Dear Wildwood Families,

Today, our 3rd graders were visited by the PHS Affinity Mentors. The Mentors did a presentation on the Power of Words and then broke into small groups to discuss the topic further. I was able to pop in and visit for a few minutes and see what was happening. It was wonderful to have the students share their experiences and thoughts on the topic of the power of words. We are going to look into having the mentors visit other grades, too.

Our Wildwood kids are wonderful. They are creative, thoughtful, fun and interesting. And, they also test language, sometimes nicely and other times, not so much. We have had incidents of racial language used here at Wildwood. And sometimes they use other insults towards each other. It hurts to hear that they do that to each other.

I want to encourage families to talk to their children about their language and the impact words can have on other people. It could be racial words, or other words that hurt. I think of the time for me in 1st grade when a student said something mean to me and I’ve never forgotten. And that was a long long time ago!

There are a lot of links and websites out there to support these types of conversations but some general talking points could be…

• What would it be like if we all looked the same?

• What types of diversity do we have in our family?

• Who is a part of our family?

• Do you know a classmate whose family is different from ours?

• If your child says something about another person’s differences in a discriminatory or inappropriate way, ask them some questions without judging or shaming. “What made you notice that? “What made you say that?” “How might that make someone feel?”

• How does it feel when someone says something mean to you?

• Point out strengths in different populations and celebrate the rich history and achievements of different communities as a family.

• Use real-world scenarios and look out for teaching moments. Discussing what kids see in the media can be a great place to start.

The conversation has to be developmentally-appropriate, too. A conversation with a kindergarten student is going to be very different from a 5th grader. You can also watch a show or read a book with diverse characters together. Then, ask children what they notice about the characters. I am sure our wonderful librarian has books available if you’re interested. Having those types of conversations is hard, I know, but avoiding them doesn’t help our kids develop an awareness and appreciation of who we all are.

For a list of 10 Children’s Books to Encourage Acceptance and Inclusion, click here.

Some links for conversations and resources to use at home -

https://www.embracerace.org/resources/teaching-and-talking-to-kids

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ND_AIJQdw4Y

We appreciate all you do for Wildwood and our kids. Thanks for reading through my letter this week. My big goal at Wildwood is to create a safe community but I need your help to have those conversations at home with your kids.

Beth Rhine

This is the time for families to come visit their child’s classroom to see what has been happening all year in the room! You can visit with the teacher, other families and enjoy the work displayed in the classroom. We encourage everyone to come by and visit their child’s classroom. Just a reminder, it’s not a time to visit the following grade level teacher - they are busy with their own classroom families. Thank you!

Summer Adventures Spotlight: Welcome to Kinder & 6th Grade!

Is your child gearing up for a big transition? Our Welcome to Kinder and Welcome to 6th Grade programs are designed to help incoming students feel confident and excited for their next chapter! These engaging sessions will introduce them to their new school routines, build friendships, and set them up for success in the fall.

We also have an exciting lineup of classes for 1st-5th graders, with half-day and full-day options available. For 1st and 2nd graders, offerings include Masterpieces in the Making: Art Class, where young artists will explore different mediums, Readers are Leaders, a fun and engaging literacy program, and Growing Gardeners, where students will get their hands dirty while learning about plants and nature. For 3rd-5th graders, we have Art and Writing: Exploring Color, combining creativity and storytelling, Junior Journalists, where students will dive into the world of news and reporting, Science Explorers!, full of hands-on experiments and discoveries, and Playing and Creating Board Games, where kids will design and play their own games.

Join us for a summer full of learning, creativity, and fun! Register now using this link.

Junior Counselor-in-Training (JrCIT) Program

Calling all future leaders! Our Junior Counselor-in-Training (JrCIT) program is designed for 7th-9th graders (Fall 2025) looking to build leadership skills, gain hands-on experience, and have fun mentoring younger campers. JrCITs will participate in leadership training before assisting in Summer Adventures classes, making a meaningful impact while developing confidence and teamwork. Spots are limited—register now! Registernow using this link.

Join us for April Adventures, a week of learning and fun for Kindergarten-5th graders from April 7-11 at Havens Elementary. Mornings will focus on academic enrichment, while afternoons will include creative activities, special performances, and Piedmont Park scavenger hunts. Claire Breen and Alaleh Ford will be teaching this exciting program!

Dates: April 7-11
Hours: 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM (Extended care available 8:00-9:00 AM & 3:00-5:00 PM)
Lunch included for full-day students

Save the date for the 11th annual Piedmont School Maker Faire at the Piedmont High School campus on Sunday, May 18 11am - 3pm! Come celebrate K-12 Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts & Math (S.T.E.A.M.) education for the Piedmont community & beyond.

Our “Call for Makers” is now OPEN. Students & the community can show off your creativity – drones, cosplay, puppets, kites, virtual reality, Legos, music – or check out our project ideas page for inspiration. When ready, submit your project by April 30th.