Washington Local Schools

STAFF SHOUT: "Ms. Williams is a substitute teacher with WLS. Her warm smile and patient demeanor has made her a favorite among the students.The first time I witnessed her in a class, she was engaged with the students and making them laugh and enjoy the lessons she was teaching. She makes students feel safe and shows them just how much potential they have, even if those students don't see that in themselves. We are so lucky to have such an amazing individual at WLS!" Ms. Williams loves our kids and they love her back! Thank you for ALL you do!

STAFF SHOUT : "HUGE shout out to Deb Champagne, the person responsible for all the shenanigans "Knighty" does while our "little knights" are away at Greenwood . She created so much fun!" Kids who love coming to school are kids who learn while they are there! Way to go, Ms. C!

PARENT SHOUT: "I just want to express my appreciation and gratitude for Ms. Tebbe and all of the Meadowvale staff! My son had surgery to have his tonsils and adenoids removed on Monday Dec. 9th. The Santa shop is one of his favorite things to do at school during the holiday season. Mrs. Mee and other office staff along with Ms. Tebbe made arrangements and allowed me to bring him in for a short time to shop. That made him so happy and gave him something to look forward to during recovery. He has had an extensive and rough recovery and also had a hospital admission in the last week and a half and Ms. Tebbe has been so kind to reach out and check on him multiple times. Also upon sending him to school for his first day back she updated me that she checked on him at lunchtime and also sent me a picture of him playing with other classmates. My mom heart was so anxious and worried about how he was doing all day and Ms. Tebbe went above and beyond to make sure he and I were cared for! I am so thankful that my kids go to Meadowvale and are surrounded by so many people that are such great examples of love and care. Thanks for all you do for the school and students!" Parents never forget the people who took care of their child - and oftentimes the whole family- in the process. This makes us so proud!

Why do we have Open Enrollment? What is happening at Tamaron? Do kids have enough time to eat their lunches? Could there be a big announcement coming soon about Snake Dance? Tune in for this episode where Superintendent Kristie Martin answers community questions!

PARENT SHOUT: "I wanted to share how wonderful Dave Hamen and Taylor Wietrzykowski are - and how much they have helped my son during winter break. The long breaks are stressful for him and he craves the routine of going to school. Being aware of my son’s difficulties, without hesitation, these two volunteered to work with him on his IEP goals DURING THEIR BREAK. Their willingness to provide the support that he needed has made a big difference for him. I am very grateful for the love, dedication and kindness these two consistently provide. They both are amazing and an irreplaceable asset to Washington Local!" She said it, and we agree. What selfless, caring individuals!

STAFF SHOUT: "Carrie Frey is an awesome addition to the Meadowvale staff! As the STEM teacher she has been finding new and innovative ways for learning to come to life for her students. In the last month alone, she has organized two school-wide activities, the cereal domino and Hour of Code. Her mind is constantly racing with ideas and students are excited to go to her class and see what she has planned next. She has also brought joy for the staff in the building as she has encouraged us to have fun at work and connect with our colleagues. We are so grateful to have her at Meadowvale!" Ms. Frey's love for learning translates straight to her students; she is incredible!

PARENT SHOUT: "Hello! I would like to give a huge shout out to Courtney Sifuentes, the secretary at Washington Junior High. My daughter attended there when her health issues began to surface, eventually leading to her (now a sophomore) needing to go virtual to tend to her medical needs and meet school standards. At the time of their interaction, Courtney ran the learning lab - a place my daughter ended up spending a lot of time. As time has passed, Mrs. Sifuentes continues to reach out, cheer her on, and make a big deal about seeing her in and out of school settings. Mrs Sifuentes is a master at seeing kids for who they are, not just an attendance checkmark or school ID. She makes an impact with all the kids, and I am grateful for the one she's had on my daughter - making her feel seen and valued when she was struggling to meet traditional school markers that would give the same result." Ms. Sifuentes makes EVERYONE feel seen and Washington Junior High (and WLS!) is better for having her!

Lilly (Kid Mayor from Meadowvale) & Asher(Kid Council, Shoreland) were guests on the Mayor's podcast! They spoke about their experience and things they have learned. Tune in and check it out! https://toledo.oh.gov/government/mayor/podcast

STAFF SHOUT: "Lena Miller (7-12 Music) goes above and beyond for her students, spends extra time on every task, coordinates valuable opportunities for her classes and genuinely cares about people. Students feel safe and seen in her classroom as she helps them work towards creating beautiful memories through music! So proud to work with such a talented educator." To give students the gift of safety to pursue their passions is one Ms. Miller has MASTERED!

PARENT TO STAFF SHOUTOUT: "My daughter was sick and out of school during her Santa Shop day at McGregor. She was extremely sad she wouldn't be able to shop for gifts for her loved ones. I reached out to Mrs. Marx asking if someone might be able to shop for her list, and Mrs. Marx and Ms. Sue worked together to ensure that she had plenty of gifts to wrap and give at Christmas. She came home from school Monday so excited to show me all of the things that were picked out at the Santa Shop for her loved ones (and a few things for herself).  I just want to thank Mrs. Marx and Ms. Sue for going the extra mile to make my daughters' day. They definitely deserve some recognition for going the extra mile not only that day, but every day." What a selfless thing to do for a student. We are not surprised at all! Thank you  Ms. Marx and Ms. Sue!

STAFF SHOUT: "Tammy Miller and Lisa Hamid are exceptional! They work very hard to create a calm ride for their most sensitive passengers. They sing songs, spell everyone’s names, and even adjust their driving style to make the ride as smooth as possible to ensure everyone is safe and comfortable. We are so thankful to them for delivering happy students to us! I think a lot of the uplifting stories coming from Transportation are possible because of the encouragement everyone there gets from their awesome boss, Kim Dye, and office staff like Sue Futey and Kelley Linzie. Kim is always accommodating to my needs with a smile on her face and Sue and Kelley are always complimenting my students and helping me troubleshoot any issues that arise throughout my day. These 3 ladies even set up an incredible day for my own kids to come in and see the buses over the summer! I am so happy I get to see behind the scenes of the transportation department. What a great group!" Our transportation team goes above and beyond regularly! We are so lucky!

STAFF SHOUT: "Stephanie Kosakowski goes out of her way to make sure students have a healthy environment to learn. She makes sure kids who need help get it. She understands kids so well!" Those Pumas at Silver Creek sure are lucky to have this rockstar on their staff!

STAFF-TO-STAFF SHOUTOUT: "Occasionally, my students and I will have a "layover" at the transportation office waiting for a ride back to school. We are generally walking in on our bus drivers relaxing between routes or eating their lunch. When you work with kids, I'm a firm believer that you need a break in your day... especially bus drivers! I can only imagine how stressful their days are with transporting our students back and forth while being completely overstimulated with the excitement of all the kids. I feel bad disturbing their breaks but they welcome our kids to their tables. They share treats, let them help on their puzzle, and chit chat with them. I would specifically like to point out Brendalee. I overheard her telling my students today that she is teaching herself sign language so she can have conversations with one of our students with hearing impairment. I asked her to show me some signs and she isn't just learning the basics. She's having full-blown conversations! 🥹Our bus drivers are the best." This is all so accurate, but that last part got us... *sniff* Our drivers are the best!

DINE OUT TONIGHT AND HELP FUND THE MIDDLE SCHOOL FACILITY DOG!

STAFF SHOUT: "Let's give a round of applause to Mike Gillespie, the storekeeper at the WLS Warehouse! Mike is a true asset to the district, always going above and beyond. He's kind, sharp, and incredibly organized. No matter the weather, rain or shine, hot or cold, he makes himself available to pick up and deliver whatever is needed no matter how small or LARGE the delivery is. This demonstrates that Mike is always ready to tackle the physical demands of the job. He's quick to respond, proactive, and always willing to lend a helping hand. Thanks, Mike, for all your hard work and dedication!" We are so lucky to have this hard-working, camera-shy guy working so hard behind the scenes for us. *This specific pic posted by his request.

STAFF/PARENT-TO-STAFF SHOUT: "Mrs. Bicanovsky is a ROCKSTAR of an educator. When my little Lucy was in her class last year, I loved picking her up and seeing the joy in her face from a great day of learning. Mrs. B is the type of teacher who will give up personal time on a Tuesday night to drive across town to watch a former student dance in a Christmas recital. Finally, my little Lucy says she wants to be a teacher one day. If she does end up going that route, Mrs. Bicanovsky will be a big reason for that career choice. Thank you so much for making a positive impact on my youngest daughter." Ms. B is smart, compassionate and incredibly thoughtful - all the main ingredients for a fantastic educator!

We are so grateful for this team!

COMMUNITY-TO-STAFF: "The other day, I was following behind a WLS School bus and was stopped by its lights and stop sign. As I sat there, I saw this loving employee (bus driver) get out and assist a student in a wheelchair onto her bus. She never stopped smiling, greeting him and conversing happily with his mom. You could tell she was really joyful about seeing him and it made my heart so warm to see how happy HE was to be going to school too. I have no doubt this wonderful woman is the perfect start to his day. I had to do a little digging to find her name, but wanted to make sure Jessica Atkins was SEEN for all she was doing." Starting the day with a smile makes such a difference for our kids - and our bus drivers ROCK at it. Way to go, Jessica!

If you were a member of the Whitmer Orchestra, we want to invite YOU back to Nightingale Auditorium! All orchestra alumni are welcome to join us for the performance of "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" at the Holiday Concert on December 11th. Please fill out the attached form if you are interested! https://forms.gle/ZwyEZ9fWfSTQX8vZ9

STAFF SHOUT: "Rhonda is a lunch time SUPERHERO! This McGregor cafeteria manager is always on top of her game & is kind, flexible & dependable. Thank you for putting kids' needs first!" How lucky are we to have this incredible employee making sure our Stallions are fed?