Welcome to Wilchester Elementary! The PTA is a wonderful organization that supports our children and school every day in a variety of ways. There are many different ways to get involved whether you want to be a part of the classroom or support the school from your home. You can help with very little time or a significant amount of time. It is truly up to you and your family schedule. We welcome you and hope this provides more insight into “happenings” at WCE. If you have a question that is not answered below, please contact the PTA President or another board member and we will do our best to assist you.
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1. How do I join the PTA Board?
There are approximately 90 PTA Board member positions. A full list of these positions can be found on the following link: http://www.wilchesterpta.com/ptaboardcommittees.html . Most positions are filled in the April/May timeframe in preparation for the following year. A good way to learn more about the position & express interest is to talk to the current Board member in that position and/or the PTA President.
2. How do I volunteer in the classroom?
At the beginning of each year, a classroom volunteer form will come home with your child. Decide on which volunteer opportunities are a good fit for you and your family. Some of these include: homeroom parent, Winter/Valentine Party chair, McGruff, Library, PawPrint Express, Auction & Carnival. A full list and description of classroom volunteer opportunities can be found at http://www.wilchesterpta.com/volunteering/homeroomvolunteering.html
** All volunteers must register every year through the SBISD website www.springbranchisd.com. Regardless of the classroom or school activity that you will be working on, it is required by the district to fill out a Volunteer Registration Form. It only takes a few minutes and you will need to do it one time per year.
3. How does Wilchester communicate to the community?
Weekly Communication:
Folder will come home in your child’s backpack. This folder will include take-home classroom work and some hard copy information. Hard copies will be limited to items that require parent response, e.g. field trip permission slips, information related to major PTA events, one-time requests for and carnival items. These items will also be posted on both the school and PTA websites. Email will go out every Tuesday. This will contain a reminder to review the online Tuesday folder. The online folder will contain most all communications to parents including notice of upcoming events, math stars, reading stars, after-school programs that meet district requirements and copies of all hard copy items sent home, like permission slips.
Monthly Communication: PTA newsletter produced monthly and distributed via email only with limited number of copies available in the main office for first few months of school. Newsletter is also posted to PTA website. PTA Website: http://www.wilchesterpta.com/
4. Should I check the “Tuesday Folder” every week?
Yes! In an effort to go green, WCE moved to an online communication system we refer to as “The Online Tuesday Folder”. The “Tuesday Folder” is the best way to stay informed on what is happening at Wilchester. Not everything will come home hard copy in your child’s backpack. There are a number of important items in the Tuesday Folder. You can find the previous and current Tuesday Folder information by clicking on the link http://wce.springbranchisd.com/Home/CurrentTuesdayFolder/tabid/11784/Default.aspx .
5. How do I get on the Wilchester Elementary email distribution list? PTA email distribution list?
Once you are registered with Wilchester Elementary, you will automatically be included in all school communication. Once you have completed the E-mail Communication Consent Form (part of the PTA 3-part form), you will be added to the PTA email distribution list. Please note it takes us a little time to enter this information. You may also send an email note to the current E-mail Chair.
6. What is the 3 Part Form?
The 3 part form is a PTA document sent home the first week of school that includes our PTA Membership Form, Directory order form and E-mail Communication Consent.
7. When and how do I register for school?
New student registration can be completed in May. However, most registration is completed in early August prior to the new school year. If you did not complete registration in May, you are able to register in August with no concerns. If you registered in May, your information will not be able to be input into the SBISD system until the official August registration timeframe.
8. Who do I inform that my child was absent due to illness?
If your child has missed school for with an “excused absence” like illness, you will need to send an email note to both your child’s teacher and Enel Ortiz at enel.ortiz@springbranchisd.com
9. What is Carnival?
Carnival is an annual fundraiser for Wilchester that is one of the children’s favorite (and biggest fundraising) events. It is usually held in early May on a Friday afternoon/evening at the school. Some of the activities include game booths, large blow up jump houses, booth contests, raffle prizes and plenty of fun foods. There are a variety of ways to help with Carnival that include set-up/take down, solicitations, ad sales, donations and block chair.
10. What is Auction?
Auction is a fundraiser event that takes place every other year and is geared toward the parents. It is normally an evening event in the fall timeframe with a theme. Auction is one of Wilchester’s largest fundraising events that provides funding for two school years. There are a variety of ways to support Auction that include decorations, logistics and solicitations.
11. What is Fall Family Fun Night?
Fall Family Fun Night is a themed event held every year in the fall at Wilchester Elementary and is a great way for the whole family to celebrate the new school year. It’s typically held on a Friday at the end of the week of Book Fair. There is Food, Bingo, Prizes and a Silent Auction.
12. What is Field Day?
Field Day is a fun day outdoors with games and activities at multiple stations. There are games like ring toss, belly bumpers, frisbee throw and duck shoot with water guns. Look for email and Tuesday communication to help support this great event.
13. When are PTA Meetings?
PTA meetings are held once a month on Tuesday. Meeting time and location are determined at the beginning of each school year and are subject to change. For a complete schedule, please check the PTA website calendar http://www.wilchesterpta.com/calendar.html
14. Why is it important to log PTA volunteer hours?
Volunteering is an integral part of the Wilchester community. To participate in the library, class activities, school parties, field trip chaperone, etc, you must first register to be a volunteer. To register go to www.springbranchisd.com and click on the “Be A Volunteer” link and follow the simple instructions. Volunteer opportunities can occur early in the school year, so you want to register as soon as possible. Volunteer hours are important to our school and count towards different recognitions for the school. To log volunteer hours that are completed outside of the school, go to www.wilchesterpta.com and click on the link “Click Here to Log-In Volunteer Hours.” If you are volunteering at the school and you have checked-in as a volunteer through the front office, you do not need to report these hours online. Thanks for being an important part of the Wilchester community!
15. What is an iCoach?
WCE formerly had 2 School Improvement Specialists (SIS) in which the district restructured considerably. They removed all 4 curriculum departments and there is no longer an "isolated focus" on the 4 main disciplines. Now each campus has an Interdisciplinary Instructional Coach (iCoach) that works on integration of all content, authentic and seamless use of technology, and development of teaching practices (pedagogy).
16. What are “Specials”?
Specials are events throughout your child’s day like Music, Art and Health Fitness. Each class rotates to a different “Special” depending on the day and time. At the beginning of each year, you will receive the class schedule for “Specials” from your teacher. Specials are only attended by Kindergarten through 5th grade.
17. What is the Budget Planning Meeting?
The Budget Planning Meeting is normally held in January and is open to both Wilchester staff and parents. It is a very important part of the Budget Planning process in which everyone will brainstorm ideas on how to allocate PTA funds. Everyone in attendance breaks up into 4 smaller groups (Curriculum, Technology, Facilities/Landscape & Misc.) and rotates to each group. The meeting normally lasts about one hour. This is where all the budget allocation planning begins so don’t miss this chance to share your ideas!
18. How does the Budget Planning process work?
Based on results from the January Budget Planning meeting, the Budget Planning committee meets with Principle Evans and other pertinent faculty members to determine which ideas are feasible. The committee then creates a survey that is distributed in the Spring. The survey is everyone’s opportunity to review and prioritize their choices for allocating funds. The Budget Planning committee compiles the survey forms and gives them to SBISD who then creates a results report. The report is then given to a separate and larger Budget Committee for review and discussion. Finally, the Budget VP presents the proposed budget to the PTA, usually in August before school begins, so it may be approved.
19. In general, what does the PTA do with our financial donations?
Wilchester PTA raises funds in a variety of ways: Auction, Cookie Dough, Used Book Sale, Fall Family Fun Night, Family Underwriting, Corporate Underwriting, Box Tops, Recycling and Carnival. During a non-Auction year, the VP of Ways and Means will determine a Fall and/or Spring Fundraiser. The PTA recognizes not every family can participate in every event, however, having a variety of ways to donate and support the school gives each family an opportunity to give in a way that is personally interesting and fits their budget. Truly - every dollar counts!
So where does all the money go?
Here is a basic break down from 2005 to 2010 of the AVERAGE top 10 budget items:
Technology - 24%
Curriculum - 18%
Staff Development - 13%
Landscaping - 7%
Field Trips - 7%
Facilities - 6%
Specials - 6%
Library - 4%
Technology Specialist - 4%
Teacher Funds - 3%
20. Why can’t Wilchester save PTA money and roll it into to the following year?
Wilchester PTA is a non-profit organization; therefore, we cannot ‘earn a profit’. Ideally we need to have a balanced budget in which our revenues equal our disbursements (Curriculum, Enrichment, Committees, Facilities). We usually have some surplus carryover from year to year but we try to keep that amount to a minimum.
21. How can I create a lunch money account for my child?
SBISD provides a simple option for parents to pre-pay, view and manage your child’s cafeteria account balance. For more information and registration, go to ParentOnline - www.parentonline.net
22. What is “Singapore Math”?
Singapore Math is a general term that often refers to ways of teaching influenced by those in typical Singapore classrooms.
This typically includes teaching strategies that emphasize the development of strong number sense, mental-math skills, and a deep understanding of place value. The practices are based on a progression beginning with concrete experiences (with an emphasis on using manipulatives), moving to pictorial representations, and lastly to the abstract level (algorithms).
This methodology allows learners to gain a solid understanding of basic math concepts and relationships before moving on to the abstract. This Singapore approach also focuses on developing problem solvers. Metacognition encourages students to use alternative methods for solving problems and developing logical thinking.
For more information on Singapore Math, you can contact Sara Guillory, Interdisciplinary Instructional Coach, sara.guillory@springbranchisd.com or 713-251-7731.
23. What is Mental Math?
Mental math strengthens number sense, solidifies place value understanding, increases mathematical confidence, provides immediate feedback, develops memory, improves mental organization skills, and can be used authentically for real-world application anywhere at any time!
Why Wilchester uses Mental Math? Procedural vs. Conceptual Understanding ~ “It seems clear that instruction focused solely on symbolic manipulation without understanding is ineffective for most students. It is necessary to correct that imbalance by paying more attention to conceptual understanding as well as the other strands of proficiency and by helping students connect them.” – National Research Council, Adding It Up
For more information on Mental Math, you can contact Sara Guillory, Interdisciplinary Instructional Coach, sara.guillory@springbranchisd.com or 713-251-7731.
24. Can I have lunch with my child at the school?
Yes, once you check in at the front office, you can go to the cafeteria to have lunch with your child at our designated visitor lunch tables.
25. What are Math Stars?
Math Stars is a program in which your child can complete additional math worksheets (over and above nightly required homework) for an award at the end of the year. To print the Math Stars worksheets go to the Wilchester website at http://wce.springbranchisd.com/MathStars/tabid/12314/Default.aspx
26. What are Reading Stars?
Reading Stars is a program in which your child can do additional reading (over and above nightly required homework) to earn an award at the end of the school year. To print the Reading Stars program go to the Wilchester website at http://wce.springbranchisd.com/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=tpOxDSR8hvI%3d&tabid=5356
27. Does Wilchester have a language program?
No, however, Wilchester has partnered with Westchester Academy for International Studies (WAIS) for an after school language program. WAIS offers a language program on Monday afternoons from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. at WAIS. The teachers of WAIS walk the children from Wilchester to WAIS in which they will be introduced to a variety of languages including Spanish, Italian, French and German. There is a fee of $30 for the entire school year program.
28. How can I buy a Wilchester T-shirt, sticker, yard signs, etc?
Spirit Sales items (T-shirts, shorts, headbands, stickers, etc) are available by filing out a form online through the PTA website. Return the form and check to your homeroom teacher. The online form can be found at http://www.wilchesterpta.com/spiritsales.html Spirit Sales will have a booth at Meet the Teacher Day and Back to School Coffee on the first day of school. The yard signs are not sold through Spirit Sales, but may be bought at Auction.
29. Does Wilchester participate in Box Top$ and Recycling?
Paper Recycling
Bring all your mail, office papers, catalogs, shredded paper, flattened cardboard boxes, newspapers & advertising inserts to the green and yellow bin in the Westchester parking lot. This brings in money for the school. We will have additional bins once construction is complete and we will let you know their permanent home once it is decided.
Box Top$
Did you know that we raised over $1000 for our library last year just by clipping the Box Top$ from products you already use and love? If each child at our school brought just 3 Box Top$ a month, we could raise over $1200 for library supplies, including books, computers, and reference materials. If your family buys General Mills products and food, chances are there are BOX TOP$ on the package! It's easy! Look for the symbol, clip them off before you recycle the box and send them to school in an envelope with your child or drop them off yourself in the library.
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