January 10, 2008

Quote of the week:

Education is for improving the lives of others and for leaving your community and world better than you found it.
   --Marian Wright Edelman

District News:

• Operation Letter Storm is making a huge difference in the lives of Winton Woods   students and U.S. soldiers.  Many soldiers serving in our military forces have sent letters thanking Winton Woods students for the drawings, poems and letters of encouragement.  Packages will be sent to soldiers for Valentine’s Day and will again include students’ letters and artwork.  Please continue to remember our soldiers by sending a "Heart for our Heroes."  

Send your letters to Mrs. Karen Emmons at Winton Woods Primary North by Thursday, January 24. These will be included in care packages that the Dayspring Church Yellow Ribbon Support Group will send to our troops for Valentines Day.  Thank you for supporting our heroes!

• Educational Outfitters has clear backpacks on sale for $18.99 while supplies last. The store is located at 2241 Crowne Point Dr. in Sharonville.  The phone number is 771-1234.

Winton Woods High School News:

• Congratulations to the following Winton Woods High School National Honor Society inductees:  President – Megan Schneider; Vice President – Karen Budke; Recording Secretary – Emily Russell; Communications Secretary – Nina Booker; Treasurer – Jamie Lee Morris; and Historian – Brianne Davis. 
Senior Members are Courtney Lumpkin, Derick Sekyere, Katie Siragusa, Cherish Smith and Lidya Tsegay.  Junior members are Brianne James, Jessica Jordan, Randy Knepp, Jade Lord, Sarah Monroe, Aaron Nightingale, Caty Spalding and Luke Spencer.

• Winton Woods families and community members are invited to “Wok 'n Rock at Molloy's,” a benefit in support of the Winton Woods High School Varsity Ensemble’s trip to China.  The benefit will take place on Thursday, January 10, 2008 from 7:00–10:00 p.m.  Tickets are $25 per person in advance; $30 per person and cash only after January 3.  Food and soft drinks will be provided, and a cash bar will be available.

The evening will feature entertainment by former Varsity Ensemble member Anna Beljin and her father, Milovan (www.annaandmilovan.com). Anna and Milovan have created an acoustic pop/folk/blues sound that will take guests from the 60's to the current hits.  Anna is currently a freshman at Miami University, but she and her father still perform regularly at such venues as Parkers Blue Ash Grill, The Blind Lemon, Arnold's, College Hill Coffee, and the Dilly Deli Restaurant.

Profits from this benefit will help the Varsity Ensemble further defray the cost of traveling to China in March 2008 to perform at “A Choral Salute to the Beijing Olympics.” All donations are tax–deductible. Checks should be payable to "Winton Woods Educational Foundation" and marked "China Trip."

For more information, call Barb Cooper at 513-602-5602. Molloy’s is located at 10 Enfield Avenue in Greenhills.
• Winton Woods High School will hold its annual Financial Aid Night tonight, January 10, at 7:00 p.m. in the school’s library.  “Representatives from Miami University’s Financial Aid Department will be here to provide step-by-step instruction for filling out the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid),” said College Counselor Kevin Jones. “It is great information.”

• Winton Woods High School will hold its annual Post Secondary Options meeting on Thursday, January 24 at 7:00 p.m. in the high school library.  Students in grades 9 through 12 may enroll full or part-time in appropriate college courses for high school and/or college credit.  

As a result of the passage of Senate Bill 140, the Post Secondary Enrollment Options Program was established to permit qualified Ohio high school students in grades 9 through 12 an opportunity to earn college and high school graduation credit. Most area universities are requiring a student to have a 3.25 or higher grade point average on a 4.0 non-weighted scale to be considered.

• Winton Woods High School will host an evening information session for eighth grade parents at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, January 31 in the school library.  This is an opportunity for parents to learn about Winton Woods High School and what it has to offer students.  Representatives will present an overview of the schedule, levels and expectations of courses available, and scheduling information. Questions are encouraged during the course of the evening.

Scheduling Night for incoming ninth grade students will be held on Tuesday, February 12 from 5:00 – 8:25 p.m.  The purpose of this evening event is to assist students and parents in selecting appropriate high school courses. Ninth-grade advisors will work with parents and students as they schedule courses for the 2008-2009 school year.

 
Winton Woods Middle School News:

• Rehearsals have begun for the Winton Woods Middle School spring musical, Aladdin, which will be presented on March 12 and 13 at 7:30 p.m. in the middle school auditorium.

• Winton Woods Middle School is committed to keeping students safe.  The district has purchased a new intercom and surveillance camera system for the school’s front door entrance.  After 7:45 a.m., the doors will be locked and visitors must use the intercom to the right of the front door to call the main office to be buzzed into the school building.  Remember that all visitors must first report to the main office when visiting the building.  We will continue our commitment to providing the best environment possible for our students to excel.

Winton Woods Intermediate News:

• Congratulations to Winton Woods Intermediate School for collecting over 470 pounds of pop cans for the recycling challenge.  Please continue to send cans with your students on Fridays.  You may also place aluminum cans in the marked dumpster on the side of the building.

• Alexander Kuhn, Casey Marlar, Martin Stallworth, and E’yonni Tompkins were selected to present the Pledge of Allegiance at the Forest Park City Council Meeting on Monday, January 7.  They had the opportunity to meet and be introduced by Forest Park Mayor Chuck Johnson.  These students were selected because of their outstanding performance in the classroom and their willingness to go above and beyond expectations. This was exhibited by the hours they spent working outside of the classroom to earn ribbons on the Study Island program.  A link on the WWIS website allows students to track the number of ribbons they have earned on Study Island in comparison to other students in their grade.  The students receive recognition based on the amount of ribbons earned.

• Please continue to dress your child in layers.  Students are permitted to wear navy, green, and white crew neck sweatshirts and sweaters over their uniform shirts.  Please remember hooded items and coats cannot be worn in the classroom.  Students are only permitted to carry clear or mesh book bags.  These bags can currently be found at Educational Outfitters.  Students should also come to school with a warm coat, gloves, and a hat for outdoor recess.  Please remember to write your child’s name in these items so that we can return lost items.   

• The end of the second quarter is quickly approaching, and report cards will be sent home on Wednesday, January 23.  If you have not returned the report card envelope, please return this to your child’s homeroom teacher as soon as possible.  WWIS strives to set high academic and behavioral expectations for students.  We encourage you to check Progress Book with your child prior to our next report card so that you can assist with any missing assignments or to help prepare them for final tests.  This tool provides current information on student grades and is updated weekly.  If you have not received your password for Progress Book, please contact the technology department at 619-2350. 
    
• Thank you to the 93 parents who volunteered and visited Winton Woods Intermediate School during the week of December 17-20.  Your assistance with the candy grams, the “Deck the Doors” contest, the holiday parties, and the staff luncheon was welcomed and greatly appreciated.  We were also excited to see many of you for our Mini-Scientist Convention and science presentations within the classrooms.  We appreciate all parents who were able to participate and look forward to seeing many more parents at upcoming events. 

Please mark your calendars for our Valentine’s Day parties on Thursday, February 14 at 2:00 p.m.  We also hope that many parents will be willing to assist with our Camp Campbell Gard trip for fifth graders from March 10-12.  Please contact Mrs. Marsha Myers or Mrs. Janet Smith if you are able to assist.

• Specials schedules at the school will change on Tuesday, January 22.  Students will continue to take technology one day a week throughout the entire year.  However, students currently in Art and Music will begin Physical Education and Spanish on the first day of the second semester.  In contrast students who have spent the first semester in Physical Education and Spanish will begin Art and Music.  Homeroom teachers will assist the students with this transition.   

• Parent conferences are Thursday, January 31 from 5:00 - 8:25 p.m. and Friday, February 1 from 8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.  Teachers will send home notification about these dates over the next two weeks.  If you have questions, please contact the office.

• Remember that students will not have school on Friday, January 18 due to staff in-service; on Monday, January 21 due to the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday; and February 1 due to conferences. 

Winton Woods Elementary News:

• Family Math & Science Night is Thursday, January 17 at 6:30 p.m.  There will be 20 different math and science activities to choose from and experience.  Free childcare will be provided that evening from 6:30 - 8:p.m. for children ages 1 - 7 years of age.  Snacks and beverages will be available.   Look for a flyer arriving home with your youngster for more information about this great night of fun and  learning.  

• Parent -Teacher Conferences are Thursday, January 31 from 5 – 8:25 p.m. and Friday, February 1 from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.  There will be no school for students on Friday, February 1.  Please use the Parent-Teacher Conference forms that were sent home to schedule a conference with your child's teacher. 

Also, parents of fourth grade students who are interested in attending our special Fourth Grade Team 4-III Open House & Meet the Teacher Night are invited to attend on Thursday, January 31 from 7:00 – 8:00 p.m.  Parents will have the opportunity to meet their child's new teacher(s)—Mrs. Gardner, Mrs. Mehta, Mrs. Snellgrove or Mr. Bailey. This event will take place in rooms 101, 104, 105 and 111.

• The WWES holiday parties were a big success.  Thanks to all of our room parents for helping to make this a nice holiday time for our kids.  Thanks also to Mrs. Jan Mavridoglou, room parent coordinator and the WWC PTA for their help and support in making this happen.

• The WWES Student of the Month Luncheon for December is Thursday, January 10 at 11:30 a.m. Parents are welcome to attend.
 
• The January Dad's Club will be Saturday, January 19 from noon until 2:30 p.m. We'll be bowling this time, so come on out! Remember that any significant adult male figure in the life of one of our students is welcome to attend. A flyer will be coming home the week after the holiday break with further information. We look forward to seeing you there! 

Winton Woods Primary News:

• The “Penny Wars” between Winton Woods Primary South and North was a battle for a good cause, with the big winner of the competition being The Neediest Kids of All charity. Students at both schools had been bringing in their loose change since the beginning of December. “This is a caring project for our students to give to others who are not as fortunate as they may be,” said Primary North Principal Claire  Crook.

 “I tell my students that they’re the luckiest kids in the world. Not all kids are as  lucky as they are,” said Primary South Principal Linda Giuliano. Students at both  schools responded by emptying their piggy banks, searching between couch  cushions and looking under their beds for spare change. The second graders at  Primary South also sold lemonade and popcorn for 25 cents (for both) during  lunch one week.

 When all the coins were counted, the donation total was $1,052.53, which  included over 18500 pennies from Primary South alone. Primary South raised  $683.53. Primary North raised $367.00

The Springfield Township Fire Department helped out Primary South students by picking up Principal Linda Giuliano, students Oscar Hayes, Jacob Dean, Amara Bryson, Emmanuel Nimoh, Erik Sorto, and special guest Santa Claus to take them to the Finneytown Kroger to use the store’s coin counting machine. Kroger donated the use of the machine to count the six huge containers of change.

 Giuliano and Crook are both proud of their students, and Giuliano said there was  a certain satisfaction in winning the competition. “We’re good sports, but we’re  really good winners,” she said.

• Primary North students and staff welcome Mrs. Chris Rielag as the Intervention Specialist for first graders.  Chris was a third grade teacher at Cameron Park last year.  We would also like to welcome Jill Wyrick, Teacher's Assistant for our first graders.

• Mad Science is coming to Primary North!  Parents are welcome to attend the Primary North "Mad Science" assembly on Monday, January 14 from 2:30-3:30 p.m. to watch cool science experiments and hear about this great after-school program for kindergarten through second grade students.  Mad Science conducts educational, entertaining and hands-on science activities.  Please visit their website at www.madscience.org/Cincinnati to learn more about this program.  Registration forms are available in the Primary North office. 

• Primary South first graders have read The Mitten by Jan Bretz.  Ms. Boehm is bringing in her hedgehog for the students to see and visit with.

Winton Woods Community PTA News:

• January Market Day orders are due by noon on Friday. January 11.  PICK UP CHANGE:  Pick up for January Market Day orders will be on Wednesday, January 16 from 6:00 - 7:00 p.m. in the cafeteria at WW Intermediate.  The change is for this month only.

• The next WWC PTA meeting will be held on Monday, January 14 at 7:00 p.m. in the WWIS library.  A new format will be applied at this meeting.  The first 30 minutes will be the general PTA meeting. and the last 30 minutes will be break-out sessions with each school's Vice President for more school-specific information.  Everyone is welcome to attend!                                                
 
• Mad Science is returning to WWES for a second session in March.  Please look for registration forms to come home in February.  If you have any questions regarding Mad Science, please feel free to contact Eileen Mannira at tmannira@cinci.rr.com or 708-7073.
                                                                    
• The yearbook is coming to WWIS!  Look for your order form to come home soon!
 
Any WW Intermediate parents who have some great digital pictures of any school events who would like to share them with the WWIS Yearbook Committee for possible use in the yearbook is more than welcome to do so.  It would be greatly appreciated!  All digital pictures can be sent to dnrtk4@hotmail.com.  Please include the name of the event.  Thank you!