We Are... Wildcats
March 10th, 2021
A Message from the Principal
We are in full-swing of March is Reading Month! This is a great time to share your love of reading with your child. Consider taking some extra time each night to cozy up and read books as a family! It will make all the difference as the infographic below shares.
Also, if you have another moment, the Google Form below is a quick way to share a shout-out about a Weiss staff member. A single sentence or two can really make a great impact. https://forms.gle/Rx4AvhThzRxZHc3r6
Regards,
Mr. Bezeau
Principal
Downriver STEM at Weiss
Yearbook Ordering
Yearbooks are ready to order. If your child is interested in a yearbook, please click the link below. You will need the code to select our school.
Code: 4385021
Yearbooks must be ordered by March 28th.
Bingo for Books (FUN Virtual Family Event)
Register the whole family for a night of Bingo, music trivia and dancing. Every player will receive a unique card. Families must be registered to receive the card and event access link.
Bingo for Books virtual event information: March 19, 6-8pm. Prizes will be delivered to your student's classroom the week of March 22-26. Sign-Up your whole family for the event HERE
Shop our Online Book Fair and support our school!
Dear families,
You’re invited to shop our Scholastic Book Fair online from March 8-21! All purchases benefit our school and connect kids with new books, favorite characters, complete series, and more.
You’ll love the NEW option to shop for Book Fair exclusives directly from the interactive
booklist and enjoy these special online shopping features:
- Over 6,000 items, including new releases, best sellers, and value packs
- All orders ship direct to home
- FREE shipping on book-only orders over $25*
- All purchases support our school and earn 25% in rewards
Visit our Book Fair Homepage and click “Shop Now” to get started:
HELP THE PTO SUPPORT OUR WILDCATS
The PTO has two school year-long fundraisers available, both of which benefit the programs, events, and materials sponsored by the PTO. Every purchase helps the PTO work with teachers and staff to give our Wildcats what they need to for fun and successful year.
Our Weiss spirit wear is available with 10 different designs available. Want a little bling? Choose your design in a blue or silver glitter design. Looking to sport our Wildcat mascot? Select on of three Frankie the Wildcat designs. Want to show a little kindness? We have Kind Human, Wildcat designs. Purchase your spirit wear at weisselementaryspiritwear.com. March Coupon (can be combined with Free Ship) is 10% off moisture-wicking t-shirts with code: MAR21P
What a Crock Fundraiser – Catchy name, great food. What a Crock offers busy families the opportunities to purchase crock-pot ready meals that make dinner time easy and delicious. As tried and true users of What a Crock, the PTO is proud to partner with this company. Everything we’ve tried has been generously portioned, filling, and tastes homemade. Place your home delivery order at: https://whatacrockfundraisers.com/pages/weiss. This fundraiser will last through the summer, with 10-30% of the cost of each item purchased going back to the PTO.
Just a small glimpse of some of the great things happening at Weiss Recently
Internet and Social Media Safety
Downriver STEM at Weiss Elementary School prides itself on providing a safe learning environment for its students. An emerging national concern is the inappropriate use of social media by students. This problem has the potential to be harmful in many ways, and we ask your support in assisting us with this challenge.
Across the nation, schools have seen an increase in negative student behavior as a result of student use of popular social networking websites and applications (apps). Many sites and apps contain instant messaging components that allow students to chat with other students and to post statements and videos that ordinarily would not be said in a face-to-face conversation.
The popularity of these social media platforms only seems to be growing. SnapChat, for example, is said to have over 200 million members and has become one of the most popular “message exchange” sites among students nationwide. In fact, we are noticing that while there are age restrictions on many sites, this does not seem to be a deterrent to student use at younger and younger ages.
An unfortunate reality is that our students are at an age where they do not fully understand the full extent of the consequences that come with the choices they make online. Students view these platforms as a natural way of communication, forgetting the permanence that comes with what they express online. One of the biggest challenges for this generation is students learning to navigate these sites appropriately as some students use these platforms to bully or threaten harm to others. This type of behavior has been well documented as causing long-term negative consequences for the student who posts this communication and those who are the target of the communication.
It is imperative that parents are aware of what their children are posting online and what others are posting in reply. These sites and apps are public domain, and anything posted there can be seen by anyone who has Internet access.
Helpful Tips and Resources
We encourage you to talk with your son or daughter about appropriate use of social media and the potential dangers that exist with online use. Ask if they have an account with Facebook, Tik Tok, SnapChat, or similar websites and apps. If your child is using such a site with your permission, you may want to review his or her profile to ensure that no personal and identifiable information has been posted.
We also encourage you to establish rules and guidelines to ensure the safety of your child while on the Internet. Some websites offer parental or family guidance for Internet safety; for example, SafeKids.com, located online at http://www.safekids.com.
Downriver STEM at Weiss Elementary will continue to provide Internet security within our schools. It is important that parents also monitor Internet/Social Media use at home.
Thank you for your support and cooperation in keeping our students safe. If you have questions, please feel free to contact me in the Weiss main office at 734-379-7060.
UPDATED WCHD HEALTH SCREENER
Kindergarten Round Up
Do you have a child at home who will be five years old on or before September 1, 2021? Do you know someone who does, perhaps a friend or a neighbor? If so, Gibraltar School District has a spot waiting just for them in our kindergarten classrooms next year! Gibraltar School District offers both a traditional Kindergarten program as well as a Young Fives Kindergarten program. Both of these programs have a strong focus on the math and literacy skills needed for a solid foundation through the course of the formative elementary years. Registration is now OPEN online!
To begin the enrollment process, please visit the link below and follow the link to the Online Pre-Enrollment! Once completed, you will schedule an appointment to complete the enrollment process.
http://www.gibdist.net/about/register-students/kindergarten-young-5s-registration
We will be running small-group informational sessions for parents and prospective students, on April 21 and April 28 at each elementary building. Once your enrollment process is complete, you can schedule your appointment for a small-group session!
Important Parent Survey
As we enter into the spring and the end of the year quickly approaching, we are actively planning for summer programming options and for the fall of 2021. We are looking for specific feedback on instructional initiatives from this current school year as well as gauging interest in additional learning opportunities for the spring/summer for students who may need more time and support. Your feedback on both current and future programming options is critical to this planning.
Please take a few moments of your time to respond to the survey in the link below. In order to have the most accurate information, please complete this for each child you have in the district. This level of information helps us to tailor our plans to the building level where appropriate. Each submission should only take 1-3 minutes. This survey will remain open through Sunday, March 14.
Please note that all responses are for planning only and are not any sort of commitment on your part.
Please access the survey at the following link: GSD 2021-2022 School Year Parent Survey
Downriver STEM at Weiss Elementary School
Website: https://www.gibdist.net/weiss-elementary
Location: 26631 Reaume St, Woodhaven, MI 48183, USA
Phone: 734-379-7060
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Frank-E-Weiss-Elementary-171825686267958