Winter Holiday Concert & Art Walk: The evening of December 12th WPS students treated the community to a holiday concert and art walk. Children were very excited about this performance opportunity and did an amazing job on their music and art work. This event was made even more special as a result of collaboration with Bryana Steck, the Director of Instrumental Music for Woodland Middle and High Schools. Ms. Steck offered to assist as a guest director, and her involvement was very appreciated. In addition, the Woodland Middle School Leadership Class assisted with displaying the art work.
Mrs. Fraser did a fantastic job on her first musical performance as a teacher and appreciated the invaluable assistance of Mrs. Nesbitt and Mrs. Ramey. Numerous staff voluntarily attended this event to support the children, as the community has suggested holding events such as this in the evenings so more guests might be able to join. Considering our phenomenal attendance, it seems likely that this new tradition will continue.
Vocabulary: WPS is focusing heavily on the acquisition of sophisticated vocabulary to improve reading achievement. This includes the recognition and comprehension of high frequency words, as well as the intentional use of academic vocabulary. It is commonplace in WPS classrooms to hear children use terms such as “subitize” and “rationale” during times of discourse, and to hear our young learners explain to adults what these terms mean. They are truly capable of using advanced vocabulary, which will improve their reading significantly.
School Improvement Revisited: The WPS Building Leadership Team has been engaged in a review of our current School Improvement Plan and will be making necessary adjustments. Included in any update will be the input of our Parent Advisory Council, which will begin meeting in late January. This group will ensure that families and community members have a voice in the direction of WPS, as well as a role in any improvement efforts. We are excited to partner more closely with our constituents.