Woodland Park School District News
April 6, 2023
Welcome to the Woodland Park School District e-Newsletter which is sent out weekly when school is in session. It serves as a glimpse of some of the wonderful things going on in our schools, as well as a point of reference for upcoming events.
Your Partner in Education,
Michele R. Pillari, Ed.D., Superintendent of Schools
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Making Smart Decisions
Fourth and fifth grade students at Beatrice Gilmore School participated in an assembly that focused on decision-making. District social worker Ms. Rosado shared the benefits we receive as students in the United States. We shared this message both in Spanish and Arabic. Students were reminded that in many countries not everyone can afford to go to school and that not all teachers are trained like they are here.
Guidance counselor Mrs. Farraye and District SAC counselor Ms. Katzenberger introduced the students to their friend Jargon, who was having a great day until his “friends” decided to “roast” him (a popular thing students watch and learn on TikTok). They had a large Jenga game and with every “roast," a piece was pulled until eventually, he collapsed. Although each student only shared one roast, one plus one plus one became too much.
The lesson students took away was: think before you speak - be kind and do not make jokes at others’ expense. A joke is only funny if everyone finds it funny. Students are starting to realize the impact of their words and the harmful, lasting effects they can carry.
Mrs. Tomback spoke about consequences. Actions can have positive as well as negative consequences. Students were reminded of how they earn Buddy Bucks and praise, as well as the Woodland Park School District Code of Conduct.
Students were also reminded that the school is responsible for you from the time you leave your door until you arrive back home. The commute to and from school also has moments where students need to be making decisions as well. Detective Panicchi and Sergeant Carino from the Woodland Park Police Department spoke with the students about stopping and thinking before acting. They also shared that the WPPD is here to help.
All the staff at BG are here to help. The goals of the assembly were to ensure that students know who they can go to for assistance as well as the importance of reaching out to help themselves and/or a friend. Many students only focus on keeping their friends out of trouble by not telling and not realizing that by telling someone they can actually help and prevent greater issues. This includes telling parents and parents we so appreciate when you reach out to let us know potential concerns.
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Young Engineers
Ms. O'Donnell's seventh grade STEM students at Memorial Middle School used the engineering design process to design and build two volleyball machines that could launch a ping pong ball back and forth over a net. The students worked super hard on their projects. What an amazing job they did!
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Therapy Dog Team
Memorial Middle School Financial Literacy teacher Mrs. Donato and her German Shepard Cash are an AKC-ATD Certified Therapy Dog Team. She and Cash recently visited the Little Falls Public Library where children could read to the dog.
Through the program, children can build confidence and learn to associate reading aloud with a positive, comforting experience. Researchers have studied the benefits of reading out loud to dogs. Children who read out loud to dogs improve their reading skills and fluency by up to 30 percent plus many other benefits. Each child in attendance had a 15-minute session to read aloud with Cash.
Mrs. Donato and Cash will be doing the program at the Little Falls Library every month.
Cash was born and raised by The Seeing Eye Program in Morristown. Cash had all the attributes needed for the program, however, like Clifford the Big Red Dog, he grew too large too quickly. Sadly, he was exited from the program. When that happens, these special dogs are then available for adoption. There is a five-year waiting list to adopt a dog that is exited from the program. When Cash was 18 months old, he became available and Mrs. Donato was next on the adoption list and lucky enough to bring him home.
"I’ve always had German Shepherds," she said. "But this one is very special. Cash still wanted a job to do, so we went to work. I enrolled him in the AKC Basic Obedience School. He graduated his way through every level with a perfect score. Then he was put into the AKC Canine Good Citizen Program and graduated with a perfect score. And finally, we continued on to our AKC/ATD Therapy Certification which we graduated with a perfect score and became a therapy team."
Cash visits many different environments and venues for a variety of reasons. He is always well-received, and the children especially love him so much. His visits help to relieve tension, anxiety, and feelings of unhappiness for anyone who comes into contact with him. He has a calming presence bringing warmth, happiness, and smiles.
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Yoga Experience
Students in Mrs. Woessner's PreK-4 at School 1 class participated in a yoga experience with Ms. Pearce, the school nurse. Ms. Pearce read the book Rachel's Day in the Garden. The class discussed emotions and learned different yoga poses. Some of the students' favorite poses were the rainbow, plant, tree, and caterpillar poses. They had fun practicing the poses with yoga bears.
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Stacking Them Up
Students in Ms. Tobia and Ms. Bonnie's PreK-4 class at School 1 did a STEM project where they tried to stack dinosaur eggs as tall as they could go using Play-Doh as the glue. The students were so persistent trying so many techniques to stack higher and higher.
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Going Buggy
Ms. Tobia and Ms. Bonnie's PreK-4 class at School 1 began their study on insects!
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Reduce & Reuse
Mrs. LaSala’s PreK-4 class at School 1 made a recycling tree and robot for their recycling study.
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Go Blue
The West Paterson Boys & Girls Club hosted a blue hair extension fundraiser during last Saturday's Borough Health & Wellness Fair to support the WP Special Needs Advisory Committee (WP SNAC) for Autism Awareness Month. All proceeds of the $20 per extension cost went to WP SNAC, which provides activities and classroom and therapy room supplies for borough children as well as resources and education for parents.
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House System 5K
Launched in 2019, Memorial Middle School''s House System was implemented to improve the school's overall climate and build a positive culture. The system involves sorting all students into four houses representing character traits: earth for trustworthiness, wind for respect, fire for responsibility, and water for caring.
The house assignment process is conducted randomly to ensure students have opportunities to work and socialize with others outside their social circles, promoting a sense of belonging and connection. Teams participate in various events, accumulating points towards a final reward such as a house field trip.
To support the House System, a 5K Color Run will take place on May 6 with all proceeds going towards the cause. To register for the event, click here.
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Coming up at the Alfred Baumann Library:
The Alfred Baumann Library will host the following programs. Visit the Library's website here or Facebook page here. Its phone is 973-345-8120. Email is library@abwplibrary.org.
Monday, April 10, 10 a.m. - Weigh To Go weight loss support group. Register here.
Monday, April 10, 11 a.m. - Chair Yoga. Come and find inner peace through chair yoga and meditation. Register here.
Monday, April 10, 6 p.m. - Dungeons & Dragons club for teens in grades 6-12. New and experienced players are welcome anytime. Register here.
Monday, April 10, 6:30 p.m. - ESL Conversation Club. Register here.
Tuesday, April 11, 11 a.m. - Pickling class with ShopRite registered dietician Heather Shasa. Discover the process of pickling and preservation, which fruits and vegetables work best, and leave with your own jar of "pickles." Register here.
Tuesday, April 11, 6:30 p.m. - Pajama Story Time for all ages. The whole family is welcome and pajamas are encouraged. Register here.
Wednesday, April 12, 4 p.m. - Snails & Tales story time for ages 2 and up. Join Miss Sara for stories, rhymes, songs, a craft, and more. Register here.
Wednesday, April 12, 6:30 p.m. - Unwind With Pat. Join in to work on a craft of your choice. Register here.
Thursday, April 13, 11 a.m. - Unwind With Pat. Join Pat to unwind with the craft of your choice. Register here.
Thursday, April 13, 12 p.m. - Sit & Fit chair exercise class. Register here.
Thursday, April 13, 4:30 p.m. - Afternoon movie for all ages. Join in for a screening of "The Bad Guys." Snacks and refreshments will be offered. Register here.
Thursday, April 13, 6:30 p.m. Rise of the Yankees. Join author Pete Laskowich as he explains how a dreary fifth-place club became the greatest dynasty in sports. Register here.
Saturday, April 15, 12:30 p.m. Spring Into STEAM for grades 3-8. Explore different aspects of science, art, engineering, technology, and more. Register here.
Monday, April 17, 10 a.m. - Bouncing Babies. This program for babies age 1 to 23 months includes stories, rhymes, songs, and free play. Register here.
Tuesday, April 18, 3 to 4 p.m. - Homework Helpers. AP students will assist with test review and homework. Register here.
Tuesday, April 18, 4 to 5 p.m. - Homework Helpers. AP students will assist with test review and homework. Register here.
Tuesday, April 18, 1 p.m. Crafternoon for adults. Enjoy creating a beautiful craft to take home. Come and relax and let your creative juices flow with Linda. Register here.
Tuesday, April 18, 4:30 p.m. - Reading Rebels book club for grades 3-5. The book for the month will be introduced and an excerpt will be read. Then enjoy activities, crafts, or games based on the book! The book will be provided at the program. Register here.
Wednesday, April 19, 6:30 p.m. - Teen Advisory Board for grades 6-12. Members will have the opportunity to share ideas for Library programs, help decide what to add to the Library's collection, and more. Snacks will be provided. Register here.