Woodbury Weekly Update for Families

Welcome to our weekly update! We are thrilled to keep you informed about the happenings at our school, celebrations & achievements and upcoming events, ensuring you're an active part of your students educational journey. In each update, you'll find some quick highlights of the past week and a preview of what's to come. Our hope is to foster a strong sense of community and collaboration between the school and our cherished families. Most weeks will be brief, but at times there is important information or updates that help support us in your involvement in our little school. Thank you for taking the time to read it!

Parking: We continue to have some issues with parking for drop off and pick up. Please be sure to use the lane on 2nd Street to drop off and pick up, by pulling all the way up. Otherwise, please park on an adjacent street and walk to the playground to drop off or pick up your student(s). Please do not park in the drop off lane or leave your vehicle. The goal is for students to be able to exit their vehicle independently to help the process go smoothly. Staff parking on Lafayette is limited and is being taken up in the morning from cars pulling up to the gate and pulling up over the spaces leading up to the stop sign. This year we have had a staff vehicle backed into and some vehicles have been damaged due to doors being opened into cars parked there. Last, students are still being let out in the street on all roads which creates a hazard and unsafe process for those navigating the surrounding streets and properly using the 2nd Street lane. We know that we are challenged with being on a city block and not having our own drop off, which is why we need the help of parents/guardians in following the procedures in place for safety. We appreciate your help!

ELECTRONIC DEVICES: A friendly reminder regarding our policy for phones & smart devices as we see a decrease in students with phones & watches.

Cell Phones and Other Electronic Devices:

The possession and use of cell phones and other electronic devices are subject to the following rules:

• They must be kept out of sight and in an inconspicuous location, such as a backpack, purse, or locker.
• They must be turned off during the regular school day unless the supervising teacher grants permission for them to be used or if needed during an emergency.
• They must not be used in any manner that will cause disruption to the educational environment.

Dress for the weather: As we head into colder weather, we want to remind you to dress your student appropriately for the conditions. In addition to any before-school time, students also have a 30-minute recess after lunch, and they will be outside unless the "feels like" temperature is below 10 degrees. Please ensure that your child is wearing warm clothing, including jackets, hats, gloves, and scarves, to stay comfortable and safe during outdoor activities. Layers are always a great choice to help regulate their body temperature throughout the day. Thank you for your support in keeping our students warm and ready for both learning and play!

Personal Items: Please do not send personal items to school with your student. We are not responsible for lost or stolen items. Unfortunately, these items can often become a distraction to the learning environment.

Absences: Please be sure to call our office when your student will be absent. Student absences need to be called in by 8:15 am (815-786-6316) on the day of the absence for the safety of your student. There is a voicemail to leave a message, so you can call at any time to let us know if your student will not be present. If your child is not at school and we have not been contacted we will send out reminder messages. If contact cannot be made, please note that the absence will be considered UNEXCUSED.

Our school district continues to partner with Safe Passage to provide Sexual Abuse Prevention Education programming to our students. Safe Passage is a non-profit organization whose mission is to promote the right of all to nonviolent and abuse-free relationships through advocacy, intervention, and prevention in DeKalb County. Legislation in our state, called Erin’s Law, requires all public schools in Illinois to develop a comprehensive, age-appropriate sexual abuse and assault awareness and prevention education program for students in Pre-K through 12th grade. It is estimated that one in four girls and one in five boys are sexually abused by the time they are 18. It is estimated that about 90% of the abusers are known to the child and include relatives, neighbors, babysitters, and family acquaintances. As a part of our plan, Safe Passage’s Prevention Education staff will present a Personal Body Safety Program in all elementary classrooms. This program will discuss sexual abuse prevention at an age-appropriate level for our K-5 students, as outlined below.

K-3 Lessons:

• Kindergarten: My Body’s Mine! By Kayla Marnach

Storytime discussion about a child’s bodily autonomy in a rhyme for ease of remembrance. Discussion of safe vs unsafe touches and secrets. Discussion of safe adults to go to for help.

• 1st Grade: My Body! What I Say Goes! Second Edition by Jayneen Sanders

Interactive story time and discussion of rules for body safety and how to say no and talk to a safe grown-up if a child feels unsafe or hurt. Discussion of how to say no, how to recognize feeling unsafe, and how to help a friend. Updated to the second edition of the book that updated language and added more inclusive illustrations.

• 2nd grade: Teach your Dragon Body Safety: A Story about Personal Boundaries and Appropriate vs Inappropriate Touches by Steve Herman

Storytime discussion about a child’s bodily autonomy in a rhyme for ease of remembrance with a dragon friend to make it a fun discussion.

Discussion of safe vs unsafe touches and secrets. The book outlines boundaries and how to tell people no when the child is uncomfortable. Discussion of safe adults to go to for help. Part of the popular “Teach your Dragon” book series.

• 3rd Grade: Some Secrets Should Never Be Kept by Jayneen Sanders

Storytime and discussion of grooming techniques, including threatening or shaming a child into silence. Discussion of moving beyond “stranger danger” in thinking about safety and how to get help, even if you feel scared.

Our school district is committed to the safety and well-being of our students. Please visit the Illinois State Board of Education website for further information regarding Erin's Law. If you have any questions or want to opt your student(s) out of the Safe Passage presentations, please contact Woodbury’s main office at 815-786-6316.

We Need Substitute Teachers and Substitute Paraprofessionals! Do you want to make your own schedule? Do you have at least 60 credit hours or an Associate's Degree?

You can be a Substitute Teacher and would be making a significant impact on our school with your support!

As a Substitute Teacher, you would make $120 daily or $140 after a total of 10 days in the district.

Here is the link to the DeKalb ROE for a Substitute Teacher packet.

You can easily become a substitute Paraprofessional as well with just a High School diploma and earn $14 an hour. Here is the link for the DeKalb Paraprofessional licensure.

Attention Preschool Families! This series is designed to empower families with practical strategies to support young children's development and set them on a path for lifelong learning. Join us to connect with other parents, gain insights into early childhood milestones, and explore ways to create a nurturing learning environment at home.

Our Parent Pathways sessions are designed to provide a supportive and interactive hour for families. Each session begins with 25-minutes led by our parent educator, where parents can learn valuable insights and strategies, while preschool students are supervised and engaged in play in classrooms. Following the parent session, families will enjoy a 25-minute activity to practice new ideas together.

These are the dates of our Parent Pathways events from 5:30 - 6:30 pm.

January 21st

February 18th

March 18th

April 15th

May 20th

We kindly ask that non-preschool children have pre-arranged supervision at home, though infants may stay with parents if necessary. Please note that no diapering services will be available during play supervision.

Each month we will send a Google Form to inform you of the upcoming event's topic and ask for your RSVP.

The following core values are embedded in our Woodbury Way recognition and are goals for our students and staff. These are great skills to discuss with your students as we will be emphasizing them throughout each month.

September: OVERVIEW