Willow Parent Bulletin #13

November 12, 2021

all things Willow...

After a week of having 4 seasons rolled into one, here are a few reminders as cold and snowy weather approaches. With potentially slippery roads and the commute taking longer, these are important things to keep in mind:

Drop off: Please stay in line and pull all the way down, slowly. When these procedures aren't followed, a safety hazard is created. Your student should be ready to get out when the staff member opens the door. Do not drop off students in the street. Thank you to those using the crossing guards!

Pick up: There is no parking on the south side of Willow between Page and Gladville. The signs clearly state this. Parking on this side makes traversing that area dangerous for everyone. You can pull up on the parking pads to get out and find your wildcat. If there isn't a space available, please loop the block until one opens. Double parking is never a good solution. Please help us teach your child the importance of crossing with the crossing guards, too.

Late bell: Students arriving 8:05AM or later need an adult escort into the office.

Clothing: Hats, gloves, and boots will soon be the norm. Please practice with your wildcat to make sure he/she can independently get all of these items on and off. Be sure to also label everything so lost items can get back to the correct owner.

Masks: Your wildcat should have 2 clean ones in his/her backpack each day. You can also toss in a box of child-sized disposable ones for the mornings that get a little hectic. We understand how busy mornings can be, but cannot continue to go through a box each day.

Buses: On days there is inclement weather, the buses will run a little slower. Picture in your head 50 students, all dressed like little Stay Puff Marshmallow Man, all boarding a bus after school. It just takes a little longer.

Willow Wear: If you missed something the first time and just have to have it, please stop by the office for an order form or call and we will send one home. A re-order will be placed on Friday, November 19th.

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Why should we read at home for 20 minutes each night?

A 2017 study conducted by the American Academy of Pediatrics found reading to children wakes up the left part of the brain. This area involves understanding the meaning of words, memory, comprehension and writing.

Starting in kindergarten, if a student reads 20 minutes a day at home, they will hear 1.8 million words per year. It can also build empathy and expose them to new ideas and cultures.

If your wildcat needs books to be able to read at home, please let us know. The Homewood Library also has a wonderful selection as well as programs for students. https://www.homewoodlibrary.org/age-groups/kids

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Safety Drill

We did our lock down safety drill on Tuesday morning. The students did an excellent job of moving to their assigned space and sitting quietly. The officers on hand were very complimentary. The entire thing was completed quickly and the students resumed their normal day.

We have 2 more fire drills to complete this year and a disaster/tornado drill that usually happens the beginning of March, statewide.

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Looking for a vaccine location?

https://www.vaccines.gov/

If your child does get vaccinated, please call us and let Nurse Straney know. You will need to have the dates handy for her to record. If a vaccine other than Pfizer gets approved for little people, she will need that information as well. Like all other medical information, it will be kept confidential.

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Homewood Patch's 30 Days of Gratitude- a great way to recognize your child's teacher

Patch's "30 Days Of Gratitude" will run throughout the month of November with stories about living with gratitude — in simple terms, a deliberate choice to see the goodness and joy in your life and to wish the same for your neighbors.

Living with gratitude is a matter of continually counting one's blessings while at the same time recognizing that the source of goodness in one's life is other people.

One goal of our "30 Days Of Gratitude" series is to show our appreciation for all the people and things that make our lives richer. We invite you to fill out the form below and write a letter of thanks to a person, group or thing that makes life in Homewood-Flossmoor better.

Write a letter showing your gratitude for someone or something in Homewood-Flossmoor, and we'll publish it in November.

https://patch.com/illinois/homewood-flossmoor/tell-someone-homewood-flossmoor-you-re-grateful-them?utm_term=article-slot-1&utm_source=newsletter-daily&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter

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Book blurb: "Oona"

Kelly DiPucchio is one of my favorite children’s authors and I couldn’t wait to “dive” into the story of Oona. Oona is an endearing tale about a little mermaid and her best friend, Otto, the sea otter. They love searching for treasure which often leads to trouble for the pair. There is one special treasure Oona has to have. Their determination and perseverance set the stage for a delightful ending. The Homewood Public Library has a copy available for check out.

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Food Drive

Our annual food drive started on Monday and runs through Friday, November 19th. The donated food items are used to create baskets to help Homewood families. South Suburban Access donates turkeys for us to top off each basket.

Please check the list below to see what your child's grade level has been asked to contribute:

EC/PreK:

dressing/stuffing

canned cranberries/sauce

cornbread mix

rice

noodles

macaroni and cheese

Kindergarten:

canned carrots, green beans, or corn

cream of mushroom soup

soup

canned sweet potatoes

baking vegetable oil

First grade:

gravy mix/packets

instant mashed potatoes

salt/pepper

French's Fried Onions

chicken broth

Spaghetti sauce

Second grade:

canned pumpkin

flour

sugar/brown sugar

marshmallows

evaporated milk

pie crust

Donations can be sent with your child or brought into the Willow Office. Grocery gift cards are also welcomed. Thank you in advance for helping to be sure all our families have a meal for which to be thankful.