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| Willard School Newsletter | 7 January 2010 |
Issue 15 |
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FROM THE PRINCIPAL'S DESK |
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Happy New Year to all Willard families! Staff and students returned to school appearing happy and refreshed. We are all excited to start the new decade in our beautiful new school. As you know, we are collaborating with the middle school on the community service project, Coats for Kids. This program provides needy children with warm coats and jackets which are so important during these cold winter months. Although this is a project with a short time line, we already have an impressive collection of donated items which have been brought to school in the past few days. There is a collection bin in the foyer at Willard as well as at Sanborn. The collection deadline is Friday, January 9th. Thank you for your generosity. As part of our School Improvement Plan, we schedule school wide assemblies throughout the year. Each assembly is led by a particular grade level. Just before the December break, 5th grade students and staff planned and led an assembly on the theme of the Winter Solstice. This multimedia event included music, a slide show, and a performance by the 5th grade Chorus under the direction of Ms. Bethell. Students shared their knowledge of the Winter Solstice and displayed their talents through song, dance, poetry, drama, and art. It was a wonderful community building event that we all enjoyed before vacation. Third grade students and staff are busy preparing for the January school wide assembly which will be held next week. This assembly will focus on the work of Dr. Martin Luther King and will tie in with the celebration of Martin Luther King Day. The school wide assemblies offer children the opportunity to collaborate with other students at their grade level to share some of their learning and thinking with the school community, as a whole, in an authentic performance based experience. Students enjoy this opportunity and benefit from it. Math Specialist Laurie Penney has planned a Parent Math Workshop for Wednesday, January 27th at 7:00 PM in the Willard Library. Details of this event are included in this edition of the Weekly. The first semester will conclude on January 27th. Progress Reports will be mailed on February 5th. In addition, Special Education progress Reports and Special Subject Progress Reports will be issued at that time, as well. It is important to note that most Progress Report Learning Outcomes are not designed to be mastered until June. Using a 3 point scale, most children will earn a 2 for specific items on the Progress Report which indicates that the child is Making Progress toward the standard/outcome. There are a few items on the Progress Report that are measured on a 4 Point Scale.You will receive a detailed explanation with your child's Progress report. A fair amount of Punch List work was addressed over vacation at Willard. Although progress has been made, there is still work to be done. For example, the tables for the Tech Infused Classroom (Computer Lab) arrived early this week. The installation of the tables should be completed by the end of this week. The completion of this space was delayed due to a design layout adjustment that occurred in early summer. This change necessitated a change in the furniture order to accommodate the new layout. Once the tables and wire management system are installed, the computers can be set up and the Tech Infused Classroom will be ready for use. Over the vacation, the district's maintenance crew installed the ceramic Concord mural that had been saved from the old Willard. It is now installed to the left of the library entrance in the main foyer. It has a beautiful new oak frame and looks lovely in its new home. Another new addition to the foyer is the framed display of historical documents that were donated to each elementary school by the Drinking Gourd Project. The documents include copies of letters to President Lincoln from Concord children expressing their anti-slavery sentiments. This framed display has generated a good deal of interest among students. If you are able to attend the Superintendent's Tea with Diana Rigby at the Willard Library this Friday, January 8th at 3:30, you can also view both pieces of art work. Best wishes to all for a happy, healthy, and prosperous New Year! As always, thank you for all you do for Willard School. |
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| LINKS OF INTEREST |
| WILLARD HOME |
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| Willard Library |
| Willard Math |
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| Concord SEPAC |
Kindly submit articles for inclusion in the Willard Weekly to the editor, Christine Evans, at willardweekly@willardptg.org
Deadline for submission is Wednesday at 4pm.
WILLARD NEWS AND EVENTS |
PTG NEWS AND NOTES |
We hope everyone enjoyed festive winter break and rang in a happy New Year. Monday, January 11 the PTG will be holding it's monthly board meeting at 12:30 in the Conference room. This is an open meeting, please feel free to attend. The following agenda is planned:
The minutes from the December 14th PTG Board Meeting are now available on the Willard PTG website for your reading pleasure! |
GEOGRAPHY QUEST STARTS NEXT WEEK |
| The Quest is Coming, The Quest is Coming!!! Watch for the all new Geography Quest on the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World to be distributed next week. Please contact Alane Wallis (awallis@nutter.com) or Jane Torpie (jane.torpie@verizon.net) with any questions. Thanks |
WILLARD'S 12th ANNUAL TALENT SHOW GOES GREEN |
| Our theme is Green House Rock! Start planning your act, and save these important dates. The show will be on Friday, March 19. Dress rehearsal is Thursday, March 18. Preview days will be Tuesday, February 9 and Wednesday, February 10. This year, we're "going green" with our communications. The talent show flyer and registration form will be available online beginning with next week's Willard Weekly (and not sent home in backpacks, as in previous years). Thanks for your help as we reduce our paper usage. |
PARENT MATH WORKSHOP - JANUARY 27th |
Willard's Math Specialist, Laurie Penney, will be presenting, "Developing Number Sense & Making Connections in Mathematics" on the evening of Wednesday, January 27th (7:00-8:00pm) in the Willard Library. Ms. Penney will help parents understand more about number sense and how math is taught at the Willard school - including how it may look different from when you were in school. For more information, see the flyer. For planning purposes, please RSVP to Ms. Penney at lpenney@colonial.net. |
LANGUAGE CLASSES AT WILLARD |
Four before-school language classes at the Willard School welcome new students for the upcoming 12-week session. The fee is $236, and includes materials. Some scholarship aid is available. Classes meet weekly, 7:45-8:45 AM.
Community Education classes are a student-funded community service of the Concord-Carlisle Schools. To enroll please call Concord-Carlisle Community Education, 318-1540, or sign up online at www.ace.colonial.net. |
CONCORD CHILDREN'S CENTER OPEN HOUSE |
Concord Children's Center, Concord's oldest non profit infant through afterschool early childhood program, invites you to join us on Sunday, January 10th from 1:00-3:00 for our Open Houses held at our individual program sites. Our pre-school and kindergarten through 2nd grade programs are located at: The Ripley School at 120 Meriam Road and 1300 Main Street in West Concord. Our Infant, Toddler and Two's program is located at: 134 Old Road to Nine Acre Corner.You will have an opportunity to speak with teachers, program directors, and current parents. Applications for our 2010-11 school year will be available, as well as information regarding our summer programs. If you are unable to attend the Open House and would like to schedule a visit for another time, or have questions about CCC please call (978)369-3747. |
CONCORD CARLISLE YOUTH LACROSSE |
Concord Carlisle Youth Lacrosse registration is still open until January 16. After that time there will be a late charge. Please visit our website at www.ccyouthlacrosse.com for more information. |
GROUP KEYBOARD CLASSES AT CONCORD CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC |
Registration for The Concord Conservatory of Music's winter semester group classes is underway. Registrations are accepted online, in the office and by mail. Group Keyboard classes begin the week of January 19th. The Group Keyboard curriculum (ages 5 - 7) is a comprehensive music program offering a fun and unique approach to learning music. Small classes of four move together as a group and cover basic reading and rhythm skills along with solo and ensemble playing. Similar to private lessons, students progress through a beginning keyboard book over the course of the year. However, children who would prefer the varied activities a group can provide can flourish in a small group class setting. Concepts are reinforced through creative rhythm and ear-training games, duets and group improvisation, as well as movement exercises. A piano or keyboard is required for home practice. CCM provides keyboards for the group lessons. Classes are structured in small groups, and carefully organized according to the children's age, and skill level. CCM also offers group music classes for infants to school age children, as well as adults. Private instruction is also available. For more information about these music classes as well as private instrument lessons, call The Concord Conservatory of Music 978-369-0010 or visit www.ConcordConservatory.org. All classes and lessons are held at the West Concord Union Church, at 1317 Main Street in West Concord. |
AT THE CONCORD PUBLIC LIBRARY |
The Concord Free Public Library offers the following programs for children in January:
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DRIVING INSTRUCTORS NEEDED |
Concord Carlisle Driver Education, established last spring at CCHS, is growing, and hiring of new teachers is anticipated this spring. Applicants must be certified by the Registry of Motor Vehicles as Professional Driving Instructors. The Driver Education program will sponsor a 65-hour training program, Monday and Wednesday evenings starting January 25. It is a free program available by application; enrollment is limited. Participation in the Instructor course is a community service of the Adult & Community Education program for persons seeking to expand their teaching skills and career potential; it is not associated with the application or hiring process for would-be driver education teachers. Details are at www.ace.colonial.net, "Driver Ed Instructor" or by calling
(978) 318-1541. |