Wekiva Whispers
Wekiva Elementary School
Principal: Michael Pfeiffer
Principal’s Message
Due to implications from budget cuts,
compounded with a continued
significant drop in student
enrollment, Wekiva Elementary will
be impacted for the 2011-12 school
year. We are in the process of
reducing staff allocations and
adjusting various operating budgets
for the upcoming year. Additionally,
laws such as the Class Size
Amendment, IDEA, PE mandates,
and other intervention mandates will
come into play, sometimes helping
us, sometimes hindering us.
Regrettably, there will be a loss of
staff; an impact on student support
services including Specials, Media,
and/or Intervention offerings; an
increase in staff responsibilities (staff
remaining will have to absorb the
responsibilities of departed staff); and
staff moves. We ask all Wekiva
stakeholders for their understanding
and continued support.
Supporting Wekiva
As you can see from the “Principal’s
Message”, we ask that parents and
friends support Wekiva as best they
can by doing the following:
• Support your child’s class by
being a DIVIDEND.
• Join PTA and support PTA
fundraisers.
• Support Technology.
• Shop at Target and designate
Wekiva as your “school”.
• Turn in Box Tops for Education,
Campbell Soup labels, Tyson
labels, Coke Rewards, and ink
cartridges.
Pre-K News
Pre-K will be hosting their Circle
Time Show for Mother's Day on May
13th. This wonderful presentation
will showcase the culmination of
student skills learned this year.
www.scps.k12.fl.us or www.wekivaelementary.com
1450 East Wekiva Trail
Longwood, Florida 32779
Phone: 746-3150 Fax: 746-3163
May 2011
Assistant Principal: Michelle Baker
Dreamer and Doer
Congratulations to Brian Johnson,
Wekiva’s 2010-2011 Walt Disney’s
Dreamer and Doer! An award based
on volunteer service and making the
world a better place, Brian has shown
outstanding support of his community
by serving food at the Coalition for
the Homeless and volunteering at the
non-profit organization Stepping
Onward. Over his Spring Break,
Brian participated in Buddy Break, a
program partnering local students
with special needs children, and he
also volunteered at the Rescue Run
Corporate 5K, which raised money
for Seminole County’s homeless
shelter. And over Winter Break,
Brian produced a neighborhood play
and invited friends, neighbors, and
family with a small admission
fee…one canned food item which
will be donated to a locate
organization.
Speech/Lang. Teacher of the Year
Congratulations to Peggy Keiffer, the
Seminole County Public Schools
Speech/Language Teacher of the
Year! We are proud to announce that
Peggy won this K-12 district honor in
a landslide victory voted on by her
fellow Speech/Language teachers
throughout the district. This is a true
and well deserved honor, reflective of
Mrs. Keiffer’s professionalism and
dedication to her students.
Wekiva Dividends of the Year
Wekiva congratulates and honors its
Dividends of the Year! We thank
them, and all of our dividends who
have supported our school throughout
the school year!
Adult – Lisa McCauley
Youth – Marshall Prose
Senior – Betty Cheek
Seminole County Public Schools
Media Center News
Our Intermediate students who have
read three or more Sunshine State
Books had the opportunity to vote for
their favorite book on Tuesday, April
5th. This year, the winning book for
Wekiva was Someone Named Eva.
Thank you to all of the students who
came out and voted for their favorite!
The Sunshine State reading program
at Wekiva ended on Friday, April
29th. Any students who have read
and tested on at least eight of the
books (as of April 29) will be invited
to an ice cream sundae party on
Thursday, May 26th. Students who
have read all 15 books will be
awarded a special prize gift-bag after
the ice cream party. The books were
fantastic this year! Thanks to
everyone for participating and
supporting the Sunshine State Book
program here at Wekiva!
MusicKidz News
Going to Disney: Koala MusicKidz
will be making an appearance on
Disney's Waterside Stage at
Downtown Disney on May 19th, and
will enjoy a free day at Epcot as a
reward for their hard work this year.
101 Dalmatians: Also in May, we
will be presenting the musical, 101
Dalmatians, at the final PTA meeting
of this school year. Rehearsals began
on February 24 and will take place
weekly until the performance. We are
excited about our spring production.
1st and 2nd Grade Programs: 1st and
2nd grade students are preparing for
their musical shows on May 18th and
May 20th.
Important Correction: Wekiva
congratulates Natalie Sullivan as
being a part of Seminole All-County
Chorus this past year! We apologize
for our previous mistake.
 Technology Updates
We will be getting 25 new computers
for our lab! The new computers will
be coming from the following
funding sources: 14 will be purchased
using funds from our principal’s
Capital Outlay budget, nine will come
from money raised by our Trek for
Tech fundraiser and two will come
from the generous donation by the
Arreaza family. The computers
currently in the lab will be distributed
to classrooms replacing outdated
models. In addition, we will be
adding two more Mimio interactive
whiteboards (one funded by PTA and
Trek for Tech, the other coming from
the principal’s Capital Outlay
budget). These will be set up in a 2nd
and 3rd grade classroom. This will
bring our total to 11 Mimios school
wide. None of this would have been
possible without the support of
administration, the PTA, our
teachers, and our community.
22nd Annual LBHS Principal’s 5K
All runners are invited to participate
in LBHS’s upcoming 5K, Saturday,
May 14. Registration is 7:00 a.m.,
with an 8:00 a.m. start time. Contact
tim.newton@us.schindler.com with
questions and online registration at
www.fleetfeetorlando.com. This is a
competitive race and awards will be
presented. Location and parking is
at Wekiva Elementary. A formal
flier and registration form may be
picked up at Wekiva Elementary’s
front office.
Final Notice: 2011 Yearbooks
Memories for sale! All of the
fantastic events from this year at
Wekiva will be included in this
yearbook. Although the early
purchase date has passed, any extras
will be available in the front office on
a first-come-first-served basis.
Third Grade Checker Day
Third grade would like to thank all of
our senior guests that joined us for
Checker Day on April 1st. Everyone
came dressed in red and black and
enjoyed themselves while playing
Checkers! Thanks so much for your
participation in this annual event.
www.scps.k12.fl.us or www.wekivaelementary.com
Blood Mobile using the Holderness entrance past
the P.E. pavilion.
Don’t forget, support the Lunch Last Three Days
W ekiva Blood Drive on May Please note the last 3 days of school
2 nd . will be Early Release Days. Food
Services is unable to extend credit. If
Extended Day Registration 2011-12 your child does not have money in
Open Registration for Extended Day his/her account or you do not send
is Friday, May 20th. Extended Day your child with money for lunch,
will open for registration at 7:00 am. Food Services will assume you have
Please note, there is a limited number made arrangements for your child to
of spaces. eat at home or at their day care.
Haiti Update E arly Dismissal
Wekiva collected $1,718.33 to Feed The last three days of school are
the Children of Haiti. Thank you to EARLY DISMISSAL DAYS.
all of our Wekiva students for helping Wekiva will dismiss all students at
those less fortunate! 1:00 P.M. A bag lunch is served the
last three days. Please make sure all
Teacher Requests 2011-2012 students are picked up at the new
To clarify, Wekiva does not accept time and/or are provided proper
specific teacher requests. As Wekiva parental supervision
is blessed to have outstanding
teachers in all of its grades and Important Dates
classes, we feel that all of our 5/2-3 Kindergarten Parent Tours
students will be placed with a great 5/3 School Related Emp of Year
teacher. Specific student 5/4 ABCS Lunch
characteristics or needs (ESOL, ESE, SAC, 5:00 p.m.
health issues, 504 accommodations, PTA Board, 6:15 p.m.
learning styles, etc.) will be taken into 5/5 4th Gr. FT to St. Augustine
account when scheduling students. 5/9 3rd Gr. FT to Zoo
5/10 PTA Gen. Mtg and 101
Moving Dalmatians Drama, 7:00
If your children will not be attending p.m.
Wekiva for the 2011-12 school year, 5/13 3rd Gr. FT to Zoo
you are asked to fill out the 5/16-23 Super Scientist
“Moving form” that will be coming 5/18 SRI Lunch
home with students in April in 2nd Grade Show
preparation of paperwork they will 5/19 MusicKidz to Disney
need to take to the new school. 5/20 1st Grade Show
5/24 Math Super Stars Lunch
Student Council: Pop Tabs Update 5/25 K End of Yr Party
Student Council would like to thank 5/26 3rd Gr. End of Yr
everyone who brought in Pop Tabs Party
for the Ronald McDonald House. The 5/27 5th Gr. Graduation
Pop Tabs were taken to be weighed 2nd Gr. End of Yr Party
and the total weight of the collection 4th Gr. End of Yr Party
was 123 pounds! Student Council 1:00 Dismissal
will continue to collect Pop Tabs this 5/30 No School
year for next year’s weigh in. 5/31 1st Gr. End of Yr Party
5th Gr. Kickball
Parking Last Three Days 1:00 Dismissal
The area behind the cafeteria and 6/1 5th Gr. End of Yr Party
pavilion will be closed for parking the Report Cards
last three days of school due to grade 1:00 Dismissal
level end of the year parties. Visitors Last Day of School
are asked to park in the easement area
behind the kickball fields marked by
cones. Please enter the easement area
Seminole County Public Schools