September 26, 2007

Quote of the week:

Do not judge by appearances; a rich heart may be under a poor coat.
  --Scottish Proverb

Community News:

• The Second Annual Greenhills Halloween Mutt March will be held on Sunday, October 28 from 12:30 to 4:00 p.m. at the Greenhills Commons.  The event is sponsored in part by the Hugs From Jeni Foundation in memory of Jennifer Miley, a 2000 graduate of Winton Woods High School and a long-time resident of Greenhills. Jeni was an advocate for stray animals and was always seeking to find homes for them.

Last year’s event was a huge success and a lot of fun for everyone who attended.  There will again be dog demonstrations, raffles, and prizes awarded for the best costume and other categories.  Unique items for your pet will be available to purchase from the many vendors on site. Participants are encouraged to dress up their dog in a costume to enter the Halloween costume event.  The Mutt March, led by Mayor Oscar Hoffman and the Winton Woods High School Marching Band, will begin at approximately 2:30 p.m. Owners and their dogs will proceed down Farragut Road for a one-mile walk back to the Commons.

The walk’s proceeds will go to the Stray Animal Adoption Program (SAAP), which places stray animals in foster homes until permanent homes can be found.  The program provides any needed medical care such as spaying, neutering and vaccinations before they are placed. Last year we were able to donate $3,500 to this very worthwhile organization thanks to our many participants.

 Our sponsors this year include the College Hill Pet Clinic, Constant  Companions, Pioneer Automotive, the Village Keg, Greenhills Bowling  Lanes, Wild Birds Unlimited, Purrfect Cat Boarding Place, Property  Enhancers, and Enerfab, Inc.  Starbucks will be on hand serving free  coffee to everyone in attendance.

This will be a fun and exciting event for you and your “best friend.”  If you don’t have a dog, there will be foster dogs there to adopt or walk with.  Check out our website www.hugsfromjeni.org to request a registration form for the event.  You can also contact Linda Ball at (513) 742-4643 or lblov2teach@aol.com for any questions that you might have.

District News:

• Winton Woods City Schools is proud to present PARENT TO PARENT, a program designed for parents raising children in today’s toxic culture.  The program will help inform parents about the hidden dangers of the Internet, today’s music, television, video games, drugs, alcohol, sex, and violence—everything we want to protect our children from. Ten half-hour sessions (6:30-8:00 p.m.) will cover topics like:

• Wealth Without Work
• Entertainment Without Conscience
• Education Without Character
• Love Without Limits
• Freedom Without Accountability
• Adulthood Without Childhood
• Life Without a Vision

There will also be a guest speaker from the Regional Electronics and Computer Investigations (RECI) Task Force on protecting children from criminal activities on the Internet.

Please complete the attached form and return it to one of the Winton Woods City Schools or sign up with Crisinda Puetz at 619-2320 or Chris Simon, lead parent facilitator, at 851-4575. Everyone is welcome so please share this information with friends, other family members or anyone raising a child or providing childcare.

This is FREE for any parent living within the boundaries of Winton Woods City Schools. Programs will take place at various schools in the district.

The first session begins the first week of October so register soon!

Winton Woods High School News:

• The following email was submitted via the district’s “Comment Corner,” located on the district website, after the Warriors dramatic loss to Edgewood last Friday night by a score of 27-26.  This is what being a “Warrior” is about!

“I am a parent of a sophmore student at Edgewood High School. While attending his soccer game yesterday, I overheard two fathers discussing Friday night's football game against your school.
 
“While I did not go to the game on Friday, I did of course hear about the dramatic final play. When listening to the fathers yesterday, I heard them talk about the amazing sportsmanship of those young men on the football field.
 
“I heard one of them say that as your team was lining up to shake hands at the end of the game, they were very well-behaved. Even amongst some of the comments that may have been said by the other team or their own coach, they went through and shook hands and never said an ill word towards anybody. In a game that close, I know their emotions were running strong and it says a lot to the character of those young men and their parents.
 
“I wanted those boys to know that someone did notice what they did. When it is being talked about by dads standing at the fence during a soccer game, they really must have impressed them. I wish that all schools had that attitude towards sports and realize that while it may hurt to lose, good sportsmanship and carrying yourself well is what the other school will remember.
 
“Thank you for your time, and please forward this to your team and coaches.
 
A parent in Edgewood City Schools

• Winton Woods High School Band students performed at UC Band Day on Saturday, September 22, prompting a positive, praise-filled email from a UC alumnus to Principal Anita Williams.

 “This is unusual for me to send an e-mail, but I wanted to let you know  how terrific your marching band students are! My husband and I were at  the Cincinnati Bearcat football game on Saturday night. In addition to  seeing a sold out crowd at Nippert stadium we were treated to seeing a  very enthusiastic, polite and musical high school band. Your band was  seated directly behind the Bearcat band. As the other high school bands  sat in their seats, your students were full of Bearcat spirit, standing,  cheering and playing along with the UC band. We loved it! The UC band  loved it too. The UC band members were engaging the Winton Woods  students to be involved in the game. It was great!

 “My husband and I went to UC in the eighties when there wasn’t much to  cheer about, now it’s a wonderful pride filled campus. Both of our kids  are students there. I encourage you to spotlight UC to not only your  marching band students but the rest of your student body. UC can  always use students with school pride who want to participate. Keep up  the good work, Winton Woods is definitely doing something right and you  should be proud!”

Winton Woods Middle School News:

• Beginning today, September 26, the school day at Winton Woods Middle School will begin at 7:30 a.m. and students will be dismissed at 2:31 p.m.  This means that school will begin and end five minutes later than what has been the case the first few weeks of school.  If there is a need to alter bus pick-up times for students in the morning, parents will be notified through our transportation department.

• Winton Woods Middle School will be hosting the FAVC Cross Country Championships on Saturday, October 6. The Warriors will host teams from:

 Buckeye Division - Nagel Blue, Glen Este, Harrison, Loveland, and  Milford Cardinal Division - Amelia, Kings, Little Miami, Nagel Silver  Walnut Hills, Wilmington Scarlet Division - Edgewood, Mount Healthy,  Pleasant Run, Norwood, Ross, Talawanda

 Races begin at 10:00 a.m. and continue through 1:00 p.m. Winton  Woods Middle School is located at 147 Farragut Road in Greenhills.  To  volunteer to help with this event, contact Cross Country coach Matt  Alander at alander.matt@wintonwoods.org.

• Here are the “numbers” from the Winton Woods Middle School Cross Country Invitational held on September 20th:

 9/20/2007
 147 Farragut Road
 21 schools
 700 registered runners
 600 runners started (597 finished, 3 dropped out or were carried out)
 ~ $1,000 profit in concessions
 28 race-day volunteers, 12 donors of food, 5 corporate sponsors
 950+ cups of water dispensed
 $130 in cash or cookies donated from businesses
 30 lbs. of food (estimated) donated from staff and parents
 20 t-shirts, 90 medals, 503 ribbons, 8 team trophies awarded
 18 bags of ice given to injured runners
 2 vomiting kids (a bunch more were dry-heaving by the finish line)
 2½ hours of running fun
 1 call for an ambulance
 0 course records set
 ∞ memories of the Best Cross Country Invitational in Southwest  Ohio!
• Congratulations to eighth grade clarinet player Keith Hamilton for auditioning for and being accepted into the Cincinnati Jr. Youth Wind Ensemble. Students from all over the city audition to be part of this musical group made up of students in grades 6-8. Keith has been taking private lessons with Winton Woods Middle School Band Director Kara Barbee for five years.

Jr. CYWE is a new addition to the CCM Preparatory Ensemble division and is the only area wind ensemble for middle school students in the greater Cincinnati area.  The ensemble consists of clarinet, flute, oboe, saxophone, bassoon, french horn, trumpet, trombone, euphonium, tuba, string bass, and percussion players. Dr. Ann Porter is the ensemble’s musical director and conductor.
 

Winton Woods Intermediate News:

• Progress reports will be sent home with students on Wednesday, September 26.  Parent conferences will begin on Thursday, September 27 and continue on Friday, September 28.  Please contact your child’s teacher or the office if you still need to set up an appointment.

• No school for students on Friday, September 28. 

• The Winton Woods Intermediate Sprinters Running/Walking Club has started up their fall season with 33 members.  The students are training for their first 3.1 mile race—the Run for the Nuns 5K and Fitness Walk at Winton Woods Park—which will take place on October 6.  This race is also open to parents and the public.  If anyone is interested in running or walking in the Run for the Nuns 5K, please contact Janet Smith at the Intermediate School at 619-2450 or at smith.janet@wintonwoods.org . 

• WWIS picture day will be Thursday, October 4.  Forms were sent home last week.  Additional forms are available in the office.

• WWIS celebrates those students who model the Warrior Way on a weekly basis.  Students who are respectful, diligent in their work, and constantly striving to do their best are given Warrior tickets from their teachers.  Each week two students from each pod are selected and acknowledged over the announcements and with a small incentive.  At the end of each of quarter, we will have a drawing for a larger incentive.  Accumulating tickets will also result in designated prizes. 

The following students were named as Warriors of the Week for September 17-21:  Marquis Williams, Grishma Patel, Shaunae Lowe, Lance Johnson, Brittany Stewart, Kris Hagar, Tiffany E. Hudson, Jada Turner, and Heather Hohweiler.

The following students were named as Warriors of the Week for September 10-14:  Amber Carney, Shemar Hooks, Tyler Woodall, Taryn Burnette, James Moore, and Jacob Hill. 

 Mr. Phil Bretz has been named as the staff Warrior of the Week.  Mr.  Bretz assisted staff and students with Progress Book, Study Island,   KAMICO, email, and in many others areas.  We recognize contributions  to the staff and genuine interest in the success of students at Winton  Woods Intermediate School.

 Winton Woods Elementary News:

• The Ohio Achievement Test in Reading is this coming Tuesday, October 2 at WWES for all third grade students.  Our students will have a chance to show all that they've learned about reading over the last three years on this 2½ hour test.  If you are the parent of a third grade student, please prepare them for this test by making sure your student gets a good night’s rest, eats a good breakfast, and arrives on time to school. Please help your student understand the importance of trying their best to show all they know.  Thanks for your support.  We appreciate our great parents!
• WWES Progress Reports will be sent home on Wednesday, September 26.  Our students will be bringing home a copy of their progress, showing grades to date. 

This same information is available to all of our parents at any time, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week using Progress Book.  The link is available through our school's website at www.wintonwoods.org. User names and password information were sent home two weeks ago.  If you did not receive your student's user name and password you can contact the Technology Center at 619-2350 for that information.
• Parent-Teacher Conferences are Thursday, September 27 from 5:00 to 8:25 p.m. and Friday, September 28 from 8:30 a.m. to 3:45 p.m.  There will be no school for students on Friday, September 28.  Please contact your student's teacher to request a conference during those times.
• WWES Picture Day is Thursday, September 27.
• WWES’s Pass, Punt & Kick Competition was concluded on September 25. This fun physical education event took place after school on our playground with Ms. Conrad and several other teacher volunteers.  Thank you to Ms. Conrad and her team for holding this event for our kids.  Results for this nation-wide competition must be submitted by October 1.  We'll keep you posted.  Go Warriors!
• The WWES Sprinters Running Club is almost 60 students strong and wearing out the running paths around our school.  They are gearing up for the Run For the Nuns 5K race coming up in October.  We are proud of our young student-athletes.  Thanks to our coaches and their volunteer assistants as well—Ms. Conrad and Ms. T.James.  Thanks also to WWIS Sprinters Coach Janet Smith for all her efforts as well.

Winton Woods Primary News:

• Picture Day is on Tuesday, October 2.  Remember to wear your uniform and a smile.
• Parent Conferences are scheduled on Thursday, September 27 after 4:30 p.m. and all day Friday, September 28.  There will be NO SCHOOL on Friday, September 28 for students (K-2) due to all-day parent conferences.
• A Primary School assembly was held this week to explain "Give Me Five For Good Character to Earn a Golden Hand for Prizes."
• Free & Reduced Lunch Notice Effective September 28:  Last year’s carryover students will no longer receive a Free or Reduced Lunch if they have not turned in an application for this school year.  All current applications have been processed, and notices of eligibility have been sent home.  If you are in need of an application, they may be obtained in the school office and forwarded to the Child Nutrition Department for processing.  Please allow 7 to 10 days for notification as to your status.

Winton Woods Community PTA News:

• WWC PTA after-school Creative Art and Taekwondo classes will begin the week of October 1.  These classes are available to all students in grades K-6.  Other classes offered through the Community PTA include Spanish, jazz, tap, ballet and Mad Science.  For more information please contact the WWC PTA after-school programs chairperson, Eileen Mannira at tmannira@cinci.rr.com or 851-3369.