Wasco Weekly
THE STRENGTH OF THE WOLF IS ITS PACK
February 25, 2021
Parents- We Need Your Help!
Every year our school, parents, students, and staff take the 5Essentials Survey. It is a survey administered to most Illinois schools by the University of Chicago. Schools have the responsibility to provide an opportunity to hear from their parent community and your thoughts and reflections on our work is important to me and the staff. Currently 7% of our parents have taken the survey. Would you please take a few moments to participate in our school community by answering this survey? The link is below.
Dear Wasco Families,
What did you want to be when you grew up? Here is my secret, I wanted to be a “working girl”. I wanted to wear the business suit and commute into the city, so I began a career in banking. I never made it to commuter status, however, I am doing my life’s work. How about you? Are you doing your life’s work? Did you take a straight path to this work?
I ask us as adults, to consider our own pathways as we join together to shape the development of the children in our care. The goals of the school focus on achievement in both academic and social skills. Teaching in both domains ensures we are addressing the development of the whole child. We are collectively developing their strengths and providing guidance which boosts their confidence and self awareness. We want students to have the courage to be curious, explore their interests, and think critically about their interests. Our aim is to prepare them for the road ahead, and like us adults, it may not be a straight path.
Kind regards,
Principal Brennan
331-228-6294
Important Upcoming Dates
February 25 End of 2nd Trimester (Elementary Schools)
February 26 School Improvement Day - NO STUDENTS
March 26 School Improvement Day - NO STUDENTS
March 29-April 2 Spring Break
A Note From The Nurse
This is just a reminder that if anyone in the household has the following symptoms described below that all siblings need to stay home from school until the one with symptoms is cleared from their physician with an alternative diagnosis stating the symptoms are not related to Covid or a negative Covid test.
Fever(100.4 degrees or higher), new onset of moderate to severe headache, shortness of breath, new cough, sore throat, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain from unknown cause, new congestion/runny nose, new loss of sense of taste or smell, nausea, fatigue from unknown cause, muscle or body aches.
This is very important to keep everyone in the school safe and healthy during this pandemic.
Kindly,
Nurse Tina
Quick Guide for parents and Guardians
Reader’s Theatre- Remote Edition
Part of the fun during the last section of the school year is expanding skills built during the first and second trimester. Below is an example from one of our Remote Instruction classrooms. Mrs. Mkrtschjan’s class hosted a Reader’s Theatre event and invited principals to attend. It is a joy to watch children take on the perspective of their characters, cooperate among their peers, and perform for an audience.
Developing Strong Mathematical Skills
If you have questions about any of the strategies shared below or if you are interested to learn more about how to help, please contact your child’s teacher.
After School Enrichment Classes! Now Enrolling for Week 2!
The PTO is excited for After School Enrichment to be here!
Below you will find the Week 2 ASE schedule flyer. You will see a mix of live Zoom calls and take home kits available. Registration will open at 12 noon on Wednesday, February 24th.
To register, head on over to FreshSchools and you'll find all the classes under Enrichment.
If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact Leslie Brennan, Wasco PTO Treasurer at WascoPTOTreasurer@gmail.com
Band Enrollment
Click on this link for more information.
Kindergarten Registration
We are in the process of registering students for kindergarten- be sure to tell your friends!
The District 303 Kindergarten enrollment process for the 2021-2022 school year will be virtual! Between January 19 and March 12, families will be able to enroll their kindergarten-age children by visiting the Kindergarten Registration & Information page of the District 303 website. On the site you will find:
The New Student Intake Form (coming January 19, 2021)
The Kindergarten Step-by-Step Guide for registration
Health and Dental exams and immunization information
Contact information for all elementary schools
Information about Full Day and Half Day Kindergarten
MIDDLE SCHOOL TRANSFERS - REQUEST PERIOD OPEN FROM FEB. 1 - FEB. 26
Families who wish to submit a Middle School Transfer request may do so beginning February 1, 2021. Families must complete a separate form for each student they want to be transferred. Requests are granted based on space available. This means that siblings are not guaranteed placement. A written decision will be communicated to families before spring break.
Once the request is approved, a student may remain at that middle school throughout his or her middle school career, as long as the student resides in District 303.
Families of students granted permission to attend a school outside of their assigned attendance area are responsible for their own transportation.
Students will return to their assigned attendance area high school regardless of the middle school attended.
Previous News Is Located Below
Songs for Social Emotional Learning
Mrs. Therrien, our Music Teacher, has been including an SEL song of the month at the end of some of her music classes. If you are interested in listening with your children, you are welcome to use the links below. These songs are offered through one of our curricular resources, Quaver, and if you visit their youtube channel (QuaverED) you'll find many SEL songs appropriate to share with our learners.
January song: Feel the Same Way
February song: I'm Only in Control of Me
The People In Our Neighborhood
We would like to introduce you to Mr. Wayne Dunham. Mr. Dunham is a floating substitute teacher who is regularly assigned to our school. During the day you can find him filling in for absent teachers, teaching small groups, or helping in the lunch room. Mr. Dunham is also a published author! He wrote The Train That Rescued Christmas and hosts a special celebratory Christmas event. In the past, he has organized a yearly train ride from Lisle to Chicago, filled with Santa's, Disney Princesses, elves, etc. to entertain the families. We are fortunate to have such an accomplished community member to work with our kids every day. Thank you Mr. Dunham!
(Click on link above for more information)
Changes to Push Coin Accounts - School Lunches
Students will need to have a balance on their accounts to cover the items they wish to purchase from the Ala Cart menu. Our school has water bottle fillers throughout the building and students are welcome to refill their bottle at any time. As a reminder, all school lunches come with a milk. If you would like to check the balance on your account, the link for Push Coin is below.
Preschool Registration
Student Self Certification
Book Checkout for Remote and In Person Students
Our school library is here to provide reading materials for your child. We have three ways to access fiction and nonfiction books: Print books for In-Person Learners, Digital/eBooks for In Persona and Remote learners, and Book Pickup for Remote learners. Please use this link below to access the pathway you choose. Happy reading!
How To View Your Child's Most Recent iReady Assessment
The informative video below will walk you through steps to access your child's progress on our most recent iReady test. You will be able to view the diagnostic scale score information and a record of your child's independent iReady practice.
Organic Life - Now Offering Free Breakfast
Starting November 10th, Organic Life will be offering breakfast at all Elementary Schools. Breakfast meals are free for all students just like the lunches.
Students will have the option to order breakfast in the morning as they already do for lunch. Organic Life will prep the breakfast bags and deliver them to the classrooms by 1:20pm each day for students. This helps to support students eating a breakfast before coming to school the next day.
If you have any questions please feel free to contact our office.
Wasco Stands Against Bullying
As you know, we are using the Second Step program in your child’s classroom. The Second Step program teaches children important skills for getting along with others and doing well in school. It also helps our school be a safe,
respectful place where everyone can learn.
To further help our school be a safe and respectful place, we are also using the Second Step Bullying Prevention Unit. In these upcoming lessons, your child will learn specific skills to help stop bullying. Students will learn how to:
• Recognize when bullying is happening
• Report bullying to a caring adult
• Refuse to let bullying happen to themselves or others
• Be a bystander who stands up and is part of the solution to bullying
For bullying prevention to work, everyone needs to be involved. Get involved in making our school a safe and respectful place by letting us know if you hear about bullying at our school. Make sure your child knows to tell you or someone at school if he or she is being bullied. And give your child the clear message that it is never okay to bully others.
Rebecca Schroeder, Wasco School Social Worker
News From Physical Education
Last spring, Mrs. Misner, our Wasco Physical Education teacher, was awarded two grants from the Greater St. Charles Education Foundation. The Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting excellence in education within Community Unit School District 303. The group provides grants to teachers and several scholarships each year to our St. Charles High School students. Mrs. Misner received a grant for $274.98 for a Gopher Ignition Pro Interval Trainer that will be temporarily mounted on the wall in the gym. The timer can also be placed on a table so it is moveable. This will provide a great visual for station work and fitness training.
A second grant was written by Mrs. Misner for $990.31 on behalf of the D303 Elementary Physical Education team for new bowling equipment. The bowling equipment travels to each school throughout the year with all of our elementary students using it. The purchase was for 3 new bowling lanes including a rubber bowling ball and 10 pins and 6 new lightweight bowling balls for our primary and students with special needs to use.
Mrs. Misner would like to express her gratitude to the Greater St. Charles Education Foundation for their continued support of education and students in D303. If you are interested in learning more about the Foundation or would like to make a donation, the website is http://stced.org/
Nurse's Notes
Parent Resource Survey
It is important to us at Wasco that we provide a community of care and support to our families, especially when faced with financial hardship.
The current situation related to the COVID-19 pandemic has caused some families to experience a need related to job loss, medical bills, child care, etc. District 303 has several supports available for families through our schools.
The supports available include: Thanksgiving Meal Support and Big Hearts of Fox Valley Holiday Support Program. If you are interested, please complete this survey.
Attention Parents who drive to Wasco for pickup
Parents we really appreciate your attention to safety you are when you arrive on campus. As inclement weather approaches, we are working to make sure we move traffic as smoothly as possible. Here are some suggestions:
Please pull up AS FAR AS POSSIBLE in available space, without occupying the crosswalks (marked with white stripes). This will enable us to place more students in cars.
Please be aware of loading quickly so that we can exit cars in the pickup line as quickly as possible.
Take care to limit social interactions while driving. During arrival and dismissal, there is a lot of activity and we want to ensure all adults are watchful for moving students.
Encourage your child to watch for your vehicle.
Homework for student absences
Mask and Space Requirements When Visiting our Campus
Parents and other visitors to a school campus are expected to be wearing a mask when at the school. Our school community goal is to be as safe as possible and following the precautions such as wearing a mask when sharing space with others or when we are unable to keep our distance is a community practice that decreases the spread of germs. Your help modeling mask-wearing and spacing from others demonstrates our commitment to the health of one another.
New to Wasco? Here is a guide to help! Welcome to Wasco Elementary for Families SY 21
We realize there is much information to digest, especially if you are a parent new to Wasco. Please use this link to access a plethora of information about the daily operation of our school. We hope this guide answers all of your questions. When in doubt, please reach out to our office. We are happy to help! Even if you are a returning family, you might want to keep the link handy.
Bus Information
Transportation route information is accessible to families using this link: Bus Routes. You will need your HAC number to access the information. Transportation route information will not be sent home through the mail and can only be accessed online. Please note that for the first two weeks of the school year, the district will not make adjustments to the transportation routes. Our transportation department will collect suggestions about the routes and make adjustments where necessary after the first two weeks of classes.
Food Service Programs
Since March, District 303 has collaborated with our food service vendors to provide grab and go meals for students to enjoy at home. We want to make you aware of the procedures for making sure that students continue to receive meals, whether they are learning in-person or remotely.
Families who choose to purchase meals for their children will have their PushCoin accounts debited, unless eligible for free lunch. For more information about eligibility for free and reduced lunch, please contact Patricia Townsend at 331.228.6529.
About us
Email: heather.kudabeck@d303.org
Website: https://district.d303.org/
Location: 4N782 School Street, Wasco, IL, USA
Phone: 331-228-2900