Willow Elementary Families,

We are at the halfway mark as we keep a great year going while continuing Willow Elementary’s tradition of excellence. Happy Holidays and have a safe and enjoyable New Year. Please keep the following dates in mind as we prepare for the second half of the school year:

• Winter Break is December 23rd through January 8th. Our first day of the second semester is Monday, January 9th. Remember the doors open at 9:15 AM on Mondays.
• Coffee With the Principal is one Tuesday per month from 9 AM to 9:30 AM. Please join me to discuss anything related to Willow Elementary School on January24th.
• Student-Led Conferences are Friday, February 24th. It sounds like a way off but it will be here sooner than we think.

The cold temperatures are back. Please make sure your children come to school prepared for cold weather with winter hats, gloves/mittens, coats, snowpants, and boots. We go outside for recess to ten degrees below zero. Please contact the office at 907-495-9300 if you need help with cold weather gear.

Thanks so much for allowing us to work with your amazing children. Thanks to our wonderful community partners for adding to the experience of Willow Elementary students.

Sincerely,

Brian Porcello, Principal

Thank you for your patience and understanding with our delayed start time of 9:15 AM on Monday mornings. In short, Team Time accomplishes three things:

1. Grade levels will vertically align the curriculum fostering student success and mastery across the entire learning continuum from one grade level to the next.

2. Teachers and staff can quickly identify students requiring catch-up growth towards mastery of grade level curriculum.

3. Teachers and staff can quickly identify students requiring appropriate work beyond mastery of grade level curriculum.

Please reach out to me with any questions or concerns.

Respectfully,

Brian Porcello, Principal

907-495-9302 brian.porcello@matsuk12.us

With the return of cold weather, we have been able to make ice for the rink at the elementary school. Work is still being done to get the lines in, but the ice is ready for skating!

In conjunction with the Willow PTA and WACO, Willow Ice will be running a hockey skills program. With the addition of WACO’s support this program will be available for all kids aged 5-17. Kids will be broken up according to skill and need to have a basic understanding of how to skate.

The program will run from January 10th through March 9th on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6:00PM - 7:15PM. Some basic hockey gear is required including a helmet, stick, shin pads and elbow pads. Hockey gloves are highly recommended. Willow Ice does have a limited amount of extra gear available to be loaned out once skill groups are set.

The PTA will pass out skates to those who need them January 9th and 10th from 3:30 PM-5:30 PM. Please remember all skates are loaned and will need to be returned at the end of the season.