Willow Parent Bulletin # 13

This week brings our first Trimester to its end... 58 fun-filled days of learning!

Parent- Teacher conferences are next week. This is an essential part of the home-school connection and making sure we are all on the same page for your Wildcat's learning. Please be on time. Conferences are scheduled in 20 minute intervals so we can fit everyone. If you arrive late, it minimizes your direct teacher time.

On Friday, after 3:00 PM, you will be able to access your child's report card online. In your child's backpack will be a letter explaining our report card and his/her/their math progress report. The teacher will go over all of these with you. Instead of the traditional percentage-based grading scale A-F, we use a different system to help you gauge your child’s progress.

• “M” indicates that your child is currently meeting the standard.
• “P” means that your child is progressing towards the standard. The goal is to meet specific standards by the end of the school year, so it’s likely you’ll see that your child is “progressing” in concepts that get repeatedly taught throughout the year.
• “X” tells us that your child does not yet show adequate progress.

In order to provide more explicit information on your child’s progress, we are using a new system called Forefront. It works well with our math program, Bridges, to design a clear progress report on that which your child has learned. We feel this report gives more detailed information; therefore, you will find the math section of the report card shows “N/A.” At the end of the year, your child’s teacher will complete the third trimester math grade on the report card.

We hope you and your Wildcat(s) enjoy the rest of the week off. We are grateful for your support! Have a blessed Thanksgiving!

At the Board of Education meeting on Monday night, we got to honor some outstanding staff and a former student. When former, long-term Board members Tom Dockweiler and Jerry Morin retired, awards were created in their memory. The Dockweiler Award of Academic Excellence goes to a former 2nd grade student who showed strong growth in academics and as a good human. The Morin Award goes to outsatnding staff, as voted on by their peers.

Congratulations to our student winner, Willa Easter! Our staff winners were 2nd grade teacher Christen Vazquez and our Beahvior Coach, Chloe Ross. We are truly proud of Willa and grateful these two incredible women have chosen Willow as their work home.

Thank you to the parents who came in to help with the Scholastic Book Fair. Our students love to shop! Don't forget that we will also have the Book Fair open on Monday of next week, in the big gym, so parents can shop without their Wildcats during conferences.

Our Wildcats were an excellent audience at the Aladdin show this week. We encourage you to attend with the rest of your family. Our former Wildcats have grown into quite the talented thespians!

We want to bring your attention to recent cases of Hand Foot Mouth Disease (HFMD) that have been reported at our school. It is important for us to work together to prevent the spread of this illness and ensure the well-being of our students.

HFMD is a viral infection that commonly affects young children, causing symptoms such as fever, sore throat, and a rash on the hands, feet, and mouth. While it is not a life-threatening condition, it can be uncomfortable for those affected and may require some time off from school to recover.

We request your assistance in keeping a lookout for any signs or symptoms of HFMD in your child. Initial symptoms include fever, poor appetite, general discomfort and often a sore throat. Approximately two days after onset of initial symptoms, painful sores develop in the mouth. A rash with flat or raised red spots with a blister-like appearance develops on the hands, around mouth and feet.

Prevention is key in stopping the spread of HFMD. Here are a few reminders to help keep our school community healthy:

1. Frequent handwashing: Encourage your child to wash their hands thoroughly with soap and water, especially before meals, after using the restroom, and after coughing or sneezing.

2. Covering mouth and nose: Teach your child to cover their mouth and nose with a tissue or their elbow when coughing or sneezing. This helps prevent the spread of germs.

3. Avoiding close contact: If your child is showing symptoms of MHFD, please keep them at home until they are no longer contagious. It is essential to avoid close contact with others to minimize the risk of transmission.

4. Disinfecting frequently touched surfaces: Regularly clean and disinfect commonly touched surfaces at home, such as doorknobs, light switches, and toys.

By being vigilant and taking proactive measures, we can significantly reduce the risk of HFMD spreading within our school community. The health and safety of our students are our top priorities, and your cooperation in these efforts is greatly appreciated.

When the snow comes, so do upset Wildcats when they don't have boots and snowpants to play in it. We are going to set up "loaner" stations in each grade level. If you have and coats, boots, or snowpants that are no longer used in your family, we would appreciate the donations. We will handle the washing and disinfecting of items.

Your Wildcat has SEL lessons each week. His/her/their teacher may also send home parent links. below is an example of ways to utilize the skills your child is developing at home.

Last week we had 535 people from 16 different states look at the Bulletin. Thanks for sharing!

If you've noticed anyone at Willow going above and beyond, please use the link to recognize him/her/them! 💖 I share your kind words with them in my staff bulletin.

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Nov 17: End of Trimester 1

Nov 15: Education Support Professionals Day

Nov 20-21: Parent/Teacher Conferences

Nov 22: no school

Nov 23-24: Thanksgiving/ Black Friday- no school

Dec 3: Day of People with Disabilities

Dec 7-15: Hanukkah begins at sundown

Dec 13: Panther Choir at Willow

Dec 15: PreK Fun Friday (no PreK classes)

Dec 20: Hart Holiday Readers

Dec 22: 11:40 AM early dismissal

Dec 23-Jan 8: Winter break

Jan 9: Law Enforcement Appreciation day

Jan 15: Dr MLK Jr Day- no school

Feb: Black History Month/ Erin’s Law presentations #2

Dental Health Month

Feb 2: Groundhog Day

Feb 5-9: School Counselor Appreciation Week

Feb 8: Family Math Night

Feb 10: Lunar New Year

Feb 14: Valentine’s Day

Feb 17: Random Acts of Kindness Day

Feb 19: Presidents’ Day- no school

March: Women’s History month/ Erin’s Law presentation #3

Disabilities Awareness month

Music in our Schools month

Mar 1: Maintenance Worker Appreciation Day/Early dismissal- 11:40 AM

Mar 2: Read Across America

Mar 4: End of Trimester 2

Mar 4-8: Social Worker Appreciation Week