September 2012 Welcome to the 2012-2013 school year! We are off and running. You can feel the excitement in the air at WES as students step up a grade, meet new friends, reconnect with others, and build a community with their teachers and classmates. Thank you for your participation in our Open House on Thursday, September 13th. I am sure you noticed that our custodial staff has done a tremendous job throughout the entire summer, cleaning and shining every inch of our school. I hope you enjoyed the slide show in the cafeteria, showing the happy anticipation on students’ faces as they arrived on the first days of school. Kudos and thank you to our PTSA for serving complimentary pizza and water to families in the cafeteria throughout the open house hours. We have some new staff members to introduce to you, as well as several staff members who have changed positions. New members include: 3rd grade teacher, Amy Boyce, came to us from Alfred Elementary School where she was a 5th grade teacher.  3rd grade teacher, Marty Cryer, came to us from Hollis Elementary School where she was a 5th grade teacher.  Literacy Specialist, Bonnie Esty, came to us from the Bonny Eagle School district where she served as a Literacy Specialist. 
EL (English Learner) Teacher, Julia Pitt, just arrived from the Pittsburgh Public Schools where she served as the EL teacher and Early Childhood Education Teacher. Special Education Ed Tech, Sheila Phelan, came to us from Wells High School where she also served as a Special Education Ed Tech.  Familiar WES faces in new positions include: Michelle Boucher, a former Title I Math Ed Tech III, is now a 3rd grade teacher.  Nancy Colley, a former 1st grade teacher, is now a Literacy Specialist.  Emily Crippen, a former Special Education Ed Tech II, is now a Special Education teacher.  Kim Richard, a former 3rd grade teacher, is now a Title I Math teacher.  Melissa Stapleton, our former Explorations teacher, is now a Multiage 3-4 teacher.  Henry Ingwersen, a former Multiage 3-4 teacher, is now a S.T.E.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) teacher. 
Reminder of our on-going health initiative at WES… School lunches are now healthier than ever! After selecting a main entrée, students in grades 1-4 now encounter their own “kid size” salad bar before checking out at the register. They are thoroughly enjoying the wide variety of fruits and vegetables offered each day.
Beginning last year, classroom parties were celebrated with an abundance of healthy snacks. Students loved the creative displays of fresh fruits, cheese & crackers, and veggie trays. Although they were offered one treat (a cupcake, brownie, etc.), many focused on the healthier choices.
 New this year, our Student Wellness Team has generated a list of fun, alternative, healthier ways to note birthdays, instead of the traditional cupcakes. Each classroom community is selecting their favorites from the list. As always, every child’s birthday is also recognized with a special pencil from Mr. Spinney or me! Although it is certainly not a requirement to note your child’s special day with his/her classmates at school, it is a wonderful tradition at WES that most children cherish, especially our younger learners!
The Common Core Standards for Literacy and Math The Common Core Standards provide teachers with the specific knowledge and skills that every child should attain at each grade level, with the ultimate goal of preparing students for success in college and work. The Common Core Standards for Math and English Language Arts were released in June of 2010. Each state determined whether they would adopt them for their schools. Maine has adopted The Common Core Standards, along with 44 other states. Standards are currently being written for Science and Social Studies, and our legislature will consider adopting them once they are completed. For further details about The Common Core Standards, please go to the following link: http://www.maine.gov/education/lres/commoncore/documents/common_core_summary_2010-12-03.pdf
In order for students to reach the grade level benchmarks in The Common Core Standards, instruction will look different than in the past. Students will be doing more problem solving in math and studying concepts in more depth. In English Language Arts, parents will notice that students will be doing less story (fictional) writing pieces, and more pieces that persuade, using evidence from what they read in non-fiction texts.
We have revised our WES report card to reflect the changes required by The Common Core Standards. The revised report card will be presented at the September 18th PTSA meeting at 6:00 in the WES cafeteria. It will also be discussed at our Parent Advisory Council meeting on October 1st. Parents will receive information about their child(ren)’s growth toward The Common Core Standards four times a year: 1) at Parent Conferences on November 8th and 9th 2) on a written report card that will sent be home with your child at the end of January 3) at Parent Conferences on April 4th and 5th 4) on a final written report card that will be sent home with your child on the last day of school in June Please note the change in report card distribution. In the past, students have received a report card three times per year. With the new Common Core Standards, they will be receiving a report card two times per year. Parent Roadmaps to The Common Core StandardsThe Council of the Great City Schools' parent roadmaps in English language arts/literacy and in mathematics provide guidance to parents about what their children will be learning and how they can support that learning in grades K-8. These parent roadmaps for each grade level also provide three-year snapshots showing how selected standards progress from year to year so that students will be college and career ready upon their graduation from high school.http://www.cgcs.org/domain/36As always, don't hesitate to call, write, or visit if you have questions or concerns. Our partnership in your child's education makes a difference!
June-August 2012 The 2011-2012 school year definitely flew by with students and staff actively growing and learning together. Our traditional end-of-the year events, including Starz for Broadway, Colors Day, and Step-Up Day, were enjoyable and successful for the entire WES community. Other highlights of our year included: WES Day of Respect when all students contributed to
various service learning projects; achieving the USDA
Healthy Schools Silver Award; classroom parties that were fun with an
abundance of healthy foods; Core Values (respect, honesty, compassion, trustworthiness, and responsibility)
celebrated and reinforced at assemblies; new connections established with local senior
citizens that included WES students making Valentines for seniors and some
classes participating in activities at Atria,
and our amazing concerts and performances that thrilled
audiences throughout the year. Peeking into 2012-2013… some important information: WES Health Initiative Takes Next Steps As the USDA Healthy Schools Silver Award recognized, WES students are on the move and making healthy food choices, both in the cafeteria and in their classrooms. This year we focused on holiday parties which featured predominantly fruits, vegetables, and cheese/crackers with one “treat” (such as a brownie or cupcake) per child. We also strongly encouraged low fat, low sugar daily snacks sent from home. In a continued effort to increase healthy eating habits, beginning with the opening of the 2012-2013
school year, we
are eliminating cupcakes or other sugary, high fat foods for birthday
celebrations. Our Student Wellness Team
brainstormed several lists of alternative ways to celebrate birthdays in
school. These include activities, healthy
foods, and small items. The lists were shared with students in June, and will
be available in each classroom in the Fall, for teachers and students to
determine which ideas will work for their particular learning community, and
for them to add more ideas, as a class. Important dates to save on your calendar for the fall Opening day of school for grades 1-4 is Tuesday, September 4, 2012. Opening day of school for Kindergarten is Friday,
September 7, 2012.
WES Open House – Thursday, September 13th,
from 5:30 – 7:00PM Other dates to note can be found on the WOCSD 2012-2013 district calendar. It is included on the Friday Folder Website that is linked to the WES website. Lunch Program Breakfast: $1.50; free for all students who qualify for free or reduced lunch Lunch: $2.50: Reduced price: $.40 Milk: $.50 for white, $.60 for chocolate Applications for free/reduced lunches can be found on the nutrition section of the WOCSD website. Decrease in student population: Since our largest class in recent history will be moving on to Wells Jr. High School (126 students in our 2011-2012 4th grade), and we are welcoming in 88 Kindergarten students, the overall decrease in our population is approximately 38 students. Therefore, we have decreased the number of classroom sections from 28 to 26. Our student numbers and staffing for 2012-2013 are as follows:
Your child can expect to receive a letter from his/her teacher sometime during the first week in August. It will include suggestions for school supplies and other pertinent information about the classroom. We have heard that students anticipate receiving this fun, personal mail.
Departing WES Staff Members Each of these valued staff members brought unique talents and contributed much to support our students and school community. They will be missed. We wish them well in their next adventures.
WES Staff Members Changing Roles
New Members to the WES Team in 2012-2013
Educational Technician Supports We are very fortunate to have the supports of highly skilled Ed Techs at WES, not only in special education, but throughout the building.
That’s it for now…more to come at the start of school. Don’t hesitate to call our office if you have any questions or concerns (207-646-5953). Our office will be open from 8:00-2:00, Monday-Friday during the summer. Sarah Blevins, our Administrative Secretary, will be available in the front office. I will be taking some time off after the 6th of July and returning by mid-August. Our Assistant Principal, Mr. Ken Spinney, will also be taking vacation time in July and early August. If you would like to speak with one of us, please call the office to check on our availability. We are happy to return your calls upon returning to the office. I wish each of you a warm, sunny summer with lots memorable times with family and friends! February/March 2012 Current and Projected Student Enrollments at WES
Students Show Compassion December 14th was the first ever WES “Day of Compassion” when all students demonstrated their kindness for others, including animals. Enjoy the pictures below of the many ways that students showed compassion. WES students are creating beautiful Valentines to honor the local senior citizens. Their heartfelt sentiments will be presented to representatives of the various senior communities at an assembly on February 13th.
Wellness/Nutrition Initiative We are well on our way to providing students with many opportunities to exercise and make good choices about their nutrition. Valentine’s Day is a pretty important day At WES! We will be celebrating with classroom parties that include healthy snacks with one treat only. Ask your child about how his/her class noted this special day.
The Student Wellness Team continues to demonstrate strong leadership among their peers. Currently they are learning more about our indoor motor course, an exercise course available to students who need a motor break to help them refocus on academics. Members of the Student Wellness Team will educate their peers about the course and encourage them to use it, with teacher guidance. Picture of the motor course Next Steps in Wellness Beginning in the fall of 2012, we will honor students with all of our usual enthusiasm on their birthday, but we will not be allowing cupcakes as part of the celebration. Our Student Wellness Team will be helping us identify a variety of fun ways that students can note their birthday with classmates. Stay tuned for a creative list of options. Instruction and Assessment NECAP –Students in 3rd and 4th grade participated in the statewide, mandated assessment, the New England Common Assessment Program. Results from this assessment have just arrived. Parent reports will be mailed home in February. The Common Core Standards These are new achievement targets for all Maine students that most states in the nation have adopted. Standardized tests will be aligned to these standards beginning in March of 2015. The mission statement for the Common Core Standards is: The Common Core State Standards provide a consistent, clear understanding of what students are expected to learn, so teachers and parents know what they need to do to help them. The standards are designed to be robust and relevant to the real world, reflecting the knowledge and skills that our young people need for success in college and careers. With American students fully prepared for the future, our communities will be best positioned to compete successfully in the global economy. To learn more about The Common Core, the link is provided below:
Building and Grounds Improvements  Thanks to their fundraising efforts over the last five years, the WES PTSA has purchased a permanent sunshade structure for the WES playground. PTSA president, Maureen Mahoney, and WES Head Custodian, David Boyd, thoroughly researched the many options, shared recommendations with stakeholders, and secured all required permits. Two picnic tables will be arranged under the structure making for a delightful outdoor classroom, a place for students to rest during recess, and picnic area for young families to enjoy on the weekends and during summer vacation.
Upcoming Events for February and March Kindergarten Concert – February 8th Our youngest learners will be showing off their talents to family and friends on Wednesday, February 8th at 2:00PM. Their performance promises to brighten even the gloomiest of winter days.
Jump Rope for Heart – February 15th and 16th This event for 2nd, 3rd, and 4th graders serves a dual purpose. While providing students with another opportunity to show compassion by raising money for the American Heart Association, it also demonstrates the fun and wonderful healthy feeling that comes with exercise.
Celebration of Reading Day – March 2nd With a focus on the joys of reading, WES students will be treated to special guests, who will visit their classrooms and read a favorite to them. These “Celebrity Readers” include district administrators, community business owners, and occasionally, a senator! This all happens in conjunction with Dr. Seuss’ birthday.
Kindergarten Information Night – March 22nd Wells and Ogunquit families who have a child turning 5 years old on or before October 15, 2012 are invited to join us at 6:00PM for a tour of the WES facility followed by an informational meeting with the Kindergarten teachers from 6:30-8:00. Parents will receive and abundance of useful information at this event. Odyssey of the Mind State
Championship – Saturday, March 24th All three of the Wells-Ogunquit schools will be hosting this event. We wish all of the teams good luck as they pour creative thinking into solving challenging problems and performing for teams of judges that day.
November/December 2011 Current Student Enrollments at WES Kindergarten: 75 Grade 1: 89 Grade 2: 105 Grade 3: 80 Grade 4: 125 Total: 474 Newest Members of the WES Staff Melissa Stapleton joined the WES staff in September, taking on the position of Explorations teacher for all of our students, K-4. Jennifer Lord and Michelle Boucher joined us in November. They are both certified teachers who are serving in our Title One Math support program. Jennifer is supporting students in grades K-2, while Michelle is working with students in grades 3 and 4. Student Interns- We consider our interns as members of our staff, if only for a brief period of time. This fall, we are fortunate to have: · Jana Campbell, University of New England student, working with Occupational Therapist, · University of Phoenix student, Denise Yegge, working with Kindergarten teacher, Sue Bastille · University of Maine, Farmington students: o Dana Perkins, working with Multiage 3-4 teacher, Beth Bush o Thomas Ross, working with 3rd grade teacher, Kim Richard Student ContributionsStudent Wellness Committee – Knowing that young children would have a lot of great ideas regarding health and wellness for themselves, their peers, and the adults in our community, the Staff Wellness Committee recommended that we initiate a Student Wellness Committee. Now in its second year, students in grades 3 and 4 meet once a week during their recess time, to brainstorm ideas and make plans for implementing their top priorities. They assisted in planning a Wellness Day for all students and staff and served as guides for the new outdoor exercise course that day. In addition, they focused on improving student nutrition by modeling healthy eating habits and partnered with our Food Service Director, Tyler Goodwin, to share ideas.  Green Team - The Student Green Team was initiated in the spring of 2011 to coincide with the WES goals of becoming a greener school. At that time, the team involved representatives from 3rd grade only. They took a field trip to the Sea Road School in Kennebunk, to learn about their school’s composting of food waste with the Tibbetts’ Family Farm. As a result, The WES Green Team created an organized system including directional posters for students in our school, to properly separate trash from food that would be sent for composting. By the beginning of November this year, all food waste at WES is picked up by Mr. Tibbetts and composted at his farm. In the spring of 2012, we will receive some of the compost back for our gardens in the back of the school. December 14th – WES Day of Compassion – Students will be giving of themselves to make a difference for others. Representatives from each grade level will share their experiences of showing compassion at our assembly on December 22nd. o Students in Kindergarten will be gathering food, toys, blankets, and other useful items for local animal shelters. o Students in Grade 1 will be working on gathering non-perishable foods to donate to a local food pantry. They will be taking a field trip to the food pantry at St. Mary's church and will have the opportunity to stock the shelves with their donations. o Grade 2 students will be traveling on the Downeaster to Portland, where they will each present a new toy to the U.S. Marine Corps for Toys for Tots. o Students in grades 3 and 4 will create “Health Journals” or "Information Journals" for senior citizens. The journals will be donated to Maine Medical Center and to local senior centers. Young Gardeners -Early this fall, students harvested fresh vegetables from the gardens they built and planted in last spring. A small feast was held for parents, students, and teachers for each of the classrooms involved in this project. Peer Support - Students in grade 3 and 4 assisted WES Assistant Principal, Ken Spinney, in preparing and performing skits for students in Kindergarten, first, and second grade for their assembly on October 28th. The skits reinforced the Kelso strategies of “Share & Take Turns” and “Talk It Out”. Wellness/Nutrition Initiative Our first holiday classroom parties took place in honor of Halloween. Teachers and students planned well, to ensure that healthy foods were the focus of their events. Our initiative has moved us to include one “treat” at classroom parties, with all other food being low-sugar and low-fat, healthy selections, such as fruits and vegetables. The variety of creative, delicious, healthy snacks served at the Halloween parties was tremendous! Thank you, parents, for assisting us in making this change. We are making steps toward making birthday celebrations nutritious, fun events, also, with a goal of healthy snacks, only, for birthdays beginning next year. Children love the fruit kabobs, veggies and dip, cheese and crackers, and other healthy options, that parents have been sending in to note their special day! Fall Assessments In addition to common grade level assessments that our teachers have selected and/or designed for determining appropriate starting points for their students, WES students also take standardized assessments that compare their performance to same-age peers across the nation. CPAA - In September and October, students in grades K, 1, and 2 participated in the Children’s Progress Academic Achievement (CPAA) for the first time. We are piloting this computer adaptive assessment this year, and in the spring, we will determine if it has been effective in providing teachers with useful information for guiding instructional plans and providing parents with a clear indication of their child’s progress. A computer adaptive assessment is a multiple choice test that is taken on a computer. The level of difficulty adjusts to the student’s response after each question providing an accurate picture of what a child knows, and is able to do, in reading and math. CPAA is user-friendly for young children with colorful pictures and voice prompts, and results are available immediately. NWEA – During the month of September, students in grades 3 and 4 participated in the North West Educational Achievement test for Reading and Math. This is also a computer adaptive assessment with results available immediately. It is not new to our school or our district; it has been used for many years in grades 2-10 and provides useful information about students’ academic growth through the years. NECAP –Students in 3rd and 4th grade also participated in the statewide, mandated assessment, the New England Common Assessment Program. Results from this assessment will not be available until January, 2012. EnrichmentChildren's author and illustrator, Matt Tavares, of Ogunquit, spent the day at WES on Oct. 14th sharing his books and demonstrating how he develops his artwork. Mr. Tavares is also a WES parent. Cynthia Lord of Brunswick, another well known, award-winning author of children's books, visited WES on Dec. 7th. She shared her work with a 4th grade book club. Building and Grounds Improvements Sunshade on the Playground – Thanks to their fundraising efforts over the last five years, the WES PTSA has purchased and planned for the installation of a permanent sunshade structure on the playground. PTSA president, Maureen Mahoney, and WES Head Custodian, David Boyd, have thoroughly researched the many options, shared recommendations with stakeholders, secured all required permits, and are making it happen for the spring of 2012! Parking Lot Lighting – You will likely not miss the much-improved lighting throughout our parking lot. All fixtures have been updated, and bulbs have been changed to LED, providing more energy efficiency and brighter/safer walkways. Upcoming Event * WES Winter Concert – December 20th at Wells High School. Join us for what promises to be delightful way to note the holiday season. o Grades 1 and 2 will perform at 10:15 AM o Grades 3 and 4 will perform at 1:15 PM
August 19, 2011 Dear WES Families, I hope you are enjoying some fun in the sun with your family this summer. We have certainly had beautiful weather to support our vacation plans. Earlier this month, your children should have received a letter from their teacher welcoming them to the 2011-2012 school year. Unfortunately, I provided teachers with incorrect information regarding the dates of our opening days of school (oops, my apologies). The opening day of school for grades 1-4 is Tuesday, August 30th. You are welcome to join us at 8:30AM in the courtyard when students in grades 1,2,3, and 4 meet their new teachers and reconnect with classmates. It’s an exciting time and a very enjoyable site. The opening day of school for Kindergarten is Tuesday, Sept. 6th. Please join us at 8:30 in the courtyard as we welcome our youngest learners to their first day of school! Students in grades 1-4 will go into the building first. Then we will assist each Kindergarten child off the bus and escort him/her to the appropriate teacher. It is a great photo opportunity of a very important moment in your child’s life. Once the children have entered the building with their teachers, parents of kindergarten students and parents new to WES are invited to a “New Beginnings” breakfast in the cafeteria hosted by our PTSA. Kindergarten “Sneak Peek” in each classroom is scheduled for Monday, August 29th at 1:00PM and will include a short bus ride for children and their parents Our official welcome to all families comes during our Open House on Thursday, September 15th from 5:00-6:30PM. This time has changed just a bit from our initial plans, in order to coordinate with the Jr. High Open House later that same evening (for families who have children at both schools). I hope you can all come and visit your child’s homeroom, Core classrooms, and chat with teachers and other families. It’s always a great time! Planning for the start of school Our custodial staff has done an extraordinary job cleaning every nook and cranny of the building in preparation for opening day. We have a beautiful facility and it is even more impressive when everything looks shiny and new! We have some new staff members who are looking forward to working with your children, others who are changing roles, and some still in the hiring process:
School Supplies – We have been offered a few donations of school supplies from two different sources. Currently we have three backpacks (for Kindergarten or Grade 1) that are equipped with supplies. If you have a financial need for back to school supplies, please contact me for confidential support.
Reminder of our new health initiative…
It is that time of year again when we give you a lot of information and ask you to fill out multiple forms in an effort to ensure accurate communication for your child’s well being. The following information details our protocols for dismissal at 3:00 each day. Students Taking a Bus Home: Your child’s bus information is given to us by Ledgemere Transportation. All students taking a bus will be dismissed to the buses designated unless we hear from you regarding a change in plans. Students NOT Taking a Bus Home:
Changes in a Student’s Regular Dismissal Plans: Any day that your child’s regular dismissal plans change, it is very important that you send in a note with your child with the specifics of the change. Your note, given to the classroom teacher by your child first thing in the morning, is a tremendous help to us for many reasons. It: · clearly indicates to us where your child should go after school · provides documentation for the teacher, as well as our front office · allows your child to feel secure throughout his/her day, knowing his/her after school plans · helps facilitate a calm, smooth dismissal at the end of the day · allows the secretaries to fax Ledgemere Transportation a copy of students’ notes by noon Notes indicating changes in dismissal plans should include your child’s first and last name, classroom teacher’s name, specifics of the change of plans (bus numbers, full name of individual picking the child up, and your signature) The form, included as a separate attachment on the WES Friday Folder Website , has everything we need to process your request. We do have a back-up system recognizing the fact that occasionally, plans change with little warning, or your child might leave your note at home by mistake. A phone call, up until 2:15 that day, is acceptable on those rare occasions. Our secretaries create a list each day of changes that are phoned in, and it is delivered to the classrooms by 2:30 for teachers to communicate to their students. This back-up system usually works; however there are a few unavoidable glitches, such as: 1) Ledgemere Transportation cannot be informed of the phoned-in changes later in the day, because buses are already picking up Junior High and High School students. 2) In the busyness of the end of the day, occasionally children have not been informed of the change. 3) The level of security is diminished. When changes are received in a signed note, there is no question; we have your signature.
To help minimize confusion, I am in the cafeteria with a walkie-talkie, and our Assistant Principal, Mr. Ken Spinney, is outside, also with a walkie-talkie supervising the bus area. If you have any concerns at dismissal time, please see one of us and we will assist you.
I hope this description of our dismissal process is helpful. Thank you for your assistance in keeping all of our students safe. Thank you, also, for the tremendous support you continue to provide our school. As always, if you have questions or concerns about anything, please don’t hesitate to call or e-mail (mhorne@wocsd.org).
I am looking forward to partnering with you on behalf of your children during the 2011-2012 school year.
Sincerely, Marianne Horne WES Principal
June/July/August 2011
We culminated the 2010-2011 school year with a whirlwind of exciting activities at WES including field trips, performances, and special events. On June 15th and 16th, our 4th graders “wowed” full house audiences in "Starz for Broadway". On June 21st, we started our day with the WES “Parade of Colors” launching us into our twenty-fourth annual Colors Day! This was followed, on June 22nd, by Step-Up Day, when students visited their 2011-2012 teachers and met their new classmates. We also enjoyed a full school assembly that day, where students received awards for their Colors Day achievements, and we were treated to music and a slide show highlighting our year. It all ended at noon on Thursday, June 23rd, when our entire staff escorted the students to their buses to wave good-bye for the summer.
Looking ahead to the 2011-2012 school year, we have some information to share with you: Requests from the WES Student and Adult Wellness Teams: In the fall of 2010, WES began to focus, more than ever before, on student and adult wellness. We put together an adult Wellness Team that met regularly throughout the year. They brought us The Giving Heart Award (see link on the WES website for description and 2010-2011 recipients), after-school Zumba classes for staff, and a powerful list of ways to start encouraging staff and students to eat healthy foods. This committee also recognized that student voice is important, and thus initiated the WES Student Wellness Team. Third and fourth grade students served on this team and they also met regularly. They brought us a Wellness Day in the spring and a huge list of ways to increase healthy eating at WES. To honor the work of both teams, we will continue to move forward with more motor breaks and yoga poses for stretching and focusing, and the following requests for healthier foods. All WES staff members have agreed to support these changes beginning in the fall of 2011:
Increase of class sections in Grade 2 and 4: The number of class sections at grades 2 and 4 has been increased to reduce the teacher-student ratio. I am appreciative to the school committee and the taxpayers for supporting a budget that allows our elementary students to have these appropriate ratios. Our student numbers and staffing for 2011-2012 are as follows:
Departing Staff Members:
Each of these valued staff members brought unique talents and contributed much to support our students and school community. They will be missed. We wish them the very best in their next adventure.
New To WES in 2011-2012: · Mrs. Lauren Rivera (Educational Technician for Special Education) is coming to us from Wells Jr. High School · TBA – a new teacher for fourth grade. Interviews for this position will take place in July. Educational Technician Supports: We are very fortunate to have the supports of highly skilled Ed Techs at WES, not only in special education, but throughout the building.
Important dates to save on your calendar for the fall: Opening day of school for grades 1-4 is Tuesday, August 30th. Opening day of school for Kindergarten is Tuesday, September 6th. WES Open House – Thursday, September 15th, from 5:30 – 7:00 Other dates to note can be found on the WOCSD 2011-2012 district calendar, which was recently approved by the School Committee. It is included on the Friday Folder Website linked to the WES website. Your child can expect to receive a letter from his/her teacher sometime during the first week in August. It will include suggestions for school supplies and other pertinent information about the classroom. We have heard that students anticipate receiving this fun, personal mail. Our office will be open from 8:00-2:00, Monday-Friday during the summer. Sarah Blevins, our Administrative Secretary, will be available in the front office. I will be taking some time off after the 8th of July and returning by mid-August. Our Assistant Principal, Mr. Ken Spinney, will also be taking vacation time in July and early August. If you would like to speak with one of us, please call the office to check on our availability. We are happy to return your calls upon returning to the office. I wish each of you a summer filled with laughter, cookouts, family, friends, and time to play! April/May 2011  Student Enrollment Kindergarten – 91; Grade 1 – 102; Grade 2 – 80; Grade 3 – 126; Grade 4 – 106 Total Enrollment: 505
Student Recognition
All of the students and their parents have been invited to a reception with the governor and his wife at the Blaine House this spring.
WES Gives Back
Health and Wellness
WES STUDENT WELLNESS TEAM  The Giving
Heart Award is one of several initiatives that the Wellness
Team brought to life. The award is given to one adult at WES each week.
The purpose of this award is to recognize colleagues for dedicated work, a
personal or professional achievement, or a kind/thoughtful gesture. Each
Thursday, the current recipient gives the award (a beautiful beach stone in the
shape of a heart), along with a short statement noting the specific attributes
of the next recipient, to an administrator. The principal or assistant
principal has the privilege of announcing the new recipient to the whole school
on Friday morning. WES students and staff have enthusiastically anticipated
the announcement each week and have offered an abundance of kudos to the
recipients. Results of the October, 2010 NECAP Test for WES 3rd and 4th Graders
Professional Development
Winter and Spring Events
WES appreciates…
February/March 2011  This winter has brought an abundance of opportunities for fun in the snow! WES students (and some brave staff members) have enjoyed our sledding hill during recess time each day. Help us get the word out…
WES Wellness Initiative A Wellness Team, composed of teachers, administrators, and support staff, was formed at WES in the fall of 2010, in response to concerns raised by increasing obesity rates in the last two decades throughout the United States (see video below). They meet monthly to generate ideas and to bring selected ideas to reality. In addition to concerns raised about obesity rates, we know that research shows that good nutrition has a huge impact on learning. It nourishes the brain, enables students to focus and engage in their learning, and impacts their achievement. We want our students and staff to have every opportunity to live a healthy lifestyle. Therefore, we all need to become well educated about good nutrition, ensure that healthy foods are the predominant options for snacks and lunches, provide a multitude of fun ways to exercise, and support the emotional well-being of our school community.
A new Student Wellness Team began in February, resulting from plans formed by the adult team. The Student Wellness Team consists of two representatives from each of the homerooms in grades 3 and 4. They meet weekly during one of their recess blocks and are coached by two WES teachers. Similar to the adult team, they are generating ideas for student health and well-being and will be working on school-wide projects. New England Common Assessment Program (NECAP) NECAP is the assessment used by four New England states to meet the testing and accountability requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act. Maine students participate in the NECAP Reading and Mathematics test in grades 3-8. Students in grades 5-8 are also assessed in writing. NECAPS are administered in October each year and they assess the learning from the previous year. Performance results are available in January. Results of the October, 2010 NECAP Test for WES 3rd and 4th Graders as Compared to the Maine State Average
We are very proud of our teachers and students for achieving such strong results on this test. We will continue to provide additional supports to those students who are not meeting state and district standards. Budget Preparations for 2011-2012 Budget preparations are well underway with the WOCSD School Committee currently examining the proposed budgets of each school. Recognizing that fixed costs (fuel oil, health insurance, salaries, etc) are increasing, budgets for general and instructional supplies, books and periodicals, building maintenance, and field trips were either level funded as compared to this current year, reduced, or very slightly increased in response to student numbers and/or needs. The only significant request that WES is making in this budget is for one additional classroom teacher. WES currently has 27 classroom teachers. With 5 classes moving on to the Jr. High School and 6 classes expected to enter our Kindergarten, we have requested an increase of one teacher in order to effectively meet the needs of our young learners. The charts below display our current and projected class numbers. 2010-2011 Staffing Information (27 classroom teachers)
2011 – 2012 Potential Staffing (28 classroom teachers requested)
Spring is coming! Enjoy!  December 2010  Student Enrollment Kindergarten – 91; Grade 1 – 101; Grade 2 – 78; Grade 3 – 122; Grade 4 – 106 Total Enrollment: 498 Staff Information
Health and Wellness
Update on new initiatives to WES in 2009-2010
Professional Development
Fall and Winter Events
Kudos to…
November 2010 Dear Wells Elementary School Families and Friends, As you can see from the new design of our website, staff throughout the district is launching into using web pages as an effective tool for communicating with parents and community members. In addition to the quality learning experiences that students encounter every day in their classes, there are many exciting and enriching activities that extend their learning. It is wonderful to see and read about how our students are growing and thriving in all of our schools. Speaking of wonderful…we now have a very extensive program for recycling at Wells Elementary School! Last year, 2nd grade teachers, Clarissa Sweeney and Jessica Hunt (now 3rd grade teachers), initiated the Terracycle program with a few classes. It was so effective that we have taken it school-wide this year! To see how it works, please view the student-produced video at weskids.com. You can get to this site and the video directly from the Wells Elementary School page. Mr. Spinney and I have the honor and pleasure of teaching our youngest learners about the nine strategies that we encourage all WES students to use for solving small, social problems. The program is called Kelso’s Choices, and it includes a frog mascot named Kelso. Our Kindergarten lessons began with exploring the difference between a big problem (one that you need an adult to help you solve), and a small problem (one that you can work out with your friend). Last week, students learned and demonstrated the first strategy, Share and Take Turns. So, when your child has a small problem with a sibling or neighbor friend, ask them, “What would Kelso do?” On a safety note, we are constantly assessing both the safety and efficiencies of our arrival and dismissal procedures. We need your awareness and help with a safety problem we have noticed. The car loop directly in front of the school is intended for parents to drop children off in the morning and then to keep moving out of the loop. Recently, several parents have parked in that loop or left their car running to walk a child into the building or to chat with other parents. This creates a safety concern for children who then need to walk in between vehicles when they are dropped off. Please help us get the word out to all parents to use the loop in the morning for drop off purposes only. Enough for my first webpage letter! Parent conferences this week, Veteran’s Day next week, and before you know it, we will be celebrating Thanksgiving. As always, don’t hesitate to call (646-5953) or write (mhorne@wocsd.org) if you have questions or concerns about anything. Sincerely, Marianne |
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