The Woodland Weekly

Dear Woodland Families,

It's hard to believe we are already two thirds through this school year! The progress we've seen from our students has been nothing short of inspiring. From their academic achievements to their personal growth, it's clear that this has been a remarkable year. Our mid-year data showed a tremendous amount of progress from our students in both reading and math, and we are incredibly proud of their positive behavior and social-emotional growth.

We also started our Therapy Dog visits which brought big smiles to so many faces. Students learned the difference between a Therapy Dog and a Service Dog as well as the difference in their personalities when they are "working" and not working. They asked great questions and were eager to hear the responses.

Finally, conferences are tomorrow and we have set up some FREE babysitting while you attend your child's conference. A few National Honor Society students from the high school will be in the cafeteria with coloring pages and crayons to entertain kids for both the afternoon and evening sessions. We hope this will be helpful, and if so, we plan to continue it next year. Let us know!

Warm regards,

Emma and Kayla

March 12 (TODAY!) -

• Spring pictures - wear a smile!
• PTO Meeting @ 5:30 in Powder Mill Library
• FY26 Public Budget Hearing @ 6:00 in Powder Mill Cafeteria

March 13 - 1/2 day for students for Spring Conferences, dismissal @ 12:00

March 14 - 1/2 day for all, dismissal @ 12:00

March 20 - School Council @ 4:15, Woodland Library

March 25 - Author Visit, Jason Lefebvre

We are excited to welcome Ann Morizio (Nurse Annie) to our Woodland team as the new School Nurse! Nurse Annie will be starting early next week, but will be familiar to students as she has worked as a substitute nurse in our building all year. Nurse Annie brings a strong background in nursing and a deep commitment to supporting children’s health and well-being. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Elms College and has extensive experience working with children of all ages, from infants to high school students.

Nurse Annie has served as a Registered Nurse in both school and early intervention settings, where she provided medical care, health education, and support for children with developmental and medical needs. Her expertise in managing student health, collaborating with families, and ensuring a safe and supportive environment makes her a valuable addition to our community.

Please join us in giving Nurse Annie a warm welcome to Woodland!

During the month of April, preschoolers will begin a new unit, Our Community. They will learn about school workers and people in their neighborhood. We will continue reviewing letters, letter sounds, shapes, numbers 1-10 and putting together and taking away numbers up to 5. The children love choice time. This is the time when they are working on sharing and self-control. They have been demonstrating many acts of kindness. We are very proud of them!

Math:

Students will begin to work with numbers within 20. They will answer "How many?" questions and count out groups within 20. They will build an understanding that numbers 11-19 are composed of one group of ten and one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, or nine ones. For instance, the number 17 can be composed or decomposed to one ten and seven ones. They will also work on mastering writing their numbers from 11-20.

ELA:

Kindergarten Students will be "Zooming in" on Module 7. As children read, view and interact with Module 7 texts and read Alouds, they will build deep knowledge on what it means to look closely and observe the world around them. The Unit's essential question is, "What can I learn when I look closely?" The unit also provides opportunity for students to learn a bit about different genres of writing, such as creative writing and poetry.

In Foundational Skills, students will be learning to blend, segment, read, and spell words with digraphs ch, ck, ng, and wh.

Social Studies and Science:

Our last Unit, "Our Earth" begins. Students will learn about plants, and how trees are important to our earth. They will study the importance of recycling and even get opportunities to repurpose recycled materials in Art Center. In Blocks center, students will make their own representations of trees, gardens, and plant life. In Discovery center, students will study seeds, plant a bean, and then study the bean's growth as it develops from seed to plant.

We continue to be very hard workers in first grade! We are moving right along with our phonics and are reading words with more complex spelling patterns and sounds, such as ce (mice), ge (page), _tch (catch) and _dge (badge).

We have just begun new units in both reading and social studies. We are reading stories about the great outdoors and learning about how things in nature change. As writers, we are beginning to explore poetry, and we will be writing poems about nature, as well. We will also be learning about our world as we discuss geography, maps, and landforms.

In math, we have just finished up our unit on two-digit numbers and strengthened our understanding that numbers are composed of tens and ones. We are now moving into our next unit where we will use this place value knowledge to add one- and two-digit numbers within 100.

We continue to reinforce the CARES expectations and are always looking for our first graders to be role models and leaders to their peers!

Second graders are working hard as we approach the end of our second marking period of the year! They have some new units underway. Our current module in ELA is Module 8: Time to Grow. Classes will be learning about what plants need to grow, thrive, and survive. They will read about a plant’s basic needs, how those needs are met, and what happens if they are not met. Children will also write a procedural text that describes chronological steps to follow in order to complete an activity. The important topic words for this module are fertilize, germinate, and survive. Encourage your child to use these words by discussing questions like the following: Why do you think it’s a good idea to fertilize plants? If you had a garden, what types of seeds would you want to germinate? How can people help plants survive?

In math, second graders are working on Unit 6: Geometry, Time, and Money. In this unit, students reason with shapes and their attributes, and partition shapes into

equal pieces. This work helps to build a foundation for fractions. Students also solve story problems involving money, using their understanding of fourths, quarters, and

skip-counting by 5 to tell time. Near the end of the unit, try asking your second grader to complete these tasks: Find different shapes around the house. (Bonus points for finding non-traditional shapes!) Tell time on an analog clock. Determine the value of a coin combination.

In social studies, students are working on a unit about immigration and ancestors. Students will learn about their heritage and family traditions. Next up will be a science unit on biodiversity and ecosystems!

To support your child's fine motor development at home, consider incorporating the following activities into your daily routine:

• Play with Play-Doh: Engage your child in molding and shaping Play-Doh to strengthen hand muscles and improve dexterity. You can even find simple recipes to make your own dough which adds in some math and planning and following steps

• Use Scissors: Practice cutting along lines, which enhances hand-eye coordination. Cut out printed pictures to make vision boards.

• Draw and Color: Encourage your child to draw and color with crayons or markers to develop grip strength and control.

• Thread Beads: Provide large beads and strings for threading activities, promoting precision and concentration.

• Build with Blocks: Use building blocks to create structures, fostering spatial awareness and fine motor skills, including Legos, magna-tiles, etc.

• Practice Tying Shoelaces: Teach your child to tie their shoes, a practical skill that enhances finger strength and coordination.

• Solve Puzzles: Engage in simple jigsaw puzzles to improve problem-solving abilities and fine motor coordination.

Incorporating these activities into daily routines can significantly aid in developing your child's fine motor skills

Woodland School is excited to announce that enrollment for kindergarten for the 2025-2026 academic year is now open. Families with children who will be five years old on or before September 1, 2025, are encouraged to register their child by May 1, 2025. Early registration ensures eligibility for the Kindergarten Screenings, scheduled to take place on May 29 and 30, 2025.

How to Enroll To begin the enrollment process and learn more about the requirements, you can tap the picture above or visit the Woodland School enrollment page at:

https://www.stgrsd.org/community/enrollment

The enrollment page includes detailed information about necessary documentation and the steps to complete the registration process. Families are encouraged to complete all required forms promptly to secure their spot in this exciting program.

Don’t miss this important milestone in your child’s education! For questions or assistance with enrollment, please contact Woodland School at 413-569-6598 or WES_Office@stgrsd.org.

We look forward to welcoming your family to Woodland School and partnering with you in your child’s educational journey.

If you know families with kindergarten-aged children, please spread the word about this important opportunity!

Food services is looking for part-time substitutes in the school kitchens. Substitute positions may lead to permanent positions. If interested in applying, please email the Director of School Nutrition

Kkeady@stgrsd.org. We look forward to hearing from you.

Woodland School needs substitutes for the 24-25 school year. Being a substitute offers great flexibility, because you can choose the days you want to work! When teachers are absent, they leave the substitute a detailed lesson plan to follow. Interested? Have questions? Give us a call at 413-569-6598 or apply online: https://www.stgrsd.org/departments/human_resources/employment_opportunities.