May
2012
Principally Speaking….
Dear Windham Center School Community,
Spring has sprung at WCS and we are so excited about all the wonderful things spring
brings! We continue to be busy with testing as our fourth graders prepare for NECAP
Science Testing. Results for these tests will be provided to our school early in the fall. In
addition, we have many art, music, and grade level events and celebrations showcasing
students’ talents and learning. Please be sure to review our calendar in this newsletter for
details about upcoming assessments, concerts, field trips and more.
Windham Center School
WINDHAM
Third Grade Information Night will be held at WCS May 17. Third grade teachers will
share information about curricula and events. This will be followed by our “Step Up Day”
for students on June 6th. We’re looking forward to having students learn about their new
grade levels.
It is hard to believe that we have entered the last quarter of the school year! We are looking forward to many memorable events. In particular, we look forward to our Grade 5
Concert, “The American Dream” with “School House Rock!” on May 23 at 10:30 AM at
Windham High School. We are sure that you will be impressed by this talented group of
fifth graders led by our music teacher, Mrs. Fothergill.
Finally, we would like to take this time to thank the many parents, volunteers, and community members who contribute their time and talents to making Windham Center School
such a great place to learn.
Thank you for your continued support of Windham Center School!
Sincerely,
Kori Alice Becht and Kathryn Bates
Kids’ Corner...
Question: What has been your favorite book to read this school year?
Neil Rea Grade 4
Hunger Games by
far!
Margaret Furtado
Grade 4
Magic Tree House
Series
Dates to Remember
May 1-14 NWEA Testing
May 10 Drama Club Performance 7:00 p.m.
May 15-17 Science NECAP Testing Grade 4 ONLY
May 17 Incoming Grade 3 Info Night 6:30 p.m.
May 22 Grade 5 Accelerated Math Placement Test
May 23 Grade 5 Concert Performance 10:30 a.m. WHS
May 25 EARLY RELEASE (dismissal is at 12:00 noon)
May 28 NO SCHOOL
May 29 Grade 5 Field Trip/Boston (Leonard/O’Connor/Miloro)
May 29 Grade 4 Band/Strings Concert 7:00 p.m.
May 30 Grade 5 Field Trip/Boston (Satkwich/Moore)
May 31 Grade 5 Luncheon at WMS 12:05 p.m.
May 31 Grade 5 Band/Strings Concert 7:00 p.m. WHS
Kids’ Corner (cont.)...
Question: What has been your favorite book to read this school year?
Jake Dunlap Grade 4
Katharine Gage Grade 3
Mercy Watson Thinks Like a Pig
Granny Torelli Makes Soup
Ryan Marotta Grade
5
Colin Ross Grade 3
World Wars
I Survived Hurricane
Katrina
2012-2013 WCS Classroom Teachers
Grade 3: Mrs. Withee, Ms. Prouty, Ms. Pineau, Ms. Morabito, Mrs. Hale, Mrs. Fay
Grade 4: Mrs. Avallone, Mrs. Bergeron, Mrs. Cataldo, Mrs. Hurley, Mrs. Mangelinckx,
Mrs. Sheehan, Mrs. Testa and WCS WELCOMES New Teachers: Ms. Hartnett, Mrs. Ward
and Mr. Molinari!
Grade 5: Mrs. Bouley, Mrs. Fleet, Mrs. Labo, Mr. Miloro, Mrs. Moltenbrey, Mrs. Moore,
Mr. O’Connor, Mrs. O’Keefe, Mrs. Satkwich, Mrs. Torrisi and WCS will welcome a new
teacher in grade 5 soon to be announced.
A Note From Grade 3...
Third grade has finished off April and we have moved right into May with our NWEA testing and
many units to finish our year in third grade! Our life cycles of plants and animals unit is neverending with the addition of our eggs. They are due to hatch sometime near the end of May, beginning of June!
We are also studying about this great town, Windham, and several classes have started learning
about life during the time of the Westward Expansion. Third graders are becoming experts on
Lewis and Clark and life on the trail! We are reading many different books about life on the prairie and out West. Many
classes will establish Westward Ho groups and will work together to pack their wagons and tackle problems along the
trail. Several academic areas are put into practice with this unit.
The rest of the school year is jam packed with events. Battle of the Books for the third grade will start in May. The final
“battle” will be at the end of May. We look forward to our last quarter together.
A Note From Grade 4...
Fourth Graders are focusing on completing inquiry-based experiments for their science NECAP testing which will be
held in mid May. These experiments allow fourth grade students to practice formulating their hypothesis, gathering data
and writing a conclusion. The students are enjoying their work as they use the skills they have learned to practice these
inquiry tasks.
In Social Studies, students are learning about New Hampshire’s role in the formation of our country. They are learning
that some key New Hampshire people signed the Declaration of Independence! When we return from vacation, students
will begin to gather information to complete a project on a famous New Hampshire notable.
Students have just finished the Battle of the Books which is a fun way to focus on reading books. We thank Mrs.
Greenleaf for continuing on with our tradition of this exciting competition.
A Note From Grade 5...
When students return from April vacation this month, we will be fully engrossed in the fourth quarter of the 2011-2012 school year.
At the end of this month, students will be taking a field trip to the Charlestown Navy Shipyard as they continue to study early American History. We will be visiting the U.S.S. Constitution and Bunker Hill Monument, among other interesting sites in the area. Fifth
graders will also be traveling to Middle School on May 31 to have lunch at their future school. The opportunity to become familiar
with new surroundings will be presented during this great experience! As a side note, please make sure that your child is dressed
appropriately for the weather conditions and adhere to the Center School dress code as outlined in the student handbook.
Reading and Language Arts- Students recently completed a writing prompt which focused on analyzing informational text. Students read about Antarctica and were asked to provide specific details from a passage as to why it could be considered a great adventure. Graphic organizers were utilized as students planned out their written responses which were then evaluated by teachers. This
activity provided a great opportunity to discuss the characteristics of great writing and how to use details to support a stated opinion.
Mathematics- Students continue to work on mathematical concepts that incorporate numbers and operations, functions and algebra.
Additionally, students are gaining an important understanding of the importance of fact knowledge as they continue their work on
fractions and mixed numbers. They are able to use their skills in finding common denominators which is critical with all fraction
work. On May 22 and 23, students who meet specific qualifications and have been given parental consent will take the Accelerated
Math Placement Test for Grade 6.
Science: Science has been “electrifying” this month. Fifth graders have been involved in the study of the universe. They have been
involved in a variety of hands on activities. Students have built space stations and designed displays that span the curriculum. Other
fifth graders are busy researching careers in preparation for a job fair.
Social Studies: Students are busy learning about historical facts in anticipation of our field trip to Charlestown, Massachusetts. The
young historians will be studying such topics as Old Ironsides, the USS Cassin Young, and the revolution. We anticipate a day of
learning and fun.
A Note From the Library...
Thank you to all of the volunteers and book fair coordinators for another
wonderful, successful book fair. Your hard work is appreciated by students and staff alike.
Students will be experiencing their library time in their classrooms for
about three weeks due to the book fair and testing. It is hard to go without
checking new books out for such a long time!
Students who have kept their reading streaks going with their parents since the fall were rewarded with a gift certificate
to the book fair to celebrate their accomplishment and ensure they don’t run out of books. Happily we had 27 students
who are still keeping their streaks alive!
As this is being written, fourth graders are having their final battles in Battle of the Books. Third graders are getting their
books and beginning their reading in preparation for their battle the end of May.
Since early December students who have been recommending books during their library period have received a tag for
each of the different genres they have recommended. There are nine different tags, and a number of students have recommended from each of the genres. When all nine tags have been earned, they get a special “You Did It” tag. For most of
the students who have received this extra tag, the recommendations have not stopped. They have continued to share
wonderful book titles with their classmates.
A Note From Art...
The third grade classes have been learning how to use their basic shapes to draw birds. We did
step-by-step drawings of hummingbirds and blue jays to learn the sequence of parts to the whole,
then students received photographs of birds to work from on their own. Each third grader has
been working on making their own bird books of drawings so that they can use them as source
material for the final project. The final drawing will be an imaginary bird drawn on a piece of
18”x24” paper. The larger paper makes it necessary for students to use whole arm drawing techniques instead of just their fingers or wrists.
Fourth graders are continuing work on their Egyptian Cartouches. Because Cartouches were used only for royalty in
Ancient Egypt, each of the fourth grade students has made up their own title to use on this project. These drawings are
based on a Cartouche from King Tutankhamen. Students studied hieroglyphic alphabets from the five thousand years of
Egyptian history. Students will be deciding where their Cartouches are, and will be drawing the appropriate backgrounds around the edges of the papers.
The fifth grade students are continuing to work on their Mandalas. These are designs done with compasses and colored
in blending or shading with colored pencils. Students have been doing an awesome job with this project, they will look
wonderful when they are hung up in the halls.
Keep your eyes open for the Arts Festival coming up in May at Windham High School. There will be a great representation of artwork from Center School!
A Note From Music...
Third Grade
As the school year moves on, our third graders will be learning how to play “Indian Chant,”
“Indian Dance” and other songs that correlate with their unit on western expansion. Please keep
reminding them to blow gently and to cover the holes completely when they play so they can produce a pleasant sound.
They will also be singing songs that they will perform for you at the end of the year in a western show called, “Westward
Ho!” There will be more details to come on this in the future.
Fourth Grade
Our fourth graders are continuing to learn a few more challenging songs on their recorders that they can play along with
xylophones, metallophones, glockenspiels and other pitched and non-pitched percussion instruments. We will be incorporating our African drumming techniques into our ensemble playing. This will reinforce hand drum technique, unity,
listening, part playing, culture and playing in an ensemble. We will also be learning the “Rap of the States” which will
reinforce all of the states and capitals.
Fifth Grade
The fifth graders will continue to practice songs that reinforce American history while perfecting their microphone technique, practicing solos, acting and memorizing script from a musical called, “The American Dream.” They will perform
this show for you at the end of the year in the comfortable Windham High School auditorium. During this performance,
they will sing songs that reinforce what they are learning about in their Social Studies unit in a performance that combines songs from “The American Dream” with songs from “Schoolhouse Rock Live!” The performance will take place
on Wednesday, May 23rd, at 10:30AM! All students have the wonderful opportunity of being involved in this performance!
A Note From PE...
Congratulations to all who participated in this year’s Hockey for Heart event on April 4th. All participants competed in
individual competitions and team competitions along with the famous Chuck-a-Puck event. All proceeds went to the
American Heart Association and their efforts to help fight heart disease and stroke. We would like to extend our appreciation to Coach Pellerin and his family for donating their time and effort to make this event so successful. We would
like to also thank the Manchester Monarch players, Tim Hickey, Martin Jones and especially Max the Monarch for their
time coming to support our event. It was a great time had by all and we look forward to continuing this event in the
coming year. Thanks to everyone for their support!
A Note From the Office...
NEWEA Testing Schedule:
Grade 5
May 1-3
Grade 4
May 4-9
Grade 3
May 9-14
NECAP Science Testing
GRADE 4 ONLY
May 15, 16 and 17
Students perform better if they are well rested and have had a healthy breakfast. Please make every effort to have your
child present on the days of testing. If at all possible, refrain from dismissing them until their testing is complete.
Thank you
The Windham School District has revised the process for placing students in peanut free classrooms. Beginning in the 2012-13 school,
any student may be placed in a peanut free classroom. The Windham School Board’s Food Allergy Guidelines (available at
www.windhamsd.org) coupled with the support, understanding, and cooperation from our parent community, will enabled us to provide a
safe learning environment for every child.
As we begin the placement process for 2012-2013, we will designate “Peanut Free” classrooms. Students with documented allergies will
automatically be placed in the peanut safe classrooms, unless parents have requested otherwise. Any other students may be placed in a
peanut free classroom as we work to create balanced classes.
A Note From the Nurse...
Outdoor Living:
Thankfully, the flu season appears to be subsiding. We are now into allergy season and dealing
with environmental concerns. Please remember that many outdoor issues are preventable problems. Being outside in the sunshine is wonderful but please remember to protect the skin with
sunscreen, hats and use sunglasses. Even a few hours in the sun can cause burns and discomfort.
Insects and ticks also will be more common now. Remember to use protective clothing and insect repellants to provide
protection. It is important to check your skin when returning inside. On the Windham School District web site, under the
quick links, click on health notices, and you will find several fact sheets on Lyme Disease, West Nile Virus, Eastern
Equine Encephalitis and other helpful information.
Biking and skateboarding are also popular spring activities. Helmets are the best defense to prevent serious head injury
due to a fall or accident. Remember that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
Medication at school:
Please remember that if your child will require prescription medication during the school day, by state law, the nurse will
need written doctor’s orders, parent/guardian’s written permission and the medication in an original pharmacy/labeled
container. This law is for the safety or your child, other children and the school staff. If your child will require over-thecounter medications during the school day, that medication must also be in an unopened container along with parent’s
written permission. Whenever possible, medication should be taken at home. We understand that there are times when a
dose is required at school and will be glad to administer it with the proper documentation. Please DO NOT send medication to school in a baggie, envelope or other unlabeled container.
Enjoy the great outdoors!! If you have any questions or concerns please contact me at
432-7962 or 432-7312 x 2330 Kathleen Baroni , RN
A Note From Guidance…
Greetings from the Guidance Department. The 2011-2012 school year is winding down. It seems like only a short time
ago that we were welcoming students on the first day of school.
We would like to share some information on cyber-safety with you. Technology has become a part of our everyday
lives. It is used throughout the school each day to assist our students in gaining the best education possible. For example,
students use laptops for creating presentations about a specific topic they are studying. Many children also use the
Internet at home to connect with friends and to express themselves through personal profiles, blogs and social media
networking sites. Additionally, students connect with one another utilizing the many features on their cell phones or
iPods. While technology has opened up our virtual world to endless possibilities, unfortunately students in the elementary grades may not be developmentally ready to navigate these new pathways.
Here are some points to consider when making decisions regarding technology.
1. Spend time with your child while he/she is online. Discover what websites are being used and discuss whether or not
they are age appropriate. Ask, “What makes this site fun?” This is a good way to keep the lines of communication open.
2. Know your child’s passwords. Let you child know that you have them. Use them.
3. Remind your child that anything he/she types either on the Internet or via texting is recorded.
4. Have your child consider what he/she is typing to “talk” to another person by asking. “Would you say that if you were
face-to-face?”
5. Stress that technology allows for anonymity. BE CAREFUL!
UPCOMING DATES TO REMEMBER:
NWEA, Northwest Evaluation Association, testing will begin Tues. May 1st and go thru Tues. May 15th. The 5th grade
will test first followed by 4th and then 3rd. This computerized testing is in the areas of math, reading and language arts.
NECAP Science tests for 4th grade will take place on May 15, 16, and 17
Please feel free to contact us with any questions or concerns.
Barbara Sofield, 3rd grade Counselor
[email protected]
432-7312, ext. 2420
Beth Baddeley, 4th/5th grade Counselor
[email protected]
432-7312, ext.2430