Wingate Elementary News
August 2024
Growing Together with Curious Minds and Kind Hearts
August Calendar and Events
Wednesday, August 7th - First day of school (grades 1st-5th)
Friday, August 9th - First day of school for kindergarten
Thursday, August 15th - Playground Ribbon Cutting Ceremony 9:30am
Wednesday, August 21st - Kindergarten Parent Information Night
Friday, August 30th - Fun Friday and Wingate Spirit Wear Day
August Staff Birthdays
August 17th - Megan Kilgore (Psych Assistant)
August 23rd - Mr. Logan (SSN Paraprofessional)
Welcome from Ms. Schraeder
Dear Wingate Families,
Welcome to the new school year at Wingate Elementary! As your principal, I am delighted to extend a warm greeting to all returning families and a special welcome to those who are new to our community. We are excited to embark on another year of learning, growth, and discovery together.
Our dedicated team of teachers, staff, and administrators have been working diligently to prepare for a successful school year. We are committed to providing a safe, nurturing, and stimulating environment where every child can thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.
Communication between school and home is essential for the success of our students. We encourage you to stay informed and involved by attending school events, joining the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA), and regularly checking our school website and newsletters for important updates. We are also implementing "Wingate Wednesday Folders". Beginning August 14th, please be sure to check your child's backpack every Wednesday for a school folder containing important information. The folder should be returned the next day.
Our doors are always open, and we value your feedback and involvement. If you have any questions, concerns, or suggestions, please do not hesitate to reach out to me or any member of our team. Together, we can create a positive and enriching school experience for our children.
Thank you for entrusting us with your child's education. We look forward to a wonderful school year filled with learning, growth, and memorable experiences.
Warm regards,
Amie Schraeder, Wingate Principal
New Cell Phone Policy
As we strive to create an optimal learning environment for all students, we would like to share an important update regarding our policy, which aligns with newly written D51 Board Policy (JICJ) on cell phones and other communication devices, including smartwatches.
To minimize distractions and ensure that students are fully engaged in their educational activities, we require that all cell phones and communication devices be turned off and stored in backpacks during the entirety of the school day. This policy applies from the moment students arrive at school until they leave for the day.
We understand that cell phones and smartwatches are valuable tools for communication and safety. However, during school hours, our primary focus is on learning and social interaction without the interruptions these devices can cause. By adhering to this policy, we aim to foster a more focused and productive learning environment for all students.
We kindly ask for your support in reinforcing this policy with your child. Please remind them of the importance of keeping their devices turned off and stored away during school hours. If you need to contact your child during the school day, please do so through the school office, and we will ensure that your message is delivered promptly.
Thank you for your cooperation and understanding. Together, we can create a more effective and enriching educational experience for our students.
Safe Pick Up and Drop Off at Wingate
Drop off and pick up traffic at Wingate can be busy and crowded. Please take it slow, be patient and be kind. Also, we ask that you do not park along S. Camp Rd. You may park in the large parking lot, the small parking lot located off of Dakota Drive or in the adjacent neighborhoods. If you park in nearby neighborhoods, please be sure to attend to "no parking" signs and driveways. We also highly encourage all of our Wingate community members to use the crosswalk when crossing S. Camp Rd. (This is required for students who are not accompanied by an adult). The drop off and pick up location for parents who wish to remain in their vehicle is by the gazebo near the main parking lot. Please do not drop off or pick up directly in front of the school near the parking lot crosswalk. Thank you in advance for your attention to the safety of our community.
Unexpected Staffing Changes at Wingate
For the 2024-25 school year, we have 33 students enrolled in kindergarten, compared to our typical enrollment of 50-60 children. As a result of this decrease in numbers, we will be offering two kindergarten classes instead of the usual three.
Due to this change, we have had to make some adjustments in our staffing. Miss McCaskill will be moving to teach 1st grade at Wingate this year. Kindergarten classes will be taught by Ms. Brown and Mrs. Woodworth. Despite the reduction to two classes, we are committed to maintaining reasonable class sizes, and each classroom will have an aide to assist with student needs and academics.
Declining enrollment is an issue at several elementary schools in our district. Keep an eye on district and school board communication regarding declining enrollment and school consolidation.
Transportation Changes
If you have a change to how your child will get home at the end of the day, please call the front office at (970) 254-4960. Please do not call or email your child's teacher with changes to end of day transport. The office will deliver all messages prior to the end of the school day. In order to support our office staff, we kindly request that changes are made prior to 3:30 pm.
Possible Bus Delays
The beginning of the year typically presents challenges around bus arrival and departure times. Your child's safe and on time arrival at school and at home is very important to us. Please know that there may be delays during afternoon drop off during the first few weeks of school. Our experience has been that it can take up to several weeks for STA to accurately calculate efficient routes. Ms. Schraeder and Mr. Hoskin are already working closely with D51 leadership and STA (Student Transportation of America) to improve delayed drop off times in the afternoon. If your child experiences extremely delayed drop off times that greatly impact your family, we highly encourage you to contact STA at (970) 697-1050. Our school office staff is always willing to help as well.
Process for Riding the Bus with a Friend
If your child is riding the bus home after school with a friend, please write him/her a note giving permission to ride the bus. Also include the student's name with whom your child will ride home. Your child should bring the note to the office in the morning for confirmation by our office staff. At that time, your child will be given an official "bus pass" to give to the bus driver.
New Wingate Website
We are excited to announce the launch of our newly revamped school website! With a fresh, user-friendly design and enhanced features, our website now offers easier navigation, comprehensive information about school events, and quick access to important resources. Families can stay updated with the latest news, explore educational tools, and connect with teachers more effortlessly than ever before. We invite all families to visit and explore the new website to stay engaged with our vibrant school community and ensure you don't miss out on any of the exciting activities and announcements!
Visit us at https://wingate.d51schools.org/
Panorama Wellness Survey
Starting Aug. 19th, schools will administer a brief Panorama survey to all students in grades 3-12. The Panorama Wellness Survey is designed to assess and support the individual needs of students. In this survey students are asked questions regarding their feelings of safety, well-being, emotions, coping skills, and access to resources. This is not an anonymous survey. Because it is not anonymous, we are able to assess and respond to the immediate needs of students. For students with non-emergent support needs, this survey allows us to know what resources to provide. Student responses are only shared with school counselors, school administrators, and designated D51 Student Services staff so that they may respond to student needs and requests in a timely manner. The trusted adult question is an exception to this data-sharing protocol: The school principal may share the data from the trusted adult question with internal school staff to ensure strong relationships between staff and students and to help those students who don’t indicate they have a trusted adult at school that they can talk to.
As a reminder, support is always available to your child. If your child needs anything, please have them reach out to their advisory teacher, counselor, or any of their administrators. We have many resources to help our students and their families inside the district as well as through our community partners.
Please take a few minutes to review the survey questions linked below. If you would like to opt your child out of taking this survey, please fill out the opt out form found here and return it to the office at your child’s school by August 17th. This form must be returned prior to the start of the survey window or we cannot guarantee your student will not be surveyed.
Survey Questions:
To access information on all student surveys administered by the district, visit d51schools.org/surveys
School Lunch Information
D51 has opted to participate in the Free Healthy School Meals for All in Colorado. This means that breakfast and lunch is FREE for ALL STUDENTS. If your family may have qualified for free lunch, please be sure to complete an application for benefits beyond meals. For more information or to see if you qualify, please click here for additional information.
If you still have outstanding meal balances from previous school years, you will continue to receive information regarding payment on those accounts.
We welcome parents and approved visitors to join students for lunch. You are welcome to bring a lunch or purchase a lunch from the school cafeteria. The cost of an adult lunch is $5.00. Due to the need to allow students to settle into routines, we ask that parents/visitors NOT join students for lunch during the first week of school - especially for students in grades K-3. Grade level lunch times can be found on Wingate's website.
Allergy Friendly School
Food allergies among children increased by 50% between 1997 and 2013, according to the CDC. Today, 1 in 13 children has food related allergies. Our goal at Wingate is that all students feel safe and included, so we strive to be an "allergy friendly school". We ask that there is a heightened awareness about sending food that contains common allergens - especially nuts. If there is a serious allergy in your child's class, you will receive a letter from Nursing Services with additional information. We also ask that treats/food that is brought to share with the class be store bought with all ingredients clearly marked.
The following website provides information about allergens as well as ideas for allergy friendly lunches and snacks for kids: https://www.foodallergy.org/our-initiatives/awareness-campaigns/living-teal/living-tealtm-videos/bite-sized-snacks
Fall Music Showcase Save the Date
In keeping with tradition, we will once again run our class music performances for families during the school day. Families will be invited to enjoy our beautiful outdoor setting while watching your child's class share their musical talents. We recognize that many of our parents work during that day, so we wanted to communicate the scheduled date for the performances ASAP. Our fall musical showcase will take place on Friday, October 18th. Performances will begin at 9:30 am, beginning with kindergarten and working up to 5th grade. Each grade level's performance is approximately 30 minutes. Come for one, two or all of the grade level performances! Additional information and details will be sent at a later date.
Kindergarten Color Days
We would like to welcome our Kindergarteners with "Color Days" over the next two weeks. We encourage everyone to participate, but please don't feel like you need to purchase anything special. Color Days are as follows:
- Monday, 8/12 - Red
- Tuesday, 8/13 - Orange
- Wednesday, 8/14 - Yellow
- Thursday, 8/15 - Green
- Friday, 8/16 - Blue
- Monday, 8/19 - Pink/Purple
- Tuesday, 8/20 - Black/White/Grey
- Wednesday, 8/21 - Brown
- Thursday, 8/22 - Rainbow