The Woodland Weekly

Dear Woodland Families,

Happy (almost) October! As we settle into a new school year, we are excited to focus on an important aspect of our school which is building a safe, peaceful, and CARING community. We do this through Woodland CARES which stands for Cooperate, Act responsibly, Respect all, Exhibit effort, and Show self control. These values emphasize the core principles of our Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) system. Teachers reward students displaying these behaviors by giving them a CARES ticket that can earn them a sticker and certificate.

This Month’s Focus: R for Respect All.

Throughout October, we will be highlighting what it means to show respect to ourselves, our classmates, our teachers, and our school community. Here are some key activities and lessons your child will engage in:

• School assemblies: Kayla and I will hold grade level assemblies highlighting what being respectful looks like, sounds like, and feels like, as well as non-examples and why we wouldn't (and shouldn't) use them.
• Classroom Discussions: Students will participate in conversations about what respect looks like in different situations, including listening to others and valuing diverse opinions.
• Role-Playing Activities: Through fun and interactive role-playing, students will practice respectful behaviors and learn how to resolve conflicts peacefully.

How You Can Help:

1. Model Respectful Behavior: Children learn a lot from observing adults. Show respect in your interactions, and discuss the importance of treating others kindly.
2. Encourage Open Conversations: Talk with your child about their day and encourage them to share moments when they felt respected or showed respect to others.
3. Participate Together: We encourage families to participate in a "Respect Challenge" at home! Each week, set a goal to practice one respectful action, like helping a sibling or complimenting a friend. Share your experiences with us through email or send in photos of your family’s respectful acts.

We believe that by focusing on respect, we can create a positive environment that fosters learning, kindness, and strong relationships among students and staff.

Thank you for your continued support in nurturing a respectful school community. If you have any questions or suggestions, please feel free to reach out.

Wishing you all a month filled with kindness and respect!

Warm regards,

Emma and Kayla

Together, let’s make respect a part of our everyday lives!

October 6 - Run Stanley with Mrs. Rood!

October 11 - Teacher Collaboration Day, 1/2 day for students, dismissal @12:00

October 14 - Columbus Day, NO SCHOOL

October 24 - Parent/Teacher Conferences, 1/2 day for students, dismissal @ 12:00

October 25 - Post Conferences, 1/2 day for teachers and students, dismissal @ 12:00

ELA:

Kindergarteners will be engaging in a unit where they've been exploring what makes each of us different. They will make text-to self connections with the stories and characters to see that when we take time to appreciate who we are— inside and out, the happier we are to just be ourselves. Students will also be learning to add story elements to their narrative illustrations and stories. They will illustrate their first narrative stories about a time they met a new friend!

Small groups will also begin in Kindergarten. During small group time, the students will get differentiated instruction on Foundational Skills with the classroom teacher. When they are not with the classroom teacher in a small group, they will participate in center work that is aligned to our skills of the week or current Module.

Math:

Students will begin work in Unit 2 of our math curriculum. This unit will have students answer “How Many” questions, count out, and compare groups of objects within 10. Students will also learn to write a number to represent how many.

Science and Social Studies

Students will be enjoying structured play centers that support their understanding of the communities they are a part of and the differences between them. Blocks center will create amazing representations of cities, villages, and their own town and community in which they live. Discovery center will be equipped with materials to support students drawing and creating building maps of neighborhoods, our towns, and even Woodland School! Students will also explore different materials and textures, learning to use descriptive language to describe the differences between things that are rough, soft, bumpy, hard, etc.

First graders are working hard, and our school year is off to a great start! We have been working on establishing classroom routines and following our Woodland CARES expectations.

In reading, first graders have practiced the vowel and consonant sounds. We are practicing blending and segmenting these sounds and are reading and writing CVC words. We will begin to look at some consonant patterns, like double consonants and digraphs in the coming weeks (ll, ss, ff, ck). Our new reading module will ask the students to really think about their family and community. We will read and write all about what makes our world a wonderful place and learn about people and places within our community that make it even more special.

As math thinkers, we will really begin to explore addition and subtraction within 10. We will learn strategies for solving equations and missing parts of an equation. We will even begin to solve number stories and share our thinking about different ways that we can solve these problems.

In science, we will be careful observers and discuss changes in our weather, clothes, and activities as we explore the signs of fall.

Second graders are settling into their new classes and working hard! In math, they will soon begin Unit 2: Adding and Subtracting within 100. In this unit, students add and subtract within 100 using strategies based on place value, properties of operations, and the relationship between addition and subtraction. They then use what they know to solve story problems.

In ELA, second graders have begun work on Module 2: Look Around and Explore! This module is all about examining the world around us and about making new discoveries. Students will read books about different kinds of matter, explore things that are new and unusual, and even notice things about fine art! Children will also write a descriptive essay about a place they want to visit.

The social studies unit on citizenship and economics is wrapping up. Our next content area unit will be a science unit on properties of matter. During this unit, students will participate in hands-on explorations of the properties of different materials. They will also design and create structures by selecting the materials with the best properties for a specific purpose.

Check out these after school clubs, sports, and activities. Some are offered here at Woodland, while others are through the towns of Southwick and Westfield. Kids can try one or they can try all and see what sparks their interest!

Artist's Passport

Art Ventures

Mad Science

Lacrosse

Basketball