September 18, 2012
Dear Woodland Parents,
What a great school opening! We’d like to thank you for working so well with us over the last few weeks to make our school opening smooth for our students and staff. So far, so good.
Here are a few notes from some of my friends here at Woodland Heights that will help to bring you up to speed on their activities and what is going on at our school from their perspective.
A.] Tami Horan & Kim Lacasse (School Management Assistants):
Here are a couple of reminders from your friends in the WHS Main Office to help things run smoothly:
• We do have a new phone system as many of you already know. If in the event of emergency and you want to be connected right away when the voice starts just push “0”.
• Please be certain to let us know if you have a change of address or phone number as soon as possible. This will help us to keep our records current and be able to contact you, if necessary.
• If your child will be absent from school for any reason, please inform us as soon as possible by phone (524-8733) or by email (tmartelhoran@laconiaschools.org) or (klacasse@laconiaschools.org)
B.] Jessica Ganchi (School Nurse and Health Educator):
Here are a few reminders from the Nurse:
• Flu season is fast approaching. WHS will be holding a free flu clinic for WHS students on November 6th from 9-11am. Registration information will be sent home soon. Your child will only get the flu vaccine at this clinic if you register them for it.
• If your child is feeling sick in the morning, please take the time to see if they are well enough to come to school. If your child has had a fever, 100.0 degrees or higher, or has been vomiting within the past 24 hours they need to stay home. Please see my website http://whsnurse.wikispaces.com/ for a full list of exclusion criteria to help you better assess if they can be at school. If they have nasal congestion and/or cough without a fever and are eating well, playing well and acting like themselves, they are good to come to school!
• Please make sure your child has safe, comfortable shoes to wear to school. If they do not have shoes that attach securely to their feet they will not be allowed to participate in gym class or recess. Please, no flip flops if possible.
• Do you need health insurance for your child? NH Healthy Kids provides free and low-cost health and dental coverage for uninsured children. Call toll-free 1-877-464-2447 or go to www.nhhealthykids.comfor more information
• Please take some time to visit my website. Hopefully you will find a lot of helpful information on it. Feel free to call me, 524-8733, or email me, jganchi@laconia.k12.nh.us if you have any questions. I am looking forward to a healthy and safe year. **Jessica Ganchi, RN**
C.] Mollie Greeley (School Guidance Counselor):
As our school counselor, I will continue to support our students’ social, emotional, and academic needs here at WHS. This will be done through classroom guidance, small groups, and individual work. Students will be encouraged to work on improving their self-concept, or how they see and feel about themselves, having healthy and appropriate relationships and interactions with others, and contributing to our school community. As always, I am here to help empower our students to be problem-solvers, social thinkers, and caring citizens.
To continue to encourage positive choices and recognize those students who have been doing so, we have revamped the Keys to Character program and are now calling it “Wildcat Watch.” Through this program, staff members submit names and stories of students who are “Caught Being a Wildcat.” Students act as Wildcats when they are demonstrating the traits and skills suggested in our school motto, including being caring, responsible, respectful and reflective. This program also enhances our feeling of collaboration, belonging, and community spirit!
Upcoming Guidance Classes:
Kindergarten and 5th grade have started this week!
D.] Jen Paronto (Behavior Specialist):
Welcome Back Wildcats! If you have been in the building you may have noticed my new location. I have moved to the outer office closest to the stairs. This was to allow for easier access for the students to find me. My new extension is x3006 or you can use the dial by last name directory. Please feel free to contact me at any time with any questions, concerns, or to share information. We are a TEAM here at Woodland Heights! I am looking forward to a Great Year!!
E.] Marcy Kelley (Student Services Coordinator):
What a wonderful and warm reception I have had as the new WHS Student Services Coordinator! I look forward to an exciting year with students, staff and families working together to meet all of our student’s needs. Below are highlights of our upcoming year:
• We will be doing some exciting work with our preschool programs in order to maximize our programming and ensure all of our students are prepared for Kindergarten.
• WHS welcomes a new special education teacher, Rebecca (Becky) Ciulla, who comes to us from Plymouth Elementary School. Becky is settling in nicely with her new Kindergarten team.
•Christina Flanders, school psychologist, continues to work toward her Doctoral degree in psychology – I think she is seeing light at the end of the tunnel!
•We have begun sorting through our materials that may no longer be used and will be able to share these with our community at Open House. We have many, many gently used games to give away for families to enjoy at home.
• Our intervention teams will have tremendous professional development opportunities this year. A big thanks to Gail Bourn, Academic Coordinator of Teaching and Learning (ACTL) for her work with our staff.
As we go through the year, I hope to meet as many of you as I can and welcome feedback. I can be contacted at WHS or via email at mkelley@laconia.k12.nh.us . I recognize how crucial your role is in your child’s education and look forward to working together.
F.] Dennis Dobe (School Principal):
Here are a few items to share with you about upcoming events:
• The WHS-PTO fundraiser will be wrapping up on Tuesday (10/5), and our delivery will arrive in the first week of November. Please support this fundraiser if it fits into your family plans. Funds from this activity help pay for our field trips, guest speakers, and enrichment programs. Thanks!
• Our Fall Curriculum Night is scheduled for this coming Thursday evening (9/20) from 6:00-7:30. Please join us for an hour visiting classrooms to learn about our academic program and classroom communities. At 7:00, you will be asked to join me for a presentation on our school goals and initiatives for this year. As a result of attending this evening at WHS, you’ll have a very good understanding of what we do here at WHS to make your child’s educational experience so great at WHS!
• All of our WHS New Teachers have been doing a fantastic job here at Woodland, and have been actively contributing to all of our great work so far this year. We are so grateful for our new friends!
• A handful of Plymouth State University students will be joining us this semester as part of their training to become teachers. We are proud of our partnership with PSU, and were pleased to welcome the college students to WHS to start their program this morning.
• Keep up the great work at arrival and dismissal time! Our system seems to be running very smoothly, and it will continue to do so as long as we remain patient and considerate, and continue to follow the ‘rules of school’.
G.] Jake Colby-Project Extra Coordinator @WHS
Project E.X.T.R.A.! is Laconia School District's 21st CCLC Program which runs at every school site, after school, during the school year and through most of the summer. The program is focused around enhancing student potential, at all of our schools, through academic enrichment activities. These activities strive to keep the student engaged academically in fun and meaningful ways.
The program provides a Snack, a Recess, and Homework time at the end of enrichment activities. Despite being just a week in, we already have limited spots available. For further information about the WHS program, scholarships and policies please contact me @524-8733 ext. 3057.
There are great things happening here at WHS all the time, and I warmly invite you to be a part of it whenever your schedule will allow. Keep on top of all of our news by accessing our school website at www.laconiaschools.org/whs. Many thanks for your ongoing support!
Dennis Dobe, Principal
