Happy Summer Chestnut Street Families,

As we near the end of the school year, let me first thank you for your continued support of our school community! Summer vacation is a great time to refresh our bodies for another school year. During these weeks, we take the time to reflect on the year and perhaps set goals for the months ahead. Give careful consideration to your child's observations and hypotheses. Remember that so much of what your child shares is about attitude and behaviors. Take time to celebrate the successes of this year and talk about overcoming the obstacles.

The number one most important thing parents can do with their children over the summer is to read! Reading books over break helps them work on fluency, decoding, comprehension, sight words, and everything they learned throughout this year. Encourage math and problem solving by reinforcing mathematics and sharing your thinking as you work through real problems, especially if it takes some time and effort to find a solution.

Please check out the West Hempstead's Public Library for summer programming at https://www.whplibrary.org/childrens-room/

Let’s finish the race strong! Giving and doing our best until the very last day!

#WHe are always here to help!

Dr. Lisa Minicozzi

6/24: Full Day

6/25: Elementary Half Day, Chestnut Street, 8:40-11:30

6/26: Elementary Last Day, Chestnut Street, 8:40-9:30

• If your child will be absent, please call Nurse Angela before 8:30 AM at 516-390-3155
• Kindly ensure your child has a full change of clothes in the classroom.
• If there will be a change in your child's afternoon transportation, please write a note or email to the teacher. For last-minute changes, please call Mrs. Ventura or Mrs. White before 2:00 PM. 516-390-3150
• Please select your child's daily lunch order on the printed menu by circling or highlighting the choices and return it to school ASAP. The link for the menus is below. Please note, at times the item listed on the menu may not be available and your child will be offered an alternative option.
• Please do not block the driveways of the homes around our school. Our neighbors have reached out to express concern about their driveways being blocked during drop-off and dismissal. Thank you for your cooperation.

If you or someone you know has a child who is eligible for PreK or Kindergarten for 2023, please call Mrs. Ventura today at 516-390-3150 to find out about our upcoming registration. We still have some remaining spots for this year open. Eligibility requirements: resident of the WHUFSD and born between 12/2/2019 and 12/1/2020.

6/4: BOE Mtg. @ 7:30 SS VCR Rm.

6/11: Chestnut Field Day

6/17: Incoming 1st Grade Parent Orientation at Cornwell Avenue School @ 9:30 am

6/18: Incoming 1st Grade Student Orientation at Cornwell Avenue (CS teachers accompany students for the visit - flyers will be sent home)

6/19: Juneteenth - SCHOOLS CLOSED

6/20: Chestnut Moving Up Day (flyers will be sent home)

The Habits of Mind are an identified set of 16 problem solving, life related skills, which contribute to creating a healthier learning environment. The habits are cross-curricular and applied throughout the West Hempstead UFSD, in all grades and levels. Currently in kindergarten, we are focusing on listening with understanding & empathy.

This Habit of Mind is important for students to understand because it helps students recognize the importance of listening. We want students to learn to devote their mental energies to another person and to invest themselves in their partner’s ideas. We want students to learn to listen to and entertain another person’s thoughts. This is a complex skill requiring the ability to monitor one’s own thoughts while at the same time attending to a partner’s words. Listening in this way does not mean we can’t disagree with someone. Good listeners try to understand what other people are saying. In the end, they may still disagree, but because they have truly listened, they know exactly the nature of the disagreement. Check out the video below to learn more about this Habit of Mind and ask your kindergartner(s) about how they are growing this skill.

Questions to Spark Conversation with your kindergartner(s):

• What are some good listening skills? Why should we listen to each other?
• What does it mean to empathize with someone?
• How can we make someone feel better if they are angry or upset?

Thank you for a helping us to make this a productive, joyful and memorable year!

We will miss your children and wish them well as they race into 1st Grade!