WHES Community News
Week of January 15, 2024
WHES Mission and Vision
Our mission is why we exist:
To inspire a contagious spark for learning and empower students to reach their full potential – one relationship at a time.
Our vision is how we accomplish goals:
To establish Windy Hill Elementary School as a leading educational institution within CCPS. At WHES, we will uphold a commitment to fostering a sense of belonging with a strategic focus on systems that ensure continuous growth for all community members. At WHES, all members of the community will make an unparalleled, collaborative effort to inspire a contagious spark for learning and ensure all students achieve success.
Important Dates
January
15 – Schools Closed for MLK, Jr. Day
16 - Mental Health Awareness Workshop at NHS (see flyer below)
19 – End of Q2
22 – 2-hour Late Arrival (TWT)
26 – Q2 Report Cards Distributed
February
16 – No Students for Parent Conferences / Professional Learning
19 – Schools Closed for President's Day
23 – WHES Evening Art Show
Spotlight on Learning
SECAC Awards
The Calvert County Special Education Citizens' Advisory Committee (SECAC) invites parents and guardians to nominate the CCPS staff member (individual or team) who has made a difference in the life of your child with an IFSP, IEP or 504 accommodation plan in the 2023-2024 school year. Review the attachment to nominate someone from our WHES team who may have made a difference for your student! OR vote here: https://forms.office.com/r/tRRfpCPmPYPlease
Safety in the Parking Lot
Daily Car Riders
- Please take time to cross through the crosswalks, safely:
- Leave through the side cafeteria doors
- Use the sidewalk to walk to the crosswalk
- Cross the lot & street only through the crosswalks
Goal Setting
As mid school year is approaching, it's a good time to review expectations with your child and discuss the goals you and they have for their school year. In a world of instant gratification, the idea of productive struggle is necessary to help students learn persistence and perseverance. We see students who display behaviors when things are not instantly easy.
Here's an article that might be useful to help set a goal for home:
Counselor's Corner
Acceptance
Here at school, we are very busy learning about acceptance- what it means, why it's important and how we can include others! Learning happens best when it is done both at school and at home. Below are many ways that you can help your child to continue to learn about the theme of acceptance, through reading about it, talking about it, and practicing it! We are really enjoying exploring this topic at school and we hope your family will enjoy it just as much!
Read About It
Here are some books to help learn more about acceptance:
· A Rainbow of Friends By P.K Hallinan
· Whoever You Are By Mem Fox
· Strictly No Elephants By Lisa Mantchev
· The Name Jar By Yangsook Choi
Talk About It
Here are some discussion points to help you talk about acceptance with your child:
· What do you think acceptance means and why is it important?
· What is one way you can show acceptance at school?
· What is one way you can show acceptance outside of school?
· Has anyone ever made you feel accepted? Tell me about it.
· Have you ever felt left out or discriminated against? Tell me about it.
· What would the world look like if everyone was the same?
🚌 Bus Memo for Students and Families ❗
Upcoming Community Events
Ross Greene Book Study
Please find information attached about the upcoming book study. We will be reading Lost at School by. Dr. Ross Greene and it is open to parents and staff.
Saturdays from 9-10am:
January 27th, 2024 – Chapters 1 & 2
February 3rd, 2024 – Chapters 3 & 4
February 10th, 2024 – Chapters 5 & 6
February 24th, 2024 – Chapters 7-9
NHS Poms and Dance Clinic
The Northern High School Patriot Poms Dance Team is hosting their annual Poms and Dance Clinic on Saturday, January 20th from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. for students in grades 3-8. Girls participating will have the opportunity to perform at the Friday, January 26th Varsity Girls Basketball game with the current NHS Patriot Poms. Register by January 12th for a reduced registration fee. Late and walk-in registrations will be accepted.
Summer Meals Survey
Procedural Reminders
⭐ Arrival/Dismissal Procedures Reminder⭐
✔️ Vehicles illegally parked in handicapped spots, bus lanes, or other areas NOT designated for parking will be fined or towed. Please park responsibly and avoid these areas.
✔️ Students dropped off after 9:25 a.m. will need to be signed in at the school office. Staff cannot receive students in the parking lot after 9:25.
🚗 Arrival/Drop Off Procedures: (REPEAT)
- There will be two (2) drop-off lanes in all three rows of the parking lot (white arrows).
- Please do not arrive in parking lot prior to 9:00 to support traffic flow.
- Staff will be out to receive students starting at 9:15. Please wait for staff/safety monitor's signal to release your students.
- Students will walk towards the school using the cross walk with the support of safety monitors.
- Once all of the cars in a row are unloaded, staff will direct each lane to exit, please look out for the stop/slow signs. Only one row at a time will be dismissed by staff.
- Any students arriving after the arrival window of 9:15 - 9:25 will be required to park in the elementary / middle school parking lot. Parents/Guardians must accompany their students safely by walking from their vehicle into the main office. Please do not park on the “downhill” at any time (red bar/ bus exit route). All parking MUST be in parking spots.
🚗 Dismissal/Pick up:(REPEAT)
- For all car riders, the arrival window for pickup is 3:55 - 4:05. Park your car in either the WHES parking lot or if all spaces are full, the overflow lot at WHMS and walk up to the cafeteria/ external side entry door, marked by the location arrow, below.
- If parking at WHMS, you may walk along the dotted lines as pictured. There is a crosswalk in the WHES parking lot that should be used for parents/guardians parking in this lot for pickup.
- Car Rider pickup will be at the side/external entry door of the cafeteria. Counselors and supporting staff will check your ID at this side door and present you with a card for the number of students you will be picking up. Parents/guardians will then wait for students to be called for dismissal. We are able to manage Non-Daily Car Riders but we are still not able to accommodate Drop in, Surprise Car Riders after 3:45 p.m.
- Parents/Guardians must support safety by accompanying their children to their cars using the cross walks and designated spaces, below. Please be mindful of safety & staff supporting to ensure this is a successful process
Lunchroom Monitor Needed!
We are in need of a lunchroom monitor. Hours are 11:30 am - 2 pm. Please apply if interested. Lunchroom Monitor - WHES
Substitute Positions at WHES!
Interested in a substitute position at Windy Hill Elementary School? Come join our team! Please email Ms. Schmidt if you are interested or have already completed the application process at the CCPS website.
Apply online
♥️Volunteers♥️
We LOVE our Volunteers and couldn't do without YOU!
EVERYONE must reapply for being a volunteer. The system was cleared out and you must reapply each year. Remember, if you want to be a chaperone or work events, you must be approved. If you are an employee of CCPS, you still need to complete the volunteer process for participation in events at school.
Even if you are not sure if you will be able to attend anything, please sign up early. Here’s the CCPS link of info:
Become a Volunteer - Calvert County Public School District (calvertnet.k12.md.us)
Wizard Need to Knows
Absent Note Template
I am happy to introduce our 2023-2024 PTO Board.
President
Holly Norton
Vice President
Destiny Sweeney
Secretary
Michele Katsaris
Staff Member at Large
Theresa Flaim
Treasurer
Paul Krutsch
Click here to learn more about our PTO Board.
Additional Information and Resources Previously Shared
For information about family events and youth activities taking place in our community, visit www.calvertnet.k12.md.us/flyers. Please note: These events and activities are not sponsored by the Calvert County Board of Education or Calvert County Public Schools. We provide equal opportunities to outside agencies to distribute materials that offer opportunities to students and/or their parents, but that permission should not be considered a recommendation or endorsement by the school district.
Nondiscrimination Statement
Calvert County Public Schools does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, ancestry or national origin, familial status, marital status, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, or genetic information in its programs and activities and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. The following persons have been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies:
- Director of Student Services
- Director of Human Resources
443-550-8000
For further information on notice of non-discrimination, visit the Office for Civil Rights Complaint Assessment System at: https://ocrcas.ed.gov or call 1-800-421-3481.
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Anti-sexual, Anti-racial and Anti-disability Harassment Statement
Discrimination can manifest itself in behaviors such as bullying, harassment, or intimidation of individuals.
Calvert County Public Schools does not tolerate any form of harassment including, but not limited to, sexual, racial, or disability. Any individual (student, employee, or community member) who believes that he or she has been subjected to any form of harassment is encouraged to report the allegation of harassment. Students, parents, and community members may report allegations of harassment to: Ms. Cecelia Lewis, Director of Student Services, Calvert County Public Schools, 1305 Dares Beach Road, Prince Frederick, MD 20678
Employees may report allegations of harassment to: Mr. Zachary Seawell, Director of Human Resources, Calvert County Public Schools, 1305 Dares Beach Road, Prince Frederick, MD 20678.
Calvert County Public Schools is committed to conducting a prompt investigation for any allegation of harassment. If harassment has occurred, the individual will be disciplined promptly. Disciplinary actions for students found to have engaged in any form of harassment may result in suspension or expulsion. Disciplinary actions for employees found to have engaged in any form of harassment may result in suspension or termination.
Calvert County Public Schools encourages all students, parents, employees, and community members to work together to prevent any form of harassment.
For further information on notice of non-discrimination, visit the Office for Civil Rights Complaint Assessment System at: https://ocrcas.ed.gov or call 1-800-421-3481.
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Calvert County Public Schools Antiracism Statement
Calvert County Public Schools explicitly denounces racism, bullying, discrimination, white supremacy, hate, and racial inequity in any form within our school community. Furthermore, CCPS will not tolerate the values, structures, and behaviors that perpetuate systemic racism.
Each member of the district, individually and collectively, is responsible for creating and nurturing a safe, antiracist learning environment where each student, staff member, and community partner is a respected and valued member of the CCPS community.
Owings Maryland 20736
Phone 443-550-9790
Fax 410-286-4023