Crazy Sock Day by 5th graders Kierstyn B. and Areebah H.

Crazy Sock Day

For Digital Citizenship

 

On Crazy Sock Day most of our class had crazy socks on. We took a picture of all our socks and here they are!

 

 

We learned that crazy sock day was for digital citizenship! When we went around the halls we saw so many crazy socks! One of the ones I saw were these superman socks with little capes on them!!! Digital citizenship is all about being safe online and not being mean online. One of things I learned is that bullying online is the same thing as bullying in real life. So basically the lesson is to treat people how you want to be treated. In conclusion we think that crazy sock day was really fun and we hope they do it again.

 

Digital Footprint Day at TWE by Rhonda Henderson

Last Wednesday, we had CRAZY SOCK DAY at TWE. It was a fun way to help kids remember that the digital footprint they leave is important! Our kids will grow up with technology impacting them in ways that we did not deal with when we grew up. However, technology will be a necessary part of their lives, so we need to teach them to use it responsibly. Digital Footprint Day was just one of the days we will designate to responsible use this year. Our kids put their "best foot forward" as they learned about being smart about what they post and share online. Each grade level had activities supporting safe use of the internet, apps, and online gaming. Here is how 3rd, 4th and 5th grade celebrated the day:

Our third grade team leader, Mrs. Stratton, shared that third graders created mini-footprints with advice on how to leave a safe, positive digital footprint when interacting with others online. One wise word of advice:  “Stop and think if your picture or post is going to hurt someone’s feelings –if it is, don’t do it!” says third grader, Anushka.

Mrs. McKinnies , 4th grade team leader, was excited that their students had a blast participating in wearing their crazy socks and also learning about being good digital citizens. Many of the fourth grade students were amazed that the things they post can truly change their lives.  These students agreed that we should try to be positive when posting thoughts on the internet. As a grade level, they watched a  short video on digital citizenship and created their own "Digital Footprints". The students had to write down their meaning of a digital footprint as well as Write Three ways they can leave a positive Digital Footprint. 

 

 

Fifth grade viewed a brain pop video and discussed ways to maintain a positive digital footprint. Each class made posters with quotes from the kids and signed them.

 

Tomorrow on TWE Packprints, we will share an article about the experience from the perspective of two 5th grade students.

Wilson Elementary By 5th grader Rishab P.

 

Wilson Elementary

 

Tom Wilson is a fantastic school! All the teachers are really nice and kind. The teachers all teach in a good way. This is my favorite school.

 

 

 

I think the school should have a pool so there could be a swim team.

Tom Wilson is a very big school. I enjoy playing on their big playground!

 

 

TWE Wolfpack Chorale by 5th graders Gabriela M., Sofia O., and Rachel S.

The TWE Wolfpack Chorale is our 5th grade choir program. They have been working so hard and howling their hearts out. They are still working on a new theme for this year, and they have come up with a lot of great ideas. The Wolfpack Chorale gets to go on a lot of exciting field trips, for example: singing to the elderly people and going out to eat pizza. You should congratulate the Wolfpack Chorale for how hard they have worked. The Wolfpack Chorale is a great opportunity if you like to sing, so you can howl your heart out. The 5th grade Wolfpack Chorale will also be singing at the Astros game. The will be singing the National Anthem at Minute Maid Park. Ms. Currier and Mrs. Beyer say it is an extraordinary opportunity for the Wolfpack Chorale. So, 4th graders, start making  up your mind about  joining  the Wolfpack  Chorale next year.

Reading is Important by 5th grader Lexi M.

Reading is Important

 

“Open your mind. Open a book.” My name is Lexi M. and this is a picture of my science and math classroom. My teacher set up a reading corner because reading is important, so important that just because my teacher teaches math and science, it doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t read. I love reading and if you don’t read, you can’t do math or science or social studies and language arts. My teacher gave us a fun and comfy place to read, and she encourages us to open a book. 

 

 

 

The Other Half of 5th grade by Rhonda Henderson

Yesterday you had a chance to read about the math and science teachers on the 5th grade team. It's time to learn a little bit about the language arts and social studies teachers.

From Left: Mrs. Smith, Mrs. Artley, Mrs. Howard, Mrs. Hernandez

Mrs. Abby Artley - Mrs. Artley and her family moved from Lake Jackson, Texas to Katy right as school was beginning! Her husband is a band director at Mayde Creek High School and her daughter is a 4th grade student at TWE. She has been in education for 16 years. Mrs. Artley has taught 4^th, 5^th, and 6^th grades, as well as worked with small groups of struggling students in grades K-5.  She has also been a math curriculum facilitator and campus Response to Intervention coordinator. She loves to run and do yoga, as well as sew! She has completed three Ironman races and run in the Boston Marathon two years in a row!

Mrs. Julie Hernandez- Mrs. Hernandez joins us after many years of teaching Jr. High in Houston ISD. She has served as a team leader and department chair in her former schools and brings with her a wealth of knowledge. She is married and has a toddler who keeps her busy at home. She loves to spend time with her family, watch sports and read the news during her time off. Mrs. Hernandez says that she is thrilled to be a new member of the Wolfpack family and we are excited that she is here!

 Mrs. Nichole Howard- Mrs. Howard is joining us from Fort Bend ISD. She and her husband have settled their family in Katy after moving from Kansas four years ago. Mrs. Howard has a law degree, but decided that her calling is teaching.  She has been teaching a total of 12 years. We discovered after hiring that she and Ms. Counter were at the same school on the same team and now they are teaching partners.  She has one daughter, Jadah,  in first grade at TWE and two younger children, Jordyn and Jared, Jr. who will be members of the Wolfpack later. We welcome Mrs. Howard to the Wolfpack.

Mrs. Libby Smith - Mrs. Smith is a member of the Original Wolfpack. She has now moved to 5th grade and will serve as the team leader. She is also co-chair of the Read, Deed and Run Club. Mrs. Smith is an avid runner and organized our very first TWE Fun Run last year to honor Mrs. Linder.  She is beginning her  9^th year of teaching,  7^th year in Katy ISD,  4^th year as a 5^th grade teacher, and 3^rd year at Tom Wilson. Her daughter is also a member of the Wolfpack in 2^nd grade, and her husband and 3 year old son complete their happy family.

                           Incorporating the visual arts with critical and creative thinking in reading.

 

Leaders of the Pack by Rhonda Henderson

5th grade Math/Science team: (from left) Mrs. Longoria, Ms. Miller, Ms. Counter and Mr. Manning

Today and tomorrow I will introduce you to some dynamic educators. Our 5th grade teachers this year are ready to lead our 5th graders to be Leaders of the Pack. In fifth grade, our teachers work in duos. In each duo, one person teaches math and science and the other person teaches language arts and social studies. This year, due to growth, teacher moves, and some changes we made on campus, all of the teachers are new to the 5th grade team, and they are each dynamic in their own way.

Meet our Math/Science teachers:

Ms. Jennifer Counter - Ms. Counter and looks forward to assisting students in the learning process using a variety of resources including technology. She is joining us from Fort Bend ISD. Ms. Counter has a daughter who is a junior high student in KISD. Ms. Counter is outgoing which may be attributed in part to the fact that she is the youngest of 16 siblings. It will also be an attribute as she works toward her goal of having students work collaboratively while moving FULL STEAM AHEAD! Her students are plotting how far she runs each day on a dot plot!

Mrs. Julie Longoria- Mrs. Longoria is a veteran teacher in the intermediate grades and has taught all subjects. She has been teaching in Abilene ISD for 23 years. Her personal children are high school and college age, so she also understands what it is like to be a parent throughout the grade levels. Mrs. Longoria says she loves watching students learn new things and achieve their goals. I have seen her using her sense of humor with the students and having fun with learning!

Ms. Kailey Miller - Ms. Miller taught in Fort Bend ISD last year. This is her second year of teaching. She is a Katy resident and happy to be "home".  Ms. Miller brings a love of science to TWE. She majored in Forest Wildlife Management at Stephen F. Austin. She was an animal trainer after graduation, but felt a calling to be a teacher. Ms. Miller is looking forward to being a part of her students' adventures this year as she guides them in developing an excitement and a love for learning.

 Mr. Willie Manning - Mr. Manning is joining our staff with 16 years teaching experience. Most recently he taught in Cy-Fair ISD. After talking to Mr. Manning, it is clear that he really enjoys people. This is evident in the classroom. When working with students in large or small groups, he makes sure that they feel important and successful. He is an avid Dallas Cowboy fan. Mr. Manning has a daughter in high school in KISD and a son at TWE. His wife is an Instructional Coach at Rhoads Elementary in Katy. Mr. Manning is excited to be teaching in KISD, and we are excited that he is a member of the TWE team.

 

Developing Responsibility by Rhonda Henderson

It's Friday and that means we are emphasizing our Core Essential for the month at TWE today. As Mrs. Ratliff blogged about last week, our core essential for the month is RESPONSIBILITY.  The Core Essential program defines responsibility as "showing that we can be trusted with what is expected of us". As parents and educators, teaching responsibility and holding our kids accountable can be one of the most challenging ideas we encounter. At TWE, we talk often about assessing our expectations and support to build confident, responsible citizens. One of the keys to developing responsibility in our children is choosing expectations that are developmentally appropriate for the child's age and abilities and then scaffolding those expectations to allow the child to be successful and gain confidence. The link below will take you to an article by Michele Borba on developing responsibility through appropriate chores. Hope you enjoy! Check in next week, as we introduce our 5th grade teachers and hear from some of our 5th grade students!

http://micheleborba.com/simple-mommy-secrets-to-choosing-the-right-chores-for-kidshttp://micheleborba.com/simple-mommy-secrets-to-choosing-the-right-chores-for-kids/

Everyday Heroes by Rhonda Henderson

On Wednesday, the skies opened up at about 2:30 and the rain continued for the next two and a half hours. SEVERE WEATHER!!!!! It is one our least favorite terms at school! We so appreciate the patience our parents showed while waiting in the car rider and walker lines. A big thank you to all of you! Our kids were also very patient as they waited  inside- many of them for almost an hour -as we walked them to the safety of their cars, busses, and awaiting parents. They were GREAT! The biggest KUDOS have to go to our awesome teachers who had the outside car rider duty. They demonstrated a positive attitude as they made sure that our kiddos got safely put into their cars. When the last child was placed in the last car, I looked around to see teachers who were totally drenched despite their ponchos and umbrellas. They spent almost an hour getting soaked and they all had smiles on their faces. This is just one example of the extra effort that our staff puts out each day as they care for students. They are our everyday heroes. Take time to thank a teacher today!

Welcome to the TWE Clinic by Nurse Chowdory

 

Welcome to the TWE Clinic       

Hi my name is Tosha Chowdory, I am from La Grange Texas. I am the mother of three precious boys. I graduated from nursing school in 2007 and  have been with KATYISD for four years.  This is my third year as the school nurse at Tom Wilson Elementary.

My average day entails triaging, administering medications, as well as maintaining medical records for all students at TWE.  Every day is interesting and different. I enjoy seeing and caring for all the students.

Throughout the year I will be seeing Kinder, 1^st, 3^rd, 5^thand new students at TWE for vision and hearing tests. I can also check students if a vision or hearing issue is suspected. Results requiring attention will be sent home once testing has been completed.

Items that I will be covering are 5^th grade Growth and Development and arranging health and dental programs to come and visit the various grade levels.

For additional information about the clinic please visit: http://www.katyisd.org/campus/TWE/Pages/Clinic.aspx

Or Health Services at http://www.katyisd.org/dept/healthservices/Pages/default.aspx

Please remember to keep all contact information current, so that in the event I am needing to contact the caregiver of your child that I am able to do so.

Looking forward to a happy and healthy year.

 

 

REED, DEED, RUN by Laurie Haseltine

 

 

 

“I felt like I really did just finish a marathon.

 I had accomplished something really great.

I felt like I could do anything!” Mason H. RDR 2013-14

 

 

 

 

Read, Deed, Run is an amazing after school program that is offered to 4^th and 5^th graders at TWE.  It is a yearlong commitment that builds stamina in reading and running while emphasizing giving back to our community and others.  Students and coaches meet every other Tuesday from 3:45-4:45.  Nothing is more rewarding than finishing a marathon!  TWE students have the opportunity to not only run a marathon, but to also foster a love of books, and give back to this wonderful community!  Students will be required to run 26.2 miles, as well as read 26 books or 2600 pages, and perform 26 good deeds (service to an individual or the community) over the course of the program.  A Reed, Deed, and Run  parent informational meeting  will be held on Tuesday, September 23 at 5:30 pm in the library.  The first after school meeting for students will be on Tuesday, October 7.  Students will begin running, reading and deeding at that meeting. The final 1.2 miles will be run on Saturday, May 2.  Students will then earn their finisher’s shirt and medal.  At the end of the year, we also have a celebration at Main Event!  We welcome service opportunity ideas for our RDR club. If you have any ideas or questions about the program you can contact Libby Smith elizabethlsmith@katyisd.org or Laurie Haseltine laurielhaseltine@katyisd.org.  We look forward to another successful year!

Take Me To Your Reader! by Ms. Hailey Taylor

                        TAKE ME TO YOUR READER!

                

    

 

Greetings Earthlings and TWE Community Members!

My name is Hailey Taylor and I am the new Librarian at Wilson Elementary. I am excited to be back at Wilson, after having the opportunity to complete my internship at Wilson Elementary last school year. Before coming to TWE, I worked at the Cinco Ranch Public Library and enjoyed working with readers of all ages.

Library Programs

This school year we will have some fun new programs and many of the programs that have been at TWE from the very beginning. Many of the Library Programs can be found on the TWE Library website at http://www.katyisd.org/campus/TWE/Pages/Library.aspx, including Bluebonnet, 2 x 2, Making TRACKS, and the Birthday Book Club.

This year I am excited about the Adopt-a-Shelf program for our 3^rd, 4^th, and 5^th graders. This program allows students to “adopt” a shelf for the school year. It is their responsibility to keep their shelf neat and organized. Each week, the neatest shelf is selected and that student is put on the morning announcements, along with receiving a prize from the library. 

CHECK OUT POLICIES

v  Students may check out books at any time of the instructional day. 

v  Books can be checked out for a two week period and, in most cases, can be renewed. 

v  Students in grades KG – 1 are allowed to check out one book at a time from their designated sections.

v  Students in grades 2-5 are allowed to check out two books at a time unless a special report is assigned by the teacher.  An additional book may be checked out for each assignment. 

v  Students MUST have an ID to check out.

v  Students are personally responsible for books checked out of the library. We strongly encourage students to keep the books in a safe place. Parents are responsible for damaged or lost book charges.

 

Interested in Volunteering?

Please let us know! Volunteers help keep our library running smoothly and allows our students to enjoy all of the resources the library has to offer. Even 30 minutes a week can make a huge difference! My contact information can be found on the TWE Library Website.

 

The Counseling Program at TWE by Dana Ratliff

 

 

Hello Wolf Pack,

My name is Dana Ratliff (formerly Dana Sealy), and I am the counselor at Tom Wilson Elementary in Katy. I have fifteen years of experience in education and am excited to have the opportunity to serve TWE students and families. The TWE counseling program is designed to be proactive through guidance lessons and groups. Please feel free to contact me if you believe your child to be struggling emotionally or academically.

Each month at TWE, we focus on a character trait to help create well rounded, polite students. During the month, we talk about the trait on morning announcements and in class. On Friday, we emphasize the trait and ask teachers and students to wear the color of the month on that day to show our commitment to using the trait. Keep up with the value of the month on our marquee or check out our website under the “counselor” tab. http://www.katyisd.org/campus/TWE/Pages/Counselor.aspx
There you will also find a host of helpful articles and links with some of parenting’s hottest topics.

This month’s core essential character trait is Responsibility. Check out the family newsletter on your child's class Edmodo to see how you can talk about responsibility at home. This monthly newsletter contains activities, books, songs and discussion tips to help you reinforce each core essential trait with your child.

September: Responsibility - Showing you can be trusted with what is expected of you.

Color: Brown

Animal: Rooster

Please feel free to contact me if you need support to ensure your child's success at school.

Building Good Citizens by Jamie Brown

 

 

 

 

 

 

As a Wolfpack family, we take a positive and proactive approach to student management. Our primary goal is to provide every student with a safe learning environment that will allow them to thrive. The Wolfpack Way pledge is used on our campus to teach and promote positive behavior choices that will lead to success. Every morning on the announcements, we say the pledge together as a school community.: “ Every student at TWE pledges to Act Responsibly, Work Hard, Be Nice and Expect Success. It is the Wolfpack Way”. Each part of the pledge is multi-faceted and can be related to many situations students may face or decisions they will make throughout the day and school year.

We start the beginning of every year teaching and practicing the expectations for different activities in the classroom as well as different areas of the school. To help set the expectations throughout the year we use CHAMPS (C- Conversation, H- Help, A- Activity, M- Movement, P- Participation, S- Success). In Kindergarten and First Grade, we use a simplified version of CHAMPS called Mr. MAC (M- Movement, A- Activity, C- Conversation). When we set clear expectations with CHAMPS, it takes out all of the guess work and puts students at ease. We believe that with clear expectations all of our students can be successful. Below you will find some pictures of CHAMPS being used around the school. If you would like more information on CHAMPS please visit the safe and civil schools website: http://www.safeandcivilschools.com/

 

Once the expectations have been set and practiced, teachers use a variety of positive reinforcement tools including table points, pebble jars, warm fuzzies, and Leader of the Pack Tickets to reward students for making good decisions and following the expectations that have been set. We challenge teachers to give three positives for every negative/redirection given. You know the old saying, “You get more with honey”. It is true with students as well. Many times we can change student behavior through the use of positive reinforcement rather than consequences.

We know that no one is perfect and students may need consequences every now and then. Expectation cards are used in all grade levels to communicate behaviors that may be exhibited in the classroom or other areas of the school. The expectation card goes home every day so that you as the parent can stay informed about what happened at school that day. We recommend that parents use the expectation as a talking point to discuss the choices their student is making at school. The expectations at the bottom of the expectation card are related to the Wolfpack Way pledge. The number of marks a student receives on their expectation card will determine their citizenship/work habits grade for each nine weeks.

 

At the end of every nine weeks, we have a citizenship party for each grade level. Every student who has less than 4 marks on their expectation card will join Mrs. Henderson, Mrs. Gilder, Miss Brown, and Mrs. Ratliff for a fun activity to reward their good behavior. We want to spotlight the good choices students are making and promote the importance of the Wolfpack Way. Our hope is that students will leave TWE with a motto for life that they will act responsibly, work hard, be nice. Our goal is successful citizens!

Teddy Bears and Magic by Rhonda Henderson and some Kinder friends

                                  


Big bears, little bears, fat bears, skinny bears, soccer bears, and ballet bears - we had them all here last Friday when our Kinder friends paraded through the halls of our school. Mrs. Abraham reported, " The Teddy Bear parade gives our Kinder kiddos their first chance to shine and gain a little confidence when they walk past other students and parents. It is a BEARY fun filled day!"

Kindergarten is a magical place! When I walk through each day, I never know what I might end up doing! Last week I joined in dancing, doing yoga, and jumping like a cat. This week, I got to see Mr. Echeverri role play with a student about  how he would read his poetry book to his grandparent. When the kids said that their grandparents lived out of state, Mr. E took off his shoe and pretended it was the phone to demonstrate how they could read their poems over the phone. There is no problem to big to be solved in Kindergarten. I have seen students using the SMARTBOARD,
writing stories, and singing LOTS of songs. Smiles, smiles and more smiles! Last week they were all reciting the poem Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear and doing the motions that go with it (that takes a lot of concentration).

Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, turn around;
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, touch the ground.
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, show your shoe;
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, that will do.
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, go to bed;
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, rest your head.
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, turn out the light;
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, say "Good Night".

This unit theme might have seemed soft and cuddly, but our students were engaged in activities that let them learn about the routines and procedures of our school and addressed many of the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) state standards. I believe that making memories is an important part of making learning meaningful. Our Kindergarten friends will make a lot of memories this year and have lots of meaningful learning to start their school careers.

Here are some of the connections they made during the week:

From Avish:
I liked the Teddy Bear parade because my dad got my Teddy bear when I was born.

From McKenna:
I really REALLY liked bringing my bear to school because I liked his overalls, and my Mommy thought they were cute.

 From Haylie:
I thought it was great because I got to try some Honeycomb cereal. I liked walking around in the hallway.

From Mauricio:
I liked to see my mom, dad and baby Noah at the parade. I liked walking around.

From Gavin:
I liked the teddy bear snack.

From Parker:
I liked the Teddy Bear picnic and eating with our stuffed animals.

From Alexis:
I loved doing the parade through the gym for our parents.

From Morgan:
I loved the Teddy Bear parade because I was happy to see my daddy.

From: Carter
My bear's name is Cookie. I brought him because he is my favorite Teddy Bear.

      

 

 

It is easy to see that our youngest friends are making connections between home and school.  Our desire is that they foster a love for school so deep that they beg to come each day and arrive home each evening with wonderful stories of days filled with joyful learning!

Volunteer Wolfpack! by Jamie Brown

Welcome Back Wolfpack! I hope everyone had a memorable summer with their families, but I am happy to be back in a building full of students. This summer I had the opportunity to attend the Texas PTA Seminar with some of our PTA Executive Board Members which turned out to be a positive eye opening experience. I attended several sessions that ignited a fire inside of me and can’t wait to put some of the ideas into action. At other times, I found myself listening to speakers and attendees talk about their struggles with getting parents involved and felt proud that I was a part of a school community that rallies together like a family.  The volunteers at TWE go above and beyond on a daily basis, and our school, teachers and students all benefit from their collective efforts. Thank you volunteers for all of the time and energy you put in to make our school and community a better place. TWE wouldn’t be the same without YOU!

 

Photo (Top starting from Left): Carrie Uberecken, Sandra Potts, Susana Buono, Jamie Brown

            (Bottom starting from Left): Angela Reyniers, Annie Bynum, Margarita Sharma

 

This year I have the privilege of being the VIPS (Volunteers in Public Schools) Liaison for TWE! I will be working with Margarita Sharma (PTA  VP of Volunteers) to provide opportunities for parents to give back and support our school through volunteer service. Our campus has many opportunities for parents to volunteer that include homeroom parent, mystery readers, work baskets, workroom helpers, library volunteers, Watchdogs, and Packathon just to name a few. Please check out the PTA website to see a full list of volunteer opportunities.  www.twepta.org

 

There are opportunities for moms and dads with varied levels of commitment. Getting involved in our school community will allow you to meet new people, build relationships with other TWE parents and staff members, and will give you a true sense of belonging. We know it can be intimidating at first, but we are here to help and guide you in any way that we can. We can’t wait to see your smiling face on our campus.

 

Jamie Brown

281-234-1611