WHES Highlights
August 6, 2021
We had a great first week back! Students are building strong relationships with their teachers and their classmates, learning new routines, and eager to learn! If you have not had the opportunity yet, please complete the annual forms below and the Free and Reduced lunch application!
Please read the information below carefully and don't hesitate to call our school office with any questions or needs at 719.495.5500. It's a great year to have a great year - let's do this, 2021-2022!
Have a great week,
Bethany Stegman & Amanda Bower
WHES Administration
Upcoming Dates
August 9th: First Day of Preschool
August 12th: Back to School Night
August 13th: Elementary Assessment Day; students attend by appointment only
August 13th: 4:00pm PTA Meeting in the WHES Cafeteria
Back to School Night - August 12th
Assessment Day - August 13th
On Friday, August 13th, we will have an Elementary Assessment Day in which students will attend school by appointment only. This is an opportunity for us to begin to measure your child’s progress this school year during the first benchmark assessment timeframe. We will not follow the regular school day schedule on this day. Instead, please view the information in the welcome email sent by your child(ren)'s teacher to schedule an assessment day appointment.
Kindergarten - 2nd grade students will attend in 20-minute appointment slots.
3rd - 5th grade students will attend in 90-minute appointment slots.
All classes should arrive/dismiss at the front, main entrance only. On Assessment Day, you may use the kiss and go lane in the front of the school to drop off your child(ren). Staff members will support getting your child to/from their classroom at their appointment time. At the end of your child(ren)'s appointment, please either drive back through the front kiss and go lane to pick up or walk up to the sidewalk near the main entrance.
Specials Information / Schedules
Students engage in Specials classes at WHES including Art, Music, PE, and PBL/Technology. Specials occur daily, on a 6-day, ABCD, rotating basis. Students will have the same special for 6 school days in a row (i.e. art for 6 school days, then PE for 6 school days) This allows for students to engage in a single non-core content area at length without significant time in between. The Specials schedule is always available in the WHES Highlights sent weekly via email - the monthly calendar indicates the ABCD rotation and the link below is the schedule by grade level/class.
Art Class Information: Students often use materials such as water colors, water color pencils, tempera and acrylic paint, and oil pastels during art classes. While using these materials brings new discoveries and masterpieces, it can also bring a concern for not washing out of clothing, etc. Please consider having your child(ren) wear 'older' clothing items on art days.
PE Information: Students are active during PE class! Proper footwear supports safety and ability to move and engage in a variety of activities. Please ensure your child(ren) wear tennis shoes/sneakers on PE days.
Random Acts of Kindness
Late Arrival and Early Dismissal
Arriving after 8:30 am:
If a student arrives after 8:30 am for any reason (at any time of the day), a parent or guardian must walk them to the main entrance to sign them in for the day.
Ring the main doorbell for assistance from our office staff.
Please provide a reason for the tardy arrival so we can allocate attendance coding accurately.
Picking up students early:
- If a student must leave class early, please plan ahead and allow at least 5 extra minutes for your child to be called out of class. For security reasons, students will only be called out of class when parents or guardians make their request in-person in the Main Office.
Students will not be called out of class for early pick-ups after 3:25 p.m. to ensure students’ safety.
- For security reasons, all staff members have been instructed NOT to release students from the classroom without notification from the office. For the safety of our students, we will request picture identification from anyone picking up a student early from school. Please notify anyone that may be picking up your child of this procedure. The child must be signed out at the office. The office will then notify the classroom teacher to send the child to the office. The staff at Woodmen Hills Elementary requests that parents make appointments and schedule trips out of town during non-school hours.
Pet Policy
Annual Student Forms - please complete
The two, annual forms below support your child(ren)'s health and safety while in our care at WHES. Please complete the forms at your earliest convenience, and no later than August 6, 2021.
Annual Family Emergency Contact Form: In an effort to keep your emergency contact information as up-to-date as possible, please fill out the form below. Only one form needs to be completed per family at Woodmen Hills Elementary School. This information is verified and/or updated in our Student Information System (PowerSchool) to ensure we have up-to-date contact information for all students. This information is not used in any other way or uploaded in any other system. If you need to notify us of any legal custody paperwork regarding your child(ren) and/or any current parent/guardians or emergency contacts, please call the main office at 719.495.5500.
Annual Student Health Information Form: Please complete one form per child you have attending Woodmen Hills Elementary School. This confidential information will be shared with school staff on a need-to-know basis, ensuring we have appropriate medical care and response for all students while in our care during the school day. This information will not be shared for any other reason or in any other format.
Thank you for your prompt attention and support!
Health Information
Student Medication
If your student has a rescue medication (inhalers, epi-pens) they can be sent in along with their orders/action plans in a plastic bag labeled for the health room when you drop off your child's school supplies. Our Health Room staff will be available for medication drop off for students needing controlled, daily medication to be kept/given at school. A physician's note must accompany all medication students may/will need at school. That form is linked here.
More information can be found here - D49 Nursing Services.
COVID-19 Information
- Masks are not required in Colorado schools
- Ventilation, hand washing, respiratory etiquette, and cleaning and disinfection are all important layers of prevention to keep schools safe that will continue at WHES
- CDPHE has pending school guidance coming soon, including recommendations but not requirements
- Individuals who are ill should stay home, especially if there is known exposure to COVID-19
Nutrition Services
- We are excited to open the Garden Bar for our students. Students will have the opportunity to select fresh fruits and veggies to go with their meals.
- Please keep an eye out for updates regarding the daily menu selections. Due to several shortages and delays, the menu may shift.
- Meals will remain at no cost to students; however, we still encourage you to fill out the free and reduced lunch application to support funding for our school!
Free & Reduced Meal Program
All D49 families are welcome to apply for the federally assisted free and reduced meal program. Many who apply are surprised to discover they qualify. The free and reduced-price meal program provides more than healthy meals for qualifying students, it provides much-needed funds for school districts, and can provide many other benefits to your family as well! Please click here to see if you qualify!
New to District 49? Register and apply online by clicking the link to PaySchools Central
Returning for school year 21-22? Update your D49 PaySchools meal account and re-apply by clicking here. Families must apply annually.
*Paper copies of the application can be picked up and turned in at school as well.
Please continue to check this information frequently and as questions arise.
Woodmen Hills Elementary School
Assistant Principal: Amanda Bower
Dean: Cheryl Curry
Counselor: Sherese Taylor
Website: https://www.d49.org/whes
Location: Woodmen Hills Elementary School, Del Rio Road, Peyton, CO, USA
Phone: (719) 495-5500
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Woodmen%20Hills%20Elementary%20School/741910542512976/