Dear Parents:

Welcome to the Colonial School District!

Kindergarten is a very exciting time in your child’s life, but we do recognize that entering school for the first time does create some anxiety for both the parent and child. The Colonial School District prides itself on providing an environment of collaboration, inspiration and innovation for all students. Be assured that your child’s teacher and building principal have worked together to create an educational setting which will ensure your child’s intellectual, social, and personal development.

We treasure your child and look forward to providing many positive learning experiences.

Should you have a question or concern, never hesitate to contact the teacher, the building principal or me.

Sincerely, Michael L. Christian, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools

Dear Parents:

For four or five years, home has been the center of your child’s life. Throughout these years your child has been growing, developing, learning, acquiring habits, and forming attitudes. Now, the home and school will be working together to further your child’s growth.

Our kindergarten provides a program which we feel is best suited to developing the needs of the young child – mentally, physically, emotionally, and socially. Here, your child will be learning to live, work, and play with other children of the same age.

The close relationship between a young child and parents/guardians makes it necessary for the parents/guardians and the child’s teacher to work together. Through this partnership, both the home and school can give children the encouragement, the understanding, and the challenge that they need. 

Please read this handbook carefully and refer to it as often as necessary so that it may help us work together throughout the year.

Sincerely,
The Kindergarten Teachers
Colonial School District

By Colonial School District Board of Education policy, children entering kindergarten must be five (5) years of age by September 15 of the new school year.

Wonderspring Early Education offers before-and-after-school quality childcare. To register, contact Wonderspring by phone at 610-828-1785 or online by clicking here.

To register your child, click here to submit an online registration form.

For more information, please call the Colonial School District Central Registration Office at 610-834-1670, ext. 2150 .

Pennsylvania State Law requires:

• A birth certificate
• Parent/guardian photo ID (i.e., driver’s license)
• Record of all immunizations
• Proof of residency (examples can be found on the registration page of our website)

In case of any situation that requires emergency closing of school, announcements will be made via a variety of media, including our automated phone message system (Blackboard Connect), local radio and TV stations, the District’s website, the District Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram accounts, and the District Office phone message. Please explain to your child where he or she should go if you are not at home on an occasion when school needs to close early.

If your child is a bus rider, you will be able to view the bus schedule in your child's PowerSchool account before the start of school. Parents or guardians, designated adults, or siblings are required to meet kindergartners at the bus stop after school. Bus drivers will not release students without family supervision. If your child will need transportation to a location other than your home on a consistent basis, please complete an online form by clicking here.

Children who are walkers will not be released from the building unless met by a parent, guardian, or designated adult or sibling.

Start Time: 9:05 a.m. Dismissal Time: 3:35 p.m.

The additional instruction time in a full-day kindergarten setting allows children and teachers time to explore topics in depth, reduces the ratio of transition time to class time, provides for greater continuity of day-to-day activities, and provides an environment that favors a more developmentally appropriate approach to the curriculum.

Parents are urged to check the District Activities Calendar (mailed each August) for holidays and early dismissal dates.

The Food Services Department offers a variety of nutritious hot and cold breakfast and hot and cold lunch options daily. All food is prepared fresh on site by a team of professionals led by a certified food safety handler, and menus are analyzed for nutritional content by a registered dietitian. A meal includes a protein, grain, fruit, vegetable, and an eight ounce serving of milk. In addition to the meals, snacks and other drinks are available at a la carte prices.

The cafeteria uses a point-of-sale system which enables parents or guardians to pre-deposit money on accounts to be used for meals. Each time your child makes a purchase, the money is automatically deducted from their account balance, so you don’t need to send lunch money every day. You will be alerted when account balances are low.

The Food Service Department participates in the National School Lunch Program. Free or reduced price meals are offered to qualifying families. Application forms are available in the Food Services Office or click here to fill out an application online.

These examinations are required by State law and may be done by your own private physician or dentist, or they may be done by the school’s physician or dentist. Physical examinations must include an eye exam. Necessary forms for examination by your private physician will be provided by the school nurse during registration. Examinations by your own physician and dentist are valid if done within one year prior to entry into school.

A child will not be admitted to school without the following:

• Copy of Immunization Card
• 4 Doses of DTap Vaccine (1 Dose after 4th birthday)
• 4 Doses of Polio Vaccine (4th dose on or after 4th birthday and at least 6 months after previous dose given)
• 2 Doses of MMR Vaccine 
• 3 Doses of Hepatitis B 
• 2 doses of Varicella (Chickenpox) or evidence of immunity

A completed immunization record needs to be presented to school by day 5 or the student will be at risk for exclusion on day 6. If possible, please submit proof of immunization prior to the first day of school. Contact the school nurse for assistance.

Accident insurance is available to children if parents/guardians so desire. Information concerning this insurance will be sent home with your child shortly after school starts. Our school nurse will complete the necessary insurance forms should your child be injured in school.

Language Arts

Instruction in kindergarten is focused on developing foundational skills that prepare students for later learning in the language arts. Language and literacy development encompasses reading, writing, speaking, and listening. In this foundational year, kindergarten teachers embed language and literacy into the daily activities of the classroom. In whole groups, small groups and individual settings, students develop literacy skills by:

• Listening to a variety of stories, poems, and informational books
• Participating in shared reading experiences
• Developing and strengthening their knowledge of letter shapes, names, sounds, and words
• Hearing sounds in words to write sentences to communicate experiences and information they have learned
• Telling and writing stories
• Recognizing rhyming words, and seeing and hearing likenesses and differences between words
• Dramatizing stories
• Interacting with text independently and with others
• Using adaptive literacy software to support speaking, listening, reading, writing, and hearing skills

Getting Ready to Read

Readiness depends on a child’s maturity. All students are not ready to read at the same time due to individual rates of development. Some indicators of a child’s readiness to read are:

Understanding of book handling:

• Knows front and back of book
• Knows that print carries a message
• Knows where to begin to read on a single page of print

Knowledge of concepts about Print:

• Knows the difference between a letter and a word
• Knows most upper case and lower case letters
• Has a beginning sight vocabulary of a few words

Mathematics

Children use numbers to count and compare quantities and explore concepts related to:

• Number Recognition and Sequencing
• Number Relationships
• Addition and Subtraction

Children participate in engaging, hands-on activities. Through real-world contexts, they are encouraged to think creatively, develop and communicate their own problem-solving strategies, and work cooperatively with their classmates.

Science

Children are curious about the world around them, constantly making observations, and exploring. Kindergarten students will approach their curiosity by investigating the motion of objects and learn the effect strength or direction has on pushes or pulls. They will also discover and experience how plants and animals grow, take science walks, and observe changes in season and weather.

Social Studies

The foundation for social studies, economics, history, and the workings of government begin with children’s personal experiences and their initial understanding of themselves in relation to their families, homes, and schools. As their perceptions grow, they further expand this scope to understand how systems work together. Students will be able to use what they learned to help them become productive citizens in the 21st century.

Technology

Kindergarten students are immersed in a technology-rich learning environment. Instruction is focused on learning responsible use of technology, computational thinking (such as sequencing and chunking), as well as coding, robotics, and design.

Inclusivity

All of our schools strive to create a learning environment that fosters openness, acceptance, and an appreciation of culture and identity. We want our schools to be places that are welcoming and that provide students with a sense of belonging. 

Kindergarten provides many opportunities for children to grow and fulfill their learning potential. Children feel comfortable taking risks in a safe and supportive learning environment. Emphasis is placed on:

• Communicating thoughts and feelings
• Forming relationships
• Sharing, listening, and cooperating
• Accepting suggestions
• Responsibility and leadership
• Respect, kindness, and tolerance
• Independence
• Self-esteem and positive outlook

Children are able to express themselves creatively through the arts. This is achieved through:

• Listening to music
• Singing and dancing
• Playing instruments
• Painting
• Drawing
• Creating with clay and wood

Kindergarten students participate in special weekly classes in art, music, physical education, and library. There are many opportunities for students to learn to appreciate the work of others, as well as to enjoy their own efforts and accomplishments.

In addition to experiencing weekly classes, all children in grades kindergarten through five participate in Developmental Guidance Instruction with their elementary counselors. Colonial School District has a sound guidance curriculum that is centered upon educating the whole child. The elementary guidance counselors are available to share information regarding the guidance lessons and to answer any questions that you may have.

The Pupil Services Department is key to providing programs and services to the Colonial school community. Almost every student, parent/guardian and teacher is in one way or another impacted upon by the various resources within the Pupil Services Department. These include:

• Special Education
• Gifted Education
• Counseling
• Health Services
• Speech and Language
• Psychology
• Occupational and Physical Therapy
• Home and School Visitor
• Behavioral Health Advisor
• Social Worker
• Registration.

Our goal is to provide the appropriate supports in order for our students to maximize their learning potential and subsequently achieve at their highest level.

Our school nurse will provide first aid in case of an emergency. For all other treatments, parents/guardians are required to log into the SNAP Health Portal in PowerSchool to provide permission for the nurse to treat your child. If necessary, parents/guardians will be notified by the school nurse. If your child needs to be sent home from school for health reasons, a school official will call you for transportation home. For cases like this, please keep the school notified of your latest work, home, and cell phone numbers. List the telephone number of someone who could be contacted in case of an emergency.

The Colonial School District places a premium on student safety. The District commissioned a security audit by a leading national school safety expert. The audit revealed that Colonial was among the nation’s leading districts in school safety and security. The District continually assesses its safety and security measures to ensure they are current and to maintain a place as a national leader in school safety and security.

Volunteers are valuable members of our school community. Through the donation of your time and talents, you help us to provide the tools, knowledge, and resources our students need to succeed in and out of the classroom. To volunteer, Pennsylvania law requires the completion of volunteer clearances. Please visit our website for information on what is required, and click here for instructions on how to submit your clearances online.  

• Talk about kindergarten as a friendly, happy place.
• Label all clothing, including boots, mittens, and hats, by writing your child's name in indelible ink.
• Dress your child in simple, washable clothing so that the child can comfortably participate in all activities.
• Children should know their name, address and telephone number.
• Dress your child according to the weather conditions.
• Attempt to teach your child:
  • To take off and put on a coat.
  • To go to the bathroom without help.
  • To fasten shoelaces, zippers, and buttons.
  • To put on and take off boots.
• Encourage good health safety.
  • Teach your child to cover the mouth when coughing or sneezing.
  • Teach your child to sit down when riding the school bus.
  • Teach your child to listen to the bus driver.
  • Teach your child to obey all traffic and safety rules.
• Provide a book bag or backpack large enough to hold an 8.5-inch by 11-inch folder.

We encourage and welcome parents/guardians to visit our schools. However, we require that you call the school office and make an appointment. All visitors are required to present a form of identification upon arrival. Open communication is valued and parents/guardians are welcome to call and e-mail their child’s teacher. We also value volunteers and urge you to be an active member of our Parent Teacher Organizations.

In addition to staying in touch with your child's teacher, we encourage you to take steps to stay connected to your child's school and the district as a whole. Please be sure to keep your contact information up-to-date in PowerSchool, which is our student information system. Information supplied here is then used when we send out communication via email, phone, text, or mail.

Here are some other ways to stay connected to what's going on:

• Click here for the calendar, menus, handbooks, attendance reporting information, and news and updates and upcoming events.
• Follow Colonial School District on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram
• Follow CITV on YouTube or Instagram for videos and other programming
• Attend your child's Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) meetings
• Follow your child's PTO social media accounts (please note these are not run by the District)

Since we feel that there should be a close cooperation between the home and the school, we have arranged for parent-teacher conferences during the school year. Progress reports will also be sent home throughout the year. A strong partnership between parents/guardians and teachers helps to ensure students have a positive and productive learning experience.

The Colonial School District recognizes the need to protect the confidentiality of personally identifiable information in the education records of children. The School District Records Policy approved by Colonial School Directors meets the requirement of the State Board of Education and the Family Education and Privacy Act of 1974 and subsequent revisions.

• All student records are kept in locked files in the school where the student attends. No disclosure, except in specific instances, or personally identifiable information from students records to outside sources will be made without prior written consent of the parent/guardian or eligible student. An eligible student is a student who has reached 18 years of age.

• Parents/Guardians and/or eligible students have the right to inspect or review the student’s records by appointment after a written request is received.

• Parents/Guardians and/or eligible students have the right to request that a record be amended if they believe that information contained in the record is inaccurate or misleading or violates privacy.

• Parents/Guardians and/or eligible students have a right to a student records hearing to challenge the content of educational records.

• Parents/Guardians and/or eligible students have a right to file a written complaint with the Family Education Rights and Privacy division (FERPA), United States Department of Education, Switzer Building, 330 C Street, S. W. Washington, DC 20201, regarding possible violations of the rights accorded them under these provisions.

• The Colonial School District maintains copies of its student records policy as approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Education in each school building (principal’s or guidance office) and at the administrative office. This plan is available for inspection. Please contact the Director of Pupil Services, Mrs. Karen Berk, at (610) 834-1670, ext. 2109 with questions regarding school records.

The Colonial School District
230 Flourtown Road
Plymouth Meeting, PA 1946
Phone: 610-834-1670
Fax: 610-834-7535
Conshohocken Borough - Plymouth Township - Whitemarsh Township

Dr. Michael Christian, Superintendent of Schools
Karen Berk, Director of Pupil Services and Special Education
Andrew Boegly, Director of Technology
Rosemarie Gregitits, Director of Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment
Joseph Lally, Director of Operations
Michelle O'Reilly, Director of Human Resources
David Szablowski, Business Administrator


Conshohocken Elementary
301 Harry Street
Conshohocken, PA 19428
Kelly Udovich, Interim Principal
hone: 610-828-0362
Fax: 610-828-4582

Plymouth Elementary
542 Plymouth Road
Plymouth Meeting, PA 19462
Kylene Phillips, Principal
Phone: 610-825-8190
Fax: 610-825-7853

Ridge Park Elementary
200 Karrs Lane
Conshohocken, PA 19428
Eileen Carr, Principal
Phone: 610-825-1083
Fax: 610-825-7983

Whitemarsh Elementary
4120 Joshua Road
Lafayette Hill, PA 19444
Joshua Perlman, Principal
Phone: 610-828-9092
Fax: 610-828-1516

Central Registration
230 Flourtown Road
Plymouth Meeting, PA 19462
Lenore Ciccolone, Registrar
Phone: 610-834-1670, ext. 2150
Fax: 610-941-0958

Colonial School District Mission

For students to learn, grow, and serve in a school community that is welcoming for all.

Colonial School District Vision

To prepare resilient, lifelong learners and leaders who will enrich the world.

Educational Value Statements

• Students will build acceptance and value for all in the school community.
• Teachers and staff will facilitate the growth of students as self-directed learners.
• Administration will provide a supportive and effective environment for both teaching and learning.
• Family members and caregivers will support the school community in the growth and development of lifelong learners.
• The School Board will represent the community and support student-centered decision-making around policies and funding.

Special Education Programs for Eligible or Protected Handicapped Students

• Autism/Pervasive Developmental Disorder
• Blindness/Visual Impairment
• Deafness/Blindness
• Deafness/Hearing Impaired
• Developmental Delay
• Emotional Disturbance
• Intellectual Disability
• Multiple Disabilities
• Orthopedic Impairment
• Other Health Impairments
• Specific Learning Disability
• Speech or Language Impairment
• Traumatic Brain Injury

Every effort is made to serve students at their home schools using an inclusive approach toward instructional delivery. For those children whose educational needs cannot be met in a District program, placements are made in Montgomery County Intermediate Unit classes or alternative/approved private schools.

Eligibility for Special Education Services

Gifted Services

Services for Protected Handicapped Students

Confidentiality: All information gathered about your child is subject to the confidentiality provisions contained in federal and state law.

Click here to view the draft of the Special Education Plan 2018-2021.