This year D303 is surveying parents through the State of Illinois 5Essentials Survey. This is important data for us as Educators and Administrators! I truly value your input and use your input to shift practices at Wredling. Would you please take just a few minutes to complete this survey? It only takes a few minutes and lets us know what we are doing well and what we need to work on.

Again, I am greatly appreciative of your time in completing the 5Essentials Survey.

Thank you!

Tim

The Winter Pops Concert (formerly known as the Jazz Cafe) is TONIGHT at 6:30 pm in Wredling’s Main Gym. Come to hear all of Wredling’s wonderful extra performing groups play some fun tunes! Hope to see you in the audience!

We are offering a way to "pay off" your LRC fines and help Lazarus House at the same time! Starting Monday, December 10th through Friday, January 11th, you can bring in one of THE ITEMS LISTED BELOW on Lazarus House's urgent needs list.

• Sugar-free drink mix packets (must be sugar-free)

• Coffee Creamer

• Styrofoam bowls

• Paper Towels

• Liquid Hand Soap

• Disinfectant Wipes

Each item FROM THE LIST ABOVE is worth up to $2 in fines removed from your account. Present your donation to one of the LRC staff and they will credit your account accordingly. This is a great way to help others while clearing the fines from your account at the same time!

With Monday's snow day this week, the district has updated the D303 calendar. Four more 'Emergency Days' remain this school year and right now the last day of school is Tuesday, June 4, 2019. Click the calendar below for the downloadable version in both English.

Here is the downloadable version in Spanish.

Want a challenge? Participate in D303 Solo and Ensemble Night on Friday, February 22nd at North High School from 4-9 pm. Students in Orchestra, Band, Hawk Chorus or Treble Ensemble who are interested in forming an ensemble should see their director for information and music by winter break. Students taking private lessons are encouraged to perform a solo. Students interested in performing at this event need to register by winter break, no exceptions! Interested students should see their directors ASAP for more details.

Dear Parents:

In the past few years, we have seen some significant increases in issues related to cell phone and social media use in our schools. I found this article on a website called “Wait Until 8th”. The website share stories and encourages parents to wait until at least 8th grade to allow their kids to use social media or have a smartphone. As a school, we have seen the harm that comes from kids on social media and using their phones in ways that even their parents don’t expect.

With the holidays coming, many of you may be considering buying your child a cell phone. Frankly, I would discourage it. We have found that 99% of our middle school kids are not ready for the responsibility, or how to react when things go wrong in social media. And even our parents are not sure how to monitor what their kids are doing on social media.

If you want your eyes opened, I would suggest you read this article. Titled, “Middle School Misfortunes Then and Now, One Teacher’s Take,” it explains how social media has changed the social-emotional landscape in our schools and in the lives of our students.

I have been in middle schools for about 24 years. In my career, I have never seen anything like the damaging power of social media on young people. And this is coming from a strong technology advocate. Certainly, technology can have some strong points, but it also must be used at the right age. At the elementary and middle school levels, kids are not emotionally prepared for what may happen. The longer you keep your kids off social media and off smartphones, I think you will find the happier they will be. (I get that they may be mad in the short run, but that is what being a grown-up is all about.)

The easiest solution… blame me and tell your kids you are going to “Wait Until 8th!”

Thank you-

Tim Loversky, Principal

Wredling Middle School

We would like to thank the wonderful volunteers that helped to pack all of the PapaNicholas orders! There were many orders, and you all were fantastic getting everything ready. We'd also like to thank the volunteers who assisted on the parent pick-up days...much appreciated. You all helped make this fundraiser a big success!

We also would like to send out a huge thank you to the many volunteers who helped the LRC out at the Scholastic Book Fair the week before Thanksgiving Break. It was so very much appreciated to have extra help covering this favorite event!

Basketball Tryouts for our WMS Girls Team will be held right after winter break. They will be held after school from 3:40 pm - 5:30 pm on each of these dates:

• Monday, Jan 7
  
• Tuesday, Jan. 8
  
• Wednesday, Jan. 9
  

For girls who make the team, HERE is the schedule for the season.

Join us on January 24 to learn strategies to assist and respond to your child when they are feeling anxious. A representative from Riverview Counseling, along with D303 staff will offer insight on how to help your child deal with anxiety.

SIGN UP USING THE GOOGLE FORM BELOW

Faculty from the Psychology Department at Northern Illinois University will present practical information from their research and their work as part of a U.S. Department of Education training grant “Project Prevent and Address Bullying.” Thompson Middle School is partnering with NIU on this grant project, bringing resources that will be shared throughout the district. The faculty will present helpful knowledge, tips, and resources parents can use when navigating bullying situations.

La interpretación en español estará disponible durante la presentación.

SIGN UP USING THE GOOGLE FORM BELOW!

This weekend, the Beth Fowler Dance Company will be presenting its 25th annual production of "The Nutcracker" at St. Charles North High School. Several of our RedHawks will be up on the stage sharing their talents during this show! It would be wonderful for them to see some familiar faces in the audience. There are still currently tickets available but you may wish to order ahead of time using one of the links below:

Beth Fowler Dance Company – The Nutcracker

The Nutcracker – 12/8/18 – 7:00pm

St. Charles North High School Auditorium St. Charles, IL BUY TICKETS

Beth Fowler Dance Company – The Nutcracker

The Nutcracker – 12/9/18 – 2:00pm

St. Charles North High School Auditorium St. Charles, IL BUY TICKETS

Last Call for The Salvation Army’s annual Jim Wheeler Toys for Kids program. This program, which collects and distributes toys for the needy boys and girls of the Tri-City area, is celebrating its 35th year. The program has been named in honor of the late Jim Wheeler who was the creator and driver behind this effort.

Once again, we are asking for your support of this program for children at Christmas time. We are looking for new unwrapped toys and games and also will be accepting monetary contributions and gift cards to help make this Christmas a very special one.

Collection Boxes are currently at Wredling outside the Main Office.

NOTE: Collection Ends AND BOXES WILL BE PICKED UP ON MONDAY, DECEMBER 10TH - This is an earlier date than originally posted on the flyer.

Contact us on Twitter @ WredlingD303

#WredlingLearns

Website: Wredling.d303.org
Location: 1200 Dunham Road, St. Charles, IL, USA
Phone: 331-228-3700
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Wredling-Middle-School-537757163011275/
Twitter: @WredlingD030