The Gray Wolf Gazette
March 3, 2024
PTO Meeting Monday @ 6:30pm
Zoom Link: https://wgsdstl.zoom.us/j/97878205731?pwd=OVUrSU5XcDlzVFYrclBGTTBFeTMvdz09
Information to join
Meeting ID: 978 7820 5731
Passcode: 821703
Our Mission and Vision
Mission(Why we exist): Dr. Henry Givens Jr. Elementary is a collaborative community committed to ensuring equity and high levels of learning for all.
Dr. Henry Givens Jr. Elementary is a community of belonging that empowers all children to connect, discover, and thrive as leaders equipped to make a positive impact on our world.
Principal's Corner
Happy Beautiful Sunday Givens Families,
We are having another great weather weekend and I hope you and your family have had some time to enjoy it! This was a great week at Givens, On Tuesday, we invited the Big Smiles Program in to provide our families with the option to get the recommended 6-month check-up. During this time, the Dental Team serviced about 30 students with dental exams, and cleanings, and addressed any other dental needs found during the examination process. This partnership created by Ms. Aguilar, our Social Worker, will continue with visits every 6 months.
As we get into next week, we are excited to welcome each of you in for Parent Teacher Conferences. This is a time for you and your child's teacher to have a conversation highlighting growth celebrations and goals for the current trimester. If you have not signed up, please follow the links below to do so. In addition to the conversations, you will also receive the following documents during conferences:
Progress Reports: While you will not receive a paper copy, you will get your child's progress report through Parent Square on Monday. They will look a little different than normal. During the first trimester, teachers wrote about growth celebrations and goals for the upcoming trimester, for 2nd trimester, this information will be shared during conferences and not on the progress reports.
Attendance Percentage Letters and updated Record: Similar to 1st Trimester, you will receive an updated attendance record for your child. Our goal is for each student to have 90% attendance. If your child's percentage is not at 90% someone from our office support team will reach out to you to determine the barriers that exist and ways we can support them.
Summer Programming Invitations: Students who receive additional reading support or would benefit from additional reading practice(as shown through their reading assessments) will receive invitations to Celebrate Reading or Freedom School.
Please take a minute to review the updates below. We look forward to seeing you this week!
Thank you for your continued partnership.
On this journey together,
Ms. Malissa Beecham
CONGRATS MRS. JAUER, WGSD Inspire Nominee
Winter Formal Professional Pictures
An anonymous contributor donated the gift of professional photography through TSDitto Professional Photography to capture moments of our first Winter Formal. Below, you can access the photos that were taken and purchase any you may want. The Passcode to Access them is: Berry.
CONFERENCES THIS WEEK
Parent Teacher Conferences
Our Spring Conferences are just around the corner and we are excited to share information about your child's progress as well as ways we hope to partner with you to help your child continue to make progress.
Please take a minute to sign up with your child's teacher: Click Here to Sign up For a Conference with your Child's Teacher
**You may also sign up for a conference with a Specialist(Music, PE, Art, Health, and Gifted Teachers) using this document.
Upcoming Dates
3/4: PTO Meeting
https://wgsdstl.zoom.us/j/97878205731?pwd=OVUrSU5XcDlzVFYrclBGTTBFeTMvdz09
Information to join
Meeting ID: 978 7820 5731
Passcode: 821703
3/5 & 3/7 Parent Teacher Conferences (Links will be shared on Friday)
3/8 Spring Picture Day
3/11 Late Start Day
3/15 No School
3/18-3/22 No School-Spring Break
3/25: Welcome Back and Late Start
Chess Club Penny War Starts Monday!!
Givens Trivia Night Class Baskets
5th grade basket-- https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/dl/invite/0m1E1nL?ref_=wl_share
4th grade basket -- https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/dl/invite/aV1LSX9?ref_=wl_share
3rd grade basket-- https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/dl/invite/0zpzWRl?ref_=wl_share
2nd grade basket -- https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/dl/invite/0NRn5HR?ref_=wl_share
1st grade basket -- https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/dl/invite/bhKkA2M?ref_=wl_share
KDG basket -- https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/dl/invite/9f7tKus?ref_=wl_share
Yearbooks for Sale
NEW CLUB Opportunities!!
Join the GOTR team at Givens! Our coaching team will inspire girls to be joyful, healthy and confident using a fun, experience-based curriculum which creatively integrates running. Girls and coaches will run, walk, skip, dance or move forward at whatever pace they like to encourage girls to reach their goals as a team! The spring 2024 season starts the week of March 4th and culminates in a celebratory 5K at Forest Park on May 11th. Go to GOTR Givens 2024.pdf learn more today!
Please contact Jessica Johnson (GOTR Coach & Kindergarten teacher) (johnson.jessica@wgmail.org) for more information.
News From PTO
Upcoming Dates (could we include in the top list please)
February 5th - PTO Meeting at 6:30 in the Givens Elementary Library
School Spirit Wear Store:
The Givens Elementary school spirit wear store is open for 2024 through local vendor, Zoey's Attic! Be on the lookout for new spring designs in the coming weeks. In the meantime, grab your favorite designs now before they're gone! Choose free delivery from Zoey's Attic or have your items shipped right to your door. Givens Teachers & Staff - Don't forget your staff discount code!
https://zaspirit.com/givensspirit/shop/home
Givens PTO Trivia Night & Silent Auction Update - Details & Sponsorship Opportunities:
Trivia night is coming on April 13th. Ticket sales for Trivia Night tables will begin on March 1st - Mark your calendar to be sure to snag your spots!
In the meantime, we are offering opportunities for one Event Sponsor and Round Sponsorships. Please see below for details:
Event Sponsor - $250: Event Sponsors will enjoy branding for their business on all event media leading up to and during Trivia Night, a listing & overview in the event printed media, and on the PTO website. Event Sponsors will also be spotlighted with an overview at the beginning of the evening, as well as mentions and additional spotlights through the eight rounds.
Round Sponsors - $75: Round Sponsors will be able to support one or more of the eight rounds of the evening's trivia questions. Round sponsors will be spotlighted at the beginning of the round and listed as a round sponsor in the event's printed media and on the PTO website. Round sponsorship is a great opportunity for local business or family members looking to support our school and PTO efforts.
Are you looking for a way to help support at school? The following activities and efforts would love your support.
- Chess Club Supervision: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1-ASmCrfL4dSFY44wq170mE0MGRpnXRuRJ7_ZQGYC9FU/edit?usp=sharing
-Please note that volunteers for Chess Club must complete the Raptor security process through the district prior to volunteering.
- Teacher/Staff Birthday Month Treats: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080C44AEAD22A5F94-givens
- Room Parents: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1u6hwuW3iWmLp7bc_seaCOoaC4vMW3fRL6rzE-V0N5qg/edit?usp=sharing
Important Links For the Year
School Breakfast and Lunch for the 2023-2024 School Year
All students will have the option to bring their lunch from home or purchase a lunch from school each day. Breakfast is also an option for all students. Please take a minute to visit the links included below to learn more about our lunch program, options for purchase, and our menus.
Click Here For:
Directions on Completing the Application for Free or Reduced Lunch
News from the District
Interested in Learning More about Proposed Legislation that could Impact Public Education
District families who would be interested in learning more about legislation being proposed that would impact public education, including our district, we’re providing you with two opportunities to do so.
First, we are hosting three in-person meetings on the following Fridays from 8-9 a.m. at our district service center (3232 S. Brentwood Blvd): March 8, April 5, and May 10. Participants will learn about bills that have been proposed and/or are working their way through the legislative process. If you plan to attend, please make sure to bring a drivers license or MO ID so that you can be checked in through our visitor management system.
Next, we’re going to be sending out a regular email which will allow you to get updates on education-related bills being presented and discussed in Jefferson City. In order to not overwhelm our readers, it’s our intent for this communication to be no more than 1-2 pages in length. For this reason, we will limit the number of bills included in the weekly update.
In addition to the weekly communication, we will also provide readers with special legislative “alerts” so that one can be informed when significant action has been taken with a bill. In order to receive these updates, you must sign up here. Only those who join will receive the weekly updates and alerts.
Varsity Tutors Access for Webster Groves School District
The Webster Groves School District is excited to announce that we are partnering with a product funded by DESE (Department of Elementary and Secondary Education) called Varsity Tutors. Varsity Tutors is making the “Varsity Tutors for Schools” platform available to Missouri schools for the 2023-24 and 2024-25 school years at no cost. Varsity Tutors is excited to share this opportunity, aimed at positively impacting all Missouri K-12 students. Through Varsity Tutors students will have access to on demand help from experts 24/7 with chatting with experts, live classes, as well as individualized support. In addition, Varsity Tutors platform access includes free SAT and ACT prep classes, on-demand video lessons, and adaptive practice problems.
Learn more about the resources available and the company on the Varsity Tutors website here.
Learn where to find the Varsity Tutors application from a student’s Clever dashboard – Click here
Dr. Henry Givens Jr. Elementary School
Email: beechamjudge.malissa@wgmail.org
Website: https://www.webster.k12.mo.us/domain/142
Location: 701 North Rock Hill Road, St. Louis, MO, USA
Phone: 314-963-6460
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GivensElem