Wolf Cub Press
December 15, 2022
Happy Holidays!
I hope everyone has a fun and safe holiday and a restful break. We are hoping that this break allows everyone to get healthy so that we can start off strong in January! Please take a look at this newsletter, as there are some important updates. Feel free to reach out with any questions you may have.
Have a great holiday!
~Kelli Colarusso
Snow Clothing
Preparing for the Feast
Decorations for the Feast
Thanksgiving Feast
Important Dates
December 22nd-30th - Holiday Recess - No School
January 9th - Washington School Board Meeting 6:00pm in the art room
January 11th - Early Release for Students - Dismissal starts at 1:05pm for Bus 73 (Bus 1), followed by parent pick up at 1:10pm and Bus 74 (Bus 2).
January 16th - MLK Jr./Civil Rights Day - No School
February 1st - Early Release for Students - Dismissal starts at 1:05pm for Bus 73 (Bus 1), followed by parent pick up at 1:10pm and Bus 74 (Bus 2).
February 14th - Washington School District Public Hearing and Board Meeting - 6:00pm
February TBA - Many of you have asked about a holiday program. We are not quite ready to perform at this point in time, but I do have plans to showcase what we've been learning in music some time in February. I will keep you updated!
New Calendar on Website
Spring Event Dates
April 7th - Circus Residency Demo Show - Families will be invited - 1:00pm
May 5th - *Tentatively* Children's Stage Adventures Performance - This theatre residency program includes each student in our school. Children's Stage Adventures is a long-standing tradition at WES but was rescheduled multiple times due to Covid-19. There have been some changes in the company but it is our hope that we will be able to have this residency May 1st-5th. If that happens, the show will be the evening of May 5th.
May 25th - Creativity Family Event - We were very fortunate to receive a grant that includes a visit from author Peter Reynolds, workshops for students, teacher professional development, and animation software that will be used during students' specials time. This programming also includes a family event on the evening of May 25th. Please save the date!
Pokemon Cards - Thank you!
Emergency Management
SAU #34 has adopted the Standard Response Protocol for emergency situations. Please review the handout below to learn more about the types of drills we may be practicing this year. Feel free to talk with your children about these drills, and please reach out to me with any questions.
We will have a "HOLD!" drill next week and teachers have already talked about this with their students. Any time we do a drill other than a fire drill (EVACUATE!), students will be notified that it is a drill at the moment of the drill. Teachers debrief in an age-appropriate manner with their students after drills as well.
Throwing and Catching
Closing Circle
Chris Van Dusen Virtual Visit
7 Habits of Wolf Leaders
During November and December, students will be learning about Habit #1 - Be Proactive and Habit #3 - Put First Things First. Here is some student-friendly language to help you reinforce the habits at home:
Habit 1 - Be Proactive:
- I take initiative.
- I am a responsible person.
- I do not blame others for my mistakes.
- I choose my actions and attitudes.
- I am a Transition Person. (Students will learn what this means during specific lessons.)
Habit 3 - Put First Things First:
- My spend my time on my highest priorities.
- I say no to time-wasters.
- I make a schedule and stick to it.
- I get assignments done on time.
- I am organized.
HOWLer Awards
At the end of the month, all students who received a HOWLer award will be put into a drawing to have lunch with our local police officers. We will be combining November and December because they are such short months. Moving forward, we will be choosing 1 student from each class for the lunches.
We hope this helps students understand that ANYONE can be a leader when they are following the 7 Habits of Wolf Leaders.
Handle with Care Notes
Teachers will follow up with an update about how your student's day went but we do not need more information other than to know how your student is doing in the coming days. We hope that this helps bridge communication between the school and families in order to best support all children.
Community Resource Highlight
August's Highlight: West Central Behavioral Health
September's Highlight: 211 NH
October's Highlight: Washington Welfare Office and Holiday Gift Program
November's highlight: Healthy Starts
This month's highlight: Sullivan County Conservation District
Sullivan County Conservation District
From their website: "Sullivan County Conservation District (SCCD) offers a variety of environmental resources and opportunities to help support Sullivan County schools, teachers, farmers, growers, and organizations & individuals related to conservation of natural resources and agricultural lands and place-based ecology education (PBEE).
Our goal is to connect residents to our local lands and help each one develop an understanding of the natural ecosystems we are a part of, an appreciation for the beauty that surrounds us and the natural resources that sustain us, and foster a sense of place and stewardship ethic."
Sullivan County Conservation District works with our school closely to provide experiences for students as well as professional development for teachers. Families can get involved by attending board meetings, following them on Facebook and trying some of the activities they share, and/or attending an event that they sponsor. Check out their website for more information!
Washington School District Family Handbook
Food Service
Breakfast: $1.50
Lunch: $2.60
Milk: $0.40
Reduced Breakfast: $0.00
Reduced Lunch: $0.40
We encourage ALL families to fill out the free and reduced lunch application. This application helps our school obtain federal grant money which funds our Early Learning program, special programs for students, and training for teachers. Without this funding, these programs would not be possible with our current budget. If you do not think you would qualify or you do not want to use the free/reduced lunch service, we understand but still ask that you fill out the application.
You can apply online here: https://secure.ezmealapp.com/ApplicationScreen.aspx
A paper application is attached and will be sent home on the first day of school.
How to Pay for Lunch:
Each week, Barbara Jackson will send home envelopes with your child's balance written on it. Please return the envelope with cash or check payable to Washington School District with enough money for that week's meals. Please also indicate which days your child will be getting lunch to help Barbara plan. Thank you!
New Student Registration
Communication
If there are changes to your child's dismissal routine, please make sure to leave a message on the office phone before 2:30pm, as opposed to emailing Dawn or the teacher. Our teachers often do not have time to check their emails throughout the day and may miss the message, so a phone call is best. Please do not leave messages about dismissal or absences on the school Facebook page or any staff member's personal Facebook page.
In the event that internet is down, our phones are also down. We do have one emergency phone to use if this happens. The number for that phone is 603-495-0187. There is no way to leave a message on this line. Please only use this number if you try the main line and it does not ring or gives you a busy signal.
If there's ever anything we can do to improve our communication, please let us know!
Need to contact me?
Email: kcolarusso@hdsd.org
Website: https://www.hdsd.org/Domain/200
Phone: 603-495-3463
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Washington-Elementary-School-110720773888378
Twitter: @MrsColarussoWES