December Newsletter

Dear French Creek Families,

I would like to take this opportunity to wish you and your family a very happy and safe holiday season!

Very truly yours,

Malinda McKillip

Our district is in the process of gathering information through a feasibility study which will analyze and explore various ideas to accommodate future enrollment, utilize resources, assure safe learning environments, and provide for quality educational practice. An important part of this process is to listen to input from all stakeholders. Please take the brief survey below to offer your feedback.

https://www.ojrsd.com//cms/module/selectsurvey/TakeSurvey.aspx?SurveyID=261

Many thanks to our students and all of our French Creek friends and family for raising $25, 651.00 and exceeding our $25,000.00 goal. As always, the funds raised will be used to support PTA initiatives.

The first week in December brings us Computer Science Education Week. Students will be engaging in Hour of Code and other computer based learning experiences across grade levels and content areas December 3rd-7th.

Please note our December PTA meeting scheduled for Wednesday, December 5th at 9:30 AM has been CANCELLED.

Report cards will be available to parents via Skyward Family Access on Wednesday, December 5th at 3:30 PM. Please notify your child's homeroom teacher if you wish to request a hard copy.

Our annual Holiday Concert featuring students in Grades 4-6 will be on Thursday, December 6th at 7:00 PM in the Multi-Purpose Room. Chorus and Handbell Choir students should report back to school at 6:40 PM.

French Creek will celebrate the first Friday in December (12/7) with "Sports Day". Students and staff will be encouraged to wear something related to their favorite sport or sports team.

Join us for a great family fun event by coming out and creating beautiful holiday crafts suitable for gift giving on Friday, December 7th, 2018, from 6:30 - 9:00 p.m. in the multi-purpose room. There is no charge to attend the event, although a snack to share would be greatly appreciated. Please RSVP via PTBoard so we know how many kiddos to expect! This is NOT a drop-off event - parents must accompany their children.

Many thanks to everyone who took an ornament off of our giving tree to help support a family in need. Please return wrapped gifts for the giving tree on or before Friday, December 14th.

The French Creek K-Kids are teaming up with Scholastic Book Clubs to help with the Great Bedtime Story Pajama Drive! For every pair of pajamas donated, Scholastic Book Clubs will donate a brand-new book to Pajama Program, an organization dedicated to promoting a comforting bedtime routine for children affected by difficulty.

Brand-new pajamas are needed for kids of all sizes, newborn to adult size 3X. There is a greater need for the larger sizes. If you would like to donate, please bring pajamas to Room 130 by Friday, December 14th. Thank you! If you have questions, please contact Ms. Scalea at dscalea@ojrsd.com. More information can also be found at http://www.scholastic.com/pajamadrive/.

"Birthday Books" are available for donation to the library collection. These books can also make a unique and meaningful holiday gift, to be donated in anyone’s honor for any occasion. Please visit the PTBoard Birthday Book Club webpage to donate a book. Although the date indicates that the activity is closed, it is most certainly open for business! Please contact Ms. Fazioli via email at cfazioli@ojrsd.com for more information.

Please make sure your child arrives to school appropriately dressed for winter weather. Students will be expected to wear coats and lots of layers when they go outside for recess.

Schools will be closed December December 24th-January 1st for the winter break. We will welcome students back to school on Wednesday, January 2nd.

We are in need of several volunteers to assist with the French Creek Annual 24 Math Competition! If you are wondering what 24 is, or what the job of the volunteer will be, please see the attached information sheet.

The competition will be held on Friday, March 29th.

Tournament times will be:

• 8:45-10:15-6th grade
  

• 10:25-11:55-4th grade
  

• 12:45-2:15-5th grade
  

If you are able to help at one or all of the time slots, please email me Amy Hess at ahess@ojrsd.com.

The Chester County Intermediate Unit will be offering STEM Saturdays January 12th through April 13th. STEM Saturdays will include student-centered activities that involve the integration of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. Click here for more details and registration information.

Teacher nominations are being accepted until December 31, 2018. The Citadel Heart of Learning Award is a teaching excellence award for Chester County, PA. Each year, fifteen finalists and three overall winners are selected for their outstanding contribution to teaching. Please take a moment to nominate a teacher who has touched the lives of others. Click here for more information.

If you are scheduled to come in to assist with a holiday party or special event, and wish to sign your child out to go home with you at the end of the day, we need a note to be turned in to the main office in the morning. Students will then be added to the afternoon pick-up list and dismissed from the multi-purpose room at 3:05 PM. The office is extremely busy just prior to dismissal, therefore having parents notify us about their pick up plans early in the day is very much appreciated.

We are very fortunate at French Creek to have a number of parent volunteers and staff members who organize and chaperone after school activities for our students. (Lego Club, Drama Club, Garden Club, Intramurals, Robotics, Odyssey of the Mind, K-Kids, Lion Cubs, RUN 101, etc.) Please be mindful of pickup times for your child. It is important that we are respectful our volunteers' time and that students are picked up promptly.

November Parent Newsletter

October Parent Newsletter

September Parent Newsletter

Back to School Updates and Reminders (August 24th)

Back to School Newsletter (August 18th)