Wingate Elementary News

Thursday, October 2nd - Custodian Appreciation Day

Thursday, October 2nd - School Picture Day

Wednesday, October 8th -Quarter 1 Awards Assemblies

Wednesday, October 8th - End of 1st Quarter

Thursday, October 9th - No School for students - Teacher Workday

Thursday, October 9th - Parent Teacher Conferences 4-8pm

Friday, October 10th - No School for students/Parent Teacher Conferences 8am-8pm

Monday, October 13th - No School - Comp Day for Teachers

Tuesday, October 14th - 2nd quarter begins

Wednesday, October 15th - Wingate Restaurant Night at Red Robin

Friday, October 17th - 100% Together Donation Drive ends

Friday, October 17th - Fall Music Showcase

Monday, October 20th - PTO Meeting 9-10 am (open to all!)

Friday, October 31st - Fall Celebrations and Annual Costume Parade

October Staff Birthdays

October 12th - Stacy Ward (4th grade teacher)

October 29th - Shannon Wytulka (5th grade teacher)

October 29th- Beth Watts (READ Act para)

October 30th - Katie Lawson (Music teacher)

We are so grateful to have a community of families who care deeply about the success of our students. Your support helps us provide the best possible learning environment, enriching experiences, and opportunities for all children at Wingate Elementary. Today, Wingate PTO is launching our "100% Together" Donation Drive, dedicated to bridging the gap between school funding and how much the school actually needs.

The PTO board has already committed to a $44,410 budget for the 2025-26 school year. Our goal for this event is to raise at least $30,000. We are asking for 100% PARTICIPATION from families for the biggest impact. Every dollar raised goes directly back into our school and benefits every student.

Impact 1 - Playground Phase II - Phase II funding will allow Wingate to expand the playground space with additional equipment that supports accessibility and fun for all children.

Impact 2 - School Needs - Includes: teacher requests for classroom needs, student events (Special Olympics, Colo History Day, 5th grade graduation, etc.), Care Team, assistance for Wingate families in need, professional learning for teachers and so much more.

It will also help fund: One School, One Book; bike rack replacements; shade sail for outdoor classroom.

Our campaign runs until October 17, 2025. Together, we can make a real difference in our students' lives. How you can help:

• Make a one-time or recurring donation at Donation Drive

• Send a check payable to Wingate PTO (playground or school donation in memo)

• Ask your employer about matching gift opportunities

School-wide participation will make the biggest impact on our success, and any amount, small or large, will benefit student learning at Wingate.

There are celebrations for the classes that raise the most money and have the highest participation, and if we meet our school goal, every student will get to SLIME Ms. Schraeder and Mr. Hoskin.

Thank you for supporting our students and teachers. Together, we can continue to make Wingate a wonderful place to learn and grow.

Fall conferences will take place on Thursday, October 9th from 4-8pm and Friday, October 10th from 8am-8pm. We ask that parents sign up for a designated time to meet with their child's teacher. For instructions about how to sign up using your ParentVue account, please click here - English here- Spanish. If you are in need of a virtual conference, please sign up for a time slot and contact your child's teacher to set up a Google Meet or phone call.

Please join us on Friday, October 17th to hear the sounds of Wingate musicians in our third annual Fall Music Showcase. Bring a camp chair and your favorite blanket and watch your child perform against the stunning backdrop of the Colorado National Monument on the grassy area near the outdoor classroom. Grandparents, other family members and friends of Wingate are welcome to join us! Performance times are as follows:

Kindergarten 9:30-10:00

1st grade 10:00-10:30

2nd grade 10:30-11:00

3rd grade 11:00-11:30

4th grade: 11:30-12:00

5th grade 12:00-12:30

On Friday, October 31st, we will have our annual Wingate costume parade at 9:15am. Students will parade around the field to show off their costumes. Families are welcome to join us for the event! Stay tuned for later communication about the parade route and the best spot for seeing students in costume. Students may come to school dressed in costume and may remain in costume for the remainder of the day if they choose. Students may also choose to change out of their costumes after the parade to avoid the possibility of their costume being damaged during the school day. Costumes must be appropriate for elementary school and should not be overly scary, bloody or gory. Masks may be worn during the parade and classroom party, but must be removed for the remainder of the school day. School administration will determine the appropriateness of costumes. If your child's costume includes a prop that represents a weapon of any kind, we ask that it remains at home. Your child's teacher will be in touch regarding classroom celebrations. Please do not send treats or other food to share with the class unless it is coordinated with your child's teacher.

At Wingate, our Behavior Plan is designed to create a safe, positive, and respectful environment where every student can thrive academically, socially, and emotionally. We set clear expectations for behavior across all areas of the school and celebrate students who make positive choices through recognitions like our Trailblazer Tickets. Parents can support this at home by celebrating their child’s successes when a ticket comes home and reinforcing the values it represents. When behavior doesn’t meet expectations, students may bring home a Behavior Support Form. This is an opportunity for parents to partner with us in holding students accountable, having a conversation about their choices, and helping them learn from the experience. Together, we can build a school culture where all students feel supported, respected, and ready to succeed.

Approved teacher requests totaling $911.20

Funded back to school teacher grants totaling $1,076.54

Successful carnival - raised over $4,800

Starting October 14th, schools will administer a brief Panorama survey to all students in grades K-12. The Panorama Student Perception Survey is a research-backed process for students, families, teachers and staff to better understand and build a positive school climate in schools throughout our district. The surveys assess:

• School Climate and Culture - The social and learning climate of the school environment, including rules and norms, behaviors, student engagement, and physical facilities.

• Positive Relationships - Social connections and interpersonal relationships between students and teachers, like a sense of belonging and valuing of school.

• School Safety - Physical and psychological climate and safety at school, including bullying, violence, and availability of support for students.

District 51 uses this data to assess our work on students’ sense of belonging, one of the threads throughout the strategic plan and the platform identified to measure success. Individual schools use the data to plan for and improve the climate in their buildings.

The survey is completely anonymous and allows all students to have a voice and a personal assessment of the safety and relationships in the school. The data we collect allows us to monitor progress on individual measures over time and allows schools to compare themselves to each other, the district, and the nation through national norms. All schools in District 51 have a goal to increase relationships and belonging through efforts to improve climate and culture. Panorama is the data source for this measurement.

To access information on all student surveys administered by the district, visit d51schools.org/studentsurveys. If you would like to opt your child out of taking this survey, please update your child’s survey opt out information at any time by logging into ParentVUE, selecting “Student Info,” clicking on the “Edit Information” button, selecting the survey(s) you would like to opt your student out of, and saving changes using the “Save Changes” button. Please note that this process must be completed prior to the start of the survey window, or we cannot guarantee that your child will not be surveyed. Alternatively, you can fill out the opt-out form found at the link above and return it to the office at your child’s school by October 10th. This form must be returned prior to the start of the survey window, or we cannot guarantee that your student will not be surveyed.

If your family is planning an extended absence of 3 or more school days, please contact the office and your child's teacher ahead of time. This helps us keep accurate attendance records and allows teachers to plan for any missed work or support your child may need. Thank you for partnering with us to support your child’s learning!

Did you know that one of the simplest ways to help your child succeed at school doesn’t involve homework or tutoring—it’s spending just 15 minutes outside each day? Research shows that even brief time in nature can improve attention, regulate emotions, and support learning. This article from the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel shares easy, practical ways families can make daily outdoor time a fun and restorative part of their routines—no epic hikes required!