LWS | January 2023 Newsletter

NEWSLETTER JANUARY

Students should arrive at school no earlier than 8:10 a.m. and be picked up after school no later than 3:10 p.m. If a student is being dropped off or picked up, the driver must adhere to the one-way sign at the entrance of the parking lot. Drivers must NEVER go the wrong way in the parking lot as this is unsafe for students and staff.

DEAR LONGWOOD FAMILIES,

PRINCIPAL’S CORNER

HAPPY NEW YEAR LONGWOOD FAMILIES!

I hope you and your children have had a relaxing and renewed winter break. Our Longwood staff have also used this winter break to relax and rejuvenate as we prepare to have a strong start to the 2023 year. While we will experience a few unavoidable changes in a few classes when we return, we want to assure you all that we are dedicated to the education and social-emotional well-being of all students.

As the new yeAr begins, i wAnt to thAnk:

• All the people in the district that support Longwood and strive to give students the very best. For example, teachers, paraprofessionals, lunch staff, front office staff, bus drivers, custodians, and the Office of the Superintendent and her directors.

• All the volunteers that aid our staff as chaperones and classroom helpers, as well as providing treats and supplies for classrooms.

• And all of you who are doing your very best to send your children to school to learn with us everyday.

cmayze@brookwood167.org

School Hours

Students’ school day is from 8:30 a.m. until 3:10 p.m.

Students should not arrive earlier than 8:10 am.

When Is Lunch?

One of the most common questions asked by students at the start of the year is, “When is lunch?”. Below you will find the start times for lunch and recess for each grade level:

Kindergarten & 1st Grade 11:10 a.m. - 11:50 a.m.

2nd & 3rd Grade 12:30 p.m. - 1:10 p.m.

4th Grade 11:50 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Carnisha Mayze Principal

PRINCIPAL’S CORNER

We will continue to invite families into the school with our family events. Please look out for my communications on ClassDojo for updated event information.

Also, to help improve our attendance metrics, we will start a new attendance incentive/competition focusing on tardiness. It will be called “Don’t Be Tardy for the Party”. Please look out for information regarding this incentive in our weekly Lion News.

Finally, remember that we are entering the heart of winter. Please ensure that students are dressed appropriately for the weather. If the weather is below 40 degrees, recess is automatically indoors.

It is hard to believe that we have completed half of our school year. I am so glad to see all the academic and social growth and progress that our students have made. Let’s keep up the good work.

Attendance/Absences/Tardies

To ensure that our students excel academically, they must attend school daily and be on time. When students are tardy, they miss valuable instruction, primarily in reading and language arts. Attendance will be tied into our school’s PBIS expectations in which students will be able to earn rewards and participate in fun activities.

When your child has to be absent, please inform the front office. Our absentee number is 708-756-2872.

COMMUNICATION & INFORMATION

Our teachers do an excellent job of communicating with families. Here is where you can stay informed proactively:

• School and District Website - www.brookwood167.org

• Lion News - Weekly school newsletter that will be sent home on Fridays

• ClassDojo - It is essential that you sign up for the Principal’s ClassDojo. If you have not already joined, an invitation will be sent to you during the first week of school. To join, you will need either your phone number or email address.

• A phone call or an email is an efficient way to communicate with your child’s teacher. Please remember that our teachers are with students throughout the day and will return the call/email as soon as possible. At times, this may be the next school day.

If a child has any symptoms listed below, they should stay home in the morning or go home if these symptoms first occur at school.

IF MY CHILD IS SICK, WHEN SHOULD I KEEP THEM HOME?

When a child can return to school is based on the specific symptom they have.

• Fever of 100.4 or higher

• New onset of moderate to severe headache

• Shortness of breath, new cough, sore throat

• Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea

• Abdominal pain from unknown cause

• New congestion/runny nose

• New loss of sense of taste or smell

• Fatigue from unknown cause

• Muscle or body aches

If you answer “YES” to any of the above, your child MUST stay home. Please call the school to report your child’s absence (708) 756-2872 (Option 1.)

HEALTH TIP

One precaution to help stop the spread of germs is to not share personal items.

Some of these include water bottles, lip balms, hats, hairbrushes, and EarPods. These items should only be used by the individual to whom they belong.

POSITIVE BEHAVIORAL INTENVENTIONS & SUPPORT (PBIS)

PBIS is an evidence-based school-wide multi-tiered framework that establishes support for all students to improve social, emotional, behavioral, and academic outcomes.

It is a way to create an equitable learning environment so that all students can thrive. This school year, we will be focused on providing Tier I PBIS support for all students and Tier II interventions for some students. This will allow us to encourage and reward students for following behavior expectations and working toward achieving academic success.

Each week, there will be a Cool Tool that will be taught to all students. These Cool Tools reinforce Longwood’s School-Wide behavior and character expectations. We will communicate the Cool Tools with families through our weekly newsletter, The Lion News, and encourage families to discuss these Cool Tool expectations at home.

On Tuesday, December 20th, we held our monthly Longwood PBIS Assembly. Our PBIS assemblies are a celebration of students following school expectations. We recognize students for all the effort they put into trying to do the right thing. We also have a little fun! At our assembly, we recognized the Students of the Month for November. All Students of the Month received a certificate, a treat bag, and a PBIS Medal of Honor. they Also received PiZZA!

I am excited to share with you that for the second year in a row, our Superintendent and Board of Education has decided to provide our students with a set of school supplies to use at school and a set to use at home! Your child should have brought home a school supply kit. Please let us know if your child has not come home with a home kit. If your child needs any additional resources or supplies for any of their classes, please contact our school office at (708) 757-2100, so we can help provide them with all necessary and needed materials.

SCHOOL SUPPLIES

POWERSCHOOL

All Brookwood teachers use an online grading system called “PowerSchool” that they update every Thursday.

We encourage you to check your child’s progress regularly. This program is confidential; therefore, you will need an access username and password to see your child’s progress. If you need your username and password, please contact the school office at (708) 757-2100. A PowerSchool app for your cellular phone makes it easy for parents to stay updated on their child’s progress.

TECHNOLOGY HELPLINE

If your child is having any technology problems connecting to their teacher’s Google Classroom, please contact our help desk at (708) 300-3553 or email our help desk

helpdesk@brookwood167.org

Please leave a detailed message with your name, child’s name, phone number, and the issue you are having with the device.

MISSION STATEMENT

Brookwood School District 167, in partnership with parents and the community, will create a learning environment in which all students excel at becoming lifelong learners and decision-makers.

WE BELIEVE

• Families shape their children’s motivation, confidence, and academic success by being interested and involved in their overall development.

• All students are unique and should be challenged to the highest level of academic and artistic excellence.

• In the importance of staff development opportunities based on best practices and educational research.

• In educating our children in a safe and nurturing environment with access to state-of-the-art technology.

• The school system should teach students to think critically enabling them to become contributing citizens in our global society.

• In continuous improvement in all aspects of the school system to foster a culture of excellence, Accountability, and integrity.

• In responsible stewardship of financial and physical resources.

VISION STATEMENT

Our overall vision is to improve the achievement of all students, regardless of race, socio-economic status, gender, or ability levels (disabilities). We share the accountability of student achievement throughout the school. We believe in using research-based practices to achieve our goals. We promote school and community involvement because we believe that these partnerships help us meet the needs of all of our students.

WE ARE COMMITTED TO

1. Providing students with highly qualified teachers

2. Providing our staff with professional development

PBIS EXPECTATIONS

Longwood’s School-Wide PBIS Matrix that students will use to follow behavior expectations throughout the different spaces within the school.

CLASSDOJO

What is ClassDojo?

PLEASE JOIN OUR CLASSDOJO’S AND STAY INFORMED!

It is important that you sign up for the Principal’s Class Dojo. I post important information such as if a bus is running late, important reminders regarding picture day, graduation information and other important topics.

PLEASE SIGN UP TODAY!

ClassDojo is actively used in 90% of U.S. K-8 schools.

ClassDojo is a free app that helps build amazing classroom and school communities. Teachers give feedback to students for any skill, like “Working Hard” and “Being Curious.”

From the mobile app, parents view their child’s feedback, and can message directly with teachers and school leaders.

Please join my ClassDojo so you can stay informed on what is happening at Longwood School.

If you would like to join, please accept the invitation that we emailed to you or texted you, or contact the school at (708) 757-2100, email, cmayze@brookwood167.org. All you will need to provide is your cell phone number or email address.

GET INVOLVED AND STAY INFORMED!

CLASSROOM SPOTLIGHT

This month, Ms. Morgan’s 1st Grade class learned all things gingerbread. They read different versions of the folktale The Gingerbread Man, learned about the gingerbread capital of the world in Germany, and learned about gingerbread architecture in Haiti.

Students used marshmallows and toothpicks to create a two-story structure on a clay foundation that could withstand an earthquake, just like the gingerbread homes in Haiti did after the earthquake of 2010.

BOOK CAMPAIGN

This year, students will be encouraged to read outside of school and daily. Our goal is to build the reading habits of our students. It has been proven that the more you read, the better reader you become. To encourage leisure reading, Longwood will hold our first 1,500 Book Campaign.

Students will pledge to read 1,500 books over the course of the 22-23 school year. Currently, we are at 682 books! Please encourage your child to read every night for at least 30 minutes. When we reach our goal, we will have a school wide celebration in April!

CONGRATULATIONS!

Students of the Month

Readers of the Month

Kindergarten: Jordan Walker

2nd Grade: DeShawn Wiley

1st Grade: Emory Relford

3rd Grade: Emilio Tavares

CONGRATULATIONS!

Classroom of the Month

The Classroom of the Month is chosen by the Principal and the MTSS Coordinator.

The Admin Team is looking for classrooms that demonstrate responsibility, are respectful to their peers and adults, and follow the PBIS expectations in all areas of the school.

Our Classroom of the Month for November is 1st Grade Ms. Teske’s Class! These students will also be rewarded with a trophy that will travel each month and, of course, pizza.

Lastly, we gave students the opportunity to win treats by playing a fun game. As a result, 1st Grade - Ms. Morgan, and 3rd Grade - Ms. Eaton’s classes won popsicles.

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OUR LONGWOOD STUDENTS!

A LONGWOOD CHRISTMAS

On Wednesday, December 21st, Longwood held its holiday program, “A Longwood Christmas”. The program included presentations from our Leadership through Drama Club as well as our choir the Longwood Singing Stars. Families were able to decorate cookies, make ornaments and picture frames, and visit Santa. We look forward to hosting this event next year.

MUSEUM OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY

2nd Grade Field Trip to the Museum of Science and Industry

On Thursday, December 8th, our 2nd graders joined the 2nd graders at Hickory Bend on a field trip to the Museum of Science and Industry. Students got to experience the Christmas Around the World display, an 80-year tradition for the museum, and see the LEGO 12 Days of Christmas Sculpture.

FOOD SERVICE

LONGWOOD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL VISITORS

New Food Service Partnership

Our Superintendent and Board of Education know how important proper nutrition affects our students’ learning. This year we will be purchasing our school breakfast and lunch from - QUEST FOOD MANAGEMENT SERVICE.

Quest Food Management Servic is passionate about food and they believe in wholesome, nutritious ingredients. That is why they are committed to using items that are healthier for both our student’s bodies and the planet.

Quest Food Management Service, provide communities with fresh, high-quality food, exceptional responsiveness, and intensely personal service.

By purchasing with the following standards in mind and preparing items so that they are as fresh as possible when served, they support local agriculture, increase nutrition, and intensify the flavor.

If you need to come into the school for any reason, for safety reasons, you will be required to wear a mask, and you will need to have a current Driver’s License that will be checked in our Raptor Security System.

Raptor® provides a line of sight as to who is always in our school. The system provides school and districtwide reporting for all visitors, volunteers, and contractors that have signed in/out of our buildings. This is important for safety reasons.