Weekly Update
February 23, 2023
Dear Winnona Park Community,
I was blown away by our Student Led Conference program before break. First of all, a huge “Job Well Done” to Instructional Coach, Kelly Stopp for the big picture planning, and her attention to detail on all the little things that made this a success.
The vibe in the building that was amazing. Parents were happy, kids looked nervous coming in, and proud of what they accomplished when they left. The notes that parents left for their children were beautiful. Teachers did an amazing job preparing the students with the ultimate goal of students becoming leaders of their own learning.
The data from the parent feedback survey was impressive. Here are our average scores (from 1-5) on the four questions you were asked:
My child was able to explain his/her strengths and weaknesses as a learner: 4.2
My child was able to explain how the Habits of Scholarship helped them grow as a learner: 3.9
My child was fully engaged and prepared for our conference: 4.7
My SLC was an effective way to communicate my child's progress: 4.4
There is still time to give us your feedback if you have yet to do so. Click here for the Google form.
Sincerely,
Greg Wiseman
Principal, Winnona Park Elementary School
Community Circle Tomorrow - First Grade Families
We invite parents of first graders to Community Circle tomorrow morning. Please gather by the cafe door near the pond after drop off and you will be let in from there.
Winnona Park Movie Night Coming Friday, February 24th, 6-8pm
Join us for a night of fun benefiting WPES PTA.
To ensure the safety of all in attendance, we do require an adult chaperone to be present. Movie will begin promptly at 6PM and end at approximately 8PM (doors open at 5:30) in the WPES Cafeteria.
Dinner will not be provided. Snacks and drinks will be available for purchase. Please bring small bills to make the process easier.
Come comfy! Pajamas, a stuffy and a blanket are welcome.
Registration/ticket is required to attend this event, due to space limitations only WPES students and a chaperone are welcome at this time. We will provide updates by February 20 if additional kiddos and adults can attend.
Donations per person are strongly suggested. Get your tickets here.
Smartwatches at School
We’ve seen an uptick in Smartwatches being brought to school by students in recent weeks. While we understand the convenience for parents to be able to text their child(ren) in the course of the school day, we can’t emphasize enough how disruptive these devices are to the classroom environment. The CSD Code of Conduct, rule 8A, prohibits student use of cell phones and other communication devices. If a student is on their smartwatch while at school, we will collect it and ask a parent to pick it up.
Please, please, please - ensure that your child leaves his/her/their watch at home. I promise you that if you need to get in touch with your child or they need to contact you during the school day, we will make that happen.
As someone who spent five years as a middle school principal, please trust me when I say you want to delay providing smartwatches and smartphones for your child as long as possible. For smartphones, I suggest 8th grade. Thank you for your understanding.
Winnona Park Yearbook - 2nd Grade Tributes!
To honor our second-grade students who are moving on from Winnona Park, the PTA is offering a FREE tribute in the 2022-23 yearbook for all second-grade students. Go to the online form below by March 31 to submit a photo and personal message for your second grader. Email Nikki Llewellyn at winnonayearbook@gmail.com with questions. Thank you! https://forms.gle/Nzf6xoKd7pb85n1b8 (If you do not have a google account, please submit by email to winnonayearbook@gmail.com)
Ramadan Accommodations
Ramadan is quickly approaching. Please let Principal Wiseman know if your child requires an accommodation while at school during this time. We can be very creative at school to help students during lunch time and provide a proper space for observances.
iRUN and PE News
As of Wednesday morning Wildcats have logged 460 miles of walking, jogging, and running. If you have not registered for Tour Decatur there is still time to register HERE. If cost is a barrier for your family please email drew@decatureducationfoundation.org or cbeauchamp@csdecatur.net and request a code which will allow you to register at no cost.
Pace Partners in PE starts next week (weather and field conditions permitting). The goal for Pace Partners in PE is for adults and kids to connect and share their love for moving and being active. All paces (walkers, joggers, & runners) are welcome to join. No worries if you are a walker and your child is a runner. If you would like to join your child’s class for a 30 minute PE lesson sign up HERE. Times and days vary for each class. Scroll through the sign-up form to find your child's PE time and days. If outdoor PE is canceled due to weather an email will be sent each morning to those that are signed up to be a Pace Partner.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Mrs. Coretta Scott King Awards Applications Due Feb 27th
This is a last call to let you know that all students are invited to apply for their school's Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Mrs. Coretta Scott King Awards. This joint award recognizes student teams who best demonstrate the beliefs and visions of two great Civil Rights leaders. Complete this application (one per team) by Monday, February 27, at 4 PM EST. Contact Anthony Downer at adowner@csdecatur.net for more information.
CSD-wide Black History Month Activity
Glennwood Elementary's PTA DEI Committee has created a CSD-wide Black History Month Activity. This is a choice board and scavenger hunt at sites important to Black History. If the kids can send a photo of themselves visiting one of the sites or reading one of the suggested books, they will be entered to win a Gift Card. Please send entries to Amanda Gillespie gillespieai@gmail.com.
Decatur Parents Network Speaker Series
The Decatur Parents Network is a valuable resource for CSD parents that I can’t recommend enough. The next topic for their speaker series is Know the Risks: E-Cigarettes & Young People. This will take place on March 9th at 6:45 at Beacon Hill Middle School. This topic is generally not for the K-2 audience, but your kids will be in middle school before you know it.
Kindergarten Enrollment
Enrollment for new students for the 2023-24 school year starts on March 6th. All current students (including students attending College Heights Pre-K) do not need to re-enroll to move to the next grade band. However, if you have a child attending private Pre-K, please enroll your child for Kindergarten on March 6th. Early registration really helps our planning for next year. Help us spread the word among your neighbors as well. Please go to https://www.csdecatur.net/enrollment to review the enrollment process and required documentation.
Do you have a Change in your Dismissal Plans?
Plans change and emergencies happen. If something comes up that changes your child’s normal dismissal routine, please complete this form by 1:00. Do not email your teacher, just complete the form. You will find this form under each teacher’s email signature and on the WP website under “Families>Dismissal.”
Survey for parents of students who receive IEP services
The IDEA Parent Survey will be open from January 17, 2023 – May 31, 2023. This survey helps the state to determine parents’ perception of the success of parent engagement between them and schools. Each state is required to conduct a parent survey collection process to measure parent/family perceptions. The information is gathered as a component of the State Performance Plan, Indicator 8: Percent of parents with a student receiving special education services who report that schools facilitated parent involvement as a means of improving results for children with disabilities. The data collected is reported as a percentage of parental involvement in the Annual Performance Report for each district. Individual answers are kept confidential. Each response will be coded by a number – not a name.
The PTA Garden Committee Needs Your Help!
In December, led by the talented teachers and gardeners Ms. Messer and Ms. Woodley, WPE children submitted a grant proposal to fund garden repairs, and the children won the grant! EcoRise (https://www.ecorise.org/), who awarded the grant, commented on how impressed they were that the children had prepared the application, and awarded $1,100 toward garden restoration. This is a fantastic opportunity to get the kids and community involved in our outdoor spaces.
We are getting the edible garden ready for the kids to do spring planting of fruits and veggies, and we need parent volunteers. Please take a look at this sign up form and consider coming out to the garden for a few hours of mulching, weeding, and planting! You are welcome to bring your kids to join us.
Show your WPES Spirit!
At WPES we wear our support every Friday! Make sure your family gets your Spirit Wear before it's gone! Numerous adult and kids t-shirt options plus kids hoodies for the cold weather to come! Please include your child’s name and teacher in the notes section when checking out.
The online store is available at https://winnona-park-es-pta.square.site/
CSD News and Announcements
Click here for CSD District and Community News.