The Bulldog Briefs

Dear Parents and Families,

As Valentine’s Day approaches, we are reminded of the importance of kindness, friendship, and showing appreciation for one another. At school, we use this time as an opportunity to reinforce the values of respect, empathy, and inclusion that we strive to practice every day.

Valentine’s Day celebrations in our classrooms will focus on building community and helping students recognize the many ways they can show care and compassion — through kind words, thoughtful actions, and being a supportive friend. We encourage families to continue these conversations at home by talking with your child about what it means to be kind and inclusive to everyone.

Thank you for your continued partnership in fostering a caring and positive school environment. We are grateful for our wonderful families and the support you provide each day.

Wishing you and your family a Happy Valentine’s Day filled with kindness and joy!

Warm regards,

Mr. Jeff Moore, Walker Principal

13: Valentine's Day classroom celebration
17: Black History Month Celebration

16: No School-President's Day

19: Miles of Smiles Dental Day

20: BARK Bash

24: Loteria Family Night

25: Pink Shirt Day

26: End of Trimester 2

27: No School- Teacher Institute

Come join us for Bingo-Loteria family night! Your family will receive everything needed to play. There will be prizes, refreshments, and music. If you haven't done so, please RSVP. You can RSVP to the link in the calendar event. Please add your child's name.

On Wednesday, February 25th, we will be celebrating pink shirt day. In 2007 two boys, David and Travis, noticed another boy being bullied at school for wearing a pink shirt. That night they went out and bought 50 pink tank tops and sent out a message to their classmates asking them to wear pink to show support for the boy who was being bullied. The next day David and Travis handed out the pink tank tops in the school’s foyer to anyone who wanted to stand up to the bully too! The kindness of the two boys helped stop the bullying. Pink shirt day is now an annual event. Wearing a pink shirt reminds us all to be kind and to stand up for each other.

Intramural Soccer is back! Please use the link below to register!

We are thrilled to congratulate our 4th/5th Grade Coed Basketball Team on an outstanding season! Through dedication, teamwork, and perseverance, our student-athletes completed the season undefeated and earned the title of Intramural Champions.

Throughout the season, the team demonstrated incredible sportsmanship, determination, and school pride. Their commitment to practicing hard, supporting one another, and playing with integrity truly set them apart. This accomplishment reflects not only their athletic ability, but also their character and teamwork.

We are so proud of each player and grateful to our coaches and families for their support throughout the season. Congratulations to our champions on an unforgettable year! 🏆

We have recently seen an increase in negative peer communication occurring through cell phones and social media. Although much of this happens outside of school hours, the impact often carries into the classroom and affects student well-being and learning.

We ask families to partner with us by monitoring phone and social media use, setting clear expectations for respectful communication, and encouraging children to speak up if they experience or witness hurtful behavior online.

At school, we will continue reinforcing expectations for responsible digital citizenship and addressing concerns as they arise. Together, we can help ensure technology is used to build positive connections.

Thank you for your continued support.

Hello Walker families! Please take a look for some important updates.

Always make sure your student is appropriately dressed for the weather (coat, hat, gloves) as students go outside for recess; weather permitted. Remind students to wash their hands frequently as well as wipe down chrome books daily to prevent the spread of germs. Please refer to the attachment of when to keep your student home when ill.

Next, Dental Day at Walker is Thursday, February 19th. There is still time to sign up if you haven't. This is a free dental exam that fulfills the kindergarten, second and sixth grade registration requirement. Use the QR code that is attached.

Ronald McDonald Care Mobile will be visiting our district on Wednesday, March 4th. They provide

physicals/vaccines/sports physicals to students who have Medicaid or are uninsured. Current 5th grade students who are 11 year old are encouraged to sign up now. Call Walker school to make your student's appointment. All consent forms are due by Monday, February 23rd.

As always, thank you for your understanding and support as we work to provide students with a safe and healthy learning environment.

Each month I will share the focus for the Art, Music, PE, Steam, and Social Emotional Learning in the newsletter.

The link below is a current listing of all the events District 104 offers to families. Please visit the link so you don't miss out on great programming!

Every morning, students complete the online reading program Lexia. With handwork and dedication, students move through units and levels. We celebrate students at every BARK Bash when they level up!

Beginning the week of February 2nd, students who complete all their unit for the week will be bale to come out of uniform on Monday and will receive a raffle ticket for a prize.

Below are the students who leveled up with week! Congrats!

On Friday, February 6th, Walker students participated in a game day! Students had such an amazing time playing traditional card and board games with their peers!

Students who attend school regularly feel more connected to their school community and are more engaged in learning. As a result, they are more likely to earn better grades and test scores and have greater chances of graduating and achieving postsecondary success.

It is crucial to start setting good attendance habits in the child's first year in school. Preschoolers who are chronically absent are likely to continue to be chronically absent as they get older in school. From pre-K through high school, poor attendance can negatively affect students socially and emotionally:

• They feel out of place
• They fall behind in their work
• They miss meaningful opportunities that can inspire their future
• They have a hard time working with others
• They don't see how school is connected to their future success

Students who are chronically absent are more likely to have low grades and test scores and are less likely to be on track for high school graduation.

The students below had perfect attendance for the month of January! Great job families!

Please open the file below for February's lunch menu.