Dear WES Families,

Welcome to week 7 of the school year!  I hope you enjoyed some of the beautiful fall weather this past weekend! Last weekend, some of our students got to experience a step into fall, as our 1st graders took a trip to Ramsey’s Farm and 2nd graders took an excursion to the Tyler Arboretum. Both were filled with some magnificent autumn colors, and some fun learning, and fall activities outside of the classroom!

On October 16th of this month, students in grades 3 to 12 will have their first opportunity of the year to complete the social emotional check-in survey using the Panorama platform. Students in grades K-2 will complete a paper/pencil form during their October guidance lesson. School counselors and our Office of Student Services reviews these surveys in the fall and spring, prioritizing where students need additional supports. To read more about the district’s initiative and prioritization of student mental health and wellness, please check out the letter from our Office of Student Services attached here: Panorama Survey Letter Link

This afternoon we completed our first successful safety lockdown drill, and just like our first fire drill in September, it was done flawlessly and the students performed exceptionally well. We prepped the students earlier in the day and reviewed expectations, and the expedience to which the building was locked down and quiet was very quick. As per best practice, our own district protocol, and the requirements of the state, we will practice this drill periodically through the year.

Go Phillies! 

Mr. Stephen Krall

Acting Principal

Wallingford Elementary

skrall@wssd.org

IMPORTANT UPCOMING DATES:

October 8 - PTO Meeting, 6:00pm

October 10 - PTO Movie Night, 7:00pm (rescheduled)

October 11 - Apple Crunch Day

October 22 - WES Night at Swarthmore Pizza (PTO fundraiser)

October 26 - Pancake Breakfast & Halloween Carnival

October 31 - Halloween Parade, 2:00pm & Class Parties (throughout the day)

November 5 - NO SCHOOL (Election Day)

November 6 - WES Veterans Day Assembly (3rd grade)

Office of Student Services Programming

Click here to register for one or all of these events!

WES Halloween Parade - Thursday, October 31 at 2pm

We are excited to welcome families to this year’s WES Halloween Parade! Weather permitting, the parade will be held outside on Tuesday, October 31 at 2:00 pm. Classes will parade around the back parking lot area. Families are invited to view the parade along the outdoor route.  

We ask that parents use your best judgment about your child’s choice of costume. However, as always, NO GUNS OR OTHER TOY WEAPONS may be carried. 

PM kindergartners will parade at 2:00 pm and AM kindergartners will parade at 9:30am. Specifics about the parade schedule for kindergartners will be sent home with students. 

We are crossing our fingers for good weather and looking forward to a fun parade! 

Parent Information Night 24-25 Schedule

Please join us via Microsoft Teams at 6pm for our monthly Life Skills Training Parent Program. This parenting program is a drug and alcohol prevention program in conjunction with our Botvin Guidance Curriculum for 3rd, 4th and 5th grade students in the elementary schools. The parent program provides parenting skills and an understanding of what the children are being taught at school to help prevent drug use and risky behaviors. Please see attached flyer for the program schedule for 24-25. 

Guidance Newsletter

Read the latest newsletter to see what your child learned with Mrs. Schwam during the third guidance cycle of the year. Your child will have guidance during the 10/8 to 10/11 library period.

Important Reminder: Supervision Guidelines for Football Games

As we prepare for our upcoming football games, we want to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for everyone. Please note the following guidelines for elementary and middle school students attending the games:

• All elementary and middle school students must be accompanied by a parent or guardian for the entire game.
• Students are expected to stay with their parents/guardians and watch the game from the stands. Overflow seating is available on the visitors side.
• For safety reasons, students will not be allowed to roam the stadium or surrounding areas during the event.
• No Horseplay, no balls, no running or throwing objects.

Your support in following these guidelines helps us ensure a safe environment for all attendees. Thank you for your understanding, and we look forward to seeing you at the games! Good luck Panthers!

Transportation 

Questions about bussing schedules and transportation should be directed to chighfield@wssd.org and pdiaferio@wssd.org or 610-892-3470, ext. 1701 or 1702.

Food Services Information  

The Weekly Lunch Menu for WES is available on the Nutrislice website. Please note, menus may still be subject to change based on supply and staffing changes. Please refer to the Food Services page of the WSSD website for more information on:

• The free/reduced lunch program
• MySchoolBucks

Please feel free to reach out to Kate Rittler, Director of Food and Nutrition, with any questions! krittler@wssd.org, 610-892-3470 ext. 2151

Apple Crunch Day is Friday, October 11!

Apple Crunch Day is quickly approaching and there are slots remaining for volunteers to slice apples as well as join the tasting fun in the following classrooms: Ms. Amenta, Ms. Hole, Ms. Scully and both PM Kindergarten classes. Please consider signing up if you are available to help!  Note: All volunteers need valid clearances on file with the district. Please do not sign up unless you already have submitted your clearances. Thank you.

On Friday, October 11th, WES will celebrate Apple Crunch Day to commemorate the beginning of fall with healthy eating traditions! Throughout the day, students will have the opportunity to participate in an apple tasting with a variety of apples from a local orchard. Following the tasting, each class will vote on their favorite type of apple to find WES’ favorite apple of 2024! It’s a fun and exciting day for all, but we can’t do it without help from our WES families! We need apple slicers to pre-slice apples as well as classroom volunteers to deliver apples and join in the fun. Please consider signing up with the link below to help the day’s success! Remember, clearances are required. Please do not sign up if you do not have valid clearances on file with the district.

Volunteering at WES

In preparation for the 2024-2025 school year, we are urging parents/guardians to complete the process for clearances if you have not already done so. Clearances are mandatory, are good for 5 years, and are kept at the district level. You will not be permitted to volunteer without valid clearances on file with the district.

• Volunteer clearances are required for anyone volunteering to work with our students or be present in our school; whether that is in school, on a field trip, or at an athletic event/practice, etc. Essentially, everyone who is volunteering with our students or in a school is required to obtain volunteer clearances. This includes but is not limited to adults who regularly volunteer but are under the supervision of a staff member.
• There are two required clearances (Child Abuse Clearance and PA State Police Criminal Background Check) and a form (Volunteer Registration and Disclosure Form) which must be completed. Clearances are free. The only cost is for the FBI fingerprinting which is only required if you have not lived in PA for the last 10 consecutive years.
• Clearances must be submitted via the form above. We can no longer accept clearances emailed or dropped off directly to the building.
• Volunteer clearances are good for 5 years from the date of issue.
• Information about how to obtain clearances and how to submit them are available on the district's website, here: https://www.wssd.org/domain/389

PTO Movie Night - Thursday, October 10, 2024 (rescheduled)

Please join us for the annual WES outdoor movie night! We will be watching the movie The Lego Movie together at the school on a big screen on Thursday, October 10th at 7:00. We plan to open for families at 6:30 p.m., with the movie starting at 7:00 p.m. Please remember to bring a blanket or chairs to sit on, and don't forget your favorite snacks! This is a free event for the entire family. An RSVP isn't necessary, but it helps us get a crowd estimate, so please sign up here. Questions? Please contact movie night co-chairs Mike Sheehan or Nichole Dobo.

Swarthmore Pizza Night - Tuesday, October 22, 2024 

WES Night at Swarthmore Pizza is a perfect answer to your busy fall schedules! Eat in, take out, or order delivery from Swarthmore Pizza on Tuesday, October 22nd between 4pm and 9pm. A portion of the proceeds goes back to support our school - be sure to mention WES Night!

Halloween Carnival 

You're invited to the12th Annual WES Halloween Carnival on Saturday, October 26th from 9am-12pm! Have a spooktacular time with Trunk-or-Treating, our Haunted Hallway, Pumpkin Decorating, Carnival Games, Photo Booth, Cake Walk, Sensory Room, Raffle Baskets, Prizes and so much more! Costumes are encouraged! Wristband admission is $10/child or $25/family (3 children or more). Adults are free!  Find more details and pre-order your wristbands and raffle tickets here. Questions? Please contact Jessica Diamond.

Cake Walk & Trunk or Treat Volunteers Needed

We need your help to make the Halloween Carnival a wickedly wonderful time!  Please consider signing up here to donate baked goods (homemade or store-bought) for the Cake Walk - the sweet & spooky WES version of musical chairs! Families can also sign up here to host a spot for Trunk-or-Treat or to provide candy and trinket donations. Thank you so much for your support!

5th Grade Families Sign Up

Calling ALL 5th Grade Families! The WES Halloween Carnival is one of the most fun events of the year, and it's also the biggest fundraiser for our 5th Grade Class - supporting activities throughout the year including field trips and graduation. We need lots of help from our 5th graders and their families to make this event a spooky success! Please consider signing up here to volunteer your time - and to be a part of this special 5th Grade tradition!

WES Student Directory

Digital access to the WES Student Directory is included with the purchase of a print copy. Please look for an invitation from Directory Spot, which will be sent to the email(s) provided when you purchased your WES Student Directory. Print copies are in production and will be sent home with your child once published. Thank you for supporting the WES PTO!

Car Line

Please take a look at the Car Line Sign Up Genius for the 2024-2025 school year.

We're back for another year of asking for your help in providing a warm welcome in the morning and ensuring a safe and smooth car line drop-off for all of our kids.   Thank you to all of our dedicated volunteers over the past few years. We couldn’t have done it without you! For anyone not familiar, Car Line Volunteers help in the back loop at WES from 8:15-8:45 am each morning, keeping the traffic flowing and assisting the kids with their backpacks and car doors. Please contact Ted Benzing.   

Have a question? We are here to help! 

Mrs. Zwitch , Executive Assistant to the Principal- jzwitch@wssd.org, 610-892-3470 ext. 4305 

Mrs. Brown, Building Secretary, Attendance, - pbrown2@wssd.org, 610-892-3470 ext. 4306 

Dear WES Families,

Welcome to week 6 of the school year! 

As we enter the month of October this week, we see the leaves changing colors, mums adorning our porches and walkways, and cooler temperatures providing some relief from the heat of August and September. It is a beautiful time of year, and a clear reminder of all of the change and transition that takes place through a given year: important things to be reminded of as parents and educators!

A big THANK YOU for such strong attendance and support on our Back to School Night last Thursday! Our teachers were excited and are ready for this school year to unfold with that last milestone accomplished. We hope that you found the evening informative and exciting as we get into the thick of our academic year.

Our PTO Bike Bus was rescheduled for this morning, and was a great success! It was great to see so many students and family members cycling to school, reinforcing habits of healthy living. Make sure to reinforce with your young ones to always wear a helmet while riding; it’s good advice for all, but required by the state for riders 12 and under. Here are some other Bike Safety tips and laws from PA’s Department of Transportation site.

Remember, this is a short week for students, as there is No School on Thursday, October 3rd for the recognition of Rosh Hashanah, and No School on Friday, October 4th for Teacher In-service. Enjoy the long weekend break, and we will be back at it again next Monday!

Mr. Stephen Krall

Acting Principal

Wallingford Elementary

skrall@wssd.org

IMPORTANT UPCOMING DATES:

September 30 - PTO Bike Bus Kick-off (rescheduled due to Weather)

October 3 - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS - HOLIDAY

October 4 - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS - Teacher In-Service Day

October 8 - PTO Meeting, 6:00pm

October 10 - PTO Movie Night, 7:00pm (rescheduled)

October 11 - Apple Crunch Day

October 22 - WES Night at Swarthmore Pizza (PTO fundraiser)

October 26 - Pancake Breakfast & Halloween Carnival

October 31 - Halloween Parade & Class Parties

Parent Information Night 24-25 Schedule

Please join us via Microsoft Teams at 6pm for our monthly Life Skills Training Parent Program. This parenting program is a drug and alcohol prevention program in conjunction with our Botvin Guidance Curriculum for 3rd, 4th and 5th grade students in the elementary schools. The parent program provides parenting skills and an understanding of what the children are being taught at school to help prevent drug use and risky behaviors. Please see attached flyer for the program schedule for 24-25. 

Important Reminder: Supervision Guidelines for Football Games

As we prepare for our upcoming football games, we want to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for everyone. Please note the following guidelines for elementary and middle school students attending the games:

• All elementary and middle school students must be accompanied by a parent or guardian for the entire game.
• Students are expected to stay with their parents/guardians and watch the game from the stands. Overflow seating is available on the visitors side.
• For safety reasons, students will not be allowed to roam the stadium or surrounding areas during the event.
• No Horseplay, no balls, no running or throwing objects.

Your support in following these guidelines helps us ensure a safe environment for all attendees. Thank you for your understanding, and we look forward to seeing you at the games! Good luck Panthers!

Transportation 

Questions about bussing schedules and transportation should be directed to chighfield@wssd.org and pdiaferio@wssd.org or 610-892-3470, ext. 1701 or 1702.

Food Services Information  

The Weekly Lunch Menu for WES is available on the Nutrislice website. Please note, menus may still be subject to change based on supply and staffing changes.

Please refer to the Food Services page of the WSSD website for more information on:

• The free/reduced lunch program
• MySchoolBucks

Please feel free to reach out to Kate Rittler, Director of Food and Nutrition, with any questions! krittler@wssd.org, 610-892-3470 ext. 2151

Apple Crunch Day is Friday, October 11!

On Friday, October 11, WES will celebrate Apple Crunch Day to commemorate the beginning of fall with healthy eating traditions! Throughout the day, students will have the opportunity to participate in an apple tasting with a variety of apples from a local orchard. Following the tasting, each class will vote on their favorite type of apple to find WES’ favorite apple of 2024! It’s a fun and exciting day for all, but we can’t do it without help from our WES families! We need apple slicers to pre-slice apples as well as classroom volunteers to deliver apples and join in the fun. Please consider signing up to help the day’s success! Note: All volunteers need valid clearances on file with the district. Please do not sign up unless you already have submitted your clearances. Thank you.

Volunteering at WES

In preparation for the 2024-2025 school year, we are urging parents/guardians to complete the process for clearances if you have not already done so. Clearances are mandatory, are good for 5 years, and are kept at the district level. You will not be permitted to volunteer without valid clearances on file with the district.

• Volunteer clearances are required for anyone volunteering to work with our students or be present in our school; whether that is in school, on a field trip, or at an athletic event/practice, etc. Essentially, everyone who is volunteering with our students or in a school is required to obtain volunteer clearances. This includes but is not limited to adults who regularly volunteer but are under the supervision of a staff member.
• There are two required clearances (Child Abuse Clearance and PA State Police Criminal Background Check) and a form (Volunteer Registration and Disclosure Form) which must be completed. Clearances are free. The only cost is for the FBI fingerprinting which is only required if you have not lived in PA for the last 10 consecutive years.
• Clearances must be submitted via the form above. We can no longer accept clearances emailed or dropped off directly to the building.
• Volunteer clearances are good for 5 years from the date of issue.
• Information about how to obtain clearances and how to submit them are available on the district's website, here: https://www.wssd.org/domain/389

WES Spirit Wear

The WES online Spirit Wear store is open! Show your Rusty pride and sport some WES graphic tees, cozy hoodies and hats. The store is open from September 23rd - October 6th and all proceeds go to the WES PTO! PS. The Kindergarten tee and WES Cares shirts are also available for those who still need them! Please contact Kristina Dechter or Suzanna Seltzer with any questions. 

PTO Movie Night - Thursday, October 10, 2024 (rescheduled)

Please join us for the annual WES outdoor movie night! We will be watching the movie The Lego Movie together at the school on a big screen on Thursday, October 10th at 7:00pm. We plan to open for families at 6:30 p.m., with the movie starting at 7:00 p.m. Please remember to bring a blanket or chairs to sit on, and don't forget your favorite snacks! This is a free event for the entire family. An RSVP isn't necessary, but it helps us get a crowd estimate, so please sign up here. Questions? Please contact movie night co-chairs Mike Sheehan or Nichole Dobo.

Halloween Carnival 

Save the Date for the 12th Annual WES Halloween Carnival Fundraiser on Saturday, October 26th from 9am-12pm! It will be a spooktacular morning filled with a Haunted Hallway, Pumpkin Decorating, Carnival Games, Cake Walk, Photo Booth, Sensory Room, Trunk-or-Treat, Raffle Baskets, Prizes, and so much more. Look for more details next week! Questions? Please contact Jessica Diamond.

WES Student Directory

Visit the Student Directory website here to pre-order your print and digital copy of the 2024-25 Student Directory. This helpful resource is your connection to the WES community, with all of the important information in one place - including the school calendar of events, class lists and contact information for teachers and families. Thank you for supporting this fundraiser for the WES PTO! 

Car Line

Please take a look at the Car Line Sign Up Genius for the 2024-2025 school year.

We're back for another year of asking for your help in providing a warm welcome in the morning and ensuring a safe and smooth car line drop-off for all of our kids.   Thank you to all of our dedicated volunteers over the past few years. We couldn’t have done it without you! For anyone not familiar, Car Line Volunteers help in the back loop at WES from 8:15-8:45 am each morning, keeping the traffic flowing and assisting the kids with their backpacks and car doors. Please contact Ted Benzing.   

Have a question? We are here to help! 

Mrs. Zwitch , Executive Assistant to the Principal- jzwitch@wssd.org, 610-892-3470 ext. 4305 

Mrs. Brown, Building Secretary, Attendance, - pbrown2@wssd.org, 610-892-3470 ext. 4306

Dear WES Families,

Welcome to week 5 of the school year! This is a big week for our school, with School Picture Day, Back to School Night, the PTO Mum Sale Pickup, the rain date for the Bike Bus, and Movie Night. What more can we pack in!?!

Back to School Night is an exciting evening, with an opportunity to get a peek into the day to day events, schedule, and experience of your children. Our teachers are excited and we look forward to seeing you on Thursday evening. The detailed Back to School Night schedule is listed below under the Important Upcoming Dates section. Due to the limitations with our on site parking, families are strongly encouraged to walk (if feasible), carpool with others, seek a drop off/pick up scenario from a family member or friend, and park across the street. Please be cautious while exiting the building, while in the parking lot, and while crossing the  street. We look forward to seeing you Thursday evening!  

The first few weeks have provided us the opportunity to craft an informative welcome back message, highlighting some key aspects of our school and building. Please take a few moments to check it out here: WES! Welcome Back to School video

Have a great first week of fall and see you on Thursday!

Mr. Stephen Krall

Acting Principal

Wallingford Elementary

skrall@wssd.org

IMPORTANT UPCOMING DATES:

September 25 - PTO Bike Bus Kick-off (Rescheduled Due to Weather)

September 26 - School Picture Day

September 26 - Back to School Night, see detailed schedule below

September 26 - PTO Mum Sale Pick-up

September 27- PTO Movie Night, 7:00pm

October 3 - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS - HOLIDAY

October 4 - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS - Teacher In-Service Day

October 8 - PTO Meeting, 6:00pm

Back to School Night Schedule 

Back to School Night will be on Thursday, September 26. Please see below for the schedule for the evening:  

Session 1: AM Kindergarten, 1st & 2nd Grades    

• 6:10-6:30 – Special Education Teachers, Special Area Teachers and Support Teachers available to meet parents in Library
• 6:30-6:55 – Principal Meeting in Multi Purpose Room (MPR) 
• 6:55-7:00 – Move to Homeroom
• 7:00-7:30 – Classroom Visitations (AM-K,1, 2)

Session 2: PM Kindergarten, 3rd, 4th & 5th Grades 

• 6:50-7:10 – Special Education Teachers, Special Area Teachers and Support Teachers available to meet parents in Library
• 7:10-7:35 – Principal Meeting in Multi Purpose Room (MPR) 
• 7:35-7:40 – Move to Homeroom
• 7:40-8:10 – Classroom Visitations (PM-K,3,4, 5)

Congratulations WSSD Art Teachers!

For the third year in a row, WSSD has been recognized by the Pennsylvania Art Education Association (PAEA) as an Outstanding Visual Arts Community. Districts receiving this endorsement demonstrate the importance of their visual arts programs with:

• Rigorous and Inclusive Programs: Arts programs demonstrate rigor using standards-based curricula taught at every level by highly qualified and certified art educators.
• Highly Accessible Programs: Art programs are offered to all students at every level of education with a sustainable budget for the visual arts.
• Highly Visible Programs: Schools and districts identify their programmatic accomplishments, curriculum for all levels, art staff, mission statements, and arts events using their school websites and social media.

Huge congratulations to Mrs. Ryan and all of our WSSD Art Teachers on this well-deserved recognition and accomplishment!

Guidance Newsletter

Read the latest newsletter to see what your child learned with Mrs. Schwam during the second guidance cycle of the year. Your child had guidance during the 9/18 to 9/23 library period.

Important Reminder: Supervision Guidelines for Football Games

As we prepare for our upcoming football games, we want to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for everyone. Please note the following guidelines for elementary and middle school students attending the games:

• All elementary and middle school students must be accompanied by a parent or guardian for the entire game.
• Students are expected to stay with their parents/guardians and watch the game from the stands. Overflow seating is available on the visitors side.
• For safety reasons, students will not be allowed to roam the stadium or surrounding areas during the event.
• No Horseplay, no balls, no running or throwing objects.

Your support in following these guidelines helps us ensure a safe environment for all attendees. Thank you for your understanding, and we look forward to seeing you at the games! Good luck Panthers!

Transportation 

Questions about bussing schedules and transportation should be directed to chighfield@wssd.org and pdiaferio@wssd.org or 610-892-3470, ext. 1701 or 1702.

Food Services Information

Starting September 17, look out for featured local produce each week with our Farm to Fork program. Look for the farm to fork symbol on our menus to see when we will be featuring local produce! We finish our farm to fork program with a Harvest Feast in November.   

The Weekly Lunch Menu for WES is available on the Nutrislice website. Please note, menus may still be subject to change based on supply and staffing changes.

Please refer to the Food Services page of the WSSD website for more information on:

• The free/reduced lunch program
• MySchoolBucks

Please feel free to reach out to Kate Rittler, Director of Food and Nutrition, with any questions! krittler@wssd.org, 610-892-3470 ext. 2151

Apple Crunch Day is Friday, October 11!

On Friday, October 11, WES will celebrate Apple Crunch Day to commemorate the beginning of fall with healthy eating traditions! Throughout the day, students will

have the opportunity to participate in an apple tasting with a variety of apples from a local orchard. Following the tasting, each class will vote on their favorite type of apple to find WES’ favorite apple of 2024! It’s a fun and exciting day for all, but we can’t do it without help from our WES families!

We need apple slicers to pre-slice apples as well as classroom volunteers to deliver apples and join in the fun. Please consider signing up to help the day’s success! Note: All volunteers need valid clearances on file with the district. Please do not sign up unless you already have submitted your clearances. Thank you.

Volunteering at WES

In preparation for the 2024-2025 school year, we are urging parents/guardians to complete the process for clearances if you have not already done so. Clearances are mandatory, are good for 5 years, and are kept at the district level. You will not be permitted to volunteer without valid clearances on file with the district.

• Volunteer clearances are required for anyone volunteering to work with our students or be present in our school; whether that is in school, on a field trip, or at an athletic event/practice, etc. Essentially, everyone who is volunteering with our students or in a school is required to obtain volunteer clearances. This includes but is not limited to adults who regularly volunteer but are under the supervision of a staff member.
• There are two required clearances (Child Abuse Clearance and PA State Police Criminal Background Check) and a form (Volunteer Registration and Disclosure Form) which must be completed. Clearances are free. The only cost is for the FBI fingerprinting which is only required if you have not lived in PA for the last 10 consecutive years.
• Clearances must be submitted via the form above. We can no longer accept clearances emailed or dropped off directly to the building.
• Volunteer clearances are good for 5 years from the date of issue.
• Information about how to obtain clearances and how to submit them are available on the district's website, here: https://www.wssd.org/domain/389

WES Spirit Wear

The WES online Spirit Wear store is open! Show your Rusty pride and sport some WES graphic tees, cozy hoodies and hats. The store is open from September 23 - October 6 and all proceeds go to the WES PTO! PS. The Kindergarten tee and WES Cares shirts are also available for those who still need them! Please contact Kristina Dechter or Suzanna Seltzer with any questions. 

Bike Bus Kick Off - NEW DATE - September 25!

Due to the rainy forecast we will postpone the bike bus to Wednesday, September 25.  Please join us for a group ride that gives kids a safer way to bike to school.  Check out the detailed route information here.*** Please note - we ask that each child or sibling group be accompanied by an adult. To connect with your neighborhood group, contact Amanda Hemmer if you live near Beatty Road, Wisteria or Winding Lane, Meg Stine for Grandview or Plush Mill Road, Erin Stancill for Rose Valley/Moylan, Vanessa Thomas for the Country Club area and Martroy/Sykes and Laura Bruce for South Media/Wallingford Ave. Departure times will be finalized within neighborhood groups. *If you would like to participate in biking or walking to school without completing the full route, please meet at the Helen Kate Furness Library parking lot between 8 and 8:15am. At 8:15 everyone will walk or bike together to WES.  This year we will have very special guests - WES teachers and staff walking with us for the final leg to WES! 

Mum Sale Pick-Up 

Pre-purchased mums in a variety of colors will be available for pick-up this Thursday, September 26 from 4-6pm on the soccer field next to the WES Library. Any plants not picked up or sold will be donated to WES and planted by the PTO Grounds & Greens Committee. A limited quantity will be available to purchase for $10 each. Thank you for supporting the WES 5th Grade Class! Please contact Jessica Diamond with any questions. 

PTO Movie Night - Friday, September 27

Please join us for the annual WES outdoor movie night! We will be watching the movie The Lego Movie together at the school on a big screen on Friday, September 27. We plan to open for families at 6:30 p.m., with the movie starting at 7:00 p.m. Please remember to bring a blanket or chairs to sit on, and don't forget your favorite snacks! This is a free event for the entire family. An RSVP isn't necessary, but it helps us get a crowd estimate, so please sign up here. Questions? Please contact movie night co-chairs Mike Sheehan or Nichole Dobo.

WES Student Directory

Visit the Student Directory website here to pre-order your print and digital copy of the 2024-25 Student Directory. This helpful resource is your connection to the WES community, with all of the important information in one place - including the school calendar of events, class lists and contact information for teachers and families. Thank you for supporting this fundraiser for the WES PTO! 

Car Line

Please take a look at the Car Line Sign Up Genius for the 2024-2025 school year. We're back for another year of asking for your help in providing a warm welcome in the morning and ensuring a safe and smooth car line drop-off for all of our kids.   Thank you to all of our dedicated volunteers over the past few years. We couldn’t have done it without you! For anyone not familiar, Car Line Volunteers help in the back loop at WES from 8:15-8:45am each morning, keeping the traffic flowing and assisting the kids with their backpacks and car doors. Please contact Ted Benzing.   

Have a question? We are here to help! 

Mrs. Zwitch , Executive Assistant to the Principal- jzwitch@wssd.org, 610-892-3470 ext. 4305 

Mrs. Brown, Building Secretary, Attendance, - pbrown2@wssd.org, 610-892-3470 ext. 4306

Dear WES Families,

Welcome to week 4 of the school year! Our classrooms are buzzing, our routines are nailed down, and the hard work of our students and teachers is being realized daily. We are a few weeks into our new Reveal Math curriculum, and by many accounts, our students are enjoying the lessons and are finding it thought provoking and challenging. Many lessons offer two approaches to teaching the math concepts; an Activity Based Exploration and a Guided Exploration, allowing the teachers to either select the approach that best suits their students, or pull strategies from each. This structured flexibility is another tool that provides more meaningful and relatable instruction, allowing students to perform better than a one size fits all approach. We are looking forward to sharing more observations throughout the year. 

Our WES community is sad to say goodbye to our third grade teacher, Mrs. Patience Scott, who will be transitioning to a role as teacher in the Unionville Chadds-Ford School District. Mrs. Scott has done an outstanding job of teaching and supporting our students for the last several years, and we wish her luck in her new position.

But we are also very happy to welcome our new teacher, Ms. Laura Corbett (pictured here with Mrs. Scott), today to school! Today was her first day in the classroom with the class, and we look forward to the talents and skills that she will bring to our school, and the work she will do with our third graders in room 214! Welcome Ms. Corbett!

Have a wonderful evening and week, and GO EAGLES!! (pictured here is Mrs. Ryan and Mr. Dave with some excited Eagles fans)

 

Mr. Stephen Krall

Acting Principal

Wallingford Elementary

skrall@wssd.org

IMPORTANT UPCOMING DATES:

September 25 - PTO Bike Bus Kick-off (Rescheduled Due to Weather)

September 26 - School Picture Day

September 26 - Back to School Night, 6:30pm 

September 26 - PTO Mum Sale Pick-up

September 27- PTO Movie Night, 7:00pm

October 3 - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS - HOLIDAY

October 4 - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS - Teacher In-Service Day

October 8 - PTO Meeting, 6:00pm

Congratulations WSSD Art Teachers!

For the third year in a row, WSSD has been recognized by the Pennsylvania Art Education Association (PAEA) as an Outstanding Visual Arts Community. Districts receiving this endorsement demonstrate the importance of their visual arts programs with:

• Rigorous and Inclusive Programs: Arts programs demonstrate rigor using standards-based curricula taught at every level by highly qualified and certified art educators.
• Highly Accessible Programs: Art programs are offered to all students at every level of education with a sustainable budget for the visual arts.
• Highly Visible Programs: Schools and districts identify their programmatic accomplishments, curriculum for all levels, art staff, mission statements, and arts events using their school websites and social media.

Huge congratulations to Mrs. Ryan and all of our WSSD Art Teachers on this well-deserved recognition and accomplishment!

Guidance Newsletter

Read the latest newsletter to see what your child learned with Mrs. Schwam during the first guidance cycle of the year. Your child had guidance during the 8/30 to 9/5 library period.

Transportation 

Questions about bussing schedules and transportation should be directed to chighfield@wssd.org and pdiaferio@wssd.org or 610-892-3470, ext. 1701 or 1702.

Food Services Information

Starting September 17, look out for featured local produce each week with our Farm to Fork program. Look for the farm to fork symbol on our menus to see when we will be featuring local produce! We finish our farm to fork program with a Harvest Feast in November.   

This week, we invite all 1st graders to participate in Lunch for Life. Lunch for Life provides our youngest students with a free lunch for three days. The goal is to get students excited about school lunch and comfortable coming through the lunch line. We look forward to seeing your 1st grader at lunch.

The Weekly Lunch Menu for WES is available on the Nutrislice website. Please note, menus may still be subject to change based on supply and staffing changes.

Please refer to the Food Services page of the WSSD website for more information on:

• The free/reduced lunch program
• MySchoolBucks

Please feel free to reach out to Kate Rittler, Director of Food and Nutrition, with any questions! krittler@wssd.org, 610-892-3470 ext. 2151

Volunteering at WES

In preparation for the 2024-2025 school year, we are urging parents/guardians to complete the process for clearances if you have not already done so. Clearances are mandatory, are good for 5 years, and are kept at the district level. You will not be permitted to volunteer without valid clearances on file with the district.

• Volunteer clearances are required for anyone volunteering to work with our students or be present in our school; whether that is in school, on a field trip, or at an athletic event/practice, etc. Essentially, everyone who is volunteering with our students or in a school is required to obtain volunteer clearances. This includes but is not limited to adults who regularly volunteer but are under the supervision of a staff member.
• There are two required clearances (Child Abuse Clearance and PA State Police Criminal Background Check) and a form (Volunteer Registration and Disclosure Form) which must be completed. Clearances are free. The only cost is for the FBI fingerprinting which is only required if you have not lived in PA for the last 10 consecutive years.
• Clearances must be submitted via the form above. We can no longer accept clearances emailed or dropped off directly to the building.
• Volunteer clearances are good for 5 years from the date of issue.
• Information about how to obtain clearances and how to submit them are available on the district's website, here: https://www.wssd.org/domain/389

Back to School Night Schedule 

Back to School Night will be on Thursday, September 26. Please see below for the schedule for the evening: 

Session 1: AM Kindergarten, 1st & 2nd Grades    

• 6:10-6:30 – Special Education Teachers, Special Area Teachers and Support Teachers available to meet parents in Library
• 6:30-6:55 – Principal Meeting in Multi Purpose Room (MPR) 
• 6:55-7:00 – Move to Homeroom
• 7:00-7:30 – Classroom Visitations (AM-K,1, 2)

Session 2: PM Kindergarten, 3rd, 4th & 5th Grades 

• 6:50-7:10 – Special Education Teachers, Special Area Teachers and Support Teachers available to meet parents in Library
• 7:10-7:35 – Principal Meeting in Multi Purpose Room (MPR) 
• 7:35-7:40 – Move to Homeroom
• 7:40-8:10 – Classroom Visitations (PM-K,3,4, 5)

Bike Bus Kick Off - NEW DATE - September 25!

Due to the rainy forecast we will postpone the bike bus to Wednesday, September 25.  Please join us for a group ride that gives kids a safer way to bike to school.  Check out the detailed route information here.*** Please note - we ask that each child or sibling group be accompanied by an adult. To connect with your neighborhood group, contact Amanda Hemmer if you live near Beatty Road, Wisteria or Winding Lane, Meg Stine for Grandview or Plush Mill Road, Erin Stancill for Rose Valley/Moylan, Vanessa Thomas for the Country Club area and Martroy/Sykes and Laura Bruce for South Media/Wallingford Ave. Departure times will be finalized within neighborhood groups. *If you would like to participate in biking or walking to school without completing the full route, please meet at the Helen Kate Furness Library parking lot between 8 and 8:15am. At 8:15 everyone will walk or bike together to WES.  This year we will have very special guests - WES teachers and staff walking with us for the final leg to WES! 

PTO Movie Night - Friday, September 27

Please join us for the annual WES outdoor movie night! We will be watching the movie The Lego Movie together at the school on a big screen on Friday, September 27. We plan to open for families at 6:30 p.m., with the movie starting at 7:00 p.m. Please remember to bring a blanket or chairs to sit on, and don't forget your favorite snacks! This is a free event for the entire family. An RSVP isn't necessary, but it helps us get a crowd estimate, so please sign up here. Questions? Please contact movie night co-chairs Mike Sheehan or Nichole Dobo.

WES Student Directory

Visit the Student Directory website here to pre-order your print and digital copy of the 2024-25 Student Directory. This helpful resource is your connection to the WES community, with all of the important information in one place - including the school calendar of events, class lists and contact information for teachers and families. Thank you for supporting this fundraiser for the WES PTO! 

WES Fifth Grade Mum Sale

Purchase your Mums this fall in support of the WES 5th Grade Class! 

COST: $10.00 per plant
**ORDER ONLINE BY: Wednesday, September 18**
PICK UP DATE: Thursday, September 26th, from 4-6pm
PICK UP LOCATION: Soccer field next to the WES Library

Please visit our online shop to place your order by Wednesday, September 18th. There will be a variety of colors to choose from at pick-up. Family, friends, and neighbors are welcome to purchase! 

Please contact Jessica Diamond with any questions. Thank you for supporting this fundraiser for the WES Class of 2025! 

Car Line

Please take a look at the Car Line Sign Up Genius for the 2024-2025 school year.

We're back for another year of asking for your help in providing a warm welcome in the morning and ensuring a safe and smooth car line drop-off for all of our kids. Thank you to all of our dedicated volunteers over the past few years. We couldn’t have done it without you! For anyone not familiar, Car Line Volunteers help in the back loop at WES from 8:15-8:45am each morning, keeping the traffic flowing and assisting the kids with their backpacks and car doors. Please contact Ted Benzing.   

Have a question? We are here to help! 

Mrs. Zwitch , Executive Assistant to the Principal- jzwitch@wssd.org, 610-892-3470 ext. 4305 

Mrs. Brown, Building Secretary, Attendance, - pbrown2@wssd.org, 610-892-3470 ext. 4306 

Dear WES Families,

September is now in full swing, and it feels like the school year is underway! We have had a great few weeks of welcoming our students back, reacclimating to school after the hiatus of summer, and we are now set to go for the long haul. Many things at school are running very smoothly, as demonstrated by our first fire drill practice last Thursday. The students exited the building in great time, and did it very quietly and orderly. We were very pleased with the wonderful execution of this safety drill across the school.

School safety has understandably been on the minds of school personnel and families across the country again as of late. Prior to the start of the year, our staff reviewed the district safety procedures for all of our safety and emergency drills to insure our preparation for safety situations.

On Friday, our 5th grade students and team took a trip to the middle school to participate in their annual team building day. This long standing tradition has allowed students to work together in a slightly different atmosphere, collaborating on team games, puzzles, and physical challenges to require some brainstorming and problem solving, clear communication, and listening to others. The students had a blast, as did the teachers! Take a look below for some highlights of the day.

Mr. Stephen Krall

Acting Principal

Wallingford Elementary

skrall@wssd.org

IMPORTANT UPCOMING DATES:

September 10 - PTO Meeting, 6:00pm

September 18 - PTO Bike Bus Kick-off

September 26 - School Picture Day

September 26 - Back to School Night, 6:30pm 

September 26 - PTO Mum Sale Pick-up

September 27- PTO Movie Night, 7:00pm

Instrumental Music Enrollment Now Open for Grades 3, 4 and 5

Beginning instrumental music enrollment starts now!  Registration for WES beginning instrumental music lessons is now available for grades 3, 4, and 5.  Enroll here: https://sites.google.com/wssdgmail.org/wssd-beginner-music/home

Transportation 

Questions about bussing schedules and transportation should be directed to chighfield@wssd.org and pdiaferio@wssd.org or 610-892-3470, ext. 1701 or 1702.

Food Services Information

Starting September 17, look out for featured local produce each week with our Farm to Fork program. Look for the farm to fork symbol on our menus to see when we will be featuring local produce! We finish our farm to fork program with a Harvest Feast in November.   

Next week, we invite all 1st graders to participate in Lunch for Life. Lunch for Life provides our youngest students with a free lunch for three days. The goal is to get students excited about school lunch and comfortable coming through the lunch line. We look forward to seeing your 1st grader at lunch.

The Weekly Lunch Menu for WES is available on the Nutrislice website. Please note, menus may still be subject to change based on supply and staffing changes.

Please refer to the Food Services page of the WSSD website for more information on:

• The free/reduced lunch program
• MySchoolBucks

Please feel free to reach out to Kate Rittler, Director of Food and Nutrition, with any questions! krittler@wssd.org, 610-892-3470 ext. 2151.

Volunteering at WES

In preparation for the 2024-2025 school year, we are urging parents/guardians to complete the process for clearances if you have not already done so. Clearances are mandatory, are good for 5 years, and are kept at the district level. You will not be permitted to volunteer without valid clearances on file with the district.

• Volunteer clearances are required for anyone volunteering to work with our students or be present in our school; whether that is in school, on a field trip, or at an athletic event/practice, etc. Essentially, everyone who is volunteering with our students or in a school is required to obtain volunteer clearances. This includes but is not limited to adults who regularly volunteer but are under the supervision of a staff member.
• There are two required clearances (Child Abuse Clearance and PA State Police Criminal Background Check) and a form (Volunteer Registration and Disclosure Form) which must be completed. Clearances are free. The only cost is for the FBI fingerprinting which is only required if you have not lived in PA for the last 10 consecutive years.
• Clearances must be submitted via the form above. We can no longer accept clearances emailed or dropped off directly to the building.
• Volunteer clearances are good for 5 years from the date of issue.
• Information about how to obtain clearances and how to submit them are available on the district's website, here: https://www.wssd.org/domain/389

Back to School Night Schedule 

Back to School Night will be on Thursday, September 26. Please see below for the schedule for the evening: 

Session 1: AM Kindergarten, 1st & 2nd Grades    

• 6:10-6:30 – Special Education Teachers, Special Area Teachers and Support Teachers available to meet parents in Library
• 6:30-6:55 – Principal Meeting in Multi Purpose Room (MPR) 
• 6:55-7:00 – Move to Homeroom
• 7:00-7:30 – Classroom Visitations (AM-K,1, 2)

Session 2: PM Kindergarten, 3rd, 4th & 5th Grades 

• 6:50-7:10 – Special Education Teachers, Special Area Teachers and Support Teachers available to meet parents in Library
• 7:10-7:35 – Principal Meeting in Multi Purpose Room (MPR) 
• 7:35-7:40 – Move to Homeroom
• 7:40-8:10 – Classroom Visitations (PM-K,3,4, 5)

Bike Bus Kick Off - September 18!

On Wednesday, September 18, we will kick off our WES Bike Bus–a group ride that gives kids a safer way to bike to school. Check out the detailed route information here.*** Please note - we ask that each child or sibling group be accompanied by an adult. To connect with your neighborhood group, contact Amanda Hemmer if you live near Beatty Road, Wisteria or Winding Lane, Meg Stine for Grandview or Plush Mill Road, Erin Stancill for Rose Valley/Moylan, Vanessa Thomas for the Country Club area and Martroy/Sykes and Laura Bruce for South Media/Wallingford Ave. Departure times will be finalized within neighborhood groups. *If you would like to participate in biking or walking to school without completing the full route, please meet at the Helen Kate Furness Library parking lot between 8 and 8:15am. There, you can join other WES families and complete the final leg to WES for a brief celebration before heading into school.  We are in need of more parent volunteers to help organize routes particularly from the South Media neighborhood.  Please reach out to Amanda Hemmer if you are interested!

PTO Movie Night - Friday, September 27

Please join us for the annual WES outdoor movie night! We will be watching the movie The Lego Movie together at the school on a big screen on Friday, September 27. We plan to open for families at 6:30 p.m., with the movie starting at 7:00 p.m. Please remember to bring a blanket or chairs to sit on, and don't forget your favorite snacks! This is a free event for the entire family. An RSVP isn't necessary, but it helps us get a crowd estimate, so please sign up here. Questions? Please contact movie night co-chairs Mike Sheehan or Nichole Dobo.

WES Student Directory

Visit the Student Directory website here to pre-order your print and digital copy of the 2024-25 Student Directory. This helpful resource is your connection to the WES community, with all of the important information in one place - including the school calendar of events, class lists and contact information for teachers and families. Thank you for supporting this fundraiser for the WES PTO! 

WES Fifth Grade Mum Sale

Purchase your Mums this fall in support of the WES 5th Grade Class! 

COST: $10.00 per plant
**ORDER ONLINE BY: Wednesday, September 18th**
PICK UP DATE: Thursday, September 26th, from 4-6pm
PICK UP LOCATION: Soccer field next to the WES Library

Please visit our online shop to place your order by Wednesday, September 18th. There will be a variety of colors to choose from at pick-up. Family, friends, and neighbors are welcome to purchase! 

Please contact Jessica Diamond with any questions. Thank you for supporting this fundraiser for the WES Class of 2025! 

Car Line

Please take a look at the Car Line Sign Up Genius for the 2024-2025 school year.

We're back for another year of asking for your help in providing a warm welcome in the morning and ensuring a safe and smooth car line drop-off for all of our kids.   Thank you to all of our dedicated volunteers over the past few years. We couldn’t have done it without you! For anyone not familiar, Car Line Volunteers help in the back loop at WES from 8:15-8:45am each morning, keeping the traffic flowing and assisting the kids with their backpacks and car doors. Please contact Ted Benzing.   

Have a question? We are here to help! 

Mrs. Zwitch , Executive Assistant to the Principal- jzwitch@wssd.org, 610-892-3470 ext. 4305 

Mrs. Brown, Building Secretary, Attendance, - pbrown2@wssd.org, 610-892-3470 ext. 4306 

WES Families,

Welcome to week 2 at Wallingford Elementary School!

Our first week of school was fantastic, ending the week and heading into the Labor Day weekend with our PBIS kickoff assembly, reflecting on our school wide theme, “The Sky is the Limit!” The PBIS team, our 5th grade student ambassadors lead by Mrs. Scully, and a surprise special guest, Ms. Allie Wilson, former WES student and recent Olympic competitor, all helped deliver the message of how our hard work and dedication can help us reach our goals and dreams!

As we enter this school year with new individual and collective goals to work towards, let’s continue to share the message with our students that it is important to depend on one another; our families, teachers, and other trusted adults to work towards those goals. We are a family!

Families -  as a reminder for safety and the management of our 600+ students at dismissal time, please review your weekly dismissal plan with your children, and make sure their teachers are aware of the plans. **Barring any emergencies, please communicate dismissal changes prior to the start of the school day if you need to change a dismissal procedure. Thank you!**

Please mark your calendars with the dates below and please see the important information for the first few days of school, and as always, please feel free to contact my office with any questions or concerns. 

Mr. Stephen Krall

Acting Principal

Wallingford Elementary

skrall@wssd.org

Upcoming Dates:

September 9 - Instrumental Music Demo Assembly (Grades 3,4,5), 9:00am

September 10 - PTO Meeting, 6:00pm

September 26 - School Picture Day

September 26 - Back to School Night, 6:30pm

September 26 - PTO Mum Sale Pick-up

September 27 - PTO Movie Night

Transportation 

Questions about bussing schedules and transportation should be directed to chighfield@wssd.org and pdiaferio@wssd.org or 610-892-3470, ext. 1701 or 1702.

Food Services Information

Kate Rittler is the Director of Food and Nutrition with The Nutrition Group--WSSD’s food service provider. Our mission is to satisfy customers and form fulfilled, trusting relationships one meal and facility at a time. We look forward to continuing to provide balanced breakfasts, lunches, and snacks for the 2024-2025 school year.

All school Breakfast will be free for the 24-25 school year. School lunches are priced at $2.75. Students may be eligible for free or reduced lunches. To apply for free and reduced meals please find the applications at http://www.wssd.org/Page/649. Students will need to enter their PIN at the register, and then pay with cash, check (made out to WSSD Food Services), or MySchoolBucks funds.

MySchoolBucks is a service that can be used to load money onto your student’s account so that they can draw from it automatically at the register. Please visit the Food Services page on the school district website for more information.

Menus will be available through Nutrislice at wssd.nutrislice.com. The most up-to-date August & September menu will be available 8/19/24. Please note, menus may still be subject to change based on supply and staffing changes. If your student has unique diet needs, please reach out to Kate Rittler for available options!

The Nutrition Group is hiring! If you believe in caring for students through food and working as part of a team, we have various job opportunities open! Visit thenutritiongroup.com/careers or contact Kate Rittler to apply.

Please feel free to reach out to Kate Rittler, Director of Food and Nutrition, with any questions! krittler@wssd.org, 610-892-3470 ext. 2151

Volunteering at WES

In preparation for the 2024-2025 school year, we are urging parents/guardians to complete the process for clearances if you have not already done so. Clearances are mandatory, are good for 5 years, and are kept at the district level. You will not be permitted to volunteer without valid clearances on file with the district.

• Volunteer clearances are required for anyone volunteering to work with our students or be present in our school; whether that is in school, on a field trip, or at an athletic event/practice, etc. Essentially, everyone who is volunteering with our students or in a school is required to obtain volunteer clearances. This includes but is not limited to adults who regularly volunteer but are under the supervision of a staff member.
• There are two required clearances (Child Abuse Clearance and PA State Police Criminal Background Check) and a form (Volunteer Registration and Disclosure Form) which must be completed. Clearances are free. The only cost is for the FBI fingerprinting which is only required if you have not lived in PA for the last 10 consecutive years.
• Clearances must be submitted via the form above. We can no longer accept clearances emailed or dropped off directly to the building.
• Volunteer clearances are good for 5 years from the date of issue.
• Information about how to obtain clearances and how to submit them are available on the district's website, here: https://www.wssd.org/domain/389

Back to School Night Schedule 

Back to School Night will be on Thursday, September 26. Please see below for the schedule for the evening: 

Session 1: AM Kindergarten, 1st & 2nd Grades    

• 6:10-6:30 – Special Education Teachers, Special Area Teachers and Support Teachers available to meet parents in Library
• 6:30-6:55 – Principal Meeting in Multi Purpose Room (MPR) 
• 6:55-7:00 – Move to Homeroom
• 7:00-7:30 – Classroom Visitations (AM-K,1, 2)

Session 2: PM Kindergarten, 3rd, 4th & 5th Grades 

• 6:50-7:10 – Special Education Teachers, Special Area Teachers and Support Teachers available to meet parents in Library
• 7:10-7:35 – Principal Meeting in Multi Purpose Room (MPR) 
• 7:35-7:40 – Move to Homeroom
• 7:40-8:10 – Classroom Visitations (PM-K,3,4, 5)

PTO Movie Night - Friday, September 27

Please join us for the annual WES outdoor movie night! We will be watching the movie The Lego Movie together at the school on a big screen on Friday, September 27. We plan to open for families at 6:30 p.m., with the movie starting at 7:00 p.m. Please remember to bring a blanket or chairs to sit on, and don't forget your favorite snacks! This is a free event for the entire family. An RSVP isn't necessary, but it helps us get a crowd estimate, so please sign up here. Questions? Please contact movie night co-chairs Mike Sheehan or Nichole Dobo.

WES Student Directory

Visit the Student Directory website here to pre-order your print and digital copy of the 2024-25 Student Directory. This helpful resource is your connection to the WES community, with all of the important information in one place - including the school calendar of events, class lists and contact information for teachers and families. Thank you for supporting this fundraiser for the WES PTO! 

WES Fifth Grade Mum Sale

Purchase your Mums this fall in support of the WES 5th Grade Class! 

COST: $10.00 per plant
**ORDER ONLINE BY: Wednesday, September 18th**
PICK UP DATE: Thursday, September 26, from 4-6pm
PICK UP LOCATION: Soccer field next to the WES Library

Please visit our online shop to place your order by Wednesday, September 18th. There will be a variety of colors to choose from at pick-up. Family, friends, and neighbors are welcome to purchase! 

Please contact Jessica Diamond with any questions. Thank you for supporting this fundraiser for the WES Class of 2025! 

Car Line

Please take a look at the Car Line Sign Up Genius for the 2024-2025 school year.

We're back for another year of asking for your help in providing a warm welcome in the morning and ensuring a safe and smooth car line drop-off for all of our kids. Thank you to all of our dedicated volunteers over the past few years. We couldn’t have done it without you! For anyone not familiar, Car Line Volunteers help in the back loop at WES from 8:15-8:45am each morning, keeping the traffic flowing and assisting the kids with their backpacks and car doors. Please contact Ted Benzing.   

Have a question? We are here to help! 

Mrs. Zwitch , Executive Assistant to the Principal- jzwitch@wssd.org, 610-892-3470 ext. 4305 

Mrs. Brown, Building Secretary, Attendance, - pbrown2@wssd.org, 610-892-3470 ext. 4306 

WES Families, 

Welcome to the 2024-2025 school year at Wallingford Elementary School!

Our teachers and staff were so excited to welcome back our students this morning, see them reconnect with one another, and meet new peers and teachers. We have spent these few short summer months prepping, painting, and populating our school with a great theme in anticipation of this day and this week. Because of the care, compassion, and dedication of our teachers and families, for us this year at WES, the sky truly is the limit!

This week our teachers will be embarking on teaching, setting, and maintaining classroom expectations, creating routines for our students, and prioritizing time in the First Five Days to engage students in activities that will foster connection between your children, their teachers, and other friends in class. The emphasis on our core values of being safe, responsible, respectful, and helpful will occur this week and throughout the school year, and they are the foundation for the interactions that we expect from all members of our school community; students and adults alike.

Take a look below to see for yourself; it was a great first day!

Please mark your calendars with the dates below and please see the important information for the first few days of school. 

Please feel free to contact my office with any questions or concerns. 

Mr. Stephen Krall

Acting Principal

Wallingford Elementary

skrall@wssd.org

Transportation 

Questions about bussing schedules and transportation should be directed to chighfield@wssd.org and pdiaferio@wssd.org or 610-892-3470, ext. 1701 or 1702.

Food Services Information

Kate Rittler is the Director of Food and Nutrition with The Nutrition Group--WSSD’s food service provider. Our mission is to satisfy customers and form fulfilled, trusting relationships one meal and facility at a time. We look forward to continuing to provide balanced breakfasts, lunches, and snacks for the 2024-2025 school year.

All school Breakfast will be free for the 24-25 school year. School lunches are priced at $2.75. Students may be eligible for free or reduced lunches. To apply for free and reduced meals please find the applications at http://www.wssd.org/Page/649.  Students will need to enter their PIN at the register, and then pay with cash, check (made out to WSSD Food Services), or MySchoolBucks funds.

MySchoolBucks is a service that can be used to load money onto your student’s account so that they can draw from it automatically at the register. Please visit the Food Services page on the school district website for more information.

Menus are available through Nutrislice at wssd.nutrislice.com.  Please note, menus may still be subject to change based on supply and staffing changes. If your student has unique diet needs, please reach out to Kate Rittler for available options!

The Nutrition Group is hiring! If you believe in caring for students through food and working as part of a team, we have various job opportunities open! Visit thenutritiongroup.com/careers or contact Kate Rittler to apply.

Please feel free to reach out to Kate Rittler, Director of Food and Nutrition, with any questions! krittler@wssd.org, 610-892-3470 ext. 2151

Volunteering at WES

We are urging parents/guardians to complete the process for clearances if you have not already done so. Clearances are mandatory, are good for 5 years, and are kept at the district level. You will not be permitted to volunteer without valid clearances on file with the district.

• Volunteer clearances are required for anyone volunteering to work with our students or be present in our school; whether that is in school, on a field trip, or at an athletic event/practice, etc. Essentially, everyone who is volunteering with our students or in a school is required to obtain volunteer clearances. This includes but is not limited to adults who regularly volunteer but are under the supervision of a staff member.
• There are two required clearances (Child Abuse Clearance and PA State Police Criminal Background Check) and a form (Volunteer Registration and Disclosure Form) which must be completed. Clearances are free. The only cost is for the FBI fingerprinting which is only required if you have not lived in PA for the last 10 consecutive years.
• Clearances must be submitted via the form above. We can no longer accept clearances emailed or dropped off directly to the building.
• Volunteer clearances are good for 5 years from the date of issue.
• Information about how to obtain clearances and how to submit them are available on the district's website, here: https://www.wssd.org/domain/389

Back to School Night Schedule 

Back to School Night will be on Thursday, September 26. Please see below for the schedule for the evening: 

Session 1: AM Kindergarten, 1st & 2nd Grades    

• 6:10-6:30 – Special Education Teachers, Special Area Teachers and Support Teachers available to meet parents in Library
• 6:30-6:55 – Principal Meeting in Multi Purpose Room (MPR) 
• 6:55-7:00 – Move to Homeroom
• 7:00-7:30 – Classroom Visitations (AM-K,1, 2)

Session 2: PM Kindergarten, 3rd, 4th & 5th Grades 

• 6:50-7:10 – Special Education Teachers, Special Area Teachers and Support Teachers available to meet parents in Library
• 7:10-7:35 – Principal Meeting in Multi Purpose Room (MPR) 
• 7:35-7:40 – Move to Homeroom
• 7:40-8:10 – Classroom Visitations (PM-K,3,4, 5)

WES Student Directory

Visit the Student Directory website here to pre-order your print and digital copy of the 2024-25 Student Directory and to learn more about this WES PTO fundraiser! 

Sponsor a Directory Heart

Support the WES PTO by sponsoring a Directory heart here by Friday, August 30. All proceeds help to fund PTO provided opportunities for our students and teachers! 

WES Fifth Grade Mum Sale

Purchase your Mums this fall in support of the WES 5th Grade Class! 

COST: $10.00 per plant
**ORDER ONLINE BY: Wednesday, September 18th**
PICK UP DATE: Thursday, September 26th, from 4-6pm
PICK UP LOCATION: Soccer field next to the WES Library

Please visit our online shop to place your order by Wednesday, September 18th. There will be a variety of colors to choose from at pick-up. Family, friends, and neighbors are welcome to purchase! 

Please contact Jessica Diamond with any questions. Thank you for supporting this fundraiser for the WES Class of 2025! 

Car Line

Please take a look at the Car Line Sign Up Genius for the 2024-2025 school year.

We're back for another year of asking for your help in providing a warm welcome in the morning and ensuring a safe and smooth car line drop-off for all of our kids.   Thank you to all of our dedicated volunteers over the past few years. We couldn’t have done it without you! For anyone not familiar, Car Line Volunteers help in the back loop at WES from 8:15-8:45am each morning, keeping the traffic flowing and assisting the kids with their backpacks and car doors. Please contact Ted Benzing.   

Have a question? We are here to help! 

Mrs. Zwitch , Executive Assistant to the Principal- jzwitch@wssd.org, 610-892-3470 ext. 4305 

Mrs. Brown, Building Secretary, Attendance, - pbrown2@wssd.org, 610-892-3470 ext. 4306 

Dear WES Families,

We are very excited to welcome your children back to WES in just a few days! Our teachers and staff are back and we are spending time reconnecting and getting ready for the new school year. Remember our first day of school is Monday, August 26th!

Please make sure you check your PowerSchool portal for your child’s bus number, and to ensure everyone is properly supervised, please do not drop your child off to school prior to 8:20 am if using the car line drop off option!

Our theme for this school year is “The Sky is the Limit” and we are excited to think about the prospects and possibilities that a new school year brings, knowing this is a school community that works together to make incredible things happen for children.

Please mark your calendars with the dates below and please see the important information for the first few days of school. Once the school year starts, families can expect to receive a weekly communication from me every Monday evening. 

Please feel free to contact my office with any questions or concerns. Enjoy these last days of summer and we will see you soon!

Mr. Stephen Krall

Acting Principal

Wallingford Elementary

skrall@wssd.org

Class Assignments

Teacher assignments can be found under “Forms'' in the “Information-View Only- Do Not Submit” category in PowerSchool. See screenshots to the right and below:

If you need help accessing PowerSchool, please contact 

Derrick Clements at dclements@wssd.org. 

Transportation 

Transportation information for the 24-25 school year will be available later this week on the parent portal. Questions about bussing schedules and transportation should be directed to chighfield@wssd.org and pdiaferio@wssd.org or 610-892-3470, ext. 1701 or 1702.

Medication Drop Off

All medication, including EpiPens and inhalers must be dropped off to nurse for the start of school. All medication must be clearly marked with a prescription label bearing the child's name, type of medication, dosage and time. Please provide the medication with the box it comes in. Each school year a new Asthma action plan, Allergy action plan, Diabetic plan, and seizure action plan is needed along with the medication. Please contact me if we need to discuss any health changes. I am looking forward to a healthy and happy start to the school year.

Erin Costa, RN, CSN, MSN

Certified School Nurse

Wallingford Elementary School

610-892-3470, ext. 4341

ecosta@wssd.org

School Supply Lists

School supply lists by grade can be found on our website. If you ordered a supply kit through the WES PTO, your student’s supplies will be in their classroom on the first day of school. 

(If your family needs assistance obtaining school supplies, please reach out to our District Social Worker, Shaynae Young at syoung1@wssd.org.)

Changes to the WES Family

I am pleased to announce the following changes/additions to our outstanding WES staff for the 24-25 school year:

Name Changes

Several staff members celebrated weddings this summer and have new last names! Please joining me in congratulating:

• Mrs. Krista Crawford (formerly Ms. Krista Sudall)
• Mrs. Lindsay Marrs (formerly Ms. Lindsay Brown)
• Mrs. Ashley Spellman (formerly Ms. Ashley Foy)

Miss Caitlin Devine - Kindergarten 

Miss Devine joins us as a Kindergarten classroom teacher following the retirement of Mr. John Sweeney. Miss Devine has been at WES for several years as a Long Term Sub and we are so excited to officially welcome her to the WES family!

Mr. James Turley - Autistic Support Teacher

Mr. Turley comes to us most recently from the Lower Merion School District where he has worked as an Autistic Support Teacher and behavior aide. Mr. Turley has a B.S in Neuroscience from Washington College, and his Master of Science in Special Education from St. Joseph’s University. We are happy to welcome Mr. Turley to the WES family!

Ms. Birgit Laurent - Instructional Assistant

A former French teacher at Strath Haven Middle School and a local WSSD parent, Birgit has decided to join the WES community in the role of instructional assistant. She will be supporting the fifth grade this year. Please welcome, Ms. Laurent!

Miss Jane Frascella has moved up to fifth grade this year! As many of you know, she was part of the fourth grade team last year and has moved up to fifth grade to accommodate the fifth section of students. 

Ms. Jenny Conahan has accepted the position of WSSD Teacher on Special Assignment (TOSA) for the 24-25 school year. Ms. Conahan will be helping elementary staff across the district with the implementation of our new math curriculum, Reveal Math. 

Ms. Jenee Caruso-Drennen has been hired to replace Ms. Conahan and join our 5th grade team! She will be filling in for Ms. Conahan for the 24-25 school year. Ms. Caruso Drennen attended West Chester University,  and has most recently worked at Chester Community Charter School,  where she was a part of their summer curriculum writing teams. Welcome to Ms. Caruso-Drennen!

Mrs. Kelley Onimus and Mrs. Elizabeth Ono, will be two occupational therapists transitioning to WES and servicing students through direct service, consult, through the RTIi referral process and screenings. Mrs. Onimus was previously the OT at SHMS, while Mrs. Ono has worked in WSSD during our ESY programming. 

Ms. Kaitlyn Fitzgibbons will be transitioning to the role of school Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA). Ms. Fitzgibbons has previously worked at WES as a behavior technician.

Food Services Information

Kate Rittler is the Director of Food and Nutrition with The Nutrition Group--WSSD’s food service provider. Our mission is to satisfy customers and form fulfilled, trusting relationships one meal and facility at a time. We look forward to continuing to provide balanced breakfasts, lunches, and snacks for the 2024-2025 school year.

All school Breakfast will be free for the 24-25 school year. School lunches are priced at $2.75. Students may be eligible for free or reduced lunches. To apply for free and reduced meals please find the applications at http://www.wssd.org/Page/649.  Students will need to enter their PIN at the register, and then pay with cash, check (made out to WSSD Food Services), or MySchoolBucks funds.

MySchoolBucks is a service that can be used to load money onto your student’s account so that they can draw from it automatically at the register. Please visit the Food Services page on the school district website for more information.

Menus will be available through Nutrislice at wssd.nutrislice.com. The most up-to-date August & September menu will be available 8/19/24. Please note, menus may still be subject to change based on supply and staffing changes. If your student has unique diet needs, please reach out to Kate Rittler for available options!

The Nutrition Group is hiring! If you believe in caring for students through food and working as part of a team, we have various job opportunities open! Visit thenutritiongroup.com/careers or contact Kate Rittler to apply.

Please feel free to reach out to Kate Rittler, Director of Food and Nutrition, with any questions! krittler@wssd.org, 610-892-3470 ext. 2151.

Volunteering at WES

In preparation for the 2024-2025 school year, we are urging parents/guardians to complete the process for clearances if you have not already done so. Clearances are mandatory, are good for 5 years, and are kept at the district level. You will not be permitted to volunteer without valid clearances on file with the district.

• Volunteer clearances are required for anyone volunteering to work with our students or be present in our school; whether that is in school, on a field trip, or at an athletic event/practice, etc. Essentially, everyone who is volunteering with our students or in a school is required to obtain volunteer clearances. This includes but is not limited to adults who regularly volunteer but are under the supervision of a staff member.
• There are two required clearances (Child Abuse Clearance and PA State Police Criminal Background Check) and a form (Volunteer Registration and Disclosure Form) which must be completed. Clearances are free. The only cost is for the FBI fingerprinting which is only required if you have not lived in PA for the last 10 consecutive years.
• Clearances must be submitted via the form above. We can no longer accept clearances emailed or dropped off directly to the building.
• Volunteer clearances are good for 5 years from the date of issue.
• Information about how to obtain clearances and how to submit them are available on the district's website, here: https://www.wssd.org/domain/389

Back to School Night Schedule 

Back to School Night will be on Thursday, September 26. Please see below for the schedule for the evening: 

Session 1: AM Kindergarten, 1st & 2nd Grades    

• 6:10-6:30 – Special Education Teachers, Special Area Teachers and Support Teachers available to meet parents in Library
• 6:30-6:55 – Principal Meeting in Multi Purpose Room (MPR) 
• 6:55-7:00 – Move to Homeroom
• 7:00-7:30 – Classroom Visitations (AM-K,1, 2)

Session 2: PM Kindergarten, 3rd, 4th & 5th Grades 

• 6:50-7:10 – Special Education Teachers, Special Area Teachers and Support Teachers available to meet parents in Library
• 7:10-7:35 – Principal Meeting in Multi Purpose Room (MPR) 
• 7:35-7:40 – Move to Homeroom
• 7:40-8:10 – Classroom Visitations (PM-K,3,4, 5)

WES Student Directory

Visit the Student Directory website here to pre-order your print and digital copy of the 2024-25 Student Directory and to learn more about this WES PTO fundraiser! 

Sponsor a Directory Heart

Support the WES PTO by sponsoring a Directory heart here by Friday, August 30. All proceeds help to fund PTO provided opportunities for our students and teachers! 

WES Fifth Grade Mum Sale

Purchase your Mums this fall in support of the WES 5th Grade Class! 

COST: $10.00 per plant
**ORDER ONLINE BY: Wednesday, September 18th**
PICK UP DATE: Thursday, September 26th, from 4-6pm
PICK UP LOCATION: Soccer field next to the WES Library

Please visit our online shop to place your order by Wednesday, September 18th. There will be a variety of colors to choose from at pick-up. Family, friends, and neighbors are welcome to purchase! 

Please contact Jessica Diamond with any questions. Thank you for supporting this fundraiser for the WES Class of 2025! 

Car Line

Please keep a look out for Car Line Sign Up Genius for the 2024-2025 school year.

We're back for another year of asking for your help in providing a warm welcome in the morning and ensuring a safe and smooth car line drop-off for all of our kids.   Thank you to all of our dedicated volunteers over the past few years. We couldn’t have done it without you! For anyone not familiar, Car Line Volunteers help in the back loop at WES from 8:15-8:45am each morning, keeping the traffic flowing and assisting the kids with their backpacks and car doors. Please contact Ted Benzing.   

Have a question? We are here to help! 

Mrs. Zwitch , Executive Assistant to the Principal- jzwitch@wssd.org, 610-892-3470 ext. 4305 

Mrs. Brown, Building Secretary, Attendance, - pbrown2@wssd.org, 610-892-3470 ext. 4306 

Dear WES Families,

I hope you are having a restful and enjoyable summer! We are excited to welcome your children back to WES in just a few short weeks. Please mark your calendars with the dates below and read for some important updates and information from the WES school community.

Upcoming Dates:

August 15 - Open House for New and Returning Families, 3:30-5:30pm

August 26 - First Day of School for Students!

September 2 - Holiday - DISTRICT CLOSED

September 10 - PTO Meeting, 6:00pm

September 26 - School Picture Day

September 26 - Back to School Night, 6:30pm 

September 26 - PTO Mum Sale Pick-up

September 27- PTO Movie Night

________________________________________________

Class Assignments

Finalized class assignments will be available via PowerSchool for you to view beginning TODAY at 4:00 pm. We thank you for your patience as we finalized rosters and staffing. 

Beginning at 4:00 pm TODAY, teacher assignments can be found under “Forms'' in the “Information-View Only- Do Not Submit” category in PowerSchool. See screenshots to the right and below:

If you need help accessing PowerSchool, please contact Derrick Clements at dclements@wssd.org. 

Open House for Kindergarten, New (and Returning) Families

Just a reminder that our Open House for new and returning families is Thursday afternoon, August 15 from 3:30-5:30pm. Stop in to tour the building, see a school bus and meet the principal and PTO! Please note that teachers are still on summer break and while they are working hard to get their spaces ready, individual classrooms will not be open for visitation. 

School Supply Lists

School supply lists by grade can be found on our website. If you ordered a supply kit through the WES PTO, your student’s supplies will be in their classroom on the first day of school. 

(If your family needs assistance obtaining school supplies, please reach out to our District Social Worker, Shaynae Young at syoung1@wssd.org.)

Changes to the WES Family

I am pleased to announce the following changes/additions to our outstanding WES staff for the 24-25 school year:

Name Changes

Several staff members celebrated weddings this summer and have new last names! Please joining me in congratulating:

• Mrs. Krista Crawford (formerly Ms. Krista Sudall)
• Mrs. Lindsay Marrs (formerly Ms. Lindsay Brown)
• Mrs. Ashley Spellman (formerly Ms. Ashley Foy)

Miss Caitlin Devine - Kindergarten 

Miss Devine joins us as a Kindergarten classroom teacher following the retirement of Mr. John Sweeney. Miss Devine has been at WES for several years as a Long Term Sub and we are so excited to officially welcome her to the WES family!

Mr. James Turley - Autistic Support Teacher

Mr. Turley comes to us most recently from the Lower Merion School District where he has worked as an Autistic Support Teacher and behavior aide. Mr. Turley has a B.S in Neuroscience from Washington College, and his Master of Science in Special Education from St. Joseph’s University. We are happy to welcome Mr. Turley to the WES family!

Ms. Birgit Laurent - Instructional Assistant

A former French teacher at Strath Haven Middle School and a local WSSD parent, Birgit has decided to join the WES community in the role of instructional assistant. She will be supporting the fifth grade this year. Please welcome, Ms. Laurent!

Miss Jane Frascella has moved up to fifth grade this year! As many of you know, she was part of the fourth grade team last year and has moved up to fifth grade to accommodate the fifth section of students. 

Ms. Jenny Conahan has accepted the position of WSSD Teacher on Special Assignment (TOSA) for the 24-25 school year. Ms. Conahan will be helping elementary staff across the district with the implementation of our new math curriculum, Reveal Math. 

Ms. Jenee Caruso-Drennen has been hired to replace Ms. Conahan and join our 5th grade team! She will be filling in for Ms. Conahan for the 24-25 school year. Ms. Caruso Drennen attended West Chester University,  and has most recently worked at Chester Community Charter School,  where she was a part of their summer curriculum writing teams. Welcome to Ms. Caruso-Drennen!

Mrs. Kelley Onimus and Mrs. Elizabeth Ono, will be two occupational therapists transitioning to WES and servicing students through direct service, consult, through the RTIi referral process and screenings. Mrs. Onimus was previously the OT at SHMS, while Mrs. Ono has worked in WSSD during our ESY programming. 

Ms. Kaitlyn Fitzgibbons will be transitioning to the role of school Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA). Ms. Fitzgibbons has previously worked at WES as a behavior technician.

Food Services Information

Kate Rittler is the Director of Food and Nutrition with The Nutrition Group--WSSD’s food service provider. Our mission is to satisfy customers and form fulfilled, trusting relationships one meal and facility at a time. We look forward to continuing to provide balanced breakfasts, lunches, and snacks for the 2024-2025 school year.

All school Breakfast will be free for the 24-25 school year. School lunches are priced at $2.75. Students may be eligible for free or reduced lunches. To apply for free and reduced meals please find the applications at http://www.wssd.org/Page/649.  Students will need to enter their PIN at the register, and then pay with cash, check (made out to WSSD Food Services), or MySchoolBucks funds.

MySchoolBucks is a service that can be used to load money onto your student’s account so that they can draw from it automatically at the register. Please visit the Food Services page on the school district website for more information.

Menus will be available through Nutrislice at wssd.nutrislice.com. The most up-to-date August & September menu will be available 8/19/24. Please note, menus may still be subject to change based on supply and staffing changes. If your student has unique diet needs, please reach out to Kate Rittler for available options!

The Nutrition Group is hiring! If you believe in caring for students through food and working as part of a team, we have various job opportunities open! Visit thenutritiongroup.com/careers or contact Kate Rittler to apply.

Please feel free to reach out to Kate Rittler, Director of Food and Nutrition, with any questions! krittler@wssd.org, 610-892-3470 ext. 2151

Volunteering at WES

In preparation for the 2024-2025 school year, we are urging parents/guardians to complete the process for clearances if you have not already done so. Clearances are mandatory, are good for 5 years, and are kept at the district level. You will not be permitted to volunteer without valid clearances on file with the district.

• Volunteer clearances are required for anyone volunteering to work with our students or be present in our school; whether that is in school, on a field trip, or at an athletic event/practice, etc. Essentially, everyone who is volunteering with our students or in a school is required to obtain volunteer clearances. This includes but is not limited to adults who regularly volunteer but are under the supervision of a staff member.
• There are two required clearances (Child Abuse Clearance and PA State Police Criminal Background Check) and a form (Volunteer Registration and Disclosure Form) which must be completed. Clearances are free. The only cost is for the FBI fingerprinting which is only required if you have not lived in PA for the last 10 consecutive years.
• Clearances must be submitted via the form above. We can no longer accept clearances emailed or dropped off directly to the building.
• Volunteer clearances are good for 5 years from the date of issue.
• Information about how to obtain clearances and how to submit them are available on the district's website, here: https://www.wssd.org/domain/389

Back to School Night Schedule 

Back to School Night will be on Thursday, September 26. Please see below for the schedule for the evening: 

Session 1: AM Kindergarten, 1st & 2nd Grades    

6:10-6:30 – Special Education Teachers, Special Area Teachers and Support Teachers available to meet parents in Library

6:30-6:55 – Principal Meeting in Multi Purpose Room (MPR) 

6:55-7:00 – Move to Homeroom

7:00-7:30 – Classroom Visitations (AM-K,1, 2)

Session 2: PM Kindergarten, 3rd, 4th & 5th Grades 

6:50-7:10 – Special Education Teachers, Special Area Teachers and Support Teachers available to meet parents in Library

7:10-7:35 – Principal Meeting in Multi Purpose Room (MPR) 

7:35-7:40 – Move to Homeroom

7:40-8:10 – Classroom Visitations (PM-K,3,4, 5)

Please feel free to contact my office with any questions or concerns. Enjoy these last days of summer and we will see you soon!

Mr. Stephen Krall

Acting Principal

Wallingford Elementary

skrall@wssd.org

Have a question? We are here to help! 

Mrs. Zwitch , Executive Assistant to the Principal- jzwitch@wssd.org, 610-892-3470 ext. 4305 

Mrs. Brown, Building Secretary, Attendance, - pbrown2@wssd.org, 610-892-3470 ext. 4306