Willow Grove

Families, please mark your calendars for the early dismissal dates coming up during Parent-Teacher Conference week.

Not sure what to do with all of that leftover Halloween candy? The front office is taking donations that will go towards earning money for our school.

Safety Reminders:

With fire season upon us we want to assure parents and guardians that we have appropriate response systems in place when emergencies arise. Our first priority will always be the safety of our students and staff on campus.

When Willow Grove becomes aware of any incidents in the geographic area of the school site, we will focus first on the safety of our campus while working with law enforcement, emergency responders, and the District for guidance and support for communication. Communication with parents is part of the response plan, but will be secondary to immediate safety. As soon as we can, we will message families with details of school-wide incidents such as lockdowns or evacuations. Please ensure your contact information is up to date in ParentVue in the “My Account” section.

Finally, we have been asked by first responders to remind our families NOT to come to campus in times of emergency – there have been several instances when officers, firefighters, and their ability to respond to the emergency have been hindered by parents rushing to the scene. Should an emergency occur, we will send out messages about dismissal or reunification procedures for families when first responders indicate it is safe to do so.

We are excited to announce that we will be bringing back the Hope Squad to Willow Grove Elementary again this year. Hope Squads are present on every campus throughout PUSD. Hope Squad is an evidence-based, peer-to-peer youth suicide prevention program. The goal of this program is to increase inclusion and connectedness in schools by teaching students how to provide friendship, encouragement, and support for students who may be bullied or feel isolated. For more information on the program, please visit the Hope Squad website.

At Willow Grove we will offer an opportunity for 5th grade students to become a Hope Squad member and peer mentor. Students will be nominated by their peers or teachers and selected by our Student Support Team. Hope Squad members care about others, demonstrate active listening skills and are trusted by their peers.

Our Student Support team has been trained as Hope Squad advisors to administer the most up-to-date mental health resources and training. Students in this program will not be asked to act as counselors, but will be trained to refer students to a trusted adult for help.

Students will participate in monthly lessons with the school counselor. In these lessons, members of the Hope Squad will receive training to proactively respond when someone is facing difficulties and to recognize potential warning signs in their peers.They will learn to show empathy, listen without judgment, and reduce stigma regarding help-seeking and mental illness.

Please contact us if you have any further questions about the Hope Squad!

Free/Reduced-Price Meal Applications Reminder

Please complete the free/reduced-price meal application! Although school meals are free for all students, the application for free and reduced-price meal eligibility is still very important. School funding depends in part on the number of students who qualify for free or reduced-price meals. If income-eligible families do not apply, we risk losing important educational funds for our school.

Students who are eligible for free or reduced-price meals may also qualify for discounts on testing fees, before and after school care, and home internet! Income qualifications change annually, so a new application is needed every school year. For school year 2024-2025, children from a family of four are eligible if the total gross (pre-tax) household income is less than $4,810 per month, or less than $57,720 per year. Household income information is confidential and applying online is quick and easy. Apply online at MySchoolApps.com, or pick up a paper application in the school office.

Please see below for this month's Counselor Corner!

Hi Grizzly Families, our school community will be focusing on the character strength of Forgiveness. Forgiveness means you forgive those who have done wrong and you accept that people make mistakes.

Forgiveness is the ability to move past being injured, and allow yourself to reconcile with the person who hurt you. Forgiveness can often be seen as a selfless act, but it also carries many benefits for those who practice it. Those who demonstrate forgiveness have the ability to move forward after someone has hurt them. Forgiveness is often rooted in the idea that all people are valuable and worthy of a second chance. Many who forgive have the ability to consider things from another’s perspective.

The ability to reconcile differences and move forward positively is a trait of any effective group. When people work together, conflict is inevitable. However, when people value each other’s contribution and believe in the group’s goal, they become more capable of moving past conflict toward genuinely positive behavior. A group member’s willingness to forgive imperfections of both other members and the group as a whole contribute to overall success.

“Life becomes easier when you learn to accept the apology you never got.” -ROBERT BRAULT

11/4- Foundation Meeting

11/11- Veteran's Day (NO SCHOOL)

11/14- PTA Meeting

11/15- End of Trimester 1

11/18- Foundation Golf Tournament

11/19-11/21- Minimum Days Due to Conferences

11/22- No School Due to Conferences

11/25-11/29- Thanksgiving Break (NO SCHOOL)

PTA Membership Drive

Please see below for information about how our PTA support Willow Grove students!

Keep up with the latest Willow Grove PTA News:

Instagram: @ptawillowgrove
Facebook: Willow Grove Elementary School PTA

Please follow us on our social media platforms for important news and updates from WGEF:

X (formerly Twitter) - @WGFoundation

Instagram - @willowgrovefoundation

Facebook - Willow Grove Educational Foundation

Our first Grizzly Artist of the Week is Addie in 3rd grade! Make sure to check out her original work hanging in the front office.

Ready to show the Willow Grove community your art skills? Each week a grizzly drawing will be featured in the ConnectEd and displayed in the front office. Simply take a picture of your child's artwork and email to jmelton@powayusd.com.