Bad News!

The weather in New Jersey has forced our visit to be cancelled today.  I am very sorry for the news.  Captain Speakman was as disappointed as anyone.  We will make this work sooner or later.  Thank you for understanding.

Mr. Masucci

Helicopter

It's a little after 8:00 a.m. I have not heard from the Marines. I am hoping that no news is good news. Keep checking back. The minute I hear something, I will post information. Thanks, Mr. Masucci

One Down...One to Go!

3rd Graders finished up their testing this morning. I am sure they will enjoy the evening not having to worry about any more tests. Our 4th Graders will wrap things up tomorrow. I think they have possessed great attitudes these past few days. The weather looks great today. Head outside and enjoy it. Thanks, Mr. Masucci

Snow?

It's hard to believe that we have to worry about snow this late in April. Let's hope the forecasters are wrong and this storm misses us. I don't think I will be using my tickets to tomorrow night's Pirate game.

Our first day of testing went very well. 4th grade kicks things off tomorrow. I am looking forward to the end of the week. It will be nice to pack the tests up and get them out of here.

Stay warm!

Thanks,
Mr. Masucci

A Great Day for a Walk!

We were able to pick right back up where left in the fall with our building's walking program. This afternoon we walked a little under a half mile. Our entire building made the trip in a little under 30 minutes. All of the students were very well behaved.

Great news should have made it home today about the little girl whose wish came true because of the generosity of Poland Union Elementary School's students, staff and families.

Thanks,
Mr. Masucci

PTO Meeting

Our school's monthly PTO meeting will take place tomorrow at 9:00 a.m. April is typically a slow month with the recent break and Achievement Assessments taking center stage. Hope you can make it.

I received some great news today.........but I am not quite ready to share it. Look for a paper coming home in the next few days.

Enjoy the sunshine.

Thanks,
Mr. Masucci

Back from Break!

I hope everyone enjoyed the break! While no one likes to return from a vacation, it was nice to see so many smiling faces this morning. It's hard to believe we have only 38 more days of school.

The school's "Gaga Pit" is up and running. The final step will be installing turf inside of it. Thanks to the generosity of our PTO the turf has been purchased and delivered to the school. We are now waiting for the outside temperature to rise a bit before adhering the turf to the blacktop. Mr. Wesolowsky will be swinging by Wednesday morning to provide our students with the rules of the game.

Be on the lookout for information coming home today about the Pittsburgh Pirates. Each K-4 students is entitled to 2 free tickets to an upcoming game at PNC park. If you have any questions, please let me know.

Thanks,
Mr. Masucci

A Beautiful Day!

Today happened to be one of the nicest Spring days I can remember. I know our students enjoyed being outside for recess. I hope this type of weather shows up next week!

Congratulations to our Kindergartners for putting on a terrific show last night. Mrs. Bonarigo, Mrs. Chiaro and Mrs. Donahue did a great job preparing their students for such a special event. It was nice to see a "packed house", too.

Enjoy the nice weather.

Thanks,
Mr. Masucci

Kindergarten Stars!

Our Kindergartners will take center-stage this evening for their annual Spring Program. All of the students have worked hard and are well prepared for tonight's performance. their smiles will steal the show! I'd like to thank Mrs. Bonarigo, Mrs. Chiaro and Mrs. Donahue for taking the time to put this event together. Their efforts are appreciated.

Our school's "Gaga Pit" is just about finished. PTO provided the funds necessary for this addition to the school's playground. Once the students return from the break, they should be able to use it.

Thanks,
Mr. Masucci

Spring Has Sprung!

I am happy to report that our students will be hard at work planting flowers when they return from the upcoming break. Due to the generosity of a business owner in Hartville, Ohio, I was able to pick up several thousand flowers this afternoon. Wave petunias, geraniums and other flowers will need to be transplanted before they make their way into your homes.

It is going to be short week! I know our students are excited about the upcoming break. I am excited, too.

Thanks,
Mr. Masucci

Family Science Night!

Last evening's Family Science Night was a huge success. I'd like to thank Bella's To-Go, Turning Technologies and Harbor Pet Center for their help. It was a pleasure working with these local businesses. In addition, I'd like to thank Mrs. Kountz, mrs. Titus and Mrs. Wlakam for taking the time to attend last night's event.

Most importantly, I would like to thank our 3rd grade students and families for heading back to school on such a nice night. From what I heard, a good time was had by all.

Thanks,
Mr. Masucci

Sunshine!

Although the temperatures have dropped the past few days, the sun continues to shine! Let's hope we have a nice weekend.

I have shared with our students the fact that we will conduct a tornado drill tomorrow. For some, they need to hear that this is only a drill and they are going to be perfectly okay. Tomorrow's drill will take place across Ohio and will begin at 9:50 a.m. We will hold at least one in April, May and June.

Have a wonderful evening.

Mr. Masucci

It's Monday!

This will be our last full week of school before Spring Break! With only nine days of school left before the break, I know our students will be excited. Let's hope the weather is as nice as it has been the past few weeks.

Friday will mark the end of the third grading period. Report cards will be heading home on Thursday, April 4th.

Tomorrow's Family Science Night for 3rd graders will begin at 6:00 p.m. There will be a variety of stations set up throughout the building that our students will visit.

Thanks,
Mr. Masucci

Another Great Day!

Our 2nd graders had a wonderful day to visit YSU's Planetarium. Many of our students came back to school anxious to share details about the trip.

Plans have come together nicely for tomorrow evening's Mother-Son night. Mrs. Ogden has done a great job planning for this very special event. I hope to see as many of you there as possible.

Enjoy the nice weather. I have encouraged our students to visit the Poland Woods. This is always a great time of year to visit one of community's many treasures.

Thanks,
Mr. Masucci

Nice Weather!

I apologize for not posting a message for a few weeks. I think I am finally back on track. With weather like this, it is easy to forget about the cold winter months. We will be planning to restart our building's walking program soon. It's always nice to get the students out of the building.

Our Steeler game was a huge success. I'd like to thank those who attended. The Steeler players were very gracious and seemed to enjoy themselves, too. I look forward to organizing another game in the future.

Enjoy the sunshine!

Thanks,
Mr. Masucci

Congratulations!

Thanks to the generosity of Poland Union's students, staff and families and through the support of several local businesses I am happy to report that our school has granted the wish of a local child suffering from illness. More information will be shared with me by the Make-A-Wish Foundation. I will certain to pass it along. Our students have learned a valuable lesson about helping others, setting goals and working hard to achieve them. Great job!

The Scholastic Book fair will kick off tomorrow. Schedules were sent home on Friday. If you have any questions, please feel free to call the school office.

Thanks,
Mr. Masucci

Radio Disney Tonight!

Tonight is the BIG night! Our Make-A-Wish efforts will conclude at the high school tonight. I am quite certain that once tonight's event is over our goal will be reached. I am exceptionally proud of our students, staff and families for their extreme generosity. It has taken only 42 school days to accomplish our goal. I'd also like to thank Crane Memorial, Cocca's Pizza and Poland Rotary for their support. In addition, Mrs. Wess was kind to enough volunteer her time to help count coins and make things easy for me. PNC Bank was also very helpful in handling all of the donations. Be proud everyone!

Enjoy the weekend.

Thanks,
Mr. Masucci

Thin Mints!

I am in need of help. If I eat one more thin mint cookie, it will be clear that I have some type of problem. Keeping boxes in my office so I will not have to share them with my family is wrong. Wouldn't you agree? Planning my day around a trip Handel's is not the path I want to go down.

March is right around the corner. Be sure to check out the calendar page for information about upcoming events. Spread the word about the Steelers coming to town. Tickets sales are going well!

Thanks,
Mr. Masucci

Father-Daughter Night!

Last night's Father-Daughter Night was a blast! I'd like to thank Mrs. Ogden, Mrs. Ray and the PTO's committee for putting together such a great event. There were a lot of smiling faces. I'd also like to thank all of the dads who were able to attend. It was great having you in the building.

Spread the word about next week's Radio Disney Dance Party at PSHS. I have tickets left and will be happy to give them away. Enjoy the weekend.

Thanks,
Mr. Masucci

Pittsburgh Steelers!

Tickets for the upcoming basketball game against the Steelers are going fast. Thank you very much for your support of this one-of-a-kind event. I am putting the finishing touches on plans for the game. Spread the word to your family and friends. Be sure to bring those Terrible Towels and Steeler shirts!

Tomorrow's Father-Daughter should be a lot of fun. I'd like to thank Mrs. Ogden, Mrs. Ray and their committee for all of their hard work. I know the girls will enjoy themselves. Please dress casual. There is no need to get dressed up!

Thanks,
Mr. Masucci

A Short Week!

I hope you enjoyed the long weekend. In many ways, it felt and looked a lot like March. It's always nice to have a short week.

Spring Pictures will be held tomorrow morning. Reminders were sent home last week.

Thursday's Father-Daughter Night is sure to be a crowd-pleaser. Our PTO has handled all of the details. I know my girls are looking forward to it. Some have asked about what they should wear. I was told to have the girls dress "casual". See you on Thursday.

Thanks,
Mr. Masucci

Long Weekend!

I hope you enjoy the long weekend. I have already been informed that the majority of mine will be spent stripping wallpaper. I think I'd be better off at school.

I have updated our school's calendar page to include all of the upcoming events. Be sure to take a look and call if you have any questions. In addition, I am still planning on giving our building's webpage a new look. I have been learning quite a bit about creating and maintaining a new site and intend to attend a class or two about websites soon. I appreciate your patience.

To date, our school has sold over 700 tickets to the Steeler game! Information will displayed on Poland's clock tower soon and a few articles will be published advertising the game. It's getting close!

Thanks,
Mr. Masucci

Wow!

Today's Radio Disney Dance Party was a HUGE hit! Be sure to ask your children about it. I'm quite sure most of you won't even have to ask. Our school was presented with a certificate and banner for winning this year's "Get Active, Get Fit School Challenge." Look for coverage to be on WKBN and WYTV tonight or tomorrow.

If you haven't picked up your tickets to our next Radio Disney Dance Party, I hope you do soon. If your children liked today's program, they will absolutely LOVE the next one.

Thanks,
Mr. Masucci

Happy Valentine's Day!

Valentine's Day is one of the nicest days to be in an elementary school. Some may argue with that, but I hope I never forget what it feels like to be a kid. Our students entered the building with smiles from ear to ear. I'd like to thank our PTO for providing treats this afternoon. We are all lucky to have such a devoted group taking care of us! I'd also like to thank our staff for having even more patience today.

Tomorrow is our Radio Disney Party! No...not the BIG one at the high school, but the one we won as the grand prize winners of the "Get Active, Get Fit" Contest. If your child has a Disney shirt, be sure to have him/her wear it! Our afternoon should be a lot of fun.

Thanks,
Mr. Masucci

Fire Drill!

With the weather so nice, today was the perfect day to hold a fire drill. Although I expect all of our students to follow the rules during these monthly drills, I continue to be impressed with their behavior. Being able to hear and knowing what to do mean a lot during an emergency. Poland's brave firefighters would be proud of our students.

Tickets went on sale today for March's basketball game against the Steelers. Be sure to check out the information heading home today. It should be a lot of fun.

Thank you,
Mr.Masucci

Super Bowl!

I hope everyone enjoys the big game on Sunday. With all this nice weather, you may be able to head outdoors to throw the football around. If you ordered pepperoni roll cards from Cocca's, I made sure they made their way home to you. We will continue to sell them through Wednesday, February 8th.

Crazy Hat Day was a huge success. Thank you! There were a lot of creative hats walking around our halls, too. Once again, I thank you for supporting out efforts. Be sure to ask your child about today's short video shown during morning announcements. There were a few tears after watching it.

Information about the OTHER big game will head home on Monday!

Thanks,
Mr. Masucci

Crazy Hat Day!

Tomorrow is going to be "Crazy Hat Day"! Students are encouraged to bring in a one dollar donation for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. For doing so, they can wear their craziest hats to school. It should make for an exciting day. Participation is strictly voluntary.

Tickets for the Steelers Basketball Game will go on sale Monday, February 6th. The last day to buy them at the school will be Thursday, March 1st. After March 1st, all tickets will have to be purchased at the Fieldhouse the night of the game. If you wait until then, the event may sell out. Please be sure to buy your tickets here at school. More information about the event will be sent home on Monday.

Click here to see one of last year's best Super Bowl Commercials.

Click here to get an early glimpse of a great Super Bowl Commercial.

Thanks,
Mr. Masucci

Field Trip!

Our 3rd and 4th graders were treated to great trip to the Covelli Center to watch the Youngstown Phantoms play hockey. I am so proud to hear that all of our students were exceptionally well behaved. Great job!

We will continue to accept pepperoni rolls orders! Those who have already placed their orders should receive their cards today or tomorrow. To date, this sale has generated $301.00 for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Thank you for your continued support.

Tickets for the Steelers basketball game will go on sale Monday, February 6th. Look for all of the details on a "black and gold" piece of paper that will come home Monday.

Thanks,
Mr. Masucci

January?

It's hard to believe it is January 31st. With temperatures in the mid-50's, it felt like an early spring day. I sure hope we don't pay for days like this in April or May.

Please be sure you stop in to get your Radio Disney tickets. Beginning February 6th, I begin advertising the event to the general public. For the past few weeks, tickets have only been given to Poland Union families.

February is a very busy month. I updated the calendar page this afternoon. Be sure to check it out.

Thanks,
Mr. Masucci

Levy Committee Meeting!

There will be a "Levy Committee Meeting" for anyone interesting in volunteering their time to help pass March's levy. The meeting will take place at 7:00 p.m. in the cafeteria at PSHS.

It's hard to believe January has come to an end. We'll certainly be busy in the month of February. Be sure to keep an eye on the calendar page for updates.

Send those pepperoni roll orders in. Although you can order all the way up until February 8th, those who turn in orders by Friday will receive their cards for the weekend. Pepperoni rolls and the Super Bowl....what can be better?

Thanks,
Mr. Masucci

Thank you!

I would like to thank our 4th graders and their families for making last night's Family Health Night such a huge success. I think everything went very well. I would also like to thank Ms. Landers, Mrs. Johnstone. Mrs. Williams and Mrs. Kasper for taking the time to attend. It is appreciated. The evening would not have been possible without the help of Sirna and Sons Produce, Turning Technologies, Mrs. Barb Dorbish, Chris Mielo and Chaz Kellem.

All of our students really enjoyed their visit with Chaz Kellem and Chris Mielo yesterday afternoon, too. I would like to thank the PTO for providing the funds necessary for them to attend. The men had very powerful and important messages for the students. In the weeks to come, you will receive information about the free Pirate tickets Chaz promised all of our students. Think Spring!

Thanks,
Mr. Masucci

Oops!

I sent home information today about a partnership between our school and Cocca's Pizza. This partnership could easily generate a lot of money for our Make-A-Wish efforts. be sure to check it out. However, I made a mistake when creating it. If you are interested in participating in the program, please be sure you include your name on the order form. I seem to have left part off. Good job Mr. Principal!

Tomorrow is Family Health Night for our 4th graders and their parents. Please plan on arriving around 5:45 p.m. and gathering in the gym. I am proud to report that close to 90% of our 4th graders plan on attending.

Thanks,
Mr. Masucci

A Little Late!

The day got away from me today. I apologize for getting today's message up so late. Our 2nd graders enjoyed a visit from our friends from Mill Creek Park. Be sure to ask about the visit.

I want to let you all know how happy we are to welcome Mrs. Janet Kirns to our building. She replaces Mrs. Confer who is off enjoying her retirement. Mrs. Kirns has taught at Poland Middle School for many years. We are lucky to have her.

Have a great night. I hope to be in tomorrow. I have been dealing with Jury Duty this week and last.

Mr. Masucci

Warmer Days Ahead!

Despite the warmer than usual temperatures, please make sure your children are heading to school prepared to head outdoors for recess. If the temperature is above 20 degrees, we will head outside. Thank you.

To date, Poland Union has collected close to $2,500 for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Let's keep up the great pace. Look for information on how Cocca's Pizza will help our efforts. A yellow sheet of paper is heading home today which shares information about our March 2nd radio Disney Dance Party. It will be here before you know it.

Don't forget about tonight's Board of Education meeting at the Township Building. The meeting will begin at 6:00 p.m.

Thanks,
Mr. Masucci

Brrrr!

It was definitely cold today! Let's hope for warmer temperatures before the weekend. It will be February before we know it.

Plans are coming together nicely for 4th grade's Family Health Night. This event will take place on Thursday, January 26th. I look forward to a great evening and know our 4th graders and parents will enjoy the evening's activities. If you have any questions about it, please feel free to give me a call.

1st graders will be selling popcorn on Friday to coincide with our "Movie Day". Popcorn will be sold for 25 cents and all of the proceeds will be donated to our Make-A-Wish efforts. Mr. Mike was kind enough to volunteer to run the popcorn machine. By Friday, we may end up being very close to having $3,000! Thank you!

Thanks,
Mr. Masucci

Back to Work!

It's hard to believe that January is quickly coming to an end. I have had quite a few phone calls regarding our upcoming Radio Disney Dance Party and event with the Pittsburgh Steelers. As soon as I receive the tickets for these events, I will pass along infomration to all of our families here at Union. For a various reasons, I am not permitted to print the tickets for these events myself. Therefore, I have to wait.....and I am not the waiting type!

Please continue to support our Make-A-Wish efforts. We are well on our way to reaching our goal.

Thanks,
Mr. Masucci

Another Winner!

Today was another one of those days that makes you forget it's winter. I find it hard to believe that our students our making it outside for recess each day. Keep your fingers crossed that this nice weather lasts a bit longer.

Information was sent home last week regarding free tickets to a YSU basketball event at the Beeghly Center. Ticket requests are due by Monday, January 23rd. Once I receive the tickets from YSU, I will distribute them to our students. Consider attending and cheering the Penguins on to another victory.

Thanks,
Mr. Masucci

Wow!

It certainly was a beautiful day for January. It's hard to believe that in two short months it will be March 9th and we will all be thinking about Spring!
I am proud to report that our school has already collected close to $1,500 for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. We are off to a great start! Next up is "Dime Day"on Friday, January 13th. Several families have made very generous contributions. Thank you!

I have some great news to share on Wednesday! Stay tuned.

Thanks,
Mr. Masucci

Way to Go!

The Bulldog Bakery was open for business yesterday! I'd say they were a hit in the building. Thanks to our 4th graders and Mrs. Johnstone's clever thinking our students raised over $115.00 for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. That's not too bad for your first day of business. I'd like to thank all of the 4th grade families who sent cookies in to school this week. It was very nice to see our 4th graders take such an active role in the activity and show so much pride in what they were doing.

Please do not forget about next week's PTO Meeting. it will take place at 9:00 a.m. and be held in Room 34. Believe it or not it is time to begin thinking about next school year.

Have a great weekend.

Thanks,
Mr. Masucci

Brrr!

It was another cold start to the day. I was happy to see so many of our students bundled up as they entered the building. Since cold weather will be around for the next few months, please make sure you label all of your child's clothing. You'd be surprised what we find on the floor.

Our Make-A-Wish efforts are going very well. Close to $70 made its way into the building today. Many of our students took a great sense of pride in dropping their coins into our Make-A-Wish jug. Friday will be quarter day! Please consider sending in a few.

Thanks,
Mr. Masucci

Welcome Back!

Welcome back to school! I hope all of our students and families enjoyed the holidays and spending time with family and friends. We all have so much to be grateful for. Today's delay was unexpected, but made coming back from the break a bit easier to handle.

Our Make-A-Wish efforts are officially under way. A letter is heading home today about how donations can be made. If you have any questions, please feel free to call. Participation is voluntary.

Thanks,
Mr. Masucci