Wiss Watch
November 2022
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Wiss Nation News Highlights
Wiss Nation Pays Tribute to Our Veterans
Across the district, students and staff recognized and honored our veterans during Veterans Day (11/11) celebrations. Veterans were invited to attend assemblies and tributes in the schools where students honored our veterans with music, selected poetry and readings, a car parade and a thank you cheer from the WMS cheerleaders. The WHS Camerata, WMS strings, band and chorus, and our talented elementary student musicians performed patriotic songs. The WHS National Art Honor Society students surprised our WSD staff veterans by decorating their doors. See the special moments captured in our video highlight below.
Lower Gwynedd Elementary Turns 25!
First and Current LGE Principals
Happy Birthday LGE
Welcome to Our New Director of Security
We are pleased to welcome Mr. Tom Longo as the new district Director of Security. Mr. Longo brings to Wissahickon more than 33 years of previous experience in Montgomery County, PA. His role is to oversee all K-12 school security-related matters including planning, preparation, and training. He will connect with local law enforcement in the Wissahickon community and serve as liaison with state and county school-security officials and organizations. Welcome to Wiss Nation!
So Much to Celebrate! Pep Rallies and Parades!
Over the last four weeks, excitement has been in the air as students, staff and families celebrated the success of our Philadelphia sports teams and enjoyed fall festivities including the traditional Halloween parades at our elementary schools. Shoutout to LGE 5th Grader, Noah, and his mom, Karen Beck who were the Phanatics behind the township's (temporary) renaming of Houston Road to Phillies Road!
Phabulous Phillies Road
WMS Phillies Phans
1st Grade SCE Teachers Dress as Wilson Fundations Reading Program Characters
Fundations Chefs - Superintendent Dr. Crisfield and LGE 2nd Grade Teacher Mr. Alvare
Kudos: Student and Staff Achievements
District Artist of the Month - Rachel Koch
Congratulations to Rachel Koch, Shady Grove Elementary 5th grader in Mr. Mauriello’s class, who is our first District Artist of the Month for the 2022-23 school year. Rachel and her classmates were inspired by the Mexican artist, Pedro Linares, and his colorful Alebrijes. They learned about where Oaxacan animals are made in Mexico and how the artists use colorful patterns to decorate the wooden animals. Rachel created her Alebrije from clay and painted the form with acrylic paint. She used Posca paint pens to create patterns on her peacock. Rachel wants to be a zoologist when she grows up and either wants to study peacocks or big cats. She also created the zentangle leaf design using Sharpie markers and watercolors. Salt was used in the background as a watercolor technique to soak up the paint and to give added texture to the overall composition.
Wissahickon Opportunity Scholarship Recipient: Nia Murray
Congratulations to Senior Nia Murray, this year’s recipient of the Wissahickon Opportunity Scholarship. The scholarship provides one deserving student from WHS a full four-year scholarship to attend Gwynedd Mercy University as an Early Education major and then return to #WissNation as a K-4 teacher. The scholarship was made possible by a generous gift from an anonymous donor, and funding provided by Gwynedd Mercy University.
“The benefits of this program cannot be overstated. Not only will GMercyU welcome a motivated, talented and diverse candidate like Nia, but the Wissahickon Schools will benefit from the inspired alumna coming back home to teach and serve,” said GMercyU President Deanne H. D'Emilio.
Nia said she is excited to return to Wissahickon to help diversify the teaching staff, noting the many benefits of having a teaching staff that mirrors the demographics of the school’s student body.
Wissahickon Marching Band Unit
Congratulations to the Wissahickon Marching Unit who wrapped up their fall season after dazzling audiences with their field show performance of Tempus, an exploration of the sights, sounds, and wonders of time. The field show contains hundreds of intricate drill formations, coordinated to exciting musical scores. Central to the field performances are sophisticated routines by the Color Guard, exhibiting synchronized rifle, flag, and dance movements.
The WMU performed the field show routine at several local events including The Upper Dublin Spectacle of Sound, The USBands Competition at Perkiomen Valley, The Ephrata Showcase of Bands, and The Pennsylvania State Championships, where they earned a rating score of "Excellent."
The Marching Unit also hyped up #WissNation football fans at both home and away games with their field show performance, high energy pep tunes, and familiar sing-along songs.
American Education Week
From November 14-19, WSD is celebrating American Education Week. This is a time dedicated nationwide to honor public school communities. We are grateful for members of Wiss Nation - from our bus drivers and classroom teachers - to the cafeteria staff, administrative staff and countless others. In celebration, check out the Learning in Action stories, SELebrations and Cultural Recognition spotlights below.
Learning In Action
Do You Hear the Skeletons Laughing?
Mrs. Neft’s fourth grade class at Blue Bell Elementary joined Mrs. Swillo, music teacher, to learn about the tone poem Danse macbre by composer Camille Saint-Saëns. Students listened to the instrumental score and expressed the story's contents by creating flashlight paintings. In teams, students listened for the sounds made by different instruments to tell the story of what happened at the stroke of midnight when the skeletons came out.
Exploring Explorers!
Stony Creek 5th grade students shared their knowledge about early explorers at a Wax Museum where they dressed as their selected explorer and shared story boards with parents and peers.
22nd Annual Ramp Riot
WHS Robotics Team #341, Miss Daisy, hosted the 22nd annual Ramp Riot and welcomed the public back for the first time since 2019. Ramp Riot now draws 36 teams and over 2,500 spectators yearly. Every November, those 36 teams (representing up to 8 states) come together to battle it out in an arena-style robot competition.
Learning with Ambler Mayor Jeanne Song
4th graders at Shady Grove enjoyed a visit with Ambler Mayor Jeanne Sorg that included a Q & A session about local government, the responsibilities of a mayor, and voting. Great Social Studies lesson!
Students Learn from Robots
Miss Moore’s First Grade class at Shady Grove joined Dr. Lisa Ruff, librarian, to explore STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) by building their own robots. Students were paired up and instructed to create a snail, a satellite and a cooling fan that really moved! Students had fun and learned the skills of sharing, responsibility and teamwork.
SELebrations Spotlights
Each month this year, our schools are incorporating lessons and activities that support social emotional learning (SEL) skills - self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills and responsible decision making. The SEL theme for November is Gratitude. Check out a few of the great learning activities below.
What I'm Grateful For!
The WHS Student Council is organizing a door decorating contest with the theme: "We are Thankful For…" Doors will be judged the week of Thanksgiving and the winning homeroom will get pretzels and $100 donated to a charity of their choice.
Sharing With Our Veterans
The LGE Community collected donations of Halloween candy to share with veterans to show our appreciation for their service to our country.
WMS Recipients of the 3Rs
Every two weeks, WMS recognizes students who are nominated by their teachers and peers for exhibiting the 3Rs - Respect, Responsibility and Relationships. An example is Suzie Minnick, 6th grade, who "builds relationships through greeting teachers and peers with a wave and a warm smile."
Collaborative Quilt Highlights Belonging
WHS students created collaborative print quilts in Mr. William’s Art Mentorship class as a way to talk about belonging and community. Check out the beautiful “We Belong” exhibit.
Cultural Recognition & Celebrations
This October, students recognized Italian Heritage Month and the holidays, Diwali on October 24, and Day of the Dead (Dia De Los Muertos) on November 1. Throughout November, Wiss Nation is celebrating Native American Heritage Month. Stay tuned for highlights in December.
Exploring Cultural Cuisines
The WHS Culinary Explorations Club made cannoli dip to celebrate Italian American Heritage Month. YUM!
Making Diwali Lanterns
Mr. Daniels' 2nd graders at Shady Grove made paper lanterns and learned about Diwali, the 5-day festival of lights celebrated across India.
WHS Students Create Ofrendas
Students learned about Day of the Dead by making ofrenda to honor a family member or famous person who has passed away. The ofrendas included their name, picture, birth date/date of death, things the person liked, and adjectives to describe to the person.
WMS Students Create Bio-Poems
Mr. Deckebach's 7th Grade Pre-Algebra classes researched mathematicians of different cultural backgrounds and shared their findings in the form of a bio-poem. Poems will be displayed throughout the year to correspond with the district’s cultural calendar - most recently mathematicians of Hispanic, Italian and Native American Heritage.
Parent Education Events
On Monday, November 28 at 6 PM in the WHS Auditorium, join us for Social Media Landmines, a presentation by Robert Hackenson Jr. of Dynamic Influence that addresses social and emotional learning competencies. If you can't attend in person, the event will also be livestreamed on the WSD YouTube channel. Learn more about digital citizenship and digital safety along with tips and resources to support your child in having a healthy and positive social media (or online) experience.
For over a decade, Mr. Hackenson has been delivering “edutaining” presentations to youth, parents, and professionals. He has built his business on delivering very dynamic and engaging presentations that connect with audiences and leave a lasting impression. He has presented all over the country and around the world to students, for parent education nights, and for professional development for educators.
On Tuesday, December 6th from 6:30-8 PM in the Wissahickon Central Office Building, join us for Nutrition in the Home, a special Parent Education Night to learn some tips for healthy eating habits at home brought to you by a registered dietitian, personal trainer, group exercise instructor & chef! You'll learn more about healthy meals, portions and snacks for your family! The event will be recorded for viewing on our YouTube channel beginning December 7th.
Wissahickon Staff Are Always Learning Too!
November 8th - Election Day - was a professional development day for WSD staff. Everyone participated in learning new skills and information, including the Building and Grounds Support Staff who attended asbestos training and were provided updates on chemical safety.
National School Psychology Week
During the week of November 7-11, 2022, schools throughout the country celebrated National School Psychology Week (NSPW) to highlight the important work school psychologists do to help students thrive. Shoutout to our WSD school psychologists: Lucy Gil, Amy Gimbel, Nancy O’Neill, Robin Quann and Kate Warren.
School Board Brief
The Wissahickon Board of School Directors welcomes residents and community members to attend its monthly public meetings (e.g., work sessions, regular meetings, and committee meetings). These public meetings are held in-person at the District Administration Office and/or virtually via Zoom and YouTube. Click here to learn more about the school board.
Two Things to Know about the November 7 Board Meeting (click here to watch the meeting)
- Middle School Schedule: Mrs. Bauer, middle school principal, presented the proposed changes to the middle school schedule beginning in the 2023-2024 school year. To view this presentation, watch the meeting beginning at 2:21 (two minutes, 21 seconds).
- The Board approved the school calendars for the 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 school years. Click here to view and download the school calendars.
Upcoming Board Meetings
- November 21, 2022 at 6:00 p.m. via Zoom – Policy Committee Meeting
- November 21, 2022 at 7:00 p.m. via Zoom – Board Racial Equity Oversight Committee Meeting
- December 5, 2022 at 7:00 p.m. – Annual Board Reorganization and Work Session Public Board Meeting
- December 12, 2022 at 7:00 p.m. – Regular Public Board Meeting
Good Things to Know
New! WSD Phone Message Retrieval Line
Did you miss an automated phone call from the school district? No worries! We are pleased to introduce a call retrieval line which allows you to replay automated phone messages that the district sends via School Messenger. This will ensure deliverability in cases where you miss a call, someone else answers the call, your voice mail is full, a cell phone call is dropped before the message is completed, and/or the reception is poor, making the message difficult to understand.
Moving forward, the caller ID for automated district phone calls will be (877) 548-5634. We recommend saving this phone number as a contact so you will recognize calls from the district. Everything works as normal if you answer the call or have a voicemail left. (Note: this only applies to automated messages and not “live calls” from a staff member).
If you need to retrieve the automated message for any reason, follow these steps:
- Simply press redial or call 877-548-5634. You will hear a prompt that you have reached the SchoolMessenger notification system for Wissahickon.
- To listen to the message, press 1 and the system will read back your telephone number.
- Press 1 to verify or press 2 to enter a different telephone number.
- The most recent automated phone message from the district will begin playing.
- To repeat the message, press the star (*) key or press the pound (#) key to skip to another message. The last 30 messages from the district may be retrieved.
Text Message Reminder: The district sends text messages for urgent notifications such as weather closings/delays, school emergencies and important event reminders. If you would like to receive text messages from the district, make sure you have opted in by texting a Y or Yes to the short-code 67587 on your phone. You will receive a confirmation text letting you know that you have opted in.
Keep WissNation Healthy!
As we move into the fall and winter, the flu and other respiratory infections emerge. It is important for parents/guardians and students to take preventative steps including vaccination to protect yourself, your family, and our school community from illness. Check out these helpful tips from our Nursing Department.
Annual Report to the Community 2021-2022
We hope you enjoyed reading the Annual Report to the Community which was mailed to all households in the Wissahickon School District this October. If you missed it, you can also read it on our website by clicking the blue button below. This year's report focused on the many ways our school community worked together to create a sense of belonging where all students feel welcome, connected and valued.
Learning Grants to Enrich Education
WEOF is proud to fund learning grants that enhance teaching and learning through new programs, equipment, technology, and resources. Each school year, Wissahickon faculty may submit learning grant applications with innovative educational ideas to further engage students in classrooms and co-curricular activities. Click here to learn about previously awarded learning grants.
What's in a School Meal?
Healthy meals are essential to students’ ability to focus on learning. Wissahickon School District offers healthy meals every school day. Breakfast and lunch meals are available at all six Wissahickon schools. In the 2022-2023 school year, breakfast is free for ALL students. Lunch costs $2.65 for the elementary schools and $3.00 for the secondary schools (middle and high schools). For reduced-price meals, breakfast costs $0.30 and lunch costs $0.40 for all schools.
What’s in a school meal? Outlined below, a description of a complete school meal that qualifies for free and reduced-prices.
- Breakfast is free for ALL students in the 2022-2023 school year. Students must take at least one (1) fruit or one (1) juice.
- Elementary and middle school lunch: one (1) grain item; one (1) protein item; one (1) half-cup fruit choice; two (2) half-cup vegetable choices; one (1) cup of milk. Students must take at least one (1) fruit or one (1) vegetable.
- High school lunch meal: one (1) grain item; one (1) protein item; two (2) half-cup fruit choices; two (2) half-cup vegetable choices; one (1) cup of milk. Students must take at least one (1) fruit or one (1) vegetable.
A la carte Items: All students may purchase a la carte food items and snacks separately from the school meal. For example, if a student wants only pizza for lunch, then pizza is considered an a la carte item, and it is not a complete school meal. Therefore, this does not qualify for free or reduced-price meals. A complete meal would include pizza, fruit, vegetable, and milk. Additionally, snacks such as chips, cookies, and ice cream are not part of the school meal.
Student Meal Accounts: The district uses My School Bucks to provide families with the option of making online payments for school lunches and viewing their child's cafeteria purchase history. Families may also send money or personal checks to school with their student to add funds to their student’s meal account or purchase lunch each day.
Click here to learn more about Food Services at Wissahickon: Wissahickon School District - Food Services (wsdweb.org). For questions or concerns, please reach out to your student’s principal.
Upcoming Key Events
- November 21-22: Parent Teacher Conferences
- November 21, 22 and 23: Early Dismissal All Schools
- December 15, 2022 at 7 pm: Community Conversation #2 - School Start & End Times