Woodridge in September
We All Fit
Mrs Thistle's Thoughts
Welcome to the 2018-19 school year!
We are so happy to have you as part of the Woodridge Family. We are a dedicated group of teachers/staff that will work with you and your family throughout the year to encourage your child to grow academically and social-emotionally.
In September we start the year off by reviewing school rules, procedures and building a community in our classroom. Through modeling, coaching and positive reinforcement, we are working to help students make good choices at school. During the 2017-18 school year, Woodridge was once again awarded the honor of being named a “PBIS School of Merit.” This means that we have many systems of support in place to help students to be successful at school. Our kids are doing a great job!
Throughout the year you may hear our District Administrator, Mrs. Rudolph’s message of B.E.S.T. We invite you to participate in the district’s goal for our kids be at their very B.E.S.T.
B: Bed
Ages 3-5: Sleep range 10-13 hours
Ages 6-13: Sleep range 9-11 hours
*National Sleep Foundation
E: Electronics
Be sure that all electronics are shut off and out of the bedroom. If your child uses a phone as an alarm clock, we can provide you with one, just ask in our school office.
S: School
Please make sure your child is at school each day. If there are attendance barriers for your family, please contact me and we can work together to make a plan. We care about you and your child and want them to be at school, unless they are feeling under the weather.
T: Together
Together we achieve more. We invite you to participate in our school and to volunteer in our school or at our parent groups.
Woodridge Parent Club Meetings: First Wednesday of every month
During the 2018-19 school year, we will be teaching our students about the importance of including all students in our school. Our message is “We all fit!” Here is a fun video that we will be sharing with our students. We all fit!
Please feel free to call or stop in and visit me at any time. Thank you for partnering with us to make this school year the best one yet!
Take care,
Salina Thistle
Woodridge/Endeavor Principal
608.742.3494 ext 3001
Mark your calenders
4th - First Day of School
5th- Parent Club Meeting @ 4:30 in the conference room
11th - Picture Day @ 8:00am
24th - NO SCHOOL (In-Service)
Secretary Notes
Reporting an Absence
Please send a note with your child in their folder if there is a change in the way they normally go home.
Mrs. Yerke's Music Notes
Hello everyone,
My name is Ms. Yerke and I am the music teacher here at Woodridge Primary School and also at John Muir. I have been teaching for 34 years and have been teaching in Portage for 30 years.
The students will have two programs this year;
Our Holiday Program which will be on Monday Dec.17, 2018 at the Portage High School auditorium.
- Kindergarten will do their performance at 6pm.
- First grade will do their performance at 7pm the same evening.
Our second program is our Fine Arts program, which will be on Thursday April 25th at 6pm also in the Portage High School auditorium. This is a collaboration between the art and music programs.
I am looking forward to working with your children this year. We will have lots of fun and exciting ways we will be learning about music this year.
If you have any questions or concerns, please call me at 608-742-5531 ext. 2702 or email me at yerkeb@portage.k12.wi.us.
Mrs Yerke
In the Gym with Mr. Due
Hi everyone, my name is Mr. Due.
I have been teaching Physical Education in Portage for only about 10 years, but I was a PE teacher in Milwaukee for 19 years prior to that. I am very excited (and just a little nervous) about the start of the new school year! If you ever have any questions about PE, feel free to ask me.
My goal for every student is that they have a positive experience in the hopes they want to stay active their whole life. Students come to the gym three times a week. Each time, we climb on the climbing wall and do a minute of jogging to get our bodies warmed up for the day's activity. Gym shoes will definitely allow your student to be more successful, so I appreciate any assistance you can provide. Looking forward to meeting all my students, old and new!
Ms. Adams Art Warriors
Stories, Snack and Snuggles
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mChznBx0kRI
Story: First Day Jitters
Snack: Jitter Juice
Snuggles: Grab a blanket and curl up with your child, enjoy a story and make memories
Jitter Juice Recipe
If you are feeling nervous drink this drink!
1 Part Sprite
1 Part Fruit Punch
Counselors Corner
PORTAGE COMMUNITY SCHOOLS
School Counseling….... Elementary Style
School Counseling services are available for all children in the Portage Community Elementary Schools. Elementary counseling focuses on the prevention of issues that may be part of a child's emotional, physical, or educational life. These special services are provided through:
Individual Counseling
Sometimes it may be helpful for a child to meet individually with a counselor. It may be to discuss a particular issue, to practice alternative behaviors, or just to talk about adjusting to new situations.
Group Counseling
The students will have the opportunity to participate in small groups to address a variety of issues. These may include social skills, family changes, self-esteem, friendship, and anger management groups.
Classroom Guidance
The school counselor will be in your child's classroom during the year teaching skills appropriate for their age level. (For example, a Getting Along unit may be taught in 1st grade, a Bully Prevention unit in 4th grade, and a Decision Making Unit may be taught in 5th grade).
Consultation with Parents and Teachers
The elementary school counselor will also meet with parents and teachers to share ideas, information, and options to certain concerns. This "teamwork" approach is also helpful for children to know there are many people who care about them.
Resources
The elementary counselor has information on community resources and presentations that may be helpful to parents.
If you have questions or concerns about your child participating in any area of the school counseling program, please feel free to stop in or call. I am here to provide a wide range of services and are willing to do what I can to help your child/children succeed in school!
Denise Brown is the School Counselor for Woodridge Primary and Endeavor Elementary Schools. My office is at Woodridge Primary School. I can be reached at 742-3494 ext. 3502. Or by email at brownde@portage.k12.wi.us
Have a Great Year!
Nurses Station
Medication at School
Students who require medication during the school day must have a Medication Request/Consent form on file and complete before any medication may be given to a student. The school nurse will review the order before any medication is given to a student. These forms must include a signature from the parent or legal guardian. Medications must come in the original package. The pharmacy label must be attached and include:
Child’s name
Name of medication
Date
Dose
Route
Time to be given
Prescriber
Please refer to School Board Policy 540A for details.
All staff who give medication to students have had the Department of Public Instruction required training as well as a skill competency with the school nurse. Staff are expected to follow district procedures related to administering medications to any student. The parent or legal guardian is expected to provide any and all medications for their child. The district does not provide any medications to students.
Options for self carry, self administration of medications at the elementary level are included in the policy. Both parent/guardian and prescriber must agree to self carry, self administer and indicate this on the school form.
Medications shall not be sent to and from school via a child, unless the medication is a self carry, self administer and paperwork is on file in the school office. Students shall not share medications with others as listed in the student handbook.
Wellness
The Portage Community School District believes that nutrition and physical activity influence a child’s development, well-being, and readiness to learn. The District will promote healthy schools by supporting wellness, good nutrition and regular physical activity as a part of the total learning environment. The District supports a healthy environment where students and staff members learn and participate in positive dietary and lifestyle practices. By facilitating learning through the support and promotion of good nutrition and physical activity, our schools contribute to the basic health status of students and staff. Improved health optimizes student performance potential and contributes to the success of all students.
Classrooms/School and Celebrations:
- Snacks served during the school day or in after-school care or enrichment programs will meet the District Nutrition Standards (Healthy Snacks for Children).
- During occasional celebrations (i.e. birthdays, holidays) items that do not meet the District Nutrition Standards may be acceptable for student consumption within moderation. However, the District will encourage a healthy snack item to be offered in conjunction with other offerings.
- Strong consideration should be given to nonfood items (see Non-Food Rewards for Children Guide) as part of any Teacher-to-Student Incentive programs. If a teacher feels compelled to utilize food items as an incentive, they are encouraged to adhere to the District Nutritional Standards.
The School District is concerned with the dietary and lifestyle practices of its staff, as well as its students. In order to promote wellness among its staff, the district will continue to provide opportunities for staff to become physically active. Staff is also encouraged to model ideal behavior for students by making food and beverage choices that align with the District Nutrition Standards outlined in this policy.
The Board Policy 537 is the official wellness policy of our school district.
Portage Weekend Snack Pack Program
The Portage Weekend Snack Pack Program, a Portage Child Hunger Committee project, provides a weekend supply of nutritious food for children when school lunch and breakfast is unavailable on a weekend. Each food bag will contain some food for breakfasts, lunches, and snacks, for each weekend for your child(ren). All food is nonperishable and provided to children free of charge. It is our hope these resources will support the health, behavior, and achievement of every student that participates. All children are eligible for this program. The program is run completely by wonderful volunteers who help pack the food bags, shop, recruit etc. The program is funded through the generous gifts from The Rotary Club of Portage, Society of St. Vincent de Paul Portage, Columbia County UW-Extension and the community at large. Please note, that the program is always looking for more sponsors and volunteers! We look forward to working with staff, teachers, and you for your children!
For more information or questions, please contact Caitlin Richardson, Columbia County UW-Extension FoodWIse Coordinator at 608-742-9693. To sign up for the program, please contact John Muir Elementary front office at 608-742-5531 or Woodridge Primary front office at 608-742-3494.
Did you know these resources are available to you..?
Columbia County Health and Human Services
Food Pantries
2nd Harvest Mobile Food Pantries (open to all Columbia County residents)
2nd Monday of every month at 11:00am at the Columbia Co. Fairgrounds, Wauona Tr/Griffith St. Everyone welcome. No ID’s needed. Bring your own carts/baskets to carry your food.
St Vincent De Paul Food Pantry
Located at 1311 West Wisconsin Street in Portage
Monday–Thursday 9am–5pm, Friday 9am–8pm and Saturday 9am–5pm
*You will need to bring photo ID, proof of residency and your own bags. Applicants are eligible every 30 days.
Park and Recreation
806 Silver Lake Dr, Portage, Wi, 53901 (608) 742-2178
Family Resource Center
2946 Red Fox Run, Portage, WI 53901 (608) 742-8482
Provides a variety of family services, including scheduled playgroups, parenting support and information series, workshops, and family visiting program. Staff are available to answer questions or provide resources to help families. All services are free.
Dental
Free or Low Cost Services - Seal-A-Smile
Susan Lorenz R.N. M.S. Columbia County Health Officer at 608-742-9227 susan.lorenz@co.columbia.wi.us
The Columbia County Seal-A-Smile dental sealant program is available at no charge whether or not your child is covered by dental insurance. The program will bill Medical Assistance or BadgerCare if your child is covered by these programs.
Free Immunization Clinic
2:30pm-5:30pm (10/10, 11/14, 12/12 - 2016) No appointment is necessary – Birth parent or legal guardian signature required. Bring immunization records.
Library Programs
Contact the library in your community to inquire about special programs for children and families, such as story hour or summer reading programs.
Portage Public Library 253 W. Edgewater St., Portage 53901 (608) 742-4959 Hours: Mon-Thurs 9-8:30; Fri 9-6; Sat 10-4 Sat hours between Memorial Day & Labor Day are 10-1 Contact: info@portagelibrary.us Website: http://www.portagelibrary.us/
There are many more resources available to our community, feel free to check out the Columbia County Health and Human Services Website: http://www.co.columbia.wi.us/columbiacounty/Portals/7/Resource%20Guide.pdf
Portage Community School District
1) Create a great climate for parents, students and staff. (Action steps in italics)
Parents: We added a digital newsletter in hopes of reaching more parents.
Students: We are looking at our school environment and asking- where and how do students learn best? We created a lego wall and dry erase wall for students in the library. We created a mindfulness room and designated time for students to become aware of their feelings/needs.
Staff: Celebrate staff members, reduced workload, monthly potlucks, offer yoga for teachers after school. Incorporate mindfulness to encourage teachers to take care of themselves.
2) Reduce the number of students that are absent from school. "10 days or less is success." Students who are present at school are much more likely to be successful academically.
*We have classroom incentives for when all students are at school (extra recess, game day, free choice.)
*Students are celebrated at the end of each quarter when they have perfect attendance.
*Classrooms that have everyone in school will earn classroom rewards.
*Guidance Counselor is a resource to support parents if they have concerns about getting their child to school.
*Principal will schedule conferences with parents to discuss attendance concerns/supports.
*We will be sending home information regularly to support parents.
*Please let us know if there is anything that we can do to help your child get to school in the morning.
3) Increase student achievement.
*Teachers collaborate each week- looking at our assessments and helping each other to meet student needs.
*We are using our district programs, pacing guides and our observations to ensure that all students are learning and growing.
*We have incorporated the social-emotional curriculum, Second Steps to help us explicitly teach social skills.
*We added science and social studies to our curriculum.
*We incorporated mindfulness breaks for students.