The Weekly aWESome

We focused on hallway expectations in November and during our assembly revealed that we met our goal of being safe, respectful, and responsible in the halls. We spun the wheel and our celebration was to sit anywhere in the cafeteria during lunch.

Do not drop students off in the parking lot by pulling up to the median and letting them out. This is not safe and has potential to cause huge traffic problems. Students can be dropped off by parking and walking to the crosswalk or going through the drop off line.

Students and staff participated n our first unannounced evacuation drill Tuesday, November 21. Everyone exited the building quickly and quietly and returned to the building safely.

The Deforest High School BIPOC team is hosting a food drive from December 1st to December 15th to give back to the community. This year BIPOC will be donating to Blessings in a Backpack. We are looking to collect non-perishable foods to help and give back to families in our community who are in need. We would appreciate it if you and your family could help out! We are looking for hygiene products, boxed foods, canned goods, etc. There will be boxes at the front of your child's school by the office, where they can place their donations in.

We are finishing up our Kelso's Choices lessons on small and big problems. As an extension activity we are learning about the "8 Never Never's " and "3 Ways to Stay Safe" from the 2nd Step curriculum.

2nd graders will be learning about 6 of our 8 senses and specifically what is our interoception sense- how we feel on the inside. Interoception is a lesser-known sense that helps you understand and feel what's going on inside your body. Kids who struggle with the interoceptive sense may have trouble knowing when they feel hungry, full, hot, cold, or thirsty. Having trouble with this sense can also make self-regulation a challenge.

This month, our schoolwide theme is skills for learning: listening, focusing attention, using

self-talk to stay on-task, and being assertive when asking for help with a learning task. In

our morning announcements and school assembly, we’ll be reminding students of these

skills, which help students be successful learners.

Second Step lessons teach skills for learning. The following Home Links describe why

these skills are important and including fun activities to do with your child to practice them.

KG

1st

2nd

3rd

We hope you enjoy them!

Please tell your child’s teacher if you’d like more suggestions about supporting skills for

learning at home or have questions.

December’s theme is Social Awareness. Social awareness is the ability to understand and empathize with people from a range of diverse backgrounds, and to understand social and ethical norms of behavior.

The Windsor Parent Teacher Organization (WPTO) is a nonprofit organization with a mission to partner with the teachers and staff at Windsor Elementary School to strengthen our school community, encourage parents to actively participate in their children’s educational experience, and inspire students to achieve their full potential to learn, socialize, and grow. You can find more information about how to get involved here.

The next WPTO meeting: Thursday, January 11th, 6:15-7:15 p.m.

Join us in person at Windsor Elementary or virtually.

Please help us spread thanks to all the generous 2023 Sponsors for their support! Enjoy Local!

A special thank you to WISCO Real Estate Services, the Signature Sponsor of the WE Run! Learn more about WISCO Real Estate Services here.

The lost and found is starting to pile up. Please have your student check out the lost and found if they are missing anything. All items will be donated at the end of December.

We are removing the no left turn sign out of our drive onto Windsor Road. This decision was made by school and district leadership in consult with Dane County Sherriff's Department.

It has come to our attention that there has been several cars that are dropping off students in the bus lane (south parking lot). This lot is reserved for buses only. For safety, please drop off your students at the front of the building (where the flag pole is located).

Please click here for directions on how to access the School Directory through Skyward Family Access, as well as how to opt your student(s) into the directory.

We are working on Kelso's Choices

Link to lessons

You can now keep up with the who, what, when, and where through the DeForest Area School District app on all mobile devices!

Scan the QR code or download the DeForest Area School District app from your app store. With our new app, you can:

• Keep up with all of our latest news, information and announcements
• Subscribe and receive push notifications right on your phone to announcements, calendars, and news
• Contact teachers, staff, and administration
• Access school menus, Skyward, and more
• Receive daily and weekly updates and reminders
• Help promote school safety through the SpeakUp-SpeakOut TipLine

Students of all grades may need to change into extra clothes/shoes for a variety of reasons during the school day (lunch/milk spill, accidents, mud or snow on the playground depending on the season). If you could keep a change of extra clothes in your child's cubby or backpack, that would be great, as we have a limited supply of extra clothes in the health office.

Also, it's already getting to be that time of year when the temperature drops in the mornings but warms up throughout the day. Please send weather appropriate outerwear (jackets, hats, gloves, etc) to keep your child warm for outdoor recess. We go outside unless it's raining or the wind chill is below zero. Thank you!

To report attendance, please use one of these options: Text (608) 501-2485, Call (608) 842-6313, or email wesattendance@deforestschools.org. All attendance lines are available 24 hours a day. Please text, call, or email before the start of the school day if your child will not be attending school, will be late, will be picked up early, or will have a change in transportation home. Please indicate the reason why your student will be absent or late. Thank you!

If you need to contact the bus company, it's generally best to call during non-route times which are from 9:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Raptor is our school safety software that enables schools to screen visitors and volunteers. You will need to bring in your driver's license the first time you come into the school, and the office will scan your license. They will print out a visitor badge that you will wear while in school. Once the office scans your driver's license the first time, the next time you come in, the office just needs your name to print off your badge. Thank you!

District policy requires that a criminal background check be completed prior to volunteering. This includes parents who plan to attend field trips with their child. The background check is good for 3 years. The volunteer background check can be completed by filling out the following form: Background Check.

DeForest Area School District is excited to partner with Edustaff to provide substitute staffing for the district’s schools and we are looking forward to a great school year!

Edustaff will provide substitute teachers, paraprofessionals, recess aides, nurses, and secretaries to DeForest schools. We are looking for passionate subs who enjoy working with youth and want to give back to their community. Anyone interested in becoming a substitute in DeForest Area School District can apply online at Edustaff.org.

For more information regarding becoming a substitute with Edustaff, please email Riley Huebsch at rhuebsch@edustaff.org, visit www.edustaff.org, or give us a call at 877-974-6338.

Por favor, contáctame si tiene alguna pregunta sobre esta información. Puede comunicarse en español al tel 1-833-611-1664.

Thov hu rau kuv yog koj muaj lus nug. Hu 1-833-611-1664 tuaj tiv tauj kuv rau lwm hom lus.

Please contact me if you have any questions. Call 1-833-611-1664 to contact me in another language.