Boy and Girls -- Start your Engines! Our Cub Scouts held their annual Pinewood Derby on Saturday. The scouting programs at Washington School help teach our boys and girls what it means to be a good citizen, how to give back to our community, the joy of learning new skills, and some fun activities (sleepovers at The Intrepid and Franklin Museum).
Ride, Sally Ride. Our third graders learned how to conduct research and write a biography -- of famous women. They shared their hard work with a special guest, and served them tea. Timelines created using our Chromebooks, along with handmade dolls of the famous women, were on display for all to admire.
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
We are never quite sure who gets the better deal when Skipper comes to visit!
We ran out of Bingo boards. For both sessions! Could it have anything to do with our teachers calling the games? We think this could be the last overhead projector still operating in North America. It was a great night at Washington School.
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.
We had a wonderful community service night. Loads of students, siblings, and parents helped us make grab-and-go bags for St. Joseph's social service center; bead bracelets to welcome children to the Ronald McDonald House; birdseed feeders for Brightwood Park; tie-dyed baby onesies for Moms Helping Moms; kindness rocks to spread good cheer; and decorative placemats and coasters for Westfield's Mobile Meals. It takes a village....
We had such a great time reading Gooney Bird Greene. You can watch and listen to recordings of all the chapters, read for you by our teachers. Thanks to our Literary Leader, Christine Pitarresi, and our beloved PTO and the Westfield Teachers Association for sponsoring One School One Book. We loved reading this together.
Children's Author (and NJ resident) Audrey Vernick spent the day with us. She gave us great ideas about how to come up with great ideas, signed tons of her books for us, and ate lunch with our students. Brought to us by our wonderful PTO.
The Making of Leonard Bernstein: Roosevelt's eighth-grade band came to play for us. It was great to see so many of our former musicians. Our staff showed everyone the real way to conduct a band.
Our families helped us better understand the Muslim holiday of Ramadan. In the spirit of generosity that Ramadan celebrates (Kareem means generous), small prizes were awarded for remembering different things about Ramadan (such as how long the fast is and what the last day of Ramadan is). Ramadan Kareem!
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
The Washington School staff had a training course on Friday from 1:30-3:30 on CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation), AED (Automated External Defibrillator), EpiPens, First Aid, and Stop the Bleed. Our students are in good hands.
Superior Court Judge Rosalba Comas read to our fourth graders this week as part of our reading celebrations in March. Ask your fourth grader for the amazing story she told about the case of the dog Taquito!
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
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
Why are these children so happy? They just found out that their favorite books were ordered by the PTO and just arrived. We love our PTO!
