Weekly Update

Wegner Families -

We need your support and partnership as we work together to meet our building goals this year! This month's newsletter will focus on things you can do at home to help your child succeed at school. Families are children's first and most important teachers! We cannot do the important work we do at school without your continued support at home!

Ms. Kenney

If you haven't already, please make sure to set up a time with your children’s teachers for a conference as soon as possible. Conferences will be held Friday, November 18th after school and all day and evening on the 21st. We look forward to seeing you at conferences this November!

Please join us for our BPAC event: Parenting Tips, and Questions and Answers

Date: Monday, November 14, 2022

Time: 8:45 AM - 10:30 AM

Place: Gary Elementary School, 130 E. Forest Ave., West Chicago

We will have social workers, pediatricians, and psychologists present some helpful parenting tips. There will also be time for parents to ask specific questions. This is open to all parents in the district.

Questions? Contact Ms. Ortiz, Director of Multilingual Learners, ortizr@wego33.org.

Read at home!

• Read with your child every day!
• Older children can read to younger children or other family members to practice!
• Ask your child questions about what they are reading
• Ask your child to name their reading level and Power Goal
• Ask your child to talk about the skills being worked on during conferencing

Ask your child about their Power Goal!

• Power Goals are the MOST important skills that children need to learn within their color level
• Power Goals can change daily, weekly, or monthly depending on the progress of the child, and the depth of the skill they are mastering
• At school students work on Power Goals in small groups, independently, or one on with with an adult
• Children can and should practice their Power Goals at home!

Once you know your child's reading level, you can click HERE to find the skill card for your child's level. This will give you things you can work on at home!

Freckle (grades 1-5) and ST Math (K) are online learning platforms that allows students to practice math at their own level. Both programs continuously adapt to each student's individual skills, so each student is getting the appropriate challenge, whether they're working at, above, or below grade level. At Wegner School, children utilize the online platform for 20 minutes daily (15 for kindergarten) to enhance the math curriculum and provide each child with individualized practice. Children CAN practice Freckle/ST Math at home!

What is PBIS?

Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) is an evidence-based, tiered framework for supporting students' behavioral, academic, social, emotional, and mental health. When implemented with fidelity, PBIS improves social emotional competence, academic success, and school climate.

Does PBIS make a difference?

The PBIS model is a research-based strategy. The 3-tiered approach reduces problem behavior as a barrier to student achievement. We only have 180 days each year to advance academic progress, so instructional time is very valuable. Research shows that schools following the PBIS model recover thousands of hours of instructional time and, on average, four days of student instruction per year.

What about Parents?

Parents are an important part of PBIS implementation. We encourage parents to use the same expectations at home that we teach at school. This common language creates consistency and a unified support for expected students behavior. Children thrive when they have consistent, predictable expectations and consequences.

What can you do to help your child stay on the path to positive behavior?

• Review the Five Core Values with your child.
• Ask your child about his/her day at school every day.
• Make sure your child is ready to learn every day.
• Ensure a good night’s sleep.
• Provide a quiet time and space for your child to do nightly homework.
• Encourage your child to use appropriate language and tone.
• Practice positive phrases with your child, such as, “Thank you,” “Excuse me,” “Please,” and “I’m Sorry.”
• Be a visible part of your child’s school day. Volunteer at school activities as your schedule allows.

How does it work?

A key strategy of the PBIS process is prevention. The majority of students follow the school’s expectations, but are never acknowledged for their positive behavior. Through instruction, comprehension and regular practice, all teachers and staff members will use a consistent set of behavioral rules. We will view it as an opportunity for re- teaching, not just punishing.

What about students who are disruptive?

When problem behavior occurs, students are provided a full continuum of supports to address behaviors, such as re-teaching the expected behavior. If students do not respond, the intensity of the support increases. Most problem behaviors either have an academic or social base. Properly addressing the root cause of behavior can prevent student failure later in life.

How is PBIS different that other school behavior programs?

• This program is focused on acknowledging students for consistent positive behavior.

• Direct instruction of expected behaviors will occur throughout the school year.

• Routines and language with respect to appropriate school behavior are consistent throughout the school.

• Problem behavior will be responded to with consistent consequences that are focused on re-teaching the expected behavior.

PTO Meeting

Monday, November 14th - 7pm - Zoom

Parent Teacher Conferences

Friday, November 18th

Monday, November 21st - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS

Thanksgiving Break

November 22nd-25th - NO SCHOOL

Kindergarten is working on composing and counting numbers to 10. We are also finishing up our literature lab, where students learned concepts of print and story elements. We will begin our first research lab, Zoology, the first week of November.

First grade is working on their wild animals unit. To kick it off, we went to the Brookfield Zoo. We will be researching different animals and see how they are similar and different from their mothers. We’re taking the information that they have researched and making it into a book/report. In math, we just started subtracting numbers from ten.

Second grade had a blast at Kuiper’s Family Farm! We explored many fun activities and even braved the spooky walk. In reading and writing, we have finished up our unit on poetry and are now moving into reading examples of personal narratives and writing about our very own special moments. Our second grade scientists engineered their very own boats, using their knowledge. In math, we have just finished our unit on measurement and have begun our unit on place value. Don’t forget to read with your child every night and sign their reading log!

Third grade has been staying busy! This month we wrapped up our first math unit, and we will be moving into our second unit which focuses on Place Value and Measurement. In reading we wrapped up reading books in the Magic Treehouse Series and are working on writing our own narrative stories.

This month we also went on our walking field trip to Preston Field Park and got to learn about our environment with Mighty Acorns!

Fourth grade had their first Mighty Acorns activities. We learned about flowers and how important they are. We also learned about the insects that help the flowers grow. We went on our walking field trip to the Com Ed. right of way and the Preston Field Park. Ms. Mendoza’s class saw 2 snakes! We looked for milkweed seed pods and caught some insects. We had a very good time and are super excited for our next adventure!

This month, 5th grade went on our Might Acorns trip. We looked at food webs and food chains with the animals that live in our ecosystem. Students had an opportunity to see what our natural environment actually is like!

We have continued our adventures in reading and math, discovering new ideas in both areas. Please remind your student to spend 30 minutes each night reading! It is such an important practice that our students really need.

Finally, we have been working hard on developing skills involving working with others. We had added Kagan strategies to our classrooms and have been asking our students to learn to work with new people (other than their friends!) and have successful encounters. Ask your student about the skills they have learned when working with others:)

In art this month, we have been opening up new art centers - Architecture, Origami. We have been discussing the Studio Habits of Mind. These are habits that artists practice while they are creating. The habits are: Observe, Stretch and Explore, Envision, Express, Develop Craft, Engage and Persist, Reflect and Understand Art Worlds. Each grade level is working on developing art techniques and skills, as well as learning how to develop an idea into a work of art.

In October, we continued to talk about the concept of respect, library expectations, and book care with all grade levels. Kindergarten and first grade lessons focused on parts of a book, fiction and nonfiction text features while reading fall and Halloween themed stories. Second grade students learned about the three types of connections readers make with a text: text to self, text to world, and text to text. They made text to text connections using fall and Halloween stories. 3rd grade library classes read I’m a Zcary Vampire by José Carlos Andrés, illustrated by Gómez. We then spent two weeks working with Mrs. Barsotti, our Lead Tech Teacher, and learned to program Finch robots using iPads to act like vampires. 4th and 5th grade students watched book trailer videos and read 1st chapters of the Bluestem Award nominees for 2023. Students have the opportunity to read the nominees and vote for their favorite book in March.

In music we are working in four main areas. Singing, rhythm , movement, and note reading. Students are developing the skill of reproducing accurately with their voice a melody they hear. This is similar to what we do with rhythm. The students hear a rhythmic pattern and reproduce it with their hands, drums, buckets, or rhythm sticks. We also work on moving parts of our bodies to the beat of a song. Much of all this work is done with musical notation so that the students learn to read musical notes.

All grades have been working on their soccer skills. They have focused on their kicking, passing, and dribbling skills.

In SEL/Health all grade levels have been focusing on how to help prevent and stop bullying. We have discussed examples of what is bullying and what is not. Also, the difference between tattling and reporting bullying. 4th and 5th grade did an activity with the Spheros in the STEM Lab that simulated what happens when you get cyberbullied and how reporting it can help stop it and make you feel better. In November we will be learning about Fire Safety and all about germs and hygiene.

Kindergarten students have learned to program robots to practice counting 1-10 and beginning letter sounds.

1st Grade classes are starting to visit the STEM lab. Activities have included: Looking at animals using the VR (Virtual Reality) headsets, programming Beebots to drive to the assigned community helper, and green screen puppets.

2nd Grade classes have participated in “Chromebook Olympics” to increase their knowledge of keyboard short-cuts.

3rd Grade are learning to program the Finch 2.0 robots during their library time. They used the VR Headsets to roam with the dinosaurs and are beginning to create digital books using BookCreator.

4th Grade visited the STEM lab during Health/SEL to do a Sphero robot activity related to cyberbullying. They are also designing Calaveras that will be printed on the 3D printer in Art Class.

5th grade visited the STEM lab during Health/SEL to do a Sphero robot activity related to cyberbullying. Students are also using BookCreator to turn their personal narratives into a digital book. In addition, each 5th grade class programmed a holiday light show using Little Bits. Each class had their light show displayed for a week in the STEM lab window.

Our Kindergarten students are acclimating to their new school routines, teachers and peers.

They are receiving support across school settings as they get used to expectations in the classroom, during transitions, at Lunch and Recesses, and during their Specials (Gym, Art, Music, Library, and SEL/Health) classes. We are enjoying getting to know our newest & youngest Wegner Eagles and look forward to sharing in their continued growth as the school year progresses!

First through fifth grade students have settled into their routines and are enjoying working collaboratively with peers.

Kindergarteners have been working on all things dinosaur! We have been reading and writing about dinosaurs, and even solving dino-themed math problems!

1st graders in reading have been reading stories and working on character analysis. We have created story maps and pictures of our own characters.

In math 1st graders have been working on number puzzles, having math talks, and solving equations with missing numbers.

2nd grade ELA students have been working on analogies. We also read The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and analyzed literary elements.

Additionally 2nd graders have been learning about how systems work and have related systems to Ancient Egypt. We have studied and compared maps of Ancient Egypt and Egypt today. We are learning forward to learning a lot more about Egypt!

Fourth and Fifth Graders did a team building activity to help foster collaborative skills and peer relationships. It was called "The Marshmallow Challenge."

Speech Services have been well underway. We are working on further developing letters/sounds and how we make those sounds. The children are using books about Fall and Leaves to find parts of speech and how they help us in our reading.

Math: Students in grades 1st- 5th are learning to take math notes during our lessons. The information is very useful for the concept we are working on.