THE

2019 OCT | NOV | DEC

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 FALL edition of the Fink Times! This quarterly publication 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

WELCOME TO OURNew Teachers

Christy WalkerElementary Teacher

Alicia DenmarkMATES Teacher

Jodi JacksonReading Specialist

Lisa DiNunzioLearning Support Teacher

Justin O'DellElementary Teacher

DENTAL EXAMS All kindergarten and third

grade students are required, by the Pennsylvania Department of Health, to have a dental exam. These exams may be completed by the student’s own dentist or the school dentist, Dr. Welkie.

If we have not received documentation of a completed private dental exam for your kindergarten or third grade student, a notice will be sent home with information about the school exam. The Mobile

Dentist will be at Fink on November 11 & 12. This program provides dental

services including examinations, cleanings, sealants, x-rays.

Restorative care (fillings and simple extractions) may be

provided if needed.  

MEDICATIONS A completed Student

Medication Card must be on file with the school nurse in

order to administer any type of medication to your child.

Student medication cards are available in the nurse's office or on The Parent Center at

raiderweb.org.

PARENTS OF KINDERGARTNERS

Please return completed immunization records, and

physical and dental examination forms.

Physical examinations will be conducted this fall by the

District physician, Dr. Jayson Loeffert. These exams are for

students who have not returned documentation of a private physical examination. This is a state-required exam

for all students entering school for the first time.

Kindergarten Physicals will be held at Fink on October 1.

ACCIDENTS HAPPEN The nurse’s office is in need of small size sweat pants (new or

gently worn). It is recommended that

kindergarten and first grade students keep a change of

clothing in their backpacks.If your child was loaned

clothing, please wash and return items to school.

Nurse Notes

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 CHANGES

WEATHER DELAYS & CLOSINGS Announcements concerning school closings, delayed openings or early dismissals are communicated in the following ways: raiderweb.org, through School Messenger 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.

DRESS CODE

Appropriate footwear must be worn for health and safety reasons. The wearing of flip-flops or open-toed sandals is forbidden.

Clothing or footwear that may cause a distraction to the educational environment, such as sneakers with built in lights or music

tones that are set off by contact, are prohibited. Shorts may be worn

through October 31.

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.

PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCES

One way for a partnership to be built between

school and home is parent’s participation in Parent Teacher Conferences. Attending your children’s

conferences lets your children know that you value their education. Please contact your child’s teacher

to schedule your conference.

Monday, November 4 - AFTERNOON ONLY Tuesday, November 5 - ALL DAY

SCHOOL VISITORS

For security purposes, all building doors will remain locked. One front door has a remote security device to allow recognized visitors to enter. Visitors should ring the bell and wait for

the buzzer which indicates that the lock is released. All visitors must report to the school

office upon entry.

All parents, visitors and guests who wish to enter the school, beyond the office area, will

be asked to present a valid state-issued driver’s license or photo identification card. A

staff member will scan the I.D. and print a visitor’s badge with a current picture. Visitor I.D.s will also be cross-referenced with the sexual predator database to ensure that known predators are not approved to

unknowingly enter our schools. The visitor’s pass should be worn throughout the visit. Prior to leaving the building, the visitor should return

to the office and indicate his/her departure.

HOLIDAY READING TIPS FOR FAMILIESWith the holiday season approaching, consider adding some new family traditions that will make meaningful memories, strengthen foundations for reading, and increase learning success.

LISTEN, LAUGH, LEARN• Listen to audio books while you're traveling to visit family, wrapping gifts or cooking for the holidays. • Lyrics to holiday songs are fun to read and sing together. It is also good fun and good collaborative writing

practice to make up your own lyrics to familiar tunes. • Start a story-telling tradition by revisiting holidays of the past. Old family photographs at holiday gatherings

will help prompt stories about your own life and family traditions.

READ, RELAX, RESPOND• Put reading and writing skills to practical use. Plan holiday meals by reading cookbooks together, writing

shopping lists, and finding the needed items at the store by reading signs and labels. Read the recipe and cook together. During the simmering and baking, kids can write and decorate menus or place cards for special holiday meals.

• Set aside time just for reading. Curl up on the couch together and read aloud an old holiday favorite or check out books about holiday celebrations in other cultures.

• Work on those letter-writing skills! Have your child write letters to include in your holiday cards or send thank you notes for their holiday gifts.

STUDENT ABSENCES

When a student is absent from school, the student must present an excuse signed by a parent/guardian upon return to school. If the excuse is not returned within three (3) days, 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 from a parent/guardian must be handed in to 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.

All attendance correspondence should be directed to dhandley@raiderweb.org.

PTO President:

Jessica Wheeler finkelementarypto@gmail.com

Next Meeting: November 13

6:00pm in the library

EARN MONEYFOR OUR SCHOOL!

Our school participates in Box Tops for Education, Shoparoo,

and Giant A+ Schools. All monies raised help fund several school activities like field trips,

social events, and special activities.

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.

DEC 02 NO SCHOOL

Thanksgiving Recess

DEC 05 Elementary Choral Holiday Concert 7:00p @ MAHS

DEC 12 Fink Holiday Concert

2:00p

DEC 13 Secret Santa Shop

4:00-7:00p

DEC 23 - JAN 01 NO SCHOOL Winter Recess

NOV 01 FALL BOOK FAIR &

FAMILY NIGHT 6:00-8:00p

NOV 04 EARLY DISMISSAL

11:25aParent/Teacher Conferences (elementary schools only)

NOV 05 NO SCHOOL

FOR STUDENTS Parent/Teacher Conferences

NOV 11 & 12 Mobile Dentist

NOV 21 Turkey Toot Performance

7:00p @ MAMS

NOV 27- DEC 02 NO SCHOOL

Thanksgiving Recess 11/27 - 2nd Make-up Day

OCT 14 NO SCHOOL

FOR STUDENTS Staff Development 1st Make-up Day

OCT 30 End of 1st Marking Period

BAND NOTES Come hear the sounds of the

elementary band at our “Turkey Toot Informance” to be held on Thursday,

November 21 at 7:00 p.m. at MAMS. The 2019-2020

first-year instrumentalists will make their debut and you will get a first glimpse at how we get started at putting together first-year band! The second-

year students will be showing off our process from sight-

reading to performance-ready fun! Come hear our progress

and get ready for the holidays!

BREAKFAST Doors open for all students at 8:00 a.m. Students are encouraged to participate in breakfast beginning at 8:00 a.m. Students must be in their homerooms by 8:30 a.m.