Wilder Elementary School - October

Dear Families,

Thank you so much for attending conferences in October—we’re thrilled to share that we celebrated our best attendance rate since 2020, with 94% of families joining us! It means so much to both teachers and students to have this opportunity to discuss learning goals for the year.

Turkey Bingo is coming up on Thursday, November 14th, with dinner kicking off at 5:30 p.m.! For families new to Wilder, this fun event will be held at Central High School. We’d also love for you to join us at our monthly PTO meetings! Mark your calendars by looking at the dates below, and we hope to see you there!

With winter knocking on our door, each child has been sent home with a winter bag. When the snow arrives, please pack all winter gear (hat, gloves or mittens, snow pants, boots, and jacket) in the winter bag to keep school materials safe and dry in their backpack. As students go outside for recess daily, please ensure they have everything needed to stay warm. Additionally, remote learning packets were sent home last week. These packets will be used if we have a storm day, and student attendance will be counted when the required sheets are completed and returned. Please keep these packets in a safe spot.

As snow begins to build up on the berms, we kindly ask everyone to set a safe example by using the crosswalks. It’s essential for student safety that students enter cars from the curbside only, especially in winter when roads can be icy. Thank you for helping us keep drop-off and pick-up safe for all!

Thank you for your continued support and partnership! We are grateful for our families!

Leslie Bjelde

Principal

Did you know reading one picture book per day provides a child with exposure to 78,000 words a year! For this reason, we love allowing students to check out books for backpack reading and from the library! Thank you for reading at home (even one book, even if for just ten minutes a day)!

Please take some time to review the standards for what your child should be learning at their grade level. By familiarizing yourself with these standards, you may find helpful ideas and strategies to support their learning at home. This will allow us to work together to ensure your child's success both in and outside the classroom.

The hearing screening at Wilder Elementary will take place on Tuesday, November 19th in the morning. Students in grades K, 1, and 5 will be screened. If your child(ren) is/are in one of these grades and you do not want them screened, please inform the school speech-language pathologist, Heidi Anderson, by emailing handerson120@mygfschools.org or contact the school office at 701-746-2320. Following the screen, information will be sent home for those students who require a follow-up screening or an additional evaluation.

Please join us for our Turkey Bingo at Central High School on Thursday, November 14th from 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm. Free dinner begins at 5:30 (pizza, cuties, cookies, water)!

Join us for our next PTO meeting on January 14th!

We will meet in the Library at Wilder with free pizza and childcare provided!

We look forward to seeing you there!

President: Whitney Miller

Vice President: Amanda Vingelen

Secretary: Sonja Brandt

Treasurer: Tim Prescott

Wilder Social Media: Cindy Prescott

PTO Members: All parents/guardians, teachers, and staff of Wilder Elementary

Contact: wilderelementarypto@gmail.com

**Like us on Facebook @ Wilder PTO

• School postponement and cancellation alternatives will be as follows:
  • Hold school as normal.
  • Open school but delay sending buses.
  • Delay the start time in all schools by two (2) hours based on each school’s start time
    • Elementary School: Start time is 8:25, so school starts at 10:25. Doors will open at 10:15 a.m.
    • Middle School: Start time is 8:40, so school starts at 10:40. Doors will open at 10:30 a.m. No Zero Hour Classes.
    • High School: Start time is 8:00, so school starts at 10:00. Doors will open at 9:50 a.m.
    • Head Start: Start time is 8:00, so school starts at 10:00. Doors will open at 9:50 a.m.
    • When school starts late, there will be no morning Early Childhood Special Education classes. Afternoon Early Childhood Special Education classes will be held.
    • Breakfast will not be served at any sites.
    • No before-school activities/athletics.
    • Students will not be marked tardy due to a late start.
  • No school in Grand Forks Public Schools (GFPS) all-day
  • No school for the Grand Forks Air Force Base School District students all-day
    • Decisions about the weather-related delayed opening or closing of air base schools may not always be consistent with those made for in-town schools. On those days when severe weather makes travel conditions so hazardous as to threaten the safety of staff members, opening delays or the closing of base schools will be given special consideration.
  • Hold remote learning.
  • Once school is in session, it will not be terminated until the regular closing time except in very severe situations. However, school buses may leave early.

The decision to close or delay school will be made as early as possible. Announcements will be made on the GFPS webpage (www.gfschools.org), and GFPS social media (www.facebook.com/GrandForksPublicSchools; www.twitter.com/GFSchools). Announcements will also be made on local radio and TV stations.

GFPS will be using our automated calling system to call staff and families if school is delayed or canceled due to severe weather conditions. Typically, this automated call will occur to staff between 5:30 a.m. and 6:00 a.m., and families between 6:30 a.m. and 7:00 a.m.

Parents/Guardians may always exercise their right to keep students home or pick them up early during stormy conditions.

GFPS has two days (approx. 12 hours of instruction) built into the school calendar for storm-related delays/cancellations. If a full-day cancellation leads to a third storm day during this school year, GFPS will transition to remote learning. More information will be provided by GFPS and your student's school at that time.

If an emergency should develop during the time school is in session, students will be cared for in school until the storm has subsided.

• If buses are sent home early, all buses will be sent.
• We will communicate the departure time.
• The lead time needed for the procedure is approximately one (1) hour.
• If conditions are dangerous, bus drivers must use common sense in discharging students that must walk a considerable distance. If possible, use the radio and contact the base station. Have parents/guardians meet the bus or be on the lookout for their students. If the driver cannot contact parents/guardians and conditions are dangerous, do not let students off the bus but return to school and notify the principal. Schools that have bus students must have a written procedure for caring for students in the event they must be kept overnight at school.

Important School Times

Daily attendance is very important. If your child is not in school, he/she is missing out on very important learning. Tardies and early pick ups also result in lost instruction.

• Breakfast: Served from 7:40-8:15 am -- Use Door #1
• Students not eating breakfast should wait until 8:20 to arrive. If they arrive before 8:20, they will wait outside in their designated line area.

• First Bell: 8:20 am -- Use Door #4 (if not having breakfast at school)

• School Begins: 8:25 am

• Tardy Bell : 8:25 am

• School Dismissal Time: 3:00 pm -- Students will be dismissed through Door #4. It is important to be on time as our staff has meetings that begin by 3:10 pm.

Absences and Tardies:

If your child is going to be late or absent from school, please inform the school office at 746-2320 before 8:25 am. Wilder attendance line is 701-746-2324. Communication between home and school ensures student safety. If the school does not hear from you, the office will call to make sure your child is safe. If your child arrives after 8:25 am to school, a family member will need to walk the student in to sign them in. If you are taking your child out of school early for any reason, come to the office to sign them out. Please let your child's teacher know ahead of time if possible.

Snack Policy: Please Read Carefully as this policy will be enforced

Please Send a School Approved Snack to School Everyday (item can not have sugar listed as the first ingredient):

1. Any fruit or vegetable (most preferred)

2. Cheese sticks/beef sticks (kept in child's cooler bag/lunch bag)

3. Yogurt (that follows policy below - sugar not being the first ingredient, kept cool in child's lunch bag)

4. Pretzels or crackers (in the original container as stated below and not made in a nut facility)

**Please note: fruit snacks, cookies, pop-tarts, or items without a label will not be allowed for snacks as they do not follow the policy below. Plus, some fruit snacks are made in peanut facilities.

** Different names for sugar include such names as brown sugar, corn sweetener, corn syrup, dextrose, fructose, glucose, honey, fruit juice concentrate, high fructose corn syrup, invert sugar, lactose maltose, malt syrup, molasses, raw sugar, sucrose, or syrup, to name a few.

Please take note of these important upcoming dates!

November

Monday, November 4th - Picture RETAKE at 8:45am

Wednesday, November 6th - Early Release at 1:30pm

Thursday, November 7th - Veterans Program at 10:20

Monday, November 11th - NO SCHOOL (Veterans Day)

Thursday, November 14th - Turkey Bingo at 5:30PM

14th - Last call for Pictures (at Caulfield's)

Friday, November 15th - End of 1st Trimester

Wednesday, November 20th - Early Release at 1:30pm

Friday, November 22nd - RED Event at 2:15pm

• 2:15 families meet in the library to hear about what students are learning/doing at Wilder
• 2:30 RED event begins

Wednesday, November 27th - NO School (Thanksgiving)

Thursday, November 28th - NO School (Thanksgiving)

Friday, November 29th - NO School (Thanksgiving)

December

Wednesday, December 4th - Early Release at 1:30pm

Wednesday, December 18th - Early Release at 1:30pm

Friday, December 20th - RED Event at 2:15pm

Monday December 23rd - No School - Start of Winter Break

Tuesday December 24th - No School - Winter Break

Wednesday December 25th - No School - Winter Break

Thursday December 26th - No School - Winter Break

Friday December 27th - No School - Winter Break

Monday December 30th - No School - Winter Break

Tuesday December 31st - No School - Winter Break

January

Wednesday January 1st - No School - Winter Break

Thursday January 2nd - School Resumes

Grand Forks Public Schools has determined a number of early release days to allow for teacher collaboration time. Wilder Elementary School is committed to providing the instruction and support needed for all students to achieve high levels of academic success. This collaboration schedule and what we do during this valuable time is vital to that commitment.

On early release Wednesdays, students who are walking home or being picked up will dismiss from Door #4 promptly at 1:30 pm. Please plan accordingly.

• November 6, 20
• December 4,18
• January 15, 29
• February 19
• March 5,
• April 9, 30
• May 14th

Students enrolled in ENCORE's Early Out Club will report to their designated attendance location at Wilder at 1:30 pm. Early Out Club will dismiss at 3:00 pm. Parents (of children not also enrolled in Encore) are to come to Door #1 (parking lot door) and sign their child out.

Intramurals is on Tuesdays and Thursdays 3pm-3:55pm for 4th and 5th graders who have registered and paid.

Please see schedule on School Website.

🛑🛑 NO INTRAMURALS: 🛑🛑

November 28th

LAST Day of 2024 Intramurals - December 17th

As per school policy, household pets are not allowed on school property. If you have a pet with you, your child can meet you on the sidewalk on the opposite side of the street. Please ensure your child knows where the designated pick-up location will be.

GFPS does allow Pet Therapy in the school. To read more information about the program, click here: Pet Therapy

Winter Safety Tips

Stay at Home if Sick

We encourage all students to wear their Blue Zones Project Grand Forks t-shirts, or any blue shirt, on Fridays to show your participation and support for Fitness Friday at school. Fitness Friday is in support of Blue Zones Project, a well-being initiative that has partnered with Wilder Elementary School to further enhance the health and happiness of all students. Wearing blue connects us, promotes conversation around healthful topics, and shows our commitment to living longer, better in Grand Forks.

Please download the PDF for access to the Blue Zones Project Bingo card to participate and earn a free t-shirt!

1. Anyone who is not a regular staff member, volunteer, or student of the school will be deemed a "visitor;"

2. Visitors to the school during the designated school day must report to the administrative office upon arrival. Visitors are required to sign in and out of the building using the Visitor Management System, or as otherwise directed, and to wear a visitor identification name tag at all times while in the school or on school grounds.

3. Visitors attending school functions that are open to the public, such as parent-teacher meetings,

conferences, school programs, assemblies, graduations, and athletic events, are not required to register.

4. All families should wait in the office when picking up or dropping their child(ren) off at school.

North Dakota Century Code requires fire, tornado, and other emergency drills, including an unannounced lockdown. Wilder will hold four fire drills during the year.

Lockdown Information: Wilder practices Lockdown drills two times a year. During a lockdown, no one is allowed in/out of the building. At times, Lockdowns may be called for medical reasons. If a real lockdown occurs, families will be notified via email.

Waterford Upstart is an at-home early learning program that gives you the tools, coaching and resources so you can put your child on a path to academic success. Click here to learn more

Email: jhouser060@mygfschools.org
Website: https://www.gfschools.org/Domain/1087
Location: 1009 North 3rd Street
Phone: (701) 746-2320

Attendance line (701) 746-2324