Hello!
All of your friends here at WHS wish that you and your loved ones enjoyed a happy and safe holiday season. With the onset of a new year, we often reflect on the year that was, and begin to dream about the year that will be. Welcome to 2011!!
At WHS, we'll be starting our new year in much the same fashion as we ended 2010 -- with a high degree of activity during the school day for our students and staff, and in the evenings with our WHS parents and families.
Here is a podcast that provides an overview of our activities here at WHS during the month of January. (Unfortunately, it will sometimes take a little while for podcasts to load, so please be patient -- and thanks for listening!)
When the kids come back to school beginning on January 3rd, don't forget that they should bring all of their 'winter gear' (coat, snowpants, boots, hat, gloves/mittens) every day, regardless of the weather forecast. We want to keep the kids happy and healthy over the winter months, and a big part of that is getting them outside for vigorous physical exercise during recess time. If students don't bring appropriate winter clothing, they cannot go outside, and this is disappointing for everyone involved. Thanks for your help with this!
Until next time,
Dennis
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Saturday, December 18, 2010
'WHS Family Night in the Commons' Series Soon to Begin!
Now that the new WHS Commons Computer Cluster is up and running, and we've worked out a few bugs, we are ready to open it to our families in the evenings for child and adult learning, as well as for personal and business use. We are very proud of our 'Commons' and are eager to share it with you and your family. Click on this link for a video tour of our fantastic new learning facility, the WHS Commons. You might want to go to 'full screen' image (button found to the lower right of the main viewing frame) while you view the video to avoid the list of video 'suggestions' to the right of the main frame -- though many of them are pretty interesting and worth your perusal at some point.
The first installment of 'WHS Family Night in the Commons' will be held on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 6-8pm. throughout the months of January and February, 2011. If these events are well-attended, there is a possibility that we'll be able to offer a second session during the months of March and April, 2011.
In addition to high-speed internet access, our WHSCCC machines boast fast and powerful processing, headset/microphone units, DVD players/burners, and multiple USB ports. We have a quality printer available for a 'reasonable' amount of participant document/image printing. Also, we have an interactive whiteboard and a document camera for use in making presentations or performing instruction -- bring a group, hold a meeting, develop and practice a presentation, etc.
Perhaps best of all, the WHS Family Technology Nights will be staffed by WHS personnel qualified to offer you not only technology support while you visit, but also some valuable training on programs and skills so important for student and adult learning, business, and 21st Century electronic communications, as well as electronic media creation, use, and storage. We'll provide more information shortly on the schedule of training programs that we plan offer over the course of the program. Learn, grow, and have fun with your family in the process -- a winning formula for sure! If that isn't enought for you, we will be able to share our school's entire library print collection (books & magazines) during our 'Family Night in the Commons' Series -- you'll even be able to sign-out and borrow our print materials for use and enjoyment at home with your families!
The 21st Century is here, and your Woodland Heights School is poised to support the development of your family's skills and abilities in accessing and making productive use of the power and potential of the internet and 21st Century tools for learning and communication.
At WHS we are excited to be your public learning community and invite you to join us we continue our growth toward true excellence in learning experiences for both our students, our families, and our community. Join us, partner with us, and help us to be all that we can for you and your entire family.
The first installment of 'WHS Family Night in the Commons' will be held on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 6-8pm. throughout the months of January and February, 2011. If these events are well-attended, there is a possibility that we'll be able to offer a second session during the months of March and April, 2011.
In addition to high-speed internet access, our WHSCCC machines boast fast and powerful processing, headset/microphone units, DVD players/burners, and multiple USB ports. We have a quality printer available for a 'reasonable' amount of participant document/image printing. Also, we have an interactive whiteboard and a document camera for use in making presentations or performing instruction -- bring a group, hold a meeting, develop and practice a presentation, etc.
Perhaps best of all, the WHS Family Technology Nights will be staffed by WHS personnel qualified to offer you not only technology support while you visit, but also some valuable training on programs and skills so important for student and adult learning, business, and 21st Century electronic communications, as well as electronic media creation, use, and storage. We'll provide more information shortly on the schedule of training programs that we plan offer over the course of the program. Learn, grow, and have fun with your family in the process -- a winning formula for sure! If that isn't enought for you, we will be able to share our school's entire library print collection (books & magazines) during our 'Family Night in the Commons' Series -- you'll even be able to sign-out and borrow our print materials for use and enjoyment at home with your families!
The 21st Century is here, and your Woodland Heights School is poised to support the development of your family's skills and abilities in accessing and making productive use of the power and potential of the internet and 21st Century tools for learning and communication.
At WHS we are excited to be your public learning community and invite you to join us we continue our growth toward true excellence in learning experiences for both our students, our families, and our community. Join us, partner with us, and help us to be all that we can for you and your entire family.
Friday, December 10, 2010
RtI and Differentiated Instruction are Major Focal Areas at WHS!
Throughout this school year, the staff of WHS have committed to a continuous improvement model for our primary initiatives here at WHS (see our 'School Goals' tab on the banner to the right).
Perhaps the most critical of which, Response to Intervention (RtI), may be the least well understood. Here is a video that provides a nice overview of RtI. Although the video describes a general overview of RtI, each school community engages in a process of fashioning its RtI model to best meet the needs of their individual school context.
It is this evolving process of review and refinement of our WHS RtI model that is a major emphasis of our staff development and staff meeting time this year. In addition to a couple of well-attended trainings on RtI this year, we had a number of teachers attending a conference on the subject today (focusing on interventions related to mathematics instruction).
A very closely related concept/initiative that we also continue to work on is called 'Differentiated Instruction'. Here is a link to more information on Differentiation. In this approach to instruction and learning, teachers are mindful of student readiness, background, and interests to develop personalized instruction to meet the needs of our students as individuals. We are all different, and through Differentiation, we aim to develop academic programs, activites, and experiences that are tailored to meet each child's unique learning needs.
In both cases, RtI and Differentiation are about challenging ourselves to do our very best to meet the individual and unique learning need of each and every WHS student. Needless to say, this is no small feat. Only the best and most dedicated teachers can differentiate instruction effectively. Thankfully, that is what you have here at WHS -- an evolving learning community of excellence.
This is a very dynamic and exciting time in our school. Many thanks for your efforts to support your child's education. There is little doubt that our partnership will bring an enormously positive outcome for your child and her/his future. In fact, the proof of this is all around us at WHS every day! [The large and energetic Kindergarten parent volunteer crew who were on hand for our annual gingerbread house theme day activities this morning was absolutely amazing!!]
For more information on RtI and Differentiated Instruction at WHS, don't hesitate to call, stop by, or email Student Services Director Ryan Marsh at rmarsh@laconia.k12.nh.us or me at ddobe@laconia.k12.nh.us. As always, many thanks for your support!
Perhaps the most critical of which, Response to Intervention (RtI), may be the least well understood. Here is a video that provides a nice overview of RtI. Although the video describes a general overview of RtI, each school community engages in a process of fashioning its RtI model to best meet the needs of their individual school context.
It is this evolving process of review and refinement of our WHS RtI model that is a major emphasis of our staff development and staff meeting time this year. In addition to a couple of well-attended trainings on RtI this year, we had a number of teachers attending a conference on the subject today (focusing on interventions related to mathematics instruction).
A very closely related concept/initiative that we also continue to work on is called 'Differentiated Instruction'. Here is a link to more information on Differentiation. In this approach to instruction and learning, teachers are mindful of student readiness, background, and interests to develop personalized instruction to meet the needs of our students as individuals. We are all different, and through Differentiation, we aim to develop academic programs, activites, and experiences that are tailored to meet each child's unique learning needs.
In both cases, RtI and Differentiation are about challenging ourselves to do our very best to meet the individual and unique learning need of each and every WHS student. Needless to say, this is no small feat. Only the best and most dedicated teachers can differentiate instruction effectively. Thankfully, that is what you have here at WHS -- an evolving learning community of excellence.
This is a very dynamic and exciting time in our school. Many thanks for your efforts to support your child's education. There is little doubt that our partnership will bring an enormously positive outcome for your child and her/his future. In fact, the proof of this is all around us at WHS every day! [The large and energetic Kindergarten parent volunteer crew who were on hand for our annual gingerbread house theme day activities this morning was absolutely amazing!!]
For more information on RtI and Differentiated Instruction at WHS, don't hesitate to call, stop by, or email Student Services Director Ryan Marsh at rmarsh@laconia.k12.nh.us or me at ddobe@laconia.k12.nh.us. As always, many thanks for your support!
Friday, December 3, 2010
WHS Commons Computer Cluster Opens!
On Monday, December 6th, WHS will proudly open a new computer cluster for student, staff, and family use.
The new computer cluster features 24 networked, internet-accessible machines that are both fast and powerful. These will be 'state of the art' machines for our school and will be used extensively throughout the school day by whole classes, small groups, and even individual students as they work on projects related to their regular classroom program. In some cases, students will be using the new computers to shore up mastery of fundamental math or reading skills. In other cases, the cluster will be used for learning enrichment or extension activities.
The new computers have large monitors and headset/microphone units to further expand their utility. In addition, for our teachers there will be an interactive whiteboard and document camera on the premises which will offer them opportunities to use some of the most cutting-edge educational technology available.
We will be very excited to open our new cluster to our families a couple of nights a week beginning in January. The WHS Commons will be staffed by an experienced member of our faculty to help students and families use our computers to promote learning or other personal business needs. Families can also enjoy and sign out books or magazines from our school library collection during these evenings. Essentially, we want to invite you into our school to explore learning with quality books and computers, making the powerful resource of the WHS Commons available to you and your families.
Stop by sometime for a tour of our new computer cluster and see us in action as we continue to expand our capabilities as 21st Century learners at WHS!
The new computer cluster features 24 networked, internet-accessible machines that are both fast and powerful. These will be 'state of the art' machines for our school and will be used extensively throughout the school day by whole classes, small groups, and even individual students as they work on projects related to their regular classroom program. In some cases, students will be using the new computers to shore up mastery of fundamental math or reading skills. In other cases, the cluster will be used for learning enrichment or extension activities.
The new computers have large monitors and headset/microphone units to further expand their utility. In addition, for our teachers there will be an interactive whiteboard and document camera on the premises which will offer them opportunities to use some of the most cutting-edge educational technology available.
We will be very excited to open our new cluster to our families a couple of nights a week beginning in January. The WHS Commons will be staffed by an experienced member of our faculty to help students and families use our computers to promote learning or other personal business needs. Families can also enjoy and sign out books or magazines from our school library collection during these evenings. Essentially, we want to invite you into our school to explore learning with quality books and computers, making the powerful resource of the WHS Commons available to you and your families.
Stop by sometime for a tour of our new computer cluster and see us in action as we continue to expand our capabilities as 21st Century learners at WHS!
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