As you know, literacy is the ability to read, write, listen, speak, think critically, and perform in different ways and for different purposes. With this in mind, and to celebrate Black History Month and Women's History Month, using age-appropriate reading and writing, I am challenging students to write an essay or create a video on one of the women below or another "women in history."

The first-grade artists in Mrs. Shinners's art class talked about various women in history and their accomplishments. They also talked about various portrait artists, both traditional and contemporary. When artists create a portrait, they share their viewpoint and message about that person with the viewer. Each student then created a portrait of a woman in history by who they were inspired. The student artists used details and clothing that reflect the accomplishments and character traits of the historical figure.

For the next month, we are going to discuss numbers both "large" (millions of dollars) and "small" numbers like one.

We are one community. We are one district. We serve each student in their best interest.

You will hear that there are 1,500 + students. You may also hear there are 1900 + students. Both are correct. One relates to State aid, and one is the number of district students we are responsible for.

Did you know that 18% of the budget leaves the district campus to support school-aged students in the WH community?

Did you know we run over 120 bus routes to over 100 schools?

Did you know transportation has doubled in 9 years and accounts for 11% of the budget?

If we include all the school-aged children in our district, did you know that the total number of students would almost double?

You will hear that our elementary test scores are not where they should be. I agree. No excuses, the work needs to continue. And we are doing that work.

Did you know that "numbers" in ELA and Math have stabilized (as per a comparison of the NWEA assessment Winter of 18-19 to this past Winter)?

Did you know that our graduation rate has improved from 83% - 96% in just over a decade?

Did you know that 60% of our students graduated with an advanced regents diploma last year?

I leave you with these thoughts:

Did you know that we had one student who left a shelter in El Salvador in first grade and is now proficient in reading, writing, listening, and speaking in fourth grade?

Did you know that we have one student who is one of 74 to qualify for the NYS Mathletes Competition?

Did you know that we have one senior who has multiple acceptances to colleges and universities and will be the first person in her family to attend higher ed?

Did you know that we have one set of twins attending Yale on what basically amounts to a full scholarship?

We are one. And it takes all of us to become one.

When the tribe troublemaker, Zazzalil, goes out during a storm to test her latest invention, she stumbles upon the most important discovery in human history. It's one that will take her on a whirlwind journey from omega to alpha, as she becomes - the Firebringer. (From IMDb)

Tickets are on sale for tonight and tomorrow! Get yours now.

This past weekend, Gloria Guerrier, Victoria Guerrier, and Jurrel Hall competed at the Nike Indoor Nationals!

Victoria placed 16th in the 400-meter championship division, and Gloria was 28th overall.

Jurrel finished 6th in the NATION in the triple jump and 14th in the NATION in the high jump!

Congratulations to all three of these fine student-athletes and human beings.

We have just wrapped up our Winter benchmarking in reading and math. We benchmark three times yearly (Fall, Winter, and Spring). The data below compares the growth from Fall to Winter. This is a good time to look at real data (without names). This is an early Secondary School class normed against the rest of the nation, which would be considered "typical." From our perspective, most students are progressing and on course to make a year's worth of growth. Where this data is valuable is it allows teachers to target instruction.

Summary Data by Subject and Course

Percentage of Students who Met or Exceeded their Projected RIT Score 47.5%

Percentage of Projected Growth Met 0.0%

Count of Students with Growth Projection Available and Valid Beginning and Ending Term Scores 40

Count of Students who Met or Exceeded their Projected Growth 19

Based on this data, this group needs to continue developing their reading skills. The teacher will be analyzing the data to provide the necessary skills. We look forward to the work ahead.

The Superintendent’s Student Advisory Council (SSAC) meets with the Superintendent and Assistant Superintendents seven times yearly to advise, provide feedback, and present viable solutions on District initiatives and programs.

Central Office engages in discussions and hears feedback from students representing every West Hempstead school, except Chestnut Street, to identify ways to improve the educational program for them further.

The Superintendent’s Student Cabinet comprises student ambassadors from West Hempstead Secondary School, George Washington Intermediate School, and Cornwell Avenue Primary Center.

Ideas discussed with the Board of Education include new clubs, solar panels, the cafeteria and food choices, and more.

Good ideas don't come out perfect on their first try; rather, they require several iterations of drafting, revising, editing, and publishing before they reach their full potential! With each iteration, our students brought new insights into what works best for a particular idea. They took each step in the writing process was taken with thoughtfulness and their finished products were amazing!

After a seven-week unit in Writer’s Workshop, the students in Ms. Gerbino's class developed wonderful writing pieces. They created stories with engaging plots, characters with dynamic development arcs, and realistic and emotionally charged dialogue. Throughout the unit, the students created teh mental sweat necessary to see their writing pieces through to the publishing stage. Bravo!

Z-space is a revolutionary technology that has been gaining traction in classrooms worldwide. It uses augmented reality to create an immersive learning environment for students to explore and interact with 3D objects, simulations, and visualizations. As a result, z-space enables teachers to bring their lessons to life in ways never before possible. With its interactive tools, students can manipulate virtual objects as if they were real, allowing them to experience concepts firsthand instead of just reading about them or watching demonstrations on a screen. This allows teachers to engage learners deeper and promote higher-order thinking skills such as problem-solving and critical analysis. These benefits are making Z-space increasingly popular among educators looking for creative ways of teaching complex concepts in a fun way.

Hat tip to Mr. Cangemi for leading the way with this innovative technology that the students love!

Group work is an essential component of elementary school education as it offers numerous benefits to students. Collaborating with peers helps children develop social skills and learn how to communicate effectively with others. It also fosters a sense of community and encourages students to work together towards a common goal. In addition, group work allows for diverse ideas and perspectives, as each member brings unique experiences and insights to the table. This can lead to more creative and innovative solutions to problems. Group work also teaches students valuable life skills such as teamwork, leadership, and compromise, which will benefit them in the future.

WIth the clocks springing ahead, students appear to be springing into action socially, emotionally, and academically. The beauty of academic growth in the oreK and Chestnut St. during spring is a remarkable sight to behold. As the weather warms and the flowers begin to bloom, students are given the opportunity to blossom in their learning. Classrooms are becoming vibrant hubs of activity and exploration. There is a palpable sense of excitement as students make great strides in their reading, writing, and arithmetic skills and begin to see the world around them in new and exciting ways. It is truly a joy to witness the growth and development of young minds as they take in all that spring has to offer and embark on a lifelong quest for learning.

The lottery has been completed. If you registered, you have received a letter home. There are seats available. You can still register at https://www.whufsd.com/o/chestnut-street/page/universal-pre-kindergarten and call 516--390-3150.

If you have not registered for the 2023-2024 school year, please call 516-390-3150 to schedule an appointment.

As per New York State Law, transportation applications to non-public schools must be filled out and submitted to the district on or before April 1st.

To streamline the process, we will no longer be mailing paper applications to each household.

Parents/Guardians are urged to follow this link: https://www.whufsd.com/page/transportation

3/20 Tennis and badminton begin

3/21 BOE Meeting - 7:30 pm - SS VCR

3/22 Senior Prom Fashion Show - SS Auditorium - 7 pm

3/27 PTA Meeting - 7:30 pm - CA cafeteria

3/27 Grades 7 & 8 Spring Sports Begin

3/28 Budget Meeting (If Needed) - 7:30 pm - SS VCR

3/30 GW Drama Performance - 6 pm

3/31 SS Blood Drive

image attribution: whatboots.com/au

Email: drehman@whufsd.com
Website: www.whufsd.com
Location: 252 Chestnut Street, West Hempstead, NY, USA
Phone: 516-390-3000
Facebook: www.facebook.com/WhufsdRams
Twitter: @WhufsdRams