Bring on SPRING!!

Enjoy spring break.

Spring Term

At Walterville Elementary School, we are proud to report that 58% of our students are currently at benchmark for reading. While this is a wonderful achievement, our building goal for the year is to reach 80% of students meeting reading benchmarks. We are fully committed to fostering a strong foundation in reading and literacy for all of our students.

To support this goal, we’ve introduced several new initiatives this year. In grades K-2, we’ve implemented a phonics curriculum to strengthen early literacy skills. This month, we also launched an after-school literacy program where students can focus on improving their reading skills. In addition, our Smart Reading program pairs community volunteers with students in grades K-3, offering more opportunities for personalized reading practice. During our recent Literacy Night, we hosted a free book exchange, putting new books into the hands of our students.

As we move through the school year, we will continue to emphasize the importance of reading and literacy to help every student reach their full potential. Together, we can make great strides in achieving our goal!

To support this goal, we encourage families to promote daily reading at home, and to read with their children whenever possible. In addition to encouraging daily reading, here are some strategies and routines families can use to improve reading at home:

Set a Regular Reading Time: Establish a consistent time each day for reading, whether it’s before bed or after school. A regular routine helps students view reading as an enjoyable and important part of their day.
Read Aloud Together: Even if your child is an independent reader, reading aloud together is an excellent way to model fluency and expression. Take turns reading pages or chapters and discuss the story to build comprehension.
Create a Cozy Reading Space: Designate a quiet and comfortable space in the home for reading. This can help children focus and make reading feel like a special activity.
Discuss What You Read: After reading, ask your child questions about the story to help them think critically. Encourage them to summarize what they read or share their favorite parts. This improves comprehension and strengthens their connection to the material.
Explore a Variety of Genres: Expose your child to different types of reading materials—books, comics, magazines, or even instructional guides. The more varied their reading experience, the more likely they are to discover books that capture their interest.
Use Audiobooks: Listening to audiobooks is a great way to support literacy development. Audiobooks expose children to new vocabulary, and they can listen while following along with the text.
Celebrate Progress: Acknowledge your child's reading milestones, whether it’s finishing a book or mastering a new skill. Positive reinforcement keeps children motivated to keep reading.

Together, we can help our students grow and succeed in literacy! By fostering a love of reading at home, families play a crucial role in supporting our goal of reaching 80% of students at benchmark for reading. Let’s work together to inspire our readers to reach new heights!

THINGS TO KNOW

Spring Break and Upcoming Events

Spring Break will take place from March 24th to March 28th. Please note that the office will be closed during this time.

We are excited to announce that our entire school will be going on a field trip to Camp Harlow on April 18th. More details, along with a permission slip, will be sent home after Spring Break. This trip is made possible by the generous support of our PTO and the efforts of our Walterville families.

In the spring, students in grades 3-5 will take the Statewide Assessments in Reading and Math. These assessments provide valuable data that helps us understand how our students are performing in comparison to state and national averages. This information allows us to create targeted groups for individualized instruction to better meet the needs of our students. Additional details and test dates will be shared closer to the assessment period.

We will also be conducting our ALICE training in the spring. ALICE is our emergency preparedness curriculum and includes age-appropriate drills. If you would like to review the materials before the training, please feel free to reach out. The training will take place later in April, and more information will be sent home as the date approaches.

Thank you for your continued support!

Read everywhere

At Walterville, reading is everywhere! Students read to each other, and they’re read to, too. They read in big groups, small groups, and even on their own. Before school, after school—reading is a part of the day no matter the time. They read to dogs, they read to adults, and they talk about what they’re reading. There’s always a conversation about books going on! They compete in OBOB, showing off their reading skills and loving every minute of it. At Walterville, reading isn’t just something they do—it’s something they celebrate every day!

Student of the months

Each month, our teachers proudly select a Student of the Month to celebrate the outstanding students at Walterville. We are fortunate to have such an incredible group of students, and this recognition highlights those who consistently model our school-wide expectations: BE SAFE, BE RESPECTFUL, BE RESPONSIBLE, and BE KIND. These students set a shining example for others, and we’re so proud of the positive impact they make in our school community! Congrats to all of our students of the month this year.