January News

📗📝📕

Goals: ELA 33%, Math 32%, Science 26% Making Progress 52%, Reclassify 16%

Dear Welty Familia,

Happy New Year!🎉 We hope your 2026 is off to a joyful start—full of laughter, learning, and maybe even a little ogre-sized fun. Just like Shrek learned, great things happen when we work as a team, and we are so excited to keep building on our success together.

The Big Milestone: 100 Days Smarter! We are thrilled to announce that Tuesday, January 20, marks our 100th Day of School! This is a wonderful time to reflect on how much our students have grown as they continue doing their Best to be the Best. To celebrate, our "swamp" will be buzzing with:

• 100-Themed Activities: Special engaging lessons in every classroom.

• Door Decorating: A school-wide contest to show off our creative spirit.

• The Principal Tape Challenge: Every student in attendance will get a piece of tape to help secure me to the gym wall! The big question: Will 338 pieces of tape be enough to hold me up? We’ll find out!

Stay Connected: To make sure you don't miss a moment of the fun, please join Thrillshare. It’s the best way to receive messages directly from teachers—no swamp navigation required!

Thank you for being such an important part of our Welty family. Let’s make 2026 a year of growth, learning, and plenty of reasons to celebrate. Here’s to an amazing year ahead—onions and all! 🧅💚

Mrs. Silva, Principal
(and proud leader of this amazing swamp!)

• Monday, January 5 – Welcome Back to School

• Wednesday, January 7 – Early Release (12:45 PM)

• Friday, January 9 – Roadrunner of the Month (7:15 AM)

• Monday, January 12 – Governing Board Meeting (4:00–5:00 PM)

• Tuesday, January 13 – 3rd Grade Parent Meeting (7:15 AM)

• Wednesday, January 14 – Early Release (12:45 PM)

• Thursday, January 15 – ELL Parent Meeting (7:15 AM)

• Friday, January 16

  • District Spelling Bee (9:00 AM)

  • Q2 Awards Assembly (K–2: 12:30 PM, 3–5: 1:30 PM)

• Monday, January 19 – Martin Luther King Jr. Day (No School)

• Wednesday, January 21 – Early Release (12:45 PM)

• Wednesday, January 28 – Early Release (12:45 PM)

Ms. Lopez is an outstanding teacher who consistently goes above and beyond for her students. Her dedication, positivity, and passion for teaching create a welcoming classroom where students feel supported, challenged, and excited to learn every day. ! 💛📚✨

As we begin a new year, we are excited to continue partnering with families to support student growth and success. The start of 2026 is a wonderful time to reflect, reset routines, and set positive goals for learning at home and at school. Your support makes a meaningful difference in your child’s confidence and progress.

Here are a few simple ways you can help your child as we enter the new year:

• 📚 Encourage daily reading
  Have your child read for 15–20 minutes each day. Ask them to talk about what they read, retell the story, or share a new fact they learned.

• ✏️ Practice math fluency
  Spend a few minutes reviewing math facts (addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division). Flashcards, games, or quick mental math during daily routines can be very effective.

• 🕒 Maintain consistent routines
  Regular bedtimes, homework times, and morning routines help students feel prepared and focused for learning.

• 💬 Talk about school daily
  Ask open-ended questions like “What was something new you learned today?” or “What was the best part of your day?”

• 🌟 Encourage goal setting
  Help your child set a small, achievable goal for the new year, such as reading more books, improving handwriting, or mastering math facts.

• ❤️ Celebrate effort, not just results
  Praise your child for trying their best, staying positive, and not giving up when learning feels challenging.

We look forward to a successful and joyful 2026 filled with growth, learning, and collaboration. Thank you for being such an important part of our school community!

🗓️ Builds Ogre-Strong Routines – Just in Time for Testing
With testing right around the corner, coming to school every day helps students build strong habits. Just like Shrek sticking to his swamp routine, steady attendance helps kids stay calm, focused, and ready for what’s ahead.

📚 Adds Learning Layers – One Onion at a Time
Each day in class adds another layer of learning. When students are present, lessons stack up smoothly, helping them feel prepared and confident as testing approaches. Just remember—both onions and knowledge are better with lots of layers!

🧭 Keeps Students on Track – No Swamp Detours
Missing school right now can make learning feel confusing, like wandering through the swamp without a map. Daily attendance helps students stay on track and avoid last-minute stress before testing.

👫 Friends Make Brave Test-Takers
Even Shrek had his trusty sidekicks! Being at school helps students feel supported by friends and teachers, making testing season feel a little less scary and a lot more manageable.

💪 Builds Confidence – Ogre-Sized Belief
When students show up consistently, they understand the material better. That confidence carries into test day, helping them feel proud, prepared, and ready to do their best.

🏰 Sets the Stage for a Happily-Ever-After
Strong attendance now helps students succeed not just on tests, but in all the learning adventures ahead. No fairy-tale magic required—just showing up each day!

🌿 Every School Day Matters—Especially Right Now!
Let’s work together to help our students arrive ready to learn, stay focused, and shine on test day—one strong, confident, ogre-approved step at a time.

The Nita M. Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) Title IV B afterschool program is funded by a federal grant from the U.S. Department of Education and administered by the Arizona Department of Education. For more information visit: http://www.azed.gov/21stcclc/