The Wellwood Globe

Wellwood International strives to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring students in an engaging, rigorous and multi-cultural environment to instill inter-cultural understanding and respect.

Dear Wellwood Families,

As we enter this festive season, I want to take a moment to reflect on the incredible growth and learning we’ve seen so far this school year. December is a time for celebration, gratitude, and community, and our school is full of all three!

Mark your calendars: our Winter Concert will be held on Thursday, December 11 at 6:00 PM. We look forward to seeing our families there as we celebrate the talents of our 4th and 5th grade students!

We hope the Partners in Learning event on November 13 was helpful in increasing your understanding of STAR assessments, reading, and math. These sessions are designed to strengthen the home-school connection, and we are hoping to see more families at the next event. Student success is truly a partnership between school and home, and your involvement makes a significant difference.

As we approach the midpoint of the year, please continue to stay engaged with your child’s progress. We encourage you to check Schoology often for updates and assignments and review your child’s school folder each week for graded work. These simple steps help ensure that students stay on track and that families are informed about their academic growth.

I am happy to share that PTA membership is now at 46 families, but with 279 students enrolled, we know we can do better! Joining the PTA is a great way to stay connected and support our school community. If you haven’t joined yet, please reach out to wellwoodpta@gmail.com for more information.

We are grateful for your continued support; it truly makes a difference in your child’s success and in the strength of our school community. As we head into the final weeks of 2025, let’s keep the momentum going! Wishing you a joyful holiday season, and we look forward to starting the new year together with renewed energy and exciting opportunities for learning.

Please reach out with questions or needs.

In partnership,

Mrs. Alonna Thompson

athompson8@bcps.org

Dec 8 (M): 5th Grade Field Trip to BizTown

Dec 11 (Th): Wellwood's Winter Concert, 6:00 - 7:00 pm

Dec 24 - Jan 2: Schools & Offices Closed - Winter Break

Jan 5 (M): School Reopens

The Department of Special Education in Baltimore County has a Family Support Services Division. Please check out their November newsletter below and sign up for their mailing list to discover events, groups, activities, and resources for students with disabilities and their families.

https://myemail.constantcontact.com/November-Newsletter_Bolet-n-informativo-de-noviembre.html?soid=1139260511191&aid=fIRFvHQBDKE

CogAT:

All Grade 2 students in Baltimore County Public Schools will take the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) in December. CogAT is an online assessment consisting of three batteries: verbal, quantitative, and non-verbal reasoning. The data provided by the CogAT, along with additional data collected throughout the school year, will be used by schools as part of the universal screening process completed in the spring to identify students as Gifted and Talented (GT) in English Language Arts and/or Mathematics for Grade 3.

Universal screening is a process in which every student is reviewed to determine the most appropriate learning experiences needed for continued growth and challenge. Universal screening is conducted by a school-based Review and Referral Team that collects and analyzes multiple data points to create a student profile. Review and Referral Teams typically include classroom teachers, counselors, special education teachers, ELD teachers where applicable, administrators, special area teachers, and an Advanced Academics facilitator. Based on the student profile, the team makes recommendations for appropriate instructional placements and notifies parents/guardians of these recommendations.

More information about the days and times of the assessment will be sent home on paper by classroom teachers.

Reminder: School Starts at 8:40 AM

Instruction begins promptly at 8:40 AM. Students who arrive late often miss important direct instruction and modeling of key skills. These early minutes are critical for setting up the day’s learning.

Tips for a Smooth Morning Routine:

• Set a regular bedtime and morning routine
• Lay out clothes and pack backpacks the night before
• Build in a little extra time for unexpected delays
• Eat breakfast at school
• Use an alarm clock
• Keep shoes, backpacks, and jackets in one place

Thank you for helping your child start their day ready to learn and on time!

Are you connected to Bus Where? Bus Where is a phone app that allows parents and guardians to track their child’s bus route. This provides real-time data on the bus pick-up and drop-off times. All bus riders should have received an email to register for the Bus Where App. If you did not receive an email, please email mmoore18@bcps.org to request access.

We already have over 20 volunteers who have logged more than 60 hours helping in classrooms across the building. Your time, energy, and care make such a difference we appreciate you!

We have also been working hard to boost attendance on half days with engaging schoolwide activities:

🎉 Fun Run – Led by Mr. Burrows and supported by our wonderful volunteers, students enjoyed fresh air, exercise, and excitement. The balloon finish-line arch was a huge hit!

🚀 Level Up Assembly – On another half day, students participated in an energizing assembly focused on movement, motivation, and having fun together.

Thank you for continuing to send your students on half days! These special events help keep learning and community strong.

🧥 Need a winter coat?
Our PTA coat drive has been a great success. If your child needs a coat, please reach out we are happy to help.

As always, if your family has any needs or questions, don’t hesitate to contact me.

💙 Together, we are Wellwood Strong!

Miriam Friedberg

mfriedberg@bcps.org

Thank you to everyone who donated to our winter coat drive—your generosity ensures families in our community will stay warm with coats, hats, and gloves this season. If you or someone you know is in need of a winter coat, please contact Ms. Friedberg. Next up is our 12 Days of Winter Cheer, so keep an eye out for the official calendar of activities coming soon! We’re also excited to see you at the winter concert on December 11, where a festive hot cocoa bar with cookies will add to the celebration. Lastly, don’t forget to mark your calendars for Donuts with Grown-ups on January 6. With so much to look forward to, the PTA wishes everyone a joyful, healthy, and safe holiday season—and remember, it’s never too late to join the PTA and support the great work being done.

Being able to quickly and easily add, subtract, multiply and divide is very important to math

success. To encourage all 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th graders to memorize the facts, all students will take a weekly fact quiz.

When a student scores 94% (47 out of 50) or better on a quiz two weeks in a row, they will become a fact star for that set of facts. They will then move on to the next set of facts.

At the end of the year we will have a special fact star celebration to acknowledge students’ hard work and accomplishments!

Here is the day each grade is planning on giving their fact quiz:

1st: Tuesday

2nd: Wednesday

3rd: Tuesday

4th: Friday

5th: Wednesday

Look for fact quizzes to come home every Thursday so you can see how your child is doing! We want every student to grow from where they started, so our expectation is that students’ scores will get better every week.

Our Fact Star program is off to a great start with over 100 students already becoming Level 1 fact stars! Keep studying those basic facts!

Program Information available in English, Uzbek and Spanish

Hi Wellwood Families!

Welcome to the Counseling Corner, where we will showcase helpful tips and information about Social Emotional Learning.

Theme of the Month

As part of our School Counseling Program, your child’s class will have the opportunity to engage in a counseling core curriculum lesson each month based on a different theme. It is our hope that the core curriculum counseling lessons will help to promote the social emotional, academic, and career development of our students. We hope that you can help your child reflect on these lessons by discussing their content together.

During the month of December, students will engage in personal safety and decision-making lessons. The lessons are based on Baltimore County Public Schools’ Personal Safety Program PreK-5: Making Healthy Decisions curriculum. This program includes age-appropriate information on body safety and neglect and abuse prevention strategies and highlights the importance of telling a trusted adult about uncomfortable situations. Our goal is to help children be better able to handle the issues of personal safety should they arise.

Keeping your child safe is of the utmost priority to all of us here at Wellwood International. It is our hope that these lessons will help to reinforce the information and strategies that you have already given your children, and that your family can discuss together the important information presented in these lessons. Please feel free to contact me with any questions about the program.

Parent University Events

* Lunch & Learn: Safe Space, Safe Kids: Navigating Community Safety and Child Wellness

December 5th – 12:30 PM

Virtual- Dr. Keisha Wizzart, The Center for Family Success

* Lunch and Learn: Pediatric Asthma

December 11th - 12:30 PM

Virtual- Presented by Colleen Hess, BS, RN, Baltimore County Public Health, Childhood Lead and Asthma Programs

Click here to register for any of the events

Resources

• BCPS Virtual Calming Room

• Baltimore County Crisis Response: 410-931-2214

• Crisis text line: Text the word "TALK" to 741741 for free 24-hour support

• Maryland Food Bank: 410-737-8282

• 211 Maryland: dial 211 or https://211md.org/

• Maryland Suicide and Crisis Hotline: dial 988

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK

• Trevor Lifeline: Text “START” to 678-678 or call 1-866-488-7386

• Baltimore County Department of Social Services: 410-853-3000

• Sheppard Pratt's Urgent Walk-In Clinic is available through virtual appointments. https://www.sheppardpratt.org/care-finder/virtual-crisis-walk-in-clinic/

Caregiver Wellness Workshop with Backpack Healthcare

Parents and caregivers can play a critical role in their children’s mental health journey. Caregiver mental health literacy can help to increase positive outcomes for children. When caregivers can better recognize signs and symptoms of mental health struggles children are experiencing, this can help children get the support they need. Caregiver mental health literacy can also benefit caregivers in being able to support their own mental health and wellness.

BCPS is partnering with Backpack Health who provide FREE virtual caregiver wellness workshops on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays of the month from 6-7 pm. These workshops are open to ALL BCPS Families. Sign Up Here!

Mind Over Matters is an ongoing movement to raise awareness about mental health and promote wellness for students, staff, and families.

Theme for November & December: Self-Management

Definition: The ability to manage one’s emotions, thoughts, and behaviors effectively in different situations and to achieve goals and aspirations.

The American Psychological Association reports that “stress is at historic highs” and offers strategies that can be used by children and adults “to help keep stress in check:

• Sleep well. Sleep is essential for physical and emotional well-being. Experts recommend nine to 12 hours of sleep a night for 6- to 12-year olds. Teens need eight to 10 hours a night. Sleep needs to be a priority to keep stress in check. To protect shut-eye, limit screen use at night and avoid keeping digital devices in the bedroom.

• Exercise. Physical activity is an essential stress reliever for people of all ages. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommend at least 60 minutes a day of activity for children ages 6 to 17.

• Talk it out. Talking about stressful situations with a trusted adult can help kids and teens put things in perspective and find solutions.

• Make time for fun—and quiet. Just like adults, kids and teens need time to do what brings them joy, whether that’s unstructured time to play with building bricks or uninterrupted hours to practice music or art. Also, while some children thrive bouncing from one activity to the next, others need more down time. Find a healthy balance between favorite activities and free time.

• Get outside. Spending time in nature is an effective way to relieve stress and improve overall well-being. Researchers have found that people who live in areas with more green space have less depression, anxiety, and stress.

• Write about it. Research has found that expressing oneself in writing can help reduce mental distress and improve well-being. Some research has found, for example, that writing about positive feelings—such as the things you’re grateful for or proud of—can ease symptoms of anxiety and depression.

• Learn mindfulness. In a study of a 5-week mindfulness training program for 13- to 18-year-olds, researchers found that teens who learned mindfulness experienced significantly less mental distress than teens who did not.

Lindsey Delis

ldelis@bcps.org

443-809-1167

Please feel free to contact me with any questions.

Hello Wellwood families! Welcome to “The Wildcat Den: Family Spotlight of the Month" where we will celebrate many wonderful Wellwood families! This section of the newsletter will showcase the voices and experiences that make Wellwood special!

This month we are featuring:

Wellwood’s PTA!

We want to extend our heartfelt gratitude to our incredible PTA for the many wonderful initiatives and events you’ve brought to life so far this school year. Your dedication and countless hours of behind-the-scenes work have made such a meaningful impact on our students and their families, staff, and school community. From creating memorable experiences for our Wildcats, to supporting Wellwood families, your efforts are noticed, appreciated, and deeply valued.

A special thank you and recognition for the following:

• Trunk or Treat event

• “Share the Warmth”- Fall & Winter Coat Drive

• Purchase of Hungry Harvest food boxes for Wellwood families

• Supporting MANY Wellwood families this holiday season

Thank you for everything you do to make our school an exceptional place to learn and grow!

Be on the lookout for next month’s Family Spotlight survey—we can’t wait to highlight even more of our wonderful Wellwood families!

As we enter the winter season and prepare for holiday fun, it’s also the time of year when common illnesses like colds, flu, and stomach bugs start to make their rounds. Here are some helpful reminders and tips to keep our students healthy, safe, and thriving!

Cold and flu viruses spread more easily during the winter months. Please keep an eye out for symptoms such as:

• Fever

• Sore throat

• Runny or stuffy nose

• Cough

• Headache or body aches

• Fatigue

Keep your child home if they:
✔ Have a fever of 100.0 F or higher
✔ Are vomiting or have diarrhea
✔ Have symptoms that prevent them from comfortably participating in school activities

Students must be fever-free for 24 hours without medication before returning to school.

Handwashing is one of the most effective ways to stop the spread of germs. We’re encouraging students to wash their hands:

• Before eating

• After using the restroom

• After coughing or sneezing

• After playing outdoors

• When arriving home from school

Teach children to wash with soap and water for at least 20 seconds—singing “Happy Birthday” twice.

Please remind children to:

• Cough or sneeze into their elbow

• Use tissues and throw them away

• Wash hands right after coughing or sneezing

Winter weather can make outdoor play challenging, but movement is still important for health, mood, and learning.

Try these fun indoor activities at home:

• Dance parties to your child’s favorite music

• Freeze dance or follow-the-leader

• Yoga for kids (Cosmic Kids on YouTube is a favorite)

• Indoor obstacle courses using pillows, tape lines, and safe household items

• Jumping jacks, stretching, or hallway relays

Just 10–15 minutes of movement can make a big difference!

Wellwood's Hearing and Vision Screening for students in PreK, 1st, and 4th grades is scheduled for January 13-16 and January 20, 2026.

Wishing you a healthy and happy Holiday season!

Cari Seidler, BSN MA

School Nurse

Wellwood is so proud to be a Nationally Certified Green School! Last Spring, we received a $900 grant that we are using to move our recycling efforts forward. Wellwood's official recycling squad hit the halls last month to make sure every classroom is recycling their paper. Each day, we compete to see which hall recycled the most! Check in the lobby to see who is in the lead!

Check out our new recycling bins in the lobby! If you have sneakers or used ink cartridges at home, Wellwood would love to recycle them for you!

Sneaker Recycling: Do you have any old sneakers or tennis shoes and don't know what to do with them? Drop them off in our lobby in our collection bin to be recycled!

Ink Cartridge Recycling: We take LaserJet and inkjet cartridges. Drop them off in our bins in the lobby to support Green School activities at Wellwood!

Wellwood is proud to be one of the first schools in Baltimore County to participate in school-wide cafeteria composting!

In library class, Pre-K students learned all about the colors of Fall and first grade student students took time to make gratitude trees to share what makes them feel grateful.

Preschoolers jam out in Ms. Marcussen's music class as they drum to the beat! They practiced using mallets in both hands to hit the middle of their target and performed rhythmic patterns to compliment the music.

This month, our 5th graders have been busy creating amazing works of art! Earlier this month, students completed their clay owl sculptures, and those beautiful pieces were sent home about two weeks ago. We hope you are treasuring your child’s accomplishment and enjoying their creativity at home.

Now, we’ve moved on to an exciting new project: The Legend of the Dragon! Students are designing and crafting paper dragon masks, learning to cut complex shapes and create a symmetrical balance in their designs. This project helps them develop precision, patience, and an understanding of how symmetry plays an important role in art and design.

We can’t wait to see these vibrant dragon masks come to life!

This month in Inquiry we explored the theme of Gratitude, developed interpersonal skills to play games, and made creative disguises for our Thanksgiving turkeys!

This past month every class turned into tiny blood cells and raced through a giant obstacle course that was actually a working model of the human heart!

They crawled through atria, squeezed past valves, picked up oxygen in the lungs, and powered out of the left ventricle to reach the brain and body. Smiles, high-fives, and lots of heart facts along the way.

A fun, active, course that left everyone with stronger hearts and a little extra knowledge! ❤️

Also, Mr. Burrows' Chess Club students have been doing an excellent job mastering strategies and learning to compete. Way to go!

We are wrapping up our Trumpet unit this month! Students will learn songs on the trumpet and take a unit test before winter break. In January we begin a new unit!

It's concert month!!! Please make sure that students are practicing their instrument 5x per week, 10-15 minutes per time. This ensures we can make the most of our 30 minutes with new content, rather than reviewing the same thing each week. Our concert is on December 11th from 6:00-7:00pm. Instrumental Music Students arrive at 5:15pm and report to the music room. Performers should wear a white top or blouse (no logos or colorful designs), black pants/knee-length or longer skirt, and black shoes (preferably not sneakers).

PreK 3 has begun working on our Unit 2 project, a classroom size Coral Reef Exhibit!

We can't wait to share it with you!

Prekindergarten 4's students participated in a nature scavenger hunt to kick off their second unit. They also spent time fishing for different colors and writing invitations to their friends to come and play!

Kindergarten spent this month learning about pushes and pulls. We finished our unit by testing different shape blades on a windmill.

In Science, first grade students matched the parent and offspring by their external features. In Math, we've been mastering time! Finally, we closed out the month by using our character trait of the month, gratitude, to make grateful mugs with marshmallows of what we are grateful for.

Our second graders have been keeping busy counting tens, using nonstandard units of measuring and getting outdoors to play! Have a restful winter break and see you next year!

Mrs. Johnson's class was honored to host a guest reader, Principal Thompson, to read The Magical Yet in honor of National Day of Reading. We were so excited for her to visit and for her to share her third grade school picture with us!

Be sure to check out the beautiful The Magical Yet lobby display created by our very own Reading Specialist, Mrs. Jocuns!

In November, our fourth graders studied the character traits needed to overcome challenges by analyzing texts and writing their own essays. We also took part in the school-wide gratitude campaign through self-reflection and sharing. Several students volunteered for the Recycling Squad and eagerly took on extra responsibilities, showing their appreciation for our school community and the Earth.

Our fifth graders wrapped up their work with decimals on a number line, and they’ve shown great growth and confidence along the way. Students practiced locating, comparing, and explaining decimal values using visual models, and they’re ready to take the next step. We’re now gearing up for the full Decimal Unit Test on December 5th. We're super excited to see how much they’ve learned and how they’ll shine!

2901 Smith Avenue

Baltimore MD 21208

Phone: 443-809-1212 | Fax: 443-809-1213