2013-2014 Band Information

Wiley Band Registration & Instrument Show and Tell

Registration for the 2013-2014 Wiley Before-School Band is officially open, and all rising 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders are welcome to join!  If you'd like to learn more about band, please visit http://www.wileyelementaryband.com. 

If your child is interested in joining band, please join the band for Instrument Show and Tell on April 15 and 17 from 4-5pm in the media center.  At Show and Tell, your child will learn about the instruments in the band, and have the opportunity to try them out!  We'll feature brass and percussion (trumpet, trombone, bells, and snare drum) on April 15th, and woodwinds (flute, clarinet, and sax) on April 17th.

Updates 3/25/13

Updates 3/25/13

WRAL Teacher of the Week
Please join us in recognizing Mrs. Dianne Jones as this week's WRAL Teacher of the Week! Reporter Gerald Owens surprised Mrs. Jones this morning as she taught writing. She will be featured on air Wednesday on the hour from 5:00 am to 8:00 am and again at 5:00pm. As you know Mrs. Jones is Wiley's Teacher of the Year and a semi-finalist for the WCPSS Teacher of the Year award. We are proud she calls Wiley home!

Nomination for Grammy Music Educator Award
Congratulations to Ms. Erika Pawlowski for being nominated for the Grammy Music Educator Award thanks to a Wiley parent nomination!!

Before and After School Safety and Grounds Maintenance
To maintain safe play on campus before and after school hours we need your help in the following:

*No dogs are allowed on campus during, before, or after school.
*Trees and plants are planted on our campus for many special reasons. Help them remain so by expecting your child to follow the Savannah Garden expectations (posted at the garden), to not pull on any plants or trees, and to not climb on trees.
*Please make sure your children are in your eye sight. We have had instances of injuries, dog bites, strangers, and accidental property damage during after dismissal play. We do not want any of this to affect you or your children.
*Please refrain from using the 3-5 playground after school. The YMCA is contractually responsible for that space while their program uses it. They cannot have non-YMCA students on the playground with their program.

Your support in safety and supervision matters tremendously in preserving the ability to maintain a child friendly space. This is a huge help to the entire Wiley community, so thank you in advance for meeting the needs of the community while here.

We'll See You Tuesday Night!
Science/Curriculum Night is tomorrow night. If you are willing to brave this odd March weather, the front lawn is open for picnics from 5-6. We will all meet in the media center from 6-6:30 for a brief overview of the new curriculum for all students. From 6:30 to 7:30, all families will head to all classrooms and enjoy family friendly, hands-on activities.  

Save the Date for the Wiley Pullen Park PTA Family Night, April 18th, 5-7

Upcoming Dates:
March 28-April 5: Spring Break
April 15: Report Cards
April 19: Early Release 1:15 dismissal
Week of April 22: Spring Book Fair
May 10: International Night
May 27: Memorial Day Holiday
June 3: Field Day
June 7: Fifth Grade Graduation
June 10: Last Day of School

Updates 3/18/13

Updates 3/18/13

Come one, Come All!
Based on the parent survey data, 94% of parents reported that their child/children "feels welcomed and accepted at Wiley". Wow. You could not have made us prouder of our work! At Wiley we are an award winning Positive Behavioral Intervention and Support school. We use proactive teaching and modeling of social, emotional, and academic skills to maximize student success. It is empowering to know that you recognize our belief in creating an open, welcoming environment for our students.

The survey also indicated 88% of parents "feel welcomed and accepted at Wiley". Our beliefs about what is important to students transcends into what we do for the rest of our community. This year, we have focused on providing ongoing tutor and volunteer training to parents and community members. In addition, to making the school open and welcoming to our guests, we wanted to maximize their effort and energy through this training. It has been very successful for our students and has created happy volunteers!

The PTA has developed an additional survey to gather parent input on their efforts, on your ideas, and ongoing projects. This is a survey to better understand the needs and wants of the Wiley Elementary parent community. Your feedback and the ability to get parent volunteers to lead these activities will be what drives the PTA agenda for the 2013-14 school year. However, even if you only have a fifth grader, the PTA is interested in your feedback. You can take the survey HERE. A random survey participant will receive a $50 gift certificate.

To Williamsburg and Beyond
This week our entire fifth grade (students, staff, and parents) will travel to Williamsburg, VA for a two-day field trip experience. What an awesome real world introduction into their study of the Civil War?! While traveling, the students will visit Yorktown, Jamestown, and Williamsburg. The trip even includes an evening ghost tour of downtown. I will update you on their travels through our Twitter account Thursday and Friday.

Upcoming Events 
March 26: Family Curriculum Night (family picnics on the lawn 5-6, parent info session in the media center 6-6:30, fun family activities school-wide 6:30-7:30) 
March 28-April 5: Spring Break
April 15: Report Cards
April 19: Early Release, 1:15 dismissal

Updates 3/11/13

Updates 3/11/13

Congrats Ms. Ross!
The weekly e-newsletter Macaroni Kid recognized Ms. Ross as their Teacher of the Month based on a Wiley parent's nomination! She was rewarded with a gift certificate to a local store.

Books, books, and more books
Our book drive ends this week!  We would love to have a strong finish to ensure that all kids have books to read this summer.  Thank you for donating your gently used books in front of the office.

This Week: Wednesday is Picture Day and Friday is an Early Release (1:15pm dismissal).

Upcoming EventsNow through March 15: Books Are Magic book drive 
March 13: Spring Pictures
March 15: Early Release
March 26: Family Curriculum Night
March 28-April 5: Spring Break

Updates 3/4/13

Updates 3/4/13

Engaged Students Abound at Wiley!
Based on the current participation in our parent survey, with 177 families responding, 82% believe their children are engaged learners throughout their day. We are very proud to be providing engaging units of study this year across our curriculum. I would like to highlight a unit that is happening now and upcoming units to illustrate what this looks like for your children at Wiley. 

The second graders are beginning an awesome unit of study around economics. While that may be a stressful topic to us as adults, the students will be immersed in activities that help them in answering the following essential questions:
*How does where you live impact the availability of goods and services?
*What could contribute to changes in a community's future economic resources?
*How does where you live affect the definition of needs and wants?

This exploration will include book studies, creating inventions, and participating as producers and consumers in an economic fair! Learning that is rigorous, related to the real world, celebrates creativity while exploring content, and internationally relevant--fosters engaged students. Don't you wish you could go to second grade, too?!

Similar units designed around essential questions, our curriculum and our magnet theme are on the way across campus!

Check out these other engaging units going on all over the Wiley World:
*The 4th/5th grade language classes are studying cultural elements of food and food related vocabulary and the essential question What distinguishes an American table from another culture's?
*Fifth grade is finishing studying the Westward Expansion and the essential question Why do people move?
*Fourth grade is currently studying immigration and the essential question How do different cultures shape our lives?
*Third grade is getting ready for their unit on plants and geography and the essential question How does where we live influence how we live? 
*First grade is currently studying the Earth in the Universe and the essential question How are day and night connected?
*Kindergarten is getting ready for their Weather unit and the essential question How does weather affect people?
*The arts and movement students are getting ready to study communities and the essential question What is creativity and what is its importance to the individual and culture?

Congratulations Mrs. Jones!!
Mrs. Dianne Jones, our star first grade teacher, was chosen this year as one of 24 semi-finalists for WCPSS Teacher of the Year. We are SO proud of you, Mrs. Jones!

2013-2014 Language Placement Notification
As we approach the end of the year, the language department is beginning to look at students’ progress for language placement for next year, as is done each year. Please note that there are specific criteria that language teachers use to determine the appropriate language level.  

·         strong evidence of retention of target vocabulary

·         writing/speaking/listening/reading skills

·         participation

·         quarterly grades  

Language recommendations will be sent home at the end of May.

Books Are Magic NEED
We are running behind on our goal for our book drive!  To help make sure everyone has books to read this summer, we are extending our collection dates until March 15.  The collection bins are right outside the main office here at school.  Please come by and donate your gently used books!

Any donations are appreciated!  If you have any questions, please contact Kathy Foglia or Lea Roark.
kathyfoglia@nc.rr.com
lea@713communications.com

Free Pictures for Your Time
Could you help with picture day, March 13? We need 2 volunteers in the morning and 2 in the afternoon to help with collars, cow-licks, and lip gloss:) For your time, Lifetouch has donated free picture packages to the first 4 volunteers to sign up. Please email Ms. Porter at aporter@wcpss.net if you are able to help.

Upcoming Events
Now through March 8: Books Are Magic book drive
March 8: Chuck Davis and the African American Dance Ensemble artist in residence day 
March 13: Spring Pictures
March 15: Early Release
March 26: Family Curriculum Night
March 28-April 5: Spring Break