Words of Windom November 25

Happy November!

As we move deeper into the school year, it’s hard to believe that progress reports and parent-teacher conferences are right around the corner! Conferences will take place on Thursday, December 4th and Friday, December 5th.

Both days will be 11:30 AM early dismissal days for students, with conferences held in the afternoon. Progress reports will be available via the Parent Portal on the evening of Friday, December 5th. Please note — no hard copies will be sent home this year. If you need help accessing the Parent Portal, click the “PS HELP” link on the Parent Portal login page.

Conferences may be held in-person or virtually, but we always value the chance to connect face-to-face whenever possible. Your child’s teacher will be in touch for specific scheduling information.

Here are a few tips to make the most of your 10–15 minute conference:

• 💬 Talk with your child before the conference — ask about their learning and celebrate their efforts.

• ⏰ Be on time — teachers have full schedules and want to give every family the attention they deserve.

• 📝 Come prepared — write down questions or concerns in advance to guide your discussion.

• 🏡 Ask how you can help at home to reinforce what your child is learning at school.

Our goal is to have 100% participation in conferences this year — because when schools and families work together, students thrive.

We’re so grateful for your partnership and support as we continue to make Windom a place where every child can learn, grow, and shine!

A big thank you to our incredible PTO for organizing such a fun and festive Trunk or Treat event! It was wonderful to see so many families come together to celebrate — the creativity and community spirit were on full display.

Our students and staff also had a fantastic time celebrating Halloween at school, showing off their costumes and enjoying the day together. It was a joyful day filled with smiles, laughter, and school spirit — what a great way to wrap up October at Windom! 👻🧡

Our kindergarteners put on a boo-tiful performance at this year’s Halloween Songfest! Dressed in their festive costumes, they sang their hearts out and filled the room with smiles and spooky spirit. Thank you to our kindergarten teachers and families for helping make this special tradition such a fun celebration!

This morning, Windom Elementary honored more than 45 veterans during its Veterans Day celebration. The event began with a breakfast in the cafeteria, followed by classroom visits where veterans spent time with students. The celebration continued with a parade through the building, where veterans were met with enthusiastic applause and countless high-fives, and concluded with a musical performance highlighting the different branches of the military.

The 2025 NYS Assessment Parent reports have been upload to the Parent Portal.

Here are the directions to access the reports in the Parent Portal:

• Select "Student Portfolio" from the menu on the left. A new screen will open.
• Select "NYS Assessment Reports" from the menu on the top left. A drop-down menu will open.
• You can then select either ELA or Math and then the year they are looking for.

The Orchard Park Special Education Parent Teacher Student Association (SEPTSA) would like to share their upcoming meeting schedule. If you are a parent who is interested in learning more please click this link for more information: opseptsa.org.

We are thankful for you!

As we prepare to take time off from school November 26th through November 30th for the Thanksgiving break, we want to share our gratitude for everyone in our school community. Your partnership makes it possible for students to come to school every day, on time and ready to learn.

Every day of school is an important opportunity for students to connect with peers and teachers, and to grow personally, socially and academically.

We are thankful for:

· Our students and their families who show up to school regularly, even when it isn’t easy.

· Our staff who go above and beyond to help make school a welcoming learning environment and help us stay safe, connected and excited about learning.

· Our many healers and helpers from support staff and volunteers who provide the extra hands and attention our students need.

We appreciate each one of you. If your family or your child needs support, please reach out to your child's building.

We are grateful for everyone’s efforts to avoid taking extra days off during this holiday season. We look forward to seeing you again when school resumes on Monday, December 1st.

Thank you for partnering with us!

• November 7th - PTO Skate Night 5:00 PM, Frank Young's Sports Arena
• November 11th - Veterans Day - No School
• November 14th - Early Dismissal 11:15 AM
• November 14th - PTO Fundraiser @ Chuck e Cheese
• November 18th - Board of Education Meeting 7:00 PM, OPHS
• November 26 - 28th - Thanksgiving Break - No School

Looking for new Windom apparel??? Please see the link below to purchase all of your Windom gear!

Please see the list below for this years PTO meeting dates. All PTO meetings will start at 7:00 PM in the Windom Library:

It is essential that anyone who feels they may be eligible for free and reduced meals to fill out the 2025-2026 Free and Reduced lunch application that is available above. Procedures are in place to protect the privacy of students participating in the free and reduced program. Receiving Free and Reduced meals does not solely benefit the student receiving the meal, it also benefits the district community; depending on the amount of need within our district, we will receive/be eligible for additional funding. Completed applications should be sent to J. Schwarz at 4040 Baker Road, Orchard Park, NY 14127.

If you need an application printed and sent to you, please call Jody Schwarz at (716) 209-6244.