Woodcrest Spanish Immersion
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November 30 , 2022 - NEWSLETTER
Hola familias de Woodcrest,
I can’t believe it is December tomorrow and we are already closing out the first trimester of school! As we close out this trimester, I have a couple of reminders for you related to the end of the trimester and report cards.
There is no school for students on Friday, December 2 and Monday, December 5. We will be using these days for reporting on student progress, communication and professional learning. We’ll see students back at school on Tuesday, December 6 as we begin Trimester 2.
Report cards will be available on Campus Parent Portal on December 9. When you see your child’s report card, you may notice some shifts to the career and life skills portion. This section of the report card has been updated to reflect our career and life competencies. Student progress on these skills will be reported in grade bands for grades K-2, 3-4, 5-6 with performance levels at the timeline of the report cards of consistent, progressing or emerging. Please take a few minutes to review a high-level overview of what you can expect to see in today’s newsletter.
Now that we are settling into winter-like weather, we have a few reminders about parent drop-off and pick-up procedures.
If you drive through the “horseshoe lot” to pick up your child, please keep pulling forward and follow staff directions. This helps keep everything flowing smoothly and allows the line to move efficiently.
If you park your car in one of the lots and walk up to get your child at the end of the day, please only park in parking spots and do not block passageways. Also, only use the handicap spots if you have the proper documentation.
Please have your number with you so we can easily identify you and enter the number into our system.
Our office closes at 4 p.m. Please pick up your child by this time each day.
Happy December! Stay warm!
Jaime Nymann
Principal
Changes to K-6 Report Card
When you access your child’s K-6 report card, you may notice some shifts in the career and life skills portion. The career and life skills section now reflects our set of career and life competencies. These are skills and mindsets that will be consistent over grades K-12 and become more complex over time.
The career and life competencies you will see on the K-6 report card are:
- Self-direction: Recognizes and regulates emotions, Focuses attention to achieve results, Uses tools and strategies to achieve results, With support identifies goals and monitors progress (Grades K-1), Identifies goals and monitors progress (Grades 2-6),
- Collaboration: Works productively and responsibly with others
- Civic and cultural awareness: Shows care for others in our school community
- Communication: Listens to make meaning and connections, Asks questions to make meaning and connections
- Digital literacy: Uses digital tools and information responsible
For these elementary years, the competencies describe what we hope to see by the end of second, fourth, and sixth grades. Because of this, student progress on these skills will be reported in grade bands for grades K-2, 3-4, 5-6. On your child's report card, you will see a current performance level based on what your child is demonstrating right now for each competency. The levels are:
- Consistent: I can usually do it on my own, in various situations
- Progressing: I'm working on it and can do it in familiar situations
- Emerging: I'm just learning about it
It is quite likely students in the younger end of the grade band will show more "emerging" skills. For instance, kindergarteners may remain in “emerging” all year long and show growth over the K-2 years. It may take varying amounts of time for each student to reach "consistent." The report card is a snapshot of where your child is currently at with each competency in the grade band. Reach out to your child’s teacher with any questions you may have and for more information about the competencies and how we are measuring student growth and progress.
Vision screening coming soon
The Woodcrest Spanish Immersion health office will be conducting vision screenings in the next few weeks. This year, we are excited to partner with the Spring Lake Park Lions Club. They will be bringing trained volunteers to use a vision spot screener to screen students for potential vision issues. If you do NOT want your child to participate in vision screening, please call the health office at 763-600-5804 by December 12.
Fueling a passion and a plan through Pathways
Through career and college pathways, students like senior Sam Larson are finding their passions and making big plans for their future. After spending sophomore and junior years exploring courses in the Technology, Engineering & Design Pathway, he entered his senior year with purpose.
Sam will attend North Dakota State College of Science (NDSCS) next year as a student in the John Deere Tech program. He’ll learn through classroom and hands-on lab work. It’s a combination he already knows he's passionate about from his experience at Spring Lake Park High School.
Get to know our 2022-2023 student school board reps
Seniors Kennedy Cuddihy, Emilia Holm and Maria Horst are this year's student representatives on the Spring Lake Park Schools school board. Each year, the board welcomes student representatives from the high school’s student council to join their board meetings and update members on student life and the SLP experience.
These student board representatives come with long-time Spring Lake Park Schools experience and have discovered many passions and interests along the way.
Upcoming Westwood Theater Performances
You don't want to miss upcoming theater performances put on by our talented Westwood theater students. Purchase tickets at our box office today.
First up is Snowy Off-White and the 8 Little Dudes performed by 5th and 6th grade students, December 1 and 2 at 7 p.m. Follow the adventures of Snowy Off-White, Hansel and Gretel, and of course the 8 Little Dudes as they fend off the wicked and horrible Queen Ermengarde and bring happiness back to the kingdom. Full of fun songs and good humor, it's a wacky musical. Purchase tickets for Snowy Off-White and the 8 Little Dudes. Watch a promo of this performance.
Next is Einstein's Brains performed by 7th and 8th grade students, December 9 at 7 p.m. and December 10 at 2 p.m. IT’S ALIVE! Albert Einstein’s brain, that is. Sci-Fi geek and pizza delivery boy Otto and dog, Swamp Thing, must make the most important delivery of all time. Zombies and an evil mad scientist stand in their way. Can they make it? Purchase tickets for Einstein's Brains.
Chef Peppe Roni
Kinder students became Pizza Chefs last week. Students were able to create their very own pizza using different shapes, colors, forms and patterns. It is so fun to see the different ways students are being taught several concepts in one lesson!
Conociendo a la Sra. Hayle
Jennie Hayle is back at WCSI this year as the Innovative and Personalized Learning Specialist (IPL), which means she helps design and facilitate professional learning for staff to help support the design of engaging and personalized learning for students. Jennie has been with Spring Lake Park Schools for 14 years, since the beginning of the immersion program, teaching both kindergarten and fifth grade. She lives in Blaine with her husband, Ben, and two sons, Jacob (12) and Lincoln (9), who both are in Spanish Immersion here in SLP. In her free time, you can find her reading, cooking or playing games with her family.
Maud Hart Lovelace Award Kick-off
3rd and 4th grade students in Mr. Seal's English classes had MHLA kick-off this week. The classroom was decorated like a diner and students watched book trailers, read the back of books, and bookmarks were made available for students to track which books they might like to read. The Maud Hart Lovelace Book Award is a children's read and vote book award, named for a famous MN author. Its purpose is to encourage recreational reading among school age children. Students in grades 3-5 who have read or listened to at least three titles from the nominee list get to vote for their favorite in school at the end of March. If students read all 10 nominees, they get to be judges of the election!
There has been a spot dedicated on the wall outside the classroom to show photos of students who reach either/both goals and inside the classroom there is a chart where students can mark off which books they have read and reviewed -either on paper or flipgrid - with stickers. Votes are collected from libraries and schools all across MN and the winner of the award is announced in April. Several copies of all 10 books are available to check out from Mr. Seal, or can be found in local libraries. See photo for the list of book nominees. Special thanks to the PTO for sponsoring this literacy event and to the parents who donated copies of the MHLA books for checkout.
Woodcrest Spirit Wear
Thanks to everyone who ordered spirit wear! We can't wait to see students and staff in their Woodcrest gear! PTO began distributing spirit wear orders last week. If you have any questions about your order please reach out to wcsipto@gmail.com.
PTO Community Engagement Committee Collection
PTO Community Engagement Committee will be collecting gently used winter clothes and gear-hats, gloves, boots and Spirit Wear - any SLP or Woodcrest items - to pass on to new owners this winter. As you are going through clothes for the change in season, please drop off items you no longer need in the front lobby starting Monday, November 27.
Shop to Donate Days
Save the date for Dec. 10-11 for our Shop to Donate Days at the Northtown Barnes and Noble. PTO will get a percentage back from all purchases of toys, books, stationary, drinks, made in store or online those days. Principal Nymann will be reading a story on Dec. 10 at 7 p.m. and other readers will be announced soon.
Wednesday, November 30 –
- Preschool and Kindergarten Tour and Talk at Woodcrest Spanish Immersion at 10 a.m. and at 6:30 p.m.
Thursday, December 1 –
- End of Tri 1
- Grade 5-6 play – “Snowy Off-White and the 8 Little Dudes” – FAC, 7 p.m.
Friday, December 2 –
- No school for students
- Grade 5-6 play – “Snowy Off-White and the 8 Little Dudes” – FAC, 7 p.m.
- Monday, December 5 – No school for students
- Friday, December 9 –
- Progress Reports will be open to parents on Campus Parent Portal
- Grade 7-8 play - "Einstein's Brains" - FAC, 7 p.m.
- Saturday, December 10 –
- SLP Winter Market – SLPHS, 10 a.m.-noon
- Grade 7-8 play - "Einstein's Brains" - FAC, 2 p.m.
- Lectura con la Directora at Northtown's Barnes and Noble at 7 p.m.
- Monday, December 12 – WCSI PTO Meeting, 6 p.m. in Pina Room
- Tuesday, December 13- Cookies with the Principal at 4 p.m in the Pina Room (Report Card Information)
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