NEWS from the NEST

Dear Woodland Families,

School is now in full swing. This week is our first FULL week. I cannot tell you how much I appreciate you getting your student up and ready for school each day. We cannot do it without you!

Below you will find weekly reading passages and math fluency sheets for each grade level at Woodland. These are to help with basic fluency in both Reading and Math. These two subjects are the most foundational during the early stages of education and they are embedded into all other subjects that your child will learn.

Beginning on Thursday of this week, your student will be receiving a grade level homework packet. We have streamlined this process and built consistency among grade levels to help our families, students and staff to help support each other. The homework packet will be required for your student to complete and return to school. This not only instills responsibility, but also helps you, as a family, to see if your student is struggling or excelling in an area that we might not always catch. The homework packet will be given out on Thursday and due the next Thursday, but may be turned in early. We understand that families have many different obligations and giving everyone a time that fits into your daily or weekly schedule works best.

The Car Rider line in the morning is running pretty smoothly, but I still need to make sure that everyone understands that you must have your student ready to get out of the vehicle in the morning when you stop at a traffic cone along the sidewalk. If you refuse to let your student out and pull up to the front awning, you will be required to park and walk your student to the front door. Our resource officer, along with other adults are out there to make sure all of our students get inside the building safely.

We will begin iReady testing this week. This diagnostic test is really important for us to see what your student is capable of in an independent setting. Our district support system has changed this year and has broadened the scope when it comes to placing students into intervention. If a student falls within a certain score range after testing, they will be placed into monitoring to make sure that they get all the support they need. This is where we need your help! We need for all of our students to know to take their time and give their best effort. We will reward them for doing this. We cannot control the answers they give, but students can try. Please encourage your students to do their best.

Please make sure to utilize all of the resources listed in the newsletter, especially the Transportation Change Form. Transportation changes will not be accepted after 1pm. This is to prevent students being sent or dropped off to the wrong location. Changes will ONLY be accepted through this form or if you call the Front Office at Woodland. 270-352-5828. Do not message or email your student's teacher with a transportation change. Your child's teacher's priority is for instruction each day and they cannot be held responsible for relaying transportation changes.

Here's to the first FULL week in the NEST! We are excited for this year to have kicked off in such a great way. Please make sure to reach out if you need anything! We are here to help.

Thank you for your continued support. We can’t wait to see you soon!

Eagles Fly Because They Try!

Mr. Thompson

Principal - Woodland Elementary

brandon.thompson@hardin.kyschools.us

ELECTRONIC DEVICES

POSSESSION AND USE

Prior to entering the school building on a scheduled instructional day, all technological devices (cell phones, earbuds, headphones, smartwatches, etc.) are to be turned off until the end of the school day and placed inside the student’s backpack. Students may retrieve their devices once they are in their vehicle to leave the school property or if their bus driver allows technology on their bus. Violation of this policy will result in the device being confiscated and turned over to an administrator. Failure to turn over the device will be defined as “defiance of authority” and will be considered a behavioral violation.

● Devices shall not be used in a manner that disrupts the educational process, including, but not limited to, posing a threat to academic integrity, sending explicit sexual material, or violating confidentiality or privacy rights of another individual, is profane, indecent, or obscene, or constitutes/promotes illegal activity or activity in violation of school rules. Devices shall be turned off and operated only before the student enters the school building and after the student is on their bus or in their vehicle at the end of the school day. When students violate this policy, they shall be subject to disciplinary action, including the possibility of losing the privilege of bringing the device onto school property. In addition, the device will be confiscated by a school employee and turned over to an administrator, and shall be returned to the parent/guardian. If a second offense occurs, the student will no longer be permitted to bring the device to school and may face an additional disciplinary consequence.

● Students are solely responsible for keeping up with the devices they bring to school. The district shall not be responsible for the loss, theft, or destruction of devices brought onto school property.

● Students shall comply with any additional rules developed by the local SBDM Council concerning the appropriate use of other electronic devices.

I, myself, completed this form for my son that attends middle school and it took about 2 minutes to complete. This can help to ensure that all of our students continue to receive a free breakfast and lunch each day at school.

Last year Woodland was the first school in the district to achieve 100% of their families filling out the CEP form. We received an additional amount of funding because of this. We can do this! The link to the form is included right here.

English HIF public link
https://www.myschoolapps.com/Home/DistrictRedirect/HARDINHIF_KY?langid=1

Spanish HIF public link
https://www.myschoolapps.com/Home/DistrictRedirect/HARDINHIF_KY?langid=2

We will be begin transitioning to Rooms and this corresponds through the HCS app. Rooms will be the way that you can communicate to your child's teacher and school. In the meantime, your student's homeroom teacher will be making sure that you know when we are transitioning over to Rooms. Please make sure that you are able to receive information from this platform. Once Rooms is set up, we will be disconnecting families from ClassDojo. This is to make sure that we are aligned and in compliance with the new Senate bill regarding traceable communication.

Starting in the 25-26 school year at Woodland we will begin a process when a student reaches 9 unexcused absences or a total of 15 absences either excused or unexcused families will receive a letter with a scheduled Parent Engagement Meeting or (PEM). This is to help families combat chronic absenteeism.

Letters will be sent out this week if your student missed 15 or more days from school last year. This is to make sure that all families know going forward for the school year what the goal is for their student.

We will work with families and support them in finding solutions to chronic absenteeism. Chronic absenteeism has profound and far-reaching consequences for students, extending well beyond missed school days. It can hinder the development of critical skills, reduce academic success, and create lasting challenges throughout a student's life.

1st Grade Reading Passage (Frog Hops!)

2nd Grade Reading Passage (A Fun Trip for Ali)

3rd Grade Reading Passage (A Visit to the Fire Station)

4th Grade Reading Passage (A Unicorn Wish)

5th Grade Reading Passage (What Makes Color)

6th Grade Reading Passage (A Special Cooking Lesson)

All grades levels have a fluency standard.

The KY Math Standards state that students should be fluent in the following areas:

1st grade students to be fluent within 10 (addition & subtraction)

2nd grade students to be fluent within 20 (addition & subtraction)

3rd grade students to be fluent within 100 (multiplication & division)

4th grade students to be fluent in multi-digit addition & subtraction

5th grade students to be fluent in multiplying multi-digit whole numbers

This week we are starting out with 1st & 2nd grade students working with Addition & Subtraction and 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students working with Multiplication & Division facts.

1st Grade Math Fluency Sheet

2nd Grade Math Fluency Sheet

3rd Grade Math Fluency Sheet

4th Grade Math Fluency Sheet

5th Grade Math Fluency Sheet

Follow the directions in the link to obtain a Parent Portal. All families are encouraged to make sure that they have access to their student's Parent Portal. This is where all attendance and grades are housed for your student.

https://www.hardin.kyschools.us/parents/parent-portal-account-how-do-i-get-one

All educators in the state of KY in the public school systems must use the Kentucky Academic Standards. All of the programs that we use at Woodland align to these standards. If you are ever wondering why your student is learning a specific skill or concept in their grade level, you can look to these for guidance.

In order to increase our daily attendance, last year we started Tardy Taters at Woodland. Each day that a homeroom class only has 1 student late/absent from school then the classroom gets to add a piece onto the Tater. Once the class has received 10 days of only missing one student or achieving 100% attendance, then the class will be rewarded with a certificate and a Tater chip party. Classrooms proudly display their certificates out in the hallway. At the end of the school year, the class with the most complete Tardy Taters will receive a class Pizza Party! Last year we filled 153 Tardy Taters. Let's see if we can beat that number in the 25-26 school year.

Do you want to help, but you don't want to go out and buy and drop it off at the school? Click here to help send supplies directly to the school. Thanks in advance!

https://a.co/6QhXhhx

Woodland does have a Wellness policy that is a SBDM (Site Base Decision Making) policy about no outside food coming in for birthday celebrations. We do celebrate every student in a monthly celebration on the last Thursday of the month. Students are given a treat provided by the cafeteria, we sing Happy Birthday, and each child gets a Happy Birthday pencil. If you would like to do something additional, please reach out to your student's homeroom teacher. You are always welcome to send in a trinket/prize/pencil for the students in the class. You can also contact the school and come and eat lunch with your student if you are able to do that. With the ever growing number of students with known and unknown allergies, we do not allow large batches of food (cupcakes, brownies, etc.).

Some suggestions in lieu of food:

• Stickers
• Glow bracelets
• temporary tattoos
• Bubbles
• Play-doh
• Side walk chalk

Thank you for your understanding and support.

If there is a change in your student's transportation, please fill our the form linked here. We must have transportation changes in writing for documentation purposes.

The link is https://forms.gle/39qw9qqqjnXccMtR9

Here is the important information regarding how parents can view and pay for field trips and complete permission slips for their students.

To get started, parents need to complete a two-step sign-up process:

1. Create a free SchoolCash Online account.

   • Visit https://hardin.schoolcashonline.com and click on "Register."
   • Fill in your first name, last name, email address, and create a password.
   • Choose a security question.
   • Select "Yes" to receive email notifications (no promotional emails will be sent).
   • Check your email for a confirmation message (remember to look in the Spam folder if it doesn’t appear).
   • Use your email and password to log in.

2. Add your student(s) to your account profile and make a payment.

• Sign in at https://hardin.schoolcashonline.com.
• Navigate to "My Account" at the top of the page.
• From the dropdown menu, select "My Students."
• Click to add a child:
  • Type your school board name and choose your school from the list.
  • Enter your child's details (up to 8 students can be added).
  • Click "Confirm."
• Select the item you wish to purchase and click "Add to Cart."
• Once finished adding items, click "Continue" to make a payment.

Are you looking for child care after school? The district provides child care, at a low cost, to families. Please visit the link to check it out and fill out the application or you can call 270-769-8800 and ask to speak to Amy Wood. If you are interested please act quickly. Spots do fill up. Thank you!

https://www.hardin.kyschools.us/school-aged-child-care-sacc-1

If you are interested in being a volunteer, this video explains how volunteers can complete a background check (which they need per law and policy).

https://youtu.be/jd8mltg9bmM

Some points of note:

• HCS will send a request for a background check to the Administrative Office of the Courts EVERY FIVE YEARS. The AOC charges the district a $10 fee for each check administered. We ask the volunteer to pay for that background check processing fee.
• We will only ask for a processing fee every five years instead of every year. We ask for the background check form to be completed each year in order to maintain a clear record of the current school year's volunteers.
• The background check will not be processed until the Superintendent’s office has received $10 for the background check and a copy of the receipt issued by the school. For instance, if an adult who has never volunteered becomes a volunteer in 2024, they will not have to pay for another background check until 2029.