Winthrop Wildcats News
September 2019
Welcome to our first newsletter of the school year. We hope to keep you updated on the many exciting happenings at our school.
Please note we are now using Clever, a single sign on solution for our students to access all school applications. Click on the link for more information about Clever.
What is Clever?
Students doing the Turn the Question Around (TTQA) strategy
A Math workshop plan
Number Talks
We are focusing on Number Talks, among other Elementary Core Instructional Practices, as a high impact mathematical teaching strategy to improve computational fluency. We will be delving deeper into Number Talks and other strategies as part of mathematics focused professional development being conducted this year with Milissa Churchill (K Teacher) and Meghan Lewis (Grade 4 Teacher). These are important action steps within our School Improvement Plan.
Number talks are short 5-10 minute discussions where the focus is on mental math. A problem or series of problems is presented to the students and they are asked to solve using mental math. Hand signals can be used by the teacher to help engage all students. Three to four student strategies are shared with the whole class.
Number talks allow children the opportunity to engage in rich meaningful conversations. Students have a chance to share and explain strategies. They justify answers while thinking and acting like mathematicians. They develop mental math skills.
Jo Boaler's work on Mathematical Mindsets will also provide a foundation for our work to increase mathematical fluency. In her book she references Conrad Wolfram, the director of Wolfram-Alpha, who recommends 4 stages for teaching mathematics:
1. Posing the right question
2. Turning the problem from a real world problem to a math problem
3. Computing or performing a calculation
4. Turning it back to the real world-seeing if the question was answered
Wolfram emphasizes the importance of students having ongoing experiences through all of the steps.
General Announcements:
Thursday, September 12th is Open House from 6:30-7:30 P.M.
6:30-6:50 All K-5 Classroom Presentations/Visits to Specialists
6:50-7:00 Transition Time
7:00-7:20 Repeat of all K-5 Presentations that were done at 6:30/Visits to Specialists
7:20-7:30 Transition to our end of evening at 7:30.
Here is the link once again to the updated program of studies.
The Winthrop PTO will have a table set up on the first floor with ballots for an election to select two parent/guardian representatives for the two open positions on the Winthrop School Council.
In addition, representatives from the Melrose Special Education Parents Advisory Council (SEPAC) and the BRIDGE will have tables where you can find information about SEPAC and volunteering and can complete or update your CORI forms. Please remember that all classroom volunteers must have a current CORI on file, and you can see Ms. Sorrentino to check your status or complete the process if you cannot on Thursday evening.
We are having a Reach Celebration for students on Friday, 9/13 from 9:30-11:00. We will begin at 9:30 with Buddy Snack and then move between two stations for some cooperative team building challenges.
Tuesday, September 17th is a Preliminary Election Day in Melrose. The Winthrop School APR is a polling station, so our APR is closed for the day. Lunches are served in classrooms with parent/guardian volunteers helping students with lunch. Please be aware there can be extra traffic around the school on voting days.
September 18th is an early release day with a 12:20 dismissal. There is Education Stations and lunches will be served.
Instrumental Music lessons begin the week of September 23rd.
Picture Day is Tuesday September 24th. More information is coming home over the next couple of days.
Thanks for reading. We look forward to seeing you on Thursday evening!
If you need this document translated, please call your child’s school principal.
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Se você precisa este documento traduzido, entre em contato com a escola do seu filho.
Si vous avez besoin de traduire ce document, s'il vous plaît contacter l'école de votre enfant.
如果你需要这份文件翻译,请联系您的孩子的学校.
.يرجى الاتصال بمدرسة طفلك/طفلتك ،إذا كنت تحتاج /تحتاجين إلى ترجمة هذه الوثيقة إلى اللغة العربية