It's hard to believe we are halfway through the 24-25 school year! Our staff eagerly welcomed back students after the winter break and are engaging our learners to ensure a strong finish to the first semester. The second semester and 3rd quarter grading period beings on Tuesday January 21, 2025. As a reminder, our preschool program will not be in session on Friday January 31, 2025.

The weather outside may be frightful but these Winter Name Activities are delightful! Follow the link below to get tips on helping your preschooler learn to spell and write their name.

In the world of early childhood education, fostering language development is one of the most essential components of a child's growth. One powerful tool that preschool educators and parents can use to help young learners develop their speech and language skills is the wordless picture book. These unique books rely on illustrations alone, encouraging children to engage their imaginations and create their own narratives.

Recently, OES and KELC Preschoolers explored the wordless picture book Wolf in the Snow by Matthew Cordell. This beautiful book tells the story of a young girl who helps a lost wolf pup find its way home in the snowy wilderness. Without a single word of text, the story unfolds entirely through stunning illustrations, making it a perfect tool for sparking conversation, storytelling, and language practice.

Storytelling Prompts

The experience began with an interactive session where we introduced the cover of Wolf in the Snow to the children. The first step was to prompt their thinking: "What do you think the story might be about based on the cover image?" As they turned each page, they were encouraged to describe the actions unfolding before them. For example, after the first page showed the girl walking alone in the snow, questions like, "What do you think she sees in the snow?" and "How do you think she feels?" prompted children to predict events and engage with the visuals in a meaningful way. This approach sparked curiosity and opened up opportunities for rich dialogue.

Building Vocabulary

As children narrated the events, new vocabulary words naturally emerged. The absence of text in the book meant that the children had to rely heavily on descriptive language. Words related to the setting, such as "snowstorm," "tracks," "howling," and "wilderness," were introduced and explored. The children also began to describe the emotions of the characters. For instance, they noted how the wolf pup might feel lost or cold and how the girl, though frightened, was determined to help. These discussions not only expanded the children’s vocabulary but also deepened their understanding of emotional language, an important skill for both social interactions and literacy.

Sequencing and Story Structure

Once the children were comfortable telling the story, the focus shifted to sequencing and understanding story structure. The teacher prompted them with questions like, "What happened first?" and "What do you think will happen next?" These questions encouraged the children to think critically about the events and their order. By piecing together the story in this way, the children developed a deeper understanding of narrative structure, an essential skill for later reading and writing activities. It also helped them practice logical thinking and enhance their memory recall as they navigated the progression of the plot.

Creating Dialogue

Although Wolf in the Snow contains no written words, the children were invited to add their own dialogue to the story. What might the girl say to the wolf? What could the wolf say in return? By filling in the gaps with their own voices, the children explored conversational language, sentence structures, and social interactions. Some children even began to imagine and articulate the emotional exchanges between the girl and the wolf, which added another layer of depth to their understanding of the characters' relationship.

Discussing Themes

The book’s underlying themes of compassion, bravery, and friendship provided a rich foundation for discussion. As the children observed the girl helping the wolf pup, the teacher prompted deeper reflective questions like, "Why do you think the girl helped the wolf?" and "How do you think the wolf feels when the girl takes him back home?" These questions not only expanded the children's critical thinking skills but also helped them articulate complex ideas and emotions. Through these conversations, the children learned to connect the story to their own experiences and began to explore moral lessons that could be applied to real-life situations.

This storytime is designed for children who may not be successful in a typical storytime experience. Content is geared toward ages 3 - 7 years, but all ages are welcome. Siblings may also attend but must register separately. To register click here.

Hello! My name is Emily Hanley, previously Emily Tezak and I’m excited to be your school psychologist! I work with students, parents, and teachers to support mental health, learning, and emotional well-being. I work to support students aged 3-22 years old. My goal is to help create a positive and supportive environment where everyone can thrive.

A little bit about me:

- Education & Credentials: I earned both my undergraduate and graduate degrees from John Carroll University.

- What I’m passionate about: I’m passionate about helping students develop healthy coping skills, build emotional resilience, and find strategies to succeed both academically and socially. I also love helping create a school culture that is inclusive, respectful, and caring for all students.

Fun Facts about Me:

• I just got married this past summer in July 2024. I was lucky enough to spend my honeymoon in Greece.

• I love traveling and when the weather is nice, finding new hiking spots! Although, I love spending time at home just relaxing. I enjoy spending time with my husband and 3 cats.

• I’m always interested in learning new strategies for personal or professional growth, e.g., supporting mental health in schools, engaging with kids creatively, etc.

• If I could have any superpower, I would choose the ability to instantly understand and solve problems or the power to make people smile.

How I can help:

• If you're feeling stressed, anxious, or upset, I’m here to talk and offer support.

• If you're a parent or teacher, I’m happy to collaborate with you to help students overcome obstacles to learning and personal growth.

• Check out the list of resources I included below for parents. The resources focus on child development and early intervention support. The earlier we can identify a possible concern and intervene the better!

Resources:

• Child Mind Institute Family Resources

• Child Development & Behavioral Health Resources

• Ohio Early Intervention

• Birth to 5: Watch Me Thrive Resources

My Office:

You can find me at Langston Middle School, and I’m always happy to chat! You can reach me at my office phone or email if you ever have any questions or need support.

I’m looking forward to working with you to make this a great year!