Eagles,

I have thought about this story for a while. When I was asked over the holiday to think about what I was thankful for, I wondered what it would be like not to have anything to be grateful for. I remember this story and how someone has been thankful for 36 years and an "I love you." after so much loss.

I hope we take the time this holiday season to find opportunities to be thankful and make sure we can say the same in all eventualities.

Cheers,

DLG.

We would like to thank the many parent volunteers who came to spend time with our students while teachers were able to come together to enjoy a Thanksgiving Luncheon as a family. We enjoyed great food in great company.

We like to extend a special thank you to our school secretary, Mrs. Villalobos, who coordinated this special event. We also could not have done this without the volunteers that helped serve.

Thank you for your support and student participation in our Annual Turkey Bowling. A tradition that began for fun for our teachers has transformed into an opportunity for action as a community! Together, over $600 were raised which will go back to our students and support our Woodlawn community's family.

Our 5th graders have began exploring the Exhibition with topics of their interest. They have formed groups with which they will work together to collaborate to inquire further into their topic of interest. Below are some of the topics students will be looking at this year:

• Anime
• Asian Culture
• Claymation Storytelling
• Art Therapy
• Connection through Games
• School Shootings
• Music Therapy
• Math Games
• Bullying in Elementary
• Anxiety in School-Aged Children
• Effects of Digital Screens
• Hunger in School-Aged Children
• Depression
• Music
• Stray Animals
• Jewelry
• Roblox
• Tejano
• Placebo Effect
• Animation
• Paleontology

Isaiaz Martinez, Annabelle Martinez, and Arrow Terwilleger represented Woodlawn well at the JYELC meeting hosted at Jefferson High School. Here the students were able to give their input on student emotional health at our schools.

Our boys basketball team played their hearts out at the basketball tournament. Although the results were not in our favor and they ultimately lost to Will Rogers, our team held them.

Woodlawn Academy has been awarded a grant from the SAISD Foundation! This $1,000 award is in recognition for winning 14th place in the 2023 SAISD Recycling Contest. These funds have been made available in partnership with Unilever & H-E-B.

Once again, thank you for your participation and working towards making our Earth a cleaner and healthier home. We appreciate your recycled donations, efforts and coordination in helping us reach 3604.65 pounds collectively!

Before the holiday break, our 4th grade students were graced with a lovely visit from Teddy, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. We are thankful for the work that PAWS for Service does by providing free visits for the purpose of spreading joy and calm with their therapy dogs. We will continue to partner with PAWS for Service to bring joy to more of our Woodlawn Eagles!

If you would like to donate and support PAWS for service you can click here.

Teachers got together on Thursday to prep the ground, let by Mr. Gonzalez (5th Grade Teacher). Shout out to 7th grader Andres Mata who saw his old teachers struggling and demanded to help and get his hands dirty.

Our community came together the last day before break to finish planting a garden with native plants to support butterflies on their migration journey!

Photos below are courtesy of SAISD.

Prior to the break, we had great news about our eagle artists in PYP. Three of our students placed in the annual district winter card contest. The contest included students from all over the district, so our students really stood out!

Grades K-2

First Prize: Noah Aleman, 2nd grade, Woodlawn Academy

Grades 3-5

Second Prize: Esther Correa, 5th grade, Woodlawn Academy

Third Prize: Penelope Gutierrez, 5th Grade, Woodlawn Academy

We would like to send our best wishes for our Woodlawn Eagles that will compete in the District Spanish Spelling Bee including: Zaylah Ramos, Evelyn Ramirez Trejo, Maria Ramirez Trejo, and Andres Ponce Mata! Buena suerte!

Parents please support your child by ensuring that they get a good night's rest, hear words of encouragement, and arrive to school on time for our upcoming middle of the year MAP Reading and Math tests.

Dec 5

k-3rd Spanish Reading

Dec 6

k-3rd Math

Dec 7

k-3rd Reading

Dec 11-15

4-8th MAP Reading, Math & Science

We are looking for students that are interested in competing in this year's UIL competition. Last year we did very well and our students showed much interest in repeating the experience. If your child is interested in competing, please fill out this google interest form. Due Friday, December 1, 2023. IB Coordinator, Mrs. Femath, will be in contact with teachers about nominations as well.

Though we would love to have all of our students compete, only 1 student per grade level in each contest is permitted to compete. By submitting the interest form, you are nominating your child to be considered in this slot. Students may have to serve as an alternative competitor depending on the interest in each category.

Thank you for your consideration!

• PYP: Wednesday, December 13, 2023 from 5:00 - 6:00 PM

• MYP: Thursday, December 14, 2023 from 5:00 - 6:30 PM

Woodlawn Academy is an authorized IB World School offering the Primary Years Programme and Middle Years Programme. In 2019, we became an SAISD In-District Charter School with Texas Council forInternational Studies, (TCIS) as our managing partner.Through this partnership, we receive additional funding.

Are you interested in participating in a school event as a volunteer. Perhaps support PTO with teacher appreciation events, join your child on a field trip, or help out in a Field Day? You will need a background check through SAISD process. The process can take a few weeks to complete, don't miss out on an opportunity of volunteering because the background check wasn't in on time.

SAISD Volunteer App-Garden

Website: https://schools.saisd.net/page/175.homepage/
Location: 1717 West Magnolia Avenue, San Antonio, TX, USA
Phone: (210) 438-6560
Facebook: facebook.com/SAISDWoodlawnAcademy
Twitter: @IB_Woodlawn