IN West Jefferson Hills Winter 2019 | Page 35

MESSAGE FROM Mr. Matthew Patterson, Assistant Superintendent of Elementary Education I hope everyone is having a wonderful school year filled with new learning experiences and joy! The year is moving along very quickly, and I am sure everyone is looking forward to slowing down a little bit during the holiday season. From students to staff, everyone has been working incredibly hard and learning each day. For that, I am thankful and appreciative. Word is out, West Jefferson Hills School District is a great place for all children! Our enrollment continues to exceed all previous projections that were produced two years ago. Over the last two years, the overall enrollment has increased by nearly 300 and recently exceeded 3,100 total students. We warmly welcome the many new families who originate from various parts of the world and chose to call this beautiful community “home.” We are proud to see so many new faces in our schools and, as we continue to grow, we will adjust accordingly. Additional faculty and staff have been hired to reduce class sizes, better support English Language Learners, and to enhance supports to students with exceptionalities. A ten-room addition was recently completed at Gill Hall Elementary School to provide the needed space to facilitate our growth. A new demographic study is expected to be completed in January providing the most up-to-date information to be used in planning future staffing and facility needs. While most school districts in Pennsylvania continue to experience declining student enrollment, staff furlough, and school closures, I believe we are fortunate to be experiencing the exact opposite. Kindergarten pre-registration opened in early November and within the first 24 hours, over 120 children were pre-registered! Those who pre-register will receive important updates and other information from the school district including activities designed to assist with your child’s transition to Kindergarten, instructions for official registration and more. Children must be 5 years of age on or before September 1. Please be advised that this is only a “pre-registration.” Instructions for officially enrolling will be provided at a later date. Help us spread the word about pre-registration by telling your friends and neighbors. The link to pre-register can be found at www.wjhsd.net. Thank you for your continued support of the West Jefferson Hills School District. This is a uniquely special community where Jaguar pride runs wild! All the best to you and your family at this wonderful time of year. WEST JEFFERSON HILLS ❘ WINTER 2019 33