Farley Elementary Family Flyer

Our school year is off to a great start. Both staff and students were excited to get the year started by getting to know each other and learning new routines. There is so much excitement that a new school year brings. As a district we are launching our new literacy program, Amplify CKLA. As a staff we have engaged in the professional learning centered around literacy to help us prepare for this new curriculum. You will be hearing a lot about this new curriculum from your student's teacher and your student, so take time throughout the year to ask your student about reading.

We look forward to the continued growth and progress for all of our students in the 2026-2027 school year. We will welcome our youngest learners, preschool, on Tuesday, September 1st. We will also be kicking off our annual Color Run fundraiser. Our color run is scheduled for Tuesday, September 22nd!

We appreciate the collaboration and partnership ahead between families and school in the year ahead!

My name is Ms. Abby. I am so excited to be part of the FES team. I am from Dyersville, and I am excited to return to Farley Elementary this time as part of the staff. In my free time, I enjoy thrifting, crafting and hanging out with my family, especially my nieces and nephews. This year I am looking forward to building connections with students and families as I take on this new role!

My name is Hannah Kluesner, and I am so excited to be joining the preschool team at Farley Elementary this year! I recently graduated from the University of Northern Iowa, and last year I had the privilege of working alongside many of the amazing teachers at FES. I've lived in Farley my whole life, so I’m especially excited to begin this new journey at FES. Outside of school, I enjoy spending time with my family and friends, checking out new coffee shops, and being outdoors!

I’m looking forward to getting to know my students and their families, creating a fun and welcoming classroom, and helping each child learn and grow. I can't wait for a wonderful school year and to meet everyone!

Emily will work with students and staff across the district to support, literacy, research skills, library programming and a love of reading. She is excited to bring my experience and knowledge to Western Dubuque to facilitate a love of reading and learning in all students. She looks forward to learning from all the great educators in the district and building on the strong foundation the library program already has.

Coda will provide lessons for our 5th grade band students across the district. He will also lead full-group band experiences, ensuring students receive both individualized instruction and opportunities to perform and grow as part of a larger ensemble.

If your student is absent or arriving late-

• Please contact the office before 9:00 a.m. You can leave a voice mail message 24 hours a day.
• Contact Information: (563) 663-9652 or abby.rollins@wdbqschools.org

Senate File 2435

By law since 2023, we are required to track and inform families of attendance. Here are the guidelines of this attendance law per trimester for absences:

• 1-5 days absent - notification email sent to families to provide awareness of absences
• 6 days absent (10%) - District notification
• 9 days absent (15%) - Absenteeism prevention meeting
• 12 days absent (20%) - County attorney notification

We know that it is best to have students here in school learning from their teacher, so we continue to strive to have students here each and every day!

THE SCHOOL COUNSELOR’S ROLE

What does the school counselor do? I support students one-on-one, in a small group or in a classroom setting to address personal, social, academic concerns and explore career paths. I teach PreK-5 guidance lessons targeting social/emotional learning and career awareness in every classroom. I also serve as a liaison between parent and teacher, administration and parent, and a resource to children, parents and teachers. I strive for everyone to have a positive school experience!

Guidance Class

Next Monday and Thursday will be the first guidance classes taught by Mrs. Boffeli. Students will learn about what the school counselor does and how your child(ren) may seek her out when challenges arise. During the month of September and October, The Zones of Regulation will be taught. It is a curriculum that builds emotional regulation and behavioral skills for life. If you would like to learn more about these skills, please click here: The Zones of Regulation and scroll down to watch a short video.

MISSION STATEMENT:

The mission of the WDCCSD comprehensive school guidance program is to enhance each student's ability to acquire knowledge, attitudes, and skills in the academic, career, and personal/social domains to become lifelong learners and responsible citizens.

Morning Meetings

Our school day will begin each day with a Morning Meeting! Morning meetings begin the day with a 15-minute class meeting which consists of greeting one another, sharing, an activity and a morning message.

Students gather in a circle and begin by greeting each other by name in a friendly and cheerful way.

Next, the students have a chance to share some new and exciting events with the class. This allows them to work on their speaking and listening skills.

After sharing, there is an activity for the whole class. Students may sing a song, read a poem, play a math game, or do some other activity. This allows the students to work together, and problem solve as a whole group while learning together.

The last part of the morning meeting is called Morning Message. During this time, students think about the day ahead. They read their schedule together or individually, which allows them to practice reading/speaking skills. The morning message may also be used for practicing a reading, language or math skill.

The Morning Meeting is a great way to build community, increase excitement about learning and improve academic and social skills. Be sure to ask your child about their Morning Meeting experience!

Weekend Food Bags

United Methodist Church members will be delivering weekend food bags to our WD schools again this year! Your child may have brought info. home on this if you qualify for free and reduced lunch. Please look for the form to sign up for this resource if needed. If you missed it, that’s okay, you can reach out to Mrs. Boffeli, School Counselor, to reserve a bag for your child(ren). Bags will be sent home on Wednesdays.

• Tuesday, September 1st: First day for Preschool students
• Monday, September 7th: Labor Day, NO SCHOOL
• Wednesday, September 16th: Picture Day
• Tuesday, September 22nd: Color Run