Washington Elementary
November 2026
Dear Washington Elementary Families,
As we enter November, I want to take a moment to express my deepest gratitude for our incredible Washington Elementary community. The strong partnership between our dedicated staff, supportive families, and wonderful students makes Washington a truly special place to learn and grow. I am so thankful for everything you do to support our Wildcats every single day!
As we move into the second quarter, our team remains deeply committed to our school-wide goals and continuously elevating student success:
Academic Progress in Core Subjects: We are maintaining a strong focus on student growth in Reading, Math, and Science, ensuring every child receives high-quality instruction tailored to their learning needs.
Teaching Skills for Success: To address challenging and defiant behaviors, we are taking a proactive approach by explicitly teaching students the social, emotional, and behavioral skills they need to thrive—both inside the classroom and out in the community.
Strengthening Family & School Connections: We know that student success relies on a strong home-school partnership. We are actively increasing our communication through Rooms and hosting more hands-on parent involvement activities right in our classrooms.
We also encourage all families to get involved through our amazing PTO! Joining PTO meetings and school events is one of the best ways to connect with other families and support our school community.
Thank you for your ongoing partnership, trust, and support. Wishing you and your family a restful, joyful, and happy Thanksgiving season!
Warmly,
Mrs. Gale
Gratitude for the Win!
Hello, Wildcat Family!
As the leaves fall and November settles in, our hearts turned toward gratitude. Taking time to notice the good in our lives is one of the simplest and most powerful things we can do to feel happier. It's something even our youngest students can practice. Research shows that people who regularly notice what they're thankful for tend to feel more joyful, sleep better, and bounce back from challenges more easily. Gratitude doesn't mean pretending everything is perfect. It means training our minds to also see the good that is already there: a kind friend, a warm meal, a funny moment at recess, a teacher who cares.
Here are a few practical ways to practice gratitude at home:
- Share "Roses and Thorns" at dinner. Each person shares one good thing (a rose) and one hard thing (a thorn) from their day. That opens up the door to being able to talk about the good and hard things and allows you to help your child navigate how they think about the challenges they face.
- Keep a Family Gratitude Jar. Write one thing you're thankful for on a slip of paper each day and then read them together at the end of the month.
- Say thank you in a specific way. "Thank you for helping me with my backpack. That made my morning easier!" means more than a quick "thanks".
I specifically included gratitude in our Red Ribbon week dialogue. We had meaningful conversations in class about making healthy choices. A big focus was learning that hard times are a normal part of life, and that how we respond to them matters. We talked about two important steps. First, it's okay to acknowledge when something is hard. Feelings like sadness, worry, and frustration are real, and talking about them with a trusted adult as a sign of strength. Second, once we've acknowledged the hard thing, we can look for help ways to move forward. For example, focusing on what we can control, remembering what we're thankful for, and thinking positively about the next steps. Students practiced healthy coping strategies like deep breathing, talking with someone they trust, drawing or journaling, and getting active. Building these skills now helps prepare them to face challenges in healthy ways as they grow, so they never feel they need to turn into drugs or other harmful choices to cope.
You are your child's greatest example! When they see you name your feelings, practice thankfulness, and handle stress in healthy ways, they learn to do the same. If your child is struggling or you'd like support, please reach out. I'm always glad to help.
Wishing you and your family a month of gratitude and connection!
Mrs. Simmons
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Washington Elementary
Phone: (308)535-7142
Email: mweaver@nppsd.org
Web: https://www.nppsd.org/o/washington
Location: 600 West 3rd Street, North Platte, NE, USA
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NPwashingtonwildcats
Link to NPPSD 26-27 K-12 Parent Calendar