School Newsletter

Week of: February 3, 2023

Chasing Away the Winter Blues…

With Punxsutawney Phil predicting 6 more weeks of winter, you may see your student being a little more lethargic and less upbeat- otherwise known as having the “Winter Blues”.  It’s also easy for students to become less engaged at school, and you may find that your child is having difficulty remaining motivated. You can keep the blues from settling into your household by helping your student maintain a positive vibe. Here are some suggestions:

1.      Set goals and create a checklist- 2^nd marking period grades will be posted in the Backpack feature of Infinite Campus on 2/7. Click here for Help with Infinite Campus if you’ve not been able to sign in. If there are classes in which your student could improve, help them to commit to an easily attenable goal. From assisting them to develop more effective strategies for planning out long-term assignments, to going to Homework Club Tuesdays and Thursdays in the DEHS library, or even suggesting they start to schedule time for “self-care”, you can show them how to set specific and measurable goals that can help them feel more motivated. Nothing is quite so satisfying as crossing things off a list!

2.      Get outside (yes, in the cold), and get moving- Scrolling on a phone is a poor substitute for fresh air and sunshine. Studies show that spending time outdoors—even when it’s cold—can boost our mood. Regular exercise may help ease your student’s blues because it can cause the release of feel-good endorphins and help take their mind off of their worries, breaking the cycle of negative thinking.

3.      Turn up the color- Encourage them to brighten their space with colorful posters, live plants, or even a new sticker for their laptop.

4.      Get Social- Make sure they are looking forward to having some fun. Social media can be a great connector, but it can also negatively impact self-image. People post what they’re proud of, not their latest failure. Encourage them to power down their device and go to the movies with a friend!

5.      Challenge negative thinking- If their default pattern is to only focus on the worst part of their day, make them aware of their fixation on these thoughts and help them break the pattern. The beauty and curse of the mind is you can choose one thought over another and decide whether you’re going to buy into those beliefs.

If nothing else, remind your child that a 6 pm sunset is only one month away and that there are definitely brighter days ahead!

General Announcements: 

1.    Need FAFSA Help? Albright University will be hosting free FAFSA help for students and families on Tuesday, February 7, at three sessions: 3:30, 5:00 or 6:30 p.m. on campus at Roessner Hall, Room 103. Representatives from PHEAA will lead a short presentation and then provide on-site guidance and help submitting the online FAFSA form. Register here: https://admission.albright.edu/portal/FAFSA2023

Questions? Contact the Admission office at admission@albright.edu or call 610-921-7700.

2.   If you are interested in learning more about Indian Heritage, please find the link to the 2022:  Indian Heritage Booklet.

3.    The Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) is a FREE aptitude/interest test that will be given at Downingtown West High School on Thursday, March 9, 2023, from 7:30-10:30 a.m., in the Library, and is open to ALL sophomores, juniors and seniors. The ASVAB is administered by representatives from the military, and is the most widely used multiple-aptitude test battery in the world. Historically known as the “Military Test”, only a fraction of students taking the ASVAB have immediate intentions of joining the military. It provides valuable assistance to students in choosing career fields that suit them.

Test results will be shared with the students approximately 2-3 weeks after the exam, and a PA Guard Representative will interpret the results during a lunch period or study hall. Students will receive an access code to explore over 400 occupations and learn how their skills relate to the occupations that interest them. More information on the ASVAB can be found at http://www.asvabprogram.com.

Click here to reserve a seat: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd14v9K5cCUSi2BbMMgpSeMa73DUmTvu-LwCDeLi0MZ1UTrrA/viewform?usp=sf_link

***EAST students must provide their own transportation to West Campus and see Mrs. Wick for a parking pass if needed.  Please contact Mrs. Wick with any questions: cwick@dasd.org.

4.    Think Summer! Pennsylvania Free Enterprise Week (PFEW) is an awesome week for current sophomores and juniors to learn about the world of business, develop communication and leadership skills, learn how to run a company, and meet students from all over PA! Live on a college campus, and thanks to corporate sponsorships, the only cost is a $295 registration fee to attend! BONUS: This week could count as your graduation project because you will be exploring careers! Spaces are being held for Downingtown students to guarantee seats till February 3! Check out www.pfew.org for more details!  

5.    Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology will be hosting Information Sessions starting February 8 at their campus in Lancaster for any sophomores, juniors and seniors from 7-8 p.m. in the evening. Space is limited so sign up early! To reserve a seat visit: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0f45a8ae29a1fac07-thaddeus#/ 

6.    Career exploration is an important part of the student experience at DASD. This year, we are using a new career exploration program called Smart Futures. In your classes you will be asked to use this software to complete activities to help you find and pursue careers that cater to your interests and aptitudes. Please take 10 minutes to watch this video to find out more about Smart Futures: Smart Futures Student Tour  More questions or concerns about Smart Futures? Reach out to Dr. Troy Podell, Supervisor of Secondary ELA/Humanities, at tpodell@dasd.org

7.    Downingtown East has a math tutoring program that enables our high school students to tutor other students in our school and the district. If you would like tutoring, please do not hesitate to fill out the google form: https://forms.gle/24ukpwQoPCdddjMM8

8.    Parents, please be reminded if you need to drop off your children, please stop only at the front of the building, near the flagpole. Please do not discharge passengers at any other point. Those parents picking up their child at the end of the school day or at the end of a sports practice, please pull into a parking spot at the lower end of the front lot; do not line up at the back of the building and do not block other vehicles.

9.    2023 Yearbook Sale…order online: www.yearbookordercenter.com use our school code # 4846 -     Tier 3: 2/1 to 5/12 or when we are sold out of copies - Price $85 

            Senior Ads: Sales close 3/03/23 or when 30 pages are full:

·        Full Page:  Price: $160

·        Half Page:  Price: $95

·        Quarter Page:  Price: $55   

·        Eighth Page:  Price: $35

Graduation Projects/Volunteering Opportunities:

1.    Grad Project Opportunity for Dog Lovers! VOLUNTEERS are needed at La Mancha Animal Rescue in

Coatesville for Sunday mornings and Monday/Tuesday shifts 4-6 p.m.! If you are interested please email volunteer@lamanchaanimalrescue.org. They also need help with updating their website as a part-time job!   Email rescue@lamanchaanimalrescue.org if you are interested in applying!

Employment Opportunities:

1.    Kumon in Downingtown is hiring energetic staff who like to work with children from pre-school to high school. All grade levels will be considered but must be proficient in math through Algebra level and strong English skills. Contact Heema Shah at heemashah@ikumon.com or 267-328-7767.

2.    LYA Umpires Needed: LYA Is again offering its Junior Umpire program to anyone ages 14 and up. Rates are set between $30-$50 and are dependent on the job you worked.

Training Schedule: Saturdays, February 18th - March 25th, 2023, from 12:00pm-1:15pm. Rain dates are each Sunday. 

Registration: https://go.teamsnap.com/forms/355272

Time Commitment During Season: LYA Softball starts on April 1st and games will run through the end of May. Two umpires will be assigned to every game at either the plate or in the field. You are welcome to work as much as your schedule allows.

Contact: Melissa Esposito at mxj172@yahoo.com with any questions about the program.

Home and School News…

You can help your kids succeed!

We have three fun ways to contribute to Downingtown East High School this week:

·        Sign up here for the Teacher Appreciation Souper Bowl on Feb 14. We still need:

* 14 more soups/chilis (no judgement if it comes from Panera, Zoup or Wegmans)

* A few rolls/bread/crackers

*7 more desserts

* Water

*Leftover containers

1.  Our next Post Prom meeting is Feb 9th over Zoom at 7 pm

2. Come to Designer Bag Bingo on March 5^th

                          (tickets on sale NOW here)

Volunteering benefits to your own family! Get to know more parents, meet administrators/staff in person, increase your awareness of school activities, and improve your relationship with your child by being a good role model and showing that you care about their education.

Families that engage with their child’s school increase their child’s chances of academic success.