West Hempstead Weekly Update

“The capacity to innovate – the ability to solve problems creatively or bring new possibilities to life and skills like critical thinking, communication and collaboration are far more important than academic knowledge.”

– Tony Wagner, Author of Creating Innovators

Truly effective and inspired teachers and educational leaders must always strive to learn more, consider options and explore new ideas with students and colleagues alike. Exceptional teachers realize that we are, right now, preparing our students to live in a world we may not be able to imagine. We are preparing our students to tackle jobs that do not yet exist. How can we do this? How do we help our students, today, develop the skills, dispositions, habits and mindsets that will serve them well tomorrow, in this rapidly changing world?

By helping our students develop and tap into their own creativity, by capturing their ability to imagine possibilities, to innovate and collaborate, to communicate ideas, identify problems and generate and execute their own solutions, we can, in truly authentic and powerful ways, prepare our students for the many challenges and excitements the future brings their way.

https://habitsofmindkids.com/blog/creating-imagining-and-innovating-developing-the-leaders-of-tomorrow

image attribution: whatboots.com/au

Did you know that the interactive read-aloud is an important part of our work with students? An interactive read-aloud consists of the following:

Previewing the book: The teacher previews the text by highlighting some of the following:

● title and author

● characteristics of the genre

● story elements

● book blurb/synopsis

● dedication page

● book cover/picture walk

● predictions

● background information

● text features

● table of contents

Target Vocabulary: The teacher unpacks target vocabulary to provide students access to the text by using some of the following:

● dual vocabulary

● picture support

● definition/word meaning

● the vocabulary in context to the story

Focus Point/Question: The teacher provides a specific, planned focus or question for students to actively consider while reading. This question is planned using the following instructional resources:

● Literacy Continuum

● Next Generation Learning Standards

● Focus points from the current reading unit

● Pre and post-assessment questions (upper grades)

● Data collected from whole and small-group instruction

Think Alouds & Turn and Talks:

● Teacher plans (3-4) appropriate places to “think aloud,” modeling comprehension and thinking work.

● Teacher plans (2-3) well-thought-out places for students to “turn and talk” to peers to discuss purposeful questions.

● The combination of these engagement strategies provides students with the scaffolds and thinking necessary to answer the focus question.

Summarizing, Emphasizing Story Elements/Characteristics: After the reading, the teacher reviews the text using some of the following:

● asking what the students thought of the book

● summarizing important events (SWBST strategy)

● noting additional significant details that were not mentioned in the discussion

● discussing the author’s craft

● discussing the focus question

Independent Student Work:

● Teacher provides a writing-about-reading response opportunity that connects to the text

Today, the Chestnut Street School bell was rung at dismissal. To the best of our knowledge and Ms. McAvoy's (West Hempstead Historical Society) records, today is the day of the actual anniversary!

What ideas are we proud of in our reading and writing program?

• Accountable talk

• Transfer from year to year
• Common language due to a consistent approach
• Self-selected texts based on interest
• Reading for both learning and pleasure
• Understanding of the workshop
• Rich writing and conversation
• Student self-reflection and goal setting
• Using pre- and post-assessments to guide instruction

Did you know our students are grammar detectives? We want our readers and writes readers to "detect" English grammar by "solving" various exercises using authentic literature. Students are working on aspects of grammar such as nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, clauses, and phrases. We also "demystify" punctuation and explains periods, colons, semi-colons, and speech marks.

Thank you to those who came out for our annual STEMposium event. We hope the STEMposium fans the flames of enthusiasm for science, technology, and inquiry. With a focus on STEM skills and concepts, the entire process has taught the principles of leadership and how to work as a team. Thank you to Mr. Cangemi and our science teachers for their efforts. A special thanks to Ms. Reyes for her dedication in supporting student research. Hat tip to Ms. Rosner, Mr. Johnsen, and Mr. Graff for presenting.

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This past Wednesday, the band and cheerleading were invited to Hofstra to demonstrate their excellence and raise funds for their respective programs. They both made wonderful impressions. So much so that they have been asked to return to Hofstra next Thursday to play with the Hofstra band and cheerleaders in a nationally televised game! This is just another shining example of our #RamCulture and #RamPride.

I am reading, Reading for Our Lives by Maya Payne Smart, and over the next several newsletters, I will share some of her ideas from her writing.

Chapter 8 focuses on cracking the alphabetic code.

While some people prefer to teach letter sounds before letter names, the fact of the matter is that kids need to know both - and instruction is simpler when you have unique and consistent labels. I say teach both at the same time. "Clearly, it is easier to say, 'Point to the A, than to say, 'Point to the letter that says /al (or /ä/ or /al or /uh/),'" pioneering researcher Marilyn Jager Adams explains.

ASSESS LETTER-NAME KNOWLEDGE.

Take care to determine which, if any, letters your child already knows. You may be surprised by the knowledge they already possess.

DRAW ATTENTION TO LETTERS AND THEIR SHAPES.

Remember that the distinctions between a letter, a number, and other writing and drawings are not immediately apparent to young children. These are things that they learn slowly and through repeated attention, experience, and explanation.

Start the process by pointing out the differences among the symbols you see in storybooks and daily life. Bring your child's attention to letters wherever you encounter them. Point to them, trace them, and have your child do the same, so you know they are locked in on these particular symbols.

SING, THEN SAY, THE ABCS.

Many parents' alphabet-teaching efforts begin and end with "The Alphabet Song." While it's fun to sing it in the car or around the house, usually there's no reference made to print while doing it, so kids aren't making the connection between the lyrics and the individual letters that make up the wong. Moreover, in the song, the letters are all blued together, leaving L-M-N-O-P sounding more like ellaminnowpee. Singing the song is great for building another skill--learning alphabetic order and giving kids an introduction to letter names. But to help kids connect all the dots sooner, try sometimes saying the song, versus only singing it, and pointing to each letter as you articulate in.

ENCOURAGE MAKING LETTERS HOWEVER THEY CAN.

Letter talk also spurs kids' experiments with forming the letters themselves-whether by writing them or making the shapes our of Play-Doh or Popsicle sticks. And that tactile experience with letters, in turn, creates even more opportunities for kids to ponder and engage with letters' distinctive features.

TEACH UNKNOWN LETTERS FROM EASIEST TO HARDEST

Spend more time and energy on the letters your child doesn't know, and teach the unknown letters from easiest to hardest.

-Adapted from, Reading for Our Lives by Maya Payne Smart

The lottery has been completed. If you registered, you will receive a letter home shortly to schedule a time to register. There are seats available. You can register at https://www.whufsd.com/o/chestnut-street/page/universal-pre-kindergarten and call 516--390-3150.

As per New York State Law, transportation applications to non-public schools must be filled out and submitted to the district on or before April 1st.

To streamline the process, we will no longer be mailing paper applications to each household.

Parents/Guardians are urged to follow this link: https://www.whufsd.com/page/transportation

The WHCSF scholarship application is now available. Please see their letter below.

Dear Parents,

Attached is the 2023 West Hempstead Community Scholarship (WHCSF) Application.

We are proud of our involvement with the students who live in West Hempstead, and along with you, hope to ensure a bright future for your child. College can open the door to so much growth and potential but costs at times, can be prohibitive. Our goal is to make a difference by awarding several scholarships in the amount of $2,500 per student.

If you or your child have any questions with regard to our organization or scholarships, you can contact me at 516-483-7627 or by emailing to whcommynityscholarshipfund@gmail.com

Sincerely,

Eileen Fennell, Chair

Maria Bhola,Co-Chair

WHCSF Selection Committee

Update to the ChatGPT app and its use in schools. A Princeton student built an app (GPTZero) to tell if AIs like ChatGPT wrote student essays. This app analyzes text to see how randomly it is written, allowing it to detect if AI wrote it. Here is another article on ChatGPT and math.

"Thirty minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise in the morning improves the cognitive functions associated with better decision-making for the rest of the day, according to a new study by researchers from the University of Western Australia. “Sedentary behavior is associated with impaired cognition, whereas exercise can acutely improve cognition,” the authors said." For more, visit here.

"...results were quite interesting.

• Happy music made the babies less aroused, and reduced behaviours such as thumb sucking;
• Happy music seemed to help the transition from drowsy to sleeping;
• Happy music led their heart rates to slow down;
• Sad music made the babies move less often.

The paper notes that the results point towards the theory that young children listen to music first, then move to it, and not the other way around.

The researchers write, “Our findings suggest that the emotional response to music possibly emerges very early ontogenetically as part of a generic, possibly inborn, human musicality.”

It seems we are born with a deep connection to music."

For more, visit here.

Everyone involved is a volunteer focused on meeting student needs. The difference between a great school and a wonderful school community is the strong relationships between teachers, administrators, staff, and parents.

Why join?

• You can have your voice and perspective heard.

• You can fundraise to support programs and initiatives.

• You can learn about the school community, and they can learn about you.

• You can be “reflective.” Your children can submit their work to The National PTA’s Reflections program. This 50-year-old program provides opportunities for recognition and access to the arts. Students submit artworks in several categories based on the year’s theme.

Join today and follow on social media!

PTA Join: https://whepta.memberhub.com/store Twitter and Instagram @WHEPTA

SEPTA Join: https://1966.memberhub.com/store Twitter @WHSEPTARocks Instagram @WHSEPTA

PTSA Join: https://whptsa-10-285.memberhub.com/store Twitter and Instagram @WHPTSA

1/16 School Closed

1/17 Grades 7 & 8 Winter II Sports

1/17 7:30 pm BOE Meeting VCR

1/23-1/27 UPK Registration

1/27 End of Q2 and Semester 1

Email: drehman@whufsd.com
Website: www.whufsd.com
Location: 252 Chestnut Street, West Hempstead, NY, USA
Phone: 516-390-3000
Facebook: www.facebook.com/WhufsdRams
Twitter: @WhufsdRams