Willow Parent Bulletin #3

Sept.9, 2022

Starting the day right

Sometimes the short weeks seem like the longest weeks. So much of what we do at the beginning of the year centers around routines and schedules. That predictability helps students know what happens next and lessens anxiety. Having that extra day throws a monkey wrench into the progress we've made so far.

It's also why maintaining the same schedule on the weekend is so important, too. The Cleveland Clinic says that school-aged children (5 to 12 years old) need 9 to 12 hours of sleep each night. That may sound like a lot (unless you are my age and it sounds perfect) but there's research out there showing the benefits.

Our first and second graders will be taking the STAR test starting Sept 19th. It's a standardized test we do multiple times each year that they take on a computer. By administering it over time, we are able to see how much your Wildcat has grown in math and reading. Being well-rested will help optimize your child's scores, as will having a healthy breakfast in the morning. Our school does not have a breakfast program to offset those mornings when it gets missed at home.

Just like you, we want your Wildcat to thrive at school. Being on time, well rested, and with a full belly gets everyone off to the best start each day!

Shield testing

We had our first go around with Shield testing this week. There have been some procedural changes as a new company is handling the testing. We found this week that not all students had been rostered in their system by yesterday. That has all been fixed for next week.

PreK students will receive their take home bags next Monday. Look for information in your child's backpack on Monday. The home samples should be returned to school on Thursday for processing.

You can find the Shield results on the District data dashboard each week. If we hear of a positive case that is detected through a means other than Shield (like a home test), we will send the impacted class a letter. We will not be sending a letter after Shield testing because you will be able to access those results on the dashboard.

https://www.hsd153.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=1135481&type=d&pREC_ID=2362478

This week we had ZERO positive cases show up on our results!

Being a parent is hard work!

This year we were able to connect with a group of schools from Illinois who created the Prairie Land Consortium. They have wonderful professional development for teachers and also some programs for parents.

The website has free parent engagement workshops by a trained mental health professional and parent engagement expert. Their next event is called Take the Hassles Out of Homework. If you follow the link below, you can see all of their offerings for this year, then pick and choose what appeals to you. It's a live Zoom with a professional, so you will also have the opportunity to ask questions.

https://events.zoom.us/eo/AGj7M6NBxGnZKi0wJ7UaA1Xd7bvBzBqufmOWeh4mS9UWrlOsOnlYmo6ngNU1Cyl3M_NZNCY

Willow also has experienced professionals who can help when needed. Our Social Emotional Team (SEL) consists of Wendy Gatewood (Social Worker), Lindsay Lang (Counselor) and Bridget McCullough-Favela (Psychologist).

Open House - September 22

We got such great feedback last year about our outdoor evening, we decided to do it again. We want to share the time between grades to help ease parking and are thus splitting the time.

Students with last names A-J from 6:00 PM-6:45 PM

Students with last names K-Z from 6:45 PM - 7:30 PM

Look for a map in next week's bulletin. You will still be able to do things like buying caramel apples and Willow Wear. It's a great time to sign up for PTA if you haven't already, find out more about Foundation 153 and the Parent Music Association.

Can they get a WOOT WOOT?

Let one of our amazing staff know you noticed him/her/them. I take your comments and share them with staff anonymously. Thank you for taking the time to share the good stuff, too!

https://forms.office.com/pages/designpagev2.aspx?lang=en-US&origin=OfficeDotCom&route=Start&subpage=design&id=sePsXjEIeEq5by6y2Nbz573Zp5QQnAhAqA-x8PoHy1xUOFowR0xERjU3SzI4TkIzU0tGRDQ4NTA4WS4u