Ellicott October Update

Wednesday, October 16th, 5:30 - 7:30pm: PTO's Ellicott Fall Social and Book Fair 🍂🍩📚

Wednesday - Friday, October 16th, 17th, 18th: Fire Safety Presentations UPK-5th Graders 🚒🧯

Friday, November 8th, 8:00 - 8:45am: Veteran's Day Celebration/Breakfast

Monday, November 11th: Veteran's Day - NO SCHOOL

Thank you to everyone that participated, donated, and supported our annual Walk for Ellicott. There were smiles all around and we are so happy to continue this event. Thank you to our PTO and all the parent and teacher volunteers that allowed this to happen!

As Halloween approaches, we want to share some important reminders to ensure that all students enjoy a safe and fun celebration on Thursday, October 31st.

Please take a moment to review the following guidelines:

Costumes

Students are encouraged to wear school-appropriate costumes but please keep in mind:

• No costumes that are violent or gory in nature.

• Weapons (real or pretend) are NOT allowed.

• Costume masks and accessories should be kept at home.

• No face paint.

• Students should wear their costumes to school over their regular clothes.

• Please ensure costumes allow students to participate comfortably in regular school activities.

Classroom Celebrations 🎉

• Each class will celebrate in their own special way. Please refer to your child's teacher's communication for specific details about classroom parties and activities.

• Each teacher will outline any dietary/allergy restrictions within the classroom.

• If your child will not celebrate Halloween, notify the teacher so we can ensure all students can feel comfortable and be included.

Snacks, Treats, & Candy 🍬

• No homemade treats are allowed.

• Pre-packaged, store-bought, individual snacks and treats may be passed out based on the classroom plans.

• Please be aware of food allergies in your students’ room and always check with the teacher if you are unsure if a treat is allowed.

Safety First 🔦

• If your child will be trick-or-treating, please remind them to stay with a trusted adult, watch for traffic, and carry a flashlight or wear reflective clothing. Safety is key for a fun night!

It is important that families communicate with their classroom teachers if they have questions about costumes, celebrations, and snacks prior to Halloween.

Please RSVP so we can plan ahead!

OPCSD has been working to put together a document of snacks that are safe for schools. This includes what snacks are free from the top 9 allergens, as well as where the products can be purchased. Your child's classroom teacher can let you know what allergens their room should be aware of. This document can help support snacks in the rooms that are safe for all. Click on the link to access this document! 🍉🍦🥜

The deadline to sign up is October 18th! Reach out to Ms. Ebling for questions!

Below you will find the PTO's October Newsletter which has more information regarding upcoming events. The next meeting will be on November 6 at 9:30am in the Small Cafeteria at Ellicott.

Ellicott Elementary was recently surprised with an event sponsored by Crayola's Campaign for Creativity! Former Ellicott student, Kailey Artiles was reunited with a piece of artwork she created when attending Ellicott Elementary back in 1997. The art has been kept in various museums and headquarter spaces for Crayola. Crayola teamed up with the Buffalo Bills and player Mack Hollins to give her artwork back to her.

Hollins had the opportunity to talk with the students in grades 2 - 5 about the importance of creativity in their lives. In addition, two students were selected by Hollins to take part in a drawing competition using custom two-pound crayons made for Ellicott by Crayola. The students had 90 seconds to draw their best Buffalo Bills logo. Students cheered on their peers and fun was had by all! The competition ended in a tie - because when you're creative, everyone wins!

Crayola kindly donated many art supplies to Ellicott Elementary, as well as to The Teacher's Desk. We were very fortunate to be able to take part in this event!

Former Ellicott students completed a 50-hour project focused on reducing air pollution caused by idling cars outside the schools. This project fulfilled the requirements for their Silver Award, the second-highest achievement in Girl Scouts.

The girls identified air pollution from cars idling for hours before school dismissal as a key issue. These cars are often parked near the entry and exit points of the buildings, meaning most children must walk through this area. In some cases, traffic patterns place these cars next to playgrounds, where children are still playing while the cars are idling.

The educational signage requests that visitors turn off their vehicles while waiting, in order to reduce air pollution around the school. You will notice these signs at all of our Orchard Park schools!

Way to go girls! 😀

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