The Wonderful World of Woodbury
May 2017
Sandwich School District Vision Statement
And now a word from our Principal, Dr. DeCorte
It is already May, this year is moving too fast. It is difficult to believe that I have been principal of Woodbury for 21 years. I know it will be a wild ride with days rushing by until the final bell for our students rings on May 26th. I am finishing over forty years in education, 28 of those years here in Sandwich. Over the next few weeks we will be celebrating some of our annual spring rituals and adding a few new activities, please make sure you check your school calendar and read the weekly class notes that teachers send home.
Spring brings many changes. Our third graders will be going to Dummer next year, everyone will miss them. Our second graders will be the new big kids here at Woodbury. Everyone else will be moving on up. Teachers have been preparing our students for the next chapter in their school careers, helping them to move forward to their next adventure. I think everyone is ready! Saying goodbye is always a little sad but looking forward to the next exciting chapter is wonderful also.
This year’s spring will be different for me. My teaching career for the past forty years is ending with my retirement on June 8th. I knew this day would come. Like all things bittersweet, I’ve been coming to terms with it, wondering how it would play out as the days unfold toward the finish line. I have so enjoyed working with the excellent faculty here at Woodbury. I could not ask for a more engaged and dedicated group of educators. We have shared so much. Sharing the wonderful students and families that we have served has been a job more fulfilling than I could have imaged 45 years ago. We have truly developed a learning community that Sandwich can be proud of. I see teaching magic happening daily at Woodbury.
I’ve been asked repeatedly what I am most proud of as an educator. Being able to help create a true learning community where all the adults are united in always putting children and their needs first in every decision they make is what I am most proud of. Caring about what is the best way for each individual child to learn and looking for ways to help engage our children always is so important. All the special engaging learning activities that our students get to participate in and welcoming families to join us at school also make me proud of our learning community. Having the students follow their own interest with Expert Project starting in first grade is a program that take lots of volunteer support and I am proud of all the people that make it possible for our students to participate in Expert Project. Woodbury supporting a daily fruit program for our students is also one of the programs I am very proud to be a part of. There are also daily hugs and kind thoughts shared with me that make me feel so very fortunate to have been an educator.
We all need a place to belong without questions. Although most of us are lucky enough to have this unconditional support at home, it is priceless when we find a similar circle of support in our work/school lives. Woodbury has helped me learn many things over the years and allowed me to get to know our great students and their wonderful families. We celebrated much together. Above all, knowing that everyone here at Woodbury is always ready to do what is best for our children has given me the confidence to know that Woodbury will continue being the wonderful caring community of educators that our children need. I have been fortunate to be a part of our community, thank you!
THIRD GRADE FAMILIES
The Annual Third Grade Bike Ride will happen on May 24th! Although it sounds like a lot of riding it is an easy ride and of course parents are invited and encouraged to join us. We will leave school around 8:30 and return in time for dismissal at 2:50. Usually even children can ride a mile in less than 20 minutes, so riding almost 10 miles in 5 hours should be relatively easy. Our trail is pretty flat and we have a sag van standing by should we run into any problems (flat tires, etc.) The riding line will be very long and there will be enough adults and friends to encourage riders all along the way. We ride to the Fairgrounds (first riding east to get our 10 miles in) where we have a picnic lunch, so on this day we ask all students to bring a lunch in a paper bag (marked with name).
We take a nice break and have our lunch at the Fairgrounds and then head back to school. The children feel proud of themselves for being able to complete the ride and the adults have a wonderful time watching and riding with the children.
You can bring your child’s bike to school either the night before (we will keep them locked in the building) or the morning of the bike ride. If your child needs to borrow a bike please let us know soon so that we can arrange that.
The morning of the bike ride we will have someone come in and talk a little about safety riding and bike maintenance.
This is a fun learning experience that the children seem to remember long after school is out. Please join us for the day if you can. See you May 24th! Please call or email me if you have any questions.
Track and Field Morning and Fun Afternoon
Tuesday, May 19th is our track and field day and fun afternoon. Please consider helping out on this day. Volunteer sheets will be sent home soon. It is a fun time to volunteer with the children and see them doing all the different events. Mr. Sterkel, Mr. Adeoti and Mr. Ryan are coordinating the track and field day and fun afternoon is being sponsored by our PPA. If you have questions regarding track and field day they can be directed to your child’s teacher. If you have any questions regarding the fun afternoon just call the school office. For those who volunteer to work both the morning and the afternoon, hot dog lunch will be provided if requested.
Online Registration Hints
Below is a list of helpful hints when registering your student(s) online.
* Please be sure that you are registering your student in the 2017 – 2018 school year.
* There are 3 tabs (staff, parents, students) on the log-in page. Make sure you register under the parent tab on the Tyler website.
* If a question does not apply to you, you must click "not applicable".
* On the last page, all forms listed should have the word "complete", in green, next to them. If any forms have the word "incomplete" in red, you must go back to that form and complete them.
* If all the forms show "complete", you must click the "submit" button.
News from the Nurse
Medication
Please be reminded that medication not picked up by the last day of school will be discarded. Medication must be picked up by a parent or guardian. Students will not be allowed to take it home.
Dental Exam Reminder
All Kdg., 2nd, and 6th grade students are required to have a completed dental exam form on file with the school by May 15, 2017. Any student in 2nd and 6th grade not turning in a form will have their final report card held.
Physical Immunization/Dental Requirements for 2017 - 2018
All students entering Kindergarten, sixth and ninth grades are required to provide proof of a physical exam and up-to-date immunizations by the first day of school in August 2017. Students will not be allowed to start school without a completed physical exam and up-to-date immunizations. Appointment cards will not be accepted.
All students enrolled in Kindergarten are required to provide proof of a vision exam to the school by October 15th of the current school year.
All students enrolled in Kindergarten, Second and Sixth grade are required to provide proof of dental exam to the school by May 15th of the current school year.
It’s not too early to schedule your child’s physical, vision, or dental exam to beat the summer rush. Health forms have been sent to all current first, fifth, and eighth grade students. Anyone needing a copy of the physical or dental form may contact your child’s school.
It’s not too early to schedule your child’s physical, vision, or dental exam to beat the summer rush. Health forms have been sent to all current first, fifth, and eighth grade students. Anyone needing a copy of the physical or dental form may contact your child’s school.
Year End Reminders!!
Please remember to pay all outstanding fees before the last day of the school year, May 26th. This includes registration fees, library book fees, and lunch/milk fees. If not paid, outstanding balances will be carried into the next school year.
Please remember to register your student(s) for the 2017– 2018 school year through the on-line registration process. This system can be accessed through your current Tyler Parent Portal link. As in the past, the District appreciates your promptness in completing the registration process. If you have any questions please contact the office, 815-786-8811.
If you still have your spring picture packet please return the complete picture packet or send the money for the pictures you wish to purchase.
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Student Placement for 2017-2018 School Year
Please know your child’s educational experience is of utmost importance to us and we take it very seriously. Over the past few years there has been an increase in parent/guardian requests for student placement. Students are placed in classes by a combination of a well-studied and thought out process. Classroom placement will be based on the following criteria.
1. Performance Assessments
2. Learning Style
3. Teacher(s) Input
4. Academic Performance
5. Male/Female Balance
6. Social Balance
7. Teacher Compatibility
8. Student Compatibility
9. Speech Program Schedules
10. Physical Handicaps
11. Student Personality and Emotional Needs
We appreciate your understanding in this matter.
Lost and Found
Just a reminder that we have a large pile of lost and found items. Anytime you come into school please check to see if your child may have anything in the pile. At the end of the school year all items remaining will be donated to Goodwill.
Other Community Resources
Please make sure you check out all of the outstanding summer programs offered through the Sandwich Park District and the Sandwich Library. They offer a wide range of activities for children and are offered for a small fee.
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Woodbury Night at Cougar Stadium
Woodbury students and their family were invited to attend a Kane County Cougar baseball game on Thursday, May 11th. The game starts at 6:30. The students will walk in the “Reading Parade” around the baseball field at 5:30 and then “run” the bases after the game. There will be fireworks following the game also. Woodbury students who read the required books in their classroom earned a free ticket, t-shirt or draw string bag, hot dog, and drink. The bus will leave promptly at 4:15. Parents who are driving will be given their tickets by Tuesday. We look forward to a great time!
Scholastic Book Fair
Mrs. Ballas and Dr. DeCorte,
I wanted to take a moment and congratulate you on a very successful Scholastic book fair! Thank you so much for taking time out of your busy schedule to ensure the students are able to have access to a variety of books for their home libraries. With all the statistics out there surrounding reading, test scores and success in general, please know something like hosting a book fair can make a huge difference in their lives.
You were able to put over 700 books into the hands of the students, creating over 126,000 in voluntary reading practice minutes! Please share this great news with your teachers and families in your next newsletter!!
Please also congratulate Vanessa for a great job! I really appreciate all the time, hard work and dedication she gave to your students. I know it was a lot of work, but I don't think anyone could have done a better job. We're so happy she shared her talents with us!
Thank you for bringing the Book Fair to your school! I truly appreciate your time and partnership!
Tammy Kemper
Book Fair Consultant
Scholastic Book Fairs
Parent Watch
Please keep an eye on our Woodbury playground and buildings. We love seeing the playground being used by the community but we need some help making sure vandals don't destroy things and end of costing tax payers needlessly. Please drive by the school whenever you are in around town and if you see any monkey business give the police a call. With warming weather arriving we worry about past problems we have had with local vandals. Thanks for your help.
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Music and PE Evoke Emotion
Music and movement reflect the rhythm of life, stirring human emotions in societies around the world, and in Sandwich. The interconnectedness of music and movement as students bounce up and down to musical rhythms utilize brain capacity in a way that nothing else can stimulate. Music and movement might be characterized as two sides of the same coin—the coin being emotion. Music students discuss the significance of emotion in district #430
Extensive research has been done to foster an understanding of the relationship between music, movement and learning. “Music sets us in motion—dancing, marching, or just tapping our toes. The combination of music and motion can also lead to an emotional response, making one feel connected, patriotic, or just happy or sad,” says Thalia Wheatley, an associate professor in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences (PBS) at Dartmouth who is leading a study about the way humans respond to both music and movement.
Your children are experiencing music, movement, emotional connection and a utilization of the latest research in the areas where kids learn the best. This is also encompassed in the area of gaining a multi-cultural sense of the world outside of DeKalb county. P.E., music and ELL have worked together with classroom teachers to help students learn across the curriculum in a fundamental and sound means while having fun!
Mrs. Morgan’s third grade class plays a game called “Kee Chee” from Zaire, Africa in which movement, singing, and a percussion circle uses a rhythm with a tempo that gets faster to emulate an African hunt!
Last Day of School 2016-2017
Assuming emergency days will not be necessary; the last day of school for the 2016-2017 school year is May 26, 2017, 1:10 pm dismissal.
K-8 report cards will be issued on May 26th and high school report cards will be mailed the week after.
As a reminder, parents need to complete the online registration materials and fees regarding the 2017-2018 school year. Should you have questions regarding online registration, please contact the school’s office.
The first day of school for the 2017-2018 school year is August 18, 2017 – 1:10 pm dismissal.