Gockley Elementary School’s Title I reading night will be held today, Jan. 14. Invitations have been given to these students to bring home to parents.

Reading specialists will present a workshop with ideas for parents to reinforce reading skills. The families will have the opportunity to share ideas while enjoying a pizza dinner.

There is a snow date of Jan. 20.

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There will be no school tomorrow, Jan. 15, and Jan. 18.

Schools are closed Friday for a teacher professional development day; schools are closed Monday for the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. holiday.

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Gockley students and staff will have a penguin awareness school spirit day Jan. 20. Everyone is encouraged to wear colors of black and white to highlight this fun day.

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Zephyr Elementary Key Club’s Share the Love animal shelter donation drive is underway.

During the month of January, the Key Club is collecting items to donate to local animal shelters. You can help by donating items such as Purina One or Pro Plan dry food, Purina One dry kitten food, Friskies canned cat food, dog and cat toys, leashes, harnesses, collars, Nylabones, blankets, towels of all sizes and indestructible toys.

Please join the Key Club in their mission to Share the Love.

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The Strengthening Families program for parents and youth ages 10-14 will begin 5:30 p.m. Feb. 18 in the middle school cafeteria. Whitehall-Coplay has been offering this program for four years.

This is a seven-week series of activities for parents of young teens as well as the teens themselves. It is designed to help kids stay on the right track, pick good friends, make wise decisions and plan for their futures.

Parents learn things they can do to support their teens while giving them both love and limits, two key ingredients for navigating through the teen years.

The program is free and includes dinner. It is for all families and anyone who is about to raise a teenager.

Families can register by contacting Mr. Bugbee, middle school principal, at 610-439-1439.

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Parents are encouraged to discuss arrangements with their children in the case of early dismissals due to inclement weather. It is helpful to listen to daily weather reports for situations that may affect the school schedules. Plan what radio and TV stations to listen to or check the school website, whitehallcoplay.org.

During bad weather, Whitehall-Coplay School District will implement one of the following plans: school closing for the day, delayed opening of schools or closing early during the school day.

In the event of a two-hour delay, the district will use the following modified kindergarten schedule: Morning kindergarten starts 10:50 a.m. and ends 12:40 p.m. Afternoon kindergarten will start 1:25 p.m. and ends 3:15 p.m. For the modified kindergarten schedule, the bus for the morning children will arrive approximately 50-60 minutes later than the regular pick-up time for school. Afternoon kindergarten students will be dismissed at the regular dismissal time.

Due to weather and traffic conditions, the school/transportation office cannot predict the times for the different bus stops. Please help the school by not calling the offices.

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Do you have any school news? This column is a compilation of upcoming school events in the Whitehall-Coplay School District. Teachers, administrators, parents, students, coaches, PTSAs, club advisers and any other community members are invited to share their upcoming activities. Email me at jamb87@hotmail.com with “Whitehall-Coplay School News” in the subject line at least a week before an event.