02 Wildcats Read Together Begins - the Lemonade War

February 2015

Mark your calendars:

February 02 Wildcats Read Together Begins - The Lemonade War 04 Talent Show Rehearsal, 6:15 p.m. at West Hanover MPR 10 PTA Meeting in the Library, 7:00 p.m. 11 Lemon Day (Wear YELLOW) 11 Talent Show Rehearsal, 6:15 p.m. at CDMS 13 Valentine Classroom Parties, 2:45 p.m. 16 No School, President’s Day Holiday 17 Talent Show Dress Rehearsal at CDMS, 6:15 p.m. 19 Talent Show at CDMS, 7:00 p.m. 20 Spring Picture Day 23-27 Magazine Fundraiser 25 Lemonade War Celebration in the MPR, 4:00 p.m.

March 03 PTA Meeting in the Library, 7:00 p.m. 06 No School, Teacher Inservice

NOTES FROM MR. C. Happy Valentine’s Day to all! Believe it or not, the school year more than HALF OVER and we are already in Febru- ary and the 3rd marking period. This month we will be celebrating African American History Month and National Children’s Dental Health Month, as well as National School Counseling Week, February 2-6, so please drop Mrs. Devor, our guidance counselor a line if you can. Our mid-year parent/teacher conferences were held last week but if you were unable to make it, please try and schedule a mutual time with the teacher to meet at another time. We held our 2nd Mini Thon to benefit 4 Diamonds on Saturday and thanks to the students and their families and their generous donations, we raised over $21,800! Thanks to all who were involved! On another note, the school will be hosting our annual magazine fundraiser February 23-27 as we did the last several years to increase our student activity fund. It takes up very little time and very little cost but the school receives 40% of all magazine sales and renewals. More information is at the end of the newsletter and more will be sent home with the students later this month. Thank you to those who have participated in our magazine fundraiser in the past. With the winter weather we have been experiencing, please make sure you have a plan in place in the event of school cancellation or an early dismissal and share with your child the morning of a possible early dismissal. Unfortunately, due to the recent school cancelation, school will be in session on Friday, February 13, and we will have our Valentine’s Day parties on this day too. Don’t forget to come and check out our annual Talent Show on the 19h at CDMS. Finally, please refer to the district calendar for the specific dates of our PSSA Reading, Math, Writing and Science tests in April before making any plans. “MR.C.” "LEARN LIKE A CHAMPION TODAY!" NURSES’ CORNER

Friendly Reminder As a friendly reminder completed dental examinations are due in Kindergarten and 3rd grade. Competed physical exam forms are due in 6th grade. Dental examinations can be dated as early as one year prior to the beginning of kindergarten and third grade. 6th grade physical exams can also be dated as early as one year prior to the start of the 6th grade school year.

February is National Children’s Dental Health Month Each year the American Dental Association (ADA) helps raise awareness regarding the importance of children’s oral health. Encouraging good oral habits at an early age in addition to regular dental checkups enable children to have a lifetime of healthy gums and teeth. Building a good oral health routine begins at home and is easy to maintain. To maintain a bright smile:  Have your children visit your dentist regularly

 Encourage your child to eat a balanced diet and brush after meals and snacks to beat plaque

 Have them brush for at least 2 minutes a minimum of twice a day

 Floss at least once daily, preferably before bedtime

Toothpaste, toothbrushes, and flossing:  Fluoride assists teeth to retain calcium, keeping them strong and slowing production of damaging acids. Fluoride is the #1 cavity fighter, so make sure your toothpaste includes it.

 Fluoride mouth rinse can further benefit your teeth by fighting cavities at the gum line and further strengthening teeth. If your community has fluoridated water, drink unfiltered tap water.

 Any type of floss whether waxed, unwaxed, plain or flavored is beneficial when used correctly and regularly.

 It is recommended that a small head toothbrush be used to make it easier to access all the areas of your mouth. In addition, soft, round-ended bristles tend to clean teeth and gums without damaging them. Re- place the toothbrush when the bristles appear worn or bent (about every 2 months) and after a cold.

Diet:  What you eat does matter to your teeth. Also, how often you eat and how long foods remain in your mouth can make a difference. Sugar in any form can damage your teeth. The most harmful sugars are ones that stick to your teeth, such as gummy and hard candies. Natural sugars such as that found in honey, fruit, starchy foods such as potatoes, as well as dairy products can also damage teeth.

 Plaque (a sticky film of harmful bacteria) results from sugary and acidic foods. A buildup of plaque can cause dental decay and disease. Brushing your teeth often and correctly can keep your smile healthy and bright.

Benefits of good oral hygiene:  Protects your teeth from decay

 Prevents gum disease

 Cleans the mouth

 Freshens breath For further brushing and flossing tips, visit http://www.deltadentalins.com/oral_health/brushing.html Dental information provided was obtained from the American Dental Association and Delta Dental’s website http://www.ada.org/en/home-ada/public-programs/national-childrens-dental-health-month and http://www.deltadentalins.com/oral_health/brushing.html

NOTES FROM THE PTA Once again, the PTA has many fun and exciting events planned in the upcoming weeks. Please take a few minutes, to look over the different committees and what they have planned. There is still a vacancy for the Vice President position. Our bylaws require someone who has been a member of the PTA for at least 6 months to fill this position. As vice president you will assist the president, line up child care for meetings, and are also in charge of the bulletin boards across from the office. This position needs to be filled. The president position will be vacated at the end of the school year as I am moving on to middle school. Please consider one of these positions. The PTA will be forming a nominating committee in March, which must consist of at least 3 members, and be an odd number. Elections for the positions of Treasurer, Vice President and President will be held in May. To be considered for the Presidency you must have served on the executive board for at least 1 year. Anyone interested or who would like more information please contact Heather Wagner at [email protected]

PTA OFFICERS Check out West Hanover PTA on the web!!! Go to www.cdschools.org/westhanover under “organizations”

Heather Wagner President 651-0724 [email protected] Vice President Connie Billett Treasurer 583-2209 [email protected] Kelly Horney Secretary 541-1340 [email protected]

4 DIAMONDS MINI THON Thank you to all who participated and organized our event this past weekend at our 2nd Mini Thon to benefit the 4 Diamonds Fund. The students raised over $21,800 to help children with cancer!

5th GRADE COMMITTEE Attention all 5th grade parents!!!!! 5th Grade Graduation event planning has begun. Please reserve Thursday May 21st, 4:00-9:00PM for the student class trip and Wednesday May 27th, 7:00PM for 5th Grade Graduation ceremony. Committee members will be collecting K and 5th grade student photos as well as group photos for the graduation ceremony in the coming weeks. If you have questions or are interested in helping with the committee, please contact Nancy Ludwig at [email protected].

GIANT A+ REWARDS Don't forget to register your bonus cards again for the 2014-2015 school year. To get started log onto www.giant- foodstores.com/aplus. You will need to enter ID # 01283 for our school.

BOX TOPS FOR EDUCATION The current Box Tops contest began on January 26th and will run through February 12th. Please send in your Box Tops & Campbell’s Labels in a baggie labeled with your student’s name and classroom. The top collecting class in each grade will win a hot cocoa and cookies party! Start collecting now to get a head start.

TALENT SHOW The 2015 West Hanover Talent Show will be held at Central Dauphin Middle School on Thursday, February 19th, at 7:00pm! Please plan to attend and cheer on our West Hanover Talent!

WH YEARBOOKS There is still time to order your Yearbook, either online at ybpay.lifetouch.com (ID code 11064815) or ask Mrs. Shuller for a form. If you are unsure if you ordered yours yet, you may contact Tina Henry at [email protected]. Please also email Tina your pictures from class parties, school functions, etc. The photos must be of good resolution (at least 300dpi) and contain multiple kids, if possible. Thank you!

Happy February Birthday to our staff…. 17th Mrs. Parker 25th Miss Sandy

MAGAZINE FUNDRAISER: “CHICKENS, BEARS, & BUCKS, OH MY!” Stay tuned for a simple, 5-minute overnight project that will not only once again greatly benefit all WHE students, but also this year, benefit many children and their families around the world!

“DO YOU KNOW SOMEONE WHO ENJOYS READING?” Chances are your family, along with your family friends & relatives, already enjoy popular magazine titles being delivered to their homes. By filling out postcards in our “Reach Out” booklet, we can contact friends of our school across the country, providing them with an opportunity to have their yearly magazine purchases serviced through our school. As a benefit, 40% of all monies spent by customers will be recycled back through our community & West Hanover Elementary… a win-win for all involved! Further program details will be sent home with all students on Monday, February 23rd. Thank you in advance for your support!

WILDCATS READ TOGETHER

West Hanover Elementary will begin its second Wildcats Read Together, our exciting school-wide reading program. If you participated in our program last year, you read In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson. We had a very favorable response to last year’s book and can’t wait for you to read this year’s choice, The Lemon- ade War, by Jacqueline Davies. Each family received a copy of the book on February 2 and is being asked to read it together each weeknight. Simply follow the reading schedule on the yellow calendar.

Something new has been added this year. Teachers and staff members have recorded the various selections. You may read the story as a family, listen to the recording of the chapter/section, or do both. Check out Mrs. Hisiro’s webpage (West Hanover Elementary’s web page, click on Staff, click on Reading and then click on Wildcats Read Together OR go to http://www.cdschools.org/Page/13976) to see who will be reading which chapter/section.

To encourage your participation in Wildcats Read Together, daily trivia questions will be asked about the pre- vious night’s reading. Classrooms will discuss and answer the daily trivia questions and submit their answers for a drawing to receive a special prize. The questions have been listed on the calendar so you have a purpose for reading each section.

Our reading celebration will take place on Wednesday, February 25th after school, with a make-up date of Thursday, February 26th. There will be stations with activities that the children will rotate among.

Teachers and staff are being encouraged to read the book. Our goal is to promote a community of readers at West Hanover. “When a whole school reads a book, there’s a lot to talk about.”

With your help, we can build a Community of Readers at West Hanover. Thank you in advance for your support of Wildcats Read Together.

Building a Better Community for Pets and People

Dear Parents,

In The Lemonade War, our Wildcats Read Together book, Jessie has decided to donate the money she makes from her lemonade stand to a charity called The Animal Rescue League. Since there isn’t one in our area, we are going to collect and donate money/items to the Humane Society of the Harrisburg Area. A representative from this organization was part of our kickoff assembly for the book. Below is a wish list that the Humane Society has provided. Please consider donating something from this list or making a monetary donation. All donations should be brought to school by Friday, February 27, 2015. Thanks in advance for your support of The Humane Society. WISH LIST

TOP NEEDS:

Nonscoopable Kitty Litter Latex/Nitrile/Vinyl Gloves Clorox Wipes Paper Towels Peanut Butter Kitten & Puppy Food (dry/canned) Cat Toys (no catnip) Herman Cat & Dog Food (especially sensitive stomach dry cat food)

ALSO NEEDED:

Gift Cards: Supermarkets - hot dogs for med and training Pet Stores – Special food and special needs Gasoline – animal transport and cruelty investigations Discount Retailers – emergency needs Office Supply Stores – copier paper, ink cartridges, etc.

Stormy