Dear Parents / Guardians,

As we welcome October, we want to take a moment to celebrate the Magic of Reading and its crucial role in our children’s development.  Reading opens doors to new worlds, ideas and experiences.  Here’s why fostering a love for reading is essential:

Reading Matters!

Research shows that reading for pleasure can significantly enhance vocabulary, comprehension and overall academic performance.  Did you know that students who read for fun are more likely to excel in school and have improved communication skills.  One way that Woodlawn Elementary is trying to foster a love for reading is through an activity titled “Book Tasting.”  Grades 3-5 will visit the Book Cafe monthly to indulge in sampling books from a menu that contain various genres (Fiction, Non-Fiction, Mysteries, Biographies, Fantasy, etc.).  The children are provided a recipe on how to select a good book.  After reading several books, the students will take notes to share what they like best about the book.  The primary grades will explore their love for reading through Reading Olympics.  Exposure to books at an early age contributes to improving literacy and critical thinking.  Just reading 20 minutes a day will expose kids to 1.8 million words a year.  Therefore, we highly encourage our parents to hold your child/children accountable every night as they read 20 minutes daily for homework.

In addition, our school is offering the opportunity for students (K-5) to come to school early from 8:15 a.m. to 8:45 a.m. for morning tutoring on iReady in Reading and Math.  Just drop your child off and go.  We will take care of the rest!

SHOUT OUTS!

Special Thank You to Grade 3 - Teachers: Ms. Cox & Mrs. Hellmann; Students: Paul McGee, Skylar Williams, Christopher Graham, D’Angelo Lattimore, Neveah Starr, Ellie Camarillo and Jazerah Valerius for their performance at the Board Meeting (Inspirational Message) and the State of The Union Address with Superintendent Elgin Card.

Attendance Matters!

Our school would like to remind parents of the importance of regular school attendance.  Chronic absenteeism can negatively impact academic performance.  If your child is late (9:15 tardy bell) or misses 10% or more of the school year, their chances of becoming great readers can diminish significantly.  Please come to school.  Be on time and ready to learn.

Tips to Improve attendance:

• Our Reading Block begins promptly at 9:30 a.m.  Try to have your child at school by 9:00 a.m.  Now that we are offering Before School Tutoring, he/she can arrive as early as 8:15 a.m., Monday - Friday.  We will feed the students breakfast to ensure a great start to their day.

• Schedule appointments outside of school hours whenever possible.

• Align vacation trips to the district calendar to ensure that your child is at school everyday.

• Lastly, if you are in need of assistance, feel free to reach out to the school for support.

                                                                                             Mrs. Thompson

IMPORTANT!     IMPORTANT!    IMPORTANT!

*Grade 3 is preparing for the OST (Ohio State Test).  This high stakes test is scheduled for October 23, 2024 (Part I) and October 25, 2024 (Part 2).  We ask that ALL students be on time as the test will begin promptly at 9:30 a.m. and end around 11:00 a.m.

*Grades 2 & 4 will take the CoGat Assessment October 16th - November 1st.

Birthday Parties / Holiday Parties

We respectfully request for parents to not send in birthday invitations, food or balloons, etc.  Instead, if you want to celebrate the students, feel free to send small trinket bags that contain items such as stickers, pencils or erasers, etc.  Thank You for your prompt attention in this matter.

Reminder - Transportation Changes

Our policy for transportation changes must be in written format (parent/guardian note, Class Dojo or email) and/or  a phone call to the Front Office before 3:15 p.m.  We want to honor your wishes but we will need time to do so.  We respectfully ask that you call in advance as announcements are made at 3:40 p.m.  If we do not have a note or phone call, your child will ride the bus.  We cannot accept a request by word of mouth from the students.

Thank You for your continued support in fostering a Love of Reading and ensuring your child’s academic success.