Monday, April 20, 2015

April 20






Thank you Wiley PTA:  Where do we begin?  We are so spoiled by our PTA … cultural arts performance (The Opera), Jersey Mike’s lunch-time treat for staff, lovely grounds & gardens (AND a newly painted sign), and awesome Science Night fun!  That’s just in one week!!  Wow.  We are so appreciative! 

Magnet Schools of America Tour:  Hooray for Wiley, a school selected to be featured during the national conference being held in Raleigh.  Please send your student to school in his/her Wiley shirt t-shirt Thursday to show off our Wiley spirit! 

Recognizing our Teacher Leaders:  We had a film crew on campus today highlighting the hard work of our Wiley teachers.  What a wonderful opportunity to honor and recognize some WCPSS’s best & brightest! 

A request from Mrs. Rose:   As students enjoy the school grounds after school, please help us preserve the Savannah garden (now cordoned off with pink tape) on the K-2 playground.  We are trying to rehabilitate the once beautiful garden.

Spirit Week:  To kick off International Carnival, Wiley will be having a SPIRIT WEEK. We wanted to share the details so your family can prepare and even celebrate at home. This won't be the typical spirit week. Instead, it incorporates ways to investigate the world, hear others' perspectives, and take action. We hope you will enjoy this fun week by showing your true Wiley Spirit. View the SPIRIT WEEK FLYER here

International Carnaval: International Carnaval (formerly International Night) is fast approaching. Please mark your calendars for Friday, May 8th from 6-8 pm. Food Trucks and the Photo Booth will begin opening at 5:30 pm.  In order to make this event a huge success, we need the help of volunteers. Our committee has been very busy organizing, creating, contacting, and delegating!  We are down to the final details, and you might be able to help. Please check out this sign-up link HERE to see if there is a spot where you can help. We look forward to showcasing our International Studies theme with our Wiley family and friends. 

Proctor Time!  We are in GREAT need of EOG Proctors. This means you! We have 15 of 61 spots filled. Thank you to those of you who signed up at Science night! We know it's not the most glamorous job, but we want to keep our teaching assistants working in the K-2 classes during the week of May 18th.  Your job is to silently monitor students working. Please click on the link below to sign up for a 3-hour block. After you sign up, please click on the second tab on the bottom to include your contact information. I will be in contact with exact details. While EOG testing is only several days of our year, we need your help to make it run as smoothly as possible. With your time and help, we ensure that every student has a positive testing environment. 
Please contact Chris Gower Hahner with any questions: chahner@wcpss.net
Special Education Services Survey:  If you are the parent of a student with a disability with an IEP, please complete this survey:  http://www.wcpss.net/spedparentsurveyThis survey was originally created in 2012 to gather information about how Wake County Special Education Services met the needs of students with disabilities and their families. It is time to see the results of our work to continue to improve our services to students and families.

Cecilia Rawlins Fun Fundraiser: Papa Spud’s, a local fresh produce delivery service, has partnered with us for a spring fundraiser to raise money for children in need and families in crisis at Wiley. We currently serve 29 children each week with a Backpack Buddies delivery to provide weekend food.
Our students’ needs increase significantly in the next school year. We are likely to face the reality of doubling our weekly deliveries. We cannot do so without raising the funds first. Imagine the heartache of putting these children on a waitlist for weekend food. Your contributions are vital to help provide meals to these children so they can be successful, happy, healthy kids.
Papa Spud’s offers a variety of produce as well as other local treats from regional dairies, bakeries, and farms. You can customize your order, and it is delivered right to your front door! There is no obligation to continue to delivery service, but should you decided to carry on as a Papa Spud’s customer after the fundraiser, the registration fee will be waived.
Papa Spud’s is generously donating 50% of sales from this fundraiser to
the Cecilia Rawlins Fund.

How the Fundraiser Works: Purchase one box of locally grown produce, meats, dairy, and baked goods from Papa Spud's.
Customize the contents of your box, or do nothing and Pap Spud’s will set you up with a box of fresh, seasonal produce.
Your box will be delivered the week after your purchase, or you can hold the delivery until a later date of your choosing!
There’s a dedicated order page just for the Cecilia Rawlins Fund:

Single Subject Acceleration:  Please note the following:
*SSA Nomination Window April 13-24  
*Only written applications will be accepted; applications are available from the SSA website and must be turned in to Dr. Cecconi-Roberts, AIG Teacher
*Please contact Dr. Cecconi-Roberts, lcecconi-roberts@wcpss.net, or view the SSA website, www.wakeacceleration.weebly.com for more information.



Wiley Spotlight

This week, the spotlight shines on Ryan Robertson and Heather Cassidy,
third grade teachers! (Sadly, we couldn’t track Ms. Dow down at press time; fear not, we’ll catch her another week!)

Here’s what Mr. Robertson had to say …
What do you like to do during the summer? I travel!  This summer my travels will take me to Illinois, Washington, Oregon, Colorado, and Wyoming.  I like to travel to different destinations to rock climb and visit friends.  
If you could teach anywhere (other than Wiley), where would it be?  I wouldn’t want to be anywhere other than Wiley!
Who was your most memorable teacher? Ms. Sorrenson, 6th teacher at Baldwin Elementary in Quincy, Ilinois.  We always did project-based learning, and she made learning a lot of fun.        
What is something that you are most proud of, that most people wouldn’t know about you? I have a two-year old namesake – Ryan lives in Martzio, Italy.    
If you could have anyone as a teacher who would it be?  Chris Sharma, a famous rock climber.
Here’s what Ms. Cassidy had to say …
What do you like to do during the summer? This summer I will be going to the beach with my kids (Lilly, age 10 and Jackson, age 6). This summer I will also be teaching them tennis!  It’s going to be the summer of science … we’ll focus on science activities.
If you could teach anywhere (other than Wiley), where would it be?  I would go to California to teach at my old school, Sunnyside – the small community is similar to Wiley’s.    
Who was your most memorable teacher? Ms. Oberhaus, 11th grade creative writing teacher at Mira Mesa HS in San Diego, California.  She nurtured my creativity and brought out my love of writing.        
What is something that you are most proud of, that most people wouldn’t know about you? I’m most proud of the journey I’ve taken with my son. He has autism and we’ve come a long way, with a lot of work.   
If you could have anyone as a teacher who would it be?  Albert Einstein – I don’t understand anything he was talking about, and I’d love to understand his brilliance.    

 Upcoming Events
Monday, April 20:  Discovery Education film crew on campus showcasing Wiley
Tuesday, April 21: 
Wednesday, April 22: 
Thursday, April 23: 5th grade in Williamsburg; Ms. O’Brien’s class to Special Olympics; Blum & Khan to Prairie Ridge; Wiley hosting delegation from Magnet Schools of America conference; Moe’s Dining Night Out (4-9pm)
Friday, April 24: 5th grade in Williamsburg

Tuesday, April 28 – Broughton HS to visit Wiley’s 2nd & 3rd graders to present a play
Thursday, April 30 – Wiley Pals to visit our partners at Shaw University; Wiley Band Concert @ St. Mary’s School – 7pm
Friday, May 1 – Broughton HS students to host 5th Grade Fun Day (kickball tournament)

Friday, May 8 – International Carnaval


Please consult the calendar on our website: www.wcpss.net/wileyes for additional upcoming events.
Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter, too … @wileyelementary

News from our Wiley PTA
Thursday April 23rd is Restaurant Night Benefitting Backpack Buddies: Visit Moe’s in Cameron Village this Thursday, April 23 from 4:00 - 9:00 pm for a fun night out.  Visit with Wiley friends while helping to raise money for the Cecilia Rawlins Fund and Backpack Buddies.  BE SURE TO MENTION YOU ARE WITH WILEY WHEN CHECKING OUT.
Science Night a Success! A huge thanks goes out to Sarah Luginbuhl and Gretchen Ross for spearheading this year’s science night. Families were engaged in numerous science activities, including an in-depth look at ultrasound technology, opportunities to learn about wildlife of North Carolina, stop-motion animation, Go Green Club demonstrations, and NC State Engineering-led experiments involving diapers and chocolate.
In addition, the first (annual… we hope!) cardboard challenge was a huge hit. Thanks to all of the families who participated and helped their students to create cardboard games. It was fantastic to see all of the great imagination in the Wiley community.
Slate for 2015-2016 Board Announced: The PTA’s Nominating Committee is happy to announce the slate for the 2015-2016 PTA Executive Board. As in the past, we’ll vote on the board at the last PTA meeting of the year on Friday May 8th. Nominations are as follows:            
President: Teresa Jones
Vice President: Elyse Lyons
Treasurer: Christine Belledin
Secretary: Hadley Cairns-Heath


The nominating committee will also be reaching out over the next few weeks with a list of board and chair openings. If you’re interested in a role, but need guidance on the best fit, email the Nominating Committee Chair at vp@wileypta.org