Wekiva Whispers

Wekiva Elementary School 1450 East Wekiva Trail Longwood, Florida 32779 Phone: 746-3150 Fax: 746-3163 November 2011 Principal: Marjorie Adamczyk Assistant Principal: Michelle Baker Principals Message We all like this time of the year; the weather is great, everyone has figured out their busy school routines and schedules, and now we can plan for the end of 2011 and the beginning of the New Year 2012. However, everyone knows what the next few months will entail with the holidays approaching. During October, intermediate student completed several tests. All the Differentiated Assessments that were given to students are to help teachers determine benchmarks (or skills) strengths and weakness. Primary grades are working on getting students ready for these assessments through rigorous lessons on phonics, phonemic awareness, building vocabulary, increasing sight words, writing about their reading, spatial concepts, number sense, and math facts so that they can read fluently and do complex work problems by the end of second grade. Our teachers worry about the holidays because students lose valuable instruction time. Therefore, on those holiday days off, parents can help by making sure students are reading. Reading with the students is even more effective. Asking them the 5 W questions; who, what, where, when, and why, while they read can help students THINK about their reading, which is what we strive to do every day at Wekiva. This will help math too, since much of our Go Math curriculum is reading math problems. Sometimes I will ask the students, Do you have homework? Several students share, finished it already.however, independent reading should continue at home at least 20 minutes every night. A hands up survey of the students showed that most students have technology in their homes. You and your child can go to our school website and find several education places for them to work from, which includes math! On another topic, our staff, PTA, and SAC are all making sure that everyone who needs to come into the building, signs in at the front office. Cutting through classrooms and the hallways in the building has been stopped. We hope you understand it is for the safety and security of our children. We are also going to be closing the gate by the cafeteria from 8:00 8:30 and from 2:55 3:25 (Wednesday an hour earlier) to keep the walkway a safe place too. Until next time. Ms. Adamczyk PTA News With the Boosterthon Fundraiser well underway, our Wekiva Elementary family is immersed in a Boosterthon EPIC ADVENTURE! Parents, please help your student get in touch with 10 potential sponsors Family, Friends, Business Owners or Neighbors! Check us out here: http://www.boosterthoninfo.com/weki vakoala/ Please join us for the Boosterthon Fun Run Thursday, November 10 To CHEER for your student, please check-in through the front office 20 minutes prior to your students run time: Pre-K, K, 1st grades: Nov. 10, 8:45 2nd -3 rd grades: Nov. 10, 9:55 4th -5th grades: Nov. 10, 11:05 To cheer and HELP during your students FUN Run, please sign in 20 minutes prior to your students run time, as a Registered Dividend through front office computer. (TO AVOID LONG LINES!) Pledge dollars are due Thursday, Nov. 17 THANK YOU IN ADVANCE for helping Wekivas PTA continue to provide quality programs for our students, including much needed technology! Veterans Day Performance Seminole County Public Schools www.scps.k12.fl.us or www.wekivaelementary.com On Veterans Day, November 11th, at 9:00, third grade students will be a victory garden of red, white, and blue as they participate in our annual Veterans Day musical salute to our heroes. They will honor their own invited veteran guests and veteran guests from our community who served in all branches of the armed services. Cross Country News Parents we have had a wonderful turn out for Cross Country in the morning! Please remember that it does not start until 8:05. There is no supervision to cross the road until this time. Students must not be dropped off on the bus ramp. Please use the car ramp for drop off. Wekiva Cross Country will be hosting its Sixth Annual Koala Run on Saturday December 3rd. We need your help! If you are available to help with this event, please contact Coach Prose at greg_prose@scps.k12.fl.us, or 407746-3157. If your child is interested in participating in our Koala Run or any other Seminole County Saturday Run, he or she must have proof of insurance. Please turn in the Insurance Information Sheet to Coach Prose. We will be collecting canned food for Bags of Hope at The Koala Run to help a hungry child in our area. We hope that you can donate a can or two to this neighborhood charity. There will also be a bake sale to benefit Relay for Life. Look for an updated Cross Country Schedule on our web page. The Physical Education Department would like to thank Seminole County Parks and Recreation and the USTA for coming to Wekiva and presenting some fun ways to play tennis! They gave out arm bracelets to every student and will be having a Free Tennis Festival for Wekiva Students on Saturday, November 12th at Sanlando Park.

Wekiva Whispers
Wekiva Elementary School 1450 East Wekiva Trail Longwood, Florida 32779 Phone: 746-3150 Fax: 746-3163 November 2011 Principal: Marjorie Adamczyk Assistant Principal: Michelle Baker The Physical Education Department just finished Fitness Testing; ask your child how he or she did and where they need improvement. We will retest in the Spring and we hope to see improvements by all of our students, in all areas. the Disney Store. You can also order books and magazines at the Family Book Store AND purchase gift certificates for your childs teacher! Its a win-win scenario, so support Wekiva and register now! Seminole County Sheriff Office Carls Safe Crossing Campaign Did You Know The average time it takes a Seminole County School Crossing Guard to cross a student is 30 seconds. 30 SECONDS Even though you may not know it the guards across the county work very hard to keep the amount of time they and their students out of the street down to a minimum. This in turn keeps the flow of traffic moving with little delays. We do understand that some days you may be running late but please follow the directions of our School Crossings Guards. It will only take a short amount of time out of your day to keep them and our students safe while using the crosswalk. Stay Safe out there! I am currently accepting applications for the position of School Crossing Guards in all Regions throughout the county. They can go on to our Seminole County website, www.seminolesheriff.org<http://www. seminolesheriff.org> and go to the employment opportunities section and download an application. Important Dates 11/06 SET CLOCKS BACK!! 11/10 Boosterthon Fun Run!! 8:45 Gr. K and 1 9:55 Gr. 2 and 3 11:05 Gr. 4 and 5 11/11 9:00 -3rd Gr. Veterans Day Presentation 11/12 Autism Walk @ Cranes Roost 11/14 American Education Week Celebrate our Drivers Seminole County Public Schools www.scps.k12.fl.us or www.wekivaelementary.com 11/15 Teach-In Celebrate our Assistants, Secretaries and our Mentors 11/16 Celebrate our cafeteria staff 11/17 Celebrate our custodial staff Boosterthon Pledges Due 11/19 Celebrate our all teachers 11/21 Report Cards Go Home 11/23-25 NO SCHOOL! 11/28 Kindergarten Starts Holidays Around the World 12/3 Wekiva Cross Country Meet 12/4 1:15 Santa in the Park TBA 12/5 7:45 Gr. 2 Awards 12/6 7:45 Gr. 3 Awards 12/7 7:45 Gr. 4 Awards 5:00 SAC and 6:15 PTA 12/8 7:45 Gr. 5 Awards Thank you to our Wekiva Business Partners! These partnerships have involved student and teacher incentives, classroom speakers, mentors..etc. As they recognize us, we hope you recognize them. (More next time..)

On Tuesday, November 15, parents, business leaders, and community members can enhance learning by going into a classroom for up to an hour. You can read a book, tutor a student, talk about your career, your life experiences, and how education is important to you. To register for the Annual Seminole Teach-In, please click on the link below or call Dr. Baker at 407-746-3101 http://www.scps.k12.fl.us/dividends/T eachin.aspx Superintendent Search Public Input Needed You are invited to provide input on the selection of a new Superintendent of Schools for Seminole County. Your presence is requested at Town Hall meetings to be held at three locations during the month of November. Each meeting will be held from 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM on: November 8, - Oviedo High November 15, -Lyman High November 16, Seminole High For more information call 407-3200030 or 321-363-7909. Shop and Help! From Dr. Baker Thank you for using schoolstore.net! We have already generated some dollars for the school. If you havent tried it, just register online at www.schoolstore.net and enter our school ID# 144839. Then, our school will earn money every time you shop online at over 200 merchants, including Target, Walmart, Kohls and

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