Mr. Leida’s Page

Dear Pleasantville Families,

Happy New Year! I hope you had a wonderful break and were able to relax and enjoy some time together with friends and family.

Over the next three months, we will be implementing the Kings and Queens Positive Behavior Program. This program is designed to recognize Pleasantville students who are demonstrating appropriate and positive behaviors. Staff members will  give King/Queen slips to students that they recognize as doing an outstanding job.  The slips are collected by grade level and one student from each grade is selected to be that grades’ King or Queen for the week. Kings and Queens are given a number of special privileges throughout the week and I am fortunate to have a special lunch with the Kings and Queens on Friday. This is a great opportunity to speak with your child to see how many King/Queen slips they receive each week!

For our 2nd through 5th graders the DSTP is on the horizon in early March. These next couple of months are critical as we prepare for the ‘test’. The children in grades 3 to 5 will be completing packets of questions and problems at home and at school that are similar to those found on the DSTP. It’s very important that we have your support during this final ‘push’. We want all of our children to meet or exceed the standard in March!

We are working diligently to not only teach the regular curriculum, but to incorporate test taking strategies into our daily practice. In grades 3rd to 5th, our teachers have prepared packets for the children. These packets include sample items from previous DSTP tests that can be found on the Dept. of Education website. It is important that we have your support in helping the children prepare for the DSTP. If you have any questions or would like more information, see your child’s teacher.

DSTP Dates

March 10 and 11-Math

March 15 and 16-Reading

Dear Pleasantville Families,

It has been an exciting first couple of months of the year. We have had a number of wonderful events and activities including: Open House, Reading Night, Joe Corbi’s Fundraiser, and the Fall Skating Party. I’d like to thank you for all of your support at those events.

As it is the cold and flu season, I’d like to remind everyone of some general guidelines for illnesses, etc…if your child is ill, do not send him/her to school.  Staying home will quicken his/her recovery as well as assure that other students do not become ill.  A child must be free from fever, vomiting, and diarrhea for 24 hours before returning to school. It is important for attendance purposes that notes are sent in with children within three days of being absent from school. Otherwise, the absences will be considered unexcused.

It’s also important to be sure that all of our Pleasantville students are dressed appropriately for the cold weather. The children have outdoor recess unless it is raining, snowing, or below 32 degrees. Thank you for your support in keeping Pleasantville a safe and healthy school.

Conferences are just around the corner. The conference request forms will be sent home in the near future. I encourage every parent to attend a conference to discuss the progress of their child. This is a great opportunity to work together to continue heading towards a successful year.

As always, thank you for your continued support!

Welcome back to what I hope will be a wonderful year at Pleasantville Elementary . We have gotten off  to a terrific start with over two weeks behind us. The children and staff have appreciated the newly installed air conditioning that kept everyone cool through the end of August.

As you know we have been working on our wellness program at Pleasantville over the past couple of years and this year is no different. Along with several other schools in the district, we are part of a Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Snack program. Every day, every child will receive a fresh fruit or vegetable outside of their regular lunch. Each month, we will have an article, in the CATCH Corner, about improving overall health and wellness. Also, our specialists are going to focus the children’s ‘extra’ special on CATCH activities.

At least twice each year, I visit every classroom to discuss our expectations for behavior and learning at Pleasantville Elementary. I emphasize my top two priorities: keeping everyone safe and focusing on learning. I discuss the importance of both physical and emotional safety and how this must be maintained in order for children to focus on learning. We have some simply stated school rules for children to follow :

• Golden Rule-Treat others the way you want to be treated.
• Respect others and their property.
• Be kind to others.
• Only bring items to school that belong in school.

Additionally, I emphasize the importance of giving 100% each  and every day at Pleasantville by following the teacher’s directions and trying their best with no excuses. Along these lines, I want to thank all of the parents of bus riding children for their support in reinforcing the bus expectations of ‘Bottom-to-bottom, back-to-back, book bags in your lap.” With your support and reinforcement of these expectations for the children, I know that we can continue to make Pleasantville a wonderful and safe place for learning.

As always, we appreciate your on-going support and look forward to meeting you at the Open House next week. If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please call.