• Spirit Week
• Mon 7th - Fri 11th
• info below
• 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
• Tuesday, Nov 5
• Teacher in-service--No School--election day
• Monday, Nov 11
• Veterans Day
• Nov 25-26-27
• Parent Teacher Conferences--more info to come
• Nov 28-29
• Thanksgiving Weekend--no school

It is that time of year again, so please be sure to read the information below—we are changing things up a bit this year.

On Thursday, Oct 31, students will participate in a Halloween Parade!

o Parents are invited to join us to see all the kids in their costumes.

o 9:45 start time, at the front of the building.

o If the weather is bad, kids will parade inside with the other students. Parents will not be invited inside.

o I will communicate the decision to have the parade inside or outside to parents ahead of time.

When planning costumes, remember, please:

o No weapons, No gore, No blood, No inappropriate themes.

o No Masks—we cannot have kids walking into the walls or tripping down steps because they are wearing a mask that they cannot clearly see through.

• Inflatable costumes are ok as long as the face is able to be seen and sight is clear, too!!!

Keep the 'school costumes' as simple as possible. Having students arrive already wearing their costume will help to keep things smooth. This may mean that the “school costume” is different than the “neighborhood trick-or-treat costume” and that is fine—we are not trying to replace whatever neighborhood traditions you have at home.

o Wearing the costume over a t-shirt and shorts will help us out here at school!

o Teachers may share specifics with parents about costumes for the day.

We anticipate more drop-offs: DO NOT BLOCK BUSES, THE CAR LINE, or TRAFFIC ON THE HILL!

o If costumes are kept simple, kids can still ride the bus!

If your family does not celebrate Halloween and you’d like your child to do an alternate activity, PLEASE email your classroom teacher and me so we can plan accordingly.

If you are able to purchase an additional costume this year, we are always in need of a few costumes for some of our students. A few days before that upcoming weekend, please send them in to school in a bag labeled: extra costume for caseworker. Thanks!

This is going to be a lot of fun!! We are looking forward to seeing many funny, cute, spooky children on Thursday, Oct 31st…now, I wonder what I should be…

Boo!

John Meanix

Mrs. Kathy Walker is now our new attendance secretary / office assistant. Her email is kwalker@wcasd.net should you need to contact her. Our safe arrival line is 484-266-2210.

We have some important updates to share regarding attendance and communication:

In addition to the reminders below, from earlier this year, we are working on a 1/2 sheet handout for parents to receive when they drop off or pick up--just some tips to help things run smoothly!

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.

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.

A couple quick updates--

• 
  
• 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!!