Freedom Elementary Newsletter

—and our learners absolutely knocked it out of the park! They exceeded our schoolwide goals and met benchmarks this winter that we originally set for the end of the school year. Because of this growth, our teachers used professional learning time to revisit the data and raise our goals. With three months still to go, our students continue to grow and impress us every day!

Dr. Phil Warwick met with each school team to review our collaboration and data processes. We are grateful for his outside perspective and feedback. One key takeaway he shared was that Freedom truly puts kids first. Our teachers collaborate intentionally to meet students where they are and ensure all learners grow. We are also focused on the right priority standards to make the biggest impact. I am incredibly proud of our staff and the hard work they do for our students.

With colder weather, indoor recess can be a challenge. Whenever possible, we go outside—unless the temperature drops below -15 degrees. Outdoor time is important for our students’ brains and learning, so please check weather apps and ensure your child is prepared each day. Boots, gloves, hats, snowpants, and a warm jacket are needed daily.

If your family needs winter gear, please reach out to the school—we are happy to help.

Thank you for your continued partnership and support!

Feb 2-6 Kindness Week

Feb 9 - Battle of the Books grades 4-5

Feb 16 - NO SCHOOL

Feb 19 - PTA Meeting

Feb 26 - Grade 3 Music Program

March 16-17 Parent Teacher Conferences

March 19-20 NO SCHOOL

March 27 - Grade 5 Music Program

3rd Grade Battle of the Books was held at Freedom Elementary on January 29. We have some great highlights to share.

There were 29 participants this year. The most 3rd graders Mrs. Wolf has ever had in 3rd grade. That is AMAZING!

We also had 12 readers read the entire list of 15 books. That is the most All Books Read Awards that Mrs. Wolf has ever handed out.

Congratulations to all 4 teams.

The Shooting Stars finished in second place and earned silver medals: Precious, Lauren, Desey, Henry, Chantelle, Jocelyn and Logan.

Our Gold Medalists this year were the All Stars: Seikh, Harper, Evelyn, Avery, Cullen, Viraj, and Kyle.

A HUGE THANK YOU to the Freedom PTA who supplied all of our participants. We are so lucky to have such a supportive PTA.

NEXT UP the 4th and 5th grade battle on February 9!!

Learners should NOT be at school before 7:30 AM. We do not have supervision before then and the building will still be locked.

Learners should be dropped off by 7:50 AM. At this time, our first bell rings and students head to their lockers and classes to start their day.

The final bell rings at 8:00 AM and attendance is taken at that time. Students who are NOT in class at 8:00 will have to check in at the office for a tardy pass.

School dismisses at 2:30 PM.

Except in the case of very severe weather, learners will spend 20 minutes outside during the noon recess. Guidelines used to judge whether learners will go outside for noon recess are dependent upon the temperature and the wind chill as primary factors. The building administrator may make the decision to have elementary learners in grades K- 5 stay inside before school and/or during recess once the wind chill reaches -5° F. All learners will stay inside before school and/or during recess when the wind chill reaches -15º F. Principals make this determination using the National Weather Service http://forecast.weather.gov

Please make sure your learner has warm winter gear including jackets, snow pants, boots, hats and mittens. If you are unable to provide these, please contact your child's teacher and we will do our best to help.

We also follow our school district's guidelines for a healthy learning environment. Birthday treats are not allowed in the classrooms. Classrooms will use activities to celebrate birthdays instead.

Please PULL FORWARD all the way and STAY IN YOUR VEHICLE when dropping off or picking up your child. This keeps the car loop moving and allows for learners to exit and enter vehicles quickly and safely.

Reminder: Freedom Elementary is a Nut Aware School. Please do not bring snacks and/or bag lunches with peanut butter or nut items.

Our Lost & Found can be found in the school's commons area. Items most frequently left are sweatshirts, jackets and water bottles. PLEASE LABEL YOUR CHILD'S ITEMS!! Even initials help us find who something belongs to. Items not claimed may be donated at the end of each month.