Wilder E-News November #52
One thing that makes Wilder an exceptional school is our strong parent participation in our school events. Research shows that strong family-school partnerships leads to improved student outcomes such as improvement in academics, higher student attendance, and stronger social emotional development. In September, we had some opportunities for our families to play an active role in our school community. First, our kindergarteners invited their grandparents for breakfast to celebrate National Grandparents' Day. We loved meeting these important members of our students' lives and getting an opportunity to introduce them to our school. It was wonderful to see the smiles on the faces of our youngest students when their grandparents entered the cafeteria. Wilder also hosted an Open House so families could learn about the curriculum their children will be learning this school year. Finally, our PTA held their annual ROAR Run fundraiser. We can't thank you enough for your support for this event which raises funds to provide additional materials and programs to support student learning. These school events demonstrate Wilder's commitment to the partnership needed to support and educate our students.
In closing, thank you for entrusting the Wilder staff with your children. We look forward to an outstanding school year with many more opportunities for you to plan an active role in your child's education. As always, if you have questions or concerns, please feel free to give me a call at (502)552-4156, or send me an email at Bill.Perkins@jefferson.kyschools.us.
Sincerely,
Bill Perkins
Principal, Wilder Elementary
I am thrilled to be working with your child again this year as their School Counselor! Our Wilder family is so special and it is students and parents like you who make our school such a wonderful place to be. I feel so blessed to work alongside you as a partner in your child’s education. My favorite part about being the School Counselor here at Wilder is getting to work with our students to help them improve and maintain positive mental health, to learn positive social skills, and to help students demonstrate positive behaviors that will help them be successful in/out of school. I work with many of our students through individual and small group counseling and classroom guidance. During these times we work on monthly character traits, social skills, bullying, anger management, making friends, study skills, and much more. Listed below are the monthly character traits for the 2024-2025 school year. You can help by talking with your child about these topics:
August - Kindness
September - Respect
October - Honesty
November - Cooperation
December - Responsibility
January - Self Control
February - Compassion
March - Fairness
April - Loyalty
May - Perseverance
In addition to counseling services that I provide to students, I can offer my assistance in other areas. Just some of those areas are coordination of 504 Plans, KSA state testing, homeless services, class schedules for students, suicide prevention, Top Cats, Town Hall, and Student of the Month. I wear many hats as a School Counselor and am always here for you and your child. I am only a phone call away. Please not hesitate to reach out to me at (502) 485-8350 or by email at monica.stinson@jefferson.kyschools.us.
With Students First,
Monica Stinson 🙂
Beginning this school year, the district has moved to a standards-based grading system. Standards-based grading is an approach to teaching and learning in which students demonstrate understanding or mastery of the grade level standard. It communicates the level of mastery rather than just an average grade for each subject. It is more descriptive of what your child is specifically learning. The grades a student receives measures their understanding of content. The level of understanding can increase and their scores can change as their level of mastery deepens. Assessments are scored by each individual standard a student needs to learn, so you know which skills your child has mastered or still needs to practice. Behavior and work habits are important but not included in academic grades. Grades for a content area should not reflect compliance indicators. Teachers will communicate with families regarding behavior and work habits, since they contribute to the overall learning experience of your child. Shifting to this new standards-based grading system will help students and parents gain a clearer picture of what students should know and be able to do by the end of each grade level.
Basketball tryouts for students in grades 3-5 will be on Wednesday, October 9th @ Kammerer Middle School from 7:00 - 8:30 pm. Mr. Gainey will be our head coach, but we are looking for an assistant coach. If you are interested, please contact Mr. Perkins by phone or email.
Wilder Basketball 2024-25 Information and Tryouts
Head Coach: John Gainey
Who: Any student (3rd -5th grade) who is interested in playing for the Wilder basketball team
When: Wednesday, October 9th 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm for tryouts
A second session may be necessary depending on the number of athletes trying out.
Where: Kammerer Middle School Gym (Door 6 on side of building by parking lot)
NOTE: Tryouts will be a CLOSED session.
Items to Bring: Wear basketball shoes and bring water.
Practices: Kammerer Middle School or Other gyms- dates/times TBD
Games: MidAmerica on Watterson Trail on Friday evenings - November 22nd - February ??
Dues: Approximately $120-$130 to cover uniforms (jersey/shorts), MidAmerica basketball league, end-of-season banquet, and awards
If your child is interested in basketball, please fill out this form
Dear Wilder Parents,
As we continue to settle into the new school year, I would like to take a moment to emphasize the importance of sleep for your child’s success both in and out of the classroom. Getting enough sleep is essential for your child’s academic performance and mental health. Well-rested students tend to have better focus, improved memory, and are more emotionally resilient. On the other hand, students who don’t get enough sleep may struggle to concentrate, manage stress or anxiety, and retain information, which can impact their learning and overall well-being.
The American Academy of Pediatrics, American Academy of Sleep Medicine, CDC, and National Sleep Foundation share the following information:
How much sleep do kids need?
Children Ages 6-12 years of age: Need 9-12 hours per night and this can include naps after school.
Tips for Better Sleep
To help your child develop healthy sleep habits you can do the following:
- Set a consistent bedtime and wake-up schedule, even on weekends.
- Create a relaxing bedtime routine, such as reading or listening to calming music.
- Limit screen time before bed, as the blue light from the devices can interfere with sleep.
Here’s some other articles that provide information about sleep, sleep routines, and ways to set healthy habits for sleep.
https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/sleep.html
https://www.healthychildren.org/English/healthy-living/sleep/Pages/default.aspx
https://choc.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Sleep-Hygiene-Children-Handout.pdf
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/recommended-amount-of-sleep-for-children
https://www.sleepfoundation.org/school-and-sleep/back-to-school-sleep-tips
Your Role as a Parent:
As parents, your support in establishing a good sleep routine is crucial. By encouraging regular sleep habits, you’re setting your child up for success in school and promoting their overall well-being.
Thank you for your continued support and partnership in helping your student(s) thrive!
Here’s a sample bedtime/sleep routine:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/17STDLjl3EFiVIP-VOL0qlbJL9pTilcUVngZOBdGaq8g/edit?usp=sharing
If you have any questions, or would like any other resources, please feel free to reach out to me at
502-576-7492 or by email at deeann.cannon@jefferson.kyschools.us.
Hello Wilder Friends,
As the Family Resource Coordinator at Wilder Elementary School, I am here to support both students and families with any resources you may need to thrive academically and personally. I am available at Wilder on Mondays, Wednesdays, and every other Friday. Please feel free to reach out to me via email at katie.wilkinson@jefferson.kyschools.us with any inquiries or assistance.
I look forward to working with you and ensuring a successful and fulfilling year for your children.
Warm regards,
Katie Wilkinson, Family Resource Coordinator
Thank you for supporting our two recent author visits with Tonya Duncan Ellis and W. Bruce Cameron as well as our Scholastic Book Fair. From the profits of the Book Fair, the students will be helping to determine some new book purchases for our library collection, and, assisting the funding for an upcoming author visit for grades K-3 this November. Please check out the Wilder LibGuide for eBooks, Pebble Go/Next and resources 24/7.
Carrie Mateja, Librarian
Make sure you check out the NEW Wilder webpage for upcoming events.
The Wildcat community is so wildly generous! As of Sept. 20, we are already at 122% of our goal, totaling nearly $31,000. The PTA' s goal was $25,000 and we are thrilled, overwhelmed in the best way, to see the incredible generosity. The last day to make a donation is Friday, Sept. 27, so there's still time to help our students reach their individual goals (if they haven't, already) and follow up with the friends/family who've promised donations. They can donate through our website, by texting 'ROARrun2024' to 33100 for a link to donate, or by submitting cash or check (payable to Wilder PTA) in an envelope with the student's name on it. Students turn those in to their teachers.
Honoring Veterans Day
On Nov. 11, we're inviting 8 military veterans (and active duty) to visit our students during lunch. We have three volunteers; however, we would like five more. If you are a military veteran (or actively serving in the military), you have a family member or a family friend who is a veteran, please ask them to complete this Google Form. We're asking our veterans to report to the school on Nov. 11 at 9:45 a.m. and they'll be dismissed between 12:30 p.m. - 1 p.m.
Join the Fun!
Please join the PTA by following this link. It's $5 for the year with all of the funds remaining at Wilder for us to use to support school events. The PTA contributes to the many free, family-fun events we plan throughout the school year, and support our students/staff in the classrooms and around our gorgeous campus. In addition, you'll get the newsletters with detailed information about upcoming events and the opportunity to volunteer--the gift of more time with your Wildcat.
Translators, Virtual Attendance Option for PTA Meetings
The PTA worked closely with our school administrators who've helped secure Spanish translators for the upcoming PTA meetings on Oct. 14 and Nov. 14. If you're interested in attending future meetings and would like to learn more about translation services, please email Mr. Perkins and copy WilderElementaryPTA@gmail.com. We've also started streaming our PTA meetings online, via Zoom and Facebook. On the day of a PTA meeting, we share the link on our Facebook page at 5:45 pm and via email to our PTA members. We hope this offering will allow those who can't make it in-person to participate in our awesome organization.
Upcoming events:
10/14 PTA Meeting, 6 p.m. @ Wilder Elementary (library)
10/25 Sweets With Your Student, 2:45 p.m.
10/31 Fall Classroom Parties (watch for invitations from your student's Room Parent to participate & donate)
Please follow us on Facebook and/or Instagram for reminders and announcements about upcoming events!
