- Wallingford Elementary School
- e-Blasts 2023-2024
-
April 29, 2024
Upcoming Dates:
April 29 -30 - Math PSSAs
May 1-2 - Science PSSAs (grade 4)
May 6-10- Teacher Appreciation Week
May 7 - PTO Meeting, 6:00pm
May 8 - Spring Concert, 7:00pm
May 10 - Field Day & May Day
May 16 - Beginner Instrumental Music Concert, 7:00pm
May 23 - WES Night at Rita’s Water Ice
May 27 - NO SCHOOL - HOLIDAY
May 29 - PTO Science Assembly
June 11 - 5th Grade Moving Up Ceremony, 9:00am
June 12 - LAST DAY OF SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS, 12:30 dismissal (3-hour early dismissal modified schedule for Kindergarten)
5th Grade Families: Please see attached for a list of end-of-year activities.
_______________________________________________________
Dear Families,
Hope you are all enjoying this beautiful weather! It’s hard to believe that May is right around the corner and with it so many events and activities leading up to the end of the school year! Please take a look at the dates above and see below for exciting volunteer opportunities for May Day, Teacher Appreciation Week and more.
Just a reminder that PSSAs for students in grades 3-5 continue tomorrow. Wednesday and Thursday this week will be Science PSSAs for grade 4 only. Please make sure your student is on time to school in the morning and refrain from any early dismissals/appointments in the morning hours. Your help in making sure your student gets a good night’s sleep and eats a healthy breakfast is also appreciated.
Thank you and have a great week,
Dr. Savage
Principal
Wallingford Elementary
_________________________________________________________
Volunteer Clearances - Now Required for Volunteers
WSSD is now requiring volunteer clearances for anyone volunteering with students more than once, which is the vast majority of our visitors. Any volunteer coming into the building for library, guest reader, homeroom parent, party volunteer, etc. is now required to have clearances on file with the district. If your clearances are not up to date and on file, please understand that you will not be permitted to volunteer. Please note that the district expectation has always been, and continues to be, that field trip chaperones have valid clearances on file.
Instructions for obtaining and submitting clearances:
- There are two required clearances (Child Abuse Clearance and PA State Police Criminal Background Check) and a form (Volunteer Registration and Disclosure Form) which must be completed. Clearances are free. The only cost is for the FBI fingerprinting which is only required if you have not lived in PA for the last 10 consecutive years.
- Clearances must be submitted via the form above. We can no longer accept clearances emailed or dropped off directly to the building.
- Volunteer clearances are good for 5 years from the date of issue.
More information about how to obtain clearances and how to submit them are available on the district's website, here: https://www.wssd.org/domain/389
Thank you for all you do to support your children. Please contact the office with any questions.
WANTED: Clear 2-Liter Plastic Bottles
The 5th graders will soon begin an ecosystem project using clear plastic 2-liter sized soda bottles.
Before you toss them into recycling, consider bringing your clear plastic 2-liter bottles to WES for the 5th graders to use for this project. Students can drop them in the office or bring them to Mrs. O’Neill. Thanks for your consideration!
School Lunch Information & Menu
The Weekly Lunch Menu for WES is available on the Nutrislice website. Please note, menus may still be subject to change based on supply and staffing changes. If your student has unique diet needs, please reach out to Kate Rittler for available options.
Please refer to the Food Services page of the WSSD website for more information on:
We Love WES Spring Direct Appeal
Thank you to the families who have contributed to the PTO Spring Direct Appeal so far! Please consider donating by sending in the response card, or you can give directly through our website. Our goal is to continue to offer and enhance all our wonderful programs as well as provide financial support as new needs arise around our school, but we can't do it without you!
May Day - Friday, May 10 - Wristbands Now on Sale!
WES May Day will take place on Friday, May 10th from 12:30pm to 3:00pm! After Field Day in the morning, all students will enjoy a fun-filled afternoon with games, prizes, treats and excitement for the entire family! Parents and siblings are invited to join us for this PTO-sponsored event, and there are many opportunities to volunteer. Please sign-up here to help!
Please visit this link to purchase wristbands for your students. If scholarship is needed, please reach out to your child's teacher or Candice Rogers and a complimentary wristband will be provided. Each wristband purchased helps to fund the event, and we greatly appreciate your support of this much-loved WES tradition!
WES Water Bottles for Sale!
This is the last week to purchase our WES "color changing" water bottles for $8! As the weather heats up, consider purchasing one for your student on our website. You can choose to purchase the blue/purple or white/pink. The Spirit Wear Committee will send them home in your child's backpack.
Teacher Appreciation Week - May 6-10, 2024
Teacher Appreciation Week is next week! The Hospitality Committee still needs a number of volunteers to bring a gift basket for our teachers and staff or a gluten-free breakfast item for some of our teachers. The information for both the breakfast and the baskets are in the sign up links below. Please help us shine appreciation on all that they do for our students!
Visiting Authors - Book Order Deadline - Friday, May 3rd
This month, WES students enjoyed visits from authors Alex London (grades 3-5) and Melissa Trempe (grades K-2). This is the last week to purchase signed books from Children's Book World using the author links above. Thank you for supporting the WES PTO Visiting Authors program!
Rising 6th Grade School Kits Now Available for Purchase
WES Fifth Grade Families: Order your teacher-approved supply kit for your rising 6th grader today. The kits will be available for pickup in August starting at the Morning at the Middle School event.
Please note, that these kits are only for 5th graders who will be entering Strath Haven Middle School next year. See below for details:
Car Line
The Car Line Sign-Up for January-June is now available! We are asking for volunteers to help provide a warm welcome in the morning in the back loop at WES from 8:15-8:45 am each morning. We need volunteers to keep the traffic flowing and assist the kids with their backpacks and car doors - especially in the colder months when more families are driving and many kids have winter gear. Please contact Ted Benzing if interested or with any questions.
Community Flyers from PeachJar!
__________________________________
Have a question? We are here to help!
Mrs. Zwitch , Executive Assistant to the Principal- jzwitch@wssd.org, 610-892-3470 ext. 4305
Mrs. Brown, Building Secretary, Attendance, - pbrown2@wssd.org, 610-892-3470 ext. 4306
-
April 22, 2024
Upcoming Dates:
April 22, 24 and 26 - ELA PSSAs
April 23- NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS - Teacher In-Service Day
April 26 - Deadline to order WES Yearbook
April 29 -30 - Math PSSAs
May 1-2 - Science PSSAs (grade 4)
May 7 - PTO Meeting, 6:00pm
May 8 - Spring Concert, 7:00pm
May 10 - Field Day & May Day
May 16 - Beginner Instrumental Music Concert, 7:00pm
May 27 - NO SCHOOL - HOLIDAY
5th Grade Families: Please see attached for a list of end-of-year activities.
_______________________________________________________
Dear Families,
This morning, we welcomed the bike bus to WES! Many students and families rode their bikes to school in honor of Earth Day. Thanks to the PTO committee for organizing this event.
Just a reminder that PSSAs for students in grades 3-5 continue Wednesday and Friday this week and Monday, Tuesday next week. Wednesday and Thursday next week will be Science PSSAs for grade 4 only. Please make sure your student is on time to school in the morning and refrain from any early dismissals/appointments in the morning hours. Your help in making sure your student gets a good night’s sleep and eats a healthy breakfast is also appreciated.
A few additional reminders for the week:
- There is no school for students tomorrow, Tuesday, April 23. It is election day and an in-service day for staff.
- This Friday, April 26 is the last day to order a WES yearbook. See details below if you still need to order.
Thank you and have a great week,
Dr. Savage
Principal
Wallingford Elementary
_________________________________________________________
Volunteer Clearances - Now Required for Volunteers
WSSD is now requiring volunteer clearances for anyone volunteering with students more than once, which is the vast majority of our visitors. Any volunteer coming into the building for library, guest reader, homeroom parent, party volunteer, etc. is now required to have clearances on file with the district. If your clearances are not up to date and on file, please understand that you will not be permitted to volunteer. Please note that the district expectation has always been, and continues to be, that field trip chaperones have valid clearances on file.
Instructions for obtaining and submitting clearances:
- There are two required clearances (Child Abuse Clearance and PA State Police Criminal Background Check) and a form (Volunteer Registration and Disclosure Form) which must be completed. Clearances are free. The only cost is for the FBI fingerprinting which is only required if you have not lived in PA for the last 10 consecutive years.
- Clearances must be submitted via the form above. We can no longer accept clearances emailed or dropped off directly to the building.
- Volunteer clearances are good for 5 years from the date of issue.
More information about how to obtain clearances and how to submit them are available on the district's website, here: https://www.wssd.org/domain/389
Thank you for all you do to support your children. Please contact the office with any questions.
WANTED: Clear 2-Liter Plastic Bottles
The 5th graders will soon begin an ecosystem project using clear plastic 2-liter sized soda bottles.
Before you toss them into recycling, consider bringing your clear plastic 2-liter bottles to WES for the 5th graders to use for this project. Students can drop them in the office or bring them to Mrs. O’Neill. Thanks for your consideration!
Yearbook Information - LAST DAY TO ORDER IS THIS FRIDAY, April 26, 2024
Yearbooks are now available for order! Order forms were sent home with your student and they are also available to order online. Please see the information below and place your order by this Friday, April 26, 2024.
School Lunch Information & Menu
The Weekly Lunch Menu for WES is available on the Nutrislice website. Please note, menus may still be subject to change based on supply and staffing changes. If your student has unique diet needs, please reach out to Kate Rittler for available options.
Please refer to the Food Services page of the WSSD website for more information on:
The Re-Prize Drive is Back for One Week!
From April 22 through April 26, the WES Sustainability Committee will be collecting like-new and gently used small toys and trinkets. Your items will be given new life in our May Day prize booth, greatly reducing the amount of new consumption needed to host the event. In the past few years, the Re-Prize Drive has been able to eliminate new prize purchasing almost entirely.
Please see the attached information sheet for full donation guidelines before contributing. Questions? Please reach out to Erin Stancill.
We Love WES Spring Direct Appeal
The PTO’s We Love WES Spring Direct Appeal starts this week! We hope you received your letters in the mail. Our goal is to continue to offer and enhance all our wonderful programs as well as provide financial support as new needs arise around our school, but we can't do it without you! Please consider donating by sending in the response card, or you can give directly through the WES PTO website.
May Day - Friday, May 10 - Wristbands Now on Sale!
WES May Day will take place on Friday, May 10th from 12:30pm to 3:00pm! After Field Day in the morning, all students will enjoy a fun-filled afternoon with games, prizes, treats and excitement for the entire family! Parents and siblings are invited to join us for this PTO-sponsored event, and there are many opportunities to volunteer. Please sign-up here to help!
Please visit this link to purchase wristbands for your students. If scholarship is needed, please reach out to your child's teacher or Candice Rogers and a complimentary wristband will be provided. Each wristband purchased helps to fund the event, and we greatly appreciate your support of this much-loved WES tradition!
WES Water Bottles for Sale!
The WES PTO is selling WES "color changing" water bottles for $8. As the weather heats up, consider purchasing one for your student on the PTO website. The PayPal link will be open for the month of April. You can choose to purchase the blue/purple or white/pink.
Teacher Appreciation Week
Every year, the WES PTO/Hospitality Committee sponsors a breakfast and raffle basket giveaway for every staff member that supports our kids each and every day here at WES for Teacher Appreciation Week. On May 9th, we will host the breakfast, and then they will get to choose a donated basket. The information for both the breakfast and baskets are in the sign up links below. We need a lot of volunteers to make this happen so please consider signing up to bring food or donate a basket!
Car Line
The Car Line Sign-Up for January-June is now available! We are asking for volunteers to help provide a warm welcome in the morning in the back loop at WES from 8:15-8:45 am each morning. We need volunteers to keep the traffic flowing and assist the kids with their backpacks and car doors - especially in the colder months when more families are driving and many kids have winter gear. Please contact Ted Benzing if interested or with any questions.
Community Flyers from PeachJar!
__________________________________
Have a question? We are here to help!
Mrs. Zwitch , Executive Assistant to the Principal- jzwitch@wssd.org, 610-892-3470 ext. 4305
Mrs. Brown, Building Secretary, Attendance, - pbrown2@wssd.org, 610-892-3470 ext. 4306
-
April 15, 2024
April 15, 2024
Upcoming Dates:
April 15 - Grades K-2 Author Visit - Melissa Trempe
April 16 - WES Night at Swarthmore Pizza, 4-9pm
April 19 - Jump Rope for Heart, 1:30pm
April 22, 24 and 26 - PSSAs
April 23- NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS - Teacher In-Service Day
April 26 - Deadline to order WES Yearbook
May 7 - PTO Meeting, 6:00pm
May 8 - Spring Concert, 7:00pm
May 10 - Field Day & May Day
May 16 - Beginner Instrumental Music Concert, 7:00pm
May 27 - NO SCHOOL - HOLIDAY
5th Grade Families: Please see attached for a list of end-of-year activities.
_______________________________________________________
Dear Families,
We welcomed two guest authors to WES recently. Last week, Alex London visited with our 3rd-5th grade students and spoke about his novel The Princess Protection Program. This morning, we welcomed Melissa Trempe who celebrated the release of her debut picture book, Ladybug Launch about ladybugs in space, with our K-2 students. Thank you to Mrs. Chafetz and our PTO for coordinating and supporting these inspiring author visits!
Just a reminder that PSSAs begin next week for students in grades 3-5. Please make sure your student is on time to school in the morning and refrain from any early dismissals/appointments in the morning hours. Your help in making sure your student gets a good night’s sleep and eats a healthy breakfast is also appreciated.
Thank you and have a great week,
Dr. Savage
Principal
Wallingford Elementary
_________________________________________________________
Volunteer Clearances - Now Required for Volunteers
WSSD is now requiring volunteer clearances for anyone volunteering with students more than once, which is the vast majority of our visitors. Any volunteer coming into the building for library, guest reader, homeroom parent, party volunteer, etc. is now required to have clearances on file with the district. If your clearances are not up to date and on file, please understand that you will not be permitted to volunteer. Please note that the district expectation has always been, and continues to be, that field trip chaperones have valid clearances on file.
Instructions for obtaining and submitting clearances:
- There are two required clearances (Child Abuse Clearance and PA State Police Criminal Background Check) and a form (Volunteer Registration and Disclosure Form) which must be completed. Clearances are free. The only cost is for the FBI fingerprinting which is only required if you have not lived in PA for the last 10 consecutive years.
- Clearances must be submitted via the form above. We can no longer accept clearances emailed or dropped off directly to the building.
- Volunteer clearances are good for 5 years from the date of issue.
More information about how to obtain clearances and how to submit them are available on the district's website, here: https://www.wssd.org/domain/389
Thank you for all you do to support your children. Please contact the office with any questions.
Guidance Newsletter
Read the latest newsletter to see what your child learned with Mrs. Schwam during the 12th guidance cycle of the year. Your child had guidance during the 4/8 to 4/11 library period.
Jump Rope for Heart - Friday, April 19, 2024
Please see attached for details about Jump Rope for Heart. This information was also sent home with your student before the break. Thank you!
WANTED: Clear 2-Liter Plastic Bottles
The 5th graders will soon begin an ecosystem project using clear plastic 2-liter sized soda bottles.
Before you toss them into recycling, consider bringing your clear plastic 2-liter bottles to WES for the 5th graders to use for this project. Students can drop them in the office or bring them to Mrs. O’Neill. Thanks for your consideration!
Yearbook Information - Please Order by April 26, 2024
Yearbooks are now available for order! Order forms were sent home with your student and they are also available to order online. Please see the information below and place your order by Friday, April 26, 2024.
School Lunch Information & Menu
The Weekly Lunch Menu for WES is available on the Nutrislice website. Please note, menus may still be subject to change based on supply and staffing changes. If your student has unique diet needs, please reach out to Kate Rittler for available options.
Please refer to the Food Services page of the WSSD website for more information on:
WES Night at Swarthmore Pizza
WES Night at Swarthmore Pizza is a perfect answer to busy schedules and crosses off one of those items "to do-"... Eat in, take out, or deliver from Swarthmore Pizza tomorrow, Tuesday, April 16th between 4pm-9pm. Just mention WES night (no flyer needed) and a portion of the proceeds goes back to support our school!
The Re-Prize Drive is Back for One Week!
From April 22 through April 26, the WES Sustainability Committee will be collecting like-new and gently used small toys and trinkets. Your items will be given new life in our May Day prize booth, greatly reducing the amount of new consumption needed to host the event. In the past few years, the Re-Prize Drive has been able to eliminate new prize purchasing almost entirely.
Please see the attached information sheet for full donation guidelines before contributing. Questions? Please reach out to Erin Stancill.
We Love WES Spring Direct Appeal
The PTO’s We Love WES Spring Direct Appeal starts this week! We hope you received your letters in the mail. Our goal is to continue to offer and enhance all our wonderful programs as well as provide financial support as new needs arise around our school, but we can't do it without you! Please consider donating by sending in the response card, or you can give directly through the WES PTO website.
May Day - Friday, May 10
WES May Day will take place on Friday, May 10th from 12:30pm to 3:00pm! After Field Day in the morning, all students will enjoy a fun-filled afternoon with games, prizes, treats and excitement for the entire family! Parents and siblings are invited to join us for this PTO-sponsored event, and there are many opportunities to volunteer. Please sign-up here to help! The link to purchase your students’ wristband will be in WES Mail next week. If scholarship is needed, please reach out to your child's teacher or Candice Rogers and a complimentary wristband will be provided. Each wristband purchased helps to fund the event, and we greatly appreciate your support of this much-loved WES tradition!
WES Water Bottles for Sale!
The WES PTO is selling WES "color changing" water bottles for $8. As the weather heats up, consider purchasing one for your student on the PTO website. The PayPal link will be open for the month of April. You can choose to purchase the blue/purple or white/pink.
Teacher Appreciation Week
Every year, the WES PTO/Hospitality Committee sponsors a breakfast and raffle basket giveaway for every staff member that supports our kids each and every day here at WES for Teacher Appreciation Week. On May 9th, we will host the breakfast, and then they will get to choose a donated basket. The information for both the breakfast and baskets are in the sign up links below. We need a lot of volunteers to make this happen so please consider signing up to bring food or donate a basket!
April Author Visits
This month, our students have enjoyed visits from authors Alex London (April 9th with grades 3-5) and Melissa Trempe (April 15th with grades K-2). Signed copies of their books are available for WES families to purchase from Children's Book World using the links above. Thank you for supporting the WES PTO Visiting Authors program!
Car Line
The Car Line Sign-Up for January-June is now available! We are asking for volunteers to help provide a warm welcome in the morning in the back loop at WES from 8:15-8:45 am each morning. We need volunteers to keep the traffic flowing and assist the kids with their backpacks and car doors - especially in the colder months when more families are driving and many kids have winter gear. Please contact Ted Benzing if interested or with any questions.
Community Flyers from PeachJar!
__________________________________
Have a question? We are here to help!
Mrs. Zwitch , Executive Assistant to the Principal- jzwitch@wssd.org, 610-892-3470 ext. 4305
Mrs. Brown, Building Secretary, Attendance, - pbrown2@wssd.org, 610-892-3470 ext. 4306
-
April 8, 2024
Upcoming Dates:
April 9 - Grades 3-5 Author Visit - Alex London
April 9 - PTO Meeting, 6:00pm
April 15 - Grades K-2 Author Visit - Melissa Trempe
April 16 - WES Night at Swarthmore Pizza
April 19 - Jump Rope for Heart
April 22, 24 and 26 - PSSAs
April 23- NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS - Teacher In-Service Day
_______________________________________________________
Dear Families,
We had a fun and educational day learning and experiencing the partial solar eclipse. Teachers talked about the eclipse in their classrooms and then went outside for a bit to view the celestial event. What a unique experience for our students!
Please see below for detailed information on how to obtain and submit your volunteer clearances. With several field trips and other volunteer opportunities on the horizon this spring, now is the perfect time to complete this requirement. Remember, without valid clearances on file, you will not be permitted to volunteer or chaperone events, no exceptions.
Have a great week,
Dr. Savage
Principal
Wallingford Elementary
_________________________________________________________
Volunteer Clearances - Now Required for Volunteers
WSSD is now requiring volunteer clearances for anyone volunteering with students more than once, which is the vast majority of our visitors. Any volunteer coming into the building for library, guest reader, homeroom parent, party volunteer, etc. is now required to have clearances on file with the district. If your clearances are not up to date and on file, please understand that you will not be permitted to volunteer. Please note that the district expectation has always been, and continues to be, that field trip chaperones have valid clearances on file.
Instructions for obtaining and submitting clearances:
- There are two required clearances (Child Abuse Clearance and PA State Police Criminal Background Check) and a form (Volunteer Registration and Disclosure Form) which must be completed. Clearances are free. The only cost is for the FBI fingerprinting which is only required if you have not lived in PA for the last 10 consecutive years.
- Clearances must be submitted via the form above. We can no longer accept clearances emailed or dropped off directly to the building.
- Volunteer clearances are good for 5 years from the date of issue.
More information about how to obtain clearances and how to submit them are available on the district's website, here: https://www.wssd.org/domain/389
Thank you for all you do to support your children. Please contact the office with any questions.
WSSD K-8 Math Program Update - At WES This Week
See below for dates to learn more about the math program being considered for 2024-25 school year and beyond.
Hot off the Press - Rusty’s Ramblings Student Newspaper!
Rusty's Ramblings is the newspaper that started at WES last year. Siona Talekar, now in 6th grade, came up with the idea and proposed it to Dr. Savage and the PTO. The idea was well received and the Newspaper Club was born. This year, 13 fourth and fifth grade students met with 5th grade teacher, Mrs. McGaffin, as part of a 6 week club. They applied for the jobs back in January and worked in groups as editors of the different sections of the newspaper. The three editors-in-chief designed the issue themselves using Google Slides and everyone has taken part in putting the issue together themselves. They worked so well together and learned a lot!
Rusty's Ramblings is a place for students to shine, both in the club and in the paper itself! The club received many submissions from all grades. These submissions included news articles, stories, poems, artwork, and photographs. Read the latest edition of Rusty’s Ramblings!
Jump Rope for Heart - Friday, April 19, 2024
Please see attached for details about Jump Rope for Heart. This information was also sent home with your student before the break. Thank you!
WANTED: Clear 2-Liter Plastic Bottles
The 5th graders will soon begin an ecosystem project using clear plastic 2-liter sized soda bottles.
Before you toss them into recycling, consider bringing your clear plastic 2-liter bottles to WES for the 5th graders to use for this project. Students can drop them in the office or bring them to Mrs. O’Neill. Thanks for your consideration!
Yearbook Information - Please Order by April 26, 2024
Yearbooks are now available for order! Order forms were sent home with your student and they are also available to order online. Please see the information below and place your order by Friday, April 26, 2024.
School Lunch Information & Menu
The Weekly Lunch Menu for WES is available on the Nutrislice website. Please note, menus may still be subject to change based on supply and staffing changes. If your student has unique diet needs, please reach out to Kate Rittler for available options.
Please refer to the Food Services page of the WSSD website for more information on:
Swarthmore Pizza Spirit Night
WES Night at Swarthmore Pizza is a perfect answer to busy schedules and crosses off one of those items "to do-"... Eat in, take out, or deliver from Swarthmore Pizza on Tuesday, April 16th between 4pm-9pm. Just mention WES night (no flyer needed) and a portion of the proceeds goes back to support our school!Upcoming Author Visits
Best-selling author Alex London will visit our 3rd-5th grade students at WES on Tuesday, April 9th with his novel The Princess Protection Program. Several beloved fairy tales are weaved together in this fast-paced and funny adventure about finding your place in the world and taking control of your own story. Alex London lives in Philadelphia and is the acclaimed author of more than 30 books for children and teens. He has been a journalist and human-rights researcher reporting from conflict zones and refugee camps, a young adult librarian with the New York Public Library, and a snorkel salesman.
Melissa Trempe will visit with our K-2 students at WES on Monday, April 15th to celebrate the release of her debut picture book, Ladybug Launch. Signed and personalized copies are available to order here until Wednesday, April 3rd. Co-authored with Dr. Natalia Ojeda, this inspiring picture book is based on the real story of Chilean high school girls who convinced NASA to send ladybugs to space! Melissa Trempe lives in the Philadelphia area, and she has hiked a volcano and swum with sharks, but her favorite pastime is writing for children. As an educator, she's passionate about equality and helping children find their inner strength to achieve anything.
Car Line
The Car Line Sign-Up for January-June is now available! We are asking for volunteers to help provide a warm welcome in the morning in the back loop at WES from 8:15-8:45 am each morning. We need volunteers to keep the traffic flowing and assist the kids with their backpacks and car doors - especially in the colder months when more families are driving and many kids have winter gear. Please contact Ted Benzing if interested or with any questions.
Community Flyers from PeachJar!
__________________________________
Have a question? We are here to help!
Mrs. Zwitch , Executive Assistant to the Principal- jzwitch@wssd.org, 610-892-3470 ext. 4305
Mrs. Brown, Building Secretary, Attendance, - pbrown2@wssd.org, 610-892-3470 ext. 4306
-
April 1, 2024
Upcoming Dates:
April 2-5 - Spring Book Fair (during Library)
April 3 - Evening Book Fair Shopping for Families, 4:30pm-6:00pm
April 9 - Grades 3-5 Author Visit - Alex London
April 9 - PTO Meeting, 6:00pm
April 15 - Grades K-2 Author Visit - Melissa Trempe
April 19 - Jump Rope for Heart
April 22, 24 and 26 - PSSAs
April 23- NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS - Teacher In-Service Day
_______________________________________________________
Dear Families,
I hope you all had a nice break and were able to rest and recharge. It was wonderful to welcome everyone back this morning! We look forward to settling back into our routines this week.
Don’t forget that our Spring Book Fair begins tomorrow and will go until Friday. Students will have a chance to shop the book fair during their library special or with their families in the evening on Wednesday, April 3 from 4:30 to 6:00pm.
Please see below for detailed information on how to obtain and submit your volunteer clearances. With several field trips and other volunteer opportunities on the horizon this spring, now is the perfect time to complete this requirement. Remember, without valid clearances on file, you will not be permitted to volunteer or chaperone events, no exceptions.
Have a great week,
Dr. Savage
Principal
Wallingford Elementary
_________________________________________________________
Volunteer Clearances - Now Required for Volunteers
WSSD is now requiring volunteer clearances for anyone volunteering with students more than once, which is the vast majority of our visitors. Any volunteer coming into the building for library, guest reader, homeroom parent, party volunteer, etc. is now required to have clearances on file with the district. If your clearances are not up to date and on file, please understand that you will not be permitted to volunteer. Please note that the district expectation has always been, and continues to be, that field trip chaperones have valid clearances on file.
Instructions for obtaining and submitting clearances:
- There are two required clearances (Child Abuse Clearance and PA State Police Criminal Background Check) and a form (Volunteer Registration and Disclosure Form) which must be completed. Clearances are free. The only cost is for the FBI fingerprinting which is only required if you have not lived in PA for the last 10 consecutive years.
- Clearances must be submitted via the form above. We can no longer accept clearances emailed or dropped off directly to the building.
- Volunteer clearances are good for 5 years from the date of issue.
More information about how to obtain clearances and how to submit them are available on the district's website, here: https://www.wssd.org/domain/389
Thank you for all you do to support your children. Please contact the office with any questions.
WSSD K-8 Math Program Update
See below for dates to learn more about the math program being considered for 2024-25 school year and beyond.
Hot off the Press - Rusty’s Ramblings Student Newspaper!
Rusty's Ramblings is the newspaper that started at WES last year. Siona Talekar, now in 6th grade, came up with the idea and proposed it to Dr. Savage and the PTO. The idea was well received and the Newspaper Club was born. This year, 13 fourth and fifth grade students met with 5th grade teacher, Mrs. McGaffin, as part of a 6 week club. They applied for the jobs back in January and worked in groups as editors of the different sections of the newspaper. The three editors-in-chief designed the issue themselves using Google Slides and everyone has taken part in putting the issue together themselves. They worked so well together and learned a lot!
Rusty's Ramblings is a place for students to shine, both in the club and in the paper itself! The club received many submissions from all grades. These submissions included news articles, stories, poems, artwork, and photographs. Read the latest edition of Rusty’s Ramblings!
Jump Rope for Heart - Friday, April 19, 2024
Please see attached for details about Jump Rope for Heart. This information was also sent home with your student before the break. Thank you!
WANTED: Clear 2-Liter Plastic Bottles
The 5th graders will soon begin an ecosystem project using clear plastic 2-liter sized soda bottles.
Before you toss them into recycling, consider bringing your clear plastic 2-liter bottles to WES for the 5th graders to use for this project. Students can drop them in the office or bring them to Mrs. O’Neill. Thanks for your consideration!
Yearbook Information - Please Order by April 26, 2024
Yearbooks are now available for order! Order forms were sent home with your student and they are also available to order online. Please see the information below and place your order by Friday, April 26, 2024.
School Lunch Information & Menu
The Weekly Lunch Menu for WES is available on the Nutrislice website. Please note, menus may still be subject to change based on supply and staffing changes. If your student has unique diet needs, please reach out to Kate Rittler for available options.
Please refer to the Food Services page of the WSSD website for more information on:
Spring Book Fair - April 2-5!
We’re so excited to invite you and your family to our upcoming Scholastic Book Fair. Hosted by our PTO, this event is an opportunity for students to build their home libraries and further their love of reading. As always, all purchases benefit our school.
Here’s what you need to know about the Spring Book Fair, which will take place from Tuesday, April 2nd - Friday, April 5th during your child’s library special day/time:
- Our Book Fair offers eWallet, a safe and secure alternative to cash. Simply create a free account to add funds and/or invite family and friends to contribute so your child can select their own books. Any unused funds can be spent at the Scholastic Store Online or to use during a future book fair.
- The PTO has created our very own eWallet Book Fairy account. This account helps us to support any students in need and makes sure every child goes home with a book. Please consider making a small donation to help support this effort. (When you visit the link to donate, the default grade listed is kindergarten, but it is used for every grade.)
- If your child can’t make it to the fair, they can shop at our school’s Online Book Fair. All orders ship directly to your home, and shipping is free for book orders over $25. Your online orders will also benefit our school.
- Visit our online book store here to learn more, create a wish list and get started with eWallet and online shopping.
- If you are interested in volunteering at the book fair, please sign-up here. This is a great opportunity to help the students select books and also work the checkout counter. Please note that all volunteers will need clearances on file with the school district. See here for more information about volunteer clearances.
- Come and shop after school in the library on Wednesday, April 3rd from 4:30-6:00 pm.
Upcoming Author Visits
Best-selling author Alex London will visit our 3rd-5th grade students at WES on Tuesday, April 9th with his novel The Princess Protection Program. Signed and personalized copies are available to order here until Saturday, March 30th. Several beloved fairy tales are weaved together in this fast-paced and funny adventure about finding your place in the world and taking control of your own story. Alex London lives in Philadelphia and is the acclaimed author of more than 30 books for children and teens. He has been a journalist and human-rights researcher reporting from conflict zones and refugee camps, a young adult librarian with the New York Public Library, and a snorkel salesman.
Melissa Trempe will visit with our K-2 students at WES on Monday, April 15th to celebrate the release of her debut picture book, Ladybug Launch. Signed and personalized copies are available to order here until Wednesday, April 3rd. Co-authored with Dr. Natalia Ojeda, this inspiring picture book is based on the real story of Chilean high school girls who convinced NASA to send ladybugs to space! Melissa Trempe lives in the Philadelphia area, and she has hiked a volcano and swum with sharks, but her favorite pastime is writing for children. As an educator, she's passionate about equality and helping children find their inner strength to achieve anything.
Car Line
The Car Line Sign-Up for January-June is now available! We are asking for volunteers to help provide a warm welcome in the morning in the back loop at WES from 8:15-8:45 am each morning. We need volunteers to keep the traffic flowing and assist the kids with their backpacks and car doors - especially in the colder months when more families are driving and many kids have winter gear. Please contact Ted Benzing if interested or with any questions.
Community Flyers from PeachJar!
__________________________________
Have a question? We are here to help!
Mrs. Zwitch , Executive Assistant to the Principal- jzwitch@wssd.org, 610-892-3470 ext. 4305
Mrs. Brown, Building Secretary, Attendance, - pbrown2@wssd.org, 610-892-3470 ext. 4306
-
March 18, 2024
Upcoming Dates:
March 18 -20 - Mrs. Guar’s Lemonade and Pretzel Stand (during lunches)
March 21-22 - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS - Teacher Conferences
March 25-29 - NO SCHOOL - SPRING RECESS
April 2-5 - Spring Book Fair (during Library)
April 3 - Evening Book Fair Shopping for Families, 4:30pm-6:00pm
April 9 - PTO Meeting, 6:00pm
April 19 - Jump Rope for Heart
April 22, 24 and 26 - PSSAs
April 23- NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS - Teacher In-Service Day
_______________________________________________________
Dear Families,
Thank you to Mr. C and our 5th grade team for their hard work organizing the 5th grade dance celebration last week. It was a fun evening!
We look forward to seeing parents/guardians later this week for conferences. Conferences will occur March 21 and March 22 for 1st through 5th grades (please note that there is no school for students on these days). Kindergarten conferences occur on March 19, 20, 21 and 22 to accommodate the additional classes. Don’t forget to check the lost and found in the front lobby while you are here!
Please see below for detailed information on how to obtain and submit your volunteer clearances. With several field trips and other volunteer opportunities on the horizon this spring, now is the perfect time to complete this requirement.
Wishing you all a peaceful and enjoyable break with your families,
Dr. Savage
Principal
Wallingford Elementary
_________________________________________________________
Volunteer Clearances - Now Required for Volunteers
WSSD is now requiring volunteer clearances for anyone volunteering with students more than once, which is the vast majority of our visitors. Any volunteer coming into the building for library, guest reader, homeroom parent, party volunteer, etc. is now required to have clearances on file with the district. If your clearances are not up to date and on file, please understand that you will not be permitted to volunteer. Please note that the district expectation has always been, and continues to be, that field trip chaperones have valid clearances on file.
Instructions for obtaining and submitting clearances:
- There are two required clearances (Child Abuse Clearance and PA State Police Criminal Background Check) and a form (Volunteer Registration and Disclosure Form) which must be completed. Clearances are free. The only cost is for the FBI fingerprinting which is only required if you have not lived in PA for the last 10 consecutive years.
- Clearances must be submitted via the form above. We can no longer accept clearances emailed or dropped off directly to the building.
- Volunteer clearances are good for 5 years from the date of issue.
More information about how to obtain clearances and how to submit them are available on the district's website, here: https://www.wssd.org/domain/389
Thank you for all you do to support your children. Please contact the office with any questions.
Mrs. Gaur’s Lemonade & Pretzel Stand- March 18-20 During Lunches
All the children in WES land, come to Mrs. Gaur’s Lemonade Stand. Lemonade and a pretzel make a good snack, bring $2.00 in your backpack. Buy some lemonade to benefit WES, so we can keep making WES the BEST!
- Dates: March 18, 19 and 20
- Place: WES Cafeteria
- Time: During Lunches
- Cost: $1.00 - lemonade, $1.00 - soft pretzel
Lost & Found
Take a look below and see if you recognize any of your family’s belongings. Students can pick up items at the lost and found or parents can check the front lobby when they are in the building for teacher conferences. Items not claimed will be donated to charity after Spring Break. Thank you!
Jump Rope for Heart - Friday, April 19, 2024
Please see attached for details about Jump Rope for Heart. This information will also be sent home with your student this week. Thank you!
Yearbook Information - Please Order by April 26, 2024
Yearbooks are now available for order! Order forms were sent home with your student and they are also available to order online. Please see the information below and place your order by Friday, April 26, 2024.
WANTED: Clear 2-Liter Plastic Bottles
The 5th graders will soon begin an ecosystem project using clear plastic 2-liter sized soda bottles.
Before you toss them into recycling, consider bringing your clear plastic 2-liter bottles to WES for the 5th graders to use for this project. Students can drop them in the office or bring them to Mrs. O’Neill. Thanks for your consideration!
School Lunch Information & Menu
The Weekly Lunch Menu for WES is available on the Nutrislice website. Please note, menus may still be subject to change based on supply and staffing changes. If your student has unique diet needs, please reach out to Kate Rittler for available options.
Please refer to the Food Services page of the WSSD website for more information on:
Spring Book Fair - April 2-5!
We’re so excited to invite you and your family to our upcoming Scholastic Book Fair. Hosted by our PTO, this event is an opportunity for students to build their home libraries and further their love of reading. As always, all purchases benefit our school.
Here’s what you need to know about the Spring Book Fair, which will take place from Tuesday, April 2nd - Friday, April 5th during your child’s library special day/time:
- Our Book Fair offers eWallet, a safe and secure alternative to cash. Simply create a free account to add funds and/or invite family and friends to contribute so your child can select their own books. Any unused funds can be spent at the Scholastic Store Online or to use during a future book fair.
- The PTO has created our very own eWallet Book Fairy account. This account helps us to support any students in need and makes sure every child goes home with a book. Please consider making a small donation to help support this effort. (When you visit the link to donate, the default grade listed is kindergarten, but it is used for every grade.)
- If your child can’t make it to the fair, they can shop at our school’s Online Book Fair. All orders ship directly to your home, and shipping is free for book orders over $25. Your online orders will also benefit our school.
- Visit our online book store here to learn more, create a wish list and get started with eWallet and online shopping.
- If you are interested in volunteering at the book fair, please sign-up here. This is a great opportunity to help the students select books and also work the checkout counter. Please note that all volunteers will need clearances on file with the school district. See here for more information about volunteer clearances.
- Come and shop after school in the library on Wednesday, April 3rd from 4:30-6:00 pm.
Car Line
The Car Line Sign-Up for January-June is now available! We are asking for volunteers to help provide a warm welcome in the morning in the back loop at WES from 8:15-8:45 am each morning. We need volunteers to keep the traffic flowing and assist the kids with their backpacks and car doors - especially in the colder months when more families are driving and many kids have winter gear. Please contact Ted Benzing if interested or with any questions.
Community Flyers from PeachJar!
__________________________________
Have a question? We are here to help!
Mrs. Zwitch , Executive Assistant to the Principal- jzwitch@wssd.org, 610-892-3470 ext. 4305
Mrs. Brown, Building Secretary, Attendance, - pbrown2@wssd.org, 610-892-3470 ext. 4306
-
March 11, 2024
Upcoming Dates:
March 14 - 5th Grade Dance Celebration, 7:00pm
March 15 - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS - Teacher In-Service Day
March 18 - Go for the Greens Event
March 18 -20 - Mrs. Guar’s Lemonade and Pretzel Stand (during lunches)
March 21-22 - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS - Teacher Conferences
March 25-29 - NO SCHOOL - SPRING RECESS
April 2-5 - Spring Book Fair (during Library)
_________________________________________________________
Dear Families,
Happy Monday! The conference sign up links for Spring conferences are now closed. Please contact your child’s teacher if you would still like to arrange to meet during the conference window. Conferences will occur March 21 and March 22 for 1st through 5th grades (please note that there is no school for students on these days). Kindergarten conferences occur on March 19, 20, 21 and 22 to accommodate the additional classes. We look forward to meeting with you to discuss your child’s progress.
As a reminder, there is also no school for students this Friday, March 15 for a teacher in-service day.
Thank you and enjoy your week,
Dr. Savage
Principal
Wallingford Elementary
_________________________________________________________
Volunteer Clearances - Now Required for Volunteers
WSSD is now requiring volunteer clearances for anyone volunteering with students more than once, which is the vast majority of our visitors. Any volunteer coming into the building for library, guest reader, homeroom parent, party volunteer, etc. is now required to have clearances on file with the district. If your clearances are not up to date and on file, please understand that you will not be permitted to volunteer. Please note that the district expectation has always been, and continues to be, that field trip chaperones have valid clearances on file.
Instructions for obtaining and submitting clearances:
- There are two required clearances (Child Abuse Clearance and PA State Police Criminal Background Check) and a form (Volunteer Registration and Disclosure Form) which must be completed. Clearances are free. The only cost is for the FBI fingerprinting which is only required if you have not lived in PA for the last 10 consecutive years.
- Clearances must be submitted via the form above. We can no longer accept clearances emailed or dropped off directly to the building.
- Volunteer clearances are good for 5 years from the date of issue.
More information about how to obtain clearances and how to submit them are available on the district's website, here: https://www.wssd.org/domain/389
Thank you for all you do to support your children. Please contact the office with any questions.
Mrs. Gaur’s Lemonade & Pretzel Stand- March 18-20 During Lunches
All the children in WES land, come to Mrs. Gaur’s Lemonade Stand. Lemonade and a pretzel make a good snack, bring $2.00 in your backpack. Buy some lemonade to benefit WES, so we can keep making WES the BEST!
- Dates: March 18, 19 and 20
- Place: WES Cafeteria
- Time: During Lunches
- Cost: $1.00 - lemonade, $1.00 - soft pretzel
Lost & Found
Take a look below and see if you recognize any of your family’s belongings. Students can pick up items at the lost and found or parents can check the front lobby when they are in the building for teacher conferences. Items not claimed will be donated to charity after Spring Break. Thank you!
Go for the Greens - March 18, 2024
GO FOR THE GREENS will be celebrated at WES on Monday, March 18, 2024. Please help us promote this event by having your children wear green and sending in a "green" healthy snack. This event emphasizes incorporating fruits and veggies as part of healthy meals with a focus on kids' lunches and snacks. - Erin Costa and the Wellness Committee
Yearbook Information - Please Order by April 26, 2024
Yearbooks are now available for order! Order forms were sent home with your student and they are also available to order online. Please see the information below and place your order by Friday, April 26, 2024.
WANTED: Clear 2-Liter Plastic Bottles
The 5th graders will soon begin an ecosystem project using clear plastic 2-liter sized soda bottles.
Before you toss them into recycling, consider bringing your clear plastic 2-liter bottles to WES for the 5th graders to use for this project. Students can drop them in the office or bring them to Mrs. O’Neill. Thanks for your consideration!
School Lunch Information & Menu
The Weekly Lunch Menu for WES is available on the Nutrislice website. Please note, menus may still be subject to change based on supply and staffing changes. If your student has unique diet needs, please reach out to Kate Rittler for available options.
Please refer to the Food Services page of the WSSD website for more information on:
Save the Date for the Spring Book Fair!
Our spring Scholastic Book Fair is right around the corner (the week following our spring break!). It will take place Tuesday, April – Friday, April 5 during your child’s library special day. All of the exciting details are coming out soon but for now, mark your calendars for this exciting week at WES! In the meantime, you can always Visit our Book Fair homepage to browse books, make a wish list or even start your shopping!
Car Line
The Car Line Sign-Up for January-June is now available! We are asking for volunteers to help provide a warm welcome in the morning in the back loop at WES from 8:15-8:45 am each morning. We need volunteers to keep the traffic flowing and assist the kids with their backpacks and car doors - especially in the colder months when more families are driving and many kids have winter gear. Please contact Ted Benzing if interested or with any questions.
Community Flyers from PeachJar!
__________________________________
Have a question? We are here to help!
Mrs. Zwitch , Executive Assistant to the Principal- jzwitch@wssd.org, 610-892-3470 ext. 4305
Mrs. Brown, Building Secretary, Attendance, - pbrown2@wssd.org, 610-892-3470 ext. 4306
-
March 4, 2024
Upcoming Dates:
March 5 - PTO Meeting, 6:00pm
March 6 - Kindergarten Parent Orientation, 7:00pm
March 7 - WES Science Fair, 6:00pm
March 14 - 5th Grade Dance Celebration, 7:00pm
March 15 - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS - Teacher In-Service Day
March 18 - Go for the Greens Event
March 21-22 - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS - Teacher Conferences
March 25-29 - NO SCHOOL - SPRING RECESS
April 2-5 - Spring Book Fair (during Library)
_________________________________________________________
Dear Families,
Thank you to our reading specialists, Mrs. Lawler and Mrs. Getty for organizing last week’s Read Across America activities. We had a lot of fun hosting mystery readers, participating in “Drop Everything and Read Time” and celebrating a love for reading!
A heads up that the sign up links for Spring conferences will be emailed directly to you this Wednesday, March 6 at 6:00pm. You will have until Monday, March 11 at 4:00pm to sign up for a conference. Conferences will occur March 21 and March 22 for 1st through 5th grades. Kindergarten conferences occur on March 19, 20, 21 and 22 to accommodate the additional classes. Please schedule your conference during these days.
We are encouraging all families to attend parent-teacher conferences during the above conference window. Please contact your child’s teacher if you are not able to be in person and need a phone or video conference option during the identified days.
We have a busy week ahead at WES with the monthly PTO Meeting tomorrow evening at 6:00pm, Kindergarten Orientation this Wednesday evening, March 6 at 7:00pm and the Science Fair on Thursday evening, March 7 at 6:00pm. More information is below.
Thank you and enjoy your week,
Dr. Savage
Principal
Wallingford Elementary
_________________________________________________________
Guidance Newsletter
Read the latest newsletter to see what your child learned with Mrs. Schwam during the 10th guidance cycle of the year. Your child had guidance during the 2/28 to 3/4 library period.
Upcoming Parent Engagement Session - Student Stress and Excessive Worry
Important Dismissal Reminders
This message is to remind you of our dismissal procedures. Please know that my first priority is the safety of your children. Unfortunately, creating a safe flow at dismissal sometimes conflicts with the desire for a speedy dismissal. Here are few items we need your support with immediately:
- When picking up your child, please park in a parking space in the lower lot off of Kershaw road or wherever you find street parking. Then proceed to the Gymnasium door.
- Only buses are permitted in the bus loop between 3:10-3:50pm.
- At WES we have an independent walker door. This means that parents who choose this option are confident their child can walk home with no supervision. PLEASE NOTE: No adults should be waiting at the walker door. If you are picking up your child, please go to the gym door and wait in line for your child to be released.
For more information, please refer to the 2023-2024 dismissal procedures as they are presented in the WES Student Handbook.
Volunteer Clearances - Now Required for Volunteers
WSSD is now requiring volunteer clearances for anyone volunteering with students more than once, which is the vast majority of our visitors. Any volunteer coming into the building for library, guest reader, homeroom parent, party volunteer, etc. is now required to have clearances on file with the district. If your clearances are not up to date and on file, please understand that you will not be permitted to volunteer. Please note that the district expectation has always been, and continues to be, that field trip chaperones have valid clearances on file.
Instructions for obtaining and submitting clearances:
- There are two required clearances (Child Abuse Clearance and PA State Police Criminal Background Check) and a form (Volunteer Registration and Disclosure Form) which must be completed. Clearances are free. The only cost is for the FBI fingerprinting which is only required if you have not lived in PA for the last 10 consecutive years.
- Clearances must be submitted via the form above. We can no longer accept clearances emailed or dropped off directly to the building.
- Volunteer clearances are good for 5 years from the date of issue.
More information about how to obtain clearances and how to submit them are available on the district's website, here: https://www.wssd.org/domain/389
Thank you for all you do to support your children. Please contact the office with any questions.
Go for the Greens - March 18, 2024
GO FOR THE GREENS will be celebrated at WES on Monday, March 18, 2024. Please help us promote this event by having your children wear green and sending in a "green" healthy snack. This event emphasizes incorporating fruits and veggies as part of healthy meals with a focus on kids' lunches and snacks.
Erin Costa and the Wellness Committee
Update for MySchoolBucks Users
Thank you for choosing to use MySchoolBucks to securely and conveniently pay for your student’s school meals this school year.
We’re updating the program fee you pay at checkout in MySchoolBucks when funding your student’s meal account to $3.25 for each credit/debit card payment beginning on March 7, 2024.
Due to rising payment processing interchange fees and increased operational costs, this adjustment to our per-transaction program fee for school meals is necessary to continue providing you with the best and most secure online payment experience.
If you would like to make changes to your saved payment methods or automatic payment settings, please log into your MySchoolBucks account. For questions, please call our support team at 855-832-5226.
Thank you,
The MySchoolBucks Team
Yearbook Information - Please Order by April 26, 2024
Yearbooks are now available for order! Order forms were sent home with your student and they are also available to order online. Please see the information below and place your order by Friday, April 26, 2024.
5th Grade Dance Celebration - Thursday, March 14, 2024
The 5th grade Dance Celebration is a night for 5th graders and their parents/guardians to enjoy dancing, laughter and friendship. This year, the dance celebration will be held on Thursday, March 14 at 7:00pm in the WES multipurpose room. Parents/guardians must accompany their 5th grader and childcare arrangements must be made for siblings. A permission slip was sent home with all 5th graders on Friday. Please sign and return to Mr. C no later than March 6, 2024. We look forward to dancing and celebrating with you!
Kindergarten Parent Orientation
Our kindergarten parent orientation will be held in person in the WES gym/cafeteria this Wednesday, March 6, 2024 at 7:00 p.m. where incoming kindergarten families will have the opportunity to learn more about our kindergarten program. Kindergarten registration is ongoing; however, children must have been registered by Friday, March 1, 2024 in order to be included in the kindergarten lottery to determine morning or afternoon kindergarten session placement. The lottery will occur if there are more requests for a particular section (AM or PM) than space available. If you have questions regarding your registration please contact Derrick Clements at dclements@wssd.org or visit the district website for more information.
School Lunch Information & Menu
The Weekly Lunch Menu for WES is available on the Nutrislice website. Please note, menus may still be subject to change based on supply and staffing changes. If your student has unique diet needs, please reach out to Kate Rittler for available options.
Please refer to the Food Services page of the WSSD website for more information on:
WES Science Fair - THIS THURSDAY, March 7
WES family, it’s finally here! Come explore the WES Science Fair this Thursday, March 7th from 6-7 pm in the WES cafeteria. This is a not-to-be-missed WES family event! Learn about fellow WES students’ science experiments, practice the scientific method at WES PTO-run science tables, and leave with a homework pass for the night’s homework after visiting at least six science tables, all while supporting classmates and seeing WES friends! This is a win-win for all involved! See you there!
Interested in making the WES Science Fair a success? We are still looking for a few volunteers to help with PTO-run science tables and check-in. Please sign-up here if interested!
WES Spirit Wear - Store Open Through March 8!
The Spirit Wear store is open for an extra week through March 8! New for spring/summer: tank tops, WES pool towels, and tie-dyed bucket hats! Plus, WES Cares shirts (just in case you need one for the next school assembly) and more! Orders will be delivered before Spring Break.
Car Line
The Car Line Sign-Up for January-June is now available! We are asking for volunteers to help provide a warm welcome in the morning in the back loop at WES from 8:15-8:45 am each morning. We need volunteers to keep the traffic flowing and assist the kids with their backpacks and car doors - especially in the colder months when more families are driving and many kids have winter gear. Please contact Ted Benzing if interested or with any questions.
Community Flyers from PeachJar!
__________________________________
Have a question? We are here to help!
Mrs. Zwitch , Executive Assistant to the Principal- jzwitch@wssd.org, 610-892-3470 ext. 4305
Mrs. Brown, Building Secretary, Attendance, - pbrown2@wssd.org, 610-892-3470 ext. 4306
-
February 26, 2024
Upcoming Dates:
February 26-29 - Art Goes to School (during Art special)
March 6 - Kindergarten Parent Orientation, 7:00pm
March 7 - WES Science Fair, 6:00pm
March 14 - 5th Grade Dance Celebration, 7:00pm
March 15 - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS - Teacher In-Service Day
March 21-22 - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS - Teacher Conferences
March 25-29 - NO SCHOOL - SPRING RECESS
_________________________________________________________
Dear Families,
Thank you to all of our families who participated in last week’s International Night and to our PTO committee for organizing. We are so proud of and thankful for the diversity of our community!
This week we are celebrating Read Across America Week. We will be hosting mystery readers throughout the week and having Drop Everything and Read Times throughout the day on Friday. Please also see below for optional theme days for this week.
Two quick reminders: volunteer clearances are now required for all building volunteers. Please see below for details and thank you in advance for getting this done. Yearbooks are now available to order. Please be mindful of the order deadline of Friday, April 26.
Thank you and enjoy your week,
Dr. Savage
Principal
Wallingford Elementary
_________________________________________________________
Read Across America Week - This Week
This week, WSSD is celebrating Read Across America Week. Among other events, we will celebrate with the (optional) theme days outlined below:
Important Dismissal Reminders
This message is to remind you of our dismissal procedures. Please know that my first priority is the safety of your children. Unfortunately, creating a safe flow at dismissal sometimes conflicts with the desire for a speedy dismissal. Here are few items we need your support with immediately:
- When picking up your child, please park in a parking space in the lower lot off of Kershaw road or wherever you find street parking. Then proceed to the Gymnasium door.
- Only buses are permitted in the bus loop between 3:10-3:50pm.
- At WES we have an independent walker door. This means that parents who choose this option are confident their child can walk home with no supervision. PLEASE NOTE: No adults should be waiting at the walker door. If you are picking up your child, please go to the gym door and wait in line for your child to be released.
For more information, please refer to the 2023-2024 dismissal procedures as they are presented in the WES Student Handbook.
Volunteer Clearances - Now Required for Volunteers
WSSD is now requiring volunteer clearances for anyone volunteering with students more than once, which is the vast majority of our visitors. Any volunteer coming into the building for library, guest reader, homeroom parent, party volunteer, etc. is now required to have clearances on file with the district. If your clearances are not up to date and on file, please understand that you will not be permitted to volunteer. Please note that the district expectation has always been, and continues to be, that field trip chaperones have valid clearances on file.
Instructions for obtaining and submitting clearances:
- There are two required clearances (Child Abuse Clearance and PA State Police Criminal Background Check) and a form (Volunteer Registration and Disclosure Form) which must be completed. Clearances are free. The only cost is for the FBI fingerprinting which is only required if you have not lived in PA for the last 10 consecutive years.
- Clearances must be submitted via the form above. We can no longer accept clearances emailed or dropped off directly to the building.
- Volunteer clearances are good for 5 years from the date of issue.
More information about how to obtain clearances and how to submit them are available on the district's website, here: https://www.wssd.org/domain/389
Thank you for all you do to support your children. Please contact the office with any questions.
Update for MySchoolBucks Users
Thank you for choosing to use MySchoolBucks to securely and conveniently pay for your student’s school meals this school year. We’re updating the program fee you pay at checkout in MySchoolBucks when funding your student’s meal account to $3.25 for each credit/debit card payment beginning on March 7, 2024.
Due to rising payment processing interchange fees and increased operational costs, this adjustment to our per-transaction program fee for school meals is necessary to continue providing you with the best and most secure online payment experience.
If you would like to make changes to your saved payment methods or automatic payment settings, please log into your MySchoolBucks account. For questions, please call our support team at 855-832-5226.
Thank you,
The MySchoolBucks Team
Yearbook Information - Please Order by April 26, 2024
Yearbooks are now available for order! Order forms were sent home with your student and they are also available to order online. Please see the information below and place your order by Friday, April 26, 2024.
5th Grade Dance Celebration - Thursday, March 14, 2024
The 5th grade Dance Celebration is a night for 5th graders and their parents/guardians to enjoy dancing, laughter and friendship. This year, the dance celebration will be held on Thursday, March 14 at 7:00pm in the WES multipurpose room. Parents/guardians must accompany their 5th grader and childcare arrangements must be made for siblings. A permission slip was sent home with all 5th graders on Friday. Please sign and return to Mr. C no later than March 6, 2024. We look forward to dancing and celebrating with you!
Kindergarten Parent Orientation
Our kindergarten parent orientation will be held in person in the WES gym/cafeteria on Wednesday, March 6, 2024 at 7:00 p.m. where incoming kindergarten families will have the opportunity to learn more about our kindergarten program. Kindergarten registration is ongoing; however, children must be registered by Friday, March 1, 2024 in order to be included in the kindergarten lottery to determine morning or afternoon kindergarten session placement. The lottery will occur if there are more requests for a particular section (AM or PM) than space available. If you have questions regarding your registration please contact Derrick Clements at dclements@wssd.org or visit the district website for more information.
School Lunch Information & Menu
The Weekly Lunch Menu for WES is available on the Nutrislice website. Please note, menus may still be subject to change based on supply and staffing changes. If your student has unique diet needs, please reach out to Kate Rittler for available options.
Please refer to the Food Services page of the WSSD website for more information on:
WES Spirit Wear Store - NOW OPEN!
The Spirit Wear store is now OPEN! We are accepting new orders from February 19 - March 1. New for spring/summer: tank tops, WES pool towels, and tie-dyed bucket hats! Plus, WES Cares shirts (just in case you need one for the next school assembly) and more! Orders will be delivered before Spring Break. Any questions, email Kristina or Michele.
WES Science Fair - Thursday, March 7
Calling all WES families! Mark your calendars for Thursday, March 7 from 6-7 pm for the WES Science Fair in the WES cafeteria. Instead of completing homework at home, earn a homework pass for that night’s homework while supporting the 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade student scientists as they showcase their science fair projects! Upon arrival, WES students will be given a science passport that can be completed as they visit 6 student scientists’ tables. Completed passports earn a homework pass for that night’s homework. Additionally, the PTO will run a few science tables.
This is a PTO-run event and we are looking for volunteers to run the check-in table as well as the PTO-run science tables. You may sign-up to volunteer here. We hope to see you there and thank you for volunteering!
Attention 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade Parents!
Please encourage your children to take part in the WES Science Fair on Thursday, March 7 from 6-7pm. This event is entirely optional and intended to foster a love of science, and not intended to create any stress at home! Projects will not be officially judged—instead, fellow WES students and families will circulate with science passports engaging the students in discussions based on their experiments. All student scientists earn a homework pass for that night’s homework. Please see the attached flyer for more information on this event. Included is a list of ideas to spark your child’s interest. Parents, if your child wishes to participate, see sign-up here.
Car Line
The Car Line Sign-Up for January-June is now available! We are asking for volunteers to help provide a warm welcome in the morning in the back loop at WES from 8:15-8:45 am each morning. We need volunteers to keep the traffic flowing and assist the kids with their backpacks and car doors - especially in the colder months when more families are driving and many kids have winter gear. Please contact Ted Benzing if interested or with any questions.
Community Flyers from PeachJar!
__________________________________
Have a question? We are here to help!
Mrs. Zwitch , Executive Assistant to the Principal- jzwitch@wssd.org, 610-892-3470 ext. 4305
Mrs. Brown, Building Secretary, Attendance, - pbrown2@wssd.org, 610-892-3470 ext. 4306
-
February 20, 2024
Upcoming Dates:
February 22- International Night, 6:00pm - 8:00pm
March 6 - Kindergarten Parent Orientation, 7:00pm
March 7 - WES Science Fair, 6:00pm
March 14 - 5th Grade Dance Celebration, 7:00pm
March 15 - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS - Teacher In-Service Day
March 21-22 - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS - Teacher Conferences
March 25-29 - NO SCHOOL - SPRING RECESS
_________________________________________________________
Dear Families,
I hope you all enjoyed the long weekend and had time to relax and reset.
Just a reminder that this Thursday evening is International Night at WES. From 6-8pm, students and families can stop by the multipurpose room at WES to learn more about countries from around the world including geography, people, wildlife, traditions, food, holidays, culture and more! Please see below for full details.
Enjoy your week,
Dr. Savage
Principal
Wallingford Elementary
_________________________________________________________
Read Across America Week - Next Week - February 26 -March 1
Next week, WSSD will celebrate Read Across America Week (February 26 - March 1). Among other events, we will celebrate with the (optional) theme days outlined below:
Important Dismissal Reminders
This message is to remind you of our dismissal procedures. Please know that my first priority is the safety of your children. Unfortunately, creating a safe flow at dismissal sometimes conflicts with the desire for a speedy dismissal. Here are few items we need your support with immediately:
- When picking up your child, please park in a parking space in the lower lot off of Kershaw road or wherever you find street parking. Then proceed to the Gymnasium door.
- Only buses are permitted in the bus loop between 3:10-3:50pm.
- At WES we have an independent walker door. This means that parents who choose this option are confident their child can walk home with no supervision. PLEASE NOTE: No adults should be waiting at the walker door. If you are picking up your child, please go to the gym door and wait in line for your child to be released.
For more information, please refer to the 2023-2024 dismissal procedures as they are presented in the WES Student Handbook.
Volunteer Clearances - Now Required for Volunteers
WSSD is now requiring volunteer clearances for anyone volunteering with students more than once, which is the vast majority of our visitors. Any volunteer coming into the building for library, guest reader, homeroom parent, party volunteer, etc. is now required to have clearances on file with the district. If your clearances are not up to date and on file, please understand that you will not be permitted to volunteer. Please note that the district expectation has always been, and continues to be, that field trip chaperones have valid clearances on file.
Instructions for obtaining and submitting clearances:
- There are two required clearances (Child Abuse Clearance and PA State Police Criminal Background Check) and a form (Volunteer Registration and Disclosure Form) which must be completed. Clearances are free. The only cost is for the FBI fingerprinting which is only required if you have not lived in PA for the last 10 consecutive years.
- Clearances must be submitted via the form above. We can no longer accept clearances emailed or dropped off directly to the building.
- Volunteer clearances are good for 5 years from the date of issue.
More information about how to obtain clearances and how to submit them are available on the district's website, here: https://www.wssd.org/domain/389
Thank you for all you do to support your children. Please contact the office with any questions.
Yearbook Information - Please Order by April 26, 2024
Yearbooks are now available for order! Order forms were sent home with your student and they are also available to order online. Please see the information below and place your order by the deadline of Friday, April 26, 2024.
5th Grade Dance Celebration - Thursday, March 14, 2024
The 5th grade Dance Celebration is a night for 5th graders and their parents/guardians to enjoy dancing, laughter and friendship. This year, the dance celebration will be held on Thursday, March 14 at 7:00pm in the WES multipurpose room. Parents/guardians must accompany their 5th grader and childcare arrangements must be made for siblings. A permission slip was sent home with all 5th graders on Friday. Please sign and return to Mr. C no later than March 6, 2024. We look forward to dancing and celebrating with you!
Kindergarten Parent Orientation
Our kindergarten parent orientation will be held in person in the WES gym/cafeteria on Wednesday, March 6, 2024 at 7:00 p.m. where incoming kindergarten families will have the opportunity to learn more about our kindergarten program. Kindergarten registration is ongoing; however, children must be registered by Friday, March 1, 2024 in order to be included in the kindergarten lottery to determine morning or afternoon kindergarten session placement. The lottery will occur if there are more requests for a particular section (AM or PM) than space available. If you have questions regarding your registration please contact Derrick Clements at dclements@wssd.org or visit the district website for more information.
School Lunch Information & Menu
The Weekly Lunch Menu for WES is available on the Nutrislice website. Please note, menus may still be subject to change based on supply and staffing changes. If your student has unique diet needs, please reach out to Kate Rittler for available options.
Please refer to the Food Services page of the WSSD website for more information on:
International Night - February 22, 2024
WES is hosting International Night THIS THURSDAY, February 22, 2024, from 6-8 PM in the auditorium/cafeteria! All WSSD elementary school families are invited to participate. Please consider hosting a table dedicated to a country of your choice. It can be one you share ancestral ties to or that you simply enjoy and appreciate and you can team up with another family if you like! Your table can incorporate any interesting information about that country including its geography, people, wildlife, traditions, food, holidays, culture...whatever you would like! If possible, please pay extra attention to how elements of that country's culture are similar to other global cultures. We encourage you to plan something interactive, bringing food to share, an art project for others to complete, a game to play, etc. If you have any questions, please reach out to Juhi Pandey or Elizabeth Morgan.
Chess Club
The Chess Club will meet for 6 weeks, beginning on Thursday, March 7, after-school in the WES Library from 3:30 - 4:30 pm! We will be taking 34 students and the sign-ups are first come, first serve. Students in grades 3-5 are invited to sign-up here to participate - beginners are welcome! In order to make this happen, we will also need 4-6 parent volunteers to assist with each session. Please reach out to Corey Grafe, if you are interested in supporting the Chess Club. Any parent volunteer will need to have their clearances on file with the district.
WES Spirit Wear Store - NOW OPEN!
The Spirit Wear store is now OPEN! We are accepting new orders from February 19 - March 1. New for spring/summer: tank tops, WES pool towels, and tie-dyed bucket hats! Plus, WES Cares shirts (just in case you need one for the next school assembly) and more! Orders will be delivered before Spring Break. Any questions, email Kristina or Michele.
WES Science Fair - Thursday, March 7
Calling all WES families! Mark your calendars for Thursday, March 7 from 6-7 pm for the WES Science Fair in the WES cafeteria. Instead of completing homework at home, earn a homework pass for that night’s homework while supporting the 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade student scientists as they showcase their science fair projects! Upon arrival, WES students will be given a science passport that can be completed as they visit 6 student scientists’ tables. Completed passports earn a homework pass for that night’s homework. Additionally, the PTO will run a few science tables.
This is a PTO-run event and we are looking for volunteers to run the check-in table as well as the PTO-run science tables. You may sign-up to volunteer here. We hope to see you there and thank you for volunteering!
Attention 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade Parents!
Please encourage your children to take part in the WES Science Fair on Thursday, March 7 from 6-7pm. This event is entirely optional and intended to foster a love of science, and not intended to create any stress at home! Projects will not be officially judged—instead, fellow WES students and families will circulate with science passports engaging the students in discussions based on their experiments. All student scientists earn a homework pass for that night’s homework. Please see the attached flyer for more information on this event. Included is a list of ideas to spark your child’s interest. Parents, if your child wishes to participate, see sign-up here.
Car Line
The Car Line Sign-Up for January-June is now available! We are asking for volunteers to help provide a warm welcome in the morning in the back loop at WES from 8:15-8:45 am each morning. We need volunteers to keep the traffic flowing and assist the kids with their backpacks and car doors - especially in the colder months when more families are driving and many kids have winter gear. Please contact Ted Benzing if interested or with any questions.
Community Flyers from PeachJar!
__________________________________
Have a question? We are here to help!
Mrs. Zwitch , Executive Assistant to the Principal- jzwitch@wssd.org, 610-892-3470 ext. 4305
Mrs. Brown, Building Secretary, Attendance, - pbrown2@wssd.org, 610-892-3470 ext. 4306
-
February 12, 2024
Upcoming Dates:
February 14 - Valentine’s Day Classroom Parties
February 16 - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS - Teacher In-Service Day
February 19 - NO SCHOOL - HOLIDAY
February 22- International Night, 6:00pm - 8:00pm
March 6 - Kindergarten Parent Orientation, 7:00pm
March 7 - WES Science Fair, 6:00pm
March 14 - 5th Grade Dance Celebration, 7:00pm
March 15 - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS - Teacher In-Service Day
March 21-22 - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS - Teacher Conferences
March 25-29 - NO SCHOOL - SPRING RECESS
_________________________________________________________
Dear Families,
This week, we look forward to celebrating Valentine’s Day with classroom parties. During this time, students will also be drawing pictures and assembling breakfast bags for Caring for Friends, a Philadelphia non-profit organization that provides free home-cooked meals to isolated, homebound individuals. Thank you to all who donated food items and to our PTO committee for coordinating this meaningful project!
Please note that there is no school this Friday for a teacher in-service day; and no school on Monday due to the President’s Day holiday.
Have a wonderful week and enjoy the long weekend,
Dr. Savage
Principal
Wallingford Elementary
_________________________________________________________
Important Dismissal Reminders
This message is to remind you of our dismissal procedures. Please know that my first priority is the safety of your children. Unfortunately, creating a safe flow at dismissal sometimes conflicts with the desire for a speedy dismissal. Here are few items we need your support with immediately:
- When picking up your child, please park in a parking space in the lower lot off of Kershaw road or wherever you find street parking. Then proceed to the Gymnasium door.
- Only buses are permitted in the bus loop between 3:10-3:50pm.
- At WES we have an independent walker door. This means that parents who choose this option are confident their child can walk home with no supervision. PLEASE NOTE: No adults should be waiting at the walker door. If you are picking up your child, please go to the gym door and wait in line for your child to be released.
For more information, please refer to the 2023-2024 dismissal procedures as they are presented in the WES Student Handbook.
Volunteer Clearances - Now Required for Volunteers
WSSD is now requiring volunteer clearances for anyone volunteering with students more than once, which is the vast majority of our visitors. Any volunteer coming into the building for library, guest reader, homeroom parent, party volunteer, etc. is now required to have clearances on file with the district. If your clearances are not up to date and on file, please understand that you will not be permitted to volunteer. Please note that the district expectation has always been, and continues to be, that field trip chaperones have valid clearances on file.
Instructions for obtaining and submitting clearances:
- There are two required clearances (Child Abuse Clearance and PA State Police Criminal Background Check) and a form (Volunteer Registration and Disclosure Form) which must be completed. Clearances are free. The only cost is for the FBI fingerprinting which is only required if you have not lived in PA for the last 10 consecutive years.
- Clearances must be submitted via the form above. We can no longer accept clearances emailed or dropped off directly to the building.
- Volunteer clearances are good for 5 years from the date of issue.
More information about how to obtain clearances and how to submit them are available on the district's website, here: https://www.wssd.org/domain/389
Thank you for all you do to support your children. Please contact the office with any questions.
Yearbook Information - Please Order by April 26, 2024
Yearbooks are now available for order! Order forms were sent home with your student and they are also available to order online. Please see the information below and place your order by Friday, April 26, 2024.
5th Grade Dance Celebration - Thursday, March 14, 2024
The 5th grade Dance Celebration is a night for 5th graders and their parents/guardians to enjoy dancing, laughter and friendship. This year, the dance celebration will be held on Thursday, March 14 at 7:00pm in the WES multipurpose room. Parents/guardians must accompany their 5th grader and childcare arrangements must be made for siblings. A permission slip was sent home with all 5th graders on Friday. Please sign and return to Mr. C no later than March 6, 2024. We look forward to dancing and celebrating with you!
WSSD Literacy Series
Please see attached for information on the WSSD Literacy Series, including a session this Thursday, February 15 at 5:00pm at SRS - Engaging All Learners.
SEL Survey Check-in - Week of February 12
We thank you and your family for being our valued partners. As you may already be aware, building our social-emotional learning (SEL) skills is an important goal for our schools this year. Specifically, students will participate in a social-emotional check-in via an online survey. The check-in will be completed in schools during the week of February 12th. The survey shouldn’t take more than 15 minutes to complete. Please see attached for more information.
Schoology Update for Grades 3-5
Schoology Parent/Guardian Informational Sessions will be held on the following dates and times:
- Monday, February 12th at Strath Haven Middle School from 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
- Registration Link: Click Here to Register
- Tuesday, February 13th on ZOOM at 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
- Registration Link: Click Here to Register
- Wednesday, February 28th at NPE at 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
- Registration Link: Click Here to Register
Several Schoology resources are available for you as a parent/guardian. These resources will assist you in understanding the use and features of the Schoology LMS. See the links below for both student and parent/guardian training resources:
- Student Schoology Video Training Resources
- Parent/Guardian Schoology Video Training Resources (Login to your PowerSchool Parent portal, click on My PowerSchool on the left side menu, then click your initials in the top right hand corner, then on Schoology Messages to take you to the Schoology Parent view platform)
Kindergarten Parent Orientation
Our kindergarten parent orientation will be held in person in the WES gym/cafeteria on Wednesday, March 6, 2024 at 7:00 p.m. where incoming kindergarten families will have the opportunity to learn more about our kindergarten program. Kindergarten registration is ongoing; however, children must be registered by Friday, March 1, 2024 in order to be included in the kindergarten lottery to determine morning or afternoon kindergarten session placement. The lottery will occur if there are more requests for a particular section (AM or PM) than space available. If you have questions regarding your registration please contact Derrick Clements at dclements@wssd.org or visit the district website for more information.
School Lunch Information & Menu
The Weekly Lunch Menu for WES is available on the Nutrislice website. Please note, menus may still be subject to change based on supply and staffing changes. If your student has unique diet needs, please reach out to Kate Rittler for available options.
Please refer to the Food Services page of the WSSD website for more information on:
International Night - February 22, 2024
WES is hosting International Night on February 22, 2024, from 6-8 PM in the auditorium/cafeteria! All WSSD elementary school families are invited to participate. Please consider hosting a table dedicated to a country of your choice. It can be one you share ancestral ties to or that you simply enjoy and appreciate and you can team up with another family if you like! Your table can incorporate any interesting information about that country including its geography, people, wildlife, traditions, food, holidays, culture...whatever you would like! If possible, please pay extra attention to how elements of that country's culture are similar to other global cultures. We encourage you to plan something interactive, bringing food to share, an art project for others to complete, a game to play, etc.
If you have any questions, please reach out to Juhi Pandey or Elizabeth Morgan.
WES Science Fair - Thursday, March 7
Calling all WES families! Mark your calendars for Thursday, March 7 from 6-7 pm for the WES Science Fair in the WES cafeteria. Instead of completing homework at home, earn a homework pass for that night’s homework while supporting the 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade student scientists as they showcase their science fair projects! Upon arrival, WES students will be given a science passport that can be completed as they visit 6 student scientists’ tables. Completed passports earn a homework pass for that night’s homework. Additionally, the PTO will run a few science tables.
This is a PTO-run event and we are looking for volunteers to run the check-in table as well as the PTO-run science tables. You may sign-up to volunteer here. We hope to see you there and thank you for volunteering!
Attention 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade Parents!
Please encourage your children to take part in the WES Science Fair on Thursday, March 7 from 6-7pm. This event is entirely optional and intended to foster a love of science, and not intended to create any stress at home! Projects will not be officially judged—instead, fellow WES students and families will circulate with science passports engaging the students in discussions based on their experiments. All student scientists earn a homework pass for that night’s homework. Please see the attached flyer for more information on this event. Included is a list of ideas to spark your child’s interest. Parents, if your child wishes to participate, see sign-up here.
Car Line
The Car Line Sign-Up for January-June is now available! We are asking for volunteers to help provide a warm welcome in the morning in the back loop at WES from 8:15-8:45 am each morning. We need volunteers to keep the traffic flowing and assist the kids with their backpacks and car doors - especially in the colder months when more families are driving and many kids have winter gear. Please contact Ted Benzing if interested or with any questions.
Community Flyers from PeachJar!
__________________________________
Have a question? We are here to help!
Mrs. Zwitch , Executive Assistant to the Principal- jzwitch@wssd.org, 610-892-3470 ext. 4305
Mrs. Brown, Building Secretary, Attendance, - pbrown2@wssd.org, 610-892-3470 ext. 4306
-
February 5, 2024
Upcoming Dates:
February 6 - PTO Meeting, 6:00pm
February 7 - WES Night at Chipotle Fundraiser
February 14 - Valentine’s Day Classroom Parties
February 16 - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS - Teacher In-Service Day
February 19 - NO SCHOOL - HOLIDAY
February 22- International Night, 6:00pm - 8:00pm
March 6 - Kindergarten Parent Orientation, 7:00pm
March 7 - WES Science Fair, 6:00pm
March 14 - 5th Grade Dance Celebration, 7:00pm
March 15 - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS - Teacher In-Service Day
March 21-22 - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS - Teacher Conferences
March 25-29 - NO SCHOOL - SPRING RECESS
_________________________________________________________
Dear Families,
This week is National School Counseling Week. We are excited to recognize the work of the 121,000 school counselors across the nation, but especially our own WES school counselor, Eryka Weaver. Thank you, Ms. Weaver for all you do to support our students!
Our Valentine’s Day parties are coming up next week. As a reminder, any parents intending to volunteer need valid clearances on file with the district. If you do not have valid clearances, you will not be permitted to volunteer. Please see below for more information.
Have a wonderful week,
Dr. Savage
Principal
Wallingford Elementary
_________________________________________________________
Guidance Newsletter
Read the latest newsletter to see what your child learned with Mrs. Schwam during the 8th guidance cycle of the year. Your child had guidance during the 1/29 to 2/1 library period.
Important Dismissal Reminders
This message is to remind you of our dismissal procedures. Please know that my first priority is the safety of your children. Unfortunately, creating a safe flow at dismissal sometimes conflicts with the desire for a speedy dismissal. Here are few items we need your support with immediately:
- When picking up your child, please park in a parking space in the lower lot off of Kershaw road or wherever you find street parking. Then proceed to the Gymnasium door.
- Only buses are permitted in the bus loop between 3:10-3:50pm.
- At WES we have an independent walker door. This means that parents who choose this option are confident their child can walk home with no supervision.
Below are the 2023-2024 procedures as they are presented in the WES Student Handbook.
DISMISSAL PROCEDURES
BUSES
Our buses will use the bus circle at the rear entrance of the school and the front of the school to collect the students, so we are asking that no cars use these two areas between 3:10 and 3:50. It is our goal to have all buses loaded and on their way by 3:40 each day, but we cannot do that if cars are parked/waiting in the bus circle. PLEASE NOTE: students are only permitted to ride the bus to which they are assigned.
WALKERS
Providence Rd Door (library) is the door for all students who have permission to leave school and walk home without an adult picking them up. If you choose to have your child leave school by this door, WES staff will not check to see if their adult is present before letting them leave the building. Siblings who are walking together will be allowed to wait for one another before leaving the building. PLEASE NOTE: No adults should be waiting at the walker door. If you are picking up your child, please go to the gym door and wait in line for your child to be released.
Crossing guards are located directly in front of the building, at the intersection of Possum Hollow and Providence Road, and at the intersection of Brookhaven Road and Kershaw Road.
PARENT PICK UP
Kershaw Door (gym) is the parent pick up door for all students who are being picked up by their parents/adults. If you want WES to release your child directly to you, you must pick up your child at this door. If you wish to pick up your child, please park your car and walk up to wait at the Parent Pick-up door, located at the Kershaw Road side of the building at the Gym. Please line up and wait for your child to be dismissed to you.
Volunteer Clearances - Now Required for Volunteers
WSSD is now requiring volunteer clearances for anyone volunteering with students more than once, which is the vast majority of our visitors. Any volunteer coming into the building for library, guest reader, homeroom parent, party volunteer, etc. is now required to have clearances on file with the district. If your clearances are not up to date and on file, please understand that you will not be permitted to volunteer. Please note that the district expectation has always been, and continues to be, that field trip chaperones have valid clearances on file.
Instructions for obtaining and submitting clearances:
- There are two required clearances (Child Abuse Clearance and PA State Police Criminal Background Check) and a form (Volunteer Registration and Disclosure Form) which must be completed. Clearances are free. The only cost is for the FBI fingerprinting which is only required if you have not lived in PA for the last 10 consecutive years.
- Clearances must be submitted via the form above. We can no longer accept clearances emailed or dropped off directly to the building.
- Volunteer clearances are good for 5 years from the date of issue.
More information about how to obtain clearances and how to submit them are available on the district's website, here: https://www.wssd.org/domain/389
Thank you for all you do to support your children. Please contact the office with any questions.
SEL Survey Check-in - Week of February 12
We thank you and your family for being our valued partners. As you may already be aware, building our social-emotional learning (SEL) skills is an important goal for our schools this year. Specifically, students will participate in a social-emotional check-in via an online survey. The check-in will be completed in schools during the week of February 12th. The survey shouldn’t take more than 15 minutes to complete. Please see attached for more information.
Schoology Update for Grades 3-5
Schoology Parent/Guardian Informational Sessions will be held on the following dates and times:
- Monday, February 12th at Strath Haven Middle School from 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
- Registration Link: Click Here to Register
- Tuesday, February 13th on ZOOM at 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
- Registration Link: Click Here to Register
- Wednesday, February 28th at NPE at 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
- Registration Link: Click Here to Register
Several Schoology resources are available for you as a parent/guardian. These resources will assist you in understanding the use and features of the Schoology LMS. See the links below for both student and parent/guardian training resources:
- Student Schoology Video Training Resources
- Parent/Guardian Schoology Video Training Resources (Login to your PowerSchool Parent portal, click on My PowerSchool on the left side menu, then click your initials in the top right hand corner, then on Schoology Messages to take you to the Schoology Parent view platform)
Kindergarten Parent Orientation
Our kindergarten parent orientation will be held in person in the WES gym/cafeteria on Wednesday, March 6, 2024 at 7:00 p.m. where incoming kindergarten families will have the opportunity to learn more about our kindergarten program. Kindergarten registration is ongoing; however, children must be registered by Friday, March 1, 2024 in order to be included in the kindergarten lottery to determine morning or afternoon kindergarten session placement. The lottery will occur if there are more requests for a particular section (AM or PM) than space available. If you have questions regarding your registration please contact Derrick Clements at dclements@wssd.org or visit the district website for more information.
School Lunch Information & Menu
The Weekly Lunch Menu for WES is available on the Nutrislice website. Please note, menus may still be subject to change based on supply and staffing changes. If your student has unique diet needs, please reach out to Kate Rittler for available options.
Please refer to the Food Services page of the WSSD website for more information on:
Gift of Giving Community Service Project
Once again, WES students will be participating in a school-wide community service project as part of their classroom Valentine’s Day parties on Tuesday, February 14.
During their parties, students will be drawing pictures to be delivered with “Breakfast Bags” for Caring for Friends, a Philadelphia non-profit organization that provides free home-cooked meals to isolated, homebound individuals. They will then assemble the breakfast bags with donated food items and the pictures they make during the class parties.
We are asking the WES community to donate the following Breakfast Bag items. Below is a list of items assigned to each grade:
- KINDERGARTEN: Individually wrapped tea bags (like Bigelow) or hot chocolate packets
- 1st GRADE: Boxes of raisins or containers of pudding or fruit cups (no applesauce please, foil covers can be easily punctured.)
- 2nd GRADE: Small cereal boxes or single-serving packets of oatmeal.
- 3rd GRADE: Juice boxes
- 4th GRADE: Cereal bars, granola bars or oatmeal squares
- 5th GRADE: Packaged peanut butter or cheese crackers
Beginning today, you may send donations to school with your child or leave them on the Gift of Giving table in the WES entryway.
Please be sure to submit all contributions by Friday, February 9, so we can organize items for assembly.
We hope our students will not only have fun with this project, but also feel good about working together to help others. Thank you for your support!
Your Gift of Giving Committee,
Sara O’Reilly: soreilly7474@yahoo.com
Aimee Tomaino Hodges: aimeeleigh23@gmail.com
Coco Kaminski: kaminski.coco@gmail.com
International Night - February 22, 2024
WES is hosting International Night on February 22, 2024, from 6-8 PM in the auditorium/cafeteria! All WSSD elementary school families are invited to participate. Please consider hosting a table dedicated to a country of your choice. It can be one you share ancestral ties to or that you simply enjoy and appreciate and you can team up with another family if you like! Your table can incorporate any interesting information about that country including its geography, people, wildlife, traditions, food, holidays, culture...whatever you would like! If possible, please pay extra attention to how elements of that country's culture are similar to other global cultures. We encourage you to plan something interactive, bringing food to share, an art project for others to complete, a game to play, etc.
If you have any questions, please reach out to Juhi Pandey or Elizabeth Morgan.
Chipotle Night - WES Fundraiser
Save the Date! Dine-in, takeout, or order online from Chipotle in Springfield on Wednesday, February 7th from 4pm-8pm. Present a printed or digital Flyer and Chipotle will donate 33% from your bill towards the WES PTO. Thank you for your support - have a burritoful day!
WES Science Fair - Thursday, March 7
Calling all WES families! Mark your calendars for Thursday, March 7 from 6-7 pm for the WES Science Fair in the WES cafeteria. Instead of completing homework at home, earn a homework pass for that night’s homework while supporting the 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade student scientists as they showcase their science fair projects! Upon arrival, WES students will be given a science passport that can be completed as they visit 6 student scientists’ tables. Completed passports earn a homework pass for that night’s homework. Additionally, the PTO will run a few science tables.
This is a PTO-run event and we are looking for volunteers to run the check-in table as well as the PTO-run science tables. You may sign-up to volunteer here. We hope to see you there and thank you for volunteering!
Attention 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade Parents!
Please encourage your children to take part in the WES Science Fair on Thursday, March 7 from 6-7pm. This event is entirely optional and intended to foster a love of science, and not intended to create any stress at home! Projects will not be officially judged—instead, fellow WES students and families will circulate with science passports engaging the students in discussions based on their experiments. All student scientists earn a homework pass for that night’s homework. Please see the attached flyer for more information on this event. Included is a list of ideas to spark your child’s interest. Parents, if your child wishes to participate, see sign-up here.
Car Line
The Car Line Sign-Up for January-June is now available! We are asking for volunteers to help provide a warm welcome in the morning in the back loop at WES from 8:15-8:45 am each morning. We need volunteers to keep the traffic flowing and assist the kids with their backpacks and car doors - especially in the colder months when more families are driving and many kids have winter gear. Please contact Ted Benzing if interested or with any questions.
Community Flyers from PeachJar!
__________________________________
Have a question? We are here to help!
Mrs. Zwitch , Executive Assistant to the Principal- jzwitch@wssd.org, 610-892-3470 ext. 4305
Mrs. Brown, Building Secretary, Attendance, - pbrown2@wssd.org, 610-892-3470 ext. 4306
-
January 29, 2024
Upcoming Dates:
February 6 - PTO Meeting, 6:00pm
February 7 - WES Night at Chipotle Fundraiser
February 14 - Valentine’s Day Classroom Parties
February 16 - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS - Teacher In-Service Day
February 19 - NO SCHOOL - HOLIDAY
February 22- International Night, 6:00pm - 8:00pm
March 7 - WES Science Fair
_________________________________________________________
Dear Families,
Thank you to everyone who came out to Bingo Night on Friday. A huge thank you to all of the volunteers for their hard work in organizing the event! And a special shout out to Mrs. Gaur and Mr. Fantozzi for spending their Friday night with us at Bingo. It is always a fun time! I look forward to hosting the winners of Breakfast with the Principal and Principal for the day in the Spring.
Please read below for some important reminders regarding our dismissal procedures and volunteer clearance requirements. I appreciate your partnership and cooperation with both items as they are for the safety of your children.
Have a wonderful week,
Dr. Savage
Principal
Wallingford Elementary
_________________________________________________________
Important Dismissal Reminders
This message is to remind you of our dismissal procedures. Please know that my first priority is the safety of your children. Unfortunately, creating a safe flow at dismissal sometimes conflicts with the desire for a speedy dismissal. Here are few items we need your support with immediately:
- When picking up your child, please park in a parking space in the lower lot off of Kershaw road or wherever you find street parking. Then proceed to the Gymnasium door.
- Only buses are permitted in the bus loop between 3:10-3:50pm.
- At WES we have an independent walker door. This means that parents who choose this option are confident their child can walk home with no supervision.
Below are the 2023-2024 procedures as they are presented in the WES Student Handbook.
DISMISSAL PROCEDURES
BUSES
Our buses will use the bus circle at the rear entrance of the school and the front of the school to collect the students, so we are asking that no cars use these two areas between 3:10 and 3:50. It is our goal to have all buses loaded and on their way by 3:40 each day, but we cannot do that if cars are parked/waiting in the bus circle. PLEASE NOTE: students are only permitted to ride the bus to which they are assigned.
WALKERS
Providence Rd Door (library) is the door for all students who have permission to leave school and walk home without an adult picking them up. If you choose to have your child leave school by this door, WES staff will not check to see if their adult is present before letting them leave the building. Siblings who are walking together will be allowed to wait for one another before leaving the building. PLEASE NOTE: No adults should be waiting at the walker door. If you are picking up your child, please go to the gym door and wait in line for your child to be released.
Crossing guards are located directly in front of the building, at the intersection of Possum Hollow and Providence Road, and at the intersection of Brookhaven Road and Kershaw Road.
PARENT PICK UP
Kershaw Door (gym) is the parent pick up door for all students who are being picked up by their parents/adults. If you want WES to release your child directly to you, you must pick up your child at this door. If you wish to pick up your child, please park your car and walk up to wait at the Parent Pick-up door, located at the Kershaw Road side of the building at the Gym. Please line up and wait for your child to be dismissed to you.
Volunteer Clearances - Now Required for Volunteers
WSSD is now requiring volunteer clearances for anyone volunteering with students more than once, which is the vast majority of our visitors. Any volunteer coming into the building for library, guest reader, homeroom parent, party volunteer, etc. is now required to have clearances on file with the district. If your clearances are not up to date and on file, please understand that you will not be permitted to volunteer. Please note that the district expectation has always been, and continues to be, that field trip chaperones have valid clearances on file.
Instructions for obtaining and submitting clearances:
- There are two required clearances (Child Abuse Clearance and PA State Police Criminal Background Check) and a form (Volunteer Registration and Disclosure Form) which must be completed. Clearances are free. The only cost is for the FBI fingerprinting which is only required if you have not lived in PA for the last 10 consecutive years.
- Clearances must be submitted via the form above. We can no longer accept clearances emailed or dropped off directly to the building.
- Volunteer clearances are good for 5 years from the date of issue.
More information about how to obtain clearances and how to submit them are available on the district's website, here: https://www.wssd.org/domain/389
Thank you for all you do to support your children. Please contact the office with any questions.
SEL Survey Check-in - Week of February 12
We thank you and your family for being our valued partners. As you may already be aware, building our social-emotional learning (SEL) skills is an important goal for our schools this year. Specifically, students will participate in a social-emotional check-in via an online survey. The check-in will be completed in schools during the week of February 12th. The survey shouldn’t take more than 15 minutes to complete. Please see attached for more information.
Schoology Update for Grades 3-5
Schoology Parent/Guardian Informational Sessions will be held on the following dates and times:
- Monday, February 12th at Strath Haven Middle School from 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
- Registration Link: Click Here to Register
- Tuesday, February 13th on ZOOM at 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
- Registration Link: Click Here to Register
- Wednesday, February 28th at NPE at 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
- Registration Link: Click Here to Register
In preparation for the transition to the Schoology LMS, a select number of our teachers and their students across the District have been piloting the Schoology LMS this Fall. These WSSD “Schoology Scholars” completed 30 hours of professional learning through a combination of in-person and online instruction and have provided invaluable support throughout this fall’s professional learning opportunities for all District teachers, grades 3-12.
Several Schoology resources are available for you as a parent/guardian. These resources will assist you in understanding the use and features of the Schoology LMS. See the links below for both student and parent/guardian training resources:
- Student Schoology Video Training Resources
- Parent/Guardian Schoology Video Training Resources (Login to your PowerSchool Parent portal, click on My PowerSchool on the left side menu, then click your initials in the top right hand corner, then on Schoology Messages to take you to the Schoology Parent view platform)
Additional information about Schoology and the WSSD Schoology implementation will be presented at the upcoming January 17, 2024 Educational Affairs meeting at 7:00 pm in Room B-226.
Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions related to the Schoology LMS platform in anticipation of the “Go Live” over the next few weeks, or its use during the Spring of 2024.
Registration is Now Open for 24-25
Registration is now open for Kindergarten for the 24-25 school year! If your child will be entering kindergarten in September 2024, it is important that you register your child as soon as possible. In order to facilitate staffing and planning, we need to have an accurate count of children planning to attend kindergarten during the 2024-25 school year. Please see the attached letter for details and share this letter with neighbors and friends. If there is a child of kindergarten age in your neighborhood who has no siblings attending district schools, please relay this information to his/her parents. Questions regarding registration can be directed to the WSSD Registration office at 610-892-3470, ext. 1304.
School Lunch Information & Menu
The Weekly Lunch Menu for WES is available on the Nutrislice website. Please note, menus may still be subject to change based on supply and staffing changes. If your student has unique diet needs, please reach out to Kate Rittler for available options.
Please refer to the Food Services page of the WSSD website for more information on:
Gift of Giving Community Service Project
Once again, WES students will be participating in a school-wide community service project as part of their classroom Valentine’s Day parties on Tuesday, February 14.
During their parties, students will be drawing pictures to be delivered with “Breakfast Bags” for Caring for Friends, a Philadelphia non-profit organization that provides free home-cooked meals to isolated, homebound individuals. They will then assemble the breakfast bags with donated food items and the pictures they make during the class parties.
We are asking the WES community to donate the following Breakfast Bag items. Below is a list of items assigned to each grade:
- KINDERGARTEN: Individually wrapped tea bags (like Bigelow) or hot chocolate packets
- 1st GRADE: Boxes of raisins or containers of pudding or fruit cups (no applesauce please, foil covers can be easily punctured.)
- 2nd GRADE: Small cereal boxes or single-serving packets of oatmeal.
- 3rd GRADE: Juice boxes
- 4th GRADE: Cereal bars, granola bars or oatmeal squares
- 5th GRADE: Packaged peanut butter or cheese crackers
Beginning today, you may send donations to school with your child or leave them on the Gift of Giving table in the WES entryway.
Please be sure to submit all contributions by Friday, February 9, so we can organize items for assembly.
We hope our students will not only have fun with this project, but also feel good about working together to help others. Thank you for your support!
Your Gift of Giving Committee,
Sara O’Reilly: soreilly7474@yahoo.com
Aimee Tomaino Hodges: aimeeleigh23@gmail.com
Coco Kaminski: kaminski.coco@gmail.com
International Night - February 22, 2024
WES is hosting International Night on February 22, 2024, from 6-8 PM in the auditorium/cafeteria! All WSSD elementary school families are invited to participate. Please consider hosting a table dedicated to a country of your choice. It can be one you share ancestral ties to or that you simply enjoy and appreciate and you can team up with another family if you like! Your table can incorporate any interesting information about that country including its geography, people, wildlife, traditions, food, holidays, culture...whatever you would like! If possible, please pay extra attention to how elements of that country's culture are similar to other global cultures. We encourage you to plan something interactive, bringing food to share, an art project for others to complete, a game to play, etc.
If you have any questions, please reach out to Juhi Pandey or Elizabeth Morgan.
Chipotle Night - WES Fundraiser
Save the Date! Dine-in, takeout, or order online from Chipotle in Springfield on Wednesday, February 7th from 4pm-8pm. Present a printed or digital Flyer and Chipotle will donate 33% from your bill towards the WES PTO. Thank you for your support - have a burritoful day!
Car Line
The Car Line Sign-Up for January-June is now available! We are asking for volunteers to help provide a warm welcome in the morning in the back loop at WES from 8:15-8:45 am each morning. We need volunteers to keep the traffic flowing and assist the kids with their backpacks and car doors - especially in the colder months when more families are driving and many kids have winter gear. Please contact Ted Benzing if interested or with any questions.
Join the Bike Bus!
A Bike Bus is an organized ride to school with meeting points and a designated route. With a large group of kids and adult “bus drivers” riding together, a Bike Bus is much more visible to drivers and therefore safer than one child riding alone.
The Sustainability Committee is seeking parent volunteers to help pilot this program at WES. If you’re interested, please sign up here, and note the name of your neighborhood or street in the comments, as we hope to have multiple Bike Bus routes coming from different directions.
Our target start date is April 3, 2024, with weekly Bike Bus days each Wednesday through the end of the school year. Check out this video for a short intro to the Bike Bus concept.
Community Flyers from PeachJar!
__________________________________
Have a question? We are here to help!
Mrs. Zwitch , Executive Assistant to the Principal- jzwitch@wssd.org, 610-892-3470 ext. 4305
Mrs. Brown, Building Secretary, Attendance, - pbrown2@wssd.org, 610-892-3470 ext. 4306
-
January 22, 2024
Upcoming Dates:
January 26 - WES Bingo Night
January 26 - Report Cards Released to Families
February 6 - PTO Meeting, 6:00pm
February 7 - WES Night at Chipotle Fundraiser
February 14 - Valentine’s Day Classroom Parties
February 16 - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS - Teacher In-Service Day
February 19 - NO SCHOOL - HOLIDAY
February 22- International Night, 6:00pm - 8:00pm
_________________________________________________________
Dear Families,
I hope you all had a restful weekend and enjoyed the snow day last Friday!
This week we will be administering the Winter Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) Growth assessment benchmark in Reading and Mathematics. Please see below for details. We will also be sending out report cards at the end of this week. You will receive an email from me with a link to your child’s report card on Friday evening, January 26.
I look forward to seeing those who plan to join us for Bingo Night on Friday!
Have a wonderful week,
Dr. Savage
Principal
Wallingford Elementary
_________________________________________________________
Winter MAP Testing This Week
This week we will be administering the Winter Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) Growth assessment benchmark in Reading and Mathematics. Please see attached for full details and information.
Schoology Update for Grades 3-5
As we look ahead to our district-wide implementation of the Schoology Learning Management System (LMS), the District is excited to share the upcoming dates Schoology will “Go Live” across ALL Wallingford-Swarthmore schools:
- Schoology at Strath Haven Middle School will begin on January 22nd
- Schoology at Strath Haven High School will begin on January 23rd
- Schoology at ALL Elementary schools (Grades 3-5) will begin on January 29th
Schoology Parent/Guardian Informational Sessions will be held on the following dates and times:
- Monday, February 12th at Strath Haven Middle School from 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
- Registration Link: Click Here to Register
- Tuesday, February 13th on ZOOM at 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
- Registration Link: Click Here to Register
- Wednesday, February 28th at NPE at 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
- Registration Link: Click Here to Register
In preparation for the transition to the Schoology LMS, a select number of our teachers and their students across the District have been piloting the Schoology LMS this Fall. These WSSD “Schoology Scholars” completed 30 hours of professional learning through a combination of in-person and online instruction and have provided invaluable support throughout this fall’s professional learning opportunities for all District teachers, grades 3-12.
Several Schoology resources are available for you as a parent/guardian. These resources will assist you in understanding the use and features of the Schoology LMS. See the links below for both student and parent/guardian training resources:
Additional information about Schoology and the WSSD Schoology implementation will be presented at the upcoming January 17, 2024 Educational Affairs meeting at 7:00 pm in Room B-226.
Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions related to the Schoology LMS platform in anticipation of the “Go Live” over the next few weeks, or its use during the Spring of 2024.
Volunteer Clearances - Now Required for Volunteers
As communicated for the past few months in our eblast, there has been a shift in district policy regarding clearances for volunteers.
In the past, parents who have come to support our library, guest read, serve as a homeroom parent or support a party were not required to have their clearances. WSSD is now requiring volunteer clearances for anyone volunteering with students more than once, which is the vast majority of our visitors. Any volunteer coming into the building for library, guest reader, homeroom parent, party volunteer, etc. is now required to have clearances on file with the district. If your clearances are not up to date and on file, please understand that you will not be permitted to volunteer. Please note that the district expectation has always been, and continues to be, that field trip chaperones have valid clearances on file.
Instructions for obtaining and submitting clearances:
- There are two required clearances (Child Abuse Clearance and PA State Police Criminal Background Check) and a form (Volunteer Registration and Disclosure Form) which must be completed. Clearances are free. The only cost is for the FBI fingerprinting which is only required if you have not lived in PA for the last 10 consecutive years.
- Clearances must be submitted via the form above. We can no longer accept clearances emailed or dropped off directly to the building.
- Volunteer clearances are good for 5 years from the date of issue.
More information about how to obtain clearances and how to submit them are available on the district's website, here: https://www.wssd.org/domain/389
Thank you for all you do to support your children. Please contact the office with any questions.
WES's Rusty's Ramblings Newspaper is Currently Seeking 4th and 5th-Grade Student Editors
Mrs. McGaffin will once again be helping put together WES's Rusty's Ramblings Newspaper this year. Once the club is underway, all WES students will be allowed to submit their work to be considered for the next edition, but first, she needs 4th and 5th-grade editors to manage the submissions and put the digital newspaper together (2 Editors-in-Chief, 2 Art Editors, 2 News Editors, 2 Literature Editors, and 2 Poetry Editors- a 4th and 5th-grader will work in pairs on each section.) Students interested must email Mrs. McGaffin the editorial job they'd like to apply for and the reasons why they are the best fit for the job. The editors must be able to meet as a club, with Mrs. McGaffin, on Wednesdays from 3:30-4:30 for 6 weeks starting on February 7th. All applications are due to Mrs. McGaffin by January 24 via email at jmcgaffin@wssdgmail.org.
Little Panthers Preschool - Now Accepting Applications
Little Panthers Preschool is now accepting applications for the 2024 - 2025 school year. Little Panthers provides a setting for Strath Haven High School students who are enrolled in the Childhood Program to further their understanding of the growth and development of young children. In this preschool laboratory, the students provide a happy learning environment for the 3-5-year-old children while developing skills working with children. Under the supervision of a certified Family and Consumer Sciences teacher and two classroom aides, the students in the Childhood classes study, design, and implement developmentally appropriate learning activities. If you have any interest in sending your child to Little Panthers Preschool at Strath Haven High School, please contact Jen Zanoni, the program director, at jzanoni@wssd.org.
Registration is Now Open for 24-25
Registration is now open for Kindergarten for the 24-25 school year! If your child will be entering kindergarten in September 2024, it is important that you register your child as soon as possible. In order to facilitate staffing and planning, we need to have an accurate count of children planning to attend kindergarten during the 2024-25 school year. Please see the attached letter for details and share this letter with neighbors and friends. If there is a child of kindergarten age in your neighborhood who has no siblings attending district schools, please relay this information to his/her parents. Questions regarding registration can be directed to the WSSD Registration office at 610-892-3470, ext. 1304.
Parent Engagement Session: Nurtured Heart Approach: Turning Challenging Behaviors into Success
School Lunch Information & Menu
The Weekly Lunch Menu for WES is available on the Nutrislice website. Please note, menus may still be subject to change based on supply and staffing changes. If your student has unique diet needs, please reach out to Kate Rittler for available options.
Please refer to the Food Services page of the WSSD website for more information on:
Join Us for Bingo Night - Friday, January 26!
We are so excited for BINGO night this Friday, January 26! We look forward to seeing everyone who registered. We are still in need of quite a few volunteers to execute the event and for baked goods for our treat sale. Please consider signing up:
WES BINGO Night Bake Sale
WES BINGO Night VolunteersWe are still accepting book donations for the prizes now through the event. Please send in gently used books with your students or drop off to the box in the front lobby. Please contact Jessica Diamond with any questions.
Gift of Giving Community Service Project
Once again, WES students will be participating in a school-wide community service project as part of their classroom Valentine’s Day parties on Tuesday, February 14.
During their parties, students will be drawing pictures to be delivered with “Breakfast Bags” for Caring for Friends, a Philadelphia non-profit organization that provides free home-cooked meals to isolated, homebound individuals. They will then assemble the breakfast bags with donated food items and the pictures they make during the class parties.
We are asking the WES community to donate the following Breakfast Bag items. Below is a list of items assigned to each grade:
- KINDERGARTEN: Individually wrapped tea bags (like Bigelow) or hot chocolate packets
- 1st GRADE: Boxes of raisins or containers of pudding or fruit cups (no applesauce please, foil covers can be easily punctured.)
- 2nd GRADE: Small cereal boxes or single-serving packets of oatmeal.
- 3rd GRADE: Juice boxes
- 4th GRADE: Cereal bars, granola bars or oatmeal squares
- 5th GRADE: Packaged peanut butter or cheese crackers
Beginning Monday, January 29, you may send donations to school with your child or leave them on the Gift of Giving table in the WES entryway.
Please be sure to submit all contributions by Friday, February 9, so we can organize items for assembly.
We hope our students will not only have fun with this project, but also feel good about working together to help others. Thank you for your support!
Your Gift of Giving Committee,
Sara O’Reilly: soreilly7474@yahoo.com
Aimee Tomaino Hodges: aimeeleigh23@gmail.com
Coco Kaminski: kaminski.coco@gmail.com
International Night - February 22, 2024
WES is hosting International Night on February 22, 2024, from 6-8 PM in the auditorium/cafeteria! All WSSD elementary school families are invited to participate. Please consider hosting a table dedicated to a country of your choice. It can be one you share ancestral ties to or that you simply enjoy and appreciate and you can team up with another family if you like! Your table can incorporate any interesting information about that country including its geography, people, wildlife, traditions, food, holidays, culture...whatever you would like! If possible, please pay extra attention to how elements of that country's culture are similar to other global cultures. We encourage you to plan something interactive, bringing food to share, an art project for others to complete, a game to play, etc.
If you have any questions, please reach out to Juhi Pandey or Elizabeth Morgan.
Chipotle Night - WES Fundraiser
Save the Date! Dine-in, takeout, or order online from Chipotle in Springfield on Wednesday, February 7 from 4pm-8pm. Present a printed or digital Flyer and Chipotle will donate 33% from your bill towards the WES PTO. Thank you for your support - have a burritoful day!
Car Line
The Car Line Sign-Up for January-June is now available! We are asking for volunteers to help provide a warm welcome in the morning in the back loop at WES from 8:15-8:45 am each morning. We need volunteers to keep the traffic flowing and assist the kids with their backpacks and car doors - especially in the colder months when more families are driving and many kids have winter gear. Please contact Ted Benzing if interested or with any questions.
Join the Bike Bus!
A Bike Bus is an organized ride to school with meeting points and a designated route. With a large group of kids and adult “bus drivers” riding together, a Bike Bus is much more visible to drivers and therefore safer than one child riding alone.
The Sustainability Committee is seeking parent volunteers to help pilot this program at WES. If you’re interested, please sign up here, and note the name of your neighborhood or street in the comments, as we hope to have multiple Bike Bus routes coming from different directions.
Our target start date is April 3, 2024, with weekly Bike Bus days each Wednesday through the end of the school year. Check out this video for a short intro to the Bike Bus concept.
Community Flyers from PeachJar!
__________________________________
Have a question? We are here to help!
Mrs. Zwitch , Executive Assistant to the Principal- jzwitch@wssd.org, 610-892-3470 ext. 4305
Mrs. Brown, Building Secretary, Attendance, - pbrown2@wssd.org, 610-892-3470 ext. 4306
-
January 17, 2024
Upcoming Dates:
January 26 - WES Bingo Night
January 26 - Report Cards Released to Families
February 6 - PTO Meeting, 6:00pm
February 7 - WES Night at Chipotle Fundraiser
February 14 - Valentine’s Day Classroom Parties
February 16 - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS - Teacher In-Service Day
February 19 - NO SCHOOL - HOLIDAY
_________________________________________________________
Dear Families,
I hope you all had a nice long weekend. The building was buzzing this morning with tales of snowman building, sledding and other snowy day activities!
On Friday, we had the pleasure of welcoming our 2nd grade families to our annual assembly honoring the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Thank you to our 2nd grade team and students for their hard work putting this assembly together.
Thank you also to all of our families who generously donated to our Chains of Love fundraiser. We raised more than $2,500 for Unicef!
Stay safe and warm and have a wonderful rest of the week!
Dr. Savage
Principal
Wallingford Elementary
_________________________________________________________
Schoology Update for Grades 3-5
As we look ahead to our district-wide implementation of the Schoology Learning Management System (LMS), the District is excited to share the upcoming dates Schoology will “Go Live” across ALL Wallingford-Swarthmore schools:
- Schoology at Strath Haven Middle School will begin on January 22nd
- Schoology at Strath Haven High School will begin on January 23rd
- Schoology at ALL Elementary schools (Grades 3-5) will begin on January 29th
Schoology Parent/Guardian Informational Sessions will be held on the following dates and times:
- Monday, February 12th at Strath Haven Middle School from 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
- Registration Link: Click Here to Register
- Tuesday, February 13th on ZOOM at 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
- Registration Link: Click Here to Register
- Wednesday, February 28th at NPE at 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
- Registration Link: Click Here to Register
In preparation for the transition to the Schoology LMS, a select number of our teachers and their students across the District have been piloting the Schoology LMS this Fall. These WSSD “Schoology Scholars” completed 30 hours of professional learning through a combination of in-person and online instruction and have provided invaluable support throughout this fall’s professional learning opportunities for all District teachers, grades 3-12.
Several Schoology resources are available for you as a parent/guardian. These resources will assist you in understanding the use and features of the Schoology LMS. See the links below for both student and parent/guardian training resources:
- Student Schoology Video Training Resources
- Parent/Guardian Schoology Video Training Resources (Login to your PowerSchool Parent portal, click on My PowerSchool on the left side menu, then click your initials in the top right hand corner, then on Schoology Messages to take you to the Schoology Parent view platform)
Additional information about Schoology and the WSSD Schoology implementation will be presented at the upcoming January 17, 2024 Educational Affairs meeting at 7:00 pm in Room B-226.
Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions related to the Schoology LMS platform in anticipation of the “Go Live” over the next few weeks, or its use during the Spring of 2024.
Volunteer Clearances - Now Required for Volunteers
As communicated for the past few months in our eblast, there has been a shift in district policy regarding clearances for volunteers.
In the past, parents who have come to support our library, guest read, serve as a homeroom parent or support a party were not required to have their clearances. WSSD is now requiring volunteer clearances for anyone volunteering with students more than once, which is the vast majority of our visitors. Any volunteer coming into the building for library, guest reader, homeroom parent, party volunteer, etc. is now required to have clearances on file with the district. If your clearances are not up to date and on file, please understand that you will not be permitted to volunteer. Please note that the district expectation has always been, and continues to be, that field trip chaperones have valid clearances on file.
Instructions for obtaining and submitting clearances:
- There are two required clearances (Child Abuse Clearance and PA State Police Criminal Background Check) and a form (Volunteer Registration and Disclosure Form) which must be completed. Clearances are free. The only cost is for the FBI fingerprinting which is only required if you have not lived in PA for the last 10 consecutive years.
- Clearances must be submitted via the form above. We can no longer accept clearances emailed or dropped off directly to the building.
- Volunteer clearances are good for 5 years from the date of issue.
More information about how to obtain clearances and how to submit them are available on the district's website, here: https://www.wssd.org/domain/389
Thank you for all you do to support your children. Please contact the office with any questions.
WES's Rusty's Ramblings Newspaper is Currently Seeking 4th and 5th-Grade Student Editors
Mrs. McGaffin will once again be helping put together WES's Rusty's Ramblings Newspaper this year. Once the club is underway, all WES students will be allowed to submit their work to be considered for the next edition, but first, she needs 4th and 5th-grade editors to manage the submissions and put the digital newspaper together (2 Editors-in-Chief, 2 Art Editors, 2 News Editors, 2 Literature Editors, and 2 Poetry Editors- a 4th and 5th-grader will work in pairs on each section.) Students interested must email Mrs. McGaffin the editorial job they'd like to apply for and the reasons why they are the best fit for the job. The editors must be able to meet as a club, with Mrs. McGaffin, on Wednesdays from 3:30-4:30 for 6 weeks starting on February 7th. All applications are due to Mrs. McGaffin by January 24 via email at jmcgaffin@wssdgmail.org.
Little Panthers Preschool - Now Accepting Applications
Little Panthers Preschool is now accepting applications for the 2024 - 2025 school year. Little Panthers provides a setting for Strath Haven High School students who are enrolled in the Childhood Program to further their understanding of the growth and development of young children. In this preschool laboratory, the students provide a happy learning environment for the 3-5-year-old children while developing skills working with children. Under the supervision of a certified Family and Consumer Sciences teacher and two classroom aides, the students in the Childhood classes study, design, and implement developmentally appropriate learning activities. If you have any interest in sending your child to Little Panthers Preschool at Strath Haven High School, please contact Jen Zanoni, the program director, at jzanoni@wssd.org.
Registration is Now Open for 24-25
Registration is now open for Kindergarten for the 24-25 school year! If your child will be entering kindergarten in September 2024, it is important that you register your child as soon as possible. In order to facilitate staffing and planning, we need to have an accurate count of children planning to attend kindergarten during the 2024-25 school year. Please see the attached letter for details and share this letter with neighbors and friends. If there is a child of kindergarten age in your neighborhood who has no siblings attending district schools, please relay this information to his/her parents. Questions regarding registration can be directed to the WSSD Registration office at 610-892-3470, ext. 1304.
Parent Engagement Session: Nurtured Heart Approach: Turning Challenging Behaviors into Success
School Lunch Information & Menu
The Weekly Lunch Menu for WES is available on the Nutrislice website. Please note, menus may still be subject to change based on supply and staffing changes. If your student has unique diet needs, please reach out to Kate Rittler for available options.
Please refer to the Food Services page of the WSSD website for more information on:
Join Us for Bingo Night - Friday, January 26!
Registration is live for our PTO BINGO NIGHT event on Friday, January 26!
Session 1 is SOLD OUT! Advance registration is necessary for session 2 until it sells out or registration closes on Monday, January 22. Details and order form for bingo tickets, pizza, and raffle tickets are available on the PTO website. The raffle includes Principal for a Day, Breakfast with Dr. Savage, special teacher experiences, and several fun baskets!
This event is always a success due to the amazing support of our WES Community. Please consider signing up to volunteer baked goods or your time as a volunteer.
WES BINGO Night Bake Sale
WES BINGO Night VolunteersWe are also sharing our request for $5 donations towards our raffle baskets - please consider signing up for your grade and donating $5.
We are still accepting book donations for the prizes now through the event. Please send in gently used books with your students or drop off to the box in the front lobby. Please contact Jessica Diamond with any questions.
Winter Donation Drive
Our WES Service Project in honor of MLK Day this year is a collection to benefit kids in our area through City Team. We are in need of NEW or VERY gently used and clean winter hats, gloves and sweaters (size 2T-6) and NEW socks (with tags). You may bring your donations to the WES lobby and the collection will continue until Friday, January 19. Please consider donating to this great cause. Thank you in advance for your support!
Chipotle Night - WES Fundraiser
Save the Date! Dine-in, takeout, or order online from Chipotle in Springfield on Wednesday, February 7th from 4pm-8pm. Present a printed or digital Flyer and Chipotle will donate 33% from your bill towards the WES PTO. Thank you for your support - have a burritoful day!
Car Line
The Car Line Sign-Up for January-June is now available! We are asking for volunteers to help provide a warm welcome in the morning in the back loop at WES from 8:15-8:45 am each morning. We need volunteers to keep the traffic flowing and assist the kids with their backpacks and car doors - especially in the colder months when more families are driving and many kids have winter gear. Please contact Ted Benzing if interested or with any questions.
Girls on the Run - Coaches Needed!
Girls on the Run will be returning to WES this spring and we are still looking for coaches, so that all of our registered girls can participate! The team will practice on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:30-5pm beginning the week of 2/26 and running for 8 weeks. Coaches would complete training, and lead our WES team through the curriculum with co-coaches and season-long support. Please reach out to Christine Greco with questions or to express interest in being a volunteer coach for our WES Girls on the Run team!
Join the Bike Bus!
A Bike Bus is an organized ride to school with meeting points and a designated route. With a large group of kids and adult “bus drivers” riding together, a Bike Bus is much more visible to drivers and therefore safer than one child riding alone.
The Sustainability Committee is seeking parent volunteers to help pilot this program at WES. If you’re interested, please sign up here, and note the name of your neighborhood or street in the comments, as we hope to have multiple Bike Bus routes coming from different directions.
Our target start date is April 3, 2024, with weekly Bike Bus days each Wednesday through the end of the school year. Check out this video for a short intro to the Bike Bus concept.
Community Flyers from PeachJar!
__________________________________
Have a question? We are here to help!
Mrs. Zwitch , Executive Assistant to the Principal- jzwitch@wssd.org, 610-892-3470 ext. 4305
Mrs. Brown, Building Secretary, Attendance, - pbrown2@wssd.org, 610-892-3470 ext. 4306
-
January 8, 2024
Upcoming Dates:
January 9 - PTO Meeting, 6:00pm
January 12 - MLK Assembly
January 15 - NO SCHOOL - HOLIDAY
January 16 - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS - Teacher In-Service Day
January 26 - WES Bingo Night
January 26 - Report Cards Released to Families
February 6 - PTO Meeting, 6:00pm
February 14 - Valentine’s Day Classroom Parties
February 16 - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS - Teacher In-Service Day
February 19 - NO SCHOOL - HOLIDAY
_________________________________________________________
Dear Families,
The brief snow over the weekend was a wonderful preview of winter! As we move through the winter here at WES we are working to get back into routines after the break. On Friday, our 2nd grade will lead an assembly celebrating the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. What an impactful way to close out the week!
As a reminder, volunteer clearances are now required for guest readers, library volunteers, party volunteers, homeroom parents, etc. If you plan to volunteer for the Valentine’s Day parties next month, please ensure that your clearances are up to date.
Thank you and have a wonderful week!
Dr. Savage
Principal
Wallingford Elementary
_________________________________________________________
Guidance Newsletter
Read the latest newsletter to see what your child learned with Mrs. Schwam during the 7th guidance cycle of the year. Your child had guidance during the 1/3 to 1/8 library period.
MLK Day of Service
The district will hold its community-wide celebration of the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service on Monday, January 15, 2024. The MLK Day of Service celebrates and honors the civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s legacy of service, equality, and selflessness. The event will take place from 8:30am-12:30pm and include community service, educational activities, and performances. This is a family-friendly event.
Schoology Update for Grades 3-5
As we look ahead to our district-wide implementation of the Schoology Learning Management System (LMS), the District is excited to share the upcoming dates Schoology will “Go Live” across ALL Wallingford-Swarthmore schools:
- Schoology at Strath Haven Middle School will begin on January 22nd
- Schoology at Strath Haven High School will begin on January 23rd
- Schoology at ALL Elementary schools (Grades 3-5) will begin on January 29th
Schoology Parent/Guardian Informational Sessions will be held on the following dates and times:
- Monday, February 12th at Strath Haven Middle School from 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
- Registration Link: Click Here to Register
- Tuesday, February 13th on ZOOM at 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
- Registration Link: Click Here to Register
- Wednesday, February 28th at NPE at 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
- Registration Link: Click Here to Register
In preparation for the transition to the Schoology LMS, a select number of our teachers and their students across the District have been piloting the Schoology LMS this Fall. These WSSD “Schoology Scholars” completed 30 hours of professional learning through a combination of in-person and online instruction and have provided invaluable support throughout this fall’s professional learning opportunities for all District teachers, grades 3-12.
Several Schoology resources are available for you as a parent/guardian. These resources will assist you in understanding the use and features of the Schoology LMS. See the links below for both student and parent/guardian training resources:
- Student Schoology Video Training Resources
- Parent/Guardian Schoology Video Training Resources (Login to your PowerSchool Parent portal, click on My PowerSchool on the left side menu, then click your initials in the top right hand corner, then on Schoology Messages to take you to the Schoology Parent view platform)
Additional information about Schoology and the WSSD Schoology implementation will be presented at the upcoming January 17, 2024 Educational Affairs meeting at 7:00 pm in Room B-226.
Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions related to the Schoology LMS platform in anticipation of the “Go Live” over the next few weeks, or its use during the Spring of 2024.
Volunteer Clearances - Now Required for Volunteers
As communicated for the past few months in our eblast, there has been a shift in district policy regarding clearances for volunteers.
In the past, parents who have come to support our library, guest read, serve as a homeroom parent or support a party were not required to have their clearances. WSSD is now requiring volunteer clearances for anyone volunteering with students more than once, which is the vast majority of our visitors. Any volunteer coming into the building for library, guest reader, homeroom parent, party volunteer, etc. is now required to have clearances on file with the district. If your clearances are not up to date and on file, please understand that you will not be permitted to volunteer. Please note that the district expectation has always been, and continues to be, that field trip chaperones have valid clearances on file.
Instructions for obtaining and submitting clearances:
- There are two required clearances (Child Abuse Clearance and PA State Police Criminal Background Check) and a form (Volunteer Registration and Disclosure Form) which must be completed. Clearances are free. The only cost is for the FBI fingerprinting which is only required if you have not lived in PA for the last 10 consecutive years.
- Clearances must be submitted via the form above. We can no longer accept clearances emailed or dropped off directly to the building.
- Volunteer clearances are good for 5 years from the date of issue.
More information about how to obtain clearances and how to submit them are available on the district's website, here: https://www.wssd.org/domain/389
Thank you for all you do to support your children. Please contact the office with any questions.
WES's Rusty's Ramblings Newspaper is Currently Seeking 4th and 5th-Grade Student Editors
Mrs. McGaffin will once again be helping put together WES's Rusty's Ramblings Newspaper this year. Once the club is underway, all WES students will be allowed to submit their work to be considered for the next edition, but first, she needs 4th and 5th-grade editors to manage the submissions and put the digital newspaper together (2 Editors-in-Chief, 2 Art Editors, 2 News Editors, 2 Literature Editors, and 2 Poetry Editors- a 4th and 5th-grader will work in pairs on each section.) Students interested must email Mrs. McGaffin the editorial job they'd like to apply for and the reasons why they are the best fit for the job. The editors must be able to meet as a club, with Mrs. McGaffin, on Wednesdays from 3:30-4:30 for 6 weeks starting on February 7th. All applications are due to Mrs. McGaffin by Wednesday, January 24 via email at jmcgaffin@wssdgmail.org.
Chains of Love Fundraising Service Project
In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s legacy of love and service, students at WES are participating in a fundraising service project. In school, the children will create a paper chain entitled, Chain of Love. Each student will create four links that bear a specific dream for a better world for our children. All of the links will be attached to form a Chain of Love that will be displayed in our hallways. You are welcome to sponsor your child's links by sending in a donation in any amount. Contributions will be sent to UNICEF to specifically help children who have been displaced due to the war. Please send any donations for the WES Chain of Love in a sealed envelope marked MLK and return to your child's teacher by Friday, January 12. The 2nd Grade Team thanks you for your support!
Little Panthers Preschool - Now Accepting Applications
Little Panthers Preschool is now accepting applications for the 2024 - 2025 school year. Little Panthers provides a setting for Strath Haven High School students who are enrolled in the Childhood Program to further their understanding of the growth and development of young children. In this preschool laboratory, the students provide a happy learning environment for the 3-5-year-old children while developing skills working with children. Under the supervision of a certified Family and Consumer Sciences teacher and two classroom aides, the students in the Childhood classes study, design, and implement developmentally appropriate learning activities. If you have any interest in sending your child to Little Panthers Preschool at Strath Haven High School, please contact Jen Zanoni, the program director, at jzanoni@wssd.org.
Registration is Now Open for the 24-25 School Year
Registration is now open for Kindergarten for the 24-25 school year! If your child will be entering kindergarten in September 2024, it is important that you register your child as soon as possible. In order to facilitate staffing and planning, we need to have an accurate count of children planning to attend kindergarten during the 2024-25 school year. Please see the attached letter for details and share this letter with neighbors and friends. If there is a child of kindergarten age in your neighborhood who has no siblings attending district schools, please relay this information to his/her parents. Questions regarding registration can be directed to the WSSD Registration office at 610-892-3470, ext. 1304.
DCIU Parent Training - Strategies to Keep Children Safe Online
School Lunch Information & Menu
The Weekly Lunch Menu for WES is available on the Nutrislice website. Please note, menus may still be subject to change based on supply and staffing changes. If your student has unique diet needs, please reach out to Kate Rittler for available options.
Please refer to the Food Services page of the WSSD website for more information on:
Join Us for Bingo Night - Friday, January 26!
Registration is live for our PTO BINGO NIGHT event on Friday, January 26! We expect to sell out so advance registration is necessary. Details and order form for bingo tickets, pizza, and raffle tickets are available on the PTO website. The raffle includes Principal for a Day, Breakfast with Dr. Savage, special teacher experiences, and several fun baskets!
This event is always a success due to the amazing support of our WES Community. Please consider signing up to volunteer baked goods or your time as a volunteer. We have had a great response to our $5 raffle basket donations via the emails our awesome homeroom parents have sent and appreciate your support in that area, too!
WES BINGO Night Bake Sale
WES BINGO Night VolunteersWe are currently accepting book donations for the prizes now through the event. Please send in gently used books with your students or drop off to the box in the front lobby. Please contact Jessica Diamond with any questions.
Winter Donation Drive
Our WES Service Project in honor of MLK Day this year is a collection to benefit kids in our area through City Team. We are in need of NEW or VERY gently used and clean winter hats, gloves and sweaters (size 2T-6) and NEW socks (with tags). You may bring your donations to the WES lobby and the collection will continue until Friday, January 19. Please consider donating to this great cause. Thank you in advance for your support!
Car Line
The Car Line Sign-Up for January-June is now available! We are asking for volunteers to help provide a warm welcome in the morning in the back loop at WES from 8:15-8:45 am each morning. We need volunteers to keep the traffic flowing and assist the kids with their backpacks and car doors - especially in the colder months when more families are driving and many kids have winter gear. Please contact Ted Benzing if interested or with any questions.
Girls on the Run - Coaches Needed!
Girls on the Run will be returning to WES this spring and we are still looking for coaches, so that all of our registered girls can participate! The team will practice on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:30-5pm beginning the week of February 26 and running for 8 weeks. Coaches would complete training, and lead our WES team through the curriculum with co-coaches and season-long support. Please reach out to Christine Greco with questions or to express interest in being a volunteer coach for our WES Girls on the Run team!
Join the Bike Bus!
A Bike Bus is an organized ride to school with meeting points and a designated route. With a large group of kids and adult “bus drivers” riding together, a Bike Bus is much more visible to drivers and therefore safer than one child riding alone.
The Sustainability Committee is seeking parent volunteers to help pilot this program at WES. If you’re interested, please sign up here, and note the name of your neighborhood or street in the comments, as we hope to have multiple Bike Bus routes coming from different directions.
Our target start date is April 3, 2024, with weekly Bike Bus days each Wednesday through the end of the school year. Check out this video for a short intro to the Bike Bus concept.
Community Flyers from PeachJar!
__________________________________
Have a question? We are here to help!
Mrs. Zwitch , Executive Assistant to the Principal- jzwitch@wssd.org, 610-892-3470 ext. 4305
Mrs. Brown, Building Secretary, Attendance, - pbrown2@wssd.org, 610-892-3470 ext. 4306
-
January 2, 2024
Upcoming Dates:
January 9 - PTO Meeting, 6:00pm
January 15 - NO SCHOOL - HOLIDAY
January 16 - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS - Teacher In-Service Day
January 26 - WES Bingo Night
_________________________________________________________
Dear Families,
Happy New Year!
I hope the break was restful and filled with family time. Today we welcomed your children back to school and I admit, some were happier than others! We talk a lot about creating a peaceful learning environment that is safe, respectful, responsible and helpful here at WES. During the first several weeks back, we will be reviewing these expectations, reteaching or reminding students of routines. This will allow us to be as productive as possible during the next several months.
As we flip the calendar year to 2024 I also wanted to remind you that we have the PTO meeting on January 9 and WES Bingo Night on January 26. Bingo Night is always a well attended and fun event!
Remember, all building volunteers are now required to have valid volunteer clearances on file with the district. If you have not submitted your clearances, you will not be permitted to volunteer. More information and instructions can be found below.
Have a wonderful week!
Dr. Savage
Principal
Wallingford Elementary
_________________________________________________________
Volunteer Clearances - Now Required for Volunteers
As communicated for the past few months in our eblast, there has been a shift in district policy regarding clearances for volunteers.
In the past, parents who have come to support our library, guest read, serve as a homeroom parent or support a party were not required to have their clearances. WSSD is now requiring volunteer clearances for anyone volunteering with students more than once, which is the vast majority of our visitors. Please note that the district expectation has always been, and continues to be, that field trip chaperones have valid clearances on file.
Any volunteer coming into the building for library, guest reader, homeroom parent, party volunteer, etc. is now required to have clearances on file with the district. If your clearances are not up to date and on file, please understand that you will not be permitted to volunteer.
Instructions for obtaining and submitting clearances:
- There are two required clearances (Child Abuse Clearance and PA State Police Criminal Background Check) and a form (Volunteer Registration and Disclosure Form) which must be completed. Clearances are free. The only cost is for the FBI fingerprinting which is only required if you have not lived in PA for the last 10 consecutive years.
- Clearances must be submitted via the form above. We can no longer accept clearances emailed or dropped off directly to the building.
- Volunteer clearances are good for 5 years from the date of issue.
More information about how to obtain clearances and how to submit them are available on the district's website, here: https://www.wssd.org/domain/389
Thank you for all you do to support your children. Please contact the office with any questions.
WSSD Counselor Connection Newsletter
The first issue of the WSSD Counselor Connection Newsletter is now available. Meet the elementary school counselors and get helpful tips on transitioning back to school after break!
Registration is Now Open for 24-25 Kindergarten
Registration is now open for Kindergarten for the 24-25 school year! If your child will be entering kindergarten in September 2024, it is important that you register your child as soon as possible. In order to facilitate staffing and planning, we need to have an accurate count of children planning to attend kindergarten during the 2024-25 school year. Please see the attached letter for details and share this letter with neighbors and friends. If there is a child of kindergarten age in your neighborhood who has no siblings attending district schools, please relay this information to his/her parents. Questions regarding registration can be directed to the WSSD Registration office at 610-892-3470, ext. 1304.
DCIU Parent Training - Strategies to Keep Children Safe Online
School Lunch Information & Menu
The Weekly Lunch Menu for WES is available on the Nutrislice website. Please note, menus may still be subject to change based on supply and staffing changes. If your student has unique diet needs, please reach out to Kate Rittler for available options.
Please refer to the Food Services page of the WSSD website for more information on:
Join Us for Bingo Night - Friday, January 26!
Registration is open for our PTO BINGO NIGHT event on Friday, January 26th! We expect to sell out, so advance registration is necessary. Details and order form for bingo tickets, pizza, and raffle tickets are available on the PTO website. The raffle includes Principal for a Day, Breakfast with Dr. Savage, special teacher experiences, and several fun baskets! Watch for signups in early January to volunteer, donate baked goods or support the raffle baskets.
We are currently accepting book donations for the prizes now through the event. Please send in gently used books with your students or drop off to the box in the front lobby. Please contact Jessica Diamond with any questions.
Car Line
The Car Line Sign-Up for January-June is now available! We are asking for volunteers to help provide a warm welcome in the morning in the back loop at WES from 8:15-8:45 am each morning. We need volunteers to keep the traffic flowing and assist the kids with their backpacks and car doors - especially in the colder months when more families are driving and many kids have winter gear. Please contact Ted Benzing if interested or with any questions.
Girls on the Run
Limited spots remaining! Registration for the WES Girls on the Run team is now open for girls in grades 3-5 at www.gotrpa.org. Practices will be held on Tuesdays and Thursdays after school, beginning on February 27th. The program will run for 8 weeks, followed by a celebratory 5k held at Subaru Park. Please reach out to Christine Greco with any questions, or to express interest in volunteering as a coach.
Join the Bike Bus!
A Bike Bus is an organized ride to school with meeting points and a designated route. With a large group of kids and adult “bus drivers” riding together, a Bike Bus is much more visible to drivers and therefore safer than one child riding alone.
The Sustainability Committee is seeking parent volunteers to help pilot this program at WES. If you’re interested, please sign up here, and note the name of your neighborhood or street in the comments, as we hope to have multiple Bike Bus routes coming from different directions.
Our target start date is April 3, 2024, with weekly Bike Bus days each Wednesday through the end of the school year. Check out this video for a short intro to the Bike Bus concept.
Community Flyers from PeachJar!
__________________________________
Have a question? We are here to help!
Mrs. Zwitch , Executive Assistant to the Principal- jzwitch@wssd.org, 610-892-3470 ext. 4305
Mrs. Brown, Building Secretary, Attendance, - pbrown2@wssd.org, 610-892-3470 ext. 4306
-
December 18, 2023
Upcoming Dates:
December 22- Half Day 12:30 dismissal (Kindergarten modified schedule) - Winter Classroom Parties
December 25 - January 1 - NO SCHOOL - WINTER BREAK
January 9 - PTO Meeting, 6:00pm
January 15 - NO SCHOOL - HOLIDAY
January 16 - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS - Teacher In-Service Day
January 26 - WES Bingo Night
_________________________________________________________
Dear Families,
Last week we welcomed guest author Matt Phelan for a visit. Mr. Phelan is an award-winning author/illustrator of picture books, middle grade novels and graphic novels for young readers. Thank you to the WES PTO and Children’s Book World for arranging this opportunity!
Congratulations to our student band, orchestra and chorus members who put on a phenomenal performance last Wednesday evening! Thank you also to Mr. Greenhalgh and Mrs. Haley for all of their hard work.
Last week, our kindergarten classes also celebrated the culmination of their fairy tales unit with gingerbread house making. Together with parent volunteers and 5th grade helpers, the kindergartners made some impressive creations!
Just a reminder that this Friday is an early dismissal. Dismissal for grades 1-5 will be at 12:30pm. Kindergarten will follow the 3-hour early dismissal modified schedule (AM K is 8:45am to 10:00am, PM K is 11:15am to 12:30pm).
Remember, if you plan to volunteer in the building in the New Year, please remember to submit your volunteer clearances to the district. More information and instructions can be found below.
Wishing you and your family a peaceful and restful winter break!
Dr. Savage
Principal
Wallingford Elementary
_________________________________________________________
Guidance Newsletter
Read the latest newsletter to see what your child learned with Mrs. Schwam during the sixth guidance cycle of the year. Your child had guidance during the 12/6 to 12/13 library period.
Volunteer Clearances - Required for Volunteers by January 2, 2024
As communicated for the past few months in our eblast, there has been a shift in district policy regarding clearances for volunteers.
In the past, parents who have come to support our library, guest read, serve as a homeroom parent or support a party were not required to have their clearances. Going forward, WSSD is requiring volunteer clearances for anyone volunteering with students more than once, which is the vast majority of our visitors. Please note that the district expectation has always been, and continues to be, that field trip chaperones have valid clearances on file.
Please note that beginning January 2, 2024 when we return from winter break, any volunteer coming into the building for library, guest reader, homeroom parent, party volunteer, etc. will be required to have clearances on file with the district. If your clearances are not up to date and on file, please understand that you will not be permitted to volunteer.
Instructions for obtaining and submitting clearances:
- There are two required clearances (Child Abuse Clearance and PA State Police Criminal Background Check) and a form (Volunteer Registration and Disclosure Form) which must be completed. Clearances are free. The only cost is for the FBI fingerprinting which is only required if you have not lived in PA for the last 10 consecutive years.
- Clearances must be submitted via the form above. We can no longer accept clearances emailed or dropped off directly to the building.
- Volunteer clearances are good for 5 years from the date of issue.
More information about how to obtain clearances and how to submit them are available on the district's website, here: https://www.wssd.org/domain/389
Thank you for all you do to support your children. Please contact the office with any questions.
Sign Up for 4th and 5th Grade Fitness Club
Mr. C will be running Fitness Club for 4th and 5th grades in the coming weeks. Please see below for details and sign up information:
4th Grade Fitness Club
Fitness Club for 4th grade students will be offered once a week on the following Wednesday afternoons: 1/3, 1/10, 1/17 and 1/24. 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 4th Grade Fitness Club.
5th Grade Fitness Club
Fitness Club for 5th grade students will be offered once a week on the following Thursday afternoons: 1/4, 1/11, 1/18 and 1/25. 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 5th Grade Fitness Club.
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:
Car Line
The Car Line Sign-Up for January-June is now available! We are asking for volunteers to help provide a warm welcome in the morning in the back loop at WES from 8:15-8:45 am each morning. We need volunteers to keep the traffic flowing and assist the kids with their backpacks and car doors - especially in the colder months when more families are driving and many kids have winter gear. Please contact Ted Benzing if interested or with any questions.
Girls on the Run
Limited spots remaining! Registration for the WES Girls on the Run team is now open for girls in grades 3-5 at www.gotrpa.org. Practices will be held on Tuesdays and Thursdays after school, beginning on February 27, 2024. The program will run for 8 weeks, followed by a celebratory 5k held at Subaru Park. Please reach out to Christine Greco with any questions, or to express interest in volunteering as a coach.
Save the Date for Bingo Night
Save the date for the most fun night of the year — WES Bingo Night — Friday, January 26! We will be hosting two sessions in the gym with more details and registration opening soon. In addition, we are accepting book donations for the prizes now through the event. Please send in gently used books with your students to drop off in the box in the front lobby. Please contact Jessica Diamond with any questions.
Join the Bike Bus!
A Bike Bus is an organized ride to school with meeting points and a designated route. With a large group of kids and adult “bus drivers” riding together, a Bike Bus is much more visible to drivers and therefore safer than one child riding alone.
The Sustainability Committee is seeking parent volunteers to help pilot this program at WES. If you’re interested, please sign up here, and note the name of your neighborhood or street in the comments, as we hope to have multiple Bike Bus routes coming from different directions.
Our target start date is April 3, 2024, with weekly Bike Bus days each Wednesday through the end of the school year. Check out this video for a short intro to the Bike Bus concept.
Community Flyers from PeachJar!
__________________________________
Have a question? We are here to help!
Mrs. Zwitch , Executive Assistant to the Principal- jzwitch@wssd.org, 610-892-3470 ext. 4305
Mrs. Brown, Building Secretary, Attendance, - pbrown2@wssd.org, 610-892-3470 ext. 4306
-
December 11, 2023
Upcoming Dates:
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
January 9 - PTO Meeting, 6:00pm
January 15 - NO SCHOOL - HOLIDAY
January 16 - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS - Teacher In-Service Day
January 26 - WES Bingo Night
_________________________________________________________
Dear Families,
Thank you to all of the volunteers who helped with Hour of Code last week! Our students enjoyed the coding activities. Congratulations also to the 4th graders at WES on a well-played Turkey Bowl! The game ended in a 48-48 tie and a fun time was had by all (players, artists, cheerleaders, announcers, band members, and mascots)!
This week, we look forward to seeing our chorus, orchestra and band families this Wednesday evening, December 13 at 7:00pm for the WES Winter Concert. On Thursday, we will welcome guest author Matt Phelan to talk with our students. Thank you to the PTO for helping to arrange this opportunity.
Remember, if you plan to volunteer in the building in the New Year, please remember to submit your volunteer clearances to the district. More information and instructions can be found below.
Have a great week,
Dr. Savage
Principal
Wallingford Elementary
_________________________________________________________
Volunteer Clearances - Required for Volunteers by January 2, 2024
As communicated for the past few months in our eblast, there has been a shift in district policy regarding clearances for volunteers.
In the past, parents who have come to support our library, guest read, serve as a homeroom parent or support a party were not required to have their clearances. Going forward, WSSD is requiring volunteer clearances for anyone volunteering with students more than once, which is the vast majority of our visitors. Please note that the district expectation has always been that field trip chaperones have valid clearances on file. If you are planning to chaperone a trip prior to the end of this calendar year, you MUST have valid clearances on file. We can not extend any leeway for clearances for field trip chaperones. Thank you for understanding.
Please note that beginning January 2, 2024 when we return from winter break, any volunteer coming into the building for library, guest reader, homeroom parent, party volunteer, etc. will be required to have clearances on file with the district. If your clearances are not up to date and on file, please understand that you will not be permitted to volunteer.
Instructions for obtaining and submitting clearances:
- There are two required clearances (Child Abuse Clearance and PA State Police Criminal Background Check) and a form (Volunteer Registration and Disclosure Form) which must be completed. Clearances are free. The only cost is for the FBI fingerprinting which is only required if you have not lived in PA for the last 10 consecutive years.
- Clearances must be submitted via the form above. We can no longer accept clearances emailed or dropped off directly to the building.
- Volunteer clearances are good for 5 years from the date of issue.
More information about how to obtain clearances and how to submit them are available on the district's website, here: https://www.wssd.org/domain/389
Thank you for all you do to support your children. Please contact the office with any questions.
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:
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!
Girls on the Run
Registration for the WES Girls on the Run team is now open for girls in grades 3-5. Click on registration and then select Wallingford Elementary for location. Practices will be held on Tuesdays and Thursdays after school, beginning on February 27th. The program will run for 8 weeks, followed by a celebratory 5k held at Subaru Park. Please feel free to reach out with any questions, or to express interest in volunteering as a coach! https://www.gotrpa.org/
Save the Date for Bingo Night
Save the date for the most fun night of the year — WES Bingo Night — Friday, January 26! We will be hosting two sessions in the gym with more details and registration opening soon. In addition, we are accepting book donations for the prizes now through the event. Please send in gently used books with your students to drop off in the box in the front lobby. Please contact Jessica Diamond with any questions.
Join the Bike Bus!
A Bike Bus is an organized ride to school with meeting points and a designated route. With a large group of kids and adult “bus drivers” riding together, a Bike Bus is much more visible to drivers and therefore safer than one child riding alone.
The Sustainability Committee is seeking parent volunteers to help pilot this program at WES. If you’re interested, please sign up here, and note the name of your neighborhood or street in the comments, as we hope to have multiple Bike Bus routes coming from different directions.
Our target start date is April 3, 2024, with weekly Bike Bus days each Wednesday through the end of the school year. Check out this video for a short intro to the Bike Bus concept.
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
-
December 4, 2023
Upcoming Dates:
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
January 9 - PTO Meeting, 6:00pm
January 15 - NO SCHOOL - HOLIDAY
January 16 - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS - Teacher In-Service Day
January 26 - WES Bingo Night
_________________________________________________________
Dear Families,
Last week’s book fair was a success! It was wonderful to see student’s excitement and we appreciate all of the volunteers that made the fair possible. This week, we are looking forward to welcoming more volunteers into the building for Hour of Code activities.
Speaking of volunteering, please see below regarding volunteer clearances and remember that all building volunteers will need valid clearances on file by January 2, 2024 when we all return from winter break.
Please also mark your calendars for next Wednesday evening, December 13 at 7:00pm for the WES Winter Concert. Our chorus, orchestra and band members are looking forward to sharing their music with you!
Have a great week,
Dr. Savage
Principal
Wallingford Elementary
_________________________________________________________
Volunteer Clearances - Required for Volunteers by January 2, 2024
As communicated for the past few months in our eblast, there has been a shift in district policy regarding clearances for volunteers.
In the past, parents who have come to support our library, guest read, serve as a homeroom parent or support a party were not required to have their clearances. Going forward, WSSD is requiring volunteer clearances for anyone volunteering with students more than once, which is the vast majority of our visitors. Please note that the district expectation has always been that field trip chaperones have valid clearances on file. If you are planning to chaperone a trip prior to the end of this calendar year, you MUST have valid clearances on file. We can not extend any leeway for clearances for field trip chaperones. Thank you for understanding.
Please note that beginning January 2, 2024 when we return from winter break, any volunteer coming into the building for library, guest reader, homeroom parent, party volunteer, etc. will be required to have clearances on file with the district. If your clearances are not up to date and on file, please understand that you will not be permitted to volunteer.
Instructions for obtaining and submitting clearances:
- There are two required clearances (Child Abuse Clearance and PA State Police Criminal Background Check) and a form (Volunteer Registration and Disclosure Form) which must be completed. Clearances are free. The only cost is for the FBI fingerprinting which is only required if you have not lived in PA for the last 10 consecutive years.
- Clearances must be submitted via the form above. We can no longer accept clearances emailed or dropped off directly to the building.
- Volunteer clearances are good for 5 years from the date of issue.
More information about how to obtain clearances and how to submit them are available on the district's website, here: https://www.wssd.org/domain/389
Thank you for all you do to support your children. Please contact the office with any questions.
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 this week! Thank you to all our volunteers who have signed up to help out. No programming experience is necessary, and we could use a few more volunteers in the following classes: Sweeney PM, Dankanich AM, Sudall, Berman, Fantozzi and Frascella.
You can sign up here to volunteer. 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!
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!
Girls on the Run
Girls on the Run will be returning to WES this spring for girls in grades 3-5, and we are looking for coaches! The team will practice on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:30-5pm beginning the week of 2/26 and running for 8 weeks. A celebratory 5k will be held at Subaru Park the weekend of 5/4-5/5. Coaches would complete training, and lead our WES team through the curriculum with co-coaches and season-long support. Please reach out to Christine Greco with questions or to express interest in coaching our WES Girls on the Run team this spring. Registration for 3rd-5th grade girls who would like to participate is coming soon!
Save the Date for Bingo Night
Save the date for the most fun night of the year — WES Bingo Night — Friday, January 26! We will be hosting two sessions in the gym with more details and registration opening soon. In addition, we are accepting book donations for the prizes now through the event. Please send in gently used books with your students to drop off in the box in the front lobby. Please contact Jessica Diamond with any questions.
Join the Bike Bus!
A Bike Bus is an organized ride to school with meeting points and a designated route. With a large group of kids and adult “bus drivers” riding together, a Bike Bus is much more visible to drivers and therefore safer than one child riding alone.
The Sustainability Committee is seeking parent volunteers to help pilot this program at WES. If you’re interested, please sign up here, and note the name of your neighborhood or street in the comments, as we hope to have multiple Bike Bus routes coming from different directions.
Our target start date is April 3, 2024, with weekly Bike Bus days each Wednesday through the end of the school year. Check out this video for a short intro to the Bike Bus concept.
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 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.
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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
