August 11, 2017

Dear Wrightstown Elementary Families,

I hope you and your family are enjoying the last few weeks of summer vacation! It has been a fun summer for my family! We spent time at the beach with our boys and are looking forward to an upcoming trip to Bermuda before we bid farewell to the summer!

A lot of planning for the year ahead occurs during the summer months. This work can take on many forms and be a collaborative effort among the elementary principal team and meetings with teachers and staff. For the 2017-18 school year, three areas of focus have been identified as work the teachers and staff will engage and explore throughout the year:

Professional Learning Communities (PLCs): District-wide Initiative to support scheduled teacher collaboration to improve student performance and teaching skills. I am happy to share that grades Kindergarten through third will be piloting Professional Learning Communities next year.

Innovation: Teachers and staff will continue learning new, innovative practices. This focus is a continuation of the work we did last year. The district purchased 2 Chrome book carts for our building! This additional technology should serve our students well in the coming years.

Diversity: A newly assembled Diversity and Inclusion Committee will work to support inclusive practices and recognize and celebrate differences.

This year we will welcome 34 Kindergarten students to our Wrightstown family. We are excited to get to know our new friends. There is also an update on staff due to movement within the district, retirements, and building grade level changes. Please join me in welcoming new and returning staff to our school community:

Mrs. Carrie McGovernRegular Education Teacher Grade 2 (additional section)

Mrs. Kristin ManganSpecial Education Teacher Grade K & 4 (Mrs. Matteo’s maternity leave)

Mrs. Sandy PierceSpecial Education Teacher Grade 2 & 3

Mrs. Jennifer McFillinGifted Support - Grade 4 (Shares her time with Richboro Elementary)

Mrs. Rebecca LichtnerLibrarian (Shares her time with Rolling Hills Elementary)

Mr. Keith CrowellLibrarian (Shares his time with Sol Feinstone Elementary)

Ms. Melissa MiguelezArt Teacher (Shares her time with Hillcrest Elementary)

Mrs. Shanyn HeubeckEnglish Language Development Specialist (Shares her time with

Newtown, Sol Feinstone Elementary)

Ms. Kate Ortendahl/ Physical Education Teacher (Shares her time with Rolling Hills

joining Mr. Oldfield Elementary)

Ms. Amanda ParkerSpecial Education Teacher Grade 1

Mrs. Susan KeenInstructional Support Teacher

Ms. Jennifer LeachkoNurse (Shares with Sol Feinstone Elementary)

Three vacancies remain open as of the sending of this communication: A Special Education Teacher position in First Grade, an Instructional Support Teacher, and a School Nurse position (Mrs. Dana Daniel’s retirement). I am excited to share that Ms. Danielle Udis has been afforded the opportunity to serve in a one-year position as a Technology Integration Specialist for the district at the elementary level. This is a terrific leadership role for Ms. Udis and we wish her all the best! This move has resulted in some of the moves/vacancies above. As the interview process continues throughout the summer I will keep you informed of staffing updates.

Beginning Monday, August 21, 2017 the Home Access Center (HAC) LINKwill open. Your child’s schedule and homeroominformation will be available at this time. Supply lists can be found on the front page of the school website. You will have an opportunity to become more familiar with your child’s teacher through teacher websites and at Back to School Night.

Please note that Back to School Night is scheduled for the first week of school this year; Thursday, September 7, 2017 from 6:00 - 8:00 P.M.

The format for the evening is as follows:

6:00 PM: Grades K-2: Teacher Presentations in classrooms

6:15 - 7:15 PM: Special Area teachers will be available in the APR to meet with parents

7:00 PM: Grades 3-4: Teacher Presentations in classrooms

8:00 PM: Closing Announcements

Dates to know:

Kindergarten Orientation: Thursday, August 31, 2017

  • AM Kindergarten: 9:00 a.m.
  • PM Kindergarten: 10:30 a.m.

1st Grade Getting to Know You Session: Thursday, August 31, 2017

  • 1st Graders new to WES only/1:00 p.m./1st Grade Classrooms

The first day of school: Tuesday, September 5, 2017

Back to School Night: Thursday, September 7, 2017K-2: 6:00 PM/3-4: 7:00 PM

Back to School Night Picnic: Tuesday, September 12, 2017: 6:00-7:30 PM

I would like to thank Mrs. Winslow, Mr. Giacomelli, and the Aramark team for all of their hard work this summer in preparing the building for the upcoming school year. Their attention to detail and collaborative efforts allowed for an efficient and productive environment. The building is looking great!

Communication is important to me. I value your feedback and appreciate your insight. As parents, you are part of our school team. Your active participation in your child’s education is welcomed and encouraged. Always feel comfortable contacting me at any time during the school year if you have a question or concern. I can be reached at 215-944-2306 or . I look forward to greeting new and returning students in just a few short weeks! I miss the students and I am excited to hear all about their summer experiences! Until then, enjoy what remains of summer vacation!

Sincerely,

Beth A. Fox

Principal