Westford School News
I hope this month's newsletter finds you well. I'm excited to report that our first weeks of school are going very well. All students were amazing during our September safety drill, which was a great opportunity to practice the structure and routines we have been teaching across school settings. It is clear students are benefiting from routines and connecting with school adults. We begin each year focusing on relationships and teaching expectations as well assessing students in the areas of literacy, math and social and emotional skills to inform our planning and tailor our instruction.
Thank you to the PTO for bringing 802 Reptiles to Westford School on Friday, September 29th. This is sure to be an exciting learning experience for our students. And, a special thank you for making the front of our school so welcoming and inviting by increasing the beauty of the front garden.
I look forward to seeing you at Open House on Thursday, October 5th, 6:00pm-7:00pm. Also, please mark your calendars for conferences. The conference window begins the week of October 30th and includes conferences all day on Friday, November 3rd.
Sincerely,
Marcie Lewis, Principal
Most families are aware and very supportive that we do not assign general homework to students. This is based on educational research which shows a general lack of effectiveness of homework to increase learning at this age. We have also seen the benefits of this practice not just in the research, but in our teaching of Westford students. We do ask families to support all students in reading independently at home and math fact fluency. Countless researchers have found that one of the best predictors of reading achievement is the amount of time a child spends reading, so it's important that children have well-rounded reading lives at home and at school. One becomes a better reader by practicing, just as it is when learning a sport or an instrument, for example. Teachers are coaching students on how to choose books for home and school. Books that they can read with few errors (aim for 97% accuracy or above) while maintaining a “mental movie” that keeps them engaged with plot events and characters’ struggles are most appropriate. Along with our school and town librarians, we support students and families in finding books that students are interested in reading and will allow them to best practice their reading strategies to become stronger, more confident readers. Creating and maintaining reading expectations at school and home is a great example of a positive school and family partnership. Thank you for this powerful partnership. Please reach out if you need support finding just right books or if we need to make an individual plan for your child.
EWSD
Email: mlewis@ewsd.org
Website: https://www.ewsd.org/WES
Location: 146 Brookside Rd, Westford, VT 05494
Phone: 802-878-5932
Twitter: @westfordwonders
