All of our art students apply Elements of Art and Principles of Design to help them understand the value of art in the world around them. Our students will incorporate a variety of cultures and mediums and even use fairy tales in their levels of art.  Some of the art mediums include drawing, painting, sculpture, textiles and clay. Students will discover connections between different subject areas such as social studies, science, language arts and math, reinforcing material learned in their academic classrooms.

There will be multiple opportunities for students to display their artwork, including exhibits at the Frist Center for Visual Arts, Williamson County Libraries and other art exhibition spaces. Some students will also be able to display their work at a variety of art festivals.

The Winstead School Counseling program follows the ASCA standards for school counseling. It consists of a variety of services and activities, including individual and group counseling, parent and teacher consultation, classroom guidance, information services, referral assistance to other programs in the community, and student testing. During the beginning guidance lessons of the school year, students were reminded about being a bucket filler wherever they are.

A bucket filler is a tangible way to teach students about respect and kindness. The idea simplified is that we ALL have invisible buckets that hold our positive thoughts and good feelings about ourselves. We feel happy when our bucket is full and sad and lonely when it is empty. Your words impact other people’s buckets because you can either use kind words and compliments and do nice things and it fills their bucket or you can say mean things and ignore others and make fun of people and disrespect rules and it takes out of their bucket (called a bucket dipper).

We have discussed treating others with kindness and recognizing that each person is a part of a diverse local and global community. We will continue our discussion with respect of self, others and community and how we work towards responsibility within those areas as well. During this year, students are learning life skills that are necessary for social and emotional growth. These include anger management, emotional awareness, decision making, self-concept, friendship skills, and character traits.

Winstead students visit the library as part of the Special Class rotation. Students may check out the following number of books per grade level: Kindergarten-one book, First and Second- two books, Third through Fifth-three books. As part of their library visit, they will also receive library instruction.

Students have daily access to the library where they may return or renew their books and check out new ones. Books may be renewed one time and then must be returned for others to enjoy.

There is not a fine for overdue books. If a student has an overdue book, checkout privileges may be denied until the book is returned. Books that have not surfaced in 30 days are presumed to be lost. A bill with the cost of the book will be sent home. If the book is found and returned, we will issue a refund. Books damaged while checked out to a student will be assessed by the librarian to determine whether repairs can be made. A damage bill with replacement costs will be sent home for books damaged beyond repair.

We offer a Fall and Spring Book Fair. We celebrate Read Across America the last week in February or first week in March.

Through singing, playing instruments, and creative movement, students at Winstead Elementary School experience the joy of music. Our Music Room is equipped with a wonderful, large assortment of pitched and unpitched classroom percussion instruments. Students in Kindergarten, Second Grade and Fourth Grade perform in a music program during the school year. These performances are a great way for students to share some of what they have learned during music class, as well as gain experience performing for an audience on a stage. The performances are always tied to the educational curriculum from the classroom standards. Recorder lessons are a part of the 5th grade curriculum. We look forward to sharing our love of music with your child at Winstead.

As a program, we will strive to develop your students’ motor and spatial awareness skills, cooperative skills, fitness level, and present your children with activities and games that they can do for their entire life. We offer a Fall Run Team and Spring Run Team in the mornings to all students at Winstead, with information coming home in your child’s purple folder with appropriate dates. You are welcome to join your child on our annual Field Day, which takes place every May.

Williamson County Schools is proud to offer Kindergarten-Fifth Grade Spanish classes at many of our elementary schools.

Visit the Elementary World Language site to learn more about this program.

The Paw Patch is Winstead’s school store. Each grade is assigned a day for shopping. The shopping day schedule for grade levels is below:

Pre-K/Kindergarten/First Grade-Monday

Second Grade- Tuesday

Third Grade- Wednesday

Fourth Grade- Thursday

Fifth Grade- Friday

Children should report to their classroom to check in with their teacher before going to the school store. Store hours are 8:25 A.M.- 8:50 A.M. each day.

If your Fourth or Fifth grade student would like to join safety patrol, simply send an email or note to Lynn Sawyer, our school principal. Ms. Sawyer has to approve each member. All members are expected to make good decisions at school. They help with car riders only in the mornings from 8:20 A.M. until approximately 8:40 A.M. There will be an adult with them before they can go outside to help. Safety Patrol will be divided into teams with a weekly rotation. The SRO will be supervising.

Sponsor: Contact the office for more information.

Cost: $0

Student Council is for 4^th and 5^th graders at Winstead. Students are elected at the beginning of the school year. Students must fill out an application for a leadership position. Students meet monthly and will be in charge of charitable projects for our school. Applications will be given out by your child’s teacher. Contact your child’s teacher for more information.

Sponsor: Contact your child’s teacher for more information.

Cost: $0

Wildcat Fit is a great opportunity for students in grades four and five to work on their flexibility, strength, endurance, agility, and cardiovascular health. Coach Klingensmith and Coach Whipple lead students in a 30-minute workout that is age-appropriate, fun and challenging! Morning exercise boosts student’s mood and energy levels, preparing them for an awesome day of learning! Wildcat Fit is held in the gym on Monday and Wednesday mornings from 8:00-8:30 AM in January through March.

Sponsors: Coach Klingensmith and Coach Whipple

Cost: $0

Winstead Singers is a special vocal ensemble for fourth and fifth grade students. This is an opportunity for students to perform at special school events and out of school community events. Rehearsals will take place on Thursday mornings at 7:55 am. Students may sign up in the fall. 

Sponsor: Christina Gutierrez

Cost: $0

Our Run Team program encourages kids to walk, jog or run on our school’s track. Participants earn a toe token for every 15 laps (3 miles) they complete. Along with having fun with their friends and earning toe tokens, morning exercise is a great way for students to energize their day and help them better focus in class. We offer Fall and Spring Run Team sessions running September through November and March through May. Students meet on Mondays and Wednesdays from 8:00 – 8:30 AM. Parents are welcome to join in on the fun and walk, jog or run with their child.

Sponsors: Coach Whipple and Coach Klingensmith

Cost: $0