The Lumberjack Log; April 2024
Monthly Newsletter for our Woodside Families from Ms.Kolarik
Hello Woodside Families,
I hope our Lumberjacks' spring breaks are filled with all the good things in life. Though spring break does provide an opportunity for rest and recharge, anticipating not having the structure of school does provide stress from some and can result in an increase of less desired behaviors. One significant aspect I've observed over my 25+ years in public education is the evolving nature of student behaviors. While every child is unique, throughout society there is a rise in student mental health concerns and in unexpected behaviors that may not have been as prevalent in the past. Please join us to learn more about impact of screen time on student mental and behaviors at one of our family engagment nights on April 18. More details further in this newsletter.
That being said, I have also observed how resilient and empathetic our children and educators are and continue to be. When our Lumberjacks return, no doubt we will be ready for those that are refreshed and those that have a bit more struggle. While we strive to create a safe and conducive learning environment, it's important to acknowledge that challenges may arise. It's essential to understand that not every student responds to redirection or consequences in the same way. Each child brings a diverse set of experiences, needs, and challenges to the classroom, requiring us to approach behavior management with empathy, patience, and understanding. Our efforts throughout the year are focused not just on academic success but also on nurturing well-rounded people who are able to navigate the complexities of the world with confidence and resilience.
I appreciate your support, grace, understanding, and cooperation as we work diligently to help every student grow and thrive. As educators, we give so much of ourselves to our students and our work and your recognition and support of that is much appreciated.
I'm excited for this month for many reasons, and at the top of the list are the activties our staff have planned for April and beyond. As mentioned above, we will have another family engagement opportunity in the form of a parent education night on Thursday, April 18 (reminder no school for students due to the PD day on Friday, April 19).
I also want you to join us for our Family Fun Fest on Friday, May 3 from 4:45-7. We are still looking for volunteers to help out, so please see the flyer on how to help us out.
A couple of things to note;
- Wristbands are necessary to play the carnival games and the obstacle course. Each wristband is $10 and can be purchased that evening or for our Woodside families the week of April 8-19 (The pre-purchased wristbands will be sent home with your Lumberjack the week of the family fun fest).
- Cake walk, raffles, silent auction, and food are additional charges.
- This is a family event; all children must be with their adult.
- Please let your child's teacher know what and send the items in for the raffle baskets--thank you! (details previously sent home and below)
- We will need items for the cake walk. Forms will be sent home soon; if you are able to supply, please send back the form or let your child's classroom teacher know. (details previously sent home and below)
Yours in partnership,
Julie Kolarik, Principal
Our Outdoor Campus is Phenomenal!
Knowing how this will impact the lives of countless students and our community fills me with immense pride...but we are not done yet! We continue fundraising for the playground portions and the outdoor classroom portion of our OPLAC. Our local noon hour rotarians have generously donated a outdoor whiteboard, we have the concrete pad just about finished, and now we are hoping to move forward with the shelter portion.
- We will be continuing to take donations for our Outdoor Play Learning Activity Center(THANK YOU to those that have!) Those that donate over $125 will have their name as part of the permanent outdoor display. More details can be found by clicking here.
Class Placements for 24-25
Spring brings us to the time of year where we begin thinking about class placement for the next year. Parents and children often times anxiously await to find out who their teacher will be and hopefully, sharing the procedure and expectations will help to alleviate some of the anxiety as the wait until the end of the summer for class lists occurs. Several steps are taken regarding the placements of students in classrooms for the coming school year.
The unique needs of each individual student are considered as the class lists take shape. The teachers and other professionals that work with your child will be collaborating with administration in May and June to begin creating the new class lists. The lists are modified throughout the summer as students and staff transfer in and out. Our goal is to achieve the most appropriate and beneficial placement for all children.
We welcome you to participate in the placement process and communicate with your child's present teacher about your child's education needs and the types of education settings/opportunities you would like to see for him/her. Please know that your child's placement is a team decision with many factors taken into consideration and as such, we do not honor specific teacher requests. We ask that parents refrain from making specific teacher requests.
If you feel your child has specific needs to be considered for the regular education classroom beyond communicating with your child's present teacher, please write a letter with your student's needs and strengths and the types of settings/opportunities you would like to see for him/her and address it to Ms. Kolarik; the letter must be received prior to June 1st. Please do not request to have or not have specific teachers for your child, but rather focus on the educational considerations listed above. Written letters which include specific teacher's names will not be honored. If you have any questions, please contact Ms. Kolarik.
Thank you for your support so that we can make the best possible placements for all children.
State Testing Details: April
Please note the details which follow and apply to your child(ren). We encourage all families to schedule events and appointments around the scheduled testing dates. We have minimal make-up days restricted to a specific window scheduled for students who are ill or absent for unavoidable reasons.
We encourage all students to get a good night’s sleep the nights before each test and to eat a good breakfast. Also, students may perform better and with less anxiety if they are familiar with the format of the test and with the types of questions they will be required to answer. Though teachers will be going through the format prior to testing, you are welcome to review with your child too by clicking here. If you have questions or concerns regarding any of the tests mentioned below, please feel free to contact your child's teacher.
Testing Dates
- Third Grade: Completed in March
- Fifth Grade: April 1-12 (English Language Arts and Math Assessments)
- Fourth Grade: April 1-12 (English Language Arts, Math, Science, and Social Studies Assessments)
Strong Finish!
Often times, teachers reach out to families to have conversations, share student work, and/or meet to talk about student "glows and grows". Please know families can reach out too. If you have any questions about how your child is doing, please reach out to your child's teacher to discuss.
As always, thank you for your partnership as we work together to make your child’s Woodside experience the best it can be.
After School Pick Up Reminders
Our school day ends at 3:30 and though our pick up line is typically done in 10-15 minutes, we do have a significant number of people starting to form a line sometimes as early as 2:15. Law enforcement will be issuing citations if cars are parked along the yellow curbing on Two Mile Ave and are blocking traffic. An alternative would be to wait on 7th St until pickup or drop off begins to keep the flow on Two Mile moving. The city continues to look into other ideas.
K-12 Late Start Mondays for 24-25 School Year
Teaching and learning has evolved over time; from traditional chalkboard lectures to interactive digital classrooms, our landscape has undergone significant transformation. So to has our approach to teaching and learning. We want our students to have the social, emotional, and behavioral skills necessary to be a productive and positive part of our society. We want our students to not only absorb information but to think critically, collaborate, and problem solve in our ever changing technological world. Add to this the recent legislative changes (Act 20), it is so important for our professional staff to have time to engage in professional development, stay on top of effective instructional practices and technology--let alone time to do the planning necessary to integrate each of those aspects successfully into a school day.
We've been fortunate to start the late start process at Woodside (along with several other WRPS schools) and are excited for it to have evolved and become district wide for the 24-25 school year. This allows our educators the time and space to collaborate, reflect on their teaching practices, participate in training sessions, and many other topics related to addressing the evolving needs of our students. This investment in late start Monday's will ultimately better support your child's growth and development and help us achieve our vision for our students; Woodside will be a premier elementary school, where 100% of staff and students are thoughtfully engaged in academic, emotional, and social learning opportunities that provide growth for all. As a result our students are prepared for their secondary education and are active, positive, thoughtful members of our community.
Please click here to see Superintendent Broeren's letter that was sent out via Skylert in February for more details. Woodside and all of WRPS, appreciate your understanding and support as we strive to provide the best possible learning environment for all of our students.
Stay In "The Know"
- March 25-March 29: Spring Break; No School
- March 31; Last day to sign up for summer school (more information)
- April 3-20: 4th and 5th grade Forward Exam Testing
- April 8: Solar Eclipse--details from your child's teacher
- Monday, April 8-19-: Family Fun Fest Wristband Preorder Sale (Pre-order forms sent home 3/22/24; wristbands handed out week of fun fest, no returns)
- Thursday, April 18: Please send your raffle basket supplies to your classroom teacher (details below)
- Thursday, April 18: Parent Engagement Night 5:15-5:45 complimentary dinner; 5:45-6:30 presentation; screen time
- Friday, April 19: No School for Students (PD Day)
- Tuesday, April 30: Woodside Pride dress up day--wear your Woodside apparel/ colors (red/black, white) or WRPS apparel and colors (red/white)
News from Nurse Mandy
Happy April everyone!
Did you know that April is National Move More Month?
For children, play is a great form of hidden exercise! Children between 6-15 years should get at least 60 minutes of exercise per day. It can be done all at once or split up throughout the day. Some examples of physical play could include jumping rope, rollerblading, dancing, playing tennis, swimming or playing kickball. When participating in physical play activities children increase muscle strength and endurance, strengthen their bones and boost their metabolism. Children also refine and develop their motor fitness skills, such as speed, agility, power, coordination and balance. Keeping physically active can help children sleep better, reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression, and reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer. Physical activity has been shown to also help students in school. It can help improve cognitive performance and improve brain health.
With the weather turning warmer, many people are outside more and may notice an increase in allergy symptoms (congestion, runny nose, coughing, sneezing, itchy eyes, etc.) and asthma flare-ups. If you notice these symptoms in your child and they have no history of seasonal allergies or asthma, we encourage you to discuss the symptoms with their doctor, so you can determine if medication (whether over the counter or prescription) is needed. Also, please be sure to keep an eye on your student’s inhalers to be sure they are not expired and have enough puffs before an asthma attack occurs!
If you have any additional questions or concerns, please reach out!