Pray-Woodman Elementary School
Dear Parents,
As we approach the upcoming parent-teacher conferences, we want to take a moment to explain their importance and how you can make the most of this opportunity to support your childβs education.
What Are Parent-Teacher Conferences?
Parent-teacher conferences are designated meetings where parents and teachers come together to discuss a childβs academic progress, social development, and overall well-being. These conferences provide a valuable opportunity for parents to gain insights into their childβs learning environment and to collaborate with educators in supporting their childβs educational journey.
Why Are They Important?
Open Communication: Conferences foster open lines of communication between home and school, allowing you to share insights about your child and hear from the teacher about their experiences.
Academic Insights: Teachers can provide specific feedback on your child's strengths and areas for improvement, as well as share strategies to enhance their learning at home.
Social Development: These meetings offer an opportunity to discuss your child's interactions with peers and their social skills, which are crucial for their overall development.
Goal Setting: Parents and teachers can collaboratively set goals for the student, ensuring a shared vision for their success.
Questions to Consider Asking:
To make the most of your time during the conference, consider preparing some questions in advance. Here are a few suggestions:
Academic Progress:
How is my child performing academically compared to grade-level expectations?
What are my childβs strengths and weaknesses in specific subjects?
Classroom Behavior:
How does my child behave in class? Are there any areas of concern regarding their behavior or participation?
How does my child interact with their peers?
Support at Home:
What strategies can I use at home to support my childβs learning?
Are there specific resources or activities you recommend for enhancing my childβs skills?
Setting Goals:
What goals should we set for my child for the upcoming term?
How can we track progress toward these goals?
Communication:
How can we best communicate going forward? What is the best way to reach you with any questions or concerns?
We encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity to engage with your child's education. Your involvement plays a crucial role in their success, and together, we can create a supportive learning environment.
Thank you for your continued partnership in your childβs education. We look forward to seeing you at the conferences!
Warm regards,
Teri Dow
Hi, Pray-Woodman!
October is a month of discussion about safety. First, we will discuss fire safety, and also this month, your student will participate in a drill where we discuss what happens if there were an emergency in the building. We set off our loud alarm to practice and discuss what we would do if there were an intruder. I want you to know that we take your childβs safety very seriously.
The everyday steps we have in place include: all staff and volunteers must pass a background check; a driverβs license scan of every non-staff member adult who enters the building; and locked exterior and interior doors. We talk with our staff and students about not opening exterior doors to strangers and do daily checks of doors being closed and locked.
My mom-heart always aches to think about these issues. The discussions we have with students can be hard, and it can cause many questions to be asked at home. Please know that we do everything we can to protect your child and their innocence. I want you to be aware that if your child is talking about emergency procedures, not to be alarmed. We are doing some learning about safety.
Thank you for all of your support!
Callie
We have been busy in the PWS Media Center!
Our students tapped into their creative side during International Dot Day (Week). It was amazing seeing our students make their mark and create an original "dot" creation.
Our Media Center hydroponic garden is thriving. Students continue to monitor progress and check and adjust the water and pH levels on our lettuce, basil, dill, and cilantro growing in our farmstand. We will be harvesting soon. Keep an eye on our Pray-Woodman Media Center's Facebook page to see our harvest photos in the coming weeks. Our student body and staff will consume the produce in the cafeteria throughout the school year.
Last week our library lessons focused on the collaboration standards. Since we are gearing up for our "Reading BUILDS Success" Book Fair, we read stories about collaboration and creativity and then participated in different building-type challenges requiring students to collaborate on their final project. Check out the photos here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/vMUtYjzLrHkrsVn47
In honor of our LEGO themed Book Fair on October 9th and 10th, you are invited to share your photos of LEGO creations your student/family have completed at home on our Pray-Woodman Media Center's Facebook page for all to see. I will share the photos with our student body during library over the next few weeks.
Hello Pray-Woodman Elementary families!
Last month, our PWS students dove head-first into the exciting world of STEAM! We kicked off the month with a strong emphasis on teamwork, tackling various challenges that promoted collaboration and creative problem-solving. In celebration of International Dot Day, the entire school came together to create a beautiful mural, symbolizing the unity and diversity of our community. It was a wonderful way for students to express their creativity and work as a team.
We also recognized National Coding Week by introducing unplugged coding activities for all grade levels. These hands-on exercises provided our students with foundational coding skills without the use of screens, making it both fun and accessible. The following week, students had the opportunity to work with Dash Robots and Mice-Bots, applying their newly learned skills in engaging coding challenges.
These activities are essential for developing critical thinking, as they encourage students to communicate effectively and think strategically as well. Looking ahead, weβre very excited to apply what weβve learned through seasonal STEAM challenges while introducing new concepts along the way.
Madi Anderson manderson@usd2666.com
Happy Fall! I am hoping the weather stays this nice for a little while! I am so excited to see families in the school during conferences! I will be in and around the health room during conference times, so please feel free to stop by if you need anything.
We are starting to see a lot of different illnesses go around the school. Please keep in mind that if your child is feeling unwell and running a fever of 100.3 or greater, they must stay home until they have been fever-free for over 24 hours without fever-reducing medication. Please encourage your kiddos to practice good hand hygiene and drink plenty of water. If your child needs a prescription medication at school, it must be kept in the health room. All prescription medications must have a doctor's order and signature. We have certain district provided over-the-counter medications that are stored in my office. Over-the-counter medications given at school require a parent signature documenting consent for administration. You can find the medication administration form on the Maize website here.
Last but not least, my health para, Ashley, will be leaving us on Friday, October 4th. She has been my health para for almost four years. She will now be the new health para over at Maize South Middle School in order to be on the same schedule as her children. We will all miss her so much, and I am thankful for all of the amazing help she gave me the past few years. If you see her before then, please wish her well. When I get a new health para, I will make sure to introduce them on the next newsletter.
If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me via email at kwallender@usd266.com or via phone at 316-721-0902 option 2. Thank you!
Nurse Katie Wallender, RN, BSN
National School Lunch Week October 14-18
Grab & Go Breakfast is offered daily beginning at 8:20 a.m. Students can pick between three or more filling whole-grain entrees, juice, fruit, and milk each day and will take their breakfast directly to the classroom to begin learning.
Our Lunch Pirates are getting ready for National School Lunch Week. Join us on an adventure where the treasure is a healthy school lunch. Students have a choice of three entrees each day, including one Grab & Go meal.
You can Support Pray-Woodman PTO while you Shop at Dillons!
Dillons Community Rewards: Register your Dillon's Plus Card with "Pray-Woodman Elementary Parent Teacher Organization" and it automatically donates a percentage to PWS every-time you shop! Our organization number is TH774.
Visit PWS PTO on Facebook!
October
- Oct. 3: Body Venture 1st Grade - 4th Grade
- Oct. 4: MHS Homecoming Parade - 1:30 p.m.
- Oct. 9: Parent Teacher Conferences 4 β 8 p.m. (Scholastic Book Fair)
- Oct. 10: Parent Teacher Conferences 8a.m. β 3:40 p.m. (Scholastic Book Fair)
- Oct. 15: Freddy's Spirit Night 4 β 8 p.m.
- Oct. 17: Fall Picture Retakes
- Oct. 21: Wellness Week
- Oct. 31: Fall Parade 2:30 β 3 p.m. and Class Parties 3 β 3:30 p.m.