February, 2016, Neidig Chalkboard

February 2016
NEIDIG ELEMENTARY
NEIDIG
ELEMENTARY
201 North Penrose St.
Quakertown, PA
18951
215-529-2360
www.qcsd.org/neidig
NEIDIG ELEMENTARY
CHALKBOARD
Notes:
Principal’s Connection
Dear Neidig Families,
It is hard to believe we are in the second half of the school year!
Report cards are coming home on Wednesday, February 3.
Please sit down with your child to collaboratively review his or
her report card. Ask your child about strengths, weaknesses,
and goals for the third and fourth marking periods.
As we head into the second semester, we are welcoming back
three classroom teachers.
 Welcome back Mrs. Pallone! She is returning to her first
grade classroom in room 106. A special thank you to Ms.
Windhaus for her work with the students in room 106.
 Welcome back Mrs. Schomber! She is returning to her third
grade classroom in room 208. Thank you to Mrs. Derby for
her work in room 208.
 Welcome back Mrs. Becchina! She is returning to her second grade classroom in room 101. Thank you to Miss Bidden for her work in room 208.
Snow Day
Please note that as of February 1, we do NOT need to make up
the 1/26 snow day. Unless there is another snow day, students
will NOT be in school on 2/12/2016.
PSSA Testing Window
State Assessments
Testing Window
PSSA English Language Arts (Gr. 3, 4, 5) April 11-15, 2016
PSSA Mathematics (Gr. 3, 4, 5)
April 18-22, 2016
PSSA Science (Gr. 4 only)
April 25-29, 2016
 School starts at
9:15AM
 School dismisses at
3:50 PM
COMING UP... FEBRUARY
SCHOOL STORE
2
PAL MEETING
2
REPORT CARDS GO
HOME
3
NO SCHOOL
12 AND
15
PAL FUN NIGHT– MOVIE
NIGHT
19
Page 2
NEIDIG ELEMENTARY CHALKBOARD
NEIDIG NUGGETS






If your child is not coming to school, or will be late coming to school, it is very important that you notify the office as early in the day as possible at 215-529-2360.
Please be sure to include your child’s Name and Pin Number on all envelopes with lunch money. All
balances and meal history are available online at MealpayPlus.com. If you do not have access to a
computer and would like this information, please notify our cafeteria manager at 215-529-2367.
If your child will be taking an alternate mode of transportation home in the afternoon, please send in a
note or email Mrs. Clymer at [email protected] in the morning. This will help to ensure that all students arrive at that proper place safely. Phone calls or emails after 1:00 PM should only be used in
emergency situations.
Be sure to check out the Neidig website at www.qcsd.org/neidig. Staff contact information, school
forms, important dates, etc. are all available.
Attention Parents! Do you have a Facebook page? Become a fan of Neidig Elementary School and get
updates posted to your wall.
If your family’s contact information changes over the course of the school year, please notify the office
as soon as possible. It is imperative that we have the correct contact information for communication
and student safety.
ATTENDANCE REMINDERS




Please re-register
your Giant’s Card
for the Giant’s Reward Program that
benefits Neidig!

Parents are reminded that they have three (3) school days to return a signed,
written excuse verifying a child’s absence. As per PA State law, excuse blanks
cannot be accepted more than three days after a student returns to school.
Emails to the school office are appreciated, but do not replace the written
excuse. Par ents ar e welcome to call the office (215-529-2360) to verify that
the written excuse has been submitted by the student.
If a written excuse is not submitted within the three day return window, the excuse is permanently considered illegal or “unexcused” by the state.
If a student accumulates three (3) unexcused absences, parents will receive a
written “First Legal Notice” from the school district with a warning that future
unexcused absences may result in a citation from District Court.
Once a student compiles ten (10) total absences (including trip requests, half day
absences, etc.), parents will be required to submit a doctor’s excuse for an absence to be considered excused. Parents will be notified in writing if this occurs.
If your family is planning for your child(ren) to be away on a vacation for one or
several school days, there is an “Educational Trip Request” form that needs to
be filled out and submitted to the school office. Parents can download a form
from the Neidig website or call the office for a hard copy. All trip requests must
be pre-approved by the building Principal.
More information and the QCSD Elementary Attendance letter can be found on the Neidig website
under “Policies and Procedures” tab. All information written above reflects Pennsylvania State
Compulsory Attendance laws.
NEIDIG ELEMENTARY CHALKBOARD
Page 3
AFTER SCHOOL PLANS
We understand that occasionally your child may want to visit with a friend for
after school play dates or a situation may arise that requires him/her to take a
different bus and/or to get off at a different bus stop. In a strong effort to ensure
that your child is safe and accountable when transported to/from somewhere
other than his/her assigned bus stop, a simpler and more secure process has
been established with the district’s new “School Bus Pass!” The “School Bus
Pass” replaces the need to send in handwritten permission slips and is available
now! Please visit www.levybus.com for more details and to obtain a copy of the
form. The forms are also available at the school office and by visiting
www.QCSD.org.
If your child is leaving school at a different time or in a different manner than
normal, the office needs a phone call, note, or email from the parent by 1:00
PM, so that we can ensure dismissal safety and order.
EMERGENCY SCHOOL CLOSING INFORMATION
QCSD uses the Connect-Ed phone messaging service to notify parents of a school closing due to inclement
weather or other emergencies. This system enables all parents of students to receive a phone call from the
district within minutes of making a decision to close school. It is important that the Neidig office be kept informed of any changes in your contact information. School closing info will also be available on the district website at www/qcsd.org, by calling the Inform-A-Line (215-529-2010), or by turning to the following
television stations: WFMZ (69) or NBC (10). PLEASE DO NOT CALL THE SCHOOL OFFICE. A rush of
calls jams the phone lines and prevents emergency calls from being made. It is imperative that you rehearse
with your child what they should do in case school closes early.
AM Drop Off Information
Parents and Guardians, we need your help.
Many students are being dropped off prior to
our 9:00 AM opening bell. Adults are not out
front to supervise prior to 9:00, so dropping
your children off prior to 9:00 AM presents a
safety concern. Please time your departure
from your home so you arrive after 9:00 AM.
Thank you!
NEIDIG ELEMENTARY CHALKBOARD
Page 4
NEIDIG PAL PRINTS
NEXT FAMILY FUN NIGHT
Neidig’s next Family Fun Night will be our annual Movie Night on Friday, February 19 th at 6:30 pm. This year’s movie will
be “Hotel Transylvania 2”. Popcorn will be provided and water will be available for sale, so bring your chairs, pillows, and
blankets and enjoy the evening with friends at Neidig!
BINGO NIGHT
Thank goodness for snow dates! After we dug out of the “Blizzard of 2016”, over 450 eager Bingo players attended the event
at the QCHS Cafeteria. A huge thank you to all of the volunteers who helped make this popular family night such a success.
Also, special thanks to all of the families who contributed to the theme baskets- what wonderful treats for our Bingo winners!
NEXT PAL MEETING
The next PAL Meeting will be on Tuesday, February 2th from 7:00 – 8:00 pm in the Neidig Library. Come out and be a part
of a great organization for your children- Everyone is welcome to attend!
OUTDOOR RECESS AND WIND CHILL
A doctor’s note is required if your child is not to go out for recess. We expect all children to have outdoor
recess daily. Please make sure your child is dressed appropriately for the weather, including warm outer
clothing, hats, and gloves. If the weather is severe, we will have indoor recess. We review the information
from www.weather.com. Decisions are made as follows:
11 Degrees + = Full Outdoor Recess
0 – 10 Degrees = Outdoor Recess for 10 minutes
Below 0 Degrees = Indoor Recess
2016-2017 KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION
If your child will be five years of age before August 31, 2016, they are eligible to register for kindergarten. Kindergarten registration for the 2016-2017 school year will be held on Monday, April 4th, Tuesday, April 5th, Wednesday, April 6th, and Thursday, April 7th , 2016 at the District Services Center. The
calendar to schedule a registration appointment for one of these dates will be available after February 1st, 2016. You can access the calendar by visiting the Quakertown Community School District web
site, www.qcsd.org and clicking on the Kindergarten Registration link. Then follow the instructions to
schedule your appointment. **Please plan to bring your child to this appointment with you. Your
child will be given a brief academic assessment during the appointment.** You must also complete
the InfoSnap on line registration documents prior to your scheduled appointment. REGISTRATION IS
BY APPOINTMENT ONLY, so please schedule your appointment early to ensure your choice of day
and time.
STUDENT COUNCIL
Hello Neidig Families!
Our Student Council program began in January. One student representative per first through fifth grade class was
selected to represent their classroom. The students and I met in my room and it was great to hear their super ideas for Spirit Days, service projects, and other schoolwide ideas. Our Student Council reps will meet once a month.
The students decided that the first Friday of each month will be a Neidig Pride Day. Students can wear clothing
that says Neidig Elementary School on it or Quakertown team clothing. We will also have Pajama Day and Stuffed
Animal Day on Friday, January 29th (no slippers and students should dress appropriately for outdoor recess). As a
service learning project, we will be creating Valentine’s Day cards for residents at an assisted living house. All students who are interested can meet in Mrs. Skonier’ s room on Wednesday, February 3rd at 12. I am looking forward
to meeting with this dedicated group of leaders each month to create more ideas for Spirit Days and service projects to serve our community.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Skonier
COUNSELING CORNER WITH MRS. GRUBE, [email protected]
During the month of February, School counselors are recognized for the work they do to help students
achieve school success and to be college and career ready. You may be wondering , “What exactly does a
school counselor do?” Here at Neidig, I am fortunate to work with so many wonderful kids each day. I have
the opportunity to provide individual and group counseling , consult with the teacher and parents, and collaborate with community agencies to support our students. Each situation is handled confidentially and has
the student’s best interest as the focus.
Some of my greatest days are the result of helping students overcome obstacles that interfere with their successes. Things like anger, sadness, frustration, poor study skills, family situations, behavioral difficulties,
developmental delays, friendship issues, learning difficulties, and mental health can impact student learning.
I work together with students, families teachers, and other school staff members to help students move
through these situations. By working together to help kids develop the skills they need, we send them the
message that they are supported and that they can set and reach goals.
It is a pleasure to work with Neidig students and families. I truly enjoy what I do every single day! If there is
anything that I can do to support your student at school, please contact me so we can begin working together
to help your child. It is my goal to help each student experience school success!