MHS/WES Newsletter

First grade has had a fun filled first two weeks! We are so excited to have everyone start the year in person. We have spent time getting to know each other and making new friends. First grade is a year of routines and independence. We have been learning and practicing classroom routines. Having a routine at home is good practice for school.

Back to school and the beginning of first grade can make kids very hungry and very tired. It will help your children be at their personal best if they get to bed early and have a healthy breakfast. We know it’s hard to get the kids to eat breakfast when they are tired. Try putting them to bed 30 min early and waking them 30 min early. This will ensure they get the rest they need. It will also give them time to wake up a bit before breakfast so that they are ready to eat. Our lunchtime isn’t until 11 and we have an afternoon snack not a morning snack. So please make sure your child gets a protein filled breakfast. One frozen waffle won’t hold them over until lunchtime at 11 or give them the energy they need to learn. Try to sneak in some eggs, oatmeal or yogurt. We appreciate your help and partnership in learning. We can’t wait to meet all the First Grade families at Open House on Tuesday, October 5th.

The school nurse can always use clothing donations! We are in desperate need of pants/bottoms for both boys and girls in all sizes (grades K-1). Leggings, sweatpants, and gym shorts are a great option for children to change into if they have an accident! Packages of t-shirts are also great for students to change into if they need to change their shirt. Boys underwear sizes 4-8 and socks of all sizes are also running low and would be greatly appreciated!

Please continue to bring in medication that is needed for your child while in school, including daily and emergency medications. The parent/guardian consent and physician orders can be found on our district website or by clicking this link. The forms can be found at the very bottom of the page.

Second graders have done a wonderful job adjusting to the “big school” and have worked hard to learn many new routines. Each classroom is spending extensive time building their classroom communities.

On Wednesday, we celebrated International Dot Day. The Dot is the story of a caring teacher who dares a doubting student to trust in her own abilities by being brave enough to make her mark. What begins with a small dot on a piece of paper, becomes a breakthrough in confidence and courage, igniting a journey of self-discovery and sharing. Second graders spent the day creating colorful dot art and focusing on what makes them special and unique.

Welcome to the 2021-2022 school year! I hope everyone had a happy, healthy, fun-filled summer. I am very excited to be the new PE teacher here at WES/MHS. Classes have been going great so far. The first few weeks we have been establishing classroom routines and working on cooperative games with all grades. Starting next week, we will be getting into our first units. Grades K+1 will be working on Throwing and Catching while grades 2-5 will start Flag Football. In the Throwing and Catching unit, students will learn how to throw underhand and overhand, how to throw different distances, how to throw with accuracy and the proper form for catching. This unit will help develop students' hand eye coordination, gross and fine motor skills, as well as their spatial awareness. In the Flag Football unit, students will learn proper throwing and catching techniques, throwing lead passes, strategies for creating space on offense/scoring, and defensive skills. Students will work on skill development and we will also play small sided lead up games at the end of the unit. This is a great opportunity to develop teamwork, communication and problem solving skills.

I encourage you and your family to be active at home, after school and on the weekend; play pass, jump rope, go for a bike ride, shoot hoops, go swimming, throw a Frisbee, dance, or go for a walk. Be active together! Your encouragement and involvement will really make a difference!