- Wallingford Elementary School
- e-Blasts 2023-2024
-
April 15, 2024
April 15, 2024
Upcoming Dates:
April 15 - Grades K-2 Author Visit - Melissa Trempe
April 16 - WES Night at Swarthmore Pizza, 4-9pm
April 19 - Jump Rope for Heart, 1:30pm
April 22, 24 and 26 - PSSAs
April 23- NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS - Teacher In-Service Day
April 26 - Deadline to order WES Yearbook
May 7 - PTO Meeting, 6:00pm
May 8 - Spring Concert, 7:00pm
May 10 - Field Day & May Day
May 16 - Beginner Instrumental Music Concert, 7:00pm
May 27 - NO SCHOOL - HOLIDAY
5th Grade Families: Please see attached for a list of end-of-year activities.
_______________________________________________________
Dear Families,
We welcomed two guest authors to WES recently. Last week, Alex London visited with our 3rd-5th grade students and spoke about his novel The Princess Protection Program. This morning, we welcomed Melissa Trempe who celebrated the release of her debut picture book, Ladybug Launch about ladybugs in space, with our K-2 students. Thank you to Mrs. Chafetz and our PTO for coordinating and supporting these inspiring author visits!
Just a reminder that PSSAs begin next week for students in grades 3-5. Please make sure your student is on time to school in the morning and refrain from any early dismissals/appointments in the morning hours. Your help in making sure your student gets a good night’s sleep and eats a healthy breakfast is also appreciated.
Thank you and have a great week,
Dr. Savage
Principal
Wallingford Elementary
_________________________________________________________
Volunteer Clearances - Now Required for Volunteers
WSSD is now requiring volunteer clearances for anyone volunteering with students more than once, which is the vast majority of our visitors. Any volunteer coming into the building for library, guest reader, homeroom parent, party volunteer, etc. is now required to have clearances on file with the district. If your clearances are not up to date and on file, please understand that you will not be permitted to volunteer. Please note that the district expectation has always been, and continues to be, that field trip chaperones have valid clearances on file.
Instructions for obtaining and submitting clearances:
- There are two required clearances (Child Abuse Clearance and PA State Police Criminal Background Check) and a form (Volunteer Registration and Disclosure Form) which must be completed. Clearances are free. The only cost is for the FBI fingerprinting which is only required if you have not lived in PA for the last 10 consecutive years.
- Clearances must be submitted via the form above. We can no longer accept clearances emailed or dropped off directly to the building.
- Volunteer clearances are good for 5 years from the date of issue.
More information about how to obtain clearances and how to submit them are available on the district's website, here: https://www.wssd.org/domain/389
Thank you for all you do to support your children. Please contact the office with any questions.
Guidance Newsletter
Read the latest newsletter to see what your child learned with Mrs. Schwam during the 12th guidance cycle of the year. Your child had guidance during the 4/8 to 4/11 library period.
Jump Rope for Heart - Friday, April 19, 2024
Please see attached for details about Jump Rope for Heart. This information was also sent home with your student before the break. Thank you!
WANTED: Clear 2-Liter Plastic Bottles
The 5th graders will soon begin an ecosystem project using clear plastic 2-liter sized soda bottles.
Before you toss them into recycling, consider bringing your clear plastic 2-liter bottles to WES for the 5th graders to use for this project. Students can drop them in the office or bring them to Mrs. O’Neill. Thanks for your consideration!
Yearbook Information - Please Order by April 26, 2024
Yearbooks are now available for order! Order forms were sent home with your student and they are also available to order online. Please see the information below and place your order by Friday, April 26, 2024.
School Lunch Information & Menu
The Weekly Lunch Menu for WES is available on the Nutrislice website. Please note, menus may still be subject to change based on supply and staffing changes. If your student has unique diet needs, please reach out to Kate Rittler for available options.
Please refer to the Food Services page of the WSSD website for more information on:
WES Night at Swarthmore Pizza
WES Night at Swarthmore Pizza is a perfect answer to busy schedules and crosses off one of those items "to do-"... Eat in, take out, or deliver from Swarthmore Pizza tomorrow, Tuesday, April 16th between 4pm-9pm. Just mention WES night (no flyer needed) and a portion of the proceeds goes back to support our school!
The Re-Prize Drive is Back for One Week!
From April 22 through April 26, the WES Sustainability Committee will be collecting like-new and gently used small toys and trinkets. Your items will be given new life in our May Day prize booth, greatly reducing the amount of new consumption needed to host the event. In the past few years, the Re-Prize Drive has been able to eliminate new prize purchasing almost entirely.
Please see the attached information sheet for full donation guidelines before contributing. Questions? Please reach out to Erin Stancill.
We Love WES Spring Direct Appeal
The PTO’s We Love WES Spring Direct Appeal starts this week! We hope you received your letters in the mail. Our goal is to continue to offer and enhance all our wonderful programs as well as provide financial support as new needs arise around our school, but we can't do it without you! Please consider donating by sending in the response card, or you can give directly through the WES PTO website.
May Day - Friday, May 10
WES May Day will take place on Friday, May 10th from 12:30pm to 3:00pm! After Field Day in the morning, all students will enjoy a fun-filled afternoon with games, prizes, treats and excitement for the entire family! Parents and siblings are invited to join us for this PTO-sponsored event, and there are many opportunities to volunteer. Please sign-up here to help! The link to purchase your students’ wristband will be in WES Mail next week. If scholarship is needed, please reach out to your child's teacher or Candice Rogers and a complimentary wristband will be provided. Each wristband purchased helps to fund the event, and we greatly appreciate your support of this much-loved WES tradition!
WES Water Bottles for Sale!
The WES PTO is selling WES "color changing" water bottles for $8. As the weather heats up, consider purchasing one for your student on the PTO website. The PayPal link will be open for the month of April. You can choose to purchase the blue/purple or white/pink.
Teacher Appreciation Week
Every year, the WES PTO/Hospitality Committee sponsors a breakfast and raffle basket giveaway for every staff member that supports our kids each and every day here at WES for Teacher Appreciation Week. On May 9th, we will host the breakfast, and then they will get to choose a donated basket. The information for both the breakfast and baskets are in the sign up links below. We need a lot of volunteers to make this happen so please consider signing up to bring food or donate a basket!
April Author Visits
This month, our students have enjoyed visits from authors Alex London (April 9th with grades 3-5) and Melissa Trempe (April 15th with grades K-2). Signed copies of their books are available for WES families to purchase from Children's Book World using the links above. Thank you for supporting the WES PTO Visiting Authors program!
Car Line
The Car Line Sign-Up for January-June is now available! We are asking for volunteers to help provide a warm welcome in the morning in the back loop at WES from 8:15-8:45 am each morning. We need volunteers to keep the traffic flowing and assist the kids with their backpacks and car doors - especially in the colder months when more families are driving and many kids have winter gear. Please contact Ted Benzing if interested or with any questions.
Community Flyers from PeachJar!
__________________________________
Have a question? We are here to help!
Mrs. Zwitch , Executive Assistant to the Principal- jzwitch@wssd.org, 610-892-3470 ext. 4305
Mrs. Brown, Building Secretary, Attendance, - pbrown2@wssd.org, 610-892-3470 ext. 4306
-
April 8, 2024
Upcoming Dates:
April 9 - Grades 3-5 Author Visit - Alex London
April 9 - PTO Meeting, 6:00pm
April 15 - Grades K-2 Author Visit - Melissa Trempe
April 16 - WES Night at Swarthmore Pizza
April 19 - Jump Rope for Heart
April 22, 24 and 26 - PSSAs
April 23- NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS - Teacher In-Service Day
_______________________________________________________
Dear Families,
We had a fun and educational day learning and experiencing the partial solar eclipse. Teachers talked about the eclipse in their classrooms and then went outside for a bit to view the celestial event. What a unique experience for our students!
Please see below for detailed information on how to obtain and submit your volunteer clearances. With several field trips and other volunteer opportunities on the horizon this spring, now is the perfect time to complete this requirement. Remember, without valid clearances on file, you will not be permitted to volunteer or chaperone events, no exceptions.
Have a great week,
Dr. Savage
Principal
Wallingford Elementary
_________________________________________________________
Volunteer Clearances - Now Required for Volunteers
WSSD is now requiring volunteer clearances for anyone volunteering with students more than once, which is the vast majority of our visitors. Any volunteer coming into the building for library, guest reader, homeroom parent, party volunteer, etc. is now required to have clearances on file with the district. If your clearances are not up to date and on file, please understand that you will not be permitted to volunteer. Please note that the district expectation has always been, and continues to be, that field trip chaperones have valid clearances on file.
Instructions for obtaining and submitting clearances:
- There are two required clearances (Child Abuse Clearance and PA State Police Criminal Background Check) and a form (Volunteer Registration and Disclosure Form) which must be completed. Clearances are free. The only cost is for the FBI fingerprinting which is only required if you have not lived in PA for the last 10 consecutive years.
- Clearances must be submitted via the form above. We can no longer accept clearances emailed or dropped off directly to the building.
- Volunteer clearances are good for 5 years from the date of issue.
More information about how to obtain clearances and how to submit them are available on the district's website, here: https://www.wssd.org/domain/389
Thank you for all you do to support your children. Please contact the office with any questions.
WSSD K-8 Math Program Update - At WES This Week
See below for dates to learn more about the math program being considered for 2024-25 school year and beyond.
Hot off the Press - Rusty’s Ramblings Student Newspaper!
Rusty's Ramblings is the newspaper that started at WES last year. Siona Talekar, now in 6th grade, came up with the idea and proposed it to Dr. Savage and the PTO. The idea was well received and the Newspaper Club was born. This year, 13 fourth and fifth grade students met with 5th grade teacher, Mrs. McGaffin, as part of a 6 week club. They applied for the jobs back in January and worked in groups as editors of the different sections of the newspaper. The three editors-in-chief designed the issue themselves using Google Slides and everyone has taken part in putting the issue together themselves. They worked so well together and learned a lot!
Rusty's Ramblings is a place for students to shine, both in the club and in the paper itself! The club received many submissions from all grades. These submissions included news articles, stories, poems, artwork, and photographs. Read the latest edition of Rusty’s Ramblings!
Jump Rope for Heart - Friday, April 19, 2024
Please see attached for details about Jump Rope for Heart. This information was also sent home with your student before the break. Thank you!
WANTED: Clear 2-Liter Plastic Bottles
The 5th graders will soon begin an ecosystem project using clear plastic 2-liter sized soda bottles.
Before you toss them into recycling, consider bringing your clear plastic 2-liter bottles to WES for the 5th graders to use for this project. Students can drop them in the office or bring them to Mrs. O’Neill. Thanks for your consideration!
Yearbook Information - Please Order by April 26, 2024
Yearbooks are now available for order! Order forms were sent home with your student and they are also available to order online. Please see the information below and place your order by Friday, April 26, 2024.
School Lunch Information & Menu
The Weekly Lunch Menu for WES is available on the Nutrislice website. Please note, menus may still be subject to change based on supply and staffing changes. If your student has unique diet needs, please reach out to Kate Rittler for available options.
Please refer to the Food Services page of the WSSD website for more information on:
Swarthmore Pizza Spirit Night
WES Night at Swarthmore Pizza is a perfect answer to busy schedules and crosses off one of those items "to do-"... Eat in, take out, or deliver from Swarthmore Pizza on Tuesday, April 16th between 4pm-9pm. Just mention WES night (no flyer needed) and a portion of the proceeds goes back to support our school!Upcoming Author Visits
Best-selling author Alex London will visit our 3rd-5th grade students at WES on Tuesday, April 9th with his novel The Princess Protection Program. Several beloved fairy tales are weaved together in this fast-paced and funny adventure about finding your place in the world and taking control of your own story. Alex London lives in Philadelphia and is the acclaimed author of more than 30 books for children and teens. He has been a journalist and human-rights researcher reporting from conflict zones and refugee camps, a young adult librarian with the New York Public Library, and a snorkel salesman.
Melissa Trempe will visit with our K-2 students at WES on Monday, April 15th to celebrate the release of her debut picture book, Ladybug Launch. Signed and personalized copies are available to order here until Wednesday, April 3rd. Co-authored with Dr. Natalia Ojeda, this inspiring picture book is based on the real story of Chilean high school girls who convinced NASA to send ladybugs to space! Melissa Trempe lives in the Philadelphia area, and she has hiked a volcano and swum with sharks, but her favorite pastime is writing for children. As an educator, she's passionate about equality and helping children find their inner strength to achieve anything.
Car Line
The Car Line Sign-Up for January-June is now available! We are asking for volunteers to help provide a warm welcome in the morning in the back loop at WES from 8:15-8:45 am each morning. We need volunteers to keep the traffic flowing and assist the kids with their backpacks and car doors - especially in the colder months when more families are driving and many kids have winter gear. Please contact Ted Benzing if interested or with any questions.
Community Flyers from PeachJar!
__________________________________
Have a question? We are here to help!
Mrs. Zwitch , Executive Assistant to the Principal- jzwitch@wssd.org, 610-892-3470 ext. 4305
Mrs. Brown, Building Secretary, Attendance, - pbrown2@wssd.org, 610-892-3470 ext. 4306
-
April 1, 2024
Upcoming Dates:
April 2-5 - Spring Book Fair (during Library)
April 3 - Evening Book Fair Shopping for Families, 4:30pm-6:00pm
April 9 - Grades 3-5 Author Visit - Alex London
April 9 - PTO Meeting, 6:00pm
April 15 - Grades K-2 Author Visit - Melissa Trempe
April 19 - Jump Rope for Heart
April 22, 24 and 26 - PSSAs
April 23- NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS - Teacher In-Service Day
_______________________________________________________
Dear Families,
I hope you all had a nice break and were able to rest and recharge. It was wonderful to welcome everyone back this morning! We look forward to settling back into our routines this week.
Don’t forget that our Spring Book Fair begins tomorrow and will go until Friday. Students will have a chance to shop the book fair during their library special or with their families in the evening on Wednesday, April 3 from 4:30 to 6:00pm.
Please see below for detailed information on how to obtain and submit your volunteer clearances. With several field trips and other volunteer opportunities on the horizon this spring, now is the perfect time to complete this requirement. Remember, without valid clearances on file, you will not be permitted to volunteer or chaperone events, no exceptions.
Have a great week,
Dr. Savage
Principal
Wallingford Elementary
_________________________________________________________
Volunteer Clearances - Now Required for Volunteers
WSSD is now requiring volunteer clearances for anyone volunteering with students more than once, which is the vast majority of our visitors. Any volunteer coming into the building for library, guest reader, homeroom parent, party volunteer, etc. is now required to have clearances on file with the district. If your clearances are not up to date and on file, please understand that you will not be permitted to volunteer. Please note that the district expectation has always been, and continues to be, that field trip chaperones have valid clearances on file.
Instructions for obtaining and submitting clearances:
- There are two required clearances (Child Abuse Clearance and PA State Police Criminal Background Check) and a form (Volunteer Registration and Disclosure Form) which must be completed. Clearances are free. The only cost is for the FBI fingerprinting which is only required if you have not lived in PA for the last 10 consecutive years.
- Clearances must be submitted via the form above. We can no longer accept clearances emailed or dropped off directly to the building.
- Volunteer clearances are good for 5 years from the date of issue.
More information about how to obtain clearances and how to submit them are available on the district's website, here: https://www.wssd.org/domain/389
Thank you for all you do to support your children. Please contact the office with any questions.
WSSD K-8 Math Program Update
See below for dates to learn more about the math program being considered for 2024-25 school year and beyond.
Hot off the Press - Rusty’s Ramblings Student Newspaper!
Rusty's Ramblings is the newspaper that started at WES last year. Siona Talekar, now in 6th grade, came up with the idea and proposed it to Dr. Savage and the PTO. The idea was well received and the Newspaper Club was born. This year, 13 fourth and fifth grade students met with 5th grade teacher, Mrs. McGaffin, as part of a 6 week club. They applied for the jobs back in January and worked in groups as editors of the different sections of the newspaper. The three editors-in-chief designed the issue themselves using Google Slides and everyone has taken part in putting the issue together themselves. They worked so well together and learned a lot!
Rusty's Ramblings is a place for students to shine, both in the club and in the paper itself! The club received many submissions from all grades. These submissions included news articles, stories, poems, artwork, and photographs. Read the latest edition of Rusty’s Ramblings!
Jump Rope for Heart - Friday, April 19, 2024
Please see attached for details about Jump Rope for Heart. This information was also sent home with your student before the break. Thank you!
WANTED: Clear 2-Liter Plastic Bottles
The 5th graders will soon begin an ecosystem project using clear plastic 2-liter sized soda bottles.
Before you toss them into recycling, consider bringing your clear plastic 2-liter bottles to WES for the 5th graders to use for this project. Students can drop them in the office or bring them to Mrs. O’Neill. Thanks for your consideration!
Yearbook Information - Please Order by April 26, 2024
Yearbooks are now available for order! Order forms were sent home with your student and they are also available to order online. Please see the information below and place your order by Friday, April 26, 2024.
School Lunch Information & Menu
The Weekly Lunch Menu for WES is available on the Nutrislice website. Please note, menus may still be subject to change based on supply and staffing changes. If your student has unique diet needs, please reach out to Kate Rittler for available options.
Please refer to the Food Services page of the WSSD website for more information on:
Spring Book Fair - April 2-5!
We’re so excited to invite you and your family to our upcoming Scholastic Book Fair. Hosted by our PTO, this event is an opportunity for students to build their home libraries and further their love of reading. As always, all purchases benefit our school.
Here’s what you need to know about the Spring Book Fair, which will take place from Tuesday, April 2nd - Friday, April 5th during your child’s library special day/time:
- Our Book Fair offers eWallet, a safe and secure alternative to cash. Simply create a free account to add funds and/or invite family and friends to contribute so your child can select their own books. Any unused funds can be spent at the Scholastic Store Online or to use during a future book fair.
- The PTO has created our very own eWallet Book Fairy account. This account helps us to support any students in need and makes sure every child goes home with a book. Please consider making a small donation to help support this effort. (When you visit the link to donate, the default grade listed is kindergarten, but it is used for every grade.)
- If your child can’t make it to the fair, they can shop at our school’s Online Book Fair. All orders ship directly to your home, and shipping is free for book orders over $25. Your online orders will also benefit our school.
- Visit our online book store here to learn more, create a wish list and get started with eWallet and online shopping.
- If you are interested in volunteering at the book fair, please sign-up here. This is a great opportunity to help the students select books and also work the checkout counter. Please note that all volunteers will need clearances on file with the school district. See here for more information about volunteer clearances.
- Come and shop after school in the library on Wednesday, April 3rd from 4:30-6:00 pm.
Upcoming Author Visits
Best-selling author Alex London will visit our 3rd-5th grade students at WES on Tuesday, April 9th with his novel The Princess Protection Program. Signed and personalized copies are available to order here until Saturday, March 30th. Several beloved fairy tales are weaved together in this fast-paced and funny adventure about finding your place in the world and taking control of your own story. Alex London lives in Philadelphia and is the acclaimed author of more than 30 books for children and teens. He has been a journalist and human-rights researcher reporting from conflict zones and refugee camps, a young adult librarian with the New York Public Library, and a snorkel salesman.
Melissa Trempe will visit with our K-2 students at WES on Monday, April 15th to celebrate the release of her debut picture book, Ladybug Launch. Signed and personalized copies are available to order here until Wednesday, April 3rd. Co-authored with Dr. Natalia Ojeda, this inspiring picture book is based on the real story of Chilean high school girls who convinced NASA to send ladybugs to space! Melissa Trempe lives in the Philadelphia area, and she has hiked a volcano and swum with sharks, but her favorite pastime is writing for children. As an educator, she's passionate about equality and helping children find their inner strength to achieve anything.
Car Line
The Car Line Sign-Up for January-June is now available! We are asking for volunteers to help provide a warm welcome in the morning in the back loop at WES from 8:15-8:45 am each morning. We need volunteers to keep the traffic flowing and assist the kids with their backpacks and car doors - especially in the colder months when more families are driving and many kids have winter gear. Please contact Ted Benzing if interested or with any questions.
Community Flyers from PeachJar!
__________________________________
Have a question? We are here to help!
Mrs. Zwitch , Executive Assistant to the Principal- jzwitch@wssd.org, 610-892-3470 ext. 4305
Mrs. Brown, Building Secretary, Attendance, - pbrown2@wssd.org, 610-892-3470 ext. 4306
-
March 18, 2024
Upcoming Dates:
March 18 -20 - Mrs. Guar’s Lemonade and Pretzel Stand (during lunches)
March 21-22 - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS - Teacher Conferences
March 25-29 - NO SCHOOL - SPRING RECESS
April 2-5 - Spring Book Fair (during Library)
April 3 - Evening Book Fair Shopping for Families, 4:30pm-6:00pm
April 9 - PTO Meeting, 6:00pm
April 19 - Jump Rope for Heart
April 22, 24 and 26 - PSSAs
April 23- NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS - Teacher In-Service Day
_______________________________________________________
Dear Families,
Thank you to Mr. C and our 5th grade team for their hard work organizing the 5th grade dance celebration last week. It was a fun evening!
We look forward to seeing parents/guardians later this week for conferences. Conferences will occur March 21 and March 22 for 1st through 5th grades (please note that there is no school for students on these days). Kindergarten conferences occur on March 19, 20, 21 and 22 to accommodate the additional classes. Don’t forget to check the lost and found in the front lobby while you are here!
Please see below for detailed information on how to obtain and submit your volunteer clearances. With several field trips and other volunteer opportunities on the horizon this spring, now is the perfect time to complete this requirement.
Wishing you all a peaceful and enjoyable break with your families,
Dr. Savage
Principal
Wallingford Elementary
_________________________________________________________
Volunteer Clearances - Now Required for Volunteers
WSSD is now requiring volunteer clearances for anyone volunteering with students more than once, which is the vast majority of our visitors. Any volunteer coming into the building for library, guest reader, homeroom parent, party volunteer, etc. is now required to have clearances on file with the district. If your clearances are not up to date and on file, please understand that you will not be permitted to volunteer. Please note that the district expectation has always been, and continues to be, that field trip chaperones have valid clearances on file.
Instructions for obtaining and submitting clearances:
- There are two required clearances (Child Abuse Clearance and PA State Police Criminal Background Check) and a form (Volunteer Registration and Disclosure Form) which must be completed. Clearances are free. The only cost is for the FBI fingerprinting which is only required if you have not lived in PA for the last 10 consecutive years.
- Clearances must be submitted via the form above. We can no longer accept clearances emailed or dropped off directly to the building.
- Volunteer clearances are good for 5 years from the date of issue.
More information about how to obtain clearances and how to submit them are available on the district's website, here: https://www.wssd.org/domain/389
Thank you for all you do to support your children. Please contact the office with any questions.
Mrs. Gaur’s Lemonade & Pretzel Stand- March 18-20 During Lunches
All the children in WES land, come to Mrs. Gaur’s Lemonade Stand. Lemonade and a pretzel make a good snack, bring $2.00 in your backpack. Buy some lemonade to benefit WES, so we can keep making WES the BEST!
- Dates: March 18, 19 and 20
- Place: WES Cafeteria
- Time: During Lunches
- Cost: $1.00 - lemonade, $1.00 - soft pretzel
Lost & Found
Take a look below and see if you recognize any of your family’s belongings. Students can pick up items at the lost and found or parents can check the front lobby when they are in the building for teacher conferences. Items not claimed will be donated to charity after Spring Break. Thank you!
Jump Rope for Heart - Friday, April 19, 2024
Please see attached for details about Jump Rope for Heart. This information will also be sent home with your student this week. Thank you!
Yearbook Information - Please Order by April 26, 2024
Yearbooks are now available for order! Order forms were sent home with your student and they are also available to order online. Please see the information below and place your order by Friday, April 26, 2024.
WANTED: Clear 2-Liter Plastic Bottles
The 5th graders will soon begin an ecosystem project using clear plastic 2-liter sized soda bottles.
Before you toss them into recycling, consider bringing your clear plastic 2-liter bottles to WES for the 5th graders to use for this project. Students can drop them in the office or bring them to Mrs. O’Neill. Thanks for your consideration!
School Lunch Information & Menu
The Weekly Lunch Menu for WES is available on the Nutrislice website. Please note, menus may still be subject to change based on supply and staffing changes. If your student has unique diet needs, please reach out to Kate Rittler for available options.
Please refer to the Food Services page of the WSSD website for more information on:
Spring Book Fair - April 2-5!
We’re so excited to invite you and your family to our upcoming Scholastic Book Fair. Hosted by our PTO, this event is an opportunity for students to build their home libraries and further their love of reading. As always, all purchases benefit our school.
Here’s what you need to know about the Spring Book Fair, which will take place from Tuesday, April 2nd - Friday, April 5th during your child’s library special day/time:
- Our Book Fair offers eWallet, a safe and secure alternative to cash. Simply create a free account to add funds and/or invite family and friends to contribute so your child can select their own books. Any unused funds can be spent at the Scholastic Store Online or to use during a future book fair.
- The PTO has created our very own eWallet Book Fairy account. This account helps us to support any students in need and makes sure every child goes home with a book. Please consider making a small donation to help support this effort. (When you visit the link to donate, the default grade listed is kindergarten, but it is used for every grade.)
- If your child can’t make it to the fair, they can shop at our school’s Online Book Fair. All orders ship directly to your home, and shipping is free for book orders over $25. Your online orders will also benefit our school.
- Visit our online book store here to learn more, create a wish list and get started with eWallet and online shopping.
- If you are interested in volunteering at the book fair, please sign-up here. This is a great opportunity to help the students select books and also work the checkout counter. Please note that all volunteers will need clearances on file with the school district. See here for more information about volunteer clearances.
- Come and shop after school in the library on Wednesday, April 3rd from 4:30-6:00 pm.
Car Line
The Car Line Sign-Up for January-June is now available! We are asking for volunteers to help provide a warm welcome in the morning in the back loop at WES from 8:15-8:45 am each morning. We need volunteers to keep the traffic flowing and assist the kids with their backpacks and car doors - especially in the colder months when more families are driving and many kids have winter gear. Please contact Ted Benzing if interested or with any questions.
Community Flyers from PeachJar!
__________________________________
Have a question? We are here to help!
Mrs. Zwitch , Executive Assistant to the Principal- jzwitch@wssd.org, 610-892-3470 ext. 4305
Mrs. Brown, Building Secretary, Attendance, - pbrown2@wssd.org, 610-892-3470 ext. 4306
-
March 11, 2024
Upcoming Dates:
March 14 - 5th Grade Dance Celebration, 7:00pm
March 15 - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS - Teacher In-Service Day
March 18 - Go for the Greens Event
March 18 -20 - Mrs. Guar’s Lemonade and Pretzel Stand (during lunches)
March 21-22 - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS - Teacher Conferences
March 25-29 - NO SCHOOL - SPRING RECESS
April 2-5 - Spring Book Fair (during Library)
_________________________________________________________
Dear Families,
Happy Monday! The conference sign up links for Spring conferences are now closed. Please contact your child’s teacher if you would still like to arrange to meet during the conference window. Conferences will occur March 21 and March 22 for 1st through 5th grades (please note that there is no school for students on these days). Kindergarten conferences occur on March 19, 20, 21 and 22 to accommodate the additional classes. We look forward to meeting with you to discuss your child’s progress.
As a reminder, there is also no school for students this Friday, March 15 for a teacher in-service day.
Thank you and enjoy your week,
Dr. Savage
Principal
Wallingford Elementary
_________________________________________________________
Volunteer Clearances - Now Required for Volunteers
WSSD is now requiring volunteer clearances for anyone volunteering with students more than once, which is the vast majority of our visitors. Any volunteer coming into the building for library, guest reader, homeroom parent, party volunteer, etc. is now required to have clearances on file with the district. If your clearances are not up to date and on file, please understand that you will not be permitted to volunteer. Please note that the district expectation has always been, and continues to be, that field trip chaperones have valid clearances on file.
Instructions for obtaining and submitting clearances:
- There are two required clearances (Child Abuse Clearance and PA State Police Criminal Background Check) and a form (Volunteer Registration and Disclosure Form) which must be completed. Clearances are free. The only cost is for the FBI fingerprinting which is only required if you have not lived in PA for the last 10 consecutive years.
- Clearances must be submitted via the form above. We can no longer accept clearances emailed or dropped off directly to the building.
- Volunteer clearances are good for 5 years from the date of issue.
More information about how to obtain clearances and how to submit them are available on the district's website, here: https://www.wssd.org/domain/389
Thank you for all you do to support your children. Please contact the office with any questions.
Mrs. Gaur’s Lemonade & Pretzel Stand- March 18-20 During Lunches
All the children in WES land, come to Mrs. Gaur’s Lemonade Stand. Lemonade and a pretzel make a good snack, bring $2.00 in your backpack. Buy some lemonade to benefit WES, so we can keep making WES the BEST!
- Dates: March 18, 19 and 20
- Place: WES Cafeteria
- Time: During Lunches
- Cost: $1.00 - lemonade, $1.00 - soft pretzel
Lost & Found
Take a look below and see if you recognize any of your family’s belongings. Students can pick up items at the lost and found or parents can check the front lobby when they are in the building for teacher conferences. Items not claimed will be donated to charity after Spring Break. Thank you!
Go for the Greens - March 18, 2024
GO FOR THE GREENS will be celebrated at WES on Monday, March 18, 2024. Please help us promote this event by having your children wear green and sending in a "green" healthy snack. This event emphasizes incorporating fruits and veggies as part of healthy meals with a focus on kids' lunches and snacks. - Erin Costa and the Wellness Committee
Yearbook Information - Please Order by April 26, 2024
Yearbooks are now available for order! Order forms were sent home with your student and they are also available to order online. Please see the information below and place your order by Friday, April 26, 2024.
WANTED: Clear 2-Liter Plastic Bottles
The 5th graders will soon begin an ecosystem project using clear plastic 2-liter sized soda bottles.
Before you toss them into recycling, consider bringing your clear plastic 2-liter bottles to WES for the 5th graders to use for this project. Students can drop them in the office or bring them to Mrs. O’Neill. Thanks for your consideration!
School Lunch Information & Menu
The Weekly Lunch Menu for WES is available on the Nutrislice website. Please note, menus may still be subject to change based on supply and staffing changes. If your student has unique diet needs, please reach out to Kate Rittler for available options.
Please refer to the Food Services page of the WSSD website for more information on:
Save the Date for the Spring Book Fair!
Our spring Scholastic Book Fair is right around the corner (the week following our spring break!). It will take place Tuesday, April – Friday, April 5 during your child’s library special day. All of the exciting details are coming out soon but for now, mark your calendars for this exciting week at WES! In the meantime, you can always Visit our Book Fair homepage to browse books, make a wish list or even start your shopping!
Car Line
The Car Line Sign-Up for January-June is now available! We are asking for volunteers to help provide a warm welcome in the morning in the back loop at WES from 8:15-8:45 am each morning. We need volunteers to keep the traffic flowing and assist the kids with their backpacks and car doors - especially in the colder months when more families are driving and many kids have winter gear. Please contact Ted Benzing if interested or with any questions.
Community Flyers from PeachJar!
__________________________________
Have a question? We are here to help!
Mrs. Zwitch , Executive Assistant to the Principal- jzwitch@wssd.org, 610-892-3470 ext. 4305
Mrs. Brown, Building Secretary, Attendance, - pbrown2@wssd.org, 610-892-3470 ext. 4306
-
March 4, 2024
Upcoming Dates:
March 5 - PTO Meeting, 6:00pm
March 6 - Kindergarten Parent Orientation, 7:00pm
March 7 - WES Science Fair, 6:00pm
March 14 - 5th Grade Dance Celebration, 7:00pm
March 15 - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS - Teacher In-Service Day
March 18 - Go for the Greens Event
March 21-22 - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS - Teacher Conferences
March 25-29 - NO SCHOOL - SPRING RECESS
April 2-5 - Spring Book Fair (during Library)
_________________________________________________________
Dear Families,
Thank you to our reading specialists, Mrs. Lawler and Mrs. Getty for organizing last week’s Read Across America activities. We had a lot of fun hosting mystery readers, participating in “Drop Everything and Read Time” and celebrating a love for reading!
A heads up that the sign up links for Spring conferences will be emailed directly to you this Wednesday, March 6 at 6:00pm. You will have until Monday, March 11 at 4:00pm to sign up for a conference. Conferences will occur March 21 and March 22 for 1st through 5th grades. Kindergarten conferences occur on March 19, 20, 21 and 22 to accommodate the additional classes. Please schedule your conference during these days.
We are encouraging all families to attend parent-teacher conferences during the above conference window. Please contact your child’s teacher if you are not able to be in person and need a phone or video conference option during the identified days.
We have a busy week ahead at WES with the monthly PTO Meeting tomorrow evening at 6:00pm, Kindergarten Orientation this Wednesday evening, March 6 at 7:00pm and the Science Fair on Thursday evening, March 7 at 6:00pm. More information is below.
Thank you and enjoy your week,
Dr. Savage
Principal
Wallingford Elementary
_________________________________________________________
Guidance Newsletter
Read the latest newsletter to see what your child learned with Mrs. Schwam during the 10th guidance cycle of the year. Your child had guidance during the 2/28 to 3/4 library period.
Upcoming Parent Engagement Session - Student Stress and Excessive Worry
Important Dismissal Reminders
This message is to remind you of our dismissal procedures. Please know that my first priority is the safety of your children. Unfortunately, creating a safe flow at dismissal sometimes conflicts with the desire for a speedy dismissal. Here are few items we need your support with immediately:
- When picking up your child, please park in a parking space in the lower lot off of Kershaw road or wherever you find street parking. Then proceed to the Gymnasium door.
- Only buses are permitted in the bus loop between 3:10-3:50pm.
- At WES we have an independent walker door. This means that parents who choose this option are confident their child can walk home with no supervision. PLEASE NOTE: No adults should be waiting at the walker door. If you are picking up your child, please go to the gym door and wait in line for your child to be released.
For more information, please refer to the 2023-2024 dismissal procedures as they are presented in the WES Student Handbook.
Volunteer Clearances - Now Required for Volunteers
WSSD is now requiring volunteer clearances for anyone volunteering with students more than once, which is the vast majority of our visitors. Any volunteer coming into the building for library, guest reader, homeroom parent, party volunteer, etc. is now required to have clearances on file with the district. If your clearances are not up to date and on file, please understand that you will not be permitted to volunteer. Please note that the district expectation has always been, and continues to be, that field trip chaperones have valid clearances on file.
Instructions for obtaining and submitting clearances:
- There are two required clearances (Child Abuse Clearance and PA State Police Criminal Background Check) and a form (Volunteer Registration and Disclosure Form) which must be completed. Clearances are free. The only cost is for the FBI fingerprinting which is only required if you have not lived in PA for the last 10 consecutive years.
- Clearances must be submitted via the form above. We can no longer accept clearances emailed or dropped off directly to the building.
- Volunteer clearances are good for 5 years from the date of issue.
More information about how to obtain clearances and how to submit them are available on the district's website, here: https://www.wssd.org/domain/389
Thank you for all you do to support your children. Please contact the office with any questions.
Go for the Greens - March 18, 2024
GO FOR THE GREENS will be celebrated at WES on Monday, March 18, 2024. Please help us promote this event by having your children wear green and sending in a "green" healthy snack. This event emphasizes incorporating fruits and veggies as part of healthy meals with a focus on kids' lunches and snacks.
Erin Costa and the Wellness Committee
Update for MySchoolBucks Users
Thank you for choosing to use MySchoolBucks to securely and conveniently pay for your student’s school meals this school year.
We’re updating the program fee you pay at checkout in MySchoolBucks when funding your student’s meal account to $3.25 for each credit/debit card payment beginning on March 7, 2024.
Due to rising payment processing interchange fees and increased operational costs, this adjustment to our per-transaction program fee for school meals is necessary to continue providing you with the best and most secure online payment experience.
If you would like to make changes to your saved payment methods or automatic payment settings, please log into your MySchoolBucks account. For questions, please call our support team at 855-832-5226.
Thank you,
The MySchoolBucks Team
Yearbook Information - Please Order by April 26, 2024
Yearbooks are now available for order! Order forms were sent home with your student and they are also available to order online. Please see the information below and place your order by Friday, April 26, 2024.
5th Grade Dance Celebration - Thursday, March 14, 2024
The 5th grade Dance Celebration is a night for 5th graders and their parents/guardians to enjoy dancing, laughter and friendship. This year, the dance celebration will be held on Thursday, March 14 at 7:00pm in the WES multipurpose room. Parents/guardians must accompany their 5th grader and childcare arrangements must be made for siblings. A permission slip was sent home with all 5th graders on Friday. Please sign and return to Mr. C no later than March 6, 2024. We look forward to dancing and celebrating with you!
Kindergarten Parent Orientation
Our kindergarten parent orientation will be held in person in the WES gym/cafeteria this Wednesday, March 6, 2024 at 7:00 p.m. where incoming kindergarten families will have the opportunity to learn more about our kindergarten program. Kindergarten registration is ongoing; however, children must have been registered by Friday, March 1, 2024 in order to be included in the kindergarten lottery to determine morning or afternoon kindergarten session placement. The lottery will occur if there are more requests for a particular section (AM or PM) than space available. If you have questions regarding your registration please contact Derrick Clements at dclements@wssd.org or visit the district website for more information.
School Lunch Information & Menu
The Weekly Lunch Menu for WES is available on the Nutrislice website. Please note, menus may still be subject to change based on supply and staffing changes. If your student has unique diet needs, please reach out to Kate Rittler for available options.
Please refer to the Food Services page of the WSSD website for more information on:
WES Science Fair - THIS THURSDAY, March 7
WES family, it’s finally here! Come explore the WES Science Fair this Thursday, March 7th from 6-7 pm in the WES cafeteria. This is a not-to-be-missed WES family event! Learn about fellow WES students’ science experiments, practice the scientific method at WES PTO-run science tables, and leave with a homework pass for the night’s homework after visiting at least six science tables, all while supporting classmates and seeing WES friends! This is a win-win for all involved! See you there!
Interested in making the WES Science Fair a success? We are still looking for a few volunteers to help with PTO-run science tables and check-in. Please sign-up here if interested!
WES Spirit Wear - Store Open Through March 8!
The Spirit Wear store is open for an extra week through March 8! New for spring/summer: tank tops, WES pool towels, and tie-dyed bucket hats! Plus, WES Cares shirts (just in case you need one for the next school assembly) and more! Orders will be delivered before Spring Break.
Car Line
The Car Line Sign-Up for January-June is now available! We are asking for volunteers to help provide a warm welcome in the morning in the back loop at WES from 8:15-8:45 am each morning. We need volunteers to keep the traffic flowing and assist the kids with their backpacks and car doors - especially in the colder months when more families are driving and many kids have winter gear. Please contact Ted Benzing if interested or with any questions.
Community Flyers from PeachJar!
__________________________________
Have a question? We are here to help!
Mrs. Zwitch , Executive Assistant to the Principal- jzwitch@wssd.org, 610-892-3470 ext. 4305
Mrs. Brown, Building Secretary, Attendance, - pbrown2@wssd.org, 610-892-3470 ext. 4306
-
February 26, 2024
Upcoming Dates:
February 26-29 - Art Goes to School (during Art special)
March 6 - Kindergarten Parent Orientation, 7:00pm
March 7 - WES Science Fair, 6:00pm
March 14 - 5th Grade Dance Celebration, 7:00pm
March 15 - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS - Teacher In-Service Day
March 21-22 - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS - Teacher Conferences
March 25-29 - NO SCHOOL - SPRING RECESS
_________________________________________________________
Dear Families,
Thank you to all of our families who participated in last week’s International Night and to our PTO committee for organizing. We are so proud of and thankful for the diversity of our community!
This week we are celebrating Read Across America Week. We will be hosting mystery readers throughout the week and having Drop Everything and Read Times throughout the day on Friday. Please also see below for optional theme days for this week.
Two quick reminders: volunteer clearances are now required for all building volunteers. Please see below for details and thank you in advance for getting this done. Yearbooks are now available to order. Please be mindful of the order deadline of Friday, April 26.
Thank you and enjoy your week,
Dr. Savage
Principal
Wallingford Elementary
_________________________________________________________
Read Across America Week - This Week
This week, WSSD is celebrating Read Across America Week. Among other events, we will celebrate with the (optional) theme days outlined below:
Important Dismissal Reminders
This message is to remind you of our dismissal procedures. Please know that my first priority is the safety of your children. Unfortunately, creating a safe flow at dismissal sometimes conflicts with the desire for a speedy dismissal. Here are few items we need your support with immediately:
- When picking up your child, please park in a parking space in the lower lot off of Kershaw road or wherever you find street parking. Then proceed to the Gymnasium door.
- Only buses are permitted in the bus loop between 3:10-3:50pm.
- At WES we have an independent walker door. This means that parents who choose this option are confident their child can walk home with no supervision. PLEASE NOTE: No adults should be waiting at the walker door. If you are picking up your child, please go to the gym door and wait in line for your child to be released.
For more information, please refer to the 2023-2024 dismissal procedures as they are presented in the WES Student Handbook.
Volunteer Clearances - Now Required for Volunteers
WSSD is now requiring volunteer clearances for anyone volunteering with students more than once, which is the vast majority of our visitors. Any volunteer coming into the building for library, guest reader, homeroom parent, party volunteer, etc. is now required to have clearances on file with the district. If your clearances are not up to date and on file, please understand that you will not be permitted to volunteer. Please note that the district expectation has always been, and continues to be, that field trip chaperones have valid clearances on file.
Instructions for obtaining and submitting clearances:
- There are two required clearances (Child Abuse Clearance and PA State Police Criminal Background Check) and a form (Volunteer Registration and Disclosure Form) which must be completed. Clearances are free. The only cost is for the FBI fingerprinting which is only required if you have not lived in PA for the last 10 consecutive years.
- Clearances must be submitted via the form above. We can no longer accept clearances emailed or dropped off directly to the building.
- Volunteer clearances are good for 5 years from the date of issue.
More information about how to obtain clearances and how to submit them are available on the district's website, here: https://www.wssd.org/domain/389
Thank you for all you do to support your children. Please contact the office with any questions.
Update for MySchoolBucks Users
Thank you for choosing to use MySchoolBucks to securely and conveniently pay for your student’s school meals this school year. We’re updating the program fee you pay at checkout in MySchoolBucks when funding your student’s meal account to $3.25 for each credit/debit card payment beginning on March 7, 2024.
Due to rising payment processing interchange fees and increased operational costs, this adjustment to our per-transaction program fee for school meals is necessary to continue providing you with the best and most secure online payment experience.
If you would like to make changes to your saved payment methods or automatic payment settings, please log into your MySchoolBucks account. For questions, please call our support team at 855-832-5226.
Thank you,
The MySchoolBucks Team
Yearbook Information - Please Order by April 26, 2024
Yearbooks are now available for order! Order forms were sent home with your student and they are also available to order online. Please see the information below and place your order by Friday, April 26, 2024.
5th Grade Dance Celebration - Thursday, March 14, 2024
The 5th grade Dance Celebration is a night for 5th graders and their parents/guardians to enjoy dancing, laughter and friendship. This year, the dance celebration will be held on Thursday, March 14 at 7:00pm in the WES multipurpose room. Parents/guardians must accompany their 5th grader and childcare arrangements must be made for siblings. A permission slip was sent home with all 5th graders on Friday. Please sign and return to Mr. C no later than March 6, 2024. We look forward to dancing and celebrating with you!
Kindergarten Parent Orientation
Our kindergarten parent orientation will be held in person in the WES gym/cafeteria on Wednesday, March 6, 2024 at 7:00 p.m. where incoming kindergarten families will have the opportunity to learn more about our kindergarten program. Kindergarten registration is ongoing; however, children must be registered by Friday, March 1, 2024 in order to be included in the kindergarten lottery to determine morning or afternoon kindergarten session placement. The lottery will occur if there are more requests for a particular section (AM or PM) than space available. If you have questions regarding your registration please contact Derrick Clements at dclements@wssd.org or visit the district website for more information.
School Lunch Information & Menu
The Weekly Lunch Menu for WES is available on the Nutrislice website. Please note, menus may still be subject to change based on supply and staffing changes. If your student has unique diet needs, please reach out to Kate Rittler for available options.
Please refer to the Food Services page of the WSSD website for more information on:
WES Spirit Wear Store - NOW OPEN!
The Spirit Wear store is now OPEN! We are accepting new orders from February 19 - March 1. New for spring/summer: tank tops, WES pool towels, and tie-dyed bucket hats! Plus, WES Cares shirts (just in case you need one for the next school assembly) and more! Orders will be delivered before Spring Break. Any questions, email Kristina or Michele.
WES Science Fair - Thursday, March 7
Calling all WES families! Mark your calendars for Thursday, March 7 from 6-7 pm for the WES Science Fair in the WES cafeteria. Instead of completing homework at home, earn a homework pass for that night’s homework while supporting the 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade student scientists as they showcase their science fair projects! Upon arrival, WES students will be given a science passport that can be completed as they visit 6 student scientists’ tables. Completed passports earn a homework pass for that night’s homework. Additionally, the PTO will run a few science tables.
This is a PTO-run event and we are looking for volunteers to run the check-in table as well as the PTO-run science tables. You may sign-up to volunteer here. We hope to see you there and thank you for volunteering!
Attention 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade Parents!
Please encourage your children to take part in the WES Science Fair on Thursday, March 7 from 6-7pm. This event is entirely optional and intended to foster a love of science, and not intended to create any stress at home! Projects will not be officially judged—instead, fellow WES students and families will circulate with science passports engaging the students in discussions based on their experiments. All student scientists earn a homework pass for that night’s homework. Please see the attached flyer for more information on this event. Included is a list of ideas to spark your child’s interest. Parents, if your child wishes to participate, see sign-up here.
Car Line
The Car Line Sign-Up for January-June is now available! We are asking for volunteers to help provide a warm welcome in the morning in the back loop at WES from 8:15-8:45 am each morning. We need volunteers to keep the traffic flowing and assist the kids with their backpacks and car doors - especially in the colder months when more families are driving and many kids have winter gear. Please contact Ted Benzing if interested or with any questions.
Community Flyers from PeachJar!
__________________________________
Have a question? We are here to help!
Mrs. Zwitch , Executive Assistant to the Principal- jzwitch@wssd.org, 610-892-3470 ext. 4305
Mrs. Brown, Building Secretary, Attendance, - pbrown2@wssd.org, 610-892-3470 ext. 4306
-
February 20, 2024
Upcoming Dates:
February 22- International Night, 6:00pm - 8:00pm
March 6 - Kindergarten Parent Orientation, 7:00pm
March 7 - WES Science Fair, 6:00pm
March 14 - 5th Grade Dance Celebration, 7:00pm
March 15 - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS - Teacher In-Service Day
March 21-22 - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS - Teacher Conferences
March 25-29 - NO SCHOOL - SPRING RECESS
_________________________________________________________
Dear Families,
I hope you all enjoyed the long weekend and had time to relax and reset.
Just a reminder that this Thursday evening is International Night at WES. From 6-8pm, students and families can stop by the multipurpose room at WES to learn more about countries from around the world including geography, people, wildlife, traditions, food, holidays, culture and more! Please see below for full details.
Enjoy your week,
Dr. Savage
Principal
Wallingford Elementary
_________________________________________________________
Read Across America Week - Next Week - February 26 -March 1
Next week, WSSD will celebrate Read Across America Week (February 26 - March 1). Among other events, we will celebrate with the (optional) theme days outlined below:
Important Dismissal Reminders
This message is to remind you of our dismissal procedures. Please know that my first priority is the safety of your children. Unfortunately, creating a safe flow at dismissal sometimes conflicts with the desire for a speedy dismissal. Here are few items we need your support with immediately:
- When picking up your child, please park in a parking space in the lower lot off of Kershaw road or wherever you find street parking. Then proceed to the Gymnasium door.
- Only buses are permitted in the bus loop between 3:10-3:50pm.
- At WES we have an independent walker door. This means that parents who choose this option are confident their child can walk home with no supervision. PLEASE NOTE: No adults should be waiting at the walker door. If you are picking up your child, please go to the gym door and wait in line for your child to be released.
For more information, please refer to the 2023-2024 dismissal procedures as they are presented in the WES Student Handbook.
Volunteer Clearances - Now Required for Volunteers
WSSD is now requiring volunteer clearances for anyone volunteering with students more than once, which is the vast majority of our visitors. Any volunteer coming into the building for library, guest reader, homeroom parent, party volunteer, etc. is now required to have clearances on file with the district. If your clearances are not up to date and on file, please understand that you will not be permitted to volunteer. Please note that the district expectation has always been, and continues to be, that field trip chaperones have valid clearances on file.
Instructions for obtaining and submitting clearances:
- There are two required clearances (Child Abuse Clearance and PA State Police Criminal Background Check) and a form (Volunteer Registration and Disclosure Form) which must be completed. Clearances are free. The only cost is for the FBI fingerprinting which is only required if you have not lived in PA for the last 10 consecutive years.
- Clearances must be submitted via the form above. We can no longer accept clearances emailed or dropped off directly to the building.
- Volunteer clearances are good for 5 years from the date of issue.
More information about how to obtain clearances and how to submit them are available on the district's website, here: https://www.wssd.org/domain/389
Thank you for all you do to support your children. Please contact the office with any questions.
Yearbook Information - Please Order by April 26, 2024
Yearbooks are now available for order! Order forms were sent home with your student and they are also available to order online. Please see the information below and place your order by the deadline of Friday, April 26, 2024.
5th Grade Dance Celebration - Thursday, March 14, 2024
The 5th grade Dance Celebration is a night for 5th graders and their parents/guardians to enjoy dancing, laughter and friendship. This year, the dance celebration will be held on Thursday, March 14 at 7:00pm in the WES multipurpose room. Parents/guardians must accompany their 5th grader and childcare arrangements must be made for siblings. A permission slip was sent home with all 5th graders on Friday. Please sign and return to Mr. C no later than March 6, 2024. We look forward to dancing and celebrating with you!
Kindergarten Parent Orientation
Our kindergarten parent orientation will be held in person in the WES gym/cafeteria on Wednesday, March 6, 2024 at 7:00 p.m. where incoming kindergarten families will have the opportunity to learn more about our kindergarten program. Kindergarten registration is ongoing; however, children must be registered by Friday, March 1, 2024 in order to be included in the kindergarten lottery to determine morning or afternoon kindergarten session placement. The lottery will occur if there are more requests for a particular section (AM or PM) than space available. If you have questions regarding your registration please contact Derrick Clements at dclements@wssd.org or visit the district website for more information.
School Lunch Information & Menu
The Weekly Lunch Menu for WES is available on the Nutrislice website. Please note, menus may still be subject to change based on supply and staffing changes. If your student has unique diet needs, please reach out to Kate Rittler for available options.
Please refer to the Food Services page of the WSSD website for more information on:
International Night - February 22, 2024
WES is hosting International Night THIS THURSDAY, February 22, 2024, from 6-8 PM in the auditorium/cafeteria! All WSSD elementary school families are invited to participate. Please consider hosting a table dedicated to a country of your choice. It can be one you share ancestral ties to or that you simply enjoy and appreciate and you can team up with another family if you like! Your table can incorporate any interesting information about that country including its geography, people, wildlife, traditions, food, holidays, culture...whatever you would like! If possible, please pay extra attention to how elements of that country's culture are similar to other global cultures. We encourage you to plan something interactive, bringing food to share, an art project for others to complete, a game to play, etc. If you have any questions, please reach out to Juhi Pandey or Elizabeth Morgan.
Chess Club
The Chess Club will meet for 6 weeks, beginning on Thursday, March 7, after-school in the WES Library from 3:30 - 4:30 pm! We will be taking 34 students and the sign-ups are first come, first serve. Students in grades 3-5 are invited to sign-up here to participate - beginners are welcome! In order to make this happen, we will also need 4-6 parent volunteers to assist with each session. Please reach out to Corey Grafe, if you are interested in supporting the Chess Club. Any parent volunteer will need to have their clearances on file with the district.
WES Spirit Wear Store - NOW OPEN!
The Spirit Wear store is now OPEN! We are accepting new orders from February 19 - March 1. New for spring/summer: tank tops, WES pool towels, and tie-dyed bucket hats! Plus, WES Cares shirts (just in case you need one for the next school assembly) and more! Orders will be delivered before Spring Break. Any questions, email Kristina or Michele.
WES Science Fair - Thursday, March 7
Calling all WES families! Mark your calendars for Thursday, March 7 from 6-7 pm for the WES Science Fair in the WES cafeteria. Instead of completing homework at home, earn a homework pass for that night’s homework while supporting the 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade student scientists as they showcase their science fair projects! Upon arrival, WES students will be given a science passport that can be completed as they visit 6 student scientists’ tables. Completed passports earn a homework pass for that night’s homework. Additionally, the PTO will run a few science tables.
This is a PTO-run event and we are looking for volunteers to run the check-in table as well as the PTO-run science tables. You may sign-up to volunteer here. We hope to see you there and thank you for volunteering!
Attention 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade Parents!
Please encourage your children to take part in the WES Science Fair on Thursday, March 7 from 6-7pm. This event is entirely optional and intended to foster a love of science, and not intended to create any stress at home! Projects will not be officially judged—instead, fellow WES students and families will circulate with science passports engaging the students in discussions based on their experiments. All student scientists earn a homework pass for that night’s homework. Please see the attached flyer for more information on this event. Included is a list of ideas to spark your child’s interest. Parents, if your child wishes to participate, see sign-up here.
Car Line
The Car Line Sign-Up for January-June is now available! We are asking for volunteers to help provide a warm welcome in the morning in the back loop at WES from 8:15-8:45 am each morning. We need volunteers to keep the traffic flowing and assist the kids with their backpacks and car doors - especially in the colder months when more families are driving and many kids have winter gear. Please contact Ted Benzing if interested or with any questions.
Community Flyers from PeachJar!
__________________________________
Have a question? We are here to help!
Mrs. Zwitch , Executive Assistant to the Principal- jzwitch@wssd.org, 610-892-3470 ext. 4305
Mrs. Brown, Building Secretary, Attendance, - pbrown2@wssd.org, 610-892-3470 ext. 4306
-
February 12, 2024
Upcoming Dates:
February 14 - Valentine’s Day Classroom Parties
February 16 - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS - Teacher In-Service Day
February 19 - NO SCHOOL - HOLIDAY
February 22- International Night, 6:00pm - 8:00pm
March 6 - Kindergarten Parent Orientation, 7:00pm
March 7 - WES Science Fair, 6:00pm
March 14 - 5th Grade Dance Celebration, 7:00pm
March 15 - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS - Teacher In-Service Day
March 21-22 - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS - Teacher Conferences
March 25-29 - NO SCHOOL - SPRING RECESS
_________________________________________________________
Dear Families,
This week, we look forward to celebrating Valentine’s Day with classroom parties. During this time, students will also be drawing pictures and assembling breakfast bags for Caring for Friends, a Philadelphia non-profit organization that provides free home-cooked meals to isolated, homebound individuals. Thank you to all who donated food items and to our PTO committee for coordinating this meaningful project!
Please note that there is no school this Friday for a teacher in-service day; and no school on Monday due to the President’s Day holiday.
Have a wonderful week and enjoy the long weekend,
Dr. Savage
Principal
Wallingford Elementary
_________________________________________________________
Important Dismissal Reminders
This message is to remind you of our dismissal procedures. Please know that my first priority is the safety of your children. Unfortunately, creating a safe flow at dismissal sometimes conflicts with the desire for a speedy dismissal. Here are few items we need your support with immediately:
- When picking up your child, please park in a parking space in the lower lot off of Kershaw road or wherever you find street parking. Then proceed to the Gymnasium door.
- Only buses are permitted in the bus loop between 3:10-3:50pm.
- At WES we have an independent walker door. This means that parents who choose this option are confident their child can walk home with no supervision. PLEASE NOTE: No adults should be waiting at the walker door. If you are picking up your child, please go to the gym door and wait in line for your child to be released.
For more information, please refer to the 2023-2024 dismissal procedures as they are presented in the WES Student Handbook.
Volunteer Clearances - Now Required for Volunteers
WSSD is now requiring volunteer clearances for anyone volunteering with students more than once, which is the vast majority of our visitors. Any volunteer coming into the building for library, guest reader, homeroom parent, party volunteer, etc. is now required to have clearances on file with the district. If your clearances are not up to date and on file, please understand that you will not be permitted to volunteer. Please note that the district expectation has always been, and continues to be, that field trip chaperones have valid clearances on file.
Instructions for obtaining and submitting clearances:
- There are two required clearances (Child Abuse Clearance and PA State Police Criminal Background Check) and a form (Volunteer Registration and Disclosure Form) which must be completed. Clearances are free. The only cost is for the FBI fingerprinting which is only required if you have not lived in PA for the last 10 consecutive years.
- Clearances must be submitted via the form above. We can no longer accept clearances emailed or dropped off directly to the building.
- Volunteer clearances are good for 5 years from the date of issue.
More information about how to obtain clearances and how to submit them are available on the district's website, here: https://www.wssd.org/domain/389
Thank you for all you do to support your children. Please contact the office with any questions.
Yearbook Information - Please Order by April 26, 2024
Yearbooks are now available for order! Order forms were sent home with your student and they are also available to order online. Please see the information below and place your order by Friday, April 26, 2024.
5th Grade Dance Celebration - Thursday, March 14, 2024
The 5th grade Dance Celebration is a night for 5th graders and their parents/guardians to enjoy dancing, laughter and friendship. This year, the dance celebration will be held on Thursday, March 14 at 7:00pm in the WES multipurpose room. Parents/guardians must accompany their 5th grader and childcare arrangements must be made for siblings. A permission slip was sent home with all 5th graders on Friday. Please sign and return to Mr. C no later than March 6, 2024. We look forward to dancing and celebrating with you!
WSSD Literacy Series
Please see attached for information on the WSSD Literacy Series, including a session this Thursday, February 15 at 5:00pm at SRS - Engaging All Learners.
SEL Survey Check-in - Week of February 12
We thank you and your family for being our valued partners. As you may already be aware, building our social-emotional learning (SEL) skills is an important goal for our schools this year. Specifically, students will participate in a social-emotional check-in via an online survey. The check-in will be completed in schools during the week of February 12th. The survey shouldn’t take more than 15 minutes to complete. Please see attached for more information.
Schoology Update for Grades 3-5
Schoology Parent/Guardian Informational Sessions will be held on the following dates and times:
- Monday, February 12th at Strath Haven Middle School from 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
- Registration Link: Click Here to Register
- Tuesday, February 13th on ZOOM at 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
- Registration Link: Click Here to Register
- Wednesday, February 28th at NPE at 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
- Registration Link: Click Here to Register
Several Schoology resources are available for you as a parent/guardian. These resources will assist you in understanding the use and features of the Schoology LMS. See the links below for both student and parent/guardian training resources:
- Student Schoology Video Training Resources
- Parent/Guardian Schoology Video Training Resources (Login to your PowerSchool Parent portal, click on My PowerSchool on the left side menu, then click your initials in the top right hand corner, then on Schoology Messages to take you to the Schoology Parent view platform)
Kindergarten Parent Orientation
Our kindergarten parent orientation will be held in person in the WES gym/cafeteria on Wednesday, March 6, 2024 at 7:00 p.m. where incoming kindergarten families will have the opportunity to learn more about our kindergarten program. Kindergarten registration is ongoing; however, children must be registered by Friday, March 1, 2024 in order to be included in the kindergarten lottery to determine morning or afternoon kindergarten session placement. The lottery will occur if there are more requests for a particular section (AM or PM) than space available. If you have questions regarding your registration please contact Derrick Clements at dclements@wssd.org or visit the district website for more information.
School Lunch Information & Menu
The Weekly Lunch Menu for WES is available on the Nutrislice website. Please note, menus may still be subject to change based on supply and staffing changes. If your student has unique diet needs, please reach out to Kate Rittler for available options.
Please refer to the Food Services page of the WSSD website for more information on:
International Night - February 22, 2024
WES is hosting International Night on February 22, 2024, from 6-8 PM in the auditorium/cafeteria! All WSSD elementary school families are invited to participate. Please consider hosting a table dedicated to a country of your choice. It can be one you share ancestral ties to or that you simply enjoy and appreciate and you can team up with another family if you like! Your table can incorporate any interesting information about that country including its geography, people, wildlife, traditions, food, holidays, culture...whatever you would like! If possible, please pay extra attention to how elements of that country's culture are similar to other global cultures. We encourage you to plan something interactive, bringing food to share, an art project for others to complete, a game to play, etc.
If you have any questions, please reach out to Juhi Pandey or Elizabeth Morgan.
WES Science Fair - Thursday, March 7
Calling all WES families! Mark your calendars for Thursday, March 7 from 6-7 pm for the WES Science Fair in the WES cafeteria. Instead of completing homework at home, earn a homework pass for that night’s homework while supporting the 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade student scientists as they showcase their science fair projects! Upon arrival, WES students will be given a science passport that can be completed as they visit 6 student scientists’ tables. Completed passports earn a homework pass for that night’s homework. Additionally, the PTO will run a few science tables.
This is a PTO-run event and we are looking for volunteers to run the check-in table as well as the PTO-run science tables. You may sign-up to volunteer here. We hope to see you there and thank you for volunteering!
Attention 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade Parents!
Please encourage your children to take part in the WES Science Fair on Thursday, March 7 from 6-7pm. This event is entirely optional and intended to foster a love of science, and not intended to create any stress at home! Projects will not be officially judged—instead, fellow WES students and families will circulate with science passports engaging the students in discussions based on their experiments. All student scientists earn a homework pass for that night’s homework. Please see the attached flyer for more information on this event. Included is a list of ideas to spark your child’s interest. Parents, if your child wishes to participate, see sign-up here.
Car Line
The Car Line Sign-Up for January-June is now available! We are asking for volunteers to help provide a warm welcome in the morning in the back loop at WES from 8:15-8:45 am each morning. We need volunteers to keep the traffic flowing and assist the kids with their backpacks and car doors - especially in the colder months when more families are driving and many kids have winter gear. Please contact Ted Benzing if interested or with any questions.
Community Flyers from PeachJar!
__________________________________
Have a question? We are here to help!
Mrs. Zwitch , Executive Assistant to the Principal- jzwitch@wssd.org, 610-892-3470 ext. 4305
Mrs. Brown, Building Secretary, Attendance, - pbrown2@wssd.org, 610-892-3470 ext. 4306
-
February 5, 2024
Upcoming Dates:
February 6 - PTO Meeting, 6:00pm
February 7 - WES Night at Chipotle Fundraiser
February 14 - Valentine’s Day Classroom Parties
February 16 - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS - Teacher In-Service Day
February 19 - NO SCHOOL - HOLIDAY
February 22- International Night, 6:00pm - 8:00pm
March 6 - Kindergarten Parent Orientation, 7:00pm
March 7 - WES Science Fair, 6:00pm
March 14 - 5th Grade Dance Celebration, 7:00pm
March 15 - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS - Teacher In-Service Day
March 21-22 - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS - Teacher Conferences
March 25-29 - NO SCHOOL - SPRING RECESS
_________________________________________________________
Dear Families,
This week is National School Counseling Week. We are excited to recognize the work of the 121,000 school counselors across the nation, but especially our own WES school counselor, Eryka Weaver. Thank you, Ms. Weaver for all you do to support our students!
Our Valentine’s Day parties are coming up next week. As a reminder, any parents intending to volunteer need valid clearances on file with the district. If you do not have valid clearances, you will not be permitted to volunteer. Please see below for more information.
Have a wonderful week,
Dr. Savage
Principal
Wallingford Elementary
_________________________________________________________
Guidance Newsletter
Read the latest newsletter to see what your child learned with Mrs. Schwam during the 8th guidance cycle of the year. Your child had guidance during the 1/29 to 2/1 library period.
Important Dismissal Reminders
This message is to remind you of our dismissal procedures. Please know that my first priority is the safety of your children. Unfortunately, creating a safe flow at dismissal sometimes conflicts with the desire for a speedy dismissal. Here are few items we need your support with immediately:
- When picking up your child, please park in a parking space in the lower lot off of Kershaw road or wherever you find street parking. Then proceed to the Gymnasium door.
- Only buses are permitted in the bus loop between 3:10-3:50pm.
- At WES we have an independent walker door. This means that parents who choose this option are confident their child can walk home with no supervision.
Below are the 2023-2024 procedures as they are presented in the WES Student Handbook.
DISMISSAL PROCEDURES
BUSES
Our buses will use the bus circle at the rear entrance of the school and the front of the school to collect the students, so we are asking that no cars use these two areas between 3:10 and 3:50. It is our goal to have all buses loaded and on their way by 3:40 each day, but we cannot do that if cars are parked/waiting in the bus circle. PLEASE NOTE: students are only permitted to ride the bus to which they are assigned.
WALKERS
Providence Rd Door (library) is the door for all students who have permission to leave school and walk home without an adult picking them up. If you choose to have your child leave school by this door, WES staff will not check to see if their adult is present before letting them leave the building. Siblings who are walking together will be allowed to wait for one another before leaving the building. PLEASE NOTE: No adults should be waiting at the walker door. If you are picking up your child, please go to the gym door and wait in line for your child to be released.
Crossing guards are located directly in front of the building, at the intersection of Possum Hollow and Providence Road, and at the intersection of Brookhaven Road and Kershaw Road.
PARENT PICK UP
Kershaw Door (gym) is the parent pick up door for all students who are being picked up by their parents/adults. If you want WES to release your child directly to you, you must pick up your child at this door. If you wish to pick up your child, please park your car and walk up to wait at the Parent Pick-up door, located at the Kershaw Road side of the building at the Gym. Please line up and wait for your child to be dismissed to you.
Volunteer Clearances - Now Required for Volunteers
WSSD is now requiring volunteer clearances for anyone volunteering with students more than once, which is the vast majority of our visitors. Any volunteer coming into the building for library, guest reader, homeroom parent, party volunteer, etc. is now required to have clearances on file with the district. If your clearances are not up to date and on file, please understand that you will not be permitted to volunteer. Please note that the district expectation has always been, and continues to be, that field trip chaperones have valid clearances on file.
Instructions for obtaining and submitting clearances:
- There are two required clearances (Child Abuse Clearance and PA State Police Criminal Background Check) and a form (Volunteer Registration and Disclosure Form) which must be completed. Clearances are free. The only cost is for the FBI fingerprinting which is only required if you have not lived in PA for the last 10 consecutive years.
- Clearances must be submitted via the form above. We can no longer accept clearances emailed or dropped off directly to the building.
- Volunteer clearances are good for 5 years from the date of issue.
More information about how to obtain clearances and how to submit them are available on the district's website, here: https://www.wssd.org/domain/389
Thank you for all you do to support your children. Please contact the office with any questions.
SEL Survey Check-in - Week of February 12
We thank you and your family for being our valued partners. As you may already be aware, building our social-emotional learning (SEL) skills is an important goal for our schools this year. Specifically, students will participate in a social-emotional check-in via an online survey. The check-in will be completed in schools during the week of February 12th. The survey shouldn’t take more than 15 minutes to complete. Please see attached for more information.
Schoology Update for Grades 3-5
Schoology Parent/Guardian Informational Sessions will be held on the following dates and times:
- Monday, February 12th at Strath Haven Middle School from 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
- Registration Link: Click Here to Register
- Tuesday, February 13th on ZOOM at 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
- Registration Link: Click Here to Register
- Wednesday, February 28th at NPE at 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
- Registration Link: Click Here to Register
Several Schoology resources are available for you as a parent/guardian. These resources will assist you in understanding the use and features of the Schoology LMS. See the links below for both student and parent/guardian training resources:
- Student Schoology Video Training Resources
- Parent/Guardian Schoology Video Training Resources (Login to your PowerSchool Parent portal, click on My PowerSchool on the left side menu, then click your initials in the top right hand corner, then on Schoology Messages to take you to the Schoology Parent view platform)
Kindergarten Parent Orientation
Our kindergarten parent orientation will be held in person in the WES gym/cafeteria on Wednesday, March 6, 2024 at 7:00 p.m. where incoming kindergarten families will have the opportunity to learn more about our kindergarten program. Kindergarten registration is ongoing; however, children must be registered by Friday, March 1, 2024 in order to be included in the kindergarten lottery to determine morning or afternoon kindergarten session placement. The lottery will occur if there are more requests for a particular section (AM or PM) than space available. If you have questions regarding your registration please contact Derrick Clements at dclements@wssd.org or visit the district website for more information.
School Lunch Information & Menu
The Weekly Lunch Menu for WES is available on the Nutrislice website. Please note, menus may still be subject to change based on supply and staffing changes. If your student has unique diet needs, please reach out to Kate Rittler for available options.
Please refer to the Food Services page of the WSSD website for more information on:
Gift of Giving Community Service Project
Once again, WES students will be participating in a school-wide community service project as part of their classroom Valentine’s Day parties on Tuesday, February 14.
During their parties, students will be drawing pictures to be delivered with “Breakfast Bags” for Caring for Friends, a Philadelphia non-profit organization that provides free home-cooked meals to isolated, homebound individuals. They will then assemble the breakfast bags with donated food items and the pictures they make during the class parties.
We are asking the WES community to donate the following Breakfast Bag items. Below is a list of items assigned to each grade:
- KINDERGARTEN: Individually wrapped tea bags (like Bigelow) or hot chocolate packets
- 1st GRADE: Boxes of raisins or containers of pudding or fruit cups (no applesauce please, foil covers can be easily punctured.)
- 2nd GRADE: Small cereal boxes or single-serving packets of oatmeal.
- 3rd GRADE: Juice boxes
- 4th GRADE: Cereal bars, granola bars or oatmeal squares
- 5th GRADE: Packaged peanut butter or cheese crackers
Beginning today, you may send donations to school with your child or leave them on the Gift of Giving table in the WES entryway.
Please be sure to submit all contributions by Friday, February 9, so we can organize items for assembly.
We hope our students will not only have fun with this project, but also feel good about working together to help others. Thank you for your support!
Your Gift of Giving Committee,
Sara O’Reilly: soreilly7474@yahoo.com
Aimee Tomaino Hodges: aimeeleigh23@gmail.com
Coco Kaminski: kaminski.coco@gmail.com
International Night - February 22, 2024
WES is hosting International Night on February 22, 2024, from 6-8 PM in the auditorium/cafeteria! All WSSD elementary school families are invited to participate. Please consider hosting a table dedicated to a country of your choice. It can be one you share ancestral ties to or that you simply enjoy and appreciate and you can team up with another family if you like! Your table can incorporate any interesting information about that country including its geography, people, wildlife, traditions, food, holidays, culture...whatever you would like! If possible, please pay extra attention to how elements of that country's culture are similar to other global cultures. We encourage you to plan something interactive, bringing food to share, an art project for others to complete, a game to play, etc.
If you have any questions, please reach out to Juhi Pandey or Elizabeth Morgan.
Chipotle Night - WES Fundraiser
Save the Date! Dine-in, takeout, or order online from Chipotle in Springfield on Wednesday, February 7th from 4pm-8pm. Present a printed or digital Flyer and Chipotle will donate 33% from your bill towards the WES PTO. Thank you for your support - have a burritoful day!
WES Science Fair - Thursday, March 7
Calling all WES families! Mark your calendars for Thursday, March 7 from 6-7 pm for the WES Science Fair in the WES cafeteria. Instead of completing homework at home, earn a homework pass for that night’s homework while supporting the 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade student scientists as they showcase their science fair projects! Upon arrival, WES students will be given a science passport that can be completed as they visit 6 student scientists’ tables. Completed passports earn a homework pass for that night’s homework. Additionally, the PTO will run a few science tables.
This is a PTO-run event and we are looking for volunteers to run the check-in table as well as the PTO-run science tables. You may sign-up to volunteer here. We hope to see you there and thank you for volunteering!
Attention 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade Parents!
Please encourage your children to take part in the WES Science Fair on Thursday, March 7 from 6-7pm. This event is entirely optional and intended to foster a love of science, and not intended to create any stress at home! Projects will not be officially judged—instead, fellow WES students and families will circulate with science passports engaging the students in discussions based on their experiments. All student scientists earn a homework pass for that night’s homework. Please see the attached flyer for more information on this event. Included is a list of ideas to spark your child’s interest. Parents, if your child wishes to participate, see sign-up here.
Car Line
The Car Line Sign-Up for January-June is now available! We are asking for volunteers to help provide a warm welcome in the morning in the back loop at WES from 8:15-8:45 am each morning. We need volunteers to keep the traffic flowing and assist the kids with their backpacks and car doors - especially in the colder months when more families are driving and many kids have winter gear. Please contact Ted Benzing if interested or with any questions.
Community Flyers from PeachJar!
__________________________________
Have a question? We are here to help!
Mrs. Zwitch , Executive Assistant to the Principal- jzwitch@wssd.org, 610-892-3470 ext. 4305
Mrs. Brown, Building Secretary, Attendance, - pbrown2@wssd.org, 610-892-3470 ext. 4306
-
January 29, 2024
Upcoming Dates:
February 6 - PTO Meeting, 6:00pm
February 7 - WES Night at Chipotle Fundraiser
February 14 - Valentine’s Day Classroom Parties
February 16 - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS - Teacher In-Service Day
February 19 - NO SCHOOL - HOLIDAY
February 22- International Night, 6:00pm - 8:00pm
March 7 - WES Science Fair
_________________________________________________________
Dear Families,
Thank you to everyone who came out to Bingo Night on Friday. A huge thank you to all of the volunteers for their hard work in organizing the event! And a special shout out to Mrs. Gaur and Mr. Fantozzi for spending their Friday night with us at Bingo. It is always a fun time! I look forward to hosting the winners of Breakfast with the Principal and Principal for the day in the Spring.
Please read below for some important reminders regarding our dismissal procedures and volunteer clearance requirements. I appreciate your partnership and cooperation with both items as they are for the safety of your children.
Have a wonderful week,
Dr. Savage
Principal
Wallingford Elementary
_________________________________________________________
Important Dismissal Reminders
This message is to remind you of our dismissal procedures. Please know that my first priority is the safety of your children. Unfortunately, creating a safe flow at dismissal sometimes conflicts with the desire for a speedy dismissal. Here are few items we need your support with immediately:
- When picking up your child, please park in a parking space in the lower lot off of Kershaw road or wherever you find street parking. Then proceed to the Gymnasium door.
- Only buses are permitted in the bus loop between 3:10-3:50pm.
- At WES we have an independent walker door. This means that parents who choose this option are confident their child can walk home with no supervision.
Below are the 2023-2024 procedures as they are presented in the WES Student Handbook.
DISMISSAL PROCEDURES
BUSES
Our buses will use the bus circle at the rear entrance of the school and the front of the school to collect the students, so we are asking that no cars use these two areas between 3:10 and 3:50. It is our goal to have all buses loaded and on their way by 3:40 each day, but we cannot do that if cars are parked/waiting in the bus circle. PLEASE NOTE: students are only permitted to ride the bus to which they are assigned.
WALKERS
Providence Rd Door (library) is the door for all students who have permission to leave school and walk home without an adult picking them up. If you choose to have your child leave school by this door, WES staff will not check to see if their adult is present before letting them leave the building. Siblings who are walking together will be allowed to wait for one another before leaving the building. PLEASE NOTE: No adults should be waiting at the walker door. If you are picking up your child, please go to the gym door and wait in line for your child to be released.
Crossing guards are located directly in front of the building, at the intersection of Possum Hollow and Providence Road, and at the intersection of Brookhaven Road and Kershaw Road.
PARENT PICK UP
Kershaw Door (gym) is the parent pick up door for all students who are being picked up by their parents/adults. If you want WES to release your child directly to you, you must pick up your child at this door. If you wish to pick up your child, please park your car and walk up to wait at the Parent Pick-up door, located at the Kershaw Road side of the building at the Gym. Please line up and wait for your child to be dismissed to you.
Volunteer Clearances - Now Required for Volunteers
WSSD is now requiring volunteer clearances for anyone volunteering with students more than once, which is the vast majority of our visitors. Any volunteer coming into the building for library, guest reader, homeroom parent, party volunteer, etc. is now required to have clearances on file with the district. If your clearances are not up to date and on file, please understand that you will not be permitted to volunteer. Please note that the district expectation has always been, and continues to be, that field trip chaperones have valid clearances on file.
Instructions for obtaining and submitting clearances:
- There are two required clearances (Child Abuse Clearance and PA State Police Criminal Background Check) and a form (Volunteer Registration and Disclosure Form) which must be completed. Clearances are free. The only cost is for the FBI fingerprinting which is only required if you have not lived in PA for the last 10 consecutive years.
- Clearances must be submitted via the form above. We can no longer accept clearances emailed or dropped off directly to the building.
- Volunteer clearances are good for 5 years from the date of issue.
More information about how to obtain clearances and how to submit them are available on the district's website, here: https://www.wssd.org/domain/389
Thank you for all you do to support your children. Please contact the office with any questions.
SEL Survey Check-in - Week of February 12
We thank you and your family for being our valued partners. As you may already be aware, building our social-emotional learning (SEL) skills is an important goal for our schools this year. Specifically, students will participate in a social-emotional check-in via an online survey. The check-in will be completed in schools during the week of February 12th. The survey shouldn’t take more than 15 minutes to complete. Please see attached for more information.
Schoology Update for Grades 3-5
Schoology Parent/Guardian Informational Sessions will be held on the following dates and times:
- Monday, February 12th at Strath Haven Middle School from 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
- Registration Link: Click Here to Register
- Tuesday, February 13th on ZOOM at 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
- Registration Link: Click Here to Register
- Wednesday, February 28th at NPE at 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
- Registration Link: Click Here to Register
In preparation for the transition to the Schoology LMS, a select number of our teachers and their students across the District have been piloting the Schoology LMS this Fall. These WSSD “Schoology Scholars” completed 30 hours of professional learning through a combination of in-person and online instruction and have provided invaluable support throughout this fall’s professional learning opportunities for all District teachers, grades 3-12.
Several Schoology resources are available for you as a parent/guardian. These resources will assist you in understanding the use and features of the Schoology LMS. See the links below for both student and parent/guardian training resources:
- Student Schoology Video Training Resources
- Parent/Guardian Schoology Video Training Resources (Login to your PowerSchool Parent portal, click on My PowerSchool on the left side menu, then click your initials in the top right hand corner, then on Schoology Messages to take you to the Schoology Parent view platform)
Additional information about Schoology and the WSSD Schoology implementation will be presented at the upcoming January 17, 2024 Educational Affairs meeting at 7:00 pm in Room B-226.
Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions related to the Schoology LMS platform in anticipation of the “Go Live” over the next few weeks, or its use during the Spring of 2024.
Registration is Now Open for 24-25
Registration is now open for Kindergarten for the 24-25 school year! If your child will be entering kindergarten in September 2024, it is important that you register your child as soon as possible. In order to facilitate staffing and planning, we need to have an accurate count of children planning to attend kindergarten during the 2024-25 school year. Please see the attached letter for details and share this letter with neighbors and friends. If there is a child of kindergarten age in your neighborhood who has no siblings attending district schools, please relay this information to his/her parents. Questions regarding registration can be directed to the WSSD Registration office at 610-892-3470, ext. 1304.
School Lunch Information & Menu
The Weekly Lunch Menu for WES is available on the Nutrislice website. Please note, menus may still be subject to change based on supply and staffing changes. If your student has unique diet needs, please reach out to Kate Rittler for available options.
Please refer to the Food Services page of the WSSD website for more information on:
Gift of Giving Community Service Project
Once again, WES students will be participating in a school-wide community service project as part of their classroom Valentine’s Day parties on Tuesday, February 14.
During their parties, students will be drawing pictures to be delivered with “Breakfast Bags” for Caring for Friends, a Philadelphia non-profit organization that provides free home-cooked meals to isolated, homebound individuals. They will then assemble the breakfast bags with donated food items and the pictures they make during the class parties.
We are asking the WES community to donate the following Breakfast Bag items. Below is a list of items assigned to each grade:
- KINDERGARTEN: Individually wrapped tea bags (like Bigelow) or hot chocolate packets
- 1st GRADE: Boxes of raisins or containers of pudding or fruit cups (no applesauce please, foil covers can be easily punctured.)
- 2nd GRADE: Small cereal boxes or single-serving packets of oatmeal.
- 3rd GRADE: Juice boxes
- 4th GRADE: Cereal bars, granola bars or oatmeal squares
- 5th GRADE: Packaged peanut butter or cheese crackers
Beginning today, you may send donations to school with your child or leave them on the Gift of Giving table in the WES entryway.
Please be sure to submit all contributions by Friday, February 9, so we can organize items for assembly.
We hope our students will not only have fun with this project, but also feel good about working together to help others. Thank you for your support!
Your Gift of Giving Committee,
Sara O’Reilly: soreilly7474@yahoo.com
Aimee Tomaino Hodges: aimeeleigh23@gmail.com
Coco Kaminski: kaminski.coco@gmail.com
International Night - February 22, 2024
WES is hosting International Night on February 22, 2024, from 6-8 PM in the auditorium/cafeteria! All WSSD elementary school families are invited to participate. Please consider hosting a table dedicated to a country of your choice. It can be one you share ancestral ties to or that you simply enjoy and appreciate and you can team up with another family if you like! Your table can incorporate any interesting information about that country including its geography, people, wildlife, traditions, food, holidays, culture...whatever you would like! If possible, please pay extra attention to how elements of that country's culture are similar to other global cultures. We encourage you to plan something interactive, bringing food to share, an art project for others to complete, a game to play, etc.
If you have any questions, please reach out to Juhi Pandey or Elizabeth Morgan.
Chipotle Night - WES Fundraiser
Save the Date! Dine-in, takeout, or order online from Chipotle in Springfield on Wednesday, February 7th from 4pm-8pm. Present a printed or digital Flyer and Chipotle will donate 33% from your bill towards the WES PTO. Thank you for your support - have a burritoful day!
Car Line
The Car Line Sign-Up for January-June is now available! We are asking for volunteers to help provide a warm welcome in the morning in the back loop at WES from 8:15-8:45 am each morning. We need volunteers to keep the traffic flowing and assist the kids with their backpacks and car doors - especially in the colder months when more families are driving and many kids have winter gear. Please contact Ted Benzing if interested or with any questions.
Join the Bike Bus!
A Bike Bus is an organized ride to school with meeting points and a designated route. With a large group of kids and adult “bus drivers” riding together, a Bike Bus is much more visible to drivers and therefore safer than one child riding alone.
The Sustainability Committee is seeking parent volunteers to help pilot this program at WES. If you’re interested, please sign up here, and note the name of your neighborhood or street in the comments, as we hope to have multiple Bike Bus routes coming from different directions.
Our target start date is April 3, 2024, with weekly Bike Bus days each Wednesday through the end of the school year. Check out this video for a short intro to the Bike Bus concept.
Community Flyers from PeachJar!
__________________________________
Have a question? We are here to help!
Mrs. Zwitch , Executive Assistant to the Principal- jzwitch@wssd.org, 610-892-3470 ext. 4305
Mrs. Brown, Building Secretary, Attendance, - pbrown2@wssd.org, 610-892-3470 ext. 4306
-
January 22, 2024
Upcoming Dates:
January 26 - WES Bingo Night
January 26 - Report Cards Released to Families
February 6 - PTO Meeting, 6:00pm
February 7 - WES Night at Chipotle Fundraiser
February 14 - Valentine’s Day Classroom Parties
February 16 - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS - Teacher In-Service Day
February 19 - NO SCHOOL - HOLIDAY
February 22- International Night, 6:00pm - 8:00pm
_________________________________________________________
Dear Families,
I hope you all had a restful weekend and enjoyed the snow day last Friday!
This week we will be administering the Winter Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) Growth assessment benchmark in Reading and Mathematics. Please see below for details. We will also be sending out report cards at the end of this week. You will receive an email from me with a link to your child’s report card on Friday evening, January 26.
I look forward to seeing those who plan to join us for Bingo Night on Friday!
Have a wonderful week,
Dr. Savage
Principal
Wallingford Elementary
_________________________________________________________
Winter MAP Testing This Week
This week we will be administering the Winter Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) Growth assessment benchmark in Reading and Mathematics. Please see attached for full details and information.
Schoology Update for Grades 3-5
As we look ahead to our district-wide implementation of the Schoology Learning Management System (LMS), the District is excited to share the upcoming dates Schoology will “Go Live” across ALL Wallingford-Swarthmore schools:
- Schoology at Strath Haven Middle School will begin on January 22nd
- Schoology at Strath Haven High School will begin on January 23rd
- Schoology at ALL Elementary schools (Grades 3-5) will begin on January 29th
Schoology Parent/Guardian Informational Sessions will be held on the following dates and times:
- Monday, February 12th at Strath Haven Middle School from 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
- Registration Link: Click Here to Register
- Tuesday, February 13th on ZOOM at 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
- Registration Link: Click Here to Register
- Wednesday, February 28th at NPE at 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
- Registration Link: Click Here to Register
In preparation for the transition to the Schoology LMS, a select number of our teachers and their students across the District have been piloting the Schoology LMS this Fall. These WSSD “Schoology Scholars” completed 30 hours of professional learning through a combination of in-person and online instruction and have provided invaluable support throughout this fall’s professional learning opportunities for all District teachers, grades 3-12.
Several Schoology resources are available for you as a parent/guardian. These resources will assist you in understanding the use and features of the Schoology LMS. See the links below for both student and parent/guardian training resources:
Additional information about Schoology and the WSSD Schoology implementation will be presented at the upcoming January 17, 2024 Educational Affairs meeting at 7:00 pm in Room B-226.
Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions related to the Schoology LMS platform in anticipation of the “Go Live” over the next few weeks, or its use during the Spring of 2024.
Volunteer Clearances - Now Required for Volunteers
As communicated for the past few months in our eblast, there has been a shift in district policy regarding clearances for volunteers.
In the past, parents who have come to support our library, guest read, serve as a homeroom parent or support a party were not required to have their clearances. WSSD is now requiring volunteer clearances for anyone volunteering with students more than once, which is the vast majority of our visitors. Any volunteer coming into the building for library, guest reader, homeroom parent, party volunteer, etc. is now required to have clearances on file with the district. If your clearances are not up to date and on file, please understand that you will not be permitted to volunteer. Please note that the district expectation has always been, and continues to be, that field trip chaperones have valid clearances on file.
Instructions for obtaining and submitting clearances:
- There are two required clearances (Child Abuse Clearance and PA State Police Criminal Background Check) and a form (Volunteer Registration and Disclosure Form) which must be completed. Clearances are free. The only cost is for the FBI fingerprinting which is only required if you have not lived in PA for the last 10 consecutive years.
- Clearances must be submitted via the form above. We can no longer accept clearances emailed or dropped off directly to the building.
- Volunteer clearances are good for 5 years from the date of issue.
More information about how to obtain clearances and how to submit them are available on the district's website, here: https://www.wssd.org/domain/389
Thank you for all you do to support your children. Please contact the office with any questions.
WES's Rusty's Ramblings Newspaper is Currently Seeking 4th and 5th-Grade Student Editors
Mrs. McGaffin will once again be helping put together WES's Rusty's Ramblings Newspaper this year. Once the club is underway, all WES students will be allowed to submit their work to be considered for the next edition, but first, she needs 4th and 5th-grade editors to manage the submissions and put the digital newspaper together (2 Editors-in-Chief, 2 Art Editors, 2 News Editors, 2 Literature Editors, and 2 Poetry Editors- a 4th and 5th-grader will work in pairs on each section.) Students interested must email Mrs. McGaffin the editorial job they'd like to apply for and the reasons why they are the best fit for the job. The editors must be able to meet as a club, with Mrs. McGaffin, on Wednesdays from 3:30-4:30 for 6 weeks starting on February 7th. All applications are due to Mrs. McGaffin by January 24 via email at jmcgaffin@wssdgmail.org.
Little Panthers Preschool - Now Accepting Applications
Little Panthers Preschool is now accepting applications for the 2024 - 2025 school year. Little Panthers provides a setting for Strath Haven High School students who are enrolled in the Childhood Program to further their understanding of the growth and development of young children. In this preschool laboratory, the students provide a happy learning environment for the 3-5-year-old children while developing skills working with children. Under the supervision of a certified Family and Consumer Sciences teacher and two classroom aides, the students in the Childhood classes study, design, and implement developmentally appropriate learning activities. If you have any interest in sending your child to Little Panthers Preschool at Strath Haven High School, please contact Jen Zanoni, the program director, at jzanoni@wssd.org.
Registration is Now Open for 24-25
Registration is now open for Kindergarten for the 24-25 school year! If your child will be entering kindergarten in September 2024, it is important that you register your child as soon as possible. In order to facilitate staffing and planning, we need to have an accurate count of children planning to attend kindergarten during the 2024-25 school year. Please see the attached letter for details and share this letter with neighbors and friends. If there is a child of kindergarten age in your neighborhood who has no siblings attending district schools, please relay this information to his/her parents. Questions regarding registration can be directed to the WSSD Registration office at 610-892-3470, ext. 1304.
Parent Engagement Session: Nurtured Heart Approach: Turning Challenging Behaviors into Success
School Lunch Information & Menu
The Weekly Lunch Menu for WES is available on the Nutrislice website. Please note, menus may still be subject to change based on supply and staffing changes. If your student has unique diet needs, please reach out to Kate Rittler for available options.
Please refer to the Food Services page of the WSSD website for more information on:
Join Us for Bingo Night - Friday, January 26!
We are so excited for BINGO night this Friday, January 26! We look forward to seeing everyone who registered. We are still in need of quite a few volunteers to execute the event and for baked goods for our treat sale. Please consider signing up:
WES BINGO Night Bake Sale
WES BINGO Night VolunteersWe are still accepting book donations for the prizes now through the event. Please send in gently used books with your students or drop off to the box in the front lobby. Please contact Jessica Diamond with any questions.
Gift of Giving Community Service Project
Once again, WES students will be participating in a school-wide community service project as part of their classroom Valentine’s Day parties on Tuesday, February 14.
During their parties, students will be drawing pictures to be delivered with “Breakfast Bags” for Caring for Friends, a Philadelphia non-profit organization that provides free home-cooked meals to isolated, homebound individuals. They will then assemble the breakfast bags with donated food items and the pictures they make during the class parties.
We are asking the WES community to donate the following Breakfast Bag items. Below is a list of items assigned to each grade:
- KINDERGARTEN: Individually wrapped tea bags (like Bigelow) or hot chocolate packets
- 1st GRADE: Boxes of raisins or containers of pudding or fruit cups (no applesauce please, foil covers can be easily punctured.)
- 2nd GRADE: Small cereal boxes or single-serving packets of oatmeal.
- 3rd GRADE: Juice boxes
- 4th GRADE: Cereal bars, granola bars or oatmeal squares
- 5th GRADE: Packaged peanut butter or cheese crackers
Beginning Monday, January 29, you may send donations to school with your child or leave them on the Gift of Giving table in the WES entryway.
Please be sure to submit all contributions by Friday, February 9, so we can organize items for assembly.
We hope our students will not only have fun with this project, but also feel good about working together to help others. Thank you for your support!
Your Gift of Giving Committee,
Sara O’Reilly: soreilly7474@yahoo.com
Aimee Tomaino Hodges: aimeeleigh23@gmail.com
Coco Kaminski: kaminski.coco@gmail.com
International Night - February 22, 2024
WES is hosting International Night on February 22, 2024, from 6-8 PM in the auditorium/cafeteria! All WSSD elementary school families are invited to participate. Please consider hosting a table dedicated to a country of your choice. It can be one you share ancestral ties to or that you simply enjoy and appreciate and you can team up with another family if you like! Your table can incorporate any interesting information about that country including its geography, people, wildlife, traditions, food, holidays, culture...whatever you would like! If possible, please pay extra attention to how elements of that country's culture are similar to other global cultures. We encourage you to plan something interactive, bringing food to share, an art project for others to complete, a game to play, etc.
If you have any questions, please reach out to Juhi Pandey or Elizabeth Morgan.
Chipotle Night - WES Fundraiser
Save the Date! Dine-in, takeout, or order online from Chipotle in Springfield on Wednesday, February 7 from 4pm-8pm. Present a printed or digital Flyer and Chipotle will donate 33% from your bill towards the WES PTO. Thank you for your support - have a burritoful day!
Car Line
The Car Line Sign-Up for January-June is now available! We are asking for volunteers to help provide a warm welcome in the morning in the back loop at WES from 8:15-8:45 am each morning. We need volunteers to keep the traffic flowing and assist the kids with their backpacks and car doors - especially in the colder months when more families are driving and many kids have winter gear. Please contact Ted Benzing if interested or with any questions.
Join the Bike Bus!
A Bike Bus is an organized ride to school with meeting points and a designated route. With a large group of kids and adult “bus drivers” riding together, a Bike Bus is much more visible to drivers and therefore safer than one child riding alone.
The Sustainability Committee is seeking parent volunteers to help pilot this program at WES. If you’re interested, please sign up here, and note the name of your neighborhood or street in the comments, as we hope to have multiple Bike Bus routes coming from different directions.
Our target start date is April 3, 2024, with weekly Bike Bus days each Wednesday through the end of the school year. Check out this video for a short intro to the Bike Bus concept.
Community Flyers from PeachJar!
__________________________________
Have a question? We are here to help!
Mrs. Zwitch , Executive Assistant to the Principal- jzwitch@wssd.org, 610-892-3470 ext. 4305
Mrs. Brown, Building Secretary, Attendance, - pbrown2@wssd.org, 610-892-3470 ext. 4306
-
January 17, 2024
Upcoming Dates:
January 26 - WES Bingo Night
January 26 - Report Cards Released to Families
February 6 - PTO Meeting, 6:00pm
February 7 - WES Night at Chipotle Fundraiser
February 14 - Valentine’s Day Classroom Parties
February 16 - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS - Teacher In-Service Day
February 19 - NO SCHOOL - HOLIDAY
_________________________________________________________
Dear Families,
I hope you all had a nice long weekend. The building was buzzing this morning with tales of snowman building, sledding and other snowy day activities!
On Friday, we had the pleasure of welcoming our 2nd grade families to our annual assembly honoring the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Thank you to our 2nd grade team and students for their hard work putting this assembly together.
Thank you also to all of our families who generously donated to our Chains of Love fundraiser. We raised more than $2,500 for Unicef!
Stay safe and warm and have a wonderful rest of the week!
Dr. Savage
Principal
Wallingford Elementary
_________________________________________________________
Schoology Update for Grades 3-5
As we look ahead to our district-wide implementation of the Schoology Learning Management System (LMS), the District is excited to share the upcoming dates Schoology will “Go Live” across ALL Wallingford-Swarthmore schools:
- Schoology at Strath Haven Middle School will begin on January 22nd
- Schoology at Strath Haven High School will begin on January 23rd
- Schoology at ALL Elementary schools (Grades 3-5) will begin on January 29th
Schoology Parent/Guardian Informational Sessions will be held on the following dates and times:
- Monday, February 12th at Strath Haven Middle School from 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
- Registration Link: Click Here to Register
- Tuesday, February 13th on ZOOM at 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
- Registration Link: Click Here to Register
- Wednesday, February 28th at NPE at 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
- Registration Link: Click Here to Register
In preparation for the transition to the Schoology LMS, a select number of our teachers and their students across the District have been piloting the Schoology LMS this Fall. These WSSD “Schoology Scholars” completed 30 hours of professional learning through a combination of in-person and online instruction and have provided invaluable support throughout this fall’s professional learning opportunities for all District teachers, grades 3-12.
Several Schoology resources are available for you as a parent/guardian. These resources will assist you in understanding the use and features of the Schoology LMS. See the links below for both student and parent/guardian training resources:
- Student Schoology Video Training Resources
- Parent/Guardian Schoology Video Training Resources (Login to your PowerSchool Parent portal, click on My PowerSchool on the left side menu, then click your initials in the top right hand corner, then on Schoology Messages to take you to the Schoology Parent view platform)
Additional information about Schoology and the WSSD Schoology implementation will be presented at the upcoming January 17, 2024 Educational Affairs meeting at 7:00 pm in Room B-226.
Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions related to the Schoology LMS platform in anticipation of the “Go Live” over the next few weeks, or its use during the Spring of 2024.
Volunteer Clearances - Now Required for Volunteers
As communicated for the past few months in our eblast, there has been a shift in district policy regarding clearances for volunteers.
In the past, parents who have come to support our library, guest read, serve as a homeroom parent or support a party were not required to have their clearances. WSSD is now requiring volunteer clearances for anyone volunteering with students more than once, which is the vast majority of our visitors. Any volunteer coming into the building for library, guest reader, homeroom parent, party volunteer, etc. is now required to have clearances on file with the district. If your clearances are not up to date and on file, please understand that you will not be permitted to volunteer. Please note that the district expectation has always been, and continues to be, that field trip chaperones have valid clearances on file.
Instructions for obtaining and submitting clearances:
- There are two required clearances (Child Abuse Clearance and PA State Police Criminal Background Check) and a form (Volunteer Registration and Disclosure Form) which must be completed. Clearances are free. The only cost is for the FBI fingerprinting which is only required if you have not lived in PA for the last 10 consecutive years.
- Clearances must be submitted via the form above. We can no longer accept clearances emailed or dropped off directly to the building.
- Volunteer clearances are good for 5 years from the date of issue.
More information about how to obtain clearances and how to submit them are available on the district's website, here: https://www.wssd.org/domain/389
Thank you for all you do to support your children. Please contact the office with any questions.
WES's Rusty's Ramblings Newspaper is Currently Seeking 4th and 5th-Grade Student Editors
Mrs. McGaffin will once again be helping put together WES's Rusty's Ramblings Newspaper this year. Once the club is underway, all WES students will be allowed to submit their work to be considered for the next edition, but first, she needs 4th and 5th-grade editors to manage the submissions and put the digital newspaper together (2 Editors-in-Chief, 2 Art Editors, 2 News Editors, 2 Literature Editors, and 2 Poetry Editors- a 4th and 5th-grader will work in pairs on each section.) Students interested must email Mrs. McGaffin the editorial job they'd like to apply for and the reasons why they are the best fit for the job. The editors must be able to meet as a club, with Mrs. McGaffin, on Wednesdays from 3:30-4:30 for 6 weeks starting on February 7th. All applications are due to Mrs. McGaffin by January 24 via email at jmcgaffin@wssdgmail.org.
Little Panthers Preschool - Now Accepting Applications
Little Panthers Preschool is now accepting applications for the 2024 - 2025 school year. Little Panthers provides a setting for Strath Haven High School students who are enrolled in the Childhood Program to further their understanding of the growth and development of young children. In this preschool laboratory, the students provide a happy learning environment for the 3-5-year-old children while developing skills working with children. Under the supervision of a certified Family and Consumer Sciences teacher and two classroom aides, the students in the Childhood classes study, design, and implement developmentally appropriate learning activities. If you have any interest in sending your child to Little Panthers Preschool at Strath Haven High School, please contact Jen Zanoni, the program director, at jzanoni@wssd.org.
Registration is Now Open for 24-25
Registration is now open for Kindergarten for the 24-25 school year! If your child will be entering kindergarten in September 2024, it is important that you register your child as soon as possible. In order to facilitate staffing and planning, we need to have an accurate count of children planning to attend kindergarten during the 2024-25 school year. Please see the attached letter for details and share this letter with neighbors and friends. If there is a child of kindergarten age in your neighborhood who has no siblings attending district schools, please relay this information to his/her parents. Questions regarding registration can be directed to the WSSD Registration office at 610-892-3470, ext. 1304.
Parent Engagement Session: Nurtured Heart Approach: Turning Challenging Behaviors into Success
School Lunch Information & Menu
The Weekly Lunch Menu for WES is available on the Nutrislice website. Please note, menus may still be subject to change based on supply and staffing changes. If your student has unique diet needs, please reach out to Kate Rittler for available options.
Please refer to the Food Services page of the WSSD website for more information on:
Join Us for Bingo Night - Friday, January 26!
Registration is live for our PTO BINGO NIGHT event on Friday, January 26!
Session 1 is SOLD OUT! Advance registration is necessary for session 2 until it sells out or registration closes on Monday, January 22. Details and order form for bingo tickets, pizza, and raffle tickets are available on the PTO website. The raffle includes Principal for a Day, Breakfast with Dr. Savage, special teacher experiences, and several fun baskets!
This event is always a success due to the amazing support of our WES Community. Please consider signing up to volunteer baked goods or your time as a volunteer.
WES BINGO Night Bake Sale
WES BINGO Night VolunteersWe are also sharing our request for $5 donations towards our raffle baskets - please consider signing up for your grade and donating $5.
We are still accepting book donations for the prizes now through the event. Please send in gently used books with your students or drop off to the box in the front lobby. Please contact Jessica Diamond with any questions.
Winter Donation Drive
Our WES Service Project in honor of MLK Day this year is a collection to benefit kids in our area through City Team. We are in need of NEW or VERY gently used and clean winter hats, gloves and sweaters (size 2T-6) and NEW socks (with tags). You may bring your donations to the WES lobby and the collection will continue until Friday, January 19. Please consider donating to this great cause. Thank you in advance for your support!
Chipotle Night - WES Fundraiser
Save the Date! Dine-in, takeout, or order online from Chipotle in Springfield on Wednesday, February 7th from 4pm-8pm. Present a printed or digital Flyer and Chipotle will donate 33% from your bill towards the WES PTO. Thank you for your support - have a burritoful day!
Car Line
The Car Line Sign-Up for January-June is now available! We are asking for volunteers to help provide a warm welcome in the morning in the back loop at WES from 8:15-8:45 am each morning. We need volunteers to keep the traffic flowing and assist the kids with their backpacks and car doors - especially in the colder months when more families are driving and many kids have winter gear. Please contact Ted Benzing if interested or with any questions.
Girls on the Run - Coaches Needed!
Girls on the Run will be returning to WES this spring and we are still looking for coaches, so that all of our registered girls can participate! The team will practice on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:30-5pm beginning the week of 2/26 and running for 8 weeks. Coaches would complete training, and lead our WES team through the curriculum with co-coaches and season-long support. Please reach out to Christine Greco with questions or to express interest in being a volunteer coach for our WES Girls on the Run team!
Join the Bike Bus!
A Bike Bus is an organized ride to school with meeting points and a designated route. With a large group of kids and adult “bus drivers” riding together, a Bike Bus is much more visible to drivers and therefore safer than one child riding alone.
The Sustainability Committee is seeking parent volunteers to help pilot this program at WES. If you’re interested, please sign up here, and note the name of your neighborhood or street in the comments, as we hope to have multiple Bike Bus routes coming from different directions.
Our target start date is April 3, 2024, with weekly Bike Bus days each Wednesday through the end of the school year. Check out this video for a short intro to the Bike Bus concept.
Community Flyers from PeachJar!
__________________________________
Have a question? We are here to help!
Mrs. Zwitch , Executive Assistant to the Principal- jzwitch@wssd.org, 610-892-3470 ext. 4305
Mrs. Brown, Building Secretary, Attendance, - pbrown2@wssd.org, 610-892-3470 ext. 4306
-
January 8, 2024
Upcoming Dates:
January 9 - PTO Meeting, 6:00pm
January 12 - MLK Assembly
January 15 - NO SCHOOL - HOLIDAY
January 16 - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS - Teacher In-Service Day
January 26 - WES Bingo Night
January 26 - Report Cards Released to Families
February 6 - PTO Meeting, 6:00pm
February 14 - Valentine’s Day Classroom Parties
February 16 - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS - Teacher In-Service Day
February 19 - NO SCHOOL - HOLIDAY
_________________________________________________________
Dear Families,
The brief snow over the weekend was a wonderful preview of winter! As we move through the winter here at WES we are working to get back into routines after the break. On Friday, our 2nd grade will lead an assembly celebrating the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. What an impactful way to close out the week!
As a reminder, volunteer clearances are now required for guest readers, library volunteers, party volunteers, homeroom parents, etc. If you plan to volunteer for the Valentine’s Day parties next month, please ensure that your clearances are up to date.
Thank you and have a wonderful week!
Dr. Savage
Principal
Wallingford Elementary
_________________________________________________________
Guidance Newsletter
Read the latest newsletter to see what your child learned with Mrs. Schwam during the 7th guidance cycle of the year. Your child had guidance during the 1/3 to 1/8 library period.
MLK Day of Service
The district will hold its community-wide celebration of the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service on Monday, January 15, 2024. The MLK Day of Service celebrates and honors the civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s legacy of service, equality, and selflessness. The event will take place from 8:30am-12:30pm and include community service, educational activities, and performances. This is a family-friendly event.
Schoology Update for Grades 3-5
As we look ahead to our district-wide implementation of the Schoology Learning Management System (LMS), the District is excited to share the upcoming dates Schoology will “Go Live” across ALL Wallingford-Swarthmore schools:
- Schoology at Strath Haven Middle School will begin on January 22nd
- Schoology at Strath Haven High School will begin on January 23rd
- Schoology at ALL Elementary schools (Grades 3-5) will begin on January 29th
Schoology Parent/Guardian Informational Sessions will be held on the following dates and times:
- Monday, February 12th at Strath Haven Middle School from 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
- Registration Link: Click Here to Register
- Tuesday, February 13th on ZOOM at 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
- Registration Link: Click Here to Register
- Wednesday, February 28th at NPE at 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
- Registration Link: Click Here to Register
In preparation for the transition to the Schoology LMS, a select number of our teachers and their students across the District have been piloting the Schoology LMS this Fall. These WSSD “Schoology Scholars” completed 30 hours of professional learning through a combination of in-person and online instruction and have provided invaluable support throughout this fall’s professional learning opportunities for all District teachers, grades 3-12.
Several Schoology resources are available for you as a parent/guardian. These resources will assist you in understanding the use and features of the Schoology LMS. See the links below for both student and parent/guardian training resources:
- Student Schoology Video Training Resources
- Parent/Guardian Schoology Video Training Resources (Login to your PowerSchool Parent portal, click on My PowerSchool on the left side menu, then click your initials in the top right hand corner, then on Schoology Messages to take you to the Schoology Parent view platform)
Additional information about Schoology and the WSSD Schoology implementation will be presented at the upcoming January 17, 2024 Educational Affairs meeting at 7:00 pm in Room B-226.
Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions related to the Schoology LMS platform in anticipation of the “Go Live” over the next few weeks, or its use during the Spring of 2024.
Volunteer Clearances - Now Required for Volunteers
As communicated for the past few months in our eblast, there has been a shift in district policy regarding clearances for volunteers.
In the past, parents who have come to support our library, guest read, serve as a homeroom parent or support a party were not required to have their clearances. WSSD is now requiring volunteer clearances for anyone volunteering with students more than once, which is the vast majority of our visitors. Any volunteer coming into the building for library, guest reader, homeroom parent, party volunteer, etc. is now required to have clearances on file with the district. If your clearances are not up to date and on file, please understand that you will not be permitted to volunteer. Please note that the district expectation has always been, and continues to be, that field trip chaperones have valid clearances on file.
Instructions for obtaining and submitting clearances:
- There are two required clearances (Child Abuse Clearance and PA State Police Criminal Background Check) and a form (Volunteer Registration and Disclosure Form) which must be completed. Clearances are free. The only cost is for the FBI fingerprinting which is only required if you have not lived in PA for the last 10 consecutive years.
- Clearances must be submitted via the form above. We can no longer accept clearances emailed or dropped off directly to the building.
- Volunteer clearances are good for 5 years from the date of issue.
More information about how to obtain clearances and how to submit them are available on the district's website, here: https://www.wssd.org/domain/389
Thank you for all you do to support your children. Please contact the office with any questions.
WES's Rusty's Ramblings Newspaper is Currently Seeking 4th and 5th-Grade Student Editors
Mrs. McGaffin will once again be helping put together WES's Rusty's Ramblings Newspaper this year. Once the club is underway, all WES students will be allowed to submit their work to be considered for the next edition, but first, she needs 4th and 5th-grade editors to manage the submissions and put the digital newspaper together (2 Editors-in-Chief, 2 Art Editors, 2 News Editors, 2 Literature Editors, and 2 Poetry Editors- a 4th and 5th-grader will work in pairs on each section.) Students interested must email Mrs. McGaffin the editorial job they'd like to apply for and the reasons why they are the best fit for the job. The editors must be able to meet as a club, with Mrs. McGaffin, on Wednesdays from 3:30-4:30 for 6 weeks starting on February 7th. All applications are due to Mrs. McGaffin by Wednesday, January 24 via email at jmcgaffin@wssdgmail.org.
Chains of Love Fundraising Service Project
In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s legacy of love and service, students at WES are participating in a fundraising service project. In school, the children will create a paper chain entitled, Chain of Love. Each student will create four links that bear a specific dream for a better world for our children. All of the links will be attached to form a Chain of Love that will be displayed in our hallways. You are welcome to sponsor your child's links by sending in a donation in any amount. Contributions will be sent to UNICEF to specifically help children who have been displaced due to the war. Please send any donations for the WES Chain of Love in a sealed envelope marked MLK and return to your child's teacher by Friday, January 12. The 2nd Grade Team thanks you for your support!
Little Panthers Preschool - Now Accepting Applications
Little Panthers Preschool is now accepting applications for the 2024 - 2025 school year. Little Panthers provides a setting for Strath Haven High School students who are enrolled in the Childhood Program to further their understanding of the growth and development of young children. In this preschool laboratory, the students provide a happy learning environment for the 3-5-year-old children while developing skills working with children. Under the supervision of a certified Family and Consumer Sciences teacher and two classroom aides, the students in the Childhood classes study, design, and implement developmentally appropriate learning activities. If you have any interest in sending your child to Little Panthers Preschool at Strath Haven High School, please contact Jen Zanoni, the program director, at jzanoni@wssd.org.
Registration is Now Open for the 24-25 School Year
Registration is now open for Kindergarten for the 24-25 school year! If your child will be entering kindergarten in September 2024, it is important that you register your child as soon as possible. In order to facilitate staffing and planning, we need to have an accurate count of children planning to attend kindergarten during the 2024-25 school year. Please see the attached letter for details and share this letter with neighbors and friends. If there is a child of kindergarten age in your neighborhood who has no siblings attending district schools, please relay this information to his/her parents. Questions regarding registration can be directed to the WSSD Registration office at 610-892-3470, ext. 1304.
DCIU Parent Training - Strategies to Keep Children Safe Online
School Lunch Information & Menu
The Weekly Lunch Menu for WES is available on the Nutrislice website. Please note, menus may still be subject to change based on supply and staffing changes. If your student has unique diet needs, please reach out to Kate Rittler for available options.
Please refer to the Food Services page of the WSSD website for more information on:
Join Us for Bingo Night - Friday, January 26!
Registration is live for our PTO BINGO NIGHT event on Friday, January 26! We expect to sell out so advance registration is necessary. Details and order form for bingo tickets, pizza, and raffle tickets are available on the PTO website. The raffle includes Principal for a Day, Breakfast with Dr. Savage, special teacher experiences, and several fun baskets!
This event is always a success due to the amazing support of our WES Community. Please consider signing up to volunteer baked goods or your time as a volunteer. We have had a great response to our $5 raffle basket donations via the emails our awesome homeroom parents have sent and appreciate your support in that area, too!
WES BINGO Night Bake Sale
WES BINGO Night VolunteersWe are currently accepting book donations for the prizes now through the event. Please send in gently used books with your students or drop off to the box in the front lobby. Please contact Jessica Diamond with any questions.
Winter Donation Drive
Our WES Service Project in honor of MLK Day this year is a collection to benefit kids in our area through City Team. We are in need of NEW or VERY gently used and clean winter hats, gloves and sweaters (size 2T-6) and NEW socks (with tags). You may bring your donations to the WES lobby and the collection will continue until Friday, January 19. Please consider donating to this great cause. Thank you in advance for your support!
Car Line
The Car Line Sign-Up for January-June is now available! We are asking for volunteers to help provide a warm welcome in the morning in the back loop at WES from 8:15-8:45 am each morning. We need volunteers to keep the traffic flowing and assist the kids with their backpacks and car doors - especially in the colder months when more families are driving and many kids have winter gear. Please contact Ted Benzing if interested or with any questions.
Girls on the Run - Coaches Needed!
Girls on the Run will be returning to WES this spring and we are still looking for coaches, so that all of our registered girls can participate! The team will practice on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:30-5pm beginning the week of February 26 and running for 8 weeks. Coaches would complete training, and lead our WES team through the curriculum with co-coaches and season-long support. Please reach out to Christine Greco with questions or to express interest in being a volunteer coach for our WES Girls on the Run team!
Join the Bike Bus!
A Bike Bus is an organized ride to school with meeting points and a designated route. With a large group of kids and adult “bus drivers” riding together, a Bike Bus is much more visible to drivers and therefore safer than one child riding alone.
The Sustainability Committee is seeking parent volunteers to help pilot this program at WES. If you’re interested, please sign up here, and note the name of your neighborhood or street in the comments, as we hope to have multiple Bike Bus routes coming from different directions.
Our target start date is April 3, 2024, with weekly Bike Bus days each Wednesday through the end of the school year. Check out this video for a short intro to the Bike Bus concept.
Community Flyers from PeachJar!
__________________________________
Have a question? We are here to help!
Mrs. Zwitch , Executive Assistant to the Principal- jzwitch@wssd.org, 610-892-3470 ext. 4305
Mrs. Brown, Building Secretary, Attendance, - pbrown2@wssd.org, 610-892-3470 ext. 4306
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January 2, 2024
Upcoming Dates:
January 9 - PTO Meeting, 6:00pm
January 15 - NO SCHOOL - HOLIDAY
January 16 - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS - Teacher In-Service Day
January 26 - WES Bingo Night
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Dear Families,
Happy New Year!
I hope the break was restful and filled with family time. Today we welcomed your children back to school and I admit, some were happier than others! We talk a lot about creating a peaceful learning environment that is safe, respectful, responsible and helpful here at WES. During the first several weeks back, we will be reviewing these expectations, reteaching or reminding students of routines. This will allow us to be as productive as possible during the next several months.
As we flip the calendar year to 2024 I also wanted to remind you that we have the PTO meeting on January 9 and WES Bingo Night on January 26. Bingo Night is always a well attended and fun event!
Remember, all building volunteers are now required to have valid volunteer clearances on file with the district. If you have not submitted your clearances, you will not be permitted to volunteer. More information and instructions can be found below.
Have a wonderful week!
Dr. Savage
Principal
Wallingford Elementary
_________________________________________________________
Volunteer Clearances - Now Required for Volunteers
As communicated for the past few months in our eblast, there has been a shift in district policy regarding clearances for volunteers.
In the past, parents who have come to support our library, guest read, serve as a homeroom parent or support a party were not required to have their clearances. WSSD is now requiring volunteer clearances for anyone volunteering with students more than once, which is the vast majority of our visitors. Please note that the district expectation has always been, and continues to be, that field trip chaperones have valid clearances on file.
Any volunteer coming into the building for library, guest reader, homeroom parent, party volunteer, etc. is now required to have clearances on file with the district. If your clearances are not up to date and on file, please understand that you will not be permitted to volunteer.
Instructions for obtaining and submitting clearances:
- There are two required clearances (Child Abuse Clearance and PA State Police Criminal Background Check) and a form (Volunteer Registration and Disclosure Form) which must be completed. Clearances are free. The only cost is for the FBI fingerprinting which is only required if you have not lived in PA for the last 10 consecutive years.
- Clearances must be submitted via the form above. We can no longer accept clearances emailed or dropped off directly to the building.
- Volunteer clearances are good for 5 years from the date of issue.
More information about how to obtain clearances and how to submit them are available on the district's website, here: https://www.wssd.org/domain/389
Thank you for all you do to support your children. Please contact the office with any questions.
WSSD Counselor Connection Newsletter
The first issue of the WSSD Counselor Connection Newsletter is now available. Meet the elementary school counselors and get helpful tips on transitioning back to school after break!
Registration is Now Open for 24-25 Kindergarten
Registration is now open for Kindergarten for the 24-25 school year! If your child will be entering kindergarten in September 2024, it is important that you register your child as soon as possible. In order to facilitate staffing and planning, we need to have an accurate count of children planning to attend kindergarten during the 2024-25 school year. Please see the attached letter for details and share this letter with neighbors and friends. If there is a child of kindergarten age in your neighborhood who has no siblings attending district schools, please relay this information to his/her parents. Questions regarding registration can be directed to the WSSD Registration office at 610-892-3470, ext. 1304.
DCIU Parent Training - Strategies to Keep Children Safe Online
School Lunch Information & Menu
The Weekly Lunch Menu for WES is available on the Nutrislice website. Please note, menus may still be subject to change based on supply and staffing changes. If your student has unique diet needs, please reach out to Kate Rittler for available options.
Please refer to the Food Services page of the WSSD website for more information on:
Join Us for Bingo Night - Friday, January 26!
Registration is open for our PTO BINGO NIGHT event on Friday, January 26th! We expect to sell out, so advance registration is necessary. Details and order form for bingo tickets, pizza, and raffle tickets are available on the PTO website. The raffle includes Principal for a Day, Breakfast with Dr. Savage, special teacher experiences, and several fun baskets! Watch for signups in early January to volunteer, donate baked goods or support the raffle baskets.
We are currently accepting book donations for the prizes now through the event. Please send in gently used books with your students or drop off to the box in the front lobby. Please contact Jessica Diamond with any questions.
Car Line
The Car Line Sign-Up for January-June is now available! We are asking for volunteers to help provide a warm welcome in the morning in the back loop at WES from 8:15-8:45 am each morning. We need volunteers to keep the traffic flowing and assist the kids with their backpacks and car doors - especially in the colder months when more families are driving and many kids have winter gear. Please contact Ted Benzing if interested or with any questions.
Girls on the Run
Limited spots remaining! Registration for the WES Girls on the Run team is now open for girls in grades 3-5 at www.gotrpa.org. Practices will be held on Tuesdays and Thursdays after school, beginning on February 27th. The program will run for 8 weeks, followed by a celebratory 5k held at Subaru Park. Please reach out to Christine Greco with any questions, or to express interest in volunteering as a coach.
Join the Bike Bus!
A Bike Bus is an organized ride to school with meeting points and a designated route. With a large group of kids and adult “bus drivers” riding together, a Bike Bus is much more visible to drivers and therefore safer than one child riding alone.
The Sustainability Committee is seeking parent volunteers to help pilot this program at WES. If you’re interested, please sign up here, and note the name of your neighborhood or street in the comments, as we hope to have multiple Bike Bus routes coming from different directions.
Our target start date is April 3, 2024, with weekly Bike Bus days each Wednesday through the end of the school year. Check out this video for a short intro to the Bike Bus concept.
Community Flyers from PeachJar!
__________________________________
Have a question? We are here to help!
Mrs. Zwitch , Executive Assistant to the Principal- jzwitch@wssd.org, 610-892-3470 ext. 4305
Mrs. Brown, Building Secretary, Attendance, - pbrown2@wssd.org, 610-892-3470 ext. 4306
