The Avery Pulse
September 3rd, 2023
Upcoming Dates
- September 4th - No School | Labor Day
- September 8th - Outdoor Movie Night @ Avery (volunteer to help below!)
- September 9th - WGSD Family BBQ 11am-12:30pm at Ivory Crockett Park
- September 10th - Fall Festival Game Creation Session @ 5pm (721 Tuxedo Blvd)
- September 11th - Late Start
- September 12th - PTO Meeting @ 7pm (more information below)
- September 19th - Picture Day!
- September 20th - Fall Festival Prep Party @ 7pm (620 Fairview Ave)
- September 22nd - Fall Party @ 1:45pm (more information below)
- September 23rd - Progressive Dinner (PTO Event - more information soon)
- September 25th - Late Start
- October 6th - Fall Festival 6pm-9pm @ Avery (more information soon)
- October 9th - Late Start
- October 19th - No School for Students (Teacher PD)
- October 20th - No School
- October 23rd - Late Start
Add our calendar to your device!
After School Activity Guidelines
In order to ensure a fun evening for all, the event guidelines are:
- Students must be accompanied by an adult. You may not drop off your student unless you have made arrangements with an adult that is present to be responsible for your student.
- The playground, parking lot, gaga pit and blacktop areas outside the movie viewing area will be closed. Students will not be allowed to play in these areas.
- The purpose of the evening is to gather and view a movie as an Avery Community. Activities such as hide and seek & tag or anything that disrupts others from watching the movie is not allowed.
- Please do your part in helping to keep Avery clean. There will be trash cans throughout the viewing area. Please attempt to clean up your area as best as possible prior to leaving.
- Bathrooms will be available for use but social gatherings around or inside the bathrooms will not be allowed. Students will be asked to disperse back to their adult and movie viewing area.
- Remember the AVERY WAY!
We look forward to having a wonderful evening with all our Avery Allstars!
Fall Festival Information
ou are invited to the Avery Fall Festival this October 6th from 6 pm - 9 pm. It is an old-fashioned carnival with games, a bounce house, food, and fun, all while fund-raising for the Avery PTO. Follow the Fall Festival Facebook page for more info: https://www.facebook.com/AveryFallFestival
This event is run by parent power. Here are ways you can help:
New Game Creation Session: Sunday, Sept 10, at 5 pm at 721 Tuxedo Blvd (Amy Whisler's house). Introducing a new game: Snack Attack! Join us for a brainstorming session to nail down the game play, design, and creation plans. All are welcome!
Ticket Prep Party: Wednesday, Sept 20, at 7 pm at 620 Fairview Ave. (Amanda Vader’s house). Help prep raffle and game tickets at this fun volunteer event. Please bring your stapler.
Donate needed items from our Amazon wish list. Ship to “Amy Tappmeyer/Whisler Gift Registry Address”:
https://smile.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/28B9675TGLLSJ/ref=nav_wishlist_lists_2
Upcycle: We are collecting your used toys as prizes for Fall Festival games. Drop them off at 425 FairLAWN in the bin.
We would appreciate:
Small toys, craft kits, cars, dolls etc
Books - appropriate for grade school kids
Stuffed animals -small/medium size in good shape
Please do not send: toy weapons, mardi gras beads, things that go in hair/mouth, toys that are broken /missing parts, bubbles
Sponsorship opportunities: Are you a local business owner who would like to sponsor a game? We have plenty of options for you to support Avery while also promoting your business in the community you serve. For more info: Lisa Paland (314) 640-2956
Culture and Climate
In continuation of our efforts to support the academic and personal well-being of each student, district culture and climate surveys will be administered to students in grades 3-12, families, and staff. Surveys will solicit participants' perspectives about learning strategies, culture and climate, and experiences in the classroom and/or school.
The surveys will allow for students, families and staff to offer feedback specifically about school safety, their sense of belonging, teacher-student relationships, cultural awareness and diversity and inclusion. For comparison purposes, the same surveys from 2022-2023 will be used this year.
The survey window for students and families will be October 2-13, 2023 and March 25-April 5, 2024.
To learn more, including survey previews, aggregate data from last year, and how you can exclude your child from participating in the surveys if you choose to, click here.
First PTO Meeting of the Year - September 12!
ALL parents and caregivers are welcome at Avery PTO's first meeting of the year. PTO meetings are a great way to find out more about what's going on in the school community, learn about volunteer opportunities and chat with other parents / caregivers.
Our first meeting of the year will be in-person at Weber's Front Row on Tuesday, September 12 from 7:00-8:00. Have a conflict but interested in learning more? Write us at pto.averyelementary@gmail.com
We've gotten lots of volunteers, but are specifically looking for room parents for:
- Wildman (helpers still needed)
- Holder (in need of lead parent and helpers)
- French (helpers still needed)
- Witcik (lead parent needed)
Even if you don't want to volunteer, please still complete this form so we can share your contact information with your child's room parent(s).
Thank you!
We're Looking for Coaches!
There has been a lot of interest in the FIRST LEGO League at Avery! We would love to open up the teams to all kids who would like to participate, but we need coaches! We have coaches for ONE 2nd/3rd grade team (6 kids) and ONE 4th/5th grade team (10 kids). If you are interested in coaching an additional team for either grade level, please reach out to christine.novalis@gmail.com by September 6. Registration will open in the Pulse on September 10. Learn more here!
Whoa, we're halfway there. . .
THANK YOU to all the families who have contributed to the Fund-a-Teacher campaign. For those who haven't, now is your chance! We'd love to meet our goal by the end of the month.
Donate Today:
Venmo: @pto-avery
PayPal: pto.averyelementary@gmail.com
Cash / Checks: PTO Mailbox in Front Hall
Please indicate that your donation is for the Fund-a-Teacher campaign
2023 3rd Grade Strings Enrollment will open September 4th at 8:00 a.m.!!!
Enrollment is open for all third grade students in Webster Groves, regardless of what plan they chose for their child. Our class sizes are limited to the first 18 to enroll for each session. If we have a significant number over 18 to enroll in a school, two teachers will be assigned to the school and we will take the first 36 students.
REPEATED INFORMATION BELOW
A Note from Mrs. Wallace… Avery’s School Counselor
Welcome Back to School! It is awesome to see ALL Avery All-Stars with us again! Exciting topics are being discussed all over Avery! What a successful first week learning our new routines and focusing on goals for the year.
You might be wondering:
How does school counseling work in elementary school?
What is SEL or Social Emotional Learning that I keep hearing about?
Let me help answer these…
At Avery our school counseling program focuses around “Avery’s 3 Big Ideas”
The Avery Way – our school motto for a positive school climate.
The Zones of Regulation- our way of discussing our emotions, how to regulate them, how they affect others, and how we ask for help with our emotions.
The 7 Habits of Happy Kids – 7 Social Emotional practices and life skills in order to solve problems, set and reach goals, and interact effectively with others. This year our entire school will put extra emphasis on Habit #2 Begin with the end in mind. This habit focuses on setting a goal and following a plan of action to accomplish this goal. Our goal will be to use the conflict resolution strategies we have learned last year through our focus on Habit #4. This habit focuses on how to be a win-win friend and solving conflict in a win-win way through I messages, possible solutions, and compromises.
These 3 Big Ideas guide the way we address social concerns and learning that is not strictly about academics.
Social Emotional Learning
Social Emotional Learning is a way to describe any type of learning that is fostering/developing relationships, civility, interacting, creating empathy and having genuine relationships with others in our building. Social Emotional Learning sometimes looks like play, or expressing feelings around a conflict. We do activities as a school that support students’ ability to feel connected and heard in their school and community. Social Emotional Learning (SEL) does not take away from academics. SEL helps create learners that are connected and confident. As a result, focus on academics is stronger because the student is invested in their class and knows they are cared for.
I visit classrooms every month and love getting to know our students.
If I can help your family with a question or concern please reach out to me:
Anna Wallace, MA, LPC
Counselor, Avery Elementary
Counselor Coordinator K-8, Webster Groves School District
ParentSquare
Introducing ParentSquare
We are excited to announce that we adopted a new form of school-to-home communication at Webster Groves School District called ParentSquare.
This unified communications platform is designed to keep parents and guardians informed and encourage greater engagement and connection with us. It provides a safe way for parents, teachers, school leaders and the district to:
Send and receive school and class information
Share pictures and files
See calendar items
Sign up to volunteer
Schedule parent-teacher conferences
and much more, all in one centralized place!
Signup is not required to receive communication from the district, school or teachers.
Learn more about ParentSquare here
Help with the Outdoor Movie Night on September 8th!
Welcome to Avery PTO!
Our Parent-Teacher-Organization (PTO) has so many fun ways to get involved and meet other families! Click here to see some that are happening soon!
Annual Family Registration
It is important that we have the most updated contact information for each family. K-12 families can update their family profile online here.
Arrival and Dismissal Procedures
Arrival from 7:40-7:50 AM
Bompart Avenue
Carpool drop-off only in front of school – parents to remain in vehicles with staff members assisting students
Families walking students to school will say goodbye at the external doors
No parking during arrival
Staff members will supervise at the curb
Marshall Avenue
This entrance will be utilized for bus arrival
- Atalanta Avenue
We strongly encourage families to travel only from Bompart towards Glen to alleviate congestion and increase safety
No parking on sidewalks
Staff members will supervise at the curb
Dismissal 2:50pm-3:00pm
Bompart Avenue
Kindergarten and Fifth grades will dismiss out front
Atalanta Avenue
First and Fourth grades will dismiss along the side
Blacktop
Second and Third grades will dismiss on the back blacktop
Back Parking Lot
Staff parking only
No entrance or exit from 2:20-2:50
Want to make a submission to The Avery Pulse?
To qualify for direct distribution to students and families, the
information must be:
- district-sponsored information
- something from a group affiliated* with the district.
- curriculum-related, as determined by the principal, including programs, events, contests and other activities.
*Affiliated is defined as a group recognized by the Board of Education and working
group created soley to work with district staff, students and parents
to raise fund for district activities (PTOs, booster clubs, the
Foundation)
Regarding signs, only signs for school or district groups (sponsored
or affiliated) can be placed on school grounds.
You can read the board policy here
https://simbli.eboardsolutions.com/Policy/ViewPolicy.aspx?S=448&revid=6VcjbAkBf4Ls3Fs6CyIxFA==&ptid=amIgTZiB9plushNjl6WXhfiOQ==&secid=1QSfUuz8WRJ5slsh0xnyVwukQ==&PG=6&IRP=0
If you are a non-profit organization that doesn't qualify for direct distribution to students and families, you can contact Derek Duncan (duncan.derek@wgmail.org) who is our Director of Communication and he will ensure that your flyer is posted on the community electronic bulletin.
If your information fits the above criteria, you can make a submission to theaverypulse@gmail.com
Submissions are due on Thursdays at 5pm
Avery Elementary
Location: 909 North Bompart Avenue, Webster Groves, MO, USA
Twitter: @avery_allstars