Communication
Our staff values open and regular communication with parents, as it's essential for successful educational programs.We encourage parents to stay in close contact with their child’s teacher regarding academic progress and other important matters. Please don't hesitate to inform the school of any events that may impact your child’s learning experience.
To speak with a teacher, you may call the office to leave a voicemail or email the teacher directly. Calls and emails will be returned as soon as possible. If concerns arise throughout the year—about classroom incidents, homework, or academic progress—your first point of contact should be your child’s teacher.
Newsletters and updates from the school office will be sent via email, along with PTL information. You can also find important details on the Penn-Delco School District website, the school’s webpage, and individual teachers' Schoology pages.
To ensure you receive school and district updates, please update the office immediately with any changes to your contact information, including email addresses and phone numbers. You can also update this information in your Skyward account. Be sure to communicate any changes with the front office so the school nurse has up-to-date information as well.
Parent Teacher League (PTL)
The Parent Teacher League of Parkside is vital to the success of many school events and programs. Funds raised by the PTL are used to provide a plethora of student activities, assemblies, awards, supplies, etc. The PTL membership drive will begin on Back-to-School Night; dues are $5.00 per family. PTL meetings are held monthly at 6:30 p.m. in the school library. All parents/guardians are invited to attend the meetings; please see the school calendar for specific dates.
Recent Parkside Newsletters
September 30, 2024
Hello Parkside Families,
September is coming to a close and we are ready to welcome October and the fall weather. Please have your child layer their clothing as we move into the “-ber” months so that they are comfortable in varying temperatures. Lunch bags, water bottles, hoodies, etc… have been left and the “Lost & Found” is already filling up! Use a sharpie to write your child’s name on their belongings to avoid lost items—if we know who it belongs to, we can return it to them.
There are two in-service days to be aware of in October! October 9th is an 11:15 dismissal and October 18th is a full day in-service. Please let your child’s teacher know if they will dismiss differently on half days!
Thank you for following all of our arrival and dismissal procedures; there are a few areas that could use some attention. Please help us to continue to improve by parking in the playground lot and walking up to get them if your child requires you to get out of the car at arrival or dismissal. The car line is intended for quick drop off and pick up. Helping to keep the car line moving quickly helps us be good neighbors to the businesses we are adjacent to and keeps the Edgmont Avenue traffic flowing. If you decide to park and walk up at dismissal, please let your child’s teacher know to send them outside as a walker and you will meet them in the playground area.
Finally, we would like to thank concerned parents and the Parkside Borough for responding to a walking safety concern for those crossing over from Brookhaven. An additional crossing guard has been added to address this concern. In addition to the existing crossing guards, there is now a crossing guard at Tom Sweeney and West Garrison Roads. Parents, please discuss with your child the route that you designate as a safe path to school. We also encourage families to discuss safety protocols with their child, like walking free of distractions—no phones or devices, staying on the designated path, following the directions of the crossing guards, etc… to set them up for a safe and happy walk to and from school.
Coming Up This Month:
October 9: 11:15 Dismissal; PTL Meeting 6:30 pm
October 18: No School
October 25: PTL Fall Bingo
From the School Counseling Department:
If you would like a resource for building healthy digital habits—CLICK HERE
From the School Nurse:
It’s that time of year, again—cold and flu season will be here before we know it and we’ve already seen the “Back to School” germs take their toll on some. Remind your child that hand-washing and using good hygiene practices will help stop the spread of germs! Please remember that if your child has a fever, they should remain home from school until they are fever-free without medication. They should also stay home if they have been vomiting or have diarrhea. Once they are symptom-free for 24 hours, they may return.
The Health Heroes Vaccination Clinic is coming on October 29th. Register to participate by October 23rd—CLICK HERE for the information.
If you are able to share with us, we really need leggings, sweat pants, & hoodies. We no longer need t-shirts! Also, we can always use new, unopened packages of children’s underwear, especially in small children’s sizes for both boys and girls—any donations would be appreciated.
From the PTL:
We would love to see some new and returning parents at our October PTL meeting year on Wednesday October 9th at 6:30 in the Library! We will be planning for Fall Bingo and can only host these types of events if we have parent volunteers to help plan and run them.
Thank you to those who have joined PTL and paid your dues for the 24-25 school year!
Next PTL Meeting: Wednesday, October 9, 2024 at 6:30 pm in the Library
We are looking forward to the best school year yet for 24-25! Check out the new Webpage to see the most up to date information. I encourage you to look at the Parkside Calendar at the bottom of the page for the cycle days and other important events. I also encourage you to read through the Parkside Handbook to review important guidelines for attendance, discipline, etc…
If you have questions, concerns, or feedback, please reach out. I can be reached by email at tyoung@pdsd.org or by phone at 610-497-6300 Ext. 6500!
Best,
Tara Young
Principal
Parkside Elementary
September 11, 2024
Hello Parkside Families,
Back to School Night is tomorrow night! This event is geared towards parents & guardians to receive an overview of school and classroom programming for this year. This not the time for individual conferences, so if you need to speak to a teacher or the counselor about your child specifically, please request an appointment to do so. We are happy to meet and discuss the needs of our students at an appropriate time!
Please see the schedule for Back to School Night below:
6:30 to 7:00 – Library & Room 101-- Specialist Teachers will be available in the Library and Reading Specialists and Interventionists will be in Room 101 for parents/guardians who would like to meet them and discuss their programs.
7:00 to 7:25 - Auditorium/Gymnasium-- Principal's Greeting, Introduction of Faculty, School Programs Overview
7:30 to 7:50- Session 1 -Classrooms Teacher Presentations Special Education Teachers are available in 106 (Sola) & 207 (Scargill & Seaman)
7:55 to 8:20- Session 2- Classrooms Teacher Presentations Special Education Teachers are available in 106 (Sola) & 207 (Scargill & Seaman)
From the School Nurse:
The Health Heroes flu vaccination clinic is coming next month on October 29th CLICK HERE for detailed information! If you are interested in having your child vaccinated at school, please fill out and return THIS FORM to school or REGISTER ONLINE on or before October 23, 2024!
From the Parkside PTL:
The next PTL Meeting is TONIGHT at 6:30 pm in the Library!
Thank you for reading this information carefully, please call or email if you have any questions or concerns.
Best,
Tara Young
Principal
Parkside Elementary
610-497-6300 Ext. 6500
September 8, 2024
Hello Parkside Families,
The transition back to school was great and we had a wonderful first week! I think our Eagles spirit day on Friday helped the Birds pull out the win on Friday night! We will have Parkside and “home” team spirit days throughout the school year because the staff is very dedicated to Philly sports teams, but students may wear gear from whoever their favorite team happens to be. Looking ahead to next month, definitely be ready for Red October—Go Phils!
Thank you for preparing your children for the return to school and for following all of our arrival and dismissal procedures. Please help us to continue to improve by making sure your child knows their dismissal routine. If they are a car rider, help us to teach your child their dismissal number. This will help us be efficient and safe as we dismiss the building. For this week, kindergarten will dismiss at 3:15—their usual dismissal time.
Coming Up This Week:
Monday: Day E
Tuesday: Day F
Wednesday: Day A; PTL Meeting at 6:30 pm in the Library
Thursday: Day B; Back to School Night (details below)
Friday: Day C
From the Principal:
Back to School Night is on Thursday night! CLICK HERE to see the schedule. This program is planned to inform the parents/guardians and does not require your child(ren) to be present.
From the School Nurse:
Welcome Mrs. Betsy King, our school nurse! Nurse King has been with the Penn-Delco School District for many years and we are pleased to have her as part of our school community this year. In preparing the Nurse’s Office this year, we found that we are in need of extra clothing. If you are able to share with us, we would love your clean, gently used clothes in all children’s sizes—athletic shorts, leggings, sweat pants, & t-shirts. Keep us in mind if you are cleaning out the closets! Also, we can always use new, unopened packages of children’s underwear, especially in small children’s sizes for both boys and girls—any donations would be appreciated.
From the PTL:
We would love to see some new and returning parents at our first PTL meeting of the year on Wednesday Night at 6:30 in the Library! Thank you to those who have joined PTL and paid your dues for the 24-25 school year! We will be at Back to School Night for those who would like to join that night as well.
Next PTL Meeting: Wednesday, September 11, 2024 at 6:30 pm in the Library
We are looking forward to the best school year yet for 24-25! Check out the new Webpage to see the most up to date information. If you have questions, concerns, or feedback, please reach out. I can be reached by email at tyoung@pdsd.org or by phone at 610-497-6300 Ext. 6500!
Best,
Tara Young
Principal
Parkside Elementary
August 30, 2024
Dear Parkside Parents & Guardians,
Welcome back! We are so pleased to begin the 24-25 school year! Our teachers and staff are ready to welcome your child(ren) on Tuesday, September 3, 2024. For the 1st day of school, please include a note with your child to let the teacher know how your child will dismiss the first day of school—see details below. On the first day of school, your child will receive an “All About Me” form that includes important information, like how your child will arrive and dismiss from school. Please return that and any other paperwork provided on the next day of school.
September Save the Dates:
9/3—First day of school for Grades K-5
9/12—Back to School Night (More information to follow)
9/27—Half-day: Teacher In-service 11:15 Dismissal
Universal Free Breakfast
Students will have the option to receive free breakfast each morning beginning at 8:35 am. If your child would like breakfast, they will get into the cafeteria line upon arrival and eat in the cafeteria. If they arrive after 8:50 but before 9:00, they will be able to grab their breakfast and go to their classroom. Please arrive before 9:00 am if your child plans to eat breakfast at school. CLICK HERE to see the breakfast menu!
Lunch
Lunch will cost $2.90 per day for those who choose to buy. The lunch menu is on our webpage, CLICK HERE for quick reference. If you need to apply for Free and Reduced Lunch program, please CLICK HERE for more information or to apply online.
6 Day Cycle for Related Arts
This year we are adding a Guidance class to the student’s weekly special/ related arts rotation to further enhance their educational experience. This course will be taught by a school counselor and teach life skills alongside the academics including leadership, responsibility, accountability, problem solving, and adaptability.
All students will attend 6 areas of related arts classes including Music, Art, PE (2 times per week), Technology, and Guidance. In order to fit this in, a 6-day cycle is required to run the Related Arts schedule. Only Related Arts classes will run on this schedule. This will begin on the first day of school with September 3 marked as Day A. The days will be named A through F and can be found on the Parkside Webpage and will be communicated by the classroom teachers via Schoology. Refer to the calendar that includes the letter days—I have also created a “cheat sheet” by teacher to make this an easier transition. This will be important for families to know so they know when their child needs their sneakers for gym or the instrument for band!
Arrival
Grades K-5 Arrival - Students may begin arriving at school no earlier than 8:35 AM. There is no staff supervision prior to 8:35 on school grounds.
Students who are car riders in grades K-5 will be dropped off using the car line and they will be directed to enter the school through the main entrance doors. Traffic will be directed through the circle and staff will be on hand to guide students into the building. Please remain in a single car line, pulling all the way around the circle. Wait for the car in front of you to exit, please, do not try to drive around other vehicles.
Kindergarten parents, if you drive your child and would prefer to park and walk them up to the school, please feel free to do so by parking in the playground lot. Please only enter the car line if you will not have to exit your vehicle! Once you and your child have the routine down, you can transition to the car line if you prefer.
All grades K-5 students only will go directly to the gymnasium upon arrival to school through the main entrance to the building on the first day of school. Teachers will greet the students once they arrive in the gym.
Students who arrive after 8:50 a.m. are considered late and must report the lateness in Safe Arrival or have a signed late note. If a student does not report the lateness in Safe Arrival or have a late note, the lateness will be considered unexcused.
Dismissal
Grades K-2 Walkers
Walkers: Grades K-2 may not walk home independently; they must be met by a parent/guardian or other adult. The teachers will bring students out onto the basketball courts to be dismissed to their designated adult. Please do not pull your child out of line until the teacher releases them to you--this ensures that each child is dismissed to the proper adult. If an upper grade child is to walk their Grade K-2 sibling, a parent must send this request via email/Schoology message to both sibling’s teachers. Kindergarten walkers will dismiss at 3:10 for the first week of school until the routine is established. If you plan to drive, park, and walk up to retrieve your child, please list them as a ‘walker’ so that they will meet you outside. If you list your child as a car rider, they will be transitioned inside to the car line and will not be outside to meet you.
Grades 3-5 Walkers & 1-5 Car Riders PM Dismissal
Upper Grade Walkers: Beginning around 3:20, students will be released by grade level—5th grade will be called first, followed by 4th grade, followed by 3rd grade. If an upper grade child is to walk their Grade K-2 sibling, a parent must send this request via email/Schoology message to both sibling’s teachers.
Grade K-5 Car Riders: Parents will enter the driveway and circle area and give the child's last name to the adult collecting information for the first day's dismissal. Please note: Your child will receive a car number on the first day of school. Beginning September 4th, car rider numbers must be clearly displayed in the car line at pick-up. If you do not plan to use the carline frequently, just put the number in a safe spot in case it is needed.
In order to maintain safety, car riders will not be released until walkers have left school grounds—at approximately 3:25, students will begin dismissing out the main doors by car number. Students will be walked out by a staff member and supervised getting into their car. This is the same process as last year for those familiar. Please remain in a single car line, pull all the way around the circle, wait for the car in front of you to exit; please, do not try to drive around other vehicles.
In order to be safe, car-rider dismissal will take time—we have found that as staff, students, and pick up persons become familiar with the process again, it will decrease in time over the first few weeks of school. Please be patient while we all acclimate to the process!
We are prepared, ready, and excited to welcome your children back to school. Please email Mrs. Young at tyoung@pdsd.org or call the main office at 610-497-6300 Ext. 6500 if you have questions. We look forward to an amazing school year with our students and families!
Sincerely,
Tara Young
Principal
Parkside Elementary
Chain of Inquiries
First Level >Teacher/Employee
Second Level > School Counselor
Third Level > Building Principal/Immediate Supervisor
Fourth Level > Superintendent or Designee
Fifth Level > PDSD Board