Washington Elementary School
March Newsletter
Principal's Corner
Spring is approaching and learning is in full swing here at the WES. As you may know, this is a time of year that students make the most academic and social learning improvements. Make school a priority. Very soon the weather will change with spring right around the corner. It can be challenging to keep our children focused on learning. What can you do to make school a top priority for your child? Keep these ideas in mind:
- Make attendance your number one priority. Let your child know that unless they are sick, they must attend school (and be on time.) Make an effort to schedule appointments after school hours if possible.
- Show you care. Talk about school activities and projects. Make an effort to attend as many school events as you can.
- Remain positive. Try to set a positive example for your child, even when your own day has been challenging. If you show a positive attitude about your work, your child may feel better about their own.
One important reminder is that our school has a wellness policy which reinforces good nutrition during the school day. Please be mindful about sending beverages and foods for snack or lunch that are giving your child(ren) the healthy nutrition they need to be productive, engaged learners all throughout the day. Candy, soda, sugary drinks, and potato chips are foods to be avoided, and staff will also help remind students that these foods should stay at home.
As we move closer to Parent-Teacher Conferences ( March 3rd) educators are often asked one important question, “What do you think I can do at home to help my child be more successful at school?” My answer is very simple, “Read with your child every day. Let them see you read.” Before, during, and after the reading, encourage your child, begin a discussion about the story, ask questions, visualize the story, offer information, share personal thoughts, and connect the story to real-life situations. Make the time an enjoyable experience and let your child see that reading is fun. Celebrate this special time together!
Everyday students are leaving their coats, jackets, sweaters, hats, and lunch boxes at school. Those items without student’s names are brought to our lost and found located in front of the office. During the school year when the pile gets large, we donate the items. Please be sure to check the lost and found during parent/teacher conferences.
Finally, know that you do not have to wait for a parent forum or parent conferences to call if you have questions, concerns, or needs. We are here to serve your children and your families. Please contact your child’s teacher, the office staff, or me if you want to set up a meeting to discuss any issues that arise. As always, THANK YOU for being our partners in this important work helping your child enjoy learning and prepare for a bright future!
With warmest regards,
Tina Townsend
Principal
Preschool News
We will continue the ‘animals’ theme where we learn about what animals need to survive as well as their habitats. Habitats we’ve already discussed are woodlands and deserts. We will continue with learning about ponds, oceans, and farms. We will take a short break to read Dr. Seuss books where we will focus on rhyming, alliteration, as well as concepts of print.
Literacy: We will focus on the names and sounds of letters Mm, Nn, and reviewing those learned so far; concepts of print, beginning sounds of words, rhyming, as well as blending and segmenting compound words.
Math: We will be focusing on complex patterns; counting 1-20; and counting objects 1-10.
Kindergarten
Dear Parents,
We are so excited that it seems Spring is on its way. We have been working so hard to prepare
your child for success in First Grade. Reading skills will continue with independent writing,
sight words, and blending three and four sounds. We have seen so much growth in our
students, it is so amazing.
In Math, we are working on several ways to make ten, counting to 100, identifying numbers 1-
31 and counting backwards from 31. Students are also working on terms such as: before and
after, one or two more/less from a given number.
Enjoy your Spring Break and hopefully it brings warmer weather!
The Kindergarten Team
First Grade
Our first graders have been busy writing critter reports. We have been reading a lot of non fiction stories about animals at the Green Fern Zoo. They chose an animal to research from the reader and write about it. They have done an amazing job and worked so hard on them. We have talked a lot about past tense marker -ed and it's 3 different sounds.
We started learning about astronomy and outer space. This is such a fun unit! We learn about the planets, sun, moon, stars and constellations. We learned what astronomers and astronauts do and the history of the Space Race.
In math we have been so busy learning about place value to 99. We learned that ten ones make one ten. We counted by tens, we built tens with cubes, and we did a lot of comparing using greater than, less than, and equal to.
We look forward to seeing you at conferences! If you haven't signed up, there is still time! Please reach out to your child's teacher to sign up.
School Counselor
Curriculum
The month of February, students continued to learn about emotional management and
having a growth mindset. Students learned calming strategies and how to turn a fixed mindset
into a growth mindset. The students had a few homelinks sent home for them to practice these
skills with their family. In preschool we continued Al’s Pals lessons about feelings. This involved
identifying feelings, showing feelings, and situations in which the feelings were likely to occur. If
you have any questions, feel free to contact me at (641) 472-2110 or
Kelsie.roland@fairfieldsfuture.org.
PBIS News
We want to recognize our January students of the month. These students showed how
to be respectful, responsible, and safe. They were nominated by their classroom teacher and
received a certificate, bracelet, and reward. We are so proud of these kids!
100th Day of School Fun
"The Best Pet Show Ever"
Mrs. Wendland and her kindergarten and first grade students presented families with a wonderful performance. The students introduced the audience to pets and share why their pets are the best. The musical included songs about cats, dogs, bunnies, snakes, the SPCA, and responsible pet ownership. With the performance a collection of pet supplies was collected for Noah's Ark Animal Foundation.
Thank you to all of our Washington families for attending our concert "The Best Pet Show Ever". We especially appreciate all the wonderful donations for Noah's Ark Animal Foundation. Thank you so very much!
Preschool & Kindergarten enrollment information
Preschool Enrollment: Students must be 4 years old on or before September 15, 2025 or 3 years old with an IEP
Classes run Monday-Thursday Morning & afternoon sections: FREE
All-day option: $175/month *Not available for students with an IEP
Mark Your Calendar
Fri. March 7th - Preschool open house - 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM
Mon. March 24th - Kindergarten round-up - last names A to K, 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM, last names L to Z 12:30 PM to 2:30 PM - online registration much be completed by Thurs. March 20th. Parents should plan to attend a 40-minute informational meeting. Note - current preschool and kindergarten students will not be in session that day.