March 2024 e-News

• March 1-31 - Deaf History Month, Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month, Irish American Heritage Month, Music in Our Schools Month, Women’s History Month, and Youth Art Month

• March 1 - Maintenance Worker Appreciation Day

• March 2 - NEA’s Read Across America Day

• March 3-9 - School Social Worker Appreciation Week

• March 4-8 - School Breakfast Week

• March 20 - World Behavior Analysis Day

• March 21 - World Down Syndrome Day

Grades K-5 - Second Trimester Grades Available in PowerSchool

Report card information for grades K-5 will be available no later than March 21, in PowerSchool. To view and print grades in the traditional report card style, please click the "Report Cards" tab on the left after logging into the PowerSchool website (not available in the app). If you would like additional information about the Standards-Based Report Cards being used in grades K-4, please check out the Family Guide posted on our website.

No School

District offices will also be closed on Friday, March 29 and Monday, April 1.

Spring PIAA Sports Begin

• Cedar Cliff Athletic Schedules
• Red Land Athletic Schedules

West Shore Honors Band Festival

Hosted by Red Land High School

Festival will take place throughout the day with a free concert at 4 p.m.

West Shore JROTC Military Ball

Dance will take place from 6-10 p.m.

Red Land High School mini-THON

Event will begin at 7 p.m. on Saturday and last thru 7 a.m. on Sunday

Daylight Saving Time Begins

Future Educator Open House

Join us at the Administration Center between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. for our Annual Future Educator Open House. Scroll down for additional information about the event.

Bus Evacuation Drills

West Shore Honors Orchestra Festival

Hosted by Red Land High School

Festival will take place throughout the day with a free concert at 4 p.m.

All meetings are held at the Administration Center and are open to the public. For those unable to join us in person, Board Meetings and Board Committee Meetings are also livestreamed.

SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS

Thursday, March 14, 6:30 p.m.

Thursday, March 21, 6:30 p.m.

COMMITTEE MEETINGS

Curriculum - Wednesday, March 13, 4:30 p.m.

Finance - Thursday, March 14, 4:30 p.m.

Policy - Thursday, March 21, 4:30 p.m.

• In Person and Electronic Public Comment Guidelines - last updated in February
• Watch Board Meetings & Committee Meetings Online - Meetings are streamed live and archived for viewing following the meeting
• Board Agendas - published 24 hours before the meeting
  
• Board Minutes - posted after Board approval
• 2024-2025 Budget Development - presentations made to the Board during the budget development process

Presented by Red Land High School

February 28 at 2:30 p.m. - Free Senior Citizen Matinee

Presented by Allen Middle School

March 7 and 8 at 7 p.m.

March 9 at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Tickets are $7 for adults and $5 for children under 12

Tickets may be purchased at the door.

General Admission Seating.

Presented by Cedar Cliff High School

March 13 at 4 p.m. - Free Senior Citizen Matinee

March 14, 15, and 16 at 7 p.m.

March 17 at 2 p.m.

Tickets are $10 for students, $15 for adults, and $15 for all tickets purchased at the door. Click here to purchase your tickets.

Mamma Mia! Character Breakfast

March 2 from 9-11 a.m.
Admission $12. Children under 3 years old are free. Click here to purchase your tickets.

Cedar Cliff High School Senior Caleb Masshardt has advanced from Semifinalist to Finalist in the prestigious 2024 National Merit Scholarship Program! More than 1.3 million students from approximately 21,000 high schools entered the 2024 National Merit Scholarship Program. Only the top 15,000 students in the country are named Finalists.

Congratulations to our Employees of the Second Quarter…Alex Peffer, Fourth Grade Teacher at Highland Elementary, and Daniel Miller, School Security Guard at Allen Middle School. Through their actions and dedication, these West Shore employees have supported the District’s pledge to inspire, engage, and empower students. Thank you, Alex and Dan!

In February, members of West Shore Percussion competed in shows at East Pennsboro High School and Waynesboro High School. The competitions, sponsored by the Keystone Indoor Drill Association (KIDA), included judging on music, visuals and effects. Remarkably, West Shore Percussion brought home first place honors from BOTH events!

During the 45th Annual Winter Special Olympics Games at Seven Springs, Brandon Stanley of Cedar Cliff High School and Noah Weaver of Red Land High School each earned two gold medals and one silver medal. Congratulations Brandon and Noah, we couldn't be prouder of you both!

Kayla Cordaro, Cedar Cliff High School Class of 2022, has been named the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) 2024 Apprentice of the Year!

During her senior year at Cedar Cliff, Kayla participated in the York County Alliance for Learning (YCAL) Pre-Apprenticeship Program and began her career at York Electrical Institute.

March is Youth Art Month, a nationally recognized celebration of the contributions of young people to the arts. Again, this school year, the West Shore School District, in partnership with Lamar Advertising and the District’s Partners in Education, will be showcasing student art on 18 billboards placed throughout West Shore and our neighboring communities. Congratulations to this year's featured artists.

Join us at our Annual Future Educator Open House on Monday, March 11 between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. to take the first step toward a rewarding career as an educator in our District. During the Open House, you will have the opportunity to learn more about the options available for obtaining your teaching certification and meet with representatives from local universities and organizations. All are welcome to attend; however, this event will be particularly valuable to current or future high school graduates, individuals in the process of obtaining a degree, and college graduates with a degree in a non-education area. Click here for more details.

From the early planning stages, we were determined to develop an intermediate program that provides engaging, developmentally appropriate learning opportunities for students in fifth and sixth grade.

Students will have a minimum of 114 minutes for Core Courses (English Language Arts, Social Studies, Math and Science) and 38 minutes each day for specials (Art, Music and Physical Education). Library will not be a scheduled class; instead, the learning commons will be utilized as a research and collaboration center and be staffed by a librarian five days per cycle. Band, Chorus and Orchestra will be offered at least two times per cycle for students who choose to participate. Intervention and Enrichment time will be provided during the WIN (What I Need) block and students will have one 30-minute recess period per day.

With the addition of the intermediate schools, we will be shifting student arrival and dismissal times for next school year.

• Elementary Schools (Grades K-4) - 8:45 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
• Intermediate Schools (Grades 5-6) - 8:10 a.m. - 3:10 p.m.
• Middle Schools (Grades 7-8) - 7:32 a.m. - 2:40 p.m.
• High Schools (Grades 9-12) - 7:32 a.m. - 2:40 p.m.

At its meeting on February 15, the Board approved an academic calendar for the 2024-2025 school year with a start date for students of Tuesday, September 3, 2024 and an end date of Friday, June 6, 2025. To download the complete calendar, please click here.

Kindergarten registration has begun for the 2024-2025 school year. If you have a child who will be joining us in August 2024 for kindergarten, please visit the District’s registration page for directions on how to complete the enrollment process.

We do not have a deadline for registering for kindergarten; however, by enrolling early, parents help us with staffing and class sizes to ensure a smooth start to the school year. Additionally, once registered we will have your contact information to invite your family to our Camp Kindergarten event where parents and children get to meet staff members, tour their elementary school, and enjoy a day with future classmates.

Please Note: The 2024-2025 registration portal is open for kindergarten only at this time. Enrollments for next school year for students entering grades 1 through 12 will be accepted in April.

In addition to our electronic newsletter, this month all West Shore residents will be receiving a printed newsletter in their home mailboxes.

Be on the lookout for the Winter 2024 issue of Points of Pride for updates on our facility projects, 2024-2025 budget, and fun facts about students and families.

We realize many of our families utilize Medicaid and wanted to pass on some information about renewing your benefits (something that must be done each year). To find your renewal date, please visit dhs.pa.gov/COMPASS or use the free myCOMPASS PA mobile app. If you want to renew by phone, call 1-866-550-4355.

Additionally, if interested, the West Shore School District has partnered with Highmark Wholecare to offer FREE monthly help sessions for families in the process of applying for or renewing Medicaid coverage who would like to speak with someone in person. Sessions will be held at Cedar Cliff High School the first Wednesday of the month and at Red Land High School the second Wednesday of the month. Highmark staff members will be available from 10 a.m. to noon at both schools.

If you have any questions about these events, please feel free to contact Mrs. Kristen Peters, Director of Special Education, at kpeters@wssd.k12.pa.us

PennDOT has invited students in West Shore to participate in their annual National School Bus Safety Week Poster Contest. After receiving the entries, PennDOT will select a First, Second, and Third Place winning poster for each division. The winners will be invited to an awards ceremony in Harrisburg, tentatively to be held at the Governor’s Residence. For more details about the contest, download the poster contest guidelines below.

• Annual Notices - Numerous federal laws require school districts to provide students, parents, and/or the public with notices.
  

• Care Solace - Care Solace assists individuals find mental health care providers and substance use treatment centers. Their services may be accessed by students, staff and their families at no cost to you, 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, 365 days per year, and in 200+ languages. To utilize Care Solace, call 1-888-515-0595 or visit www.caresolace.com/westshore.

• Employment Opportunities - We have a variety of open positions perfect for parents, grandparents, and other caregivers interested in working a schedule similar to our students.
• Transportation Exception Request - May be used to request a bus stop different from the assigned stop associated with the child’s residence provided the alternative stop is in the same school attendance area as the child’s school.
  
• Free and Reduced Price Meal Application Information - Families who may qualify are encouraged to apply for free or low cost meals this school year.
  
• Electronic Absence Submission - If your child will not be in school for the day due to illness or doctor/dentist appointment, you can submit their absence electronically through PowerSchool.
  
• Volunteer Clearance Policy & Procedures - Adults wishing to volunteer in our schools are required to complete the Volunteer Application Process before being approved to do so.
• Technology Help Center - Contains videos, resources, FAQs, and guides on using Seesaw, Schoology, PowerSchool, iPads, Chromebooks, and more.
  

• Damage, Loss, Theft of District Technology Devices and Chargers - Information related to device expectations and repair costs.