October 2 is National Custodian Day. We're grateful to these dedicated professionals who work hard to keep our buildings and grounds clean and safe. When we asked students if our custodians are superheroes, the answer was a resounding "YES!" https://youtu.be/wp716Z8C2Vo
More Pumpkin Fair Fun!
This week is the Week of Extra Respect and we kicked it off on Friday with a Character Education assembly. We reviewed our Pillars of Character. We read the Elephant and Piggie book, "My New Friend Is So Fun!" Our focus was:
Having close friendships is great.
Meeting new people and making new friendships is fun!
Having close friendships and including others in your play isn’t always easy.
Expand your circles!
Including more people in your fun helps ensure that no one feels left out.
Talk it out to resolve problems. You can always ask an adult for help.
At the end of out first full week, and to help promote a sense of unity, we had a school-wide assembly today to kick off our theme: Community, It Starts With Hello. We reviewed our expectations of "Be Safe, Be Kind and Be Inclusive" and then read Elephant and Piggie's "Can I Play Too?" by Mo Willems. The big ideas that we discussed were: Asking to play with others takes courage Including everyone isn't always easy Use kind words to solve problems A sense of humor always helps Assume the best intentions Ask an adult to help you when you get stuck
5G works collaboratively to explore volume.
5G explores volume by creating accurate models of different sized cubes. They range from the small 1 cubic inch that they can hold in their hand to the very large cubic yard (still under construction) that the students can almost squeeze into.
Rain or shine, The Great Pumpkin Fair was a success! Games, Dunk Tank, Raffles and Franklin Fun!!
Schools are closed on Monday & Tuesday, Sept 26 & 27. Happy Rosh Hashanah to all who celebrate.
A synopsis of the September 20 BOE meeting is available here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1M4Cb-4OrT3aHz6LzljxGrZIuNdF5ema46aBey41jJGY/edit?usp=sharing
This week, our buddies met and got to know each other. 1st and 5th graders are paired together, 2nd and 4th graders are paired together, and 3rd grade classes are paired with other 3rd grade classes. These buddies are officially called "writing buddies" but they are so much more. They work together on reading, writing, and special projects throughout the year. For our older students, these relationships are chances to develop leadership skills and help instill the wisdom they have learned during their time at Franklin School with our youngest students. These special relationships also strengthen our school community.
Join us for the Board of Education meeting on Tues, Sept 20 at 7p in Cafeteria B at WHS. Agenda: https://bit.ly/BOEAgendas2022-23 Livestream: https://bit.ly/BOELiveStream202223
Join our team! Become a Substitute. https://westfieldpublicschoolsnj.sites.thrillshare.com/page/substitute-information
The Golden Pass is back! Learn more about how Westfield residents 65 and older may attend many WHS events for free. Please share the news with your friends and neighbors. https://www.westfieldnjk12.org/article/836407
We had a great first day at Franklin School! The rain held off for an outdoor lineup. It felt good to see so many parents and students mingling and catching up after the summer. Once the bell rang, students started their day with Morning Meetings. The Morning Meeting activity in 1st grade was “Hickety Pickety Bumble Bee”. It got students on their feet, learning each other’s names and building their learning communities. 5th graders then transitioned to Spanish with Señor Vazquez.
Strategic planning and district / Board goals for the 2022-2023 school year were among the topics at the August 30 Board of Education meeting. Read more in this synopsis: https://bit.ly/SynopsisAugust302022
Lots of professional learning and other preparations for a new school year. We're ready for our students tomorrow! https://www.westfieldnjk12.org/article/829215
A full day of professional development sessions as our teachers and staff prepare to welcome back students tomorrow (Wednesday), September 7.
We are so excited for the return of our students! Teachers have been busy preparing for a great start to the school year. Today they participated in Responsive Classroom training about ways to promote student self-discipline which leads to safe and positive classroom environments where all students can thrive and be their best. We can’t wait to see everyone tomorrow!
The Back-to-School issue of The NEWS Letter is in email inboxes. In case you missed it, it is also posted on the district website under District Information: https://sites.google.com/westfieldnjk12.org/thenewsletter/back-to-school-2022
Opening Day for staff! Superintendent Dr. Raymond González, Board President Brendan Galligan, and WEA President Kim Dickey were on hand to welcome all back. Great to see everyone eager and ready for the first day of school on September 7. https://youtu.be/LwUoDE1-nAE
