Dear Families,

Welcome to the 2019-2020 school year!  I surely hope you found your summer to be relaxing, reenergizing and enjoyable.  

The beginning of a new school year has always had a special meaning and a sense of excitement.  It is a time that marks a fresh start, exciting possibilities, and great promise. For children, it means new friends and teachers, new learning, discovery, and growth.  I look forward to working with you as we educate your children in these elementary years of school. These years are the most important because they lay the foundation for your child’s total school experience.

I appreciate that you recognize your child’s academic progress and enthusiasm for learning at this exciting time and know you will encourage it to continue throughout the academic year.  

In addition to engaging in an enriching curriculum, I expect your children will experience inner growth, with more self-direction, and greater understanding.  Nothing could be more precious or more worthy than our collective attention to your children.

This school year will be an opportunity again for students at Woodglen to participate in our theme ~ dream big, work hard, make it happen!

These seven simple words - dream big, work hard, make it happen - have been at the forefront of my mind. I don't know whether it's because of the sentiment of a brand new year, but I've been feeling super motivated to dream a little bigger, work a little harder, and make things happen this year. 

Dream Big means that you're seeking a purpose for your life and it means that you're becoming fulfilled in the process. Students that get into the habit of dreaming big will accomplish their goals because they have the right mindset.

Here’s a list of reasons why you should be a big dreamer:

1.   Following Your Dreams Connects You to Your Inner Self. Big dreams can fulfill you right down to your soul because you’ve sought out your true purpose in school. 
2.   Because You Have a Choice. You always have a choice in any matter. 
3.   Your Dreams Will Come True. Your dreams don’t need to remain dreams forever; they have a real possibility of coming true. If you’re a big dreamer, you’ll achieve big dreams. It’s a strong belief in yourself combined with those big dreams that’ll make you a success. 
4.   You’ll Be Open to Possibilities. Big dreams can push your limits.
5.   You’ll Achieve More. When you dream big, you’ll achieve great things. You may even end up achieving more than you ever thought you could. 
6.   It’s the Right Thing to Do for the World.  Big dreams are the reasons why the world changes for the better. It’s the reason why there have been so many great inventions, and cures for diseases, etc. Big dreams give you the opportunity to truly leave your mark on the world.

The home-school relationship is important to maintain.  The foundation of this relationship is paramount and keeping those lines of communication open is essential.  The use of e-mail, notes, and phone calls are welcomed and encouraged throughout the year. I look forward to a working partnership and a successful year.  

As the school year starts, teachers will be sharing the schedules and plans for your student’s school day.   I wanted to take a minute to share some specific dates. At Meet the Teacher, parents will be able to learn more about the school day and the classroom.  This will also be a time to ask specific questions.

Welcome Back PTA Gathering:  September 6, 2019, 5PM (families)

Meet the Teacher (3-5) – September 10th at 6:30-7:30 PM (parents/guardians only please)

Meet the Teacher (K-2) – September 12th at 6:30-7:30 PM (parents/guardians only please)

Both evenings start at 6:30 PM and end at 7:30 PM.

Parents whose students have Ms. Levitas, Ms. Mahoney, Ms. Kalter, Ms. Holland, and Ms. Hollander, please come at 6:00 PM and proceed to the classroom.

Woodglen’s First PTA Meeting – September 24th at 7:00 PM for new parents and families.  The meeting will follow at 7:30 PM. (parents/guardians please)

Early Release Days:

Please also note that Wednesday, December 11 and March 11 are Early Release Days (11:00 dismissal).

No School Days:

There is no school on September 30, October 1, October 9 and October 14.

Please visit our webpage to see our parent communication.

https://www.ccsd.edu/Domain/16

My door is always open; I welcome your visits.

With Great Excitement,

Dear Woodglen Families,

Welcome to August!  I hope this newsletter finds you relishing in the lazy days of summer and creating wonderful memories with family and friends.

Gazing outside at the beautiful, warm, hot, sunny summer days, I find it difficult to believe that school begins in a little over a month.  Hopefully, summer has rejuvenated everyone. With a new school year, comes the growing sense of excitement and anticipation that a new year brings.  

Our entire educational community pursues excellence with such passion it is truly contagious and exciting to be a Clarkstown Central School District and Woodglen student.  In Clarkstown, we offer a comprehensive educational experience with enormous opportunities for success.. We are fortunate enough to be working together for the common good of all of our students.  The collective efforts of an involved community, staff, and talented teachers make a significant impact each and every day in the lives of our students. Our focus on educational excellence will continue to guide our path to greatness.

I am getting excited for a new school year.  Enjoy the last few weeks.

Warmly,

Dear Woodglen Families,

As we start to enjoy our summer days, we extend our good-byes to teachers and students. 

It is our hope that while you have fun this summer, you include "reading" in your daily fun activities.  It is important to practice new skills on a daily basis to develop proficiency. While reading instruction is emphasized all year in school, children need to practice reading over the summer to maintain and strengthen these skills.

To encourage your children to continue reading during the summer, the district has posted an extensive list of suggested summer reading books on our Woodglen Homepage.  

On behalf of the faculty and staff, I wish you a safe, healthy, and restful summer vacation.   It is with much appreciation that I acknowledge the support, dedication and commitment of time, you so generously give to the Woodglen School. 

As parents, you have sent your children to Woodglen with a rich foundation of values, character, respect and love of learning.  In partnership with a dedicated staff, we joined to nurture and develop our children’s talents and skills. 

Our children have worked hard all year; it shows in their progress and achievements.  It is now time to relax and have a summer of family fun!

Fondly,

Dear Woodglen Community,

It’s June and the end of the school year and a time for baseball.  June is always a wonderful month at school as students celebrate with their classes and all that they have accomplished during the year.  

This year, Woodglen students, joined schools across the State in implementing the New York State English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics Assessments in grades 3, 4, and 5.  Students in grade 4 also completed the New York State Science Assessment. Our students’ scores have continued to improve. We will not know the results of this year’s assessments until later this summer, but I am sure that our students will perform well.  It should be recognized that these tests are, but a snapshot of what each child is capable of achieving. Our teachers are aware of this and provide educational experiences that address the learning styles of each individual in their class, enabling our students to become successful lifelong learners.

In addition to celebrating our academic accomplishments, on June 4 (rain date of June 6), we are all looking forward to a school-wide Field Day, which has been organized by our PTA and parent volunteers.  With our fifth grade Moving Up ceremony on June 17 (5PM) at Felix Festa Middle School, fifth graders are becoming really enthusiastic about the end of the year activities.

This school year has been an exciting and productive time for our students, staff, and families at Woodglen.  School life is more than “learning” for your children.  It is the building of a “learning community” that extends beyond the curriculum and classroom.  

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the Woodglen teachers, parents and community members for helping us continue to create an educationally enriched and safe environment for Woodglen students.  Your support and dedication to Woodglen Elementary School is greatly appreciated.

Finally, I want to say thank you for the privilege of being the Principal at Woodglen Elementary School during this school year.  I look forward to next year and the many more accomplishments to come for the Woodglen community.

As you rest and enjoy the summer, please remember to help your children continue to learn, grow, imagine, wonder, and discover the power of education!

PLEASE NOTE:  Woodglen and Woodglen’s campus will be closed this summer starting June 27 until further notice.  Please do not enter the building or the grounds.

Thank you.  Have a nice summer.

Dear Woodglen Community,

This school year has been an exciting and productive time for our students, staff, and families at Woodglen.  I encourage you to continue to frequently visit our Woodglen Webpage to see the many enriching activities and events your children experience! School Life is more than “learning” for your children.  It is the building of a “learning community” that extends beyond the curriculum and classroom.  

Spring (April and May) also heralds the end to the New York State assessment season for our third, fourth and fifth grade students.  All of our students continue to work very hard and we congratulate the third through fifth grade students for doing their best on the New York State English language arts and Mathematics assessments. Our fourth graders will take one final state assessment, the New York State Science assessment, which is being administered in late May and early June.  Please remember that results will be shared with parents as soon as they are made available to us by New York State.

The OLWEUS program is a school wide program that addresses bullying and focuses on the prevention of it.  Through this program, students receive a consistent, reinforced message about bullying over an extended period of time.  The program is embedded throughout the school and involves all staff members.  A very special thank you goes out to the entire OLWEUS committee for doing a spectacular job as they lead our building in the right direction. In addition, the committee is busy training the staff so effectively! 

We are looking forward to marching in the Memorial Day parade alongside Mr. Andert.

At this time of year, parents begin to wonder how class re-organization is handled for the coming school year.  Our goals are: To create heterogeneous classes (academic, social and emotional); to maintain gender and class size balance; to provide for the unique needs of all children.  Unless parents have worked with a specific teacher in the past, they only know teachers by reputation; therefore, requests for specific teachers cannot be honored.  In each year, there are likely to be staff changes on one or more grade levels. Please remember your child’s current teacher and school staff have a good understanding of each child’s needs.  

Thank you for your continued support and involvement in our children’s education. Please do not hesitate to contact your child’s teacher or me if we can be of any assistance.

Warmly,

Dear Woodglen Families,

This school year has been an exciting and productive time for our students, staff, and families at Woodglen.  I encourage you to continue to frequently visit our Woodglen Webpage to see the many enriching activities and events your children experience!

School Life is more than “learning” for your children.  It is the building of a “learning community” that extends beyond the curriculum and classroom.  

Spring (April) also heralds the New York State assessment season for our third, fourth and fifth grade students.  All of our students continue to work very hard. Our fourth graders will take one final state assessment, the New York State Science assessment, which is being administered in late May and early June.  Please remember that results will be shared with parents as soon as they are made available to us by New York State.

At this time of year, parents begin to wonder how class re-organization is handled for the coming school year.  Our goals are: To create heterogeneous classes (academic, social and emotional); to maintain gender and class size balance; to provide for the unique needs of all children.  Unless parents have worked with a specific teacher in the past, they only know teachers by perceived reputation; therefore, requests for specific teachers cannot be honored.  In each year, there are likely to be staff changes on one or more grade levels. Please remember your child’s current teacher and school staff have a good understanding of each child’s needs.  

Thank you for your continued support and involvement in our children’s education. Please do not hesitate to contact your child’s teacher or me if we can be of any assistance.

Warmly,

Dear Woodglen Families,

It’s March and I think all of our spirits begin to rise in anticipation of spring’s arrival.  

March is National Nutrition month.  Please stress the importance of good nutrition and physical activity as key components to a healthy lifestyle.  Try to cut down on junk food and increase physical activity. Keep healthy snacks in mind and set limits. Always start your child’s day with a healthy breakfast.  We continue to follow the district’s wellness policy.

Olweus

As you may know, one of Woodglen’s building initiatives this year is the Olweus program.  The Olweus Bullying Prevention Program is the most researched and best-known bullying prevention program available today. Implemented at the school, classroom, and individual levels, the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program is designed to reduce bullying, prevent future bullying, and improve relationships at every level. The Olweus Bullying Prevention Program is designed to improve peer relations and make schools safer, more positive places for students to learn and develop. Goals of the program include:

• Reducing existing bullying problems among students
• Preventing new bullying problems
• Achieving better peer relations at school

Schools across the country and around the world have experienced positive results from the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program.  Backed by thirty-five years of research and successful, worldwide implementation, the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program is a long-term, system-wide program for change.

Our school spirit assemblies take place once a month.  During the assemblies, classes create and perform a presentation focusing on Olweus, PBIS and our Code of Excellence.  These assemblies have taken place since September and will continue to do so until June.

In addition to our school spirit assemblies, each class has been participating in class meetings each week.  A class meeting is a time when the entire class has time to discuss any item that is on their mind or has been troubling them.  No names are used during this time. Thank you for taking the time to share these valuable traits.

Woodglen continues to enforce the Dignity for All Students Act.  The main concept of the Dignity for All Students Act is that children have the right to attend school in a safe, welcoming, and caring environment.  It also promotes a school environment free of discrimination and harassment.

Appropriate Dress for Spring Weather

The weather is always tricky this time of year. We can often continue to have cooler mornings, so please make sure that your child wears a jacket, a sweater, or something that will keep him or her comfortable during the chilly mornings.  

• Shorts are permitted; however, parents please help out by asking your children to save spaghetti strapped tops, blousy tank tops, mid-riff tops, and other “extremely casual clothes” for the weekends or after-school.
• In addition, backless sandals, flip-flops and platform shoes could be dangerous when your child is playing outside during recess; we highly discourage wearing these types of shoes to school.

Lost and Found

Many items (hats, gloves, scarves) are located in the lost and found cabinet in the cafeteria.  Please have your child stop by and take a look to see if any items belong to them.

Heartfelt Thanks!

I would like to offer a big thank you to the many parents and volunteers who always help out at the various events or during Woodglen’s committee work.

Warmly,

Dear Families,

February is a month to celebrate love and friendship.  As a student’s character is built, we focus on asking our children to be good friends to one another.  Good friends accept others for who they are, listen, enjoy others’ company, support others in need, smile, laugh, avoid teasing and put downs, encourage others with kind words, avoid tattling, ask for help from peers, solve problems peacefully, and consider others’ feelings before acting.  

Children naturally seek friends like themselves.  One challenge is to help children find friendship with those different from them.  Children who become friends with others, regardless of differences, make the classroom a comfortable, happy place to be.  

Nurse Notes

The New York State Education Department mandates that a physical and dental examination be performed on all students in Kindergarten, 2nd Grade, and 4th Grade. If you have not sent in your child’s Physical or Dental please do so by March 1st. Those students who have not submitted a Physical or Dental by March 1st will be seen by the School Doctor and/or Dentist.

Office Notes

It is important that you inform the main office of any telephone changes, whether home, cell, or work.  In the event of a school closure, the automated emergency system calls your home first. If there is no answer, it will call the two other numbers you wrote down on the emergency form that you completed for the office when you registered your child.  These numbers must be accurate for the system to work. In addition, please update your most current e-mail address.

Fondly,

Dear Woodglen Families,

Happy New Year.  Thanks to all of you for supporting classroom celebrations, PTA events, workshops, and school wide drives that took place this past month.  They were all incredibly successful. These special events are never possible without the hard work of many individuals.

It is a great year for Woodglen for many reasons, great students, excellent teachers and parents that really get involved in what goes on at school.  We had an impressive turn out for our Winter Concert in December. A special thank you to the fifth graders and the Glee Club, their families, Ms. Gambuzza, and Mr. Andert.

January is a time of renewal and so keeping in that spirit of renewal; please take a moment to review our handbook.

Sincerely,

Dear Woodglen Families,

Welcome to the festive month of December.  The holiday season is upon us and creates a perfect time to teach young children important life lessons about gratitude that may extend throughout the year. Understanding gratitude can be tricky for children, who by their nature, tend to be self-focused. Talking with children about being thankful for not only material things, but for acts of kindness from others, is one way to help children develop the skill of being grateful. As children grow with gratitude, they become more understanding of the needs and feelings of others.

Thanks to all of you for supporting American Education Week, PTA events, workshops, and school wide drives that took place these past months.  They were all incredibly successful. These special events are never possible without the hard work of many individuals.

Report Cards

Our first trimester is completed, and on December 7th, first trimester report cards will be sent home.  Please remember that the report cards are aligned with New York State standards, and as the standards evolve, so do our teaching practices.  

Arrival and Dismissal

With this busy time of year, please make sure that all notes sent in for pick up, childcare changes, or after school activities are dated.  A note must accompany any change in your child’s afternoon arrangements. The notes should include the student’s full name, parent’s name, parent’s last name, teacher’s name and street address/bus color.  If a child will be going to a different location or is being picked up by another person due to childcare needs, both parties must send in a note to confirm arrangements.

Please also note, students should not be picked up prior to 2:55.  This disturbs instruction for the entire class.

Children who are driven to school should exit from the car on the passenger side only.  Staff will assist them getting out of the car and with their belongings.  Drivers should not get out of their cars.  If a driver chooses to get out of the car, please park in a visitor spot and walk in with your child.

Please abide by traffic regulations.  Please do not pass a bus when the stop sign is out.  Please do not pass other cars. Please keep a very slow speed throughout the parking lot.

Winter Concert

Please come and enjoy our fifth grade winter concert planned for the evening of December 6th. Our K-5 Glee Club will be a short, opening act for the fifth grade. The students have been working hard with our music teachers.

Lost and Found

Please label everything.  If your child is missing anything, have them check the lost and found located in the cafeteria.  A table is set up in the foyer as well.

No School Days:

There is no school on December 24 through December 31.  School is also closed on January 1.

May your holidays be happy, healthy, and restful.  May your New Year be joyous.

Warmly,