October 2022

FROM THE PRINCIPAL:

Dear Washington Families, Welcome to the 2022-23 school year. The year is now well under way and we are off to a successful start! Students and staff have been working diligently and we are already noticing evidence of growth. At Washington School, we place great value on the partnerships with families and understand the positive impact they have on student learning. As you know, the Washington PTA plays an essential role in supporting these partnerships. The PTA not only plans fun family events, but assists with raising funds to provide enriching learning experiences for students throughout the year. If you haven’t already done so, please consider signing up to join. This year’s first event is Oktoberfest, which takes place this Thursday from 5:00-7:00. All students and families are invited and we hope to see you there. This week also begins the Read-A-Thon fundraiser. A reminder for this was sent home with students on Monday. Thank you for your continued support and we’re looking forward to another great year. Sincerely, Mr. Matt Peerenboom Principal

Important Dates

October

10 - Read-a-thon
13 - Dental Visits
17 - FRC Opens
21 - No P4J, Planning Day
26 & 27 – Conferences 28 - Picture Retake Day

November

1 - No School
4 - No School
11 - No P4J, Planning Day
18 - No School
24 & 25 - No School

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Traffic and Safety Reminders

Stop Drop and Go Area: Parking is not allowed in this area. Please make sure to go as soon as you have dropped your child off. If you feel more comfortable you can park your car outside of the Stop-Drop & Go area and walk your child to the appropriate area. The parking lot is not to be used for dropping off or picking up students before or after school. If you need to use the parking lot during school hours, please use the visitor parking stalls. Crosswalks: Please have your child use the designated crosswalks each time he/she is crossing the road. Please do not park within 10 feet of the crosswalks as this makes it difficult for crossing guards to see any oncoming traffic. Drive slowly around the school and be attentive.

Grade Level/Special Area News

P4J

Hello Washington Families! The school year is off to a great start in P4J! Your kiddos have been learning a lot already. We have learned a letter a day and the sound it makes. The themes we have had include School/Friendship, All about Me, Apples, Signs of Fall and Fire Safety. Some highlights include painting with apples, apple tasting, graphing our favorite type of apple, creating fun art projects, going to the library and checking out our own book, playing with playdough and singing and dancing to our favorite songs. In addition, we have learned about how food is grown and shipped to the stores. October brings some added fun to the classroom as we play with new toys and centers related to the themes we are learning about. I hope your children are sharing the fun they have had at school each day.

Kindergarten:

Kindergarten is off to a great start! We have been learning our school routines and are continuing to work on alphabet, math, social, and digital skills. Please continue to practice letters, sounds, and numbers with your child at home. For the children’s safety, please send shoes that are easy for our kindergarteners to put on and take off themselves. Also make sure sweatshirts, jackets, backpacks, etc. are labeled with your child’s name. The Take Home Folder is a great communication tool between home and school. Please make sure to check it every day for notes from your child’s teacher and/or the office. Also, make sure to check your child’s backpack. It may have some memorable things in there to show what we are learning in kindergarten!

First Grade

First graders are off to a great start this year! We have been working on learning rules, routines, and procedures in the classroom and around the school. You will notice decodable reading passages and activities that come home each day with your child that focus on the phonics skill of the week. They should be practicing reading these passages/stories/word lists a little each night to help improve fluency and confidence. Thank you for your support with this. In math, we will be continuing to work on addition and subtraction strategies and number sense. Please remember to be sure your child has proper shoes on PE days. We are looking forward to a great year together!

Second Grade

Welcome back to our returning and new Patriot Families! We are loving having everyone back with us after a hopefully relaxing summer break. We have been introducing and practicing second grade routines. Students have been learning what it means to be a good citizen in 2nd Grade. The children should be familiar with Seesaw and how to access assignments. You are able to see their completed work when you access your Seesaw account. Our math program uses lots of hands-on explorations and practices skills through our workplace games. In the weekly family newsletter, we will include the link to these games if you would like to practice these skills at home as well. There will be math homework 2 - 3 times per week. We also encourage your child to read 20 minutes each day. They may partner-read more difficult text with a grown-up or read independently. In the family newsletter we will list the weekly phonics pattern and heart words. Encourage your child to sound out these words when they come across them in their text and practice the heart words, so they know them “by heart”. Practice Makes Better! As a reminder, the weather is changing. Please make sure your child comes with a jacket/sweatshirt. Also please continue to send your child with a water bottle to school every day.

Third Grade

3rd grade has been hard at work! We are busy getting into our reading, writing, and math routines. We have been reading a variety of fiction and nonfiction stories and focusing on retelling, citing textual evidence, and chronological order. In writing, we are focusing on personal narratives and will be moving onto writing opinions. In Science we are learning about life cycles and in Social Studies we are learning about government and maps. In Math we will be finishing up our addition and subtraction patterns and moving into our next unit which is multiplication. Start to look for a math homework sheet sent once a week. Continue to look at the Reading, Writing, and Spelling Weekly Focus sheets that are sent home at the beginning of the week. As a reminder students should be practicing their reading for about 20 minutes each night and spelling words as well. Please remember to send a water bottle, already filled with water, so students are ready to go for the day.

Fourth Grade

The Fourth Grade classes are off and running! Students began their school year learning new classroom routines and expectations. This is quite the challenge after months spent enjoying the summer months! September and October have had students working hard on many different skills. In math, they are reviewing multiplication and division strategies as well as beginning a new unit on forms of measurement. The students have been enjoying working in cooperative learning environments in which they practice good discussion behaviors. Students are actively incorporating sentence stems to foster purposeful and engaging discussions. Our first science unit focused on the scientific method. Students worked on identifying the steps a good scientist follows as well as identifying and understanding the reasons why they might use particular tools in their observations. The fourth graders will continue practicing their observation skills when we embark on our field trip to JSOL later this month. We have completed our first social studies unit on maps skills and are now beginning to learn about Wisconsin's early people. Students have enjoyed reading their new Studies Weekly magazine. They particularly enjoyed the included crossword puzzle and learning about the first creatures to inhabit the state of Wisconsin! We are learning how to navigate our new reading program, Wonders. This program offers an integrated and balanced approach to reading and writing instruction emphasizing student accountability. We are just beginning the text sets, but the students seem engaged in the variety of reading material presented and are able to make personal connections to the content thus far.

Fifth Grade

Fifth grade has started the year off with a bang! In math we are conquering multiplication facts and looking forward to starting fractions. Practicing those multiplication facts at home really helps in school. In social studies we finished map skills and are into our unit on Early Explorers. As a class read aloud, we are reading Holes. Once we have completed the book and activities, we will watch the movie and compare and contrast the book to the movie. If your student has an extra sweatshirt or jacket to keep in their locker that would help with the change in weather.

Learning Commons: Book Fairs are returning this fall with Literati! 3:30-6:30 on Wednesday 10/26 8:00-6:30 on Thursday 10/27

Counselor Connections

Hello families! My name is Mrs. Morgan, and I am the School Counselor at Washington. I cannot wait to continue working with our amazing students this year. As the counselor, I am here to help support your student’s social, emotional, and academic development. I collaborate with our students, educators, families and professionals in the community to provide your students the resources they need to be successful inside and outside of the classroom. We are finally starting our Connections classes in October! In these lessons we will continue our learning of conflict resolution skills, growth mindset, our emotional brain and coping strategies we can use to work through challenges, child safety, culture and diversity, and so much more! If you have any questions or concerns that I may help with, please email me at morgancasey-schm@janesville.k12.wi.us, or call me at (608)743-7225.

Safety Patrol

Our school safety patrol is now on duty before and after school. The students have been trained in crossing students safely and wear bright yellow safety belts for easy visibility. Please help all of our students stay safe by following the drop off and pick up procedures below. Please avoid parking on the corners of intersections to ease the flow of Traffic. Please avoid parking too close to the crosswalks. This can cause congestion and make it difficult for cars to pass through these areas safely, and it can also make it difficult for crossing guards to see around the vehicles to look for oncoming traffic. Please ALWAYS have your child use the available crosswalks rather than crossing in the middle of the street. Children are safest when crossing at patrolled crosswalks. Thanks for all of your help and support! We really appreciate it!

Notes from the Music room

5th Graders:

This year, 5th grade classes will be meeting 3 times a week instead of the usual 2. I explained that this 3rd music class in 5th grade is to introduce them to orchestra and band instruments and how they are played and sound, as well as to continue singing and discussing choir and what the Music Exploration classes in middle school will offer.

This is to help the 5th graders make the best choice for them individually when they need to choose a music class for 6th grade, which they will need to do by the middle of January when they fill out their schedule for 6th grade. The students have also been reviewing rhythm and various notes and rests in music. We reviewed the 3 eighth-note combination called a triplet and reviewed the prefix TRI and how it means 3. We learned about sixteenth notes and the combination of 4 of them to equal one beat. This reminded the students that there is a lot of math and fractions involved in music, like sixteenth notes equal ¼ of a beat, so we need 4 of them to equal a whole beat; eighth notes equal a ½ of a beat, so we need 2 of them to equal a whole beat, and a triplet equals 3 eight notes to a whole beat, each equalling ⅓ of a beat in this case.

We will be attempting working on fun October songs that incorporate triplets and sixteenth-note combinations and games with instruments and cups, as well as playing melodies on the Xylophones, Metallophones, and Glockenspiels! We will be very busy!

4th Grade:

The 4th graders started off the year reviewing the importance of a steady beat and reviewing and learning new notes and rhythms patterns. We played a poison rhythm game using lummi sticks where I played a rhythm for them that, if they heard it, they were not to echo it back to me. If they heard any other rhythm pattern they did echo it back to me on the lummi sticks. The students realized they really needed to be focused and listening to avoid being ‘out.’ We learned about a new note combination called a triplet, and we discussed other words that start with the prefix TRI and discovered that that prefix meant 3.

There are three eighth notes in a triplet instead of the usual 2. This led us to the fact that there is a lot of math in music, especially fractions. Two eighth notes to a beat each equal ½, while 3 eighth notes to a beat each equal ⅓. Now that it is October, we will be continuing to use triplets in a cup passing game to The Addams Family theme song, and we will also be using a grouping of sixteenth notes, which each equal ¼ of a beat, so we need 4 to equal a whole beat.

There will be songs we will be playing melodies and rhythms with that include triplets and sixteenth notes, and we will be using Xylophones, Metallophones, and Glockenspiels to perform these melodies and rhythms.

3rd Grade:

Third graders began reviewing steady beat and rhythm during our Poison Rhythms game, and we also worked on those two concepts playing a name game with Lummi Sticks that incorporated these skills, called Concentration. They found out how difficult keeping a steady beat can be! The students have been learning about a new combination of eighth notes called a triplet, and we talked about how the prefix Tri means 3 and talked about other words that start with tri and made connections with these words.

The students are learning a cup passing game using triplets as well as other rhythm patterns that we play along with The Addams Family theme song. October will continue to be filled with fun songs using these rhythms as well as melody exploration using Metallophones, Xylophones, and Glockenspiels.

2nd Grade:

2nd Graders reviewed the Beat and how they are like bananas because they like to be in bunches. They know these bunches are called measures in music, and we have been exploring with measure of 2, 3, and 4, and performing rhythms using these groupings of beats. We used our new Lummi Sticks to perform the different rhythms and patterns of beats. We are also exploring how fractions play into music and have been talking about eighths, quarters, halves, and wholes. We will be having some spooky October fun playing a cup passing game with the Addams Family Theme song and introducing a new combination of eighth notes called triplets. There will be other great October songs using melody instruments such as Xylophones, Metallophones, and Glockenspiels, games, and more rhythm activities to come!

1st Graders:

The first graders are reviewing how important a steady beat is to the music while singing and marching and playing name games. We refreshed our memories regarding using ‘good manners’ words with “The Magic Words” song, and we also used some sign language for these special words. We have been playing beat and rhythm with Lummi Sticks, and as October progresses, we will be playing melodies along with some spooky fun songs on the Xylophones, Metallophones, and Glockenspiels! We will be using many other instruments during this month as we continue to work on beat, rhythm, and melody.

Kindergarten:

The music room is an exciting place for these new faces, and I am working hard to learn all of the kindergartners’ names!! Since the Beat is the glue that keeps all music together, that is our focus for the first month or so. We have also been incorporating name games that combine melody and beat so we can learn each other’s names, and we have been moving and marching, too! Since using good manners is an important part of being a human, we also worked on a song with Magic Words that are ‘good manners’ words, and we learned the sign language for these special words. We are gaining confidence in using our singing voices, and we are playing games with bean bags and keeping a steady beat.

The month of October is one of my favorite months of the school year, so we will be working with some great October songs while we learn about Xylophones, Metallophones, and Glockenspiels and play melodies on those instruments as we sing. It’ll be spooky good fun!!

A Few Lines from Washington’s Art Studio

Dear Families, My name is Lynn Hopfauf, and I’m the new Art Teacher at Washington. I grew up in Mandan, North Dakota. I am a graduate of Minnesota State University Moorhead. My past experiences include teaching kindergarten, first grade, and third grade. I have been the Traveling Art Teacher in the Janesville School District for the last five years.

My husband, Dwight, works in the hotel industry. My son, Jacob, is in his second year of college and loves the outdoors. My daughter, Mackenzie, is starting her second year in the film industry since graduating college. I love hiking, fishing, biking, kayaking, painting, and traveling. I am very excited to have your child in my art class and I am looking forward to a fantastic, creative year in the Art Studio.

Students will be investigating artmaking while developing creativity and innovation through drawing, painting, printmaking, using mixed media, creating sculptures, weaving, sewing, and using clay.

Why Art?

Art is everywhere! Art helps you form connections in Science, Social Studies, Language Arts, and Math. Art enhances and enriches all learning experiences. Create is the highest level of Bloom’s Taxonomy. Art teaches problem solving skills. It helps us learn about history and many cultures. Art helps us express ourselves. It is a great outlet for stress.

Art develops 21st Century Skills including curiosity, imagination, creativity, flexible thinking, independence, responsibility, problem solving, evaluative skills, experimentation, communication, collaboration, and critical thinking. These core skills developed through art help empower students to meet the challenges of the global marketplace. I am committed to helping each student feel successful and welcome. Your support is incredibly valuable as students progress through the year.

If ever I can do more to support your child, please let me know. I cherish the opportunity in helping your child cultivate his/her creative, imaginative abilities and art skills. Artfully Yours, Lynn Hopfauf lynn.hopfauf@janesville.k12.wi.us 608-743-7243

PE News

Hello Washington Families, We started off the year in the gym by working on some cooperation games to get all the students used to working together. We then moved on to throwing/catching as well as kicking skills to make sure that the students learn the correct form and remember it. We are currently in the middle of our fitness unit and learning about the different parts of fitness and why they are important. After fitness we will go back to some team challenge games where they will have to think about team concepts and how they can work together. After that we will begin our floor hockey unit. We will end the trimester with some fitness activities using bosu balls. It has been a fun start to the year and I look forward to a great rest of the year. If you for any reason need to contact me you can do so at zachary.hutson@janesville.k12.wi.us or call at 608-743-7248. Zach Hutson

Schoolwide Title I Program Notice

As a school with a low-income rate of 56%, Washington School receives federal Title I funds to support the learning of all students through a Schoolwide Title I Program. Schoolwide programs serve all children in a school. All staff, resources, and classes are part of the overall schoolwide program. The purpose is to ensure all students, including those most in need, are positioned to meet the state's challenging academic standards.

Schoolwide Title I schools annually complete a needs assessment to identify the school’s strengths and areas for improvement in student achievement, develop strategies and action steps to address how the goals identified will be achieved, and evaluate and update the plan as needed. Schoolwide Title I schools are required to engage parents and families in the Title I planning and evaluation process as well as provide opportunities for parents and families to engage in supporting their child’s education. Parents of children enrolled in Title I schools have the right to Timely information about services provided; Access to a description of the curriculum, the forms of assessment used to measure student progress, and the achievement levels of challenging state standards; Opportunities or meetings to formulate suggestions and to participate, as appropriate, in decisions relating to the education of their children upon their request;

Response to their suggestions in a timely manner. Copies of the Schoolwide Title I Plan and the Title I Parent and Family Engagement Policy are available upon request. Please contact the school secretary at (743-7205) to request a copy.

Bullying prevention

The School District of Janesville Board of Education strives to provide an educational environment where every student feels safe, respected and welcomed. The Board also strives to provide an educational environment where every staff member can serve students in an atmosphere that is free from significant disruptions and obstacles that impede learning and performance. Bullying can have harmful social, physical, psychological and/or academic effects for those who engage in these behaviors, victims of such behaviors, and bystanders who observe acts of bullying.

The District prohibits any form of bullying behavior by students towards other students, school employees, volunteers, or any other person(s). Bullying includes aggressive or hostile behavior that is intentional and involves an imbalance of power between the bully and the bullied. Bullying is a form of victimization and is not necessarily a result of or part of an on-going conflict. Bullying is defined as any conscious, willful, or deliberate acts, or attempted acts, through the use of words, images, gestures or other physical actions, including electronically transmitted acts, that are intended to cause physical injury, emotional distress or property damage.

Bullying includes, but is not limited to, behaviors motivated by an actual or perceived distinguishing characteristic or factor including sex, race, national origin, ancestry, religion, color, creed, pregnancy, marital or parental status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or physical, mental, emotional or learning disability.

Bullying may also be motivated by any other distinguishing factor such as gender identity, physical appearance, or social, economic or family status. Examples of acts of bullying include physical intimidation, force or assault, humiliation, sexual or racist remarks, extortion, verbal or written threats, taunting, put downs, name calling, threatening or menacing looks or gestures, spreading cruel rumors, and social exclusion.

This includes acts of cyber-bullying that involve sending or posting inappropriate, insulting or threatening messages or images through electronic communication systems such as the Internet, e-mail, cell phones or other personal devices. Bullying is prohibited on District grounds, at District-related activities, or on transportation to and from school or District-sponsored activities.

Harassing bullying behavior is prohibited in all educational environments, regardless of whether the facility or location is owned, leased, or otherwise used or provided by the District. Acts of bullying that originate off school premises and outside of the school’s control may be subject to the provisions of this policy and related procedures if the conduct is determined to be substantially disruptive to the educational process and the day-to-day operations of a school.

This includes, but is not limited to, threats made outside of school hours that communicate intent to be carried out during any school-related or school-sponsored program or activity, or on any vehicles used for transportation to and from school and school-sponsored activities. All complaints about bullying shall be promptly investigated. The District shall respect the privacy of the complainant, the individual(s) against whom the complaint is filed, and the witnesses as much as practicable and in a manner consistent with the Board’s legal obligations to investigate, take appropriate action, and conform to discovery or disclosure requirements.

Disclosure of information related to the complaint shall be made only to those with a legitimate need to know. All records generated as a result of the complaint and appeal processes shall be maintained as confidential to the extent permitted by law. If the investigation finds bullying has occurred, school officials shall take prompt and necessary action up to and including behavioral interventions and support, disciplinary action, and/or referral to law enforcement officials or social services.

Consequences shall be unique to the nature of the behavior, the developmental level of the student, and the history of problem behaviors. Remedial measures shall be designed to correct the problem behavior, prevent other occurrences, and protect the victim. The District shall also take appropriate action against any student or District employee who retaliates against any person who makes a good-faith report of alleged bullying or against any person who testifies, assists, or participates in an investigation or hearing related to such behavior.

Employees found to have facilitated or participated in bullying behavior against students or to have been aware that bullying was taking place and failed to report the behavior are considered to be in violation of the prohibition expressed by this policy and may be subject to disciplinary action. This policy shall be distributed annually to all students enrolled in the School District, parents/guardians, and all District employees. It shall also be distributed to organizations in the community having cooperative agreements with the schools.

The District shall provide a copy of the policy to any person upon request. Records shall be maintained on the number and types of reports made, and sanctions imposed for violations of this policy in accordance with established procedures. REF: State Statute 111.31 State Statute 115.28(31) State Statute 118.01(2)(d)8 State Statute 118.02(9t) State Statute 118.13 State Statute 118.155 State Statute 118.195 State Statute 118.20 State Statute 120.13(1) State Administrative Code PI 9 State Administrative Code PI 41 State Criminal Statutes 947.0125 State Criminal Statutes 947.013State Criminal Statutes 948.51(2) Title IX, Education Amendments of 1972 Title VI, Civil Rights Act of 1964 Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 Civil Rights Act of 1991 Individuals with Disabilities Education Act CROSS REF: Board Policy 5020, Student Nondiscrimination Administrative Regulation 5020.1, Public Notification of Student Nondiscrimination Policy Administrative Regulation 5020.2, Student Discrimination Complaint Procedure Administrative Regulation 5020.3, Student Discrimination Incident Report Board Policy 5021, Sexual Harassment Administrative Regulation 5021.1, Complaint Procedures Relative to Sexual Harassment Administrative Regulation 6724.1, Guidelines/Use of Technology by Students and Staff Administrative Regulation 6724.2, Student Internet Access and Safe Use Board of Education Janesville, Wisconsin 2009; 2011, August 201

Child Find Notice

Upon request, the School District of Janesville is required to evaluate a child for eligibility for special education services. A request for evaluation is known as a referral. When the district receives a referral, the district will appoint an Individualized Education Program (IEP) team to determine if the child has a disability, and if the child needs special education services. The district locates, identifies, and evaluates all children with disabilities who are enrolled by their parents in private (including religious) schools, elementary schools and secondary schools located in the school district.

A student with a medically diagnosed disability is not automatically eligible for special education. An outside medical diagnosis is insufficient of special education eligibility. A student must be found eligible as a "child with a disability" under state and federal special education law. A student with a disability is one who requires specially designed instruction as a result of meeting the criteria for at least one of the identified disability categories under state and federal special education law.

A student cannot start receiving special education services without a full and individual comprehensive special education evaluation completed by the student's district. Outside evaluations and other information shared by the parent, such as medical diagnoses, are considered during the evaluation and may provide supporting or new information about the student's academic and functional skills important for determining the nature and extent of the student's disability and education needs. 34 CFR SS 300.8 and 300.301. Wis. Stat. § 115.76(5).

A physician, nurse, psychologist, social worker, or administrator of a social agency who reasonably believes a child brought to him or her for services is a child with a disability has a legal duty to refer the child, including a homeless child, to the school district in which the child resides. Before referring the child, the person making the referral must inform the child's parent that the referral will be made. Others, including parents, who reasonably believe a child is a child with a disability may also refer the child, including a homeless child, to the school district in which the child resides.

Referrals must be in writing and include the reason why the person believes the child is a child with a disability. A referral may be made by contacting Mrs. Kimberli Peerenboom, Director of Pupil Services, School District of Janesville, at 608-743-5061, or by writing her at 527 S. Franklin Street, Janesville, WI, 53548. Child Find Notice English Rev. 9/16/21 KRP

School district of Janesville confidentiality of personally identifiable information obtained through child find activities The School District of Janesville is required to locate, identify, and evaluate all children with disabilities, including children with disabilities attending private schools in the school district, and homeless children. The process of locating, identifying, and evaluating children with disabilities is known as child find.

This agency conducts the following child find activities each year in the form of Early Childhood and Speech and Language Developmental Screenings. This notice informs parents of the records the school district will develop and maintain as part of its child find activities. This notice also informs parents of their rights regarding any records developed. The school district gathers personally identifiable information on any child who participates in child find activities. Parents, teachers, and other professionals provide information to the school related to the child's academic performance, behavior, and health.

This information is used to determine whether the child needs special education services. Personally identifiable information directly related to a child and maintained by the school is a pupil record. Pupil records include records maintained in any way including, but not limited to, computer storage media, video and audiotape, film, microfilm, and microfiche. Records maintained for personal use by a teacher and not available to others and records available only to persons involved in the psychological treatment of a child are not pupil records.

The school district maintains several classes of pupil records."Progress records" include grades, courses the child has taken, the child's attendance record, immunization records, required lead screening records, and records of school extra-curricular activities. Progress records must be maintained for at least five years after the child ceases to be enrolled. "Behavioral records" include such records as psychological tests, personality evaluations, records of conversations, written statements relating specifically to the pupil's behavior, tests relating specifically to achievement or measurement of ability, physical health records other than immunization and lead screening records, law enforcement officers' records, and other pupil records that are not "progress records." Law enforcement officers' records are maintained separately from other pupil records.

Behavioral records may be maintained for no longer than one year after the child graduates or otherwise ceases to be enrolled, unless the parent specifies in writing that the records may be maintained for a longer period of time. The school district informs parents when pupil records are no longer needed to provide special education.

At the request of the child's parents, the school district destroys the information that is no longer needed. "Directory data" includes the student's name, address, telephone listing, date and place of birth, major field of study, participation in officially recognized activities and sports, weight and height of members of athletic teams, dates of attendance, photographs, degrees and awards received, and the name of the school most recently previously attended by the student."Pupil physical health records" include basic health information about a pupil, including the pupil's immunization records, an emergency medical card, a log of first aid and medicine administered to the pupil, an athletic permit card, a record concerning the pupil's ability to participate in an education program, any required lead screening records, the results of any routine screening test, such as for hearing, vision or scoliosis, and any follow-up to the test, and any other basic health information, as determined by the state superintendent.

Any pupil record relating to a pupil's physical health that is not a pupil physical health is treated as a patient health care record under sections 146.81 to 146.84, Wisconsin Statutes. Any pupil record concerning HIV testing is treated as provided under section 252.15, Wisconsin Statutes. The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), and section 118.125, Wisconsin Statutes, afford parents and students over 18 years of age ("eligible students") the following rights with respect to education records: The right to inspect and review the student's education records within 45 days of receipt of the request.

Parents or eligible students should submit to the school principal (or appropriate school official] a written request that identifies the records(s) they wish to inspect. The principal will make arrangements for access and notify the parent or eligible student of the time and place where the records may be inspected. The school district will comply with the request without unnecessary delay and before any meeting about an individualized education program, or any due process hearing, and in no case more than 45 days after the request has been made. If any record includes information on more than one child, the parents of those children have the right to inspect and review only the information about their child or to be informed of that specific information. Upon request, the school district will give a parent or eligible student a copy of the progress records and a copy of the behavioral records.

Upon request, the school district will give the parent or eligible student a list of the types and locations of education records collected, maintained, or used by the district for special education. The school district will respond to reasonable requests for explanations and interpretations of the records. A representative of the parent may inspect and review the records. The right to request the amendment of the student's education records that the parent or eligible student believes is inaccurate or misleading. Parents or eligible students may ask [Name of] School District to amend a record that they believe is inaccurate or misleading.

They should write to the school principal, clearly identify the part of the record they want changed, and specify why it is inaccurate or misleading. If the district decides not to amend the record, the district will notify the parent or eligible student of the decision and the right to a hearing regarding the request for amendment. Additional information regarding the hearing procedures will be provided to the parent or eligible student when notified of the right to a hearing.The right to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information in the student's education records, except to the extent that federal and state law authorize disclosure without consent.

The exceptions are stated in 34 CFR 99.31, Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act regulations; Sec. 9528, PL107-110, No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, and section 118.125(2)(a) to (m) and sub. (2m), Wisconsin Statutes. One exception that permits disclosure without consent is disclosures to school officials with legitimate educational interests. A school official is a person employed by the district as an administrator, supervisor, instructor, or support staff member (including health or medical staff and law enforcement unit personnel); a person serving on the school board; a person or company with whom the district has contracted to perform a special task (such as an attorney, auditor, medical consultant, or therapist); or a parent or student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee, or assisting another school official in performing his or her tasks. A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibility.

Upon request, the district discloses education records without consent to officials of another school district in which a student seeks or intends to enroll. Also the district discloses "directory data" without consent, unless the parent notifies the district that it may not be released without prior parental consent. The right to file a complaint with the U. S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the District to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name and address of the Office that administers FERPA is: Family Policy Compliance Office, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, S.W., Washington, DC 20202-4605

December 2022 / January 2023

Washington Wavelength December 2022-January 2023

From the Principal:

Dear Washington Families, It’s been an exciting first trimester and the staff at Washington are very pleased and encouraged by the progress students have made thus far. Students have been working hard and have much to be proud of. We’re really enjoying working with them. As we enter the winter months, I wanted to share a few safety reminders with you. With snow on the ground and snow banks near the roads, it is especially important to drive with caution during drop off and pick up times. Please be sure you are parking only in the designated areas and at least 10 feet from crosswalks. Another thing to be aware of, when it comes to the winter weather, is that we regularly go outside for recess. We stay in for recess only when the temperature is below 0 degrees (including the wind chill). This also applies to letting students into the building before school. If the temperature is below zero, students are allowed in, but not before 8:05. Please consider this when dropping students off in the morning. Thank you for your ongoing support and your efforts to help keep students safe. We hope all of our students have a happy and safe winter break. Sincerely, Mr. Matt Peerenboom, Principal

Important Dates

December

7 - Scoopie Night
9 - No P4J
10 - Lego League Competition
22 - Winter Break begins

January

3 - School Resumes
13 - 2nd Friday Count Day
16 - MLK Jr. Day No School
19 - End of 1st Semester
20 - No School
27 - No P4J

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Traffic and Safety Reminders

Stop Drop and Go Area: Parking is not allowed in this area. Please make sure to go as soon as you have dropped your child off. If you feel more comfortable you can park your car outside of the Stop-Drop & Go area and walk your child to the appropriate area. The parking lot is not to be used for dropping off or picking up students before or after school. If you need to use the parking lot during school hours, please use the visitor parking stalls. Crosswalks: Please have your child use the designated crosswalks each time he/she is crossing the road. Please do not park within 10 feet of the crosswalks as this makes it difficult for crossing guards to see any oncoming traffic. Drive slowly around the school and be attentive.

Grade Level/Special Area News

P4J:

P4J enjoyed playing counting and number games at their Thanksgiving Celebration! Thank you to everyone who joined us! In December and January, we will be continuing to work on our fine motor skills of cutting, holding a pencil/crayon, picking up small items, and writing our names. Families can work on these skills at home as well by: lacing beads, making beaded or cheerio/fruit loop necklaces, playing with playdough, cutting, and writing names. We will also continue working on our counting and 1 to 1 correspondence. Playing board games at home can help with these skills and taking turns.

Kindergarten: Please make time during this busy month of December to complete your family project of the Polar Express train. The students and staff love to see all the different trains hanging in our kindergarten hallway! Please send your child every day with proper outdoor clothing for recesses. This includes a winter coat, hat, gloves, boots, and snow pants when the snow arrives. Kindergarteners should be working hard to be independent by dressing themselves in their winter gear and tying shoes as they are transferring from boots to shoes many times a day at school. Warm up to a good book this winter with your child! Reading to your child is a perfect opportunity to spend time together while practicing letter names, sounds, and sight words!

First Grade:

First Graders have been busy learners! Looking forward in reading, our themes include plants and how they change, folktales, long ago and today, and how we get our food. Our phonics skills will focus on the long vowel patterns. We will be writing an informational writing piece on an animal of choice. Please continue listening to your child read and practice the decodable stories that go home every day. In Math, we'll be continuing to work on addition and subtraction strategies. Colder weather is here! Please make sure your child is bringing gear for outdoor recess. Have a great holiday season!

Second Grade:

The second graders have been working so hard on finding text evidence and comprehending our second grade texts. We are very proud of how they are growing as readers. At the end of the month of December we will be taking part in a gingerbread man unit. We will be comparing and contrasting different versions of the story, as well as working on other English language arts skills. Your child will be bringing home a gingerbread person that as a family you will want to disguise so it won’t get eaten. Be as creative as you wish. We have had many clever disguises over the years. We will be working on our expository writing. The children will choose an animal they are interested in and outline their life cycle. They have done a great job learning about finding relevant details when researching, and are very excited about their writing. As second graders are beginning to do double digit addition and subtraction, it is essential that they have mastered and are fluent with their basic addition and subtraction facts through the sum of 20. Just reviewing a few minutes each night at home can help your child’s success. Are you ready for some cool weather? The winter season is here and it is important that our students have proper winter attire. You may want to use a second bag to bring their winter gear to and from school. It can be difficult to put snow pants as well as home folders in the backpacks.

Third Grade:

It’s hard to believe that we are finished with the first trimester! In math we are working on our 3-digit addition, subtraction, and rounding unit. Please continue to complete the math homework sheets. It’s a great way for your child to practice skills and show you the new strategies we are learning or practice previously learned skills. In reading, we are continuing to read stories from our Wonders reading series. Upcoming genres include expository text and folktale. This next trimester we will be focusing on many reading skills such as summarizing, personification, visualizing, theme, and character perspective, just to name a few. Please continue to have your child read each night. In writing, we will be focusing on opinion writing. In Social Studies we will be learning about Economics and in Science we will be learning about simple machines and magnets. Be sure to send your child with a hat and gloves each day as the weather gets colder and check folders each night.

Fourth Grade:

It is hard to believe that we are already nearing the end of the month of November! The fourth grade students are so busy that we didn't realize just how close we all are to another holiday break. Students have shared what they enjoy the most about their holiday celebrations and look forward to the upcoming days off with family and friends. Math and reading are keeping us working collaboratively with our classmates. Our earlier work on multiplication strategies has led to division and now fractions. Our current unit has students expanding their understanding of mixed numbers, improper fractions, and using visual models to identify equivalent fractions. Students began our second reading unit learning about what helps an animal survive. We discussed various animal's physical and behavioral adaptations. We worked on identifying the central idea in a passage and finding relevant details to support it. This week's reading selections come in the form of plays. Students discussed what happens when animal characters replace humans in familiar stories. Do they become more interesting? Are their actions reflective of our own? Students are learning to identify key characteristics of a play such as stage directions and understand how they help readers better understand the plot. We are also working on how to identify the theme or overall lesson an author wishes to communicate. Our latest unit in social studies is teaching students about the Native American culture in Wisconsin. They are learning about how many towns and cities are named after Native American words or phrases and which tribes still call Wisconsin their home today. Next week we will be comparing the first Thanksgiving to our own modern day versions. We have extended our study of animal adaptations into our science and writing classes. The fourth graders had very strong opinions about the topic of spiders! They really enjoyed reading about how spiders differ from insects and all of their unique features. Ask them what they remember about how many eyes spiders have and how they eat their food. One final note, please keep practicing multiplication facts and reading with your child at home. Every minute counts!

Fifth Grade:

Fifth grade will soon be starting, A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens. This classic piece of literature will be presented in the form of a graphic novel which our students love to read. If you have the opportunity to watch one of the many versions that are available we would encourage you to do so with your student. We have just finished a unit on fractions in math and will be moving into decimals next. Your help is greatly appreciated in reviewing multiplication facts at home as multiplication is in many different standards of our math curriculum. In reading we will be studying different forms of poetry. As the weather turns cold it's always helpful for your student to have an extra sweater or hoodie in their lockers as some days our rooms are hot and other days they're cold.

Learning Commons:

STEAM IN THE LMC: 1st grade students wrapped up their Wonder's unit with an opportunity to be engineers as they explore different building materials, structures and the importance of working together. News: We welcomed Dewey the library fish to the LMC. We are monitoring his water conditions and will be dabbling in aquaponics Recap: The Literati book fair was a huge success. Thank you for coming out to support the library and contribute to the wonderful opportunities we provide our students. You can continue to purchase online throughout the year and we will have another fair in the spring. @literati.com/schoolbox Students in 1st-5th grades had an opportunity to attend a book-tasting event where they sampled different genres to discover new favorites. Reminders: Please keep student's books in their backpack so they always have them for their library day.

Counselor Connections:

Hello families! In our Connection lessons we have been learning all about our amazing brain.You may be hearing your children say new words like amygdala, hippocampus, and prefrontal cortex. I wanted to give you all a glimpse as to what we are learning so that you continue using and learning about these words outside of school as well. Amygdala: The amygdala reacts to fear, danger, and threat. Its job is to regulate our emotional state by acting as the brain’s security dog, alerting us to things that might make us feel unsafe and protecting us from threats. When a child is in a negative emotional state the amygdala prevents the brain from being able to do higher-level thinking and being able to make reasonable judgments. When the amygdala is in charge and we “flip our lid” we often respond with fight, flight, or freeze. Hippocampus: The hippocampus plays an important role in our learning, as this is the part of our brain that is a storage vault of our memories. Prefrontal Cortex: The prefrontal cortex is responsible for the learning, reasoning, and thinking in our brain, and it is really important in helping us make good choices. In our lessons, we often refer to this part of our brain as the lid. Learning about these important areas of our brain helps our children to understand how their brains respond to stress (flipping our lid) and how they can calm their minds and use their prefrontal cortex for thoughtful decision-making (putting our lid back on). We can help our children learn to put their lids back on by practicing mindful breathing, or what we call “breathing on purpose”. If you have any questions or concerns that I may help with, please email morgancasey-schm@janesville.k12.wi.us, call me at (608)743-7225, or via text at (608)561-1424.

Notes from the Music room:

5th Graders: 5th Grade continues to work on completing their packet for middle school music choice selection, where they are learning about instruments from band and orchestra, as well as singing and working on vocal skills. The students will be choosing which music class they will be taking in middle school by the middle of January, so watch for the official form for scheduling your child’s middle school classes. The students are reviewing and developing their recorder skills, focusing on B, A, and G pitches, and building a repertoire of songs they can play using those pitches. The recorder is a beginning Woodwind instrument similar to the clarinet, so this is helpful for students who are considering playing a woodwind instrument in band in 6th grade.

2nd 3rd and 4th Graders:

2nd, 3rd and 4th Graders will be beginning, or building on, their ukulele playing skills, moving from getting to know, and playing simple melodies on, the 4 strings to learning and playing chords to accompany some really fun songs, including some songs we hear on the radio! While we learn these ukulele skills we are continuing to develop our rhythm and pitch reading skills on the Treble Clef Staff, as well as learn more about harmony and Ostinatos and further developing our singing skills. It’s going to be Uke-a-riffic!!

Kindergarten and 1st Graders:

Kindergarten and 1st Graders will continue to work on reading and playing pitches G and E on the Music Staff using various melody instruments such as Boomwhackers and Xylophones, Metallophones, and Glockenspiels. We will be adding Pitch A as well. They will also continue to work on reading and playing rhythms and Ostinatos, which are music patterns that keep repeating over and over. The students will also get to try their hands at composing or writing their very own melodies which they will perform for the class. It’s all very exciting!

A Few Lines from Washington’s Art Studio:

Dear Families, Kindergarten and first grade students are working on creating turkeys with a focus on learning the different types of lines to use in creating works of art. Second grade is focused on learning about geometric and organic shapes with a crayon resist art piece. Third graders have been working very hard on creating dream catchers to go along with one of their reading stories. The students question me daily if they really work. Fourth grade students learned about facial proportions and how to correctly draw a face and facial features. They are now creating a self portrait collage. Fifth grade just finished their animated self portraits, Tim Burton style. They are fun to look at. Students are now moving into using a one point perspective to create their names which requires using a ruler and measuring. Students will be preparing to do a few seasonal art projects for the months of December through January while building on skills and meeting learning targets. The Fall projects will be sent home with students next week. May your holidays be safe and joyous! Artfully Yours, Lynn Hopfauf

PE News:

Hello again Washington families, It has been a great start of the year and the students are doing great in the gym. In the next couple months we will start by working on some tumbling/gymnastics skills before winter break, which then turns into a fun obstacle course that the students love to use. Then going into January we will start working on our rolling skills by starting our bowling unit. Last but not least we will be doing our second fitness unit of the year to work on some more learning about why it is important for our bodies. As always feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions. zachary.hutson@janesville.k12.wi.us or call at 608-743-7248. Hope you all have a great winter. Zach Hutson.

Schoolwide Title I Program Notice:

As a school with a low-income rate of 56%, Washington School receives federal Title I funds to support the learning of all students through a Schoolwide Title I Program. Schoolwide programs serve all children in a school. All staff, resources, and classes are part of the overall schoolwide program. The purpose is to ensure all students, including those most in need, are positioned to meet the state's challenging academic standards.

Schoolwide Title I schools annually complete a needs assessment to identify the school’s strengths and areas for improvement in student achievement, develop strategies and action steps to address how the goals identified will be achieved, and evaluate and update the plan as needed. Schoolwide Title I schools are required to engage parents and families in the Title I planning and evaluation process as well as provide opportunities for parents and families to engage in supporting their child’s education. Parents of children enrolled in Title I schools have the right to Timely information about services provided; Access to a description of the curriculum, the forms of assessment used to measure student progress, and the achievement levels of challenging state standards; Opportunities or meetings to formulate suggestions and to participate, as appropriate, in decisions relating to the education of their children upon their request;

Response to their suggestions in a timely manner. Copies of the Schoolwide Title I Plan and the Title I Parent and Family Engagement Policy are available upon request. Please contact the school secretary at (743-7205) to request a copy.

Kick-Off to P4J

Enrollment for children who turn four years old on or before September 1, 2023. Saturday, February 11, 2023. Kick-Off to Enrollment will take place at the Educational Service Center at 527 S Franklin St, Janesville WI 53548. A Parent or Legal Guardian must attend the Enrollment Appointment. Enrollment will be done by appointment ONLY. Starting January 16, 2023 you can:

Call to make a P4J enrollment appointment for our Kick-off date or later. For February 11th Kick-off appointments call 608-743-5038. For appointments needed after the kick-off date call 608-743-5011. 2. Pick up enrollment packet at the Educational Service Center at 527 S Franklin St, Janesville, WI. Documentation Needed For Your Appointment:
Completed Enrollment Paperwork (will not be accepted prior to February 11, 2023) 2. Proof of Residency (copy of lease/purchase agreement or utility bill must be dated within the last 60 days)
Guardian Identification (Drivers License/State ID)
Child’s Immunization Records
Child’s Birth Certificate.

If you live outside of the School District of Janesville you will need to apply for Open Enrollment. For P4J Questions contact Angela Lynch, P4J Coordinator, or Peggy Karleski, P4J Secretary Educational Services Center 527 S Franklin St. 608-743-5038

Kindergarten Enrollment: 2023-2024 School Year School District

Residents If you have a child turning 5 (five) years old prior to September 1, 2023 and they are not currently enrolled in a School District of Janesville Preschool for Janesville (P4J) or Early Childhood (EC) program it is time to enroll in the Janesville Public School District. Enrollment will take place from December 1, 2022, through December 15, 2022, at the Educational Services Center located at 527 S. Franklin St. (administration building) in the New Student Enrollment office by appointment only. Please call (608) 743-5011.

If you cannot attend during the enrollment period please make an appointment as soon as possible to enroll after December 15, 2022. Enrollment in the district is required for participation in orientation. When you enroll, you will need your child’s birth certificate, proof of residency (Utility bill, current term lease, or government issued statement), immunization records and photo identification.

The window for Requests for School Transfer/Placement within the School District (yellow forms) for incoming kindergarten students are available from December 1, 2022, through December 15, 2022, and should be submitted during the enrollment process. Forms are available at the schools for current students requesting a transfer. Current proof of residence and a photo ID are required when submitting a transfer request. If you have questions regarding this process contact Deen Hartley at 743-5152.

The status of requests will be determined by January 15, 2023 if they are turned in by December 15 th . If you have a student currently attending a school under a School Transfer/Placement within the School District, it does not automatically qualify your kindergarten student for attendance at the same school; however, siblings are generally assigned to the same school.

In order for your kindergarten student to attend the same school as a sibling, you must submit a request during the Kindergarten Enrollment time frame. If you know of a child in your neighborhood or from community activities that would be entering kindergarten for the 2023-2024 school year, please pass this enrollment information on.

Non-District Residents: If you are a non-resident of the School District of Janesville and have a child turning 5 (five) years old prior to September 1, 2023 and would like your child to attend the School District of Janesville you must also apply for OPEN ENROLLMENT.

The timeline for Open Enrollment is February 7, 2023, to April 29, 2023. Currently open enrolled non-residents in a P4J or EC program do not need to re-apply. If you have questions regarding the Open Enrollment process, please contact Deen Hartley at 743-5152.

Request for School Transfer/Placement (Intra District Transfers) within the School District of Janesville Attendance Areas.

Due to Move:

If you move within the School District of Janesville during the school year and wish to remain at your current school, please ask the school office for a Request to Remain in Current School Following Move to New Attendance Area Form (blue). Complete the form and return it to the school office. Current proof of residence and a photo ID are required when submitting a transfer request.

Due to Parent Choice: If you wish to apply to have your student transferred/placed in another school within the district next school year (2023-2024), please ask the school office for a School Transfer/Placement Within the School District Form (yellow). Completed forms will be accepted from December 1 through December 15, 2022 only. Submit your Request for School Transfer/Placement Within the School District Form (yellow) to your home school attendance area office.

Current proof of residence and a photo ID are required when submitting a transfer request. Parents applying for a Request for School Transfer/ Placement Within the School District will be notified of approval or disapproval by January 15, 2023.

Parents applying for a Request for School Transfer/Placement Within the School District for incoming Kindergarten students will be notified of approval or non-approval after they have enrolled their child during the Kindergarten Enrollment period with the New Student Enrollment Office. If you have questions, please contact the school office of your home school attendance area.

Open Enrollment or Public School Choice:

If during the school year, you move outside the School District of Janesville and you wish to remain at your current school please contact the Open Enrollment Specialist at 743-5152 and request a tuition waiver form within two weeks of your move. This will allow you to be eligible to attend your current school for the remainder of the current year tuition free. To continue attending the School District of Janesville after the 2022-2023 school year, you will also need to complete an open enrollment application. Application instructions are provided to the School District of Janesville by the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) and should be available by late January 2023. This year applications will be accepted Monday, February 6, 2023, to 4:00 p.m. on Friday, April 28, 2022. If you have questions regarding Open Enrollment or Public School Choice, please contact the Open Enrollment Specialist at 743-5152