February, 2012

Dear Frank Wagner Families, 

The snow is gone and even though it was beautiful, it was inconvenient too. Right now it looks like we’ll make up the lost school days just as the district calendar predicted.   Our last day will be Thursday, June 21.

Have you heard the buzz?  We could start a Dual Language program at Frank Wagner next year!  Like other districts, we’d start with a kindergarten class one year and then when those students move into 1st grade, we’d have a Dual Language class in 1st grade and then continue to staff classed for each grade level up to eventually 5th grade.

There will be a Dual Language questionnaire in the Kindergarten registration packet for any new kinder family to fill out and return. This class will be all day, every day with no fee.  The Dual Language opportunity will be open to the whole district, not just our school. The class will be filled on a first come, first served basis.  I will be hosting a parent information night on March 13, so put that date on your calendar.

Next year all of our kindergarten classes will be all day, five days a week with no fee.  Because we are a Title 1 school, which means we receive federal funds as many of our families are considered low-income, we are allowed to offer special classes and programs other schools cannot.

If you see young children in your neighborhood, please speak with their parents to urge them to register in March for kindergarten.  We will have a big welcoming registration night in the gym March 1. Parents  can come any day after that to pick up a registration packet from our main office.

I am reviewing all the middle of the year academic progress data with the teachers and the results are impressive. One class had every student double their DIBELS reading scores from the original test in the fall!  We are seeing exciting trends in stronger skills in Math, Science, Social Studies, Writing, PE, Music, and Art.   In case you were wondering, our 3rd grade teachers teach cursive handwriting to our students.  The students are half way through the alphabet by now and excited to learn all the letters.

Our PTA and the Follett book publishing company helped us fund our 2nd One Book, One School activity.  This year’s family book is Shiloh.   The purpose of having every family in our school get a copy of the same book is to foster more common things to talk about and have in our background.  I hope your family reads the book out loud and talks about the problems and triumphs in the book.

Have you bought a yearbook yet?  Yearbooks are $12. Supply is limited so hurry with your order. I have seen big tears when there are no more yearbooks to buy.

Our PTA is doing great things for students.  There will be a carnival and auction this year if we can get enough families to help. Please come to the next PTA meeting to make these events possible.

Our student council is busy too.  They will be sponsoring a food drive soon, maybe hosting an anti-bullying assembly and continuing to give all students free popcorn on special days.  The student council is also giving every student a free slice of Sahara pizza one time this year.

Our next Toys from Home day is in May. Thank you for making sure no toys are brought to school or if they are being used on the bus or at after school places, the toy stays safe in a backpack during school hours.

I hope to see you at school sometime soon.

Sincerely,
Mrs. Robin L. Fitch
Principal

Neighborhood elementary school attendance areas