Monthly - Pennsbury School District

April, 2011
Volume 2, Issue 7 News
Here’s
what’s
coming up…
April
4/4 – Yankee Candle
sale ends!
4/4-8 – PSSA Science-
4 th grade
4/6-End of 3 rd Marking
Period
-National Start
Walking Day-WEAR
GREEN!
-Science Club sign up
ends
4/7 -Teacher Workshop
NO SCHOOL
4/12-PTO Mtg.-9:45 a.m.
4/13-Market Day orders
due!
4/15-Pretzel Sale
-Kdg. Trip to Howell
Farm
4/18-Report Cards sent
home.
18-29 – Baby Bundles
Collection
4/19- 2 nd Gr. Trip to
Bowman’s
Wildflower Preserve
- Market Day pickup;
5-6pm-cafeteria
4/21,22- Spring Recess
NO SCHOOL
4/25-Teacher Workshop
NO SCHOOL
Coming in May:
5/4- 5 th gr. Orientation @
Pennwood M.S.
5/5 – Beginning of
“Concert Week”
5/6 – 1 st gr. Mother’s Day
Program
5/11 – Spring Concert @
PHS-West
Every Wednesday
throughout the
school year will be
“Pennies for Peace”
collection day.
@ The Hill
Message from the Principal
Dear Parents:
As I write to you light snow is predicted for the area even though the
calendar says Spring! The students and staff at Quarry Hill are eager to
greet the milder weather that surely must be just around the corner if we
only believe!
Finally, PSSA testing for grades 3, 4 and 5 is drawing to a close. Fourth
grade will have the science portion administered April 4-8. All make-ups
must be completed by April 15. Students in grades 1-5 will take the
American Guidance Service (AGS) test in reading beginning April 18.
Fifth grade students will then take the Pennsbury Math Test (PMT) in
May.
You may realize there is much testing that takes place even with our
youngest students and you would be correct. Education has now
become data-driven. Though teachers do their own informal
assessments (observations, questioning, etc.) on a daily basis, there
exists a veritable alphabet soup of tests. These formal assessments
provide internal, District, state-wide and national accountability. Students
are measured against themselves, others in the same grade within the
District, across the Commonwealth and nation. Teachers are able to
utilize the informal and formal assessment data to plan their instruction,
monitor progress and adjust accordingly, remediate and enrich. Though
many days of instruction are used to assess, please know we endeavor
to strike a balance by educating the whole child and not only assessing.
Our children are growing up in an age when they will need to
demonstrate strategic test taking skills, whether it be the teacher-created
test on the elementary level, or those that lie ahead on the secondary
and collegiate levels. We strive to create a culture of competent thinkers
who are joyful learners. They have a long road ahead and with all of our
support they will attain their goals.
As we work together remember, “April showers bring May flowers!”
Sincerely,
Peggy Schiavone, Ed.D.

Nancy Kazanjian, R.N.
The President’s Award
will be presented on
behalf of President
Obama at the awards
assembly in June.
News @ The Hill Page 2
Mark Your Calendar for Final Testing Dates
Listed below are the final testing windows for the various standardized tests that occur throughout
the year. Your cooperation is needed to schedule vacations at other times. In some instances
the testing window (PSSA) is very short and it is critical to have full student participation. In
instances where the testing window is longer, the students will be tested at the beginning of the
window to allow ample time for make-up tests.
Your cooperation in this is greatly appreciated. Please mark your calendar with this very important
assessment information.
April 4-8: PSSA Science Test; Grade 4
April 11-15: PSSA make-up’s
18-5/6: AGS Reading; Grades 1-5
A “Healthy” Reminder from the Nurse’s Office
Support the fight against heart disease
by participating in National Start!
Walking Proper Day Fire on Drill Wednesday, Procedures April for Visitors
6 th . Adults and children nationwide
are encouraged to make the pledge to
Start! Walking and to become active
and heart healthy, especially in the
workplace.
Why walking? For starters, taking
just ten minutes three times a day to
walk will help you live longer.
Walking also has the lowest dropout
rate of any physical activity.
Essentially it’s the simplest positive
change you can make to effectively
improve your health.
May 2-27: PASA Science; Grade 4
9-20: Pennsbury Math Test; Gr. 5
Getting at least 30 minutes of
walking or moderate physical
activity under your belt every day
can help you:
 Reduce the risk of coronary
heart disease
 Improve blood pressure and
blood sugar levels
 Improve blood lipid profile
 Maintain body weight and
lower the risk of obesity.
Presidential Educational Award Criteria
At the conclusion of each school year, students who have earned the Presidents
Award for Educational Excellence are honored. The following criteria must be
met:
At least a 3.5 out of a 4.0 point scale from the four core subject
areas (Reading, Math, Science, Social Studies) of 4 th grade and the
first two marking periods of 5 th grade report cards.
“Advanced” in both math and reading on the 4 th grade PSSA’s.
So on April 6 th have
your child wear
green (and sneakers)
and Start! Walking!
QH students will be
walking at 2:30 on
the 6 th (weather
permitting).

Page 3
News @ The Hill
A Friendly Reminder from the Front Office
When there are changes to your child’s dismissal and they have already left
for school (i.e. you want them to take the bus instead of getting picked up)
please DO NOT leave a message on the teacher’s voicemail. Call the front
Proper Fire Drill Procedures for Visitors
office and we will call the teacher. There have been instances where a
teacher was not in and the child did not get the message. To avoid confusion
please call the office! Thank you!
Welcome to Quarry Hill!
During the month of March the following students enrolled in QH:
2 nd Grade: Lauren Gygax, JonMichael Clint 4 th Grade: Joshua
Fosbenner.
A warm and hearty welcome to all of our new students!
A Special Notice of Meetings For Parents of Students with IEP’S
All parents of Pennsbury students with IEP’s are invited to attend any or all of the
following meetings scheduled for 2010-2011. Please RSVP to the Pennsbury Special
Education Department at 215-428-4187 or email JDelello@pennsbury.k12.pa.us. All
meetings take place in the lower level conference room at the Central Administration
Building, located at 134 Yardley Ave, Fallsington.
Student Council Updates
April 13, 2011, 11:45 a.m.-12:45 p.m.
Topic: ADHD
Congratulations to our Spring Raffle Basket Winners. We were able
to raise almost $600 which will be put towards our courtyard
instructional center. Thank you for donating items and purchasing
tickets. Coming soon… Mother's Day Plant Sale and Field Day Tshirts.
Watch for the order forms in the Quarry Hill eNews.
Pennies for Peace Update: - We have collected 78,169 pennies
which can provide scholarships for two students or maternal health
care for one year for 7 mothers.
You can reach the QH
office by dialing 215-
321-2400 extension
“0”

Carolyn Hjembo,
Reading Specialist
News @ The Hill Page 4
APRIL is Reading Month!
The Keystone Reading Association has declared "April is Reading Month" for all
students in the state of Pennsylvania. Families all across the state will be
sharing the joys of reading at home with their children.
There will be a calendar coming home for "April is Reading Month" for all
students at Quarry Hill. You can read with your children 15-20 minutes per day
and initial each day you complete the reading. Be flexible. If you miss a day,
you can make up the time the next day or over the weekend.
Children develop a love of stories and poems when they are read to on a
regular basis. You can help enrich and expand their world through the richness
of literature. You will create memories with your children as you share stories
that made you laugh and cry.
At the end of April, please return the calendar to your child's teacher with the
child's name and the teacher's name written clearly on the front. We will have
an assembly in June where each child who participates will be given a
certificate in front of our whole school! Please help them achieve this
worthwhile goal by reading each day in April.
Math Olympiad Winners
The fifth grade Math Olympiad team has completed a
successful season. Finishing in first place is Alexa
Tannenbaum. Finishing in second place is Noah Bennison.
And finishing in third place is Greg Levy. Mrs. Walter and Mrs.
McIntire congratulate all of the team members for their work
throughout the season!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The winners in the 4th grade Math Olympiad are as follows:
3rd place: Kate Klock and Geneve Lauby; 2nd place: Matthew
Cassie,Christine Cataldo-Smith and Carolyn Priestley; 1st place:
Miles Borowsky, Brandon Ferraro, and Nate Silverman.
Congratulations to all team members ! Everyone did a great job! I am
so proud of all of you for having the desire to challenge yourself with
these contests and practices. I hope you all go on to the 5th grade
team next year! Well Done 4th grade !
Mrs. Kimmel

Page 5
From the desk of Mrs. Laden
News @ The Hill
Celebrating Earth Day with School Age Children
On April 22 nd , millions of people around the globe will celebrate
Earth Day by making small changes in the way they treat the planet.
On New Years, many have become accustomed to making resolutions.
Why not do the same as a family on Earth Day, and plan to make changes
in the upcoming year that better the environment.
Making Small Changes
While living a greener lifestyle may seem to be an overwhelming task, there are many small
things you can do as a family to help the environment. Consider some of the following:
1. Stop Using Water Bottles: Nearly 1.5 million tons of plastic waste is produced
every year. Water bottles are a significant part of this waste. Sure they're easy to pack
in a lunchbox or carry in a diaper bag, but they're also expensive and no better for you
and your family than plain tap water. Consider investing in some reusable water bottles
which are cheaper in the long run and better for the planet. Although tap water in most
areas is just as good as bottled, if you must use bottled water buy a large jug and
divide it into resuable bottles, sign up for a water cooler service, or install a water filter
on your sink.
2. Shop Local: This can mean several things. First, if you live near a farm or if there is
a farmer's market nearby, check out what they have to offer before hitting the
supermarket. Not only will you support local economy but you will be greatly reducing
the amount of greenhouse gases used to get your food to you. Also, farmers markets
and farms can lead to great, fresh finds in local produce and can be very educational
for kids who are used to seeing their fruit, vegetables, and meats come in packaging. If
farms and farmers markets are not an option for you, then pay attention to what you
purchase at the store. If strawberries aren't in season where you live, then it's likely
those berries you're paying an arm and a leg for traveled pretty far, often from another
country, to get to you. Consider holding off until they are in season where you live, and
buy produce that was more locally grown.
3. Walk or Carpool Whenever Possible: Walking is always best. It's free, requires
no fuel, and is a great way for the family to get fresh air and exercise. When walking
isn't possible consider carpooling. Take turns driving your child and their friends to
dance or soccer and help reduce emissions and fuel costs, a bonus with gas prices
regularly on the rise.
Let Your Children Lead the Way
Kids today are more aware than ever about climate change, recycling, and the importance of
preserving our planet for the future. Encourage your child to be in charge of recyclilng at your
house, or even to start a recycling project at their school. Don't just tell them why living
greener is important, share books like Recycle: A Handbook for Kids by Gail Gibbons or
Where Does the Garbage Go by Paul Showers and have them tell you what they've
learned about protecting the planet.

Kathy Setash
Vocal Music Teacher
News @ The Hill Page 6
Music “Notes”
PLEASE NOTE DATE CHANGE!!!!
The Pennsbury school calendar has the instrumental concert
date listed as May 20th. This was created before it was
decided to combine groups into one concert. Our Band,
Orchestra and Vocal Concert is on May 11th at Pennsbury
High School West, at 7:00P.M. The theme is "Music From
Dusk til Dawn". Please mark your calendar for this big event,
and cross off the 20th. Thanks!
The Music Department at QH
Dress Code for the Spring Concert:
Boys: Dress Shoes (NO sneakers)
and dark pants.
Girls: Dress pants, capris or skirts are acceptable
and dress shoes (NO sneakers)
Please, no shorts or jeans! Shirts should be solid colors with no
graphic designs or writing anywhere on the shirt.
Attention Fifth Grade Parents
Pennwood Middle School would like to extend an
invitation to our QH fifth grade parents to attend
their last PTO meeting of the year. It is scheduled for
Thursday, May 12, 2011 at 9:30 a.m. in the cafeteria.
They would also like to invite you to a 6 th Grade
Parent/Student Orientation on Monday, May 16,
2011 from 7:00 - 8:00 p.m. in the auditorium.

Page 7
News @ The Hill
Notes from the Library - Barbara Pesature, Librarian
Thank you to Mrs. Janet Villari and Mrs. Ruth
Lombardi and all of their volunteers for an
extremely successful Barnes and Noble
event. Thank you to all of the parents and
students who contributed to the success of the
event, and thank you also to all of the Quarry
Hill teachers and staff who read, autographed,
and supervised events. Without all of you,
there would be no event. Thank you, thank
you, thank you!
It is hard to believe that it is April already, and
the end of another school year is fast
approaching. Many projects are coming to
fruition this month. Our fifth graders will
begin presenting their Newbery book talks on
April 8 th . Fourth graders will present their
Famous Woman research projects, and they
will begin to plan their Famous Pennsylvanian
research projects. Third graders will begin to
“Read Around the Library,” and second graders
will finish exploring the parts of a book (Title
Page, Table of Contents, Index, and Glossary).
Both second and first graders will listen and
respond to various forms of poetry as we
celebrate National Poetry Month in April.
First Graders Heading to the CITY→
On Friday, March 25, 2010, the First Grade Students at
Quarry Hill made a city in the cafeteria out of buildings they
made at home. Each student made a building you might
see in a city out of solid shapes. The students had been
learning about solid shapes, such as cubes, cones and
spheres in math and had learned about the city in social
studies. This was a great way to bring the subjects
together and celebrate all that they had learned. The city
included buildings such as skyscrapers, sports stadiums,
stores, restaurants and firehouses. The first grade
teachers (Mrs. Clark, Mrs. Brim, Ms. Dender, Mrs. Hilbert
and Mrs. Marchese) are very proud of all of the hard work
the students put into the projects!
Our 5 th grade Reading Olympic teams and
their coaches will participate in the 18 th
Annual Reading Olympics event on April 14,
2011 at the Bucks County Technical High
School. The students have been meeting one
day a week during recess to prepare for the
event. Good luck to The Brainy Book
Busters, The Brilliant Bookworms, The
Crushing Cows, and Got Books? Thank you
in advance to the PTO for sponsoring us, for
fortifying us with a delicious pizza party, for
hydrating us with water during the event, and
for outfitting us with awesome t-shirts!! Stay
tuned to next month’s newsletter for the
results!
This year’s Adopt-A-Book list will be sent
home during National Library Week
(April 10 th -16 th ). Keep your eyes open for
this year’s packet.
As always, I would like to close by thanking
all of my wonderful volunteers, and especially
Mrs. Judy Snyder for orchestrating the
monthly volunteer calendar.

A Note from the PTO President
Dear Quarry Hill Families,
News @ The Hill Page 8
I'd say March certainly came into Quarry Hill like a "jaguar!" The Science Fair was a HUGE success, thanks to the
hard work of Lynn Ackert and Sandy Borowsky, and their team of parents. They held their committee meetings in
the evenings, and many, many working parents got involved in planning and running this fantastic event.
Participation was up 50% from last year, and I know everyone who participated and visited had a great time. I'm
always amazed by the scientific achievements by all of our children, and I so enjoy the pride on their faces when
they explain their projects.
Our Barnes and Noble fundraiser, as always, was a big hit, and we raised over $2000 for our school library (final
total not available as of this writing). Thank you to Janet Montalvo Villari and Ruth Lombardi, and all of
their many volunteers. This is a big undertaking, and Janet and Ruth were organized from the get-go, and did a
great job of keeping everyone informed and excited. Thank you, too, to all the teachers and staff who volunteered
to read and sign books at the event. I hope, as well, that you had a taste of the awesome "Vanilla Thriller from
Quarry Hiller," the yummy frappacino hilariously named by Patrick Kirk of Mrs. Hilbert's 1st grade class. Great
job, Patrick -- and congratulations on winning the frappacino contest!
Also, at our March PTO meeting, the Nominating Committee presented the slate of Executive Board officers for the
next two years:
President: Eileen Bowden
1st Vice President: Jennifer Priestley
2nd Vice President: Jennifer Giacobetti
Recording Secretary: Elissa Jacobs
Corresponding Secretary: Michael Blundi
Advisory Council Rep: Tabitha Peters
Penny Gennaro will be returning as Treasurer for one more year.
Thank you, to all of these parents, for volunteering their time and energy to our PTO. Elections will be held during
our April PTO meeting (4/12), and elected officers will take their positions at our May PTO meeting (5/10).
April is a relatively quiet month for the PTO. Please remember that Yankee Candle orders are due on Monday,
April 4. We will honor our school secretaries, Mary Henry and Pat Lake, on Wednesday, April 27, which is
Administrative Professionals Day. Market Day orders will be due on 4/13, with orders ready for pick up on 4/19.
Savor the quiet of April (although you're probably whooping it up on a sports field somewhere!), because soon the
busy-ness of May & June with be here with lots of fun end-of-school activities! I hope spring arrives soon,
and that everyone is able to enjoy a nice Spring recess with family and
friends!
Sincerely,
Gray Handwerk
PTO President
215-321-5493 gray.handwerk@gmail.com

Page 9
Pretzel Sale
The next pretzel sale will take
place April 15 th during all
lunches. For anyone not
participating in the Pretzel
Plan, pretzels are $.50 each.
Unleash your child's creative
genius! Participants will
experiment with STEM
concepts (science, technology,
engineering, and math) in five
super-fun, hands-on modules
each day, presented by local
teachers.
SPARK Curriculum
July 27-30, Edgewood
Elementary School
M-Th, 8:30 am - 4:00 pm
For students entering grades
2-6
Director: Jennifer Matthews
Bounce! An Atomic
Journey - Learn about
nanotechnology, chemistry,
and polymers as you explore
the science behind bouncy
balls.
The Curious Cypher Club -
Decipher puzzling riddles and
crack unusual codes to
discover who is sending
mysterious messages ... and
why!
News @ The Hill
Wild! Wondrous Innovations
and Living Designs - Join us
on an animal adventure as we
investigate the survival traits of
nature's most inventive animals.
I Can Invent: Edison's
Workshop - Work with real
tools to take apart a machine,
use the parts and other materials
to build an invention and become
America's next great inventor!
Game On: Power Play -
Explore new games and add
your own twist to high-energy
challenges!
DISCOVER 3 Curriculum
July 18-21, William Penn Middle
School
M-Th, 8:30 am - 4:00 pm
For students entering grades 2-6
Director: Kristie Leidy
Comic Book Science -
Discover the science behind
super powers, such as flight and
“morphing”.
Land Sled X-treme -
Engineer the fastest land sled
Start Planning NOW!
to compete in an X-treme
obstacle course!
Viking Treasure Trek -
Investigate clues to
uncover
long-lost treasure!
I Can Invent: Edison's
Workshop - Work with
real tools to take apart a
machine, use the parts
and other materials to
build an invention and
become America's next
great inventor!
Game On: Power Play -
Explore new games and
add your own twist to highenergy
challenges!
To register: 800-968-4332
or
www.campinvention.org
Presented in collaboration
with the United States
Patent and Trademark
Office

News @ The Hill Page 10
Take Advantage of All Market Day Has to Offer!!!
Market Day orders have helped
to raise a significant amount of
money to benefit Quarry Hill this
year! To continue to support our
school, consider placing a
Market Day order in April.
April is Dessert Bonus Days.
The more desserts you buy, the
more money that we raise for
Quarry Hill. Bonus Day items
can be found by clicking on the
"Bonus Days are Back" area
along the left-hand side of the
screen. April orders of $80 or
more will receive a FREE 2 lb
tray of manicotti! Remember to
enter the code APRBONUS
when completing your order so
you will receive your free tray of
manicotti.
Here’s a NEW Idea!
The PTO is currently focusing our fundraising efforts to raise money
for technology updates for the classrooms, through the use of
interactive tools such as SMARTBoards. While the staff and the
district are researching which type of tool would be most useful, we
are already thinking of ways to raise money to support this effort.
We'd like to start by creating a new Quarry Hill Business
Directory. Wouldn't it be great to know what local businesses are
owned or run by Quarry Hill families? We need someone to
spearhead this effort. Sound interesting? Contact Gray Handwerk at
gray.handwerk@gmail.com if you'd like to get involved.
The spring frequent buyer program is
continuing. If you have made a $40 or
more purchase in February or March,
make a $40 or more purchase in April
and May, you are eligible to receive the
Three Drawer Storage Cube which will
be delivered in May.
Mark your calendars - the deadline for
the April sale is Tuesday, April 12th for
order forms and Wednesday, April 13th
at midnight for internet orders. Market
Day pick up will be Tuesday, April 19th
from 4:30 until 6pm in the cafeteria. For
more information about Market Day and
to place online orders, visit
www.marketday.com. You may use
credit cards if placing orders online. For
questions, please call Beth McNamara at
215 321-3481, Jennifer Giacobetti at 215
493-0528 or Beth Smith at 215 968-
0804.
School Store
The next (and final!) school store will be held Thursday, May
12, 2011. Due to PSSA testing there will be no school store in
April. The school store is located in the alcove in the 5 th grade
wing. When children are done eating and on their way to
recess they will have a chance to make their purchase.

Page 11
Quarry Hill Elementary
1625 Quarry Road
Yardley, PA 19067
PHONE:
215-321-2400
FAX:
215-369-0804
ABSENTEE CALL LINE:
215-321-2406
We’re on the Web!
See us at:
www.pennsbury.k12.pa.us
Click on “schools” then
“Quarry Hill”
Pennsbury Inclusion Philosophy
The Pennsbury School District believes our children
belong with their peers. Pennsbury is committed to
promoting a sense of belonging in each child by
affording all students their right to be educated, to
the maximum extent appropriate, in their
neighborhood school. This commitment is possible
through the use of appropriate support to enable
students to be educated in the least restrictive
environment.
News @ The Hill
Yankee Candle Fundraiser
Yankee Candle Sale ends April 4 th !
Please remember to send your order in
to support our great school! Just in time
for Mother’s Day!
Hurry up and get your orders in!!
Save the date!
Quarry Hill Annual Baseball Family Fun Night
Trenton Thunder vs. Portland Sea Dogs
Friday, May 20 th 2011
Tickets will go on sale in April
Any Questions?
Contact Michele James @ cshelljames@msn.com
or 267-229-2804
Remember that we RECYCLE!
We want your old cell phones, MP3 players, and ink
cartridges (ones that fit into your hand). Just drop them
off in the bin in the lobby!
Pennsbury Community School
The Pennsbury Community School is a great
opportunity to broaden your horizons! Offerings
include arts, technology, fitness and other
recreational activities. Please go to
www.Pennsbury.k12.pa.us and click on the
words Community School Registration under the
Quick Links column of the website to see a
complete list of offerings.
.