Dear Wines Families,
As we head into the winter break, I want to thank everyone
for a wonderful first part of the school year. It really does seem like
yesterday when we were meeting each other on the playground under the sun
eating popsicles. I look forward to 2015 with you and with your children. As we
leave for two weeks, please remind your children to take all of their
belongings home. We have many students who leave boots and other winter clothes
at school (which is a great idea, by the way). Please make sure these items get
home on Friday. We will also remind students of this as well. Below are three
VERY important messages from our PTO. Please note the special PTO meeting on
Jan. 20th.
David
In the new reality of
iChildhood...
Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, You Tube, Minecraft. 9 out of
10 kids have their own or have access to a smartphone, tablet, or computer. 81%
of kids use social media. Over 55% of youth have been a victim of or witnessed
bullying on social media. And age restrictions don’t matter - the use of social
media by children as young as 5 is growing. We're the first generation of
parents in the world of iEverything - grappling with these statistics and the
simple inability to keep up with the ever-changing online landscape.
Please join us at the PTO meeting on Tuesday,
January 20 at 6:30PM for an in-depth look at CyberSafety. Featuring
experts from the Washtenaw Area Council for Children, the evening will explore
issues of cyberbullying, sexting, online predators and privacy, and navigating
social networks. Come learn some strategies for finding the balance between the
cyber and real worlds for our children.
International Night
The International Night committee needs your help!
International Night is scheduled forThursday, January 29, 2015. It is a
wonderful evening during which students and their families create displays
representing countries that are connected to their heritage or simply of interest
to them. Displays may consist of projects, clothing, souvenirs and often
delicious food for all to taste as well. The evening culminates in an
international fashion show put on by Wines students. We are hoping to
begin planning for this event but are short of committee members! If you
would like to help us make this unique night happen, please contact Annemarie
Dolan at akilburndolan@comcast.net.
The Wines Country
Fair Raffle/Silent Auction
There soon may be snow on the ground, but plans are already
afoot for the big day. This wonderful event is great fun for the entire family
and Wines’ largest PTO fundraiser.
It’s never too early to consider grabbing items to donate to
the Raffle/Auction - especially in this time of great sales before and after
the holidays. One parent picked up boxes of Legos when they were on
sale just for the raffle - now that’s thinking ahead. So when you’re out and
about fulfilling your holiday to dos - add the raffle to your list!
Here are this year’s classroom themes:
Kindergarten - Arts & Crafts
1st Grade - Lego’s
2nd Grade - The Wonderful World of Science
3rd Grade - Camping, Swimming & Outdoor Fun
4th Grade - Sports & Outdoor Fun
5th Grade - It’s A High Tech World
Books, board games, other ‘cool’ toys, and team regalia are
always favorites as well. Stash your donation away till May (don’t forget where
you put them!), and we’ll let you know when to drop them off at
the school. If you don’t have room in your house, send me an
email and I'd be happy to make arrangements. The Raffle/Auction wouldn’t
be as successful as it is without the generous donations of the
Wines community. Thank you for your support!
Contact: Kerianne Tupac: kmtupac@umich.edu
