Parent Newsletter

December 12, 2019

Message from Dr. Thompson

As of today, we still have not received our school photos from Lifetouch. We will notify all families via an email blast as soon as we have a time frame for their arrival.

Thank you for another great week at Plymouth Creek. Students and staff are busy with learning and completing projects before the winter break. I want to give a big "shout out" to our crossing guards who continue to do a great job in front of the school each afternoon helping to safely cross students and parents. I also want to thank each of you for your help in keeping our parking lot safe by walking your child across the parking lot, or dropping off and picking up along the front curb. Safety is always our number one priority, and your help is appreciated.

Weather-related emergency closing information is available on the District website.

Winter break begins Monday, December 23 and we return to school on Thursday, January 2. If your family will be traveling beyond these dates, please report your absences using Skyward Family Access. More detailed instructions can be found in the "Reminders" section below.

Student Council and Home Base teamed up to collect donations for Toys for Tots. Watch some of our Home Base students give our donations on the 4:00 p.m. KARE-11 news show today!

With the winter months here, buses can be late due to inclement weather conditions. Using the My Stop Mobile App can take the guessing out of your student's bus arrival time. My Stop is a web-based application available to all Wayzata Public Schools parents and students that lets you access live bus GPS information. Using a smartphone or tablet, parents and students can view the current location of buses on routes and the estimated time of arrival at their neighborhood bus stops.

Our school health para, Sharon Hanson, is in need of clean, gently-used clothes:

Girls elastic-waistband pants, size 6-8
Boys elastic-waistband pants, size 6-8

If you have items you are able to donate, we would appreciate it.

Panther Pride Winners - December 6

Panther News Network

Did You Know?

Art Choice Day December 16-20

During the week of December 16-20, students will have Art Choice Day during their regularly scheduled art classes. Students will be working on a variety of art activities, unless they have an uncompleted art assignment. Each table will have a different art station for students to participate in. If you would like to help with the art stations - giving directions and maintaining supplies - please email Jill Hallson. Donations of yarn, thin paper plates or brown paper grocery bags would be greatly appreciated.

End-of-Day Change of Plans

If you have an end of day change that affects Home Base or any of the smaller childcare buses that serve the school, you must let them know if your student will not be riding that bus or attending Home Base. At the end of the day, we have to hold all buses if we are looking for students who are supposed to be in those locations. Thank you for your support in helping our end of day run smoothly!

Lost and Found
Please check out our lost and found, located in the front entryway. There is a large collection of gloves, sweatshirts, hats, and water bottles. Parents can stop by during the day or after school. Students can search for missing items before school or during their lunchtime. All hats, gloves, and mittens will be washed and brought to the health office.

Reminders

Reporting Attendance in Skyward Family Access

As the holiday season approaches and families begin planning for trips and vacations, we wanted to remind you that all absences (vacations, religious holidays, doctor appointments, illnesses, family emergencies, etc) should be entered via Skyward Family Access. Families will no longer need to complete a Travel Plan Form when they go on vacation, as all absences are now entered via Skyward Family Access. A few reminders when it comes to attendance:

Children are considered unexcused without an entry in Skyward Family Access or a call to the attendance line from a parent or guardian.
Students will also be marked unexcused if they arrive late to school and are not escorted into the office by a parent or adult.
When you are submitting the attendance request in Skyward Family Access, you must be logged in as a parent, not a student.
Calls to the attendance line (763-745-5855) should be reserved for last-minute attendance requests or changes.
Remember to also reach out to your classroom teacher to notify them of a planned full-day or multi-day absence.

Emergency Information Form

For a variety of reasons, there is often a need to contact you throughout the course of the school year. Parents/Guardians are asked to keep their contact information up-to-date in Skyward Family Access Emergency Information Form. Watch the Skyward Family Access video guide and to complete the form.

PTO News

Join or Volunteer

Box Tops are Going Digital!

If you still have a collection of the traditional clippings, please continue to turn those into your child's teacher, the office, or the container by the gym door, but be aware that the physical Box Tops are being phased out. Plymouth Creek's lifetime earnings for Box Tops is almost $38,000! This is a fantastic program that has benefited our children greatly over the years. Please take a minute to download the new Box Tops app, scan your receipts after each shopping trip, and watch our school earnings increase thanks to you!

Volunteer Needs

Around the District

December Wayzata Legislative Action Committee Update
The Wayzata Legislative Action Committee (LAC) met Wednesday, November 11. Scott Croonquist, executive director of the Association of Metropolitan School Districts (AMSD), presented the 2020 AMSD Legislative Platform and Position Papers. AMSD, which Wayzata Public Schools is a member of, advocates for metropolitan school districts and works to advance legislation that supports student achievement. The LAC also discussed the draft of the 2020 Wayzata Legislative Platform, which Annie McDaniels, citizen chair of the Wayzata LAC, will present at the Monday, December 16 Wayzata School Board Work Session. In the coming months, members of the Wayzata LAC will be meeting with senators and representatives from the nine senate and house districts that represent Wayzata Public Schools to discuss these legislative positions. The Wayzata LAC is a non-partisan group of citizens that monitors legislative activity as it affects K-12 education and advocates positions on behalf of the district. For more information, please visit the Wayzata Committees webpage or contact Alexia Wierzbicki, your school’s Wayzata LAC representative.

Home Base is Hiring!
If you enjoy working with school-age children between PreK to grade 5, you may be qualified to work in our Home Base before- and after-school childcare program! You must be available to work after school during the school year and we have summer hours, too. Typical shifts are three hours, between 2:00 and 6:00 p.m. (up to four-hour shifts possible). Starting pay for Program Assistants is $14.78 per hour and $17.09 per hour for Program Instructors. Apply online today!

Wayzata Education Fund's Thank a Teacher Program
We have a lot of amazing teachers and staff here at Wayzata Public Schools. What better way to show them you appreciate them by giving back to our schools? From November 21 to December 17, any donation through Wayzata Education Fund's Thank A Teacher program will come with a certificate of appreciation to that teacher or staff member from the student named in the donation. As a bonus, any donation of $25 or more also comes with a bundlet from Nothing Bundt Cakes-Minnetonka, our generous partner in this program. Say thank you and support a good cause all in one!

Partners in Prevention Ask Ali

We've had so many great Ask Ali questions in our inbox – thanks to all who have submitted! Ali, along with her network of local experts, has been working hard to answer these questions. Responses are posted every Monday on her blog at partnersinpreventionmn.org/askali. Parents, you've got to check out the responses to these questions! There are some interesting ones that have been asked; chances are you might be wondering some of these things.

Community Ed

Winter after school class opportunities at Plymouth Creek:
Yoga & Art
Art Lab
Engineering Club

Financial assistance is available, find more information here or call 763-745-5200.

Upcoming Events:
Young Scientist Roundtable: Man's Best Friend Helping to Treat Brain Cancer -There is groundbreaking work being done at the University of Minnesota’s Veterinary Medical Center and Masonic Cancer Center in the treatment of brain tumors in dogs. Dr. Liz Pluhar, Board Certified Veterinary Neurosurgeon and Director of the Canine Brain Tumor Clinical Trials Program, will discuss new immunotherapies that greatly extended survival of canine patients with Glioblastoma (GB) and how these are to be translated into trials in human GB patients.
Wednesday, January 15 at 7 p.m., Central Middle School Auditorium

Parenting with Vision: Bully Proofing Your Kids - January 13, Central Middle School auditorium

Events are free with no registration required.