5th Grade Kickball Thursday, May 25, 2 pm

 

The 5th-grade kickball game has been rescheduled to Thursday, May 25. This game will be teachers vs. students.  The plan is to have the game on Thursday afternoon at 2 pm, weather permitting. 

Testing Re-administration 

 

Students in Grades 3, 4, and 5 will take the End of Grade (EOG) State Test at the end of this school year.  Should your child meet the criteria for our EOG Remediation and Re-administration program, you will receive an invitation for your child to attend the program after the EOG testing window closes for our school on June 2nd.  For your planning purposes, the program dates for the end of the school year are Monday, June 12th, and Wednesday, June 14th. Transportation will be provided, and breakfast and lunch will be available.

EOC/EOG score reports in PowerSchool

A message to parents about accessing Individual Student Reports (ISR) for EOG and EOC administrations will be sent to parents on May 24. ISRs for students who take EOG or EOC assessments in the spring will be available in PowerSchool. PDFs of the ISRs will be available in FIFO. This year Wiley will continue its practice of sending out paper copies.  Additional information about ISRs can be found on the WCPSS Understanding EOG/EOC Test Results page and through this short video.

 

3 - 5  End of Grade (EOG) Testing May 31 - June 2nd 

We will begin EOG testing on May 31 for third through fifth-grade students. It is not our intention to make this a stressful time of year, so we will do our best to help you prepare your child to relax and bring their best self to testing. Please begin to check your calendars to ensure that your child is present during this time as their attendance is important and makeup is required to be scheduled up until the last day. This becomes a juggling act given all other end-of-the-year events and we do not want our makeup schedule to disrupt events already planned.  

Transportation Message 

In preparation for the next school year, select families received a message on Friday, May 19  with general information about transportation registration. The message went out to students on all calendars who are currently assigned to transportation for the current school year and who are eligible for next year.

 

View your student’s 2023-24 Transportation status via your student’s Homebase/Powerschool account. Sign up for an account at your student’s school. More information on Home Base is available at www.wcpss.net/student-information.  We are working to make sure all parent portals are enabled. 

FYI - Increased law enforcement 

The NC Department of Public Safety has directed all law enforcement officers in the state to increase their presence on school campuses. As a result, expect to see officers from various agencies driving through or parked on WCPSS  parking lots. Some may be in plain clothes and driving unmarked cars. This is another measure to ensure that our schools remain safe. 

Media Center End-of-Year Updates 

 

As the school year ends there are some important dates that I need for you to have. Vist the link above for other information regarding Devices and pertinent information. 

 

Last Day for Students to check out books: 

Friday May 19, 2023

 

All books (students) returned to the Media Center: 

Friday May 26, 2023

 

Quarterly Review, Wednesday, May 17

 

Thank you to everyone who attended or intended to attend our Quarterly Review last week. This was a great opportunity to learn about Wiley’s School Improvement Plan, our goals, and our progress toward those goals. Linked below are the presentations provided by each committee. This year Wiley has four committees, including the Math Committee, ELA (English Language Arts) Committee, the Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Committee, and the  Global Committee. Each committee works toward implementing policy and action steps that impact student achievement at Wiley.  

 

Presentations: Math Committee, ELA Committee, SEL Committee, Global Committee

Field Day June 6 

 

Coach Lavanway has graciously agreed to provide our students with a Field Day on June 6. This event will occur by grade level during their normal language and elective block. At this time, Mr. Lavanway has not requested volunteers as this will be considered a modified version of what might be considered a traditional field day. Stay tuned for more details as Mr. Lavanway prepares for this event. 

Wiley Playground Afterschool 

 

As the weather continues to warm and our families enjoy our playground area, we ask that all families make sure that they keep a close eye on their children. We love that our families are able to gather on the playground after school to strengthen relationships and build community, but it is imperative that this includes keeping a watchful eye on your child. Students should be with a responsible adult at all times during dismissal and directly following dismissal, to ensure that all children are safe and accounted for after school. Per policy, school visitors, including parents and guardians are expected to comply with all applicable school rules and Board policies, and as a result, Ms. Ware has compiled a list of suggestions and expectations linked above to make sure that we keep children on campus safe and a place that we can all enjoy. Thank you in advance for helping us in this endeavor. 

Counselor’s Corner w/ Mrs. O

Thriving through Difficult Times with Hope and Optimism

May is Mental Health Month.  We need to encourage conversation, de-stigmatize mental health challenges, and offer insights into supporting the social and emotional aspects of ourselves and our children. I hope you find this article useful. 

Kids and teens have been stressed.  The pandemic has taken its toll and no doubt parents feel that too.  Several parents have observed behavioral changes in their children including poor sleeping and eating habits, increased irritability, moodiness, anger, non-compliance, and anxieties manifesting in many ways.

There are ways to feel better.  If major changes are noticed, look for how frequently and when they occur, and consult a therapist who can suggest effective interventions.  Additionally, here are some ideas to try at home:

1. Model calm

Children and teens pick up stress levels in their parents. So the more calm a parent can be, the more they're reassuring their child.  

2. Focus on what's working

Shift focus from your child's worrisome behavior by paying attention to what's going right and reinforce it.  Try saying things like "You look really upset, but you talked about it, you stayed calm, and you asked for what you needed."  

3. Create soothing spaces

 A cozy space where your child feels safe and can regroup is a healthy way of dealing with stress and anxiety.  

4. Support kids' friendships

Connections to friends are important for kids' psychological development.

5. Have open and honest conversations

When children are sad or upset, the best gift parents can give them is time. Sit with them and give them time; time to wait and listen to what they have to say. And be honest when talking with your child no matter what their age. That might mean admitting you don't know the answer to a question and offering to look it up together.  

6. Build a hopeful vision of the future

Being honest and direct is actually a way of teaching your child to feel hopeful. Hope isn't about pretending that everything's okay; it's about recognizing that things can be very difficult and that in the midst of all of that, we can still find ways to grow as individuals and as a family.

As always, I am here to help. Please let me know if I can assist you further. I can be reached at school or via email at nomonte@wcpss.net

Cecilia Rawlins Fund

 

The Cecilia Rawlins Fund, named for a beloved former Wiley principal, serves the Wiley community by addressing hunger and other critical needs for Wiley students and families. CRF funds the Backpack Buddies program at Wiley, which ensures all students have food resources when not at school, currently supporting more than 50 Wiley students. We supplement that program with direct food assistance to families during winter and summer breaks. We also provide one-time financial assistance for families experiencing emergency needs such as housing, utilities, and transportation. Meeting all of these needs requires approximately $40,000 per year.

 

We rely on generous support from donors to achieve this mission. If you are able, please consider donating to CRF either as a one-time donation or as an ongoing, monthly 'sponsor.'  Donate here. We are a completely volunteer-run organization. If our mission speaks to you, and you are interested in getting involved, please reach out to the CRF Board at ceciliarawlinsfund@gmail.com.

EVERY Student is getting a Yearbook! 

Good news! This year, EVERY student at Wiley will get a 2022-23 yearbook, regardless of ability to pay!

A group of parents and students have volunteered their time and funds, working hard all year to ensure that the yearbook will be a cherished keepsake preserving memories of friendships and fun. Yearbooks will be delivered on the last week of school and will include memories from throughout the year.

 

If you are able to buy a yearbook but haven't yet purchased one, you may pay for your student’s yearbook here. Also, please consider ‘paying it forward’ and buying a yearbook for another student! The Wiley Way!  https://www.wileypta.org/shop/p/22-23-yearbook

Shade for the playgrounds

 

The Wiley PTA is excited to announce the successful funding and upcoming installation of cantilever shades for seating in both of the school’s playgrounds, providing relief from the sun for students and teachers. The installations, also including a new bench in the lower playground, will be carried out by Carolina Parks and Play before the end of June, ready for the 23/24 school year. We are grateful for the generous support of our families, friends, and our Forest Park neighbors! 

Wiley Band 

 

Wiley Band will hold its Spring Concert this Wednesday, May 24th at 6 pm in the Learning Commons! All Wiley students and families are welcome. We encourage you to support the Wiley Band students and take this opportunity to learn about our wonderful band program.

 

All 3rd-5th graders are eligible to join the band. Our band director offers world-class instruction and preparation for middle school band programs. If you are interested in joining for the 23-24 school year, visit this site to learn more and fill out an interest form.

 

Media Center Volunteers Wanted! 

 

As we approach the end of the year, Mrs. Bryant could use an extra set of hands (or two) to keep the media center organized. Assistance is needed in checking in and shelving books and keeping the media center tidy. Stop by any day and time of the week to volunteer. Your help is greatly appreciated. 

 

Questions, Comments, Concerns 

Do you have a Question, Comment, or Concern? If so, fill out the form attached above and someone will get back to you within the week, if necessary. 

Preguntas, Comentarios, Inquietudes

¿Tiene alguna pregunta, comentario o preocupación? Si es así, complete el formulario adjunto arriba y alguien se comunicará con usted dentro de la semana, si es necesario. 

 

Upcoming Dates

 

May 24          Spring Band Concert at Wiley (Beginning, Continuing, and Alumni) 6 pm 

 

May 25           Annual Kickball Game (rescheduled due to rain) 2 pm

 

May 26           School-day Concert for 2nd-5th Grades (Beginning and Continuing Band 10:30 am - 11 am  

 

May 29           Memorial Day Holiday

 

June 6            Field Day  (During Grade Level electives) 

 

May 31 - 2      3- 5 EOG testing 

June 8            5th Grade Promotion Ceremony  9:30 am 

 

June 9            Last Day of School