Corgi Tales
December 2022 #ourcorgitale
Message from Dr. Fay & Mrs. Henson
Crossroads Parents,
Crossroads Crew, we did it again! Our November events were all a success. Thank you to our Veterans Day committee, led by PTA’s Kellee Cook , for all the hard work to help our students understand our need to appreciate our Veterans. The celebration was a huge success! For our annual Thanksgiving Family Luncheon, our cafeteria staff, led by Mrs. Nussbaumer, served 1055 meals. Thank you Mrs. Nussbaumer for your positive, can-do attitude!
I’d like to send a shout-out to our amazing House Leaders and Family Leaders, scheduled and organized by Mrs. Oberg, for providing service and hard work. They helped out at each of the events. Their hard work didn’t go unnoticed. They received many positive compliments. Thank you for serving at each of these events!
I often get many positive notes, emails, and comments about each of these events. I would love to take all of the credit but know it isn’t just me, it’s the Crossroads Crew: Students, parents, staff, PTA, and our community. We have a wonderful school for children to learn and grow. We really do work very hard to make Crossroads a place where the students and families will create great memories.
I am so thankful for the crew we have here at Crossroads. Thank you, students! Thank you, parents! Thank you, staff! Thank you, PTA! Thank you, community!
Have a great December!
Dr. Damian Fay & Mrs. Kristen Henson
Twitter:@Corgi_Tales
Instagram: crecorgi_tales
Teacher of the Year
Please join us in congratulating our Crossroads Teacher of the Year candidates: Mrs. Susan Green, Ms. Jenna Hutfless, Mrs. Gayna Jensen, Mrs. Candi Mesnier, Mr. Brian Hudson and Mr. Tim Burkemper. All of our candidates are nominated by fellow staff members, which makes this an even more rewarding honor.
We ask our staff to write why they feel each candidate deserves the honor, here are few of the reasons our staff shared:
Mrs. Susan Green - “She is patient and caring. She dedicates herself to helping the students learn and never give up. Susan believes every child can learn and will learn.”
Ms. Jenna Hutfless - “She has a passion for her students! Her patience and creativity are inspiring. She does a great job making learning fun and letting her students know they are loved and capable of greatness.”
Mrs. Gayna Jensen - “She is an absolute amazing teacher! Gayna is kind and loving. She knows how to keep all of her students engaged and she does a great job differentiating her teaching so that all of her students can be successful.”
Mrs. Candi Mesnier – “She truly loves each of her students and celebrates their growth, both big and small, throughout the day. When you walk into her room, you feel like you are a part of their class family. All of her students are happy to be there.”
Mr. Brian Hudson – “He works incredibly hard to best support his students. He builds relationships with them and takes interest in their hobbies. He encourages his students and holds them accountable to be their best. Brian’s students know he will always be there for them.”
Mr. Tim Burkemper – “He is always willing to go above and beyond. He works hard to make sure all students feel included. Tim does a wonderful job connecting with students and building longstanding and trusting relationships with everyone.”
Events of November
Marine Corps Patriot Award
House Leader Helpers
Veterans Day Thank You
Thanksgiving Family Luncheon
Chautauqua and Fitness Club Thanksgiving Helpers
Thanksgiving Family Luncheon Crew
Our Students of the Month - November
Message From Nurse Maddie
LET’S SAVE LIVES!
On January 13, 2023 we’ll roll up our sleeves and help save lives! We will proudly partner with the American Red Cross to hold what we expect to be the first of many blood drives. The Red Cross has over 135 years of experience providing humanitarian aid, including more than 75 years of supplying blood to those in need.
Each pint we collect can help save up the three lives and will touch the lives of so many more. What a great way to pay it forward and make an impact on people in our community and across the country. We are very excited about the dive and I hope you are too.
Nurse Maddie is leading the initiative. Let’s show our community and the patients in need of the blood just how much we can do. If you would like to donate please sign up here. All students who refer a donor will receive earbuds with a cleaning cloth and case.
It’s not every day that we do something that has such a lifesaving impact. Let’s blow this out of the water! Thank you for making Crossroads what it is. I’ll be looking forward to seeing you at the blood drive.
Maddie Whiteaker
RN BSN
School Nurse
PTA Update!
Happy December Corgis! November was a busy month but it sure was a lot of fun!
Thank you to everyone who came to our Chipotle dining night last month! It was a huge success and a lot of fun.
Thank you also to those who helped us celebrate Twisted Sugar’s opening during our spirit day. What a tasty celebration it was! We hope to see you at Sugarfire on December 14, 11:00am – 8:30pm for our next dining night. You can visit the Winghaven or Wentzville location for lunch or dinner and a portion of the proceeds will be donated to Crossroads. Come out to support our school. Don’t forget to tell them that you’re there with
Crossroads!
Last month we also had our first Veterans Day assembly in three years. What a special day at Crossroads as we honored our Veterans! We were inspired by our special guest speaker Marine Corps Captain Michael T. Force, Retired, moved by our video tribute and a few tears were shed as all of the Veterans gathered on stage as our students serenaded them. The day was filled with heartwarming moments as the Corgi Chorus sang to the Veterans and students read essays about their favorite branch of the military. And we were all beaming with pride when Captain Force presented Dr. Fay with the well-deserved Marine Corps Patriot Award. After the assembly, we showed our appreciation for our Veterans by serving them lunch donated by our community partners. The amazing meal would not have been possible without the support of the following: B. Halls, Blue Sky Café, Culvers on Highway K, Dierbergs Lake St. Louis & O’Fallon, Duke’s BBQ, Lowe’s O’Fallon, Massa’s Winghaven, McAllister’s O’Fallon, Mr. Goodcents O’Fallon, Nothing Bundt Cakes, Pickleman's Gourmet Cafe,
Starbucks on Bryan Road, Stefanina’s Pizzeria O’Fallon, Town Square Pub & Grub. Thank you also to Sign Gypsies Wentzville and O'Fallon Printing for their contributions. We were so proud of our students and our community; it was a day we'll never forget. Thank you to all who joined us for our celebration and our amazing volunteers who make everything possible, especially our incredible event chair, Kellee Cook.
On December 13, we are excited to be bringing back the in-person Corgi Store during lunch time. After they’ve eaten, students will have an opportunity to shop at our school store. We will have spirit wear for sale, but most items will be $5 or less. The Corgi Store is always a student favorite and we look forward to seeing their smiling faces on that day. This is a cash only store.
Our online corgi store is also available. Sprit Wear makes a great holiday gift! If you are interested in purchasing spirit wear, you can shop our store at: https://crossroads-corgi-store.square.site/
Tis the Season
It's back! The Annual Crossroads Staff Goodie Grab (formerly known as the cookie exchange) is a favorite among the teachers and staff. We love this event because it gives us a chance to treat the team and show them just how special we think they are. We are looking for donations of a variety of goodies to spoil our staff this holiday season! Homemade or store bought. You do what's easiest for you and your family!
Please go to the CRE Goodie Grab Sign Up to sign up for a slot. One sign up slot equals one dozen goodies. The more the merrier! You’ll notice that this year we are expanding beyond cookies and sweet treats. We want to give our team a variety of goodies to choose from. Please have your donations to the front office by the morning of Friday, December 9. If you have any questions, please email crecookieexchange@gmail.com.
We will also need some help putting together this event. You will see volunteer slots available on the sign up as well. Please sign up to join us for this fun afternoon!
As you are doing your holiday shopping, please keep a couple of ways to support Crossroads in mind. If you love to give personalized gifts or photo cards, check out minted.com and not only will Crossroads get a percentage back when you use our code, FUNDRAISECROSSROADSPTA, but you will get a 20% discount! Talk about a win-win!
If you are an Amazon shopper, make sure that you are set up with AmazonSmile and a percentage of every eligible purchase will automatically be donated back to Crossroads. It just takes a moment to set up and then it's a default setting for every purchase! Plus, many teachers have Amazon wish lists for their classrooms if you are looking for gift ideas.
We appreciate your support!
Speaking of teacher’s gifts, we have gathered a list of preferences from many of our teachers. You can view the list at the link below to help you with your winter gifting. Links to Amazon Wish lists are included as well.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1YQrvzy4-3qKSv0Dk6GH4tsF0MGUH90-
Stay tuned, we’ve got lots of fun events coming up!
12/9 – Staff Goodie Grab
12/13 – Corgi Store
12/14 – Sugarfire Dining Night
1/10 – General PTA Meeting
1/11 – Tacos 4 Life Dining Night
1/18 – Food Drive Begins
1/22 – Crossroads afternoon @ Rockin Jump
Keep an eye out for emails and social media posts for more information!
If you want to stay informed about the PTA, make sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram.
Talk to you next month!
The Crossroads PTA
Notice of Election
Support WSD Giving Tuesday Efforts
Child Nutrition
Meal charges resumed on the first day of school, August 22.
Breakfast K-12 ~ $1.95
Elementary Lunch K-5 ~ $3.00
Secondary Lunch 6-12 ~ $3.10
Reduced Price Meals
Breakfast ~ $0.30
Lunch ~ $0.40
Applications for free & reduced price meals are available here or at any school office. In an effort to assist families as we transition back to paid meals, the USDA has increased the income guidelines used to determine eligibility. Click here to see the income guidelines. If you believe your family would qualify for this program, please fill out an application. Applications can be returned by the following methods:
Returned to your child's school
Scan & email - marysanzottera@wsdr4.org
Fax - 636-327-3961
Mail - Child Nutrition Services, 101 Support Service Dr., Wentzville, MO 63385
If you have questions or need assistance filling out the application, please call our office at 636-327-3858 ext. 21330.
Arrival and Dismissal - Please Read Carefully
All of our car riders and our daycare van riders will go to the gym at the end of the day. Once in the gym, a staff member will call students’ names over the radio for them to come out to meet their vehicle. A staff member will escort students to each car.
PLEASE READ: We are no longer allowing parents to walk up to get their children. You will need to drive through the pick-up line.
We will be sending home lime green car tags with all students on their first day of school, 8/22. (They will also be available at Meet the Teacher night.) ***PLEASE USE A THICK MARKER TO FILL THESE OUT***
When you drive through the car lanes, please have the lime green car tag on your dashboard where we can see the names of your students. If you do not have the car tag, we will have to check your ID, radio the office, and wait for them to clear you before we can call your child out. As you can imagine, this will slow down the process for everyone.
A few other things to keep in mind with this process: Please remember, we do not accept dismissal changes after 3:00 pm. Also, our primary focus is student safety and 3:20 is a critical time when children can potentially get lost in the shuffle; it is imperative that we streamline the secretaries’ time to focus only on emergencies that arise. With that in mind, please understand that we will not permit access to the office after 3:20 to check out a student. Please plan accordingly so we aren’t caught in the position to have to tell you no.
Also, remember that you are responsible for calling in to change if your walker will become a car rider during the days with inclement weather. We will no longer be sending a text about rainy day dismissals.
The expectation is all parents will have the lime green car tags ready to go by August 29. If you have any questions or thoughts, please let us know.
Please review our arrival and dismissal maps below:
General Information & Tips
Cafeteria Information
- Link to Child Nutrition page on the WSD website
- All meals will be eaten in the cafeteria
- Breakfast served 8:20 a.m. to 8:35 a.m.
Buying Lunch
- Students will enter a lunch pin number
- Teachers have a card with the pin number on it for the first few weeks of school
- Teachers will send home the pin number and a practice number pad
Bringing Lunch
- Label all lunch bags
- Send items students can open by themselves
- Anything opened will be thrown away
Recess Information
- Supervision is provided by our Noon Duty staff and classroom teachers
- Dress for the weather
- Label clothing items
- Avoid parking along the playground
- Visitors are not allowed at recess
Tips from the office
- All adults visiting Crossroads must sign in at the office and obtain a visitors sticker
- Please have your driver's license ready to sign in to our Raptor system.
When you arrive in a WSD building as a visitor, you will be asked to scan your ID, take a photo and complete the management system’s check-in process.
Raptor will screen the information against sex offender databases and locally customized lists of banned or potentially threatening individuals, instantly alert school officials to a threatening presence, and maintain a searchable log of all visitors.
Once approved, you will get a customized visitor badge to wear while in the building.
- Call the office by 9:15 a.m. if your child is absent
- If your child arrives after 8:35 a.m., please walk them into the office
- Let the office know of any dismissal changes before 3:00 p.m.
- Students cannot be checked out from the office after 3:15 p.m.
- Be sure to update any changes to your contact information in the office
Parent Portal - FAQs
How do I make changes to my contact information and email address?
Parents may make changes through the parent portal for their email, telephone numbers and emergency contacts. Addresses must be changed in person with office personnel.
Can I call and give my email address over the phone?
Email addresses may not be added over the telephone with the office staff.
What if I have forgotten my Parent Portal password?
Your username is your email address, and you can choose forgot password.
Upcoming Dates
December 1
- DARE Graduation at LHS for Fifth Grade 7pm
December 8
- Third Grade Musical 6:30pm (CRE Gym)
December 15
- Wentzville School District Board of Education Meeting at 6:30 (Heritage Intermediate School)
December 20
- Winter Party K-2 9:45-10:30 (Party Helpers check-in 9:15)
- Winter Party 3-5 2:30-3:15 (Party Helpers check-in 2:00)
December 21- January 2
- No School for Winter Break
January 3
- School Resumes
Work for WSD
ARE YOU LOOKING FOR WORK? ... The WSD is hiring a variety of full-time, part-time, and substitute positions to serve our students:
- - Before/After Care
- - Bus Drivers & Bus Aides
- - Child Nutrition
- - Custodians
- - Instructional Assistants
-- and more!
For information and to apply - Join our Team!
Student Birthdays at Crossroads
Also, students are not allowed to pass out birthday invitations through Crossroads. Please do not send any invitations in nor ask your child's teacher to email the class for you.
Thank you for your understanding.
You Shop, The School Gets Paid!
Did you know that when you shop on Amazon, it’s easy for Crossroads to get a small percentage from your purchase? All you have to do is shop through AmazonSmile instead of Amazon. Once you’ve set up your account, your shopping experience will be identical. The difference is that when you shop on AmazonSmile, the AmazonSmile Foundation will donate 0.5% of the purchase price of eligible products to the charitable organization of your choice. Crossroads Elementary PTA would be grateful to be the charity you choose. Go to smile.amazon.com to get started. Once you’ve set this up, it’s easy to set up your Amazon app to link to AmazonSmile as well.
CONTACT INFORMATION
7500 Highway N
O’Fallon, MO 63368
Phone: 636-625-4537
Fax: 636-625-4447
Damian Fay - Principal
Twitter: @Corgi_Tales
Kristen Henson - Assistant Principal