(paper copies were also sent home)

• Thursday, Sept 12th
• Ice Cream Social
• Wednesday, Sept 18th
• Half Day--Teacher In-service
• Friday, Sept 20
• Picture Day
• Wednesday, Sept 25th
• PTO meeting
• Thursday, Oct 3
• NO SCHOOL--Rosh Hashana
• Friday, Oct 11
• Fun Walk
• Tuesday, Oct 22
• 4th gr Field Trip
• Thursday, Oct 31
• Halloween Parade--Info coming Oct 1st
• Friday, Nov 1
• NO SCHOOL--Diwali

We are in week 2 and off to a good start! How can you help to make it better? Please read through:

• Drop Off:

• The top of the car loop is marked with large, orange cones--please save that for our small buses, between the wheelchair ramp and the flagpole. Thanks!!

• Drop off starts at 8:30, please wait until you see Mrs. Hutchins or another staff member before sending kids to the door.
• There are groups of kids (usually music lessons/rehearsals) who come in early, please do not confuse that for your time to let your kids loose : )
• Use the passenger side, that way the kids are on the sidewalk the whole time--safety issue!!
• If you are dropping off your child and there are no staff members outside, that means that buses are all here and you need to walk your child to the door and sign them in!!
• Pick Up:
• The top of the car loop is marked with large, orange cones--please save that for our small buses, between the wheelchair ramp and the flagpole. Thanks!!
• Use the passenger side, that way the kids are on the sidewalk the whole time--safety issue!!
• Buckling Up--
• please allow your kids to work their seat belts while you are working your way off -campus to keep the car line moving
• if the younger ones are not able to buckle themselves in, use me as an incentive...let me know when they have accomplished it and they can get a stack of Wolf Bucks!! (And the same goes for learning how to tie their shoes!!)
• Water Bottles:
• we have water fountains all over the building, and in every homeroom.
• feel free to have them leave the water bottles at home.
• they are a distraction, are loud when they fall off the desk, they spill, etc.
• still going to send it in? please be sure they have a name on them so when they get left behind somewhere, they do not end up in the lost and found
• remember, we drank water from a hot hose on someone's back porch when we were kids!
• Lost & Found:
• with over 580 students, the L&F can get filled pretty quickly
• this time of year, students wear hoodies to school and take them off at recess and forget about them
• please put names inside jackets, hoodies, lunchboxes, water bottles, etc.

Many parents have already met or communicated with our new office team member--Ms. Patti Maristch. Ms. Maristch comes to us with a great set of office experiences, and is your go to person if you have any questions about absences, vacations, Dr. notes, Pick Up Patrol, and more! Ms. Maristch's email is PMARISTCH@WCASD.NET if you have any specific questions.

THE BEST WAY TO MANAGE ABSENCES AND LATE DROP OFFS & EARLY DISMISSALS IS PICK UP PATROL!!! Doing this keeps the office, the teacher, and the parent all in the same loop!

If needed, you can also use the safe arrival line--484-266-2210, but that adds other steps to the process. Thanks for your help with this!

We are off to a good start this year, please keep up the momentum!

My name is Anthony Prinzo and I will be the principal intern at Starkweather this fall. I am currently completing my coursework at IUP University for my principal certification and will be working with Mr. Meanix until December. I have been a Biology teacher for ten years at WC East High School. I have also served many other roles at East such as head coach, department chair, and club advisor. I am very much looking forward to this new adventure at the elementary level and so glad Starkweather has welcomed me with open arms. I have already experienced so much of the Wolfpack pride.

As you likely already know, SWS is a Title 1 school, and this year that also includes math support via Title 1 funds. For more information, please check out one of the attachments below.

The recently approved PA state budget includes the funding for Universal Free breakfast for all Elementary and Middle School Students for 2024-25. This means all SWS students are able to access a free breakfast at school for the duration of the school year.

Starkweather uses PickUp Patrol for ALL plan changes, including late and early dismissals and absences. Please do not send notes, emails or call the school for changes, except in an emergency.

Any questions about PickUp Patrol can be directed to Ms. Maristch in our main office. pmaristch@wcasd.net or 484-266-2202.

As a reminder to our families, this school year elementary students will have a new special area called Design Lab!!

In Design Lab, students will work with Mrs. Christina Caroulis to explore Design Thinking strategies and experiences, which means they will spend time collaboratively tackling problems, developing creative solutions, and thoughtfully approaching important ideas.

FLEX LIBRARY:

Remember we're also changing our library experience. Instead of having a fixed schedule for library classes, we're making it more flexible. Students will still work with Mrs. Mary Gadaleto and learn how to research ideas properly, work on projects, find good sources, and explore wonderful books, but on a less fixed timeframe. Our library program will keep teaching important skills and making sure all students have access to books.

A couple quick updates--

• each student will be able to have 15 total days per school year that can be used as parent notes
• this replaces the model of 10 parent notes and 5 vacation days
• Pick Up Patrol can be used to submit absence notes for your students
• this replaced the model of absence notes needing to be submitted in writing

If you would like to volunteer to help out here at Starkweather, and especially if you think that you will want to be a chaperone for a field trip, please make sure your CLEARANCES are on file. This process is kind of a pain in the neck, to be honest, but the forms do last for 5 years.

Check out VOLUNTEER FORMS to get the process started. Thanks for helping out!

Use the NEW STUDENT LINK and follow the steps to register. MAKE SURE YOU CHOOSE THE CORRECT SCHOOL YEAR!! For a student for this year, 2023-24, choose the school year carefully, otherwise you may need to start over.

Registration for 2024-25 is now open for all incoming Kindergarten students.

Any questions, reach out to Ms. Christine Savage in the office. csavage@wcasd.net or 484-266-2202.

This is in an effort to increase and improve parent familiarity with our counselors and their services.

We have several students that use a wheelchair. Cones have been placed at one of the ramps on the front loop. Please do not block the ramp when dropping off or picking up. Thanks!

• DROP OFF is from 8:30 - 9:00.
• Please notice the green line on the map to use the CAR LOOP to drop off kids for regular arrival.
• ALL STUDENTS WILL ENTER THE BUILDING THROUGH THE MAIN ENTRANCE DOORS.
• Parents who are using ACP for Before School Care should notice the RED dashes on the map and drive around the side of the building. ACP uses the cafeteria and the back playground.
• If you are later than 9:00, please park your car and walk your child to the door to sign them in, too.
  
• If it is later than 9:00 but the buses are also still emptying, you are able to drop them off on the curb as we will still have staff out front.
• YIELD to BUSES--we usually do not have too much congestion in the mornings, but if needed, buses will pass the cars on the way up the hill.
• The best way to cut down on car-line congestion is to have your child use the bus!!

• PICK UP for afternoon dismissal is from 3:30 to 3:50.
• Any student ‘left over’ after 3:50 will need to be picked up from the office.
  
• As a parent pulls in to the car line, a staff member will use the Pick Up Patrol app to notify the classroom that the parent is here. The student will leave from the classroom and meet the parent in the carline.
  
• We will have staff members out front making note of the cars as they arrive into the CAR LOOP and helping students get into the cars (notice the green line on the map)
  
• As you’re waiting in the Car Line on the hill, be aware that buses will pass you on the way up the hill. It is ok, we have done this for years...LOOK BOTH WAYS as you enter and exit the Car Loop.
  
• YIELD TO THE BUSES!! Look at the RED ARROWS on the map above--those are spots where parents need to be careful when pulling into and out of the car loop. YIELD TO THE BUSES!!
  
• The best way to cut down on car-line congestion is to have your child use the bus!!