Each of us is called to make the world a better place. To do so, our lives must be creative. Edward J. Lavin
At the administrative level, we have been discussing how we in the schools can best, renew, refresh, recommit, and add to our staff’s extensive knowledge and background, as well as, our repertoire and skill set using Responsive Classroom techniques. We are considering options for professional development this summer.
In the meantime, it is worth asking how we manage our children’s learning and behavior on a continuous basis both at home and at school. Many a day, I think about how I am relating to them, both on an academic level and on a personal level. I reflect on how I can improve the exchanges that take place between us, as staff does in classroom interactions, and as parents and guardians do at home. Along with many of our esteemed teachers and staff, parents and guardians, I consider how I can pose questions to guide the children to want to think for themselves. Parents and guardians, and school personnel may be thinking like me and asking how else can I show our children how to communicate their needs effectively? How will that impact the exchanges they have with their peers, with people in the community, and with family and friends?
So much of what our kids learn from us is modeled behavior. The importance of children learning how to express themselves using language is huge and is oftentimes much longer-lasting than the specific curriculum objectives we teach at school.
There are three basic beliefs according to the Responsive Classroom philosophy (Horsch, Chen, & Wagner, 2002) for showing our students how to use language that will empower them and provide encouragement. These are called the Three Rs: reinforcing, reminding, and redirecting. At the Wing School you hear many of us using language that accomplishes this, providing our students a strong foundation for making good choices in school and beyond on a daily basis, using specific and direct language, speaking to the students rather than about the students, and stressing the deed, not the doer. Our staff strives to describe actions and deeds rather than making judgments, give students the opportunity to follow through with appropriate behavior and frame a positive action and choice whenever possible.
In a perfect world, we would use constructive language (and methods like the Three Rs) during every exchange with our children at home and at school, yet like many of you, I have caught myself every now and then reduced to saying “Just do it because I told you to.” The reality is that we do the best we can in each and every situation we encounter. We have the most dedicated, professional, student-oriented staff imaginable at Wing—they do a fabulous job managing the interactions they have with our students. Our parents/guardians and families keep doing what it is they do best—exhibiting enthusiasm for the kids and their learning!
I did then what I knew how to do. Now that I know better, I do better. Maya Angelou
At the administrative level, we have been discussing how we in the schools can best, renew, refresh, recommit, and add to our staff’s extensive knowledge and background, as well as, our repertoire and skill set using Responsive Classroom techniques. We are considering options for professional development this summer.
In the meantime, it is worth asking how we manage our children’s learning and behavior on a continuous basis both at home and at school. Many a day, I think about how I am relating to them, both on an academic level and on a personal level. I reflect on how I can improve the exchanges that take place between us, as staff does in classroom interactions, and as parents and guardians do at home. Along with many of our esteemed teachers and staff, parents and guardians, I consider how I can pose questions to guide the children to want to think for themselves. Parents and guardians, and school personnel may be thinking like me and asking how else can I show our children how to communicate their needs effectively? How will that impact the exchanges they have with their peers, with people in the community, and with family and friends?
So much of what our kids learn from us is modeled behavior. The importance of children learning how to express themselves using language is huge and is oftentimes much longer-lasting than the specific curriculum objectives we teach at school.
There are three basic beliefs according to the Responsive Classroom philosophy (Horsch, Chen, & Wagner, 2002) for showing our students how to use language that will empower them and provide encouragement. These are called the Three Rs: reinforcing, reminding, and redirecting. At the Wing School you hear many of us using language that accomplishes this, providing our students a strong foundation for making good choices in school and beyond on a daily basis, using specific and direct language, speaking to the students rather than about the students, and stressing the deed, not the doer. Our staff strives to describe actions and deeds rather than making judgments, give students the opportunity to follow through with appropriate behavior and frame a positive action and choice whenever possible.
In a perfect world, we would use constructive language (and methods like the Three Rs) during every exchange with our children at home and at school, yet like many of you, I have caught myself every now and then reduced to saying “Just do it because I told you to.” The reality is that we do the best we can in each and every situation we encounter. We have the most dedicated, professional, student-oriented staff imaginable at Wing—they do a fabulous job managing the interactions they have with our students. Our parents/guardians and families keep doing what it is they do best—exhibiting enthusiasm for the kids and their learning!
I did then what I knew how to do. Now that I know better, I do better. Maya Angelou
Well, we have raised yet another banner for a new kind of championship here in New England…and we may not be done yet! What a winter, a record snowfall, particularly in February. I was in elementary school the last time we had so much snow that in turn caused extended periods of school cancellations. So much for looking forward to the arrival of spring!
The record breaking snowfall, resulting in no school days, delayed starts, early dismissals, has made for a long winter for everyone. Thank goodness for February school vacation or we may have been in a very difficult predicament in the coming months. That said, thank you one and all for your patience, flexibility, and understanding that everyone has shown through this snowy winter. Parking and traveling around the school and town has been a challenge at best. Many thanks to our school department snow removal crew. SPS does not own its own heavy equipment, making it difficult to move considerable amounts of snow time and again. The Sandwich DPW did their best to clear our parking lots while also having to deal with all the roads and the other municipal property in town. Thank you to both school and town crews for their valiant efforts to clear the pathways for the schools to remain open.
The record breaking snowfall, resulting in no school days, delayed starts, early dismissals, has made for a long winter for everyone. Thank goodness for February school vacation or we may have been in a very difficult predicament in the coming months. That said, thank you one and all for your patience, flexibility, and understanding that everyone has shown through this snowy winter. Parking and traveling around the school and town has been a challenge at best. Many thanks to our school department snow removal crew. SPS does not own its own heavy equipment, making it difficult to move considerable amounts of snow time and again. The Sandwich DPW did their best to clear our parking lots while also having to deal with all the roads and the other municipal property in town. Thank you to both school and town crews for their valiant efforts to clear the pathways for the schools to remain open.
Report Cards & Parent Teacher Conferences | MCAS SCHEDULE UPDATE Download updated MCAS Schedule here |
License Reader | PARKING |
The Sandwich Public Schools have instituted a new visitor/volunteer identification system. This system went into effect on February 23, 2015. Visitors to our school will now be required to show their driver's license to the office staff. The license will be scanned and entered into our computerized visitor log and a visitor badge will be printed. Please make sure you bring your license with you and please be patient as we all work through this new procedure. . The scan serves two purposes. First, the scan logs the visit of each person and creates a badge that can be worn during the visit. Second, the information is checked against the Sex Offender Registry to ensure no one on that lists is afforded entry into the school | This serves as a gentle reminder to park only in non-reserved and non-handicapped spaces during pick up and drop off. As the snow melts, more spaces will become available. We also ask that you always park nose-in or back-in rather than parallel parking along the edges of the lot. Thank you in advance for your cooperation in this matter. |
Coming soon – to an email inbox near you…
….a monthly set of Questions and Answers from Marc Smith, Chris Dintino, Deb Landry and Trish Hill – your PreK-6 Administrative Team!
Your principals want to know what is on your mind, and what questions you have when you think about the 2015-2016 School Year.
There are three places to submit a question… At Wing, Forestdale and Oak Ridge, we are putting Question Boxes in our front offices and hanging chart paper in our parent pick-up spaces to collect your questions. You can also send an email that will go to all of us at [email protected].
Each month, we will answer some questions in an email to all families. We also encourage all families to subscribe to Sandwich Learns Together – www.sandwichlearnstogether.org
Chris Dintino, Marc J. Smith, Trish Hill and Deb Landry
….a monthly set of Questions and Answers from Marc Smith, Chris Dintino, Deb Landry and Trish Hill – your PreK-6 Administrative Team!
Your principals want to know what is on your mind, and what questions you have when you think about the 2015-2016 School Year.
There are three places to submit a question… At Wing, Forestdale and Oak Ridge, we are putting Question Boxes in our front offices and hanging chart paper in our parent pick-up spaces to collect your questions. You can also send an email that will go to all of us at [email protected].
Each month, we will answer some questions in an email to all families. We also encourage all families to subscribe to Sandwich Learns Together – www.sandwichlearnstogether.org
Chris Dintino, Marc J. Smith, Trish Hill and Deb Landry
Calendar Options for 2015-2016
The School Committee is requesting your feedback to assist with the final decision. You can provide the feedback at [email protected] . You will find a proposed calendar “A” and a proposed calendar “B”.
Proposed calendar “A”
https://sandwichschoolnews.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/calendar-a-2015-2016-march-vacation.pdf
Proposed calendar “B”
https://sandwichschoolnews.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/calendar-b-2015-2016-feb-april-vacation.pdf
Proposed calendar “A”
https://sandwichschoolnews.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/calendar-a-2015-2016-march-vacation.pdf
- First day – September 8th; day after Labor Day
- eliminates the February and April vacation weeks
- includes one vacation week in March – the week chosen reflects state testing schedule
- Last day of school – June 22nd. (Includes five planned snow days.)
Proposed calendar “B”
https://sandwichschoolnews.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/calendar-b-2015-2016-feb-april-vacation.pdf
- First day – September 8th; day after Labor Day
- includes both the February and April vacations
- Last day of school – June 27th. (includes five planned snow days)
SANDWICH LITERACY: A Resource for Parents and Teachers
The Literacy Coaches in the Sandwich Public Schools posts are either reposts of articles that share best literacy practices or their own articles for teachers and parents who would like to support their readers and writers in the classroom or at home. https://litteachers2013.wordpress.com/