The Windsor Way

We will keep this short as we are loading up this letter with photos of the fun we've had this month celebrating reading!

We truly have the best students, staff, families and community.

Proud to be Windsor Wildcats,

Mrs. Johnson and Mrs. Lorentzen

• My name is Beth Wallukait and I am excited to be the new Office Manager at Windsor! I started with Des Moines Public Schools at Callanan Middle School in 2016 as the Attendance Clerk. I loved working with students and enjoyed my time there so much. I transferred to Moore Elementary to be the Office Manager in 2018. I have enjoyed my time at Moore and working with the students, families and staff. I am excited to start a new chapter at Windsor Elementary. I live right down the street from Windsor with my husband (Matt), son (Jack 15 years old), daughter (Ellie 13 years old). I love being outside! Gardening, going to parks, going on walks and being with my family. I have heard wonderful things about Windsor and am excited to meet all the students, families and staff!
  

We launched the month of May with a Book Dash. Teachers read in every single classroom on a timed rotation. It was joyful to see students greeting former teachers and hearing different read alouds. Thank you Mrs. Lorentzen for organizing!

Monday, March 4 we welcomed community and family readers for a building-wide event in Celebration of Read Across America. Guest readers read aloud and led discussion with small groups of students, and every student received the read aloud book.

Thursday March 7 we hosted a flower making workshop. Talented students and families created beautiful floral crowns! Thank you to Ms. Madisen for organizing these celebratory events!

March 11-15: Spring Break

March 18 - 19: Professional Development (no students)

March 8 - March 29: PAWS Plant Sale {Please see information sent home March 8 or call office for more information}

April 5: Windsor Fun Night

April 9: PAWS

April 16: SAC

April 18: K-2 Fine Arts Night (Music performances: K-5:30; 1st-6:00; 2nd - 6:30)

April 25: 3-5 Fine Arts Night (Music performances: 3-5:30; 4th-6:00; 5th- 6:30; Castle Singers 7:00)

Mrs. Wilson: This is my 20th year teaching for the Des Moines Public School District and my second-year teaching second grade at Windsor Elementary School.

My husband, Brian, and I have two children. Sawyer is 23 years old and works in Denver, Colorado. Emma is 21. She lives in West DesMoines and is going to nursing school.​ We have two dogs named Hazel and Maddie.​

I have my master's degree in Literacy and Instruction and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Elementary Education from Graceland University. I also have a Bachelor of Science Degree in Psychology from the University of Iowa. GO HAWKS!!!

I love working with children and see each day as an opportunity to learn, grow and have a lot of fun along the way! When I am not at school, I enjoy reading, riding my bike, and taking long walks with my dogs!

Mrs. Pimlott: Hello! My name is Kate Pimlott and I have been working in the Des Moines school district for the last 5 years. Before that I taught for 9 years in Marshalltown and 5 years in Las Vegas. I have taught second, fourth, and fifth graders. My favorite grade to teach is second grade! I love to teach children how to read and help them build their confidence in themselves. I love the joy and excitement these students bring when they walk in the door. It makes me happy to be around them. I enjoy learning about cultures and sharing the diversity of the world with my students. I am thankful to be teaching at Windsor!

On March 1 the 2nd-5th music classes began the 2nd Annual "March Music Madness". We take two songs from every genre of music we've studied this year- American Jazz, Zimbabwean Mbira, Colombian Cumbia, Sicilian Folk, Gullah from the Sea Islands near South Carolina, and Samba from Brazil- and we match them up to find out which song and genre we prefer the most as a school. The songs that are used are from the Carnegie Hall Musical Explorers program, which can be accessed at home at https://musicalexplorers.carnegiehall.org/.