November Newsletter 24-25

We still have a few more spots in our before school tutoring program. See information below and if you would like to sign your child up please do so here.

• Tutoring is from 7:05-8:05 am on Tuesdays for Reading and Thursdays for Math.

• Tutoring Dates:

  November 7th, 12th, 14th, 19th, 21st, 26th

  December 3rd, 5th, 10th, 12th, 17th, 19th

  January 7th, 9th, 14th, 16th, 21st, 23rd, 28th, 30th

  February 4th, 6th, 11th, 13th, 20th, 25th, 27th

  March 4th, 6th, 11th, 13th, 18th, 20th

November 1: No School

November 4: No School

November 5: No school Election Day & PD Day for Staff

November 11: Veterans Day Assembly (Click here to RSVP a veteran!)

November 13: PTA Meeting (Virtual) 5-6 pm

November 18: Late Start - Doors open at 10:05 a.m.

November 20: Picture Retake Day

November 21: PTA Panda Express Night

November 27-29: No school Fall Break

A big thank you to everyone who took the time to complete the MRA survey last month.This information helps us plan as well as implement goals as a staff to better serve our amazing Duello Community. Below you will see our survey results. Together we truly are better!

🎤 Wish to celebrate or appreciate a Duello staff member? Looking to give a general shoutout highlighting DUE's bright spots? We will share our Mic Drop Moments via the monthly newsletter, our weekly staff newsletter, and social media!

We would like to provide additional details on updated district grading practices that were implemented to better reflect your child's understanding and progress in school.

This system uses two categories:

• Assessment of Standards (70%): This shows how well your child has learned the important things in each subject. It's based on things like tests, projects, quizzes, and performances.

• Practice of Standards (30%): This helps us see how your child is doing as they learn. It includes things like classwork, homework, and discussions.

Why the change?

Before, teachers had different ways of calculating grades. Now, we're working toward a system that's the same for everyone, so you can easily see how your child is doing in all their classes.

What's important to know:

• Mastery matters: We want to see how well your child understands the material. That's why assessments like tests and projects are worth more.

• Learning is ongoing: We also want to support your child's learning process. That's why practice work is included.

• Feedback and opportunities: Teachers will give you feedback on your child's progress, and there may be chances for them to redo assignments if needed.

We're here to help:

If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact:

• Jill Klahn Smith, Director of Assessment, Data and School Improvement

• Kim Dannegger, Director of Elementary Learning

• Marc Tiernan, Director of Secondary Learning

• Your child's principal or teacher

We're grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with you and are committed to helping your child succeed in the classroom!

Our Duello Book Fair will be going on during the week of November 20-25.

More information to come! See the graphics below for information on utilizing the Scholastics e-wallet for easy cashless shopping as well as information about our Annual coin collection.

As we approach the colder months, we want to re-share the District communication that has information regarding the WSD's inclement weather procedures for the 2024-25 school year. This year, snow days one and two will be traditional snow days. After our second snow day this year, we will switch to AMI (alternative methods of instruction) for snow days three through seven. Read more on what to expect this winter here. View AMI assignments here.

Has your child's teacher made a significant impact on their education and life? Do you want to recognize a staff member who goes above and beyond? The WSD rolled out a new way to honor our staff, and it only takes a few minutes to do. Nominate a teacher or employee for a Wentzville Wow Factor Award anytime throughout the school year to let them know they are making a difference! Nominate a Staff Member.

Encourage your kiddo(s) to be thankful for all they have by completing this Gratitude Calendar!

Read the document at this link to learn more about the amazing program- Leader in Me!

The WSD will once again be providing supervision for K-5 students who need to be dropped off at the regular start time on scheduled Late Start Days in the 2024-25 school year. This is separate from our Before Care Program through Chautauqua, so if you are registered for Chautauqua, please DO NOT register for Late Start Supervision. Late start day supervision will be available beginning at 8:05 a.m. on Late Start days (School start time 10:20 a.m.). Please visit our Late Start page on our District website for more information.

Regular school attendance is critical to your child’s success at school. In the event that your child should need to be absent from school, please notify the office at (636) 327-6050 and press 1 to report that absence. Please leave your name, your child’s name, and grade, the teacher's name, and the reason for absence. You may also email attendance changes to attendance.duello@wsdr4.org

Regular Day Lunch Times:

Kindergarten: 11:00-11:20

First: 12:15-12:35

Second: 10:35-10:55

Third: 11:50-12:10

Fourth:11:25-11:45

Fifth: 12:40-1:00

Late Start Lunch Times:

Kindergarten: 11:00-11:20

First: 11:25-11:45

Second: 10:35-10:55

Third: 11:50-12:10

Fourth: 12:15-12:35

Fifth: 12:40-1:00

Early Release Lunch Times:

Kindergarten: 10:20-10:40

First: 10:45-11:05

Third: 11:10-11:30

Second: 11:35-11:55

Fourth: 12:00-12:20

Fifth: 12:25-12:45

This is an important reminder of the drop-off and pick-up procedures that we will enforce for the safety and efficiency of the students and parents at Duello. Staff supervision and student drop-off begin at 8:05 a.m. If you arrive early, please wait with your child(ren) until 8:05 a.m. to assure that they are supervised. Parents should not drop students off in the parking lot in order to avoid the drop-off line.

Walkers- Walkers are defined as students who walk or ride their bike home. These students will be dismissed and will either travel home alone or meet their parent/guardian. The parking lot is not a designated crosswalk and is extremely dangerous for students to walk through unattended. Please do not bypass the carline for convenience and put your child and others in danger.

Car Riders- Car Riders are defined as students who will have parents/guardians who will utilize our car rider line to drive through and pick their child up. This is the most efficient way if a parent is coming to pick their child up. The line might look long but it moves quickly.

A smooth and efficient procedure takes all of us working together. I appreciate and expect all parents to follow the outlined procedures.

Car Riders

• Make sure your car rider pick up signs are visible on your dash. If you do not have your sign when you arrive then you will need to show proper identification.

Walkers

• If your child is a walker, please communicate with the office and teacher so we know which students to release as a walker. If a child is not on our list as being a walker, we will need to call home to verify or send them on the bus or as a car rider. This is solely for safety purposes. We don’t want to release a child as a walker if we have not received permission from a parent. Also, we asked that you don’t drive a car up to school and then have your child dismissed as a walker. This creates an unsafe situation for students and adults. The parking lot is not a designated crosswalk and is extremely dangerous for students to walk through unattended. Please do not bypass the carline for convenience and put your child and others in danger. We truly appreciate your help with keeping everyone safe!

Morning/Afternoon Schedule

• Doors open at 8:05 am
• Breakfast from 8:05 am-8:20 am
• Dismissal begins at 3:15 pm

Would you like to volunteer at your student's school? Would you like to attend field trips? Please read the information at this link for more information, and to sign up to volunteer!