We’ve kicked off 4^th quarter, and our students have been busy learning many things. Our teachers and paraprofessionals are pushing our mission, “Academic and Social growth for ALL students, EVERY DAY!” to the limits!  Our goal is grade level standard mastery.  At Miami Whitewater Elementary, that means reteaching + intervention groups + enrichment opportunities are taking place each and every day.  In the classroom and in small group counseling sessions, your children are learning about fixed mindsets and growth mindsets.  The students are investigating ways growth mindsets are fostered and what strategies they can use to develop growth mindsets in themselves. 

All of the information below will be extremely helpful as we head into the final nine weeks of the school year. 

SPRING BREAK – There is no school March 25-April 1.  The office will be open based on our secretary’s vacation days, so please call before making the trip to school if you need access to the office.  School resumes at 9:10 on April 2 ,2024. 

MWE’s Got TALENT - We are excited to share that we will be hosting our second annual "MWE's Got Talent" variety show! It will take place at the Harrison HS Activity Center on Wednesday, March 20^th at 7:00. Doors open at 6:30. This talent show was an idea created by 5^th grade students in 2023, who saw a need to create a bigger playground space for our school. This year, with the help of our current 5^th grade leaders, we will continue their vision. We will be using the money raised from the event towards making our playground equipment more handicapped accessible, as well as adding new equipment. 

They are asking for donations at the door. Suggested donations are: $5 for adults, $3 for students and Kids under 4 are FREE. 

Highlights of the show include:

 a drum routine by the students from our MD department

magic

singing 

dancing

tumbling

comedy

AND a special dance performance by the teachers and staff from MWE!

We hope to see everyone on March 20^th at 7pm showing support for our students and staff. This is going to be an event you do not want to miss!

Third Quarter Report Cards – Report cards will be available in ProgressBook on March 22, 2024.  As a reminder, report cards are no longer printed by the district and can be found in your family portal when you click on ProgressBook. 

Did you Know? – Last week, we shared some important information about how we handle bullying at SLSD. We want to continue sharing information, since this is an important topic that the community highlighted throughout our community town halls.

Do you and your kids know how to report bullying? We have a very specific policy and procedure when it comes to bullying in our district. The first step of the process is to report any issues right away - our teachers and staff won’t know if there is an issue if no one says anything.

We do our best to provide students with resources to report bullying, including easy QR codes in our HJS & HHS buildings that allow them to quickly report an issue. Once something is reported, we then begin our process to handle the situation.  Click HERE for more information.

Ensuring our students feel safe and accepted in all aspects is important to SLSD, and we continue to try and find ways to make improvements every day!

To access a MWE “My Side of the Story” form, go to https://www.southwestschools.org/miami-whitewater-elementary-school/and click “Report Bullying”.

Third & Fourth Grade Musical – Mr. Frye has been working diligently to help our 3^rd & 4^th grade students prepare for their upcoming spring performance.  Please join us on April 24^th at 7:00pm at the Activity Center Performing Arts Theater for the show.  Mr. Frye will share specifics with students and families about arrival time, dismissal procedures, and attire once we return from spring break.

OST Assessments – State achievement tests tell us how well our students are achieving and gaining the knowledge and skills outlined in Ohio’s Learning Standards. These tests help guide and strengthen future teaching so we can be sure that we are preparing our students for long-term success in our district and beyond.  Test results also allow our community members in Harrison to know how their local schools are performing compared to others around the state.  Our OST’s will begin on April 2.  The testing schedule and tests by grade level are below.  Teachers will be sharing specific testing dates within the OST window with you in newsletters and emails. 

OST – English Language Arts – April 2-April 19 – grades 3-5

OST – Mathematics – April 22-May 10 – grades 3-5

OST – Science – April 22-May 10 – grade 5

Please avoid making appointments or scheduling vacations during this time. Students tend to perform best when they are taking the assessment with their teacher and in the regular classroom environment.  For more information on upcoming assessments, visit the Ohio Department of Education & Workforce website:

https://education.ohio.gov/Topics/Testing

Elementary Dances - The annual Elementary Dances are just over a month away!  This year’s theme is “Under the Big Top”.  They’re open to all SLSD preschool through 5^th graders.  Both dances run from 7-9 PM at the Activity Center.  Click HERE to find a printable graphic for this year's dances.  Admission is $20 per couple, and $5 for each additional child.  The price includes music and dancing, snacks, photo stations and games.

The Daughter Dance takes place on Friday, April 19.  Purchase tickets at https://bit.ly/daughterdance2024.

The Son Dance takes place on Saturday, April 20.  Purchase tickets at https://bit.ly/sondance2024.

The dances are sponsored by the Harrison High School Student Council.

Kindergarten Registration - Kindergarten registration is open for the 2024-2025 school year.  We will once again offer a limited number of tuition-based full-day options. The number of full-day classrooms will depend on space and enrollment numbers. Full-day spots are assigned by the date stamp in Final Forms.

Administrative Professional’s Day - Administrative Professional's Day is coming up on April 24, 2024. Mrs. Schille & Miss Dwenger are the best in the business.  They definitely help our school run efficiently each and every day.  We're grateful for their hard work and dedication!

Yearbooks - Don't miss out! Secure a yearbook by visiting ybpay.com and using the yearbook ID code: 14271824  Yearbooks are PRE-SALE only! There will NOT be any extras to sell at the end of the year. The last date to order yearbooks will be March 28^th.  Yearbooks are expected to arrive by May 5^th.

Art Show – There will be a small selection of artwork on display from each of the SLSD elementary schools at the Harrison Branch Library from April 3-April 30.  Thanks to Mrs. Ferguson, our amazing Art Teacher, for helping our students create beautiful pieces and setting up the display!

Nuisance Items & Heely Shoes – Our Parent/Guardian & Student handbook (pg. 24) contains language about smart watches, Gizmo watches, and cell phones being used at school.  A screenshot of our policy, taken directly from the handbook is below.  We respect the fact that parents/guardians want to stay connected and be able to communicate with their children, but please trust that your children are in good hands in our care while at school.  Students should not be sending parents/guardians messages if they don’t feel well and want to be picked up.  We have clear procedures in place for Nurse Simpson or the secretaries to contact you if your child needs to be sent home.  Also, please remember that there are phones located in each classroom, instructional space, clinic, and front office as well.  No student should be on a cell phone, smart watch, or Gizmo during class or at arrival/dismissal time.   

Another safety issue that we’ve noticed lately is students not wearing appropriate shoes.  Heely Shoes are skate shoes with wheels on the bottom.  They were popular several years ago and are making a comeback.  We prefer that students not wear Heely Shoes at all, but if it’s the only option the wheels must be removed while on school property and SLSD transportation. 

National School Nurse’s Day - Our school nurse, Barb Simpson, will be celebrated on May 8^th.  We’re lucky to have Nuse Simpson providing compassionate care to our students and promoting wellness at Miami Whitewater Elementary.

Green Barn Lot – Please use the front lot and main entrance for arrival and dismissal if your child is a car rider.  There is a designated carpool lane and marked parking spots for parents to use in the front lot.  Some parents have started to use the green barn lot between our school and the High School athletic fields.  The green barn lot is for MWE staff and HS student parking only.  This is a safety concern, as we have staff members arriving and leaving at the same time as our students and students should not be running across the street by the playground without a crossing guard.  It’s also not safe to have students navigating the parking lot when new high school drivers and others are driving through.   

Harrison Wildcat Athletics SUMMER Camps - It's time to sign up for Youth Athletic Summer Camps! Harrison Wildcats Athletics has put together a great lineup of camps in a variety of sports. Learn a new sport, or refine their skills in a sport they already play. Help keep your child active and involved this summer! Registration is online only. Follow the link below or click HERE for dates, details and registration.

https://harrisonwildcats.membershiptoolkit.com/packet/78278572

Cincinnati Reds Baseball CAMP -  You can find more information on the Cincinnati Reds summer baseball camps hosted at Harrison HS HERE 

Wildcats Care - Wildcats Care is an initiative by Southwest Local Schools. Our hope is to provide our families with valuable resources and supports to improve their everyday lives and strengthen our community as a whole. 

Our Wildcats Care team is made up of administrators, counselors, school psychologists, nurses and teachers in Southwest Local Schools. We work hand-in-hand with local organizations and churches looking to make a difference in our community.  Wildcats Care is hosting a “Junk in the Trunk” sale April 27^th in the Crosby Elementary parking lot.  Click HERE to read the flyer with more specifics!

IMPORTANT DATES:

March 

March 18-22 - NWEA MAP Spring Benchmark assessment week

March 19 - Talent Show dress rehearsal 4:00-6:30pm 

March 20 - Talent Show 7:00 at Activity Center

March 25-29 Spring Break - No School 

APRIL 

April 1 - Easter Monday - No School 

April 2 - PTO Meeting @ 6:30 PM 

April 2-19 - OST ELA Assessment window

April 3 - Student Banking 

April 4 - National School Librarian Appreciation Day

April 8 - No School - Solar Eclipse

April 12 - First Grade grandparent’s Day 9:30am

April 17 - Student Banking 

April 19 - SLSD Daddy-Daughter Dance (7:00-9:00)

April 20 - SLSD Mom Prom (7:00-9:00)

April 22 - 3rd grade field trip to Great American Ballpark 

April 22 - May 10- OST Mathematics & Science Assessment window

April 24 - Administrative Professionals Day

May 

May 1 - Student Banking 

May 1 - PBIS Assembly 10:00am

May 1 - Kindergarten Field trip to Cincinnati Zoo

May 2 - 3rd grade Field Trip to Miami Whitewater Forest & Whitewater Whippy Dip

May 6-10 - Teacher Appreciation Week 

May 6-10  - AIMSWeb Plus fluency Spring benchmark (grades K-3)

May 7 - 2nd grade Field Trip to Sharon Woods

May 8 - School Nurse Appreciation Day

May 8 - 4th grade field trip to Gov. Bebb Pioneer Village

May 10 - Wildcat Walk 2:30pm

May 10 - First Grade Field Trip to Cincinnati Museum Center

May 7 - PTO Meeting @ 6:30 PM 

May 8 - CAT Store

May 10 - First Grade field trip to Cincinnati Museum Center

May 14 - MWE Enrichment Day

May 15 - Student Banking + Bike Giveaway 

May 16 - Harrison HS Class of 2024 Grad Walk 9:30am 

May 16 - Field Day & PTO Walk-a-Thon 

May 17 - Teacher In Service Day - No School 

May 20 - Field Day & PTO Walk-A-Thon – (Rain Date) 

May 21 - High School Graduation 

May 22 - Last Day of School 

May 22 - 5th Grade Graduation 

May 23 - End of Second Semester - No School 

May 24 - Teacher Records Day 

May 27 Memorial Day - School Closed

I am so grateful for the Miami Whitewater Elementary teachers, support staff, and community — thank you for being a part of it and supporting the work we’re doing with kids. Have a wonderful Spring Break and please be safe!