December 2021
Newsletter
A Note From the Principal
Hello Wabash Community!
It is hard to believe that December is already here! I always tell our students, "Time sure does fly, when you are having fun!" Our teachers and staff are dedicated to providing the best education possible, while maintaining a fun and comfortable environment for our students.
Some reminders:
1) In the morning at car riders, please do not release the children from their vehicles until the morning staff are on the front sidewalk.
2) If you have a transportation change for your child(ren), please communicate with our main office so we are aware of the change.
3) 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.
4) Our second quarter will be coming to an end on January 14th with report cards being emailed home on January 21st.
5) Please remember there is no school for students December 22 - January 2. We return to school on January 3. I hope everyone enjoys the winter break with friends and family!
Every Student Matters, Every Moment Counts!
Mr. Schulte
School Climate Survey 21 - 22
Dear Parents/Guardians:
We want to hear about your experience with your student’s education, so we invite you to participate in completing this school year’s School Climate Survey. This survey includes questions about your student’s learning, school safety, and interpersonal relationships, as well as your attitudes about the institutional environment and your personal involvement in school. Your responses will be very helpful in improving student relationships, learning conditions, and the overall school environment.
Beginning today, we invite all parents, guardians and caretakers to complete this survey for our school. The survey is completely anonymous and brief; it contains 21 questions and takes about 10-15 minutes to complete. You can take the survey online by using the following unique school link:
https://www.pbisassessment.org/Anon/YomU0Nno3m0
All of your responses are completely anonymous. We have no way to connect you to your answers, and results will only be reported as group responses. There are no right or wrong answers. We just want to know about your personal experiences. Responses are housed securely in an anonymous format with the University of Oregon Technical Assistance Center projects for evaluation research purposes. All evaluation research projects are in compliance with the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act, (343 CFR 99.31 (6)) and human subjects regulations (Protection of Human Subjects 45 CFR 46).
As you respond to each item, think about your own personal experiences as a parent, caregiver or guardian at your student’s school. Please answer all of the questions, or your answers won’t be recorded. You can mark “I prefer not to answer” if you don’t want to answer a question. We hope you will take the time to provide us with this valuable information. Feel free to call our office at 636-887-3884 if you have any questions. Each school’s total survey results will be used to inform and develop appropriate strategies, procedures, and/or programs to enhance our school climate. Please submit your responses by December 17th, 2021.
Thank you for your time and participation!
Wabash Administration
12 Days of Jeans
Online Databases for your Student:
Does your student want to learn even more? PebbleGo, PebbleGo Next, and TrueFlix are amazing research resources free to your students through the library!
- PebbleGo - K-3rd - nonfiction articles that can be read to your student. The main topics are Animals, Science, Biographies, Social Studies and Health Username: wabashes Password: school
- PebbleGo Next - 3rd-6th - nonfiction articles that can be read to your student. The main topics are States, Science, American Indian History, Social Studies, and Biographies. Username: wabashes Password: school
- TrueFlix - 3rd-6th - Science and Social Studies eBooks, videos, and research links. Username: wabashes Password: flix
Winter Reading:
Reading over winter break will help ensure your student is ready to dive back into reading and learning at school in January. Please read with your student and encourage them to get some great reading time in over break. Please let the library know if we can help make any book recommendations for your student. Your student can also log their reading and complete optional activities in Beanstack! Check it out! The December reading challenge, Reading Reflections, starts December 1st!
Beanstack Login:
From an Internet Browser:
Go to https://launchpad.classlink.com/wsdr4
Login to Classlink with your students Wentzville Google email Account information. (Username: first/last name with no spaces and the 2 digit graduation year with @wsdr4.org. Ex: meghancollins31@wsdr4.org and Password: wsd + 5 digit lunch pin.)
From the app:
Download the free Beanstack app on any Apple or Google device. Once you’re in the app, simply search for your school and login using your student email as your username and last name (lower case) as your password.
Games to Build Literacy Skills
Important Transportation Update
As a reminder, students will be required to provide their own masks while riding the school bus beginning Monday, September 27, 2021. Since the start of the school year, the District has provided more than 50,000 masks to students and it is important that all students bring and wear a mask on the bus. The WSD Transportation Department’s supply of masks is rapidly dwindling and we ask for your assistance with this matter. Masks are required on all school buses per federal requirement.
The Transportation Department has been asked to notify building administrators when students are not following this federal requirement. The building will attempt to work with students and families to remedy the situation. If a student is not correctly wearing a mask while on the bus, the family will need to make other arrangements.
Thank you in advance for your attention to this matter as we work together to support our students.
~WSD Department of Transportation, Administrative Services and Communications & Community Relations
Kathy Pousson
Kayla Keating
Erin Magee
We have a lengthy holiday break just around the corner. Find ways to keep structure in your child’s day. Children thrive best when they know what to expect. When structure is provided, children generally feel safe and this will help prevent behavior issues.
Try incorporating some fun activities into their holiday break.
*Build a cardboard house
*Make homemade play dough
*Create a scavenger hunt
During this season, we would like to send a special thank you to our Wabash community for your generosity in supporting students and families here at Wabash. Wishing you a Happy Holiday Season.
Kathy Pousson, School Counselor, Grades K-2nd- kathleenpousson@wsdr4.org
Kayla Keating, School Counselor, Grades 3rd-6th- kaylakeating@wsdr4.org
Erin Magee, Educational Support Counselor, all grades- erinmagee@wsdr4.org
”We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” ~Winston Churchill
GEORGE ANAGNOS - SCHOOL SUPPORT INTERVENTIONIST (SSI)
So many choices! Many of us find ourselves fortunate enough to enjoy multiple choices when we are making decisions throughout our day. Beach or Mountains? Pizza or nachos? Coffee or… just kidding, always choose the coffee!
Choices, however, can be so abundant that they can slow us down, get in the way of us making simple decisions and they can even cause us some anxiety. The same is true for our kids. Simple decisions like dinner choices, which book to read at bedtime or which clothes to wear in the morning can become sources of stress and cause friction where it might be avoided.
Here are some simple suggestions for when you next find yourself offering choices to a child:
Limit the actual number of choices. For our younger kids especially, two choices is a good guiding number. “We’re going to eat dinner in one hour, would you like pizza or hamburgers?” Or, “You have dance class later tonight, would you rather do your homework now or when we get home?”.
Try to avoid offering choices you might not follow through on. From our previous example, if your little dancer decides to do homework after dance class, it is a good practice to help him or her follow through with that decision, even if it’s slightly inconvenient.
Predictability can assist in removing some of the anxiety from a choice. For example, as you’re driving in the car to a drive-thru, remind your child of the choices they have waiting there so when you arrive they can smoothly reveal that they want chicken nuggets rather than your child feeling bombarded by lots of choices and colorful advertising. The same can apply to choosing the next days’ clothes, too.
When you are facing choices which involve your child seeking a subsequent reward, a less confrontational “When/ Then” statement could be helpful. “When you’ve changed into your pajamas, then you may have your bedtime treat” for example.
As I mentioned, predictability and prior notice/ prompting can relieve much of the stress and urgency of making choices. This can allow open up avenues for your child to make more relaxed and realistic choices throughout the day!
LATE START SUPERVISION
The WSD will once again be providing supervision for K-6 students who need to be dropped off at the regular start time on scheduled Late Start Days in the 2020-2021 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:
November 15, 2021
December 13, 2021
January 3, 2022
February 7, 2022
March 7, 2022
April 18, 2022
Wabash Elementary
Email: jillmitchell@wsdr4.org
Website: www.wentzville.k12.mo.us
Location: 100 Golden Gate Parkway, Wentzville, MO, United States
Phone: 636-887-3884
Twitter: @WabashStation