WILLOW GROVE WEEKLY UPDATE
GRIZZLY STRONG!
GRIZZLY STRONG NEWS FOR THE WEEK OF NOVEMBER 2ND!
MANY THANKS TO STUDENTS, PARENTS, TEACHERS, AND STAFF!
Willow Grove has just completed the first nine weeks of the 2020-2021 school year! Yes, this school year looks and feels very different and has brought with it many challenges. We have worked together, though, to overcome those challenges to ensure our students are learning and receiving their instruction in a learning model that best meets their needs.
Whether they are participating in the In-Person, Virtual, or Homeschool Learning Models, students are working so hard and doing a great job participating in class, completing their assignments, and adapting to their new learning environment. Thank you so much, Students!
More than ever, parent support has been incredibly positive and is needed this school year. Parents have worked hard and are doing an awesome job to make sure their children are fully participating in their learning. This has been no easy feat considering household, work, and personal commitments. Thank you so much, Parents!
Teachers have done an outstanding job pivoting quickly to delivering instruction in brand new ways. They are working harder than they have ever worked before with much less time in their working hours to plan for high quality instruction, create and place videos and assignments on Canvas, grade and provide specific feedback on assignments, communicate with families through email and phone calls, collaborate with colleagues, support our total school through participation on committees, and attend District meetings. They are doing all of this and much more way beyond work hours, though, while many are managing their own children in their learning models. Thank you so much, Teachers!
Behind the scenes, staff has worked hard to ensure students are receiving a safe, supportive, and appropriate education. Instructional Aides and Impact Teachers are offering needed support to many of our students in the Virtual as well as In-Person learning models. In addition to their many responsibilities, our Office Staff has been working to ensure families’ desires for a particular learning model as well as a desire for an AM or PM schedule are met, attendance is taken correctly with the new guidelines, health and safety guidelines are being followed, and health screenings are done for In-Person learners in a timely manner. Our custodians are working hard to ensure our campus is sanitized and cleaned every single day and that our campus remains a safe, well-maintained, and inviting place for students to learn. Thank you so much, Staff!
We are working together, students, parents, teachers, and staff, to make this school year the VERY BEST it can be while working within the parameters of the health and safety guidelines we must follow at this time. It is not easy by any means, but we are doing it! We are Grizzly Strong! Honoring the hard work that everyone is doing and maintaining respectful interactions with each other is truly needed and sincerely appreciated. Thank you!
Willow Grove Elementary School's website
NEWS FROM PTA
Picture Day
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU to all the volunteers for helping make picture day a success for our grizzlies. We could not have done it without you!!
Make up Picture Day:
Make up picture day will be Thursday, 11/5/2020.
Fall Harvest Drive By Parade
Thank you for joining us over the rainbow. Our Drive by was a huge success and we loved seeing all our grizzlies in their costumes. We hope you had as much fun as we did. The PTA would like to say a HUGE THANK YOU TO ALL THE VOLUNTEERS!! Without our volunteers helping with this event, we would not have been able to make this happen. Also, a special thank you to Brooke Bassuk, the Chair for this event, on making it so special for our school.
BOO!
This Halloween we challenge all grizzlies to create the spookiest, funniest, most original and best family group costumes. Submit your photos to wggrizzliesyearbook@gmail.com by November 1st for consideration in the 2020-2021 Grizzly yearbook. Winners will receive prominent placement in the yearbook. If you are feeling extra festive, send us a picture of your pumpkin carvings too. Trick or Treat!
Online Book Fair
Need a great new book to read for the fall break? Gifts for the holiday or a book to read to sign up for book talk? Well, you are in luck!! Willow Grove is having our first ever online Book Fair, from November 2-15. You will be able to browse and shop all in the comfort of your own home. All orders get delivered right to your home. Its a simple click, browse, buy and sit back and wait for your goods. The website opens November 2nd, link is: https://www.scholastic.com/bf/willowgroveelementaryschool2
Grizzlies Got Talent
Do you have a Grizzly that wants to show off their talent? Willow Grove PTA is excited to announce our first ever Grizzlies Got Talent Show. The grizzlies that would like to participate will need to submit their applications by November 1st. Our Applications are located on our website at www.willowgrovepta.org, they also will be sent to you from your room parent.
We want to see YOUR talent!
Guidelines to Follow:
- Participants must meet all deadlines. As we will be creating a movie of all the talents, we cannot accept any videos after the deadline.
- All lyrics, costumes, and everything else must be “kid” friendly. No inappropriate references. No strapless costumes. Midriff must be covered. If you have any questions about the appropriateness of your child’s talent, costume, lyrics, etc. please contact us.
- Performances must be limited to 1 minute. This is a change from the variety show, but in order to include all performances, we have limited the time.
- Each child may only submit one talent video.
- For this special event, grizzly alumni (graduated siblings) can participate in the video along with their sister/brother.
- No group acts with non-family members allowed.
- We will be adding background music to any talent video that has no music, instrument playing or talking.
- Students who choose to show a talent that involves art, writing, etc. , please make sure to take a picture of your child holding their piece of work. We want to see your child’s face!
Important Dates:
- Sunday, 11/1/20: Applications are due. Please email the application to WGVareityShow@gmail.com. Taking a picture of the application or scanning the application are both acceptable.
- Friday, 11/27/20: Talent Videos are due. All videos can be submitted via email to WGVarietyShow@gmail.com. Videos should be in MP4 or MOV format are preferred. Cell phone videos are fine but may have to be converted if they are too long to be sent via email. Any questions, please send us an email!
When emailing your video/picture, please write in the subject heading: Child’s Name, Grade and Teacher.
****Along with your video, please send a picture of your child (in costume if possible). This picture will go in the yearbook.
- Sunday, 12/10/20: SHOW TIME! All grizzlies will be emailed the link to watch Grizzlies Got Talent show! A great way to start our holiday break.
Please consider becoming a PTA Member and help us build our rainbow!
Individual memberships are only $20 each.
Joining is now easier than ever: Go to www.willowgrovepta.org and click memberships to get started.
Why join the PTA when our kids are learning from home?
The purpose of the PTA is to create a community and connect children and families together. More than ever, this connection is vital to the emotional and mental health of our kids.
How can we connect kids when they aren't in school?
With your membership and donations, the PTA is ready to help our kids connect with each other through a variety of online and interactive virtual experiences including science, art, Grizzlies Got Talent and a Fall Harvest Drive-by Parade. Over the summer, the district repaved the playground blacktop. We will use your membership and donations towards repainting the blacktop, supporting teachers, replacing playground equipment (i.e. soccer nets) and making sure it's ready when the doors of Willow Grove open again. Membership is open to everyone! Each person in the family can become a PTA member—parents, grandparents, educators, students and friends. Becoming a member doesn’t require you to volunteer, though we always welcome your time and talent!
Don't forget to ask your employer to match your donation. See if your company is on the corporate matching list. If you see them on the list, contact your HR or Corporate Giving department and let them know you would like them to match! We are only as strong as we are united.
NEWS FROM WILLOW GROVE EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION
Thank You to Our GGF Campaign Donors
Thank you for partnering in your Grizzly’s education! With your help, our Grizzly community helps continue FUNDING THE GAP for Impact teachers, digital learning educational programs, math enrichment, a new art program, P.E. and science instructor, and additional salaries through WGEF. Every donation counts! Every effort is appreciated! There is no time like today to make your tax-deductible contribution… online at www.willowgrovefoundation.org or by mailing back your pledge card.
HOME OF THE GRIZZLIES!
Email: ahuff@powayusd.com
Website: https://www.powayusd.com/en-US/Schools/ES/WGES/Home
Location: 14727 Via Azul, San Diego, CA, 92127
Phone: 1-858-674-6300
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WillowGroveElementary
Twitter: @WGGrizzlies