What's Brewing at WPES!
November, 2018
From the Principal's Desk
I'm excited to share so many fantastic activities that are happening in our school. October was a busy time for learning, growing, and settling into routines. Our new literacy program is well underway and we've been growing and expanding our love for reading! We hope you are seeing this at home, as well. Avid readers always carry a book with them, and have their next "on deck" book waiting on the nightstand. Ask your child about the books they are reading!
Speaking of reading, our Kindergartners got a visit from "Super Reader" today! Super Reader gives students "pointer power" to point out each word as they begin their journey into reading!
Wishing you the very best as we turn the clocks back and settle into our next season.
Best Regards,
Judy Brewster
Kindergartners Celebrate - We are Readers!
1st Grade & 2nd Grade Reading Buddies
Mrs Vanzo’s and Mrs Provost’s classes joined for reading buddies for the first time on Halloween. They read an interactive story called The Little Orange House. Then, they paired the children into groups of two or three. They read stories to each other and introduced themselves. It was a funtastic time!
Digital Citizenship in the Library
What's Happening in 2nd Grade!
Election day is coming! Second grade is organizing a school-wide election of their own to find out which color they will ask everyone to wear to school on Friday, November 9th. A Primary election was held in each of the two second grade classrooms to narrow down the pool of color candidates. Mrs. Fieberg’s (Miss Prato's new married name!) class elected blue and Mrs. Kuwata’s class elected purple. The students will be campaigning for their selected color candidate by creating posters and writing campaign speeches. They hope everyone will come out to vote and support the color of their choice on Election Day! The winning color will be announced Wednesday, November 7th, and the whole student body is encouraged to wear the winning color to school on Friday, November 9th -even if it’s not the color they chose.
The Golden Sneaker Awarded in P.E.!
3rd Graders are Readers and Ornithologists!
Third graders are enjoying the opportunity to work with a partner during independent reading time. Partners support each other’s reading by asking questions, retelling important parts of the story, sharing predictions and having fun discussing the books.In the Units of Study for Teaching Reading, Lucy Calkins states, “When readers can read and talk about books with another person, it’s like having a traveling companion. Reading partners can make your reading a whole lot better for one another. ”We are reading in the company of partners!
Third grade students became ornithologists! First, Ms. Connolly shared information about the birds that frequent our feeders. We learned their names and the unique sound each one makes. Then we headed outside to fill the feeders! The feeders were loaded up with suet, wild bird seed and a very special seed called nyjer, just for the Goldfinches!
4th Grade Pumpkinology
Mrs. Price's Class
Music with Dr. Mulder
Notes from Dr. Mulder
Fall is upon us and your children continue to grow musically in lessons and band rehearsals (5th grade only). Lesson attendance is very important and your support is very helpful. The more lesson time I can have with your children, the greater progress they make (provided they are also practicing at home). November is a good example of why students must attend the lessons that are available to them. There are only 3 Monday lessons in November so Monday students receive only 3 lessons if they attend every one.
Please help ensure that your children attend all of their lessons.
There are only six 8 AM rehearsals left before the Winter Concert on December 17th. Attendance has been great so far so please make sure your children continue attend the morning rehearsals.
Grade 5 studies the Aztecs!
5th graders celebrated learning about the Aztecs by creating colorful fans. In the Aztec culture the person with the most feathers and the most colorful feathers, had the highest prestige. After making their fans, the students enjoyed an authentic snack of corn chips, guacamole and salsa, thanks to many class parents who provided the treats.
From the KIIT Committee
West Patent’s Kiit Committee is comprised of students in Grade 4 and Grade 5. Members volunteer to meet during recess time, a few times a month, to work on a variety of projects that will “make our school and our world a happy and friendly place” (Kiit Committee Mission Statement). This fall, some Kiit Committee members will participate in a Kiit Knitting Club, while others will work on a variety of character education activities including a newsletter, an ABC of Kindness mural, and core virtues poetry and announcements.
Book Fair!
Halloween is fun...for teachers, too!
Be kind every day. It's the West Patent Way.
Contact Mrs. Brewster
Email: jbrewster4520@bcsdny.org
Website: www.bcsdny.org
Location: 80 W Patent Rd, Bedford Hills, NY 10507
Phone: 914-666-2190