Ms. Reiber plans to use the grant money to create a classroom garden in a terrarium that her students will help set-up and maintain. Each student will receive their own journal to document the progress of the plants and flowers using drawings and beginning writing. Mrs. Reiber plans to provide story books about plants for the reading center which will also be used for classroom read aloud time. To incorporate technology, Mrs. Reiber will allow students to do research on the computer as well as encourage them to take photos of the plants and flowers using their classroom iPads.

In addition to the classroom terrarium, each student will have the opportunity to grow and care for their own plant to take home at the end of the project. We hope to bring you updates on the progress of their garden throughout the remainder of the year!

The Pennsylvania Power & Light (PPL) Foundation annually awards grants to empower educators who spark their students’ imaginations. The PPL Empowering Educators program is designed to help K-12 teachers provide hands-on learning opportunities to enhance the classroom experience and spark students’ interest in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). Fifty teachers in eastern and central PA schools received $1,000 each to be used on a STEM project for their classroom. One of those 50 recipients was Michele Reiber, Fink Elementary Kindergarten teacher.

THE

2020 JAN | FEB | MAR

F I N KCONTACT NUMBERS

Fink Office: 717-948-3370 Fink Fax: 717-948-3409 Main Office: option 0 Student Attendance: option 2Nurse: option 3 Guidance: option 4 Cafeteria: option 5 Social Worker: option 6

Educating students so that they value learning, are socially responsible, and are prepared to lead productive and successful lives.

WELCOME to the WINTER edition of the Fink Times! This periodic communication will be emailed to households to provide parents/guardians with important reminders and announcements. All school newsletters can also be viewed on raiderweb.org on the “For Parents” page.EMERGENCY CONTACT INFORMATION

Please notify the school office with all contact information changes - phone numbers, address and ANY changes in custody arrangement. If you move to a new address in the District it is your responsibility to provide a new primary proof of residence to the office. If you have a new custody order, please submit a copy to the office. This is for the protection of your child!

times

REIBER AWARDED PPL GRANT FOR CLASSROOM GARDEN

ABSENCES When a student is absent from school, a parent/guardian must submit a written excuse note OR email the school secretary to inform the school of the absence. Fink Secretary: dhandley@raiderweb.org.If an excuse is not received within three (3) days of the student’s return to school, the absence is marked illegal and unexcused.A doctor’s note is required for extended absences or may be requested at the discretion of the building principal.

If a student needs to be absent from school for part of the day for an appointment, a written note or email from a parent/guardian must be received at the office for prior approval. When leaving school for the appointment, students must stop in the office to check out. Upon return from an appointment, students are to check back in at the school office.

READING TIPS FOR HOMEAs a partner in your child’s education, we like to provide parents/guardians with simple and fun ideas for practicing reading skills at home. The more your child is engaged in reading in their real world the more they will understand its importance and learn that reading can be FUN!

If your kids don't care for reading, try poetry! Poems are short, provide important practice with reading fluency, and give reluctant readers a sense of accomplishment. There's a reason we learn nursery rhymes as young children. They help us develop an ear for our language. Rhyme and rhythm highlight sounds and syllables in words, and understanding sounds and syllables helps kids learn to read!

• Create word families. Use refrigerator magnets to spell a word ending (-ap). Have your child put other letters in front of the word ending to create rhyming words (tap, cap, map, lap).

• Fill in the blank. Read children's poems aloud and leave off the final word, having your child fill in the missing rhyming word: "Run, run, as fast as you can. You can't catch me, I'm the gingerbread ____."

• Write a swap poem. You write one line of a poem, and have your child write the next line, matching the rhythm, and rhyming the last word. Use words that are easy to rhyme such as: day, sing, pie, tree, cow.

• Create a rhyming dictionary. Have a page for different endings such as __op , __end, nd __ing, and __oat, and then move on to more complex letter patterns like __ouble (trouble, double).

Poetry book suggestions:

• Sing to the Sun, by Ashley Bryan • In the Eyes of a Cat: Japanese Poetry, by Demi • This Big Sky, by Pat Mora • The Random House Book of Poetry for Children, edited by Jack

Prelutsky • A Child's Garden of Verses, by Robert Louis Stevenson • Any book by Dr. Seuss!

ONE-HOUR DELAYS When there is a one-hour delay,

school will begin at 9:30 a.m., and buses will arrive at the bus stops one hour later than normal arrival time.

Breakfast will be served from 9:00 to 9:30 a.m. School will dismiss at

normal dismissal times.

TWO-HOUR DELAYS When there is a two-hour delay,

school will begin at 10:30 a.m. and buses will arrive at the bus stops two hours later than the normal arrival

times. Breakfast WILL NOT be served. School will dismiss at

normal dismissal times.

WEATHER DELAYS & CLOSINGS Announcements concerning school closings, delayed openings or early dismissals are communicated in the following ways: raiderweb.org, through SchoolMessenger based on parent’s preferred contact method,

Facebook, Twitter and on local radio and television outlets. If parents/guardians are unable to be home at the time of an early dismissal, prior arrangements must be made with family, friends or neighbors for the

care of young children. Bus riders will be taken to their regular designated bus stops. A parent or authorized designee must be present at the bus stop before a kindergarten student is released from the

school bus. The after-school programs will continue to operate in the event of an early dismissal, but parents are asked to pick up their children within two hours after students are dismissed.

Recess will be held outside whenever possible. Students should be prepared to play outside for short periods of time. Gloves, hats, and hoods are strongly recommended. A child with a minor cold may remain inside one day with a note from home. A doctor’s note is required to exclude a child from recess for an extended period of time.

Please update your emergency contact information in SchoolMessenger so we have

your correct contact information for our automated call service in the event of inclement

weather or school emergency.

WINTER WEATHER

KidsHeartChallenge(previouslyknownasJumpRopeforHeart)willtakeplaceonFriday,February21,2020.IfthereisaschooldelayorcancellaFonthatday,KidsHeartChallengewillberescheduled.Ifyouareinterestedinvolunteering,pleasewatchforavolunteersign-upformtocomehomewithyourchildduringthemiddleofJanuary.TheformmustbecompletedandreturnedtoschoolbyFriday,February14th.AllvolunteersmusthavecompletedtheDistrictvolunteerapprovalprocess.

Familyandfriendsarewelcometosupportyourchild’sparFcipaFonbymakingcontribuFons.Also,someorganizaFonsdohavematchinggiNprograms.

However,weaskthatchildrendonotgodoor-to-doororaskstrangersfordonaFons.ChecksshouldbemadepayabletotheAmericanHeartAssociaFon.ItissuggestedthatyoucompleteyourdonaFonsonlineatwww.heart.org/jumpandfollowthesimpledirecFons.Ifyouchoosetodonateonline,makesuretoprintandreturnthedonaFonreport(receipt)alongwithanychecksormoneyinthecollecFonenvelopetomakesureyourchildreceivescreditforit.BydonaFngonline,yourchildwillautomaFcallybeabletoearnaddiFonalprizes.

SIGNEDPERMISSIONSLIPSANDALLDONATIONSMUSTBERECEIVEDBYFRIDAY,FEBRUARY21INORDERFORSTUDENTSTOPARTICIPATEINTHEEVENT.

LET’SWORKTOGETHERTOREACHOURGOALOF$5,000!

WINTER PHYS ED REMINDER Just a friendly reminder that during these winter months of snow and other bad weather, it is very important all students are wearing sneakers and the appropriate clothes to school for physical education class. This is for safety reasons! Please remember what days your child has physical education class so they wear the proper attire. Sneakers can be kept at school in the student’s cubby space so he/she will always be prepared. Being prepared for class is vital to students being able to fully participate. Thank you for your support and cooperation. Have a happy and safe winter season!

COLD&FLUSEASONIfachildhasafevertheyshouldstayhomeunFltheyarefeverfree,withouttheuseofmedicaFontokeepthefeverdown,for24hours.IfachildhasvomiFngordiarrheaovernightorinthemorningbeforeschool,asevereoruncontrollablecoughorgenerallyfeeltooilltoparFcipateinlearning,theyshouldstayhome.Encouraginggoodhandwashingandcoveringcoughsandsneezescanhelpslowthespreadofillness.

FEBRUARYISDENTALHEALTHAWARENESSMONTH!Goodoralhealthisasimportantasanyotheraspectofgoodhealth.MiddletownAreaSchoolDistricthasparFcipatedintheMobileDenFstSmileProgramforseveralyears.Thisprogrambringsdentalservicesintotheschool.Recentstudiessuggestpossiblelinksbetweenoralhealthandheartdisease.Ifyouneedassistancesecuringdentalcareforyourchildpleasecontacttheschoolnurse.

•Toothdecayremainsoneofthemostcommondiseasesofchildhood–fiveFmesascommonasasthmaandsevenFmesascommonashayfever.

•Morethanhalfofchildrenaged5to9havehadatleastonecavityorfilling;78percentof17-year-oldshaveexperiencedtoothdecay.

•Byage17,morethan7percentofchildrenhavelostatleastonepermanenttoothtodecay.• Injuriestochildren,intenFonalandnon-intenFonal,oNeninvolvetraumatothehead,neck,andmouth.Theleadingcausesoforalandheadinjuriesaresports,violence,falls,andmotorvehiclecrashes.

•OneinfourAmericanchildrenarebornintopoverty(annualincomeof$17,000orlessforafamilyoffour).Childrenandadolescentslivinginpovertysuffertwiceasmuchtoothdecayastheirmoreaffluentpeers,andtheirdiseaseismorelikelytogountreated.

•Childrenfromfamilieswithoutmedicalinsuranceare2.5Fmeslesslikelythaninsuredchildrentoreceivedentalcare.Childrenfromfamilieswithoutdentalinsuranceare3Fmesmorelikelythaninsuredchildrentohaveunmetdentalneeds.

•Foreverychildwithoutmedicalinsurance,thereare2.6wholackdentalinsurance.•FewerthanoneinfiveMedicaid-coveredchildrenhadaprevenFvedentalvisitduringarecentyear-longstudy.•ThedailyrealityforchildrenwithuntreatedoraldiseaseisoNenpersistentpain,inabilitytoeatcomfortablyorchewwell,embarrassmentatdiscoloredanddamagedteeth,anddistracFonfromplayandlearning.

•Morethan51millionschoolhoursarelosteachyearbecauseofdental-relatedillness.

TheMobileDenIstwillreturnintheSpringof2020.IfyourchilddoesnotseeadenIstonaregularbasis,pleaseconsiderthisfreeservice.

NURSE NOTES

PTO CORNER:

President: Jessica Wheeler finkelementarypto@gmail.com

Meetings: 6:00pm in cafeteria 2nd Wednesdays of

Jan/Mar/May

JAN 01 NO SCHOOL Winter Recess

JAN 20 NO SCHOOL

FOR STUDENTS *NO LONGER A

SCHEDULED MAKE-UP DAY*

JAN 21 End of Second Marking Period

JAN 28 2nd Marking Period Report Cards Issued

FEB 07 EARLY DISMISSAL

for Elementary Schools Only 11:25a

Parent/Teacher Conferences

FEB 10 NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS Parent/Teacher Conferences

*NEW MAKE-UP DAY IF NEEDED*

FEB 17 NO SCHOOL

Presidents’ Day

FEB 21 Fink Kids Heart Challenge

FEB 24 3rd Marking Period

Progress Reports Available in PowerSchool

MAR 25 Fink Dancing Day

MAR 26 End of Third

Marking Period

Please refrain from planning vacations and appointments on

PSSA testing dates so as to avoid the need to schedule

make up tests for your child(ren). Please note that

requests for educational trips will not be approved during

these testing dates:

English/Language Arts:April 20-24, 2020

Math, Science & Make-ups:

April 27 - May 8, 2020

PSSA DATES

TheMiddletownAreaSchoolDistrictdoesnotdiscriminateonthebasisofrace,color,nationalorigin,sex,age,ordisabilityinitsprogramsoremploymentpracticesas required by Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the RehabilitationAct of 1973 and theAmericans with Disabilities Act. The following persons are responsible for coordination of the District’s efforts to meet its obligations with regard to non-discrimination: Section 504 Coordinator -Mrs. Krystal L. Palmer, Director of Special Education; Americanswith Disabilities Act Coordinator -Ms. Heidi L. Zula,DirectorofHumanResources;TitleVIandTitleIXCoordinator-Dr.LoriA.Suski,SuperintendentofSchools.