Author Jerry Pallotta will visit Gockley Elementary School Nov. 16 for his Read A Zillion Books Tour 2018. His books have inspired young readers, focusing on simple nonfiction nature books using counting and the alphabet. Books like “The Icky Bug Alphabet Book” have sold more than 1 million copies.

Using an inspiring slideshow, he brings the calmness of the ocean and the beauty of nature to his program.

Students and staff will have the opportunity to purchase his books, and Pallotta will personally sign them.

If you would like to learn more about the author, visit alphabetman.com.

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Reminder: Picture retake day for Gockley Elementary students is Nov. 16. The school expects delivery within the next few weeks. If you wish to have your child’s picture retaken, please return the packet to your child’s teacher.

New students who enrolled after Oct. 4 received a picture order form.

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Zephyr’s Color Splash Fun Run will be held Nov. 18 at Whitehall Parkway on Church Street, off MacArthur Road. You can register at secure.getactivefundraising.com/event/2018---Zephyr-Elementary---Whitehall-PA-.

For questions, contact Ashley Koren at korena@whitehallcoplay.org. Pledges can be collected at pledge.getactivefundraising.com/Zephyr18052.

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Parent-teacher conferences will be held Nov. 19-21 for Gockley, Steckel and Zephyr elementary schools and Whitehall-Coplay Middle School students.

Kindergarten students will not have school on the days of conferences. The final regularly scheduled school day for kindergarten is Nov. 16.

Early dismissals will take place. Elementary grades 1 through 5 will be dismissed noon. WCMS dismisses 11 a.m.

Lunch will not be served by the cafeteria Nov. 19-21.

Students report back to school Nov. 27.

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WCMS Student Council has been busy with many activities already this school year. Students are currently working on the annual Holiday Hope Chest program. The group is collecting new, unopened and unwrapped small gifts for a boy or a girl in specific age groups.

Student Council members will collect these filled shoe boxes to be delivered to Volunteer Center of the Lehigh Valley for families in early December.

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Physical education teacher Mr. Berg at Gockley has added every class to the Seesaw app, so families can see their children having fun and exercising in physical education classes. He has also been taking pictures of the computer classes hard at work in the Dance Mat Typing program.

Berg has received responses from families about their children’s pictures and how cool it is.

He hopes to receive videos back of the students exercising at home, which will result in the students receiving train tickets as a reward.

Berg also created PowerPoint slides of students throwing dodgeballs at target objects.

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Do you have any Whitehall-Coplay School District news? Teachers, administrators, parents, students, coaches, PTAs, 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.