Greetings Wilson Wildcats, we’ve made it to March Madness! With just a few days left in the 3rd quarter, I am proud to report that our teachers and support staff have continued to work towards preparing all students both socially and academically.

Next week is Spring Break, for many of our stakeholders it will be a time for reflection and relaxation. However, for others it will be a time for preparation, we will have a number of projects taking place during Spring Break. So, if you happen to drive by and see activity going on, rest assured that we are only making improvements to our learning environments.

In honor of March being Love of Reading Month, I would like to share my personal journey which sparked my love for reading. Growing up in Houston, Texas, my mom always brought comic books for my brother and I. We would read them each night before bed. I really enjoyed reading the comics so much that I attempted to write my own.

While in the sixth grade, our class went to the library and we were instructed to get a book that we could read and write a book report on. I was not sure what type of book to check out, so the Librarian asked me what I was interested in and I told her that I like football. She then handed me a book entitled the Autobiography of Tom Landry. Mr. Landy was the coach of the Dallas Cowboys at the time.

Upon completion of the Autobiography of Tom Landry, I went back to the library and checked out several books. They all had one thing in common, The Dallas Cowboys; I read one autobiography after another. It was also at this point that I became a fan of the team as well.

The lesson learned from all of this is to find something that you are interested in and read books that associate with the topic.

We kicked off the National Reading month with two special events. First, we had special guest readers from ASU volleyball team come read their favorite books to each class. Our students had such an amazing time listening and answering their questions as they read. Of course, they were also mesmerized by their height. Thank you, team, for taking the time to visit our classes.

In the evening, we had our 2nd annual Books on Blankets. Families enjoyed their picnic dinner while listening to their children and staff read their favorite books. An abundance of books was donated by our generous community partners, and students and families were able to choose piles of books to take home. It is such an incredible sight to see our students, families, and staff come together at an event like this and share such a great time. We will continue to focus on the importance of reading to our students and families this month.

On March 7th, we will be having our Kinder Round Up at Wilson Primary School where we will be welcoming our new Wilson families. Please join us from 5:00-6:30 to learn about our wonderful staff and school. Our Kindergarten and PreK teachers will be there to answer any questions!

Have a great month!

Mrs. Wojcicki

Principal

Wilson Primary School

Welcome to March, Wilson Families, the beginning of spring and National Reading Month!

At Wilson Elementary School, we promote reading for pleasure, but we also utilize reading as a tool or vehicle to make content accessible to all students. Our students have learned and continue to practice critical reading skills such as marking the text to help improve comprehension and make connections. By reading aloud and pausing to think aloud, our teachers model fluency and questioning strategies that effective readers use. We encourage our students to utilize these skills to ensure they can scaffold complex text in all classes.

How can you help?

1. Consider doing a family book study in the evenings or weekends.
2. Read to your children every day, all kids benefit from being read to, it gives them a model of fluent reading.
3. Have your older children read to you, their siblings, pets or stuffed animals.

Remember, our library is open to the community in the evenings. Stop by, check out a book and spring into reading!

“A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies . . . The man who never reads lives only one.” -George R.R. Martin

Thank you for your continued support.

Cynthia Cantu
Interim Principal

Wilson Elementary School

"Keep reading. It's one of the most marvelous adventures anyone can have." -Lloyd Alexander

Wilson Community Center is grateful to have such wonderful stakeholders who always think of Wilson when it comes to book donations. A very big thank you for Changing Hands Bookstore in Tempe and the Salvation Army for their generous donations of books which will be given out to our families during the Books on Blanket event. Always encouraging families to read and explore the wonderful world of reading.

We are very proud to have Nolan Rose, as the ESL instructor, this is his second semester teaching at the community center. He is empowering individuals to comprehend, speak and read English. We are very thankful for his knowledge.

Alongside our partnership with the University of Arizona Maricopa County Cooperative Extension, we will be hosting a family wellness night on Thursday, March 30th 5pm at our elementary school. We hope to see everyone there and learn more about wellness.

Gaby Duran

Coordinator for Community Relations

Reading is a skill that impacts our ability to comprehend and develop expertise in all other content areas (e.g., social studies, science, math, etc.). That is why the 'R' in AVID 's WICOR acronym exists. Our goal in Wilson is to help students read for meaning by interacting with appropriately challenging texts independently and in collaborative groups. Marking the text, developing discipline specific vocabulary, citing evidence, and analyzing multiple perspectives are just a few of the strategies students are taught in order to make this happen. If you would like to learn about another AVID reading strategy called "Says, Means, Matters", click the link below.

Thank you and Happy National Reading Month!

Jason S. McIntosh, Ph.D.

Director of Advanced Learning Experiences

How Reading Benefits the Workplace

Cultural Daily

May 9, 2019

When was the last opportunity you had to really sit down and read something that was substantial, like a long-form article in a magazine or an intriguing book? As much as you may love and value reading, it can be incredibly difficult to make the time for it sometimes. However, you don’t want to keep missing out on all of the wonderful benefits that reading—especially when it can improve your workplace productivity! Here are 5 reasons to pick up a book today:

Reading Reduces Stress

Work can be a huge source of stress for many people. Cozying up to a really good book is something that can magically transport your mind into the wonders of a whole other world, taking you away from any of your immediate worries and concerns. This is a great way to reduce your stress level.

Being able to let go and lose yourself within a book creates the ultimate form of relaxation – everybody craves a way to escape the craziness of their everyday life. Self Development Secrets has some helpful tips for how to fit reading into your busy schedule so that you don’t become overwhelmed by stress.

It Can Promote Good Mental Health

If reducing your stress levels isn’t enough, reading offers plenty of other mental health benefits as well. There have been studies that show that people who read more and keep their brains activated are much less likely to be affected by Alzheimer’s disease later in life than people who rely on activities that are less stimulating during their downtime.

Just like all of the other muscles in your body, your brain requires regular exercise in order to remain healthy and strong. When it comes to growing the strength of your mind, you better use it or lose it. Aside from reading, playing games and doing puzzles are other great activities to encourage cognitive stimulation.

Grow Your Knowledge

Every book or educational article that you read will fill your mind with new snippets of information, and you can never tell just when this information will come in handy. You will be better equipped to handle any challenge that comes your way if you take in more information. While friends and monetary possessions can come and go, knowledge will be with you for life.

Part of this knowledge expansion is that your vocabulary will also greatly benefit from regular reading. The math is simple – the more that you read, the larger the variety of words are that you are exposed to. This will then increase the variety of words that make their way into your everyday vocabulary.

A huge benefit of having more words under your belt is that it can make you more well-spoken and articulate. This is incredibly important in both your professional and personal life. If you are interested in learning a new language, reading books is also essential for that.

Increase Your Thinking Skills

Reading is a great opportunity to enhance your analytical thinking skills, which is a crucial problem-solving skill at work. For example, have you ever started a fascinating mystery genre novel and figured out the mystery yourself, before you even finish the book? This is when your mind puts its analytical and critical thinking skills to work by taking note of every detail that is provided and storing that knowledge to determine the final result.

Better Writing Ability

Being exposed to writing that was well-written has a significant effect on your own writing as far as fluidity, cadence, and even writing styles. In a similar manner to how a musician may influence the music of another, and how painters master techniques created by their predecessors. Writers can also improve their craft by observing the completed works of others.

This year is flying by! As we race toward the end of the first quarter of calendar year 2023, the business office is brimming with the excitement of the new playground turf for the Elementary School that is going in over the next couple weeks! Roy S. and others who support the district with facilities and with procurement and funding – hats off to each of you! You are handling the many projects on the table like you are well oiled machine! Thank you so much for all you do! You do not go unnoticed! We are here to support the students with their learning and socialization by doing what we do best – finance, IT, facilities… we are in the background cheering on the front line teachers and principals, and our amazing vendors, all working to bring some wonderful projects to fruition.

Thank you!

Catherine King

Executive Director of Business Services

Child Find, a component of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), enables states to locate, identify, and evaluate all children with disabilities, aged birth through 21, who need early intervention or special education services. Special education services are available for children of any age (birth through 21 years). Wilson School District is responsible for locating, identifying, evaluating, and serving all children with disabilities (ages 3-21) and referring children ages 0-3 to AzEIP for evaluation and appropriate services. AzEIP is the Arizona Early Intervention Program for infants and toddlers. Wilson provides free and appropriate public education that includes special education and related services to children at public expense, under public supervision and direction without charge to parents. For all school-age students who are new to the district, the classroom teacher will complete screening activities within 45 days of enrollment. If any concerns are noted, the child will be referred for help. Parents who have concerns regarding their child’s education may contact the Special Education Department at Wilson, (602) 683-2400, ext. 4205.

Are you currently experiencing temporary living arrangements due to eviction, job loss or a traumatic event? Wilson School District offers services to families through the McKinney-Vento Assistance Act. Services such as enrollment and immunization assistance, uniforms or school supplies, community referrals and in some cases, transportation can be available. Your family may qualify due to living with another family or friend due to financial hardship or living in a shelter, transitional housing, or motel. Please contact your school office or Mariana Melendrez at 602-683-2515, ext 6002 for more information about this program.

Excellence in education

Website: https://www.wsd.k12.az.us/
Location: 3025 East Fillmore Street, Phoenix, AZ, USA
Phone: (602) 681-2200
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WilsonSchoolDistrictNo7