GLW September Newsletter
Discover What is Happening at GLW
Greetings GLW Families!
October is here and what a great start to the school year it has been at Gordon L. Willson Elementary! Our students and staff have spent the past several weeks building routines, getting to know one another, and settling into the important work of learning. It has been wonderful to see our Wildcats beginning to find their place and grow as a school community.
We have officially completed our fall assessments, giving our teachers valuable information about where students are in their learning and how we can best support their continued growth. While assessments are one piece of the picture, they help us understand student strengths, identify areas for growth, and make thoughtful decisions about instruction and support. Our teachers will continue using this information throughout the year to ensure that every student is challenged, supported, and given opportunities to grow.
As we begin October, we will hold our first GLW Family Assembly on Monday! This will be a wonderful opportunity for us to come together as one school community and celebrate our students. We will recognize our Students of the Month, highlighting students who have demonstrated responsibility and are making a positive difference in our school. This will also be our first opportunity to gather together as a school family, celebrate the beginning of our year together, and create some special memories in our GLW Family groups.
Our October character trait is Self-Control. We will be taking time throughout the month to engage in learning with our students about what it means to pause, make thoughtful choices, manage our emotions, listen to others, and consider how our actions affect those around us. These skills take practice, and our students are learning and growing every day. We look forward to seeing our Wildcats put self-control into action throughout our school community!
One of my favorite parts of being a principal is seeing the small moments that make a school special—a student helping a classmate, a teacher working individually with a student who is struggling so they feel seen and heard, a fifth grader welcoming and helping our 4K students into the building every morning, or a student showing perseverance when something doesn’t come easily. Those moments matter. I continually remind our staff that every moment matters because it is in these small moments that students feel seen, supported, valued, and connected.
Thank you for your continued partnership and support! We are building something special together at GLW, and I am grateful for the opportunity to be part of this community. I look forward to celebrating our students, their accomplishments, and the many ways they continue to Be Respectful, Be Responsible, and Be Safe.
Here’s to a wonderful October!
Colleen Pariso
Principal, Gordon L. Willson Elementary
