WES Tiger Welcome and Update August 2020
August 21, 2020
Dear WES Students and Parents,
I would like to take this opportunity to welcome you to the 2020-21 school year at Windom Elementary School. This is my 25th year as principal at WES, and this start to the school year has been more interesting, challenging, and more memorable than any I have experienced. I want to assure you, as students and parents, that the WES staff will be ready and excited to welcome back students on Tuesday, August 25. Things will be different than normal upon our return, but we will succeed and get through things together, as a team. Remember, an ambush is a family of tigers… and we are a family. I am excited for our ambush and the exciting things that can and will happen during the 2020-21 school year.
This year we welcome Mrs. Kaley Hildebrand to Windom Elementary School. She will be team teaching in the first grade class. She has taught at LRJSH for several years and will end her day at that building. The only other change this year will be that Mrs. Paden will be teaching our fourth graders, moving from teaching kindergarten last year.
I would encourage you, as a parent, to become involved in your child’s educational experience during the school year. Not only will you enjoy watching your child grow, but he/she will be motivated and encouraged by your interest.
In addition to our academic goals for the building, we will focus on preparing our students for the future by developing positive character traits. We continue as a Gemini II redesign program school. This state program initiative continues to be exciting for students, staff, and parents as we look for the best ways to educate students and prepare them for their future. This year redesign is already taking different shapes and looks, so get ready to continue on our trip and hold on for the ride!
I am including following this letter some general information about our procedures and what will be going on at WES as we start the school year. Hopefully, this information will answer questions you may have and put minds at ease a bit. Our top priority during this time, as always, is the safety of our students, staff, and the greater community.
During the school year, the staff at Windom Elementary School will be available if you have questions or concerns about the education of your child. Working together and communicating as students, parents, and teachers, I am confident that we will have a super year.
Sincerely,
Mr. Paden, Principal
WES General School Safety Information
(Please read and discuss with your child)
Masks/Social Distancing
Please have your child wear a mask daily.
Masks will be worn in the building. Frequent mask breaks will occur.
You may wish to practice wearing a mask some the next three days if you have not been doing so.
Extra masks will be available at school in rooms in case a mask breaks.
At appropriate times (PE, eating, recess, etc.) masks will not be worn.
Social distancing will be encouraged and enforced as much as possible.
Sanitizing/disinfecting will occur frequently throughout the school day and when students are not in the building.
Illness/Temperature Checks
Students not feeling well MUST stay home. We have always encouraged this, but we definitely need parental support in this area this year. If your child is not feeling well, please err on the side of caution.
We have a designated sick room by the office that will have minimal general traffic and be cleaned frequently.
All students and USD 444 staff that do not have a bus temperature check will have one before entering WES.
All students will have a temperature check before getting on a bus.
Parents must make sure the bus driver or bus supervisor gives the thumbs up before leaving your child.
Bussing
Students will wear masks on busses.
Bus shuttle from Little River will leave promptly at 7:45 a.m. (8:45 a.m. on Wednesday's late start).
There are additional busses running this year which will allow for more social distancing.
Students will have assigned seats on the bus and siblings will sit together.
School dismissal and bus loading will be done with special procedures by bus and/or class at the end of the day.
Arrival/Entering the building
Students should not arrive before 7:30 a.m. to Little River High School.
Students should not arrive at Windom Elementary School before 7:40 a.m. (preferably 7:55 a.m.).
Students arriving before 7:55 a.m. will go to the gym to specific class locations.
Grades PK-4 will enter at the main entrance.
5th and 6th graders will unload from busses at the west end of the building and enter from the west.
Lockers - all 4-5-6 graders will have individual lockers in the locker room with a limited number of students being allowed in the locker room at one time. All other grades will have a hallway locker with siblings sharing a locker.
Breakfast/Lunch
Breakfast will be served in classrooms with our cooks delivering sack breakfasts to rooms before student arrival.
Students will eat lunch in classrooms with their teacher.
Procedures will be in place for getting students to the receiving line/kitchen and returning to their classrooms.
Dumping of trays will occur in the lunchroom with procedures in place to return to classrooms.
Recess/Transitions
Teachers/staff will be supervising individual classes at recess. Social distancing will be encouraged and students will have recess with their individual class.
Transitions to and from activities (music, band, P.E., library, etc.) will be supervised and safety procedures followed.
Art and Library classes will take place in classrooms.
Visitors/Treats
Visitors to WES will be very limited and only occur upon principal approval and when absolutely necessary.
Birthday treats are still allowed, but must be individually pre-packaged. No home-made items will be allowed.
Treats must be sent with students or received by office staff at the front door.
No holiday or birthday gifts are allowed to be delivered to school, including presents, balloons, etc.
Water Bottles
Water bottles - each child should bring a filled water bottle to school daily.
Please be sure it is clean and filled.
Please do not carry water bottles inside backpacks due to possible spills.
Parent Information
Parent Information Night will not be held as normal this year.
Teachers will be contacting parents to schedule a PIN by Zoom meeting or other method sometime during the first month of school.
Our procedures are fluid at this time and may change as appropriate once we are underway.
Please allow for grace and understanding as we begin the school year.
Do not be afraid to contact the school or your child’s teacher if you have any questions.
We’ve got this, Windom Tigers!
Remember Where You’re From!