Volume 20 Issue 6 April 2014
The Wilson Word A publication of The Wilson School, Founded 1913
A Team Effort
Now In Our Second Century of Excellence!
In This Issue!
By Head of School, Thad Falkner
N
ext week, our students in the third through sixth grades will begin the annual activity of taking a standardized test by ERB Test Publishing.
At Wilson, we view standardized tests as just one component of the full academic experience. As such, our goal is for students to participate in this activity with confidence, showing a good attitude and honest effort. Your children have worked hard this year, and should look at this test as a great opportunity to apply their many acquired skills to the very best of their abilities. We are so fortunate at Wilson to have such bright, eager students and truly talented teachers who prepare them so well for these undertakings. It is a privilege and a wonderful advantage that our experience with ERB testing year after year is one that is celebratory.
Head of School 1 Parents’ Association 2 Picnic 3 Auction Recap 3 Admissions 4 Summer Camp 4 Pre-Kindergarten 5 First Grade 6
Fourth Grade 8 French 9 Latin 10 PE 12 Auction 13 “Wall” of Fame 13 Calendar 14
Just as it is on the athletic fields, our success is only made possible by the commitment and dedication of both students and faculty working together and supporting one another as a team. As the week of testing draws closer, I hope that in addition to helping your children to get a good night’s sleep and eat a solid breakfast, you also will have an opportunity to reflect with them about the significance of their wonderful, individual contributions to the Wilson “team.” Our students are prepared, and they will be Making Their Mark a Good One by giving their best effort in next weeks’ tests.
1
A Chance to Connect
By Parents’ Association President, Mary McKown ll too often, when we think of the Parents’ Association (PA), we might think of events, activities or fundraising. But so frequently, I am happily reminded of the connections and relationshipbuilding that happens through participation in PAsponsored events.
A
On a REALLY cold night in December, I took my child to the Wilson Night at the Blues. As per the usual routine, nobody sits in the ticketed seats because the kids naturally want to “bunch together” and enjoy the game with friends. I ended up sitting next to parents from a class other than my child’s. A delightful and interesting conversation ensued. So often, we get the pleasure of knowing the parent community from a specific class. Getting acquainted with other parents is such a gift. Similarly, a few months ago, I was working as a volunteer at the PA-sponsored Barnes and Noble book fair. As it turns out, the timeframe I worked happen to be quite slow. That downtime offered an opportunity for me to chat with my co-volunteer. She is a parent I have known for years but hadn’t seen for quite a while. A very constructive and warm exchange occurred and once again, I was the benefactor of a treasured encounter. I share these couple of examples, but could go on and on with other similar experiences. I am most grateful for the bounty and quality of our parent community. I would certainly urge all members of the parent community to participate in the PA-sponsored events, such as the upcoming school picnic. You just never know who you will meet, get re-acquainted with and enjoy along the way.
GETTING INVOLVED IN THE PA IS A GREAT WAY TO CONNECT WITH WILSON FAMILIES
2
Don’t Miss It! The Wilson School Picnic!!
By Clare Brady and Scott Rose, Parents’ Association
T
ime to have fun and get ready for games, rides, yummy food and SUNSHINE at the annual school picnic.
There are many new attractions this year including, Triple Lane Fun Obstacle Course, World Sports, balloon tying by Spunky Beans, pony rides, a water balloon toss and much more.
WHEN: Saturday May 10th, 11:30am – 2:30pm WHERE: Tilles Park (at the corner of McKnight and Litzinger) If you are interested in getting involved or have any questions, please contact Clare Brady at 314.727.0618 or clarebrady@sbcglobal.net, or Scott Rose at 314.604.7069 or rose.s.a@charter.net. As always, the picnic is free for the entire family. Thank you in advance for your help!
Also back this year by popular demand is the bicycle helmet fitting by St. Louis Children’s Hospital staff. Pre-registration is required. Call 314 454 KIDS (5437) Press 3 and give the following information: • •
May 10, 2014 Tilles Park
All families are requested to bring a dish according to the first letter of your family’s last name: • • •
A-F Salads (fruit or vegetable) G-M Desserts N-Z Appetizers
Volunteers Needed! Please consider signing up to volunteer. It is a wonderful way to get to know other parents and help make the picnic great. We need help with set-up, clean-up, grilling, food service as well as game and ride supervisors. We are especially looking for fifth and sixth graders to help with carnival games. 3
Admissions Update
By Director of Admissions, Laura Hartung ilson’s enrollment is looking strong for the 20142015 academic year. We have now completed the first of three enrollment phases and have exceeded our expectations for year-to-date enrollments. During the second phase (between now and the end of school) and the third phase (over the summer), we will continue to accept applications for grade levels in which there are openings.
W
Explore STL!
By Summer Camp Coordinator Michael Hinkebein ilson is known for our fantastic field trips throughout the school year. Did you know that we also provide this opportunity for the upper-grade campers in our Summer Camp program?
W
4
We hope that you will act as an ambassador for Wilson and encourage families with eligible children to apply, even over the summer months. The summer of 2013 proved to be extraordinary as we admitted 15 new students during the weeks of summer camp. Soon, current Wilson families will be receiving a list of new students and their parents. Your assistance is needed in bringing them into the fold. Wilson’s Helping Hand Program is one of our endearing traditions of pairing a current family with a new family and volunteers are needed. Being a Wilson Helping Hand is an important part of making our new families feel welcome at Wilson. You will be asked to contact them immediately, arrange to meet them at the annual school picnic, organize at least one play date over the summer, and guide them throughout the school year regarding the many wonderful traditions and activities that we engage in as a community. New students have been added to almost every grade level, and volunteers are needed. Please contact the Admissions Office right away if you are interested in becoming a Wilson Helping Hand Family!
From June 9th through the week of June 16th, Wilson Summer Camp “Seniors” will explore the sights and sounds of downtown St. Louis and Forest Park in the “Explore St. Louis” session. Campers will visit landmarks such as the Arch and Busch Stadium via public transportation and will bike their way through Forest Park to the Zoo and Science Center. This is a “stay-cation” not to be missed for your fourth through sixth-grade students and their friends. Sign up today to reserve a spot! Questions? Contact mhinkebein@wilsonschool.com See our brochure on www.wilsonschool.com.
Highlights of the Year According to PK By Pre-Kindergarten Teachers, Linda Noel and Debbie Wilhelms e cannot believe all the exciting things we have been able to experience this year in prekindergarten (PK). The children have grown so much, and the teachers have learned a thing or two from them!
W
Our class was so interested in talking about our favorite things that we decided to share some of them with all of you. For upcoming PK children here is what to look forward to: (Past students, do you remember any of these?) Yusuf-playing outside on the playground Andy: planting seeds Morty: pajama day Alya: Halloween parade Makenna: playing with my friends Brandon: our bear hunt Caleb: the zoo visits Landon: French class Lucy: writing my last name and my first name Ava: playing in housekeeping Amara: Mrs. Faught reading to us Louis: going to the library Chloe: having snack with my friends Abigail: using stickers in writing center Ben: spending time with my fourth grade buddy Bodey: the visit from Fredbird Nathan: science time Here is what we all are looking forward to as the end of the year is approaching: The famous Wilson School talent show Field Day May Day AND‌ Our beloved Buddy picnic!
5
Our Favorite First Grade Happenings
By First Grade Teachers, Penny Lyles and Lauren McDonell
T
ime is flying by in first grade! As we wind down the end of the 2013-14 school year, we’d love to share some of our favorite events from the last semester.
This year, first graders went all-out to celebrate the 100th day of school. To start, each first grader brought in a collection of 100 items to share in our class “museum.” Students took a gallery-walk to browse and admire each collection. Later that morning, the first graders paraded around the school singing the tune “Oh, we’ve been here, 100 days,” to the tune of “When the Saints Go Marching In.” We aren’t sure who had more fun, the teachers or the students! After the parade, students engaged in a variety of activities centered around the number 100. Our day concluded with a taste-test of 100 yummy snacks! It was a day to remember! In January, students took a field trip to the St. Louis Family Theatre to enjoy live theater. We are certainly a cultured group who appreciates the arts and enjoys the finer things in life. Students enjoyed a collection of short plays, such as “The Teacher from the Black Lagoon.” Each play was packed with funny jokes, and of course a few life-lessons! This field trip was a smashing hit. Our genre study on autobiographies led us right into the study of famous Americans. In this biography unit, each student selected a famous American to research. After weeks of research, students wrote a biography. As a culminating activity, the first grade presented their famous American report to the school. Each student dressed up 6
as their American and recited their biography by memory. These famous artists, scientists, inventors and musicians (just to name a few), certainly wowed their audience! A display of our famous Americans can be found on a bulletin board in our room. In science, there’s been a hive of activity! First graders are using their scientific knowledge to investigate plants and insects this spring. They will learn the parts and functions of a plant as well as the lifecycle of a seed. Our entomologists will identify what makes a bug an insect. They’ll have an opportunity to explore the differences between a moth and a butterfly and will understand the physical changes that some insects undergo. Students will appreciate the influence that plants and insects have on our world. First graders are all “a-buzz” with this unit of study!
7
A Busy Spring for Fourth Grade
By Fourth Grade Teachers, Roberta Goldfeder and Lisa Leuther t is hard to believe that we have less than six weeks left of this school year. As usual, it will be a busy spring at The Wilson School. We have many activities and experiences remaining.
I
There is nothing more delightful than watching the fourth graders spend time with their pre-kindergarten (PK) buddies. They play, they talk, they laugh, and they enjoy using the computers; most of all they learn from each other. At any given moment, you can hear them talking about their pets, their toys or their houses. There is the sound of happiness and pure glee. Just last week, the fourth graders helped PK put on their gratitude assembly. The fourth graders wrote poems about what their buddies wanted to be when they grew up. They worked on these with gusto. It was important to them to say something special that expressed the gratitude their friends receive from each of these different jobs. You could hear them asking their buddies, “Why do you want to be a fireman or a dancer or a soldier?” Fourth graders thought long and hard on how to put into words what each of these different professions offer our community. The assembly was a success. What could be cuter than a PK student dressed up as a carpenter or a paramedic? Since the fourth graders had recently finished a unit on careers, it was especially meaningful to them. They, too, had to think about what they wanted to do as an adult and write about it. Hopefully, they have discovered that having a
8
long-term goal will help motivate them as they continue their studies. We recently began our study of Missouri. We will study the regions of our state and its government. This unit will culminate with a trip to Jefferson City on May 8th. It is a fast-paced trip, but one we are sure all will enjoy. Did you know that April is National Poetry Month? The fourth graders are immersing themselves in poetry this month. They are reading and responding to poetry, practicing writing various forms and reciting poetry. We spent many class periods reading poetry and finding poems that they enjoyed. They looked for poems that spoke to them and to which they could relate. It was wonderful to watch and hear the fourth grade students’ reactions to the poems. The fourth graders are rounding the bend to fifth grade. As we enter the home stretch, we look forward to days filled with hard work, and a little bit of fun too.
Feels Like “April in Paris”
PK & JK
2nd
In second grade, the stuffed animals from the French room were treated royally during spring break. They had the unique opportunity to leave the French room with the children, going home or even on a far away vacation with their hosts. Luckily, when they came back, they had a lot of stories to tell (in French!). Bienvenue back, stuffies!
3rd
Third graders are veterans of retelling fairy tales in their own French words, and have moved on to Astérix, Obélix and their Gallic friends. We are also talking about things we like/know how to do with our friends Alex et Zoé.
By French Teacher, Joana Ocros-Ritter emember the song entitled “April in Paris?” Well, “April in Paris” is not only a song, it is the theme of our class project for the senior kindergarten and first grades. Children in these classes needed to find both St. Louis and Paris on the map and decide how they could get from one continent/country/city to another. They went about making their “passports,” getting “Wilson Airlines” off the ground, having a full crew for our airplane and very clear ideas as to what we were going to see while in Paris. (Please check for serious knowledge of the Louvre, Notre Dame and the Eiffel Tower!) Not only did we take a trip, go on a virtual tour of the Louvre and come back, we also made albums documenting some of our highlights.
R
In Pre-Kindergarten (PK) and Junior Kindergarten (JK), our thesaurus of words keeps growing at an incredible rate by playing word games, singing songs, listening to books in French and putting on 3-minute plays. “L’Âne Trotro” helps us combine visual and auditory cues, and lets us hear spoken French in a playful way.
4th
Fourth graders are talking about vacations. Our focus right now is the beach – “À la plage”, but soon we will move our focus to “À la montagne.” The students have contributed interesting objects for our MUSÉE, and we will be talking about them soon.
5th
In fifth grade, we are deep in our preliminary vocabulary revision before the long summer hiatus. Our conversation skills are advancing steadily.
6th
Our oldest, wisest, and most senior students, the venerable sixth graders, are getting ready to write their letters in the guise of a French Colonial subject. Interesting news ahead!
9
A Truly Noble Feast
By Latin Teacher, Joana Ocros-Ritter s the saying above goes, “DE GUSTIBUS NON EST DISPUTANDUM” (“There is no arguing over taste”). At Wilson, one can truly say when talking about this year’s Latin Feast. The gustatory multitude was simply amazing, and there was something for every taste.
A
The noble Romans in 4th, 5th, and 6th grade feasted in grand style on Thursday, April 3, in the well-known Roman eatery “CAFETERIA”. The floor of above-mentioned establishment was festively adorned with blue….well, paper….Roman couches/tables. The parents of aforementioned Romans brought delicacies to share, which would delight even the most refined palates – from chicken…ahem, dormice!.....to mussels, to delicious lentils and salads, breads, meats, cheeses, olives, honey, fruit, eggs and sweets. After the feast, the 6th grade Nobles built the 8th wonder of the world, the most astounding Pyramid of Paper Cups, and showed exemplary gratitude. Our benevolent Caesar, Lindsey, presided over the proceedings.
10
On behalf of all Roman Nobles, I would like to thank the intrepid parents who helped make this possible– MULTAS GRATIAS VOBIS AGO!
11
The ABC’s of PE
to allow as much opportunity as possible. Development continues in non-structured play when exploration is allowed. Sometimes mastery of skill will lead to high performance, but typically it leads to the love of active recreation and appreciation of choosing a healthy life. The goal for physical education is to help Wilson students achieve physical literacy. *A big shout and congratulations to the 39 runners who made it to Forest Park on Saturday, April 5th to participate in the 1.2 mile run, thus completing the goal of reading 26 books, doing 26 good deeds and running 26.2 miles over a 26 week period!
By Physical Education Teacher, Rachel Simpson iteracy starts with fundamentals, the ABCs. But a truly literate person can do more than recite the alphabet. Literacy is about reading, writing, and appropriate social interaction.
L
The same is true with physical literacy. It starts with fundamental movements like running and jumping. But again, physical literacy is more than the fundamentals. A physically literate individual adopts an active lifestyle, makes good choices and is emotionally well balanced. It starts with children as movement opportunity and guided exploration. Complex skills are more appropriate for children ages 6-12. The three main components of physical literacy are being motivated to move, confident to move and competent to move. In physical education, our goal is to provide the opportunity to meet these components. Pre-school children up to kindergarten thrive in an exploration-based environment. In physical education class we provide a stimulating environment with a variety of fun equipment. Depending on the day it might include different types of balls, hoops, jump ropes, Frisbees, a low balance beam, stepping stones, balance boards or scarves. This kind of equipment can be used in our gym or on the turf field. Even the varied surfaces will change the experience for the child. Basic motor movements like skipping, galloping and jumping are mastered. The basics of throwing, catching and kicking are introduced. Children beyond senior kindergarten are ready to put complex skills together. The skills of running, dodging, and kicking allow them to play a game of soccer. Passing and catching allow them to explore a game of basketball. In physical education we try to focus on small-sided games 12
“Prom Night” at the 2015 Thistle Auction
emember going to the prom? ...Or wanting to go to the prom? ...Or not going to the prom and later wishing you did? Next February is your chance to re-live those dreams and raise funds for The Wilson School at the same time. Get your tuxes and gowns ready!
“Wall” of Fame
s seen here in some of our most popular Facebook photos this month, Wilson students were actively engaged in their community through team events and charitable giving. If you haven’t already, visit our Facebook page to get a daily glimpse of life at Wilson and share with your friends and family.
R
Saturday, February 21st 32nd Annual Thistle Auction: Prom Night at the Four Seasons Hotel
A
13
Calendar of Events
The Wilson Word Check the Wilson School website for more dates and details:
www.wilsonschool.com 14
April 21-25
Talent Show Sign-ups
April 22-25 & 28
ERB Testing (Grades 3-6)
April 24
Speaker Series: Whitney Linsenmeyer
April 25
Wilson Night at Busch Stadium
April 30
Wilson/Forsyth Spring Band Concert
April 30
Miss Wilson’s Birthday Celebration
May 1
May Day
May 2
May Day (Rain Date)
May 7
Assembly (May Birthdays) Wear MYMAGO Shirts
May 9
Field Day
May 10
School Picnic
May 14
Student Achievement Assembly
May 17
Alumni Reunion (Classes of 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011)
May 20
Board Meeting
May 23
Talent Show
May 26
No School - Memorial Day
May 29
Graduation Last Day of School 14