WhatNot!
April 16 2025
Message From the Principal
Dear Wildwood Families,
I hope you all had a nice spring break. When I looked to see how many weeks we have left of school, it’s not that many and there is so much to do! One of the big things that comes up in May is State Testing for grades 3-5. We’re working out the schedule now; there are a lot of moving parts. Your classroom teachers will let you know when your child is testing.
A part of the principal's job is handling discipline. My philosophy is that school is a place where students can make mistakes and then we figure out how to fix them. One thing to keep in mind is that there’s an age range in elementary and it’s not a one size fits all for discipline; how discipline in kindergarten is handled is different than in 5th grade. I also try to maintain the child’s dignity in the situation, letting them know that mistakes happen and they don’t determine who we are. Having a relationship with the child makes it easier to address misbehavior, as it often requires a conversation and some trust to share what happened. Building that relationship takes time. For some students, conflicts roll off their backs and for others, they are more impacted. It can also be a challenge to address issues in a way that aligns with all families’ opinions on how it should be handled. Some families like to be notified of all conflicts and there are others that are happy for us to handle them. As you can see, handling discipline is a complicated process!
With all that being said, we have wonderful kids at Wildwood. I am not spending a lot of time handling discipline, but things happen. My hope is that by being visible and present around the school, students remember the “Wildwood Way” and fewer disciplinary issues arise.
Thanks for all of your support!
Beth Rhine
Calendar
April
17 Kinder Info Night 7-8:30p - Havens Auditorium
18 Mileage Club 7:50am
22 DEIB Council Meeting 3:45-5p - Havens Library
24 Elementary School Site Council Meeting 3:30-5p - Beach Elementary
4/28-5/2 Book Fair (Night Fair 4/30)
30 Art Show 6-7:30p
May
3 Spring Festival
5-9 Staff Appreciation Week
Family Survey - Planning for 2025-2026
Even though the school year isn’t over, we are starting to plan for next year. Before the end of the year, we will be creating classrooms for the 2025-2026 school year. If you would like to give input regarding the classroom environment that best fits your child’s needs, feel free to fill out the survey. Student Placement Needs Survey
If your child isn’t returning to Wildwood next year, it would be helpful if you would let us know. Feel free to email me (brhine@piedmont.k12.ca) and/or the office, wildwoodoffice@piedmont.k12.ca.us .
The Gaga Pit has arrived!
We have a new addition on our playground, a Gaga Pit! It was tricky to figure out a space for it as it had to be out of the fire lane and on the flattest spot possible. We didn’t want to lose some of the open areas of play, too. Ms. Matarazzo, our wonderful PE teacher, will be teaching each class the rules and how to play in PE class and at recess. A big thanks to the Dads Club and the Parent Club for funding our new Gaga Pit!
Art News
Library
Book Fair
The 2025 Books Inc. Book Fair kicks off on April 28 th! Remember that 15% of all sales goes back to Wildwood!
1. Sign up to Volunteer! STILL NEED MORE VOLUNTEERS!
We need help setting up the actual fair, operating the register during book fair hours, and packing up at the end. We rely heavily on volunteers to make this happen, so please sign up if you can! Sign Up Here!
2. Remember our teachers: At the fair, there will be wish lists for each teacher set out. While you’re at the fair picking out books for your child, please purchase a book from your teacher’s wish list! There will be labeled teachers’ bins to place the paid books inside. Also please remember our wonderful ancillary teachers!
3. Come to our night fair on Wednesday April 30 th from 5:00-7:30 PM!
- Conveniently the same night as the SPRING ART SHOW 6-7:30!
- Catch a "read aloud" with Ms. Ludmer at 6:30pm! Our Head Librarian, Ms. Ludmer, will be reading a lively piece for all to enjoy. Cookies and milk will be passed around!
- Taco Truck 5:00-7:30 AND Mr Softee truck 6:00-7:30!!
Any questions, please email Morgan Driskill morgan.driskill@gmail.com
April 28th-May 2nd Hours:
Monday 3-4:30 PM, Tuesday 3-4:30 PM, Wednesday 5-7:30 PM, Thursday 3-5 PM, Friday 3-4:30 PM
Online Fair available April 28th – May 5 th : 15% of online sales go back to Wildwood Go to Books Inc Website to purchase books and use Coupon discount code: wildwood
Parents Club Update
The next WPC Board meeting will be April 29th, 6:40 social, 7pm start time. We will host the meeting via Google Meet and it will be a voting meeting to approve our budget for 2025/26. We would appreciate your attendance!
Spring is springing! WPC will host many events these remaining eight weeks of school, including these highlights:
- Wildwood Spring Festival (see flyer attached): Saturday, May 3rd. A fun outdoor celebration with games, activities, food and more. It takes a village to successfully pull off these events, and we rely on volunteers to make this a hit! Please consider signing up for one of the many opportunities here.
- PEF's Spring Fling giving season. A few tickets remain for the April 25th fundraising gala (more info here), and the online auction goes live April 22! All proceeds directly benefit PUSD's three elementary schools (funds divided equitably). Wildwood has shown up well in its donations for this event, with donations including a Parent Dance Party at Hipline, a Tea Party with Principal Rhine, a Pixar tour, a Dog Party and more. Kinder and 5th-grade parents, be sure to purchase your student's Comings & Goings portrait!
- Staff Appreciation Week: May 5-9. This weeklong celebration is all about showering our staff with gratitude and affection, letting each of them know just how important and appreciated they are. Be on the lookout for info coming soon about daily activities in which you and your students can participate. Mark your calendars!
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Dad's Club
Next event: Friday April 25th Year end Dads’ Club Appreciation events!
Thank you for a wonderful year of your hard work, volunteerism, and fundraising! Please join your fellow Wildwood Dads for one or both of the following events:
Head over to www.wildwooddadsclub.org to snag your tickets.
April 25, 1pm: WWDC End of Year Celebration at Faction Brewery in Alameda
Location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/aSj9Mj3MC4w9WF778
Your ticket price includes two beverages and some AWESOME Dads' Club swag! A food truck will be on hand if you want to purchase any food. Join us for golf and stay for the afternoon!
April 25, 10am: FOOOOOOOORE!!! WWDC End of Year Golf Celebratio
Metropolitan Golf Links, Oakland
Informal golf scramble. Any and all levels of golfer welcome! Scramble format (4-some plays the best shot). $60 includes 9 holes, cart, $5 toward range or pro shop. The event will roll into the afternoon brewery hang out
PIE: Piedmonters for Inclusive Education
Spring Fling 2025: Piedmont Palm Royale
What’s Up with Spring Fling?
Online Auction Now Live!
April 15–22
Bid on getaways, dining, Principal for the Day, Parent Parties & more! New items added daily. Proceeds support our schools—bid now and bid often!
Parent Theme Parties Are Live!
Tickets are going fast—grab yours now! Want to host one? Fill out this form.
Be a Parent Sponsor
Only 10 Gala tickets left! Become a sponsor, support the fun, and join the exclusive Sponsor Party hosted by Melissa & Ali Partovi.
Piedmont Palm Royale Gala
Friday, April 25, 2025
6–11 PM | Oakland Scottish Rite
Resort wear, dancing, unforgettable night.
Spring Clothing, Toy and Book Drive
Spring Clothing, Toy and Book Drive to support Closets at Bridges Academy at Melrose and Lockwood STEAM Academy, OUSD:
It is time again for our annual Spring Drive to support Closets at our 2 partner East Oakland OUSD schools to get needed items to families before summer break.
Please donate gently used clothing and shoes (all sizes: infant, children and adults), purses/tote bags/backpacks, small household items, toys and childrens books. Thank you for your support! Please no stained, ripped, out of style or clothing in poor condition - we want the kids to feel good in what they wear! No underwear or socks unless new with tags or in original packaging. Please no toys or games that are broken or have missing parts and no books in poor condition.
DROP OFF: Saturday, May 3rd, from 10am-2pm at Wildwoods Spring Festival. Or if you can’t make it, email me and we can arrange a drop off day and time: alliallessio@gmail.com
Summer Adventures 2025 – Registration Now Open!
Summer Adventures 2025!
Looking for a fun and enriching summer experience for your child? PUSD Summer Adventures 2025 is a fantastic way to keep kids engaged—and support our amazing teachers at the same time! All classes are led by PUSD educators who bring creativity, care, and connection to every session. Your participation helps provide meaningful summer work for teachers while giving students a joyful place to learn and grow.
Session Dates:
Session 1: June 10–20 (No program on June 19)
Session 2: June 23–July 3
Program Hours:
Half Day: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM | Full Day: 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM | Extended Care Available
Piedmont Makers
Piedmont School Maker Faire - “Call for Makers” Now Open!
Free Maker Faire Tickets Available (plus you can still sign up to present!)
Free tickets are now available for the Piedmont School Maker Faire at the Piedmont High School campus on Sunday, May 18 11am - 3pm! Come celebrate K-12 Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts & Math (S.T.E.A.M.) education for the Piedmont community & beyond.
There’s still a few weeks left to sign up to show off your projects, creativity, and maker spirit – drones, cosplay, puppets, kites, virtual reality, Legos, music. Check out our project ideas page for inspiration. When ready, submit your project by April 30th.
Fall 2025 LEGO Robotics Registration Now Open: Registration for the Fall 2025 Robotics season for rising K-8th graders is now open. Robotics helps children develop critical thinking, problem-solving, and teamwork skills while having fun and learning about engineering, writing code, and thriving on a non-athletic team. Sign up today!
Attendance
ATTENDANCE REPORTING
- Please report your student's absence or tardiness - and include the reason.
- You are welcome to email your teacher, but you must also report by either calling
(510) 594-2719 or emailing: wwdattendance@piedmont.k12.ca.us
INVITATIONAL: DONATE FOR ABSENCES
- Parents, please remember that if your child needs to be out of school, you can submit
donations for the lost revenue. - Each day that a student is out of school (for any reason, including illness) means a loss of
revenue in the following amounts per day:
K-3rd Grade = $61.32 - 4th-5th Grade = $56.39
Important Links
- Wildwood School Calendar
- Hot Lunch Order (pw: Wildwood)
- Attendance Reporting
WHATNOT submission requests must be received by Tuesday at 12:00 PM,
whatnot@piedmont.k12.ca.us