Category Archives: School

The First Annual Wildwood Tag Sale and Car Wash

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The First Annual Wildwood Tag Sale and Car Wash sponsored by Grades 5 and 6 will be held from on May 5, 2018, rain date May 6, 2018! Proceeds will go to the 6th Grade Field Trip.
We are seeking donations of gently used household items, clothes, books etc. from 4th, 5th and 6th grade families.
We request all families join us at this fun, community building event which we hope to hold annually! Everyone else should mark their calendars for some fun events, shopping and car washing!
View English Flyer

Wildwood/ARPS Important Dates

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Welcome Wildwood STARS

  • May 1 -Valley Gives Fundraiser
  • May 5 – First WW Tag sale/Car wash (rain date May 6)
  • May 9 – Early Release, 1:20PM dismissal for WW students
  • May 28 – Memorial Day, No school

Important Links / Hiperenlaces importantes

Family Dance Night for WW Families & Friends, April 25, 2018

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Come dance with us on Apr 25,2018 from 6:00-7:00PM in the WW school gym!

Rachel Gibson, a sixth-grade parent, will lead us through folk dances from a variety of world cultures. The dances are easy to learn and a great deal of fun! All voluntary donations and bake sale proceeds will go towards a sixth grade field trip.

View English Flyer

View Spanish Flyer 

Wildwood Science Night

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Come lie on a bed of nails and check out some cool weather experiments and optical illusions!

Join us at the Wildwood Elementary School Gym for Science Night with The UMass Science Outreach Club.

Grades K-2: Wednesday, April 11

Grades 3-6: Thursday, April 12 

6 PM to 7 PM

All children must be an accompanied by an adult.

Topics will include Weather, Electricity, Sound, Optical Illusions, Forces

For more information: Jon.Reichard@gmail.com

Wildwood PGO for sponsored event.

View Flyer

Volunteers needed for Math Night

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In a few short weeks, on March 22nd, Wildwood will host Math Night. This is a school-sponsored event, but relies on several PGO volunteers to make it successful. Elizabeth Pretel and Nicola Usher have been working hard to organize this event and have created a sign-up sheet online. Please visit using the link below and sign-up to help in any way that you can.
Thank you very much for considering this request.

An invitation to our 2018 March 2nd Read Across America Assembly from the WW Library

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In 2016 we “Hit the Books” and our very own 6th graders are planning a big surprise for our MARCH 2nd 2018 READ ACROSS AMERICA Assembly at 9:50 AM! (Please note the change in time. Our apologies for posting the wrong time earlier and in our newsletter)

This ASSEMBLY will be student run and will feature our African American Read-In interviews, a new song, poetry and D.E.A.R. – DROP EVERYTHING AND READ! Bring a BOOK and join us!

Update from the WW Library: Our students pick The Best Picture Book of 2017!

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It is exciting to report that our Caldecott Club and our K-2 voting results were pretty similar! Both in class and in our after school club there were some run away favorites that have become our award winners this year! The Caldecott was also announced today at the American Library Association’s Midwinter conference in Denver.  Wolf in the Snow, a wordless Little Red Riding Hood tale turned on its head, took the top honor but we managed to overlap in our voting with the heart warming circular tale Big Cat, Little Cat.  It was so much fun to take this journey with our younger students.  Our students are deepening their understanding of story, book design, art and medium through observation, making connections to books and between books and authors.  The Caldecott study allows students to make connections with books and genres as well as building a community experience through shared reading.

For more details visit the Wildwood Library Blog – https://sites.google.com/a/arps.org/wildwood-library/blog/caldecottupdate

Please Send in Your Box Tops! NOW!

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Do you have Ziploc baggies of Box Tops sitting in the junk drawer that you’ve been meaning to send in? NOW IS THE TIME!

Did you know each Box Top coupon you clip and donate to Wildwood School is worth 10 cents that will go straight towards funding events to benefit our students and staff?

Visit http://www.boxtops4education.com/earn/participating-products for a complete list of participating brands. It’s fun to involve your whole family and be sure to ask grandparents or friends to clip and share too! A collection container is always available in the main school office (it’s a bin right under the PGO mailbox!)

Please keep a bag in your kitchen so it’s easy to collect the Box Tops you clip. Children can be taught at a very young age to identify, clip, and count Box Tops. The coupons can be found on many quality products from brands like:

  • Annie’s
  • General Mills
  • Ziploc
  • Progresso
  • Cascadian Farms
  • Pillsbury
  • Hefty
  • Kleenex
  • Scott
  • Betty Crocker
  • Yoplait

Please send any Box Tops that you have collected NOW! Our spring deadline is looming and they do eventually expire, so send in what you have and please keep clipping! Thanks so much for your support

 

Wildwood Elementary-UMASS Women’s Basketball Field Trip Day

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Please Note: This field trip has not been approved by the school.

TIME: School Day: 11AM-1:30PM

DATE: January 31st, 2018

LOCATION: UMASS Amherst

COST: Free to K-8 Students signed up through their School (**If Interested, please forward message of interest to your child’s classroom teacher. **Deadline to signup is January 26th and conditional upon sufficient interest and school approval).

SUMMARY: Youth Basketball season has begun! What better way to celebrate than your child’s participation in the UMASS Women’s Basketball(WBB) Annual Field Trip Day on January 31st, 11AM-1:30PM, including pre-game activities and admission to the UMASS WBB vs Richmond game. Submit your interest to your child’s classroom teacher to help facilitate this fun event! Last year Fort River Elementary participated with positive responses.

MCBA MakerSpace Play Day 2017 was a hit!

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Thank you to all our VOLUNTEERS and our incredibly creative STUDENTS for a great MCBA MAKERSPACE PLAY DAY!

There were over 60 STUDENT MADE games to PLAY in 6 spaces! 130 students participated in this HUGE event!

Please watch the recap and our student reflections on the process:
1. Read an MCBA Mashup Book
2. Design and Plan a game or an activity to go with the BOOK.
3. Build it.
4. Play it with others!

Details at: https://sites.google.com/a/arps.org/wildwoodlibrary/blog/mcbamakerspaceplayday2017wasahit

You don’t need an account to Vote for Amherst Regional Public Schools in Florence Bank Customers’ Choice Community Grants

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Florence Bank gives away $100,000 each year to community non-profits through its Community Choice grants program. Florence Bank customers vote for the non-profit of their choice & all non-profits getting at least 50 votes receive a grant.

There are 2 easy ways that people can vote:
(1) Online – Visit https://www.florencebank.com/vote to view the online voting site & can cast a vote online for the “Amherst Regional Public Schools PGO”.
(2) Paper Ballot. Templates attached. Ballots are also available at Florence Bank location.

Voting is open until December 31st.

Last year (2016), the ARPS PGO received got 52 votes & $947.  Some non-profits get up to $5,000 through the program. The $947 received by the ARPS PGO went for classroom support, special projects, & more.

This year, the PGOs of the ARPS PGO (CF, WW, ARMS, & ARHS) are campaigning jointly again to maximize our votes.

Each Florence Bank account holder is eligible to vote once for the community organization of their choice.
The ARPS PGO is urging people to vote (at least consider voting for) for the “Amherst Regional Public Schools PGO”, the name of our joint non-profit.

View Flyer for more details.

THANK YOU, WILDWOOD FAMILIES #GIVINGTUESDAY!!!

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We made it!  Together, the generosity of our school community helped us hit our goal of $3,000, raising a phenomenal $3,152.31 for the Wildwood PGO!
Our two annual fundraising campaigns, Giving Tuesday in the fall and Valley Gives Day in the spring, raise 60% of our annual funds.  These campaigns are integral to supporting PGO initiatives like Mini-Grants for our teachers and staff, field trip scholarships, and enriching the curriculum our kids’ enjoy with visiting artists.If you missed it and would like to still contribute, the Razoo site will be up until the end of December.
https://www.razoo.com/story/Wildwoodgivingtuesday17Go, Wildwood!

Please help! 1,000 books to SHELVE at the Wildwood Library!

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Can you spare an hour to help put some books away? The Book Swap is in full swing and students are not checking out but they are bringing their MANY, MANY books back!  We checked out over 900 books last week and now students are returning their books.  Any moments you can spare to help us in the library would be very appreciated (and you can pick from the BOOK SWAP too)! Please contact Susan Wells at wellss@arps.org or 413-362-1424 or just come to the WW library and we will put you to work!

Education, The Gift that Keeps Giving! Donate now thru Nov. 28

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giving

is NOVEMBER 28 2017

#GivingTuesday is a global day of giving fueled by the power of social media and collaboration. Celebrated on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving (in the U.S.) and the widely recognized shopping events Black Friday and Cyber Monday, #GivingTuesday kicks off the charitable season, when many focus on their holiday and end-of-year giving.

One of the best ways to get involved is in your own community. Today, consider making a gift to Wildwood PGO. Your generosity will help support equity and enrichment at Wildwood. The funds we raise provide curriculum-enhancing opportunities for our children, and support dedicated staff.

Last year, the PGO ensured every child went on every field trip. We funded the Library, Art, visiting artist, the Multicultural Fair, Family Movie Night and much, much more!

  • Know a special teacher? Make a donation in their name.
  • And please share this announcement widely with friends, relatives (especially grandparents and grand friends)!

What is my Child Learning in Math? Presentation at the PGO Meeting Nov 28 at 6pm

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What is my Child Learning in Math?

A presentation by Math Coach Elizabeth Pretel

Tuesday, November 28th, 6:00pm

  • 6:00pm Meet in the library to hear what the PGO is up to and ways to take part in our school.
  • 6.30pm Math Coach Elizabeth Pretel will present on what is happening in Math in grades K-6 and how we can support our children at home.
  • 7:00pm Questions, Meet & Greet

Sponsored by the Wildwood PGO

View PGO Meeting Flyer

 

Stop & Shopʼs A+ benefits Wildwood

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Thank you to all our supporters who have registered their Stop & Shop card for the school rewards program. We have raised $190 this school year to fund our programs. 

stopandshopacard

Use your Stop & Shop card and Wildwood earns a percentage! Sign up today and designate Wildwood School. If your school selection(s) remains the same as last year, you DO NOT need to re-register your card.

The process of signing up is quick and simple:

  • Visit http://stopandshop.com/aplus/register-card/
  • Enter the first three letters of your last name and your 13-digit Stop & Shop card number, and click the “Look Up” button.
  • On the next page where it says “school 1,” enter “05168” (Wildwood’s ID), then click “Register.”
  • And finally, on the next page, click “confirm my registration.”

Once your card is registered, purchases made from all Stop & Shop stores will benefit Wildwood, including purchases from stores in Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, and Rhode Island! So please encourage your friends and relatives to designate Wildwood.

 

Survey Regarding Possible Dual Language/Magnet School

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Message from the The Magnet/Dual-Immersion Subgroup of the Enrollment Working Group:

We are part of the Enrollment Working Group,  a group of parents, teachers, administrators, and community members that is in the process of researching educational options for the Amherst Public School district.

Our subgroup is exploring world language opportunities for our students, with a focus on the potential for our district to start a K-6 magnet school. Based on our perception of ongoing interest by the community and our current demographics of ELL (English Language Learners) students and bilingual staff, we are particularly interested in determining the feasibility of creating a English/Spanish K-6 dual immersion program (a dual language school teaches subjects in English and Spanish, with the goal of all students learning both languages). Our goals for this survey are to:

  • Assess interest in a K-6 dual immersion magnet school option by English-speaking and Spanish-speaking families
  • Assess interest in other magnet school themes
  • Assess interest in expanded Spanish language instruction as part of regular (non-dual immersion) K-6 programming.

Please take a moment before November 14 to complete the survey at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/GFG7JNX to share your thoughts and opinions.

Thank you for your time!

Sincerely,

The Magnet/Dual-Immersion Subgroup of the Enrollment Working Group
Andrea Battle (ARPS Grandparent)
Irene Dujovne (ARPS Parent)
Margaret Sawyer (ARPS Parent)
Miki Gromacki (ARHS Assistant Principal, ARPS Parent)
Phoebe Hazzard (Amherst School Committee Chair, ARPS Parent)

 

Somos parte del grupo de trabajo de matrícula, un grupo de padres, maestros, administradores y miembros de la comunidad que está en el proceso de investigación de opciones educativas para el distrito escolar público de Amherst.

Nuestro subgrupo está explorando oportunidades de idiomas del mundo para nuestros estudiantes, con un enfoque en el potencial de nuestro distrito para comenzar una escuela especializada de K-6. De acuerdo a nuestra percepción del interés continuo de la comunidad, nuestra demografía actual de estudiantes de ELL (Aprendices del Idioma Inglés) y personal bilingüe, estamos particularmente interesados en determinar la viabilidad de crear un programa de inmersión doble en inglés / español para K-6. (Una escuela de doble idioma enseña materias en inglés y español, con el objetivo de que todos los estudiantes aprendan ambos idiomas). Nuestros objetivos para esta encuesta son:

  • Evaluar el interés en una opción de escuela especializada de doble inmersión K-6 de familias de habla inglesa y de habla hispana
  • Evaluar el interés en otros temas de escuela especializada
  • Evaluar el interés en la enseñanza del idioma español ampliado como parte de la programación regular (inmersión no dual) K-6.

Dedique un momento antes del 14 de noviembre a completar la encuesta en https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/GFG7JNX para compartir sus pensamientos y opiniones.

¡Gracias por su tiempo!

Sinceramente,

The Magnet/Dual-Immersion Subgroup of the Enrollment Working Group
Andrea Battle (ARPS Grandparent)
Irene Dujovne (ARPS Parent)
Margaret Sawyer (ARPS Parent)
Miki Gromacki (ARHS Assistant Principal, ARPS Parent)
Phoebe Hazzard (Amherst School Committee Chair, ARPS Parent)

That Volunteer Opportunity May Require a Background Check

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We welcome all talents and abilities! To learn more about fun, unique and exciting volunteer opportunities at Wildwood, visit our Volunteering and Contributing page

CORI Background Check: If school or PGO volunteer opportunities bring you into contact with students at Wildwood ES or on a field trip, you must have a CORI (Criminal Offender Record Information) check on file. This includes all field trip chaperones and classroom volunteers (e.g. grandparents, aunts & uncles, adult siblings). CORI checks must be done on individual volunteers every three years and are valid for all schools within our district. If you would like to check to see if you are current on your CORI status, please call Sasha in the Central Office at 362-1810.

To request a CORI check, bring your current driver’s license into the Main Office at Wildwood or to the district’s Central Office (located at the middle school) for photocopying and complete the required application well in advance of any volunteer obligations. Questions about the CORI process can be directed to the Wildwood Main Office or Sasha in the Central Office.

Wildwood Directory Information

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The Wildwood Directory will be sent home next week.  Teachers will receive enough copies for their students on Wednesday and teachers will determine the best day to send them home.  Please note that for families with more than one child at WW, the youngest child will receive the copy to be delivered to the family.

Teacher & Staff Wishlists for 2017-2018

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Each year, the Parent Guardian Organization (PGO) asks the teachers & staff to let us know what they could use in their classrooms. The 2017-2018 lists can be seen by clicking here. Please look over the lists and consider donating any items.  Don’t forget to check periodically for updates and remember to check your teacher’s wishlist during the holidays.

 

Cada año , la Organización de Padres Guardián ( PGO ) pide a los maestros y personal para hacernos saber lo que podían utilizar en sus aulas. Los 2015-2016 listas se pueden ver haciendo clic aquí. Por favor, mirar por encima de las listas y considere donar ningún artículo.

Wildwood PGO Meeting & Homework Discussion – Oct 3 at 5:45pm

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  • 5.45pm Meet in the library where Interim Superintendent Michael Morris will present the new proposed Homework Policy. A discussion and opportunity to provide feedback will follow.
  • 6.15pm  Meet the new PGO leadership committee and other parents, learn about what the PGO does, hear about upcoming events and ways to take part.
  • 6.45-7pm  Questions, Meet & Greet 

Wildwood​ ​Curriculum​ ​Night – ​Wednesday,​ ​September​ ​27,​ ​2017

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AN EVENING FOR PARENTS AND GUARDIANS
Welcome 6:00 – 6:15 with Nick Yaffe and Yaldira Felix in the Wildwood Library

Classroom Teacher Presentations :

  • ●  6:15 – 6:45 – Kindergarten and 1st grade
  • ●  6:45 – 7:15 – 2nd and 3rd grades
  • ●  7:15 – 7:45 – 4th and 5th grades
  • ●  7:45 – 8:15 – 6th grade

Specialist Teacher Presentations :

  • ●  6:15 – 7:15 Art in the Art Studio, Technology in the computer lab ,

    Music in the Music Room, and PE in the gym

  • ●  6:15 – 7:45 Susan Wells, our librarian, in the Library

o 6:15 – 6:45 PebbleGo and online database presentation

o 7:15 – 7:45 Axis 360 audio and ebook presentation*

*Bring your device to set-up for home use!

  • ●  6:45 – 7:45 Room A – Intensive Learning Center
  • ●  6:45 – 7:45 Room B – Intensive Learning Center
  • ●  6- 6:15, 7:45-8 – Science and Garden Table with Jen Reese

    ELL teachers will be in the classrooms where they work with their students.

Flyer with parking and childcare information