March 3rd

• High School Track Practice Begins
• Practice Time 3:30 pm - 5:00 pm

March 9th

• Daylight Savings Begins (Clocks Spring Forward 1 Hour)

March 10th

• Junior High Track Practice Begins
• Practice Time 3:30 pm - 5:00 pm (Same as the High School)

March 11th

• 7:00 pm Pep Band Concert

March 14th

• 11:45 Early Dismissal

March 17th - March 21st

• Spring Break No School

Dear Wakefield Families,

As we enter the month of March, spring break and the end of the third quarter are just around the corner. It's essential that students remain focused on their academics, as the end of the school year will be here before we know it.

In other news, High School track practice will begin on Monday, March 3rd, from 3:30 pm to 5:00 pm. Junior High School track practice will start on Monday, March 10th, with the same practice times. If you have any questions about the track program, please don't hesitate to reach out to Coach Crabtree.

As we navigate the unpredictable spring weather, please remind your students to check the forecast and dress accordingly. With warmer temperatures on the horizon, we also kindly ask that students adhere to school dress code policies.

Take a moment to review the newsletter for upcoming events, important dates, and exciting happenings throughout the month of March.

Sincerely,

Mr. Moneypenny

Wakefield K-12 School

Principal

Wakefield Families,

I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to everyone who took the time to complete this survey during parent-teacher conferences. We received a record number of responses in just two days.

If you were unable to fill out the survey or forgot, please take this opportunity to do so. Your input is invaluable, and the more feedback we receive from the community, the better equipped we'll be to move forward.

Below is the original letter sent out regarding this survey.

We value your input and appreciate your time in helping us enhance our after-school programs. As part of our efforts to secure another five-year grant that will provide additional opportunities for our students, we need your feedback. This is a highly competitive grant, and this survey is helpful to our application.

Your insights are essential in shaping a program that best serves our students and community. Please take a few moments to complete our survey—your voice truly makes a difference in this process.

We sincerely appreciate your support and partnership in helping us create meaningful experiences for our students!

5-Year Grant Survey Link

Monday, March 3, 2025

• High School Track Practice Begins
• Practice Time 3:30 pm to 5:30 pm

Friday, March 7, 2025

• Maintenance Worker Appreciation Day

Sunday, March 9, 2025

• Daylight Savings Begins

Monday, March 10, 2025

• Junior High Track Practice Begins
• Practice Time 3:30 pm to 5:30 pm (Same as High School)
• 6:00 PM Board of Education Meeting

Tuesday, March 11, 2025

• WSL JH Music Festival @ Elyria
• 7:00 pm Pep Band Concert

Friday, March 14, 2025

• 11:45 am Student Dismissal
• End of 3rd Quarter
• PM Teacher Workday

Saturday, March 15, 2025

• Forensics @ Clay Center

Monday, March 17, 2025 - Friday, March 21, 2025

• Spring Break - No School

Monday, March 24, 2025

• 4th Quarter Begins

Thursday, March 27, 2025

• 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm 6th Grade Enrollment Parent Meeting

Friday, March 21, 2025

• Quarter 3 Grade Cards Go Home

Saturday, March 29, 2025

• Forensics @ Hoisington

Monday, March 31, 2025

Mrs. Ehlers uses small groups to help her 3rd grade students learn math each day. They were using manipulatives, white boards, an online math game, and practice worksheets to learn about equivalent fractions.

4th Grade's postcard exchange month update! We have received 18 postcards! Thank you to those who sent us mail! We are still accepting postcards until May 2!

Here is the address to send them:

PO Box 40

Wakefield, Kansas 67487

Mrs. Looney had her elementary art students working on a variety of projects, including making Valentine collages and completing guided step-by-step art projects.

Mr. Couch has been a great mid-year addition to Wakefield High School. Today, he was working with the Intro to Industrial Arts class to determine their next project. Students have a big role in deciding what they could create.

Our first hour shop class has been constructing a dog house!

This handcrafted dog house has been built using "Kreg" joints, making it extremely durable. It was insulated for comfort and was custom-painted to specifications.

Extending great thanks, are our first-hour students:

Natalie Stevenson, Callie Hessling, Isaac Hessling, Jacob Jepsen, Bryant Phemister

Mrs. Bergmeier's computer apps class is currently working on rebranding logos and brands. These can include everything from Nike to Wakefield's Bomber logo. They were coming up with some pretty cool and unique ideas!

Mrs. Butler's high school choir is hard at work getting ready for their spring concert. Mrs. Butler is one of the few teachers in the district (and the state) who teaches grades K-12 every day. That is a lot of planning and knowledge of what makes each grade level needs to be successful!

Mrs. Simon's second graders separate into ELA (reading/writing) centers at various times throughout the week. The goal is to learn core curriculum in different ways. They were focusing on their spelling words for the week, which included an -or/-ore theme.

The Wakefield School Spelling Bee was held on February 7th. These students went to the Clay County Spelling Bee on Feb. 13th,

From Left to Right:

Katie Crecend - 7th Grade Winner

Laken Smith - 8th Grade Winner

Jace Dumler - 6th Grade Winner and Spelling Bee Runner-Up

Kaylee Forrester - 5th Grade Winner and Spelling Bee Champion

Brixton Lorson - 4th Grade Winner

Geometry students in Mrs. Bybee's class were calculating the heights of different items around the school using trigonometric equations and a clinometer, which is a tool that measures the angle of elevation or depression of an object in relation to gravity.

Mrs. Crabtree's 6th-grade English classes are in the middle of reading "A Long Walk to Water". A theme of the book is resiliency, so Mrs. Crabtree had students read an article giving 10 ways to build resilience. They then compared those strategies to what happened in the book and wrote a reflection on them.

The Wakefield Boys' Basketball team competed at Flint Hills Christian School. The school recognized its seniors at the game and also honored our seniors with a token of appreciation. Thanks, Flint Hills, for the good sportsmanship and hospitality.

Bomber Forensics competed at the “David Mr. Bill Williams Forensics Invitational” in Newton, Kansas. The team competed against schools 31 schools from every division in the state. The Bombers broke two events to the semi-finals! Here are the placings:

Reece Isaac: (Semi-Finalist) Informative Speaking 8th

Aubrey Vlasak: (Semi-Finalist) Program of Oral Interpretation 8th, Oral Interpretation of Poetry 40th

Susan Tyrell: Oral Interpretation of Prose 18th

Makenzye Schumm: Oral Interpretation of Prose 19th, Oral Interpretation of Poetry 33rd

Isa Butler: Oral Interpretation of Poetry 29th

(The team is holding the Clay Center Sweepstakes trophy because the competitors bonded during the tournament and they were excited for their co-competitors.).

WSL Honor Band at KWU.

WHS coach and A.D., Rich Steppe, was honored at last night’s basketball games for his years of service to the students of Wakefield. Coach Steppe will be retiring at the end of this school year.

Angie Steppe Adams, Coach Steppe’s sister, acted as emcee for the recognition ceremony. She gave some meaningful and appropriate remarks, and then Rich was presented with a Bomber quilt by his wife, Angela, and mother, Bonnie. Then, a game ball was presented by Coach’s son and daughter, along with all the seniors on this year’s basketball team. His team did their part for a happy night by taking a decisive victory over the Rural Vista Heat. Finally, WHS Booster Club President, Neal Summerson, presented Coach Steppe with a plaque from the boosters.

To ensure a smooth and safe drop-off experience for all, please note the following:

When dropping off students in the back of the school, please do not park in the designated parking spaces. These spaces are reserved for our high school student drivers.

To maintain a steady flow of traffic, you may drop off students in either the front or back of the school.

When dropping off, please have students exit the vehicle from the passenger side closest to the sidewalk. This allows drivers to pull away safely.

Promoting Independence and Safety

To foster independence and ensure building safety, we kindly request that parents/guardians refrain from walking their students into the building. Instead, you may escort them to the entrance doors and allow them to enter on their own.

Thank you for your cooperation and support in maintaining a safe and efficient drop-off process.

Sincerely,

Wakefield Staff

Arrival Time

• Doors open at 7:50 am. Please do not arrive before this time, as there is no supervision outside the building until then.

Breakfast

• Students eating breakfast may enter at 7:50 am.
• Students must remain in the cafeteria until they finish their breakfast.
• All food must be eaten in the cafeteria, food is not to be taken to the gyms.

School Security

• To ensure student safety, we kindly ask parents not to enter the building with their student. By limiting building access, we can maintain a secure environment for everyone.

Important Notice Regarding PE/Athletic Locker Rooms

• Please note that the PE/Athletic locker rooms will not be available for use in the morning due to the lack of supervision before school.

Secondary Students

• At 7:50 am, secondary students may:
• Enter the building
• Visit their school locker
• Report to the Old Gym, where they must remain until 8:05 am.

Important Notice Regarding PE/Athletic Locker Rooms

• Please note that the PE/Athletic locker rooms will not be available for use in the morning due to the lack of supervision before school.

Inclement Weather

• In case of bad weather, elementary students will report to the New Gym.
• Please use the entrance doors located by the Elementary Playground.

Parents/Guardians,

To ensure student safety and facilitate smooth transportation after athletic events and activities, we have implemented a new procedure:

Post Athletic/Activity Travel Form

Access the form: Visit our school website and find the "Post Athletic/Activity Travel Form" on the left side of the page.

Fill out the form: Complete the form prior to the event, indicating your intention to transport your child home.

Submit to coach/sponsor: Give the completed form to the coach or sponsor before leaving for the event.

Important Reminders

If you forget the form, coaches/sponsors will have paper copies available at the event.

Parent/Guardian transportation only: Your child must be transported home by their parent/guardian.

Thank you for your cooperation and support in ensuring our students' safety and well-being.

Regarding school policies, we have noticed some students engaging in public displays of affection (PDAs). While most students comply with warnings, we will be strictly enforcing the student handbook policy for those who continue to disregard this rule.

Affectionate Behavior (Wakefield Handbook)

Students should dress in a manner, which will not be disruptive to the educational process. This dress code was developed to give students a wider variety of clothing to wear. If at any time the principal or teacher believes that a student’s attire is a disruption, that student will be asked to change. This especially applies to clothing fads or trends that become popular for a short period of time. Also, the school reserves the right to disallow or restrict any clothing worn by students to school or school activities that might be associated with a gang or gang activity.

Any extra-curricular group may require a more stringent dress code and those students wishing to participate will also abide by the code for that group.

1. Shorts as approved by the administration are acceptable for school wear. No shorts that look like underwear are allowed. Spandex shorts are not allowed unless worn under other shorts. Shorts must be acceptable in length. Acceptable length is coming to the ends of the fingertips when the student’s arms are down at their sides.
2. Clothing with inappropriate, abusive, crude/profane/obscene/suggestive/distasteful language or artwork is not acceptable for school wear. Examples: clothing with alcohol, drugs, tobacco, weapons, explosives, gore, sexual innuendoes, etc.
3. Clothing that is inappropriate or that exposes chest, shoulders, bare midsection or button such as: bare midriffs, bare backs, spaghetti strap tops with bra straps showing, fishnet shirts, sheer tops with bra straps showing, halters, tube tops or tops without shoulder straps. Pants, jeans, sweats, overalls and shorts are to be worn at waist level. No excessively loose clothing, undergarments showing, or short-shorts. No “sagging”, etc.
4. Clothing that has straps or suspenders must be fastened over the shoulders.
5. Clothing must be worn in the manner for which it was designed. Clothing designed as under garments must not be worn as outer garments.
6. Footwear must be worn at all times during school. Bedroom slippers are not allowed.
7. Students are not allowed to wear hats, caps, or other headgear while in the building prior to or during the regular school day.
8. No colored or dark glasses should be worn except under a doctor’s prescription or direction.
9. The wearing of heavy coats in the classroom is discouraged. Coats may be subject to search at any time at the discretion of the administration.
10. Chains longer than six (6) inches, or jewelry that could cause injury (ie. Spikes, sharp edges) will not be allowed.
11. Gang writing and/or symbolism is not allowed on school papers, notebooks or any material at school or school activities. This includes marking(s) on the body. Gang related colors, language, gestures or designs are not allowed in school or at school activities.
12. Exceptions to the school dress code will be made for formal school events such as Prom and other similar events. Clothing should still be kept in good taste with proper covering of the chest and midriff areas. If in doubt as to what is appropriate, follow the building dress code and/or contact the building administrator.
13. The administration reserves the right to refuse participation if inappropriate clothing is worn.

• First 5 minutes: Students cannot travel during this time to ensure they don't miss crucial instructions.
• Last 5 minutes: Travel is not permitted, allowing teachers to provide closing remarks, homework assignments, and key takeaways.

Rationale

• Attending the beginning of class is vital for students to receive essential instructions. Late arrivals force teachers to repeat information, disrupting the learning environment. By being present from the start, students stay informed and engaged.
• Similarly, the last five minutes are critical for teachers to:
• Provide summary remarks
• Assign homework
• Offer additional guidance

Grades 6-12 Must Sign Out Digitally Before Leaving Class

Here's How:

• Digital Sign-Out Process
• Access the Schoology page for your current class.
• Click the "Sign Out" button.
• Complete the Google Form with the designated dropdown options.

Benefits

• This digital sign-out process enables us to:
• Track travel data trends
• Identify potential issues
• Improve classroom management and attendance monitoring
• Your cooperation and participation will help us refine our processes and enhance the learning environment.

Key Features

• Easy access via Schoology
• Streamlined Google Form
• Efficient data collection

Thank you for your cooperation on this new procedure!