Family Resource Center Announces Winter Programs

Our friends and partners at the Family Resource Center of Central New Hampshire have recently announced a number of exciting programs that they will offer right here in Laconia over the winter season.  Please review the descriptions below and consider attending a program or two! 

These programs are nearby, they are free, and there is childcare provided.  Many of the programs offer free meals, and transportation can be arranged -- if that is an impediment to attendance.  These programs offer important opportunities to gain additional insights into role of parenting during these difficult times, and offer opportunities to sharpen parenting and child care skills, as well as build a support network that can really help when the going gets rough.

We are very fortunate to have the Family Resource Center of Central New Hampshite located right in our community.  Don't miss out on these opportunities for education, support, and assistance!  Contact the Family Resource Center to to learn more, or to register for one of their winter programs (528-0391).

Here are descriptions of the Family Resource Center's upcoming programs:

New—Relatives Raising Relatives—A Support Group*

Tuesday mornings from 9:30-11:00 am, beginning December 3 (On-Going Support Group)

A monthly support group for anyone raising children of relatives or friends. Come connect with others in a confidential and supportive environment. Young children in need of childcare will enjoy each other’s company in Giggles & Grins Playgroup.

Meets on 12/3, 1/7, 2/4 (First Tuesday of every month)

Cooking Matters for Adults and Children ages 6 and up

Wednesday evenings from 5:00-7:00, beginning January 15 (6 Weeks) at Laconia Middle School in Laconia

Learn how to make tasty and healthy recipes for your family and share a meal together in class! Groceries will be provided to each household each week to re-create the meal cooked in class for the rest of your family! Income restrictions apply.

Dinner prepared during class.

Meets on 1/15, 1/22, 1/29, 2/5, 2/12, 2/19. To register call Brenda at 527-5475 or email Brenda.carey@unh.edu

READY! for Kindergarten*

Thursday evening from 5:30-7:30 pm, January 16, at Pleasant Street School in Laconia

READY! is a free program for parents of children ages birth to five, available three times a year to Laconia families. Get new information about how children learn and grow, plus easy learning activities that are fun to do at home.

To register call Kaitlyn at 524-5710 or visit www.readyforkindergarten.org/laconia.

Save the date: Spring class will be held on April 17, 2014.

New—Healthy Eating for Families with Children

Mondays from 12:30-2:00 , beginning January 27 (4 weeks)

Would you like to be a healthy role model and better educator for your children? Topics will include all areas of “MyPlate” including reading labels, healthy fats, whole grains, fruits and vegetables, dealing with picky eaters, exercise and food safety. You will make a quick and easy yummy snack at each class. Upon completion of the series you will graduate with a UNH Cooperative Extension certificate along with some gifts. Income restrictions apply.

Meets on 1/27, 2/3, 2/10, 2/17. To register call Brenda at 527-5475 or email Brenda.carey@unh.edu

New—Tenant 101*

Tuesday evenings from 6:00-8:00, beginning January 28 (4 weeks)

Do you have poor or negative landlord references? Do you want to work on changing them? Come learn how to be the best tenant you can be. Topics include what to look for in an apartment, how to complete a rental application, what to expect in an interview, evaluating whether or not an apartment is affordable, landlord/tenant rights, the eviction process, and being a good neighbor.

Dinner served from 5:30-6:00. Meets on 1/28, 2/4, 2/11, 2/18.

Pay Yourself First. . . Plus information on Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA)*

Thursday evening from 6:00-8:00 pm, January 30 (One-Time Workshop)

Participants will understand ways to save money and savings options to save toward their large–expense goals, including child’s college tuition, car or home purchase, or a vacation. Attendees will be entered into a drawing to win a $25 gift card.

Dinner served from 5:30-6:00.

Cooperative Co-Parenting*

Thursday evenings from 6:00-8:00 pm, beginning January 30 (4 Weeks)

This four-week series is for divorced and/or separated parents and other caregivers who are raising children. Topics include: coping through separation and transition, skills for dealing with stress and anger, positive communication strategies, how to reduce and resolve conflict, negotiating agreements, and mediation and guardianship.

Dinner served from 5:30-6:00 . Meets on 1/30, 2/6, 2/13, 2/20.

Positive Discipline Practices—A Nurturing Skills Module*

Thursday evenings from 6:00-8:00 pm, beginning January 30 (5 Weeks & Orientation)

This Nurturing Skills Module focuses on utilizing nonviolent discipline practices and techniques. The Nurturing philosophy of discipline is based on respect, empowerment, caring, and cooperation. Parents will learn the purpose of discipline, establishing family rules, using rewards and punishments to teach children right from wrong, and a variety of techniques to foster a positive, emotionally healthy home.

Dinner served from 5:30-6:00. Meets on 1/30, 2/6, 2/13, 2/20, 3/6, 3/13.

PAST AND PRESENT FAMILIES OF THE FAMILY RESOURCE CENTER—You are invited to Prescott Farm's 4th Annual Winter Fest!

Saturday from 12:30-3:00 pm, February 15 (One-Time Outing)

Join us for a family outing to Prescott Farm. Free admission. Event activities include a bonfire with smores, sledding, snowshoeing, and crafts. Free transportation will be provided to and from the Family Resource Center for families past or presently served by the Family Resource Center. Please call to reserve your spot on the bus. Bus will leave our center promptly at 12:30 pm and leave Prescott Farms promptly at 3:00 pm. Please RSVP to Katherine at 581-1574 by February 12.

SAVE-THE-DATES

New—Transforming Stress…Simple Steps, Not Always Easy

Tuesday evenings from 6:00-8:00, beginning March 4 (4 weeks)

Stress is common in all of our lives. While we can’t get away from it, we can manage it differently.

Dinner served from 5:30-6:00. Meets on March 4, 11, 18, 25.

Children’s Authors Tea—Tuesday evening from 5:00-7:00 pm, April 8 at the Historic Belknap Mill, 25 Beacon St. East, Laconia (One-Time Event)

You are cordially invited to attend the Children’s Authors Tea. This wonderful, free event is organized to promote the importance of early literacy. Come celebrate “Strengthening Families and Communities Month” with us! Evening Events: Book signing and sales by authors, local libraries will offer information about their services, and story telling. This is a free family event. Every child will receive a free book!

To register call 528-0391 or e-mail erikal@lrcs.org

*Limited on-site childcare available for these programs. Please reserve a space for your child when you call to register.

A Great Strength of Our School, Is Our Teamwork

A team is a group of individuals, who work cooperatively to reach a goal.  At Woodland Heights, our goal is to offer a quality educational experience for every child. 

Most people are familiar with sports teams, but are less familiar with teaming in the modern workplace.  Forming and serving on collaborative work teams will be an essential skill for our students to develop in preparation for the workplaces of tomorrow.  At WHS, our staff members model the teaming concept in everything that we do.

Like every great learning organization, the WHS staff is made up of many teams.  Working collectively, toward common goals, our overall strength and effectiveness is greater than the sum of its parts.  Working together, we can do great things! 

Our classroom teachers and paraprofessionals belong to one primary grade level teacher team, or Professional Learning Community (PLC): Grade 1, Grade 4, etc.  Our Specialist Team comprises a team of their own (Music, Computer, Physical Education, etc.), as does our Office Team (School Counselor, Nurse, Secretaries, Student Services Coordinator, etc.).  Some of our staff members belong to multiple primary teams, such as our Special Education and Title I Teachers, who form an 'interventionist' team and also belong to a grade level team.

Additionally, most all of our staff members belong to one or more secondary school-based teams (Faculty Leadership, Safety, WildCORE, etc.) which are formed to address particular school-based initiatives or issues.  Others may serve on school district councils (Humanities, Technology, Math & Science, etc.) to engage in district curriculum, instruction, and assessment projects.

We know that we are better when we work together -- teachers working in isolation are a thing of the past, and likely never happened in our open-concept learning community!  Our staff members work together on almost everything that they do.  We are more effective this way, and it is more fun!  That is why you will typically see kids working together on cooperative learning activities, projects, or assignments at Woodland Heights.  The many collaborative experiences they enjoy at WHS will serve them well later in their learning, and in their workplaces during the time after that.

We have many small teams here at Woodland, but our greatest strength is clearly our whole school team.  After all, We Are Woodland!

  

The Month of December is 'Prime Time' for Learning

Contrary to what one might think, the month of December is prime time for teaching and learning at WHS.

Rather than a time to take our foot off the pedal and bask in the holiday glow, this is a time to make a final push to finish our fall unit plans and prepare for our winter testing cycle.  Shortly after students return from the Holiday Break, they will participate in our winter assessment program.  Students in Grades K-2 will take the AIMSweb assessment and students in Grades 3-5 will take the NWEA assessment for the second of three administrations this school year.  Three times a year (Fall, Winter, Spring), Woodland Heights students complete these important tests, which serve as a measuring stick for our effectiveness, and suggest where changes need to be made in order to maximize learning experiences for our students.

We have three important weeks in the month of December to teach, teach, teach, and learn, learn, learn.  You can be assured that your friends at WHS will make the most of them.

As has been expressed so many times before, we are excited and grateful for the opportunity to work with your child(ren) here at Woodland Heights.  If ever there is something that we can do to support your child and her/his learning at our school, please be in touch, and let us know.  As always, we want your child to experience the best education possible in our learning community.  Let's maintain our strong partnership, and make your child's success a reality at Woodland Heights.  Every day of elementary school is critical to a child's academic and character development, let's make each one great!

Annual Turkey Dinner Brings the Woodland Heights School Community Together

The team in the WHS Kitchen Manager, Tess Seymour, and her team put on another amazing Turkey Dinner feast this past Thursday, November 21st.  About 1,000 students, staff, family, and friends were served turkey, gravy, mashed potatoes, green beans, corn, stuffing, breads, cranberry sauce, milk, and cake for dessert.  What a feast! 

Our kitchen staff cooked and brought the delectables forth, and a cast of volunteers from the Laconia Police Department served up the dinners to order by our patrons.  There was a nominal fee for the heaping tray of turkey dinner, to help defray the cost of the meal.

Although a bit congested at times, our service lines moved well and our dining area accommodated our guests easily.  The schedule for serving and dining was well-designed by Tami Horan, our school's administrative assistant.  Many other staff members were gracious hosts throughout the dining period, finding ways to pitch in and make things run smoothly, ensuring a great experience for all of our guests.

We hope that you had as much fun as we did during this special Woodland Heights traditional holiday feast.  Thank you so much for joining us this year.  You know how much your presence means to the kids -- a quality time that the children will never forget.  Your support makes great things happen here at WHS, and we are all thankful for that.  Woodland Heights continues to be a better school for your partnership and your contributions.

In other news ....   The coming week will be a short one, with school in session on Monday and Tuesday, and closed on Wednesday through Friday for the Thanksgiving Holiday.  All of your friends at WHS wish you and your family the very best for a relaxing and joyful holiday!

WHS Reaches Out to Families -- Every Day, In Every Way.

Much like our school district mission, "Ensuring the success of every student, every day, in every way", members of your Woodland Heights School Team do their very best to connect with every family, every day, in every way.

In addition to our school website, class wikis, and Principal Blog; AlertNow automated telephone/email notifications; school email, phone calls, and ongoing parent meeting/conference opportunities; regular newsletters, and newsnotes; events, activities, and presentations; and in addition to our published monthly school calendar/menu document, and our electronic calendar published to our school website, we are now offering weekly podcasts (audio-recorded programs) to help families stay on top of our school calendar and activities.

We have great hopes for this weekly podcast in the future (to feature guest presenters, student work, interviews, musical preformances, etc.), but for now, it serves as a weekly overview of school activities with some commentary by the school principal.

When you get a chance, check it out!

Another Strong Week at WHS Capped by Fall Parent Conference Day

Over the past week a number of important school activities were enjoyed at Woodland Heights.

Our week began with our Greater Laconia community coming together to enjoy a wellness event coordinated by our elementary school physical education teachers (with the help of many community-oriented health advocates).  Our first 'Rockin' Fun Run' was held on Saturday, November 2nd, on the campus of Woodland Heights School.  Students, parents, teachers, and other community members participated in this 2-mile event that was highlighted by awards, gifts, live music, a DJ, free T-shirts, a visit by WHiSkers (our school Mascot), and healthy refreshments provided by our school lunch service.  Special thanks go to our WHS PE Teacher, Mitzi Tucker for providing the energy and leadership necessary to make this wonderful event happen!  Here is a video produced by our dear friend, Janet Brough, to commemorate the day.  Enjoy!



On Tuesday, we held a students and staff flu clinic in our school health office (thank you, Mrs. Ganchi) -- this was a nice follow up to our dental education and dental clinic held last week (and also coordinated by our School Nurse).  That evening, Mrs. Kelley and I had the pleasure of updating our Laconia School Board on our school's comprehensive community engagement program (see blog post below).  The presentation was well received, and reflected the proactive nature of our work to bring students, staff, and families together here at WHS.

We sent Quarter #1 progress reports home on Wednesday, and know that teachers put a great deal of effort into completing those reports so that they accurately and completely provided a picture of student progress over the first ten weeks of school.  The progress reports indicated levels of individual student growth  toward attainment of our curriculum standards, information on attendance rates, goals for future student learning, and general statements on student performance.  we are grateful for the amount of effort and quality of work our teachers invest in this important process.

On Thursday, we held parent conferences beginning at 1:00pm., and many not ending until 8:00pm.  These conferences were very well-attended by our parents, and provided great opportunities for important conversation about student progress and academic goal-setting.  We thank our WHS-PTO for providing dinner for our staff, most of whom met with parents non-stop through the afternoon and evening and would not have had an opportunity to enjoy dinner otherwise (the homemade casseroles, salads, soups, and desserts were fantastic!).  Representatives from local agencies and youth sports programs were in attendance to meet with families and share opportunities for participation and engagement.  Also on Thursday evening, we offered a clothing drive, bake sale (to benefit our 5th Grade class), Fall Book Fair evening hours, and and ongoing rotation of special presentations by the Lakes Region Family Resource Center in support of developing strong families in our school community (see blog post below for more information). This evening was definitely a highlight of our school year so far.  Many thanks to everyone for their contributions!

On Friday, our Grade 1 and 2 students were awarded spirit bands for their strong academic and social skills growth over the first marking term of this school year. [Grades K & 5 received spirit bands very early in the school year for the exemplary models they set for being a 'Wildcat' at WHS, and Grades 3 & 4 received their bands in mid-October for the hard work they invested in completing a rigorous course of fall assessments this year.]

Get set, WHS, another GREAT week starts on Tuesday!!

Laconia School Board Presentation: WHS Community Engagement Program

Earlier this evening, the WHS administrative team had the opportunity to present information to the Laconia School Board about our school's Community Engagement Program.

Our efforts in this area have been integral to our work for quite a while, but now parent partnerships have additional emphasis due to our current work on Project Wildcat:  Phase 3.

Some information on this topic is presented in this 'Prezi'.

If you have questions or suggestions to help strengthen our work in this area (or any other), please contact us in the WHS Main Office at 603-524-8733.

Thank you!

Fall Parent Conference Night to Feature Parent Programs Offered by the Family Resource Center

In addition to the opportunities at WHS on Thursday, November 7^th, to see your Woodland friends and hold an extremely important meeting with your child’s teacher, you will also have an opportunity to visit our fall school book fair (open until 8:00pm. that night), and visit the Pod 5 Café’ for presentations by educators from the local Family Resource Center. 

 

Here are outlines for the 20-minute programs that will be offered by the Family Resource Center in a continuous rotation from 2:00pm. to 7:00pm. 

Session #1: The Nurturing Lifestyle – Taking Good Care of Yourself and Your Family

How can we create lives for our children that are full of love, caring, fun, happiness and guidance? Caregivers will explore the concept of “nurturing” and the positive impact that nurturing parenting can have on the family. We will discuss the need for caregivers to nurture themselves in order to effectively nurture their children.

Session #2: Meeting Needs and Changing Behaviors

How do behaviors tell us something about the basic needs of both adults and children? Caregivers will explore the direct connection between needs and behaviors. We will discuss the lifelong benefits of appropriately meeting children’s needs as well as the significant risks of routinely leaving needs unmet. We will also consider the needs of caregivers in this session.

Session #3: The Family Resource Center—Who We Are and What We Do

For hundreds of families living in the Lakes Region each year, the Family Resource Center of Central New Hampshire, a program of Lakes Region Community Services, offers respectful, non-judgmental education, early intervention, and support to assist families in their efforts to meet needs, make positive connections, and prepare children for success today and tomorrow because the Family Resource Center believes strong families lead to strong communities. Come learn more about the programs and supports available to families living in Belknap and Lower Grafton County.

Come out to WHS on Thursday and spend some quality time with your child’s teachers, and your friends.  While you are at it, round out your experience by visiting our book fair and Family Resource Center presentations.  We look forward to seeing you at Woodland Heights School on Thursday to reconnect, to learn, and to grow.  At WHS, we are all learners: children and adults alike.

Along with Teaching and Learning, the Activity Level Continues at WHS

Over the past two weeks, we have had quite a bit of activity here at Woodland Heights.  We have enjoyed two enrichment assemblies (Larry Frates – Anti-bullying, Odd Bodkin – Storytelling), two emergency response drills (Drop, cover, and Hold On, and Lock-Down), our first School Spirit Assembly (Project Wildcat, Student Recognition), a couple of field trips (Grades 2 & 5), our annual Harvest Day activities held just yesterday, and grades for Quarter #1 closing today.  Also, there has been a good deal of excitement about the success of our Boston Red Sox throughout their playoff run (and some pretty serious beard growing, as well). 

WHS Outstanding Students for Quarter #1 -- October, 2013

 

Though some weeks are quieter than others, there is always a great deal of activity in our rich and dynamic Woodland Heights School community – and all of it really, really good for kids.

Here is the big news for the next couple of weeks:  WHS Book Fair opens on Monday, City Elections on Tuesday, Quarter #1 Progress Reports go home this Wednesday (not on Monday, as previously announced), WHS will make a presentation to the Laconia School Board about our community engagement program that evening, Parent Conferences on Thursday (with a series of presentations by the Family Resource Center – see the article on the back of this page for more information), and school will be closed in observance of Veterans Day on the 11^th.  We’ll also be conducting a school evacuation (fire) drill in the next two weeks and hold our November PTO meeting on the evening of the 12^th (6:30pm.).

We continue to move quickly here at WHS.  To stay on top of the action, read our newsletters (published every other Friday) and visit our school website often (www.laconiaschools.org/whs) – where there is a ton of information about our school, updated continuously.

It is Time for 'Smooth Sailing' at WHS

After a very smooth and quiet start to our school year, we began to layer in fall testing, job-embedded teacher professional development, PSU student visits, and emergency response procedures, as well as fall field trips, picture day, and assemblies. 

The good news is that most all of our systems are now up and running, and fall testing is over. 

However, we still have a couple of emergency response exercises to conduct over the next couple of weeks, and a couple of assemblies for our students to enjoy and learn from, as well (Larry Frates -- Anti-Bullying, Odds Bodkin -- Storytelling).  We are definitely looking forward to easing back into familiar  routines and a consistent pace of life here at Woodland Heights.  We have just a few more bumps in the road over the next couple of weeks (and they are good 'bumps'), but other than that:  smooth sailing!

Routines and rhythm are extremely important to a school community.  When you've got it, you know it, and everything feels right.  When you don't, you know it, and things feel disjointed, scattered, and not as productive as we would like.  Student behavior can sometimes deteriorate a bit, also, during unsettled times. 

After returning from our long Columbus Day weekend, we'll be working hard to lower the excitement level and increase the focus level here at WHS.  Once we re-establish the rhythm of our learning community, we will be back on track for strong academic growth, and continued improvement of our school climate here at Woodland Heights.

Although it is time to take our boats out of the water, we anticipate plenty of smooth sailing in the time ahead at Woodland Heights School!

Fall Assessment Results to Go Home on Thursday, 10/10

On Thursday of this week, we will be sending home student results for our fall testing this year.  Students in Kindergarten through Grade 2 will bring home reports illustrating their performance on the AIMSweb fall assessment, while students in Grade 3 through 5 will bring home reports from their NWEA fall assessment.  If you have questions about these results you can contact your child’s teacher or me at 524-8733, or by email.

As a reminder, schools in Laconia are closed on Friday, October 11^th, for teacher training, and on Monday, October 14^th, in observance of the Columbus Day holiday.

All of your friends at WHS wish you and your family a great rest of the week and a happy and safe long weekend!

It is Time for NECAP Testing at WHS!

       This coming week we wrap up our fall testing program with the NECAP statewide assessment for students in Grades 3, 4, & 5.  Students will test in the morning each day with all students taking subtests in Reading and Mathematics, while 5th Graders will also take subtests in Writing.  These ‘pencil and paper’ booklet tests are very challenging, and tend to exhaust our students.  Student commitment to doing well on the tests has a great deal to do with their eventual scores (which will be available to us in the winter).  Each day that students take the NECAP test, they will receive a FREE breakfast from our food service department! You can help our students do well next week by talking to them about the tests, and making certain that they understand your expectations for good effort on the tests, as in all schoolwork.  Students should be well-rested for testing, and should be to school on time.  These recommendations (plenty of rest and punctual school attendance) are good to follow any school day, but are especially important during testing periods.  Many thanks, in advance, for your good efforts to promote good learning and good testing for your child(ren) in our school.

       In other news related to testing, our students recently completed their AIMSweb (Grades K-2) or NWEA (Grades 3-5) testing, and we are currently generating reports to send home with students over the coming week.  When you receive these reports and have questions about the test, report, or your child’s performance, please speak to your child’s teacher by making a phone call to the school, or emailing her at your convenience.

       Our Wildcats continue to impress us with their hard work in class, and their academic achievement as evidenced through our school and district testing process.  The results we receive from our testing program guide our decisions as we continue to improve all that we do here at Woodland Heights.  Thank you, once again, for having a talk with your child about the importance of testing, and your expectation for him/her to show their best effort. 

       From all of your friends at WHS:  Happy Weekend!!

 

Laconia Elementary 'Job-Embedded Professional Development' Program Now Underway

Beginning this past Friday, some of our teachers spent half a day with their grade-level counterparts from across our district to engage in job-embedded professional development.  What is job-embedded PD?  It is teacher training that occurs within the context of the teacher workday, and connected directly to district and school improvement initiatives.

For half of the day, once a month, the teachers of a selected grade level meet with Gail Bourn, our Academic Coordinator of Teaching and Learning -- Elementary.  While with Mrs. Bourn and fellow grade level classroom teachers and interventionists, our teachers work to refine their understanding of new district curriculum standards (Mathematics, Reading, or Writing 'Non-Negotiables'), best instructional practices and techniques, and common assessment practices that will bring all of our schools to a high level of performance, and assure educational equity for all of our Laconia Elementary Students.

The topic of this collaborative professional study for the month of September was refining mathematics instruction techniques (we had the benefit of a visit from our district math consultant, Professor Mahesh Sharma, during our second week of school to support this learning).  For October, our teachers will focus on learning and implementing our district's new Reading Non-Negotiables (developed this past summerby teachers and administrators during a professional learning institute right here in Laconia!).

Our job-embedded professional development program is just one aspect of our educational system here in Laconia that is head and shoulders above the rest.  It demonstrates a strong commitment to teaching and learning, and our ongoing quest for individual and organizational improvement.  As has been said before, for teachers at Woodland Heights, the learning never stops!

Woodland Heights Welcomes PSU Interns

Every fall and spring, Woodland Heights School is visited by education students from Plymouth State University who are studying to become elementary school teachers.  The college students spend every Friday with us for a whole semester.  During this time, they observe our teachers engaged in professional practice, become immersed in our school community, and begin their study of excellence in the teaching and learning process.  Later on in their internship, after careful preparation, the student teachers have supervised opportunities to practice teaching lessons to our students.  Working with PSU students is a great experience for our children and teachers.  It is also an honor for us at WHS to help prepare the next generation of teachers.  Plymouth State University sends their teacher candidates to Woodland Heights to learn from the best, and we could not be more proud!

WHS Enjoys a Well-Attended and Exciting Fall Open House

Did you notice the full moon on Thursday evening?  It was a beautiful sky, and a beautiful evening for our annual WHS Fall Open House.

 Many thanks to all of the families, students, and staff who helped make our Fall Open House event such a stunning success!   Family attendance yesterday evening was truly remarkable.  Our guests toured our school building, visited classrooms, participated in our open house scavenger hunt, and completed a WHS-PTO playground interest survey (to help guide the direction of the new WHS-PTO initiative to build a new playground at Woodland Heights).  Many families also enjoyed a presentation on our school’s partnership with parents, which featured a speaker from the Lakes Region Family Resource Center.  In case you missed it, here is a link to this year's presentation.  (Click here for LAST year's presentation -- a great overview / introduction to our school.)

 One of the main features of our Parent Partnership initiative this year is to communicate information to parents more frequently, and in more varied ways, to help be on the same page and work more collaboratively together.  In addition to this newsletter (which is published every two weeks), we communicate with families using our AlertNow automated messaging service (such as the messages you receive when there is a school cancellation due to inclement weather), our school website, the WHS Principal Blog (accessed through a link on the school website), and class newsletters and wikis (a kind of website), as well as traditional mailings, phone calls, and emails.  In addition, we are always pleased for the opportunity to meet in person with families if there is a question, concern, or suggestion to offer.  Starting Monday, we will be starting a new mode of communication called, perhaps, the ‘WHS Monday Memo’ which will be an audio-recorded message accessed through our school website.  The Monday Memo will include announcements and reminders for upcoming events, and other WHS news that you might be interested to hear more about.  Start looking for the ‘WHS Monday Memo’ this coming week!

 That does it for now.  Many thanks, once again, to everyone for making Thursday night’s WHS Fall Open House such a positive experience for all of us.  Happy weekend!

WHS Fall Open House: Come See the Magic of Woodland Heights!

On Thursday evening, September 19th, from 6:00-7:30, we will welcome our families and friends into our school for the annual WHS Fall Open House. 

The first hour of the event will involve students showing off their new classrooms and some of the work that they have done since school began late in August.  We will have some of our local organizations and agencies represented at tables in our Main Lobby throughout the evening, and a scavenger hunt for students and families that will have our guests travelling all over the school to meet staff and learn more about our work at Woodland Heights. 

After the first hour, beginning promptly at 7:00pm., we will ask our visitors to join me and a new friend, Erin Klausen from the Family Resource Center of Central NH (Lakes Region Community Services) in the WHS-MPR where we'll be speaking with parents about our new initiative to partner with Woodland Heights families like never before.  During each of the years that I have had the privilege of being your principal, we have made monumental strides in 21st Century Learning, Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment, and creating a safe and focused School Climate in which all students have the opportunity to reach their personal and academic potential. 

This is the year of the parent.  Over the coming months we will endeavor to work with you as never before, forming a partnership that will benefit your children by more effectively supporting their academic and social growth.  We are confident that, in forming our warm and mutually supportive partnership, their future aspirations and your hopes and dreams for their success can be realized.  As we work to develop our 'partner' relationship (defined by open rapport, common goals, and collaborative effort), an important local resource for family education will be utilized:  the Laconia area Family Resource Center.  Please join us for our presentation at 7:00pm. on the 19th to learn more, and offer your feedback on our plans.

Many thanks for everything that you have done to offer our school a tremendous start this year.  Let's keep working together to make the coming year one of the very best in recent history at OUR Woodland Heights School!

After Two Weeks: A GREAT School Opening.

It is hard to believe that we have been in school for two weeks already.  Our opening days have been smooth, focused, productive, and fun.  In fact, this year we have enjoyed the best school opening since I first had the honor of becoming your principal at Woodland Heights.  Absolutely the best.

Why?

Our Teachers.  I cannot say enough about the caliber of our teachers and staff supporting your child's learning at WHS.  Our teachers and staff have attained a level of excellence and shown a level of dedication and caring for students unlike any I have had the privilege to observe over my long career in education.  Woodland Heights teachers are absolutely amazing, and we all should be grateful for what they do to teach your children; affording them a first-rate academic program, and supporting the all-important development of their character and social skills.  Our teachers' quality efforts and innumerable successes with students astound and inspire me every day.

Our Program.  Working with our Superintendents, our Academic Coordinator of Teaching and Learning (ACTL), and with one another, our teachers are developing an academic program that is consistent with the rigorous academic goals of the Common Core State Standards.  They work collaboratively to research and implement the best instructional practices in our field today.  They make the magic of learning happen for our students every day at WHS.  Further, our teachers are developing systems of assessment and the analysis of student testing data that inform them about what is working in our program, and where they can focus improvement efforts to further increase student achievement at WHS.  Overlaying their efforts to develop and skillfully implement a rigorous academic program at Woodland Heights, our staff uses the Responsive Classroom Approach, our very own Project Wildcat, and their sincere commitment to support every student to high levels of academic and personal growth.  Altogether, these efforts help each child attain her/his potential for success and happiness every day.  It is not perfect (yet), but at Woodland Heights School, it is very, very good.

Our Students.  You have given us tremendous young people to work with at Woodland Heights.  I can hardly describe my sense of pride when I visit our classrooms and common areas and see the many ways that our students show that they are true WHS Wildcats!  Their kindness and caring for one another is truly amazing.  In so many ways, throughout their day, their goodness shows through.  Usually without reward or recognition, they do the things that they do, instinctively and for the right reasons.  As proud as I am about our school's academic growth and improving test scores, what our students show us everyday about the strength of their character is so much more powerful -- and will have so much more to do with their success and happiness in school, at work, and at home for the balance of their lives.  Working with you, we are developing students who are smart, and good, at Woodland Heights.

Our Parents.  I am continuously impressed by examples of what Woodland Heights parents will do to support their children and their education.  They know and understand that education is the key that will unlock their child's potential and present many opportunities for success and happiness in life beyond WHS.  Working together, we can make amazing things happen for your child at Woodland Heights School.  Your love, care, and dedication to your family will make the greatest difference in the life of your child.  For all that we can do at school to support your child, our effectiveness is limited without your support.  Sending the right messages about school, education, and themselves, as well as maintaining a stable, safe, and nurturing environment at home, are by far the most powerful influences in your child's life and future success.  The growth that we have made at Woodland Heights this year is in large part due to what you have done to prepare your child for school.  At WHS, we are off to a fantastic start this year, and we thank you very, very much for that!

If you ever have questions about our school and what we are doing for your children, please contact your child's teacher or me at your convenience.  If you would like to visit our school, take a tour, and see your teachers and students in action, please let us know.  We are proud of the school and the community of learners that we have built at Woodland Heights -- and are always pleased to show them off!  Thank you for partnering with us to make this year the greatest in recent memory.  We are off to a tremendous start, and with your support and partnership, we will definitely keep it rolling.

A New Year, Full of Opportunity: What to Look For in 2013-2014

Woodland Heights has been on a steady and rapid progression of school improvement that has even those close to the work reeling with the changes and opportunities presented.  These 'next steps' on our school improvement journey will make our work even more effective, and the experience of the children at our school even more enriching.  Our research-based 'Best Practices' have been embraced by our sister elementary schools here in Laconia, and by great schools all across our nation. 

Here are a few highlights that you can anticipate for the coming year.  Please make every effort to partner with us in this work, and share in our successes, for your child, and OUR school.

An Enduring Commitment to Our Student-Centered School Model --  At Woodland Heights School, it is about the children; first last, and always.  Children, their development, and their needs are at the heart of every decision, every action, and every commitment we make at WHS.  We take a broad view of children's developmental needs and see our role as expansive as an institution to support their growth cognitively, socio-emotionally, and in terms of health and well-being.  Gone are the days in which quality schools can focus exclusively on academics (A, B, Cs, & 1, 2, 3s).  Today, public schools do so much more.  At Woodland Heights School, we are committed to the 'Whole Child'.  What does this mean?  It means that we see and value our critical role in developing young people who are smart, capable, resilient, healthy in body and spirit, and good.  In order to support our students to develop these qualities and capacities, we need to serve as an integrated organization where our staff seamlessly: teaches to rigorous curriculum standards; supports the social, emotional, and moral development of children; and reinforces habits that promote physical health and well-being.  This is no small order, and it would be easier and safer for us to take a narrow view of our responsibilities, as some schools do, but would that maximize learning and growth opportunitities for our children?  At Woodland Heights School, we are in a unique and powerful position to do so much more.  We fully embrace the opportunity.  Spend a few minutes in our school, and you will know that this is true.  You will see it, you will hear it, and you will feel it.  We are Woodland Heights.

Renewing our Commitment to The Responsive Classroom Model --  Although WHS has embraced The Responsive Classroom Approach for many years, this year we are reviewing these practices and renewing our commitment to their skillful implementation in our school.  Using Responsive Classroom strategies and techniques, we create developmentally responsive, rich, engaging, and safe classroom and school climates in which children can thrive.  All students and all staff enjoy the benefits of the caring community we have created using Responsive Classroom practices.  It is at the heart of our socio-emotional skills development program for children, and our effort to create a school climate that is safe, nurturing, and successful for all students and staff.  Responsive Classroom is a key component in supporting our effort to realize our school district mission:  "Ensuring Success with Every Student, Every Day, in Every Way".  Some key practices of the Responsive Classroom include: Morning Message, Morning Meeting, Academic Choice, Rules and Logical Consequences, and Closing Circle.  Ask your child's teacher how The Responsive Classroom Approach has influenced the development of her classroom community.  You will be impressed with how present, how integrated, and how powerful it is!

Rich Teaching and Learning Connected to the Common Core State Standards --  Over recent years, the Laconia School District and Woodland Heights School have committed to implementing the Common Core State Standards (CCSS), recently adopted by the New Hampshire Department of Education and the Laconia School Board as the academic curriculum of our schools.  With the support of our Academic Coordinator for Teaching and Learning -- Elementary (ACTL), Gail Bourn, our teachers and administrators have been engaged on a path to learn and implement the standards in a manner that will be successful for students, and conducive to their attainment of the rigorous standards set forth in the CCSS.  Our efforts to improve curriculum, instruction, and assessment practices have been facilitated by our commitment to Professional Learning Community (PLC) practices, and an ongoing, demanding course of Professional Development for our staff.  Our initiatives connected to development and refinement of our school's academic program include: the creation of 'Non-Negotiable' standards in Reading, Mathematics, and Writing that all students must meet at each grade level; and the implementation of 'Best Practices' for instruction and assessment in each subject area.  It is important to note that Arts education plays a powerful role in our work to implement the CCSS, and foster the development of the Whole Child -- as we broaden the capacity of every child, every day, in every way.  Over the coming year, expect to hear more about our multifaceted efforts to diversify the educational experience of all students, promoting their academic success by meeting their learning needs through providing personalized, 'Differentiated Instruction' -- this involves our continuing effort to support students where they need it, and enriching/extending learning for students who have 'got it'. 

Parent Partnership and Engagement --  To make the most of a child's learning experience, parents and schools must enjoy a highly collaborative, and mutually supportive relationship.  In the coming year we will commit to partnering with parents in a bold and positive way, that will bring lasting benefits to the lives of our students.  We will marshal the support of area agencies and services to support parents as they continue to refine their skills that are exponentially more powerful than any we could offer as a school organization to promote the happiness, health, and well-being of our students.  What children are, and will be, is largely reflective of the family that they are born into, and the learning experiences that they have in the home environment.  All families struggle from time to time, and some struggle more than most.  For our students and our school community to reach its potential we must have the full support of our parent community, and we must fully support our parent community in becoming all it can be.  To achieve this, we will communicate with our parents and the greater Laconia community like never before.  We will also provide more opportunities for parents to join us at WHS and become true collaborative partners in their child's education.  Lastly, we will offer and/or promote educational opportunities for parents so that they can maximize their effectiveness in creating conditions at home that support the physical and mental health of their children, ensure academic learning, and foster the opportunity for their children to learn the social skills that will be critical to their success and happiness in their life to come.  Parents are our students' most powerful teachers, and they always will be.  In supporting our students, we must also collaborate with and support our parents.

Refinements to Our Tier II & III Behavioral Intervention Systems --  In order to promote and ensure our school's safe and orderly environment, and to suport students who are challenged to exhibit behaviors consistent with those espoused in our school's motto ("At Woodland Heights School, we are a Caring Community of Responsible, Respectful, and Reflective Learners."), we continue to refine our processes of behavioral intervention and support.  Though our Project Wildcat initiative, we have developed a comprehensive system for the teaching and reinforcement of prosocial citizenship skills for all students, and a PBIS-like system of supports for students who would benefit from remediation in this area.  Our school's Student Support Room (SSR) and Student Support Services office work closely to offer what students need to assist them with becoming exemplary 'Wildcats' here at Woodland Heights Schhol.

Maintaining Our Focus on the Development of 21st Century Skills -- Three years ago, Woodland Heights School committed to becoming a 21st Century Learning Community.  We have developed much of our programming and employ teaching practices that we know will support our students' success in the learning environments and workplaces of tomorrow.  They will need fluency in technology skills, and the '5 Cs' (Communication, Collaboration, Creativity, Critical Thinking, and Global Citizenship).  At WHS, we give our students opportunities to develop these abilities so that they may become happy, healthy, and actively contributing members of our school commmunity now, and our society in the time to come.  If we are not preparing students for the world that they will inherit, what are we achieving?  We are doing all that we can at Woodland Heights to make certain that our students will be ready for both the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.

If you have any questions about the work that we have committed to, please do not hesitate to contact me at our school office by phone, or by email anytime.  We are excited for the potential we have this year to 'turn the corner' and witness large gains and rewards from the investments we have made together in recent years.  Please join us in making the coming year one of the greatest, most fulfilling, and most successful in recent memory at Woodland Heights School.  Your children and our staff are well worth it!

This Past Summer, Your teachers have Been BUSY!! With Our Laconia 'Summer Institutes', the Learning Never Stops!

Over the past weeks of summer, your friends at Woodland Heights have tried hard to rest, relax, and recharge.  However, as life-long learners with an eye to ongoing professional and dedicated to continuous school improvement, WHS educators were very actively engaged in professional development institutes, workshops, conferences, and independent study (i.e., book studies) over the past summer.  For our teachers, the learning never stops, and the quest to refine their professional practice is continuous.  In our exceptionally dynamic environment, guided by high expectations for teacher performance and student achievement, it can be no other way.

During the summer our teachers and staff have been engaged in graduate courses, conferences and workshops 'out-of-district' which will bring us new insights and practices for certain, but perhaps the most influential experiences have come for our very own professional development opportunities, crafted and facilitated by our district Academic Coordinators for Teaching and Learning (ACTLs).  These Laconia School District Summer Institutes are directly tied to our school and district improvement initiatives, as well as national curriculum iniatiatives and the most contemporary, research-based 'Best Practices' for teaching and learning.  We are extremely fortunate, as a school district, to be able to afford these professional development opportunities for our teachers, principals, and staff.  Our teachers work alongisde their grade level counterparts from Pleasant Street School and Elm Street School, as well as our Laconia Middle and High School.  The institutes bring our community of educators together, get us on the same page, establish common high expectations, and create a climate of collaboration and cooperation that could not exist otherwise.

Here is a sampling of professional development activities that our teachers participated in over the Summer of 2013:  "Responsive Classroom I", "Common Core State Standards -- Reading and Writing Across the Disciplines", "Laconia School District Reading Non-Negotiable Reading Standards", "Para-Educators:  Supporting Reading and Mathematics", "Implementing the Common Core with Understanding by Design", "CCSS, UbD, and Curriculum Mapping in the Laconia School District", and "Supporting Students with Challenging Behaviors".

Yes, your teachers have been busy this summer, preparing to serve you better.  Now the fun begins and magic happens.  It is time to open Woodland Heights for another spectacular year of teaching, learning, and growing.  We look forward to seeing you soon, and partnering with you for the most productive and most enjoyable year at Woodland Heights EVER!

Welcome to a New Year at WHS!

All of your friends at WHS hope that you and your family have enjoyed a happy and healthy summer. As we near our school opening on Tuesday, August 27th, the pace of preparation at WHS increases considerably.  Over recent days our custodial staff have put the finishing touches on a number of cleaning projects and facility improvement projects.  They have also been very busy helping teachers set up their classrooms (and in several cases, move their classrooms to a new pod).  The school is looking just fantastic, and we can't wait to show it off!

Over the past weeks of summer, our school has been alive with activity and learning as we hosted our district's Extended School Year Program and our own Kindergarten Camp program.  We have also hired a few new staff members (details will be shared in a future blog post), engaged in a lot of professional development activities (workshops, conferences, and institutes), registered many new students and families, and took a little time off for ourselves.  It has been a GREAT summer at WHS.

Now we are ready to welcome you back, and begin another fabulous year filled with learning and gorwing.  Please join us for our annual 'Warm Woodland Welcome' which will be held on Thursday evening, August 22nd, from 5:00-6:00pm.  At our Warm Woodland Welcome, you will have an opportunity to bring your family into the school before opening day, find classrooms, meet teachers, and reconnect with friends.  The Warm Woodland Welcome is always a great way to start our school year with a relaxing visit to the school before the serious business of schooling begins.  We hope to see you then!