The Wonderful World of Woodbury
February 2020
And Now, A Word From Our Principal...
Dear Woodbury Families,
Have you ever seen those GINORMOUS Foil Wrapped Hershey Kisses? I wonder still how many people kick their feet up on the couch and just gnaw on one of those. Valentines Day....oh, the foil wrapped chocolate roses, sheets of baked cookies, paper hearts and Valentines galore, and even wrapped wet paper towels beneath a bouquet of flowers or dandelions. It's the best...
I vividly remember my kindergarten Valentine's Day in Mr. Shrock's class here at Woodbury. You see, my mom made those ice cream cone cupcakes, chocolate and vanilla with pink frosting on top. And I, of course, would come down with chicken pox that day. I remember the disappointment, but I also remember that my brother and sister and I got to eat ALL of that deliciousness. I am not sure if that is when my love of all things sweet and sugary began, but it has stuck with me for a lifetime and I am certain has been passed on to my daughter.
In grade school, I remember getting time to make Valentine's Day mailboxes from an empty shoe box. Wrapping it with paper and decorating it with folded paper hearts. Learning how to fold the paper just right and draw a half a heart to cut out and open to see if it actually looked like a heart. Spending time at home writing each classmates name store bought paper Valentines.
I loved Valentine’s Day...It brought out the LOVE in our classroom and reinforced showing kindness to others- a place in time where we could tell our friends how much we appreciated them. Of course it doesn’t take Valentine’s Day to remind us of the need to communicate kindness. We can recognize and acknowledge the goodness in each other on a daily basis. Being inclusive at our school is as meaningless as the message on a candy heart if we don’t show it through actions and words. Every day can be like Valentine's Day through our effort to show respect to each other and even by being kind to ourselves. We can show pride and love for our school by helping keep it clean, being courteous as we travel our hallways, and by making safe choices at recess. It can also be shown in our commitment to show up each day ready to learn and contribute to making Woodbury a great place to be.
One needs only to spend a little time at our school to see the hugs galore, the day to day dialogue with our students about their daily lives, witness the supportive acts of staff and how everyone is always there to lend a hand or problem solve at the drop of a hat, the gratitude our parents have bestowed upon us, marvel at our daily volunteers, attend a PPA event, or participate in the many events or activities to see that huge hearts are alive and well in our learning community. In our first home I had a variation of this displayed in our kitchen...
Love grows best in little schools, with fewer walls to separate,
Where you play and learn so close together, you can’t help but communicate.
And if we had more room between us, think of all we’d miss.
Love grows best in little schools just like this.
May our hearts continue to shine and may every day be Valentine’s Day!
With kindness,
Mrs. Kern
What's New...
City of Sandwich Approves Truancy Ordinance
We all know optimal learning takes place when students attend school on a regular basis. When students are not in school on a regular basis and the absences are unexcused, the DeKalb County Regional Office of Education intervenes. To assist with their intervention, the City of Sandwich has approved a truancy ordinance reinforcing the importance of students attending school on a daily basis. Click here to read the truancy ordinance.
Text Message Notifications
Parents & Guardians,
Sandwich CUSD #430 is preparing to rollout SMS or text messaging notification for reminders, emergency and other notifications. Prior to using this method of communication, the district will be sending an email to parents containing instructions for sending an Opt-In text message to a Group code.
The Opt-In must be done from the mobile device that is to receive these messages in order to begin receiving them. Also, the number for this mobile device must be included in your child’s parent profile in the Tyler Parent portal. Please contact your child’s attendance center for updating this information.
Sandwich CUSD #430
News From the Nurse
Here are some links to ways your family can increase their daily heart-healthy activities: Motivating Kids to be Physically Active From KidsHealth.org - Tips for motivating school-age kids to be physically active. From U.S. Dept of Health and Human Services - An interactive way to meet the goal of 60 minutes of daily activity for kids ages 6-17. Dental Reminder: Completed Proof of School Dental Exam forms are required for current Kindergarten and second grade students by May 15, 2020. If you are unable to obtain the required dental exam, please complete the Dental Exam Waiver Form.
News from PE
Reporting Absences
SANDWICH CUSD #430 WELLNESS FAIR
The Family Wellness Fair, hosted by Sandwich CUSD #430, is coming soon! On Thursday, February 20, 2020, our first Family Wellness Fair will be held in the Sandwich Middle School from 6pm-8pm, and it is a totally free event for all ages. We have many categories that will be represented for overall health. The categories include: Faith/Spiritual, Physical, Mental/Emotional, Nutritional, Social, Intellectual, Environmental, and Financial health. Representation will include local community services, businesses, and organizations, as well as county services and organizations. Free vision screening for individuals 6 months through adults will be available. Blood pressure screening will also be available for those attending the event. There will be a variety of door prizes and a 50/50 raffle. When you arrive, you will be given a tote bag to use as you visit the many tables and booths. This is a great opportunity for our community to come see what is available and learn more about what our town and neighboring areas have to offer. We hope to see you there!
Tips for Surviving School Field Trips
Be sure that your volunteer form is on file in our office. All volunteers are screened through a district process.
We know things happen, but if you can't make it, please let us know ahead of time. It is sometimes tough to tell a child their parent/guardian cannot make it at the last minute.
Feel free to ask questions or clarify procedures or expectations. We want you to enjoy your time while also lending a helping hand.
Supervision is important especially when we are on larger outings or in bigger locations. Resist the urge to be on your cell phone too much and enjoy the time with your student. Even though bus rides can be long, encourage games and other dialogue on the commute. We know that sometimes students are allowed access to a cell phone on the way home, but cell phone use must be supervised keeping in mind that not all children are allowed the same access/content that you may allow your own child. Often children are just one click away from viewing something that may scare them or cause anxiety.
Thank you for all of your help!!
Late to School?
February For the Fridge
Woodbury Elementary School
Email: jkern@sandwich430.org
Website: https://ww.sandwich430.org/
Location: 322 E 3rd St, Sandwich, Illinois, USA
Phone: 815-786-6316
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wwwoodburyschool/
Twitter: @Woodbury430