Wizard Words
Monthly PTA Newsletter, January '24 Edition
Volunteer Spotlight
Thank you, April Nelson!!
April is a mother of 2 Washington Wiz Kids (soon to be 3 in the fall!). Her son Landon is in the 3rd grade and daughter Callie is in the 1st grade. In addition to being a mom, April is also a speech-language pathologist, seeing children virtually. This year she also added preschool teaching to her resume, teaching at my daughter’s nature-based preschool. April is a familiar face who loves to volunteer. This year she chairs the "Health and Wellness Committee" at Washington. The committee aims to contribute to healthy lifestyles of our students. April is innovative, full of ideas and brings with her a lot of energy. She is also helping build the Grade Level Room Parent program at Washington that will help interested parents to assist their Grade Level teacher's needs.
Here is April in her own words describing her experience volunteering at WES !
"I love to volunteer at Washington, in any way that I can! I am excited to sign-up whenever teachers.
provide an opportunity to come into the classroom. I have used my skills as a speech-language.
pathologist to present on tricky concepts in my children’s classrooms. A highlight has been.
chaperoning field trips, and I have been able to help out in the library, re-shelfing books, and
volunteering at the book fair. Getting into the school and classroom not only helps out the school, but it also fosters a deeper connection with my children, as I am able to directly share in their school experiences.
This year I have become involved in the PTA, due to a passion to continue to grow and improve our
school community. I have many ideas, and I think back to things that I remember loving when I was in school myself, and I want to make them happen for my children, too. The grade-level/room parent initiative is very special to me! I know that the connection made between the parents and teachers through this program will grow a greater sense of community at Washington and allow for great collaborations and school enhancements for students.
I am so excited that I get to be the chair for the PTA’s Health and Wellness Committee, which we are newly establishing this year. Being a mother, speech-language pathologist, and teacher, I whole-heartedly believe that being healthy, both physically and mentally, is fundamental to life and success. How amazing it is that our committee can contribute to healthy lifestyles for our students. If you are interested in joining the Health and Wellness Committee or sharing ideas about health and wellness, please reach out to me!
My oldest son came into Washington for virtual kindergarten, that first year of COVID. I felt this.
strange disconnect with school, peers, meeting other Washington parents, etc. The next year, parents were not allowed into the classroom or on field trips. Now is the time that we can re-build that connection and make it stronger than ever! My passion is to promote a happy and healthy school environment for our children and to build that sense of community between parents, teachers, students, and staff to build that sense of a Washington family."
Thank you, April, for leading so many initiatives at WES PTA ! WES is lucky to have parents like you!
PTA President's Message
Happy New Year Washington Families!!
I hope you had a happy and healthy holiday break and are ready to kick off the new year! As I reflected back on the last few months, I realized that we have accomplished so much together already! We built upon the foundation from last year, and this year we:
Achieved our Shining Star goal of $20k which means we can continue our scheduled programs and events.
Created a 5th Grade Yearbook Cover contest where all students voted.
Established a new Wellness Committee to improve both mind and body.
Started a new Chess club beginning this month.
Started a new Grade coordinator initiative as a bridge between teachers and families.
Earned Book Fair sales over $15k and added many new books to our media center for all kids to enjoy.
Implemented the return of the Reflections Arts Contest
With exciting news to include 1 honorable mention and 3 first place students moving on to the State level!
As for increased communication and community connection we:
Implemented a new and improved Newsletter that can be translated into 100+ languages.
Engaged in 3 Park Playdates over the summer.
Tried a Friday Family Fall picnic which turned out to be a big success.
Participated in a new school Spirit Night at the Soccer stadium with over 60 tickets sold.
Have more new and diverse faces within the PTA
Looking back at all that we have done, I am hopeful for the new year. I’m excited to see what else we will continue to accomplish together, for our kids and our aWESome WES community. We would love to have your ideas, your support, or just your friendly face on our team! If you would like to check out our volunteer interest form, scroll down to " Call for Volunteers " section in this newsletter.
I'm looking forward to a fantastic 2024 with all of you!
Kim
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed individuals can change the world. In fact, it's the only thing that ever has." ~Margaret Mead
Washington GT PTA Events -Winter Edition
School Theater Production
Fourth and Fifth graders bring to you the school theater production on Thursday, January 18th at 7 PM in the Media Center
Spelling Bee Final
Grade Level Winners will appear for the Final School Level Spelling Bee on Thursday, January 25th at 6:30 PM in the Media Center
WES 100th Year Celebration
Save the date: Saturday, February 24th, 2023!!! A truly once in a lifetime event' that should not be missed. We will be celebrating 100th year of our school.
Math and Science Night
The much-awaited Math and Science night this year will be held on Thursday, March 7th. Have ideas to share? Send an email to Laura at lab.walton@gmail.com and get involved!
Health and Wellness Committee @WES
Did you know that Washington's PTA has a new Health and Wellness Committee this school year? We are looking for members and new ideas and we'd love for you to join! If you're interested in promoting happy, healthy lifestyles for our students, please contact April Nelson at abnelson718@gmail.com.
Looking for a fun new, healthy, kid approved lunch to send to school? Try these simple Green Pancakes (adding chocolate chips makes them even sweeter)! https://www.yummytoddlerfood.com/banana-spinach-pancakes/ Brought to you by: Washington's PTA Health and Wellness Committee.
Here's to a Healthy and a Happy New Year!! Enjoy the recipe!
Call for Volunteers
Whether you can volunteer a couple hours at one event, have some flex time at home, or want to join a committee, we appreciate all of it. Volunteering opportunities are updated periodically on the PTA website. The quickest way to connect is to fill up the Volunteer Interest Form on our website or the one indicated below.