Dear Wolf Branch Families,
Our Wolf Branch families rock! I am grateful to have had such a high attendance rate at conferences this past month. It was evident that our families want to continue to collaborate with our teachers to provide the students of Wolf Branch with the best education!
I am grateful to our PTC and all the members and volunteers that support them for bringing such fun opportunities to our students so far this year.
Finally, I am so proud and grateful to be part of the staff at Wolf Branch Elementary School! The Illinois State Board of Education assesses the performance of all public schools in the state each year. Schools are awarded one designation out of five possibilities. These five designations describe schools excelling across various academic and student success indicators as well as schools requiring support and improvements. An Exemplary designation is the highest possible, indicating that a school falls in the top performing 10% of schools in the state. It is with great pride that I share that Wolf Branch Elementary was awarded an EXEMPLARY designation! It is because of the hard work and dedication of our staff coupled with the involvement of our Wolf Branch families that this award was possible!
I hope that you will take some time during this month of Thanksgiving to spend time with family and friends and all for which you are grateful!
Mrs. Poirot
As part of our commitment to providing a safe, healthy, and productive learning environment for our students, I want to share some important updates regarding our technology use.
Upon entering Quarter 2, we have reminded all students they have signed a Technology Acceptable Usage Policy and when doing things against the policy could result in a violation. Time spent on the school issued device should be geared toward school work or educational games approved by the district. Students in Grades 2-4 carry the device back and forth daily so we are asking for your help at home monitoring this as well,
To enhance the security of our students’ online searches, emails, and digital interactions, we are tightening our security measures. This initiative is designed to better protect and ensure their online experiences remain safe, secure, and focused on educational learning.
We will be monitoring online searches and communications more closely to maintain a safe environment for all students. This monitoring will be done by teachers and our IT and administrative teams periodically. When students are trying to access inappropriate material or found off-task, they may receive a message or will be spoken to by their classroom teacher or myself. If concerns continue, there may be an electronic violation issued and could result in the removal of technology privileges, detentions, etc.
As we shift our focus back to academic pursuits, your understanding and support are crucial. Together, we can ensure that our digital spaces are conducive to learning and free from distractions. Students are going to complain or not understand some of the restrictions. Please help us remind students that if the search is denied or blocked, it somehow must be against Google for Education guidelines. The Chromebooks and student accounts are the property of Wolf Branch School District. It’s imperative that students understand these are NOT personal accounts.
Thank you for your attention to this important matter. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out.
PREK
As we enter into Quarter 2, many of you have acclimated to the routine of daily pick up and drop off. Thank you for that. We are asking that each of you remain in your cars at all times and wait until arriving near the front of the line where staff are situated before letting your child out of the vehicle. This is solely for the safety of our students.
Grades K-4
We are still experiencing difficulty with parents parking in a traffic lane and hopping out of the car to collect your child. PLEASE REMAIN IN YOUR CAR at all times. If someone new is picking your child up for the first time, please brief them on the overall process of pick up.
Additionally, Parking Lot B and Parking Lot C are only intended to have ONE drive through lane. The designated pick up lanes for both Lot B and Lot C are curbside and subject to all of the same rules as the drive through lane. (Pull all the way forward, remain in car)
Parents/Grandparents/Guardians choosing to park and pick up a child MUST REMAIN ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE CROSSWALK. Crossing over to talk to the teacher or collect the child from the teacher causes more congestion and confusion.
Finally, we have experienced an excessive amount of calls and visits to the window changing pick up routines for our students last minute. We understand there is an occasional change in transportation but please remember that remaining as consistent as possible is in the best interest of your child, and ensures that we are able to ensure your child is in the right place at the right time.
Thank you for your support in adhering to the aforementioned guidelines. Please know that the sole reason for these procedures if for the safety of our Wolf Branch students.
We are pleased to invite the Veterans related to our Wolf Branch families to our upcoming Veterans Day assembly. This will take place on Friday, November 8th at 9:00am in the gym at Wolf Branch Middle School. This special event will honor the brave men and women who have served our country, and it provides a wonderful opportunity for our students to learn about the importance of this day.
The assembly will feature guest speakers, performances by our students, and moments of reflection as we pay tribute to our veterans. We also encourage you to submit photos of your Veterans using the RSVP link below. These photos will be used in a slideshow at the ceremony.
Please RSVP by Wednesday, November 6th using the embedded link.
