Insight PA Elementary Newsletter

Dear Insight PA Bulldogs,

Thank you everyone as we kicked off another great year in Elementary School. I am excited to welcome you to the October newsletter and as the new ES principal. This school year is going to be filled with many authentic learning opportunities for our students to be engaged in their learning and community. We would like to thank you for your patience as we introduced new learning platforms and programs to start the 24-25 school year.

Please continue to encourage your students to participate in all classes in a way they feel most comfortable: using chat, coming on the microphone, and being on camera. I look forward to visiting classrooms and getting to know all of our elementary students and families. I am here to support and serve.

Please reach out any time you have questions or concerns.

Your Leadership Team,

Dr. Rickeya Jones, Principal (rijones@insightpaschool.org)

Mrs. Wendy Yonkers, Assistant Principal (weyonkers@insightpaschool.org)

Mr. Sam Alba, Assistant Principal (saalba@insightpaschool.org)

Meet our new Elementary Principal, Dr. Rickeya Jones!

Dr. Jones received her BS in Special Education from West Chester University (here in PA!) and both her Masters Degree in School Administration and Doctorate in Educational Leadership from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She comes to Insight PA with a variety of educational experiences, including teaching K-5 Learning Support in the Philadelphia School District and working as a Special Ed and General Ed teacher in North Carolina before moving into the roles of Assistant Principal and Principal.

Please note the following important dates this month:

Thursday, October 3rd - Asynchronous Day (No Live Instruction)

Fall Break (October 11 - 14)

Insight PA will be CLOSED on Friday, October 11th and Monday, October 14th for Fall Break.

End of Quarter 1

Quarter 1 will end on Thursday, October 31st. All assignments for Quarter 1 are due by midnight this evening!

Nominated by Mrs. Koliscak

“Tessa is off to a great start this school year! She attends class, follows directions, and participates. She is kind to her classmates and completes her assignment on time. Tessa is responsible and a leader in class.”

At Insight PA, we are deeply committed to providing our students with a safe learning environment where they feel supported, included, accepted, and valued. Throughout the month, our team of school counselors will be sharing information and resources with our students in their Counselor Connection sessions.

We invite you to join us in wearing orange on Wednesday, October 16th in honor of Unity Day. We wear orange to visibly show that we believe no child should ever experience bullying.

We invite all students to create a poster that shows what YOU can do to prevent bullying and to promote kindness and respect. Posters can be completed physically (on paper) or digitally. They may include student first names, last initials, and grade levels. Please to NOT include full last names, student ID numbers, addresses, or any other identifying information on your posters!

One winning poster will be selected in each of the following groups:

• Kindergarten - 2nd Grade
• 3rd - 5th Grade
• 6th - 8th Grade
• 9th - 12th Grade

Winners will receive an item of their choice (up to $35) from our Insight PA School Store. Click the link below to submit your poster by 4:00pm on Thursday, October 24th!

In our continued efforts to reach more of our families and provide you with a voice in our school community, we will be offering a series of monthly Community Town Halls this year. These events are open to all Insight PA parents, guardians, and students.

October Community Town Hall

Date - Tuesday, October 22, 2024

Time - 6:30pm - 7:30pm

Location - Zoom

This month's topics will include:

• Board of Trustees introduction
• School goals for 2024-2025
• Stride/K12 updates
• Online platform reminders & tips (Schoology, Class, ParentSquare, etc.)
• And more!

*A finalized agenda and Zoom meeting link will be shared in our next school wide newsletter.

Please join us for the following parent/guardian education sessions during the month of October:

Attendance Strategies and Barriers

Tuesday, October 1st from 12:00PM - 12:30PM

Presenter - Kayann Chisholm-McLeish, Student Attendance Specialist

Zoom Link - https://insightpaschool.zoom.us/j/4080572556

Self Care and Stress Management for Parents

Tuesday, October 1st from 12:30PM - 1:00PM

Presenter - Crystal McClure, Student Resource Specialist

Zoom Link - https://insightpaschool.zoom.us/j/4080572556

Special Education 101

Tuesday, October 8th from 12:30PM - 1:00PM

Presenters - Special Education Supervisors

Zoom Link - https://insightpaschool.zoom.us/j/4080572556

Class & ParentSquare

Tuesday, October 15th from 12:00PM - 12:30PM

Presenters - Shirena Outlaw & Brittani Ferris, LEAP Specialists

Zoom Link - https://insightpaschool.zoom.us/j/4080572556

Bullying Prevention

Tuesday, October 15th from 12:30PM - 1:00PM

Presenter - Brett Witmer, Student Resource Specialist

Zoom Link - https://insightpaschool.zoom.us/j/4080572556

Our Elementary School Counselors will be conducting lessons on bullying during their Counselor Connection classes this month. They will also be introducing new social groups called "Lunch Bunch" and "Peer Breaks." These optional groups provide a great opportunity for students to connect and socialize with their peers in a fun environment. Keep an eye out for sign-up information from your counselor!

Our Elementary students are assigned to a counselor by grade level and work with the same counselor each year as they move up through Elementary School. Not sure who your counselor is? Check the list below!

• Mrs. McPherson (Kindergarten)
• Mrs. Testa (1st Grade)
• Mrs. Peters (2nd Grade)
• Ms. Snyder (3rd Grade)
  
• Mrs. McFarland (4th Grade)
• Mrs. Judson (5th Grade)