Hello Wildcat families,

I hope everyone is enjoying this long weekend! We are about a month into the school year, and classes have their routines set up so teachers & students can get into the good stuff- teaching & learning!

Our start of the year diagnostic tests are complete, so we'll start our during the day interventions soon. After school tutoring will start in the next few weeks. Like last year, our after school tutoring groups will be by invitation only, for students who are close to meeting grade level standards. That extra push three days after school will help our students to get comfortably into mastery of their standards. The interventions that take place during the day will be for our students who need more support. Those take place all 5 days a week, and the groups are smaller (which lets teachers personalize exactly the instruction the students need).

We had our first PTO meeting last week (stay tuned for the highlights from our meeting!). An important piece to note is that the WVE Fall Carnival will be undergoing a change this year. In an attempt to spread out the activities we offer at school and not having tons of things crammed into 2nd Quarter while 3rd Quarter doesn't have anything, we'll be moving the Carnival to February. This year, we will continue with our Aja Calhoun Thanksgiving Dinner in November, but there will be a Spring Carnival instead of one in October. More details coming soon!

Have a great rest of your day!

Jennifer Quirk

At WVE, we guide learners to reflect, communicate, and grow, to strengthen ourselves and our community.

WVE engages learners in a growth mindset to reach their potential while being accountable to their role within the community.

WVE is a place where everyone believes students can learn and grow as individuals. Effort is valued, teaching is intentional, progress is shared, and ideas are welcomed.

Water refill stations are all around campus when they run out. Sending your child with a water bottle ensures they are never without a quick drink of water! We do not have disposable cups for water, and the drinking fountains are mostly in classrooms, so their own water bottle is best!

And don't forget to write their name on their water bottle!

Did you know that every 4th grade student in the US is eligible for the "Every Kid Outdoors" pass? This pass gives free admission the 4th grader and their family to National Parks and other landmarks around the country. It's a great way to explore different parts of our beautiful country. While you're at a National Park, ask about the Junior Ranger program. It's a fun way for kids to get involved and learn a little more about our natural resources.

Fourth grade teachers will have paper copies of the pass available at Curriculum Night, or parents can sign up on their own on the website.

https://everykidoutdoors.gov/index.htm

We had some parent volunteers last year for making copies, Book Fair, field trips, and in the cafeteria to help students open packaging and keeping tables clean. It was a HUGE help! We would like to extend the invitation again this year. If you are interested in volunteering at school,

please fill out this form. We will begin with volunteers by mid-August.

https://forms.gle/dwDkf4kz3My2vBV19

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Our students will all receive free lunch this year (no lunch applications needed), but we do need families to please complete the income eligibility form as well- this helps to pay for our Reading Intervention services, after school tutoring and clubs, summer school, Instructional Assistants, and so much more!

https://linqconnect.com/public/income-form/new?identifier=TARLF2

Our arrival and dismissal procedure will be similar this school year. For the safety of your children, please only use the parking lot and 63rd Ave to park and walk WITH YOUR CHILD to the crosswalk. Children may not be dropped off in the parking lot or along 63rd Ave to walk by themselves. It is simply not safe for them.

As a reminder, the drop-off area is along the fire lane curb, and the parking lot is ONLY for families who want to park and walk up their student. Students MAY NOT be dropped off in the parking lot. This creates an unsafe situation for children, which of course, no one wants. We will have signs up as reminders, but please be safe, and drop off children only in the designated areas.

**For the parent pick-up area, we will have grade levels wait under the shade structure (as best as will safely fit). A change this year is with older siblings meeting younger kids. They will NOT meet them in the classroom this year. Instead, upper grade siblings will meet their younger siblings outside, and will wait with them under the shade structure. This allows students to exit more quickly, and to meet up with the parent or guardian who is picking them up.

Use your Dashboard card for a faster Parent Pick Up! Ask your teacher or the front office for one.

Kids get breakfast in the classroom starting at 7:55, and we are into the start of instruction by 8:10 every day, so arrival any later than that means students are missing important learning time. And it adds up!

Students may now wear a WVE Spirit Shirt on Thursdays with uniform pants.

Order your Spirit Shirt now! You can pay cash or Zelle to jreeser@fesd.org

Dollar Dress Down Day (formerly known as Buck-a-Jeans Day) = Hosted once a month as a PTO fundraiser, students may pay $1 and wear a non-uniform outfit. You can purchase the Annual Pass for this for $10, and you don't have to dig around for $1 each of these days.

Spirit Shirt Thursday (new this year) = Every Thursday, students may wear a WVE Spirit Shirt and uniform bottoms. This free event is to drum up our Wildcat spirit, and to be a fun way to show our school pride!

Free Dress Down Days (these are for special occasions) = Fall Picture Day, a pass earned by a grown-up when they attend a PTO meeting, Curriculum Night, or other school event that we advertise parents coming to campus.

All students who ride the bus have been issued a bus ID, and those IDs have been zip tied to their backpacks to prevent loss. They will scan on and off the bus each time. The first bus ID is free, broken or lost replacements will cost $5.

If your child will need to take medication at school, please bring it (in the prescription bottle/box) to the Health Office. Children may not bring medication to school themselves. This includes even cough drops. When in doubt, DO NOT send medicine to school with your child!

Also, if your child has a Chronic Illness, and may miss school often due to an illness or condition, ask the office or Mrs Reyes about a Chronic Health Form.

Learn a new skill, or continue to grow in a field you've worked in before! Keep the same work schedule as your kids!

Check out some other openings around the district here- https://fowler.tedk12.com/hire/index.aspx

Our office is open 7:30am-4pm Mon-Fri.

Our administration & office staff are happy to help!

*9/6 August Student of the Month Breakfast

*9/6 Progress Reports go home

*9/10 FESD Governing Board meeting 4pm

*9/11 Phoenix Public Library Bookmobile at WV (10:30-12 for WVM, 12:30-2:30 for WVE)

*9/12 "What's Poppin' with ELD" 3:30-5pm in WVE Cafeteria

*9/24- 10/ Scholastic Fall Book Fair

*9/27 Dollar Dress Down Day & PTO meeting

*10/2 Phoenix Public Library Bookmobile at WV (10:30-12 for WVM, 12:30-2:30 for WVE)

*10/3 & 10/4 Early release @ 1:15pm for Fall Conferences

*10/4 September Student of the Month Breakfast

*10/7-10/11 Fall Break, No School

*10/25 Dollar Dress Down Day & PTO Meeting

*10/31 Book Character Wellness Walk (parents & families invited to walk with us!)

*11/1 Western Valley's 20th Birthday Celebration!

*11/8 Teacher In-Service Day, No School

*11/11 Veterans Day, No School