MCDONALD SCHOOLNEWSLETTER

November 2013A Note from the Principal

It is hard to believe that we are now into the third month of school. There is definitely a chill in the air and the mums are in full bloom. As I walk the halls, I am amazed at all the exciting activities your children are doing and the wonderful information they are learning. The students are being taught to be life-long learners in all academic areas. They are encouraged to think about situations and come up with the best possible solution. I am impressed with the caliber of student work and the level of staff dedication. We hope you will be able to join us for American Education Week to see first-hand all the fantastic learning going on in the school.

American Education WeekThe theme for this year’s American Education

Week is "Great Public Schools: A Basic Right and Our Responsibility". We’re looking forward to seeing grandparents, parents and friends during our annual American Education Week -- November 18-22.

Due to the limited parking, we are spreading out our visits during the week. Monday- K & Gr. 1, Tuesday- Gr. 3, Wednesday- Gr. 5, Thursday-Gr. 4 and Friday-Gr. 2. You are invited to see classroom lessons and watch as your child participates in different activities. The teachers will send home a schedule for each class. Feel free to look around the classrooms to see the student work on display, the classroom computers, learning centers and the many opportunities that children have to read and find out about science, social studies and other areas of interest. Please look for a special flyer for a more detailed description of the week.

Arrival & DismissalFor those arriving or leaving

with a vehicle, the drop-off location is at the front of the building at the main entrance (red doors.)  Please see the arrival and dismissal maps on the school website for more information.

 In the AM, please utilize the valet system – with 8 vehicles at a time pulling up to the curb before and after the crosswalk.  We ask that the child(ren) exit the vehicle on the curb side for safety reasons.

Please remember in the morning to “Kiss and Go” so we can keep the arrival line moving quickly. We are having parents stop and get out of the vehicle to unbuckle students from seatbelts and to help them out of the vehicle. If you wish to do that, please park in the parking lot and walk your child to the building (this is only allowed in the morning). We appreciate your help and cooperation with this situation.  

In the PM, please utilize the valet system – with 8 vehicles at a time pulling up to the curb before and after the crosswalk.  We ask that the child(ren) enter the vehicle on the curb side for safety reasons. We also ask that parents are respectful to each other as well.

Thank you for your patience as we continue to improve this process.

ConferencesConferences will be held on Tuesday,

November 26th from 12:30 PM until 3:45 PM and then again from 6:00 PM until 7:45 PM. They will also be on Wednesday, November 27th from 8:00 AM until 11:45 AM.

The conference request form will be sent home on October 23rd. Please check the day and time that is convenient for you and send the form back with your child as soon as possible. You will receive confirmation of your conference in the report card.

Wednesday ExpressEvery child will receive a large white envelope.

The envelope will be distributed each Wednesday and will contain informational materials from the district, school office and classroom teacher that cannot be placed in the eFolder.

Parents are requested to sign the outside of the envelope as an indication that they have received and read the contents. It is due back to the classroom teacher the following day. Where possible, flyers will be distributed to the youngest child in each family to save paper. The replacement cost is $1.

eFolderMost of our school information will be

communicated to parents using the eFolder on our school website. Forms that must be signed and returned can be printed out at any time.

We started the year by sending home paper copies with the youngest child in each family and posting information on the eFolder. On Wednesday, Oct. 2nd we went paperless for the rest of the school year.

All information, with the exception of classroom assignments and tests is available on our school website at www.centennialsd.org. Click on the school link for McDonald.

School Counselor InformationCharacter Counts Program

The pillar of the month in our Character Counts Program is “Respect.”  Some characteristics of this pillar are:

•Treat others with respect•Be tolerant of differences•Use good manners•Be considerate of the feelings of others•Don’t threaten, hit or hurt anyone•Deal peacefully with anger, insults, and disagreements

Please have a discussion with your family about how each family member demonstrates respect.Bullying Prevention ProgramBullying Myth

Myth: Most Bullying is physical: Physical bullying may be what first comes to mind when adults think about bullying. However, the most common form of bullying-both for boys and girls-

is verbal bullying. It is also common for youth to bully each other through social isolation (Stop Bullying Now).

Bullying Fact It is estimated that 160,000 children miss school

every day due to fear of attack or intimidation by other students (National Education Association).

Please encourage your children to report any type of bullying to an adult.

Promoting Good CharacterChildren with good character get along with others and do better in school. You can help your child develop good character traits by:

Modeling the kind of positive behavior you expect.

Noticing your child’s kind words and actions. Encouraging your child to set an example for

their siblings, friends and classmates.

(The Parent Institute, 2013)

TV StudioMcDonald morning announcements are now

broadcast live to all classrooms in video form!  With the addition of a TV Studio room to the new building, we now have the capability to host our own video productions that teachers and staff can view from inside the building.  Students who previously read over the building intercom are reading off a teleprompter and are part of a complete video and audio production. 

The Home & School has generously donated lights and a green screen which will allow us to do special effects during the broadcasts. We’re starting with just the morning announcements, but with the “TV-studio-on-a-cart” we have the potential to broadcast from anywhere in the building!

Reading TipsConversation Starters When Reading

Children love to talk about stories that are read to them. Talking not only allows the children to share their thoughts on the story, it gives them opportunities to use newly learned words from the story.

Here are some suggestions for conversation starters after reading a book with your child:My favorite character was ____ because ____. Who was your favorite character? Why?

Why do you think ____happened? I thought it happened because ____.

Lets create a new ending to the story…how about if ____ happened instead? How would that change the ending?

I loved the word ____ because it helped me to picture what was going to happen next in the story. What was one of your favorite words?

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact one of our Reading Specialists at 215-441-6157 or email them directly.Miriam Infanti – Reading/Data Specialist InfaMi@CentennialSD.orgErin Landy – Reading Specialist LandEr@CentennialSD.orgRose Miele – Reading Specialist MielRo@CentennialSD.orgSue Stackhouse – Reading Specialist StacSu@CentennialSD.org

Outstanding Cafeteria BalancesThe Food Service Department has a procedure

that states that students owing more than an established obligation ($8.00) be provided with a basic, healthy “snack” in lieu of the full lunch when this amount is exceeded. Please note this limit and understand that the cafeteria staff will enforce this procedure. We request that you provide payments in a timely manner. Please contact the school Principal if you have any questions concerning this procedure.

If you are eligible, free or reduced price lunches are available by filling out an application through the Business Office of the Centennial School District. You can also pre-pay for lunch through the “E-Fund” system and credit can be immediately applied to the account. If you need assistance with placing money on your child’s account or applying for free/reduced lunch programs, please contact the Business Office at 215-441-6000 ext. 11013. Thank you for your cooperation.

Computerized Meal SystemThe computerized meal system now allows you

to pay online. For more information, please check out the website at www.centennialsd.org. Please take advantage of prepayments as a way to help your child participate in this system. The debit system is used for all purchases—breakfast, lunch, or just snacks. Money may be deposited to each child’s account

whether the child is a free, reduced or full paying student. Deposits may be done online or by cash, check, or money order sent in with the student. If you send money in with your child, we kindly ask that it be in a sealed envelope with the child’s first and last name, room number and pin number.

Keeping money deposited on account simplifies the purchasing process. Students do not have to worry about bringing money to school each day, slowing the lunch lines trying to find their money or losing their change on the way home. Money left on deposit in June is available for use on the first day of school in September. Funds are only returned if you move away from Centennial School District.

Please contact Mrs. Becker, McDonald’s Cafeteria Manager, if you have any questions. (215) 441-6157 Ext.16045.

Nurse Information-Treating the Common Cold

Your son doesn’t feel so good. His nose is running, his throat is sore, his head hurts. He has a cold.

Although the common cold is usually a mild illness, it is a leading cause of visits to the pediatrician and school absenteeism. The average child can suffer anywhere from 6 to 10 a year. Weaker immune systems and close contact with other children in school and day care centers increase the odds of your little one sniffling and sneezing.

What to expect when the cold arrivesWhile the infection is mild, the symptoms bring misery. A cold can last from one to two weeks, bringing with it fever, fatigue, coughing, sneezing, runny nose, sore throat, headaches and muscle aches.

How your child catches coldsRegardless of what all those “old wives” told you, you cannot catch a cold by going out in the rain without an umbrella, leaving your coat unbuttoned in the cold, or getting your feet wet in the snow. Colds are caused by viruses and are spread by contact with infected people.

The infection can enter the body through the eyes, nose, or mouth, and can spread by a cough, sneeze, or direct contact with an infected person, or object that person has touched.

Reduce your child’s chance of catching a coldTo prevent the spread of germs to others, your child should be taught to:

Cover his mouth and nose when sneezing and coughing, preferably using a disposable tissue

Wash hands frequently, especially after sneezing and coughing, and before touching food

Avoid touching her nose, eyes or mouth

Because some of the viruses that cause colds can survive up to three hours outside the nasal passages on inanimate objects, cleaning surfaces with a virus-killing disinfectant might help prevent spread of infection.

Cold comfortThere is very little that can be done to treat a cold; antibiotics do not work on viruses. Treatment is aimed at making the child comfortable until the illness passes.

To help your child feel better, give her plenty of fluids, let her rest, feed her chicken soup (that’s right - chicken soup!) and other warm liquids, and treat her fever with acetaminophen (such as Tylenol). The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends children and teenagers never be given aspirin or any medications containing aspirin when they have any viral illness, as it has been linked to the development of Reye's syndrome, a rare but serious illness that can lead to permanent brain damage or death.

When a cold is something moreSo, when is a cold not a cold? Call the doctor if your child exhibits any of the following symptoms:

Earache, high fever, significantly swollen glands, severe facial pain in the sinuses, and a cough that produces mucus (may indicate a complication or more serious illness)

Fever of or over 102 degrees Skin rash, especially if accompanied by a

fever Difficulty breathing or very fast breathing Coughing almost non-stop Vomiting Stomach pain Very bad headache Difficulty swallowing Pain with urination (may indicate a urinary

tract infection) A cold that lasts for more than 14 days

Any questions please call Karen Pressler or Elizabeth Fleming, School Nurses at 215-441-6157 ext. 16025.

Home & SchoolJoining our active Home and School Association

is another way in which communication between teachers and parents is improved. The school folders or assignment books which are given to each student are examples of the ways in which our Home and School provides “extra” things for the children in our school along with travel stipends for increased class trips, playground equipment, assemblies and other special treats.

Home and School officers meet on the first Monday of each month at 7:00 PM in the library. All members of Home and School are invited to join us for those meetings to help plan future events and to hear about the school and District news.

Bulldog AdventuresWe are going to start a program

here at McDonald that involves our traveling bulldog. If you are going on a trip and you would like to take one of our stuffed bulldogs with you, please feel free. We ask that you take some pictures with the bulldog and where you have gone and then make a poster. The posters will be hung in the school for everyone to enjoy. At the end of the school year, they will be returned to the student.

Celebration BooksThis program enables you to buy a

book for our library. The book will have a bookplate affixed inside the front cover. Also, your child will have the opportunity to present this book in front of the entire school during our monthly Student Recognition Assemblies.

Please consider adding a book to our library collection through this wonderful program. Call Mrs. Wolf at 215-441-6157 or email at wolfch@centennialsd.org.

Sizzling ReadersCongratulations to all of our sizzling readers, 117

children turned in their Sizzling Summer Reading Logs. Each child who completed and turned in the reading log received a certificate and a coupon to use at the school store. Thank you to our Home and School for making this reward possible.

Inclement WeatherPlease have a “BAD WEATHER”

plan. Children become anxious if they

think they are going home to an empty house. Prepare your children in the event you cannot be reached or are not at home when bad weather strikes and school is dismissed. They should know what to do and where to go in order to be safe until you arrive.

The phone numbers on file in the office (the gold Student Information Sheet) become very important on these days. Please be sure to update your phone numbers (home, work, cell phones and pagers) so that we can make this difficult time, a little less stressful for your children.

Centennial School District's emergency closing number is 753. Closings are broadcast on local TV and radio stations, e-Alerts and our website.

VolunteerPlease think about becoming a

parent volunteer at McDonald by helping in the library (call Mrs. Wolf, our librarian), tutoring (call Mrs. Stackhouse, our Reading Specialist), or becoming a Room Parent or chaperone for a class trip. Home and School is always looking for parents to help out with various committees.

eAlertsThe Centennial School District is

pleased to provide an enhanced capability for communicating district and building information to parents via email and text messages. Previously, people were able to subscribe to eAlert announcement lists at the district and school building levels. You now have the capability to register for these eAlert messages and also receive notifications when individual website and calendar pages are updated.

To receive these email notifications you simply need to register on the district website. In order to register, please visit www.centennialsd.org and click on the Register link on the top right corner of the site. Follow the steps on the page to complete the registration. Once you are logged in, you will be able to access your information to indicate any notifications that you would like to receive.

Please keep your password safe as registration will provide you access to additional pages on the website as well as the ability to receive eAlerts.

EAlerts are automatically generated email or text messages sent when areas of community interest are updated on the site. For example, if school is closed because of adverse weather conditions, an eAlert will be automatically generated and sent to interested registered users.

Character Counts WinnersCongratulations to the following students for

showing good character in school. We appreciate your efforts and would like to encourage you to keep making good choices. Thank you!Awarded on September 20: Hyatt Baali, Rhiannon Budnick, Quinn Collins, Aidan “AJ” Dayton, Andrew Huck, Carolina Lopez, Gregory Pope, Kaylee Taylor, Jasmin Yanes, Kayla WorleyAwarded on September 27: Madison Brown, Leila Doran, Jacob Dorff, Alejandro Flores Tapia, Elizabeth Hall, Tyler Laurin, Rachel Morris, Zachary Peters, Nathan Silberman, Jonathan VanceAwarded on October 4: Carolina Balcarcel, McKenna Craig, Alexander Curtiss, Isabella DeMito, Avery Hordych, Callee Kennedy, Owen McCarthy, Angel Rodriguez, David Smolinski, Felisha TecalcoAwarded on October 11: Endy Ascencio-Miranda, Miranda Budnick, Devin Callahan, Zachary Druding, Morgan Farre, Gregory Lindsay, Katherine Martinez-Guzman, Michael McVey, Jaedee Mejia-Hernandez, Kyleerose SmithAwarded on October 18: Rebecca Alicea, Grace Bitterlich, Ricky Chen, Dakota Fanelli, Scot Gedraitis, Tyhnya Harris, Patrick McKinney, William Morales, Lyndsay Mulholland, Michael PannoC.E.F. Info.

The Centennial Education Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing the best opportunities for our children, which helps to fund grants throughout the district. Our commitment is that all funds go directly to the students. By investing in our children, we enhance the enrichment of our community’s future.

Staff News We are pleased to announce that Ms. Liz Fleming

was approved by the Board to be our new school nurse. Ms. Fleming has been the Health Room Assistant for the past year and is very familiar with the students and staff at McDonald. Ms. Pressler will assist at McDonald on Mondays and Tuesdays.

OCTOBER 2013 STUDENT OF THE MONTH

ESTUDIANTES DEL MES DE OCTUBRE 2013

KindergartenLeah Collison - room A2 EDKIzayah Ramos - room A2 EDKSarah deFonteny - room A3 AMKirill Sirosh - room A3 AMPita Gaskin - room A3 PMCristofer Guerra - room A3 PMCamryn Jones - room A4 AMNathyn Llanos - room A4 AMMichael Angely - room A4 PMAshlyn Van Shie - room A4 PMAaditya Anatuni - room A5 AMLogan Sullivan - room A5 AM`

1st GradeKaedyn McCann - room B1Nicholas Gentner - room B1Grace Bitterlich -room B2Colin Matz -room B2Gavin McSherry – room B3Mya Sebastian – room B3Chloe Hostetler - room B4Tony Tsokalo - room B4Emily Moritz-Kulik - room B6Jose Reyes - room B6

2nd GradeDanil Yefremov - room C1Kimberly Miranda-Siliezar - room C1Olivia Heinrichs - room C2Lance Worley – room C2Ricardo Moctezuma-Medina – room C3Addy Criss – room C3Logan Macgowan - room C4Sophie Schorn- room C4Alexandra Garzon - room C5Tyler Deal - room C5Katelyn LaPlaunt - room C6Caiden Young - room C6

3rd GradeTyler Laurin - room A21

Gabrielle DeMito- room A21Scot Gedraitis - room A22Reina Somoza-Martinez - room A22Aidan Jaggers - room A23Mianna Kowalski - room A23Megan Molz - room A24David Choe - room A24Giovanna Panno – room A25Ricky Lorenzon - room A25Jarell Bright - room A26Jadeyn Kueny - room A26

4th Grade Matthew McDevitt – room B21Bella DeMito - room B21Melissa McDevitt – room B22Timothy Stanfield - room B22Rhiley Jenkins - room B23Andrew Matz - room B23Nicole Coffman - room B24Travis Smith - room B24Hailey Brazeal - room B25Enrique Morales Lopez - room B25Miranda Budnick - room B26Jon Fairall - room B26

5th GradeMichelle Patino - room C21Israel Guzman - room C21Corey Drissel -room C22Rhiannon Budnick -room C22Garrick Hill - room C23Olivia Drulis - room C23Kayla McEachern – room C24Michael Scheller – room C24Nicholas Iadonisi – room C25Brianna Zysk – room C25Felicia Pendelton-Soto- room B27