If you would like to be connected with a translator or interpreter please reach out to your child’s teacher or the school guidance counselor. The accessibility features in the top right corner of this Smore allow you to translate this page.
Woodward School Counseling
During elementary school, students experience many changes such as learning to take turns, being part of a group, learning to follow new rules and procedures, developing new friendships, caring about what others think/fitting in and/or personal situations. Parent(s)/Guardian(s) may contact Mrs. Owens, our school counselor, with any questions or concerns they may have regarding their student's academic, career, behavior and/or social/emotional well-being.
A counselor is someone to talk to, who will listen without judgment. A school counselor can assist in short-term counseling and if needed arrange long-term counseling and the SAP (Student Assistance Program) and Tier II support. Counselors can teach students tools to improve and cope with different situations, especially because sometimes it's hard to figure out where to start. Students may be want to see a counselor for the following reasons:
- Want to share an experience/feelings
- Feel depressed and/or lonely
- Have thoughts of self-harm
- Feel stressed and/or anxious
- Feel angry and/or frustrated
- Want to improve grade(s)
- Relationship/peer issues/conflicts
- Personal issues (divorce/separation, loss of a loved one, etc.)
To learn more or to schedule a meeting, please contact your student's school counselor.
Mrs. Bonnie Owens - School Counselor
Phone: 570-893-4900 x3104
Email: bowens@kcsd.k12.pa.us
ATHLETICS & ACTIVITIES
Check out our School websites for CMHS Athletics or BHS Athletics
Safety & Security
Safety & Security
Officer Scott VanGorder - Central Mountain High School
Officer Cory Beaver - Bucktail High School & Renovo Elementary
Officer Luke Motter - Central Mountain Middle School
Officer Mike Fetzer - Elementary district-wide and District Attendance Officer
Officer Todd Brian - District-wide
Keeping Up With Keystone
Keystone Central Career & Technical Center
Data & Performance
All students in grades K-8 will be participating in our upcoming district assessments which will be administered between September 20-27th. Students in K-2 will be tested using the Acadience assessment and students in grades 3-8 will be tested using NWEA MAP assessment. These assessments are administer in the Fall, Winter and Spring and will provide you as well as their teacher valuable information on academic growth. To learn more about our assessment please click the links below.
Spring 2023 PSSA and Keystone parent reports will arrive at the district around September 15th. Letters will then be sent home to parents as soon as possible.
Need to take the SAT, Click here for upcoming dates and registration
Quick Links
Woodward Elementary
Mrs. Smith is the building secretary (ext. 3101).
Mrs. Owens is the school counselor (ext. 3104).
Please let us know how we can help and support your family.