The energy and excitement here at WHS builds with every passing day. With every passing day we get closer to our opening day for the 2011-2012 school year. I am pleased to report that we are almost ready. In a little more than a week we will welcome you and your family to join us in a major celebration of our school community: our 'Warm Woodland Welcome!' But before getting into that, there is a lot to tell you. Let's get going ....
Our Building > The facility crew have been working tirelessly to clean our school from top to bottom. They are now adding final polish to the school building, and helping teachers with their final classroom preparations before school opening. We are looking REALLY good here at WHS, and we owe it all to our facility crew.
Our Staff > WHS Staff members have been in all summer to participate in professional development training, team planning meetings, and classroom set-up activities. They are now gearing up for our official school opening activities that include three full days of meetings and training to help assure that we have our 'A-Game' on Thursday when we open the school for classes.
Our Programming > You can expect an even more 'student-centered' focus in all of our subject areas and learning activities. We are moving away (slowly, cautiously, and deliberately) from commercial 'programs' to a greater focus on curriculum standards, instructional 'Best Practices', and meeting the indvidual learning needs of all of our students. The shift is one of both philosophy and practice. It is important to note that many of our teachers and teams have been effectively headed in this direction for quite a while. The difference is that we are now institutionalizing this change: we are ALL making this move, together, in a planned, organized, deliberate, and public way. You'll notice the greatest changes in the areas of Literacy (moving to a 'Balanced Literacy', 'Readers and Writers Workshop' model) and in Mathematics (supplementing our Everday Math Program with the approaches and techniques of Professor Mahesh Sharma).
Our Learning Resources > Woodland kids will continue to learn with great books and great technology. What may be different this year is an early focus on learning math using 'Cuisenaire rods' to help students better conceptualize and understand numbers and math facts. Also, students will have greater access to 21st Century Learning Tools than ever before -- new computer clusters and iPads will be available for students and teachers shortly after school opening.
Our Parent Organization > The WHS-PTO will have it's opening meeting on September 13th at 6:30pm. Our parents have big plans for a spectacular year at WHS. To learn more about what the WHS-PTO is planning, and how you can be part of the program, please consider joining us on Tuesday the 13th!
Our Student Support Team > You can expect to see our student support specialists -- special educators, Title I teachers, etc. ('Interventionists' as they are sometimes known) -- fully embedded into our grade level teaching teams and no longer operating as distinct, separate entitites/programs working with students on material that is disconnected to the work of the rest of their class peers. This 'Inclusive' model of student service delivery is considered 'Best Practice' and will complement our 'Differentiated Instruction' and 'Response to Intervention' programs. This all means (in most cases) that we will be using a 'push-in' rather than a 'pull-out' model of student service delivery (i.e., students who need additional support to maximize their learning will receive those services in the classroom rather than an office away from their classmates).
Our Health Services > Nurse Ganchi has been busy processing the medical paperwork of our new students to help them be ready for school opening -- remember, if you do not have certain medical and immunization records in order and on file here at WHS, you child cannot begin school on September 1st. Questions? Call or email WHS Nurse jessica Ganchi.
Our Food Service > Our food service department will be sending home necessary paperwork to establish lunch and/or milk accounts for your children on the first day of school. If you suspect that your family may be eligible for free or reduced hot lunch or milk, please complete and return the necessary forms so that we can lend assistance. Remember also, our food service department provides free healthy snacks for all students every day. This marvelous program helps us to meet student and family needs in a very healthy way!
Our Transportation Company > Our bus routes are now posted at school and on our website. If you have questions about busing, pick-up and drop-off times, or need more information about your child's bus stop, you can call our bus company, First Student, during normal business hours.
Our Calendar > In addition to our standard school district calendar that indicates holidays and school vacation dates, we will now offer an interactive online calendar that will include much more, completely up to date information to help you know what is going on at Woodland, and when. This is a new feature on our school website that you will want to investigate soon.
Our Handbook > Our Student-Parent Handbook for 2011-2012 has been published, and a hard copy of the handbook will be coming home with your student on the first day of school. However, we have already posted the handbook online at our website. Check it out!
Our School Opening Schedule > Teachers will be getting a head start on the kids again this year, with three 'work-days' (August 29th-31st)
before school officially opens for our students on Thursday, September 1st. Don't forget the Warm Woodland Welcome (described below) which is scheduled for the evening of Tuesday, August 30th. If you have any questions about student registration or school opening, please contact your friends in the WHS Main Office, and we'll do our best to help you as quickly as possible.
Our Warm Woodland Welcome > This annual beginning of school open house has become a very popular and well-attended event enjoyed by most all WHS families. Come in to WHS on Tuesday, August 30th, from 5-6pm. to renew friendships and acquaintances, see your child's new classroom, and meet your child's new teacher. This open house is 'low-key' and more social than academic (we'll have our Fall Curriculum Night on September 22nd). If you have particular questions for your child's teacher or wish to share particular information about your child with her/his teacher, you should make an appointment for a parent-teacher conference sometime during the first couple weeks of school. Alternatively, you can contact your child's teacher anytime via email or telephone/voicemail to discuss your family or student needs. We look forward to building a strong partnership with your family so that we can work together to meet your goals for your child's educational experience here at Woodland Heights.
Are you happy to be here yet? We certainly hope so!
See you on August 30th for our annual 'Warm Woodland Welcome'!
