Falcon Flash

Good Evening Stetson Families,

I want to thank those of you who attended our rising 7th and 8th grade course selection presentation this past Wednesday. I understand and acknowledge the course selection process can be a challenging time for families and we want to help support you through this process as much as possible. Our teachers are currently collaborating and evaluating their data collected throughout the course of the year to make recommendations for next year. The student and parent window will open on Monday, February 13 and run through Friday January 24th. We will be sending home a PDF version of the course selection presentation given on Wednesday night shortly. The WCASD course selection page can be found here (https://www.wcasd.net/Domain/6883) for additional details and dates as well!

On a brief note, please be sure to carefully look at this week's SMORE as it contains many new sections and pieces of information regarding items such as tryout dates for upcoming sports, new clubs and student opportunities available, items that can be donated to our Student Health Office, and much more.

This upcoming week we will be celebrating our wonderful school counselors at Stetson Middle School. Our counseling team consists of Heather Selgrath (8th Grade), Casey Cerullo (7th Grade), and Robert Schwartz (6th Grade). As a team and department, they are a very valuable asset to our Stetson community and provide our students with a great level of support throughout the course of the year. We look forward to honoring them and all their hard work this week!

Thank you for your support,

Mrs. Puchalla

Principal

National School Counseling Week 2023 is February 6-10, 2023. The purpose is to focus public attention on the unique contribution of school counselors within the U.S. school system. National School Counseling Week, sponsored by the American School Counselor Association (ASCA), highlights the tremendous impact school counselors can have in helping students achieve school success and plan for a career. The 2023 theme is School Counselors: Helping Students Dream Big.

Thank you to our counselors, Heather Selgrath (8th grade), Casey Cerullo (7th grade), and Bobby Schwartz (6th grade) who help our Falcons achieve their personal best!

We are halfway through the school year and would like to remind everyone about student drop-off procedures in the morning. We know that the drop-off line is very long most days and that the volume of vehicles varies daily, which creates unpredictability and frustration.

We have noticed there are students being dropped off in the parking lot, which creates a dangerous situation as students then need to cross in front of vehicles in the car line. In order to keep all of our students safe, please ONLY drop students off in the designated car line. We recognize that everyone’s time is valuable, and it may seem more efficient to skip the car line and drop off in another area, but this puts your child at risk and is inconsiderate of those following drop-off procedures.

As a reminder, students may be dropped off as early as 7:30 am. Our campus is most busy between 7:55-8:05 am, so we recommend arriving before those times. Students must be IN HOMEROOM by 8:05 am to be considered on time for school.

We appreciate everyone’s support at drop-off as we work together to keep our students safe.

Monday, February 6th-- Day 3

Tuesday, February 7th--Day 4 ***Falcon Period***

Wednesday, February 8th--Day 5

Thursday, February 9th--Day 6 ***Falcon Period***

Friday, February 10th-- Day 1

Monday, February 13th-- Day 2

Tuesday, February 14th--Day 3 ***Falcon Period***

Wednesday, February 15th--Day 4

Thursday, February 16th--Day 5 ***Falcon Period***

Friday, February 17th-- Day 6 (Half Student Day, Teacher PM In-Service)

On Wednesday, February 15th, Rustin High School will host a course selection evenings for ALL GRADES incoming 9-12th grade parents. The presentation will take place at Rustin High School at 6:30pm in the auditorium.

Just wanted to pass along a friendly reminder about upcoming PSSA and Keystone testing dates at Stetson. We know families may plan vacations over the course of the school year, and we wanted to ensure we provided enough notice to help guide future plans.

Tentative schedule for testing is as follows:

April 25, 26 & 27 ELA PSSA

May 2 & 3 Math PSSA

May 4 & 5 Science PSSA for Grade 8

May 17 & 18 – Algebra Spring Keystone (Current Algebra 1 Students Only)

Home games this week:

Boys Basketball: Tuesday Feb. 7 vs. Great Valley @ RHS Gymnasium

Boys Basketball: Wednesday Feb 8 vs. Charles F Patton

***8th Grade designate to play at 3:15 pm first unless otherwise noted. 7th Grade typically starts around 4:15 pm.***

The 6th Grade Intramural Basketball Program is an after-school activity in which 6th grade students will have the opportunity to improve their basketball skills, interact with their peers and get physical exercise. If your student would like to participate and follow the guidelines, please sign and return the attached permission form by February 15th, 2023.

Attention Girls Lax players!

Please see the photo below to join the Stetson Girls Lacrosse Schoology page with details about tryouts and the team.

7th and 8th grade students and parents,

Spring sports will be upon us soon. Coach Jim Ascareggi (8th grade) and Coach D (7th grade) will have girls softball try-outs on the following dates:

Monday, March 6th and Tuesday March 7th from 3 to 4:15: 7th and 8th grade pitchers and catchers. Anyone who has some experience in pitching and/or catching should come to this try-out.

Wednesday March 8th and Thursday March 9th from 3 to 4:50: 7th Grade Tryouts.

Friday March 10th: Rain date.

Monday March 13th and Tuesday March 14th from 3 to 4:50: 8th Grade Try-outs

Please see the attached letter below for additional details.

It is Stetson’s mission to help all students maintain passing grades, however, if a student is failing two or more academic subjects, or one academic subject, and two unified arts classes, they will be placed on our ineligibility list. Students who are on the ineligibility list are unable to participate in any extracurricular sport/activity. A report is generated every Thursday to determine eligibility status for the following week. Parents will receive an email the Friday before the ineligible week and students will receive a letter in homeroom. Students are encouraged to check their grades frequently on PowerSchool and Schoology.

Remember to order your 2022-2023 yearbook! Don't miss out! You can order at jostensyearbooks.com. Please let Miss Verna know if you have any questions at sverna@wcasd.net

Stetson Community Event – February 23, 2023

After having such a successful food truck night with our Stetson Community, we have decided to try another event. We’ve set up a deal with the Sixers to go to their game on Thursday, February 23rd. As of right now, the Sixers have blocked off 200 tickets to try and keep many of our Stetson family members in the same section; ticket costs will be somewhere between $40-$50 each. The game starts at 7:30 but we’ll be given early access to watch the shoot-around starting at 6:00.

Below is a link to a Stetson branded website exclusively for members of our school community to order their tickets for the game. The website also contains contact information for the account executive who is coordinating this event for us should you need it. Please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions.

Purchase Link: https://fevo.me/3EQ6Ykq

Brought to you by your Friendly Stetson Community Crew!

Calling all aspiring guitar players!

Anyone interested in joining Guitar Club, please see Ms. Barrett in room G102 or message her through email or Schoology. The club will take place at 7:30am on Thursdays. Please see the attached flyers for additional details!

If you have already registered and paid for the FEB 24th ski trip to Blue Mtn. please disregard this email.

Due to an extensive waitlist and the popularity of the Friday night ski trips there's a good chance we will add an additional bus for the FEB 24th Ski Trip to Blue Mtn. In order for a second bus to be added we need to have a minimum of 48 paid participants.

1. If you have a student that wants to be added to the FEB 24th ski tip and they are not already signed up, please reply to this email with the student(s) name and grade.
2. Once we have enough students signed up we will email, in order of requests, a sign up form with payment information.
3. At this time please limit sign up to students and siblings for Stetson students.
4. Parents, if you would also like to go on the bus please indicate as such and we'll try to accommodate getting the minimum by adding parents / chaperones if necessary.
5. The cost for the trip is $22 per person plus a one time club fee per family of $5 dollars.

Any questions please reach out to Senora Stephens in E101.

Pajama Day comes to Stetson!

Today's Pajama Day at Stetson was incredibly successful and we are very grateful for all of our families generosity to support our Stetson Musical this year. Our next Pajama Day will be held on Friday, February, 17th. The cost again will $1.00 . This contribution will directly benefit the production of our Stetson musical this year. If you wish to participate in this fundraiser, please bring your money to Mrs. Bond in the atrium before homeroom and receive a hand stamp indicating that you have been approved to wear your pajamas that day. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to wear your favorite pajamas to school as you show support for our Drama Club!

Here are the performance dates:

Performance Dates

Friday, March 31, 2023 7:00PM

Saturday, April 1, 2023 1:00PM & 7:00PM

PTO welcomes new Board Members for the 2022-23 school year:

Patty Arabia, Vicki Babylon, Julie Finnegan, Jamie Grant, Dee Hurford, and Lindsey Rauch. We are asking families to consider making a contribution to the PTO, so we can continue to bring enhancements to our children’s education. Our suggested contribution is $25 per family, but whatever you can provide would be greatly appreciated. Cash and checks (made out to Stetson PTO) can be sent to school marked PTO Contribution.

THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR STETSON FAMILIES WHO PARTICIPATED IN OUR "DINE AND DONATE" AT PIC'AS RESTAURANT ON JANUARY 11TH. WE RAISED $202.80 THAT EVENING THANKS TO YOUR GENEROSITY. PLEASE BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR OUR NEXT "DINE AND DONATE" OPPORTUNITY IN MARCH.

As a school we are always looking to improve upon our building culture. This year we will be promoting positive relationships and growth with our students using the acronym PRIDE. Pride stands for:

P- Purpose (Having our students do things with intent and determination.)

R- Respect (Showing respect to our peers and adults.)

I- Integrity (Doing the right thing even when no one is looking. Strong moral principles.)

D- Diversity (Recognizing that we all come from difference places and experiences and we respect each others differences.)

E- Empathy (the ability to understand and share the feelings of another.)

One our first day of school, Monday, we held a Town Hall meetings with each of our grades to welcome them back and review expectations and PRIDE was the heart of our presentation. We encouraged all students to practice PRIDE every day at Stetson and we encourage parents to talk with their students about what PRIDE is and how they can show it. We wanted to make adults at home aware in case they hear their student mention it at home. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out.

Our Falcon Periods on Tuesdays and Thursdays in the morning. Falcon Period runs as an extended HR from 8:15-8:50. The purpose of this additional period is to provide an academic support period during the school day for students to have the opportunity to complete work, receive remediation/enrichment, and participate in our social and emotional activities. Our bell schedule is adjusted to accommodate for the Falcon periods. Tuesday Falcon Period will concentrate on executive functioning support and Thursday will be focused on social and emotional learning. We believe through these opportunities students can make stronger connections with teachers, counselors, administrators, and peers.

Friendly reminder regarding the WCASD Dress Code Policy:

Students are expected to wear clothing appropriate for school. Unacceptable attire includes, but is not limited to, attire that is unsafe, unhealthy, disruptive, offensive to generally acceptable community standards, or contains obscene language; any clothing that reveals undergarments; torn clothing or clothing with holes in it; and tight fitting outfits that are inappropriate and/or revealing. During the school year and summer school, the following applies to male and female students:

1. Tops

a. Shirts, t-shirts, and sweatshirts shall not have inappropriate slogans, words, pictures, alcohol/smoking advertisements, etc.

b. No tank tops, no tops that show the midriff or cleavage, and no see-through tops shall be permitted.

2. Pants/Shorts/Dresses/Skirts

a. Dresses, shorts, and skirts shall be at an appropriate length, which has been determined to be no shorter than midway between the knee and the top of the leg.

b. No pants/sweatpants/shorts/etc. with writing located in inappropriate places are permitted.

c. Pants shall be appropriately sized and worn at the waist, and no lower than the top of the hips.

d. Undergarments shall not be displayed.

e. Pajamas shall not be permitted.

3. Outerwear

a. Coats, hats, hoods, scarves, and the like shall not be worn in the school building, except for religious reasons.

4. Footwear

a. No bedroom slippers shall be permitted.

b. Laces on shoes shall be secured.

c. Any footwear that poses a safety hazard shall not be permitted.

5. Other

a. No chain link belts.

b. Spike jewelry, chains or any other jewelry that could cause injury or constitute a hazard are not permitted.

Welcome Back! Below is a step by step breakdown to follow if you are experiencing Covid symptoms. Please pay close attention to the criteria for testing positive and experiencing symptoms as guidance has changed. Also, there are several options available for Covid testing kits and locations that are listed in the letter as well. As always, if you have any questions please do not hesitate to reach out our school nurse, Mrs. Czerpak at 484-266-2706.

Please remember if your child exhibits symptoms of illness, please keep the home!

Reminder about phones- As a friendly reminder, if a student is not feeling well they should report to the Nurse's office. The office will then contact home with any health concerns or if a student needs to be picked up.

The Stetson Health Office would like to request donations for our students who may need a change of clothes during the school day.

We would greatly appreciate the following items:

Girls Underwear- New, All Sizes

Boys Underwear- New, Medium and Large

Unisex Sweatpants- New or Gently Used, All Sizes

Thank you in advance for your support!!

Students can drop donations off to Mrs. Czerpak and Mrs. Elduff in the Nurse's Office.

It is the winter and holiday season and sometimes we experience sickness in our households. I wanted to share a good resource for your family from CHOP:

https://www.chop.edu/sickseason?utm_source=patient_list&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=network_pc&utm_content=navigating_sick_season_view_sick_season_resources-cta_button-patient-awareness-primary

Medication Reminder

Field trip season is upon us! Please see attachment regarding medication requirements, and a blank medication authorization form for physician and parent completion. Thank you.

All medications, even over-the-counter (OTC) medications, must be dispensed by the school nurse. Do not send medications with your child to take during the day. Sending medicines with your child is against school policy and the WCASD Discipline Code. A signed permission note must accompany medications that need to be given during school and a written order from the doctor with type, dosage, and time. A copy of the prescription to the pharmacy is not the same and cannot be accepted. Students are not permitted to bring their medications to school. A parent/guardian must personally deliver the medication to the school nurse, who must secure and dispense the medication. Students are not permitted to dispense medications to themselves. Our Nurse, Mrs. Melissa Czerpak, will be available for early medicine drop-off at various times in August. Please contact her to schedule the medication delivery by calling her at 484-266-2706 or emailing her at mczerpak@wcasd.net.

Stetson Middle School Code of Conduct

All students will be given access to an electronic copy of the WCASD Discipline & Records Policy through the distribution of the 1 to 1 laptops. Additionally, the administration will review the policy manual with each grade level during their town hall meeting the first week of school. It is vitally important to review every page of these documents with your child. Each child will be required to verify through a signature that they have received the policy. Knowing what is expected of each student and what consequences are for various offenses will be important to have a successful experience at Stetson Middle School.

Each student is responsible for knowing their bus number, stop location, and pick-up time. Students should be at their bus stop at least five minutes before the scheduled pick-up time. Per WCASD policy, students are neither permitted to ride a bus to which they are not assigned nor get off at an unassigned bus stop. Bus passes will not be permitted due to continued limited bus capacity. Bus drivers have the right to assign seats on their buses. BUS ARRIVAL TIMES MAY NOT BE EXACT IN THE FIRST FEW WEEKS SO PLEASE BE PATIENT AS WE WORK TO HIT OUR SCHEDULED TIMES.

Accidental Damage Policy:

Our students will be covered for one incidence of accidental damage coverage for each academic year. Any cost of repair/replacement of damage beyond the one incident per year will become the responsibility of the student or parent/legal guardian. This accidental damage coverage will not cover device loss or intentional damage.

Student Drop-Off/Pick-up: Safety is the top priority at Stetson. Please use the designated lane to drop off/pick up students. There will be only one lane available for drop-off and pick-up in the morning and afternoon. Prepare for long lines and plan accordingly. Students may be dropped off as early as 7:30 am. Stay in the car line and follow staff members’ instructions. You will find the carline traffic flow map attached below. Please review the map and feel free to reach out with any questions. Students may only enter or exit cars at the designated cones. Student drop-off and pick-up can be challenging with the high volume of cars that enter the campus. We appreciate your efforts in helping keep our students safe during this time.

Due to the start time of the staff workday, students can only enter school after 7:30 am unless directed by a teacher for a pre-determined appointment. Students dropped off before 7:50 am will be directed to wait in the cafeteria (6th grade) or LGI (7th and 8th grade) until dismissed to lockers/homeroom.

Being on Time to School: Homeroom begins at 8:05 am and ends at 8:15 am. Students arriving late to homeroom (after the homeroom bell rings at 8:05 am) must report to the office for a late pass. The administration will handle lateness following the WCASD Attendance Policies and PA State Laws.

Lateness Clarification:

a. All Stetson students who are assigned and ride a bus that arrives late will NOT be marked late due to the bus’s late arrival.

b. A student who is driven to school and dropped off in the car line will be marked late if the student is not in their homeroom when the homeroom bell rings at 8:05 am.

Please refer to the document below regarding our attendance policies. We have created a comprehensive document which should provide clarity on things such as early dismissals, late arrivals, absences, vacation requests, etc. If you have any questions, please reach out to our attendance secretary, Mrs. Heather Mazza, at hmazza@wcasd.net.

Teachers will now have the ability to use attendance codes when taking attendance during their classes. Teachers will use the code "ACT" or activity for when a student has checked in and is participating in a school sponsored activity. If a student is not present in the classroom and has not previously checked in with their teacher, they will use the code "LAW" meaning they are not present in the classroom. Students must previously have checked in with their teacher in order for the ACT code to be used. We use these codes as a safety and accountability measure for our building.

Cell phones and other unauthorized electronic devices are not allowed to be carried on a person during the school day. If a student chooses to bring a device to school, it must be turned off/silenced and stored in the student’s locker for the duration of the school day. Failure to follow this directive will result in the confiscation of the item and possible further disciplinary action, including, but not limited to, the student’s parent/guardian having to pick the item up from school.

Please check Stetson's website often to find updates and school information. You may also keep up-to-date on your child's academic progress by accessing our Parent Portal system. Please follow us on Twitter to check out our latest events and announcements @GAStetsonMS.

When: Sunday Feb. 19, 2023

Where: Rustin High School Stadium

Time: 1:00-4:00

Cost: $35 per person

Venmo: @rhsknightslax

See attached flyer for more details!

Volunteering is Linked to Overall Happiness.

In fact, research from the National Institute of Health has found that “participation in voluntary services is significantly predictive of better mental and physical health”. Yet, according to the PA Youth Survey, less than one-quarter of teens in our area report they have volunteered in the last 12 months. To connect with your community, see your value in the world and maybe even find a passion, check out these resources to Get Started Volunteering Today! #wcyouthmatter

The West Chester Area School District is pleased to partner with West Chester Communities That Care to bring you Tips and Tricks for finding Passion and Purpose through Volunteering.