McKinley Monthly
December 2019
Dear McKinley Families,
Getting this out a few days early so that maybe you can read it over the long weekend!
Big reminders:
No School Wednesday, November 27 through Monday, December 2nd. We will see you back on Tuesday, December 3rd.
No December Senior Kindergarten through 3rd grade concert--this has been rescheduled to January 21st at 2:00 p.m.
Secret Holiday Workshop, Dec. 5th 3:30-6:30 in the gym (small vendor shopping with no item over $10! See details below).
Wauwatosa Tree Lighting Ceremony: 5:45 p.m. on December 6th.
4th and 5th grade Winter Concert, includes all 4th and 5th grade students plus band, orchestra, and choir, 2:00 p.m. on Friday, December 13th.
Winter Break is December 23rd through January 1st. School resumes January 2nd.
Be sure you are taking time for self-care and joyful down-time during this busy season. We are all better for our children when we are well rested and taking care of our own needs. The district offers a Student and Family Assistance Program at no charge to students and families for those who would like assistance with a variety of concerns such as parenting issues and questions, dealing with anxiety and depression, stress management, financial and legal consultation, and more. Please visit the informational page on the district’s website for information.
Report cards will head home on Friday, December 13th in what are normally Tuesday Folders. Do not expect a Tuesday Folder on December 11th.
I look forward to seeing you all at the wonderful December events and wish you happiness and peace throughout the holiday season!
Mrs. Hoffmann
***Dates to Remember***
.
Dec 2 - No School
Dec 3 - Monday Schedule
Dec 5 - Secret Holiday Workshop from 3:20 - 6:30 p.m.
Dec 6 - Wauwatosa Tree Lighting at 5:45 p.m.
Dec 13 - Winter Concert Grades 4 & 5 at 2 p.m.
Dec 23 - Jan 1 - Winter Break - No Classes JK-12
! * ! * ! * ! * ! * ! * McK Attendance Line 773-1502 * ! * ! * ! * ! * ! * !
FAMILY EQUITY LISTENING SESSION DEBRIEF
Thanks to all who were able to attend the November 13th Family Equity Listening Session. After I shared our building goals, we had some good conversations. Three main themes emerged from this meeting: working parent opportunities, access to interventions, and safety.
Thoughts about working parent opportunities and limitations generated much discussion. Concerns about concerts came up, which is why I explained the reasoning behind daytime concerts in my November 15th communication to families. We were asked if it would be possible to send Sign-up Genius emails for things such as conferences or room parent volunteer opportunities later in the day so that working families have an equal chance to sign up. This is an easy shift that we can make to help provide a greater sense of belonging to many of our families. If you have other ideas in this regard, please let me know.
Thoughts about interventions and support: We recognize that it is the school’s duty to know exactly where students are with their academic progress and to provide specific supports to help all students. Besides the internal, classroom-based and extended supports that we offer, much of the work that staff is engaged in, in regard to relationship building, anti-bias training, trauma informed responses should also help students who feel disconnected or who underachieve due to self-efficacy reasons. Can we or will we provide more tutors? I am not sure about this. We cannot guarantee that external tutors will deliver the curriculum correctly, and quite often more of the same is not what students need. I encourage parents to continue to be in contact with me and your child’s teacher if you are worried about academic progress. Let’s partner to be sure we are doing all that we can to find success for your children.
Safety: Concerns came up about how we teach students about “stranger danger” and what our safety protocols include. One suggestion that came up for both teachers and families is the idea of teaching students to check with an adult before approaching someone walking past the school on the sidewalk, sometimes with a pet. We have family members and neighbors who kids recognize and approach, but some students may understand this as license to approach any passerby. A good thing is that our children feel safe, and they often know who and how to ask for help when they need it. As adults, we have a responsibility to help them to discern a situation, to learn boundaries, and to trust us to monitor our surroundings when out for recess. During scheduled recess times and scheduled daycare play times, our playgrounds are off limits to community members. Our supervisors are aware of this and have been given the “okay” to ask people to leave if necessary. We ask that all family and community members understand and not feel offended if asked to return when students are not engaged in supervised play.
Winter Concert
Grades 4 and 5, as well as the Orchestra, Band, and Choir will perform on December 13th. The concert begins at 2 p.m. Please note that because students are at recess and our lunch area is still being cleaned until 12:50 on concert day, we ask that parents, grandparents, and other family members and friends arrive at or after 1 p.m. for seating. Please enter the glass gym doors on 90th Street near the Peace Garden. Bake Sale items will be available for purchase from the PTO.
Wisconsin Weather!
We go outside every day, unless the weather is extreme. Please remember to send hats, coats, and gloves to school every day. When it snows, children need snow pants, boots, scarves, and gloves or mittens for playground play. Students without proper snow gear stay on the blacktop only during recess, which can be disappointing when there is a fresh pile of snow outside.
Our district rarely closes, since few students in the district stand outside to wait for buses. District policy is that a “feels like” temperature of 5 below is the standard for indoor recess; however, we will be reasonable with the call. Negative five degrees and sun with no wind after a week of 20 below can feel like a welcome heat wave; whereas, negative five with biting wind feels terrible for kids having to be out for 20 minutes.
New this year: during inclement weather days we will allow students into the building at 8:05 to go directly to their classrooms. We ask that parents leave their kids at the door. We will help students get to their classes if needed.
Let’s kick READING into...
OverDrive is a free library collection for all elementary students to check out ebooks and digital audio books on personal devices.
It’s as easy as 1,2,3
1. Visit https://wsdlcwi.libraryreserve.com/ or open the app
Sora on any smartphone, tablet, mp3 player, e-reader, or computer. Choose Wauwatosa School District from the dropdown.
2. Login: Library card number is your school username
(same as logging onto your chromebook)
Pin is your password (same as logging onto your chromebook)
3. Read in your browser or download the epub/kindle book!
Happy Reading!
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact:
Meegan Archambo, Elementary Library Media Services Coordinator
Art Alert!
Ms. Kumferman’s Korner –News from your School Social Worker
Mr. Kasten (graduate social work intern) and I are finishing up bullying prevention lessons for all grade levels. Students always do a great job with discussion and they love the videos. We will begin a couple of small groups and start teaching Zones of Regulation in more classrooms starting in December and January. This month, I also wanted to share a couple of great resource that families don’t often know about. I do believe that parenting is one of the toughest jobs in the world, and it’s always good to know about resources that provide support for that important role.
The Parenting Network
The Parenting Network is a local, community organization that offers a variety of services and programs, often free of cost and always confidential. The Parenting Network works to empower anyone in a parenting role-mothers, fathers, grandparents or other relatives raising children, whether stepparents, foster parents, adoptive parents- to provide a safe and nurturing home for their children.
They offer classes for parents and caregivers (often free childcare is provided during these meetings) and also support for individuals and families. They even have confidential phone counseling services about any parenting issue:
Just call them at 414-671-0566. Available M-Th 8:30-5:30, Fri 8:30-5:00. Parents can call 211 (community info line) after hours for assistance and support. Their website is www.parentingnetwork.org
*Also, please check out the free brochure (courtesy of the Parenting Network) that we have right outside the main school office: What Moms and Dads Can Do About Stress.
Student and Family Assistance Program (SFAP)
Another great resource to help with a multitude of concerns is Aurora’s Student and Family Assistance Program (SFAP). The SFAP provides up to 6 counseling sessions for any student or caregiver who is a part of the Wauwatosa School District. It’s free and confidential. Call #1-800-236-3231 to access services or obtain more information and feel free to take a brochure located in the hallway outside of McKinley’s main office. Some topics that can be addressed:
· Adoption information
· Academic pressures
· Anxiety and depression
· Child/family issues
· Stress management
· Divorce or blended families
· Alcohol and other drug issues
· Legal consultation
· Elder care concerns
Save the date!
Sunday, March 8, 12-4 p.m., McKinley 90th Birthday Party
Wednesday, April 15, 4:30-6 p.m. Open House/Family STEM Night. STEM activities will be in the library and in the gym.
Friday, June 5, Field Day 9-3 and Groundbreaking Ceremony at 3 p.m.
It is almost here!
The Secret Holiday Workshop is coming!
DATE: Thursday, December 5th
TIME: 3:20 pm - 6:30 pm
LOCATION: Large Gym at McKinley
The Secret Holiday Workshop is a great way to purchase one of a kind gifts for family, friends, teachers, etc. for the holidays, or just because. All items sold by our over 30 creative vendors are handmade and sell for $10 or less. We are very excited to have some new vendors join us this year as well. There will be something for everyone!
Students can shop by themselves or shop secretly with a "5th grade Secret Shopper" to help them manage their list and money so it remains a surprise for those they buy for. They can even wrap their gifts and bring everything home all ready to go.
The Brownies, Girl Scouts & McKinley Messengers will be participating with hosting a bake sale, selling raffle tickets, and assisting with wrapping gifts... all the money donated will be going to support a family in need in Tosa during the Holidays through Tosa Cares. This is really the reason we host the Workshop! Giving back to the Community is so important to teach our children. There is nothing better than providing joy and hope to others!
Mrs. Daily and her very talented musicians will also be playing Holiday tunes while you shop. The Orchestra students have a "tip jar" that they graciously donate to our family in need as well. Grab a cup of hot chocolate and plate of cookies from the bake sale and enjoy the beautiful music as you take a break from all that shopping.
Lastly, every year, many of the vendors donate one item from their table for our raffle. Tickets are $1.00 a piece or 6 for $5.00. We hope you come and try your luck, as all the raffle sales are also donated to our family in need.
If you have any questions please reach out to Amanda Mast -amanda.mast@yahoo.com or Elise Hetzel - elisehetzel@hotmail.com.
Bring your neighbors, family and friends...everyone is welcome to attend! See you on December 5th!
Co-Chairs
Amanda Mast and Elise Hetzel
*** Lost & Found *** (see below)
Green Team Tips
Pack a “green” lunch
➢ Send reusable bags/containers. We’ve already collected hundreds of ziploc/sandwich bags in less than a month of school. Invest in a few adorable, reusable bags to reduce single use plastic and increase the cute factor of your child’s lunch and snacks!
○ Cute cloth bags are good for crackers, popcorn, and dry snacks
○ Silicone bags are good for juicy things like apple slices & cheese curds
➢ Try a Bento-box style container. There are fancy ones out there but also some simple, cheap ones on the market that function really well. They can be found in the sandwich bag aisle at Target. Bring your child’s lunchbox with so you can see what fits well inside.
➢ Buy in bulk instead of snack-pack sizes. Put food in your own reusable bags/containers to reduce waste from all those wrappers which end up in the landfill. (We can even do this for applesauce and yogurt instead of the individual cups!)
➢ Send a spoon/fork in your child’s lunch bag so they don’t need to use the disposable plastic cutlery in the cafeteria. If you’re worried about losing your good silverware, use the old stuff you don’t have a full set of or grab a handful of mismatched silverware from Goodwill to use especially for lunches in case they accidentally get lost.
➢ Encourage your child to drink their milk without a straw! Or send a reusable one!
➢ Try putting juice in a small reusable water bottle. Juice pouches & straws can’t be recycled. If buying a disposable juice, boxes are a better than pouches because they can be recycled.
➢ Throw a cloth napkin in there! They’ll bring it home, they promise.
Compost at home!
Has your child gotten into the habit of composting his food in the cafeteria? Keep those great habits going at home, too!
➢ There are two residential composting services that are in our area now! It’s seriously the easiest thing ever
- they pick it up right from your house and take it to a composting facility. They are both relatively inexpensive and you will feel really good about it.
○ Waste Not Compost / www.wastenotcompost.org A five gallon bucket gets picked up from your doorstep and replaced with a clean one each week. You get a bag of compost back once/month in season. Cost is $4/week. A number of families in our school community use this service - ask around if you want more info!
○ Compost Crusader is doing a pilot program in some areas of Wauwatosa. They’re using larger, 35 gallon carts and pick them up each week. If you missed the sign-up but have seen the carts in your area - talk to your neighbor about sharing as it is definitely seems big enough for more than one household to use.
➢ Compost in your backyard! There are LOTS of tutorials online!
Collect dried-up markers! Instead of tossing, send old markers to school with your child. Mrs. Muellenbach sends them in to be recycled through the Crayola Colorcycle program. They turn that non-recyclable plastic into diesel fuel. Who knew??
Recycle old clothes - There is a fabric drive each May at Tosa East High School. Instead of putting those holey socks or worn-out leggings in the garbage, stash them in the basement and recycle them in the spring! We’ll make sure to remind you about it :)
Buy back our compost from Blue Ribbon Organics in the spring to naturally fertilize your pots, gardens, bushes and lawns! You’ll be helping sustain and ensure the great work they do at Compost Crusader will continue. Plus reduce reliance on synthetic fertilizers.
Crossing Guard Hours
M, T, Th & F
7:50 to 8:50 & 2:50 to 3:50
Wednesday
1:50 to 2:50
McKinley's Library Needs Your Help
Visitor/Sign-in System
Office Max / Office Depot Gives Back
* * Tosa Cares * *
Tosa Cares is a local, non-profit organization located in Mount Zion Lutheran Church that helps families with food donations and so much more. Here are the dates for the monthly food distributions. You are encouraged to contact Linda Ertel before you come either by email Tosacares@gmail.com or phone 414-861-4725, or you can just show up on one of these dates.
2020 dates:
January 11
March 7
April 25
June 13
August 8
October 3
November 21
Tosa Cares is also always looking for donations of food, or cash. There are three permanent donation sites/times which you can find on their website: tosacares.org
Here is a list of the most needed items:
- Cereal
- Nonperishable fruits, vegetables and juices
- Peanut butter and jelly
- Spaghetti sauces and noodles
- Pastas and rice
- Canned protein, such as chicken, tuna and beef stew
- Snacks such as granola bars, crackers, popcorn and cookies
- Packaged dinners, especially those with meat
- Hearty soups
- Toilet paper, diapers, baby wipes, paper towels and tissues
- Personal care items such as shampoo, hand soap, lotion and toothbrushes and tooth paste
- Dish soap and laundry soap
McKinley contact info
Website: https://www.wauwatosa.k12.wi.us/McKinley
Location: 2435 N 89th St, Wauwatosa, WI, United States
Phone: (414)773-1500