PTA and The Wolford Staff - A True Partnership |
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- 30 - End of the Year Meet and Greet
- Talent Show videos due
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On behalf of the Wolford PTA and our school community, we wish to thank Champion Waste and Recycling Services and the Kuhar family for their extremely generous donation of 75 bags of mulch for our Outdoor Learning Center at Wolford. Their donation helped to beautify our garden area and is deeply appreciated. Thank you for being a partner at our school.
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Kindergarten Appreciation Ceremony & 5th Grade Graduation |
5th Grade Graduation:
The Last Day of School, May 21.
Kindergarten Appreciation Ceremonies:
May 19 and May 20- details coming soon from our kindergarten teachers
Details to follow!
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School Supplies for 2021-2022 School Year |
It's ready! All the school supply kit sales will start on Monday, April 12 and go through May 14, 2021.
Our school code is: 96737
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Seven Habits of Highly Responsible Students: For many years the three “R”s have been taught by parents and teachers. I would like to add a fourth “R”…responsibility. Responsible students do not have any one secret for their success…but they do practice some habits that help. Here are seven habits that can make any child become a highly responsible student.
- They set goals
- They study every day….even if just to review
- They take notes in class and listen carefully
- They have the necessary tools/supplies for classroom success
- They keep their commitments
- They get ready ahead of time
- They plan their time wisely
Before we know it, by encouraging our students to repeat these patterns, they will develop the habits of responsibility.
What Makes Someone a Good Friend?: Helping students understand how they can promote friendships can lead to positive school climates and happy students. If we encourage students to think of the attributes of a good friend, students will generate many ideas of what makes a friend. As students think about their current friends, they can also discuss what they like the most about their friends. Here are some ideas to explore with your child about friendships. Good friends…
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Are always there for you and are fair and stick up for you
- Listen to what you have to say and like you for who you are
- Are trustworthy and honest
- Encourage you to always do your best and never ask you to do something you know you should not do
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Understand your feelings
- Share their thoughts and feelings
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Respect your property and your rights
Developing good friendships is important for all students. Children have to understand what friendship boosters are all about. They also need to understand the types of behaviors that can hurt friendships from blossoming. Treating others, as you would like to be treated, is an important lesson for all students to learn. Adapted from The Bully Free Classroom by Allan L. Beane, Ph.D. page 36
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Dear Wolford Families,
I would like to take this opportunity to emphasize how important regular school attendance is for a student to make the most of his or her education. Regular attendance helps our students to benefit from teacher-led activities, to build each day's learning on the previous day's instruction, and to grow as an individual. Absences from class may hinder a student's mastery of the instructional materials. While we understand that students must stay home when they are ill, we respectfully request that students and parents make every effort to avoid unnecessary absences.
State law requires that a student enrolled in Kindergarten and higher who attends school must attend at least 90% of the days the class is offered to receive credit.
If a student needs to go to a medical appointment during the school day and is in attendance before and/or after the appointment, the absence will not count against the student for the 90% rule as long as a note is provided from the physician. If, however, a student misses an entire day of school, even if it is for a medical purpose, the absence will count as one of the days towards the 90% rule. Please send a note or email within three days to your child’s teacher each time your child is absent stating the reason for the absence in order for it to be documented. Family vacations will be counted as unexcused absences.
Arriving at school on time each day is also an important part of learning. Classes begin promptly at 8:00am each morning. Students who arrive after 8:00am are missing key elements in the instructional process. We appreciate your support and your help to ensure that your child arrives at school on time. Please let us know if you have any questions regarding the state attendance policies.
Sincerely,
Fran Gratt
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Wolford Families,
Our focus in guidance for the month of April is personal safety and responsibility.
Students will learn how to advocate for themselves and say no to peer pressure.
April is national child abuse month. See the below resources on safety tips and awareness.
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I am excited to announce that Wolford will have our first VIRTUAL Career Day! Students will have an opportunity to watch videos, complete activities, and learn more about various careers during their specials rotations. Parents- I am looking for volunteers to submit a video about your profession. I think it would be awesome for our students to learn about the various careers that their parents and other adults in our community have. If you would like to submit your video for us to use on Career Day, please fill out the google form below. Once I receive this I will contact you with how to send me your video and talking points you may want to include in your video. Please fill out the Google Form as soon as possible so I can contact you for next steps. I am grateful for your support and looking forward to an AMAZING day of learning!!
Have an amazing week!!
Ms. Cortez
School Counselor
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New Student Registration will begin on May 3rd and new student registration will continue at campuses through May 27th.
If you have an incoming kindergarten student or know of any NEW families in your neighborhood, please help us spread the word. The sooner we register new students, the better.
Teacher allocations depend upon the number of students we have each year and everyone wants to ensure that all of our fabulous Wolford teachers remain with us in the 2021-2022 school year. As always, we appreciate our community as we spread the word. Thank you.
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STAAR Testing : New Information |
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MISD STAAR Testing Rescheduled for Some Students
On April 6th, 4th graders across the state took the Writing STAAR assessment. Students who participated ONLY in the state ONLINE TESTING platform experienced technical difficulties that affected many of our McKinney ISD online testers across the district. Districts across the state experienced the same issues, and the Texas Education Agency released a press release explaining that the testing company is working to resolve the issues.
To prepare the best testing experience for these students, MISD campuses are rescheduling the 4th grade Writing STAAR tests ONLY for the ON-LINE STUDENTS for next Tuesday, April 13. Thank you for your continued patience and support as we navigate this unique school year.
The Texas Education Agency released a statement on April 6th, stating that they will change testing vendors by next year:
“We understand the frustration this has caused students, parents, teachers, and administrators. What happened today is completely unacceptable. ETS, the testing vendor, experienced problems with their database system, which are in the process of being corrected. The 2021 online administration of STAAR will be ETS’s last for the State of Texas. Beginning next school year, Cambium Assessment will be taking over these critical testing functions to ensure that users have a seamless online testing experience moving forward."
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The Wolford Campus will be CLOSED for ALL GRADE LEVELS during the weeks of STAAR Testing Windows Noted Below
Weeks of April 6- April 9 and May 11- 14
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Information below for our Virtual Test Takers – Reminders for Parents to Ensure Technology is Ready!
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The state of Texas will transition to fully online state assessments by the 2022-23 school year, and McKinney ISD is preparing staff, students and families for this change in two phases.
Phase 1 will take place during the current 2020–2021 school year. Students will take their Math and Science assessments online in the spring of 2021—with the exception of 5th grade Math. (See links below.)
Phase 2 will take place during the 2021–2022 school year. In Phase 2, students will take Math, Science, Reading Language Arts and Social Studies tests online.
The district will work closely with our MISD campuses to ensure that staff and students are confident with the online testing platform and tools before the Phase 1 online tests this spring (2021). Online learning that has taken place over the past year has provided our students and teachers with experience that will support this transition to online assessment. Please note that students who receive testing accommodations will receive those accommodations in both paper and online formats.
The Texas Education Agency (TEA) requires that state assessments be given in a secure environment, and they cannot be administered remotely. Therefore, all students are encouraged to report to campus on their assigned testing date to take their state assessment(s).
MISD campuses will continue to follow local health guidelines and procedures for social distancing to the extent possible during testing.
Your child’s campus will share more information with you as we approach the testing dates, but if you would like to explore more details about the state assessment changes, please refer to these resources: https://tinyurl.com/MISDtests. If you have questions, please contact your campus principal.
Sincerely,
McKinney ISD, Communications Department
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Dear Wolford Parents:
MISD 2021 Election
Did you know? Fewer than 1/3 of MISD parents voted in the 2016 School Bond election. Let’s get 100% WOLFORD parent turnout in the 2021 MISD Election! Be informed—visit www.mckinneyisd.net/election/ for complete election information!
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Want to help raise money for our school, just by scanning your receipts?? Download the Box Top App on your phone and quickly scan your receipt which gives money directly to our school!! It takes less than 1 minute. Watch this video to learn how. Click Here
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How Can I Prevent an Allergic Reaction to Pollen? |
The appearance of spring has come along with an increased amount of North Texas allergens in our air. As our allergy forecast continues to climb here are some suggestions from the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America on how to prevent allergy symptoms.
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Limit your outdoor activities when pollen counts are high. This will lessen the amount of pollen allergen you inhale and reduce your symptoms.
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Keep windows closed during pollen season and use central air conditioning with a CERTIFIED asthma & allergy friendly® filter attachment. This applies to your home and to any vehicle (car, bus, train, etc.).
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Start taking allergy medicine before pollen season begins. Most allergy medicines work best when taken this way. This allows the medicine to prevent your body from releasing histamine and other chemicals that cause your symptoms.
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Bathe and shampoo your hair daily before going to bed. This will remove pollen from your hair and skin and keep it off your bedding.
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Wash bedding in hot, soapy water once a week.
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Wear sunglasses and a hat. This will help keep pollen out of your eyes and off your hair.
- Limit close contact with pets that spend a lot of time outdoors.
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Change and wash clothes worn during outdoor activities.
- Dry your clothes in a clothes dryer, not on an outdoor line.
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We have a new reading challenge going on for the month of April! Students are encouraged to choose 15 reading activities from the Reading Challenge page (pictured below) to complete and turn in to the Learning Commons! Students who turn in their page earn a bookmark, reading bracelet, and pencil. They also get their picture taken and that is put up on our digital display screens in the hallway and front office. If your child needs another copy click here! Have FUN with these reading activities!
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We need each virtual 3rd - 5th grade student to come to campus to have their laptop checked for STAAR readiness. We have chosen two dates for this process: April 19th and 21st. Please click here to go to the Signup Genius and sign up for a day and time. Please pull into the back parking lot at Wolford on your designated day/time. Mrs. Perret or Mrs. Turquette will meet you and take your laptop and ask you to fill out a card with the student's name, ID#, and SSO password (or have this available when you pull up). A readiness check will be performed on the laptop and then it will be brought back out to you when it is complete. It should take no more than 15 minutes so we ask that parents wait in the drive through area. If you have any questions or need to schedule a different day/time other than those listed, please contact Peggy Perret at pperret@mckinneyisd.net or 469-302-4731
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Grab and Go Meals
Free curbside Grab & Go meals for McKinney ISD students will be available at Finch Elementary this spring on specific dates designated as student holidays or as asynchronous (at-home) learning days on the McKinney ISD school calendar.
April 12 - Asynchronous (At-Home) Learning Day
Pick up Times:
10:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. (Pick up that day’s lunch and next day’s breakfast.)
Finch Elementary is located at 1205 S. Tennessee St. in McKinney. Pick up will take place in the driveway off of Graham St.
These meals are free, but parents are required to present either a valid student ID number, student name or other confirmation that they are picking up for an MISD student 18 years of age or younger.
En Español
Las comidas gratuitas para llevar para los estudiantes de McKinney ISD estarán disponibles en la Primaria Finch esta primavera en fechas específicas designadas como vacaciones estudiantiles o días asincrónicos (en casa) de aprendizaje en el calendario escolar de McKinney ISD.
12 de abril (día de aprendizaje asincrónico)
Horas de recogida:
10:30 am – 1:00 pm (Se recoge el almuerzo de ese dia y el desayuno del dia siguiente.)
La Escuela Primaria Finch está ubicada en 1205 S. Tennessee St. en McKinney. La recogida se llevará a cabo en el camino de entrada de Graham St.
Estas comidas son gratuitas, pero los padres deben presentar un número de identificación de estudiante válido, el nombre del estudiante u otra confirmación de que van a recoger para un estudiante de MISD de 18 años o menor.
Jason Vickery
Food Service Director
McKinney ISD
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$$ for Wolford by Shopping for your family |
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Attention Parents!! We need ALL student's pictures, whether you are attending school face to face or virtual, please submit your pictures! Parents, please note, if you are continuing virtual learning after Sept 3, we want your students included in the yearbook, but we cannot do that without your help!! Don't you worry, individual and school picture times will be arranged for everyone too! Keep an eye out for upcoming dates. In the meantime, send us pictures of your students' learning! It is easy to share, see flyer below for more information. |
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Dear Parent or Guardian,
In an effort to promote a safe and healthy environment for students and staff, the District has been working to put in place new health and social distancing protocols in response to COVID-19. It is important for all parents to have a working knowledge of the infectious period of someone with COVID-19. People are infectious before they have symptoms, meaning they could be spreading the disease without even knowing it.
Therefore, it is imperative that parents abide by the following regulations:
- · Parents are to screen their child, daily prior to arriving on campus, for any signs or symptoms of COVID-19 including:
Feeling Feverish or Fever (100.0 or greater) Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
Cough Fatigue (Excessively tired)
Significant muscle or body aches Headache
Loss of taste or smell Sore throat
Congestion or runny nose Diarrhea Chills
● If your child demonstrates any of the above signs or symptoms, he/she must stay home until COVID-19 Return to School Criteria is met OR an alternative diagnosis from a medical professional is received by the campus nurse. Please report your child’s absence to the campus nurse. Please do not give fever reducing medication and send your child to school.
● When a parent/guardian is called regarding an ill student at school, the parent/guardian must arrange for the student to be picked up in a timely manner (within 30-60 min). Please plan accordingly, and have a responsible adult who is willing and available to pick up your child. In the event you need to send someone that is not in your emergency contact list, make sure that you have communicated who the person is with the campus.
● A student displaying COVID-19 symptoms will be isolated in the clinic or other designated isolation area with a mask in place until your arrival.
● Continuously make sure all contact and emergency contact phone numbers are updated in the student information system. Please place your child’s campus phone number in the contacts on your phone. This will ensure calls from the campus are recognized.
● Students exhibiting signs or symptoms of illness will not, under any circumstance, be allowed to walk or bike home, ride the bus, or utilize a ride service.
● The District is asking that parents follow the recommendations set forth by the CDC, Texas State Department of Health Services(DSHS), and Texas Education Agency(TEA) and have your child wear a face covering when developmentally appropriate. If there is a medical condition that prohibits your child from wearing a face covering, please contact the school nurse.
● Please be sure your child washes or sanitizes his/her hands before leaving home for the school day.
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What is AmazonSmile?
AmazonSmile is a simple and automatic way for you to support WOLFORD Elementary every time you shop, at no cost to you. When you shop at smile.amazon.com, you’ll find the exact same low prices, vast selection and convenient shopping experience as Amazon.com, with the added bonus that Amazon will donate a portion of the purchase price to your favorite charitable organization. You can choose from over one million organizations to support.
**To select Wolford, we are registered as : PTA Texas Congress 6641 Earl & Lottie Wolford Elemenar -- You must type this exactly to find Wolford...yes, Elementary is misspelled on Amazon*
How do I shop at AmazonSmile?
To shop at AmazonSmile simply go to smile.amazon.com from the web browser on your computer or mobile device. You may also want to add a bookmark to smile.amazon.com to make it even easier to return and start your shopping at AmazonSmile.
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Wolford Elementary - Where Learning is Visible
6951 Berkshire Road / McKinney, Texas 75072
T: 469-302-4700 / F: 469-302-4701
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