Woods Lake Family Weekly

Vision: Woods Lake Elementary: A Magnet Center of the Arts will educate EVERY CHILD, EVERY OPPORTUNITY, EVERY TIME!

Mission: Woods Lake Elementary: A Magnet Center of the Arts, is a place where academics and the arts create opportunies in a safe, collaborative environmnet.

Dear Families,

We hope this message finds you well. We are grateful for your partnership and the care you show for our school community. Thank you for your ongoing support in helping our students learn, grow, and feel safe each day.

Important Announcements

Fall picture retakes: Tuesday, November 11 (morning). If your child needs a retake, please send the original packet or photo order instructions with them that morning.
Hat Day: Wednesday, October 12. Students may wear hats if they bring $1.00 to their teacher on or before that day.
No school: Friday, November 14. Please plan accordingly for childcare or family time.

Please mark these dates on your calendar and take action where needed (sending money for Hat Day or photo materials for retakes).

Celebrations from the Week

Fall Parent/Teacher Conferences: Our conferences went really well! Teachers enjoyed sharing the amazing progress they’re seeing in each student and discussing plans to help every child continue to grow. Thank you to everyone who attended and helped make conferences productive.
Student recognition: This week we celebrated students who had no referrals during October by treating them to a movie and popcorn. It was a joyful, positive way to recognize great choices and effort—thank you for reinforcing these expectations at home.

Additional Information

If you missed conference time and would like to speak with your child’s teacher, please contact the school office or your child’s teacher directly to schedule a follow-up.
Reminders and any schedule changes will be posted on our school website and sent via our usual family communication channels. If your contact information has changed, please let the office know so you continue to receive updates.
We encourage families to ask questions, share celebrations, or request support—our staff is here to help.

We are grateful for your continued partnership, communication, and trust. Your involvement makes a real difference in your child’s school experience.

Thank you for your ongoing support. We look forward to working together and celebrating more successes in the weeks ahead.

Warm Regards,

Ms. Prather

We Exceeded Our Fundraising Goal!

Thank you so much for your support — I’m grateful for everything our families do to help our school community.

We are so excited to share that we exceeded our goal of $1,000. Woods Lake Wolverines were able to raise $1,453 to help support Kalamazoo Communities In Schools.

Two classrooms earned classroom parties for raising the most money. In our Kindergarten through 2nd grade classrooms, Mrs. Brown’s Kindergarten classroom won the class party. In our 3rd through 5th grade classrooms, Mrs. Huckendubler’s classroom won the class party. We’ll share dates for the celebrations soon.

Thanks again for your generosity and for helping make this possible.

Several students have had their bus routes cancelled recently. Some parents have called expressing frustration about this situation.

Our office staff has contacted the Transportation Department to determine why routes are being cancelled. We were informed that routes are cancelled when a student has not ridden the bus for ten days. We asked whether the school could be notified when routes are cancelled, but Transportation said that notifications from their side are not possible.

Please keep this in mind when speaking with our office team and refrain from taking frustration out on them; they are working to help families. If a route needs to be reinstated, parents or guardians must contact the school. Our staff will then submit a transportation request on your behalf; please note that this process can take a few business days to be finalized.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

The Gradual Release of Responsibility model is a teaching method where a teacher slowly shifts responsibility for learning from themselves to the student, moving from direct instruction to independent work. The four phases are: the teacher models the skill ("I do"), then guides students through it with support ("We do"), students practice together in groups ("You do it together"), and finally, students work independently to apply what they've learned ("You do it alone"). This approach helps students build confidence and become self-regulated learners.

The four phases of gradual release

"I do" - Focus Lessons: The teacher takes full responsibility for the skill or concept.
- The teacher models the process clearly, often by thinking aloud to show their own thinking and strategies.
- The goal is to introduce the skill and its purpose.
- Example: A teacher demonstrates how to solve a math problem, explaining each step as they go.
"We do" - Guided Instruction: The teacher and students work together, with the teacher providing support.
- The teacher uses questions, prompts, and cues to guide students toward the correct steps.
- Students are actively involved, but the teacher still provides scaffolding to ensure success.
- Example: The class works through another problem, with students contributing ideas and the teacher offering prompts and corrections.
"You do it together" - Collaborative Learning: Students work in small groups to solve problems or complete tasks.
- Students are responsible for working together to apply the skill, with the teacher acting as a facilitator and observing.
- This phase helps students consolidate their learning through peer interaction.
- Example: Students work in pairs to solve a new set of problems, discussing their strategies with each other.
"You do it alone" - Independent Practice: Students are expected to complete the task on their own, showing mastery.
- Students take full responsibility for their learning, applying the skill independently to new situations.
- This is the final step to show that the learning has been transferred to the individual.
- Example: Students complete an assignment on their own, applying the math strategy without assistance.

P/T Fall Conferences

Collecting input from our families at P/T Conferences.

Mrs. Curry's Kindergarten class enjoying their popcorn and movie party for displaying great behavior for the month of October.

Ms. Bond's second grade class enjoying their popcorn and movie party for displaying great behavior for the month of October.

We love Woods Lake!

Smile for the camera.

Spanish Version

Staying Healthy This Fall

Wash hands often—especially before eating and after recess.
Encourage plenty of rest and good nutrition to support immunity.
Remind students to cover coughs/sneezes and use tissues.
Stay home when sick to prevent spreading illness. Be sure to call the school office to excuse absences.
Be sure your child is up to date on all required immunizations.

Together, we can help our students stay safe, healthy, and ready to learn!