We again have a wonderful opportunity to recognize the remarkable efforts and achievements of our students. I encourage each of you to nominate students who have shown exceptional qualities or improvements, both academically and personally. All staff members are eligible to participate in this nomination process.

Please take a moment to fill out the nomination form here.

Your recommendations are invaluable in helping us acknowledge the hard work and success of our students. Let’s ensure that every student who deserves recognition receives it!

Thank you for your continuous support and dedication to our students.

As we continue to embrace the Wit & Wisdom curriculum, it's clear that it's here to stay as a fundamental part of our educational framework. I understand that resources and time for support can be scarce, which makes our upcoming Curriculum Planning Nights an invaluable opportunity. These sessions are dedicated to deepening our understanding and enhancing our application of the curriculum, ensuring a consistent and enriching educational experience for all students.

Here’s what we're offering:

• Purpose: Dive deep into your lessons, focusing question arcs, and modules.

• Support: Each session will be facilitated by an instructional coach to help you implement the curriculum with fidelity and integrity.

• Professional Growth: Participants will emerge as resources in their grade level, building, or district for the chosen area of focus.

Details:

• Dates: February 27, March 27, April 29, May 20

• Time: 3:30-6:30 PM

• Location: Varies by date (details in the sign-up link)

• Compensation: $33.32/hr

If you need to leave school a bit early to attend, please feel free to do so. This is a crucial investment in our professional development.

Please, please consider making the most of this time and the group support available by signing up here. Let's leverage these planning nights to strengthen our instructional practices and reinforce our commitment to delivering top-notch education.

Thank you for your dedication to our students' success and for considering this pivotal opportunity.

Sean

Please remember to check in all books before returning them to the shelves. Accurate check-ins are crucial for maintaining our inventory, ensuring that students who lose books can be appropriately charged, and preventing students with outstanding issues from checking out additional titles. This helps avoid confusion and ensures our library resources are properly managed and available to everyone.

If you are unsure of how to check in books, please leave them in the drop bin outside the library; do not bring them inside. Additionally, remind students to not return books to the shelves themselves, especially not at random locations.

THANK YOU!

Thanks to the generous contributions to the Gift of Reading initiative from our recent fundraiser, we're excited to announce the addition of new magazine subscriptions to the West Rapids Elementary School library! These subscriptions include:

• Ask (9 Issues)

• Click (9 Issues)

• Highlights brainPLAY (6 Issues)

• Highlights High Five (9 Issues)

• Highlights (12 Issues)

• Jack & Jill (6 Issues)

• Ladybug (9 Issues)

• National Geographic Kids (10 Issues)

• National Geographic Little Kids (6 Issues)

• Ranger Rick Jr. (10 Issues)

• Ranger Rick (10 Issues)

These magazines will be available for students to read and enjoy within the media center, offering a wealth of information and fun learning opportunities across a range of subjects and interests. They are not for checkout but serve as excellent in-library resources to support our students' love for reading and learning.

We're also in the process of enhancing our library with a selection of books and other resources that, like the magazines, will be available for use exclusively within the media center. This ensures that all students have access to these valuable materials during their library time.

Thank you to everyone who has supported this initiative. Your contributions are making a direct impact on our students' educational experience, providing them with more opportunities to learn, explore, and grow.

Have you checked out our library online?  A digital card catalog.  The main address is here:  

https://grsouthwest.goalexandria.com/

You can search by words, or use other tools such as Scout, Explore, and Browse.  There are tools for even non-readers to search the catalog.

New items added today (2/20/25), purchased from funds raised from our Fall Bookfair.

We need:

• volunteers that night

• student work to display (I have science fair boards teachers can use to display or you can pick some to lay out on a table or hang on the wall)--the sky is the limit!

• Anything else you think parents/community would want to see

• Students?  Do any of you have any brave students who would be willing to be there to guide, answer questions, share work? 

• You to attend and talk to parents.  

Carol has:

• scope and sequence

• tip sheets

• articles on the why behind it

• books to give away

• swag bags for teacher helpers

Volunteers Needed for Final Guided Observations for Leaders (GOFL) on May 6th

I'm posting to inform you that West Rapids will host the final round of Guided Observations for Leaders (GOFL) for the Wit and Wisdom program on Tuesday, May 6th. This event is a fantastic opportunity for professional growth and to showcase our instructional strategies.

I have included a PDF that includes detailed information about the GOFL program and testimonials from other teachers who have participated. It's a great way to get a sense of the benefits and insights gained from being involved.

We are seeking volunteers who are willing to participate and have an administrative walkthrough during this event. This is an excellent chance to engage with leaders and peers in a meaningful way, and I encourage anyone interested to consider volunteering.

Please let me know if you are willing to participate or if you have any questions about the event. Your involvement would be greatly appreciated as we continue to support each other in our professional development journeys.

Thank you for considering this opportunity to contribute to and benefit from this important initiative.

Sean

We're grateful to our wonderful volunteers who have been diligently cleaning and updating our library collection. They are removing damaged copies, items that haven't been checked out in a long time, and books that no longer align with our K-2 focus.

All damaged books are being recycled. Meanwhile, books that have been weeded but are still in good condition are available in the lounge. Please feel free to take any that you can use. These books will be in boxes and available throughout this week, and I will continue to add more as we process them.

Our goal is to make the library more accessible and easier for our students to navigate, so it’s essential that we clear out unnecessary copies to create space.

Important Updates

1. Sensory Items in Makerspace:

   • Available for borrowing in the makerspace are various sensory items including weighted blankets, playdough, bubbles, pressure tube blankets, bands, sand, pedal stations, and headphones. Please note these items are for borrowing within the space and must be returned, not taken home. (images included with this post)

2. Kindergarten Conferences:

   • This week, kindergarten conferences continue with no kindergarten students attending on Thursday or Friday. All other grades will follow their normal schedules. Note: This is the last year kindergarten will hold separate conferences. Starting next year, kindergarten and first grade will transition back to a quarterly schedule to align with the 2025-26 school calendar.

3. Visitor Badges:

   • All visitors must wear a yellow badge for identification.

4. Staffing Update:

   • Clayton will be out for the rest of the week, covering responsibilities at East.

5. Staff Meeting Cancellation:

   • There will be no staff meeting this week. Instead, I'll place cards by the mailboxes for those interested in participating (picture of card box in this post "You Make a Difference"). Please write a message on a card to a staff member at another building and turn them into the office. We will send these out via inter-school mail on Friday. This is a great opportunity to reconnect with former West staff or those who have stayed at East.

6. Volunteer Reminder:

   • Another reminder that all volunteers must complete a volunteer packet, even for a single event. This is crucial as Brittney and Geraldene are often the first to interact with parents and need to enforce this policy. Keep this in mind for any events happening this Friday to ensure all paperwork is in order.

     • This has gone out to parents multiple times from the Office.

7. Fundraiser Reminder:

   • Please review the fundraiser details provided further down on this page. The fundraiser information will be sent home with students this coming Tuesday.

An updated North Homes referral form has been added to the home page of this website (Common Files for Quick Reference) and a copy is included with this post.

I've extended the library checkout period from two to three weeks, observing that many classrooms visit the library biweekly. Unfortunately, this adjustment has not significantly reduced the number of overdue books. The overdue count has only decreased from 249 to 234.

Also, you'll find a large quantity of bookmarks in the bin on the teacher's desk at the entrance to the media center. Please feel free to take and use them.

West Rapids has participated with SchoolStore previously, and they've reached out about another collaboration, offering a significant bonus. I've arranged to still receive the bonus without a large promotional effort, so we are keeping the campaign low-key.

On Tuesday, February 18th, information packets will be sent home with students. Participation is completely optional, and we won't be heavily promoting the program. Our involvement beyond distributing the packets is minimal.

Students who participate will periodically receive awards, which are not difficult to earn. I will manage the distribution of these awards, typically on Fridays or the last day of the week. It's often a surprise to students that they've earned a prize.

Please direct all inquiries and comments to me to minimize the workload for teachers and office staff. When you receive your classroom packets, distribute them to students and feel free to keep the included 'stuffy' for classroom use. There's a video listed in the packets; showing it is optional, and I won't be monitoring who does or doesn't show it.

Last time we participated in SchoolStore, we raised a significant amount of money. However, it's important to note that the rewards were in the form of gift cards usable only at their affiliated store, which had higher prices than other retailers. This year, we anticipate less funds and I'm certain they said they no longer divide by classrooms, it's one central school account.

Once the packets are distributed, your involvement is essentially complete. However, contrary to the instructions in the student envelopes that suggest teachers collect them, we will instead place a bin on the piano by the Thunderhawk slips to collect any returned envelopes—again, to ensure minimal work for teachers and office staff.

Any questions from students about when they will receive their "Book Buddy" prize should be directed to me. I will handle the announcements and distribution of awards.

Thank you for your help!

Happy MONDAY! As we get further into the school year, I want to take a moment to reflect on the journey we’re on together. You might have noticed that as the weeks pass, the challenges we face in educating and guiding our students seem to grow. The tasks become more demanding, and the days can feel longer and tougher. This is all a normal part of our path.

It’s important to remember that growth often occurs right at the edge of our comfort zones—where things get hard. We’re here not just to teach but to inspire resilience and perseverance in our students, and sometimes, that means modeling it ourselves.

We’re a team—every teacher, every staff member, every one of us connected to this school. We’re a team, united in our commitment to be respectful, responsible, safe, and kind. These values aren't just for our students; they’re for us too. They guide us in supporting one another, especially when the going gets tough.

Let’s keep encouraging each other, sharing our strengths, and offering a helping hand when needed. Every challenge is an opportunity to demonstrate to our students—and ourselves—just how capable and strong we can be.

Thank you all for your hard work, your dedication, and your passion. Let’s continue to support each other and make this year a testament to our resilience and commitment to education.

• Monday

  • Welcome back!  For those that made the staff meeting last week, remember to get your cards out.  For those that missed, there are extra "You Can Do It" cards in the lounge.  Feel free to take one, write a short message, and pass it along.  I'm starting the postcards you turned in today.

• Tuesday

  • After school, School District Budget Meeting #1 for staff (see email from Superintendent Grose)

  • NO ASLA

• Wednesday

  • CAREIALL extended early out, in-person portion.  Even those that completed LETRs.

• Thursday

  • BLLT ASAP @ 3:00.

• Friday

  • Popcorn Friday (whole school)

  • Kindness Club (I'll run it as Mr. Lindner is out)

  • School Store (see below)

I fibbed to make this fit February ;-)

We are excited to announce a new partnership with the Arrowhead Library System to share valuable resources with our families! These resources include items for parents, kids, and the whole family—available in print form.

Starting next Tuesday, and continuing on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month, we will place these materials in your mailboxes the Monday prior so they can be sent home with students. This will follow a similar process to Tuesday Folders. The only exception is in May, which will have three consecutive Tuesdays.

I will have provided a visual copy of what’s going home and when, so you know what to expect. Please ensure these materials get sent home, as they offer amazing resources for our Arrowhead Library members!

This is what parents will receive as a one time update.