Updates 4/15/13

Updates 4/15/13

Overall Satisfaction!
The final question of our recent parent survey asked parents if they were satisfied with their child's educational experience at Wiley. An overwhelming 86% agreed that this was so! We believe that it takes a village to educate the Wiley children and we agree that it is one fantastic village! We are working daily to focus on continuous improvement--with children at the center of all we do. Thank you for being a member of our village! "In union there is strength". -Aesop

Support Those Who Support our Community
Through the years the Salvation Army has helped a number of Wiley families.  Now it's our turn to give back.  The shelves of this community organization's food pantry are bare as we look ahead to the summer months- a time of particular food stress for many families.  With school out, many children are left without resources for breakfast and lunch and families often turn to the Salvation Army for assistance.  

If you'd like to help, check your cupboards for any canned goods or other non-perishable food items that would help the Salvation Army re-stock their community pantry.  Items like canned fruits, vegetables, meats, peanut butter and powdered milk are needed.  So pick up some extra items at the grocery store and send them to school with your child the week of April 29. They will be taken at the end of the week to the Salvation Army and to the cupboards of our community.

PTA Updates and Events
*Join us for a fun night at the park! There will be a Pullen Park PTA Family Night on April 18 from 5-7. We will meet at the Carousel Pavilion.  This is the shelter in front of the paddle boats, right by the carousel. 
*Book 'shopping' from our Books Are Magic book drive will be happening this week!  We are so excited that we met our goal of collecting 2,000 books!  Thank you so much for your generosity! Wiley kids will have a summer mini-library thanks to your donations.

Upcoming Dates:
April 15: Report Cards
April 18: Pullen Park Wiley Family Night, 5-7

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

Rising 3rd-5th Graders, Join the Wiley PTA Band! 

Registration for the 2013-2014 Wiley Before-School Band is open until April 30th, and all rising 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders are welcome to join! For more information and registration forms, please visit http://www.wileyelementaryband.com

Updates 4/8/13

Updates 4/8/13

Welcome Back! I hope you and your family had an enjoyable and energizing Spring Break.

Reaching Each Learner, Each Day
A large part of a child's day is individualized to meet their needs at Wiley. We work to provide challenge and remediation support opportunities through multiple means each day maximizing a child's potential. In our recent Wiley Parent Survey about 70% of parents agreed that their child was challenged appropriately and/or received appropriate support when their child struggled. Some of the methods we use to provide individualization are: students' daily work, small groups with teachers, choices of arts and movement electives, choices of our 5 world language classes, and 4 day a week class (WISE) made up of individualized student groups. This is in addition to Academically/Intellectually Gifted and Special Education support. 

In conjunction with our effort to provide challenging and supportive opportunities for all kids, the PTA included related questions in their recent survey to further inform us in what interest families. We are excited to review the results and make decisions based on the information you have provided us.

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.

 

Spring Fever is Here! You can help out with 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.

 

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

Upcoming Dates:
April 15: Report Cards
April 18: Pullen Park Wiley Family Night, 5-7

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

 

 

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