End of Kindergarten Field Trip - THIS Wednesday, May 29

Happy Memorial Day Weekend! What an amazing weekend to spend time with those you love and remember those that sacrificed their lives for our country. Remember, there is no school on Monday, May 27th to honor this special day. There is no BASP, and the Front Office will be closed, too.

For the 27th year in a row, I have the wonderful fortune to spend Memorial Day Weekend with my family at a beautiful lakeside resort in the north woods of Minnesota. Internet is sporadic, but I wanted to take a moment to say hello and fill you in on our last field trip of the year. Also Note: This
field trip is for my "Wish Day" and it is a SURPRISE. Please help keep it a surprise!!

Wednesday's End of Kindergarten Field Trip
Who: the Kindergarteners
What: Iowa City Field Trip
Where: Downtown Iowa City (ICPL, Whitey's, Pentacrest lawns)
When: Wednesday, May 29th 9:30 - 3:00
Why: to celebrate our year together
Special Notes: We will use the city bus to travel downtown to spend the day enjoying all that Iowa City has to offer. We will visit the library for our monthly library trip, each lunch on the Ped Mall, play on the playground, and make a special trip to Whitey's for ice cream cones! Then, we will head to the Pentacrest lawns to play group games, like Duck Duck Grey Duck, Red Rover, Red Light Green Light, and What Time is It Mr. Fox?, Doggie Doggie Where's Your Bone?
Things to Bring:
• backpack
• library card
• morning snack, afternoon snack
• lunch
• $2 for a Whitey's Ice Cream Cone (Please wait to bring money for field trip until Wednesday, the 29th as I will be gone on Tuesday, the 28th and don't want the sub to worry about collecting money. I will collect money for our yummy ice cream cones the morning of our field trip.)

It is nice to "unplug" (as much as we can these days ;) ) and unwind with loved ones, but I miss your kiddos and look forward to our fun on Wednesday. If you have questions or concerns, I will be able to make better contact on Monday or Tuesday when I return to civilization.

Graduation Bouquets

Cottontail Families,
Below is a message from Willowwind K-6 parent and Friends and Family coordinator, Gretchen Rice

One of the many lovely traditions we have at Willowwind school is to present each graduating 6th grader with a bouquet of flowers.  These flowers come from the gardens of Willowwind families.  Each year the bouquets are different depending on what type of spring we have.  We are seeking donations of flowers for these special bouquets.  Tulips, Irises, daisies, Flowering branches, Hosta leaves, Fern Leaves, Columbine, Roses, Lilies, Peonies, Ivy--anything at all!  Please take a minute to see if your garden has anything that you would like to donate for the bouquets.  Large buckets of water will be in the kitchen area Thursday morning May 30th to receive the flowers.  We will begin assembling at 4 pm on Thursday May 30th so that the bouquets can be presented during the final GD.  Please see the sign-up sheet at Ambers desk.  And thank you in advance for participating in this beautiful tradition.

Gretchen Rice
Willowwind Friends and Families

Portfolio Night is TOMORROW, Wednesday, May 22

Celebrate the accomplishments of the 2012-2013 school year at Portfolio Night, tomorrow Wednesday, May 22.  I am so thrilled that each of my Cottontail Rabbits and their families will be in attendance. Cottontail students will share their projects and reflections on a year of learning through their portfolios boards.  Visitors will also have the opportunity to visit each of Willowwind's K-6 classrooms to talk with learners and see portfolio artifacts.  

5:00 - 5:45 BYOP "Bring Your Own Picnic"
5:45 - 6:05 Family Share TIme in the Cottontail classroom
6:05 - 6:45 Classroom Rotations through K-6
6:45 - 7:00 Refreshments

See you tomorrow at 5:00!

Willowwind 3-6 Class Plays THIS Thursday, May 16

You are invited to join us for Willowwind's 3-6 grade class plays THIS Thursday, May 16th! Come to the GD Space to see this is a wonderful event that allows you to take a peek at the Owls' and Wolves' hard work and culminating school projects. The 3-6 grade students have been working hard on writing scripts, memorizing lines, design sets, and rehearsing their actions.

To accommodate our growing community, there will be two play showings. The first performance will show at 4:00 pm and the second performance will show at 6:00 pm. Remaining tickets to the school plays may be purchased from the Wolf students on Wednesday before school between 8:00 and 8:30 and after school between 3:15 - 3:30. Tickets cost $2.00 per person and there are a limited number of seats per performance. Light, healthy refreshments will be available for purchase at a cost of $1.00 - $2.00 per item as an ongoing fundraiser for the Wolves' class trip to Camp Edwards in April. Below you find intriguing summaries about each play. Please bring your support for the school and applause for the students. I hope to see you there! Their work is truly amazing!

Burrowing Owls' Play: The Magic Owl Bus Explores the Five Regions of the US
Willowwind's Burrowing Owl students (grades 3/4) will perform as a teacher leads her group of students to magically visits each of the five regions of the US. In each location, they meet someone living in a different time period who teaches them something about that region.

Wolves' Play: Impossible Odds: Surviving the Extreme
The Wolves will present a trio of vignettes that is based upon historic stories of group survival. Setting sail in 1804 with the Lewis and Clark expedition, traveling to the Arctic with Earnest Shackleton in 1914, and close with a tale of surviving in a collapsed Chilean mine in 2010, students will present stories of courage, tenacity, and perseverance.

Kids' Rag Orders Due THIS Friday, May 17

A message from the Wolf Class regarding our beloved annual Kids' Rag:

The end of the school year is fast approaching. The Wolves (5-6 class) have been busily preparing this year's edition of The Kids' Rag. For those not familiar with The Kids' Rag, it is a collection of school year memories that highlights each classroom and features all students in Preschool through Sixth grade. If you would like to see an example stop by the Front Desk.
 
If you are interested in purchasing a copy of the 2012-2013 Kid's Rag, please complete the attached order form (also found on our Welcome Page's right side bar).  Orders are due Friday, May 17th.  Please drop forms off at the front desk with a check or cash for the exact amount ($21 per book, to offset printing costs only). 

Thank you!  
The 5-6 Wolves

Parent Feedback Survey - Complete by THIS Friday, May 17

Please take a few minutes to give us feedback on how well you feel your child(ren)'s needs have been met at Willowwind School this year. We love to have your comments as well as your suggestions for our program, which we carefully consider. Please select rating for each prompt. Choose a rating if you can and to indicate your level of satisfaction, leave an item blank if you do not wish to comment for some reason, or choose "N/A" if the item is not applicable in your situation. Any written comments you can add will be extremely helpful in understanding why you chose a particular rating. If you have more than one child, we welcome you to fill out one survey for each child. Thank you for taking the time to ensure that future children have the best experience possible. Thank you for taking time to fill out this survey. Survey responses should be completed by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, May 17. You can begin your survey by clicking here.

Spring Save the Date

The year is quickly coming to an end but not without a fanfare of fun here at Willowwind. Please make your calendars and take a look at the upcoming events we have. You may also find more information by downloading the attached printable flyer. This flyer can also be found on our Welcome page's right sidebar.

May 16 - Owls' & Wolves' Class Plays
4:00 pm and 6:00 pm
Ticket Cost: $2.00 per person
Tickets still on sale TOMORROW (Wednesday, May 16) from 8:00 - 8:30 and 3:15 - 3:30.

May 22 - Portfolio Night
5:00 - 5:45 BYOP "Bring Your Own Picnic"
5:45 - 6:05 Family Share TIme
6:05 - 6:45 Classroom Rotations
6:45 - 7:00 Refreshments
Please visit SignUpGenius to provide refreshments. One more Cottontail family is needed to provide Portfolio Night refreshments. Thank you in advance.

May 25 - Willowwind's 1st Annual Spring Gala & Auction
6:30 - 9:30
at the Englert Theater
221 East Washington Street Iowa City, Iowa 52240
Ticket Cost: $40.00 per person (includes Open Bar from 6:30 - 7:30)
Silent Auction: 6:30 - 8:30
Live Auction: 8:30 - 9:30
Celebrate 41 years of Willowwind hors d'oevres provided by our community partners, 126 and Atlas restaurants, an open bar from 6:30-7:30 pm, and the opportunity to bid on a variety of fabulous auction items donated by Willowwind friends and local businesses. Have a fun night out at this adult-only event while raising money for your child's experience at Willowwind.

Visit the Spring Gala's Evite for more information. This evite can also be found on the website's Welcome page's right sidebar. In addition, Willowwind is still in need of volunteers to help set up and tear down at the Englert. Please visit SignUpGenius to sign up.

May 26 - No School
Memorial Day
There will be no school, no BASP, and the Front Office will be closed.

May 28 - Welcome Reception for New Head of School - Paul Pressler
3:30 - 5:00 pm in the GD Space

May 30 - Last Full Day of School
Please join us for the following Last Day of School events:
Talent Show 9:00 - 11:00
BYOP ("Bring Your Own Picnic") 5:30 - 6:30
Final GD 6:30 - 7:30

May 31 - Early Dismissal for K-6
K-6 Dismisses at 8:00 am.
Please see email communication for additional information.

June 3 - August 9 - Willowwind's 2013 Summer Camp
Take a look at the 50+ course offerings including Choreography Workshop, Math Mysteries, Dangerous and Daring by clicking on the Summer Brochure. Save $20.00 by registering online by using THIS LINK or by visiting willowwind.org.

Kindergarten Wishes Begin TOMORROW, May 6

Wish balloons are hung and ready for our daily reveals beginning TOMORROW May, 6th.

As a reminder:
~ Please email me your child's baby picture asap as this will be a part of our wish reveal. Looking forward to seeing all the cute baby smiles!!
~ THIS Tuesday, May 7th Jonah's Wish of Soccer with Coach TJ is coming true! If you'd like, please pack your child's shinguards and soccer shoes.
~ Friday, May 10th is Stuffed Animal Day. Pack two of your child's favorite stuffed animals for a day of animal fun.
~ Monday, May 20th is PJ Day. Pack a pair of PJs for your child to change into after the big reveal.
I'll send out additional reminder emails / blog posts as the 10th and 20th near.

Remember, the wishes and their assigned days are top secret. The Cottontails haven't a clue as to which of their wishes will come true and when. Our daily wish reveal will be full of fun and lots of smilies!

Kindergarten Wishes - YOUR HELP NEEDED

Our time together is quickly coming to end. While this thought can bring some sad feelings in our hearts it is a truly a time to celebrate all that we have done together and our love for one another. It is a time where we are reflecting on our own individual progress over the last 180 school days and thinking about all of the wonderful things we have done together. We have become a family and experienced so much together.

This week, the Cottontails have been talking about wishes. We concluded that a wish is a something we want that makes ourselves and others feel better. Students took time this week to think about our Kindergarten year and brainstorm three wishes they would love to see come true as Kindergarten comes to an end. We generated a flurry of ideas and were excited to think about all the wishes, big and small, that could happen in the coming weeks. I am excited now to take one of each students' wishes and make it come true before the end of the school year.

Daily, beginning NEXT Monday, May 6th, a student's wish will come true. While the Cottontails know that one of their wishes may come true, it is a total surprise for the Cottontails regarding who's wish will come true each day. I have created a schedule of students' wishes and what day they will come true. Some may require your at home help. These wishes can be found in red font. I will send reminder emails before "at home help wishes" occur.

Thank you so much for your help in making the last month of Kindergarten incredibly special and fun. Remember, the wish schedule is top secret!!


Cottontails' 2013 End of Kindergarten Wishes

Mon, May 6 - Marko's Wish - Have Dad come talk about his Career

Tues, May 7 - Jonah's Wish - A Soccer Game with Coach TJ Eisenberg & the Cottontails & Conejitos - Optional Note: Bring shin guards.

Wed, May 8 - Kaden's Wish - Teacher Kaden to Teach About the Solar System

Thur, May 9 - Libby's Wish - Make Class Treats

Fri, May 10 - Danielle's Wish - Stuffed Animal Day - Note: Pack TWO of your child's favorite stuffed animals in their backpack.

Mon, May 13 - Quinn's Wish - Switch Centers

Tue, May 14 - Tai's Wish - Play "What Time is it Mr. Fox?" (an outdoor class game)

Wed, May 15 - Tia's Wish - Wear Angel Wings

Thurs, May 16 - Ainsley's Wish - Have a Class Picnic

Fri, May 17 - Aubrey's Wish - Invite the Conejitos to Play "Doggie, Doggie Where's Your Bone?"

Mon, May 20 - Catie's Wish - Have a PJ Day - Note: Pack a pair of PJs in your child's backpack for them to wear at school. We will change into our PJs after the big Wish Reveal that morning.

Wed, May 29 - Michelle's Wish - A Class Field Trip (More Info to Come)

Who's That Baby? - YOUR HELP NEEDED

To help with the big Wish Reveal each day the Cottontails will be playing a fun game called "Who's That Baby?".

By Monday, May 6th please email me your Kindergartener's baby picture. Each Wish Reveal morning the Cottontails will play "Who's That Baby?" making guesses as to which Kindergartener is featured in the Baby Picture of the Day. At Morning Meeting, I will reveal "Who's That Baby?" and therefore who's wish will come true that day.

Email me your child's baby picture by Monday, and keep the picture you select a secret so your child can be just as surprised when their own baby picture is on display. Now for a little "Who's That Baby?" fun! Can you guess…"Who's That Baby?"



Give up? :) I'll give you a hint….these pictures are from my own family archive. One picture belonging to me, and one picture belonging to my husband, Brian. Can you guess who is who? Your child will get a chance to guess in the coming weeks.

Happy May!

Portfolio Night is Wed., May 22 - READ CAREFULLY

Save the Date!
Wednesday, May 22 is Willowwind’s First Annual Portfolio Night:
A Culminating Event in a Yearlong Look At Your Child’s Growth

It is hard to believe that the school year is nearly over, but we are looking forward to closing the year with a wonderful event that takes a look at your child’s yearlong progress. This blog post details Portfolio Night’s important work and why your child’s participation in this event is an essential requirement. Please read carefully. A timeline of events is detailed below.

As many of you may know, Willowwind prides itself on the use of alternative assessment methods using hands-on projects, anecdotal records, written narratives, and Personalized Education Plans to monitor student growth and achievement. Over the last two years, Willowwind educators have researched additional assessment methods and, this year, implemented the use of academic portfolios as a major tool in observing and reflecting on children’s growth at school. They have become a rich part of our life at Willowwind School. Yearly, students will collect and reflect on works that tell a story about themselves as learners. Each one-year collection is documented electronically and will travel with students as they progress through the grades at Willowwind.

An academic portfolio is not only a powerful tool for your child but also for their teachers and you their parents as well. It allows all of us to see, in a dramatic way, the progress your child makes over time. Students delight in reviewing work from previous years. These observations and self-reflections by the young child are important steps toward a student’s sense of ownership and commitment to their education career.

At Willowwind, we have come to understand how valuable it is for students not only to have access to their work over time, but also for them to share their reflections with the important people in their lives. Thus, Willowwind’s 1st Annual Portfolio Night emerges where children become expert presenters of their lives at school and the work they do here. It is a time for each student to share with family, friends, and the Willowwind Community their love for school and their successes and strength. It is a chance for parents to listen to their child as they begin to make connections between the work of school and their own sense of growth.

Your child is working hard and eagerly preparing for this night. They will be presenting their self-selected pieces that will go in this year’s portfolio and will join their K-6 electronic portfolio archive. They are proud of their work and eager to share their work with the community. Please note that this event is a requirement for all K-6 students, so please be sure your child will be available for this important event. We have been working hard to prepare for our individual presentations at Portfolio Night. If for some unforeseen reason your child will not be at this event please RSVP to your classroom teacher by Monday, May 6th. We are really looking forward to this adventure, and we are sure that with your collaboration it will be an outstanding experience for all of us but most notably for your child.

Sincerely,
the Willowwind K-6 Faculty

Portfolio Night Details:
Who: Willowwind’s K-6 students
What: will present work from their 2012 – 2013 school year
Where: Willowwind School’s K-6 classrooms
When: Wednesday, May 22nd 5:00 – 7:00
Why: to illustrate overall individual and yearlong progress in areas of study

May 22nd’s Timeline of Events:
5:00 – 5:45 BYOP (Bring Your Own Picnic)
Bring picnic blankets and food to share with your family.
5:45 – 6:05 Student / Family Share Time
Parents can listen as your own child shares their yearlong work and portfolio pieces.
6:05 – 6:45 Classroom Rotations
Rotate through other K-6 classes to take a peek at what other Willowwind classes have learned and what your child will study in coming years.
6:45 – 7:00 Refreshments
Celebrate Willowwind students’ hard work with a treat. Please use SignUpGenius to volunteer to bring a dozen treats to their event.

May's 1st Friday Coffee - TOMORROW, May 3

Willowwind Friends and Families is holding its final parent coffee of the year this Friday (TOMORROW May, 3rd).  We are hosting health educator Katie Fields from United Action for Youth (UAY).  She will be discussing "the Birds and the Bees" and how to talk about family life, sexual education, and physical development and will field those difficult questions from one's children. Gretchen Rice, Willowwind parent, has previewed her presentation and finds it to be excellent.  There will be useful material for parents of pre-schoolers right up to parents of Junior High students.  A flyer is attached below and linked on the Welcome Page's right sidebar.

UAY's Birds and Bees Flyer