Random Acts of Kindness Homework

We are excited to begin a new unit! We hope our excitement for this new unit will spread to our older friends, too! This week, and last week, both Kindergarten classes met to discuss what giving and kindness mean.
Giving: (verb)
Merriam-Webster's Definition: 
1. Freely transfer the possession of (something) to (someone); hand over to: "they gave her water".
2. Bestow (love, affection, or other emotional support): "his parents gave him encouragement"; "he was very giving and supportive".

Kindergarteners' Definition:
When you fill someones bucket! When you help someone in need. When you smile at someone.
Kindness: (noun)
Merriam-Webster's Definition:
1. The quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate.
2. A kind act.

Kindergarteners' Definition:
Not thinking of yourself. Helping someone up. Doing things for others.

This Winter, we will be performing random acts of kindness (RAK) both in our community and at Willowwind.  How will we make this happen?  Here are a few of our the ideas we generated at school:
• Leave nice notes on cars in parking lots to let others know we care.
• Smile at someone.
• Give a compliment.
• Buy a gift card and hand it to someone going into the store or restaurant. Make sure to say "Random act of kindness! Enjoy!"
• Tell your family you love them.
• Help load grocery's into an elder's car.
• Return a lone shopping cart.
• GIve away old clothes and toys to people in need.
• Hold a door for a stream of people.
• Share coins. Put quarters in parking meters, put coins in bell ringers' red cauldrons, pay for someone else's drink or food in a drive through lane, attach a baggie of coins to a vending machine.

Additional ideas we brainstormed can be found on the hallway wall outside the Cottontail classroom.  This is where we will display our RAK work.
WEDNESDAY'S HOMEWORK: On Wednesday, I sent home a note with an attached notecard. Use this notecard to journal your child's first act of kindness completed this week or weekend. Have them write down what your family did. If you can, attach a picture (or email me the picture) to go with the notecard. Please return the green notecard by Tuesday, January 20th.  We are eager to spread the kindness word.  If you complete more than on act of kindness have your child journal the additional acts on other notecards (extras available at school) or on your Family Random Acts of Kindness Worksheet (sent home on Wednesday). Don't forget to add (or email) a picture to go with each act of kindness.  Continue to do this as your child competes a variety of acts of kindness throughout the month of December.
We will create a Random Act of Kindness bulletin board to display all of our notecards and photos. With our RAK's on display, we hope the urge to complete acts of kindness will spread across our Willowwind community and beyond.  Throughout January and February, we will be completing acts of kindness at school as well. Look out for upcoming blog posts with more information. We hope to plan a field trip or two to spread our kindness with a variety of community of organizations.

Here you will find a few links of other families that have completed random acts of kindness in their community. Click the links to to find additional ideas. Really, the ideas are endless - there are a variety of free and inexpensive ideas at our fingertips!

Kindness Ideas: Click HERE, HERE, and HERE.

Finally, here is a video we showed the Kindergarteners yesterday.  It is amazing how quickly they caught onto the pay it forward idea.  One friend said, "So.  If someone helps me and then I help someone else and then they help someone else the kindness will just keep going and going!"  It is clear that your child and their classmates are thrilled for the fun to come when showing kindness to many!  Encourage their excitement!  Please let me know if you have questions! Most importantly, have fun!

Bring Canvas Book Bag Daily

Please be sure your child brings their canvas Bunny Book Bag to school daily.  We will be refilling with brand new books this month and we are using our Bunny Book Bags daily at school during our Quiet Reading Time.  It is very important that your child has this supply at school every day.  Please let me know if you have questions about your child's Bunny Book Bag.  Thank you.

Curriculum Transition Night - Tues, Jan. 20 6:00-7:00

January is an exciting month as we begin to look ahead at the adventures to come in the upcoming calendar year and school year.  On Thursday, January 15th (Conejitos) or Tuesday, January 20th (Cottontails), all Kindergarteners will have an opportunity to visit the Willowwind 1/2 grade classroom where they will experience the fun and excitement that occurs when moving to the Prairie Racerunner room.  This opportunity to visit is a time of great anticipation for your child as they learn more about how 1/2 grade is similar to Kindergarten while also exploring the exciting differences that lie ahead.  Our current first grade friends will be on hand during our upcoming visits to model 1/2 grade classroom activities for our Kindergarteners, explain the fun that is had as a Prairie Racerunner, and answer any questions their Kindergarten friends may have.

Mark your calendar and save the date!  On Tuesday, January 20th all Willowwind parents are invited to this year's Curriculum Transition Night from 6:00-7:00pm. This event is designed to introduce families to the next level(s) of Willowwind education and to begin preparing for the transition from one grade to the next.  Faculty will be on hand to discuss the important transition from one classroom to the next and explore topics like project-based learning, community service initiatives and Willowwind's dedication to a small classroom environment.  Please plan to attend the Transition Night program with Ms. Christine, our 1/2 teacher.

In addition to your own visit to the 1/2 classroom, do you have family, friends, coworkers, or neighbors with children preparing for Kindergarten? Invite them, too, to Willowwind's annual Curriculum Transition Night to learn more about Willowwind's unique Kindergarten program.  Encourage those you know to attend the event.  Childcare will be available during this time.  Please email Rachel Butler at rachelb@willowwind.org to communicate your child care needs.

PS:  Please notice that Curriculum Transition Night will occur on Tuesday, January 20th and Martin Luther King Jr.'s Day of Service will occur the day before on Monday, January 19th.  Last week's blog post about our Day of Service included the wrong date.  I apologize for the inconvenience.

Volunteer Opportunity: Wild Wolf Cafe

Below is an important message from our our 5/6 grade friends - the owners of Wild Wolf Cafe.

Earn a free meal from the Wild Wolf Cafe!

The Wolves are looking for assistance with transporting meals for the Wild Wolf Cafe. On Tuesdays, pizza and salad need to be picked up at The Wedge and on Fridays, BBQ needs to be picked up at Jimmy Jack's Rib Shack. As a thank you for your assistance, we will give you a free cafe meal on that day! This is a great opportunity to both earn family service hours and to join your child for lunch. 

How does it work? 

1. Sign up for a pick up day: Click here to sign up.

2. Pick up the payment check for the business after school the day before you are scheduled to pick up. The check will be available at the front desk. 

3. Pick up the food at 11:00 AM at either The Wedge or Jimmy Jack's. 

4. Deliver the food to Willowwind and stay for lunch! We'd love for you to see the cafe in action and to enjoy the time with your child. 

5. If you are unable to stay for lunch, you may give your free lunch to your child. 

Thank you for helping our cafe business thrive! 

The Wolves

PS:  Have you signed up for Wild Wolf Cafe meals?  Wolf students are available to help with meal purchases daily in the Front Entryway to sell meal tickets.  Please see them if you are interested in purchasing a single meal for your child, a weekly meal, or an unlimited card.  Wild Wolf Cafe works with local business like Z'Mariks, Banditos, Jimmy Jack's, and Pizza Ranch to provide catered lunches to Willowwind.  These lunches help you with the ease of packing lunches and it also helps our Wolf friends as proceeds go towards their annual week long class trip to Camp Edwards in Illinois.

MLK's Day of Service Volunteer Needs

Thank you so much for your thoughtful contributions already as we gear up for our MLK Jr. Day of Service.  Below are additional needs for another Service Learning Group.  Let me know if you have questions.  Thank you.

Crisis Heroes:  (Debbie / Stacia / Lou)
The Crisis Heroes would like to sell hot cocoa as a fundraiser for the Crisis Center. They will be selling hot cocoa for 50 cents before school on Friday, January 16. They are looking for donations of hot cocoa mix and disposable cups for hot drinks. Please bring those donations to Debbie Wilson's classroom. Thank you!

WW Hospital Helpers:  (Michelle / Ryan)

The "Willowwind Hospital Helpers" group is working to plan two drives to help UIHC provide young patients with gifts to make their in-patient stay more welcoming.  Your help is needed with both of our drives.  Thank you for your support.

Bake Sale Drive:  "WW Hospital Helpers" will be hosting a Bake Sale next week (W-F) before and after school and on the morning of our Day of Service (Mon, Jan 20) where you can purchase baked goods for a suggested donation, but first we are looking for help.  Please click HERE if you'd like to contribute goods to our Bake Sale by Tuesday, January 13.  The Bake Sale's monetary donations will go towards buying "wish list" items or will be donated directly to UIHC’s Children's Hospital.

Wish List Drive:  We would also like to collect donated supplies, toys, clothes, and other needs.  You will find a UIHC's Wish List Donations posting to gain a sense of what can be donated and a "Wish List Drive" drop off box in the Entryway for donated items.  All items must be brand new for health regulations.

In addition, the WW Hospital Helpers are in need of parent drivers on our Day of Service (Mon, Jan 20).  If you are interested in helping out let us know.  We will be leaving WW around 9:30 and returning between 11:30 and 12:00.  Thank you!

MLK Jr.'s Day of Service - Monday, January 20

Willowwind School is very excited to be celebrating MLK Jr. Day (Monday, January 20th) by heading out into our community to complete service projects.  Each student was placed in a K-6 multi-age group at the start of the year in planning their day to give back.  Below is the description of what each group will be doing.  Ask your student what group they are in.  Thank you!

**Please send a booster seat for this day if your child requires one and their group will be travel on Monday, January 20th - our Day of Service.**

WW Hospital Helpers:  (Michelle / Ryan)

The "Willowwind Hospital Helpers" group is working to plan two drives to help UIHC provide young patients with gifts to make their in-patient stay more welcoming.  Your help is needed with both of our drives.  Thank you for your support.

Bake Sale Drive:  "WW Hospital Helpers" will be hosting a Bake Sale next week (W-F) before and after school and on the morning of our Day of Service (Mon, Jan 20) where you can purchase baked goods for a suggested donation, but first we are looking for help.  Please click HERE if you'd like to contribute goods to our Bake Sale by Tuesday, January 13.  The Bake Sale's monetary donations will go towards buying "wish list" items or will be donated directly to UIHC’s Children's Hospital.

Wish List Drive:  We would also like to collect donated supplies, toys, clothes, and other needs.  You will find a UIHC's Wish List Donations posting to gain a sense of what can be donated and a "Wish List Drive" drop off box in the Entryway for donated items.  All items must be brand new for health regulations.

In addition, the WW Hospital Helpers are in need of parent drivers on our Day of Service (Mon, Jan 20).  If you are interested in helping out let us know.  We will be leaving WW around 9:30 and returning between 11:30 and 12:00.  Thank you!

Crisis Heroes: (Debbie / Stacia / Lou)

Half of the Crisis Heroes group is preparing a food drive for the Crisis Center. They will be collecting food from January 12-16 to be delivered to the Crisis Center on our Service Learning Group Day, January 19. We will be collecting canned foods, such as meat, beans, fruit, vegetables, and soup.

The other half is working on a blanket drive for the Crisis Center. They are collecting gently used or new blankets. They are also asking for Fleece by the yard so that we can make tie blankets to give. Any blanket material you can donate would be greatly appreciated!

Cutie Mark Crusaders: (Christine / Rachel D.)

The Crusaders have selected to work with Walden Place (a retirement community). The students are working together to create a fun morning to spend with the residents of Walden Place on our MLK Jr. Day of Service. They are creating a script for a video performance that they will record to share with the residents. On Monday, January 19th the students will spend the morning at Walden Place, where they will interact with residents through playing traditional games like chess, checkers, Candy Land, Jenga, and Chutes and Ladders, as well as reading books and sharing their video performance. If you have any games or brain puzzles you'd like to donate the students would love to leave our new friends with some new entertainment. It is our hopes that young and old come together for smiles, laugh, and fun. In the afternoon, our group will join together with other Willowwind friends to build community through completing projects throughout Willowwind. We can't wait to share our experiences with you.

Save the Date: Authors' Cocoa - NEXT Fri 12.19

Willowwind is pleased to announce our annual Authors' Cocoa!  At this wonderful tradition each student has the opportunity to select and share original writing pieces with the Willowwind community.  YOU ARE INVITED to attend our Authors' Cocoa and listen to our beautiful poetry.

You're Invited!!  Authors' Cocoa

Who:  Willowwind Friends K-6

What:  Share Writing Pieces

Where:  Willowwind School's GD Space

When: 
 Thursday, December 18 12:30 - 2:00 pm for Grades 3-6

 Friday, December 19 1:30 - 3:00 pm for Grades K-2

Due to our quickly growing student body, our students are set to share on two different days.  Please mark your calendar for the K-2 day, but we'd love to have you attend both days if you are able.  Come see what our older friends work on in their classes and are capable of doing!

Why: To share our love for reading and writing with you!

We are still in need of parent volunteers to help out with:

•  day of set up (Thursday)

•  day of tear down (Thursday & Friday)

•  cocoa serving needs (Friday).

Please click HERE to sign up to help.

As a reminder, Winter Break begins on Saturday, December 20th.  Willowwind will be closed through Sunday, January 4th.  Classes resume and the office reopens on Monday, January 5th.