Windsor Elementary News 4352 Windsor Rd. Windsor, WI 53598 Office (608) 842-6300

Attendance: (608) 842-6314 or wesattendance@deforestschools.org

Upcoming Events:

September

29th- WE Run

October

4th- Picture Re-takes

5th- Open House 5:00-6:00

10th– WPTO Culvers Scoopie

Night

12th– WPTO meeting 6:00

16th to 20th– Penny Drive

17th to 19th- Book Fair

19th– WPTO Family Dinner

25th– WE Run prizes

26th-27th– No School

31st– Halloween Parade 8:20 AM

November

9th– No School, Parent-Teacher

Conferences 12:30-7:30 PM

14th– Math Night 6:30-7:30

16th– WPTO meeting 6:00

22nd to 24th– No School

December

1st– End of First Trimester

14th– WPTO meeting 6:00

25th to Jan. 1st– Winter Break

January

2nd– Classes Resume

Happy Fall WES Families!

I hope you and your family find opportunities to get out and enjoy some of the great activities this time of year offers. Please remember to dress your children appropriately as they head off to school each morning as the temperature can vary as the day progresses.

Reminder, student supervision in the morning starts at 7:45. I have witnessed students being dropped off prior to this time before school, and though the students may be “fine” on their own on the playground it concerns me. I know we are all busy and need to get to work, but please don’t drop them off prior to 7:45.

Thank you for your help in keeping the morning and afternoon traffic moving as you drop off or pick up your child. There is plenty of space for everyone in the parent lane, but please try to pull forward and have your child exit/enter your vehicle on the passenger side and please don’t leave your vehicle unattended. If you feel you need to get out of your vehicle to meet your child, please park in the parking lot and meet them outside the main doors. As you pull away from the curb, please exercise caution as other parents may be moving around you.

Our dismissal time at WES is 2:55, and this means we have over 500 students moving to their respective locations at one time. If you are picking up your child, I respectfully ask you wait outside for them. Having more individuals in the building creates more congestion, and potentially pulls the teacher from their main responsibility of escorting students to where they need to be to get home.

If you need to speak to a teacher or staff member or enter the building for any other reason, please either wait in the office area or outside until after 3:00. Again, having more individuals in the building creates more congestion, and the teacher needs to focus on our students at this time.

Students in grades first through fourth grade have completed the iready assessments in both math and literacy. This assessment is new to all of us, and we are still learning how to interpret the data and how to use it to identify students that need extra support or extra enrichment opportunities. Results will be shared with parents in the next couple of weeks and I encourage you to look them over and discuss them with your child.

The kids have settled into their classrooms and have learned the daily routines and expectations of school. It is great to visit classrooms and see the learning that is taking place.

Thank you for sending your children to WES!

Mr. Roy Bernards Mr. Bill Huebsch

Principal Assistant Principal

31 Things Your Kids Should Be Doing Instead

of Homework

Below is a link sharing fun ideas for activities your child can do after

school.

https://www.parent.co/31-things-your-kids-should-be-doing-instead-of-

homework/

Student council is a great way for fourth grade students to get involved

and help others! The student council meets after school from 3:00-4:00 on the

following dates: October 12th, October 19th — Family Dinner, November 16th, January

18th, February 8th, March 1st, March 8th — Family Dinner, April 5th, and May 17th. If

you have any questions about the program, please email kfencl@deforestschools.org or

mpilecky@deforestschools.org.

The DeForest Area Blessings in a Backpack program will be

sponsoring a penny drive at Windsor Elementary October 16th to

20th. A collection container will be located in the office starting Monday, October

16th. ALL proceeds will go towards the Blessings in a Backpack chapters affected by

the hurricanes.

Your kids can help too!! Consider having your kids make cards and pictures for the

children in Texas and Florida. Let the children know we are all thinking of them!

Donna Meske and Kyle Rogness

A healthy hello and welcome to the 2017/18 school year! We are so excited about and continue to enjoy our new and

beautiful space!

The purpose of the DeForest Area School District Physical Education Program is to, Learn to Move & Move to Learn through a variety of engaging activities. It is the intention of the physical education team to provide a quality

movement orientated program. The core of our mission is that lifelong physical activity, nutrition, and sportsmanship

results in positive health benefits. The DeForest Physical Education Department is committed to the long term

health and wellness education of the students in this community.

Therefore, we are learning what it takes to be a physically fit individual. The 5 components of fitness

are: Cardiorespiratory Endurance, Muscular Strength, Muscular Endurance, Flexibility and Body Composition. We are

building a library of games and activities that incorporate these ideas and show our students how enjoyable it can be

to lead a healthy lifestyle.

Grades K-2 began the year by working on organized activities and games that promote skill development of basic large

muscle movements. We learn about boundaries, personal and general space, various pathways and levels, walking for

fitness, locomotor skills, and much more.

All grade levels just finished with fancy feet in a soccer unit. Crab soccer, on the dot soccer, and dribble tag are just

a few of the reinforcing games we played. The kids will also have a taste of football passing before learning even

more about the proper techniques of throwing in a future unit. Centers with plenty of fun equipment and ideas are an

exciting opportunity for kids to practice this pattern. Soon it will become an automatic and comfortable skill. Try

playing catch with someone at home today!

This year, we hope to include volleyball concepts and net games into a variety of activities. Grade K-2 will use beach

balls to learn the basics of bump, set and serve. Gr. 3-4 will practice the same but in addition, they will incorporate

the skills into a modified volleyball game.

With any team sport, Phy. Ed. focuses on teamwork (cooperation) and good sportsmanship. No matter what the

activity, we will always strive to help students understand the value of a positive attitude and provide them with the

best quality educational experience possible.

Physical Education is assessed in two areas: Positive Participation, which is based on our school PBIS expectations of

being Safe, Honest, Responsible and Respectful; and Achievement, where all children will be considered a Level 1: Demonstrates minimal understanding and is able to perform skills with substantial help from teacher. Level 2: Demonstrates partial understanding and is able to perform skills with verbal or physical prompts. Level 3: Demonstrates consistent skill performance and understanding of classroom activities. Level 4: Demonstrates advanced understanding and application of skills in classroom activities. Demonstrates leadership qualities in the classroom, as well.

Please be sure your child has a clean, not necessarily new, pair of tennis shoes to be

kept at school. For the safety of the children, this will ensure proper foot wear

during each class and cleaner floors.

Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions (ext. 6350). We look

forward to putting the “physical” in “education” for your son/daughter.

News from Foodservice

Welcome back! We are so excited to be back in our new kitchen this year to serve all of our WES students breakfast, lunch and milk break! We have new kitchen staff this year. Lucy Neuenschwander is our head cook, Debi Hurley-Wall is our full-time food service assistant and Kris Gillam is our part-time foodservice assistant. They are an amazing team and welcome you to come in and have lunch/breakfast with your students at any time. Just as an fyi, we are part of the National School Lunch and Breakfast program. These federal programs regulate what we serve

and make sure we are serving the most nutritional meals for students. Our meals always consist of a main entree, two vegetables, one fruit and a milk for only $2.55! Our goal is always to serve one fresh fruit/vegetable a day as much as possible. Please check out our menus on the website, or through an app call Nutrislice on your phone. We also have our new digital signage up and running in the cafeteria to post menus and nutritional information as your students go through the lunch line. As always, any comments or suggestions are always appreciated. My phone number is 842-6511 or email at rterry@deforestschools.org. We hope to see you in the cafeteria!

Students have been enjoying more regular library visits this year. Students have expressed their intrigue about the new space and have engaged in tours of the library layout, learned about proper book care and library expectations, and explored the new Inventor Center. K-1 students have been using iPads during Plus time, and students in grades 2-4 have been using Chromebooks. Once students have been introduced to tools on their devices, they will have the opportunity to explore Destiny, our online catalog, do coding, and use technology tools such as Sphero’s, Osmo, Ozobots, Snap Circuits, and others. The Inventor Center, or iSTEAM room, will feature monthly STEM tasks and challenges. Though often these will be somewhat related to science and math curriculum, I am hoping that they will provide a welcomed extra-curricular activity for students to research, create, tinker, explore, and challenge them-selves. The iSTEAM room is always looking for maker supplies. Items such as cardboard tubes and boxes, pipe cleaners, lace, paper, fabric, clay, plastic containers, lids, tubing, and spools, Legos blocks, yarn, and felt are welcomed donations! The students have expressed interest in making slime, so Borax and glue, mixing bowls, and utensils are also encouraged as donations to the program! Finally, the library has volunteer opportunities, particularly in the afternoons. If you are interested, please contact Dana Franco, dfranco@deforestschools.org, 608-842-6330.

Hello and welcome back Windsor families! WES artists have been hard at work painting rocks for our school wide beautification art project! I’d like to thank Circle B Inc Landscaping Supply for donating the rocks for this project, and WPTO for funding the paint! Come by during open house night to see the installation! This year we will continue to use Artsonia.com as an online portfolio for students. During open house night, I will have computers set up so you can sign up. All you need is an email to do so. Paper slips for Artsonia will also be going home after open house. *Reminder* please send a paint shirt to school for your kiddo. It does not need to be a fancy apron, an old t-shirt works perfectly for our fun and messy pro-jects! If you have any questions, please feel free to email or call me. Thanks you! Megan Nelson mnelson@deforestschools.org (608) 842-6364

Back for the 2017-18 School Year, School-Based Dental Program!

Bridging Brighter Smiles, Inc. is back again for the 2017-18 school year to provide preventative dental care right at school! This program is open to all students in the district 4K through 12th grade. Visits are held throughout the school year.

First visits to Windsor Elementary will be held on:

Wednesday, October 18th

& Thursday, October 19th

Services Provided Include:

· Oral Screenings

· Cleanings

· Fluoride Varnish Applications

· Dental Sealants (Prevents Cavities)

· Dental Health Education

· Referral Assistance

Many families already enrolled for this school year through Skyward during online registration. If you haven’t enrolled already, simply go to enrollment.bbsmiles.org to complete an enrollment form right online!

We accept Forward Health (BadgerCare)

(We do not bill/accept other private dental insurances) Questions? Call 262-896-9891 or visit us on the web at www.bbsmiles.org

Hello and Happy Fall from the school nurse! Welcome back from what I hope was a restful and healthy summer break! Here are a few

reminders as we continue to move forward into the school year.

The nurse's office has been a very busy place! We have had our fair share of recess injuries.

Thankfully the majority of them have been minor. For more severe injuries every attempt is made to

contact a parent/guardian. Please make sure we have the correct contact information in the office. If

it is at all possible, make sure all contacts are reachable by phone during the school day. PLEASE check

you messages! Much time is spent trying to locate a student’s parent/guardian. We promise that if

you send your child to school a bit under the weather and tell them to go to the school nurse if they

feel worse, they WILL come! So please keep your cell phone near you and have a plan if your child

needs to be picked up from school early. We have already begun to experience colds, and GI flu

amongst our students and staff. Students will be sent home if their temperature is 100 degrees or

above. Students should remain home from school until they are fever-free without the use of

medication for 24 hours, have not vomited or have had diarrhea for 24 hours, and have been taking

antibiotics for strep throat and/or pink eye for 24 hours.

Influenza is a more severe illness and includes fever, body aches and chills, headache, and

cough. Please remind your child of the importance of good hand washing…ALWAYS! Eating well and

getting good rest are also important ways to stay healthy. Also, if your child needs to take prescription

medication at school, we need to have a physician's signature on the Prescription Medication Form on

file giving us permission to administer the medication. This includes inhalers, pink eye medication,

and antibiotics. Students taking over-the-counter medications such as Tylenol or Advil, cough, and

cold medicine, and cough drops need to have a Non-Prescription Medication form filled out by a

parent/guardian. When bringing these products to school, please remember to keep them in the

original packaging with the child’s name on it. Please inform the office of your child has been

diagnosed with a communicable illness such as pink eye, strep throat, head lice, chickenpox, impetigo,

ringworm, Fifth’s disease, Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease, pneumonia, and influenza. That helps us to

keep track of patterns and numbers of cases in the

school. You may call me at 444-2632 with questions or

concerns.

Best wishes for a happy, healthy and safe 2017/2018

school year. Go Norskies!!!

Laurie Krause R.N., BSN lkrause@deforestschools.org

Fall edition, Stefanie Muller- School Counselor Welcome back families, I hope you and your kiddos have had a great start to the new school year! Lot’s has changed in the Counseling Department this year so I will fill you in on that and the lessons I have covered so far this year. This is my 17th year in the district and I work with all teachers and students K-4 at WES. I also work closely with the other 2 school counselors in the district so our practices and curriculum are the similar across buildings. I am also sharing a school counseling intern, Mrs. Weiss, that will be helping with teaching and working with students. First, I have my own classroom this year! You can find me in the 3rd grade area room A134 which is next to Mrs. Curwick’s room. I am so fortunate to be able to use this space to teach, hold student lunches, groups, and new this year- the ZEN DEN. The Zen Den is an area in my room that students can come to throughout the day if they need a break. Think of it as a private brain break. We all have times we are just not feeling ourselves or need to remove ourselves from a situation to regulate our bodies. The Zen Den provides a space for this to happen. Students need to get a pass from their teacher, check into my room and then an adult, usually me, helps the student. Students are given a 10 minute timer and then allowed to pick an activity to either make them feel better if they are sad or in the BLUE ZONE (see explanation of Zones below) or something to calm them down if they are feeling frustrated, mad etc. in the YELLOW or RED ZONE. Some of the things students can pick from include reading books about calming or feelings, using stress balls or bottles, drawing, coloring, breathing, mindfulness, yoga, or simply chilling out in a tent. After the 10 minutes the adult processes how the student is feeling and gets them back to class. So far I have had over 80 visits! If I see that your child is frequenting the Zen Den I will let you know otherwise this is considered a simple brake and taking care of social emotional needs. Life Skills Classes This year I will not be teaching as many life skills classes as I have in the past. This is an opportunity for me to be more available for our students any time during the day and to utilize my education in social emotional learning and mental health. So far I have taught the lessons below and teachers have been present to hear the lesson. I have also included links for resources.

*Kelso’s Choices/KC’s Choices: Trying to solve small or minor problems (things that make you mad or sad but are not dangerous or scary) on your own before asking an adult for help. Getting help from an adult right away for big or serious problems (fire, someone’s hurt, weapons, etc.).

http://kelsoschoice.com/free-resources/for-parents/

Counselor’s Corner

*Zones of Regulation: WHAT ARE THE ZONES OF REGULATION? Definition from website: “The Zones is a systematic, cognitive behavioral approach used to teach self-regulation by categorizing all the different ways we feel and states of alertness we experience into four concrete colored zones. The Zones framework provides strategies to teach students to become more aware of and independent in controlling their emotions and impulses, manage their sensory needs, and improve their ability to problem solve conflicts. The Zones can be com-pared to traffic signs. When given a green light or in the Green Zone, one is “good to go”. A yellow sign means be aware or take caution, which applies to the Yellow Zone. A red light or stop sign means stop, and when one is the Red Zone this often is the case. The Blue Zone can be compared to the rest area signs where one goes to rest or re-energize. All of the zones are natural to experience, but the framework focuses on teaching students how to recognize and manage their Zone based on the environment and its demands and the people around them.” Each classroom has a Zones poster to help students choose tools thought up by them, to use when in each zone. Each student in grades 1-4 created some type of written “tool box” of their own to also keep in their desk of to bring home. Below is a nice general example of each zone. I also use “Inside Out” characters here at school. http://www.zonesofregulation.com/index.html

*

*Bullying

Kindergarten- We read the book “Mean Jean the Recess Queen” and practiced knowing what makes a recess friend and what behavior does not. 1st Grade- We read the book “The Juice Box Bully” and students made their own promise on how to keep Windsor bully free 2nd Grade- We read the first book “Weird” in the Weird series that talks about how to deal with bullying and practiced using positive self talk/growth mindset when someone (even ourselves) is trying to bring us down. 3rd grade- We talked about the difference between nice teasing, a mean moment, conflicts and bul-lying. I then read the book “The Tease Monster” and we practiced differentiating between friendly and mean teasing. 4th grade- We watched and discussed the movie “How to Unmake a Bully” Excellent example of why kids might bully, how to handle small problems, spreading rumors, how the kids used some of KC’s choices in the movie, and why it is important to “stand up” together. There are several other videos in the series on Youtube.

In a couple weeks I will be teaching a lesson on safety at school following the information that was sent home to parents about staff’s training this fall.

*YOGA and Mindfulness:

Over the summer I became a certified yoga instructor (CYT-200) and wellness spe-cialist through the Breathe For Change Program! I will be offering these classes to students at recess throughout the year.

Lastly, please feel free to email or call with any questions, I am also available for meeting with you by appointment. I also have lots of great resources and links on my website which I am working on updating.