Wolf Springs Elementary SchoolBack to School Night

2017-2018

Meet Mrs. Douglas & Mrs. HigginsAbout Mrs. Douglas: Hi there! I am Taylor, and I feel so honored to be a part of the WSE team this year! I have taught both first and second grade, and am passionate about showing little ones the excitement of learning. My husband is an Engineer at Kiewit, and we have a little 4 month old fur child named Moose! I am so looking forward to this school year with you and your child!About Mrs. Higgins:Hello! I am Ashley and I am super excited about being at WSE this year! I have been teaching First Grade the last several years and I just love this age! My husband works as an associate principal and we have two children (Carter- 5 and Reese -2). I can’t wait to get to know your families this year!

Wolf Springs School InformationWolf Springs Vision

Together we will inspire passionate difference makers through innovation and authentic learning in a global

community.

Wolf Springs TaglineGrowing the Future ~ Thinkers | Problem Solvers | Creators |

Collaborators | Leaders | Difference Makers

 School HoursKindergarten through Grade Five | 8:35 a.m. to 3:40 p.m.

Staff Hours | 8:15 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

WSE has Three Big Goals!

We will foster whole child growth – academic, social, emotional and health.

We will create an inspiring and student-centered learning environment focused upon providing each student with future ready skills and experiences.

We will engage and facilitate community connections both locally and globally.

WSE

At Wolf Springs, we will utilize Conscious Discipline to promote a positive learning environment that serves the whole child. Conscious Discipline joins social-emotional learning, discipline and self-regulation and focuses upon teaching life skills.Conscious Discipline is an evidence-based program that promotes a positive school climate, focuses upon social-emotional competencies, resiliency, behavioral changes, problem solving and academic success. To promote consistent terminology and a common focus, we have developed three school-wide expectations: Whole-hearted, Safe and Empathetic.

Whole-Hearted

Safe

Empathic

Safety First!•Safety and Security Expectations

• Exterior doors will be secured and interior access is limited.

• All visitors must check-in at the office to receive a badge.

• Please be prepared to show a picture ID.

•Preparation is Key• Wolf Springs has a Crisis Team who meets routinely.

• All school drills will be conducted throughout the year.

• Each wing (A, B, C and D) is a tornado shelter that is considered ICC 500 certified.

What is Project Based Learning?

• Students are exposed to learning standards through a driving question that empowers exploration and a passion to create or design a solution.

• Students inquire into a topic by asking questions and developing their own answers.• PBL promotes inquiry based exploration and collaboration with peers.• Projects are rigorous learning experiences.• PBL is an extended learning experience with tasks connected to the driving question and

coached by teachers.• “PBL puts students on a path that deepens their knowledge and builds skills they will need in the future.”

PBL Video Example

Benefits of PBL• Students acquire 21st Century Learning Skills such as creativity,

critical thinking, collaboration, communication• Improved student retention of skills/knowledge• Promotes greater civic and global awareness• Connects learning to the “real world”• Students are highly engaged in learning experiences

“Project Based Learning is a teaching method in which students gain knowledge and skills by working for an extended period of time to investigate and respond to an engaging and complex

driving question, problem, or challenge.” –PBL In the Elementary Grades

Integrated Technology and Guidelines

Purpose of integrated technology: To identify, support and provide classroom teachers and students with technology-rich innovation spaces where the technology is seamlessly integrated into teaching and learning. 

Wolf Springs is an Innovation Space School and K-5 classrooms will have iPads and Mac Books.

District Commercial: click here

What is it?Studio 23 is a space that was created to promote creativity, foster curiosity, inspire design thinking, facilitate collaboration, motivate students and adults to pursue passion projects, and engage the local and global community.

What are the goals of Studio 23?Studio 23 will be an adaptive space that is designed to evolve over time. It is a space that is fluid, flexible, mobile and adapts to meet the needs of a future ready learning environment.

Studio 23

NUT-SAFERTo Keep Students Safe:

• All foods brought into the school for snacks and class parties must be on the approved list.

• Students should not share food at any time.•We provide students with Nut Safer seating in the café during each lunch.

• Valentine’s Day party-all candy attached to Valentines may not be consumed at school.

• Parents are encouraged to check the nut-safer list prior to each school party as items change!

• Read food labels.

Birthday Policy

Purpose: Promote health, safety & protect instructional time• Birthdays are very special times for our children and as such, the school will celebrate by providing children with special recognition throughout the day and throughout the school.

• Birthday invitations must be distributed outside of school as to not hurt other student’s feelings. Student addresses can be found in the school directory.

• Birthdays: Non-edible treats may be sent to school by families who wish to do so (pencils, erasers, etc.).

Homework / Spelling• 10-15 Minutes of Reading Each Night

• Information about RAZ kids will be coming home to you shortly! This will be a great tool for leveled text / quizzes to utilize at home for reading.

•Math- More information to come about our online resources

•Spelling Tests- these will occur each Friday. •Dictation Sentences -In addition to the spelling list, students will also receive 2 dictation sentences on test days, which will include sight words and current/past spelling words. These sentences will not be given ahead of time to practice. They will help assess students’ ability to recall and utilize previously taught skills.

Classroom Rules and ProceduresConscious Discipline: Conscious DIscipline is a classroom management program and social-emotional curriculum developed by Dr. Becky Bailey. It will be implemented school-wide in which it focuses on life values and having a “Brain Smart” classroom. Our classroom will provide a place where First Graders can feel safe, welcome and love coming to school. This school family will be established by holding regular class meetings, developing rules together, establishing jobs, understanding choices, and building communication skills. If an unexpected choice arises, this will be used as a teachable moment between teacher and child in order to maintain a respectful, safe and empathetic learning environment.

Class Jar:As a whole class encouragement for expected behavior, we get to fill the classroom jar. Once the jar is filled our class will have a fun celebration! Some may include a Pajama Party, a fun snack, extra recess, movie party, etc.

1st Grade Curriculum Preview•READING (Benchmark Advanced)

•Comprehension, reading fluency/accuracy, phonics, writing, research

•MATH (Envisions)•Computation (addition & Subtraction), fact fluency, geometry (shapes, non-standard measurement),, place value, data/graphing

•SCIENCE (Pearson TCI)•Plants/animals, solar system, sound and motion

•SOCIAL STUDIES (Social Studies Alive)•Communities, holidays around the world, comparing past to present, economics

Schedule / Daily Routines•Morning Routines: We allow time for exploration and team building with morning tubs, morning meeting to build our classroom environment

•Reading Block, Math Block & PBL Block• 2 recesses per day• Lunch: 11:05-11:35 (you are welcome to join your child for lunch!)

• Specials: 2:30-3:30 (Day 1 – 4 schedule)• Library Check outs- Each Monday afternoon•Counselor lessons- Every other week (M or Tue)•Weekly creativity lessons to promote “out of the box” thinking.

•Weekly or Bi-Weekly Trips to Makerspace/Studio 23

Please sign up for a Seesaw account where you will be able to view your child’s online learning journal. It will contain pictures, videos, projects and daily happenings throughout our year.

Your student and child’s teacher will both be adding to Seesaw this year. Students love to share what they are working on! Please make note that when your students are adding content, they are in the learning process of using the app. This will be a great conversation tool for you to use at home too!

Classroom Communication

•Email: ahiggins@bluevalleyk12.org and tdouglas@bluevalleyk12.org

•Twitter: @wsehiggins1 and @douglas_wse

•REMINDER: We are still in need of classroom volunteers, especially room parents! Please see us if you are interested.

Canvas is a Learning Management System• Platform two elementary schools will be field

testing and all secondary schools will be implementing.

• The elementary focus will be for communication, assignments and calendars.