Volume 2 | Issue 20 |
January 12
, 2018
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I often get the opportunity to spend time with our students. But this week, I was able to spend time with many of the adults in our Whitnall community.
On Tuesday, we saw a great parent turnout for our Parent Learning Academy focused on social emotional learning and mental health. I attended both the WMS and EES PTO meetings and was impressed by the great ideas and amount of Whitnall pride. When I went to see our WMS music students perform this week, I got to see all the families who showed up to cheer on their learners. This week has been a reminder of how much our Whitnall families do to support our district. Thank you, thank you.
This week, as a district office team, we started conducting building rounds. At each of the buildings, we have begun meeting with each individual employee to hear what is working well and what additional resources they could use. I
t is important for leadership to collect information directly from front-line employees. These rounds will introduce face to face, two-way communication between the district office and the staff in buildings. As a result, we can identify successes and ideas for improvement and, ultimately, better serve our learners.
Congratulations and welcome to Steven Butz! Although he has always been a very involved member of the Whitnall community, we welcome Steven to his seat on our Board of Education. He was sworn in on Monday after a board vote, and we are very happy to have him serving our district!
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K4 & New K5 Tours and Informational Meeting
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At the end of January, Whitnall will hold tours and an informational meeting for parents of prospective K4 and K5 learners. Click
here
for more information!
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Social Emotional Learning Corner
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Today's schools are increasingly serving students from diverse social, cultural, and economic backgrounds. Educators and community agencies serve students with various levels of motivation for engaging in learning, behaving positively, and performing academically. Social and emotional learning (SEL) provides a foundation for safe and positive learning and enhances students' ability to succeed in school, careers, and life.
On Tuesday, January 9th, WSD hosted a Parent Learning Academy session on social emotional learning. 112 students, staff, and parents attended Tuesday’s Parent Academy and are continuing to generate thoughtful questions and conversations. Special thank you to Allison Dietrich, Alissa Carriveau, and Ashley Sticha-Neis for their presentation on the Zones of Regulation. And thank you to Kayla Skaletski for helping to organize the Emotional Well-being presentation. We appreciate the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, Prevent Suicide Greater Milwaukee, Mental Health America of Wisconsin, and REDgen for their willingness to participate and share information with our families and staff.
We are accustomed to monitoring the physical health of our children. Understanding and monitoring the mental health of our children is equally as important.
If you were unable to attend but would like to access video footage of the presentations, please complete this
google form
.
If you or someone you know is in need of resources, please follow the link to the
REDgen Resources
page, which provides access to many organizations, local therapists, crisis lines, books ,etc.
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We understand that keeping sick students home from school presents challenges for families. Our goal is to minimize absences while maintaining a healthy environment at each school. While your child’s physician can provide the best advice, these
guidelines
are intended to be guidance for our parents.
Strep throat is a common illness among children. The bacteria is spread by an infected person sneezing or coughing. Our current reports of strep throat are contained to the middle school, but please check out the
Center for Disease Control and Prevention website
for additional information.
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8th Grade Open House and Transition Night
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Save the Date: January 25th at 5:30 PM is the 8th Grade Open House and Transition Night at the high school. Learn about the course pathways for college and careers. Attendance at this evening event is highly encouraged. Click
here
for the flyer with more information!
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8th Grade Open House and Transition Night
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Save the Date: January 25th at 5:30 PM is the 8th Grade Open House and Transition Night at the high school. Learn about the course pathways for college and careers. Attendance at this evening event is highly encouraged. Click
here
for the flyer with more information!
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Next week, EES students will begin another round of MAP (
Measures of Academic Progress)
assessments. Please make sure your child is well rested and has eaten a good breakfast. Remind them to stay positive and do their best! Please contact your child's teacher directly with any additional questions you may have.
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We have accumulated many items in our lost and found. If your child is missing anything, please stop in and check to see if it’s here. We will be donating any remaining items on January 19th.
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After School STEM Enrichment Program
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Bricks4Kidz will be offering a 6 session after school program for K5-5th grade students on Wednesdays, beginning February 21st. Bricks4Kidz classes provide an extraordinary atmosphere for children, where they learn, build, and play with LEGO ® bricks. Students build a new model each week, designed by B4K engineers and architects, with exciting themes that kids love! Please click
here
for more information.
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Coffee with the Principal
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The next coffee with Mr. D’Acquisto is scheduled for Monday, January 15, 2018 at 8:45 AM. Please plan on stopping in to share ideas, ask questions, and discuss current and upcoming events at Edgerton Elementary.
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There are a number of after school opportunities for students. Please follow this
LINK
to access registration information for Mad Science and Futura Spanish!
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Please attend the next
Principal Chat,
which will be held before the January 16 PTO meeting. Mrs. Komas will meet with parents at 6:30 PM in the LMC, and the PTO meeting will start at 7:00 PM. Mrs. Jennaro, WMS Principal, will be attending the PTO meeting to share information about the middle school.
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