Good Morning!

 

We know that staff-teacher relationships are key to student success, especially in these last weeks of school.  Morning greetings are a great, and easy, way to connect with kids each morning.  The greetings set the tone for your upcoming day and give students a feeling of belonging within the Willow community.  This can be a simple "Good Morning", the use of student names, or a specific (or choice of) greeting at the classroom door.  Here are some ideas for greetings, as we remind ourselves of the value and importance of making contact with students.  I've also included some ideas to change up your morning messages.  Thank you for your work in connecting, supporting, and caring for our kids.

• Greetings:

Keeping Morning Meeting Greetings Fresh and Fun (Responsive Classroom)

• AM Greetings

• High School Teacher AM Greeting
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• Morning Meeting Messages:

Ideas for Morning Meeting Messages (Responsive Classroom)
Morning Message ideas   

Safety Reminders

 IMPORTANT: Safety Drill Reminders

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.  I usually do a fire drill during this week, but last week's weather was too nice to ignore, so that one is done!

Severe Weather

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

Please review:

• Classroom teachers: 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.

• Specialists: review your location with your students
• Note: I will review lunch/recess procedures on the Raider Report: students will go into the hallway between Katie'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).

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.

Spring into Reading!

 

The Leadership Team would ike to invite K-5 classrooms to Spring into Reading during the month of May, as another opportunity to encourage reading!

Grades will choose the area to measure, and "thermometers" will be provided to each grade level to be displayed in the school to show progress toward the goal, May 1-19.  Grades are challenged to DREAM BIG and set a goal, in any area they feel would benefit their students, that will set the stage for the final push to the end of the year.  Grade levels will combine efforts to reach their target, and those that reach their goal will get a reward (to be determined!).  Winners will be announced at the closing YAD ceremony.

Areas could be:

Reading stamina in class

Reading minutes at home

Increase number of books from different genres

Increase types of books (i.e. chapter books)

Other

We look forward to building on this year's momentum in reading!

Autism Awareness Month

 

April is Autism Acceptance Month

By Tracy Metz

As a Willow River Elementary community, we have always celebrated Autism Awareness/Acceptance Month in a variety of ways because we are very lucky to work with many students with autism spectrum disorder.  This April, the hope is that we can all take some time to spread the mission of Autism Acceptance Month, which is to not only bring awareness of what autism is  but also to be accepting and inclusive of autistic students and continue to learn and advocate for the things they need.

Awareness vs. Acceptance

In April of 1972, the first Autism Awareness Week was officially celebrated and over the years there have been many ways that awareness about autism has been spread throughout the month of April including rallies, the Light It Up Blue campaign and fundraisers.  These activities really aimed to raise awareness of the challenges and celebrate the differences of those affected with autism.  In more recent years, autistic adults and some organizations have asked to reframe our thinking from awareness to acceptance during the month of April and that is why, in 2020, April became Autism Acceptance Month.  The goal of Autism Acceptance Month is to not only learn about the differences of autistic people but understanding and accepting those differences and to continue to make progress towards equal rights and resources. 

What Can You Do During April?

Here are some ideas of things that you can do this month to show support to the autism community and continue to grow your knowledge:

• Wear red and/or the gold or rainbow infinity symbol - the infinity symbol represents the diversity of the autism spectrum and is the preferred symbol of autism over the puzzle piece by the autistic community

• Follow Blogs or Social Media posts from Autistic Adults -this is a great way to educate yourself about the autistic conversation and to learn about the autistic experience

• Read Books or Listen to Podcasts 

• Accommodate and support the preferences of autistic students -this is something we do a great job with at Willow River but we can continue to learn and grow

What Can You Do With Your Students To Promote Autism Acceptance?

Here are some really great points to talk about with your students this month:

1.  Everyone is different.  Just like everyone looks different on the outside, everyone’s brains are different too.  We all have things that we are good at and things that are challenging for us.  These differences are good - it is what makes us all unique.

2. What Autism Is vs What Autism Is Not: Autism is a difference in the brain that allows people to experience things in a different way.  Autism is NOT wrong or bad, unintelligent or antisocial.  It is just different.

3. Kindness and Including Others: Even though we are all different, we all have the same needs.  What are some ways you can be kind to others and include someone who may feel left out.

The following children’s books are great to read aloud to get those conversations going:

• A Friend Like Simon by Katie Gaynor

• All My Stripes by Shaina Rudolph and Danielle Royer

• Leah’s Voice by Lori DeMonia

• Just Right for You by Melanie Heyworth

• Rules by Cynthia Lord (chapter book)

• My Brother Charlie by Holly Robinson Peete and Ryan Robinson Peete

• Since We’re Friends by Celeste Shally and David Harrington

• Mockingbird by Kathryn Erskine (upper elementary)

• Looking After Louis by Lesley Ely

There are many books about sensory experiences as well and our very own Linda Wagner and her niece, Lindsey, have two books about specific challenges that autistic individuals often face as part of their Little Lindsey series that are excellent.

This April, let’s all strive to take action in at least one way both personally and in our classrooms to share the message of Autism Acceptance month.  What will you do?