Upcoming Events:
Principal's NotesIt was great to see everyone at the Back to School Nights this week. Teachers had signups for conferences at this time, so if you were unable to attend, please contact the main office or your child’s classroom teacher to sign up for conferences. Conferences this year are on Wednesday, November 8th and Thursday, November 9th. Counselor's CornerThis week in counseling we are continuing to focus on kindness in K-5. After watching the Kindness Boomerang again and starting our own boomerangs, our second graders had a really cool idea of us making those boomerangs not just a simple artsy worksheet but a screenplay for a movie. I’m not sure about the logistics of whether that is feasible yet, but ask them about it next week! A really cool idea from the creative minds of our students! Another set of creative minds in the 6th grade had the whole class trying (almost successfully!) to jump the same jump rope together. It was a great opportunity to talk about problem solving, individualism vs. group goals, and leadership. Well done sixth grade! I love challenges like this because the issues that spring up in that scenario are the same issues that cause trouble in the classroom and it gives us a chance to talk about them in a non-threatening, collaborative way. I’ve been sharing with the middle school students and staff a blunder I made this summer in an effort to open up discussions of how we handle issues around race and the mistakes we are bound to make in dealing with it. The deeper we dig, the more of these we are bound to come up with. I think an important take-away is that if we take the time to process and reflect on these mistakes, a better option may come to mind that we can use in a similar situation in the future. Which brings us to our topic for the week’s discussion: “What is one blunder you have made around race? How did you handle it? How did you wish you handled it? How did it make you feel?” This one really needs the adult to be the example before the kids take their turn. I think as parents, we often want to project this air of confidence, but it’s OK to talk about being uncomfortable and not knowing the answer. That is both expected and necessary for us to move forward. Younger students may not have the background or the language to talk about this yet, so it may just be you talking about your experiences and normalizing the discomfort they will have as part of their process. Thanks again! Cliff Shaw, cshaw1@pps.net School PayNew this year, parents are able to make payments/donations for class field trips on www.schoolpay.com . When your student has a field trip, please check out this easy method of payment. Of course you can still pay with cash or check at the school. School PicturesPictures are ready for viewing and ordering. Here is the link to the website: https://www.enjoyphotos.com/gallery/Login.aspx?EventGuid=D72CD643-48AA-4C07-89C5-6E4C2F64D626. User name: wh17 and Password: 23956wh17 Picture retake day is October 3 at 1:00 pm. PTSA NEWSPTSA Community MeetingThis Monday, September 25th, 6:30-8pm, get STEAMED with PTSA! Childcare will be provided. Gathering so many bright, capable students under a STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) focus creates unique opportunities and responsibilities for our community. We invite you to come join the conversation. This year PTSA proposes a focus on two main areas:
Also in this meeting: In the recent community survey, we heard that STEM and ART are top priorities. As PTSA president Nicole King high-levels the PTSA Budget for approval, you will learn about new budget challenges to maintain these efforts. We’d love to have your input. We’ll see you there! Fall FrolicThursday, October 12th from 6:00-8:00pm. Please join the Winterhaven community for a fun for the whole family event - all grades welcome! This school-wide, family friendly evening includes live music, square dancing, crafts, ping pong, karaoke for middle schoolers and pizza (available for purchase). This is a great opportunity to visit with old friends and make new friends. We especially hope new Winterhaven families will come join in the fun. Please contact Heather McGowan (mcgowanspdx@gmail.com) if you have any questions. Keep an eye out for volunteer opportunities coming soon for this fun event! After School ScholarshipsThe PTSA is pleased to announce that scholarships for after school classes are available for students who qualify for free or reduced lunch. The goal is to make after school classes accessible to all members of the Winterhaven community. Through a combination of PTSA funds and discounts from class providers, the scholarships will cover 75% of the cost of the class, with the student's family covering the remaining 25%. Each student who qualifies for the scholarship program may use it for up to two after school classes per academic year. For more information, please contact Sam Kubernick (dad of Eytan (3rd) & Ayelet (2nd) at Samuelak@gmail.com. After School Groups/ActivitiesFor information about after school opportunities, please remember to register at https://www.peachjar.com/. This is where most of the flyers for activities are located.
Weekly Information must be submitted by the end of the work day on the Tuesday before you wish to have it included in the newsletter. We only publish information that directly relates to our school and our students. If you wish to place something in the weekly, please email it to Nancy Cooper at ncooper1@pps.net. |
Winterhaven Weekly >
