Woodside Wolves Weekly
for the Families of Woodside Elementary - January 29, 2023
Dear Woodside Families,
This past week was the Great Kindness Challenge, and students performed random acts of kindness all week! We also saw tons of students showing their school spirit and support of kindness week Monday through Friday.
Tomorrow morning at 8:15 is our English Language Advisory Committee (ELAC) meeting in the MUR. Please see more information below under ELAC for tomorrow's agenda.
Our School Site Council (SSC) will meet this Tuesday at 3 pm. I'm thankful to our SSC for their continued guidance and support. Even if you're not a member of the SSC, you are still welcome to attend any and all SSC meetings to provide your input.
Please don't forget to remind your students to have their kindness banner competition entry prepared by Friday, 2/3/23, to turn in to their teachers.
Thank you in advance for reading through this newsletter in its entirety for important reminders and information. You will find most of the spirit photos from this past week at the very end of the newsletter.
As always, if you have any questions or concerns please do not hesitate to contact me.
Sincerely Yours,
Christopher Chenault
Principal
Honoring Black History Month
Happy Lunar New Year
Next Woodside ELAC Meeting is TOMORROW, Monday, January 30th
Woodside's English Learner Advisory Committee (ELAC)
- Spanish Translation will be available at every Woodside ELAC meeting.
- Please email me directly at chenaultc@mdusd.org if you plan on attending and require Chinese, Vietnamese, Ukrainian, or any other translation
- Please email me as soon as possible (no later than 1/20/23)
January 30th Agenda
I. District English Advisory Committee (DLAC) report
II. Language Development Support at Home
III. Reclassification Testing Dates and Test Preparation
IV. Importance of Daily Attendance
V. How to support your students at home to make growth towards reclassification
VI. Input from families regarding future ELAC topics they would like discussed
Future Woodside ELAC Meeting Dates:
-February 27th
-March 27th
-April 24th
-May 29th (last ELAC meeting of the school year)
-February 23rd
-March 16th
-April 20th
-May 25th
Thank you to our Woodside DELAC Representative for December 15th,
-Mr. Mohammad Ramin Khanzada
If you have any questions or require more information regarding ELAC,
please contact Maria Tsakoyia at 925-689-7671.
Dear Woodside Families,
Thank you for your participation in The Great Kindness Challenge this past week. Although it's only a week, we hope that this week is a reminder for all of us to practice kindness and realize how we can make a difference in each other's lives! If your child wasn't able to complete a lot of the challenge then don't worry. There are always opportunities to smile, give compliments, or be kind to our bodies and make healthy choices. Practicing gratitude and thankfulness go hand in hand with kindness. Our afterschool program is building our beautiful garden and our Student Council helped spread kindness around the school. The class with the highest participation in the class challenge will earn a class prize. All students who participated in some part of the Kindness Challenge will receive a certificate. Let's continue to fill each other's buckets with kindness every day!
Thank you,
Kimber Kaiser
Contact Woodside's school counselor, Kimber Kaiser at kaiserk@mdusd.org
On campus Monday & Friday (we have to share Mrs. Kaiser with another school)
We WILL PAY for YOU to Become a Registered MDUSD Volunteer!
Are You Available To Help Support Our Students During the School Day?
If you are already a registered volunteer for MDUSD and are available to help at any time throughout the school day, please contact Mr. Chenault by calling our office at 925-689-7671.
- Help with special classroom projects
- Do you have a favorite subject you'd like to support?
- We would LOVE YOUR support in the classroom to help teachers target specific student needs
Not a Registered Volunteer?
To become an MDUSD volunteer and support Woodside, please click here for additional information and requirements.
Contact our office for more information about how we'll cover the costs to become a registered volunteer!
Woodside Safety Procedures Reminders
Our student's safety is our #1 concern
- Please drop-off/pick-up in the designated areas only
- Parents walking on campus to pick up/drop off students, PLEASE USE the white-lined CROSSWALK - - PLEASE do not walk through the carline to pick up your student, as it creates a safety issue. Use the sidewalks, and crosswalks -- Our carline is efficient... stay in your car, drive up, and use the careline for "valet" service when picking up our student
- Due to limited staff parking, thank you for not parking in the school's parking lot between the hours of 7:30 to 3 pm. Thank you very much for your cooperation with this!
- Pull as far forward as possible along the curb, avoid parking in the bus area, and please do not stop in the middle of the driveway to load/unload your student
- Thank you for yielding to our students and families that use the crosswalks in and around the Woodside campus. If traffic gets back up, we will do our best to have staff present to hold pedestrians to clear traffic.
Student School Policies/Procedures Friendly Reminders
- Please do not bring personal sports equipment to school. Ask Mr. C if you need something that we don't have available in the ball box
- Please no toys or blankets
- No trading cards... baseball, football, pokemon, etc
- Paw Pats are not to be used to trade or buy items from friends
Dates To Remember
Woodside Calendar of Events:
January
January 30: 8:15 am English Language Advisory Committee (ELAC) Meeting in Woodside's MUR
January 31: School Site Council (SSC) Meeting at Woodside in room E-1
February
February 1: Frist day of Black History Month
February 3: Kindness Banner Competition, due to your classroom teacher
February 10: 2:45 to 5 pm CARES Expanded Learning Program AND our Woodside PFC free Valentine's Day Workshop (Please see flyer below under the CARES section of this newsletter)
February 10: 6 to 8 pm Sweetheart Dance
February 14: Valentine's Day
February 17: NO SCHOOL due to school recess
February 20: NO SCHOOL due to President's Day
February 21: 7 pm PFC meeting
February 21: 6 pm District Board Meeting
February 22: 8:15 am Coffee or Tea with Mr. C - Please join me in the Woodside main office
February 23: 5:30- 7 pm District English Language Advisory Committee Meeting (DLAC)
February 24: Student Council Sponsored Spirit Day... Job/Career Day!... What do you want to be when you grow up? ... dress like your future profession
February 24: 5-8 pm Parents Night Out
February 27-3/12: The Woodside Read-A-Thone
February 27: 8:15 am English Language Advisory Committee (ELAC) Meeting
February 28: 3 pm SSC Meeting
100th Day of School!
PFC Sponsored Kindness Banner Competition IS ON!
Show Us What Kindness Means To YOU!
Here is your chance to be creative and show your artistic talents. We encourage all students to create their kindness banner in the space on the handout provided below or on another piece of paper and submit it to their teacher by Friday, February 3rd. The top entry in each grade will be made into a banner to decorate our school’s fences. Grade winners will be selected at the February PFC Meeting on Tuesday, February 21st at 7 pm. We can’t wait to see all the kindness and creativity!
Show YOUR School SPIRIT
Mix, Don't Match for Wacky Wednesday!
Barrow a family member's college shirt for COLLEGE THURSDAY
Woodside Spirit Friday
Student Council IS IN ACTION!
All Officers & Classroom Representatives Will Continue to Meet on Fridays
Thank you Ms. Stevenson for guiding our future leaders!
Woodside Community Gathering - Coffee or Tea with Mr. C
Our next time together will be Wednesday, February 22, 2023, from 8:15 to 9:00 am in the Woodside Office. Please bring your coffee or tea and join me for an opportunity to “meet and greet” one another.
Drop off your student(s) and head to the main office to meet and greet with other families... after I'm finished with our morning announcements I will join you in the staff lounge.
Thank you,
Mr. C
Free Tutoring for our Afghan Students
Fliers -Free tutoring for our Afghan students on Saturdays! classes and workshops for our Afghan community that take place at the Noor Islamic & Cultural Community Center
FREE online tutoring for students through CA State Library.
The California State Library provides free online tutoring for California K-12 students, available through public libraries. Through HelpNow, live real-time homework assistance is available 24 hours a day by laptop, tablet, or phone from qualified tutors using state curriculum and standards. 24/7 assistance is available in English and Spanish for Language Arts and Mathematics.
Every day between 10:00 am and 10:00 pm, assistance is available in core K-12 subjects in the following languages: English, Spanish, Mandarin, Cantonese, Vietnamese, Tagalog. Link to program website.
Next SSC Meeting is January 31th
School Site Council (SSC) Information
What: School Site Council Meeting (SSC)
Where: Woodside, room E-1
When: Regular monthly meetings will be held on the last Tuesday of the month at 3 pm
Who: SSC members attend regularly, and parents and community members are welcome
Next SSC Meeting: January 31th at 3 pm (Woodside)
Next Parent Advisory Committee (PAC) Meeting: January 17th at 5:30 pm (Willow Creek Center)
What is the SSC?
A school site council is a group of teachers, parents, classified employees, and community members that works with the Principal to develop, review and evaluate school improvement programs and school budgets.
What is the purpose of the school site council?
The School Site Council serves as the school community representative body for determining the focus of the school's academic instructional program and all related categorical resources.
Finding Your Center at Recess... Love it!
5th-Grade Outdoor Ed. Science Camp Update
5th-Grade Families!... April will be here before we know it. The rich experiences that our students have during 5th-grade outdoor education are invaluable. The approximate donation needed per 5th-grade student is $250... Please click HERE for the direct donation form. Any amount you can afford to donate would be greatly appreciated and help us as we continue to plan fundraising events to meet our goal.
Summary of Fundraising Efforts to Date:
Graduation Leis $220
Welcome Back Bake Sale $155
Direct Donations $486
Frito Fridays $1,225
Rummage Sale $420
Parents Night Out $175
Haunted House $1,596
Gift Wrap Fundraiser $4,121
Total Raised To Date: a little over $10,000 (updated number will be provided asap)
Our Total Fundraising Goal is $22,500!... WE CAN do this!
Who: 5th Graders
Where: Walker Creek Ranch, located in Petaluma, CA
When: April 10th - 13th
Why: For our 5th graders to have the rich experience of outdoor education, build community, and for our students to have this elementary school experience to look back on
Please continue to share the donation letter and the DonorBox link with your friends, family, and
neighbors.
https://donorbox.org/outdoor-education
If you have questions and/or would like to volunteer to support any of our events, please contact Shannon via email: Shannonevp@hotmail.com
Please click HERE for the MDUSD Food and Nutrition Information and Menus
District breakfasts/brunches & lunches are currently FREE to ALL MDUSD students.
New student salad bar volunteer helper needed!!
When: Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday from 11 to 12:15 (Wednesdays from 10 to 11 am)
Where: Woodside Cafeteria
Why: an extra adult is needed to be able to effectively offer the salad bar experience to our students
Who: MDUSD registered volunteer
If you can support this effort, please contact our office at 925-689-7671
TK & Kinder - early friends dismiss at 11:10 am, late friends dismiss at 12:17
1st-5th grade 12:35 dismissal
Woodside PFC
Next PFC Meeting:
- Tuesday, February 21st from 7 to 8 pm - We vote for the Kindness Banner Grade-Level Winners
To learn more about the Woodside Wolves PFC, please visit their website at WoodsidePFC.com or email them at woodsidepfc@gmail.com
CARES Expanded Learning Program
CARES Expanded Learning Program at Woodside currently has a waitlist for enrollment.
If you have questions, or concerns, or want to learn more about the program, don't hesitate to contact Woodside's CARES program coordinator Nadia Munoz.
Nadia Muñoz
Program Coordinator
C.A.R.E.S. Expanded Learning Program
Woodside Elementary
(925)689-7671 ext. 85936
MDUSD is 1-1 Student Devices for Grades 2nd - 5th at the elementary level
Please see the attachment regarding obtaining Chromebook Insurance
- Insurance is optional but highly recommended.
- The insurance term lasts one year from the purchase
- You will need your student's device number to register for insurance
- If your student is new to the district & Woodside (Grades 2-5), they will be getting their device by the end of next week
- 2nd-grade students will be assigned a 1-1 device as soon as possible. Please be on the lookout for additional communication from your student's teacher.
Click the link below to view the attachment.
Intradistrict Transfer Information
Elementary:
February 10, 2023 - March 10, 2023
Please click HERE for additional information
Intradistrict Transfer Lottery (grades 6-12)
The Intradistrict Transfer Lottery for Grades 6-12 in the 2023-2024 school year will take place virtually on January 5, 2023 from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm. Please share this information along with this ZOOM link with your families.
Woodside TK & Kindergarten Central Enrollment Days
- Where: (NEW) MDUSD Enrollment Center (previously Diablo Community Day School) which is attached to Willow Creek Center (1026 Mohr Ln, Concord)
- When: Woodside's scheduled days are 3/23 & 3/27. Woodside's Drop-in day is 3/30.
- Why: For TK/K enrollment for the 2023-24 school year
Upcoming Regular District Board Meeting Dates
LOCATION: School District Board Room-1936 Carlotta Drive, Concord CA 94519
DETAILS:
The Closed Session (no public access) will begin at 5:00 PM. Open Session (public access) will begin at 6:00 PM. Broadcast viewing, public participation, and interpretation information will be posted at mdusd.org/boardmeetings on the meeting day. Approved minutes will be published to mdusd.org/boardmeetings.
Upcoming meeting dates:
- February 1st
- February 22nd
Student Health
This information was in the most recent Friday Letter: In order to keep our school community healthy, keep students home if they have had fever (>99.5 F), vomiting or diarrhea within the past 24 hours; or if they are feeling unwell and unable to participate in usual school activities. As we move into the flu season and are facing RSV and COVID, We need to remind students about universal precautions - good hand washing after blowing nose, proper cough into elbow, etc..
The suggested testing cadence for returning to school after the Winter Break suggests that students and staff test Sunday evening January 8th before returning to school and then again on Tuesday, January 10th.
Please click the following link for COVID-19 Testing Information
Help us keep COVID out of Woodside! If your student has symptoms, please keep them home and test for COVID.
WE HAVE TEST KITS AVAILABLE in the office
MDUSD's COVID-19 Dashboard reflects cases reported each week and Year-to-Date
To keep the community informed about COVID-19 cases reported by school staff and students, the District's COVID-19 Dashboard reflects all cases reported Monday through Friday of each week as of 3 p.m. Friday, along with Year-to-Date case counts for students and staff at each school. You can find this week's Dashboard here, on the District's website home page and on the COVID-19 Response page.
Symptomatic students, teachers, and staff must quarantine at home, regardless of their vaccination status (even if fully vaccinated), masking, or recent COVID infection history.
Kindness Week - Spirit Photos
Woodside Attendance Hotline
925.682.8000
ext 7755
Woodside Elementary Contact Information
Thank you to our office staff Annabel Vazquez, Office Manager & Maria Tsakoyias. School Secretary. We could not operate without you!
Email: Chenaultc@mdusd.org
Website: woodside.mdusd.org
Location: 761 San Simeon Dr, Concord, CA 94518, USA
Phone: (925) 689-7671
Twitter: @WoodsideEL (I'm still working on gaining access)
Twitter: @MrChrisChenault