Wasco Families,

Our school is using a calendar to organize our focus on different character traits for every month. This month, to match our school district theme: Be Here- Be You- Belong, Wasco students and staff have been focusing on the trait of belonging. During our recent Building Leadership Team Meeting, each grade level shared the teaching and activities used to help students learn and practice belonging. Our goal is that all students understand they belong to our school community and they have an important role in helping others feel they belong here. In addition to the teacher’s lessons, I am visiting all classrooms with a read aloud connected to belonging. I will discuss and empower us to work together to reach out and connect with our classmates and the staff members.

Kind Regards,

Principal Brennan

stephanie.brennan@d303.org

331-228-6294

Technology can be a wonderful way to keep in touch with family members. However, smartwatches and phones can become quite disruptive to the learning environment when parents are contacting their children throughout the day (and vice versa). The Elementary School Handbook contains the following language:

Students are extended the privilege of possessing phones/smartwatches on school grounds;

however, their use is limited to after-school dismissal and non-school days. These devices must be in the off position, or not used once the student arrives on campus until the end of the school day.

Teachers will be requesting that students leave their watches and phones in backpacks or another class designated place each day when they enter the classroom so that learning can continue uninterrupted.

Has your child come home from school talking about our Wasco Expectations of: Be Safe. Be Kind. Work Hard. Do the Right Thing? Have they been excitedly talking about receiving paw prints in the hallway or Specials?

Last year we introduced the “Paws”itive Behavior Incentive Program to encourage students to work together as a classroom to be the best learners that they can be. Classes are able to earn paws as an incentive for following the Wasco Expectations in various ways throughout the building such as the hallway, lunch, lunch recess and in Specials. Following are the benefits of a “Paws”itive Behavior system:

• It provides students with positive feedback

• It reinforces positive behaviors and expectations

• It produces a challenge with a reward

• It provides incentive for doing the right thing

• It increases motivation, buy-in and effort

• It increases on-task and attending behavior

• It provides a visual, concrete reason for students to work together toward behavioral and academic goals

• It provides excitement and pride in their group effort

Each week, students work to earn as many pawprints as they can (as a class). The paws are collected at the end of the week and placed in a bucket for a drawing. The winning class is drawn from the bucket and announced at the end of the day on Friday. The winning class then gets to select a reward from a menu of choices to celebrate their achievements.

As we move through the year, we are also working toward earning school-wide incentives at different benchmark levels. Be sure to stop by the display case in our lobby to see how many pawprints we have earned so far this year! If you have any questions about this program, please contact Amy Corda at (331)228-2188 or Amy.Corda@gmail.com.

August 31 Early Release at 2:10pm

September 2 Institute Day-No School for Students

September 5 Labor Day-No School

September 6 Wasco Back to School Night 4:00-6:00 p.m.

September 7 Picture Day (Pre-order Form Linked Below)

September 23 Fire Practice Drill

September 28 Early release for students 2:10pm

October 14 Picture Retake Day

October 14 Fall Fest at Primrose Farm (See picture above)

When using the drop off lane, please drive all the way forward so that we can load/unload as many cars as possible. Please stay in your car. If you wish to get out and load your child, you are welcome to park in the lot. By following this procedure, we can expedite everyone’s waiting times in the car lane.

It is important that District 303, led by new Superintendent Dr. Paul Gordon, is routinely connecting with staff, students, parents and community members. Listen Learn Return provides opportunities to share feedback that informs District decision making and strengthens community relations. We aim to establish a foundation of trust, access, and accountability to the colleagues, students, families, and community members we serve.

In D303, we value the opportunity to provide a community of care and support to our families, especially those faced with financial hardship.

If your family is currently experiencing a significant financial need, our community partnerships have several supports available for families, including school clothes/shoes, winter coats/accessories, school supplies, toiletries, holiday meals, and/or holiday gifts. If you would like to be considered for any of these supports, please complete the Family Resource Form by August 26, 2022.

En D303, valoramos la oportunidad de proveer una comunidad de cuidado y apoyo a nuestras familias, especialmente a aquellas que enfrentan dificultades financieras.

Si su familia está experimentando actualmente una necesidad financiera significativa, nuestras asociaciones comunitarias tienen varios apoyos disponibles para las familias, incluyendo: ropa/calzado para la escuela, abrigos/accesorios de invierno, materiales escolares, artículos de aseo personal, comidas para los días festivos, y/o regalos para navidad. Si desea que se le tenga en cuenta para cualquiera de estas ayudas, por favor, rellene este formulario. Para ser considerado, es fundamental que complete esta encuesta a más tardar el viernes 26 de agosto.

Families, it is helpful to know that your child’s bus route is displayed in the window to the left of the bus door. The Route number IS NOT painted on the bus. At Wasco, students line up by their bus number and are escorted to the bus by a staff member. As part of our orientation process, all students reviewed bus procedures with a staff member connecting bus behavior to our Wasco Way: Be Safe, Be Kind, Work Hard, and Do the Right Thing.

Students are able to bring their lunch each day to school or they can get lunch at school through our food service provider, Organic Life. We do not accept fast food for students at Wasco. Please do not drop off or have food sent to Wasco for your child. If you would like to have lunch with your child, you can come to the main office and sign them out during their lunch period. Thank you for your cooperation. We love to celebrate birthdays at Wasco. Your child’s birthday will be announced on our morning announcements and your child will be able to choose a book from our birthday book cart. We do not allow in food for celebrations so please do not send them to school or drop them off, they will not be accepted. If you would like to send in items or a treat bag (such as a pencil or non food item) we can send that home with classmates to enjoy at home.

All parents, guardians, and other visitors to District 303 buildings are required to report to the main

office upon entering the building to sign in. Visitors must provide photo identification when signing

in and must wear a visitor identification tag at all times while in the building. Visitors may be escorted

by a building staff member while visiting the building. School-age visitors are generally prohibited

during the school day unless accompanied by a parent or guardian and approved by school staff. In

the event that permission is not obtained or is denied, visitors will be directed to leave the premises.

(Violators will be subject to legal action.)

Ways to receive Wasco News

• The Principal sends a weekly newsletter on Fridays

• Wasco Elementary has a Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/WascoElementarySchool

• Twitter account: @WascoD303

• Join Membership Toolkit on the PTO site for ways to connect with parent community