PAW PRINTS
March 22, 2024
A MESSAGE FROM THE PRINCIPAL
Elmwood Families!
As we get ready for spring break next week, we continue to be very thankful for the incredibly hard-working team and partnerships that we have here. We just recently continued a long-standing tradition in our building with our performance of Frozen Jr. Our lion cubs wowed us with all their hard work and talents! I want to thank Ms. Hiller, Mr. Kotowicz, Mr. Benson, Mrs. Jones, and all of our volunteers for making this happen. We were without a musical director and stage crew lead at the beginning of the year and so much support came together to continue our tradition. This is what we do at Elmwood-stand by our beliefs as a school community! We exemplify WE ARE A TEAM and EVERY CHILD IS MY CHILD!
I am so proud of our work and I hope that as you take a little break next week, you are reminded of the outstanding community that we are a part of as I will be. Have a wonderful break with family and friends!
WHAT'S NEW THIS WEEK
April 1st Deadline for Yearbook Orders
We have had the online yearbook link in Paw Prints for months now. I can't remember if I ordered a yearbook yet --> Just send a quick email to Customerservice@schoolandsportpics.com to confirm if you placed an order.
Yearbooks can be ordered online here: https://orders.schoolandsportpics.com/ordering/with?key=LYR2ACN9
- Cost of yearbook=$14 each
- We ask that you place separate orders for EACH child, rather than bundling your multiple children's orders under one child. This will ensure each of your children receives a book on distribution day (decided by their homeroom teacher)
- Deadline for orders - April 1, 2024
- Will be distributed approximately a few days to a week before school ends
Any questions about ordering yearbooks need to be directed to School and Sport Pics: Customerservice@schoolandsportpics.com
Elmwood’s Second Annual Family Literacy Night
Thursday, April 11, 2024
5:00pm - 6:30pm
Come join us for our Second Annual Family Literacy Night! We will have crafts, games, Makers Activities, Scholastic Book Fair, and more!! New this year: 🍦🍦Nice Bite Ice Cream 🍦🍦 will be at Elmwood serving up sweet treats for families to purchase!!
**More information to follow**
Elmwood’s Spring Break Reading Challenge
Dear Elmwood Families,
We are committed to creating a bridge between literacy at school and home. We are excited to work with you to offer ideas that will help your child(ren) to grow as readers.
Over the Spring Break, we thought it would be fun for families to engage in some interactive and family inclusive literacy activities! If your child(ren) chooses to participate, simply cross off the activities and return the form to their classroom teacher by Tuesday, April 2, and they will receive a little prize! Forms came home with students this week.
Enjoy your spring break and happy reading!
The Elmwood Elementary School Family Literacy Engagement Leadership Team
Important Allergy Communication in Classroom Newsletters
Dear Parents:
There are several students that have severe food allergies to peanuts and all tree nuts (cashews, pecans, walnuts, pistachios, etc). We are distributing this information to parents to help you understand this situation and to help foster a safe environment for these students and their parents.
These allergies can be life-threatening. We need your help in maintaining a nut-free environment in the classroom and ask that any classroom snacks or treats that you send be nut-free. The allergy can be triggered not only by directly eating or coming into contact with the above but also by exposure to foods that contain any peanut/nut traces, oils, flours, or food that is processed in a plant with peanuts and nuts. For this reason, most pre-made cookies, prepared cookie dough, and cookie mixes are off limits. Also, many bakeries use nut products, flavorings, or oils in their facilities or products. If you are sending in any type of classroom treats, please notify the teacher in advance so that arrangements can be made to ensure the allergic student has a safe snack or treat.
We want you and your child to understand that the allergies can be triggered by ingesting or exposure to very small amounts of the above allergens. All students will be asked to wash their hands before and after snack time and lunch time.
The school realizes that helping us to maintain a nut-free classroom takes a certain amount of effort and diligence on your part, and we thank you in advance for your cooperation in helping us maintain a safe, healthy environment for all of our students.
We appreciate your support!
Upcoming Forward Testing Grades 3-6
Forward testing is right around the corner and will begin on April 8th for our students. Beyond the normal, please ensure your child is at school, has breakfast, and gets sleep, please check out the following reminders.
General Testing Information
Consider sending a note of encouragement by April 2nd.
Notes can be emailed to ryan.samz@nbexcellence.org via email or handwritten and delivered to the office. All notes will be provided to students on the 1st day of testing.
Ensure all iPads are fully charged and brought to school.
Ensure your student has working headphones for the listening sessions.
Summer Semester Date Change
Due to the high volume of families that have already completed registration, Summer Semester courses are almost full.
Summer Semester Registration for grades K-5 will now close on Sunday March 31st at Midnight
Do not delay! If your child(ren) grades K-5 want to participate in summer school be sure to add them to an open course or add their name to a waitlist for each period NOW.
Any questions should be EMAILED ONLY to Amanda Blaedow at amanda.blaedow@nbexcellence.org
Final Session of After School Theatre Class
Journey "under the sea" with Ariel and her aquatic friends in The Little Mermaid! In our spring session of After School Theater Classes, students will work on a mini-script adapted from Disney's Broadway production and the animated motion picture. (This session was previously scheduled to be The Spongebob Musical.) This 8-week session at Elmwood runs Tuesdays, 3:15-4:15 pm, April 9th - June 4th (no class 4/16). New and returning students are welcome. Parents are invited to a special performance on the last day of class. Focus is put on developing imagination, social skills and a positive self image through the performing arts. Learn more at https://www.characterkidsdrama.com/new-berlin-schools-registration.
A Self-Study Online Course: "Approaching the Difficult"
Enhance your sense of resilience in navigating adversity.
While we all have a certain amount of resilience, it is also a skill we can cultivate. In this online course with optional small group discussion, we’ll examine how the tools of mindful awareness can help us increase the sense of resilience we feel when navigating life’s difficulties.
Free for all District Parents & Guardians - Open enrollment available through April 1, 2024. Sign up today!
Eisenhower Generals Youth Football Signups - SIGNUP TODAY!
WHO: All New Berlin Eisenhower district students heading into grades 5-8
WHAT: Full tackle football played in the AAYFL in the fall
COST: $450
HOW TO SIGNUP: www.ikegenerals.com
QUESTIONS: Contact us at newberlingenerals@gmail.com
Kindergarten registration OPEN for 2024-25
If you have a future Lion Cub at home, and they will be starting K5 in the 2024-2025 school year, registration has now opened. Student must have turned 5 years old before September 1, 2024. See District website for more information
For your incoming kindergartener to attend summer school this year, YOU MUST enroll them at Elmwood for 24-25 school year FIRST. Once you have enrolled them, your child will appear in Infinite Campus profile to register for summer school.
Parent Pickup/Drop-off Lanes
Two lanes must be formed in our parent pickup/dropoff area when arriving. This is to ensure we are not creating traffic on Sunnyslope Road, and the buses have an unobstructed lane to pull into the school.
Our staff have been reminding families of this, but it still tends to be an issue.
In the morning, students will disembark 8:00-8:15am. After 8:15am, the doors will close, and parents will need to drive to the front of the building, park, and sign their child(ren) in.
In the afternoon, our gate opens at 2:40pm for cars to form TWO lines and wait. Students scheduled for parent pickup will start to load into vehicles at 3:10.
➡️ HOME AND SCHOOL NEWS ⬅️
HIGH INTEREST DAY - Sign Up Due Today!
Elmwood Home & School is proud to sponsor High Interest Day. Many students refer to it as the best day of the school year! High Interest Day (HID) is an all-day event where students participate in or learn about various hobbies, sports, crafts, and other interests under the direction of professional and volunteer presenters. The day wraps up with fun finale activities!
Below you’ll find important information about the day, including how to register your student(s) for workshops. Also--we depend on many parent volunteers to make the day run smoothly, so please mark your calendars and watch for the volunteer sign up genius in early May!
When is High Interest Day?
Friday, May 31st, 2024
What do I need to do to get my student signed up?
Review the workshop descriptions and details on the menu with your child via this link: https://docs.google.com/document/d/16DgSgFTCF-E0wBXndgO_V9ukIsyNvmYidWuENChMSq0/edit?usp=sharing
Choose a total of 10 workshops with your child, and rank them 1-10 (1 is the student’s first/top choice)
Beginning March 14th, use this HID online registration form and fill in all required fields. https://forms.gle/JqQzDvGHsPfpK761A
Registration Deadline!
Please register your student(s) by Friday March 22nd. Students will be scheduled for 6 workshops, but we need their top 10 choices in order to build a schedule. We do our absolute best to assign students to their top choices.
Questions?
Nicole Klaas nklaas6@hotmail.com (workshops, volunteering, general HID questions)
Lauren Keith laurenashleykeith@gmail.com (online registration & scheduling)
SPRING DANCE - Volunteers Needed!
We cannot do this without your support! Click on the signupgenius link to volunteer: https://tinyurl.com/LetsGlowCrazyVolunteers
We have added a few slots to help decorate the 3/4 and 5/6 pods to get ready for their Forward Testing that will take place starting the week of 4/9!
Pull out all of your neon colors and your white T shirts and get ready to literally GLOW UP!
Spring Dance 2024 will be held Friday April 5, 2024 from 6-8pm at Elmwood! All children in attendance will receive a free glow necklace! Photobooth and dancing will be in the Gym under the blacklights, tattoos and crafts will be available and Concessions in the Monet!
As ALWAYS, this is NOT a drop off event, children must be accompanied by a parent/guardian. Families are encouraged to attend!
ICE SKATE NIGHT
Purchase tickets here!: https://elmwoodhns.weebly.com/all-school-skate.html
SPRING BOOK FAIR!
Spring Book Fair will start shortly after spring break from April 11th to April 18th. In addition to Family Literacy night the fair will be open to students and families before & after school.
Follow the link to the sign up genius for volunteering opportunities to help us make the fair a success:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F044BA4AE29A6FF2-48590305-spring#/
GET INVOLVED!
Our Home and School runs strictly on the support and volunteers from Elmwood families. As old families move out and new families move in, we are always looking for more people for volunteering opportunities. The Home and School supports and sponsors so many of the events and extracurriculars at Elmwood however, we can't sponsor these events without your help. The opportunities of involvement are endless, from physically being at the events, to planning, to behind the scenes work, there literally is a spot for everyone! We are asking parents if they can please fill out this survey https://forms.gle/QykPhonWCyT3QBMXA and let us know what kind of volunteer you are? What events and opportunities would/could you like to help with?
Want to be in the know about all the happenings at Elmwood? Please sign up for our mobile texting line! With these texts, you will be reminded of upcoming meetings, events, and volunteer opportunities. You will receive NO MORE than 3 text messages a month. Sign up here: https://tinyurl.com/HomeAndSchoolTextLine
GET INVOLVED!
Our Home and School runs strictly on the support and volunteers from Elmwood families. As old families move out and new families move in, we are always looking for more people for volunteering opportunities. The Home and School supports and sponsors so many of the events and extracurriculars at Elmwood however, we can't sponsor these events without your help. The opportunities of involvement are endless, from physically being at the events, to planning, to behind the scenes work, there literally is a spot for everyone! We are asking parents if they can please fill out this survey https://forms.gle/QykPhonWCyT3QBMXA and let us know what kind of volunteer you are? What events and opportunities would/could you like to help with?
Want to be in the know about all the happenings at Elmwood? Please sign up for our mobile texting line! With these texts, you will be reminded of upcoming meetings, events, and volunteer opportunities. You will receive NO MORE than 3 text messages a month. Sign up here: https://tinyurl.com/HomeAndSchoolTextLine
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Receiving texts for important notifications
Elmwood and the School District of New Berlin needs your help to be able to reach you via text.
All SDNB families who wish to receive text messages from the district must “opt-in” to our SchoolMessenger text messaging service. This can be done by simply texting “Y” or “Yes” to 67587, after you make sure your contact information is up to date in Infinite Campus! If you are not sure you have done this already, text "Y" to 67587 anyway.
The ability to text our families is important to us. We can notify families quickly in the event of a school closing, late bus or other safety alerts. These are the only reasons our school/district will be texting you.
How do I add money to my child(ren)’s lunch account?
The directions can be found on the SDNB Nutrition website found here. Link on the right side of the page
Nicole Cooke - School Administrative Assistant
Email: Nicole.Cooke@nbexcellence.org
Website: https://www.nbexcellence.org/schools/elm/
Location: 5900 South Sunny Slope Road, New Berlin, WI, USA
Phone: 262-789-6581
Carrie Hansen - Office Assistant
Email: Carrie.Hansen@nbexcellence.org
Phone: 262-789-6581
Jaime Veal - Principal
Email: Jaime.Veal@nbexcellence.org
Phone: 262-789-6580
Ryan Samz - Associate Principal
Email: Ryan.Samz@nbexcellence.org
Phone: (262) 789-6584