Thursday Notes – December 14, 2023

View This Week’s Photos

From Mr. Brooke’s Desk

Christmas

As we move toward the final week prior to Christmas Break, be encouraged by the truth found in Isaiah 9:6.

For to us a Child is born,
to us a Son is given,
and the government will be on His shoulders.
And He will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Grandparents’ Day Video

We hope you enjoyed Grandparents’ Day last month! Hosting those who mean so much to our students is always a privilege. We wanted to share some beautiful photos from the day with you. Please enjoy this Grandparents’ Day Video! If we have an email on file for your child’s grandparent, they should have received the video via email yesterday afternoon. If you are unsure if they received it, please do pass it along!

From Mr. Painter’s Desk

Safety and Courtesy!

We strive to be good neighbors to those in our community, and I know you do as well. As a reminder, if you are traveling eastbound on Geneva Road to reach WCGS, please do not turn left onto Coventry Drive. Instead, turn left at the stoplight at Pleasant Hill, right on MacArthur, then left onto Coventry. Not only is it much safer, but it also allows people living in that neighborhood to exit onto Geneva Road without the congestion of our school traffic. Thank you!

 

Anxious Parents, Anxious Kids: How to Avoid Passing Down Fear/Anxiety to Your Children

REGISTER NOW for our next WCGS Parent Series event in the new year, on Tuesday, January 23, 2024, at 6:30 p.m.  We welcome WCGS school dad and licensed Clinical Psychologist and Executive Coach, Chris Mazzarella.  Join us as Chris walks through the conversation of stress and anxiety as a slow killer, stealing your peace, wasting your time, and limiting your potential. Sure, you can continue to distract yourself with screens, sugar, stuff, and substances but is that truly giving you the freedom and peace you and your family deserve?  Complicating matters is that your kids are watching, following your example for better or worse. Stop the cycle and learn ways to teach your kids how to break free from stress and anxiety. In this seminar, you will learn the source of your stress/anxiety, the ineffective ways you try to control it, its effects on your physical and mental health, and how to experience greater freedom from excessive and unnecessary fear, worry, and anxiety. Be kind to yourself and invest in your family’s future by attending this timely seminar. Register here.

Important Upcoming Dates

Thursday, December 14

3:30-4:30 p.m. – Grades 2-8 Chess Club (Room 604)

3:30-4:45 p.m. – Robotics Team (Room 607)

 

Friday, December 15

Popcorn Day

Zero Waste Day

9:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. – 8th Grade Trip to Drury Lane (A Christmas Carol)

 

Monday, December 18

Red and Green Day

Hot Lunch – Chick-fil-A

3Q Hot Lunch Ordering Opens

3:30-4:00 p.m. – Grades K-1 Chess Club (Room 604) – Last One

4:00 p.m. – Boys’ 5th Grade BBall @ Aurora Christian

5:00 p.m. – Boys’ 6th Grade BBall @ Aurora Christian

6:00 p.m. – Boys’ JV BBall @ Aurora Christian

7:00 p.m. – Boys’ V BBall @ Aurora Christian

 

Tuesday, December 19

Christmas Spirit or Ugly Christmas Sweater Day

Hot Lunch – Jersey Mike’s

3:30-5:30 p.m. – Robotics Team

5:00 p.m. – Boys’ 5th Grade BBall @ Harvest Christian

6:00 p.m. – Boys’ V BBall @ Harvest Christian

 

Wednesday, December 20

Pajama Day/Cozy and Comfy Day

Hot Lunch – Barone’s Pizza

3:30-4:00 p.m. – Yearbook Club (Room 605)

 

Thursday, December 21

Christmas Gift Chapel Day – Dress Nice!

No PM Extended Care Available Today

9:00 a.m. – K-8 Christmas Gift Chapel (Gym)

3:30-4:30 p.m. – Grades 2-8 Chess Club (Room 604) – Last One

 

Friday, December 22

NO SCHOOL – Christmas Break Begins

 

Saturday, December 23

BIRTHDAY: Marybeth Sauter (5th Grade Teacher)

 

Nurse News

Returning to School Following Illness

With the uptick in illnesses, especially respiratory, here at school, please be mindful of when to stay home versus when to come to school.

STEAM+ Notes

Family Reading Night + STEM Fair = STREAM Fair

The Family Reading Night and STEM Fair are combining for ONE epic night! Mark your calendar for the STREAM Fair on February 12 from 5:30-8:00 p.m. You will not want to miss the opportunity for students of all ages to ignite their passion for reading and science through the integration of science, technology, reading, engineering, art, and mathematics. This event will allow preschoolers through eighth graders to enjoy story times, reading to dogs, crafts, games, hands-on science experiments, demonstrations, and discovery exhibits, while also shopping for amazing science books, STEM kits, and take-home experiments provide through the SciZooka STEAM shop.  

Congratulations to WCGS’s two Robotics Teams!

Peculiar People BLUE Team and Peculiar People GOLD Team competed with 30 teams this past Saturday, December 9, at Oswego East High School in the FIRST LEGO LEAGUE challenge qualifier, First in Show Masterpiece. Teams presented innovation projects on hobbies that promote the arts and competed running their robot through 15 missions/challenges on the robot game board. Both teams were recognized for their outstanding teamwork and will move on to sectionals competition in January. The Peculiar People BLUE Team (coached by Mrs. Lauriat and Mrs. Linhardt) won the Core Values Award while the Peculiar People GOLD Team (coached by Mrs. Todd, Mrs. Jasper, and Mrs. Macaluso) won the Engineering Award.

Library News

Christmas Book Checkout

Students are welcome to keep their library books over Christmas break. In fact, students in grades 1-8 will be able to choose one extra book if they would like to. This year we are trying something different with our Christmas break circulation. You will notice that all books checked out prior to Christmas break will be marked as due on Monday, January 8. However, we are going to renew all books checked out to all students for one additional loan period (1 week for grades K-2 and 2 weeks for grades 3-8) on Monday, January 8. Students will not need to renew or return all books immediately after break as in the past.

Also, you will likely receive an automated email next Wednesday or Thursday notifying you that your child’s books are due in “1 school day” or “2 school days.” This is referring to the January 8 due date since none of the days of Christmas break are counted. You can ignore this e-mail.

Notable Notes

Christmas Spirit Week is Coming!

Get ready for our All-School Christmas Spirit Week being held next week, December 18-21. All students are encouraged to dress for the following days.

Community Corner

CityWide Christian Theater Arts Company

Looking for something to do over Christmas break? Come and see “Prince of My Heart,” a Cinderella story like no other!  This musical is a beautiful message of faith and hope and will make you laugh and cry! One of our very own WCGS students, Kaylee Beyerle (5S2), will be performing in it. Performances are Friday, January 5 (7:30 p.m.), Saturday, January 6 (2:00 and 7:00 p.m.) and Sunday, January 7 (2:00 p.m.), at the Batavia Fine Arts Center (1250 W. Wilson Street in Batavia). Purchase your tickets here.

FCA Lacrosse

Winter and Spring opportunities for boys in grades K-8, beginner or experienced player. More information about the programs and the club in the links below.

• Winter Clinic Series, 3-8th grades, begins 1/26/24 (https://fcalacrossechicagowest.org/winter-skill-clinics/)
• Intro Clinic for Beginners and K-2, on 2/2/24 (https://fcalacrossechicagowest.org/winter-intro-clinics/)
• Evaluations for Spring Teams, 3-8th grades, on 2/19/24 (https://fcalacrossechicagowest.org/spring-evals/)
• MINIS spring program for K-2, begins late April (https://fcalacrossechicagowest.org/mini-team/)