Wolf Cub Press

It certainly is a winter wonderland here in Washington! The students have been having fun making snowmen, creating a snow slide, and snowshoeing. Last spring we were fortunate enough to purchase some smaller snowshoes with grant funds, and we were able to try them out this month. All students did a great job!

Thank you for sending your child with snow gear to school each day, even if it looks like a day that may be indoors. As you know, the weather changes quickly here, so it's always good to be prepared. I've noticed that kids are prepared and ready to go outside! We have had a lot of cold feet and hands, though, with this wet snow. Please consider putting a couple of extra pairs of socks in your child's backpack in case they get wet. Waterproof gloves or mittens are best as well.

Thank you!

Please review the handbook (link below). In the Powerschool School Year Registration Verification, there is a box to check that you have read this and gone over it with your child under the "Permissions/Agreements" section.

Changes from previous years are in blue on the table of contents. Please make sure to review those sections.

It seems as though the beginning of November was so long ago, but I wanted to thank all the grandparents and grandpals who attended Grandpals' Day. This is one of my most favorite WES traditions, and it was a great day all around!

December 18th - Holiday Story Night 5:00-6:30pm - A flyer was sent home this week. Get comfy, sip on some cocoa, and read with us. Guest readers will be reading stories from various cultures and holidays. If you have a book that highlights your traditions, please bring it!

December 18th - Washington School Board Meeting - 6:30pm in the art room

December 23rd-January 1st - Holiday Break

January 3rd - Whole School Family Meeting - 2:30pm in the gym

January 8th - Keith Munslow Performance - 10:00-11:00am - The day you've all been waiting for is finally here - hopefully! Please join us for a performance by Mr. Keith that will have you singing and laughing! Families (including siblings!) are welcome to attend.

January 13th - Washington School Board Meeting - 6:00pm in the art room

January 17th - Early Release for all students - Dismissal starts with buses at 1:05pm

January 20th - No School - Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

The students helped facilitate our whole school meeting to roll out "Begin with the End in Mind." Students in 2nd/3rd grade shared their diamante poems. They had to make a plan to write these poems which focus either on one central topic or two opposing topics. Fourth/fifth graders led groups in an activity that got students to think about how you would need to "begin with the end in mind" while completing a puzzle.

Be Proactive Choice Boards were also sent home in October. Please return these to school in before the holiday break so that we can see how proactive your children were at home.

This month's habit: Put First Things First

• My spend my time on my highest priorities.
• I say no to time-wasters.
• I make a schedule and stick to it.
• I get assignments done on time.
• I am organized.

School lunches can be purchased this year for the following prices:

Breakfast: $1.75

Lunch: $2.75

Milk: $0.40

Reduced Breakfast: $0.00

Reduced Lunch: $0.40

We encourage ALL families to fill out the free and reduced lunch application whether or not you will use the program or not. This application helps our school obtain federal grant money which funds our Early Learning program, special programs for students, and training for teachers. Without this funding, these programs would not be possible with our current budget. If you do not think you would qualify or you do not want to use the free/reduced lunch service, we understand but still ask that you fill out the application.

You can apply online here: https://secure.ezmealapp.com/ApplicationScreen.aspx

**While we are technically a separate district from Hillsboro-Deering, when it asks for District Name, for this form, please use Hillsboro-Deering.

**You only need to fill out one form per family, so if you have MS/HS students, you only have to complete the form once.

A paper application will be sent home on the first day of school.

How to Pay for Lunch:

Please pay in advance for each week's meals. Each Friday, Dawn Bilski will send home envelopes with your child's balance written on it. Please return the envelope with cash or check payable to Washington School District with enough money for that week's meals. Please see the handbook for more information. Thank you!

Bus routes are posted on the sau34.org website. Bus #73 and Bus #74 are the Washington busses. Please be sure to be at the bus stop 10 minutes prior to the scheduled time. In the afternoon, please wait outside for your child so the bus driver knows that someone is at the stop or home. Students in kindergarten through grade 2 may not be dropped off without someone over the age of 18 to greet them, unless we have written permission that an older sibling will be getting off the bus with them.

If you need to reach the school for any reason, please call the main office at 495-3463. If someone does not answer, please leave a message. We check messages frequently throughout the day, but there is not always someone at the front desk, as we all wear many hats!

If there are changes to your child's dismissal routine, please make sure to leave a message on the office phone before 2:00pm, as opposed to emailing Dawn or the teacher. Our teachers often do not have time to check their emails throughout the day and may miss the message, so a phone call is best. Please do not leave messages about dismissal or absences on the school Facebook page or any staff member's personal Facebook page.

In the event that internet is down, our phones are also down. We do have one emergency phone to use if this happens. The number for that phone is 603-495-0187. There is no way to leave a message on this line. Please only use this number if you try the main line and it does not ring or gives you a busy signal.

If there's ever anything we can do to improve our communication, please let us know!

If you ever have questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me. I typically get to school by 7:45am, and I stay until about 4:30 (sometimes later!). On days I teach specials, you may not reach me right away, but if you leave a message, I will give you a call when I am available. Email is also a great way to get a hold of me.

Email: kcolarusso@hdsd.org
Website: https://wes.sau34.org/en-us
Phone: 603-495-3463
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Washington-Elementary-School-110720773888378