Windermere Mustang Monthly
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Windermere Families,
Happy New Year WES families! As we welcome our students back for the second half of the school year, January offers the perfect time to reflect on past achievements and set intentional goals for the months ahead.
This month, we are focusing on Student Resolutions—not just big dreams, but the small, daily habits that lead to big academic wins. Teachers have been celebrating the growth and success that students have demonstrated on their Middle of the Year (MOY) Assessments. We are thrilled with the growth we have seen among the vast majority of students. Ms. Brooks and I have also taken the time to share our pride and appreciation for all the hard work our teachers/staff have put into helping each child make these incredible gains! As to you, the parents, THANK YOU! For your continued support and the efforts you put into helping your child grow as both a scholar and a friend to their classmates!
As we start this New Year, we hope that you encourage your child to set a goal of continued academic and personal growth. Encourage your child to choose one or two things to focus on this semester:
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The "Power of Yet": Instead of saying "I can't do this," resolve to say "I can't do this yet." This simple shift helps build the resilience needed for tough subjects.
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The 15-Minute Rule: Resolve to read for pleasure or review notes for just 15 minutes every night, away from screens.
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Organization Reset: Clean out the backpack and binder every Sunday evening. A clear space leads to a clear mind!
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The "Ask One" Goal: Resolve to ask at least one question in class to stay engaged and clarify learning. (This is for our shy students.)
Another resolution for this new year to help your child grow is in their level of personal responsibility. I have many conversations throughout the year with parents, and one question I tend to ask is what “responsibilities” does your child have at home? We often see a direct correlation with the students that are highly successful with their work habits, are also students that have responsibilities at home.
“Chores” as we often call them, give students not only better work habits and often higher achievement levels, it instills in them many quality social-emotional characteristics. An 85-year study conducted by Harvard researchers shows that children assigned age-appropriate chores become more competent, resilient, empathetic, and successful adults, with a stronger work ethic, greater life satisfaction, and improved relationships. These outcomes foster independence and self-efficacy through shared responsibility and household contributions. https://www.inc.com/jeff-haden/want-to-raise-more-successful-and-happier-kids-harvard-research-says-give-them-more-chores.html). Educators encourage parents to have children help with household chores and incorporate chores into daily life at school; thus, helping to build successful student work habits.
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Whatever your 2026 resolutions are, we look forward to sharing this year with you and continuing to partner with our families and communities to help each of us reach our fullest potential.
Sincerely,
Janet Bittick, Principal
Windermere Elementary School
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Dear Kindergarten Families,
Happy New Year! We are excited to welcome everyone back and begin a fun-filled and busy January. We have many engaging learning experiences planned for our students and some very special visitors coming soon!
📚 What We’re Learning This Month
In January, our kindergarteners will be focusing on:
· Literacy: Blending letter sounds, rhyming, sight words, and story elements
· Math: Counting, number recognition, and simple addition to 20
· Science & Health: Learning about our bodies and healthy habits
· Social Skills: Kindness, sharing, and working together
🎵 Special Visitor: Jack Hartman!
We are thrilled to announce that Jack Hartman will be visiting our school this month! His music and movement activities are a favorite with our students and support learning in a fun and energetic way.
📌 Permission slips are required for this event. Please be sure to sign and return permission slips by the due date so your child can participate.
🦷 Smiles & Co Dentist Visit
We are excited to welcome Smiles & Co to our kindergarten classes! A dentist from Smiles & Co will be teaching students about:
· Proper brushing and flossing
· Healthy food choices for strong teeth
· Why dental hygiene is important
This visit will help reinforce healthy habits and encourage our students to take care of their smiles!
📝 Important Reminders
· Please return all permission slips as soon as possible
· Make sure your child comes to school dressed for winter weather
· Continue practicing letters, numbers, and reading at home
❤️ Thank You!
Thank you for your continued support and partnership. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We are looking forward to a wonderful January with your children!
Warmly,
The Kindergarten Team
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Dear Families,
Can you believe that we have started the second half of our first-grade year? We are looking forward to a great 2026! This month we are featuring Ms. Knight’s class. They were having fun on pajama day with Santa and Mrs. Claus. The students have begun a new unit of Prose and Poetry. They are discussing main story elements, identifying stanzas and line breaks in a poem, and comparing and contrasting two texts on the same topic. In Math, the children are learning how they can represent numbers within 100 in standard, written, and expanded form. In Science, we have been focusing on Earth in Space and Time. In Social Studies, the children have been learning about famous Black Americans. We are looking forward to upcoming events: Literacy Night on January 28th and the 100th day of school.
Your First Grade Team,
Mrs. Beavin, Ms.Knight, Mrs. Lipp, Mrs. Moore, and Ms. Shreves
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Happy New Year Families! We’ve had such an amazing first semester, and we can’t wait to make even more great memories together!
In Reading, second graders will compare and contrast important details presented from two texts on the same topic and theme. In addition, students will identify plot structure and story elements in a literary theme, as well as character and narrators’ perspectives.
In Math, students will start their new unit in measurement. They will be learning new vocabulary such as centimeter, foot, height, inch, length, meter, and yard.
In Science, students are describing characteristics of soil and rocks; as well as explaining the meaning of decomposing and weathering.
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We had so much fun in the month of December celebrating the Polar Express with pajama day! In the month of January, in reading, we are analyzing two texts to support theme, characters perspective, poetry, and context clues. For writing, we will write a narrative with developing a theme. For social studies, we will be learning about the United States. In science, we will be learning about forms of energy. Finally, in math, we will be multiplying multi-digit numbers. We look forward to seeing you at Literacy Night! |
Hello Fourth Grade families!
We hope you enjoyed your winter break!
Now that we are diving into the 3rd quarter, we are working on our argumentative essays, and we’ve begun new units in ELA, Math, Science, and Social Studies! We are focusing on fictional elements (theme, summarizing, character development, etc.) in ELA, adding and subtracting fractions in Math, Florida in the 1800s in Social Studies, and Space in Science. We’ll be sending home information about our Famous Floridian’s project soon!
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Hello Fifth Grade Families,
It’s hard to believe that we are halfway through the year already! The students have been hard at work and are making great progress. Report cards will be sent home this week and can also be viewed on Skyward.
In math, we are currently learning how to multiply fractions and mixed numbers. We focus heavily on the visual representation and using models and pictures to figure out ways to solve the problems.
We just took our Quarter 2 Science Performance Monitoring Assessment. The assessment covers all of the standards taught throughout the second quarter. The data will help us plan and address any deficiencies before we get to the FAST Science Exam later this year. In science, we are learning about force and motion.
In ELA, we are working on comparing and contrasting perspectives, summarizing, and identifying central ideas along with supporting details. We are continually working on morphology to help students decode difficult vocabulary. Students have a morphology dictionary in their binders that we add to each week. They should be studying that sheet regularly.
Thanks for all of your support,
5th Grade Team
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We love to review behavior expectations and media procedures after break. Everyone is doing a great job in the art room! Fill in the blanks: “ Just a little bit of ______ and a lot a lot of __________.”
“Stop,___________ up, and sit___________.” We are starting our cold weather projects and loving the weather to go along with them. Penguins, polar bears, hot cocoa and lots more! Happy New Year!
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Hello! My name is Coach Caskey, and I am very excited to introduce myself as your child's new Physical Education teacher. I am looking forward to a fun, active, and positive year where students will build skills, confidence, and a lifelong love of movement.
This Week In PE
This week, students will begin our soccer unit.
Lessons will focus on:
- Dribbling — controlling the ball while moving safely and efficiently
- Passing — using proper technique and teamwork
- Trapping — stopping and controlling the ball with different parts of the body
Students will practice these skills through engaging drills and games designed to be both challenging and enjoyable, while emphasizing sportsmanship, teamwork, and effort.
Staying Active at Home
Physical activity doesn't stop when PE class ends! Here are a few simple ways students can stay active at home:
- Encourage 60 minutes of movement a day
- Go for a walk, run, bike ride, or scooter ride with family
- Play active games like tag or obstacle courses
- Following along with kid-friendly exercise or dance videos
The goal is for students to move their bodies every day and have fun doing it!
Thank you for your support of our Physical Education program here at Windermere Elementary. I am excited to work with your child and help them grow both physically and socially. Please feel free to reach out with any questions.
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Hey, Windermere!
Did you know that thirty-three 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders participated in the SUPER STEM SATURDAY Competition on December 6? They competed against other Orange County schools in 10 different events! They even brought home medals for placing in the top 3! STEAM poster won 2nd place overall, Jr. Solar Sprint Car won 1st place in both web design and fastest car head-to-head. And the Drone team placed 1st in their event and were the only team to Capture the Marshmallow! Congratulate these inspiring young scientists on their fantastic achievement!
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