Wisdom Weekly

Setting goals is an important part of helping children grow both academically and personally. Goals give children something to work toward, help them develop responsibility, and teach them that small, consistent steps can lead to success. As we begin the month of October, we are setting a school-wide goal that will help every student start the day ready to learn: arriving at school on time, by 8:00 a.m.

While many of our students arrive on time each morning, we continue to see a number of students consistently arriving after 8:00 a.m. Punctuality is more than just being in the building on time. It allows children to settle into their classrooms, prepare for the day's learning, participate in morning routines, and begin their day feeling calm and confident. When students arrive late, they may miss important instructions, morning activities, and valuable learning time. Consistent tardiness can also make it more difficult for children to establish positive habits that will benefit them throughout their lives.

How can you help your child reach this goal?

• Establish a consistent bedtime. A good night's sleep helps children wake up refreshed and ready for the day.

• Prepare the night before. Have uniforms, backpacks, homework, and lunches ready to go before bedtime.

• Set an earlier morning alarm. Build in extra time for breakfast, getting dressed, and unexpected delays.

• Create a morning routine. A predictable schedule helps children understand what needs to be done and when.

• Plan to arrive a few minutes early. Allowing extra time for traffic, parking, and drop-off can make mornings less stressful. Early morning drop off is available as early as 7:00am in Father Smith Hall.

• Talk about the importance of punctuality. Help your child understand that being on time shows responsibility, respect for others, and readiness to learn.

• Celebrate progress! Recognize your child's efforts and consistency as they work toward meeting this goal.

As parents and educators, we share the responsibility of helping our children develop habits that will support their success. Working together, we can make punctuality a priority and ensure that every child has the best possible start to the school day.

Let us make October a month of positive habits, personal responsibility, and goal achievement! Thank you for your continued partnership and support in helping our students arrive ready to learn by 8:00 a.m. each day.

Warmly,

Miriam Bonici

Our eighth-grade students participated in a meaningful leadership development retreat with Dr. Prince entitled “Who Am I Becoming?” This experience provided students with an opportunity to pause, reflect, and think intentionally about the people they want to become as they prepare for the next chapter of their educational journey.

Throughout the retreat, students engaged in introspective activities that encouraged them to consider who they want to be academically, spiritually, and socially. They explored the importance of personal growth, self-awareness, and the choices they make each day that help shape their character and future.

Students also worked collaboratively in groups to discuss the meaning of belonging and what it looks and feels like to be part of a supportive community. One of their challenges involved building a tower using only paper clips, paper, and pipe cleaners. While this may have seemed like a simple activity, it carried an important message about leadership and teamwork. Students had to listen to one another, consider everyone's ideas, work through challenges, and be willing to pivot when their original plans did not work. The activity reinforced that successful leadership is not about having all the answers, but about being open to different perspectives, learning from setbacks, and working together toward a common goal.

At Divine Wisdom Catholic Academy, we believe that preparing our eighth graders for high school involves much more than academic readiness. It also means helping them develop the confidence, resilience, faith, and interpersonal skills they will need to navigate new experiences and relationships. This retreat is one of many opportunities we hope to provide throughout the year to encourage our students to reflect on their values, recognize their strengths, and take ownership of the individuals they are becoming.

As our eighth graders approach this exciting transition, we want them to understand that leadership begins with knowing yourself, respecting others, and making choices that positively impact the community around you.

We look forward to continuing to support our students as they grow into thoughtful, compassionate, and confident young adults who are ready to embrace the opportunities and challenges of high school.

How does i-Ready work with what my child is learning in the classroom?

i-Ready is designed to complement what is being taught in the classroom. Your child's teacher will have information from the Diagnostic that shows where some extra review would be beneficial, which will help the teacher provide the best possible support. Your child will also work on online lessons that bolster the areas of greatest need. Your child's teacher can see which lessons have been completed and offer help any time your student needs extra support.

How can I support my child's learning?

1. Speak with your child about using I-Ready to help them prepare for classwork. Also explain that I-Ready will show teachers where your student is doing well and which topics need some more review.

2. Encourage your child to take each lesson and quiz question seriously. Emphasize "thinking before clicking" because just clicking through will not give teachers an accurate report of what your student knows and is able to do.

3. Encourage your child to use the tools that will appear at the bottom of the screen in some lessons.

"We may have different religions, different languages, different colored skin, but we all belong to one human race" Kofi Annan

The DWCA Celebrates Diversity~ September 15- October 15 is Hispanic Heritage Month.

We welcome students of Hispanic Heritage to share about their culture during morning announcements. Students interested in sharing should email to schedule. dwisdom@dwcaonline.org

This month, the Academy is proud to celebrate Italian Heritage Month! It is a wonderful opportunity for our students to learn about the rich history, traditions, language, art, music, food, and contributions of Italian and Italian-American communities.

Through stories, classroom activities, and cultural celebrations, we encourage our students to appreciate the many ways different cultures and traditions enrich our school community. We look forward to learning, celebrating, and sharing together!

We welcome students of Italian heritage to share about their culture during morning announcements. Please speak to Mr. Russo or email the main office at mainoffice@dwcaonline.org.

It’s time for some Halloween fun! We are excited to announce our Annual Trunk or Treat, which will take place in our schoolyard. This is a wonderful opportunity for our school community to come together and create a fun and memorable experience for all our children.

We invite parents to participate by decorating their cars with creative Halloween themes and handing out candy to our students. We can’t wait to see the festive decorations and creativity our families bring to this special event!

Here’s how you can participate:

• Sign-Up Genius: Two spots will be available per grade for parents who would like to decorate their cars and distribute candy. Sign-up will open later this week, and a text message will be sent to families once registration is live.

• Additional Participants: If your child’s grade is already filled and you would still like to participate, please let us know. We will do our best to accommodate additional interest!

• Parent Volunteers Needed: We are looking for two parent volunteers to help organize and coordinate the event. If you are interested in volunteering, please email mainoffice@dwcaonline.org.

We are so grateful for the enthusiasm and generosity of our families. Events like Trunk or Treat help strengthen our school community and create joyful memories for our children.

Thank you in advance for helping us make this a spooktacular day for all our students! We look forward to celebrating with you!

• Paul Effman Band Program begins October 5th
• Individual pictures October 5th
• NY FDNY presentations October 6-7
• NY FDNY Smoke House Grades 3-8 October 8th
• Academy CLOSED October 9th Professional Development Day

Dear Divine Wisdom Families,

Strong communication between home and school is an essential part of creating a successful school experience for every child. When parents and teachers communicate openly and work together, we are better able to understand each child’s needs, celebrate their successes, and address concerns before they become larger challenges.

We encourage parents to reach out whenever you have a question, concern, or important information that may help us better support your child. Communication is most effective when it is timely, respectful, and focused on finding solutions together.

There are several ways to stay connected with the Academy:

• Email your child’s teacher when you have questions about classroom learning, assignments, or your child’s day-to-day experience. Your child's teacher should always be your first point of contact.
• Contact the main office when you have questions regarding school policies, attendance, schedules, procedures, or other general concerns.
• Reach out to the administration when a concern requires additional support or cannot be resolved at the classroom level.

A Quick Reference list of our Shared Email Boxes (Gmelius) is provided below, which helps ensure that messages are received, tracked, and organized. Families may still call, but email is now the preferred method of contact.

Please include your child’s name, grade, and class number when emailing.

We are always here to help!

Mrs. M. Bonici- Principal