Washington Wildcat Chat

Dear Washington Family,

Thank you for a great first week of school! The energy, enthusiasm, and dedication shown by our staff, students, and parents have set the stage for what looks to be another great year at Washington!

As we reflect on this first week, let's carry forward the positive momentum and excitement. While there may be challenges ahead, we can overcome anything that comes our way by working together. Communication, collaboration, and a shared commitment to our students' growth will continue to be the key to our success.

I encourage you all to stay involved, stay connected, and keep the lines of communication open. Our website, newsletters, and social media platforms will be updated regularly to inform you about upcoming dates, events, and other important information.

Once again, thank you for making this first week of school a fantastic one. Let's make this year a memorable and enriching experience for our students. I am excited about all that we will achieve together.

Here's to a wonderful year ahead!

Warm regards,

Angie

Spuntino's will once again deliver pizza to Washington School during lunch every Thursday starting Thursday, September 14th. Cheese pizza will be served by-the-slice by parent volunteers. In addition to pizza Thursdays being a fun lunch, it is also a very important fundraiser for the school!

Ordering Info:

• Orders are due FRIDAY, September 8, 2023 by midnight
  • After September 8th there will not be any more opportunities to sign up for pizza until the second half of the year. No late orders will be accepted in order to ensure we have an accurate pizza count
  • If ordering for more than one child, each child will need to have his/her own order

• 2 ordering options: HALF YEAR or FULL YEAR
  • If you choose half year, your child will get pizza from Thursday, September 14th through Thursday, December 21st. If you choose full year, your child will get pizza from Thursday, September 14th through Thursday, June 6th
  • Families can choose 1, 2, or 3 slices per student
  
  
• Orders are placed through the PTO website. CLICK HERE to order pizza
  • You will need to login to place your order
  • To check if a current order was placed correctly, please select "My Account" at the top right of your personal PTO account page, then select "Order History" to view previous successful orders

Pizza orders are final - no changes in the number of slices can be made. If you think your student will want to modify their pizza order for the second half of the year, please utilize the 'first half of the year' ordering only.

Parent Volunteers Needed!

• We are looking for parent volunteers to help serve pizza to our students on Thursdays at Washington from 11:20 AM to 12:35 PM
• New this year: You can select which grade level/lunch location you'd like to volunteer with to ensure you are serving your child's peer group
• CLICK HERE to sign up to volunteer

All cell phones and other personal devices are to be powered off or silenced and out of sight during the school day. However, students in elementary school are allowed to have wearable smart devices with them if they follow the guidelines listed below. Please do not communicate with your student via these devices while we are in school, as these communications should occur before and after school. If there is an emergency and you need to contact your child, call the school’s main office for assistance.

● Students are permitted to have wearable smart devices like smartwatches only if they’re being used to view the time, like a traditional watch. Any student using a smartwatch can’t text, call, or use any apps during school. If a student is found using any apps on a smartwatch or communicating with it, they will be asked to put the watch/device in their locker.

● Parents can help ensure smartwatches are set to not allow notifications from other apps by placing the device in a mode that does more than silence it. For instance, with an Apple Watch, a parent can put the device in “Schooltime” mode, which limits how the student can use the watch during school. Schooltime mode also easily allows staff members to see that the watch is configured to not be a distraction during school. You can find steps on how to 24 set up Schooltime mode here. Android users can find parental controls by following these steps.

● Parents can configure wearable smart devices in other available ways as long as students cannot communicate with the device or use any apps during school.

Chess-Ed is excited to return to Washington School to provide lunchtime chess instruction this Fall!

The 10-week program runs from 09/15/23 to 11/17/23 and takes place on Fridays from 11:35 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. (during lunch). The program is open to students in all grades and of all chess abilities (including those in full-day and half-day Kindergarten). Professional instruction will include the basics for beginner and novice players and build with opening theory, middle game planning, and end-game combinations for continuing and advanced students. Playing chess improves memory, uses analytical and critical thinking skills, teaches problem-solving, responsibility, sportsmanship, social skills, and more! The benefits of chess last a lifetime!

To register, please go to https://2023-2024washingtonchess.eventbee.com. Register by 9/01/23 to take advantage of the lowest available fee. For more information about the program, please refer to the program flyer. Chess-Ed is looking forward to working with your CHESS ENTHUSIAST this Fall!

August 30 - Washington Parent Night

September 4 - Labor Day, No School

September 13 - PTO Meeting

September 14 - Pizza Day Starts

September 21 - Camp Duncan

September 21 - Board of Education Meeting

Inspire all students to discover their strengths, embrace learning, achieve personal excellence, and demonstrate care. Students thrive in a rich, rigorous, and innovative curriculum delivered by highly qualified teachers. Each student learns and grows in a safe, nurturing environment. In collaboration with student, parents, teachers and the community, District 64 provides opportunities for each learner to investigate, be successful, be resilient, and become inspired and empowered as they contribute to our global society.