We hope you had a wonderful break and had time to rest and enjoy some family time together.
We missed all of our students and are excited to see them again! Classrooms will once again be filled with laughter, learning, and good conversations - yay!
The start of a new year is also a great time to teach children about goal setting, be it individually or even as a family. Here are a few ideas:
Academic Goals
- Read for 20 minutes every day.
- Improve math facts by practicing 3 times a week.
- Aim for perfect attendance each month.
- Learn 10 new vocabulary words each week.
- Practice kindness by helping a classmate or sibling each week.
- Set a goal to manage emotions and practice calming strategies (deep breathing, exercise, verbalizing emotions).
- Practice gratitude by writing down 3 things you’re thankful for weekly.
- Eat at least one fruit and vegetable with every meal.
- Get 30 minutes of physical activity daily.
- Limit screen time.
- Go to bed on time.
- Brush teeth twice a day without reminders.
Here is to a wonderful 2025!
The sun always shines on Brookside! 🌞
Warmly,
Dr. Jenny Wielinski
As video games become increasingly prevalent in children's daily routines, there has been growing concern about their influence on behavior, particularly in relation to dopamine regulation. Video games, especially those that are highly engaging and reward-based, can significantly affect the brain's dopamine levels, potentially leading to addictive behaviors. Studies suggest that excessive gaming may lead to attention-seeking behaviors and emotional dysregulation, as children seek the same dopamine boosts from gaming that they once received from more traditional activities.
For parents interested in exploring ways to manage their children's screen time, a helpful article explains the potential risks of gaming addiction and suggests strategies for "detoxing" kids from excessive screen use. It also discusses how balancing screen time with other healthy activities can support a child's emotional and mental well-being. You can find this article at: https://www.psychiatrictimes.com/view/problem-gaming-consider-dopamine-detoxification.
Another useful guide provides six strategies for parents to strengthen connections with their children while reducing screen time. These activities focus on natural dopamine-boosting practices, ideal for elementary-aged children. Read more here: https://www.accounselingllc.com/blog/boosting-dopamine-naturally-a-parents-guide-to-reducing-screen-time-for-elementary-aged-kids.
Consistent attendance in elementary school is critical for a child’s overall growth and sets the stage for lifelong learning and success. Daily school attendance is important for the following reasons:
- Building Foundational Skills: Elementary school is where children learn critical foundational skills in reading, writing, mathematics, science, and social studies. Missing school can cause gaps in these essential skills because lessons build on previous lessons. Missing even a few days can disrupt a child’s understanding and make it harder to catch up.
- Consistency and Routine: Regular attendance helps children develop discipline, responsibility, and a sense of routine, which are valuable life skills. Attending school on time fosters habits that are beneficial in future educational and work settings. Regular attendance prepares children for the expectations of future workplaces.
- Sense of Belonging: Regular attendance helps children feel connected to their classmates and teachers, fostering a sense of community. We miss our students when they are out. Being present allows children to build friendships and learn teamwork, communication, and conflict resolution.
- Support and Guidance: Consistent attendance helps teachers understand a child’s strengths and challenges, allowing them to provide personalized support. Being present helps children build trust and rapport with their teachers, contributing to a positive learning environment.
- Academic Success: Studies show that students who regularly attend elementary school are more likely to succeed academically in later grades. Additionally, early habits of attendance are linked to lower chances of dropping out in high school.
- Timely Intervention: Regular attendance enables teachers to identify and address learning difficulties early, preventing them from becoming long-term issues. Many children who need extra help, receive extra support at school. These services are missed when students are absent.
- Parental Engagement: Ensuring regular attendance shows children that their education is valued, reinforcing its importance at home. 🙂
Thank you for your commitment to ensure your child is in school on time. It is so important.
The weather is getting colder! Please ensure your child comes to school with a warm coat, hat, and gloves. And, please don't forget to label all items with your child's name. If your family needs assistance with winter clothing, please reach out to our office at 614-450-5300.
If you would like to donate socks, gloves, and/or hats to our Giving Tree for students who need them, we will gladly hang them on the tree. 🙂
We are thrilled to announce that kindergarten registration for the 2025-26 school year will open on January 6th, 2025. Visit our kindergarten Welcome Center website for information about the registration process and requirements.
We are excited to announce that starting in the 2025-26 school year, Worthington Schools will be offering universal, no-cost all-day kindergarten for all students. This program will provide a strong foundation for learning and allow us to better meet the needs of every child in our community.
For more details about Worthington's All-Day Kindergarten, you can read Superintendent Dr. Bowers blog or watch a presentation about kindergarten from a recent board meeting.
We can’t wait to welcome our newest learners to our schools!
As technology continues to become more present in our student’s lives, Worthington Schools has been seeking to better understand the impacts of technology in our classrooms. All schools in Ohio are required to adopt a policy regarding cell phone use by July 2025. Superintendent Dr. Bowers recently presented student, community, and staff feedback regarding cell phone use in our schools and Worthington’s progress toward defining a cell phone policy which you can view here.
Based on this feedback, we are adjusting our technology practices at the elementary level. Students at our elementary schools have always been asked to silence cell phones and are required to keep them in their bookbags during the school day. Now, this practice will also apply to smartwatches and other wearable technology.
This change supports a more focused and distraction-free classroom environment while still allowing students to access technology for communication to and from school. We understand that many families find value in features like location tracking, and this adjustment allows for these needs to be met without interrupting the school day. Thank you for your continued support as we work together to create the best learning experience for all our students!
Should you have questions, please do not hesitate to reach out.
I am excited to announce that Brookside will be using Artsonia as an online platform to share student art. Family and friends can view the art online, leave comments, and order keepsakes featuring the artwork. 20% of the sales go back to the art room to help fund unique project supplies. You can access this on a computer, or by downloading the Artsonia app on your phone.
Directions:
Scan the QR Code
Enter your child's first and last name, grade, and email address
Enter your information (name, email, phone number)
Once you enter into your student's portfolio, you can add "fans" (family and friends) so they have access as well; this is NOT public information.
Once we finish creating an artwork, you will receive a notification that a new artwork has been uploaded to your student's portfolio. The physical artwork will come home at some point in the school year.
If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to me at kmurray@wscloud.org.
Money for breakfasts and lunches need to be deposited in www.mypaymentsplus.com You will set up a parent account and then add a student account for each child using their student ID#. If you decide to pack a lunch (or snack) please be aware that our District is Nut Free (peanuts and all tree nuts). We appreciate your cooperation with this.
- We do serve a grab & go breakfast in the cafeteria from 7:30-7:40
- Breakfast can be purchased for $1.60
- Lunch is $2.75
- Additional milk is $.50.
If a student is free or reduced and the student wants to buy milk (extra or with a packed lunch) the milk is not free, it is $.50.
Please have your child arrive to school and be an active and engaged learner by our tardy bell at 7:40am. It is important that your child arrives on time as school attendance is calculated by the minute and accumulates quickly when tardy.
If your child will be absent for any reason, please call (614-450-5300) or email (dwadkowski@wscloud.org) attendance. If you know about a planned absence, please share that information prior to the absence, especially extended absences.
Just a few additional reminders:
No toys/stuffed animals should be brought to school.
For the safety of students, if they arrive after the 7:40 bell, please come in with them to sign them in.
Please make sure to put your child’s name inside their coats and jackets.
Should you know in advance that your child will need an alternative bus stop on their assigned route due to child care or other reasons, please fill out the Alternative Transportation Request Form as soon as possible.
If your child's afternoon transportation needs to change at the end of the day, you must notify the office by 1:30 that day. Teachers can't get to their emails while teaching, so it is best you contact our school office 614-450-5300.
Brookside loves Grandparents! If you are interested in getting involved with the Circle of Grandparents, please see this FLIER for more information.
FIELD TRIP CHAPERONES
Field Trip volunteers/chaperones must have their volunteer badges. If you are interested in volunteering in our school or for a field trip. Please go to the district website and follow the instructions HERE.
Contact Information
CONTACT INFORMATION: Parents, if you have not done so this year, please make sure to verify/update information in the Emergency Data Review through the parent portal. You can access the portal* on the WCS website. This process must be completed every year in case of an emergency and in order for your child(ren) to participate in class field trips. Instructions for using the parent portal appear here.
Special Education Key Communicator
Worthington’s Special Education Key Communicator Committee strives to build positive, productive and collaborative relationships and partnerships amongst the educators and community of families whose children receive special education and related services. We will engage in two-way communication, with the goal being to provide a circle of influence where we can share out and learn from and with each other.
The key communicators will convey information from their building to the committee, as well as information from the committee to their buildings.
The Key Communicators for Brookside are Sandra Sell at snsell74@gmail.com and Emily Smith. Please reach out to either of our communicators if you have questions or topics to discuss.