The Western Weekly
Issue 15: December 9th, 2018
Western Avenue Prepares for the Holiday Season!
The children are busy making preparations for the holiday season. In art class, students have created their own elves for holiday decorating. At the end of next week, a calendar will go home with our Spirit Wear days for the final four countdown before we break. The Main Foyer has our giant Pooh Bear dressed in his gloves and hat, our Hanukkah Banner, Christmas tree, and Kwanzaa decorations. All of these rituals at Western Avenue bring a little extra joy to our school days!
In the holiday spirit, our Student Council representatives in grades 2-3 and 4-5 are almost ready to release their "Giving Back" projects for the month of December. From Monday, December 10th until Wednesday, December 19th, the students in grades 2-3 may bring in new or gently used coats, gloves, scarves, and hats. Students in grades 4-5 will be collecting new or gently used toys. All donations will be given to those in need before the children leave for break. If your child is not in grades 2-5, but you would like to participate, collection bins will be located in the Main Foyer. Go Wolves!
Positive Behavior Referrals!
Mrs. Gabel was our Mystery Reader for Mrs. Mroch's classroom!
5th Graders in Mrs. Panozzo's Literacy Block
STEAM Night
Kangaroo Math Competition--Last Call for Registration!
Competition Quick Facts:
- 25 questions for Grades 1-4, 30 questions for Grade 5
- Most questions are word problems, they are chosen by the International Kangaroo Committee annually.
- Each participant receives a t-shirt, certificate, and a gift on the day of the test.
- Top awards include all-expense-paid international summer camps and college grants.
5Essentials Parent Participation Needed!
Flossmoor School District 161 will join the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) in the seventh statewide survey of school climate and learning conditions. The survey provides a unique opportunity for students, teachers and parents to have a voice in improving their schools.
The Illinois 5Essentials Survey provides a comprehensive picture of a school’s organizational culture in an individualized report measuring five “essentials” critical for school success:
- Effective Leaders
- Collaborative Teachers
- Involved Families
- Supportive Environment
- Ambitious Instruction
We encourage all District 161 teachers, parents, and students to make their voices heard to impact positive change. You can find the link to the parent site at https://illinois.5-essentials.org/2017/
Please contact the Main Office with any questions or concerns. Thank you!
Angels Basketball
Looking for some basketball fun for your daughter this December? Look no more--the HF Park District and Angels Basketball will be providing basketball and wellness programming for girls in grades 1-6! The basketball draft will be held on December 9th starting at 12:00 pm at the HF Sports Complex. All levels and abilities are welcome to attend the draft! Afterwards, there will be a Health and Wellness Fair for all attendees. Please see the attached flyer for more details!
Traffic Flow at Arrival and Dismissal
Parents, we understand that everyone is rushing to get their days started in the morning. However, we need to do a better job driving safely in the drop-off and pick-up lines. We have three staff members directing traffic at the front lot, two staff members posted at door I (primary playground), and multiple people posted at the playgrounds and blacktop area between the playgrounds. We also have one person stationed in the North parking lot. Please remember that there is a traffic flow. Students must be dropped off in the designated car lines. Please do not drop off your children on any other street or sidewalk other than the designated lines. Please do not wait in line to make sure your child walks to the door because that stops the flow for other parents behind you. And please be very mindful when you are pulling away from the car line. There should only be one priority for morning drop off and afternoon pick up--and that priority is the safety of all our kids at Western Avenue. If we all work together, we can ensure the safety of all students. Thank you!
Thank you for reading, and have a wonderful week!
Western Avenue Elementary
Website: http://westernavenue.sd161.org/
Location: 940 Western Avenue, Flossmoor, IL
Phone: (708) 647-7400
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/district161wa/
Twitter: @western161