GRADE LEVEL CENTER NEWS WCSD Elementary principals are excited to share information with our students and families about the new grade level centers being formed for the start of the upcoming school year. The new grade level centers will include the following grades in the existing elementary buildings -

Holmes Elementary - Kindergarten, 1st and 2nd Graders

Denver Place - 3rd and 4th Graders East End - Preschool and 5th Graders

Jen Martin will be the principal at East End (PreK-5). Karen Long will be the principal at Holmes Elementary (K, 1, 2). And Cortney Karshner-Rethmel, will be the principal at Denver Place (3, 4).

 

 

 

 

Grade Level Centers (cont.)

We are planning opportunities for you to visit your child(ren)’s new school at a Family Night in May. In addition, your child will have the opportunity to take a field trip in May to the grade level center that they will attend next year and have an opportunity to interact with their grade level peers. Students and families alike will have opportunities to meet their new teachers and classmates and tour their new grade level center. Specific dates and details about these exciting events will be shared with you soon. There is a team of teachers, parents, and community members working closely with building and district leadership to plan a smooth transition to these new grade level center. Committees are working on the following aspects of the transition -

● Moving ● Transportation ● Arrival and Dismissal ● Student/Parent Transition

More information will be shared with you via our school website, Class Dojo, and the district newsletter. If you have questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to your building principal and ask!

 

 

 

 

WHAT IS GROWTH MINDSET? ● The beliefs children have about intelligence, effort, and struggle impact the choices they make

about learning. ● People tend to hold one of two different beliefs about intelligence:

○ Children with a growth mindset believe that intelligence can be developed. These students see school as a place to develop their abilities and think of challenges as opportunities to grow.

○ Children with a fixed mindset believe that intelligence is fixed at birth and doesn’t change or changes very little with practice. These students see school as a place where their abilities are evaluated, they focus on looking smart over learning, and they interpret mistakes are a sign that they lack talent.

● The brain changes and develops throughout life – a process called neuroplasticity. Certain experiences cause new connections in the brain to form or strengthen, making the brain smarter by literally rewiring it.

THREE WAYS PARENTS CAN SUPPORT GROWTH MINDSET The way parents talk about ability and learning can have powerful effects on their kids’ beliefs. Below are three ways parents can instill a growth mindset. And remember, developing a growth mindset in yourself and in your kids is a process that takes time. Have a growth mindset about developing a growth mindset!

● Recognize your own mindset: Be mindful of your own thinking and of the messages you send with your words and actions.

● Praise the process: Praising kids for being smart suggests that innate talent is the reason for success, while focusing on the process helps them see how their effort leads to success.

● Model learning from failure: When parents talk positively about making mistakes, kids start to think of mistakes as a natural part of the learning process.

YOU CAN LEARN MORE ABOUT

GROWTH MINDSET

https://www.mindsetkit.org/growth-mindset-parents 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

APRIL STATE ASSESSMENT DATES 3rd, 4th, and 5th Graders

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday 2 3 4 5 6

9 10 11 12 13

Elementary Elementary 5th ELA - a.m.

Elementary 5th ELA - a.m.

Elementary 4th ELA - a.m.

Elementary 4th ELA - a.m.

16 17 18 19 20

Elementary Elementary 3rd ELA - a.m.

Elementary 3rd ELA - a.m.

Elementary 5th Science-a.m.

Elementary 5th Science-a.m.

23 24 25 26 27

Elementary Elementary 3rd Math-a.m.

Elementary 3rd Math-a.m.

Elementary 4th Math-a.m.

Elementary 4th Math-a.m.

MAY STATE ASSESSMENT DATES 3rd, 4th, and 5th Graders

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday 30 1 2 3 4 Late Arrival

Elementary Elementary 5th Math-a.m.

Elementary 5th Math-a.m.

Elementary Make Up

Elementary Make Up

7 Make Up 8 Make Up 9 Make Up 10 Make Up 11