MWE May Update
Miami Whitewater Elementary Parents & Guardians - Good afternoon! Parenting is hard. Raising little people is extremely rewarding, but can also be lonely and challenging in many ways. Over the weekend, I was listening to a podcast while getting my steps in on the outer loop at Miami Whitewater Forest. I heard so many “gems” and valuable points that I wanted to share with all of you! MWE is fortunate to have strong parent & guardian involvement. It takes a village and is gratifying to see so many of the MWE families working together to carpool, get projects completed, and keep kids involved in community groups and activities.
The podcast is “The Happiness Lab”, led by Dr. Laurie Santos from Yale University. Dr. Santos’ most recent episode focuses on “Reducing the Stress of Parenting” with former US Surgeon General of the United States, Vivek Murthy. Together, they share actionable strategies that parents & guardians can use to feel less stressed, reduce burnout, and protect mental health.
Summer vacation is right around the corner and comes with its own load of stressors for busy families. You’re most likely worrying about your kids' safety as they navigate the freedom that summer vacation brings. There are also new concerns like how do you manage social media and screen time? The nature of parenting has changed. If you’d like to learn tips and strategies about how to reduce the stress of parenting, search “The Happiness Lab” with Dr. Laurie Santos on whichever platform you use to stream podcasts & music. Click HERE for an image of The Happiness Lab.
Continue to remind yourself that you are doing an extraordinarily important and invaluable job for society, which is raising the next generation!
Parent Square - If you have not yet registered your Parent Square account, please do so now! Next year, all SLSD communications will be through Parent Square.
SLSD Parent & Guardian Survey - At Miami Whitewater Elementary & in the Southwest Local School District, we strive for excellence through the relationships we build with all of our stakeholders. Partnering with parents and guardians is crucial for the success of our students and our school community. We value honest input, and would like to know parent & guardian thoughts on our school climate and services. Please complete this so we can review the feedback and create action steps for next school year!! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSddTuOfOPwZbisBBetBADLxtOAZ2n80FLUwUjMf6D7r9-XWcA/viewform?usp=sharing
Spring OST Math & Science Scores are IN !! - Our 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders absolutely rocked their state Math & Science assessments this spring. The number of students earning proficient in third grade Math increased 5% from last spring to this year. Fourth grade increased 8%. Fifth grade showed a 9% increase! Click HERE for a graphic with Math trend data. Fifth grade Science scores were off the charts! Our fifth graders showed a 25% increase in just one year! Click HERE for a graphic with Science trend data. Your child's score report is in Abre. Kudos to our intermediate students and their fabulous teachers for being diligent and achieving BIG things this school year! ELA scores for 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades will be released on May 21st.
Field Day - Miami Whitewater Elementary's field day will be this Thursday, May 22 at the Harrison HS Athletic Complex & turf field right across campus from MWE. We have a variety of fun activities planned throughout the day. Please remember to send your child to school with a water bottle & packed lunch on Thursday. Apply sunscreen before school and send some to school for your child to reapply at lunchtime if needed. Click HERE or reach out to your child’s teacher if you have any concerns or questions about our annual Field Day!
SLSD Food Service - Southwest Local Schools is searching for several new cooks to add to our food service staff for the 2025-2026 school year. Cook positions are only three hours each day from 10:00am-1:00pm or 10:30am-1:30pm. If you are looking for a part time position that allows you to interact with our students, become a part of our school community, or just add a bit of extra income to your household, this position may be for you! Since the hours are during school, there is no need for baby-sitting before or after school or on non-school days as long as your students are in school for the full-day. These roles are also perfect for retirees just looking for something part-time to get out of the house. If interested, or if you know anyone who may be interested, please consider applying at the following link: https://www.applitrack.com/greatercincinnati/onlineapp/JobPostings/view.asp?FromAdmin=true&AppliTrackJobId=41261
SLSD Board of Education Member Applications - The Southwest Local School District will be holding interviews for those interested in filling the Board seat vacated by current Board Member Mike King. Mike King is resigning effective June 12, 2025. Interviews will be held at Harrison Junior School located at 9840 West Rd. Harrison, Ohio 45030 beginning at 6pm during the Board's regularly scheduled meeting. Interviews will begin directly after the Board completes its regular meeting items. Community members interested in applying for the open Board seat should send applications to The Southwest Local School District's main office located at 10800 Campbell Rd. Harrison, Ohio 45030 to the attention of Thomas Lowe. Interested applicants should send a resume and cover letter no later than June 6, 2025, at 4:00 pm. To be eligible to apply you must live within the Southwest Local School District boundaries. A Special Board Meeting will be held on June 25, 2025, at 6pm to elect a new Board Member. If you have any questions, please contact Thomas Lowe at thomas.lowe@southwestschools.org. For more information, click HERE.
Important Dates -
21 Student Banking Bike Giveaway
22 Harrison HS Grad Walk 9:15am
22 Field Day
26 Memorial Day - No School
27 Field Day & PTO Walk-a-Thon (Rain Date)
27 High School Graduation Ceremony
28 Last Day of School for Students
28 Second Semester Awards Assembly (grades 3-4)
28 5th Grade Graduation
29 End of Second Semester (Teacher Records Day)- No School for Students
Save the Date –
- Grow to Know (Summer Intervention Program)– June 23-27
- Open House – Aug. 12th (time TBA)
