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West Hempstead Weekly Update
January 30 2023
Taking Responsible Risks
"“There is a time for daring and a time for caution, and a wise man knows which is called for.”
John Keating, Teacher in Dead Poet’s Society
So, the challenge, as John Keating puts it, is how do we become wiser? When we consider how to know if a risk is a ‘responsible’ risk, we need to know how our brain operates as it is making such decisions.
As a teenager, no doubt you are aware that your body is going through many obvious physical changes. Less obvious are the vital changes taking place inside your brain that is in transition from childhood to adulthood. The brain is the organ that controls— or tries to control— your body’s activities. Your brain is still developing and not yet fully mature.
In fact, some parts of the brain— such as the prefrontal cortex (PFC) that sits right behind your eyes— do not fully mature until you are about 24 years old! Other parts of the brain, like the walnut-shaped amygdala (AMG) that sits deep in the brain, mature much earlier.
The prefrontal cortex plays an important role in regulating your mood, attention, impulse control, and the ability to think abstractly— which includes both the ability to plan ahead and see the consequences of your behaviour. The amygdala plays a role in emotion, aggression, and instinctual, almost reflexive responses.
Many neuroscientists think that this mismatch in brain maturity may explain a lot of adolescent behaviour. The AMG matures sooner than the PFC causing a mismatch which may be contributing to the emotionality and impulsivity of adolescence— a ‘normal’ part of brain development.
Because it isn’t completely mature, the PFC simply isn’t working as fast as it will when it matures. That difference can have tragic consequences. In the heat of the moment, the relatively more developed AMG screams ‘just do it’ before the PFC knows what happened. As you mature, your risks become more educated. You draw on past knowledge, are thoughtful about consequences and have a well-trained sense of what is appropriate. You know that all risks are not worth taking!"
- https://www.habitsofmindinstitute.org/taking-responsible-risks/
Congratulations & Good Luck in Your Future Endeavors
K-6 Families - Report Cards Will Be Sent Home on Friday, February 3
Grades 7-12 Families - Quarter 2 Report Cards Are Now Viewable
Scenes From Around The District - Black History Month
Students use Padlet to choose from various important black figures to recognize and celebrate Black History Month. The 6th grade ENL stand-alone students are researching leaders from the Civil Rights Movement. As students practice listening, reading, and writing, they discuss important central ideas and takeaways. Students will share about each figure in the morning announcements. Students in Mrs. Reetz's class chose famous Black Americans to highlight their successes and accomplishments. While doing so, they are practicing their nonfiction reading skills. Students will share about each figure using a Canva presentation.
West Hempstead Staff
Professional Development Survey
Curriculum Writing
Secondary School
Thank you, HempsteadWorks
PreK
"Your preschooler's language skills develop when she has lots of opportunities to listen to and speak with others. Teachers talk with children throughout the day—while they play, at group times, and one-to-one. They encourage children to share information, ideas, and feelings with each other.
Teachers support children's language skills by
- Using your child's interests to introduce new words and concepts
- Encouraging your child to use longer, more detailed sentences by adding to what he says in conversation
- Asking questions that encourage thinking and require more than a yes-or-no answer
- Using rich vocabulary—unusual or difficult words that are new to children
- Labeling shelves and bins in English and other languages children speak
Early reading. Most preschoolers learn to understand what reading is for and what rhyming sounds are. They listen to and talk about stories. Many preschoolers can read their own names and some simple words.
Teachers help preschoolers develop early reading skills by
- Talking about the story's characters, setting, and plot, and connecting stories to what's going on in school or at home
- Providing materials for children's play that encourage writing or show examples of writing
- Helping children hear the differences in sounds and understand that letters stand for sounds
- Playing rhyming games, singing songs, and reading books with fun language
- Pointing out letters and words in books and other places
- Helping children learn the alphabet
Early writing. Children's writing begins as scribbles and becomes shapes that look like letters. Over time, their shapes look more like actual letters, and they write words using their own spelling.
Teachers support children's writing development by
- Giving children different kinds of paper and writing tools, like crayons, markers, and pencils
- Encouraging children to write as part of their everyday activities
- Showing children how writing works as they write down children's words about their creations or a story they make up
- Encouraging children to spell words based on what they hear and what letters and sounds they know
Math. Children explore math concepts they will use later in school. For example, your child sorts materials in the makerspace area into things he can build with and things he can decorate with (classifying). He explores shapes and textures while making art (comparing, understanding attributes). He claps out the beats to a song (counting).
Teachers encourage math learning by
- Providing materials—blocks, buttons, acorns—to count, sort, compare, and make patterns
- Talking about math and pointing out numbers when children play, during snack time, and while exploring outside
- Asking your child to explain what she noticed or how she solved a problem
- Encouraging children to measure and compare objects
- Providing tools for children to record data
Science. Most preschoolers ask a lot of questions about the world. Teachers encourage children to be curious, make discoveries, and think scientifically. Children observe, ask questions, and predict what might happen. Then they experiment and explain what they've found out.
Teachers support science learning by
- Setting out materials for children to experiment with
- Researching topics with children by reading books, looking up information online, taking field trips, and having experts visit the class
- Asking your child to think about what is happening and why
- Using new science words many times and in different situations
- Encouraging children to record and share their learning
Social studies. As children learn to get along, make friends, and help with decisions, they are learning social studies. In preschool, your child also learns about himself and how he fits into his family, his class, and his community. Social studies also includes learning about the languages and cultures of other children in the class. Your child's teacher might ask if you want to share recipes, music, and traditions that your family enjoys.
Creative arts. Children express their feelings and ideas in unique ways. It could be through painting, dancing, and pretending. But creativity supports every area of learning and can be expressed in many ways, from writing stories to figuring out how to keep the snow in the water table from melting so fast. Teachers design an environment that supports your preschooler's creative abilities, and they provide a variety of open-ended materials (playdough, seashells, chalk) to challenge your child's ability to create."
For more, please visit: https://www.naeyc.org/our-work/families/what-do-children-learn-preschool-program
UPK Lottery Completed 1/11/23 - Seats Still Available - Registration is Underway
Transportation Requests Are Due By April 1
As per New York State Law, transportation applications to non-public schools must be filled out and submitted to the district on or before April 1st.
To streamline the process, we will no longer be mailing paper applications to each household.
Parents/Guardians are urged to follow this link: https://www.whufsd.com/page/transportation
West Hempstead Community Scholarship Fund
The WHCSF scholarship application is now available. Please see their letter below.
Dear Parents,
Attached is the 2023 West Hempstead Community Scholarship (WHCSF) Application.
We are proud of our involvement with the students who live in West Hempstead, and along with you, hope to ensure a bright future for your child. College can open the door to so much growth and potential but costs at times, can be prohibitive. Our goal is to make a difference by awarding several scholarships in the amount of $2,500 per student.
If you or your child have any questions with regard to our organization or scholarships, you can contact me at 516-483-7627 or by emailing to whcommynityscholarshipfund@gmail.com
Sincerely,
Eileen Fennell, Chair
Maria Bhola,Co-Chair
WHCSF Selection Committee
PTA Happenings
Upcoming Events
2/7 7:30 pm BOE Policy Meeting - SS VCR
2/11 ACT Exam
2/11 March SAT Registration Deadline
2/13 - 2/17 Kindergarten Registration
2/14 7:30 pm BOE Meeting - SS VCR
2/17 Quiz Bowl - SS
2/20 - 2/24 School Closed
About Us
Email: drehman@whufsd.com
Website: www.whufsd.com
Location: 252 Chestnut Street, West Hempstead, NY, USA
Phone: 516-390-3000
Facebook: www.facebook.com/WhufsdRams
Twitter: @WhufsdRams