Winter 2010

Dear Meadow Pond Families:

     Believe it or not, the holiday break has come and gone. Let me take this opportunity to wish you and your family a very healthy and Happy New Year. As we begin a new year, we can remind our students that we are all working to help them to acquire skills necessary to survive and prosper in a global society. We are working to develop skills such as critical thinking and problem solving, collaboration across networks and leading by influence, agility and adaptability, initiative and entrepreneurship, effective oral and written communication, accessing and analyzing information and curiosity and imagination. These skills along with the three Rs of rigor, relevance and relationships are further discussed in the book, The Global Achievement Gap by Tony Wagner, which was introduced to you last fall at a PTA meeting. Please come and share your thoughts about this and any other topic of your choice at the Principal’s Coffee on Thursday, January 7th at 9:30 a.m., or come to the PTA Meeting on Wednesday, January 13th at 9:30 a.m. You may also want to join us on Tuesday, January 19th at 7:00 p.m. for a special evening of math games with our math consultant, Maggie Martinez-DeLuca.

 

     We will be kicking off the new year with a focus on leadership and character for our entire student community. Our fourth and fifth grade Student Leadership Teams will be central to this initiative. The Student Leadership Teams will have a variety of responsibilities including helping to plan Town Meetings and meeting with students in individual classrooms to discuss character education themes.

The beginning of the year is also a good time to refresh our expectations for our students as stated in the Be Your Best Code of Conduct and in our Character Education lessons. Generally, our students are respectful of others, but a gentle reminder about treating others as they would like to be treated is always helpful. All of us at Meadow Pond try to encourage, model and recognize good behavior. This is especially important as it relates to behavior at lunch, recess and on the bus.

    

     At the December Board of Education Showcase and Town Meeting at Meadow Pond, several of our fifth grade students gave a wonderful presentation about their experience at the Aldrich Museum in Ridgefield, Connecticut. A collaborative effort by a committed group of parents and teachers enabled some of our fifth grade students to be trained as docents and for others to participate in the grade level class trip and related hands-on activity. All expressed their appreciation for the student led conversations about art and the special bicycle exhibit. In addition, there was a wonderful video overview of the K-5 artwork our students have been involved in so far this year and a brief look into the elementary world language program in grades one and two.

 

     Now that winter has really arrived, dressing properly each morning is crucial to the health and well-being of all our students. Layering is a good strategy since it gives them flexibility and a measure of control over their comfort. Please be aware that we plan to have outdoor recess each day unless the temperature, including the wind chill, is below 20 degrees Fahrenheit. Students who are not appropriately dressed will not be permitted to go outside, so please encourage your children to wear a jacket, hat and gloves so that they are ready for the lower temperatures. This year, we are going to allow snow play for students who also have on snow pants and boots. We are suggesting that you send in a bag to hold their garments to keep their other belongings dry when they come back in from recess.

 

     Please work with us to help our students develop responsibility. If your child happens to forget his or her outerwear, do NOT bring it in. Let’s work together to help them to develop strategies for remembering to wear and/or bring their outerwear in the next day. We appreciate your assistance and support with this endeavor. Hopefully this will allow our students to learn to be responsible and to enjoy the fresh air even during the middle of winter

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     This is also a good time to remind you that the Katonah-Lewisboro School District has a no idling policy. Our bus drivers are very conscientious about this, and I would ask you to raise your awareness, too. Please do not let your vehicle idle when you are in the school parking lot. Our children will all breathe fresher air, and you will be conserving energy at the same time. Everybody wins!

     Our Compact Team has been working on two major projects this year, homework issues and a two-day poetry workshop in late March for all our students led by a poet-in-residence. You may have responded to our homework questionnaire which was posted on the PTA website and was available during parent conferences. Stay tuned for additional information about both of these endeavors.

 
     Thank you for your cooperation and your continuing support. I would like to remind you that my door is always open to you and your children. If you have any questions or concerns, I would be happy to be of assistance. Please remember that by working together we can accomplish our goals for our students and our school community.

Sincerely,
Carolann Castellano
Principal