Windermere Family Update

Each year, we establish building goals aligned with our district’s strategic plan and informed by the needs of our students and our building data. This year, our goals focus on academic growth and creating a strong sense of belonging for every student.

Goal #1: Academic Growth

By May 2027, 100% of classroom teachers will identify and document the science and social studies standards not addressed in their CKLA units and develop a plan for providing instruction to meet those standards. Through team planning, lesson plans, and administrative walkthroughs, we will ensure students receive instruction aligned with grade-level standards and district curriculum expectations.

Goal #2: A Sense of Belonging

By May 2027, Windermere staff will intentionally develop students’ sense of belonging through daily Responsive Classroom Morning Meetings, Hawk Flocks (buddy classrooms), and integration of the Profile of an Engaged Learner competencies: Solution Seeker, Skilled Communicator, and Open-Minded & Empathetic.

We will measure our progress through the implementation of Morning Meetings and Hawk Flocks, intentional support for students identified through Panorama data, and growth from fall to spring in Panorama measures of Sense of Belonging, Teacher-Student Relationships, and Rigorous Expectations.

As a K–12 district, we will continue to teach, talk about, and intentionally incorporate our core competencies into each day. I have included these competencies below as a reminder of the skills we are helping our students develop.

On Tuesday, November 3, we will spend part of our day working together on these two goals. This time will allow us to be intentional in our planning, ensuring we meet our academic standards while continuing to build a school community where every student feels connected, valued, and supported.

What do we HOPE for our Hawks?

During a recent professional development, our Windermere staff reflected on this very question: “What is your HOPE for your students this year?” The graphic above captures the hopes our staff shared for our Hawks. It represents what we want for our students, not only academically, but also in how they see themselves, relate to others, navigate challenges, and experience school each day.

These hopes are at the heart of our work. Our building goals provide a roadmap for turning those hopes into intentional action, both in the classroom and throughout our school community.

Ultimately, our goal is to develop uniquely accomplished students who are prepared to serve, lead, and succeed. Thank you for partnering with us as we work to ensure every Hawk has opportunities to learn, grow, belong, and thrive.

We love our Hawks! Have a great weekend.

Julie

November 3 Election Day No School

November 19 - Windermere PTO Family Cultures and Traditions Evening

November 24 - Wear Scarlet and Gray! Go Bucks!

November 25-27 - Thanksgiving Holiday Break

December 4 - Tree Lighting in Mallway

Welcome to KNOWvember!

In October, we began exploring digital media literacy, and we have so much more fun planned for the library this month! We’re diving into all things WINformation to learn how to be respectful and responsible information seekers and users. Classes will have opportunities to attend drop-in sessions to explore these important skills.

Featured in our library collection and on our morning show, Wake Up Windermere, this month are Native American Heritage Month, Día de los Muertos, Election Day, Diwali, Veterans Day, and Thanksgiving. We look forward to celebrating, learning, and discovering together as we grow into thoughtful, informed, and responsible learners!

Third and fifth-grade students referred for testing will take the CogAT in November. Parents should use this Google Form to request gifted testing. The deadline to request testing is 11/3/26.

All second-grade students will be tested for gifted identification in superior cognitive ability and reading in December. All fourth-graders will be tested for gifted identification in superior cognitive ability in December. Star Math is now used to screen all students in grade 1 and up. Star Reading is now used to screen all students in grade 3 and up.

Third and fifth-grade students referred for testing will take the CogAT in November. Parents should use this Google Form to request gifted testing. The deadline to request testing is 11/3/26.

All second-grade students will be tested for gifted identification in superior cognitive ability and reading in December. All fourth-graders will be tested for gifted identification in superior cognitive ability in December. Star Math is now used to screen all students in grade 1 and up. Star Reading is now used to screen all students in grade 3 and up.

As we approach Election Day, UA Schools wants to ensure our community has access to clear, factual information about Issue 7, the combined operating levy and bond issue on the November ballot. The school district’s role in this election is to share the facts, answer questions and help residents understand what is being proposed.

To help with that, we have put together a video version of the Issue 7 presentation that we have been sharing out in the community. The video provides an overview of the proposed issue and offers answers to common questions, with bookmarks to help you navigate directly to the topics most relevant to you.

To find additional factual information and answers to frequently asked questions, please visit the district website, www.uaschools.org/issue7.

Next week we will be sharing and discussing our building-level results from the Engaged Learner Competencies and Well-Being survey that we took this fall. One of our areas of strength here at Windermere is supportive relationships. This means that many of our students reported that they have a positive feeling about their relationships with friends, family, and adults at school.

Also, based on student feedback, one of our areas that we need to work on as a team is the topic of emotional regulation. This topic involves how well we manage our emotions. We will be having classroom conversations to learn more about supportive relationships and emotional regulation and how we can support students, teachers, and each other to either maintain or improve our students’ experiences.

We encourage you to participate in discussions at home using the same questions from the Engaged Learner Competencies and Well-Being survey. You will find these topics, connections to the Profile of an Engaged Learner, and individual question items for K-2, 3-5, and 6-12 at this link: Survey Topic & Description - Connection to Engaged Learner - Survey Items. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Julie Nolan jmnolan@uaschools.org or Cathy Ely, Director of Well-Being, Prevention and Intervention at cely@uaschools.org.

Upper Arlington Schools invites parents and guardians of students in grades K-12 to join internet safety expert Jesse Weinberger for an evening presentation on today’s digital environment and how families can support safe and responsible technology use. The presentation will build on age-appropriate digital safety presentations Weinberger will provide to students in grades 3-6, focused on digital citizenship, responsible technology use, online decision-making and personal safety.

Wednesday, November 4, 2026
6:30–7:30 p.m.
Upper Arlington High School Performing Arts Center

In accordance with the presenter’s event requirements, this session is for adults only. Children and students ages 1–20 will not be admitted to the presentation space. Audio and video recording are also prohibited.

Please remember that no bikes or scooters of any kind are permitted on tracks, grass athletic fields or artificial turf athletic fields, as they can cause significant damage to these surfaces.

Upper Arlington Schools is once again partnering with the Tri-Village Packers to provide food support for students during school breaks.

📅 The deadline to sign up for Thanksgiving break food support has been extended to November 9! Families can complete this form to receive grocery items for their children during the days out of school over Thanksgiving break (November 25-29). The same form can also be used to sign up for winter break food support (December 21-January 4) through November 20.

The food will be provided at no cost for children who would benefit from the support. Information submitted through the form will remain confidential unless a family requests otherwise.

Please reach out to Katie O'Keefe (kokeefe@uaschools.org), our school counselor, if there is a need for breakfast items or if your child's classroom offers a snack time, and if providing these presents a financial hardship for your family. We are working with food services and the Tri-Village Packers to help provide these items as needed. All requests and information are strictly confidential.

As a reminder, please do not park in our staff parking lot between the hours of 7:00 am - 4:00 pm.

Windermere is starting a weekly Food Rescue program to save extra, unopened food from our cafeteria and donate it to our neighbors at NNEMAP Food Pantry. We need drivers on Wednesdays from 11:30-12:30 to deliver the food from Windermere to NNEMAP. This is a simple, straightforward volunteer opportunity that will take 1 hour or less!

Please see the Sign Up Genius at:

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0E44A8A72AA1FF2-65584256-windermere

During the school year, any changes to your child's dismissal routine MUST BE communicated to the front office by 2:00 PM. If your child is going home a different way, other than what is on the dismissal form, please notify their teacher and Ms. Maria (windermereattendance@uaschools.org).

The safety of our students is always our top priority. When visiting the school—whether you are volunteering, picking up your child for an appointment, or signing them out for the day—we kindly ask that you bring either a valid photo ID or have the School Safe app ready on your phone.

Please know that for security reasons, we are not able to release students without one of these forms of identification. We truly appreciate your cooperation in helping us keep our school a safe place for every child.

If your family has a vacation or trip coming up, please be sure to complete a pre-planned absence form and turn it in to the office. This also applies if you are signing your child(ren) out early for a trip. This helps ensure your child’s absence is excused. District policy requires that all absence forms be submitted at least 10 days in advance of the planned trip. Thank you for helping us keep attendance records accurate and up to date!

• Any prescription medication administered at school requires written authorization from the student’s physician as well as written parental permission. New forms are required for each school year. Per Ohio Revised Code, the Prescribed Medication must be received by the health office in the container in which it was dispensed by the provider or pharmacist (we cannot accept medication in baggies). Medication authorization forms and other health forms can be found on the district website under UA Health Forms. Should you have any questions, please contact the Windermere Health Office at 614-487-5060.

• Our health clinics track communicable illnesses and work with local public health agencies to mitigate potential outbreaks. If your student is diagnosed with or treated for a communicable illness/condition (strep, pinkeye, influenza, COVID-19, lice, etc.), please report those to the school nurse at windermerehealthclinic@uaschools.org or windermereattendance@uaschools.org. Thank you for partnering with us to ensure Windermere is a healthy learning environment for all of our students!

Based on changes in Ohio law and Upper Arlington Schools Board of Education policy, new attendance requirements will be in effect beginning with the 2026-2027 school year. These changes affect how schools track student attendance, when families receive notifications, and when districts must intervene to address attendance concerns.

The biggest change is that all missed time is counted — includes tardies, medical absences, pre-planned absences, non-school-sponsored activities and competitions, and Religious Expression days — toward chronic absenteeism. Parents/guardians may find information about the changes in attendance policy on our website.

• At Windermere, the safety and well-being of our students remain among our top priorities. To create a more secure, efficient, and orderly end to the school day, we will be implementing a new dismissal procedure for the 2026–2027 school year. Our goal is to reduce congestion and ensure all students transition safely from school supervision to their verified adult or transportation.

  Please note that this new procedure applies only to dismissal and will not impact morning arrival or drop-off routines.

  We will communicate these changes multiple times throughout the summer and again at the start of the school year to help families understand the updated process. We know any new routine takes time to learn, and we greatly appreciate your kindness, patience, and partnership as we work through the transition together.

  What’s Changing?

  We kindly ask that you fill out this Dismissal Google Form to indicate how your child will go home daily prior to school starting. During the school year, any changes to your child's dismissal routine MUST BE communicated to the front office by 2:00 PM. This allows dismissal to operate in a smooth and timely manner. We are aware this is a change from previous years and appreciate your understanding.

  Dismissal Locations & Procedures

  Students will exit through specific "neighborhood" doors based on their dismissal type:

  • Main Front Doors on Windermere Road: Dedicated to Bus Riders & Day Care Only. (No car pick up will be allowed on Windermere Rd . Car pick up will only be allowed on Haviland.)

  • Main Back / Playground Doors: Car Riders and Caregiver Pick-Up Only. (Haviland pick up loop)

  • 1st Grade Neighborhood Door Corner of Haviland & Windermere: Walkers and Bikers. Students who walk home without adult supervision. (Our bike racks have been relocated to this courtyard area for easier access.)

  The Color-Coded Identification System

  To help our staff quickly identify each student's dismissal category, every child will be assigned a color-coded tag or bracelet for their backpack. Please ensure this remains visible every day:

  • 🟡 Yellow: Bus/Day Care (includes bus number)

  • 🔵 Blue: Parent Pick-Up (Car & Walkers with adult supervision)

  • 🟢 Green: Walkers & Bikers (Students who walk home without adult supervision)

  • 🔴 Red: SACC

  Important Reminders for Parents

  • Dismissal Changes: Any changes to your child's dismissal routine must be communicated to the front office by 2:00 PM.

  • Ex: if someone else is picking up your child or if your child's dismissal routine has changed for the day, you must email your child’s teacher and the main office (Miss Maria) by 2:00.

  • Car Line Efficiency: Student dismissal will start at 2:45. We will be moving cars through the loading zone in groups of 10 to keep the line moving quickly.

  • Bus Riders → Front of the building

  • Car Riders & Parent Pick-Up → Back playground doors

  • Walkers/Bikers → 1st grade neighborhood doors

  We appreciate your partnership and patience as we transition to this new system. These changes are designed to keep our "Hawks" safe and make the end of the day a positive experience for everyone.

Flyer Connection is our online “bulletin board” of opportunities for students and families in our schools from nonprofit organizations in our area.