- Wallingford Elementary School
- e-Blasts 2023-2024
-
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
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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
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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
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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
