Words from Walsh May, 2019
Staying connected with Walsh School
Greetings from Principal Martin
A huge thank you to Miss Truse and Mrs. Antonick, who took the lead on celebrating Earth Day last month. They not only made it educational for our students, but FUN! The recycle project contest was amazing. So much hidden talent came out of our students, and we are very proud of them! Check out the pictures on our website under 'Special Events' to see some of the fabulous projects.
Our first graders continue to be busy… this month they will go to the zoo to celebrate all their hard work this year. They will also head over to Reed School for their Step-Up-Day, which allows them to see where they will attend 2nd grade next year, and Mr. Wallace will run a “field day” for our students. More information and dates will be sent home soon.
The last day for our phonological students (Ms. Judy) will be Thursday, June 6th. The last day of school for preschool and early childhood (Ms. Christy and Ms. Cathy) will be Monday, June 10th. The last day of attendance for Kgtn and 1st-grade classes is Tuesday, June 11th, with an early dismissal at 2:00 p.m. Lunches will be served, and report cards will be going home.
This month, we stop to recognize our teachers and our staff during Teacher Appreciation Week. Last month, we recognized the very valuable and appreciated parent volunteers and school secretaries. Working together, we have the best support team our students could wish for! Thank you to everyone who helps our school, our staff, and our students move forward on their educational journey so successfully!
As we conclude this year, we will be saying good-bye to four very special people on our staff. Retirement has been well earned by all these ladies, but they will be sorely missed. Cathy Jasso is saying good-bye to her early childhood classes, but it is not forever as she hopes to sub in our district as her heart has always been with our youngest students. Judy Hadsell has been our wonderful phonological/speech teacher for many years and although she is a great speech teacher, she is at a loss for words to express her love for all the students she has seen over the years. Bernie Rutkiewicz concluded her last kindergarten musical in April, adding it to an amazing collection of memorable performances. She will be greatly missed as she not only taught students how to sing but shared a million other gifts while directing their paths in a positive direction. Denise Campbell is one of those behind the scenes paraprofessionals that has spent a good many years helping teachers help children. Paras do an amazing job that mostly goes unnoticed...until a student runs into one while grocery shopping...where the real accolades take place. The running hugs and the smiles of children confirm the gratitude! The friendships created by all four of these amazing ladies will leave a sparkling trail of happy memories behind them as they move forward on their retirement adventures. We wish them all well.
- Mrs. Teresa Martin
Important Dates in May
Dates to Remember
May
3 - Spirit Day - May the 4th be with you (Star Wars) or favorite color
6-10 – Teacher Appreciation Week
9 - Assembly - Slammer Reading Program
12 - Mother's Day
17 - Last Day for Registration Fee Discount
21 - Board of Education Mtg/Dist.
24 – Spirit Day – Hawaiian Day
24 - School Improvement Day 11:55 Dismissal/No E.C. and Preschool
27 – NO SCHOOL - Memorial Day
30 - Step Up Day (1st Grade)
June
3 - Field Trip/Zoo (1st grade)
5 - Assembly (Prismatic)
6 - Last Day Phonological Classes (Miss Judy)
7 - Field Day (Kgtn and 1st)
10 - Field Day Rain Day
10 - Last Day Preschool and Early Childhood Classes (Ms. Christy/Cathy)
11 - Last Day for Kgtn and 1st Grade Classes (2:00 Dismissal) Report Cards Issued
July 31 & August 1 - Proof of Residency Dates (All current students must reprove residency)
Registration is underway! If you haven’t done so already, please return the registration papers for your student. Payment is due before May 17th in order to receive the $10 discount. All new kindergarten students should register as soon as possible. Contact the office for details.
Drop off times: no earlier than 8:40 a.m.
Please be prompt for pick-up at 3:30 p.m.
Remember to call the office by 9:00 a.m. if your child will be absent.
Office hours are 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. ~ 815-838-7858 www.d92.org
REGISTRATION
Registration is now underway for students who will be attending school in District 92 for the 2019/2020 school year.
Students who will be 5 years old on or before September 1, 2019 should register for kindergarten as soon as possible. Please stop by the Walsh school office during regular school hours. New 1st-8th grade students who are transferring into the district this year should also register as soon as possible. Call any of the school offices for more information.
Please bring with you:
A. Original county-issued birth certificate
B. Current real estate tax bill, copy of your lease, or if shared housing, fill out and notarize the 3rd Party Affidavit found in the registration packet.
C. Two forms of identification (i.e. driver’s license, utility bill, bank statement, etc.)
You will also be asked to pay a registration fee of $130.00. If you pay at the time of registration, or before May 17th, you can deduct $10 from the fee.
Registration for all current students was sent home in March. If you did not receive a packet, please call the school office. If you are moving out of the district, please send your packet back, indicating your intentions. Remember, you have all summer to return medical forms. Packets should have been returned by March 29th, so prompt return at this point is appreciated. Thank you.
Very Creative Projects!
My Piggy Bank is a Winner!
Creative Projects!
Earth Day Projects
We hope our students spread the tips and ideas they learned to their families, causing a 'green wave' of participation within our community. Great job boys and girls!
P.E. News by Mr. Wallace
The Final Musical!
Thank You!
Mrs. Rutkiewicz Marchs Off in Style!
Kindergarten News
We are coming down to the end of the school year, but our learning continues. We have caterpillars in our classroom and we are learning about metamorphosis. We will watch and learn as they change from caterpillar to chrysalis to butterfly. We are working on adding detail to our writing and illustrations. The children have been making great progress with their writing skills. Please encourage your child to reread his/her writing to make sure it makes sense. Remind your child to make sure that his/her sentence(s) start with a capital letter and end with a period, question mark, or exclamation point. Be sure to leave spaces between words.
We will be testing the students on their reading and reading comprehension skills one last time before the end of the year. During this time, we will be looking at the students' use of their super reader strategies, as well as their comprehension of the book they read.
We are also learning about tools we can use to measure, such as rulers, thermometers, measuring cups, and scales. We are learning that we can measure length, weight, capacity, and temperature. Please have your child continue to practice simple addition and subtraction. The more they practice addition and subtraction, the more fluent they will become. This will benefit them in first grade. We will be testing all these skills for the end of the year report card.
First Grade News
Is spring really here? Some days it feels like it is, and some days it feels like it is not! Regardless, we are enjoying the days we can get outside and enjoy the fresh air without our winter coats on!
In first grade, we will continue the academic journey that we have already established through reading, writing, and math. Poetry is the topic of discussion during our reading lessons. We will learn more about the aspects of poetry as we proceed through our unit. Writing has become a very exciting time for our first graders. We are writing our own nonfiction books! How cool is that? In math, we will continue to build on our addition, subtraction, and problem-solving skills as we prepare for second grade.
Speaking of second grade, our first graders will be visiting Reed School during Step-Up-Day coming up soon. This visit will help relieve any uncertainty about going to a new school next year. We will also be participating in an educational field trip to Brookfield Zoo. Permission slips have already been sent home. Please contact your child's teacher if you did not receive the permission slip.
First grade has flown by and your children have learned so much! We are so proud of all of their accomplishments! As always, we all thank you for your continued support!
Early Childhood News
The Early Childhood and Community Preschool are planning a wonderful month of May. We have special projects planned for our magnificent mothers to celebrate Mothers Day and we will read "I Will Love You Forever" and "Someday." We will complete our Fundation letters X, Y, and Z. The Bridges Math Program introduces us to items that sink and float, along with counting up to 20. We will culminate with a zoo unit and learn new facts about each animal. On the playground, we will sing "Animal Action" and act out zoo animals. The afternoon classes will be going on a field trip to the ice cream store. We continue to be amazed at the academic, motor, emotional, and social growth each student has made this school year. Thank you to our parents who have provided support and kindness! You are awesome!!
The Reading Corner by Mrs. Price-Senders, First Grade Reading Specialist
Visit the library! Summer is a great time to pick up a new book or two and participate in summer reading programs and events.
Readingrockets.org offers free Reading Adventure Packs, pairing fiction and nonfiction books, to encourage hands-on fun and learning. Check it out! Just go to the website and type, “reading adventure packs” into the search box.
Use summer fun to build background knowledge! Interesting experiences give kids a broader framework for new information they might encounter in books. When kids have lots of experiences to draw on, they have a better chance of making a connection with what they read!
Keep a summer reading journal. At the end of the season, you can see how much and what you’ve read.
Before you head out on family vacations, research and read about the places you plan to travel to this summer.
Have a safe and fun summer! Keep reading!
News from the Media Center
Music News by Mrs. Rutkiewicz
First-grade students will learn to tell the story of the “Ballet Of The Unhatched Chicks” by Russian composer, Modest Mussorgsky. We will have fun acting like the chicks trying to hatch out of their eggs. Ask your first grader to act it out for you later this month. The music will be found on my web page.
First grade is also starting a unit on telling a story through music and puppets. We will learn about several kinds of puppets and put on a musical puppet show. What fun! May brings spring celebrations, including dancing around the May Pole. Sometime during May, look for your child to bring home his/her first-grade music book. This is a nice reminder of all the fun things we did in first-grade music.
By the time you read this article, the kindergarten students will have performed in their spring musical “In The Kinder Garden.” The kids did a great job learning their songs and movements! Way to go boys and girls! Giddyup!
Just like the first-grade students, we will also work with puppets this month and learn a May Pole dance!
Keep on singing!
Mrs. Rutkiewicz
Art News by Mrs. Deckinga
The first-grade students will be reading the book Dragons Love Tacos and then learning how to draw dragons. We'll be using Sharpies and watercolor for the dragons, then we'll add stalagmites and stalactites with a pastel chalk technique to create the dragon's lair.
Making Math Count by Mrs. Romeo
Summer is a time to refresh and relax! However, learning can be lost if too much of our time is spent in relaxation mode. Walsh is excited to announce a summer incentive program! A calendar will be sent home with a variety of activities to stimulate the brain and help ensure that learning continues. Students can complete the activities or write Dreambox on the calendar. If they complete 30 days of activities or DreamBox they will receive a spirit stick.
As you are aware, DreamBox is an online Intelligent Adaptive Learning Program that helps all students achieve better, faster math proficiency. Each student is already registered and teacher name or passwords will not change over the summer. Your child can access DreamBox from any device with a high-speed internet connection through the Walsh media center. The greatest success is seen when students are on approximately 30-60 minutes a week for 15 to 20 minutes sessions.
At the end of the year, a calendar to track the amount of time spent on DreamBox or activities will be sent home. We would like you to assist your child in documenting the amount of time or activities they participated in. When students return to school in August, they will receive a prize if they have completed 30 days of activities or time on DreamBox. Calendars and further directions will be sent home later this month. Happy summer!