http://www.wcsdpa.org/warren-elementary.cfm

Warren Area Elementary Center, 343 East Fifth, Warren, PA (2026)

10/09/2026

The WAEC Weekly Update: Week of October 5 and Looking Ahead to Fall Fest

Happy Friday, WAEC families! What a week of Dragon spirit. Here's a look back, plus what's coming up as we head toward Fall Fest.

This Week at WAEC: Spirit Week
Thank you to all of our students and families for going all out for Warren High Homecoming Spirit Week! From PJ and Comfy Clothes Day to Hawaiian Day, USA Day, Color Splash Day by grade level, and today's White Out, our hallways were full of tons of Dragon pride. We loved seeing every outfit!

Wednesday was also a milestone: our first day of religious release time, which runs from 1:30 to 2:30pm on Wednesdays throughout the year. Thank you to our students and staff for a smooth start.

PTO Appreciation
National PTO Appreciation Day was held nationally on September 26, but here at WAEC, every day is PTO appreciation day! We all want to say a big thank you to our WAEC PTO! From the Candle Fundraiser to Fall Fest and Trail of Treats to the Book Fair, our PTO volunteers give their time and energy to make WAEC a wonderful place for our staff and students. We are so grateful for everything you do!

Speaking of PTO, this week's Family Video Series highlight features one of our PTO volunteers, Book Fair Chair Katelyn Gilmore, who gives an overview of the Book Fair in today's video. Thanks for all of your hard work on this! Link below!

https://vimeo.com/1234673276?share=copy&fl=sv&fe=ci

Fall Book Fair Is Here
The WAEC Fall Book Fair opened Thursday and runs through October 15. If you haven't viewed the schedule yet, your student's teacher will send home your classroom's visit date and time, and an e-wallet option is available. The Book Fair will also be open during Fall Fest on Thursday, October 15 from 5 to 7 PM, with sensory friendly time from 4:30 to 5 PM. Classes visit during their library time.

Looking Ahead: Week of October 12
Monday, October 12: No school for students (staff PD Day).
Tuesday, October 13: Students return. The Book Fair continues all week.
Thursday, October 15: Our last day for the Book Fair and the PTO Candle Fundraiser. We will also hold a school safety lockdown drill during the school day, as part of our regular safety practice. There is no 21st Century program this day. Join us that evening for PTO Fall Fest and Trail of Treats from 5 to 7 PM, with sensory friendly time from 4:30 to 5 PM.

Frank the candy monster is still hungry! Send candy donations with your student to help fill the Trail of Treats. And stop by the display case near the office to see how Hank's room in Andy's Room is growing.

Further ahead: 1st Quarter PBIS incentive week is October 26 to 30 with the "Monster Mash" in the LGI.
On Friday, October 30, we'll have a PBIS Assembly at 8:30 AM and our Halloween Parade at 1:45 PM. That evening at 6:00 PM, the 3rd Annual Pawsitive Support Program Paws Fundraiser is at Cable Hollow Golf Course. Please contact Pepper and/or Cayla Onoratti for tickets.

What We're Learning: Grade Level Curriculum Connections
Kindergarten: This week students enjoyed classic stories like Chicken Little, The Three Little Pigs, and The Three Billy Goats Gruff, and learned the sounds for /o/, /z/, /g/, and /i/. Ask your child to retell a story and tell you the characters, setting, and what happened.

First Grade: This week students worked on sound spelling review, dictation with words like still, quick, and block, and began Unit 2 with the ee and a_e spellings. Have your child read a short sentence to you and point out tricky words.

Second Grade: Students begin Ancient Greece, including Mount Olympus, work on one step addition and subtraction word problems, and explore how people use Earth's materials. Ask which Greek story they liked best.

Third Grade: Students dive into the human body and the skeletal system, review story elements like setting and narrator, and practice multiplying with 0, 1, 2, 5, and 10. Quiz your child on a few multiplication facts!

Fourth Grade: This week students studied knights, castles, and towns in the Middle Ages, subtracted multi digit numbers, explored energy and collisions in science, and finished their first geography chapter. Ask your child what life was like for a serf.

Specials
Music classes are singing Halloween songs, feeling the beat through movement, and exploring meter. Art students are creating fall mums in a patterned basket. In STEM, students are building 3D shapes from 2D shapes with Magformers. Library students are practicing typing and enjoying Book Fair previews. PE classes are continuing to work on overhand throwing and catching.

A Literacy Tip for Families
Visit the Book Fair with a plan. Before you go, let your child talk about what kinds of books they love and why. Then let them choose one book that is just right for them to read on their own and one to read together. Kids are far more likely to read a book they picked themselves.

Have a wonderful weekend, WAEC families. We'll see everyone Tuesday!

10/09/2026

The 2026–2027 school year is off to a great start! September was filled with exciting activities across our district as students and staff settled into their routines, welcomed new faces, and kicked off another year of learning.

Our schools were busy welcoming new teachers, hosting family events, showcasing student work, and celebrating school spirit. Students participated in hands-on learning, creative projects, and opportunities to connect with others both inside and outside the classroom.

Our Career Center students worked on projects with local community partners, while other programs provided opportunities for students to explore their interests and build their skills. It was wonderful to see so many great things happening throughout the district as we began the new school year.

Be sure to check out the attached document to see what happened in each of our schools and programs during September. We're looking forward to sharing more Positive Happenings throughout the 2026–2027 school year!

September Positive Happenings: https://aptg.co/z5vDVx

10/08/2026

Quick shout out to our amazing PTO for getting our Book Fair up and running! Thank you all! Book Fair will be open to families and their students at the upcoming Fall Fest/Trail of Treats Thursday, October 15th, 2026 5-7!

🏫 📖 The WAEC Bookfair is up and ready for our student shoppers!! 📖 🏫

Here is our link to shop online:
https://bookfairs.scholastic.com/bf/warrenareaelementaryctr

** Don't forget you can set up an E-Wallet for your student. It's a super easy and hassle free option to avoid having students have to carry cash! 💲

10/02/2026

WAEC Weekly Update - Week of September 28/Looking Ahead to Homecoming Spirit Week

Happy Friday, WAEC families! Here's a look back at our week, plus everything coming up as we head into Spirit Week next Week.
Today is the 28th day of the school year, leaving 149 left (~15% of the school year is complete). October is shaping up to be a very busy month, and flying by already!

This Week at WAEC
Great energy and routines all week!
Wednesday brought a Gifted Encrichment Day, and exciting news: WAEC is launching a Family Video Series on Facebook, coming soon!
Thursday kicked off our PTO Candle Fundraiser, running through October 15, and Book Fair fliers went home, see details below.

Happy National Custodian Day - October 2nd, 2026!
Today we're celebrating our incredible custodial team! Our custodians keep WAEC safe, clean, and welcoming for every student, staff member, and visitor, every single day, often behind the scenes. Please join us in thanking them for everything they do to make WAEC feel like home!

Looking Ahead: Spirit Week for Homecoming, October 5 to 9
Get ready, Dragons! Next week is Spirit Week as we celebrate our beautiful little community's Homecoming. We'll be joining WAHS in their daily spirit week which will make it even more fun! Here's how to dress each day:
Monday: PJ and Comfy Clothes Day
Tuesday: Hawaiian, Bright Colors, or Flowers
Wednesday: USA Day, wear your best red, white, and blue or 4th of July gear
Thursday: Color Splash Day, by grade level: Kindergarten wears black, First Grade wears yellow, Second Grade wears blue, Third Grade wears pink, and Fourth Grade wears green
Friday: White Out, wear white and show your Dragon pride
Let's see all that Dragon spirit as we cheer on our Warren High Dragons for the 2026 Homecoming!

What We're Learning: Grade Level Curriculum Connections
Here's what's on deck for the week of October 5, in reading, math, science, and social studies or health.

Kindergarten: Reading classic tales like Chicken Little and The Three Little Pigs, while learning new letter sounds /o/, /z/, /g/, and /i/. At home, retell a story together or practice the sounds of the week.

First Grade: Reviewing tricky words and sound spelling patterns, continuing the light and sound science unit, with a Health Day lesson midweek. Ask your child to show you a tricky word or talk about light and sound.

Second Grade: Learning about silk in Early Asian Civilizations, solving one step word problems, exploring Earth's materials in science, and studying healthy eating and nutrition. Ask your child about a vitamin or mineral they learned.

Third Grade: Continuing animal classification with lessons on mammals and Jane Goodall, practicing multiplication arrays and facts, and learning about natural resources, goods and services, and decision making. Practice a multiplication fact together.

Fourth Grade: Writing personal narratives, beginning the Middle Ages unit, working on place value and multiplication, and exploring Americas geography and history. Have your child write about a memory from the week.

Attention Parents and Guardians: Fall Book Fair
The WAEC Fall Book Fair runs the week of October 8 through 15. Your student's teacher will send home your classroom's visit date and time, and an e-wallet option is available. The Book Fair will also be open during Trail of Treats on October 15 from 5 to 7 PM, with sensory friendly time from 4:30 to 5 PM.

Frank-N-Feed-Me Needs Your Help!
Frank, our friendly candy monster, is back in the office and hungry for donations! Frank is collecting candy for our PTO Fall Fest and Trail of Treats on October 15. Send in candy donations with your student to help make this a sweet event for the whole WAEC community.

Specials : PE practiced soccer skills and a parachute activity. Library covered parts of a book, typing, and learning Destiny. STEM explored 2D/3D shapes, internet safety, and gears and machines. Art continued patterns, self portraits, sculptures, and started Mondrian. Music continued working on beat and time signature.

Welcome Hank!
In honor of Halloween season, our WAEC dragon mascot Hank has made himself right at home in Andy's Room, inspired by Toy Story! You can find Hank's new bedroom in our display case near the office. Hank will be visiting classrooms throughout the month and adding new photos to the wall in his room, so be sure to stop by and see how the display grows when you're here for Fall Fest in a couple of weeks! Maybe your student will find themselves in some of the photos!

A Literacy Tip for Families
Ask your child open ended questions about what they're reading, ones that can't be answered with just yes or no. Questions like what do you think will happen next or why do you think the character did that build comprehension and get kids talking about what they read, which is just as important as the reading itself.

Have a wonderful weekend, WAEC family, and get those spirit week outfits ready. We'll see everyone on Monday!

09/29/2026

🎃👻 Halloween at WAEC is almost here! 👻🎃

Our students are already buzzing, and so are we!
We'll celebrate in all K–4 classrooms on Friday, October 30th.

Here's what you need to know:

Costume Tips 🦸‍♀️
✅ Keep it simple: pieces your child can wear all day (capes, hats, themed shirts, fun accessories)
✅ Faces uncovered in the morning. Masks can go on for the parade and parties only.
✅ School-appropriate: no weapons (even pretend ones) and nothing too scary for our little ones
✅ Comfy shoes for walking!

Costume Parade 🥁
Our campus-wide parade (outside) kicks off around 1:45 PM.
See the parent letter coming home this week with your students for more details about this.
Rain location will be in the WAEC Gymnasium.

Coming to watch? 👀
🚗 Arrive between 1:00 and 1:30 PM. Please drive slowly, there will be lots of little ones around!
☀️ Good weather: the parade loops outside around campus. Families must stay on WAEC grounds.
🌧️ Bad weather: come in through the gym doors and watch from the bleachers.
⏰ Please stay until the end. Leaving early causes traffic and safety issues, and we'll keep things moving!

🔥 And remember, FIRE doesn't take the day off! We'll still be showing Friendship, Independence, Respect, and Excellence.

Check your child's folder later this week for the full letter. Thanks for partnering with us to make it a safe and happy day! 🧡🖤

09/25/2026

Weekly Facebook Post: Weekend Wrap Up and Week Ahead at a Glance

Happy Friday, WAEC families!

What a Week!
Our students have shown so much energy and school spirit this week! From dressing up as their favorite superheroes for Tech Hero Day to finding their perfect twin for Twinning Day to celebrating 9-to-5 on Dolly Day, our hallways have been full of smiles, creativity, and WAEC pride.

We also want to give a shoutout to last week's traveling history museum assembly. Our students were incredibly engaged, asking thoughtful questions and making connections to what they are learning in science and social studies. It is always exciting to see history come to life right in our own gym.
Thank you to our families for your continued hours volunteering, support, and enthusiasm. It truly makes WAEC a special place to learn and grow.

Looking Ahead: Week of September 28
Tuesday, September 29: Midterm progress reports go home. Please look for these in your child's backpack.
Wednesday, September 30: It's an LEC Day. If your student receives support through our gifted support program, please reach out to Mrs. Downey for any information.
Thursday, October 1: Our PTO Candle Fundraiser kicks off and runs through October 15. Watch for order forms coming home.

What We're Learning: Grade Level Curriculum Connections

Kindergarten: Students are wrapping up a unit on the Five Senses, reading biographies about Helen Keller and Ray Charles, and beginning to learn letter sounds like /m/, /a/, and /t/ to start blending simple words. At home, practice saying words slowly together and stretching out each sound.

First Grade: Students are reviewing basic letter sounds and common nouns, reading short passages and answering questions about them, and learning map and globe skills in social studies. Ask your child to name a few common nouns they see around the house, or look at a map together and find a familiar place.

Second Grade: Students are continuing to learn about Early Civilizations from different regions and cultures of the world, solving addition and subtraction word problems, and exploring early explorers in science. Ask your child to tell you one fact they learned about an early explorer OR have them create their own word problems with members of your family and activities you’re creating to see if you can solve them this week.

Third Grade: Students are continuing to read, write about, and study animal classification in ELA. In math, students are working on understanding that multiplication is another way to find the total of equal groups through arrays, equal groups, and repeated addition equations. Find a book on animals, read a chapter together, and talk about how the author describes the animal characters.

Fourth Grade: Students are writing personal narratives and starting a unit on the Middle Ages, and working on multiplication, division, and algebraic thinking in math. Have your child call a relative or family friend to tell them a fun fact or create a problem for them from what they’re learning in their classes!

Specials this week: PE started soccer skills and games. Art covered pattern, portraits, and sculpture. Library explored book parts, checkouts, and typing. STEM built robots, PowerPoints, and gears. Music practiced beat, steady beat, strong beat, and weak beat.

SPEL Grant Update: Reading Achievement Data
We also want to share some exciting news from our SPEL (Success for PA Early Learners) grant. This year's data shows real growth in early reading skills across Kindergarten, First, and Second Grade, especially compared to the average SPEL grant schools across the commonwealth!

Our Kindergarten students grew from 32.8% reading at or above benchmark at the beginning of the year to 92.6% by the end of the year, well ahead of the statewide average of 66.4%.

First Grade students grew from 64.9% to 81.9% at or above benchmark, also outperforming the state average of 58.9%.

Second Grade students grew from 52.5% to 62.9% at or above benchmark, finishing ahead of the statewide average of 55.8% as well.

These gains reflect the hard work of our students, families, teachers, and PaTTAN and IU5 partners, and the impact of the structured literacy practices our SPEL grant has helped bring into our classrooms.

A Literacy Tip for Families
One simple thing makes a big difference: read together every day, even for just ten minutes. It doesn't need to be a new book each time. Rereading a favorite story builds fluency and confidence, and talking about what happens in the story, like what happened first, why a character made a choice, or what might happen next, builds the same comprehension skills we work on in school. The best book is the one your child wants to read again.

Thank you for being such a great partner in your child's learning. Have a wonderful weekend, and we will see everyone Monday!

09/21/2026

Warren County School District is hosting a Hiring Event. ESS is now hiring substitute teachers and substitute support staff. Come to Central Office on October 7th at 10:30. The session will last an hour and a half.

09/18/2026

Happy Friday, WAEC families!

It's been a great week at Warren Area Elementary Center! Here's a look back at what we've been up to and a heads up on what's coming next week.

WEEKEND WRAP UP: Week of September 14
Our PTO-sponsored Traveling History Assemblies took place Thursday and Friday in the gym. Students enjoyed the presentation together as a school community and explored hands-on stations, including rocks and minerals, dinosaurs, insects, oceans and waterways, and life cycles. A HUGE thank you to our amazing PTO and all the volunteers who came to help!

Thursday, September 17th was Constitution Day. Students learned about the Constitution in their classrooms, and classes took turns signing the "WAEC Constitution," which you can see posted with this Facebook post.

LOOKING AHEAD: Week of September 21 is Spirit Week!

Monday, 9/21: Tech Hero Day! Mr. Eldridge is a WAEC superhero who rescues us from tech problems every day. To show our appreciation, dress like your favorite superhero, wear Mr. Eldridge's favorite color (blue), or sport your favorite WAEC gear. Thanks, Mr. Eldridge!

Tuesday, 9/22: Twinning Tuesday! Dress like a friend. This is also the last day of the midterm for the 1st nine weeks.

Wednesday, 9/23: Picture Day! Wear your best outfit and practice those smiles this weekend!

Thursday, 9/24: Team Up Thursday! Wear your favorite jersey, team colors, or mascot gear. Our Backpack Program also begins this day.

Friday, 9/25: World Dolly Day! (Get it? "9-2-5") Wear pink, sparkles, diamonds, or western wear. We'll also have our first PBIS Assembly in the afternoon.

Find WAEC and Warren Dragon spirit wear at our online shop: https://ice-box.store/waec/shop/home

WHAT WE'RE LEARNING
Curious what your child is working on? Here's a quick look at each grade level, plus a simple way to connect at home.

Kindergarten: The five senses, plus position, length, height, and sorting in math. At home, play "I spy" or turn cleanup into a sorting game by size or shape.

First Grade: Fables and stories, the human body, and addition and subtraction. At home, read a short fable together and talk about the lesson, then practice a quick addition or subtraction problem with everyday objects.

Second Grade: Fairy tales and tall tales, early civilizations, and addition and subtraction within 100. At home, have your child tell their own tall tale about what they've learned, and practice adding and subtracting with plates, snacks, or toys.

Third Grade: Animal classification, three-digit numbers, and multiplication concepts. At home, read a nonfiction animal book together and talk about the author's descriptive words, then look for place value in store prices.

Fourth Grade: Personal narratives, chronology, place value, and multiplication. At home, have your child write a few sentences about a memory from their week or the Nature Trail walk (thank you, Becky Woldt!), and practice rounding with a grocery receipt.

Special Education: Our students are well into their routines and expectations and have been busy getting to know new friends and staff. Some programs are enjoying Community Based Instruction at the YMCA. Thank you to the Warren YMCA for the collaboration!

WIN (What I Need) Time: WIN time starts this week! Every student will work in small groups on targeted ELA skills with our teachers, reading specialists, and/or paraprofessionals.

SPECIALS
Gym: Rules and procedures, with a soccer focus on passing, dribbling, and shooting.
Library: Checking books out and in, how responsible patrons behave in the library, and typing skills.
Art: Art room expectations and "The Dot" by Peter Reynolds, as students explore line, shape, and color by creating their own "dot."
Music: Warm-up routines and the differences between beat, no beat, steady beat, strong beat, and weak beat.
STEM: Procedures, geometry (2-D and 3-D figures), technology, and design concepts through play and exploration.

Last, as we get further into the "-ber" months, please make sure you've seen the WAEC outdoor recess guidelines in the attachment to this post. Have a great weekend!

09/15/2026

Warren County School District makes it easier to stay in touch with teachers and class information from that same app. Using the Warren CO SD app, you can easily switch from district and school information to Rooms, where you can see your student's classes and engage directly with teachers. Rooms can be accessed via the web and from our district app which is available for free and can be used from both Apple and Android phones.

Warren Area Elementary Center

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