Friday, June 17, 2011
This Week's Principal's Award
This week’s Principal’s Award winner is Lily in Mrs. Shea’s first grade class. She is a wonderful girl who demonstrates the Woodville core values. Each day she comes to school and says "hi" to everyone with a big smile. What a nice way to start the day! When we get into our class, she gets organized and settles down right away. She follows our rules and routine and is a great role model for other children. She finds a nice way to make sure that she is a good friend, too. She is caring, honest, respectful, responsible and cooperative. We all enjoy her funny sense of humor--she knows how to make us laugh! Thanks for being such an awesome first grader!
Book Resources - Dealing with Loss
Nancy Sheehan from the Bebee Public Library has put together the following book lists based on what is happening in our community at the present time.
Remembering Friends and Asking the Hard Questions is a list of fiction bearing themes of death and bereavement. The reading levels range from third grade through high school.
Empowering Teens Through Difficult Times is a list of books that deals with a broad range of stressful situations kids encounter, including death, disease, mental health, and media coverage. Most of these titles are for middle and high school students, as well as a section for adults who wish to help their children or the ones they work with.
Both of these booklists reside on the library website at this link:
http://www.wakefieldlibrary.org/childrens-booklists/loss-and-bereavement/
Remembering Friends and Asking the Hard Questions is a list of fiction bearing themes of death and bereavement. The reading levels range from third grade through high school.
Empowering Teens Through Difficult Times is a list of books that deals with a broad range of stressful situations kids encounter, including death, disease, mental health, and media coverage. Most of these titles are for middle and high school students, as well as a section for adults who wish to help their children or the ones they work with.
Both of these booklists reside on the library website at this link:
http://www.wakefieldlibrary.org/childrens-booklists/loss-and-bereavement/
Monday, June 13, 2011
Letter from the Principal
June 13, 2011
Dear Parents/Guardians:
It is with deep sadness that I write to inform you that an eighth grade Galvin student, Michael Boudreau passed away Saturday night as the result of a tragic accident. Our administration and staff will do all we can to support this family during this difficult time.
There are three siblings who attend our schools, a first grader and fourth grader at the Dolbeare School and a sixth grader at the Galvin. Staff from the Wakefield Schools and NEMLEC STARS crisis counselors were available for students and staff at the Galvin and Dolbeare.
There is absolutely no way to make any sense out of this type of tragedy and there are no words that can alleviate the pain from this type of loss. It is difficult for any of us to process this; it is especially difficult for children to process the intensity of these emotions. Children generally have two significant reactions when dealing with a loss of this magnitude. First, it brings up the pain of any previous loss they may have suffered, which exacerbates their pain. Second, they are afraid this could happen to them, a sibling, or parent. All of these reactions are normal and typical. It is important that we are all there for them as a source of comfort during this difficult time.
Your children may or may not wish to discuss this with you when they come home from school.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Boudreau family during this difficult period. I am confident that the Wakefield community will be a significant source of support to this family.
Sincerely,
Mr. Brian Middleton-Cox
Principal, Woodville School
Dear Parents/Guardians:
It is with deep sadness that I write to inform you that an eighth grade Galvin student, Michael Boudreau passed away Saturday night as the result of a tragic accident. Our administration and staff will do all we can to support this family during this difficult time.
There are three siblings who attend our schools, a first grader and fourth grader at the Dolbeare School and a sixth grader at the Galvin. Staff from the Wakefield Schools and NEMLEC STARS crisis counselors were available for students and staff at the Galvin and Dolbeare.
There is absolutely no way to make any sense out of this type of tragedy and there are no words that can alleviate the pain from this type of loss. It is difficult for any of us to process this; it is especially difficult for children to process the intensity of these emotions. Children generally have two significant reactions when dealing with a loss of this magnitude. First, it brings up the pain of any previous loss they may have suffered, which exacerbates their pain. Second, they are afraid this could happen to them, a sibling, or parent. All of these reactions are normal and typical. It is important that we are all there for them as a source of comfort during this difficult time.
Your children may or may not wish to discuss this with you when they come home from school.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Boudreau family during this difficult period. I am confident that the Wakefield community will be a significant source of support to this family.
Sincerely,
Mr. Brian Middleton-Cox
Principal, Woodville School
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Friday, June 10, 2011
This Week's Principal's Award
This week’s Principal’s Award winner is Madeline in Miss Christine’s morning PreSchool class. Madeline comes to school everyday with a smile on her face and ready to learn. She is kind, considerate and loved by all her friends and teachers. Madeline demonstrates appropriate behavior at all times. She is helpful, polite and will doing anything that is asked of her. She always makes good choices even when it becomes difficult to not join in. Congratulations Madeline!!!
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Value-Added Early Learning
Value-Added Early Learning
by Brian Middleton-Cox, M.M., M.Ed.
June 9, 2011
I have been spending some time thinking about early childhood education and the experiences that we give our youngest students as they enter for a long, and hopefully rewarding, academic career. In Harriet Dichter’s recent article entitled “Value-Added Early Learning,” from Principal Magazine (May/June 2011), she shares the story of how the state of Pennsylvania reorganized a failing pre-school program and built a new program which has become focused on student learning. The state’s goal was to develop an integrated, efficient, and effective way to maximize its public investment to best meet the needs of children.
To reach that goal, a framework was developed with key factors to accomplish the goal:
• Systems planning, monitoring, and accountability;
• Standards for programs and practitioners;
• Support to meet and maintain standards;
• Engagement and outreach; and
• Financial supports. (Ditchter, p. 18)
Then learning standards were developed and new early childhood programs were developed. Staff members created common assessments, and they also engaged in a lot of professional development. Throughout the training process, participants did the following:
• Became familiar with advances in the science of early childhood growth and early brain development;
• Developed an awareness of the important influence of early childhood educational experiences on the production of a sturdy foundation for future cognitive, social, and emotional development;
• Identified the multiple contexts within which children develop;
• Summarized the best research, policies, and practices to apply in a given context; and
• Acquired leadership strategies for effectively coordinating early childhood and K-3 learning environments, including the transitions from preschool to kindergarten and on to the primary grades. (Dichter, p. 19)
Since the program developed in 2003, Pennsylvania’s work in this area has paid off for students and their families. Here in our local town of Wakefield, the Wakefield Public Schools recognizes the importance of giving young children rich, meaningful learning experiences that will not only make them grow academically, but also socially. When young children are engaged in play, there are so many things that we as educators notice and create goals for each student to help them reach their social potential.
The Woodville School houses integrated half-day programs along with two full-day programs. The Dolbeare School houses an integrated full-day program. When I walk though the preschool classrooms at the Woodville School, I love to see the students on Special Education Plans (IEPs) and “typically developing” children working and playing together. That dynamic cannot be matched. They are all getting a quality education.
The preschool staff in Wakefield are working each year to make our programs stronger and more positive experiences for our youngsters. We look at the learning standards and engage in discussions and professional development to provide the staff with the most recent research and strategies to use with their students. I am very proud of the staff in Wakefield’s preschool programs and wish them the best of luck in the future for continued success.
Brian Middleton-Cox, M.M., M.Ed., is the Principal of the Woodville School in Wakefield, MA.
by Brian Middleton-Cox, M.M., M.Ed.
June 9, 2011
I have been spending some time thinking about early childhood education and the experiences that we give our youngest students as they enter for a long, and hopefully rewarding, academic career. In Harriet Dichter’s recent article entitled “Value-Added Early Learning,” from Principal Magazine (May/June 2011), she shares the story of how the state of Pennsylvania reorganized a failing pre-school program and built a new program which has become focused on student learning. The state’s goal was to develop an integrated, efficient, and effective way to maximize its public investment to best meet the needs of children.
To reach that goal, a framework was developed with key factors to accomplish the goal:
• Systems planning, monitoring, and accountability;
• Standards for programs and practitioners;
• Support to meet and maintain standards;
• Engagement and outreach; and
• Financial supports. (Ditchter, p. 18)
Then learning standards were developed and new early childhood programs were developed. Staff members created common assessments, and they also engaged in a lot of professional development. Throughout the training process, participants did the following:
• Became familiar with advances in the science of early childhood growth and early brain development;
• Developed an awareness of the important influence of early childhood educational experiences on the production of a sturdy foundation for future cognitive, social, and emotional development;
• Identified the multiple contexts within which children develop;
• Summarized the best research, policies, and practices to apply in a given context; and
• Acquired leadership strategies for effectively coordinating early childhood and K-3 learning environments, including the transitions from preschool to kindergarten and on to the primary grades. (Dichter, p. 19)
Since the program developed in 2003, Pennsylvania’s work in this area has paid off for students and their families. Here in our local town of Wakefield, the Wakefield Public Schools recognizes the importance of giving young children rich, meaningful learning experiences that will not only make them grow academically, but also socially. When young children are engaged in play, there are so many things that we as educators notice and create goals for each student to help them reach their social potential.
The Woodville School houses integrated half-day programs along with two full-day programs. The Dolbeare School houses an integrated full-day program. When I walk though the preschool classrooms at the Woodville School, I love to see the students on Special Education Plans (IEPs) and “typically developing” children working and playing together. That dynamic cannot be matched. They are all getting a quality education.
The preschool staff in Wakefield are working each year to make our programs stronger and more positive experiences for our youngsters. We look at the learning standards and engage in discussions and professional development to provide the staff with the most recent research and strategies to use with their students. I am very proud of the staff in Wakefield’s preschool programs and wish them the best of luck in the future for continued success.
Brian Middleton-Cox, M.M., M.Ed., is the Principal of the Woodville School in Wakefield, MA.
Recycling Program
Our 3rd grade students participated in a recycling musical program where they were able to learn strategies for recycling and taking care of our planet.
4th Grade Spelling Bee
This week, our 4th grade students travelled to the Dolbeare School to participate in the Annual Spelling Bee. Pictured here are the students that represented the Woodville School.
Book Talks with the Bebee
Bebee Public Librarians Nancy Sheehan and Gray Sawyer visited the students at the Woodville School to get them excited about reading over the summer. They shared many wonderful book talks with the students.
Fun in PreSchool
Students in Mrs. Sokol's PreSchool Class invited their parents in to show them what they've been learning in school. They did a great job!
Monday, June 6, 2011
4th Graders Visit the State House
Our Woodville School 4th graders visited the Massachusetts State House on a recent trip to Boston. They were able to get their picture taken with Sen. Katherine Clark, Rep. Donald Wong, and Rep. Paul Brouder.
Friday, June 3, 2011
Reminder
In this time of increased temperatures and humidity, please send your children in with extra water bottles. Between recess, gym, and classroom activities, children are outside in the heat throughout their day and we ask that they remain hydrated.
Also, please apply sunscreen to your children in the morning before school.
Also, please apply sunscreen to your children in the morning before school.
This Week's Principal's Award Winner
This week’s Principal’s Award winner is Jimmy in Mrs. Ryan’s second grade class. Jimmy is the perfect example of a student who exhibits all the positive behaviors that our Woodville School core values describe. He is a kind and considerate little boy who will always take time to be a friend to someone who is feeling low. Jimmy works hard in the classroom every day to produce work that is well thought out and nicely presented. He takes pride in his work, and it shows. Jimmy works well with his classmates and shares his ideas in a thoughtful manner. He is an absolute pleasure to have in the classroom.
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Third Grade Performance
Our third graders performed a wonderful show under direction of Mrs. Barry. They sang songs about our core values and the history of Massachusetts. 
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Fly, Butterflies, Fly!
Mrs. Greatorex's Kindergarteners had wonderful weather to release their butterflies last week.
Lunch with the Principal
In her writing class, Ms. Bedrick asked her students to write a persuasive letter to me asking me not to cancel recess times at Woodville School. They students did a great job with their writing and I enjoyed reading all their letters. I chose the letter that was the most persuasive and she was able to bring a friend to have lunch with me. We had a great time.
A Visit from the K-9
Sean in Mrs. Siafakas' class had a visit from his dad, a Melrose police officer, and the K-9 Jony and his partner. The officers talked to the students about how Jony helps the police department and they shared a demonstration with the students in which Jony found some "lost" items in the field.
PreSchool Artists
Students in Mrs. Beinart's art classes from PreSchool proudly show off their work by drawing a still life.
Monday, May 30, 2011
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Celebrating China
Students in Ms. Martin's class had a great time celebrating China during their "China Day" festivities.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)