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Jacksonwald Elementary

Grades K-4 | 610-779-1820

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Directory

JACKSONWALD ELEMENTARY

100 Church Lane Road | Reading, PA 19606
(610) 779-1820

Click Here For A Searchable Directory
  • Office

    x5103 Matt Hathaway, Principal
    x5101 Dani Merkel, Secretary
    x5102 Marybeth Eckenroth, Attendance Secretary

  • Counselor & Psychologist

    x5210 Kate Atkinson, School Counselor
    x5712 Jodi Landis, Psychologist

  • Nurse

    x5104 Nicole Strauss

  • Technology Support

    x5136 Kristin Kenagy

Note: Faculty phone numbers go to voice mail during school hours

  • Kindergarten

    x5427 Christine Druzba
    x5425 Lori Simmons
    x5426 Ashley Weaver

  • Grade 1

    x5119 Christina Ibanez
    X5121 Becky Krommes
    x5120 Kristine Schmidt

  • Grade 2

    x5124 Val Bloch
    x5123 Cyndi Lorady 
    x5126 Christine Motley

  • Grade 3

    x5219 Jenna Conrow
    x5221 Kaitlyn Lohr
    x5217 Stacia Miller
    x5220 Karlee Perilli

  • Grade 4

    X5226 Melissa Adams
    x5224 Brianna Amanto
    x5227 Elizabeth Caruso
    x5225 Todd Papich 

  • Reading & Intervention Specialists

    x5211 Hillary Arndt, Intervention Specialist
    x5422 Rachel Gierlich, English as a Second Language
    x5212 Nancy Salvatore, Reading Specialist
    x5207 Allison Shuman, Reading/Intervention Specialist

  • Special Education

    x5419 Karyn Algeo, Autistic Support
    x5117 Jennifer Elliott, Learning Support
    x5127 Heather Gromlich, Autistic Support
    x5223 Trisha Maguire, Learning Support
    x5218 Saranne Reisig, Learning Support
    x5423 Robyn Shaffer, Autistic Support
    x5125 Kathleen Walker, Gifted

  • Specials

    x5150 Matt Hadley, Physical Education
    x5417 Heather Hafer, Music
    x5208 Amy Parsons, Art
    x5418 Emily Reppert, Instrumental Music
    x5138 Wendy Wegman, Library

  • Therapist

    x5420 Daria Robinson, Speech Therapist

Home » Jacksonwald Students Win Turkeys in Traditional Raffle
student lifts frozen turkey over his head
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Thanksgiving traditions in Exeter include pumpkin pie, mashed potatoes… and elementary students winning and then hoisting frozen turkeys over their heads at Jacksonwald Elementary during the school’s annual turkey raffle.

Although the school tradition was largely unknown for the majority of this year's students and families due to the raffle being paused during the pandemic, excitement was palpable throughout the school on Friday afternoon as the raffle returned to everyone’s delight. Students chanted “Turkey! Turkey! Turkey!” as they wore handmade turkey hats and filed into Jacksonwald’s cafeteria to find out who among them would be a lucky winner of one of 20 donated frozen turkeys. Soon after they were all seated, Jacksonwald’s principal, Mr. Matt Hathaway, emerged from behind the stage’s curtain wearing a pair of turkey glasses and hat, eager to carry on a tradition and reward for good behavior that retired Lausch and Jacksonwald principal, Dr. Joe Schlaffer, started more than 15 years ago.  

“The time we saw the most misbehavior was right before the holidays,” said Dr. Schlaffer, who reminisced about the origins of the raffle last week, which he started originally at Lausch and brought over to Jacksonwald when the building closed. “The whole idea was that kids could go home with a turkey, and when they get home, their parents were going to say, ‘Where did you get a turkey?’” And they’d be able to tell their parents they got the turkey at school for good behavior. I thought it was a win-win-win situation for students, their parents and goodwill in the community,” he said.

In keeping with tradition, Mr. Hathaway approached local grocery stores, farms and butchers to secure the frozen turkeys as a donation–a feat he said was not easy this year thanks to a turkey shortage. Weis Markets in Oley found humor and heart in the weird-yet-wonderful tradition, however, and agreed to donate 20 turkeys to give away to one student in each classroom. In also keeping with Dr. Schlaffer’s tradition, Mr. Hathaway insisted that each winning student turn and face their school mates packed into Jacksonwald’s cafeteria and lift (with assistance) the frozen turkey over his or her head to the delight and cheers of their peers. 

Proud to carry on tradition, Mr. Hathaway said the raffle was such a part of the fabric at Jacksonwald that he said that some teachers became emotional when they heard the tradition was returning this year. “Some of our teachers cried,” he said. “It’s that much a part of who we are at Jacksonwald.” 

Jacksonwald Elementary School

jacksonwald

Address & Contact Info

  • 100 Church Lane Road
    Reading, PA 19606

  • Phone:
    610-779-1820

  • Fax:
    610-779-8844

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Our Schools

Exeter Township Senior High

Exeter Township Junior High

Reiffton School

Jacksonwald Elementary

Lorane Elementary

Owatin Creek Elementary