Our students and staff were able to view the partial solar eclipse safely at dismissal today. Thank you to our PTO for the solar eclipse glasses!
The April 16 budget vote and board election is fast approaching. Please consider attending one of the district's last two community engagement sessions to have your questions answered before going to the polls. The virtual sessions are Wednesday, April 10 from 12-1 p.m. and Thursday, April 11 from 5:30-6:30 p.m. Links to both sessions can be found on the Budget Vote Portal under Community Engagement.
Enjoy your Spring Break!
March 28 deadline for Rotary and Steengrafe nominations is approaching! Don't miss the opportunity to select a favorite PK-5 educator for the Philhower Award and a deserving staff member in the district for the Steengrafe Award. https://www.westfieldnjk12.org/article/1491926
Students in Class 3O had the chance to share their nonfiction magazines with third graders. Students read together, asked questions, and identified the various text features that were used throughout their projects. The third graders were so proud of their hard work and the second graders loved seeing what they will have the opportunity to do next year!
IMPORTANT: The "Not My Kid" assembly by Stephen Hill, originally scheduled for tomorrow evening (Thursday), March 21, has been POSTPONED! Stay tuned for an update with a rescheduled date.
Class 1H had the pleasure of welcoming a parent presenter who shared a captivating story about Ramadan. The students were attentive, learning about the traditions and values celebrated during this holy month. This visit fostered a wonderful sense of understanding and appreciation for diversity within our classroom. We are grateful for the opportunity to celebrate different cultures and traditions together!
We celebrated Read Across Jefferson on Monday by doing Drop Everything and Read for 10 minutes after recess. Everyone enjoyed some quiet reading in the hallways. It was a great way to ease into the afternoon. Thank you to Ms. Harrigan for planning our activities for Read Across America week at Jefferson!
On March 21, Stephen Hill of Speak Sobriety will present "Not My Kid: How to Build Resilient Kids to Make Healthy Choices and Overcome Adversity," sharing his impactful story of addiction and recovery. https://www.westfieldnjk12.org/article/1504996
Our dedicated teachers participated in a rewarding afternoon of collaborative learning. Working in small groups, they reflected on the school year so far, identifying both successes and areas for improvement. The focus was on sharing effective teaching strategies that benefit student learning. This valuable exchange fostered innovation and a collective understanding of best practices. Additionally, teachers brainstormed areas they would like to delve deeper into, promoting ongoing professional development. This collaborative session highlights our teachers' commitment to continuous improvement and their dedication to providing the best possible educational experience for all our students at Jefferson.
Our 1st graders enjoyed their visit from the Liberty Science Center today! They had so much hands-on fun with light exploration. They started by investigating how light interacts with different materials. They shone a light through various objects and observed the results. Based on their observations, they sorted the materials into three categories: opaque, translucent, and transparent. This classification involved much discussion on how well light passed through each material. Their exploration didn't stop there! They then took on the role of inventors, building their own mini flashlights using batteries and small bulbs. Thank you to our PTO for sponsoring this enrichment lesson for our students.
The Parent Teacher Council (PTC) is hosting a virtual Board Candidates Night on Monday, March 18 from 7:30-9:30p. Visit the Board Election page for details, including how to register. https://www.westfieldnjk12.org/page/boardelectionapril2024
Calling all students in Grades K-12! The Westfield Public School District is hosting an Earth Day 2024 Poster Contest. The 2024 Earth Day theme is "Planet vs. Plastics." Deadline to submit is March 27. Submission details here: https://www.westfieldnjk12.org/article/1491955
The Rotary Club of Westfield is accepting nominations for the Philhower and Steengrafe Awards. Nominate a favorite Pre-K to Grade 5 teacher and deserving staff member. Details here: https://www.westfieldnjk12.org/article/1491926
Reminder: All Westfield Public Schools will have an early dismissal this Friday, March 8, as staff participate in professional development in the afternoon. Schedule here: https://www.westfieldnjk12.org/page/inclement-weather-procedures-school-closings
Integrating local history with Black History Month, our 5th grade students learned about Zora Neale Hurston, Langston Hughes, and Paul Robeson, three important figures of the Harlem Renaissance with ties to Westfield. As a culminating activity, they visited the downtown mural honoring these three individuals. The mural is located on the side wall of the Evalyn Dunn Gallery at 549 South Avenue West. The mural’s creator Ricardo Roig joined to speak about his artwork. We had a beautiful day for our walking field trip. Thank you to the teachers for organizing the event and parents for chaperoning!
The Board of Education will hold a regular public meeting on March 5 in Cafeteria B at WHS, beginning at 7p. The Board will vote on the tentative 2024-25 school district operating budget. Agenda: https://bit.ly/BOEAgendas2023-2024 Livestream: https://bit.ly/BOELivestream2023-2024
Students in 5A had a special visitor teach them about stocks. They will be following the stock market and watching our stocks over the next few months!
March is Youth Art Month and Music In Our Schools Month. We're kicking both off with an Opening Reception on Tuesday, March 5 from 4:30-6:30p at the Roig Collection. We hope to see you there, as we celebrate the arts in our schools!
Jefferson students had a crazy hat day to celebrate their efforts in collecting 875 food items for our SOUPER BOWL drive this month. The food items were donated to Grace Church and Holy Trinity food pantries. Thank you to our amazing families for supporting our service projects!
