January Newsletter
Principal Dangleis
Happy New Year!
I hope you had a restful vacation filled with fun family moments and the making of new memories. Students came back to school with smiles and stories to tell about their holiday experiences. Teachers and staff came back ready to launch into exciting units of study and engage students in learning. Looking ahead to the new year, in the spirit of continuous improvement, I'd like to invite feedback from parents/guardians on the many topics that impact our students. I will hold my first Principal's Coffee Hour on January 25th from 8:00-9:00 a.m. Feel free to drop by to discuss concerns, ask questions, or offer suggestions. I value your input and collaboration. This will be the first of many more to come and I will offer them at different times to accommodate your schedules as best I can. I hope to see you!
STEAM Ahead
Our School Improvement Council is in the planning stages of STEAM Ahead Week to be held from 2/18 - 2/22. With the help of community volunteers, we will bring specialists into the classrooms to conduct brief presentations that involve science, technology, engineering, the arts and math. We are in need of more volunteers! If you have an idea for a fun enrichment project and are willing to present it to our students, please email me.
Computer Skills
This year, we attained many new Chromebooks that students use in various ways throughout the day. To help students acclimate to the keyboard, we use a program called, Type to Learn. Our third graders will begin taking the computer-based MCAS this spring. For that reason, our 3rd grade teachers are working to provide many opportunities for students to compose writing online and become familiar with navigation tools on the Chromebooks. If you would like to have your child practice at home, there are a few links provided in the article below.
The Sock Drive is On!
In the spirit of building bridges between the school and the community, we are holding a Sock Drive to benefit The Community Survival Center. From 1/7 through 2/8, kindly send in new socks in men's, women's, and children's sizes. During the month, we will hold an assembly that focuses on empathy, and will have a Crazy Sock Day on 2/8 to celebrate this act of kindness.
Art News
Happy New Year! The big news from the Art Room this month is our January 17th visit from artist and author Jarrett J. Krosoczka. He has written and illustrated graphic novels for kids, including the Lunch Lady series and Star Wars: Jedi Academy, as well as many picture books such as Punk Farm, Naptastrophe, and Max For President.
We are so pleased to have him join us for two assemblies here at Stony Hill, as well as Green Meadows! Let’s extend a huge “Thank you!” to the Wilbraham-Hampden Academic Trust (W.H.A.T.) for funding this program through their community grants.
Students in both grades will soon begin our annual unit of study on the art of Asia, in recognition of the Chinese New Year, an ancient holiday celebrated by millions worldwide. This year it is celebrated from Feb. 5-19 and it’s the year of the pig! Most cities in the US hold a Chinese New Year parade and we’ll be doing the same here at Stony Hill School at the end of this unit.
Upcoming Events
January 7 - 25
FAST Benchmark Screening
January 9
School Improvement Council 3:00
PTO Meeting 7:00 p.m.
January 11
Empathy Assembly
January 17
Artist and author, Jarrett J. Krosoczka
January 21
Martin Luther King Jr. Day
No school
January 25
Principal's Coffee Hour 8 a.m.
Ballet - The Magical Divide 1:30
Thanks for reading!
Email: mdangleis@hwrsd.org
Website: https://sh.hwrsd.org/
Location: 675 Stony Hill Road, Wilbraham, MA, USA
Phone: 4135991950