Save the Date: DASD Parent University – Math in Focus

Attention all Kindergarten through fifth-grade parents, the Downingtown Area School District (DASD) is welcoming all moms and dads back to the classroom with a elementary math refresher. Specifically, the district will be teaching Math in Focus on three occasions in September. 

During the Parent University, you will learn the Singaporean pedagogy in and out of the classroom; strategies to support your child at home; and hands-on problem solving. All three sessions will be the same; so feel free to choose the one that best fits your schedule. This is not a mandatory program.

DASD Math In Focus Parent University Flyer

Download: Math in Focus Parent University Invite

DETAILS
WHO: All Parents, Grades K-5
WHERE: DASD Administration Building, 540 Trestle Place, Downingtown
WHEN: Three sessions, all will be the same.

• Thursday, September 4 @ 1:30-3 pm
• Thursday, September 4 @ 6:30-8 pm
• Wednesday, September 24 @ 10-11:30 am

About Singamore Math: Math in Focus: Singapore Math by Marshall Cavendish, for Grades K-8, is the U.S. edition of Singapore’s most widely used curriculum, bringing Singapore’s effective approach to  mathematics to U.S. classrooms. Math in Focus is based on the curriculum and pedagogy in Singapore. Singapore Math emphasizes problem solving and positive attitudes toward mathematics, while focusing on student development of skills, concepts, process and metacognition.

Check those backpacks … KidStuff Coupon Books are in there

Sometime over the weekend, be brave and take a quick peek into your child’s bookbag. Buried deep in that backpack … under the snack wrappers, behind the library book and next to that missing sneaker … is this year’s edition of the KidStuff Coupon Book. The valuable, family-friendly KidStuff Coupon Books are once again available through Shamona Creek! KidStuff Coupon Books are only sold through schools, and our school earns at least 50% profit on each book sold!

Use just a few coupons and save more than the $25 cost of the book. You can enjoy fabulous savings from:

Toys R Us
Macy’s
McDonald’s
Acme
5 Below
Subway
Hershey Park
and much more.

Check out all 22 editions listed on the first page of your KidStuff Coupon Book or visit www.kidstuffcouponbook.com.

Remember, your family earns 1 FREE book for every 5 books you sell!!

Parents are encouraged to buy and sell the books as a way to support our students throughout the year. Payment is due by September 12, 2014. (If you don’t plan to buy the book, it will need to be returned to school by that date as well.)

If you have any questions, please email Rachel Byerly.

Volunteers Wanted: Wednesday Communication Folders

We are reaching out to all parents in hopes of finding 6-8 parents who can spare one hour a week to help fill the Wednesday communication folders. Our Wednesday folders are the organized and consistent way in which the school and the HSA communicates information to all parents.

This is a great volunteer opportunity for you if…

(a) you don’t have a lot of time to spare, but want to be helpful;
(b) you have small children at home preventing you from volunteering in other ways; or
(c) you are looking for a simple way to get involved and socialize with other parents.  

Wednesday folders are filled on Tuesday afternoons at 1:00 pm at Shamona Creek. With a group of 6-8 volunteers, a rotating schedule can be set up so that you can help out every week or once a month. If you can help with this project, contact Kathleen Scott-Nine by Friday, August 29 and she will be in touch with you regarding the details.  

We are grateful to anyone who can share their time. Thank you also to those of you who have already added your child to the online directory, signed up to get involved, and “followed” us on this website.  We hope you are all getting settled in to your own back-to-school routine and that your children are enjoying the start of a new school year.

Perfect … You Are Here! Now what?

We are introducing many new things this year, the first of which is our new online tools for getting ourselves ready for the school year. Now that you are here, here is what we need you to do next…

1. Add your family to the Student Directory. We will no longer be printing a paper directory and we definitely want to make sure all families are included. We will make it available online after we feel we have a good majority of our families. Don’t miss the opportunity to add your name.
   • CLICK HERE to add your family >
2. Sign up to get involved. We’ve restructured our volunteer committees, but we still need many, many parents involved to help make it a great year. Whether you have a lot of time or just a little, we have opportunities to fit every schedule, interest and talent.
   • CLICK HERE for an overview of the volunteer opportunities >
   • CLICK HERE to sign up >

      

3. Spread the word. Please share this site with your Shamona Creek neighbors and friends, and let them know how to “follow” it (see bottom right corner).  Remind them about the online Student Directory, and invite them to Get Involved too.

Share this. Tweet that. Shamona Creek is on Facebook and Twitter.

First of all, happy first day of school. The buses have picked up, the kids are settling into their new classrooms, and we are all breathing a sigh of relief. We hope you all survived the morning rush. Whether you are a new elementary school parent or a veteran, the whole transition from summer vacation to the school routine can be overwhelming. We know that communication is a good way to feel connected and informed.

Shamona Creek and the greater school district use many of the same social channels as parents do as another method of communication. Here are the links to follow SC and DASD on Facebook and Twitter. Feel free to follow and share with other SC parents!

Facebook*
Shamona Creek: https://www.facebook.com/dasdshamona
Downingtown Area School District: https://www.facebook.com/downingtownschools
*The best way to make sure you don’t miss a post is to Like the page and then opt in to receive Notifications.

Twitter
Norma Jean Welsh, Principal: https://twitter.com/DASD_SC
Downingtown Area School District: https://twitter.com/DASD_Schools
Dr. Larry Mussoline, Superintendent: https://twitter.com/lmussoline

Snap any first day of school photos? (Silly question. Of course, you did.) We bet Mrs. Welsh would love to see our happy Sharks shared on the school’s Facebook page.

And of course, the Home & School Association will be using this new blog to regularly communicate with you as well. Please save it to your favorites and follow the blog to receive email each time a new post is added. This website is an information resource for HSA-sponsored programs and activities throughout the year! We will do our best to actively communicate and make this site full of useful info.

Have a great school year! We look forward to seeing you around the school soon.

Welcome Back Shamona Families and Welcome to our New Families

It was great to see so many familiar faces and meet so many new families during Back to School Night this week. We hope you had a chance to meet some new friends and get excited about the new school year.

Our Shamona Creek Home & School Association (SCHSA) has been busy getting ready for the school year as well…and we look forward to sharing all of this with you.  Everything that the SCHSA offers to our students and families would not be possible without your support, and we are so lucky to have such a supportive group of families.

As we kick off the year, we are asking you to please do the following over the next couple of days:

1. Stop back often to this new website and click the FOLLOW button on the bottom right corner of your screen, so you don’t miss a thing. Please share this URL with your Shamona Creek neighbors and friends, in case they haven’t heard about it yet.
2. Add your child to the STUDENT DIRECTORY on the website (there will no longer be a print version, and this information will not be manually entered otherwise). To stay connected, we urge all families to add their contact information.
3. Visit the GET INVOLVED page and check out all of our involvement opportunities.  There is something for everyone… please let us know how you would like to be involved this year by choosing a few areas that interest you. Again…we are looking forward to an amazing year ahead and we want to thank you, in advance, for your support.

See everyone back bright and early on Monday, August 25! The doors open at 8:30 am and the school day begins at 8:50 am. Dismissal is 15 minutes later than last year; the school day ends at 3:30 pm.