"Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear—not absence of fear. Except a creature be part coward it is not a compliment to say it is brave; it is merely a loose misapplication of the word. Consider the flea!—incomparably the bravest of all the creatures of God, if ignorance of fear were courage.

Whether you are asleep or awake he will attack you, caring nothing for the fact that in bulk and strength you are to him as are the massed armies of the earth to a sucking child; he lives both day and night and all days and nights in the very lap of peril and the immediate presence of death, and yet is no more afraid than is the man who walks the streets of a city that was threatened by an earthquake ten centuries before.

When we speak of Clive, Nelson, and Putnam as men who "didn't know what fear was," we ought always to add the flea—and put him at the head of the procession."

Mark Twain —Pudd'nhead Wilson's Calendar.

I hope this message finds you ready for a chuckle courtesy of Mark Twain, my favorite literary humorist. In one of his lesser-quoted works, Twain offers us an unconventional hero: the flea.

Twain admires this creature's boundless bravery, it leaps into action, undeterred by the enormity of its adversaries. It does this not because it knows better but because it doesn't. As Twain Says, "the bravest of all the creatures of God, if ignorance of fear were courage." It's a funny but poignant reminder that courage isn't about the absence of fear, but about facing it head-on.

Let's discuss something closer to our everyday lives—standardized tests. Like our friend the flea, our students occasionally face a seemingly colossal challenge. The tests loom large, stirring up nerves that could rattle even the bravest souls. But remember, it's not about feeling no fear; it's about managing it and moving forward anyway.

So, as our students prepare for their upcoming exams, let's remind them that it's perfectly okay to feel a bit like a flea at a human picnic—small, perhaps, but mighty in courage. They're not alone in their worries, and it's their ability to march forward despite those jitters that genuinely makes them brave.

Let's cheer them on as they jump into these challenges, confident that they too can master their fears, one question at a time.

Luis De La Garza,

Head of School

Woodlawn Academy

Anyone that has worked with Ms. Cavazos knows that she pours her heart into her work here at Woodlawn! From Battle of the Book Competitions to LULAC Parent Classes to Book Fairs to Character Parades... Ms. Cavazos brings a rich experience for our Woodlawn Community! She is always ready to lend a hand serving as a PYP Exhibition Mentor and currently an 8th Grade Community Project Supervisor!

Thank you for all that you do for Woodlawn, Ms. Cavazos! You are truly appreciated!

Students from 3rd-5th grade gathered on Friday to learn and put into practice healthy habits! Many teachers came out to help and join the excitement!

During a guidance counseling class in 3rd grade, students drew "anxiety monsters" and shared conversation about what makes us anxious and how we can manage it.

Did you know that the IB Programme Model aims to achieve a balanced person through equal attention and value to the arts like other subjects including science, language, and mathematics? This is why we ensure our students have an outlet to express themselves, whether through choir, visual arts, band, or dance.

This past week, Jefferson High School hosted the Jefferson Feeder Art Showcase! Our Woodlawn eagles' artwork was a stand out in a space full of art from talented artists. Woodlawn PYP students took home 5 out of 6 total awards for ALL K-5 students for the cluster!! We also had two students from our 6-8th grade place as well! Congratulations to all of our talented eagle artists and their supportive art teachers, Mx. Steed (PYP) and Mrs. Sperry (MYP).

For K-2nd:

1st place- Luke Casias and his Value Ice Cream Cone, 2nd Contreras

2nd place- Melody Gonzalez and her Salt and Wax Painting, Kinder Sanchez

3rd place- Abigail Barideaux and her Self Portrait Collage, 2nd Raygoza

For 3rd-5th:

1st place- Debany Salinas Rios and her PYPX Surreal Portrait, 5th Gonzalez

2nd place- Alex Perez and her Abstract Landscape, 4th Hunter

6-8th grade:

1st place- Yorley Duarte, Paper Mache Sculpture, 6th grade

2nd place- Evan Lopez, Clay Totem, 8th grade

Woodlawn is proud that at the Jr. VASE art competition we had medalists in all divisions, Division 1 (Art 1), Division 2 (Art 2), Division 3 (Art 3). These students have been creating a piece of art on their own and coming in after school all year to work on their art pieces. They presented their artwork to a judge and were interviewed about their process.

Congratulations to Emma Lopez, Liyah Gallardo, Lucy Garza, Mia Foster, Samantha Muro and Veronica Lopez.

A group of middle school students went and experienced the San Antonio Opera at the Tobin Center thanks to the efforts of Mrs. Rogers, Choir Director! This was made possible through the collaborative support of teachers and leadership at our school! Our students enjoyed the experience!

Students in first grade are diligently working on their IB Unit Summatives that will also serve as their Fiesta Floats! They have been learning about animal life cycles, different habitats and interdependence. The central idea to their unit is Cycles demonstrate inter-connectivity in the world. Look out for these creative dioramas at our Annual Fiesta Parade this Friday!

Pizza Party WINNERS:

PYP- Mrs. Sanchez's Kinder Class

MYP- C. Gonzalez Advisory

WAIT.... You can still win a party for your class!

The first grade level to reach 100% registration will earn a popcorn party!

Thank you parents for your support in making our registration drive a success!

Remember that registering helps our school receive appropriate staffing by district for classes.

Click Here to Register

We hope to see many families at our Annual Fiesta Parade. Please view attached map & flyers in English & Spanish. Parents may stay parked in cars or watch students around the school near the side walk. Side walk will be used by students to who walk in the parade. The parade is open to students of kinder- 8th grade and participation is voluntary. We cannot wait to see your San Antonio Fiesta Spirit!

The final contests for UIL for this year will take place on May 4th at Sam Houston High School. Permission slips are being sent home this week (MYP competing scholars already received their forms). Please sign and return. Thank you for all of your support!

Click below to englarge

Click below to enlarge.

Woodlawn Academy is an authorized IB World School offering the Primary Years Programme and Middle Years Programme. In 2019, we became an SAISD In-District Charter School with Texas Council forInternational Studies, (TCIS) as our managing partner.Through this partnership, we receive additional funding.

Are you interested in participating in a school event as a volunteer. Perhaps support PTO with teacher appreciation events, join your child on a field trip, or help out in a Field Day? You will need a background check through SAISD process. The process can take a few weeks to complete, don't miss out on an opportunity of volunteering because the background check wasn't in on time.

SAISD Volunteer App-Garden

Website: https://schools.saisd.net/page/175.homepage/
Location: 1717 West Magnolia Avenue, San Antonio, TX, USA
Phone: (210) 438-6560
Facebook: facebook.com/SAISDWoodlawnAcademy
Twitter: @IB_Woodlawn