February Monthly Report

February may be few in days, but at Westlake School, it’s jam packed with activities, events and impactful lessons throughout the month. February began with students hypothesizing and participating in a survey whether Spring would come sooner or later based on the Groundhog seeing his shadow. Unfortunately, it seems we’ll have to keep the sweaters out a bit longer.

One of the many prevailing themes planned, practiced and applied throughout instructional and social groups this month was the concept of cooperation and the art of being a good friend. Some in-school activities that classes participated in that promoted these ideals were reading “Rainbow Fish” and discussing “good friend” traits, as well as recognizing classroom peers when they exhibit these traits by placing a “Friendship” ticket into a student’s mailbox. High School classes used the concept of self-reflection to identify what friendship traits they feel they embody and how they can use them during social situations. Some classes made baked “Goody Bags” for loved ones, while others creatively addressed “friendship” by creating a paper chained “link” of at least 1 word a day that describes a good friend. These interlocking links with words like “kind,” “generous,” “patient” and “helpful” were connected to form a beautiful paper “friendship chain” that runs across the classroom. On Valentine’s Day, the gymnasium was decorated with red, pink and white decorations and hearts, while Kids Bop dance music had us all moving and grooving during our “Friendship Day Dance.”

Presidents’ Day was addressed in various ways through discussions on accomplishments of historical past Presidents and informative lessons on why we honor them. Inspirational and courageous African-Americans who inspired and advocated for inclusion, diversity, equality and social justice were part of active discussions and incorporated into Black History lessons highlighting historical events and movements, and inspirational leaders such as Martin Luther King, Jr., Jackie Robinson and Rosa Parks.

Till next time my friends, be good to yourself and each other!

Bobby P and Claudine T.

E.K. was so excited to be our Student of the Month! E.K. works hard at the Sunshine Cafe and at two jobs in the community. He works at Overlook Hospital and at Complete Care Nursing Home. He is always willing to help a friend.

J.C. is a new student at Westlake. Since starting, J.C. has made new friends and a hard worker in the classroom!

Ms. Claudia is our Staff Member of the Month. Ms. Claudia is such a great mentor to our Work Based Learning Students. She takes students to a variety of job sites in Westlake School and out in the community!

M.M. is the Sunshine Cafe Employee of the Month for February! He has worked very hard and made a lot of improvements since September! He is very respectful to customers and his coworkers! When he heard the news, he said, “You guys have made me so happy! The happiest in the world!”.

The Sunshine Cafe has a new special for Feburary in honor Valentine's Day! It is a red velvet cupcake with cream cheese icing!

Thank you to our fantastic Friendship Dance Committee! Ms. Marrelly, Ms. Sakeenah, and Ms. Sagal decorated, baked cupcakes for the kids, and handed out stuffed animals to the kids.

Thank you to our DJ, Mr. Peneno!

Empowering Students, One Skill at a Time

Welcome to this month’s edition of the newsletter's Occupational Therapy Department (OT) section! Our team is dedicated to supporting students in developing the skills they need for independence in school, at home, and in the community. We’re excited to share updates, success stories, and helpful tips to support our students this month.

What’s Happening in OT?

1. Focus Skill of the Month: Fine Motor Development

This month, we are working on fine motor skills to improve handwriting, self-care tasks (like buttoning, zipping, and brushing teeth), and classroom tool use (scissors, glue, and utensils). Activities include:

✔ Hand-strengthening exercises using therapy putty and playdough

✔ Precision tasks like bead stringing and pegboard designs

✔ Adaptive tools for students needing extra support

2. Life Skills Update

Our students have been working on daily living skills, such as setting the table, folding laundry, and making simple snacks. These hands-on experiences help foster independence and confidence!

3. Sensory-Friendly Strategies in the Classroom

We have introduced sensory-friendly strategies, including:

✔ Quiet corners with fidget tools for self-regulation

✔ Alternative seating options, like wobble cushions and therapy balls

✔ Movement breaks to support focus and engagement

Parent Tip: Strengthening Independence at Home

Encourage your child to participate in daily routines! Here are some ways to promote independence:

✔ Morning Routine: Let them practice getting dressed with minimal assistance.

✔ Mealtime Skills: Have them help set the table or pour their own drink.

✔ Organizing & Cleaning Up: Use labeled bins to help with toy or clothing organization.

These small steps build confidence and real-world skills!

Success Story Spotlight

This month, we’re celebrating V.G.'s mastery of using a fork. With persistence and practice, he is on his way to achieving his goal—way to go!

J.B. and L.W. worked with Ms. Claudia to reorganize the Valentine's Day section at Walgreens. They saw how busy a store can get and how important it is to keep restocking the shelves! Awesome job!

Throughout February, we’ve been focusing on Friendship and Cooperation! We’ve explored what it means to be a good friend and how working together helps us achieve our goals. A perfect example of this was our class-run card-making business! Coming off a huge success during the holiday season—selling over 180 cards—we kept the momentum going with Valentine’s Day, selling nearly 80 cards. From designing to assembling to delivering orders, every student played an important role, showing incredible teamwork and cooperation!

That spirit of teamwork continued as we began participating in a new mentorship program with one of our neighboring schools, Lamberts Mill Academy! This gave us a great opportunity to put into practice everything we’ve learned about being a good friend—whether through playing games, having conversations, or working together on activities.

February was also a time to celebrate Black History Month. We learned about influential Black leaders who made a difference through courage, kindness, and determination. Their stories inspired us to think about how we, too, can make a positive impact in our school and community.

February might be the shortest month of the year, but we certainly packed it full of fun, learning, and meaningful activities! The students accomplished a lot of wonderful things this month in speech therapy.

The students started the month off learning about Groundhog Day. The students and staff took a poll to predict whether or not the groundhog would see its shadow. Students enjoyed making their predictions and sharing their reasoning, which helped build confidence in expressing opinions and engaging in group discussions.

We also kicked off February with a friendly competition by taking another poll to see who everyone was rooting for in the Super Bowl. Students practiced important social communication skills by interacting with peers and staff, asking, “Who do you think will win?” It was a great opportunity to work on initiating and maintaining conversations, as well as practicing reciprocal questioning.

Valentine’s Day was a hit in speech therapy! We went on a scavenger hunt, using descriptive clues and teamwork to find hidden treasures. To further work on inferencing skills, students answered Valentine-themed riddles, challenging them to think critically and make educated guesses. These activities not only targeted language goals but also added a lot of love and laughter to our sessions.

Throughout February, we honored Black History Month by learning about important figures in history. Students practiced answering comprehension questions, identifying key details, and expanding their vocabulary. These discussions fostered meaningful conversations and helped students connect with history in a thoughtful and engaging way.

We wrapped up the month by celebrating Presidents’ Day! Students learned about presidents from the past and present, working on language goals such as answering “WH” questions, sequencing historical events, and describing the role of a president. This activity helped expand their knowledge while targeting speech and language skills.

Despite being a short month, February was filled with opportunities for our students to grow and shine in speech therapy. We can’t wait to continue our fun and engaging sessions in March!

Our January Employee of the Month, Ms. Valerie helped Westlake celebrate Chinese New Year! Her class coordinated a parade for everyone to watch. She worked with staff and families to provide a lunch for staff! Below is her email that was shared with staff. Thank you to everyone who worked to make this holiday special.

This holiday is not only celebrated by the Chinese but also by many other Asian communities, including those in Korea, Vietnam, Singapore, the Philippines, Thailand, and Japan. Even though we come from different cultures at our school, this celebration is a wonderful way for us to connect and share traditions with one another.

When I thought of bringing traditional food to school, I shared the idea with Jeremy’s mom and Liam’s mom, and they were excited to help. Ms. Yoomi also enthusiastically joined in and assisted with the details. Their support has made this celebration more meaningful.

It’s not a fancy party, but a warm gesture from us to celebrate this occasion together.

Please stop by the staff lounge at 11:30 to grab some lucky food. Wishing you all a wonderful Year of the Snake!

Ms. Shaw's class also celebrated Chinese Lunar New Year. They made Chicken Lo Mein and also learned about the difference between fresh ingredients and processed ingredients. Ms. Shaw and A.F. each made a batch to see which tastes better. The class voted on the fresh ingredients!

Our amazing Sunshine Club, set up a SNACKfest in honor of the Super Bowl. Staff brought snacks and desserts. The Sunshine Club coordinated the sandwiches and decorations!

Website: www.ucesc.org/schools/westlake_school

Location: 1571 Lamberts Mill Rd, Westfield, NJ, USA

Phone: 908-232-4181

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