Learning to read is one of the most important things children learn how to do and an essential part of academic development. Over the course of this year, kindergartners will move from decoding individual sounds to making meaning from a complex text. Students have the opportunity to learn through a workshop approach here at Chestnut Street. Reading workshop is an instructional model that focuses on the strengths and needs of each individual reader. Teachers model reading behaviors and provide direct instruction on reading strategically. Students are given time to read, an opportunity to choose their reading selections, and time to talk about books and strategies. Be sure to read with your child(ren) every day - enjoy time together, reading as a family.

Evidenced through our Twitter posts, literacy workshops are in full swing here at Chestnut Street. We are learning about letter sounds and finding letters in words. Our kindergartners have been learning about letter sound correspondence and have a working knowledge of the following letters: t, b, f, n, m, i, u, c, o, a, g & and sight words: I, a, the, to, is, me, go and we. Ask your child(ren) to find items around the house that start with these letters.

In math, students are counting a group of objects in a line, circle, or array and representing the amount in written form - all using one-to-one correspondence. In one-to-one correspondence activities, children count several objects. As they count, they touch or move each object, assigning one number to each object that they move. Children who have mastered one-to-one correspondence will not skip numbers or touch an object more than once. Kindergartners are learning to use these strategies to accurately count from 1 to 20. Invite them to count out items in your home. While in school, they are counting and comparing the length of two quantities and looking for patterns - ask them all about it.

Thank you to all the parents - #WHe appreciate your partnership and look forward to having a year of shared learning experiences. Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out and call the main office - #WHe are always here to help!

We are now collecting gently used costumes at Chestnut Street. If you would like to make a donation, drop off will be at the Main Office (Mrs. Ventura).

Dr. Lisa Minicozzi

• Play board games with your child(ren) to practice taking turns.
• Have your child(ren) practice writing his or her name with only one capital letter and all the rest of the letters lowercase.
• Give your child(ren) plenty of opportunities for outdoor play: running, jumping, and climbing!
• Enjoy time reading a story together as a family!

• If your child will be absent, please call Nurse Angela before 8:30 AM at 516-390-3155
• Kindly ensure your child has a full change of clothes in the classroom.
• If there will be a change in your child's afternoon transportation, please write a note or email to the teacher. For last-minute changes, please call Mrs. Ventura or Mrs. White before 2:00 PM. 516-390-3150
• Please select your child's daily lunch order on the printed menu by circling or highlighting the choices and return it to school ASAP. The link for the menus is below. Please note, at times the item listed on the menu may not be available and your child will be offered an alternative option.
• Please do not block the driveways of the homes around our school. Our neighbors have reached out to express concern about their driveways being blocked during drop-off and dismissal. Thank you for your cooperation.

If you or someone you know has a child who is eligible for PreK or Kindergarten for 2025, please call Mrs. Ventura today at 516-390-3150 to find out about our upcoming registration. We still have some remaining spots for this year open. Eligibility requirements: resident of the WHUFSD and born between 12/2/2019 and 12/1/2020.

11/1: UPK Parent Interest Survey Opens.

11/1: PFE: Learn More About Erin's Law with Dr. M, Mrs. Birnbaum & Ms. Hill @ 9:15 Rm 4, CS.

11/1: Emergency Management Plan Early Dismissal and Safety Drill: CS Students dismissed @ 2:35.

11/4: Afternoon Parent Teacher Conferences.

11/4: CS Picture Day!

11/5: All Day Parent Teacher Conferences, schools closed for students.

11/11: Veterans Day - schools closed.

11/15: Report Cards sent home.

11/19: BOE Mtg. @ 7:30 SS VCR Room.

11/25: PTA/SEPTA Mtg. @ 7pm CA Cafe.

11/28-29: Thanksgiving Holiday, schools closed.

The Habits of Mind are an identified set of 16 problem solving, life related skills, which contribute to creating a healthier learning environment. The habits are cross-curricular and applied throughout the West Hempstead UFSD, in all grades and levels. Currently in kindergarten, we are focusing on Persisting.

Persisting is the first among habits of mind that teach students to "stick to it". It encourages and emphasizes that students should remain focused during the entire process of learning or completing a task. Click on the graphic to watch a video to learn more.