Hello Wabash Community!

It is hard to believe that February is already here! Our 3rd Quarter of school is underway and our students are working hard to learn and grow everyday. With this quarter we will be putting added focus on FORGIVENESS via our Choose Love Program. Please take time to talk with your child(ren) about your thoughts on forgiveness. While it is not easy sometimes, oftentimes forgiveness is the first step towards peace and kindness. #ChooseLove

Thank you for sharing some compliments with our teachers and staff on the National Compliment Day. Those kind messages really meant a great deal to everyone in our school. Thank you for spreading kindness! :)

Some reminders:

1) If you plan to be a visitor at school for lunch or for our upcoming Valentine's Day parties, please be sure to bring your photo ID with you. Please also give yourself time to be properly checked in with your photo ID.

2) In the morning at car riders, please do not release the children from their vehicles until the morning staff are on the front sidewalk. We like to have our staff on the sidewalk BEFORE students are getting out of cars. Safety first!

3) If you have a transportation change for your child(ren), please communicate with our main office so we are aware of the change. Our office will ensure that the transportation change is given to the teacher.

4) Please make sure your child(ren) brings their coats, hats and gloves every day, because we still go outside for recess during the winter months. If your child(ren) are in need of winter clothing, please do not hesitate to contact our school counselors. If your family is able to share extra winter coats, gloves and hats, please contact our school counselors as well.

5) The 100th Day of School will be recognized on February 7 this year. This may have to be adjusted if we have any snow days before then.

Every Student Matters, Every Moment Counts!

Mr. Schulte

Important Information:

• Film Festival will be held on April 19, 2023, at 7:00 p.m. at Timberland High School
• Film Submissions are due on March 31, 2023
• There is a Teacher Category (follows the same rules as student submissions) Information can be found at Wentzville Film Festival
• Questions? Email wsdfilmfestival@wsdr4.org

For our Car Riders:

1. Please have your child seated on the right side of the car so they do not have to exit the car on the driver side. It is best that they exit and enter the car via the passenger side along our front sidewalk. Cars pull through the front lane via the left lane. For your child's safety, it's best for them to enter and exit their car on the passenger side of the car.

2. All parents should stay in the cars as students are exiting the car. We have staff out there to help open doors for your students if needed.

3. Please work with your younger children to help them learn how to buckle and unbuckle themselves. Building independence is good practice.

4. Please have your child collect all their belongings so they are ready to go when the car stops (book bag, lunch box, water bottle, etc).

For our Walkers and Bike Riders:

1. Please ensure that students are not arriving at the main crosswalk until after 8:20 am. There are no staff on duty outside prior to 8:20 am. For most students, the walk or bike ride is pretty short. We suggest that they do not leave the house until 8:20 am. Most will be here by 8:25 am and will not be late as the final bell rings at 8:35 am. You can adjust this timing as needed for where you live.

2. Please talk to the children about crossing streets only when necessary and only at appropriate corners. It would be good to walk the route with your child at some point to make sure they know the safest route to school.

3. Please do not drop off or pick up children on Golden Gate. We are always on stranger danger alert and cars picking up kids in the street is concerning. This also causes issues with students going into the street and not being safe.

4. If your child is not a walker or bike rider, they should be using the bus service or being dropped off via our front car rider line. Please do not drop off on Golden Gate or in the parking lot across the street, as they should be dropped off via the Car Rider Line.

Thank you for your attention to all of these reminders. Our goal is to keep our kids safe!

SAFETY FIRST!

Parents are encouraged to share their views with us in writing concerning their child's needs, their learning styles, and the characteristics of the teacher that would best meet the needs of their child. Please DO NOT designate a specific teacher name. We must hear from you by February 24, so your input can be considered for spring placement. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Please either send us a hard copy of your request or send us your request via email by February 24. You can email your request to mattschulte@wsdr4.org.

Scholastic Book Fair

• Our next Scholastic Book Fair will be at Wabash Feb. 27 - March 3 to help us celebrate Literacy Week!! This is a great opportunity for your student to buy quality books at an awesome price. Our profit will be used to buy new books and resources for Wabash. The book fair will be open during normal school hours: 8:20 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. Your student will have the opportunity to shop during their regularly scheduled library time.

• You are also invited to join us for Family Literacy Night on Thursday, March 2 from 6:30-8:00 p.m. The book fair will be open and we will have reading, writing, and other literacy activities available for you and your family to participate in. We hope to see you there!

• Forms of payment: cash, check made payable to Wabash Elementary, or you may set up an online eWallet account through Scholastic at https://www.scholastic.com/bf/wabashelementaryschool1. Please place cash or checks in a sealable bag marked with the child's name and amount. When calculating totals, you must include tax (8.45%). We are happy to fill in blank checks with the total amount, including tax.

• You may also shop online from Feb. 17-March 3 at https://bookfairs.scholastic.com/bf/wabashelementaryschool1. You will receive FREE shipping with online BOOK ONLY orders of $25 or more.

Testing Schedule

Although it is still early and we won’t be MAP testing until May 1-May 19, we wanted to give you a heads up. If possible, when scheduling doctor’s appointments for your kids, please try to avoid the days we will be testing. We appreciate your help in making sure your child is here during this time!

At Home Challenge

Self-Awareness is one of the most important skills that a child learns as they grow up. It promotes emotional wellness and self-esteem and provides kids with insight into who they are as a person, why they react as they do, and gives them direction for self-improvement. One way you can help encourage self-awareness at home is simply through having a conversation with your child about their day. Ask them to share with you some great things about their day as well as some things that may have been difficult for them. You can even share about your own day. Self-awareness is crucial for success and you are an important part of encouraging this in your child’s life!

Substitutes

We critically need substitute teachers to help support our Wabash staff, and we're asking for your help! Step into our classrooms as your schedule allows as a Wabash sub. Subbing gives you the opportunity to get involved at Wabash at your convenience! As an added bonus, you can see what your child is up to each day! We're not looking for a long-term or daily commitment, but rather help as you are available. Learn more and apply today.

The WSD will once again be providing supervision for K-5 students who need to be dropped off at the regular start time on scheduled Late Start Days in the 2022-2023 school year. This is separate from our Before Care Program through Chautauqua, so if you are registered for Chautauqua, please DO NOT register for Late Start Supervision.

The fee is $10 per child for each late start day you would like to register for. Please fill out the REGISTRATION FORM first prior to paying. If you choose to use PayPal, there is a sliding scale charge assessed to cover processing costs. You also have the option to send a check in to your child's school. In order to arrange for adequate staffing, you must register and pay before the deadline for each late start day (deadline is one week prior to each late start). You may also register for all late start dates one time by choosing the dates you need in the registration form.

Future Late Start Dates:

February 6, 2023

March 6, 2023

April 10, 2023