- Wallingford Elementary School
- e-Blasts 2023-2024
-
November 27, 2023
Upcoming Dates:
November 28 - December 1 - Fall Book Fair
November 29 - Evening Book Fair Shopping, 4:30pm - 6:00pm
December 5-8 - Hour of Code Activities
December 13 - WES Winter Concert, 7:00pm
December 14 - Guest Author Visit - Matt Phelan
December 22- Half Day 12:30 dismissal (Kindergarten modified schedule) - Winter Classroom Parties
December 25 - January 1 - NO SCHOOL - WINTER BREAK
_________________________________________________________
Dear Families,
I hope you all enjoyed a peaceful Thanksgiving break with your families. Though our calendar year is coming to an end, our educational community remains active! This week students will have the opportunity to participate in our Fall Book Fair during their Library class. Next week, students will experience Hour of Code activities with parents serving as guest helpers. Thank you to all who have signed up to help. There are sign-ups below for those who are interested in helping with both the Book Fair and Hour of Code.
I also wanted to take this opportunity to say thank you to all of the parents who provided the wonderful dinner for teachers during the full conference day on November 20th. We don’t take your generosity and care for granted. We are thankful for such a supportive community!
Have a great week,
Dr. Savage
Principal
Wallingford Elementary
_________________________________________________________
Guidance Newsletter
Read the latest newsletter to see what your child learned with Mrs. Schwam during the fifth guidance cycle of the year. Your child had/will have guidance during the 11/15 to 11/27 library period.
Changes to Volunteer Clearance Procedures - Clarification Added Regarding Field Trip Chaperones
This message is to inform you of a shift in district policy regarding clearances for volunteers. We encourage and welcome our families to join us in the building as part of the educational community, while maintaining a high level of safety.
In the past, parents who have come to support our library, guest read or support a party were not required to have their clearances. Going forward, WSSD is requiring volunteer clearances for anyone volunteering with students more than once, which is the vast majority of our visitors.
We know many parents/guardians have already signed up to support the school in various ways and for that we are extremely grateful. We do ask that you provide your clearances as outlined below. However, we will work with you to follow through on the completion of previous commitments. For example, if you are already volunteering in the library, classroom parties or as a Homeroom parent, we will honor that as you await your clearances. We do ask that you have your clearances in place by the end of the 2023 calendar year, which is fast approaching.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Any parent wishing to chaperone a field trip, MUST have valid clearances on file with the district. This has always been the district expectation and has not changed. We can not extend any leeway for clearances for field trip chaperones. Thank you for understanding.
Below is a summary of the expectations moving forward:
- Volunteer clearances are required for anyone volunteering to work with our students, whether that is in school, on a field trip, at an athletic event/practice, etc. Essentially, everyone who is volunteering with our students or in a school is required to obtain volunteer clearances. This includes but is not limited to adults who regularly volunteer but are under the supervision of a staff member.
- 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.
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.
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.
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:
Hour of Code - December 5-8
The Hour of Code is coming to WES on December 5 – 8! Please consider volunteering for an hour to help with this exciting event. No programming experience is necessary. You can sign up here to volunteer. We will need two volunteers for each classroom who will help facilitate Hour of Code activities. Tutorials of what to do and what to expect will be provided. If you have any questions, please contact Bobby Griffin, Marisa Ciarrocki, or Nicole Hanley. Thank you!
Fall Book Fair Begins Tomorrow!
Fall Book Fair is THIS week - Tuesday, November 28th - Friday, December 1st - during your child’s Library day/time. All purchases benefit our school! Here’s what you need to know about the Fall Book Fair:
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 fund a future eWallet.
- Cash and checks (made payable to WES PTO) are also accepted.
- If your child can’t make it to the Fair, they can also 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 Book Fair homepage to learn more and get started with eWallet and online shopping.
- Come and shop after school in the library this Wednesday, November 29 from 4:30-6:00 pm.
If you are interested in volunteering at the Book Fair during your child’s class time, please sign up here.
WES Night at Iron Hill
Save the Date! Dine-in or takeout from Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant in Media on Wednesday, December 13. Present a printed or digital flyer here, or mention the WES fundraiser and Iron Hill will donate 20% from your bill towards the WES PTO. Thank you for your support!
Visiting Author Matt Phelan - December 14
WES will welcome local New York Times bestselling author and illustrator Matt Phalen for an afternoon visit with students on Thursday, December 14! Signed copies of many of his award-winning books are available to order here until Thursday, November 30. The WES PTO will receive 20% from all book purchases, and your child will enjoy a special new addition to their home library. Please contact Christine Greco with any questions. Thank you for supporting our Visiting Authors program!
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.
Car Line
Please SIGN UP here for Car Line for the 2023-2024 school year. We're back for another year of asking for your help in providing a warm welcome in the morning and ensuring a safe and smooth car line drop-off for all of our kids. For anyone not familiar, Car Line Volunteers help in the back loop at WES from 8:15-8:45 am each morning, keeping the traffic flowing and assisting the kids with their backpacks and car doors. Please contact Ted Benzing or Katie Finley 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
-
November 20, 2023
Upcoming Dates:
November 20 - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS - Day & Evening Conferences
November 21- NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS - AM conferences
November 22-24 - District Closed for the Thanksgiving Holiday
November 28 - December 1 - Fall Book Fair
November 29 - Evening Book Fair Shopping, 4:30pm - 6:00pm
December 5-8 - Hour of Code Activities
December 13 - WES Winter Concert, 7:00pm
December 22- Half Day 12:30 dismissal (Kindergarten modified schedule) - Winter Classroom Parties
December 25 - January 1 - NO SCHOOL - WINTER BREAK
_________________________________________________________
Dear Families,
Thank you to everyone who supported Mrs. Gaur’s second grade class’s Milk & Cookie Stand! Mrs. Gaur and her students raised more than $1,700 for those in need. A huge thank you to all of the families who baked cookies and donated their time to help, and thank you to staff for donating the milk!
Speaking of donations, the WES Thanksgiving Food Drive was also a huge success! We were able to collect three car loads of food (including 17 turkeys) for the Media Food Bank and City Team Chester. Thank you to the PTO Citizenship Committee for organizing and to all of our families for generously donating to those in need. WES truly is the best!
Wishing you all a calm and peaceful Thanksgiving break,
Dr. Savage
Principal
Wallingford Elementary
_________________________________________________________
Lost & Found - Take a Look!
Don’t forget to check the lost & found in the front lobby when you are in the building for teacher conferences. Items not claimed will be donated to charity after the Thanksgiving holiday. Thank you!
Guidance Newsletter
Read the latest newsletter to see what your child learned with Mrs. Schwam during the fifth guidance cycle of the year. Your child had/will have guidance during the 11/15 to 11/27 library period.
Internet Safety Program - E-course
For any families that missed the November 8 Internet Safety Training session, the presenter has provided WSSD with an e-course containing similar content to what was presented. See below to access the course:
Changes to Volunteer Clearance Procedures
This message is to inform you of a shift in district policy regarding clearances for volunteers. We encourage and welcome our families to join us in the building as part of the educational community, while maintaining a high level of safety.
In the past, parents who have come to support our library, guest read or support a party were not required to have their clearances. Going forward, WSSD is requiring volunteer clearances for anyone volunteering with students more than once, which is the vast majority of our visitors.
We know many parents/guardians have already signed up to support the school in various ways and for that we are extremely grateful. We do ask that you provide your clearances as outlined below. However, we will work with you to follow through on the completion of previous commitments. For example, if you are already volunteering in the library, Halloween parties or as a Homeroom parent, we will honor that as you await your clearances. We do ask that you have your clearances in place by the end of the 2023 calendar year.
Below is a summary of the expectations moving forward:
- Volunteer clearances are required for anyone volunteering to work with our students, whether that is in school, on a field trip, at an athletic event/practice, etc. Essentially, everyone who is volunteering with our students or in a school is required to obtain volunteer clearances. This includes but is not limited to adults who regularly volunteer but are under the supervision of a staff member.
- 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.
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.
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.
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:
Hour of Code - December 5-8
The Hour of Code is coming to WES on December 5 – 8! Please consider volunteering for an hour to help with this exciting event. No programming experience is necessary. You can sign up here to volunteer. We will need two volunteers for each classroom who will help facilitate Hour of Code activities. Tutorials of what to do and what to expect will be provided. If you have any questions, please contact Bobby Griffin, Marisa Ciarrocki, or Nicole Hanley. Thank you!
Fall Book Fair
We’re excited to invite you to our upcoming Scholastic Book Fair. Hosted by our PTO, this event is an opportunity for students of all ages 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 Book Fair, which will take place from Tuesday, November 28 - Friday, December 1 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 fund a future eWallet.
- Cash and checks (made payable to WES PTO) are also accepted.
- If your child can’t make it to the Fair, they can also 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 Book Fair homepage to learn more and get started with eWallet and online shopping.
- Come and shop after school in the library on Wednesday, November 29 from 4:30-6:00 pm.
If you are interested in volunteering at the Book Fair during your child’s class time, please sign up here.
Visiting Author Matt Phelan - December 14
WES will welcome local New York Times bestselling author and illustrator Matt Phalen for an afternoon visit with students on Thursday, December 14! Signed copies of many of his award-winning books are available to order here until Thursday, November 30. The WES PTO will receive 20% from all book purchases, and your child will enjoy a special new addition to their home library. Please contact Christine Greco with any questions. Thank you for supporting our Visiting Authors program!
Car Line
Please SIGN UP here for Car Line for the 2023-2024 school year. We're back for another year of asking for your help in providing a warm welcome in the morning and ensuring a safe and smooth car line drop-off for all of our kids. For anyone not familiar, Car Line Volunteers help in the back loop at WES from 8:15-8:45 am each morning, keeping the traffic flowing and assisting the kids with their backpacks and car doors. Please contact Ted Benzing or Katie Finley 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
-
November 13, 2023
Upcoming Dates:
November 14- PTO Meeting, 6:00pm
November 15-17 - Mrs. Gaur’s Milk & Cookie Stand (during lunches)
November 16 -17 - Kindergarten Conferences (during the school day)
November 20 - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS - Day & Evening Conferences
November 21- NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS - AM conferences
November 22-24 - District Closed for the Thanksgiving Holiday
November 28 - December 1 - Fall Book Fair
November 29 - Evening Book Fair Shopping, 4:30pm - 6:00pm
December 5-8 - Hour of Code Activities
_________________________________________________________
Dear Families,
Last week WES 3rd grade paid tribute to Veterans during our annual assembly for Veteran’s Day. We were honored to welcome family members, friends and community members from all five branches of the armed forces as they were recognized and thanked for their service. Thank you, Veterans! And thank you to the third grade team for their hard work in putting this program together. Listen to a song from the program.
Thank you also to our families who donated 473 pounds of candy! We collected 1,675 pounds district wide and it was delivered to the service members and their families at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in NJ.
I hope you have all had a chance to schedule a conference with your child’s teacher(s). We look forward to seeing you and discussing your child’s progress.
I’d also like to wish all of our families who celebrate, a Happy Diwali! May every diya you light be a bearer of hope, health and happiness. Thank you to Mrs. Gaur and Mrs. Bonaskiewich for the beautiful chalk rangolis that greeted our students this morning.
Thank you and have a wonderful week,
Dr. Savage
Principal
Wallingford Elementary
_________________________________________________________
Mrs. Gaur’s Milk and Cookie Stand - November 15-17 During Lunches
Mrs. Gaur’s beloved Milk and Cookie Stand is back! See below for details:
All the children in the WES Land,
Come to Mrs. Gaur’s Milk Stand.
Cookies and Milk make a yummy snack,
Bring a $1.00 in your backpack.
People in need will get all your cash,
Don’t forget to put on a milk moo-stache.
- When: November 15, 16, 17
- Time: During Lunches
- Where: WES Cafeteria
Lost & Found - Take a Look!
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 the Thanksgiving holiday. Thank you!
Botvin Parent Engagement Series - Next Session, November 14 at 7:00pm
Internet Safety Program - E-course
For any families that missed last week’s Internet Safety Training session, the presenter has provided WSSD with an e-course containing similar content to what was presented. See below to access the course:
Changes to Volunteer Clearance Procedures
This message is to inform you of a shift in district policy regarding clearances for volunteers. We encourage and welcome our families to join us in the building as part of the educational community, while maintaining a high level of safety.
In the past, parents who have come to support our library, guest read or support a party were not required to have their clearances. Going forward, WSSD is requiring volunteer clearances for anyone volunteering with students more than once, which is the vast majority of our visitors.
We know many parents/guardians have already signed up to support the school in various ways and for that we are extremely grateful. We do ask that you provide your clearances as outlined below. However, we will work with you to follow through on the completion of previous commitments. For example, if you are already volunteering in the library, Halloween parties or as a Homeroom parent, we will honor that as you await your clearances. We do ask that you have your clearances in place by the end of the 2023 calendar year.
Below is a summary of the expectations moving forward:
- Volunteer clearances are required for anyone volunteering to work with our students, whether that is in school, on a field trip, at an athletic event/practice, etc. Essentially, everyone who is volunteering with our students or in a school is required to obtain volunteer clearances. This includes but is not limited to adults who regularly volunteer but are under the supervision of a staff member.
- 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.
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.
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.
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:
Hour of Code - December 5-8
The Hour of Code is coming to WES on December 5 – 8! Please consider volunteering for an hour to help with this exciting event. No programming experience is necessary. You can sign up here to volunteer. We will need two volunteers for each classroom who will help facilitate Hour of Code activities. Tutorials of what to do and what to expect will be provided. If you have any questions, please contact Bobby Griffin, Marisa Ciarrocki, or Nicole Hanley. Thank you!
Spirit Wear Update
The WES Holiday Shop is open! From November 13-17 place your orders and get them in time for Holiday gifts! We will drop orders back to school the week of December 11th. As always, any questions or requests please email Kristina Dechter and Michele Henriques.
Thanksgiving Food Drive
As part of Wallingford Elementary School’s ongoing citizenship project, the PTO is collecting non-perishable food items to help provide holiday meals for families in need. We will be working with City Team – Chester and the Media Food Bank. Your donations will help to offer much needed support to local families this holiday season.
When: Collection will run through Friday, November 17
Where: Collection bins are located outside of the front office
Please support our effort by donating according to the following list of suggested non-perishable items as shown by grade level: (No glass containers, please)
- Kindergarten: Powdered drink mixes: Iced Tea, Lemonade, etc.
- Grade 1: Cranberry Sauce, Applesauce, Packaged Gravy
- Grade 2: Canned Vegetables, Canned Sweet Potatoes, Yams, Olives, etc.
- Grade 3: Potatoes in a box: Mashed, Scalloped, etc.
- Grade 4: Stuffing Mix, Bread and Roll Mixes: Cornbread, Nut Breads, Muffins, etc.
- Grade 5: Dessert: Pie Filling, Pie Crusts, Canned Fruit, Jello, Pudding
- All Grades: Frozen turkey drop off Friday, November 17 from 9am to 3pm outside of the front office
For questions contact Ashley Drane or Danielle Nicholson.
Conference Dinner for Teachers
The PTO still needs volunteers to bring soup and salad. The upcoming fall conference schedule has our teachers in evening conferences, which means a particularly long day. We would like to make that day easier for them by providing dinner. Please sign up here, if you would like to contribute. We will be serving soups, salads and dessert.
Fall Book Fair
We’re excited to invite you to our upcoming Scholastic Book Fair. Hosted by our PTO, this event is an opportunity for students of all ages 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 Book Fair, which will take place from Tuesday, November 28 - Friday, December 1 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 fund a future eWallet.
- Cash and checks (made payable to WES PTO) are also accepted.
- If your child can’t make it to the Fair, they can also 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 Book Fair homepage to learn more and get started with eWallet and online shopping.
- Come and shop after school in the library on Wednesday, November 29 from 4:30-6:00 pm.
If you are interested in volunteering at the Book Fair during your child’s class time, please sign up here.
The Re-prize Drive is Back: Declutter Before the Holidays!
From now until Friday, November 17, the WES Sustainability Committee is 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.
Parent Social
Hello WES parents, the PTO Social Committee is inviting you— Yes, you read that right, parents only, to join us for a night of fun at our local brewery. Come out on Monday, November 20 at 7:30 pm for a private event at Ship Bottom Brewery in Swarthmore. Mingle with other WES parents before the holiday crazy begins. So get your babysitters, put down your turkeys and put your party pants on! Please don’t forget to RSVP.
Visiting Author Matt Phelan - December 14
WES will welcome local New York Times bestselling author and illustrator Matt Phalen for an afternoon visit with students on Thursday, December 14! Signed copies of many of his award-winning books are available to order here until Thursday, November 30. The WES PTO will receive 20% from all book purchases, and your child will enjoy a special new addition to their home library. Please contact Christine Greco with any questions. Thank you for supporting our Visiting Authors program!
Car Line
Please SIGN UP here for Car Line for the 2023-2024 school year. We're back for another year of asking for your help in providing a warm welcome in the morning and ensuring a safe and smooth car line drop-off for all of our kids. For anyone not familiar, Car Line Volunteers help in the back loop at WES from 8:15-8:45 am each morning, keeping the traffic flowing and assisting the kids with their backpacks and car doors. Please contact Ted Benzing or Katie Finley 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
-
November 6, 2023
Upcoming Dates:
November 7 - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS - Teacher In-Service Day
November 8 - Veteran’s Day Assembly (3rd Grade), 9:30am
November 9 - Picture Retake Day
November 14- PTO Meeting, 6:00pm
November 15-17 - Mrs. Gaur’s Milk & Cookie Stand (during lunches)
November 16 -17 - Kindergarten Conferences (during the school day)
November 20 - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS - Day & Evening Conferences
November 21- NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS - AM conferences
November 22-24 - District Closed for the Thanksgiving Holiday
_________________________________________________________
Dear Families,
This evening I will be sending a link for Fall conferences. Conferences will occur November 20th and November 21st for 1st through 5th grades. Kindergarten conferences occur on November 16, 17, 20 and 21 to accommodate the additional classes. Please schedule your conference during these days/times.
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.
Please look for an email from me at 7:00pm with the conference sign up links. The sign-up links will be available for one week, until Friday, November 10 at 4:00pm.
Please also note that there is no school for students tomorrow, Tuesday, November 7.
Thank you and have a wonderful week,
Dr. Savage
Principal
Wallingford Elementary
_________________________________________________________
Picture Retakes This Thursday, November 9
Picture retakes are scheduled for this Thursday, November 9. If your child was absent on picture day, they will have the opportunity to have their photo taken. If you are doing a retake, please have your child bring their picture package with them to the retake. Thank you!
Treats for Troops - Collecting until November 7
Please see the flyer below for details on our Treats for Troops candy collection. We will be collecting in the WES lobby through tomorrow, November 7. Thank you for your support!
Educating and Protecting our Children from Social Media, Gaming and the Internet - Wednesday, November 8, 6:30pm
On Wednesday, November 8, 2023 from 6:30-8:00pm at WES, Kristen McGarvey will be facilitating an educational experience for parents/caregivers of elementary students. The focus of this event is to educate families about the ever-changing online world, and the importance of protecting their digital identity BEFORE students become exposed to social media and online culture. Learn more and register for this event.
Mrs. Gaur’s Milk and Cookie Stand - November 15-17 During Lunches
Mrs. Gaur’s beloved Milk and Cookie Stand is back! See below for details:
All the children in the WES Land,
Come to Mrs. Gaur’s Milk Stand.
Cookies and Milk make a yummy snack,
Bring a $1.00 in your backpack.
People in need will get all your cash,
Don’t forget to put on a milk moo-stache.
- When: November 15, 16, 17
- Time: During Lunches
- Where: WES Cafeteria
Changes to Volunteer Clearance Procedures
This message is to inform you of a shift in district policy regarding clearances for volunteers. We encourage and welcome our families to join us in the building as part of the educational community, while maintaining a high level of safety.
In the past, parents who have come to support our library, guest read or support a party were not required to have their clearances. Going forward, WSSD is requiring volunteer clearances for anyone volunteering with students more than once, which is the vast majority of our visitors.
We know many parents/guardians have already signed up to support the school in various ways and for that we are extremely grateful. We do ask that you provide your clearances as outlined below. However, we will work with you to follow through on the completion of previous commitments. For example, if you are already volunteering in the library, Halloween parties or as a Homeroom parent, we will honor that as you await your clearances. We do ask that you have your clearances in place by the end of the 2023 calendar year.
Below is a summary of the expectations moving forward:
- Volunteer clearances are required for anyone volunteering to work with our students, whether that is in school, on a field trip, at an athletic event/practice, etc. Essentially, everyone who is volunteering with our students or in a school is required to obtain volunteer clearances. This includes but is not limited to adults who regularly volunteer but are under the supervision of a staff member.
- 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.
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.
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.
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.
Look out for featured local produce each week with our Farm to Fork program. Look for the farm to fork symbol on our menus to see when we will be featuring local produce! We finish our farm to fork program with a Harvest Feast in November.
Please refer to the Food Services page of the WSSD website for more information on:
Spirit Wear Update
Thank you to all the families who ordered Spirit Wear! Your kids will be coming home with their gear today (Monday Nov 6)! To all families who missed the window, we will be opening the store again for one week from November 13-17, so you have the opportunity to get some WES swag in time for the Holidays.
As always, any questions or requests please email Kristina Dechter and Michele Henriques.
Fall Book Fair
We’re excited to invite you to our upcoming Scholastic Book Fair. Hosted by our PTO, this event is an opportunity for students of all ages to build their home libraries and further their love of reading. As always, all purchases benefit our school.
SAVE THE DATE! Our book fair will take place from Tuesday, November 28 - Friday, December 1 during your child’s Library special day/time. All the exciting details will be ready for you next week! You can always Visit our Book Fair homepage to learn more, browse books and even do some online shopping.
Thanksgiving Food Drive
As part of Wallingford Elementary School’s ongoing citizenship project, the PTO is collecting non-perishable food items to help provide holiday meals for families in need. We will be working with City Team – Chester and the Media Food Bank. Your donations will help to offer much needed support to local families this holiday season.
When: Collection will run Thursday, November 9 through Friday, November 17
Where: Collection bins are located outside of the front office
Please support our effort by donating according to the following list of suggested non-perishable items as shown by grade level: (No glass containers, please)
- Kindergarten: Powdered drink mixes: Iced Tea, Lemonade, etc.
- Grade 1: Cranberry Sauce, Applesauce, Packaged Gravy
- Grade 2: Canned Vegetables, Canned Sweet Potatoes, Yams, Olives, etc.
- Grade 3: Potatoes in a box: Mashed, Scalloped, etc.
- Grade 4: Stuffing Mix, Bread and Roll Mixes: Cornbread, Nut Breads, Muffins, etc.
- Grade 5: Dessert: Pie Filling, Pie Crusts, Canned Fruit, Jello, Pudding
- All Grades: Frozen turkey drop off Friday, November 17 from 9am to 3pm outside of the front office
For questions contact Ashley Drane or Danielle Nicholson.
The Re-prize Drive is Back: Declutter Before the Holidays!
From Monday, November 6 through Friday, November 17, 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.
Parent Social
Hello WES parents, the PTO Social Committee is inviting you— Yes, you read that right, parents only, to join us for a night of fun at our local brewery. Come out on Monday, November 20 at 7:30 pm for a private event at Ship Bottom Brewery in Swarthmore. Mingle with other WES parents before the holiday crazy begins. So get your babysitters, put down your turkeys and put your party pants on! Please don’t forget to RSVP.
Car Line
Please SIGN UP here for Car Line for the 2023-2024 school year. We're back for another year of asking for your help in providing a warm welcome in the morning and ensuring a safe and smooth car line drop-off for all of our kids. For anyone not familiar, Car Line Volunteers help in the back loop at WES from 8:15-8:45 am each morning, keeping the traffic flowing and assisting the kids with their backpacks and car doors. Please contact Ted Benzing or Katie Finley 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
-
October 30, 2023
Upcoming Dates:
October 31 - Classroom Parties and WES Halloween Parade, 2:00pm
November 7 - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS - Teacher In-Service Day
November 8 - Veteran’s Day Assembly (3rd Grade), 9:30am
November 9 - Picture Retake Day
November 14- PTO Meeting, 6:00pm
November 15-17 - Mrs. Gaur’s Milk & Cookie Stand (during lunches)
November 16 -17 - Kindergarten Conferences (during the school day)
November 20 - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS - Day & Evening Conferences
November 21- NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS - AM conferences
November 22-24 - District Closed for the Thanksgiving Holiday
_________________________________________________________
Dear Families,
Thank you to the families that organized and attended the Halloween Carnival on Saturday! I enjoyed seeing everyone having fun with this annual tradition.
We hope to see you tomorrow for the WES Halloween Parade at 2:00pm. See below for more details and information.
As we move into November and the season of thanks and giving, I am thankful for the community we have built here at WES; our students, staff and families!
Thank you and have a wonderful week,
Dr. Savage
Principal
Wallingford Elementary
_________________________________________________________
WES Halloween Parade - Tuesday, October 31 at 2:00pm
We are excited to welcome families to this year’s WES Halloween Parade! Weather permitting, the parade will be held outside on Tuesday, October 31 at 2:00 pm. Classes will parade around the back parking lot area. Families are invited to view the parade along the outdoor route.
We ask that parents use your best judgment about your child’s choice of costume. However, as always, NO GUNS OR OTHER TOY WEAPONS may be carried.
PM kindergartners will parade at 2:00 pm and AM kindergartners will parade at 9:30am. Specifics about the parade schedule for kindergartners were sent home with students.
We are crossing our fingers for good weather and looking forward to a fun parade!
Guidance Newsletter
Here is the guidance newsletter for the fourth cycle of guidance for the 23-24 school year. Your child had/will have guidance during the 10/27 to 11/1 library period.
Changes to Volunteer Clearance Procedures
This message is to inform you of a shift in district policy regarding clearances for volunteers. We encourage and welcome our families to join us in the building as part of the educational community, while maintaining a high level of safety.
In the past, parents who have come to support our library, guest read or support a party were not required to have their clearances. Going forward, WSSD is requiring volunteer clearances for anyone volunteering with students more than once, which is the vast majority of our visitors.
We know many parents/guardians have already signed up to support the school in various ways and for that we are extremely grateful. We do ask that you provide your clearances as outlined below. However, we will work with you to follow through on the completion of previous commitments. For example, if you are already volunteering in the library, Halloween parties or as a Homeroom parent, we will honor that as you await your clearances. We do ask that you have your clearances in place by the end of the 2023 calendar year.
Below is a summary of the expectations moving forward:
- Volunteer clearances are required for anyone volunteering to work with our students, whether that is in school, on a field trip, at an athletic event/practice, etc. Essentially, everyone who is volunteering with our students or in a school is required to obtain volunteer clearances. This includes but is not limited to adults who regularly volunteer but are under the supervision of a staff member.
- 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.
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.
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.
Mrs. Gaur’s Milk and Cookie Stand - November 15-17 During Lunches
Mrs. Gaur’s beloved Milk and Cookie Stand is back! See below for details:
All the children in the WES Land,
Come to Mrs. Gaur’s Milk Stand.
Cookies and Milk make a yummy snack,
Bring a $1.00 in your backpack.
People in need will get all your cash,
Don’t forget to put on a milk moo-stache.
- When: November 15, 16, 17
- Time: During Lunches
- Where: WES Cafeteria
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:
Welcome to WES Lawn Sign Collection
If you are ready to part with your new student “Welcome to WES” lawn sign, please consider recycling it in the collection bin at WES. The collection bin will be in the WES front lobby from now through November 3rd and will be available at the Halloween Parade on October 31st. The Sustainability Committee and the New Parent Committee are working together to recycle as many “Welcome to WES” signs as possible in an effort to reduce waste and cost. Thank you!
Thanksgiving Food Drive
As part of Wallingford Elementary School’s ongoing citizenship project, the PTO is collecting non-perishable food items to help provide holiday meals for families in need. We will be working with City Team – Chester and the Media Food Bank. Your donations will help to offer much needed support to local families this holiday season.
When: Collection will run Thursday, November 9 through Friday, November 17
Where: Collection bins are located outside of the front office
Please support our effort by donating according to the following list of suggested non-perishable items as shown by grade level: (No glass containers, please)
- Kindergarten: Powdered drink mixes: Iced Tea, Lemonade, etc.
- Grade 1: Cranberry Sauce, Applesauce, Packaged Gravy
- Grade 2: Canned Vegetables, Canned Sweet Potatoes, Yams, Olives, etc.
- Grade 3: Potatoes in a box: Mashed, Scalloped, etc.
- Grade 4: Stuffing Mix, Bread and Roll Mixes: Cornbread, Nut Breads, Muffins, etc.
- Grade 5: Dessert: Pie Filling, Pie Crusts, Canned Fruit, Jello, Pudding
- All Grades: Frozen turkey drop off Friday, November 17 from 9am to 3pm outside of the front office
For questions contact Ashley Drane or Danielle Nicholson.
The Re-prize Drive is Back: Declutter Before the Holidays!
From Monday, November 6 through Friday, November 17, 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.
Parent Social
Hello WES parents, the PTO Social Committee is inviting you— Yes, you read that right, parents only, to join us for a night of fun at our local brewery. Come out on Monday, November 20 at 7:30 pm for a private event at Ship Bottom Brewery in Swarthmore. Mingle with other WES parents before the holiday crazy begins. So get your babysitters, put down your turkeys and put your party pants on! Please don’t forget to RSVP.
Car Line
Please SIGN UP here for Car Line for the 2023-2024 school year. We're back for another year of asking for your help in providing a warm welcome in the morning and ensuring a safe and smooth car line drop-off for all of our kids. For anyone not familiar, Car Line Volunteers help in the back loop at WES from 8:15-8:45 am each morning, keeping the traffic flowing and assisting the kids with their backpacks and car doors. Please contact Ted Benzing or Katie Finley 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
-
October 23, 2023
Upcoming Dates:
October 24 - WES Night at Swarthmore Pizza (PTO fundraiser), 4:00 - 9:00pm
October 28 - WES Halloween Carnival, 9:00am - 12:00pm
October 31 - Classroom Parties and WES Halloween Parade, 2:00pm
November 7 - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS - Teacher In-Service Day
November 8 - Veteran’s Day Assembly (3rd Grade), 9:30am
November 9 - Picture Retake Day
November 14- PTO Meeting, 6:00pm
November 16 -17 - Kindergarten Conferences (during the school day)
November 20 - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS - Day & Evening Conferences
November 21- NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS - AM conferences
November 22-24 - District Closed for the Thanksgiving Holiday
_________________________________________________________
Dear Families,
Last week we were delighted to welcome this year’s Artist in Residence, Amberella. Amber installed “Power Hearts” around the school to promote belonging, emphasize our shared humanity and create inclusion within our WES community. Along with Mrs. Ryan, she also spoke with students about her art and the messages it conveys. Thank you to Mrs. Ryan for coordinating this project and to the WES PTO for your generous support! We look forward to having these positive messages be a part of our school for years to come!
Thank you and have a wonderful week,
Dr. Savage
Principal
Wallingford Elementary
_________________________________________________________
Changes to Volunteer Clearance Procedures
This message is to inform you of a shift in district policy regarding clearances for volunteers. We encourage and welcome our families to join us in the building as part of the educational community, while maintaining a high level of safety.
In the past, parents who have come to support our library, guest read or support a party were not required to have their clearances. Going forward, WSSD is requiring volunteer clearances for anyone volunteering with students more than once, which is the vast majority of our visitors.
We know many parents/guardians have already signed up to support the school in various ways and for that we are extremely grateful. We do ask that you provide your clearances as outlined below. However, we will work with you to follow through on the completion of previous commitments. For example, if you are already volunteering in the library, Halloween parties or as a Homeroom parent, we will honor that as you await your clearances. We do ask that you have your clearances in place by the end of the 2023 calendar year.
Below is a summary of the expectations moving forward:
-
Volunteer clearances are required for anyone volunteering to work with our students, whether that is in school, on a field trip, at an athletic event/practice, etc. Essentially, everyone who is volunteering with our students or in a school is required to obtain volunteer clearances. This includes but is not limited to adults who regularly volunteer but are under the supervision of a staff member.
-
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.
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.
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.
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.
Look out for featured local produce each week with our Farm to Fork program. Look for the farm to fork symbol on our menus to see when we will be featuring local produce! We finish our farm to fork program with a Harvest Feast in November.
Please refer to the Food Services page of the WSSD website for more information on:
Welcome to WES Lawn Sign Collection
If you are ready to part with your new student “Welcome to WES” lawn sign, please consider recycling it in the collection bin at WES. The collection bin will be in the WES front lobby from October 23rd through November 3rd and will be available at the Halloween Carnival on October 28th and the Halloween Parade on October 31st. The Sustainability Committee and the New Parent Committee are working together to recycle as many “Welcome to WES” signs as possible in an effort to reduce waste and cost. Thank you!
WES Night at Swarthmore Pizza - Tuesday, October 24
Fall schedules have never been busier and "to-do" lists are long. 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, October 24 between 4pm-9pm. A portion of the proceeds goes back to support our school!
Halloween Carnival & Pancake Breakfast - Saturday, October 28
The Halloween Carnival and Pancake Breakfast are this weekend! This is the PTO’s biggest event of the fall. Buy your wristbands today to attend the carnival. No tickets necessary for the Pancake Breakfast this year. Guests will pay (cash only) at the event. Thank you!
Call for Volunteers!
We need your help to make it a spook-tacular event. This is one of the biggest fundraisers that supports 5th grade activities and celebrations. Please sign up to volunteer your time the morning of Saturday, October 28! There are so many games and activities to run. Parents and students are needed. Remember to wear a costume!
-
Cake Walk Donations needed! - We are in need of donated baked goods (homemade or store-bought) for the Cake Walk. Please sign up to contribute. The donations should be entire cakes/pies and should be on disposable plates/containers. Thank you so much and we cannot wait to see you at the carnival for a morning of fun and games.
-
Volunteers Needed for Pancake Breakfast! - Mark your calendars for the annual WES Pancake breakfast fundraiser on Saturday, October 28 from 9:00 am - 12 pm at WES! We need volunteers to flip pancakes, work the food line, and serve as cashiers. We are also looking for food donations. A sign-up will be available in next week's email, so please consider supporting the event! Sign up to volunteer for the Pancake Breakfast here.
-
If you have a “Welcome to WES” lawn sign you are ready to part with, please bring it to the Halloween carnival or the Halloween parade! There will be a collection bin for the signs near the picnic table on the lower playground.
WES Student Directory
Print copies were sent home in backpacks last Friday for families who purchased the WES Student Directory. A limited quantity is still available to order here! Access to the app version will be sent from Directory Spot to the email(s) provided when purchased. Thank you for supporting the WES PTO!
Car Line
Please SIGN UP here for Car Line for the 2023-2024 school year. We're back for another year of asking for your help in providing a warm welcome in the morning and ensuring a safe and smooth car line drop-off for all of our kids. For anyone not familiar, Car Line Volunteers help in the back loop at WES from 8:15-8:45 am each morning, keeping the traffic flowing and assisting the kids with their backpacks and car doors. Please contact Ted Benzing or Katie Finley 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
-
-
October 16, 2023
Upcoming Dates:
October 17 - PTO Meeting, 6:00pm
October 24 - WES Night at Swarthmore Pizza (PTO fundraiser)
October 28 - WES Halloween Carnival, 9:00am - 12:00pm
October 31 - WES Halloween Parade, 2:00pm
November 7 - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS - Teacher In-Service Day
November 8 - Veteran’s Day Assembly (3rd Grade), 9:30am
November 9 - Picture Re-take Day
_________________________________________________________
Dear Families,
Thank you to Nurse Costa and our committee of volunteers for organizing Apple Crunch Day last Friday. Crimson Crisp was the favorite of the day! Please see a message below regarding clearances for volunteers. Finally, we will have a Phillies spirit day tomorrow! Students and staff are welcome to wear red or Phillies gear (not required).
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 third guidance cycle of the year. Your child had guidance during the 10/11 to 10/16 library period.
Changes to Volunteer Clearance Procedures
Per Dr. Savage’s email earlier today, this message is to inform you of a shift in district policy regarding clearances for volunteers. We encourage and welcome our families to join us in the building as part of the educational community, while maintaining a high level of safety.
In the past, parents who have come to support our library, guest read or support a party were not required to have their clearances. Going forward, WSSD is requiring volunteer clearances for anyone volunteering with students more than once, which is the vast majority of our visitors.
We know many parents/guardians have already signed up to support the school in various ways and for that we are extremely grateful. We do ask that you provide your clearances as outlined below. However, we will work with you to follow through on the completion of previous commitments. For example, if you are already volunteering in the library, Halloween parties or as a Homeroom parent, we will honor that as you await your clearances. We do ask that you have your clearances in place by the end of the 2023 calendar year.
Below is a summary of the expectations moving forward:
- Volunteer clearances are required for anyone volunteering to work with our students, whether that is in school, on a field trip, at an athletic event/practice, etc. Essentially, everyone who is volunteering with our students or in a school is required to obtain volunteer clearances. This includes but is not limited to adults who regularly volunteer but are under the supervision of a staff member.
- 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.
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.
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.
Look out for featured local produce each week with our Farm to Fork program. Look for the farm to fork symbol on our menus to see when we will be featuring local produce! We finish our farm to fork program with a Harvest Feast in November.
Please refer to the Food Services page of the WSSD website for more information on:
Welcome to WES Lawn Sign Collection
If you are ready to part with your new student “Welcome to WES” lawn sign, please consider recycling it in the collection bin at WES. The collection bin will be in the WES front lobby from October 23rd through November 3rd and will be available at the Halloween Carnival on October 28th and the Halloween Parade on October 31st. The Sustainability Committee and the New Parent Committee are working together to recycle as many “Welcome to WES” signs as possible in an effort to reduce waste and cost. Thank you!
Halloween Carnival & Pancake Breakfast - Saturday, October 28
The Halloween Carnival and Pancake Breakfast are right around the corner! This is the PTO’s biggest event of the fall. Buy your wristbands today to attend the carnival. No tickets necessary for the Pancake Breakfast this year. Guests will pay (cash only) at the event. Thank you!
Call for Volunteers!
We need your help to make it a spook-tacular event. This is one of the biggest fundraisers that supports 5th grade activities and celebrations. Please sign up to volunteer your time the morning of Saturday, October 28! There are so many games and activities to run. Parents and students are needed. Remember to wear a costume!
- Cake Walk Donations needed! - We are in need of donated baked goods (homemade or store-bought) for the Cake Walk. Please sign up to contribute. The donations should be entire cakes/pies and should be on disposable plates/containers. Thank you so much and we cannot wait to see you at the carnival for a morning of fun and games.
- Volunteers Needed for Pancake Breakfast! - Mark your calendars for the annual WES Pancake breakfast fundraiser on Saturday, October 28 from 9:00 am - 12 pm at WES! We need volunteers to flip pancakes, work the food line, and serve as cashiers. We are also looking for food donations. A sign-up will be available in next week's email, so please consider supporting the event! Sign up to volunteer for the Pancake Breakfast here.
- If you have a “Welcome to WES” lawn sign you are ready to part with, please bring it to the Halloween carnival or the Halloween parade! There will be a collection bin for the signs near the picnic table on the lower playground.
WES Night at Swarthmore Pizza - Tuesday, October 24
Fall schedules have never been busier and "to-do" lists are long. 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, October 24 between 4pm-9pm. A portion of the proceeds goes back to support our school!
WES Student Directory
Digital access to the WES Student Directory is included with the purchase of a print copy. Please look for an invitation from Directory Spot, which will be sent to the email(s) provided when you purchased your WES Student Directory. Print copies are in production and will be sent home with your child once published. Thank you for supporting the WES PTO!
Car Line
Please SIGN UP here for Car Line for the 2023-2024 school year. We're back for another year of asking for your help in providing a warm welcome in the morning and ensuring a safe and smooth car line drop-off for all of our kids. For anyone not familiar, Car Line Volunteers help in the back loop at WES from 8:15-8:45 am each morning, keeping the traffic flowing and assisting the kids with their backpacks and car doors. Please contact Ted Benzing or Katie Finley 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
-
October 9, 2023
Upcoming Dates:
October 9 - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS - Teacher In-Service Day
October 13 - Apple Crunch Day
October 17 - PTO Meeting, 6:30pm
October 28 - WES Halloween Carnival, 9:00am - 12:00pm
October 31 - WES Halloween Parade, 2:00pm
November 7 - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS - Teacher In-Service Day
November 8 - Veteran’s Day Assembly (3rd Grade), 9:30am
_________________________________________________________
Dear Families,
I hope you are enjoying your day. Last week our 1st grade students enjoyed their field trip to Ramsay Farm. This week we are looking forward to an all school assembly where we will discuss our theme, Time to Shine. Thank you to all of the parents helping with our Apple Crunch day upcoming this Friday.
Have a wonderful week and Go Phillies!
Thank you,
Dr. Savage
Principal
Wallingford Elementary
_________________________________________________________
WSSD Art Department Recognized by the PA Education Association
For the second year in a row, WSSD has been recognized as an Outstanding Visual Arts Community by the Pennsylvania Education Association. This is awarded to art programs that include rigorous and inclusive classrooms, programs that are highly accessible for students and highly visible to the community. Congratulations to Mrs. Ryan and the entire WSSD Art Department!
WSSD Nursing Newsletter
The latest issue of the “Stetho-Scoop” is now available. This issue includes:
- Nursing staff names and locations.
- When to keep your child home from school.
- Virtual Nurses office.
- Stress and our children.
- Necessary sleep by age.
- And more....
Apple Crunch Day is Friday, October 13
There are still some opportunities to volunteer for Apple Crunch Day! This Friday, October 13, Wallingford Elementary students will get to taste apples from a local orchard at snack time and vote on their favorite variety. We would love more apple slicers and classroom volunteers for Dankanich AM, Sudall, Morris, Haebel, Berman, Frascella, Knight, Conahan, Smith, and Sweeney PM. To help with this fun event please sign up here. Thank you!
Mrs. Costa and the WES Wellness Committee
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.
Look out for featured local produce each week with our Farm to Fork program. Look for the farm to fork symbol on our menus to see when we will be featuring local produce! We finish our farm to fork program with a Harvest Feast in November.
Please refer to the Food Services page of the WSSD website for more information on:
The free/reduced lunch program
Welcome to WES Lawn Sign Collection
If you are ready to part with your new student “Welcome to WES” lawn sign, please consider recycling it in the collection bin at WES. The collection bin will be in the WES front lobby from October 23 through November 3 and will be available at the Halloween Carnival on October 28 and the Halloween Parade on October 31. The Sustainability Committee and the New Parent Committee are working together to recycle as many “Welcome to WES” signs as possible in an effort to reduce waste and cost. Thank you!
Call for Volunteers for Halloween Carnival & Pancake Breakfast - Saturday, October 28
Calling ALL 5th grade families! The Annual WES Halloween Carnival is Saturday, October 28 from 9am-12pm and we need your help to make it a spook-tacular event. This is one of the biggest fundraisers that supports 5th grade activities and celebrations. Please sign up to volunteer your time the morning of Saturday, October 28! There are so many games and activities to run. Parents and students are needed. Remember to wear a costume!
- Cake Walk Donations needed! - We are in need of donated baked goods (homemade or store-bought) for the Cake Walk. Please sign up to contribute. The donations should be entire cakes/pies and should be on disposable plates/containers. Thank you so much and we cannot wait to see you at the carnival for a morning of fun and games.
- Volunteers Needed for Pancake Breakfast! - Mark your calendars for the annual WES Pancake breakfast fundraiser on Saturday, October 28 from 9:00 am - 12 pm at WES! We need volunteers to flip pancakes, work the food line, and serve as cashiers. We are also looking for food donations. A sign-up will be available in next week's email, so please consider supporting the event! Sign up to volunteer for the Pancake Breakfast here.
- If you have a “Welcome to WES” lawn sign you are ready to part with, please bring it to the Halloween carnival or the Halloween parade! There will be a collection bin for the signs near the picnic table on the lower playground.
Spirit Wear
The WES Spirit Wear Fall store is open! Come shop new and classic styles to rep our favorite Elementary School. It's 'Time to Shine' and show off our Rusty Raccoon in the wild. The store will be open for orders until this Friday, October 13 with proceeds going to the WES PTO. Any questions please email Kristina Dechter and Michele Henriques. Thank you for your support!
WES Night at Swarthmore Pizza - Tuesday, October 24
Fall schedules have never been busier and "to-do" lists are long. 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, October 24 between 4pm-9pm. A portion of the proceeds goes back to support our school!
Car Line
Please SIGN UP here for Car Line for the 2023-2024 school year.
We're back for another year of asking for your help in providing a warm welcome in the morning and ensuring a safe and smooth car line drop-off for all of our kids. Thank you to all of our dedicated volunteers over the past few years. We couldn’t have done it without you! For anyone not familiar, Car Line Volunteers help in the back loop at WES from 8:15-8:45 am each morning, keeping the traffic flowing and assisting the kids with their backpacks and car doors. Please contact Ted Benzing or Katie Finley 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
-
October 2, 2023
Upcoming Dates:
October 5 - PTO Movie Night (Rescheduled due to weather)
October 9 - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS - Teacher In-Service Day
October 13 - Apple Crunch Day
October 17 - PTO Meeting, 6:30pm
October 28 - WES Halloween Carnival, 9:00am - 12:00pm
October 31 - WES Halloween Parade, 2:00pm
November 7 - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS - Teacher In-Service Day
_________________________________________________________
Dear Families,
Good Afternoon and welcome to the month of October! Fall is my favorite season of the year because change is seen so clearly. Leaves are turning color, sports seasons are in full swing, the weather becomes cooler and my favorite holidays with my favorite foods are soon to come!
At WES, students and staff are settling into the rhythm of the school year. It is the consistent routines and expectations that keep us moving ahead. We look forward to an excellent week of teaching and learning focused on positive academic and behavioral habits.
Please be reminded that there is no school for students on October 9th as teachers and staff will be in professional development sessions that day.
Have a wonderful week.
Thank you,
Dr. Savage
Principal
Wallingford Elementary
_________________________________________________________
Guidance Newsletter
Read the latest newsletter to see what your child learned with Mrs. Schwam during the first guidance cycle of the year. Your child had guidance during the 9/21 to 9/27 library period.
WES Spirit T-Shirt Sizes
Our WES PTO has generously agreed to fund t-shirts for all WES students! These are special t-shirts with our new school logo, and we're going to ask kids to wear them whenever we have our all-school meetings. Before ordering, we need your child/children's sizes. If you have not completed the sizing form, please click here to do so as soon as possible! Thank you!
Sign Up for 2nd and 3rd Grade Fitness Club
Mr. C will be running Fitness Club for 2nd and 3rd grades in the coming weeks. Please see below for details and sign up information:
2nd Grade Fitness Club
Fitness Club for 2nd grade students will be offered once a week on the following Tuesday afternoons: 10/10, 10/17, 10/24 and 10/31. Fitness Club runs from 3:30 until 4:30pm and will be a combination of indoor games and fitness related activities. Pick-up is in the back of the school at 4:30pm.
Sign ups are on a first come first serve basis. In addition to the Sign-up Genius, a yellow dismissal form/Special Dismissal Power School form must be submitted for your child on each date your child is planning on participating in the Fitness Club. Sign-up here for 2nd Grade Fitness Club.
3rd Grade Fitness Club
Fitness Club for 3rd grade students will be offered once a week on the following Wednesday afternoons: 10/11, 10/18, 10/25 and 11/1. Fitness Club runs from 3:30 until 4:30pm and will be a combination of indoor games and fitness related activities. Pick-up is in the back of the school at 4:30pm.
Sign ups are on a first come first serve basis. In addition to the Sign-up Genius, a yellow dismissal form/Special Dismissal Power School form must be submitted for your child on each date your child is planning on participating in the Fitness Club. Sign-up here for 3rd Grade Fitness Club.
WES Emotional Well Being Check In
We thank you and your family for being our valued partners. As you may already be aware, social-emotional learning (SEL) is a priority in our schools. Specifically, students will participate in a social-emotional check-in via an online survey, or a hard copy survey as part of Guidance Instruction for grades K-2. The check-in will be completed on October 11th. The survey shouldn’t take more than 15 minutes to complete. For grades 3-12 an email will be sent to students by Panorama Education with the subject:Request for Feedback- Student Feedback on Social Emotional Learning. Please use this link for information about how Panorama protects student data.
The check-in content will ask students to self-reflect on growth mindsets, self-management and emotion regulation skills, and sense of belonging and wellbeing.
If your student is in grades K-2:
All students will receive the check-in during their Guidance Special. Responses will provide invaluable insights into student wellbeing and how we can improve and adapt our programs and interventions to better meet their needs. If a student doesn’t feel like they have enough information to answer a question, they will be able to ask for help. Individual responses to these surveys will be completely confidential and will only be viewed by the counselors and/or behavioral health staff.
If your student is in grades 3-5:
All students receive the check-in via email. Responses will provide invaluable insights into student wellbeing and how we can improve and adapt our programs and interventions to better meet their needs. If a student doesn’t feel like they have enough information to answer a question, they will be able to skip the item altogether. Individual responses to these surveys will be completely confidential and will only be viewed by the counselors and/or behavioral health staff. We are partnering with a third-party vendor, Panorama, to support us in administering these check-ins.
If you have any questions about the check-in please don’t hesitate to contact a Student Assessment team member at WES.
Thank you,
Eryka Weaver, School Counselor WES
Apple Crunch Day is Friday, October 13
Did you know that it is important to get at least five servings of fruits and vegetables a day to keep you healthy? Fruits and vegetables are an important part of a nutritious diet. Plus, they’re fun to eat!
On Friday, October 13, Wallingford Elementary will celebrate Apple Crunch Day by tasting apples from a local orchard at snack time. The kids will even get to vote on their favorite variety! If you would like to volunteer to help with this fun event please sign up here. Thank you!
Mrs. Costa and the WES Wellness Committee
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.
Look out for featured local produce each week with our Farm to Fork program. Look for the farm to fork symbol on our menus to see when we will be featuring local produce! We finish our farm to fork program with a Harvest Feast in November.
Please refer to the Food Services page of the WSSD website for more information on:
National Walk, Bike and Roll to School Day is Wednesday, October 4
This week the PTO would like to encourage our students and families to celebrate National Walk or Bike (or Roll) to School Day on Wednesday, October 4 by walking, biking or riding your scooter to school! The weather looks lovely that day, and it is a great way to get some extra exercise. Please plan to join us!
Outdoor Movie Night - Rescheduled to Thursday, October 5
The WES PTO has rescheduled outdoor movie night to Thursday, October 5! We hope you can join us to watch the movie Sing together at the school on a big screen. We plan to open for families at 6:20 p.m., with the movie starting at 7:00 p.m. Please remember to bring a blanket or chairs to sit on, and don't forget to bring your favorite snacks! This is a free event, and please bring the entire family. New this year: We will have free snow cones! Questions? Please contact movie night co-chairs Mike Sheehan or Nichole Dobo.
Call for Volunteers for Halloween Carnival & Pancake Breakfast - Saturday, October 28
Calling ALL 5th grade families! The Annual WES Halloween Carnival is Saturday, October 28th from 9 AM-12 PM and we need your help to make it a spook-tacular event. This is one of the biggest fundraisers that supports 5th grade activities and celebrations. Please sign up to volunteer your time the morning of Saturday, October 28! There are so many games and activities to run. Parents and students are needed. Remember to wear a costume!
- Cake Walk Donations needed! - We are in need of donated baked goods (homemade or store-bought) for the Cake Walk. Please sign up to contribute. The donations should be entire cakes/pies and should be on disposable plates/containers. Thank you so much and we cannot wait to see you at the carnival for a morning of fun and games.
- Volunteers Needed for Pancake Breakfast! - Mark your calendars for the annual WES Pancake breakfast fundraiser on Saturday, October 28 from 9:00 am - 12 pm at WES! We need volunteers to flip pancakes, work the food line, and serve as cashiers. We are also looking for food donations. A sign-up will be available in next week's email, so please consider supporting the event!
WES Night at Swarthmore Pizza - Tuesday, October 24
Fall schedules have never been busier and "to-do" lists are long. 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, October 24 between 4pm-9pm. A portion of the proceeds goes back to support our school!
Spirit Wear
The WES Spirit Wear Fall store is open! Come shop new and classic styles to rep our favorite Elementary School. It's 'Time to Shine' and show off our Rusty Raccoon in the wild. The store will be open for orders until Friday, October 13 with proceeds going to the WES PTO. Any questions please email Kristina Dechter and Michele Henriques. Thank you for your support!
Car Line
Please SIGN UP here for Car Line for the 2023-2024 school year.
We're back for another year of asking for your help in providing a warm welcome in the morning and ensuring a safe and smooth car line drop-off for all of our kids. Thank you to all of our dedicated volunteers over the past few years. We couldn’t have done it without you! For anyone not familiar, Car Line Volunteers help in the back loop at WES from 8:15-8:45 am each morning, keeping the traffic flowing and assisting the kids with their backpacks and car doors. Please contact Ted Benzing or Katie Finley 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
-
September 25, 2023
Upcoming Dates:
September 25 - Holiday - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS
September 27 - 5th Grade Ropes Course Trip
September 28 - School Picture Day
October 5 - PTO Movie Night (Rescheduled due to weather)
October 9 - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS - Teacher In-Service Day
October 13 - Apple Crunch Day
October 17 - PTO Meeting, 6:30pm
October 28 - WES Halloween Carnival
October 31 - WES Halloween Parade, 2:00pm
November 7 - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS - Teacher In-Service Day
_________________________________________________________
Dear Families,
I hope you and your family are very well. Last week students and staff did a wonderful job practicing our first lockdown drill. They responded quickly and followed our protocols. This week we look forward to our annual school picture day. It is always a great joy to see the building buzzing with excitement and smiles!
We are looking forward to a wonderful week. Have a great day.
Thank you,
Dr. Savage
Principal
Wallingford Elementary
_________________________________________________________
Important Information about Attendance
Please review these attachments for important information about attendance, including submitting attendance forms in Power School. Thank you!
WES Spirit T-Shirt Sizes
Our WES PTO has generously agreed to fund t-shirts for all WES students! These are special t-shirts with our new school logo, and we're going to ask kids to wear them whenever we have our all-school meetings. Before ordering, we need your child/children's sizes. If you have not completed the sizing form, please click here to do so as soon as possible! Thank you!
Picture Day is this Thursday, September 28!
School picture day is this Thursday, September 28 at WES. Order forms have been sent home with your student. Online ordering is also available. Please see the flyer below for details. Students should bring their camera card (from online ordering) or order form with payment with them on picture day.
WES Emotional Well Being Check In
We thank you and your family for being our valued partners. As you may already be aware, social-emotional learning (SEL) is a priority in our schools. Specifically, students will participate in a social-emotional check-in via an online survey, or a hard copy survey as part of Guidance Instruction for grades K-2. The check-in will be completed on October 11th. The survey shouldn’t take more than 15 minutes to complete. For grades 3-12 an email will be sent to students by Panorama Education with the subject: Request for Feedback- Student Feedback on Social Emotional Learning. Please use this link for information about how Panorama protects student data.
The check-in content will ask students to self-reflect on growth mindsets, self-management and emotion regulation skills, and sense of belonging and wellbeing.
If your student is in grades K-2:
All students will receive the check-in during their Guidance Special. Responses will provide invaluable insights into student wellbeing and how we can improve and adapt our programs and interventions to better meet their needs. If a student doesn’t feel like they have enough information to answer a question, they will be able to ask for help. Individual responses to these surveys will be completely confidential and will only be viewed by the counselors and/or behavioral health staff.
If your student is in grades 3-5:
All students receive the check-in via email. Responses will provide invaluable insights into student wellbeing and how we can improve and adapt our programs and interventions to better meet their needs. If a student doesn’t feel like they have enough information to answer a question, they will be able to skip the item altogether. Individual responses to these surveys will be completely confidential and will only be viewed by the counselors and/or behavioral health staff. We are partnering with a third-party vendor, Panorama, to support us in administering these check-ins.
If you have any questions about the check-in or wish to have your child excluded from the check-in, please don’t hesitate to contact a Student Assessment team member at WES by September 29, 2023.
Thank you,
Eryka Weaver, WES School Counselor
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.
Look out for featured local produce each week with our Farm to Fork program. Look for the farm to fork symbol on our menus to see when we will be featuring local produce! We finish our farm to fork program with a Harvest Feast in November.
This Wednesday, September 27, WES will have their first Wellness Wednesday. All students will be able to try our Broccoli Salad and receive a “I tried something new!” sticker
From Wednesday to Friday this week, we invite all 1st graders to participate in Nutrition for Life. Nutrition for Life provides our youngest students with a free lunch for three days. The goal is to get students excited about school lunch, and comfortable coming through the lunch line. We look forward to seeing your 1st grader at lunch!
Please refer to the Food Services page of the WSSD website for more information on:
Raptor: WSSD’s Visitor Registration System
We are excited to welcome volunteers into the building this school year! WSSD uses Raptor for our visitor screening/sign-in system. Each visitor to our building must be registered in this system and check in with the main office for a visitor badge each time you come in to visit/volunteer.
If you are new to WES or have not yet had your ID scanned through our Raptor System, please have a valid driver’s license ready when you arrive for your visit.
If you had your ID scanned into Raptor last school year, there is no need to scan it again. Your information will already be in our system. Though, you will still need to check in with the office and obtain a visitor badge for each visit.
Thank you for your patience and support of our commitment to safety!
Outdoor Movie Night - Rescheduled to Thursday, October 5
The WES PTO has rescheduled outdoor movie night to Thursday, October 5! We hope you can join us to watch the movie Sing together at the school on a big screen. We plan to open for families at 6:20 p.m., with the movie starting at 7:00 p.m. Please remember to bring a blanket or chairs to sit on, and don't forget to bring your favorite snacks! This is a free event, and please bring the entire family. New this year: We will have free snow cones! Questions? Please contact movie night co-chairs Mike Sheehan or Nichole Dobo.
Car Line
Please SIGN UP here for Car Line for the 2023-2024 school year.
We're back for another year of asking for your help in providing a warm welcome in the morning and ensuring a safe and smooth car line drop-off for all of our kids. Thank you to all of our dedicated volunteers over the past few years. We couldn’t have done it without you! For anyone not familiar, Car Line Volunteers help in the back loop at WES from 8:15-8:45 am each morning, keeping the traffic flowing and assisting the kids with their backpacks and car doors. Please contact Ted Benzing or Katie Finley 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
-
September 18, 2023
Upcoming Dates:
September 21 - PTO Mum Sale Pick up
September 22- PTO Movie Night
September 25 - Holiday - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS
September 27 - 5th Grade Ropes Course Trip
September 28 - School Picture Day
October 9 - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS - Teacher In-Service Day
October 13 - Apple Crunch Day
October 17 - PTO Meeting, 6:30pm
October 28 - WES Halloween Carnival
October 31 - WES Halloween Parade, 2:00pm
________________________________________________________
Dear Families,
I hope you had a wonderful weekend. This week at WES we are settling into our academic routines as teachers and students pick up the pace with academic rigor throughout the grade levels. Students have been building their knowledge of place value which is a foundational skill for our mathematics instruction. Explicit phonics instruction is also occurring in grades K through 2. This instruction is being applied in grades 3 through 5 within writing and spelling.
A special highlight for today was the virtual field trip our 5th grade students participated in to celebrate Constitution Day and Citizenship Day (September 17). Students watched a tour of Independence Hall and heard many historical facts and context. It’s pretty remarkable to reflect on the fact that two of the most influential documents in our nation, the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, were debated and signed in Philadelphia.
We look forward to a productive and peaceful week of teaching and learning at WES. As always, please feel free to contact my office with any questions or concerns.
Thank you,
Dr. Savage
Principal
Wallingford Elementary
________________________________________________________
WES Handbook
Some of the topics covered at Back to School Night included our goals for the year, behavior expectations, attendance/dismissal information, etc. For your reference, this information can also be found in the WES Student Handbook for 23-24.
Important Information about Attendance
Please review these attachments for important information about attendance, including submitting attendance forms in Power School. Thank you!
T-Shirt Sizes
Our WES PTO has generously agreed to fund t-shirts for all WES students! These are special t-shirts with our new school logo, and we're going to ask kids to wear them whenever we have our all-school meetings. Please be on the lookout for an email this week from your child’s teacher with a link to a Google Form to provide t-shirt size information. Thank you to the PTO for funding this project!
Picture Day is Thursday, September 28!
School picture day is Thursday, September 28 at WES. Order forms have been sent home with your student. Online ordering is also available. Please see the flyer below for details.
Raptor: WSSD’s Visitor Registration System
We are excited to welcome volunteers into the building this school year! WSSD uses Raptor for our visitor screening/sign-in system. Each visitor to our building must be registered in this system and check in with the main office for a visitor badge each time you come in to visit/volunteer.
If you are new to WES or have not yet had your ID scanned through our Raptor System, please have a valid driver’s license ready when you arrive for your visit.
If you had your ID scanned into Raptor last school year, there is no need to scan it again. Your information will already be in our system. Though, you will still need to check in with the office and obtain a visitor badge for each visit.
Thank you for your patience and support of our commitment to safety!
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:
PTO Movie Night
Please join us for the annual WES outdoor movie night! We will be watching the movie Sing together at the school on a big screen on Friday, September 22. New this year: We will be offering free snow cones for the kids, thanks to a parent volunteer! We plan to open the field for families at 6:30 p.m., with the movie starting at 7:15 p.m. Please remember to bring a blanket or chairs to sit on, and don't forget to bring your favorite snacks! This is a free event, and please bring the entire family. In the event of rain, we will reschedule to a new date. An RSVP isn't necessary, but it helps us get a crowd estimate, so please sign up here.
Questions? Please contact movie night co-chairs Mike Sheehan (sheeman10@gmail.com) or Nichole Dobo (nmd130@gmail.com).
WES Student Directory - Last Week to Order!
The 2023-2024 WES Student Directory is available to order from the School Store on the WES PTO website! This helpful resource is your connection to the WES community, with all of the important information in one place - including the school calendar of events, class lists and contact information for teachers and families. Each purchase also directly supports the WES PTO! Print copies will be sent home in backpacks when published and digital access will be provided to the email(s) provided.
Car Line
Please SIGN UP here for Car Line for the 2023-2024 school year.
We're back for another year of asking for your help in providing a warm welcome in the morning and ensuring a safe and smooth car line drop-off for all of our kids. Thank you to all of our dedicated volunteers over the past few years. We couldn’t have done it without you! For anyone not familiar, Car Line Volunteers help in the back loop at WES from 8:15-8:45 am each morning, keeping the traffic flowing and assisting the kids with their backpacks and car doors. Please contact Ted Benzing or Katie Finley 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
-
September 11, 2023
Upcoming Dates:
September 12 - PTO Meeting, 6:00pm
September 21 - PTO Mum Sale Pick up
September 22- PTO Movie Night
September 25 - Holiday - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS
September 27 - 5th Grade Ropes Course Trip
September 28 - School Picture Day
October 9 - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS - Teacher In-Service Day
October 13 - Apple Crunch Day
_______________________________________________________
Dear Families,
It was a pleasure to see so many of you at last week’s Back to School Night. What a joy to welcome our WES families, both old and new, to a brand new school year!
It’s been a busy time at WES during these first few weeks. We’ve gone “Back to Basics” learning behavior expectations and practicing being safe, respectful, responsible and helpful. As I mentioned at Back to School Night, we will be sending home a Behavior Agreement with each student this week to be reviewed together, signed and returned. We also practiced our first safety drill of the year, a fire drill. I’m happy to report that students and staff did a great job exiting the building in a safe manner.
Speaking of safety, next week we will conduct our first Lockdown Drill. This is a drill to rehearse how to respond to an intruder in the building. Some of the language teachers use to explain the drill to students include: We practice safety drills each month like fire drills. This drill is to practice being safe in the building. We also share that this drill could be used if there was a stray animal or adult without a visitor badge in the building.
My goal as principal is to ensure all students and staff know what to do in each of our emergency situations so we are able to respond with confidence. This is a part of creating the peaceful learning environment we value here at WES.
As always, please feel free to contact my office with any questions or concerns.
Thank you,
Dr. Savage
Principal
Wallingford Elementary
_________________________________________________________
Guidance Newsletter
Read the latest newsletter to see what your child learned with Mrs. Schwam during the first guidance cycle of the year. Your child had guidance during the 9/5 to 9/8 library period.
WES Handbook
Some of the topics covered at Back to School Night included our goals for the year, behavior expectations, attendance/dismissal information, etc. For your reference, this information can also be found in the WES Student Handbook for 23-24.
Medical Information Portal
Attention Parents! - As of September 18, any student without updated medical permission for medication will not be able to receive medication until their permission is updated. The nurse will not be calling parents. Please update your student’s permission as soon as possible.
Your students’ medical permission for medication MUST be updated every year for them to get medications from the Nurse. Please take a moment to do so, so your child will be able to get medication they need when they aren’t feeling well.
You will need to Log into your Parent Portal to complete the following:
- log on to the parent portal
- go to Forms
- Student Demographics
- Medical Information
- Answer yes or no for the medication listed
- enter your name and current date
- hit the submit button - located at the bottom and to the right of the page
Thank you,
WSSD Nursing Department
Instrumental Music Enrollment for Grades 3, 4, 5
Beginning Instrumental Music enrollment starts now! Registration for WES beginning instrumental music lessons is now available for grades 3, 4, and 5. Enroll here.
Picture Day is Thursday, September 28!
School picture day is Thursday, September 28 at WES. Order forms will be going home with students this week. Online ordering is also available. Please see the flyer below for details.
Raptor: WSSD’s Visitor Registration System
We are excited to welcome volunteers into the building this school year! WSSD uses Raptor for our visitor screening/sign-in system. Each visitor to our building must be registered in this system and check in with the main office for a visitor badge each time you come in to visit/volunteer.
If you are new to WES or have not yet had your ID scanned through our Raptor System, please have a valid driver’s license ready when you arrive for your visit. You will also have an opportunity to scan your ID into the system at Back to School Night.
If you had your ID scanned into Raptor last school year, there is no need to scan it again. Your information will already be in our system. Though, you will still need to check in with the office and obtain a visitor badge for each visit.
Thank you for your patience and support of our commitment to safety!
School Lunch Information & Menu
Governor Shapiro signed into law the Universal Free Breakfast Program for the 23-24 school year, all students will receive free breakfast. Students may still be eligible to receive free or reduced-price meals—please visit the Food Services page on the school district website to apply!
If you do not qualify for free or reduced-price meals, the elementary school price for lunch is $2.75. Students will need to enter their PIN at the register, and then pay with cash, check (made out to WSSD Food Services), or MySchoolBucks funds.
MySchoolBucks is a service that can be used to load money onto your student’s account so that they can draw from it automatically at the register. Please visit the Food Services page on the school district website for more information.
Menus are available through Nutrislice at wssd.nutrislice.com. 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!
PTO Movie Night
Please join us for the annual WES outdoor movie night! We will be watching the movie Sing together at the school on a big screen on Friday, September 22. New this year: We will be offering free snow cones for the kids, thanks to a parent volunteer! We plan to open the field for families at 6:30 p.m., with the movie starting at 7:15 p.m. Please remember to bring a blanket or chairs to sit on, and don't forget to bring your favorite snacks! This is a free event, and please bring the entire family. In the event of rain, we will reschedule to a new date. An RSVP isn't necessary, but it helps us get a crowd estimate, so please sign up here.
Questions? Please contact movie night co-chairs Mike Sheehan (sheeman10@gmail.com) or Nichole Dobo (nmd130@gmail.com).
Kindergarten Play Date
Calling all Kindergarten families! Join your fellow classmates for a fun and casual get together on Thursday, September 14 from 5-6pm at the WES playground. This is a great opportunity for parents to mix and mingle while the kids burn off some energy. This event is sponsored by the PTO’s New Parent Committee and open to the entire family. Please contact Anne McFadden or Megan Koehler with any questions.
WES Student Directory
The 2023-2024 WES Student Directory is now available to order from the School Store on the WES PTO website! This helpful resource is your connection to the WES community, with all of the important information in one place - including the school calendar of events, class lists and contact information for teachers and families. Each purchase also directly supports the WES PTO! Print copies will be sent home in backpacks when published and digital access will be provided to the email(s) provided.
Car Line
Please SIGN UP here for Car Line for the 2023-2024 school year.
We're back for another year of asking for your help in providing a warm welcome in the morning and ensuring a safe and smooth car line drop-off for all of our kids. Thank you to all of our dedicated volunteers over the past few years. We couldn’t have done it without you! For anyone not familiar, Car Line Volunteers help in the back loop at WES from 8:15-8:45 am each morning, keeping the traffic flowing and assisting the kids with their backpacks and car doors. Please contact Ted Benzing or Katie Finley if interested or with any questions.
WES Fifth Grade Mum Sale
Purchase your Mums this fall in support of the WES Class of 2024!
COST: $10.00 per plant
**ORDER ONLINE BY: Wednesday, September 13**
PICK-UP DATE: Thursday, September 21 from 4:00 – 6:00 PM at WES.
If you are interested in purchasing mums, please ORDER HERE.
Note: Plants not picked up/sold by 6:15pm will be donated to the PTO Grounds and Greens Committee to add fall color to the gardens at WES. A limited number of extra plants may be available for purchase on pick-up day.
For further questions about the mum sale, please contact Sarah Ponzio.
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
-
September 5, 2023
Upcoming Dates:
September 7 - Instrumental Music Demo Assembly (Grades 3,4,5), 9:00am
September 7 - Back to School Night, 6:30pm
September 12 - PTO Meeting, 6:00pm
September 21 - PTO Mum Sale Pick up
September 22- PTO Movie Night
September 25 - Holiday - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS
September 27 - 5th Grade Ropes Course Trip
September 28 - School Picture Day
_________________________________________________________
Dear Families,
I hope you had a wonderful holiday. My staff and I are looking forward to welcoming you to WES this Thursday evening for Back To School Night. Please see the schedule below for details.
This week, students will also experience our first fire drill of the year. We will end the week with a whole school gathering to celebrate the beginning of a new year with singing and discussion about the addition of helpful to our school expectations of safe, respectful and responsible behavior.
As always, please feel free to contact my office with any questions or concerns.
Thank you,
Dr. Savage
Principal
Wallingford Elementary
_____________________________________________________
Important Message for Families Who Park on Chatham Place
For families who park on Chatham Place during pickup/drop off: please do not park in front of residents’ mailboxes as the postal workers are having trouble delivering mail to these addresses. Thank you!
Important Information about Attendance
Medical Information Portal
Attention Parents! - As of September 18, any student without updated medical permission for medication will not be able to receive medication until their permission is updated. The nurse will not be calling parents. Please update your student’s permission as soon as possible.
Your students’ medical permission for medication MUST be updated every year for them to get medications from the Nurse. Please take a moment to do so, so your child will be able to get medication they need when they aren’t feeling well.
To update your child's medical permission, please follow these steps:
- log on to the parent portal
- go to Forms
- Student Demographics
- Medical Information
- Answer yes or no for the medication listed
- enter your name and current date
- hit the submit button - located at the bottom and to the right of the page
Thank you,
WSSD Nursing Department
Picture Day is Thursday, September 28!
School picture day is Thursday, September 28 at WES. Order forms will be going home with students this week. Online ordering is also available. Please see the flyer below for details.
Back to School Night Schedule
Back to School Night will be on Thursday, September 7. Please note that Back to School Night is for adults only, no children. The schedule for the evening is as follows:
Session 1: AM Kindergarten, 1st & 2nd Grades
6:10-6:30 – Special Education Teachers, Special Area Teachers and Support Teachers available to meet parents in Library
6:30-6:55 – Principal Meeting in Multi Purpose Room (MPR)
6:55-7:00 – Move to Homeroom
7:00-7:30 – Classroom Visitations (AM-K,1, 2)
Session 2: PM Kindergarten, 3rd, 4th & 5th Grades
6:50-7:10 – Special Education Teachers, Special Area Teachers and Support Teachers available to meet parents in Library
7:10-7:35 – General Meeting in MPR
7:35-7:40 – Move to Homeroom
7:40-8:10 – Classroom Visitations (PM-K,3,4, 5)
Raptor: WSSD’s Visitor Registration System
We are excited to welcome volunteers into the building this school year! WSSD uses Raptor for our visitor screening/sign-in system. Each visitor to our building must be registered in this system and check in with the main office for a visitor badge each time you come in to visit/volunteer.
If you are new to WES or have not yet had your ID scanned through our Raptor System, please have a valid driver’s license ready when you arrive for your visit. You will also have an opportunity to scan your ID into the system at Back to School Night.
If you had your ID scanned into Raptor last school year, there is no need to scan it again. Your information will already be in our system. Though, you will still need to check in with the office and obtain a visitor badge for each visit.
Thank you for your patience and support of our commitment to safety!
School Lunch Information & Menu
Governor Shapiro signed into law the Universal Free Breakfast Program for the 23-24 school year, all students will receive free breakfast. However, please be advised that the federal waivers to provide free meals to all students during the Covid-19 pandemic have expired. Students may still be eligible to receive free or reduced-price meals—please visit the Food Services page on the school district website to apply!
If you do not qualify for free or reduced-price meals, the elementary school price for lunch is $2.75. Students will need to enter their PIN at the register, and then pay with cash, check (made out to WSSD Food Services), or MySchoolBucks funds.
MySchoolBucks is a service that can be used to load money onto your student’s account so that they can draw from it automatically at the register. Please visit the Food Services page on the school district website for more information.
Menus are available through Nutrislice at wssd.nutrislice.com. 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!
WES Student Directory
The 2023-2024 WES Student Directory is now available to order from the School Store on the WES PTO website! This helpful resource is your connection to the WES community, with all of the important information in one place - including the school calendar of events, class lists and contact information for teachers and families. Each purchase also directly supports the WES PTO! Print copies will be sent home in backpacks when published and digital access will be provided to the email(s) provided.
Sponsor a Heart in the WES Student Directory
New this year! The WES Student Directory will feature a We Love WES page filled with sponsored hearts! Support the WES PTO by purchasing a heart on our website here by this Wednesday, August 30th. All proceeds will help to fund PTO provided opportunities for our students and teachers!
Car Line
Please SIGN UP here for Car Line for the 2023-2024 school year.
We're back for another year of asking for your help in providing a warm welcome in the morning and ensuring a safe and smooth car line drop-off for all of our kids. Thank you to all of our dedicated volunteers over the past few years. We couldn’t have done it without you! For anyone not familiar, Car Line Volunteers help in the back loop at WES from 8:15-8:45 am each morning, keeping the traffic flowing and assisting the kids with their backpacks and car doors. Please contact Ted Benzing or Katie Finley if interested or with any questions.
WES Fifth Grade Mum Sale
Purchase your Mums this fall in support of the WES Class of 2024!
COST: $10.00 per plant
**ORDER ONLINE BY: Wednesday, September 13th**
PICK-UP DATE: Thursday, September 21st from 4:00 – 6:00 PM at WES.
If you are interested in purchasing mums, please ORDER HERE.
Note: Plants not picked up/sold by 6:15pm will be donated to the PTO Grounds and Greens Committee to add fall color to the gardens at WES. A limited number of extra plants may be available for purchase on pick-up day.
For further questions about the mum sale, please contact Sarah Ponzio.
_________________________________________________________
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
-
August 29, 2023
Upcoming Dates:
September 1 - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS
September 4 - Holiday - DISTRICT CLOSED
September 7 - Instrumental Music Demo Assembly (Grades 3,4,5), 9:00am
September 7 - Back to School Night, 6:30pm
September 12 - PTO Meeting, 6:00pm
September 21 - PTO Mum Sale Pick up
September 22- PTO Movie Night
September 25 - Holiday - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS
September 27 - 5th Grade Ropes Course Trip
September 28 - School Picture Day
___________________________________________________
Dear Families,
Welcome back!
Walking through the classrooms and watching students accidentally write September instead of August brought me great laughter! We are all getting back into the new routine and part of that includes building new classroom communities. Teachers and students have been sharing interests, passions and things they are nervous about as they work hard to create safe spaces of belonging.
We will continue this process throughout the first two weeks of school culminating in a short welcome back assembly on Friday September 8th. At that assembly we will sing, review expectations and wish everyone a great 23-24 school year.
The evening before, September 7th, we are inviting you to come and meet your child’s teachers at our annual Back To School Night. More information is below for your review.
I believe that the 23-24 school year is going to be our best yet. It is our time to shine and I am looking forward to it!
As always, please feel free to contact my office with any questions or concerns.
Thank you,
Dr. Savage
Principal
Wallingford Elementary
_________________________________________________________
Important Message for Families Who Park on Chatham Place
For families who park on Chatham Place during pickup/drop off: please do not park in front of residents’ mailboxes as the postal workers are having trouble delivering mail to these addresses. Thank you!
Important Information about Attendance
Medication Drop Off
All medication, including EpiPens and inhalers must be dropped off to nurse for the start of school. All medication must be clearly marked with a prescription label bearing the child's name, type of medication, dosage and time. Please provide the medication with the box it comes in. Each school year a new Asthma action plan, Allergy action plan, Diabetic plan, and seizure action plan is needed along with the medication. Please contact me if we need to discuss any health changes. I am looking forward to a healthy and happy start to the school year.
Erin Costa, RN, CSN, MSN
Certified School Nurse
Wallingford Elementary School
610-892-3470, ext. 4341
School Lunch Information & Menu
Governor Shapiro signed into law the Universal Free Breakfast Program for the 23-24 school year, all students will receive free breakfast. However, please be advised that the federal waivers to provide free meals to all students during the Covid-19 pandemic have expired. Students may still be eligible to receive free or reduced-price meals—please visit the Food Services page on the school district website to apply!
If you do not qualify for free or reduced-price meals, the elementary school price for lunch is $2.75. Students will need to enter their PIN at the register, and then pay with cash, check (made out to WSSD Food Services), or MySchoolBucks funds.
MySchoolBucks is a service that can be used to load money onto your student’s account so that they can draw from it automatically at the register. Please visit the Food Services page on the school district website for more information.
Menus are available through Nutrislice at wssd.nutrislice.com. 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!
Back to School Night Schedule
Back to School Night will be on Thursday, September 7. Please see below for the schedule for the evening:
Session 1: AM Kindergarten, 1st & 2nd Grades
6:10-6:30 – Special Education Teachers, Special Area Teachers and Support Teachers available to meet parents in Library
6:30-6:55 – Principal Meeting in Multi Purpose Room (MPR)
6:55-7:00 – Move to Homeroom
7:00-7:30 – Classroom Visitations (AM-K,1, 2)
Session 2: PM Kindergarten, 3rd, 4th & 5th Grades
6:50-7:10 – Special Education Teachers, Special Area Teachers and Support Teachers available to meet parents in Library
7:10-7:35 – General Meeting in MPR
7:35-7:40 – Move to Homeroom
7:40-8:10 – Classroom Visitations (PM-K,3,4, 5)
Raptor: WSSD’s Visitor Registration System
We are excited to welcome volunteers into the building this school year! WSSD uses Raptor for our visitor screening/sign-in system. Each visitor to our building must be registered in this system and check in with the main office for a visitor badge each time you come in to visit/volunteer.
If you are new to WES or have not yet had your ID scanned through our Raptor System, please have a valid driver’s license ready when you arrive for your visit. You will also have an opportunity to scan your ID into the system at Back to School Night.
If you had your ID scanned into Raptor last school year, there is no need to scan it again. Your information will already be in our system. Though, you will still need to check in with the office and obtain a visitor badge for each visit.
Thank you for your patience and support of our commitment to safety!
WES Student Directory
The 2023-2024 WES Student Directory is now available to order from the School Store on the WES PTO website! This helpful resource is your connection to the WES community, with all of the important information in one place - including the school calendar of events, class lists and contact information for teachers and families. Each purchase also directly supports the WES PTO! Print copies will be sent home in backpacks when published and digital access will be provided to the email(s) provided.
Sponsor a Heart in the WES Student Directory
New this year! The WES Student Directory will feature a We Love WES page filled with sponsored hearts! Support the WES PTO by purchasing a heart on our website here by this Wednesday, August 30th. All proceeds will help to fund PTO provided opportunities for our students and teachers!
Car Line
Please SIGN UP here for Car Line for the 2023-2024 school year.
We're back for another year of asking for your help in providing a warm welcome in the morning and ensuring a safe and smooth car line drop-off for all of our kids. Thank you to all of our dedicated volunteers over the past few years. We couldn’t have done it without you! For anyone not familiar, Car Line Volunteers help in the back loop at WES from 8:15-8:45 am each morning, keeping the traffic flowing and assisting the kids with their backpacks and car doors. Please contact Ted Benzing or Katie Finley if interested or with any questions.
WES Fifth Grade Mum Sale
Purchase your Mums this fall in support of the WES Class of 2024!
COST: $10.00 per plant
**ORDER ONLINE BY: Wednesday, September 13th**
PICK-UP DATE: Thursday, September 21st from 4:00 – 6:00 PM at WES.
If you are interested in purchasing mums, please ORDER HERE.
Note: Plants not picked up/sold by 6:15pm will be donated to the PTO Grounds and Greens Committee to add fall color to the gardens at WES. A limited number of extra plants may be available for purchase on pick-up day.
For further questions about the mum sale, please contact Sarah Ponzio.
_________________________________________________________
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
-
August 23, 2023
Upcoming Dates:
August 28 - First Day of School for Students!
September 1 - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS
September 4 - Holiday - DISTRICT CLOSED
September 7 - Instrumental Music Demo Assembly (Grades 3,4,5), 9:00am
September 7 - Back to School Night, 6:30pm
September 12 - PTO Meeting, 6:00pm
September 21 - PTO Mum Sale Pick up
September 22- PTO Movie Night
September 25 - Holiday - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS
September 27 - 5th Grade Ropes Course Trip
September 28 - School Picture Day
_________________________________________________________
Dear Families,
We are very excited to welcome your children back to WES in just a few days! Our teachers and staff are back and we are spending time reconnecting and getting ready for the new school year. Speaking of a new school year, our goal as a staff is to get back to basics which means focusing on best practices in creating a peaceful learning environment.
We will be teaching and reviewing expectations in every classroom and every area of the school including bus, lunch, cafeteria and hallways. Our first four days will be focused on creating strong classroom communities where students know they belong. Academically we will focus on having clear objectives, engagement, appropriate challenge and assessing students' learning as we go. None of these things are new to us, but it is vital that we continue to refine, remind and grow our fundamentals as an educational community.
Please mark your calendars with the dates above and read below for some important updates and information for the first few days of school.
As in past years, families will receive a weekly communication from me. However, this year, our weekly communication will be sent on Mondays instead of Fridays, per the district’s new communication plan.
As always, please feel free to contact my office with any questions or concerns. Enjoy these last days of summer and we will see you soon!
Dr. Savage
Principal
Wallingford Elementary
_____________________________________________________
Class Assignments
Finalized class assignments are now available via PowerSchool for you to view. If you have not yet viewed your child’s teacher assignment, the information can be found under “Forms” in the “Information-View Only- Do Not Submit” category in PowerSchool. See screenshots below:
If you need help accessing PowerSchool, please contact Derrick Clements at dclements@wssd.org.
Medication Drop Off
All medication, including EpiPens and inhalers must be dropped off to nurse for the start of school. All medication must be clearly marked with a prescription label bearing the child's name, type of medication, dosage and time. Please provide the medication with the box it comes in. Each school year a new Asthma action plan, Allergy action plan, Diabetic plan, and seizure action plan is needed along with the medication. Please contact me if we need to discuss any health changes. I am looking forward to a healthy and happy start to the school year.
Erin Costa, RN, CSN, MSN
Certified School Nurse
Wallingford Elementary School
610-892-3470, ext. 4341
Transportation
Transportation information for the 23-24 school year will be available later this week on the parent portal. Questions about bussing schedules and transportation should be directed to chighfield@wssd.org and pdiaferio@wssd.org or 610-892-3470, ext. 1701 or 1702.
Important Information from WSSD Food Services
Kate Rittler is the Director of Food and Nutrition with The Nutrition Group--WSSD’s food service provider. Our mission is to satisfy customers and form fulfilled, trusting relationships one meal and facility at a time. We look forward to continuing to provide balanced breakfasts, lunches, and snacks for the 2023-2024 school year.
Governor Shapiro signed into law the Universal Free Breakfast Program for the 23-24 school year, all students will receive free breakfast. However, please be advised that the federal waivers to provide free meals to all students during the Covid-19 pandemic have expired. Students may still be eligible to receive free or reduced-price meals—please visit the Food Services page on the school district website to apply!
If you do not qualify for free or reduced-price meals, the elementary school price for lunch is $2.75. Students will need to enter their PIN at the register, and then pay with cash, check (made out to WSSD Food Services), or MySchoolBucks funds.
MySchoolBucks is a service that can be used to load money onto your student’s account so that they can draw from it automatically at the register. Please visit the Food Services page on the school district website for more information.
Menus are available through Nutrislice at wssd.nutrislice.com. The most up-to-date September menu will be available 8/28/23. 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!
The Nutrition Group is hiring! If you believe in caring for students through food and working as part of a team, we have various job opportunities open! Visit thenutritiongroup.biz/careers or contact Kate Rittler to apply.
Please feel free to reach out to Kate Rittler, Director of Food and Nutrition, with any questions!
610-892-3470 ext. 2151
Back to School Night Schedule
Back to School Night will be on Thursday, September 7. Please see below for the schedule for the evening:
Session 1: AM Kindergarten, 1st & 2nd Grades
6:10-6:30 – Special Education Teachers, Special Area Teachers and Support Teachers available to meet parents in Library
6:30-6:55 – Principal Meeting in Multi Purpose Room (MPR)
6:55-7:00 – Move to Homeroom
7:00-7:30 – Classroom Visitations (AM-K,1, 2)
Session 2: PM Kindergarten, 3rd, 4th & 5th Grades
6:50-7:10 – Special Education Teachers, Special Area Teachers and Support Teachers available to meet parents in Library
7:10-7:35 – General Meeting in MPR
7:35-7:40 – Move to Homeroom
7:40-8:10 – Classroom Visitations (PM-K,3,4, 5)
Changes to the WES Family
I am pleased to announce the following changes/additions to our outstanding WES staff for the 23-24 school year:
Miss Jane Frascella - Fourth Grade Classroom
Miss Jane Frascella comes to us from West Chester University with experiences working with children of multiple ages and grades, but specifically K and second. During her student teaching she was identified for the year-long experience in the Great Valley School District where she opened the year, set classroom expectations, instructed the students, and closed the year.
Her poise, character and instructional understanding shows a maturity well beyond her experience. I believe you will quickly find we are fortunate to have her on faculty at Wallingford Elementary.
Mrs. Jessica Getty - Reading Specialist
Mrs. Getty comes to us with 20 years of teaching experience at WSSD (NPE first grade). She is a very hard worker and excellent educator who cares deeply for children. Mrs. Getty will be supporting WES as a Reading Specialist moving forward.
Mrs. Billie Jo McNamara - Second Grade Classroom
We also have the privilege of welcoming Mrs. Billie Jo McNamara to our second grade team. Mrs. McNamara comes to us from SRS where she has extensive experience in first grade. She is excited to be here and work with our second grade families.
Ms. Renee Joyner - Instructional Assistant
After 16 years in the private sector focused on account management, sales and training, we welcome Ms. Joyer to WES as an instructional assistant. She will be supporting the fourth grade and Library this year.
Mrs. Suzanne Ventriglia - Instructional Assistant
After three years as an Assistant Teacher at Manoa Nursery School, Mrs. Ventriglia brings her organizational and creative talents to us in support of Kindergarten in Mr. Sweeney’s room this year.
WES PTO Student Directory - Confirm Your Information
The WES PTO is preparing the 2023-24 WES Student Directory and we need your help to make it as accurate as possible. Please enter your household contact information here as you’d like it to appear in the Student Directory. If you would rather not have these details published, please write "decline." The Student Directory includes school and PTO information, class lists, parent/guardian contacts, and community advertisements. It also features a collection of student artwork illustrating the theme for the school year - Time to Shine. Please reach out with any questions to Christine Greco or Jen Griffin. Thank you for helping us to provide this resource!
Sponsor a Heart in the WES Student Directory
New this year! The WES Student Directory will feature a We Love WES page filled with sponsored hearts! Support the WES PTO by purchasing a heart on our website here by Wednesday, August 30th. All proceeds will help to fund PTO provided opportunities for our students and teachers!
WES Fifth Grade Mum Sale
Purchase your Mums this fall in support of the WES Class of 2024!
COST: $10.00 per plant
**ORDER ONLINE BY: Wednesday, September 13th**
PICK-UP DATE: Thursday, September 21st from 4:00 – 6:00 PM at WES.
If you are interested in purchasing mums, please ORDER HERE.
Note: Plants not picked up/sold by 6:15pm will be donated to the PTO Grounds and Greens Committee to add fall color to the gardens at WES. A limited number of extra plants may be available for purchase on pick-up day.
For further questions about the mum sale, please contact Sarah Ponzio.
______________________________________________________
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
