Willow Parent Bulletin # 19

It was a bit of a wonky return after break with those E-Learning days, but everyone is settled back into the routines of school. Our students are currently taking the STAR midyear assessment. This gives us the opportunity to see their growth from the Fall. We use this information, along with other data, to determine individual needs for both intervention and enrichment.

We often get asked how to help at home. One of the best things is to read to your child. There is ample research that supports this. Children who hear 5 books a day enter Kindergarten with 1.4 million more words, according to Science daily. That's a game changer. And yes, 5 a day may be hard to manage, but the same study says one book a day is 290,000 words. It's a great time to build vocabulary and comprehension when you talk about what you read. Every little bit helps!

Let's be honest, not everyone is a fan. We get that. BUT, Willow has the rules and routines that it does to keep our and your Wildcats safe. That means they apply to everyone. While it may be easier for your child if you double park or don't pull down the drop off, it creates a hazard for others. Many times when this gets addressed, the response is, "I know I am not supposed to." Then don't. Your Wildcat is watching the behavior you and others model. It's important that the message about safety is clear.

We have had a wonderful response to Family Math Night with over 200 people attending. At this time, we are closing registration. We look forward to seeing you!

Our Day of service collection for the South Suburban Humane Society has been very sad...we've had 1. 😪 Please check the list below and if able, drop off a donation at Willow. Items they have requested include:

Kitten Chow

Pate style canned cat food

Puppy Chow

Dog and cat toys

Clean blankets/rugs/towels

55 gallon trash bags

bleach

HE laundry detergent

paper towels

non-clumping cat litter\

foil steamer trays

peanut butter

You can also use the links below to Amazon or Chewy.

Our PreK students had a "Fun Monday" instead of the usual Fun Friday. This month they enjoyed the KidsWork Children's Museum in Frankfort.

It's the sniffly time of year. Your classroom teacher and our specialists would appreciate any extra donations of tissue and cleaning wipes.

There was an issue with the link last week. Apologies for any inconvenience.

https://hsd153-my.sharepoint.com/:w:/g/personal/ann_snow_hsd153_org/EQpDEm35ZchMjRFvf3GlaFABrQvnlfLevB4c3690NPi0dA?CID=ee815f85-60ce-a3c8-3b85-1b604582291c

Thanks for sharing the newsletter with 100 more people than last week, for a total of 455. We had readers in 11 states and Mexico this time. Hola!

If you've noticed anyone at Willow going above and beyond, please use the link to recognize him/her/them! 💖 I share your kind words with them in my staff bulletin.

https://forms.office.com/r/L4vYqd7NpN

Feb: Black History Month/ Erin’s Law presentations #2

Dental Health Month

Feb 2: Groundhog Day

Feb 5-9: School Counselor Appreciation Week

Feb 8: 100's Day/ Family Math Night

Feb 10: Lunar New Year

Feb 14: Valentine’s Day

Feb 17: Random Acts of Kindness Day

Feb 19: Presidents’ Day- no school

March: Women’s History month/ Erin’s Law presentation #3

Disabilities Awareness month

Music in our Schools month

Mar 1: Maintenance Worker Appreciation Day/Early dismissal- 11:40 AM

Mar 2: Read Across America

Mar 4: End of Trimester 2

Mar 4-8: Social Worker Appreciation Week