The Gray Wolf Gazette
January 13th, 2023
Our Mission and Vision
Mission(Why we exist): Dr. Henry Givens Jr. Elementary is a collaborative community committed to ensuring equity and high levels of learning for all.
Dr. Henry Givens Jr. Elementary is a community of belonging that empowers all children to connect, discover, and thrive as leaders equipped to make a positive impact on our world.
Monday, January 16th (No School) Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Weekly Update
Happy Friday Givens Families!
I hope you had an amazing week! We have had a great week at Givens! We are getting back into the swing of things and starting the year strong.
I would like to take a minute to thank all the families that made it out to watch Webster University's Women's and Men's Basketball Games last Saturday, it was a blast! The Athletic director reached out and shared how much they enjoyed having us and look forward to possibly doing something in the Spring. They also wanted to let you know that Webster University Home Games are always free and you and your family are more than welcome to attend.
I hope you and your family have a great weekend and possibly spend some time in service to others as we honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr during this 3-day weekend!
Please take a minute to review the items in this week's Gazette.
Did you know that we use letter days at Givens(A- E )? We do this to make sure each classroom gets its curriculum time within our specials rotation. I will share the letter days in the Gazette each week. Some classroom teachers share their rotation days so you know when your students are going to Library(Book Return) and PE(Remember tennis shoes).
Monday - No School
Tuesday- E
Wednesday-A
Thursday-B
Friday- C
Upcoming Dates
January 16th: No School in Honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
January 23rd: Late Start (School Starts at 9:05)
January 30th: Pack Meeting
February 4th: KDG Informational (10:00-10:30 am) & All Elem. School Open House 10:00-12:00
Monitoring Our Goals
During the next few weeks, Givens Students (and students at all Webster Elementary Schools) will be participating in District-Wide Assessments. These are online and one on one tests/screeners that will assess your child's progress on grade level and individual academic goals.
At Givens, we will use this information, as well as the academic insight our teachers have gained during classroom lessons, activities, and assignments to continue to make instructional decisions in the classroom and within the school. We will also use this information to help students monitor their progress and set challenge goals that will support them on their journey toward reaching their fullest potential.
Students in Grades K-5 will participate in NWEA Testing. This is an online assessment that monitors students' academic achievement and growth on grade-level content.
Learn More Here:
Students will also participate in Reading Screeners that assess the reading skills and strategies that we work to help students grow. They will do this one-on-one with their classroom teachers or reading specialist.
As we begin this process, we ask that you continue to encourage your child to give their best efforts each day and during these assessments. As always, we also encourage you to make sure your child is here each day and on time.
Classroom teachers will communicate information to you so you are aware of your child's progress. This would be a great time to celebrate your child's growth and have conversations about action steps they can take to keep it up.
Kindergarten Registration and Orientation
Kindergarten registration for the 2023-24 school year begins Monday, January 23. Students must be five years old before Aug. 1, 2023, to enter kindergarten for the school year. Learn about the registration process here.
In addition, we will be hosting kindergarten orientation Saturday, February 4 at 10 a.m.
At Kindergarten Orientation, families will have the opportunity to meet staff, hear about our kindergarten program, and tour the school. PTO members will also be present to share how you can get involved! *Kindergarten Orientation replaces Kindergarten Information Night.
Would you like to help??
We will be offering an Open House Opportunity on Saturday, February 4th from 10:00-12:00. We will be welcoming new kindergarten families from 10-10:30, and the rest of the time will be a community open house. This will give prospective families the opportunity to learn more about the educational opportunities that are being offered to our students each day.
In order to truly showcase the best of our school, I am asking you to join us by signing up for an hour time slot on Saturday, February 4th. You would sign up to be present in the cafeteria to welcome new to Givens Families, and share some of your favorite experiences as a member of our school community. If you are interested in helping that morning, please sign up here
Book Battle Club at Givens in 2023
Do you have a child in third, fourth, or fifth grade who loves to read? Would they like to gather with other readers and answer trivia questions about books? If so, Book Battle is the club for them! Book Battle will be held after school until 3:45 on Thursdays beginning on January 19. In order to participate, you must have a permission slip turned in and signed by a caregiver. Permission slips are posted on the library doors. If you would like to print your own, follow this link. If you have questions, please email the club sponsors below:
Mrs. Olsen: olsen.kendall@wgmail.org
Mrs. Williams: williams.vicki@wgmail.org
Ms. Gamble: gamble.leah@wgmail.org
BRRR, it's cold outside...
As the weather gets cold, please take a look at how we make decisions on outdoor recess:
If the Wind Chill or Feel Like Temperature is
-32 degrees and above, recess will be held outside without time limit or restrictions
20 degrees and above, recess is held outside with a 20-minute time limit(this is our current recess time)
15- 20 degrees: limit our recess to 10 minutes outdoors. Recess will not be shortened, students will just spend half their time outside and half inside.
Under 15 degrees: recess will be held indoors.
Please make sure students are prepared for participation in recess if it will occur. If students don't have a coat to wear outside, they may be asked to stay in. If your family needs support in providing winter wear, please reach out to Ms. Showalter, our School Social Worker (showalter.melissa@wgmail.org). Please reach out with any questions or concerns.
Counselor's Corner
It’s hard to believe we are halfway through January already! As we finish up the first two weeks, we are still seeing some pretty tired kids. I’ve talked with quite a few parents who are worried that their child is a little bit less than enthusiastic about coming back to school and I think there are probably a million reasons for the struggle, but what’s more important is that we help them learn to turn to our coping skills (perseverance/growth mindset) and get back into the swing of things. School is hard work and the second half of the year is all about new things to learn so it does feel more difficult. I think a lot of kids are just having a hard time gearing up. Two things really help: getting enough sleep and positive self-talk.
Here are some things you might want to try:
1. 1. Some kids need a good 12 hours of sleep. If they are seeming especially tired or crabby in the morning or after school, try moving bedtime back a bit. Pay attention to bedtime routines (no screen time for the ½ hour before bed and definitely no electronics in bed. Blue light can actually fire up our brains, and electronics can be hard to turn off. So even though they may be tucked in at the same time as before break, those new holiday gifts may be keeping them awake later than you think.
2. 2. Secondly, if you hear your child saying that school is hard, you can reframe things a bit to challenge the negative thinking. So…school’s not hard, you are just learning new things. That anxiety that bubbles up in difficult or uncomfortable situations can be confused for something bad. But learning new things is exciting and fun. A little stress is OK because it gives us energy. A little stress in new situations is normal.
And when all else fails, remember that this too shall pass.
Givens Elementary PTO's annual Trivia Night Fundraiser is right around the corner - April 29th - and we are looking for round sponsors, event sponsors, and items to be donated to the auction. Parents and caregivers, if you have a contact or connection to a business/organization that might be interested in partnering with us, please reach out to Sarah Paradoski at sarahparadoski@gmail.com! You can also reach out to Sarah Paradoski if you are interested in helping contact local businesses and previous donors about fundraising opportunities.
For either of these options, just be sure to let us know before soliciting to see if they are on our list or have been asked to donate already so we make sure we don't double ask - and if we have already sent them a request but you have a connection, we would love to have you follow up to let them know!
Please use the donation letter and return form provided below when soliciting donations. These forms can also be found in the front office upon request.
Donation Letter: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pOf5R_FwfV9lIBRHY9lMgwl0fz6pOf0p/view?usp=sharing
Donation Return Form: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1axRy61Ov7DqdjnQlQ8kBCarRpt61I5Ic/view?usp=sharing
Equity Corner 1/13
What is implicit bias?
A negative attitude, of which one is not consciously aware, against a specific social group. Implicit bias is thought to be shaped by experience and based on learned associations between particular qualities and social categories, including race and gender. One’s perceptions and behaviors can be influenced by the implicit biases one holds, even if they are unaware one holds such biases. Implicit bias is an aspect of implicit social cognition: the phenomenon that perceptions, attitudes, and stereotypes can operate prior to conscious intention. (Implicit bias (apa.org))
Recommended read (for grown-ups): White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo
Historical Highlight: Lou Brock (1939-2020) was a left fielder for the St. Louis Cardinals from 1964-1979. He was known for his speed (he broke many stolen base records) and his consistently high batting average. Brock was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame (1985), Missouri Sports Hall of Fame (1992), Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame (1995), and the St. Louis Cardinals Hall of fame (2014).
2022-2023 Givens School Buzz Book
**All editing will be closed down at the end of March. At this time, we will download a PDF and share it electronically with all families. Until then, you will always be able to access this from our Gray Wolf Gazette.
News From Around the District
It's not too late to signup for free and reduced lunch. You can do so here and return it to
Webster Groves High School
100 Selma Avenue
Webster Groves, MO 63119
Attention: Food Service Office
Dr. Henry Givens Jr. Elementary School
Email: beechamjudge.malissa@wgmail.org
Website: https://www.webster.k12.mo.us/domain/142
Location: 701 North Rock Hill Road, St. Louis, MO, USA
Phone: 314-963-6460
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GivensElem