Dear Families,

Davis is gearing up for the start of a busy March

that includes Read Across America, the contin-

uation of March Madness, and administrative

preparations for our annual state testing (PSSA).

Now that the 2nd marking period has ended we

would like to thank all of our parents who par-

ticipated in parent-teacher conferences. Your

continued support and partnership helps to en-

sure we are providing your children with a great

education.

March 2nd is the official birthday of Dr. The-

odor Seuss Geisel, who we affectionately know

as Dr. Seuss. Across the country, thousands

participate by bringing together children and

books. We are hosting a weeklong celebration

with Read Across America events. This year,

we will cap off Read Across America Week

with a Movie-Literacy Night. Guest readers will

read Dr. Seuss’ favorites throughout the even-

ing. We will also watch “The Lorax” and give

away a few Dr. Seuss classics.

Lastly, our students in grades 3-5 will be taking

the PSSA next month. As you are aware, the

PSSA is but one academic performance measure

among many assessments that happen at Davis.

The faculty and staff prepare our students for all

meaningful academic measures from September

thru June by relying on our high-quality curricu-

lum while using superior instructional practices.

We will provide additional PSSA details in next

month’s edition.

Our best to you and your families,

Mrs. Coles & Dr. Devitt

“The more that you read, the more things you

will know. The more that you learn,

the more places you’ll go. ~Dr. Seuss

March 2017

D AV I S E L E M E N TA RY

From the Health Room March is National Nutrition Month! A great

website for kid and family friendly recipes is

called “Nourish Interac-

tive” (www.nourishinteractive.com). There is

also a wealth of information regarding health and

nutrition. Fun games and activities for the chil-

dren are available, too…..check it out, if you

have a few minutes!! Remember that yearly well

visits to the pediatrician serve as an important

part in promoting health and wellness for your

child.

March is also National Poison Prevention

Month. There are many hazards in our own

homes, especially for young children. Safe Kids

Worldwide is a website containing poison pre-

vention tips. http://www.safekids.org/tip/poison-

prevention-tips.

A new poison threat, which has come about over

the past several years, is liquid nicotine from e-

cigarette devices. According to the American

Association of Poison Control Centers, some

children and toddlers who come in contact with

e-cigarette devices or liquid nicotine have be-

come very ill; some even requiring ER visits

with nausea and vomiting being the most signifi-

cant symptoms. Adults should use care to protect

their skin when handling the products, and they

should be out of sight and out of the reach of chil-

dren. Additionally, those using these products

should dispose of them properly

to prevent exposure to pets and

children from the residue or liq-

uid left in the container. The

American Association of Poison

Control Centers recommends the

following steps:

Protect your skin when handling the products.

Always keep e-cigarettes and liquid nicotine

locked up and out of the reach of children.

Follow the specific disposal instructions on

the label.

If you think someone has been exposed to an e-

cigarette or liquid nicotine, call your local poison

center at 1-800-222-1222 immediately.

Further information on this topic can be found at

http://www.aapcc.org/alerts/e-cigarettes/

Also, remember to keep the Poison Control phone

number easily accessible at home and on your cell

phone, in the case of a poison-related incident or

emergency, at 1-800-222-1222.

An important reminder if you have a child starting

Kindergarten next school year…. Kindergarten

Registration begins on Wednesday, March 8, 2017!

The process this year has changed, so please refer

to the school district website for further infor-

mation.

From the Principal The Counselors’ Corner 2

The Reading Corner 2

Read Across America 3

Weather, Reminder, Cafe 4

Davis Dolphins 4

Spelling Bee, Wed. Ex-

press

4

K Early Dismissal, PSSA 4

From the Nurse 5

Positive Behavior, Li-

brary

5

Teacher’s Corner 6-7

B-day Club 8

H & S News 9

Davis Happenings 10

Calendar 11

Inside this issue:

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

Apr. 3: H & S Mtg, 10:00 AM

Apr. 4: School Board Mtg, 7

PM

Apr. 5: Citizen’s Policy Cmte

Mtg, 6 PM

Apr. 10-11 Schools closed

Apr. 12-14: Schools and offices

closed.

Apr. 19: Repor t Cards Distr ib-

uted

Apr. 25: School Board Cmte of

the Whole Mtg, 7 PM

Apr. 26: Early Dismissal—no

AM Kindergarten

Apr. 27: Poetry Reading

Apr. 28: Mother & Daughter

Event

Centennial School District

The Counselors’ Corner

An important community service project is coming up!

In mid-March the entire school will be working with Operation Helping Hand. They are a Warminster based organization affiliat-

ed with The United Way. Each year they collect nonperishable food items from schools in Bucks County. Information will be

sent in the e-folder encouraging you to send in an item based on what grade level your student is in. Our students will collect,

sort, and package these items for collection and distribution by Operation Helping Hand. Items are to be brought to school by

March 8th.

We continue to encourage you to ask your children what they are discussing in their guidance lessons. In kindergarten the chil-

dren will learn about ways to show good sportsmanship. In first grade, the children will identify the difference between tattling

and telling when you need help. In second grade, the students are continuing to build up their self esteem skills. Third graders are

completing a teamwork project. Fourth graders are learning about including others in social situations. In fifth grade the students

will discuss internet safety. If you have any questions about the lessons or anything else related to your child’s overall develop-

ment, feel free to contact your child’s school counselor.

Grades 2,3,4: Bob Immerman 215 364 5970 ext 15031 email: immero@centennialsd.org

Grades K, 1, 5: Christi Ward 215 364 5970 ext 15030 email: wardch1@centennialsd.org

The Reading Corner

Ten things you can do to help your child become a better reader

Your role as a parent is a pivotal one in helping your child achieve success in reading,

spelling, and writing at school. Here are some helpful tips that will help set your child on the

path to word study success!

1. When reading to your child, point out patterns that occur across words “Hey! The letter ‘s’ at the end of ‘cats’ changes the

meaning of the word from one cat to more than one cat.” Encourage your child to look for other words with the same pattern.

2. When your child is reading aloud, encourage her to read as if she were telling the story to a very young child. This will help her

to read with natural expression and fluency.

3. Do not allow your child to “guess and go”, that is, to guess the identity of a word after sounding out only the first letter(s) of

the word. When this happens, tell her to look at all the letters in the word.

4. When your child says he doesn’t know what a word is, don’t automatically read it for him. Ask him to look for common

spelling patterns inside the word he doesn’t know. “Look! The letters at the end of this word (crouch) are the same letters at the

end of ‘pouch’. Use the word ‘pouch’ to read this rhyming word”.

5. Model reading of words using slow-motion talking, blending one sound into the next with no pause between sounds, e.g.,

“thhiiiss” for “this”. Point to the corresponding letters as you say the sounds and pronounce the word naturally when finished.

6. Select books that match your child’s reading ability. Reading material that is too hard will cause your child to guess words. If

your child habitually selects reading material that is too easy, or doesn’t like to read, this may be a sign of a reading problem.

7. Discourage your child’s focus on reading fast. Instead, encourage your child to focus on reading accurately. As children be-

come more accurate readers, they become more fluent readers.

8. If your child habitually skips words or lines of text, encourage her to run an index finger under the line of print when reading.

9. When your child needs to read a long word, encourage her to chunk the word into syllables by focusing on vowel letter chunks

in the word. “This word (computer) has three chunks of vowel letters, let’s read one chunk at a time; com-pu-ter.” If necessary,

prompt your child to say the word several times, each time stressing a different syllable or changing a vowel sound from long to

short (or vice versa) until the word “rings a bell” and makes sense in the context of what is being read.

10. Discuss new words and encourage your child to make up sentences using the new words. Using new words in different situa-

tions throughout the day helps improve a child's vocabulary, comprehension, and knowledge of the world around them.

M O N D A Y , F E B R U A R Y 2 7 T H

R E A D M Y S H I R T D A Y !

W E A R A S H I R T T H A T O T H E R S

C A N R E A D . ( S T U D E N T S W I L L

A L S O P A R T I C I P A T E I N D R O P

E V E R Y T H I N G A N D R E A D ) .

T U E S D A Y , F E B R U A R Y 2 8 T H

F A V O R I T E C O L O R D A Y

I N H O N O R O F M Y M A N Y C O L -

O R E D D A Y S , W E A R Y O U R F A -

V O R I T E C O L O R . C L A S S R O O M S

W I L L V I E W O N L I N E R E S O U R C E S

I N W H I C H E I T H E R A S T A F F

M E M B E R O R F A M O U S P E R S O N

R E A D S A W E L L - K N O W N S T O R Y .

W E D N E S D A Y , M A R C H 1 S T

W A C K Y W E D N E S D A Y – W E A R

Y O U R W A C K I E S T C L O T H E S A N D

B E P R E P A R E D T O E N J O Y A S T O -

R Y R E A D B Y A M Y S T E R Y R E A D -

E R .

T H U R S D A Y , M A R C H 2 N D

D R . S E U S S R E D & W H I T E D A Y

- W E A R R E D A N D W H I T E A N D

B R I N G Y O U R F A V O R I T E D R .

S E U S S B O O K . P A R T N E R R E A D

W I T H A B U D D Y I N O T H E R

C L A S S R O O M S .

F R I D A Y , M A R C H 3 R D

S N U G G L E U P T O A G O O D B O O K

– W E A R Y O U R P A J A M A S T O

S C H O O L A N D B R I N G Y O U R F A -

V O R I T E B E D T I M E S T O R Y .

“The more that you read, the more things

you will know. The more that you learn, the

more places you'll go.” ― Dr. Seuss, I Can Read With My Eyes Shut!

MARCH 2ND READ ACROSS AMERICA

Davis Elementary School

Get ready to grab your hat and read with

the Cat in the Hat for the 20th annual

Read Across America Day! At Davis Ele-

mentary School, we will be having a week

long reading celebration!

You're never too old, too wacky, too wild, to pick

up a book and read with a child."

Davis Dolphins

Each week names are drawn from our Davis Dol-

phins container as a way to recognize and cele-

brate our students for demonstrating trustworthi-

ness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, and citizen-

ship. Congratulations to Ellie G, Daniel K, Aleson G-D,

Logan A, Aly K, Jordan G, Grace S, Haley W, Gavin B,

Cassidy B, Andrea Y, Ava C, Adina C, Petrick P, Dalal A,

Kurt K, Jose G, Kevin J, Gabe S, Lexa S, Braden D, Alexa-

vier A, Oksana P, Bora C, Rylee B, Sevinch S, Celia J, Remi

P, Drew S, Adriana V, Brianna D, Michael W, Richard B,

Carlos P-A, Devon L, Austyn M. Way to go, boys and girls!!

Outstanding Cafeteria Balances

. The Food Service Department has a procedure that states that students

owing more than an established obligation ($6.00) will be offered an alter-

nate meal of one (1) cheese sandwich or one (1) ham and cheese sandwich

or one (1) ham sandwich, one (1) fruit or vegetable and the student’s

choice of one (1) milk. The student’s account will be charged one dollar

and 50 cents ($1.50) Food allergies will be considered. Negative or low

balance letters are sent home in the Wednesday Express. We request that

you provide payments in a timely manner. Please contact the school Prin-

cipal, Ms. Coles, or Cafeteria Manager, Mrs. McElroy if you have any

questions concerning this procedure.

If you are eligible, free or reduced price lunches are available by filling an

application through the Food Service Office of the Centennial School

District. You can also pre-pay for lunch through the “E-Fund” system and

credit can be immediately applied to the account. If you need assistance

with placing money on your child’s account or applying for free/reduced

lunch programs, please contact the Food Service Office at 215-441-6000

Wednesday Express Each Wednesday, your child’s teacher will send home the

Wednesday Express envelope. Please take a moment to

remove, read, review the contents, and return the envelope to

school the next day. Your signature on the outside of the

envelope lets us know that you received it. We also recom-

mend that everyone continue to check the eFolder on a regu-

lar basis.

Reminder-Absences While coming to school each and every day is important, it is equally im-

portant to monitor our children’s health. If a child is sick, please keep

him/her home. Our teachers will work with students who have fallen ill to

make sure they do not fall behind in the classroom.

If your child is absent from school, you will be notified via a voice mes-

sage that will come to the primary phone number listed in Skyward. In

addition, an email will be sent to the first email address listed in Skyward.

Please be sure that your phone number and email address is updated in

Skyward. If an automated call is made and you believe it to be in error,

please call the main office of the school. Automated calls and emails may

still occur even if you’ve contacted the school regarding the absence.

Absence notes will still be required. You can send a written note in with

your child on the day that he or she returns to school. This year you will

have the option of emailing an excuse note. The excuse note can be sent to

DAAttendance@centennialsd.org . This email address is dedicated to

receiving these notes. If you have any questions regarding this

change, please call the main office at (215) 441-6000 x 15010

Kindergarten Early Dismissals Please remember that this year, on half days, there is no kin-

dergarten in the afternoon. Kindergarten students will rotate.

These are the remaining half days for this year.

April 8 No PM kindergarten.

June 9 Tentative Last Day No PM kindergarten.

PSSA Testing Dates

Each school year , all students in grades three, four, and five are administered state assessments called the PSSA (Pennsylvania System of School Assessment). All Davis third, fourth, and fifth grade students are assessed in reading and mathematics. Fourth grade students are also assessed in science. Because all students must participate in these assessments, we are asking families not to schedule trips or make appointments during the testing dates listed below. Please mark your calendars with these important dates. Additional infor-mation will follow as we get closer to the testing dates.

April 11-15: PSSA English Language Arts April 18-22: PSSA Math April 25-29: PSSA Science (Grades 3, 4, 5) (Grades 3,4,5) (Grade 4)

National Spelling Bee A shout out to all the students who qualified

and/or participated in the recent Davis

Spelling Bee, which was held on February 8.

We are proud of Philip R, Elson X, Alexandros T,

Michelle K, Braeden D, Samantha H, Elena B, Elif A,

Britney T, Anthony C, Oksana P, Owen T, Erta F, Julia

N, Devon D, Bora C, David D, Luke T, Theresa D, Victo-

ria D, Kevin S, Rishi D. We congratulate this year’s

winners, Kevin S and Rishi D. Great job! A special

“thank you” to our 4th and 5th grade teachers, Dr. Devitt,

Dr. Garcia, Mr. Immerman, Ms. McArdle for their efforts

in coordinating this event!

Inclement Weather It is not too early to begin thinking about inclement weather.

Do you have a plan in place in the event that bad weather

causes school to dismiss earlier than usual? Please take time

to review your family’s plan with your child. It helps to reduce the anxi-

ety that children often feel when their schedule is changed unexpectedly.

Up-to-the minute information on school closings, early dismissals, and

cancellations can be found on local TV and radio stations, eAlerts, and

the district website. Reminder: The Centennial School District emergen-

cy closing number is 753

Davis Library News

Mrs. Bartley’s fourth and fifth grade students will complete filming of travel commercials and colo-

nial newscasts in the month of March. These are the culmination of grade level research projects:

Fourth grade students study PA. Groups were assigned different regions of the state (Philadelphia &

Lehigh Valley, PA Dutch and Susquehanna Valley, Pittsburgh and Great Lakes Region, Poconos and

Upstate) to research historical, cultural, and other attractions which they will then develop into a trav-

el commercial script to be filmed and finally shared with their classmates.

Fifth grade studies the colonial period in social studies. During library class, students will investigate

one topic or event from this time period (ie: Middle Passage, Boston Tea Party, Occupations etc.) and

create a script for a newscast showcasing the facts they uncovered

Davis Positive Behavioral Interventions and Support (PBIS) Team News

Our Davis School Team is very proud of the many positive changes that we have seen in the overall behavior of our student

body. Many of our students have been the proud recipients of a Distinguished Dolphin award for showing outstand-

ing, respectful, responsible, and safe behavior in the classroom, bus, hallway, cafeteria, playground, and other areas. We are

excited to announce that our students will soon have an additional incentive. In the spring,Davis Spirit Sticks, which are cus-

tom-embroidered patches, can be earned for exhibiting excellent Davis behavior. These spirit sticks can be placed on a key

ring and attached on a book bag or other object.

The Davis School PBIS Team has made numerous presentations. These have included presenting our Davis PBIS Program at

a Centennial School Board Meeting, a Bucks County IU Regional PBIS Day in Doylestown, and a Pennsylvania Department

of Education PATTAN (Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network) Regional Coaches Day in Malvern,

PA. Our program has received a great deal of positive recognition from across the region. This recognition is a tribute to the

entire Davis School Community!

Special thanks to our Parents, Home & School Association, and School Community for supporting our initiative and helping

children learn our Davis pledge:

As a Davis Dolphin, I will be Respectful, Responsible, and Safe. I will follow all Expected Behaviors at my school. I

will be the best I can be at Davis Elementary.

From the Nurse, Contd.

An important medical note, please come prepared with the necessary medical documents needed for

registration. This includes your child’s most updated Immunization Record. All children entering

Kindergarten require the following series of immunizations: 4 doses of DTap (last dose given on or

after 4th birthday), 3 doses of polio, 2 doses of MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella), 3 doses Hepatitis

B, and 2 doses Varicella (chicken pox) or history of the disease. A completed physical examination

by your child’s pediatrician and a completed dental examination is required by the state of Pennsyl-

vania, when your child enters kindergarten in September. Also, please contact the school nurse’s

office regarding any medical concerns that you may have for your child.

Valerie Breiner, RN, BSN, MEd., Certified School Nurse

(215) 364-5970 ext. 15025

breiva@centennialsd.org

Teacher’s Corner - Kindergarten

Kindergarten learned all about Antarctica and pen-

guins! We had a penguin day where we got to feel

what it would be like to be a penguin! We waddled,

tobogganed, huddled, and even pretended to swim

in the Arctic Ocean to eat krill! We had fun in

Antarctica!

Teacher’s Corner - Grade 2

All of the second grade students went on an exciting trip to the William Tennent High School Planetarium. Presented and

taught by Mr. Williams, The Little Star that Could, is an educational adventure featuring how stars were born and how our

solar system was created. All of the students enjoyed this unique “out of this world” experience!

Teacher’s Corner - Grade 4

The students in Mrs. Wagner’s 4th grade reading class wrote persuasive letters from the point of view of a homeless animal in

search of a forever home. The letters were then sent to the Women’s Humane Society in Bensalem, PA. These letters will be

used to decorate the hallways so that potential adopters can read them. Hopefully, these letters will convince someone to take

home a special pet to love and enjoy! Great job 4th graders!

IMG—Dr. Garcia

Cooking and friendship- what a “sweet” combination! Fourth grade students of Dr. Garcia’s gifted support program engage in

a “cooking time” with students of Mr. Del Davis (a wonderful special education teacher at Davis Elementary and the BCIU).

Friendships blossom each Friday afternoon while our students partner together to demonstrate responsible teamwork. Students

are expected to follow directions and employ communication skills, with the goal of preparing a delicious treat. Together,

they aspire to prepare a recipe book of their winning combinations!

Each month here at Davis, Mrs. Coles will recog-nize the students who have birth-days that month by giving them a special pencil and posing for a pho-to with them. This month we recognized our February birth-days.

Davis Home & School News March 2017

Our next H&S meeting will be Monday, March 6, 2017 at 6:15 PM at Davis Elementary. Please come

out to hear about all the great upcoming events and volunteer opportunities. See you there!

Volunteers Due to recent legislation in our Commonwealth, all Volunteers must obtain new clearances every (3) years. Volunteers with clearances that will be more than three (3) years old on July 1, 2015, must get new clearances before July 1, 2015. Below you will find links providing details on the three required clearances. Once you receive your clearances you must take the originals to the District Administration Building (not to the school). They will then make a copy to keep on file and return the originals to you.

Required Clearances: Links Below

Pa Child Abuse History

Davis Fifth Grade students working on a wonderful community project

In conjunction with the organization, Ryan’s Cases for Smiles, our Davis fifth graders will be sewing child friendly

pillowcases. These pillowcases will reach pediatric patients at local hospitals, such as Children’s Hospital of Phila-

delphia and St. Christopher’s.

To offset the costs of material, the fifth grade will host a SMILE WALL.

For each $1.00 donation your child will receive a SMILE to personalize and place on the wall. This is a wonderful

opportunity for children to help children. Please consider donating. Forms may be found in the Davis E-folder.

Committee Members Needed

Home and School is in need of volunteers for the following committees; Executive Board Nomination Committee

and Race for Education. If interested please contact DavisHomeandSchool@gmail.com by March 22, 2017.

Just a few reminders...

Box Tops-Thanks to our families Boxtops totals continue to grow! Congratulations to our students who win their

very own pajama day! Keep clipping and watch for the monthly sheet and new contests to be sent home. Check out

our earnings and some great coupon offers at http://www.boxtops4education.com/.

GIANT-To date, this program has accumulated over $9,000! Thank you to the many families that entered their card

number in the A+ Rewards program. Follow our earnings at www.giantfoodstores.com/aplus. Remember to use

your Bonuscard when shopping!

Shoparoo- By downloading the Shoparoo app we are earning money for our school by simply snapping pictures of

grocery receipts. How easy is that? A simple fundraiser with no out of pocket costs! A great way to get the kids in-

volved in fundraising for their school is to let them take the pictures. The more supporters we get, the more we earn.

Sign up today! Click here for more information- http://www.shoparoo.com/.

Membership - Thank you to the families and staff that paid the 2016-17 dues. There are still membership forms

available in the e-folder. We would love to have 100% participation from our families

3/3- Home and School Movie Night

3/6-Home and School Meeting

3/24 Science Fair

SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT

1 A6

Honors Chorus to MCD,

3:30 PM

Cheer C;lub, 3:45-4:45

Citizen’s Policy Cmte Mtg,

6 PM

2 B1 Spanish Class, 7:50 AM

4th Gr. Band, 1:40

Art Club, Gr. 2-3 3:45—

4:45

March Madness, Girls,

3:45-4:45

3 B2 Family Movie Night, 6:30

PM

4

5 6 B3 Science Explorers,

H & S General Mtg, 6:15

PM

7 B4 5th Gr. Band, 12:55

Honors Band & Orch to

MCD, 3:30 PM

Art Club, Gr. 2-3 3:45

March Madness, Boys

3:45-4:45

Reading Olympics—3:30-

4:30

8 B5

Honors Chorus to MCD,

3:30 PM

Cheer C;lub, 3:45-4:45

Kindergarten Registra-

tion, 7 PM

9 B6 Spanish Class, 7:50 AM

4th Gr. Band, 1:40

Art Club, Gr. 2-3 3:45—

4:45

March Madness, Girls,

3:45-4:45

10 A1

Mother and Son Event, 6

PM

11

12 13 A2

14 A3 Silver Spoons, Peaceful Bus

5 th Gr. Band, 12:55

Honors Band & Orch to MCD,

3:30 PM

Art Club, Gr. 2-3 3:45 – 4:45

March Madness, Boys

3:45-4:45

School Board Mtg, 7 PM

15 A4

Honors Chorus to MCD,

3:30 PM

Cheer C;lub, 3:45-4:45

16 A5 Spanish Class, 7:50 AM

4th Gr. Band, 1:40

Art Club, Gr. 2-3 3:45—

4:45

March Madness , Girls

3:45-4:45

17 A6 Early Dismissal—

No AM Kindergarten

18

19 20 B1

21 B2 5th Gr. Band, 12:55

Honors Band & Orch to

MCD, 3:30 PM

Girl Scouts, 3:30:-5:00

March Madness , Boys

3:45-4:45

School Board Mtg, 7 PM

22 B3 Honors Chorus to MCD,

3:30 PM

Cheer C;lub, 3:45-4:45

23 B4

4th Gr. Band, 1:40

Reading Olympics, 3:30–

4:30

March Madness , Girls

3:45-4:45

24 B5

March Madness Champi-

onship Games, 2:00

Science Fair, 6:15 PM

25

26 27 B6

28 A1 5th Gr. Band, 12:55

Honors Band & Orch to

MCD, 3:30 PM

School Board Committee

of the Whole Mtg, 7 PM

29 A2 Honors Chorus to MCD,

3:30 PM

Cheer C;lub, 3:45-4:45

30 A3 End of Marking Period

Reading Olympics

Competition

31 A4 Early Dismissal—No PM

kindergarten

March 2017