Good afternoon East Ward!

I cannot believe November is here already. We thank you for your support of all things East Ward!

From Kindergarten to Fifth grades, our students are engaged in the curriculum. Meeting learners where they are and growing them is important. To that end, we use many resources to measure students' learning and provide the most appropriate intervention. Caregivers can log into infinite Campus to view their children's Aimsweb+ benchmark scores. We use this and more in our work with students.

East Ward is making preparations for our Family Heritage Night! We would love for every family to attend. You can learn about the heritages of our diverse school community. Every year, I learn so much! Please try to make it to EW on Thursday, November 14 from 6-7:30.

In 2 weeks (November 18) our 4th and 5th grade students will have an assembly with an award winning Native American poet and author, Kaitlin Curtice. She will be sharing one of her children's books and talking with children about her background.

As you may or may not know, earlier this year we shared that our mascot, Cougar, was retiring. Our new mascot will be arriving soon! The children voted on a name. Just for fun, I have copied the survey to see what name our caregivers think we should give our new mascot. Here is the survey.

The end of the first trimester is fast approaching. We have conferences November 25th and 26th. At conferences you will hear about your child's progress toward our year end standards. You may also hear a few glows and grows, or areas they are doing well in and areas they need to continue to improve upon. The stronger our partnership is between home and school, the better your child will find success in learning. Looking forward to seeing you all soon.

As we approach Thanksgiving, I want to express my gratitude for our wonderful East Ward community. Your support and involvement make a significant difference in our students' lives. Thank you for being an essential part of our school family.

Looking forward to seeing you all soon.

Your Proud Principal,

Dr. Argonish

We have been here for a few months now, and there is a lot of things in our lost and found. We will continue to encourage children to look in the lost and found during school, but I wanted to suggest caregivers stop at the lost and found when at EW, Perhaps conferences might be a good time to look for your child's missing things. All items will be donated after Thanksgiving break.

Writing your child's name or initials on the tag is most helpful. We return items when they are identifiable.

This November, Downingtown Area School District is proud to celebrate Native American Heritage Month and Indian Heritage Month with a variety of enriching educational opportunities. Organized by parents, guardians, students, and community members, these events will shine a light on the unique histories, traditions, and contributions of both communities.

Through these celebrations, the district reaffirms its dedication to fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion within our schools, creating a more inclusive and culturally aware environment for all.

#ThisIsDEI #InclusionMatters

“Magic Story Time”, where students and Parents can come and listen to stories from 7pm to 8pm in their pajamas.

In wanting to create a positive and reflective model for our Building Equity Task Force, our Books selected are aligned with the cultural initiatives set fourth by the district for our story time session.
Parents will join their children and be available for question and answer sessions after stories are read for further positive discussion.

The goal is to get…

*books of different cultures and traditions read to students

*get students inquisitive about the beauty of books and their stories

*get students to ask questions in an open setting with parents as a guide

*to deepen our community as a whole

*an opportunity for students to check those books out at a later time if they wanted to.

Thank you for the possibilities of making this a big success. Truly appreciate all of you.
Hope to see you in the iDesign Room (Next to library-2nd floor) on Nov. 13!
- Brian Hearns

The DASD Preschool Outreach Group will be holding a series of free events throughout the school year for preschool students who will be attending DASD kindergarten in the coming year. The goal of these events is to familiarize the children and their families with DASD and to help support the children's kindergarten readiness.

November's Outreach was Music and Movement 11/4 (Lionville Elem.) and 11/6. The DASD Preschool Outreach webpage continues to be updated and RSVP's added. The next outreach will be Books and PJ's on January 6th and 7th.

Over the next two months, counseling iDesign lessons and classroom Second Step lessons will be focused on emotional regulation. We all have feelings, sometimes big and sometimes small; acknowledging that and beginning to learn skills for managing those feelings in a healthy and effective way will help to set our students up for an emotionally healthy future. Here are some things to think about when you talk to your child(ren) about feelings:

• All feelings are ok; it's the way we handle the feelings that can be problematic.
• Normalize conversations about feelings. Talk about your own feelings and wonder out loud about their feelings (i.e. "It looks like you might be mad right now. Is that right?").
• Have conversations about what some of those heavy feelings feel like in their body and sound like in their brain. Recognition of a feeling is the first step towards being able to cope with it.
• Sometimes the best time to talk about feelings is after the big feeling has passed. In the middle of the big feeling, focus on reducing/managing that emotion.
• Have a game plan: what works for them when they are upset? Involve your child in coming up with their own coping toolbox. Do they like to draw? Use putty? Listen to music? Write in a journal?
• Emphasize that they have a team of support people, both at home and at school, who can help them to manage big feelings. Feelings are not shameful and it's better for us to talk about them than to bottle them up or hide them.

Counseling lessons this month align with the social-emotional topic of emotional regulation in an effort to have consistent language and focus across the school day. You'll find linked the take-away note that will be posted to Class Dojo after each lesson.

K - Anger

1st - Tattling

2nd - Bullying

3rd - Worries

4th - Shark Tank Finale

5th - Emotional Baggage

Five Finger Breathing: Use the index finger of your dominant hand to trace up and down each finger of your other hand. Breathe in as you reach the top of the finger, and breathe out on your way down. Repeat this 5 times.

Dr. Katie Rastetter, School Counselor

krastetter@dasd.org

610-269-8282 ext 23040

Friday, 11/1- School Closed- Diwali

Tuesday, 11/5- School Closed- Professional Development Day (Election Day)

Thursday, 11/14- 3rd Annual Family Heritage Night

Wednesday, 11/6- Early Band Rehearsal

Friday, 11/8- Early Chorus Rehearsal 7:45 AM

Monday, 11/11- Picture Retake Day/ Veterans Day

Tuesday, 11/12- Early Orchestra Practice- 7:45 AM

Wednesday, 11/13- 3rd Grade Field Trip

Wednesday, 11/13- Home & School Parent Meeting 7:00 PM (EW Library)

Wednesday, 11/13- Magic Story Hour 7:00 PM (Library)

Thursday, 11/14- Early Band Rehearsal 7:45 AM

Thursday, 11/14- Family Heritage Night 6-7:30 PM (East Ward)

Monday, 11/18- American Education Week begins

Monday, 11/18- Chorus Rehearsal 7:45 AM

Monday, 11/18- Learning Express Shop & Donate (H&S)

Wednesday, 11/20- Early Orchestra 7:45

Wednesday, 11/20- Dine and Donate MaGerks

Friday, 11/22- Early Band 7:45

Monday, 11/25- 2 Hr. Early Dismissal/Conferences NO AM/PM Kindergarten

Tuesday, 11/26- NO SCHOOL- Conferences

Wednesday, 11/27- NO SCHOOL

Thursday, 11/28- NO SCHOOL- Happy Thanksgiving

Thursday, 11/28- Turkey Trot (See event below)

Friday, 11/29- NO SCHOOL

Friday, 12/6- Parent's Night Out (See event below)

East Ward is preparing for their third annual Family Heritage Night on Thursday, November 14 from 6pm – 7:30pm. This event is dedicated to celebrating the variety of cultures within our school community. The event feature displays, food, games, music, and more, all showcasing the diverse backgrounds of our families. We would love for your family to share your culture with the East Ward Community! If you are interested in having a table at Family Heritage Night, please go to https://tinyurl.com/ewheritage24 – Any questions, please reach out to Dr. Kessler – jkessler@dasd.org

Dear EW Caregivers,

School pictures are ready!

To order, log in to your account on mylifetouch.com or create an account using your student's student ID number.

All families can also log on and order a FREE Digital SmileSafe card.

More about the Smilesafe program here.

Thank you!

As parents, we hope to develop many positive skills and traits in our children. Critical thinking,

the ability to think deeply about a topic or a book, is an essential skill for children to develop.

Critical thinking doesn’t develop overnight. It’s something that develops and builds through

conversations and experiences. It’s also something parents can nurture by sharing quality books

with their children.

Even though your elementary-aged child may now be able to read on their own, reading together

remains just as important as it was when your child was younger. Family read-alouds provide great

opportunities to tackle more challenging books together. These longer chapter books may have plots that are more complex and more demanding vocabulary. Working through these books chapter by chapter helps teach persistence. And by reading together, you are there as an important source of support and information.

Reading critically involves slowing down, and taking the time to help your child reflect on what

you’ve just read. Depending on the book, discussions may involve talking about what a character’s

actions tell us about his personality, or how the book’s setting is important to the overall

message. It might mean helping your child recognize something about the plot and the conflict that exists. It also means asking more open-ended questions to which there can be multiple correct answers.

Quality books enable you and your child to talk about the book in depth and with substance. All of

this will help your reader develop critical thinking skills that will last a lifetime. Below are a

few recommended titles, by grade level, that you and your growing reader may enjoy reading together and talking about.

Books for second and third grades

• Mr. Popper’s Penguins, by Florence and Richard Atwater

• Babe: The Gallant Pig, by Dick King-Smith

• Half Magic, by Edward Eager

• The Phantom Tollbooth, by Norton Juster

Recommended titles are from Deconstructing Penguins: Parents, Kids and the Bond of Reading, by

Lawrence and Nancy Goldstone (HarperCollins, 2005)

🍁 Hello Parents and Guardians,

As the weather cools and the leaves change, we’re here to keep your children healthy and safe this season. With fall in full swing, here are a few timely reminders to ensure students are healthy and ready to learn each day.

1. Fighting Fall Allergies & Colds:

Seasonal allergies and colds are common in the fall. Please remind your children to wash their hands frequently and to cover their mouths and noses when they sneeze or cough. If your child shows any cold or flu symptoms, keep them home to rest and recover.

2. Dressing for the Weather:

Mornings are chilly! Make sure your child is bundled up as they head out, especially with hats, gloves, and layers they can remove as the day warms up. A jacket is a must for recess and outdoor activities.

3. Staying Hydrated:

Even as the weather cools, it’s important for students to stay hydrated. Encourage your child to bring a reusable water bottle to school and remind them to drink water throughout the day.

4. Nutrition for Energy & Focus:

With Halloween candy around, it’s easy to forget the importance of balanced meals. A nutritious breakfast and snacks packed with fruits, vegetables, and whole grains provide the energy needed for a productive school day.

5. Flu Season Reminder:

If your child hasn’t yet received their flu shot, now is the perfect time. The flu vaccine is one of the best ways to keep students, staff, and families healthy throughout the season.

6. Pertussis & Pneumonia Alert:

We’re seeing a rise in pneumonia and pertussis (whooping cough) cases here in Chester County and across the nation. We encourage you to keep an eye out for these symptoms in your child, especially if they develop a cough.

• Common Symptoms: Persistent or severe cough, difficulty breathing, fever, chills, chest pain, or a cough that produces mucus.

• Recommendations: If your child has a persistent cough or any of the symptoms above, consider visiting your healthcare provider for an evaluation. Ensure children stay home if they are coughing frequently, as rest and hydration aid in recovery and prevent spreading illness to classmates.

Thank you for your support in keeping our school community safe and healthy. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to the school nurse’s office.

🍂 Warm Regards,

The School Nurses Team

Health Room Nurse

East Ward Elementary School

435 Washington Ave

Downingtown PA 19335

610-269-8282 EXT 23021

“Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.” – George Bernard Shaw

Please refer to the link below this map for all the details for walkers or picking up students by car if you have not already done so. Many thanks!

Call DASD Transportation if you need assistance with a bus after 4:00pm.
Phone number: 610-269-8460. Select the transportation prompt to be connected with someone who can help you.

Email: ewinfo@dasd.org
Website: https://ew.dasd.org/
Location: 435 Washington Ave, Downingtown, PA 19335, USA
Phone: 610-269-8282
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dasdew
Twitter: @dasd_ew