WIS Family Newsletter

Dear WIS Families,

I hope the WIS community enjoyed a relaxing and fulfilling Thanksgiving break! We've officially entered the final, bustling stretch before the December holidays, and I know these next few weeks will fly by.

The 1st trimester came to a close on November 25, and students began their new 2nd trimester specials on Monday, December 1. Teachers have finalized and submitted their grades, and hard copies of report cards will be given to students to bring home on December 5. Trimester grades should not come as a surprise to students or families as student progress can always be monitored through the Parent Portal on PowerSchool. I encourage all families to contact their child’s teachers first with any questions or concerns.

In the midst of the upcoming holiday energy and activities, I want to pause and sincerely thank every member of this community. Our dedicated staff, our students who strive daily to be Accountable, Safe, and Kind, and the support and understanding from all our families. It's this strong sense of community that makes WIS such a special place for learning and growth.

Warmly,

Mr. Miller

The WIS Builders Club held its annual Turkey Trot race on November 19 to benefit the Westfield Food Pantry. Many students and staff participated in the 1 mile run around our athletic fields with Jackson Krause and Avery Kozikowski finishing as the top 2 participants. Thanks to all of our participants, but especially to Ms. Pisano and the students in our Builders Club for organizing a fun activity that serves our greater community. Nice work!

The WIS bands and chorus held their first concerts of the school year in November. The growth and improvement in their performance is very evident after having these classes daily since the start of the school year. Mr. Choe and Mrs. Metcalfe work hard with their respective ensembles and have great reason to be proud of their students' work. We are all very excited to see how each group continues to improve over the course of the school year.

As written in the article linked above, improving school attendance is a priority across Westfield Public Schools. At WIS, we hold team competitions and reward teams with the best attendance rates with extra recess and a monthly pizza party. Our goal is to have at least 95% of our students in school every day. As of November 25, we are slightly above that goal with an attendance rate of 95.27% for 5th graders and 95.31% for 6th graders. As we are about to enter the peak of cold and flu season, we appreciate any communication from families when an illness occurs. Please encourage your

children to take care of themselves, wash their hands, and practice good hygiene.

• December 4 - Team 57 Freda B Parent Night from 6 - 7:00 PM
• December 5 - Trimester 1 Report Cards Issued
• December 10 - WIS PTO Meeting
• December 18 & 19 - One Book One School
• December 23 - Early Release Day for Students: Dismissal at 11:30 AM
• December 24 to January 2 - Holiday Recess
• January 5 - School Reopens

Students earn Polar Points when they demonstrate Accountable, Safe, and Kind behavior. One of our PBIS incentives that is available to purchase using Polar Points is a Wacky Wednesday. This incentive is a school-wide theme day that is scheduled for a Wednesday when a student signs up for it. Our upcoming theme days are:

• December 3 - Plaid Day
• December 10 - Red and White like a Candy Cane
• December 17 - Pajama Day

Another incentive are activities hosted by WIS teachers that take place during the school day. These activities are called Polar Positive Events. Upcoming Polar Positive Events include:

• December 3 - Yoga with Ms. Marcyoniak
• December 5 - Open Gym with Ms. Marcyoniak
• December 10 - Suncatcher Snowflakes with Mrs. Brennan
• December 11 - Mario Kart World Tour with Mr. Choe
• December 12 - Taylor Swift Birthday Party with Ms. Marcyoniak
• December 12 - Volleyball with Mrs. St. Pierre and Ms. Marafuga
• December 17 - Winter Slime with Mrs. Bilodeau

The next WIS PTO meeting is scheduled for December 10 at 6:00 pm. Our PTO meetings are

virtual on Google Meet: https://meet.google.com/weq-eppk-ssn.

The WIS PTO has created this Opt-Out Donations Page (Cheddar Up Donation Page) for those who

wish to help support our school through a direct donation. All donations are used to help offset the

costs of school events, as well as to help improve student experiences at WIS. Thank you for your

support!

For those that place orders through the WIS Pop-Up Spirit Wear Shop in October, orders are expected to arrive towards the end of the week of December 1.