Ralph E. Waite Elementary School
December Parent Newsletter
Happy Holidays!
Wishing you and your family a wonderful holiday season! Have a safe and happy new year!
Highlights from November:
- PTO Saver's Drive
- Trimester 1 ended, Report Cards went home
- Book Fair
- Coats for Kids
- Harlem Wizards -- Player Visit/Event
- Veterans Day
- Candlelight Parade
- Fall Fundraiser Spirit Day
- Thanksgiving Break
- Toys for Tots Drive
- Glee Club and Steel Pan Performance at Fox Meadows
- Scrabble Club Tournament
- Buckeye Leader Awards
Coming in December:
- Waite 12 Days of Holiday Spirit!
- Waite Family Ornament Night
- PBIS School Store
- Glee Club Holiday Performance
- Holiday Classroom Celebrations
- Picture Retake Day!
- Winter Break
Please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions.
Have a great month!
Sincerely,
Mr. Mattie
Principal
Veterans Day 2022
Mark your Calendars!
Important Dates
12/6: Family Ornament Night (6:00PM-8:00PM)
12/8: PTO Marco's Pizza Night
12/8: PTO Meeting (7:00pm)
12/12: Picture Retake Day
12/15: Holiday Glee Concert, 6:00pm
12/16: Grade 5 Field Trip, PAC, Encore
12/16-12/20: Classroom Holiday Parties (see info below)
12/18-12/26: Happy Hanukkah!
12/20: EARLY RELEASE, dismissal begins at 2:20
12/21 - 1/3: NO SCHOOL, Winter Break
12/25: Merry Christmas!
1/1/23: Happy New Year!
1/4/23: Classes Resume
The Waite 12 Days of Holiday Spirit!
Monday, 12/5: Spirit Day 1: You’re a Mean One Monday - (dress like the Grinch)
Tuesday, 12/6: Spirit Day 2: Twinkle Tuesday - (dress like a Christmas tree)
Wednesday, 12/7: Spirit Day 3: Watch Me Wednesday - (dress like a holiday movie character)
Thursday, 12/8: Spirit Day 4: Tasty Treat Thursday - (dress like a candy cane-red/white)
Friday, 12/9: Spirit Day 5: Festive Friday - (dress in holiday colors: red, green, white, gold, silver)
Monday, 12/12: Spirit Day 6: Merry Monday Bells - (wear jingle bells or lights)
Tuesday, 12/13: Spirit Day 7: Tinsel Toe Tuesday - (wear holiday socks)
Wednesday, 12/14: Spirit Day 8: Wacky Wednesday - (wear your best Ugly Sweater)
Thursday, 12/15: Spirit Day 9: Holiday Headwear - (wear holiday hats - elf, Santa etc or antlers)
Friday, 12/16: Spirit Day 10: Frosty Friday - (dress like a snowman)
Monday, 12/19: Spirit Day 11: Winter Wonderland - (wear blue/white for Hanukkah)
Tuesday, 12/20: Spirit Day 12: Twas the Night Tuesday - (wear your favorite pajamas)
Classroom Holiday Celebrations
Pizza Party!
Harlem Wizards Visit
Thank you Waite family Veterans!
Congratulations to our Buckeye Leaders of the Month!
November
- Beau Melrose
- Evelyn Fligor
- Claire Wickley
- Aarav Jadhav
- Patrick Hiner
- Jaxon Pool
- Harper Byrne
- Miranda Coe
- Felicia Schmidt
- Carter Engle
- Emily Bowman
- Jack Sutton
- Katherine Hiner
- Drew Cassidy
- Brayson Legan
- Grace Banner
- Colton Anthony
- Lyla Clary
- Yaya Song
- Kaiya Rismiller
- Alex Rubino
- Shawn Kosakowski
- Reagan Sullivan
Scrabble Tournament!
The Medina Elementary School Scrabble Tournament took place on Thursday, November 17th, 4-6:30 pm, at Blake Elementary School. It was a huge success! Ninety-five fourth & fifth graders from all 7 Medina elementary schools, each represented by a different color Medina Scrabble Club t-shirt, participated in the event. Students each played two games with their partners. Game scores from the games were tallied to find the three winning teams! The winning teams are (from left to right in the picture):
3rd Place: Ethan Roush (Waite) & Brayden Robinson (Heritage)
2nd Place: Hannah Ploskonka (Waite) & Rainia Papakonstantopoulos (Waite)
1st Place: Selena Wendt (Blake) & Lincoln Harrison (Blake)
Reading with Mrs. Bishop's Class
Thank you!
Lost and Found
Student Opportunities
Yearbook Cover Competition
We need a cover for the Ralph E. Waite Elementary yearbook and need your artistic help!
Yearbook cover designs must be on 8.5 x 11 plain white copy paper (no notebook or construction paper allowed). Please leave about a ¼ inch margin around the entire page so nothing is cut off when it’s scanned.
Be creative and check your spelling!
Entries are due by Tuesday, January 17th. Make sure to put your name on the back of your entry. One entry will be chosen as the cover for our yearbook! Good luck!
Talent Show Auditions
Waite Talent Show Information
When: Wednesday, March 9, 2023
Where: Main Stage of Waite Cafeteria
Who: Any Waite student in Grades 1-5!
(Kindergartners may participate with an older sibling!)
What: Share your special talent: dancing, singing, playing piano, instruments, poetry, skit, etc. -- individually or with a group!
What to do:
Select a talent that you, siblings, or a group of friends would like to present
Practice, practice, practice!
Print and fill out the Performance/Permission form attached
In group acts, each performer must fill out a Performance/Permission form
Hand in Performance/Permission form to Mrs. Hoffmann by January 13, 2023
Auditions for Single Acts will be Tuesday, January 24, 2023 after school
Auditions for Group Acts will be Wednesday, January 25, 2023 after school
Upcoming Events and Activities
Waite Elementary Ornament Night and Lerch's Donuts:
Location: Ralph E. Waite Elementary School Cafeteria
Date: December 6, 2022
Time Slots: 6:00-6:45 pm (those with last names starting with N-Z), and 7:00-7:45 pm (those with last names starting with A-M). Please note that time slots are not hard times. If you cannot make the early slot and need to come to the later slot (or vice versa), you will not be turned away.
Ornaments are $6.00 each, from All Fired Up! Children only will get to select an ornament, CASH PAY, and paint. All Fired Up! will take the painted ornaments back to their studio and fire. Once complete, the PTO Ornament Night Committee will sort ornaments and they will go home with your students. If you have a child that is not a student, please let us know at the ornament finish table so we can mark with same grade/teacher code as the Waite student sibling.
Children that are not Waite students are invited to paint an ornament as well. If you answered the Google Form indicating a desire to paint a second ornament, your child(ren) may paint up to two ornaments.
Lerch's Donuts will be on site, during the same times as noted above, selling mixed dozen only donuts. $10.00 per dozen, CASH or CHECK accepted. Donut payment transactions are separate from the Ornaments. There will be 100 dozen total. 50 will be reserved for the first time slot, and 50 the second time slot to be fair. This is a fundraiser with proceeds going to the Waite PTO.
You can come for Ornaments only, Lerch’s donuts only, or both.
DINE TO DONATE
Marco's Pizza Nights are Back!
Are you ready for a pizza night? Marco's Pizza will be donating a percentage of sales from Waite family purchases this Thursday, December 8. Families can order for lunch or dinner.
If ordering online: Use this Link
Under menu select fundraiser and choose Waite.
If ordering by phone: Please mention Waite when calling.
Marcos Pizza
244 N Court St
330-725-0101
Marco's Pizza nights are scheduled for the second Thursday of each month.
Monday, December 12, 2022
If your child was absent for Picture Day or you were unsatisfied with pictures from the original Picture Day, please click on the link below for additional information. Candid pictures will also be taken on this day for the Waite 2022-2023 yearbook.
*Note: Previous picture packets must be returned to retake a picture. New orders may be made online.
Glee Club Holiday Concert!
Pancake Breakfast and Spotlight on Students!
Breakfast will be served from 8:00 AM-12:00 PM in the main cafeteria at Medina High School. Tickets are $5 each and can be purchased online by clicking here. Seniors 60+ are free of charge. To purchase tickets in person, they will be available at both Medina Buehler's locations beginning January 2, 2023. Breakfast includes pancakes, sausage, syrup, butter, coffee, tea, hot chocolate, milk, and orange juice. Net proceeds from this event benefit the Medina City Schools Foundation and the programs and services they offer to our students and staff.
Student artwork from all grade levels will be on display during the event. A lineup of student performances will take place on the main stage in the Performing Arts Center, including an appearance from Encore Entertainment Company, Medina High School's show choir. More information on the schedule will be coming soon.
Medina City Schools Foundation Holiday Raffle!
$53,000+ in prizes/15 winners
Winners announced via Facebook Live-date TBD
The Medina City Schools Foundation is hosting its first Holiday Raffle with over $53,000 in prizes for 15 winners. Click here to see a complete list of prizes and any disclaimers. 15 lucky winners will be announced via Facebook Live. The date of the announcement is to be determined.
Each raffle entry is $50. To purchase raffle tickets, please click here or scan the QR code in the image below. 100% of the net proceeds will directly support Medina City Schools students and staff through the Joyce B. Ebner Tutoring Center, staff, grants and awards, and student scholarships.
For questions, please email info@medinacityschoolsfoundation.org.
ABOUT THE FOUNDATION: The Medina City Schools Foundation was established in 1984 to support and enhance learning opportunities for the students in the Medina City School District. The Foundation is an independent organization comprised of committed community members who support programs that benefit district students in collaboration with the teachers and staff of the Medina City Schools. The Foundation is a private organization, not directly affiliated with the school board or the school administration. It is incorporated under Ohio laws as a non-profit organization and is funded by various members of the Medina area through the generous individual support and community support of our annual fundraising activities.
Science Olympiad
Science Olympiad teams are forming now!
School Updates and Reminders
ABSENCE/TARDY PROCEDURE
Absence/Tardy Procedure
If your child is going to be absent/tardy, please call the Attendance/Clinic Line at 330-636-4504 before 9:00am and any time after 4:00pm.
COVID Update
Covid- Frequently Asked Questions
Do kids have to stay home if someone in the family has COVID?
In general kids can come to school as long as they are feeling well
unless they have tested positive for COVID. If a student tests
positive for COVID, they have to stay home 5 days from symptom
onset (symptom onset is day 0). On Day 6, as long as the student is feeling well, and has been fever-free for 24 hours without fever-reducing medication, they may return to school.
Are masks required days 6-10?
No, they are recommended and encouraged. Per the CDC, individuals should wear a well-fitting
mask if they have symptoms of COVID-19, if they had a positive SARS-CoV-2 test in the past 10
days, or if they had recent exposure to someone with SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Assistant Principal for an Afternoon
STUDENT SIGN-IN/OUT
Student Sign-In
If a student is returning to school from an appointment or arriving late to the building:
The parent and student will enter the vestibule together.
The parent signs the student in on the attendance log which will be located in the office vestibule.
After signing the student in, ring the buzzer & the office staff will unlock the door for the student to enter the office.
Student Sign-Out
If a student needs to leave school early:
The parent will enter and remain in the office vestibule.
The parent will call the office phone number (330-636-4500) and provide the name of the student they are picking up. The parent/guardian will be required to show ID through the office window.
The office staff will call the student down to the office.
The parent will sign the student out on the attendance log.
The parent waits in the vestibule for their student.
Electronic Devices - Student Code of Conduct
As cell phones and smart watches continue to grow in popularity, we like to remind parents of the expectations for these devices during the school day. From the student discipline code:
RULE 4 - ELECTRONIC DEVICES
● Electronic devices such as (laser pointers, video cameras, cameras, etc.) are prohibited in
school.
● Cell phones, smartwatches, electronic devices such as (Ipods, MP3 players, Ipads, Nooks,
Kindles, Gizmos, etc) and any video game devices must be turned off and in the student’s book bag during school hours.
Please make sure to have a conversation with your child about this expectation so that
everyone is on the same page in regards to these devices!
STREAMING (IN THE EVENT OF AN EXTENDED ABSENCE)
In order to access streaming:
Parents/Guardians whose child tested positive for COVID-19 should have their child contact their teacher. Streaming will be offered and should begin within one day of their first absence or when they are physically able to attend due to illness
Parents/Guardians whose child is quarantined for COVID-19 close contact should have their child contact their teacher and streaming should begin within one day of their first absence
Parents/Guardians whose child is absent or is going to be absent for greater than 5 school days due to a medical issue should provide documentation of that to the building principal. The principal will then contact the teachers to discuss and provide the approval to the parents/guardians. After this approval process, the student should contact their teachers who would already be alerted to the student's approval of streaming. Students that will be absent 15 days or more may qualify for home instruction.
WEEKENDER BAGS
Weekender Bags
Waite Elementary School is excited to participate in the 2022-2023 Weekenders program! The Weekenders for Children program is made possible through a partnership with Feeding Medina County. The purpose of this program is to support elementary children who qualify by providing a bag of food to eat over the weekend. Weekender Bags will be given to your child to take home every week during the school year, except during breaks.
If you are interested in your child/children participating in the Weekenders program, please fill out this form as soon as possible. Please call the office with any questions. Thank you!
BUILDING VOLUNTEERS
We are excited to be able to welcome our volunteers back into our school buildings this school year. If you are considering becoming a volunteer at any point during the year, including chaperoning or attending a field trip, please complete the volunteer application and background check.
Click here to view the information on completing the necessary paperwork.
Portrait of a Bee
Have a Great Month!
Ralph E. Waite Elementary School
Email: mattiem@medinabees.org
Website: www.medinabees.org
Location: 4765 Cobblestone Dr, Medina, OH 44256
Phone: 330-636-4500