FONDA HOT CHOCOLATE FUNDRAISER

All Waverly-Belmont families are invited to enjoy an afternoon of delicious treats, Mexican hot chocolate, and family-friendly fun! Ticket includes an assortment of refreshments (dessert, snacks, hot chocolate) and exclusive access to FONDA 12South from 3-5 pm on March 1st. 
This event is generously sponsored by FONDA 12South. All proceeds go directly to the WB PTO to support school-based initiatives. Thank you to FONDA and to YOU for supporting the students of Waverly-Belmont!  
Tickets ARE $15 for adults and $10 for kids and can be purchased by clicking the link HERE!

SGA Share The Love Toiletry Drive

The Student Government Association is collecting travel-size toiletries to donate to individuals experiencing homelessness in our community. Travel-size toiletries provide comfort, dignity and care to those in need. Your donation shows kindness and compassion from our school community. Even the smallest items can make a big difference!  Donations are accepted through Friday, February 20 and can be delivered to the front lobby of the school during drop-off in the morning.

READ ME WEEK: March 2-6 & Family Literacy Showcase (March 5)

Read Me week is one of the most fun weeks of the year at WBES! The theme this year is “Reading Takes You Places.” Check out the flyer below for the dress up day themes, Literacy night info and volunteer requests!

We also need volunteers to help decorate the school and the different hallways, OR make donations of items and decor if decorating isn’t your thing. You can check out that list and SIGN UP HERE! NOTE: This sign up genius includes BOTH time-slot times to sign up for AND the Amazon Wishlists for each hall are included in the “extended description” at the top of the signup genius.

Lastly, Mark your calendars for the Family Literacy Showcase on March 5th from 5-7pm. This fun FREE event includes pizza, activities a goodie bag and book for each family! Come enjoy all the amazing places reading can take you (including WBES!)

Summer Camp with Ms. Elliott!

Join one of our amazing GATE teachers, Ms. Elliott for camp this summer!

Games & Gadgets camp will be offered June 15-19 and June 22-26 with different challenges offered for each week of camp.

Jungle Camp will be offered July 13-17 with a readers theater!

$295 per camper per week, Rising K-5th, 9am - 3pm at the Wedgewood Houston Community Center. To register or ask questions, email Ms. Elliott at daveandnat0607@yahoo.com

New Playground FAQ

Here are the answers to some Frequently Asked Questions as we anticipate the purchase and installation of new playground equipment.

 

  • Why was the Natural Playground deemed unsafe?

    • The natural playground does not meet Metro ADA standards, the tunnel creates opportunities where the view is obstructed for supervising teachers, and the fall area around the hill and large boulders are not cushioned enough since rain frequently washes away all of the mulch.

  • Where will the new playground be located?

    • The new playground will replace the existing natural playground's footprint.  The structure and swings will be the primary components with most likely some open space to evaluate a phase two in future years (zipline, climbing tower, obstacle course, etc.) - or to leave open for football/soccer if that's what our kiddos want and need!

  • How will we know that the new playground is safe?

    • The new playground will meet all of Metro's safety requirements, including a substantial layer of mulch to provide cushion from falls.  The mulch will be secured in place with borders to prevent rain from washing the materials away.

  • How big will the new playground be?

    • The primary playset structures range in size between 4,500 sq ft and 5,500 sq ft.

  • Can we have slides? What will they look like?

    • Yes! See the more detailed renderings added to the PTO website here: New Playground.  Each option includes two slides.  The Burke playgrounds (options 1 and 2) include a straight one with a fast decent and a spiral one.  The Playworld playground (option 3) includes two that are more 'wavy or curvy' in different heights.

  • What is the additional amount needed to be able to get the zip line now? 

    • Approximately $20k-$25k, depending on the final design.

  • Might we be able to raise some additional funds for the zip line?

    • Several of you have expressed interest in donating towards a zip line, and we are so grateful for this community’s generosity. We have received thoughtful feedback and alternative suggestions, however, that we feel should be fully evaluated before deciding to move forward with this specific feature.  Concerns raised include increased supervision and management challenges for our teachers, durability and maintenance inquiries, limited capacity, and safety logistics. Alternative suggestions, including from our kids in grades 3 – 5, that would serve more than one child at a time include an obstacle course, monkey bars, and net climbing structure.  We are excited to continue exploring the best options to support our families and staff for this specific space in the future.

  • Will there be any shade components?

    • The current designs do not include any features that provide shade, but a number of responses indicated that there is a strong desire for that. If we cannot fit that into this current budget, we feel it should be a priority for next year’s fundraising efforts.

  • Will there be any trash cans or locations for coats/backpacks?

    • Like the shade component question, the current designs do not include these features. We will work with Admin to try to source these items upon completion of the playground.

  • We have some physically challenged students, will there be anything that is easily accessible to them aside from the one swing?

    • Each playground design is currently going through preliminary review with MNPS to verify that they are ADA compliant. With playgrounds, ADA compliance often comes down to interpretation of the ADA standards, but we can say that each manufacturer has strived to make these designs as inclusive as possible. A small example is the ADA ramp that will be used to access the playground. Also, as part of the playground designs, several of the accesses to the structures are ground-level and designed specifically for children who are mobility impaired.  The Quote Comparison Chart highlights some of the ADA/inclusive elements from each design, including elements that may assist with regulation needs for certain students.

  • Will we be removing the stumps and rocks?

    • Yes, the plan is to haul those off with the installation of the new playground. If anybody is interested in a commemorative Waverly Belmont tree stump, we’re happy to set it aside J

  • Can we have a net/rope climbing structure?

    • Both Burke designs currently have multiple net structures included in the renderings shown on the New Playground website.

  • Will the new playground have similar drainage issues to the current Natural Playground?

    • We did speak with the vendors about this issue during site visits. We are confident that a leveled, raised mulch bed with full borders will allow rainwater to seep through and exit the playground without washing the substrate away. Should we experience drainage issues early on, we discussed the possibility of adding a French drain to assist in drainage.

NEW PLAYGROUND INFO

As many of you know, many of our fundraising efforts the past two years have included plans to purchase new playground equipment and the time to do that has come! Read on for:

JT MOORE WELLNESS MATTERS EVENT

JT Moore will host their 3rd-annual Wellness Matters event Wednesday, Jan. 28th  at 5:45 pm. This event is for ALL parents, caregivers, and educators to come and learn about ways to help their children navigate various mental health and wellness issues facing children today. Parents will get to choose from topics presented by Nashville-area professionals. Topics include: Screentime, anxiety, navigating peer conflicts, motivation, the joys and sorrows of parenting teenagers, and more! Feeder schools such as WB are invited to attend.

RSVP HERE (https://forms.gle/8B5ecj2k67jCZ7URA)

STAFF MEMBER HOLIDAY GIFTS

Every year we love to make sure all of our staff who work so hard for our kids every day gets a gift during the holiday season.  Below is a sign up, you can sign up for a staff member to bring a gift (gift cards are great).  More info is in the sign up.  Please have the gifts delivered or brought to school by Wednesday, December 17th.  Thank you SO much for help with these efforts!

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0E49AFAA28AAFAC16-61201074-wbholiday

LITERATI LIBRARY BOOK FAIR

It's the MOST WONDERFUL time of year -- Book Fair time! Our Literati Book Fair is October 27-31- it's always a fun week where kids love getting to shop for new books (& learning how to budget that money a bit in the process). Our goal every year is for EVERY student to shop (click the link for more info on how you can donate to other kiddos). Plus, our library benefits from a portion of the sales!  Below we've listed some quick links of important info and the website with ALLLL the details (including the schedule of when each class will be shopping during school hours.)
Thanks for supporting your readers & our library!
- Laura Hartley & Jana Whittle (Your WB Librarians)

PADDYWAX CANDLE POURING GIVE-BACK

Pour a candle, make memories and give back all in one night! We are excited to offer this unique give-back night from Paddywax Candle Bar in Berry Hill.  Click the LINK HERE to book your workshop anytime on November 7th.  Mention "Waverly Belmont" during checkout to ensure that 20% of all proceeds come back to the WB PTO!  Click through to read all details including age restrictions.  This could be a great parent/child adventure OR a great date night or moms night out, so grab your group and come check it out.

Primrose School Fall Festival

If you’re sticking around for Fall Break, be sure to check out the Primrose School Fall Festival happening right across the street October 10th from 6-8pm. Adult admission is FREE w/donation of a canned good item, and kids wristbands are $5 each. There sill be food trucks, bounce house, fames, crafts, fall movies, photo booth, trunk or treat and more! See flyer for all the details.

Walk/Bike to School Day - Oct 1!

Get ready to move your feet! Meet Coach Dison & Parent Coordinator Andrew Parker at the Sevier Park Basketball courts at 7:15 AM to walk/bike to WB as a group! This is a great way to build community with friends, get some exercise and foster safe walking/biking practices with your kids. Strollers, scooters, bikes, trikes, wagons are all welcome. This is a city-wide event sponsored by Walk/Bike Nashville so schools across Nashville will be participating in their own walk/bike to school events at the same time! So fun for WB to be connected to something bigger than just our community!

Parents...we need a few of you to volunteer to help keep our kiddos safe on the way to school. Click this link to volunteer: https://tinyurl.com/WalkBikeWB

KICKIN' OFF THE BULLDOG BOLT

The 11th Annual Bulldog Bolt kicked off TODAY! Your student will come home with a Bulldog Bolt flyer and you should have received THIS EMAIL BLAST from the PTO as well. Be sure to visit the All The Bolt Details page on our website for, well…all the details, and we’ve listed some quick-links here as well!

MNPS CALENDAR UPDATE

The following letter went out to all MNPS families this past week and we wanted to make sure you got these important changes on your calendar!

MNPS Families,

Public schools in Tennessee are required by law to make our buildings available as polling sites for elections. Because the state decided after the school year had already started to schedule a special election this fall, we must adjust the 2025-26 school calendar. The district did not have input into these election dates, which are October 7 for the primary and December 2 for the general election. We have worked with stakeholders to develop a calendar that minimizes the impact on staff and families, and the Board of Education approved these changes yesterday during their regularly scheduled Board meeting.  

Calendar Changes:

Tuesday, October 7, 2025 – No Students. Stockpile Professional Development Day.

Friday, October 10, 2025 – No Students. Stockpile Day; no school-based staff report.

Tuesday, December 2, 2025 – No Students. Stockpile Professional Development Day.

Tuesday, January 6, 2026 – Students Report. Regular school day (previously a Stockpile PD Day).

These changes reduce the number of reserved inclement weather days from six to five. If more than five closures are needed, MNPS may implement up to two remote learning days. If required, on those days students will receive instruction and assignments through district-supported platforms. Additional guidance and resources will be provided later this fall to help staff and families prepare for this possibility.

We will share additional guidance later this fall to help families prepare for the possibility of remote learning.

We know families and staff make plans around the school calendar, and our goal is to minimize disruption while keeping safety and instructional time as top priorities. We did not learn of these election dates until after the start of the school year, which is why we are required to amend the calendar now.

Thank you for your understanding and support.

Full UPDATED MNPS District Calendar is HERE!

UNICYCLE YOUR STUDENTS' CLOTHES! 

As the weather changes and you clean out your student's closets, remember that Waverly Belmont is a UniCycle school! UniCycle is school uniform recycling program that orchestrates the collection and redistribution of gently-used clothing to provide Standard School Attire (SSA) to Metro Schools students who need it. They collect “outgrown, not worn out” items and then distribute them to WB&MNPS students who are in need of SSA approved items!

There is a collection bin just inside the front door of the school waiting to receive your items. Volunteers collect the basket when full, and clothes are carefully screened, cleaned, organized and then sent home to students in need, per request of the HERO staff or other MNPS personnel. This is an amazing way to help other students by passing along cothing items with life left in them!

Also, a quick reminder to have your student check the school Lost and Found for items they may have left behind.  Unclaimed lost-and-found items do make their way to the Unicycle closet if they are not claimed.