Hello Wellwood Families!
Our school year is off to a fantastic start, and it’s wonderful to see the energy and enthusiasm of our students as they settle into their classrooms. I am always inspired by the sense of possibility that a new school year brings—fresh opportunities for learning, growth, and building relationships.
I wanted to share my vision for our school community and the path forward as we work together to support every student.
Student achievement is at the heart of our mission. This year, we are committed to providing high-quality instruction that challenges and engages all students, helping them grow academically and develop a love for learning. Our teachers will be implementing rigorous curriculum that meets students where they are, with personalized instruction that helps them reach their potential. Whether it’s in reading, math, science, or the arts, we want each child to feel successful and confident in their abilities.
Equally important to academic growth is the social-emotional development of our students. We understand that learning can only happen when children feel safe, valued, and connected. Our staff is dedicated to providing ongoing Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) support in every classroom. Through lessons that teach emotional awareness, self-management, empathy, and positive relationship-building, we will nurture the skills that help students thrive both in and outside the classroom. By fostering a supportive and inclusive school environment, we are equipping students to navigate challenges with resilience and compassion. Each month, we will teach and focus on an attribute that we want our students to model. In October we will highlight being respectful. I can’t wait to see which students are chosen as our Wellwood Student of the Month!
Finally, family engagement is essential to achieving our goals. As your child's first and most important teachers, your partnership is crucial. We are committed to keeping the lines of communication open and ensuring you feel welcome and involved in every aspect of school life. Whether through family events, parent-teacher conferences, or volunteering opportunities, we look forward to collaborating with you in support of your child’s success. Together, we can create a strong, nurturing community for every student. With that being said, I hope that you will join the PTA. If you are interested, email wellwoodpta@gmail.com. Let’s work together to ensure each child feels supported and inspired to do their best! Please keep an eye out for upcoming events. We are hosting a Reading Night on October 8th during which you will also have the chance to shop the Scholastic Book Fair with your child. We look forward to connecting with you and continuing to build a strong, supportive environment for our students.
Thank you for your continued support! Please reach out with any needs, questions, or concerns.
Alonna Thompson
October 3 (Th): Schools Closed for Students - Professional Development Day - Rosh Hashanah
October 7 - 11: Fall Book Fair in the Main Lobby
October 8 (T): Reading Night & Book Fair Shopping - 5:00 - 6:30 pm
October 15 (T): PTA Meeting
October 16 (W): Fall Picture Day
October 18 (F): Schools Closed for Students & Staff - MSEA Convention Day
October 21 (M): 5th Grade Field Trip to Oregon Ridge
October 22 (T): Kindergarten Academic Parent-Teacher Team Night - 5:00 - 6:30 pm
October 31 (Th): First Marking Period Ends - Early Dismissal - School Closes at 12:25pm
November 1 (F): Schools Closed for Students - Professional Development Day - Diwali
November 5 (T): Schools Closed for Students & Staff - Election Day
Special Education
Wellwood International has a new speech pathologist. Please welcome Ms. Mandel! Mrs. Mandel joins us from Campfield Early Learning Center. She is here part time with Mrs. Schiermeyer.
We would also like to welcome Mrs. Tarash and Ms. King to our special education team. Both of these teachers have been general educators for a number of years but will now be teaching special education!
Ms. Kaminsky, our Occupational Therapist, is retiring this month. After almost 20 years with BCPS, Ms. Kaminsky’s work in the school setting has come to an end. We thank her for everything she has done for our students and wish her the best in her future endeavors. BCPS is actively looking to fill our OT vacancy.
French with Madame Currie
Bonjour! Madame Currie here from our World Languages French class! Students are off to a fantastic start with our opening theme of Les Olympiques! Students carried home Olympic torches the first week of school to symbolize that we "carry our torch" throughout the year to connect us all and cheer us on! Our Wellwood community sets the tone for the new school year, sharing goals of Olympians! Across continents and colors on the Olympic flag, we embody: Perseverance, solidarity, sharing, enjoyment and participation. I hope all Wellwood friends got a chance to see part of the Olympics in Paris this past summer! Children have been showing what they retained over the summer, as they speak in our "cercle" (community circle). Parents, for helpful class information, please see my welcoming letter that students brought home. Vive les Olympiques a Wellwood!
Library with Mrs. Garde
After establishing our Library class Essential Agreements and learning more about how our library is organized, students in grades K-5 have begun checking out books from our library. We also discussed the importance of taking care of our library books. Please remind students to avoid having food and drinks around their books and to keep them safe in their bookbag when they are not reading them. Students will be able to exchange their library books each time that they have library class, which is once a week. They are allowed to renew books if they did not have a chance to finish reading them.
Please contact me if you have any questions regarding book check out notices that I send home as reminders when students have not returned their library books. There are no late fees, these notices are just reminders. However, paying to replace lost or damaged books greatly supports our library collection.
I would like to thank all the families who were able to donate supplies to support our library classes. Tissues, pencils, and crayons are always appreciated at any time during the school year.
I am very proud of how safe, respectful, responsible, and caring the students have been in library class. It’s been a great beginning of the school year.
I would love to have the support of a library volunteer to help with reshelving our books. If you are interested, please email me: dgarde@bcps.org.
Thank you for your continued support,
Mrs. Garde
Library Media Specialist
Instrumental Music with Mrs. Sherman
Instrumental lessons for 5th graders have begun! This month, students are learning how to assemble their instruments, sit in “Musician Position,” and make their first sounds! They are taking their first steps in the lifelong process of music-making.
In 4th grade Exploratory Music Class, students have been exploring “The Science of Sound” by learning about vibration, soundwaves, frequency, and pitch. Students have created their very own pan flutes! In our next unit, we will be learning about the family of instruments called “Woodwinds.”
Looking for Donations of Recyclable Materials!
Fourth graders will be participating in a project in January that involves building instruments from recycled materials. Please start saving recyclable materials! If you can donate some to exploratory music, please send them in with your child. Thank you!
