Check your email inboxes for the November issue of The NEWS Letter. Enjoy! https://sites.google.com/westfieldnjk12.org/thenewsletter/the-news-letter/november-2022
Mrs. Fatsis gets students up, moving and singing in music class. Part of general music instruction is using the skills all throughout the class period. Mrs. Fatsis enters with a song for the class to sing, and in these photos, they're singing the "goodbye" song for a warm, fun close to the lesson.
Tuesday, December 6 is the deadline to submit an application to fill Board of Education vacancy, resulting from the recent resignation of Board member Amy Root whose unexpired term runs from January 1 - April 24, 2023. Details here: https://www.westfieldnjk12.org/article/916168
Thank you to the Westfield Education Fund for their generous donation supporting student and staff wellness and to Imagine, A Center for Coping with Loss, for facilitating the training. https://www.westfieldnjk12.org/article/918589
Have a Happy Thanksgiving!
Reading Workshop in 4th grade combines specific direct instruction on a skill with support for students to work with the skill independently as they read their chosen texts. In this class, Mrs. Moore teaches how to go from an excerpt from a book to a "jot" about it and then finally to an analysis of why it's important. Students are following the instruction, trying the model on the board, and then practicing independently in their comfortable spots around the room. When students work independently, they have a "menu" of strategies to employ as they analyze their books.
The Westfield Board of Education is seeking an applicant who is interested in serving on the Board from January 1, 2023 through April 24, 2023 to fill the vacancy resulting from the resignation of Board member Amy Root. Details here: https://www.westfieldnjk12.org/article/916168
The Edison Field Project, key administration appointments, and a warm welcome for our new student Board representative were among the topics at the November 15 BOE meeting. Read more in this synopsis:
https://bit.ly/BOESynopsisNov152022
5th graders get up and moving to learn Spanish with Mrs. Roig! Mrs. Roig, our traveling Spanish teacher, ties her instruction to not only the language, but also movement, to help students remember each lesson.
Dr. Jill Sack, a retired educator with 37 years of experience, will serve as Interim Principal of McKinley School from January-June to allow time for a thorough search for a successor to McKinley Principal Dr. Marc Biunno. https://www.westfieldnjk12.org/article/912287
Please click Agenda link for info on Strategic Planning Council / Special Board meeting on 11/14 in Edison cafeteria and regular public Board meeting on Tues, 11/15 in Cafe B at WHS. Agenda: https://bit.ly/BOEAgendas2022-23 Livestream: https://bit.ly/BOELiveStream202223
MCK 5th graders present their Readers' Theater skits to 2nd graders. This is one aspect of our balanced literacy approach that helps students build their fluency and expression, and the conversations after the skits centered on helping 2nd graders understand characters, character traits, and how characters develop in stories.
Ingenuity, resilience, and fun were on display at McKinley Elementary School as WHS students in Laura Doyle's Makerspace class shared Halloween-themed games and activities with delighted 3rd graders. Full story: https://www.westfieldnjk12.org/article/900560
Please take note of early dismissals and schools closed during the week of November 7-11.
McKinley 1st graders love visiting the Westfield Fire Department during a fun and informative walking class trip!
Welcome to former Westfield Police Captain Frank Padovano, who has been appointed School Safety and Security Specialist for the Westfield Public School District. https://www.westfieldnjk12.org/article/891833
The best MCK Jack-O-Lantern display yet! Thank you, families, for making and sharing these creations. And a special thank you to Mrs. Penczak and Mrs. Fetter for organizing this event and making the display so awesome!
Halloween Field Day Fun! MCK's PTO organizes fun, Halloween-specific games for students in the AM before our PM parade!
Learning happens in communal spaces! One of the best parts of the 22-23 school year is our return to our communal spaces for learning. In ELA, we start at the carpet for direct instruction, sharing read alouds of mentor texts, and planning our work during reading and writing workshop. In the first picture, a 2nd grader returns to her 1st grade classroom to read aloud.
