November 2020
Newsletter
A Note From the Principal
Hello Wabash Community!
Here comes November! Fall is here, ready or not! We do continue to go outside for recess during the colder months. Please be sure to send your child with a jacket or coat to stay warm on these cooler fall days. As we approach the winter months, if you need assistance with acquiring a winter coat, gloves, and/or a stocking cap, please contact Mrs. Pousson at extension 50241. We are happy to assist with the winter coats! We want all students to be warm, safe, and comfortable!
Our WSD Teaching and Learning Department has provided some added information to better understand report cards grades for the 1st quarter. You can view the added report card info here.
I wanted to also remind you that Wabash continues to implement the Choose Love Program to support the development of our students' social and emotional developmental needs. The Choose Love Program places added focus on four key life lessons/skills: Courage, Gratitude, Forgiveness, and Compassion in Action. During this 1st quarter of school we focused on Courage. As we moved into the the 2nd quarter of school, we are now focusing on Gratitude. Please take time as a family to talk about all that you are grateful for. We have much to be thankful for here at Wabash! Here is a 30 Days of Gratitude calendar to help us all focus on being gratitude this month.
This link below will take you to the Choose Love Home Program, which has a free parent tool kit. You have to create an account to access the Home Program Resources and Parent Toolkit. On my end, I have an account. I have found that I get a monthly newsletter emailed my way, but beyond that I am not bombarded with spam or junk mail as a result of having a Choose Love account. https://www.jesselewischooselove.org/choose-love-home/
Just a reminder, please do not release your car riders from the vehicles until the morning front sidewalk staff come outside at 8:20 am. Thank you for your help with this! Safety first!
Also, with COVID infections and close contacts, there are different scenarios that can play out. Here is a document provided by the district to help provide some clarity. What to do if...
If you desire to see district level and building level COVID Data, it is posted on our WSD website right here.
Thank you for your patience as we continue to adjust to being in level 1 with all students here at school Monday-Friday. Our morning and afternoon car rider process is picking up speed daily. Please know that we appreciate everyone following the processes and procedures we have in place. Keeping our processes and procedures organized helps to promote efficiency and safety for all. Safety 1st!
In closing, all of you have taken your parenting skills and "adulting" to the next level this year! Thank you for being focused on your personal and family growth, grit, and love! We will make it through these tough times together! Tough times pull us closer together and make us stronger as individuals and a community!
A few dates to remember:
November 2 and 3: No School / Please take time to Vote
November 16: Late Start @ 10:35 am
November 25-27: No School / Have a great Thanksgiving!
Every Student Matters, Every Moment Counts!
Mr. Schulte
2nd Semester WSD Virtual Learning Academy
HOW TO HELP YOUR CHILD AND FAMILY BUILD EMOTIONAL AWARENESS
Emotions and feelings are important! Emotions are our bodily reactions to an experience and feelings are the subjective words/context we label the experience with. The words feelings and emotions are often used interchangeably, but more importantly are our bodies' way of telling us what we are experiencing, with the goal that we respond- to be content and our own definition of successful/safe. Think about it, if you are enjoying a hike in the woods with your family and you come across a bear a few yards away, what happens to your body? Your emotion is the changes in your regulatory system, the increase in heart rate and blood pressure, your thoughts come so quickly you can’t think straight, you have the urge to run, etc. You can describe the related feelings as scared, terrified, panicked, worried, etc. What are all those feelings and emotions trying to tell you? To protect yourself and ensure your safety! Without those emotions and feelings, you would simply continue hiking into a bear’s territory. That wouldn’t lead to feeling content and safe! The same could be for the feeling of nervousness for an upcoming test, to motivate you to study; and the feeling of happiness when you spend time with a friend, to know that you enjoy this person and want to hang out again! Getting to the point of knowing what your emotional experience is in order to put it into a feelings context doesn’t come automatically and you and your child's awareness of how people experience feelings and ongoing practice can help that become more natural! Here's how-
Listen to and observe your child.
Label the emotions you think they may be feeling (ie. “You seem excited to go to that sleepover,” “I can tell you are feeling frustrated that you are not understanding your homework.” .
Validate their feelings, even if you wouldn’t/don’t personally feel the same way.
Allow a safe, non judgemental space for them to talk about their feelings, and ask open ended questions to help them explore them (when they have a specific feeling, as well as ongoing).
Use feelings words often, when you are talking about your day at work, when you ask them about their day at school/time out with friends, when you feel frustrated that the dog chewed up your shoes, etc.
Talk about emotions the characters in books/TV shows are experiencing as you read/watch them together.
George Anagnos - School Support Interventionist (SSI)
Happy Autumn! I love this time of year. The weather, the holidays... and we get to turn our clocks back an hour. When we talk about turning the clocks back, the first thing that comes to most of our minds is that extra hour of sleep.
Sleep can be wonderfully beneficial. ‘Good sleep’ can help reduce stress, encourage ‘clearer thinking’, improve your mood and help with a host of other daily activities. Good sleep benefits our kids in the same ways. Good sleep often starts with a good bedtime routine. The following are a few tips to help you assist your student as they get ready for bed and that all-important sleep:
Start your child off to bedtime with a predictable “wind down” period. Try and cut off electronics/ screen time at least 30 minutes before sleep time. An alternative is to help your child ‘straighten up’ their room. It doesn’t have to be perfect, but a straightened room is less anxiety-producing and can promote restfulness. You can also do bath time, brushing teeth, changing into sleeping clothes and other signifiers that bedtime is coming.
Read with your child. This develops reading and language-processing skills, encourages creative thinking and it’s fun... not to mention it’s a great time to bond with your child.
Limit choices as you approach bedtime to streamline the process for your child as well as yourself. Making a small chart which shows choices and rewards earned for good choices can help with the transition from active routines to bedtime.
Being consistent with your routine can make that sometimes difficult time of day into a more relaxed, successful transition into good sleep. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me anytime!
Contact Information:
636-887-3884 ext 50245
HOLIDAY ASSISTANCE
Every year Wabash Elementary School and the Wentzville School District works with community organizations to help our families who may benefit from confidential gift donations during the Holiday season. If you wish to have your family's name placed on the list of possible donation recipients, please fill out this google form. We will send a Holiday Family Assistance form home with your child once we receive your request. If you have any questions prior to that, please reach out to your Wabash school counselors.
Kathy Pousson, School Counselor, Grades K-2nd- kathleenpousson@wsdr4.org
Kristy VanRonzelen, School Counselor, Grades 3rd-6th- kristinavanronzelen@wsdr4.org
Liz Prewitt, Educational Support Counselor, all grades- elizabethprewitt@wsdr4.org
- During Level 1, your student(s) will have library every 5 days of school. Please help your student(s) remember to return their library books on time so they can check out new books each time they have library.
- Thank you to all of our Wabash families who purchased books through our Online Scholastic Book Fair. The Library appreciates all of your support! Happy Reading!
- Feel free to check out our Wabash Library Homepage for eBooks, Audio books, databases, and more! https://destiny.wentzville.k12.mo.us/ Click on "Wabash Elementary."
REMINDER: Remember to check your child's temperature each morning prior to coming to school.
Please monitor your children at home, before coming to school. If your child has any one or more of the following symptoms, please keep your child at home.
-Fever 100.0 or above
-new onset cough
-difficulty breathing
-headache
-loss of taste or smell
-sore throat
-diarrhea
-nausea/vomiting
-fatigue
-runny nose/congestion
If any of these scenarios occur during a weekend, you can email the nurse at: sherrynutt@wsdr4.org
COLD WEATHER
Below you will find links to the Reading Connections Newsletter
PK and KINDERGARTEN BUS PARENTS
Cell Phone Rules at Wabash
Our school rules around cell phones and electronic devices are as follows:
1. Phones/devices stay turned off during school day.
2. Phones/devices remain in backpack during school.
3. Students may not carry phones/devices on them.
4. Teacher may give permission for it to be out, but all other rules apply when permission is not granted.
Students who fail to follow these guidelines will be sent to the office. Phones/devices will be kept in one of our Administrators' offices for the remainder of the school day.
Please review these guidelines with your child/children.
DISMISSAL PROCEDURES UPDATES
As a school of 900 students, managing the dismissal of students is a detailed process. At the end of each day, our staff is responsible to make sure our students get to the correct assigned locations, including: buses, walkers/bike riders, car riders, daycare van riders, and Chautauqua. Last minute changes create situations where students are not where they need to be. This results in lost time and added stress for students, parents, and staff.
Please keep the following in mind:
1.) We need to know in advance, by 3:00 pm, if your child’s transportation is changing. This will provide adequate time to notify your child’s teacher and to make sure everyone is on the same page prior to the beginning of the dismissal process.
2.) Students will not be dismissed between 3:15 pm and 3:35 pm in order to maintain a secure and orderly environment for the dismissal of our 900 students. We understand doctor appointments and emergencies come up from time to time. Please try and limit early dismissals for these reasons if possible.
BIRTHDAY TREAT UPDATE
For the upcoming school year, Wabash will be using the following guidelines for student birthday treats.
We are no longer allowing students to bring in any food items or non-food items. This includes goodie bags with non-food items such as candy/gum, trinkets, pencils, stickers etc. Please know that any food, drink, goodie bags, etc. not from our café will not be served or delivered to the classroom.
Our café does provide food and non-food items as an alternative. Click here for the WSD approved Healthy Birthday Treat form for ordering birthday goodies. Birthday items are for your child’s classroom only and sharing around the school (classrooms, friends, teachers, staff, etc.) is not permitted. Orders need to be submitted at least five days prior to the date needed. Payments are check only. Please keep in mind when making purchases that you get enough items for all the students in your child’s classroom.
Our goal is to continue to provide a safe, healthy, and supportive environment for all.
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