Happy New Year Winchester Families!  

I hope you all enjoyed the wonderful holiday season with your family and friends.  Most of

the vacation the weather cooperated.  As I look outside my kitchen window I see a bright

blue sky.  This helps me to reflect on what is most important to all of us as we begin a new

year...quality time with our family, friends, good health and happiness.

 

During the month of December, the children were learning about the character education traits

of generosity, sharing and helpfulness.  Your response and support to the many collection drives

we have sponsored at Winchester during the past few weeks taught out students valuable

lessons in "living out" these important values.  It was overwhelming to me and the faculty to

receive the gracious donations of food, clothing and financial support from our families.

Your efforts again this year have made the Warm the Children drive, the St. Williams's Food

Pantry and the canned food collection for the Lions Club a huge success.  What a wonderful

way to teach our students about social outreach.  Thank you for your support.

 

Our third, fourth, and fifth grade students will be taking the New York English Language Arts

assessment from Tuesday, January 13th through Thursday, January 15th.  Our sixth grade

students will be taking the same assessment a week later on Tuesday, January 20th through

Thursday, January 22nd.  Teachers and students have been working conscientiously to prepare

for these assessments.  The test will cover reading, writing and listening comprehension.

Third and fifth graders will be assessed over 2 days while the fourth and sixth graders will be

assessed over 3 days.  It is important that your child has a good night's rest, eats a healthy

breakfast and remembers to always do their best.

 

In addition to an already busy month don't forget these important dates:

 

 

Thursday January 15th            Parent Book Club                 6:00 PM     Library

Wednesday January 21st         PTA Meeting                       6:30 PM     Cafeteria

Thursday January 22nd            K-3 Skating Party                6:00 PM     Spinners

Monday January 26th              4th-6th Sports Club             6:00 PM     Gymnasium

 

Tuesday January 27th             Coffee with the Principal       9:30 AM     Cafeteria

 

Thursday January 29th            Half Day for Students          10:30 AM    Dismissal

 

Thursday January 29th            Chuck E Cheese more information to be sent home

Our Community DEAR assembly will be held on Friday, January 30th  at 9:20 AM in the auditorium.   This has become a great opportunity for the Winchester community to come together and celebrate reading.   All family members are invited to attend with a book in hand!

 

At the beginning of this new year, I am asking you to remind your children of our rules when riding the school bus. Appropriate bus behavior is essential to provide safety for all our students and promotes good character development.  Children are to remain seated, and they are not allowed to have open food or drinks while riding the bus.  Please remind your children that they are to treat other students with kindness and respect at all times.  Our sixth grade safety patrol assist students at dismissal and are present on the bus.  All students have been reminded about bus safety and know that the safety patrol students will gladly assist when asked, if any concerns arise. 

I look forward to a great new year for our school community as we continue to support our students in their successful educational journey.  Peace, good health and happiness in 2009!

Sincerely,

Kathleen A. Brachmann
Principal

  

 

Congratulations to the 2008-09 Winchester Reflections Building Winners:

Kindergarten - Matthew Ferella,  Olivia Santos

Grade One - Samer Parris, Breanna Marini

Grade Two - Anthony Espe, Jack Gillis

Grade Three - Yuan Yuan Chen, Mary Grace Yetter, Jacob Boyer (3 way tie)

Grade Four - Taryn Walter, Hannah Wheelock

Grade Five - Mike Kozlowski, Riley Chavanne

Grade Six - Jeremy Kopacz, Carolyn kozel

Congratulations to the 2008-09 Western Region Winners:

Visual Arts:  Riley Chavanne, Megan Crum, Jeremy Kopacz, Carolyn Kozel

Literature:  Michael Kozlowski, Yuan Yuan Chen, Randy Bleekman, Matthew Ladd

Photography:  Ryan Mathews, Remy Navy, Brooklyn Hinton, Sara Machowski

Music:  Stacy Dzielinski

Absences:

Please call the office (677-3582) to notify the school of your child’s absence.  It is the parent’s responsibility to send a written note on the first day back after an absence. The excuse must include the child’s first and last name, reason for absence and date of absence(s). Our office will call parents of children not in school on their first day of absence unless the office has been notified.