The
Wilson Word A publication of The Wilson School, Founded 1913
Now In Our Second Century of Excellence! Volume 20, Issue 1
Visit us online at www.wilsonschool.com
A Wonderful Start to Our Second Century of Excellence
In This Issue! A Warm Welcome: PA Welcome: Wilson’s Aprés Ski: JK Transitions: 2nd Grade: 5th Grade: Technology: Art Exploration: Library News: New Staff: Calendar:
September 13 , 2013
p. 2 p. 3 p. 3 p. 4 p. 5 p. 6 p. 7 p. 8 p. 9 p. 10 p. 11
By Head of School, Thad Falkner
e’re off to a stellar start in our - old space made new - for Wilson’s 101st year. Our historic building has been lovingly restored and is complete with the exciting benefits from the Centennial Campaign. It absolutely reflects Wilson’s warm and nurturing environment and has never has felt more like a “home away from home.” Still, our wonderful beginning to the academic year is most attributable to our people. During these last few weeks, as we’ve opened with our favorite traditions like the Back to School Open House, First Day of School Parent Coffee and Curriculum Night and introduced some exciting new activities like the Cardboard Challenge, I am in awe by just how much The Wilson Way is being demonstrated by our entire school community. This year, we welcome delightful new students who come from as near as just around the corner in Clayton to as far as Alaska, South Korea, and Hong Kong. It is exciting to have this incredible diversity of perspectives and experiences represented in our student body and parent community. Of course, we also are so very thrilled to continue partnering with our wonderful group of returning “Wilson Champions” families. Certainly, we couldn’t be where we are without the relentless dedication of our faculty and administrative staff. Our exceptional educators spend the majority of their waking hours challenging themselves and their students to take advantage of the incredible resources we have here at Wilson, combining classic and innovative methods in everything they do. I think you’ll see on the following pages and in the stories your children share, it’s an exciting time to be at Wilson! In keeping with our theme this year of Make Your Mark A Good One by Showing Gratitude, I am so thankful for the community of Wilson. The pace has been set for much success during the 2013-14 year. Let’s enjoy, together, the start of Wilson’s second century of excellence.
W
1
The Wilson Word
September 13, 2013
A Warm Wilson Welcome to Our New Families! By Director of Admission, Laura Hartung
here are many new faces at Wilson this year, 42 to be exact. Twenty-eight families joined Wilson (three with two children) and 11 new students have older siblings at Wilson. New students were added to each grade level with the exception of sixth grade. Our new families have come from distant places including Hong Kong, South Korea, and Alaska, as well as several who live within blocks of the school. The Wilson student body is diverse with 31% people of color, 24% for whom one or both parents was born outside the United States, and many households where English is a second language. In addition, 30% of our students receive financial support from Wilson’s Tuition Assistance Program which contributes to the school’s socio-economic diversity. Be sure to check out the photos of our new families on the bulletin board near PK. A bulletin board at the other end of the Resource Center displays a local map which illustrates the 33 different zip codes in which our families live, and a world map that illustrates the 22 different countries of origin among our international families. Please contact the Admission Office if your zip code or birth country has been inadvertently omitted.
T
A WARM WELCOME IS EXTENDED TO OUR NEW STUDENTS AND FAMILIES! Pre-Kindergarten Chloe Allen—Tari & Steve Allen Alya Bayazit—Canan & Burchan Bayazit Andrew Byron—Rachel Delston & Matt Byron Bodey Drew—Christy & David Drew Landon Fischer—Shereen & Michael Fischer Morty Fischer—Devon & Matt Fischer Louis Flaherty—Tao Zhang & Joseph Flaherty Abby Hogenson—Amy & Andrew Hogenson Brandon Hu—Angela Zeng & Shawn Hu Ava MacEwan—Sarah & Matt MacEwan Amara Mahoney—Yumeng & Shawn Mahoney Lucy McKean—Melanie & Chris McKean Caleb Panneri—Melika & Nick Panneri Nathan Sherwood—Nicole Deptula & Karna Sherwood Yusuf Siddiqui—Shaista & Sameer Siddiqui Benjamin Traube—Jessica Liss & Steve Traube
Junior Kindergarten Brooklyn Coleman—Brittany Anderson Ella Connon—Shelley Porter & Michael Connon Joey Esposito—Kelly Coulson Esposito & Joe Esposito Kate Gray—Molly & Peter Gray Luke Hohenberg & Finn Hohenberg—Mary & Brad Hohenberg Meera Jones—Seneca Jones Victoria Reed-Roberson—Dawn Reed & Victor Roberson Harper Scaggs—Katie & Mike Scaggs Senior Kindergarten Everett Feldmeir—Elizabeth & Chris Feldmeir Will Fendler—Susy Stark & Paul Fendler Oscar Scully—Kristin & Ben Scully Celia Swiston—Rachel Shoup & Michael Swiston
First Grade Shawn Li—Samson Li & Stacey Lai Makyiah Pullum—Nicole Ditch Danny Roth—Lori & Bruce Roth Charlie Schanbusch—Adriana & Neil Schanbusch Second Grade Hassan Aslam—Romila & Naeem Aslam Safiya Siddiqui—Shaista & Sameer Siddiqui Third Grade Moxie Doctor—Dahven White & Allan Doctor Adithya Suresh—Rama Suresh & Suresh Narayanam Fourth Grade Yun Nam—Heejin Lee & Jihyun Nam Sophia Park—Mary Tricamo Park & Ben Park Alexander Zhang—Jieun & Peter Zhang Fifth Grade Landis Bingham—Monique & Galen Bingham Joey Roth—Lori & Bruce Roth
2
The Wilson Word
September 13, 2013
Welcome Back From The Parents’ Association By PA President Mary McKown
y name is Mary McKown and as President of the Parents’ Association, I join the rest of the parent community as we embark on an exciting year of Wilson's Second Century of Excellence. The beginning of the school year always brings a great deal of enthusiasm and renewed vigor for tremendous possibilities of growth and new experiences. Returning families and new families come together for the first time. Involvement in the Parents’ Association is a wonderful way to support the school, get to know the students, and meet some of the fabulous parents who are part of the community. This fall, as in the past, the Parents’ Association will sponsor a few familiar and beloved activities as well as some new ones. Up first is our fund raising project through Innisbrook. Proceeds from this sale are vital to the activities of the PA. Later this month, you will have an opportunity to purchase books through a Scholastic Book Fair held in our gym. Cosmic Bowl is always a huge hit with the kids and parents alike. This year, for the first time, we will host a Wilson Day at the Rams. The support that the school receives from the parent community is truly remarkable. Thank you, thank you, thank you. I strongly encourage new families to participate in these activities and join in on the fun! And finally, I want to invite all parents to attend the Fall Parents Association Meeting on September 18. You will have the opportunity to meet the members of the PA leadership, hear more about volunteer opportunities, and learn about the vital function of the Board of Trustees.
M
Save the Date for Aprés Ski! t won’t be long before these warm, sunny days are but a happy memory. Never fear, though, we have the perfect remedy for those upcoming winter blues: Come out of the bracing cold into the cheery warmth of Wilson’s 31st annual Thistle Auction, Aprés Ski! The Aprés Ski Thistle Auction will be held on Saturday, January 25, 2014, at the Palladium St. Louis. The Auction is Wilson’s premier social and fundraising event and is not to be missed! Watch for upcoming “Snow Reports” for important details about this much-anticipated evening. To get started, mark these deadlines on your calendar:
I
November 15: Advertising and Procurement Deadlines January 6: Reservation Deadline Questions? Contact Lisa Christenson (ltchristenson@gmail.com) or Linda Noel (auction@wilsonschool.com).
See you on the slopes!
3
The Wilson Word
September 13, 2013
Exciting Transitions in JK By JK Teachers Fritz Fahrenkamp and Amy Wilson
ransitioning to Junior Kindergarten can be exciting, scary, fun, tiring and intellectually stimulating. We’ve experienced all of these and more during the first weeks of school. Children are making new friends, learning about each other and the routines in the classroom. Much time is spent on practicing routines and procedures as children learn how to move through the morning center chart. Our literacy/math center time focuses on pre-reading, pre-writing and math skills as well as interpersonal skills, problem solving, and discovery. We have taught how to use the center chart slowly so the children can get the most out of each center. They go to the centers in color teams and begin with one of these star centers: writing center (exploring a variety of writing utensils to write lines, letters and words), journal center (drawing pictures and describing what they drew), bookmaking center (drawing pictures in a two-page book and dictating a story with a beginning, middle and end), and math center (we are working on matching numeral to quantity). Once the student has gone to his/her star center for the day, s/he will go to the second center of the day. The additional centers JK students have learned so far are: science (exploring magnets, using problem solving skills and discovery to see what is magnetic and what isn’t magnetic in the room), game center (using interpersonal skills to learn how to take turns when playing a game and working cooperatively on puzzles), ABC center (taking turns, working together and to identify letters), and fine motor center (building fine motor strength while working cooperatively, practicing eye-hand coordination and spatial reasoning as they use lacing cards). We are so proud of our 4-5 year olds and how quickly they have learned how to use the center chart and what is expected in each center. Our beginning of the year theme is: “All About Me, Family and Friendship.” We’ve read many picture books and poems on friendship, family and homes. After reading the book, Shelter, the JK students drew their own homes, which are now hanging up in our classroom. A favorite homework assignment is our family “people.” Each student is given cut out “people” for each member of her/his family. They take them home and each family member decorates her/his cut out depicting her/his interests. Once the “people” come in, each JK student shares them with the class and we hang them up for all to see! We used the mimeo to create a graph showing how many letters were in our name. Another important part of JK is socialization. JK children are making new friends and learning how to work their problems out with the Peace Table. The start of the JK year has been busy and exciting. We are learning many new things and exploring a variety of activities in the classroom and on the playground.
T
4
The Wilson Word
September 13, 2013
Nobody Makes Cookies Like Grandma! By 2nd Grade Teachers Miguel Figueras and Maureen Zeman
id you know that “Nobody makes cookies like Grandma?” This was one of our favorite lines in our class presentation, The Doorbell Rang. This year, for the first time, we presented the play in Wilson’s new Innovation Room. We began our second grade experience with a lively presentation of this story. The acting was fantastic, and everyone remembered their lines. It was fun to see each child on the large screen, in various places in The Wilson School, describing the part that they had in the play. After the final bow, those attending the presentation enjoyed homemade chocolate chip cookies from “grandma” to help them to remember their experience. It was a great way to start the new school year. Playing the games “Salute,” “High-low”, and “Around the World,” has been an exciting way to learn addition facts in second grade. Students look forward to these, as well as many other fun centers as we study facts and concepts in math. Our Wednesday challenges include mental math. Here is a problem that second graders can do in their head: 20 + 17 + 3 + 60 -1=? Do you know the answer? It will appear at the end of the article. We have been very busy writing this year. We have been writing in our journals daily, and working on our handwriting. We have also learned editing skills, and are about to begin our unit on Memoirs. This unit ties in well with Grandparent’s Day at Wilson which we’re looking forward to in November. In addition to writing personal responses of our literature books, we have been learning to write paragraphs using a graphic organizer. Finally, second graders have enjoyed meeting and writing to our class pet named Elvis. Come by second grade and meet him. As you walk in the door, you can greet him. He is usually sleeping, but sometimes finds time to write letters to students. Letters can be found anywhere, and when you least expect it. Sometimes he is too tired to write, but please forgive him. After all no one is “purr-fect.”(Did you know the answer was 99?)
D
5
The Wilson Word
September 13, 2013
Goal Setting in 5th Grade By 5th Grade Teachers Laurie Finkenkeller and Kevin McGinnis
Cat: Where are you going? Alice: Which way should I go? Cat: That depends on where you are going. Alice: I don’t know. Cat: Then it doesn’t matter which way you go. ― Louis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland
n Fifth Grade, we believe the students need to know where they are going over the course of the year. In order to find a clear path, the students set personal goals the first week of school. According to Hom and Murphy, a “growing body of research indicates that when students are working on goals they themselves have set, they are more motivated and efficient, and they achieve more than they do when working on goals that have been set by the teacher” (Hom and Murphy, 1983, p. 104.) This is the reason that we had the students set their own goals. We did want to help our students with setting goals, so on the first Friday, we talked about The Seven Performance Character Traits being used at the Riverdale Country School, looked at an excerpt from the book, I Can’t Accept Not Trying: Michael Jordan on the Pursuit of Excellence written by Michael Jordan, watched the movie, Mad, Hot Ballroom and wrote our own personal goals. We gave the students a list of The Seven Performance Character Traits. The traits include zest, self-control (school work & interpersonal), gratitude, curiosity, optimism, grit, and social intelligence. We had a class discussion on what each of these traits mean, and what they might look like in action. We asked the students to look for any of these character traits in the people on the various teams in the movie, Mad, Hot Ballroom, and notice how these traits helped them to pursue their goal of getting to the finals in the ballroom competition. We also looked at an excerpt from the book, I Can’t Accept Not Trying: Michael Jordan on the Pursuit of Excellence written by Michael Jordan where he states, “I approach everything step by step... I can’t see any other way of accomplishing anything.” We asked the students to notice the steps the students in the movie used to pursue their goal as well. At the conclusion of the movie, we discussed what we noticed about the traits and the steps that helped the seven teams reach the finals. We noticed that the students on the teams set the long-term goal of getting into the finals, but took a series of steps to achieve their goals. After this discussion, we asked each student to set a goal using one of the character traits as their guide. We gave them a personal goal sheet and asked them to write their goal on it, including the plan of action they were willing to try in order to reach their goal. Each week, we will discuss how they are doing on their chosen goal. Here are a few examples of the goals the students set:
I
I plan to have self-control by being polite to others. I want to have a little more zest by participating more in class. I want to show more self-control in my schoolwork by being organized. I want to show grit by working hard to write better sentences. Now that the Fifth Graders have a direction, unlike Alice, they will know which way to go in order to reach their destination.
6
The Wilson Word
September 13, 2013
Technology Classes Are Off To A Great Start! By Technology Teacher Melika Panneri
irst grade is the first year Wilson students visit the lab for formal instruction. We read the book, Arthur’s Computer Disaster, and discussed the proper care of all of our equipment in the lab. To compliment the first grade animal unit the students will use KidPix to draw the proper habitat of their animals. This information is gathered by searching online together and by visiting the zoo. After reading through the information together, and taking a good look at animal photographs online, the students add a drawing of their animals to their habitat drawings. Their work will be printed and added to the wonderful collection of information they gather in first grade. Second graders are learning all about the different parts of a computer. We are learning what each part is called and its purpose. We played a game called Guess Who? where students had computer parts pinned to the back of their shirts. They had to ask only yes/no questions to figure out who they were. It was a blast! Soon, second graders will start learning how to do some beginning computer programming on the iPads. Third graders have done a lot in a short time during technology class. They gathered and recorded information about themselves in the third grade classroom. In technology class we used this information they shared about themselves to create a guessing game. The students all took profile pictures of each other. They used photo-editing tools to create silhouettes of themselves. They then added clues about themselves, so others could make an educated guess about the picture. Fourth grade students are currently working on a Media Literacy Unit that focuses on advertising. We discussed the main questions you should ask yourself when looking at an advertisement. Who is responsible for the ad? What does the ad say or suggest? What is the ad trying to get you to buy, do, or think? We also explored the world of ad targeting and targeting techniques. We are using some of these techniques to create our own advertisements for Wilson’s upcoming Cardboard Challenge. Be on the lookout for the ads all around Wilson soon. Fifth grade has worked hard to become proficient at touch typing. We use a program that first tests each student and then places him or her in the correct level of typing courses. Each visit to the lab builds on the previous day’s typing skills. Becoming a proficient touch typist will help the students tremendously in our 5th and 6th grade program. It is hard work to type without looking down at the keys, but our fifth graders are doing a phenomenal job. We have keyboard covers called Speedskins that students use when typing so they cannot see the keys. Most students have admitted the Speedskins have helped them become better at typing. Sixth graders have just begun to learn the ins and outs of Microsoft Excel. During their time in sixth grade math class they created questions and surveyed their classmates. This data was used in technology class to create all types of graphs and charts. They also learned first-hand how important it is to label everything properly when creating their charts and graphs. The last step of this project is for each student to create questions that will be posed to their classmates. The students must use the data represented in the charts and graphs to answer the questions.
F
7
The Wilson Word
September 13, 2013
Art Exploration at Wilson By Art Teachers Diane Signor (PK-1st Grade) and Mary Beth Tipton (2nd-6th Grade)
he main art theme for the 2013-2014 school year is Recycled Art. We will be focusing on six artists; Marcel Duchamp, Louise Nevelson, Joseph Cornell, Howard Finster, Judy Onofrio and Betye Saar. Each of these fascinating artists has a very distinct style and technique using recycled materials. We shall be exploring these artists periodically throughout the school year. Our theme was inspired by Wilson’s participation in the Imagination Foundation’s Cardboard Challenge. The Cardboard Challenge inspires students to use recycled cardboard and other materials in a number of creative ways. While the challenge is not limited to art, students are experiencing ways that many artists prefer recycled or “found” materials. Our Visiting Artist Program for 2013-2014 is a collaboration with COCA (Center of Creative Arts). One of their resident teachers/artists, Maria Ojascastro, will be working with all Wilson students for a week during the second semester. Maria uses recycled materials in her art. She creates mixed media works on paper and canvas. Her collages combine oil stick, pastel, pencil, acrylic paint, fabric, found objects, books and prints. Other aspects of the art program include the elements of art (color, space line, form, texture) and the principles of design (movement, balance, repetition, contrast, unity). The three facets of art (art production, art history and art aesthetics) are also emphasized. Recently, Pre-Kindergarten through First Grade have been printing with found objects, such as spools, cardboard pieces, wood scraps and various cups. With the various marks the objects created, students were able to make interesting designs. Second through Sixth Grade are creating prints using the collagraph technique. A collagraph is produced from a collage of pieces (in our case cardboard) glued to a cardboard plate, ink or paint is applied to the plate and the plate is ready for printing. Paper is placed on top of the inked plate and pressure applied with a tool or flat hands. The results are rich in a variety of textures. Students can achieve many effects from just one collagraph plate. We are extremely excited about our upcoming year of recycled art!
T
8
The Wilson Word
September 13, 2013
What’s New and Happening in the Wilson Library By Resource Teacher Pam Comello
ilson Library has a new library catalog system! Follett Destiny is available online. Students and their families can search from home to see what is available in our Library at school and coming soon, they can even add their own review of a book. Here’s how to access it: 1. Go to: wilsonschool.follettdestiny.com 2. Select Wilson School 3. Coming Soon – Students will have ability to login with their own profile. For now, access the site as a guest. In the weeks ahead, we will be receiving more bookshelves to add over 700 non-fiction books to replace those we lost. New tables for iPads will be added to the Library classroom for searching the Destiny catalog. Parents interested in volunteering in the Library may contact Pam Comello, Librarian (pcomello@wilsonschool.com). We can always use your help. Here’s what we’ve been up to in Library this month: Pre- Kindergarten students got acquainted with the Library classroom through movement and singing game activities played on the rug in between listening to stories. We read If You Take a Mouse to School by Laura Numeroff and From Head to Toe by famous author/illustrator Eric Carle as well as favorite classic nursery rhymes we know and love from Mother Goose by Mary Engelbreit. Junior Kindergarten is learning about each other and Wilson School. We’ve heard favorite classic stories like Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What do you See by Bill Martin and NO, David by David Shannon. We played the rhyming game, “Who Stole the Cookies from the Cookie Jar” to familiarize ourselves (and Mrs. Comello!) with our classmates names while slapping thighs and clapping our hands together in rhythm, naming each child in the class. We found out several times that “Teddy,” the oversized stuffed bear in the corner, got blamed for “taking and eating all the cookies!” Senior Kindergarten has reviewed school and classroom rules and rules to remember for being in the library. We’ve talked about some of the challenges of being five and read I’m Gonna Like Me; Letting Off a Little Self-Esteem and It’s Hard to Be Five by Jamie Lee Curtis. First Grade practiced patterns in a girl-boy-girl pattern on the rug when sitting for Library class. We talked about our summer vacations and brainstormed topic categories. We heard the story How I Spent My Summer Vacation by Mark Teague and students made storyboards showing four different things they did this summer. Second Grade has been creating stories when given a topic/title. The three titles to choose to write a story about were: The Best School Day Ever, Getting Ready For a School Day, or My First-Day Feelings. Third Grade was introduced to the Caldecott Medal award and read the 1943 winner, The Little House by Virginia Burton. We discussed how the illustrations went with the story, and the art medium used to make the pictures. Students chose a favorite page in the book to copy. Fourth Grade read a non-fiction book about the history of Labor Day. We reviewed the order of how Fiction books are arranged on the shelves. Fifth Grade reviewed what they remember about identifying Fiction versus Non-Fiction books. We’ve played games to explain whether a book is a Biography, Fiction or Non-Fiction and to correctly name Fiction book titles and authors identified by the spine label. Sixth Graders reviewed the different genre areas where different collections are located. Students checked out books finding a fiction book at their reading level and a non-fiction book about something they are interested in learning more about.
W
9
The Wilson Word
September 13, 2013
Wilson Welcomes New Staff Jeannette Thompson Director of Marketing eannette, a current Wilson parent (Caleb in 5th grade), joins the Wilson team as director of marketing, a new role in the administrative staff. A native of St. Louis and former Wilson School camper, Jeannette has more than 20 years of experience serving the for-profit and not-for-profit sectors as both a consultant and in-house communications professional at FleishmanHillard, HOK Inc. and her own company, CoLab STL. At HOK she served as Vice President on a leadership team where she focused on strategic communications, internal collaboration and talent development. Jeannette is a passionate community volunteer and advocate, organizing community events and serving as a garden leader for a school learning garden. She is thrilled to be in this role at Wilson, which she sees as the perfect intersection between personal interests and professional expertise.
J
Lauren McDonell 1st Grade ilson welcomes Lauren to 1st grade, where she will be co-teaching with Penny Jo Lyles for the year as Rachel Dixon is out for maternity leave. Lauren moved to St. Louis this summer with her fiancĂŠ, Eric Cappell. A California native, Lauren grew up in Carlsbad, Ca., with her two parents, Lynda and Pat, and older sister, Megan. Lauren earned her Bachelors of Science in Liberal Studies with an emphasis in Child Development at California Polytechnic in San Luis Obispo, Ca. This is her seventh year as a teacher, having taught 1st grade for two years and 3rd grade for four years at Discovery Elementary School in the San Marcos Unified School District. In her free time, she enjoys running and swimming and is currently training for the St. Louis half marathon. On the weekends, she and Eric spend time exploring their new neighborhood, trying new restaurants, and visiting family. Lauren has jumped right into the swing of life at Wilson as if she has always been here and has loved every minute!
W
10
The Wilson Word
September 13, 2013
Calendar of Events Sept. 17 Sept. 18 Sept. 23 Sept. 25 Sept. 27 Sept. 30
Board of Trustees Meeting Fall PA Meeting Primary Grades (1st, 2nd, 3rd) Parent Cocktail Party Assembly – BBC & Theme Launch Cosmic Bowl Upper Grades (4th, 5th, 6th) Parent Cocktail Party
Oct. 5 Oct. 9 Oct. 11 Oct. 15 Oct. 19 Oct. 23 Oct. 31 Oct. 31
Wilson School’s Cardboard Challenge Pumpkin Sale Begins No School – Parent Teacher Conferences Board of Trustees Meeting Trivia Night Assembly – BBC Morning Coffee for Parents Halloween Assembly & Parade
Nov. 3 Nov. 7 & 8 Nov. 9
Wilson Day at the Rams No School – Faculty Professional Days Public Open House
Check the Wilson School website for more dates and details:
www.wilsonschool.com
11