Woodland Watch

Hello Woodland Families,

I can't believe that it is already December! Time is just flying by. The chilly winter temperatures this week definitely took me by surprise!

I want to remind all families, and share with new families, what our expectations are for winter weather. If there is snow on the ground during recess time, all students must be in snow gear, meaning hats, gloves, snow pants, winter coat, and snow boots. If students are not in snow gear, they will not be permitted to play on areas where there may be accumulated snow, meaning they will have to stay on the blacktop for the duration of their time outside. If you are having trouble obtaining snow gear or any pieces of the snow gear for your student, please do not hesitate to reach out to us via email or by calling the main office. We will be happy to assist where we can in providing resources or needed items for your student. Playing in the snow is an incredibly exciting experience for our students and one that we do not want anyone to miss out on.

As we head towards winter break, we have a few fun and exciting events happening at Woodland! Right now we are in the middle of our annual Woodland Leadership Team Food Drive. Our students have been working hard advertising, collecting, and sorting the food. I am so proud of the work that they have done so far. The Food Drive continues through next Monday, December 16th. If you are able, please consider donating. We are collecting non-perishable food items such as: pasta sauce, canned soups, fruits, and vegetables, peanut butter and jelly.

Next week, our Wildcat Winter Shop returns again this year! Students are going to be able to shop and purchase gifts for their loved ones, have them wrapped, and placed safely in a reusable tote bag. Gifts range from $2-$10. We are still looking for volunteers to make this experience a great one for our students. Please click this link if you are available to volunteer.

Recently, I have noticed that we have a significant number of students who are arriving tardy each day. Being on time to school is so important for several reasons:

1. Establishing Responsibility: Punctuality instills a sense of responsibility in students. It sets the tone for good habits and organizational skills that will benefit them throughout their academic and professional lives.

2. Maximizing Learning Opportunities: Arriving on time ensures that students don't miss important instructions, announcements, or the beginning of lessons. This maximizes their learning opportunities and helps them stay on track with the curriculum.

3. Reducing Disruptions: Late arrivals can disrupt the flow of the class and can be distracting for both students and teachers. A punctual start to the day helps maintain an organized and focused learning environment.

4. Preparation for Future Success: Punctuality is a valuable life skill that extends beyond the school setting. In the future, being on time will be essential for success in the workplace, meetings, and other aspects of life. Building this habit early on is advantageous.

5. Reducing Stress: Arriving on time reduces stress for both students and teachers. Latecomers may feel rushed and anxious, affecting their overall well-being and ability to focus on learning.

As you can see, being on time to school is not just a matter of following rules; it's about instilling important life skills, fostering a positive learning environment, and preparing students for future success.

Have a nice weekend,

Mrs. Katalin Rosinski

Principal

December

• 6th-16th - Woodland Food Drive
• 9th-12th - Wildcat Winter Shop
• 14th - Holiday Breakfast @ 8:30am-11am
• 17th - 3rd Grade Music Concert
• 18th - Buddy's Pizza PTO Fundraiser
• 19th or 20th - Classroom Parties
• 23rd-31st - NO SCHOOL - Winter Break

• 1st-3rd - NO SCHOOL - Winter Break
• 14th - PTO Meeting @ 6pm
• 16th - HALF DAY - Teacher Records - 11:45am Dismissal
• 17th - HALF DAY - End of 2nd Quarter - 11:45am Dismissal
• 20th - NO SCHOOL - Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
• 22nd - Woodland Talent Show @ 6pm

If you are not receiving text messages from Woodland Elementary or Avondale School District and would like to in the future, text the word "YES" to 67587.

We are so excited to host our second annual Wildcat Winter Shop next week! Students have been assigned a time and their cash envelopes will be sent home the day before they shop. Gifts will be wrapped, labeled, and put in a bag to be taken home. Gifts range from $2-$12.

Please remember we accept cash or you can upload money to an EWallet at www.funhgs.com

In order to make this event a success, we need parent volunteers! Please sign up using this link Wildcat Winter Shop 2024. If you have any questions, please contact Ms. Carion at katie.carion@avondaleschools.org.

This year, Woodland's Winter Wonderland Pancake Breakfast will be held on Saturday, December 14th from 8:30am to 11:00am. Chris Cakes will be flipping pancakes so come and enjoy a morning with our school community! We will also be selling our new Woodland (super soft) blankets, so please bring cash. They will make great Christmas gifts!

In order to provide the proper amount of food and crafts, you must have an advanced reservation to attend. RSVPs are due no later than Monday, December 9th. We also need volunteers to make this event a success! If you are interested in helping, please return the bottom portion of the form below or email our PTO President, Kat Mars, at katherine.mars@avondaleschools.org or woodlandptoavondale@gmail.com

Woodland's yearbook cover design contest is open to all 5th graders only. Please have your 5th grader submit their cover design in color to the Main Office before Monday, December 16th. Please see the flyer below.

This is a reminder for all families to complete the CEP Education Benefits Application, if you have not already done so for this school year. Although school meals are free for all students, it is critical that all households complete the CEP Education Benefits Application. This information determines the amount of money our schools receive from a variety of State and Federal supplemental programs that support our students, staff, and families.

Families can submit their completed application online through the Meal Magic Family Portal. Any questions can be forwarded to Megan Haase at megan.haase@avondaleschools.org.

Please remember that Woodland is a Peanut-Free and Tree-Nut Free school. Do not send any snacks or lunch items that "may contain nuts" or "manufactured on the same equipment or in a facility that contains nut products". We have some students and staff in our building that have very severe allergies to any kind of nuts, both peanuts and tree nuts. Thank you for your cooperation in this very serious matter to keep our everyone safe.

Woodland's Lost and Found is overflowing! It is located by the gym and cafeteria. If your child is missing a jacket, sweatshirt, lunchbox, etc., please remind your child to look in the Lost and Found. Parents, please plan on checking out the lost and found if you are in the school because all unclaimed items will be donated before our Winter Break in December.

Mark your calendars! The Troy Public Library Bookmobile is a library on wheels and it's coming to Woodland on Monday, January 6th from 4-5pm. We would love to see you there!

Woodland has started a new incentive program called "The Golden Paw" awards. Students who demonstrate our ROARS expectations and go above and beyond may receive a Golden Paw certificate from our Woodland staff. The student brings it down to the Main Office, where they put it in the Golden Paw box in front of Mrs. Rosinski's office. On Friday mornings, a few names are drawn from the box and those students get to pick a prize from our Golden Paw treat cart in the Main Office.

This week's winners are as follows:

Nathan D - Going above and beyond in writing

Sam M - Helping to organize supplies

David Mac - Cheering up a friend

Hannah S - Always doing her best work & following directions the first time

Sarah I - Going above and beyond in writing

Anthony Y - Trying to help a friend

Noah P - Using his dictionary to complete an activity

RJ G - Passing his test with 100%

Juliana R - Being responsible, participating, & helping clean up (not pictured)

Great job, Wildcats! Keep up the great work!

This week, our school community focused on the trait of Kindness. This means that you are generous to others and you are never too busy to help out. You enjoy doing good deeds for other people.

Kindness has been a foundation of moral and spiritual life across cultures and religions throughout history. This character strength is grounded in the belief of a common humanity in which others are worthy of care, attention, affection, and compassion. Aristotle defined kindness as, "helpfulness towards someone in need, not in return for anything, nor for the advantage of the helper himself, but for that of the person helped."

Why Does It Matter?

For individuals, kindess is correlated with desirable developmental outcomes. It is related to other-oriented emotions, like empathy (the ability to experience the emotional state of another person) and sympathy (the tender emotion of concern for another's difficulty). Psychologists have even traced kindness and generosity as the keys to healthy, happy, and lasting marriages.

To practice and encourage the character strength of prudence with your child, please visit the Positivity Project’s P2 for Families (password: P2) where together you will watch a video, read a quote and talk about the answers to three questions.

Next week, we will focus on Supporting Others When They Struggle.

December

December 6: Carmelo Mc., Loris H., Mrs. McNaughton

December 9: Avery A., Saish B., Sanvi B., Angelina S., Lailah S.

December 10: Ralfo I.

December 12: Laila S., Ms. Miller

December 15: Kenzie K.

December 16: Cali Mc.

December 17: Dariel R-M

December 19: Rowan C.

December 21: Gia L., Mr. Kilbourn

December 22: Evie G.

December 23: Harper H., M. Palmer, Mrs. Talsma

December 26: Nathan D., Emsaal B., Jakoda G-W

December 27: Jasper R., My'ana B.

December 28: Safiyyat B., Reid O.

December 30: Zack G.

School breakfast and lunch is FREE again this year. There will be NO printed paper menus this year. We ask that you please download the Nutrislice app on your cell phone or you may click on the Nutrislice link below:

Woodland Nutrislice Menu

You will also be able to find the breakfast and lunch menus for all schools on the Avondale website.

Hot Lunch Menu

Monday 12/9 - A) Mashed Potato & Chicken Bowl B) Toasty Cheese Sandwich C) Sunbutter & Jelly

Tuesday 12/10 - A) Orange Chicken B) Toasty Cheese Sandwich C) Sunbutter & Jelly

Wednesday 12/11 - A) Cheese Pizza B) Toasty Cheese Sandwich C) Sunbutter & Jelly

Thursday 12/12 - A) Greek Chicken & Tzatziki Sandwich B) Toasty Cheese Sandwich C) Sunbutter & Jelly

Friday 12/13 - A) Cheesy Baked Pasta B) Toasty Cheese Sandwich C) Sunbutter & Jelly

Avondale Food Services would like to remind you of the importance of sharing any allergies that your student may have with our Food Service Department. If your student has any food allergies, please fill out the form here and email it to megan.haase@avondaleschools.org.

Do you have a Kroger Plus card? If so, you can link your cad to our school and Kroger will donate a percentage to Woodland! You still get all the great savings and all the fuel points! Link your card online at www.kroger/communityrewards by entering our account number: SQ402 or searching for Woodland PTO.

Please click on the link below to view the latest Avondale Athletics Newsletter.

Avondale Athletics Newsletter

Considering the tough economic times and the rising food costs facing our area, we are attempting to help Avondale families by making sure all our children have enough food.

“Blessings in a Backpack” is a program designed to provide students on the free and reduced lunch program with enough food for three meals a day during the weekends.

Click below to sign your child(ren) up online to receive Blessings in a Backpack.

More Information:

Parent Letter/Sign Up

**If you would like to contribute food or snacks to help with Blessings in a Backpack, there is an Amazon Wish List set up below to purchase from. Thank you so much for your help and please feel free to share this list with others who may wish to donate!

Please see the the Woodland Elementary website and the Avondale School District website as resources for valuable information. We also post reminders and information on our Woodland Facebook Page. Please like us to stay connected with Woodland and the community.

Grace Caton, Secretary

Dawn Montano, Secretary

Email: katalin.rosinski@avondaleschools.org
Website: avondaleschools.org
Location: 6465 Livernois Road, Troy, MI, 48098
Phone: 248-537-6900
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WoodlandROARS/