The Hubbard Woods Wire

Dear Hubbard Woods Families,

There is so much good happening at Hubbard Woods, and we continue to move in the right direction together! From planning Data Days for our educator teams and preparing for caregiver-teacher conferences to celebrating the monarch migration, our days are full of opportunities to learn, connect, and grow. The big moments are exciting, but it’s the everyday curiosity, kindness, and care that make this school such a special place.

This is my last full week serving as interim principal at Hubbard Woods, and I want to share my gratitude for this community. It has been so much fun, and a true honor, to help lead the school through the beginning of the year, welcoming back returning students and families and getting to know those joining us for the first time. From conversations in the hallways to the joy students bring through the doors each morning, there has been so much to appreciate.

Thank you for your partnership, your commitment, your support, and, most importantly, all the love. You show up for your children, our educators, and one another in ways that make a real difference. That shared care is what helps a school move forward, and it has been a privilege to be part of it.

With a grateful heart,
Emily Castillo-Oh

At Hubbard Woods, learning happens in places and spaces that invite students to be engaged; to ask questions, explore ideas, and show what they know in different ways. Just as importantly, students have meaningful opportunities to practice the competencies in our Portrait of a Graduate through experiences that connect classroom learning to the world around them.

One example comes from our kindergarten multilingual learner (ML) WIN group with Ms. Winitz, where students are learning about vertebrates and invertebrates to complement their classroom butterfly study. Students have explored different skeleton models to see how bones fit together. To enhance classroom learning about the monarch migration, Ms. Winitz brought in blue beetles and crickets for students to observe, compare, and contrast.

These experiences invite students to think critically, communicate their observations, and stay curious. Whether examining a skeleton model or investigating the tiny creatures around us, our learners are building understanding, and discovering that big questions can come from very small things!

Thank you for your patience, flexibility, and partnership as we have worked through the adjustments that come with our new arrival and dismissal procedures. We appreciate everyone’s efforts to keep these busy moments running smoothly. Our most important priority is safety, and your help makes a difference. Please, continue to keep these reminders in mind:

• Use only the curb adjacent to school property for drop-off and pick-up. Students must enter and exit vehicles through the curbside door.

• Stay in your vehicle while in the drop-off or pick-up queue. Parking or getting out creates backups and delays for other families.

• Do not arrange for your child to meet you beside Mann Park. We have had several close calls involving students moving between parked vehicles, creating a serious safety risk.

• If you park and walk your child to the building, park as far from school as is reasonable and safe. Suggested locations include Laurel Avenue, approximately five to six houses west of the school toward Westmore Avenue, or Locust Road near Westmore Avenue.

• Please leave pets at home. Dogs of any size and all other pets are not permitted on school grounds, including the sidewalks around the school perimeter.

Thank you for looking out for our students and one another. Each small act of patience and care helps make arrival and dismissal safer and smoother for our whole Hubbard Woods community.

October

• Wednesday 10/14 - Picture Day Retake

• Thursday 10/15 - Kindergarten Monarch Migration

• Friday 10/16 - Parent/Staff Gathering

• Thursday 10/22 & Friday 10/23: Teacher/Caregiver Conferences - No School

• Friday 10/30 - HW Halloween Festivities

November

• Monday 11/02 - Institute Day (No Student Attendance)
• Tuesday 11/03 - General Election Day (No School)
• Friday, 11/13 - End of Trimester 1
• Monday 11/16 - Start of Trimester 2
• Monday 11/23 - Friday 11/27 - Fall Break (No School)

We are excited to continue our annual Ghost Walk tradition on Friday, October 30! This event is a special opportunity for students to celebrate together and fun school memories.

• Kindergarten Ghost Walk: 9:00am

• Grades 1–4 Ghost Walk: 1:30pm

Families who plan to join the Halloween festivities should communicate directly with their child’s classroom teacher. To support a safe, organized arrival process, teachers will provide the office with the names of family volunteers and guests in advance.

Thank you for helping us make this celebration fun, welcoming, and well organized for all students.

This October, our school community is focusing on Invited, "The way people are invited signals their value and fosters a sense of belonging." An invitation can send a simple but powerful message: We notice you. We value you. We want you here.

At school, students practice ways to invite others into games, conversations and activities. Families can continue this conversation at home with a few simple, creative ideas:

• Make an "invitation mission." Invite your child to look for one opportunity to welcome someone into a game, sit together, or join a conversation. At dinner, ask, "Who did you invite today? How did you help them feel welcome?"

• Practice the words. Take turns acting out invitations such as, "Want to play with us?" "Would you like to join our group?" or "We’d love to hear your idea!" Talk about how a friendly tone and making room for someone can help the invitation feel genuine.

• Let your child be the family host. Give them the job of welcoming everyone to a meal, game night, or shared activity. How could they make sure each person has a place and a chance to participate?

• Try a "bring someone in" moment. When attending a school or community event, look together for an opportunity to greet a family you haven’t met or invite someone to join your activity.

• Create an invitation together. Help your child write a note or draw a picture inviting someone to a playground visit, a library outing, or another simple activity. Ask, "What could we include to help this person feel comfortable and welcome?"

• Notice invitations in stories. While reading or watching something together, ask, "Who was invited? Who was left out? What could a character do differently to help everyone feel wanted?"

The goal isn’t a packed social calendar or a big event. It’s helping children notice the everyday opportunities to say, through their words and actions, There is a place for you here.

Unity Week unites our district in kindness, acceptance, and inclusion as part of National Bullying Prevention Month. Through daily activities and October's focus on INVITED, we empower students to build a community where every child feels safe, valued, and welcome.