Big Week!

 

I was thinking about this past week and my appreciation for Willow River, and I kept coming back to Friday.  In one day, we had Friendship Games, Young Author's Day, and the Bird Migration Celebration at the Phipps - all on Friday!  A heartfelt thank you to all of the staff that were involved in any/all of these events - which includes every single staff member, and some of you in more than one event!  Thank you for your commitment to Willow, and to Willow's students and families.  Your dedication was very evident, especially on Friday!

Have a great week -

Sue

Here are some highlights!

Young Author's Day

Happy Birthday - sign language (video)

Friendship Games

Phipps Migration Celebration

Staff Appreciation Week!

As we begin Staff Appreciation Week, admidst a week of challenges, I want to take a minute to thank you for the amazing work you do each day to uplift our students every day.  You are dedicated to all students, and provide whate they need to succeed.  Despite what else is happening,  Willow River staff members show up with a positive, collaborative spirit, and help to create an environment that is engaging and supportive for everyone.  I can't thank you enough!

To celebrate the Willow staff this week, please watch for fun surprises each day! We will be doing daily drawings for gift cards each day next week, courtesy of the Parent Group.  Watch your mailbox for your numbered bracelet and keep it all week - winning numbers will be announced on the Raider Report. 

Here are the daily happenings:

Note: Additional treats on Wednesday and Thursday!

Please know that your hard work is appreciated every day, but especially this upcoming week. 

I'm so proud of the work you do -

Sue

Last Day of School

 

Last Day of School - Thursday, May 30th

It's hard to believe, but our last day of school is about a month away! See below for the details about the last day as you begin to plan for the last weeks of school.

Last Day of School Details 

• Be sure to sign up walking buddies on this document)
• Rain plan - TBD

Schedule 

• 9:30 - meet by flagpole for our Opening Ceremony; Star Spangled Banner (Adam leads song)
• 9:40 - begin walk to Lakefront Park, staggered starts in order, starting with K and buddies (teachers and additional staff); Permission Slip
• 10:15 - Freeze Tag (Lindi and all staff)
• 10:35 - K and buddies leave, staggered returns in order; 5th leaves at end (stay as long as you want, just be back for lunch!)

Lunch/Recess (with 2 bounce houses and snow cones!)

• 10:40-11:10 - AM 4K BOUNCE HOUSE
• 11:00-11:50 - Kindergarten
• 11:30-12:20 - 1st grade
• 11:50-12:40 - 2nd grade
• 12:10-1:00 - 3rd grade
• 12:30-1:20 - 4th grade
• 12:50-1:40 - 5th grade
• 1:40-2:10 - PM 4K BOUNCE HOUSE

Classroom Teachers TO DO List:

• Sign Up for Walking Buddies - by May 10th
• Send home permission slips for the walk (copies will be in your mailboxes May 13th) - due May 23rd
• Invite families to come to the picnic (it will also be in the family newsletter) 

I'm looking forward to a great last day! Please let me know if you have any questions, or see anything that needs adjusting!
Sue

Earth Week

 

Here's a link to the plan for the week:  Earth Week 2024

Looking ahead...

 

Believe it or not, it's time to look ahead to these last few weeks of school! 

Here's what's coming up in April and May...

Assessment

• Forward: Our last official day of testing is Monday, and then make ups run next week.  The testing window officially closes April 26, so all of our testing/make ups need to be completed by then.  Here's a link to the Forward Make Ups schedule - please add your students' name ASAP so we can finalize the proctoring.

• FastBridge

• Window: April 22-May 17 (Reading and Math for all K-5 students)
• Support: the district is providing subs for K-1 teachers to complete three of the 1:1 subtests; more information to come.  Teachers in K-5 can use the sub allocated to them on the Assessment Schedule.

• BAS: Teachers can still complete the BAS with students, but we will not be collecting data in Illuminate, or passing any BAS information to next year's teacher.

Schedule Changes

• April 22 - Litter Pick Up (classrooms schedule their own)
• April 25 - K/1 Music Program  (Special Events schedule)
• April 26 - All School Meeting (Special Events schedule)

End of Year School Events

• May 8 - Kindergarten Orientation Day (subs for Leah and Lisa, K students still here)
• May 10 - YAD (more information coming at the April 25 staff meeting)
• May 10 - Friendship Games
• May 16 - 4th grade Track and Field Day 
• May 17 - 5th grade Track and Field Day
• May 24 - HHS students visit Willow (approx. 1:15-1:30)
• May 24 - Last All School Meeting (special event schedule)
• May 29 - 5th Grade Farewell
• May 30 - Last Day of School (picnic and activities)

Eclipse - April 8th

 

Total Eclipse of the Heart, Bonnie Tyler

Path of the April 8, 2024 eclipse

By the numbers: Around 74% of the Sun will be obscured by the Moon for the eyes of Twin Cities residents — with the eclipse starting around 12:50 pm and peaking around 2pm, according to NASA. Those in the southeast corner of Minnesota could see closer to the full thing. Wisconsin is not on the eclipse's path of totality and will only experience a partial solar eclipse where the moon only covers part of the sun.

Here's the instructional links and schedule for Willow:

We'll keep an eye on the weather!

Have a great week!

Sue

Spring Safety 2024

  IMPORTANT: Safety Drill Reminders

We are going to have our School Safety Week next week, so wanted to give you the information ahead of time.  All staff need to review safety procedures for themselves, and classroom teachers/specialists need to review the procedures with their students for the SEVERE WEATHER and LOCK DOWN drills this week.  I will review each of our drills (Hold, Secure, Evacuation, Severe Weather and Lockdown) on the Raider Report this week as well.  We will try to do a fire drill next week as well.

Severe Weather

Next week is designated as Severe Weather Awareness week, with a statewide Tornado Drill on Thursday, April 11th.  While we will not be doing an all-school practice at that time, staff are asked to do the following:

Please review:

• Classroom teachers: On Thursday (April 11), at your own chosen time, review the overhead message: Shelter for tornado. Go to your tornado shelter area. In addition, review the crouch position (crouch low, head down, protecting the back of the head with their arms), and visit your classroom's severe weather (tornado) location and the Tornado Review procedure.  The state tornado Drill is at 1:45, but teachers/specialists can choose to do their review at any time during the day.

• Specialists: review your location with your students
• Note: I will review lunch/recess procedures on the Raider Report next week: students will go into the hallway between Deanna's and Ryan's rooms, and near the elevator if needed.

Lockdown Drill

Classroom teachers and Specialists: Talk through the drill with your students, sometime this week

• Discuss with students that sometimes there are times when our school will have emergency situations like a fire drill, needing to stay in the classroom for a medical situation, or other emergency situations.

• Explain that this announcement would say: Lockdown! Locks, Lights, Out of Sight. You do not need to explicitly discuss active shooters, but most importantly, remind them when a lockdown occurs, all students need to listen carefully and follow the instructions of their teacher.

• Remind students that if they are in the hallway/bathroom, they need to quietly find a classroom door that is unlocked (if they can’t get into their own classroom).

• Optional: Here's the I Love You Guys presentation that Heather shared with us this fall.

Building Safety

As always, continue to:

• keep outside doors closed/latched
• keep classroom doors locked so they can be quickly closed and secured
• keep an eye on entry doors (by front office) to make sure they are closed - they sometimes get propped open
• follow up with anyone in the building that does not have a badge or visitor sticker

Thank you to everyone for your diligence to this informaiton and these practices. It is always our hope that we will never have to implement any emergency procedures, but if we do, it's important that we are ready.