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Wiley is a
diverse community of parents, staff and nearly 400 students ready to
fulfill our mission. We support each child's success at Wiley by enabling each
child to participate as fully as possible in his or her classroom
community. This best practice necessitates a schoolwide commitment to
communication and collaboration.
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Principal
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Dr. Joan
Fortschneider is our award winning principal. She supports the Wiley
community with her daily presence. She welcomes children in the morning,
visits with them at lunch and helps the bus riders leave safely before after
school programs and meetings begin. Children comment, "She helps us
when we have problems."
Behind the
scenes, she keeps our schoolwide consensus-based management on track by
anticipating our needs. Scheduling meetings and attending meetings with children,
parents, staff, community and central administration are some of the many
ways she supports Wiley's goals. She is an active participant in writing
grants.
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Wiley Main Office
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Diane
Mullen is the office manager. Carrie Kubetz is our secretary. The word
multitask is the only way to describe working in a school office where
interruptions are the expectation and everyone has urgent needs. In spite
of all these important demands, when people arrive at Wiley, they will
receive a friendly greeting. Children comment, "They give you ice when
you get hurt." Band-Aids, intercom, record keeping, new students,
substitutes and phone calls are the daily events they juggle while working
on major projects such as scheduling parent-teacher conferences twice a
year.
When
visitors press the entry button, these ladies welcome you to Wiley.
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Wiley Students
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"We
are here to learn," a class of first graders states in response to the
question, "Why are you here?". This attitude permeates the Wiley
community. Children are the reason we are here. We are here to support them
in their learning. Each day Wiley students begin the day with the school
song and the pledge.
There are
many ways for children to be involved in supporting the whole school. We
have support groups that meet after school to assist children with their
academic work in our Wiley PM program. The Wiley Players Club is an after
school program. Children in grades 2-5 audition and meet to do dramatic
activities. In the spring, they usually present a play. Student Council
plans activities throughout the year. Young Achievers is sponsored by the
Thurgood Marshall National Honor Society. Our safety patrol program is open
to fourth and fifth graders. They help children to be safe before and after
school. We also have an after school child care program (After School Child
Care Program).
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Wiley Parents
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"Our parents
come to school and visit us. They help us read at school and home. They
help with homework."
Parents
are encouraged to be at Wiley and there are many ways that they can be
involved in their school. We have whole school programs as well as times when
individual classrooms extend special invitations for field trips and
special events. Parents volunteer on a regular basis. Many parents stop by
each day before or after school. At Wiley, parents are a crucial part of
our success formula.
Our PTA
supports Wiley students in every way. They communicate with staff and
children to establish needs. They are a major source of funding and
organization for special events at Wiley.
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Wiley Teachers
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The
outstanding Wiley teaching staff participates in PTA, university classes,
grant writing, after school support groups and clubs, summer school teaching,
community service, in service, district committees, presentations across
the country and school teams. "Our teachers help us to learn. they
help with reading and math. They give us books to read. they help us
publish books. They help you to be smart."
Wiley's
commitment to best practice includes all children participating in their
classroom community throughout the day. Collaboration is the key to our
success. Seventeen classroom teachers and our support staff Wiley students.
Title 1 teachers and LD teachers usually are found working in classrooms or
collaborating with parents, teachers and other support staff as they
continually assess children's progress and needs. Children receive group
instruction once a week from our librarian. They not only check out books
but also do author studies, learn about different genres of literature and
learn research skills.
Each child
at Wiley participates in an arts program four days a week for a half hour each
day. Each child has twelve weeks of art, music and dance and drama. These
classes are taught by arts specialists. Children say "They help you
draw better and make stuff. They teach us how to use our body. We play
instruments and sing."
Teachers
of the hearing impaired, visually impaired and the OT work one on one as
well as within the classroom depending on the child's needs.
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Community/School Coordinators
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Social
workers do whole class social skill training as well as provide support for
individual students, families and small group support. Our transitional
coordinator works with early childhood and kindergarten students, parents
and teachers. Mrs. McGee, the community outreach worker states, "My
job is to improve schoolwork, attendance and behavior." She works with
children, parents and teachers.
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Paraprofessionals
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Paraprofessionals
assist with the library and enable special needs children to participate in
the classroom community.
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Lunchroom supervisors
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Our
lunchroom supervisors are part of the Wiley team. We work together to
enhance consistent high expectation and to continue the atmosphere of
respect throughout the day. Children say, "They help when you get hurt
on the playground. If you don't feel good they take you to the office. They
help people to be safe."
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Custodian
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Mr.
Russell Overholt is our award winning custodian. He looks for what needs to
be done at Wiley and is kind to all of us. He is never so rushed that he
doesn't have time for a few words. He helps to create a special atmosphere
at Wiley. Children say, "He cleans up our room. He cares about
us."
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Other Members of the Wiley Community
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University
of Illinois students participate in various ways. We have excellent student
teachers and others involved in education from the University and other
nearby universities, junior colleges and schools.
We also
have University of Illinois students working in project SEARCH who do
science activities with our students. Many of these students are science
majors.
America
Reads and America Counts are programs that bring University of Illinois
students into our classrooms. They help children with reading and math both
during school and in the after school PM program.
Some
Urbana High School students work with our student in the Teen Tutors
program.
Community
volunteers are a part of our Wiley program. People who have a special
interest in helping children come on a regular basis. Some of our
volunteers are retired people who participate in various way such as coming
in once a week to listen to children read.
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