Updates 9/30/13

Updates 9/30/13

Tutor Training
Tutor training will take place on Tuesday, Oct. 8, 3:00-3:45 pm, in the French and Spanish rooms.  All tutors, whether working one-on-one with the same student each week OR providing in-class support to various students, are strongly encouraged to attend.  Please RVSP to Judy Williams, jwilliams7@wcpss.net.

Communicating Ideas
Today's guest bloggers are Dr. Cecconi-Roberts and Mrs. McCann

As we have started school, you may notice that your child is being asked questions beyond the simple, “What is…”  Teachers are increasing the complexity in reading and writing in all areas by encouraging students to think more creatively and innovatively.  Teachers are asking rigorous questions and giving tasks that are open ended and asking them to problem solve and reflect rather than providing one simple answer.  Many students can complete numerical equations until the equation is “hidden” in a paragraph that requires them to think about how to use their mathematical knowledge to solve the problem.  

At home, you can help your child practice answering the type of questions his/her teacher would ask. Not only can you ask questions about facts and details, but follow up with “how” and “why” questions to promote thinking and reflection.  Two examples are, “Why did you decide on that answer?” and “What information led you to think that?”

You can easily start by asking these sorts of questions:

Sample Question Starters
Language Arts	Math	Science	Social Studies
Which Character…? Why did…? If…? Which clues…? Where did…? Which word or phrase…? What event…?	When I compare…? When I order…? What information…? Which phrases…? How do I…? I wonder if another solution…?	Which reaction…? If I did this again would…? Why did this…? How did this…? How might the results change if…?	What led to …? Which events were…? How did they…? Why did they…? How might things have been different if…?

So next time you are talking with your child, think about the questions you are asking them.  Do your questions allow your child to problem solve, be creative or reflect?  When your child sees that you are invested in helping think, they might be more excited to work through difficult or required tasks.  Let’s keep our children innovative and creative!

Walk to School Day

Please join us in celebrating International Walk to School Day with others around the world at Cameron Village Library! Our walk will begin at 8:30 and staff will be at Cameron Village at 8:20 to help supervise students.

•Please check in with your child’s teacher upon arrival.

•We will begin our walk at 8:30am.

•Permission slips are due October 2nd and parents / guardians are welcome to share this experience with their child.

•Bus Routes will be routed to Cameron Village Library.

•Scheduled Walking Route - Cross the street at the library (Clark) and then turn Right onto Johnson St.  We will then turn Right onto East Park and Left onto Valley View up to the school.  The trickiest crossings are Clark St. and then again where East Park crosses Park.

•Please remember to wear your Wiley T-Shirt.

Upcoming Events

Classroom Cleaning Day; October 3 at 4:30

Gardens and Grounds Day; October 5 at 9:00am

International Walk to School Day, October 9 (don't forget to turn in permission forms)

International Book Fair, begins October 14th

Fall Band Concert, October 17th, 7:00pm

Early Release, 1:15pm dismissal, October 18th

3rd grade parents AIG information/CogAT test results explanation; October 23, 5:30pm

Fall Pictures, October 25th

Teacher Workday, No School, October 28th

Wiley PTA Updates

Updated PTA Calendar

The website (www.wileypta.org) has an up-to-date calendar of all events and meetings.

Wiley Family Directory

The PTA is working hard to get an up-to-date directory out to the Wiley Family as soon as possible. It is a great resource to use to reach your children’s friends. In addition, the PTA will add your email to the PTA information listserve so that you will receive updates on all PTA events.  Inclusion in the directory is optional.  It will only be shared with Wiley students and families.   

We need your help to make sure we have up-to-date information and your permission to include it in the directory.  Please fill out one form if all of your Wiley students have the same parent / guardians. If your children have multiple parent / guardians, please fill out multiple forms. This year you can fill out the form in one of two ways: 

• By  accessing the following link: 

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/WileyDirectoryInputForm

• By completing the form that will come home in today’s Monday folder and returning it to your child’s teacher by October 9th.    

Thanks so much for providing your information!  If you have questions, email directory@wileypta.org

Wiley Restaurant Day at Neomonde, October 2

Mark  your calendar for October 2nd--Neomonde restaurant at 3817 Beryl Rd will be donating 15% of ALL sales to Wiley! 

Plan to  bring the whole family out to support Wiley while enjoying some of the best Middle Eastern food in the city. Tell everyone you know! 

Wiley Cleaning Day, Volunteers Needed!, October 3, 4:30pm
Wiley is having a massive Classroom Cleaning Day on 10/3/13 from 4:30 to 6pm. Five volunteers are needed for each classroom, help is also needed for other school spaces. To sign up, go to: www.SignUpGenius.com/go/30E0D4CA4A622A57-classroom/11449299

Please do not bring any cleaning chemicals like Lysol or Clorox. Wiley uses Green Cleaning products for the health of our children.  

Grounds Cleanup Day at Wiley, October 5, 9 a.m. – 12:00 noon

Please join us for the fall clean-up & weeding at school.  We will provide the limited numbers of the following items:

• Gloves, bags, some tools (e.g. brooms, rake, etc.)
• Water bottles & snacks

If you have garden gloves and tools, please bring them.  If severe weather is expected, the event will be rescheduled at 9am - 12noon on 10/12/2013 (SAT). Updates on any cancellation will go out on the Wiley PTA Facebook page and via email to parents on the PTA email list. 

Wiley International Book Fair—Save the Date  and Call for Volunteers

The 2013 International Book Fair is almost here.  Join us October 14th -  17^th in the Media Center where we will offer fiction, non-fiction, storybooks, activity books, calendars, cookbooks and other media with an international focus for all grade levels.  You’ll have the opportunity to enrich your children’s library with books about other cultures. More information on the book fair will come out soon. 

In the meantime, we are looking for volunteers to help us with all aspects of the book fair, especially staffing, set-up, and clean-up. This year’s book fair volunteer schedule has opportunities that will fit every schedule—day, night, weekend. You can sign up at the following link: 

http://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C044BACA62AA02-wiley1/5961202

If you have questions, email international.book.fair@wileypta.org. 

Volunteer Registration

All continuing volunteers approved for the 2012-2013 school year MUST reactivate as a volunteer no later than 4:00 p.m. on October 31, 2013. You can register at any Wake County school. After this date, you are required to re-enroll in the volunteer registry any Monday from 9:00am-4:00pm. 

Update 9/23/13

Inaugural Guest Blog Post 

This week, I am excited to introduce a new feature of our blog. We will have a blog post authored by two Wiley teachers. They will share information on how our international magnet elements "look" at Wiley in a variety of ways. 

Today's Guest Bloggers are Sra Henderson and Mme Mehta

     The Wiley staff, parents, and curriculum encourages students to investigate the world beyond their immediate environment and to become globally competent students. One of the ways students achieve this is through our language electives. 

     Studying a foreign language can be a daunting task for many people.  Students at Wiley have been taught how to pay close attention when listening to a conversation in French or Spanish. They will no doubt hear some words that sound similar to English words. Teachers go over the conversation or song and have students identify words that they understand or recognize. The same can be said for reading a text in a foreign language. Many Spanish, French and English words have Greek or Latin roots. This makes it much easier for readers or listeners to recognize cognates. A cognate is a word with similar spelling and sound that is used in other languages.  According to Cognates.org there are more that 20,000 cognates!!!

     Ask your child to point out cognates to you. To see how much you understand during a French conversation, try listening to a Disney movie scene in French or Spanish on YouTube.com  with your child or pull up  a text from a Google search on a subject that interests you and see how much of it you and your child can understand or decipher.  The world of foreign languages is at your fingertips, literally.

     In our language electives at Wiley, we continuously develop strategies to help students to increase understanding of languages.

Look for Dr. Cecconi-Roberts and Mrs. McCann's post next week with ways to support your child in Communicating Ideas through Effective Questioning.

Tutor Training
Tutor training will take place on Tuesday, Oct. 8, 3:00-3:45 pm, in the French and Spanish rooms.  All tutors, whether working one-on-one with the same student each week OR providing in-class support to various students, are strongly encouraged to attend.  Please RVSP to Judy Williams, jwilliams7@wcpss.net.

Wiley Celebration!
As you know, Wiley's German teacher during the last two years was Ms. Gabriele Verhoeven. We all adore her and were constantly impressed with her teaching of our students! We were not alone--Ms. Verhoeven was just named the 2013 AATG K-8 Outstanding German Educator by the AATG. This prestigious award is given annually in recognition of innovative teaching, extraordinary talent, and exceptional leadership in the German teaching profession. This outstanding achievement is an honor for Ms. Verhoeven and her Wiley students! It is also a bittersweet celebration, because Ms. Verhoeven had to leave Wiley in August due to the needs of her family. We miss her, but are OH SO proud of her! Please join me in sending her celebratory thoughts. 

Safety Reminder
Always sign in to the office when you are on campus. Please come straight to the office when you arrive on campus, sign in, and only go to the location of which you identified. This helps everyone maintain a safe, secure learning environment!  

Don't Forget Friday is an EARLY RELEASE DAY. Dismissal will begin at 1:15pm. 

Upcoming Dates
Early Release, September 27th dismissal at 1:15

Classroom Cleaning Day; October 3 at 4:30

Gardens and Grounds Day; October 5 at 10:00am

Wiley PTA Updates

Calling all Wiley Volunteers

Interested in being contacted about volunteer opportunities at PTA events this year? Please complete this brief survey to let us know what you’d like to help with and how to contact you. There are both day and evening opportunities available. Note that by completing the survey, you’re just letting us know that you are interested, rather than committing to a role at the event. 

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/86ZPH8G

Questions? Reach out to vp.communications@wileypta.org

Free Money for Wiley!
Target has extended the deadline to give Wiley a dollar for each vote it gets.  We have 200 votes so far.  Let’s double that by Sept 30! Just a click is all it takes, so share with friends and family!  You can click every 7 days. Just go to this link and press the vote button: https://givewith.target.com/school/47000

Wake County Bond Information Relevant to Wiley
Thank you to everyone who came out on Tuesday for our presentation on  the school bond.  Kim Gazella, co-ordinator of Friends of Wake County,  the school bond steering committee, spoke to us about why she believes it is so important voters vote for the bond on 8 October.  She also answered questions from parents. 

Kim explained that while the primary purpose of the bond is to build  new schools to provide seats for students (our county continues to grow!), it also provides money for some updates at existing schools. Specifically, Wiley is slated to receive electrical panel and HVAC upgrades as well as exterior work to preserve the building and safeguard it from water infiltration and deterioration.

If anyone has any questions about the bond, you can contact me advocacy@wileypta.org and I will then send them on to Kim.  Also, if anyone would like a lawn sign let me know and I will try to get one to you.

Thanks,

Meredith Nelson
Advocacy, Wiley PTA

Update 9/16/13

Updates 9/16/13

Guest Bloggers Coming Soon
Beginning next week, I am excited to announce guest bloggers! I will feature a blog entry written by two staff members about a topic related to one or more of our global competencies: Investigate the World, Communicate Ideas, Recognize Perspectives, and Take Action! Dr. Cecconi-Roberts and Mrs. McCann will start us off next week with ways to support your child in Communicating Ideas through Effective Questioning.

Upcoming Dates
PTA General Membership Meeting-Wake Bond 2013 Team Presentation; Sept. 17th at 7pm
Early Release, September 27th dismissal at 1:15

Classroom Cleaning Day; October 3 at 4:30

Wiley PTA Updates

Classroom Cleaning Day: Volunteers Needed!
Wiley is having a massive Classroom Cleaning Day on 10/3/13 from 4:30 to 6pm. Five volunteers are needed for each classroom, help is also needed for other school spaces. To sign up, go to: www.SignUpGenius.com/go/30E0D4CA4A622A57-classroom/11449299

Phantom Fundraiser Starts NOW
Each year, the Wiley PTA needs to raise money to cover the expenses of offering the programs that make Wiley such an exceptional place to learn and grow. The Phantom Fundraiser is Wiley’s the most important fundraiser—and the most straightforward!  Families simply decide how much they can afford to contribute and then make a donation. There is nothing to sell, nothing to deliver.  And best of all, Wiley receives 100% of the amount you contribute and your contribution is 100% tax deductible.  The Phantom Fundraiser is an important way for families to contribute to the programs we value that will not otherwise be possible. These programs include the Cultural Arts programs, the Talent show, International Night, Science Night, grants for teachers, Wiley Partners tutoring and mentoring programs, Winter Thanks and Staff Appreciation, the beautification of Wiley grounds, and many other programs.  No amount is too large or too small!  Our budget for school programs will be discussed at the general membership meeting Sept. 17, 2013 (at 7:00pm).  A letter will be coming home in Monday Folders with more information about the Phantom Fundraiser and an envelope to send in your donation.  If you wish to donate on-line using PayPal, please go to the Phantom Fundraising link on the Wiley PTA website: http://tinyurl.com/WileyPhantom.  And, if you have any questions, please contact Wiley PTA’s Ways & Means Committee Member, Heather Davis Bauer (Phantom@WileyPTA.org) 


Raleigh Ballet
Please see this FLYER about tickets for the Raleigh Ballet that also supports the Wiley PTA! 

Updates 9/9/13

Updates 9/9/13

Thank you for helping make arrival and dismissal safe for our kids and staff! We have seen improvements in the reduction of cell phone usage and folks using the proper identification. 

We still need your help with:
*Keeping dogs off campus; Dogs cannot come into school grounds (past sidewalks) during school hours or after school play.
*Students should arrive to school and leave from school through cars in the carpool line, out the walker door to their parent, through the YMCA through paid membership, or from a bus. Please make sure you let the office know before 3:15pm if there is a transportation change. 
*If you do not yet have a carpool tag or walker tag and are using those dismissal sites, please get one from the office between 8:45am and 3:15pm. 

Meeting Basic Needs

Wiley staff occasionally becomes aware of students needing the basics (shoes, socks, pants, coats, etc.). We could use your help in providing new or gently used goods when the need arises. Money donations will not ever be requested or accepted for these needs. If you would like to be part of an email group managed by Ms. Williams, Mrs. McMillan, and Mrs. Ware where we request items as needed please send your email address to Mrs. McMillan at kmcmillan3@wcpss.net. Again, this will be an as needed request due to our lack of storage for any apparel. Thank you in advance for supporting our kids! Wiley is the BEST village of them all.   


Open House is Thursday!
We are looking forward to seeing you Thursday at our annual Open House. We will start with our first classroom session from 6:00pm to 6:30pm and the second (repeating the first session) classroom session from 6:40pm to 7:10pm. These sessions will be parent focused and provide an understanding of the daily routines and procedures in the classroom. 

The PTA General Membership meeting will not happen Thursday, but will occur September 17th at 7pm in the media center. Please join us as we hear an important presentation from the Wake Bond 2013 team!

Upcoming Dates
Open House, Sept. 12th at 6pm
PTA General Meeting-Wake Bond 2013 Team Presentation; Sept. 17th at 7pm
Early Release, September 27th dismissal at 1:15

Wiley PTA Updates

Continuing Band Performs at musicSPARK - September 15th

The 8th annual musicSPARK festival is coming up this weekend in Downtown Raleigh, and our Wiley Continuing Band is part of the fun! The Continuing Band will perform on Sunday, September 15th from 3-3:30pm at the Main Stage in City Plaza (outdoors, on the 400 block of Fayetteville Street).  Our band students would love to see you there!

Link your Harris Teeter VIC card

Harris Teeter will give Wiley money for every purchase you make of a Harris Teeter Brand product during the school year.  All you have to do is ask them to link your VIC card!  Last year, Wiley earned almost $900 from Harris Teeter.  At checkout, simply tell the Harris Teeter cashier to link your card to Wiley (#2920), or link on-line at www.harristeeter.com and press the re-link button on right, You have to relink your VIC card every school year!

September 14 and September 21 – You can help Wiley earn even more money at the Harris Teeter VIC Link events at Cameron Village Harris Teeter, 500 Oberlin Road, Raleigh.  You and your Wiley students can help shoppers link their VIC cards to Wiley (to raise funds for all of our students), it is that easy!!!  Please RSVP to Stefanie Reed, jeffandstef@gmail.com - We need to have at least 4 families volunteer to make it worthwhile.  The event will be on September 14 and September 21 from 10am to 1pm, and don't forget your Wiley wear!  You do not have to work both days or the entire 3 hours when you sign up. Please let Stefanie know the best day and time.  We can’t do it alone – we need our Wiley parents!!!

Thank you for your support!

new (limited time) way to support Wiley!

An Easy Way to Raise Money for Wiley!! 

Here's an excellent way for you to get your advance gate tickets to the NC State Fair (Oct. 17-27) and help WILEY raise money!

For every $7.00 adult advance ticket sold, two dollars will be returned to the school.  For every children's advance ticket ($3.00), one dollar will be returned to the school. This money will be used to exclusively fund instructional supplies like iPads, software, and books. 

Please feel free to forward this email to relatives, neighbors, and friends!! The more tickets sold from WILEY supporters, the more money is returned to the school. 

To be sure the money goes back to us, you will need to enter our school code number, which is 620 and is also available from the advance ticket online site:

http://www.etix.com/ticket/online/performanceSearch.jsp?performance_id=1742475&cobrand=ncstatefair13-wakecounty   "

Don't wait too late:  Once the fair starts, the ticket price increases, and no money comes back to us.

Updates 9/3/13

Updates 9/3/13

Hello, Wiley World!
Don't forget that this week is a 3 day week! There is no school this Friday due to a teacher workday. 

Help Us Maintain a Safe Learning Environment
We are lucky to have such a beautiful campus in the middle of a growing city! We need your help in maintaining the beauty and safety at Wiley. 

Please take a moment to review the following requirements:

*All students are required to be dismissed in the office prior to 3:15pm or at carpool, walkers, bus, or YMCA at 3:45pm. Children are not allowed to meet anyone at a location not listed. 
*All students that have walker passes signed by Mrs. McMillan are required to exit the first grade hallway after dismissal by a staff member then immediately leave campus to their appropriate destination. They are not allowed to stay on campus to 'play' due to lack of supervision.
*Walkers that are picked up by a parent or parent's designee should have a walker card from the office. 
*Anyone that remains on campus after dismissal is expected to follow the Wiley Way. This includes respecting self, respecting others, and respecting property. All children must remain in eye sight of their adult supervisor, not climb trees, structures, etc., speak to others with respect, and not damage plants or structures. 
*There are no dogs on campus at anytime. All dogs should not go past the sidewalks around campus. 
*Please refrain from cell phone usage throughout morning and afternoon carpool. 
*The carpool line begins on College Street. To maintain safety of students unloading and boarding special education personal and school vehicles, please remain parked until school staff wave you in. This is typically right at 8:45am and 3:45pm. 

Important Upcoming Dates
*No School Teacher Workday, September 6
*Open House; September 12, 6:00pm
*Early Release; September 27, 1:15pm dismissal 

Save the Date for The Produce Box
The Produce Box is teaming up with Interfaith Food Shuttle's Backpack Buddies Program to support the local economy and raise money for the Backpack Buddies Program! This program helps feed over 20 Wiley kids each weekend throughout the school year. As much as $5 of each ordered box goes straight to the program helping identified Wiley students mitigate food stress. Look for the order form in your child’s Monday folder or print it from today's email. Produce Box orders are due September 20^th  and boxes will need to be picked up by you at Wiley on Wednesday September 25th. 

Wiley PTA Upcoming Event

Join the Wiley family at a Welcome Back Skate Night!

Where: JellyBeans Skate Center, 1120 Buck Jones Rd., Raleigh, NC  (TEL: 919-467-5283)

When:  Saturday, September 21, 2013

Time:    5:15pm - 7:00pm

Cost:    $5.00 (skate rental included in cost)