Principal's Newsletter

In Pre-K this week students continued their unit of study on Reducing, Reusing, and Recycling. From virtual field trips to hands-on activities, our little learners immersed themselves in understanding the impact of trash and garbage on our community. They eagerly watched as recycling centers came to life before their eyes, and engaged in sorting and classifying materials for recycling. In addition to sharpening their literacy and numeracy skills with letter and numeral practice, some even delved into the world of coins and bills, even cleaning their own pennies! Creativity flourished as they constructed impressive structures from recycled items, while also learning about the importance of being kind to the earth. Some students used magnets to detect magnetic recyclables which added an exciting dimension to their learning journey. It's been a week filled with discovery, creativity, and a deeper understanding of our role in caring for our planet.

In our Kindergarten this week, students have been busy engaging in a wide array of enriching learning activities. In Fundations, they've been segmenting words and identifying consonant digraphs (two letters that when combined make one sound; e.g. ch, wh, sh...) while also mastering the keywords and sounds associated with each digraph. They've made remarkable progress in decoding and spelling three-sound words containing these digraphs. In Readers' Workshop, they've been encouraged to mark pages with post-its, noting passages that spark curiosity or importance. Writing Workshop has been all about delving into non-fiction writing, with students brainstorming topics they're knowledgeable about and creating detailed lists accompanied by illustrations. Over in Math, they've been asking insightful questions to identify and describe mystery blocks, exploring 3-dimensional shapes and their attributes, and delving into counting as a means to measure and compare lengths of time. Social Studies has taken them on a journey around the world to learn about different ways people live, while in Science, they've been uncovering the secrets of plant growth, observing plants firsthand, and even delving into how goats can assist in managing poison ivy in parks. It's been an exciting week of exploration, discovery, and learning in our Kindergarten classroom!

Enjoy this week's photo gallery -

Westfield High School has partnered with the Westfield Memorial Library and the Kean University Holocaust Research Center to hold an afternoon and evening of programming on Monday, May 6 to commemorate Holocaust Remembrance Day. Exhibits and presentations will run from 3:30 - 8:30 p.m. at the Westfield Memorial Library, 550 East Broad Street. Click HERE to learn more about this important community event. We hope you will be able to attend in person; however, the event also will be livestreamed and can be accessed HERE.

Do you have an upcoming 1st grader or know someone who does? Please remember to visit our Student Registration portal to register your child. To register a 1st grader for the 2024-2025 school year, the child must be a resident of Westfield, reached the age of 6 on or before October 1, 2024, and have not yet attended the Westfield Public Schools. Having the most up-to-date enrollment numbers are critical as the district plans for the upcoming school year.

(1) Pre-K and Kindergarten Dismissal (2:45 - 3:30 pm): Given the widespread success of our Westfield High School student athletes, the Spring sports season tends to be very busy at Kehler Stadium (located just behind Lincoln School). Between now and early June various WHS teams will be competing in post-season events that draw large crowds and necessitate the closing of the Lincoln School parking lot beginning at 2:45 PM. Only vehicles with handicapped signage will be permitted entry into the parking lot. Please allow ample time at dismissal for parking.

(2) Kindergarten Arrival (8:55 - 9:05 am): When dropping off Kindergarten students for morning arrival, please either park your car and walk your child to the front entrance OR pull up to the valet line located on the non-playground side of the building - a staff member is always present to receive students from your car. Pulling over in the bus lane on Westfield Avenue is not permitted and the WPD will be enforcing this expectation.

(3) When you have a chance, please congratulate our crossing guard, Mr. Marc, on becoming a grandpa this week!

The connections forged through family participation enrich our students' educational experiences and foster a spirit of togetherness. All families are encouraged to share their time and talents in these upcoming school wide events -

The annual Lincoln School Flower Patch will consist of various spring-themed stations for students: planting, flower picking, flower pot decorating with stickers, games and a story. Parents and caregivers are welcome to visit during their child’s scheduled time.

Flowers are available for purchase on the Membership Toolkit.

On Monday, May 13, 2024, the Pre-K will be holding its annual "Tournament of Champions" field day event (rain date Monday, May 20). The Tournament will be held at Kehler Field behind Lincoln School. This culmination of our adapted physical education program is directed by Mr. Daniel Pereira.

Please complete the permission slip.

Kindergarten Field Day will take place on Tuesday, May 21 on the grassy field between both playgrounds. Families and friends are welcome to watch from the sidewalk on Westfield Avenue. Only volunteers will be permitted on the field.

The Kindergarten Celebration will take place on Friday, June 7. Please refer to the invitation for class times. Additional details will follow.

To: Parent or Guardian of Kindergarten through 2nd Grade Student

From: New Jersey Department of Health

In 2018, New Jersey reported 4,000 cases of Lyme disease in addition to more than 600 cases of other tick-borne diseases such as Ehrlichiosis, Anaplasmosis, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and Babesiosis, making it a major public health problem in the state. Luckily, there are some simple steps that you can take to reduce the chances that you and your child will become ill with Lyme disease or other tick-borne diseases. The attached letter highlights what you should know about ticks and the prevention methods found to be most effective.

Children in the age range of 5-15 years old are consistently shown to have the highest rates of tick-borne illness. Thus, it is important that you help to protect your child and teach them how they can protect themselves against ticks. In addition to the information letter, there is a tick check calendar provided as a tool to keep track of when you perform tick checks. These are especially important in the warmer months of April-October when ticks are more likely to bite humans and children are more likely to be playing outside.

May

6: Staff Appreciation Week

8: Flower Patch | School Nurse Day

10: Rain date Flower Patch

12: Mother's Day

13: Pre-K Tournament of Champions (Field Day)

17: Training Day | First Grade Orientations at Elementary Schools (click HERE for times)

20: Rain date Pre-K Tournament of Champions (Field Day)

21: Kindergarten Field Day

24: Schools closed

27-28: Schools closed

28: Rain date Kindergarten Field Day

June

4: International Dinner for Multilingual Students - WHS - Cafeteria B (6 - 8 PM)

7: Kindergarten Celebration

12: School Wide EOY Carnival

14: Spirit Day

16: Father's Day

19: Juneteenth

19 - 20: Early Dismissal for Students

20: Last Day for Students