Inside this issue: From the Principal...
March 2013
Dear Families, We so appreciate the continued good partnership between home and school. Each and every child is a unique part of the Willow Dale community, and we value the op-portunity to educate all of our students. Here’s looking forward to a month of good cheer and enjoyable days for all! March is here, which means that Spring is right around the corner! Within the walls of Willow Dale there has been a constant flurry of activity, despite the lack of snow this Winter. February brought the beginning of the third marking period, which means that we are more than half-way through the school year. Our boys and girls began their quest for the title of “champions” of the annual March Madness basketball activity. Valentine’s Day parties took place and the boys and girls were so excited to see the smiling, reassuring faces of their special invited guests. (A special thank you to the Room Parent/Captain committee for its work to prepare for the afternoon!) The Willow Dale Home and School was honored at the February 27th meeting of the School Board of Directors for their recent donation to purchase listening centers, headphones with microphones, and electric pencil sharpeners. Also, our dedicated Events Committee put on an ice cream social for our students and their grown-ups in grades two and three. Let’s not forget about the Fifth Grade Committee’s fundraiser at Chick-Fil-A! We are looking forward to continued celebrations of success each and every day here at Willow Dale. March will be a month filled with spirit days, PSSA testing (writing) for our fifth grade students, Reading Olympics event, a visit from a magician, and a couple of days respite at the end of the month. Don’t forget that March 10th, Sunday, is a day that we all spring forward! The daylight will become greater and the cold, hopefully, will soon be a distant memory.
May the luck of the Irish be upon you,
Mr. Michael W. Donnelly
Principal
“Praise the young and they will flourish.” ~Irish Proverb
-PSSA Testing Dates
February 13: PSSA
Writing Field Test
(Grades 3, 4, 5)
March 11—15: PSSA
Writing (Grade 5)
April 8—19: PSSA Math
and Reading (Grades 3,
4, 5)
April 22– 26: PSSA
Science (Grade 4)
The PSSA is a state-
mandated test, which
means all students must
take the test. Please do
not schedule vacations or
appointments during
these testing days.
Thank you!
Kindergarten Registration 2
CEF Annual Giving
Campaign
2
Lost and Found 3
Inclement Weather 3
Recess 3
The Wellness Committee 3
March Calendar 4
Counselor’s Corner 5
Home and School News 6
Reading Specialists 7
From the Health Suite 8-9
Character Counts 10
Attendance 10
Family Vacations 10
March Madness 11
Cafeteria Balances 11
PETE&C 11
Digital View 12
Read Across America 13
Read Across America High- 14
5th Grade Spelling Bee 14
Page 2 March 2013
Kindergarten Registration
If you or a neighbor that you know
has a child who will be 5 years old
by August 31, 2013, then it is time
to mark your calendar for
kindergarten registration. This
year kindergarten registration will
take place on Wednesday, March
6, in the Alta S. Leary All-Purpose
Room at Willow Dale, beginning
at 7:00 PM. During the evening’s
presentation, you will meet school
staff, learn about the kindergarten
curriculum, and have the
opportunity to complete the
required forms to register your
child for kindergarten.
To register your child, you must
bring the following items to
registration:
The child’s birth certificate (We will make a copy at registration.)
The child’s social security
number The child’s immunizations Mandatory proof is a lease,
agreement of sale, or mortgage statement
3 other examples are a
telephone bill, electric bill, driver’s license, etc.
If you would like to complete the
registration forms before coming to
registration, they are available on
the district website.
Keep in mind that this will be the
only opportunity to register a
kindergarten child at Willow Dale.
After March 6, the Centennial
School District administrative offices
in Johnsville will handle
kindergarten registration. In order
to register there, you will need to
call for an appointment (215) 441-
6000, ext. 11046.■
CEF Annual Giving Campaign
The Centennial Education
Foundation is a nonprofit
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.
Are you looking for the perfect
gift for that special staff or
faculty member? Then look no
further than the CEF Annual
Giving Campaign. You may
make a donation, starting as low
as $10, in honor of any staff
member. The staff or faculty
member will receive notification
that a donation was made in their
honor. Your donation will be used
to help fund grants that staff
members can apply for during the
school year. If you are interested
in making a donation, please
contact Bob Schrader at 215-441-
6000 ext. 11008.■
CEF “Casino Night”
If you are looking for a night
filled with food, fun and games of
chance and you would like to help
out the foundation, then we have
the answer for you. “Casino
Night” will take place on Friday,
April 5th at Ann’s Choice from
7:00 PM until 11:00 PM. Cash in
on beef and beverage and $50 in
casino chips while supporting the
CEF. Get schooled at the black
jack and poker tables, slots,
roulette and craps.
The dealers will educate you on
how to play any game. Winnings
will be redeemed for raffle tickets
to be entered in prize drawings.
Cash bar will be available. The
ticket price is $35 a person or 2
for $60 and we recommend
purchasing your tickets in
advance. If you are interested in
joining us for a fun evening, please
contact Bob Schrader at 215-441-
6000 ext. 11008. ■
Page 3 March 2013
Recess is an opportunity for students to get some fresh air and to play with their friends. However, when the winter months (and temperatures) arrive, many families and teachers often ask, “Should we have outdoor recess?” To make this decision, we will use the outdoor recess guidelines listed below and ask that you dress your child accordingly. (For the colder temperatures, the wind chill factor will be taken into consideration.) Below 60 degrees—Jacket or long sleeves Below 50 degrees—Coat and long pants Below 32 degrees—Gloves and hats to go outside
Below 15 degrees—Shortened recess (5-10 minutes) Below 10 degrees—Indoor recess
To access the current local temperature including the wind chill— 1) Type www.weather.com 2) Type in your zip code or Warminster, PA 3) Look at the current temperature for Warminster 4) Look below the current temperature to get the “Feels Like” temperature■
Lost and Found
Although the weather, at times,
feels spring-like, we are still in the
middle of the winter season.
Sometimes winter weather can
interrupt the school day or cause
the school district to close. Take
time to review with your child your
family’s plan if there is an early
dismissal or a school closing. When
inclement weather arrives,
announcements of school closings
will be made on KYW (1060 AM).
The radio stations identify school
districts by name and/or by specific
numbers. Centennial’s school
closing number is 753. When
schools open late, 753 will be
announced, along with details of the
delayed opening. Additional
channels (3, 6, and 10), as well as
the local Comcast cable channel,
28, and Verizon cable channel, 36,
will post information. As always,
the district website,
www.centennialsd.org, will be
updated with up-to-the-minute
information. Don’t forget that
this information can be sent
directly to your inbox if you are
signed up for e-alerts. Visit the
district website for further
information.■
Recess
Inclement Weather
Is your child missing a hat, gloves,
lunchbox, or even a coat? If so, you may
want to stop in the cafeteria and check out
the Willow Dale Lost and Found. To help
in identifying misplaced items, please take
time to label your child’s clothing. This
assists us in returning those lost items
more quickly to their owners. Thank you!
Any items unclaimed by April 1 will be
donated to a local charity.■
The Wellness Committee
This year the wellness committee
will be working hard on several
events that will help lead our
PUMA families down the path to
healthy lifestyle. Be on the lookout
for several events focusing on the 6
major nutrients (Protein, Carbohy-
drates, Fat, Minerals, Vitamins and
Water) that our body needs to
function properly. In the spring we
will be hosting a Willow Dale’s
Healthy Families Day-Health
Fair.■
Page 5 March 2013
Counselor’s Corner
Test taking can be a stressful time for students. As parents, we want to help our child succeed and make them feel confident in their ability to do well in the academic setting. There are several things you as a aren’t can do to help better prepare your child for taking tests. Here are some tips from Familyeducation.com to help your child prepare for tests.
1. Help your child to relax. If your child feels overwhelmed when he sits down to study, the material will not sink in. Try doing a relaxing activity, such as drawing or
reading a book, before your child begins studying.
2. Help your child study. Being familiar with the material will allow your child to feel
more confident on test day and boost his likelihood of doing well. Sit down with your
child and review the material with him.
3. Set a study schedule. Have your child sit down for a certain amount of time every-day to review the material for several days prior to the test. Don’t allow your child to
wait until the night before to “cram” for the test.
4. Get plenty of sleep. Make sure your child gets an adequate amount of rest the night before the test. If your child is tired the day of the test, his chances of doing well
diminish substantially.
5. Have a wholesome breakfast. Make sure the morning of the test your child has a
nutritious breakfast that will give him the energy he needs.
6. Reach out to teachers. If your child is especially nervous about a particular test,
reach out to the teacher and see if she can offer any study suggestions that may
help your child.
7. Be a cheerleader. Make sure your child knows you’re confident in his ability to do well and cheer him on. Give him words of encouragement while he’s studying and
try not to let him get down on himself if he struggles to learn the material.
Page 6 March 2013
Home and School News
Willow Dale Home & School News
Have some new ideas or want to know what WDHS is all about? Come to our next meeting on Monday,
March 11 at 7:00 PM in the library.
With all our fundraising efforts, WDHS was able to purchase several things for our school: electric pen-
cil sharpeners, listening centers, headphones and hallway banners. These items were greatly needed by
our staff and will help enhance our children’s education.
The Annual Willow Dale
Walk-A-Thon
will be held on
Friday, April 5th.
Rain date is Friday, April 12th.
If you would like volunteer
or have questions,
please email:
Save the Date!
Our Special Events Committee
is hosting:
The Hilarious Magic of
Sam Sandler Friday, March 22
Showtime is 7:00 PM.
Tickets are $4.00 each.
Order form available on the Willow Dale website.
Thank you to all who attended our
Candy Bar Bingo!
Even though the weather didn’t cooperate, there was a great turnout!
Campbell's Labels For Education &
BOX TOPS Contest
Monday, April 22- Thursday, April 25th.
A soft pretzel treat will be given
to the classroom that turns
in the most labels.
*Labels turned in prior to the contest period will
NOT count towards the results totals.
It’s so easy to earn money for Willow
Dale!
Check out the long list of products that
partner with Campbell’s Labels for
Education on the WD website!
Page 10 March 2013
CATS Ticket Winners
As part of our Character Education
Program here at Willow Dale, we
celebrate the pillars of character
each and every day. Students,
teachers and staff are invited and
encouraged to complete CATS
coupons to honor others for their
good character. CATS stands for:
Character, Achievement,
Teamwork and Service. Each
Friday morning, on the
announcements, a handful of
names are read aloud, and these
students receive a small prize from
our Guidance Department. While
all of our students and staff at
Willow Dale know that character
counts, everywhere, all the time,
the following students and staff
were selected in February for being
of especially outstanding
character!:
Congratulations to Mrs. Davis,
Mrs. Dewald, Mrs. Hopkin,
Ms. Jenkins, Mrs. Mahaffey, Mr.
Soncini, and Ms. Wirsch for having
been our February staff members
nominated for a CATS coupon!
Keep up the great work■
*Angelina Ardeljan
*Gianna Adamson
*Nicholette Attarian-Kimber
*Valerie Baez
*Mark Bshay
*Cantrell Brown
*Juan Cerevantes-Ramirez
*Cody Cramer
*Kaitlyn Decker
*Daniel Divita
*Dayton Dunham
*Dylan Dunham
*Christopher Dunn
*Dayton Dunham
*Macy Elliott
*Serenti Figueroa
*Michael Freed
*Ava Garner
*Gwendolyn Garvin
*Liam Gibson
*Chase Gillman
*Alyssa Gorman
*Bridget Gottschall
*Jordan Hahn
*Michael Hartline
*Trevarian Hellwig
*Stephanie Ionata
*Vanessa Johnston
*Andrew Kline
*Andrew Lapinsky
*Sean Maddox
*Isabella Meehan
*Hiram Montgomery
*Aubree Palangio
*Joseph Paris
*Austyn Peronace
*Joseph Primus
*Nathan Quinones
*Izabella Reyes
*Abdia Rivera
*Matthew Rotchford
*Elizabeth Ruppman
*Arianna Santiago
*Miguelito Santiago
*Gianna Scarcelli
*Jakeb Shaw
*Beau Smiley
*Julia Stracilo
*Griffin Whalen
Attendance
While we all recognize the
importance of daily attendance at
school, we also need to keep in mind
that students need to be on time for
the start of the school day. When
students consistently arrive late to
school, they miss the opportunity to
participate in the morning routines,
including time to meet and greet
their classmates and time to discuss
the day’s schedule with the teacher.
Sometimes a doctor’s appointment
makes it necessary for students to
arrive late to school, which is
understandable, as it is not
something that happens every day.
However, when students arrive late
on a regular basis, learning may be
affected. Let us work together to
have our students arrive on time,
take part in the morning routines,
have a clear understanding of the
day’s schedule for learning, and be
full participants in the learning
process.
Remember, the student day begins
promptly at 8:45 AM. If a student
arrives to class after 8:45 AM, s/he
must then report to the main office to
receive a pass to class so that his/her
attendance record can be updated to
reflect “present”, but tardy. Should
you have any questions regarding
your child’s attendance record, please
contact your child’s homeroom
teacher.■
Family Vacations
Are you planning a family trip or
vacation during the school year?
If so, keep in mind that district
policy specifies that trip/vacation
requests must be made to the
Principal at least two weeks
before the trip occurs. Request
forms are available in the main
office or on the Willow Dale
website.■
Page 11 March 2013
March Madness
Our boys and girls are enjoying
their chance to participate in
the Centennial Elementary
School’s March Madness
Basketball Tournament. We
will feature our Willow Dale
winning teams in the April
newsletter. A big thanks to all
of the faculty, staff and grown-
ups who are helping to make
this experience so much fun for
our students.■
Cafeteria
Balances
The Food Service Department
has a procedure that students
owing more than an established
obligation ($25.00 ELEM, $8.00
MS/HS) be provided with a basic,
healthy “snack” in lieu of the full
lunch when these amounts are
exceeded. The cafeteria continues
to enforce this procedure and asks
that payments are made in a timely
manner.
If you are eligible, free or
reduced price lunches are available
by filing an application through the
Business Office of the Centennial
School District. You can also pre-
pay for lunch through the “Pay-for-
It” system and credit can be
immediately applied to the
account. If you have any questions,
please contact Bill Gretton at
215-441-6000 ext. 11006.■
Pennsylvania Technology Expo (PETE&C)
The 4th grade IMG students have been collaborating
with each other during their study of alternative energy
sources through the use of Edmodo. Although in
separate buildings and having never met face-to-face,
the students have been sharing classroom assignments
with their peers, collaborating with facts and concepts,
sharing their thoughts and feelings about the future use
of energy and out of the classroom brainstorming,
writing, and editing the answers to the specific
questions. In addition, they use classtools.net to
collaboratively complete a 3-circle Venn Diagram
comparing and contrasting the different energy sources.
On Tuesday the 12th of February, they went to
the Hershey Lodge and Convention Center, where the
students had the opportunity to share their projects with
adult educators from across the state! Going to the
PETE&C (Pennsylvania Educational Technology Expo
and Conference) gave the students an opportunity to
share and teach the 2500 people in attendance about
their project. This real life experience will benefit them
now and the years to come!■
Page 14 March 2013
Centennial School District
Willow Dale
Elementary School
720 Norristown Road
Warminster, PA 18974
Phone: 215-441-6093
Mr. Michael W. Donnelly
Principal
Mr. Miles Roe
Assistant Principal
5th Grade Spelling Bee
earned a second place finish.
Willow Dale’s top speller was
Chelsea Sabariyanto. C-o-n-g-
r-a-t-u-l-a-t-i-o-n-s, Chelsea!
We wish Chelsea luck as she
participates in the county-wide
contest, to be held on March
16th at Pennridge High
School.■
Fourth graders, fellow Fifth
graders and special guests
looked on as our master
spellers took the stage to
participate in the annual
Scripps National Spelling Bee.
Each of our students did a
fantastic job! The fun-filled
competition resulted with
three students who were
named our top spellers!
Caitlin Mokros earned a third
place finish and Faith Fallins
Read Across America Highlights