PAW PRINTS
Winfield Elementary Newsletter - March 22, 2019
Winfield Elementary School Improvement Goals
All students will demonstrate measurable growth and achievement in reading.
All students will demonstrate measurable growth and achievement in mathematics.
All students will demonstrate growth in their social-emotional learning.
Winfield/Jerry Ross Again Named Indiana Four Star Schools!
Last week, the Indiana Department of Education announced the 2017-2019 Four Star Schools! As a feeder school to Jerry Ross, we share this honor with them. We were recognized with a commendation earlier this week at the School Board meeting. Thank you to our students, staff, and families for their continued pursuit of high achievement!
- A school must have received an “A” on the state’s A-F Accountability system for the 2017-2018 school year.
- A school must have tested at least 95% of students on ISTEP English/Language Arts and Math.
- Combined ISTEP Pass Percentage (Pass Percentage of English/Language Arts ISTEP + Pass Percentage of Math ISTEP) must be in Top 25th Percentile for each grade tested. (minimum of 10 students).
- Percent Passing Both ISTEP (Percent of students who passed both the English/Language Arts ISTEP + Math ISTEP) must be in the Top 25th Percentile for each grade tested. (minimum of 10 students).
From the Principal
What a chilly start to Spring Break! I am hoping that the coming days of rest are filled with some warmth and relaxation—even if only in your own home! This next week is perfect for students and parent to relax and recharge. For those on a “staycation” or an extended road trip, online learning is a perfect platform to stay sharp with the knowledge gained this school year. The school provides access some great programs. Check them out below!
RAZ-Kids: Access at https://www.raz-kids.com/main/Login. This site has hundreds of books
which engage students with animation and sound effects as they listen to fluent reading, record their own reading for practice, and take quizzes on what they read. Students earn stars for reading and quiz activity to spend equipping their own Raz Rocket. They also have access to collections of poetry books, song books, and nursery rhymes. Teachers have provided log-in info to each student.
DreamBox: Access at https://play.dreambox.com/login/awvg/winfieldes or from our school’s
homepage. DreamBox Learning provides a deeply personalized online math learning experience that differentiates content, pace, and sequence for the highest levels of student achievement. Powered by Intelligent Adaptive Learning™ technology, DreamBox Learning combines rigorous elementary math, an engaging, game-like learning environment and real-time feedback for each student. It motivates and guides all levels of learners to persist, progress, and achieve math proficiency. The result is increased achievement, deep understanding, and life-long confidence in math.
Another program that some teachers have used is Xtra Math. You can check this site out at https://xtramath.org/ . This free program helps students master basic math facts by working a few minutes each day. If your child's teacher has not introduced this resource, parents can sign up for a free account, too!
However your child chooses to learn online, it is important that the adults in their lives monitor their progress. Though technology has a myriad of benefits, it also can cause worry for parents. My five and nine year olds are obsessed with everything technology related. To ease my mind, I installed parental controls on the iPad which limit which sites they have access to. I also frequently check our browser’s history to make sure they don't inadvertently end up on an inappropriate website. Please consider protecting your child by checking out the restrictions on their devices. Knowledge is certainly power—and we want our students to have the age-appropriate knowledge they deserve!
Contact Information:
Jillian Alonzo, Principal
663-2287 ext. 19001
Wildcat News Network 3.21.19
Best In Region Voting- 2 Weeks Left!
Let’s make it ten years in a row!!! Voting for the Times Best in the Region 2019 has started. Time to vote for “Best Place to Live” Crown Point as the vote that represents Crown Point Community School Corporation. Let us make Crown Point the 2019 winner. We won 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018. Let’s show pride in our community and its schools for the 10th time in a row! A powerful marketing statement is a click away.
Go to http://nwitimes.secondstreetapp.com/l/Times-of-Northwest-Indianas-Best-Of-The-Region-2019 register/login, click on the “Living” category, and cast your vote. Votes are limited to one vote per award category per user, and you can vote for just this one category without completing the whole ballot.
Help us celebrate our GREAT TEACHERS...
It takes moments to recognize a teacher!
Students, parents, and fellow colleagues can access The Times Teacher Appreciation Form at www.nwitimes.com/forms/teachers_appreciation/ and nominate a teacher who excels in the classroom. Nominators are kept confidential…their information is not printed in the paper.
Home-School Connections
Families are busy during spring break either at home or traveling. This website shares some great Social Emotional Games to play or an idea of "play" interactions with one another.
https://confidentparentsconfidentkids.org/kid-resources/games/ Some examples from the website are found below:
SELF-AWARENESS
Charades (non-competitive): Expand categories and think of animals, insects or vacation destinations to act out for one another with no teams and the simple enjoyment of nonverbal acting and guessing.
I Spy Interesting People: Identifying feelings is critical for each child when he or she is trying to become self-aware to be able to communicate her needs and challenges and to develop into her own best problem solver. This is a spin on a favorite game. I spy with my little eye a person who is…happy…sad…bored…frustrated…excited…silly. Try to expand a child’s feelings vocabulary by adding in creative or lesser discussed emotions such as disgusted, peppy, or inspired. (A great resource is the poster “How are you feeling today?” by Jim Borgman)
Creature Sightings: See how many creatures your child can spot outside, including birds, rodents, and insects and keep a running list with photos or drawings.
Teddy Bear Tea Party: Have your child set the table with your help for the party. When ready, invite his favorite stuffed animals to join you. Let your child lead the pretend play. Encourage him to teach his guests the rules of the party. Have him serve each of his guest and perhaps, suggest a toast or speech.
Create Your Own Feelings Poster: Have child/children brainstorm feeling words and write each word on an index card. Organize the words alphabetically, record those words on the poster paper under the appropriate letter labels. Expand the chart by reading sentences and having the child identify the feeling words for the particular “trigger”: When someone pushes me, I feel...When I make a mistake, I feel...When I finish a project, I feel...When I help someone and they say thanks, I feel ...When someone won’t share with me, I feel...When someone will share with me, I feel...When someone smiles at me, I feel... When I get a snack I didn’t expect, I feel... Use and add to the poster to help children name their feeling. Draw faces with expressions to match the feelings. Come up with more trigger phrases and feeling words together.
SELF-MANAGEMENT
Balloon Bop: All should stand in a circle with chairs and all obstructions behind them. Participants need to link arms (holding hands is another alternative). A balloon (not helium) is passed into the circle and participants need to keep it up and inside the circle for as long as possible without unlinking arms or letting it touch the ground.
Twister: Five and six-year-olds love this game! Throw the matt out on the floor. Have each player take turns with their moves versus all moving at once to get practice with turn taking. An adult will likely need to spin and provide support with left and right directions. Giggles always ensue.
Alphabet or Word Treasure Hunt for Young Children: This is a good indoor game and great for young children who are learning letters or words. Write each letter of the alphabet on single index cards, one per card. Tape a letter or word card to an object that begins with that letter. For example, the “P” card gets taped to the piano. Place the cards all over the house. You can make the placement of the cards easy or hard to find depending upon what kind of challenge you anticipate will be enjoyable for your child. Give your child a full alphabet as a reference throughout the game (if finding letters) and also a gift bag to collect the cards. Now hunt! Each time your child finds a card, in order to “claim the prize,” (a.k.a. put it in his gift bag) he must name the letter (or word). If he cannot, no problem. Look and sing through his alphabet reference and find it together or sound out the word.
Contact Information:
Kelly Mucha, Home-School Facilitator
663-2287 ext. 19108
Junior Achievement Volunteers!
Have fun while bringing real life experiences to our students this spring! Junior Achievement focuses on financial literacy, work readiness, and entrepreneurship and provides all the tools you’ll need for a great experience. You’ll just need to commit to about 1 hour per week for 5 weeks. You’ll coordinate a time that works best for you and your assigned teacher. New volunteers will participate in a one hour orientation/training prior to program start. This orientation will be held on Thursday, April 4th at 4:15 pm here at Winfield Elementary. No experience is necessary!
Please contact your child's teacher ASAP if you are interested in being the volunteer!
Questions or like to attend the training? Contact our JA Representative, Mary Burke mburke@jachicago.org or 219-276-5055. Thank you for making a difference!
PBIS: Positive Behavior Intervention and Support
The Indiana Department of Education’s Office of School Improvement has recently developed and adopted Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Competencies which includes sensory motor integration, insight, regulation, and collaboration. With emphasis placed on these four new SEL competencies, Indiana is making itself a pioneer while showing our country the importance of whole-child learning. As a parent and educator, I am ecstatic for the precedence of importance this shows for the social emotional learning and health of our students. Over the next few weeks, I will be sharing information on each of these four competencies with you.
Contact Information:
Brandy Sims, Positive Behavior Coach
663-2287 ext. 19602
Book Fair Week: April 22-26
Our Spring Book Fair is around the corner, we are looking for parent volunteers to help our students with their shopping experience. If you would like to help, please click on the click below and sign up a time that best fits your schedule. We appreciate all that our wonderful parents do for our students and school. Hope to see you at the Book Fair which will be running from April 22- April 26th. Thanks! http://rt2-m.message.scholastic.com/nl/jsp/m.jsp?c=%40xx%2FHIxYrpbWxHGT45yNkVW0%2B%2FkBtzJN7h9jtMP9qNk0%3D
Contact Information:
Paula Poer, Media Specialist
663-2287 ext. 19111
From the Nurse
Planning on enjoying a “Staycation” for spring break? Spring break is a perfect opportunity to rest, refuel, relax and maybe get in a bit of spring cleaning! Take a few minutes to toss those tired winter coats, blankets and back packs in the washing machine. This is a great way to rid those items of the winter germs. Also a thorough cleaning of the high traffic areas of the house (kitchens/bathrooms) can benefit of some germ-removal with a good cleaning with bleach/water or antibacterial cleaner. Whatever your spring break plans are- enjoy! Stay safe , relax and take some time to make some great family memories!
Contact Information:
Lori Taylor, Nurse
663-2287 ext. 19081
School Attendance
If your child will be absent from school, please notify the office before 9 am. You may also email: winfieldattendance@cps.k12.in.us. Please include your child's name, date of absence, and reason for absence. Please limit voluntary absences.
School Hours 9:05 am-3:44 pm
*ALL TRANSPORTATION CHANGES MUST BE CALLED INTO THE OFFICE BEFORE 3 PM.
All children are dismissed through the car rider line. Parents do not come inside the building during dismissal. Please review the Arrival/Dismissal Map here: Traffic Map. Traffic flow has gone very well the past few days! Please remember to remain in your vehicle to speed up the flow of traffic. If your child need your assistance fastening a seatbelt/car seat, kindly pull into a parking space before your exit your car.
Note: If you are a car rider, we will provide your with a nameplate for your dashboard. Please ensure this nameplate is present every day at pickup to expedite the line.
The school office is open daily from 7:30 am-4:30 pm. If you have Transportation questions after hours, please call 219-663-1465.
HELP WANTED!
Crown Point Schools Transportation Department will start training for school bus drivers and special needs monitors in February. Full training is provided for sub bus drivers and sub special needs monitors who enjoy competitive pay, summer and holidays off and the potential for full time work. Please apply online at https://intranet.cps.k12.in.us/rdsonlineapp/default.asp
Important Dates
March
25-29- Spring Break; No School
April
5- End of 3rd Grading Period
12- First Grade Music Program
15-17- Winfield Kindergarten Screening
19- Good Friday; No School
25- Creative Arts Fair 5-7 pm
26- Grandparent's Day
From the Cafeteria
Understanding the Lunch Line: A Parent's Guide
Meal Prices
Student Breakfast: $1.50 Student Lunch: $2.25 Milk Only: $0.40
Funding Cafeteria Accounts
- Send cash or check payable to Winfield Elementary Cafeteria in a sealed envelope with your child' name, teacher, $ amount, and "Cafeteria" clearly written on the front.
- Payments may also be made online by visiting www.mymealtime.com. The required passcode is the same as the child's Student ID in RDS.
Do you enjoy working with kids and love great hours? We are looking for new food service team members. If you are interested in learning more, please call Pam Maloney 662-6480.
Contact Information:
Polly Smith, Cafeteria Manager
663-2287 ext. 19603
Nutrition Nuggets
Students with healthy eating and exercise habits have higher test scores, better attendance, improved concentration, fewer discipline referrals, and greater overall achievement. Nutrition Nuggets shares ideas to improve nutrition and physical fitness at home. Every issue is filled with practical ideas for:
- preparing nutritious meals on a tight schedule and tight budget
- smart snacking
- finding time for exercise—and ways to make it fun
- boosting vegetables and whole grains
- making nutritious foods appealing
- physical activities families can do together
- teaching kids about healthy choices
You can access the latest edition here: Nutrition Nuggets-February
Cafeteria Menu: Week of April 1
MONDAY
Breakfast: Breakfast Pizza OR Breakfast Bar/Cereal
Lunch: Cheeseburger Deluxe OR Fruit & Granola Parfait, Baked Beans, Fresh Peppers, Mandarin Oranges
TUESDAY
Breakfast: Pancake Wrap OR French Toast Bites
Lunch: Chicken Tenders, Mac & Cheese, Lean Green Beans, Rocket Red Peppers,
Yummy Pears
WEDNESDAY
Breakfast: Breakfast Sandwich OR Confetti Pancakes
Lunch: Corn Dog OR Grilled Cheese, Smiley Fries, Fresh Broccoli Florets, Golden Peaches
THURSDAY
Breakfast: Breakfast Burrito OR Whole Grain Donuts
Lunch: Popcorn Chicken, Rice, Oriental Sauce Optional, Tiny Tree Top Broccoli,
Crispy Garden Salad, Pineapple Tidbits
FRIDAY
Breakfast: Whole Grain Muffins OR Cereal/Poptart
Lunch: Pizza OR Ravioli, Corn, Carrot Sticks, Applesauce, Roll
Birthday Celebrations
As a school we believe it is important to recognize students on their birthdays. To protect instructional time in the classroom and manage student health needs, we do not allow edible birthday treats in the classroom (this includes CANDY in treat bags). Your child's birthday will be announced on the morning announcements and he/she is invited to the office for a small birthday treat.
If you choose, non-food items may be substituted your child may commemorate their special day by bringing a small treat for their classmates (pencil, bookmark, sticker, etc.) or dedicating a book to the classroom (and placing a special birthday bookplate inside).
OPTIONAL: Families wishing to celebrate their child's birthdays at lunch may purchase Ice Cream Tickets for each child in the class. Tickets are $0.75 each. Please complete an order form in the office 1 week prior to birthday.
2019-2020 Kindergarten Registration
Registration is now ongoing. Please call the school office schedule an appointment. Kindergarten students must be five (5) years of age on or before August 1, 2019 in order to enroll for the 2019-20 school year. It is not mandatory for students to come with their parents to registration, but they are welcome.
The following documents are required at the time of registration:
1. Child’s certified birth certificate (not hospital certificate)
2. Immunization record
3. Child’s Social Security Card
4. Three documents from the following are required to prove residency: utility bills (NIPSCO, Water) deed or mortgage statement, or Lake County Tax Bill.
In addition, a driver’s license or state photo ID with the current address is required to prove residency.
CAFE Corner
THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!
Thank you to everyone who supported Winterfest last month! Our PROFITS were almost $20,000! It was a fun-filled family night for all!
We couldn't have done this without so many wonderful volunteers! Thank you to these folks who took on some lead planning and executing: Mark and Kelly Baer, Jennifer Jongsma, Adrienne Leluga, Carrie Josleyn, Nicole Kadelak, Jodie Paape, Ash Parulekar, Stacy Kowalczyk, Dawn Rowinski, Renee Clayton, Darlene Vassil, Nicole Szypczak, Brandy Sims, Kelly Tillger
We are so excited for next year (and will need MANY volunteers to make it happen) that we've set a date! SAVE THE DATE: FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2020!
Midwest Gymnastics
Join us on Saturday, April 6th at Midwest Gymnastics on Summit Street for a fun drop-off event. Students may be dropped off from 7-9pm for $10 and enjoy trampolines, foam pit, tumbling tracks and more! Supervision is provided by volunteers from the CAFE. Please direct any questions to Kim Neff at kimneff31@yahoo.com.
Extracurricular & Community Offerings
Ignite Elite Volleyball (located in Crown Point) will have a 6 session volleyball clinic on Sundays starting April 14th. You can find more information and register at the link provided. https://www.ignite-elite.com/youthprograms
The CPHS Latin Program is offering its 17th annual summer Latin experience to students enrolled in 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, or 7th grade. This week-long camp will run at CPHS from 8:00 to 11:30 a.m. daily during the week of July 8-12. Students will participate in six different sessions each day that will allow them to learn a little Latin as well as extend their knowledge about the ancient Roman civilization and culture (history, mythology, art, etc.). The cost is $55 with a registration deadline of June 3. Additional information is available online here: http://tinyurl.com/LatinSummerFlyer2019. The registration form is available here: http://tinyurl.com/CPLatinSummer.
Special Olympics Fundraiser
Disability Awareness
Yoga For A Cause
Winfield Elementary
Email: jalonzo@cps.k12.in.us
Website: www.cps.k12.in.us/Domain/843
Location: 13128 Montgomery Street, Crown Point, IN, United States
Phone: 219-663-2287
Twitter: @WinfieldElem