EPE Express

Greetings EPE Families,

We hope that all of our students and families have had a restful and relaxing summer thus far! Although summer is winding down, we are extremely excited what the new year will bring for our students. The first day of school for all students is Monday, August 22, 2022. You will receive your student’s teacher notification letter in the Sapphire Community Portal on Friday, August 12th.

This summer, we have been busy working on staff professional development, building cleaning and maintenance, and hiring for our remaining open positions for this school year. We also have been working hard to tweak and refine our daily master schedule which allots specific blocks of time toward certain subjects and activities. On a daily basis, students will have up to 80 minutes of Math instruction, up to 150 minutes of English/Language Arts (ELA), 40 minutes of Science or Social Studies, 40 minutes of a special (Music, Art, Library/Media, Physical Education), 30 minutes for lunch, and two 15-20 minute recesses. Also each day, students will participate in What I Need (WIN) time, where teachers can differentiate, remediate, or extend learning on any subject that is needed as individuals or small groups of students. As another important note, our specials schedule will be changing this year. We will be going back to specials switching on a daily basis this year, rather than students having the same special for the entire week. We realize there are pros and cons to both schedules, but we believe our students will benefit greatly from the diversity that each special brings as students rotate daily to a different special. Your teacher will send out information when the school year begins about the specials schedule, and when your child will have each special.

There are several important dates to be aware of as we approach the start of school. In each monthly newsletter, the important dates can always be found when you scroll to the bottom of the Smore. For this month, they are included here:

August:

4 - School Board Meeting at EPE 7:00 PM

12 - Teacher Assignment Letters Posted to Sapphire

15 - EPE Kindergarten Meet and Greet 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM

18 - EPE New Student Orientation 2:00 PM

18 - School Board Meeting at EPE 7:00 PM

22 - First Student Day

25 - Bus Evacuation Drills

30 - Grades 3 and 5 BTS Night 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM

31 - Grades 1, 2, and 4 BTS Night 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM

September:

1 - School Board Meeting at EPE 7:00 PM

2 - School Closed - Labor Day Weekend

5 - School Closed - Labor Day

13 - EPASD Elementary PTO Meeting at WCH 7:00 PM

15 - School Board Meeting at EPE 7:00 PM

16 - 1:20 PM Elementary Dismissal

22 - Fall Picture Day

We recommend that all students utilize the district provided transportation to travel to and from school each day. Bus stop locations and times will be posted to the Sapphire Portal in early August.

For any family that chooses to utilize the EPE Parent Drop-Off and Pick-Up loop, please follow the specific instructions below. In order for this process to run smoothly, it takes each family to do their part by doing the following:

A) Have your name hanger visible on the rearview mirror

B) Stay all the way to the right on the hill coming up from Panther Parkway (This allows school vans, staff vehicles, and buses to move freely as needed)

C) Stay to the left of the cones in the loop area

D) Pull all the way to the Stop sign where the "Parent drop off/pick up" sign is located

E) Stay in your car at all times

F) Be Patient - We get quicker as we get to know the students and families

G) Morning Drop off runs from 8:25 - 8:50 AM

H) Parent Pick up runs from 3:20 - 3:40 PM

I) Do not bypass the drop off/pick up loop by parking in the parking lot and letting your child in or out from the parking lot.

J) Do not pass other cars waiting in the car rider line.

Please review the graphic later in this newsletter to review the drop off/pick up procedure map.

As always, if there is ever a question or concern, please do not hesitate to reach out to myself or Mr. Etter here at EPE.

Respectfully,

Rich Tysarczyk, Principal

rtysarczyk@epasd.org

Dan Etter, Assistant Principal

detter@epasd.org

717-732-0441

Do you want to work with EPE students on a daily basis for just a few hours each day? If so, an opportunity is available! See the flyer below for details:

If you have something amazing to share about an EPE staff member, please consider doing so using the following short form:

https://forms.gle/f13ZhDceewQp42wX8

We appreciate the feedback and may share it in future newsletters. Please check out this great commendation from an EPE Family:

Mrs. Wilcox has made this school year great for my son as well as the other students. She kept us all well informed for everything going on during the school year. She went beyond teacher duties with pictures and making the kids happy. A+++ Teacher!

• Millersville University
• Early Childhood Education
• Hobbies: Exercising, fishing and hunting
• Favorite Food: Grilled Chicken
• Enjoys spending time with family
• I’m excited to work with others who share my passion for educating and helping children.

• Messiah University with a bachelor's degree in Special Education and Early Elementary Education
• Hobbies: I love to stay active by hiking, taking spin classes, or just spending time outside. I enjoy spending time with others and taking day trips to new places as well.
• Favorite Food: I love to eat frozen yogurt but am willing to try any food without gluten!
• I am very excited to be a part of a staff that sees the potential in each student. I love the idea of being on a team that celebrates even the smallest victory for a student and works together to help each student reach their full potential.

• Elizabethtown College - Master's Degree in Occupational Therapy
• Hobbies: serving in various children's ministries at my church, scrapbooking, going to the beach, spending time with family, volunteer, taking walks, crafting, play the piano
• Favorite food: baked mac and cheese
• I am most excited to form new relationships and work in collaboration with the staff, students, and families of the EPE community to further support student's learning and independence.

Please see the flyer below if your 4th or 5th grade student (2022-23) would be interested in trying an instrument.

See the flyer below for our meeting dates:

We sincerely appreciate our community and parent volunteers who take their time to come into our school to teach the Junior Achievement program in our classrooms. If you may be interested in becoming a JA volunteer, please take a look at the link below find out what each grade level program covers at the elementary level:

https://www.flipsnack.com/jainspire/joanne-volunteer-overview-classroom-programs/full-view.html

If you are interested in becoming a JA volunteer at EPE, please contact Tammy Meisenhelter at tmeisenehlter@jascpa.org.

Please link your Weis Shoppers Club Card to EPE to help us fund supplies for our school. See the informational flyer below.

The classroom teachers follow routine dismissal procedures daily. Changes in those routines

should be for urgent reasons and must be accompanied by a Change of Routine Notice or a

written parental notice requesting such a change. All student verbal requests for such changes will be denied without written notice or a phone call from a parent/guardian. Seesaw messages, text messages, and emails will not be accepted during the school day of a change of routine. Please have these requests into the school ahead of time so we can ensure students are where they need to be for a safe and secure dismissal.

EPE accepts attendance notifications (excuse cards, absence notes, etc.) via email. Parents can email epesattendance@epasd.org as a means of reporting your child’s absence. Paper notes will still be accepted as well. Reminder that all excuse notifications are required to be submitted within three school days of your child’s absences.

Excused Absences:

When a child is enrolled in the district’s educational program, the student is subject to the

Pennsylvania State Attendance Laws. The Board considers the following conditions to constitute an excused absence from school:

1. Illness

2. Quarantine

3. Student required court attendance

4. Prearranged doctor and dentist appointment for time of appointment and appropriate travel time only

5. Authorized school activities

6. Pre-approved educational tours and trips, not school sponsored

7. Other urgent reasons, including funerals, that apply to the child and approved by the building administrator

Parents/guardians are expected to telephone the school when students are absent for any reason. In addition, a written excuse from a parent/guardian is required for each absence.

Unexcused Absences:

An unexcused absence shall be defined as:

• Absence from school with parent/guardian consent for reasons other than those considered

excusable.

• Leaving school during school hours without permission from the administrator.

• Absence from school without knowledge/permission of parent/guardian (truancy).

• Absence from school without knowledge/permission of school authorities.

• Absences from school without written parental excuse submitted within 3 school days of the absence.

Please refer to the Elementary Student Handbook to review more specific information about our attendance policies. Contact our school office if you have any questions about our attendance policies or procedures.

Automated Absence Alert:

The Automated Absence Alert system was implemented to inform parents when their students are absent from school. If/when your student is absent or does not report to their classroom they are recorded as absent. When the daily attendance is submitted electronically, an automated message will be sent to a phone identified by the parent/guardian. This call will normally occur by approximately 10:00 am. Should you have questions or concerns you may contact the attendance secretary by calling: East Pennsboro Elementary School (EPE), (717) 732-0441.

School Buses:

School buses will queue at the rear of the school building, behind the new addition for arrival and departure.

Car Riders:

Cars for parent drop off and pick up will queue in front of the school. Please pull up to the stop sign rather than stopping midway through the loop to unload. In the afternoon, parents must have their name hanger tags visible for student pickup. Students may only be dropped off or picked up within the “loading zone” that will be marked in the front of the school - approximately the first ten cars at a time. Parents may not park in the parking lot and walk up to the loop attendant. Please stay in your car at all times. Please review the map below of the car rider loop.

School Vans:

School vans will utilize the small loop near the baseball fields for arrival and dismissal. No cars should be in this loop.

Times:

Parent drop-off begins at 8:25 AM. Students must be in the building by 8:50 AM.

Parent pick up times run from 3:20-3:40 PM.

We certainly appreciate your understanding and flexibility as we ensure a safe and orderly process for each student. We continue to recommend that you send your EPE students to and from school on our school buses.

Please create a Sapphire Parent Portal account. There are several benefits to creating a parent portal account:

• You can access your child's report cards when they are published
• You can keep track of your child's attendance
• You will be able to receive important notifications about your child

To create a parent portal account:

• Go to our website www.epasd.org
• Hover over the "Students" tab
• Click "Sapphire Community Web Portal"
• Click "Create a Web Portal Account"
• Follow the remaining on screen instructions to enter your information.

If you have any questions, please contact Mrs. Wadlinger at pwadlinger@epasd.org. She would be happy to help!

Click the link below for the 2022-2023 School Year Calendar:

https://4.files.edl.io/ebf1/01/07/22/164517-1789e60a-f841-4fe4-be5a-eaa6cc508e52.pdf

August:

4 - School Board Meeting at EPE 7:00 PM

12 - Teacher Assignment Letters Posted to the Sapphire Community Portal

15 - EPE Kindergarten Meet and Greet 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM

18 - EPE New Student Orientation 2:00 PM

18 - School Board Meeting at EPE 7:00 PM

22 - First Student Day

25 - Bus Evacuation Drills

30 - Grades 3 and 5 BTS Night 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM

31 - Grades 1, 2, and 4 BTS Night 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM

September:

1 - School Board Meeting at EPE 7:00 PM

2 - School Closed - Labor Day Weekend

5 - School Closed - Labor Day

13 - EPASD Elementary PTO Meeting at WCH 7:00 PM

15 - School Board Meeting at EPE 7:00 PM

16 - 1:20 PM Elementary Dismissal

22 - Fall Picture Day

Please feel free to contact us below:

Email: rtysarczyk@epasd.org
Website: https://www.epasd.org/
Location: 840 Panther Parkway, East Pennsboro Township, PA, USA
Phone: 717-732-0441
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EastPennsboroElem/