Winona Elementary

Happy March!

The Power of Partnership

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who joined us for our Spring Conferences last week. It was wonderful to see our hallways filled with families and to hear the meaningful conversations happening in our classrooms.

These conferences are more than just a check-in; they are a vital part of your child's success. When we align our support between home and school, we create a solid foundation that allows our scholars to take risks, grow in confidence, and reach their full potential. Thank you for being our partners in this journey!

Looking Ahead to Spring Break

We have one more full week of learning and growth before we head into Spring Break (March 16th–20th). During this time, there will be no school. I encourage everyone to use this upcoming week to recharge, play outside, and enjoy some well-deserved rest. We look forward to seeing everyone back on Monday, March 23rd, ready to tackle the final stretch of the school year!

A Note of Encouragement

As we move into the "blooming" season of spring, I am reminded of how much progress our students have made since August. Growth isn't always a straight line—it takes patience, sunlight, and a little bit of grit.

This sentiment feels especially personal to me this year. As this is my first year serving as your principal, I feel like I am "blooming" right alongside our scholars. Learning the unique heartbeat of Winona and growing with this community has been the highlight of my year. Just like our students, I am constantly leaning into new challenges and finding joy in the journey.

Whether your student is mastering a new math concept or showing extra kindness on the playground, please join me in celebrating those small wins this week. You are doing a great job, and your support makes all the difference for our students—and for me.

Educationally yours,

Ms. Bradshaw

Principal, Winona Elementary

March

4- Family Conferences

5- No School Family Conferences

6 No School

10- Class Pictures

16-20- Spring Break No School

April

6-22 CMAS Testing (AM sessions only 3rd-4th-5th)

24- No School

28- Spring Concert

30- Career Day

May

**Hopeful 4-15 Carnival TBD

18- Field Day

21- 5th Grade Continuation

22- Last day of School Early Dismissal 11:10 am

Class picture Day is Tuesday, March 10th. Extra order forms will be available in the office.

We are so excited to announce that we are hoping to host our Annual Winona Carnival Night this May! It is always a highlight of the year, filled with games, laughter, and community spirit.

However, we need your help to make it a reality. To ensure the safety and success of an event this size, we have a "green light" requirement: We must have at least 10 family volunteers and 10 school staff volunteers signed up to help.

The Bottom Line: If we do not reach this volunteer goal, we unfortunately will not be able to move forward with the carnival this year.

How you can help: If you are able to give a few hours of your time to bring this joy to our scholars, please sign up using the BLUE link below.

Decision Date: We will review our volunteer numbers and send out an official "Go" or "No-Go" announcement to all families and staff by March 25th.

Let’s work together to make this happen for the kids!

CMAS testing will be from April 6th-22nd

Testing sessions will be in the morning during this time frame. Families, please try to avoid if possible making morning appointments during CMAS testing.

Winona’s Career Day for 2nd–5th graders is Thursday, April 30th, 12–3 PM, and we need parents, neighbors, and community members to share about their careers!

If you know anyone who can present, please share this link so they can sign up: Volunteer Form

Every volunteer helps make this event amazing – thank you for spreading the word!

Location: Thompson Valley High School

WES: Tuesday, April 28

Arrival Time: students need to arrive at 5:30 pm

Students need to be with their teachers no later than 5:45pm

Concert start time: 6:00 pm -concert shouldn't last more than an hour

Students are expected to look their best but please DO NOT buy anything for the concert.

All students are expected to attend in an effort to make this the best concert possible! Thank you for your support. We are excited to hear many voices on a big stage.

Here is a great reason why reading with older children is important:

“Books can invite conversation with kids around relevant social issues and challenges they might be facing. Choosing a book to read together that addresses a tricky topic — such as friendship issues, prejudice, bullying, or homelessness — offers an unmatched opportunity to talk together. You can better understand what your child thinks or has experienced around a given issue, as well as share your beliefs and personal stories on a sensitive subject.” 3 Important Reasons to Keep Reading Aloud to Your Tween

Volunteer registration for this school year will close on March 30. Please remember that families must complete the volunteer registration process in order to attend field trips with their students.

Studies have shown that using praise as a positive reinforcement is an effective strategy for student attendance. However, family participation is also key to good attendance for younger students. Some of the Athlos tips for good attendance include:

• Establishing and keeping a schedule; children thrive on routine

• Going to bed and waking up earlier

• Preparing for the morning the night before by laying out outfits, packing backpacks, and pre-packing lunches

• If work schedules conflict, investigate other means of transportation, such as carpooling with other families

If your family consistently struggles with school attendance, professionals suggest tracking the average time you’re late by and adding that time accordingly to your schedule. For example: if you are consistently 15 to 30 minutes late in the morning, set your alarm 15 to 30 minutes earlier. Doing this creates a cushion of extra time for unexpected delays.

Winona Families,

Please make sure you are calling your students in absent when they are going to be absent from school. Our Attendance line is checked daily to ensure your student"s attendance is correct. When calling the attendance line, please state the reason for their absence. If you have any questions please call the office. 970-613-7101

Our Office is open from

7:30am-3:30pm M-F

Office Number

970-613-7100

Attendance Line

970-613-7111

Fax Number

970-613-7120

How sick is too sick? Does your Child need to stay home?

• Diarrhea

Yes – The child or staff member may return to school or child care 24 hours after their

last episode of diarrhea.

• Fever

Fever is a temperature of

100.4°F or greater.

Yes – The child or staff member may return to school or child care if the fever has

been resolved for 24 hours without fever-reducing medications.

• Flu-like Symptoms

• Fever

• Sore throat

• Runny nose or congestion

Yes - Children and staff may return to school or child care as long as they are

fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medications and symptoms are improving.

We are seeing a lot of flu-like symptoms since the start of school. Please do not send your students to school with symptoms that could be contagious. Call the health office to excuse an illness or if you have any health questions.

Thank you!

Mrs. Alex

970-613-7102

The Winona Elementary School spirit wear is available to purchase all school year long. Choose from hundreds of designs and garments, all delivered to your home in days.