Notes from the Head of School

• On Tuesday, Mr. Micks, Mrs. Armstrong, and Mrs. Kelly took a small crew of Culinary-minded students to a food service show at the Big E. They got to sample unique food items like octopus! They also were able to see the scope of services and products available to restaurants and caterers. All of the students brought back samples and swag they collected!
• Mrs. Fuda's Financial Literacy class had a successful Pajama Day fundraiser today! Thank you to everyone who participated!
• There was a fort building activity this week in art class - so fun! But no grown ups allowed... 😀

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The White Oak Players will present their production of "Clue" on Friday, May 2nd at 7PM in the gym! Please see the ticket order form attached. Ticket orders can be emailed or delivered to Mrs. Williams, Ms. Michalski, or Ms. Alger in the front office. Checks can be made payable to: White Oak School. Your name will be on the list at the door the night of the play. There will be refreshments for sale as well! Come see who dun it! It's guaranteed to be a night of fun and laughs!

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The Student Council Spring Festival is May 9th!

The Student Council is hosting a Spring Festival open to all students and their families. An outdoor event, there will be a scavenger hunt, yard games, crafts and refreshments for sale! $12 per person or $25 per family for entry! Tickets will be on sale after April vacation.

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Enchanted Forest Prom

An Enchanted Forest Prom is at Storrowtown Tavern on May 17th for Grades 9-12. Tickets are $75 each. Tickets are on sale at milk break and lunch. Checks can be made payable to White Oak School. Students are allowed to bring guests from outside of school. There is a form to be signed available at the ticket table. Tickets need to be purchased by Friday, May 9th!

Have a wonderful, safe and well-deserved break next week! When we return the days are full and the time moves quickly!

Very Best,

Jody

• On Tuesday, Ms. Capobianco and Mrs. Golann brought their ELA classes to Barrington Stage Theater Company in Pittsfield to see the Playwright Mentoring Project. They saw scenarios written by area high school students addressing mental health issues including feeling like they aren't being seen, and questioning identity and worth. The morning spotlighted the challenges prevalent for many teens today. One quote that resonated with our students was, "How am I supposed to climb a tree if the tree won't stop growing?" Our students enjoyed the production and came back with a lot to think about!
• On Wednesday, Gina Anselmo and Tony Simmons from the DA's office Community Task Force presented "Just Once" about the dangers of using prescription and opioid drugs to our high school students. They also discussed the dangers of vaping and the risk of addiction which can lead to the need for other, more dangerous substances. Please continue this important conversation at home.
• On Thursday, members of the junior and senior class attended the Credit For Life Financial Literacy Fair at Westfield High School. Students chose a job, received a monthly income, and a credit score. Then they were tasked with finding housing, transportation, utilities, insurance, cell phone and internet plans, and clothing among other life essentials. Did your student have to interview for a part time job? Get denied for housing because of a low credit score? Decide to buy the flashy Bronco? Were they swayed by the discounted trip to Nashville or did they play it safe and settle for game night at a friend's house? It was a fun morning filled with real-life decisions and some surprising consequences!
• Today all of our high school students attended a financial literacy workshop with 3 representatives from Berkshire Bank. They talked about budgeting, credit vs debit, and fraud protection. Can you tell the difference between a real and a counterfeit bill? Ask your student to show you the hologram on a $20 bill!
• New artwork popped up this week in C Building! Check out the amazing Jackson Pollock Community Art Projects. They are so awesome!
• In Mrs. Williams' math class, Mark demonstrated the powers of 10 by building a tower totaling 2,838 blocks. Great job Mark!
• FUNDRAISER! On Thursday, April 17th, Mrs. Fuda's Financial Literacy class will be having a Pajama Day fundraiser! For just $1.00, students can wear their favorite, school-appropriate pajamas to school. A member of the class will be collecting money in the hallway outside the cafeteria on Thursday morning!

Don't forget that the final round of parent conferences is this coming Wednesday, April 16th. Please look for an email from Betsy Ricco to confirm your conferences day and time. If you can not make your conferences, please let Betsy know at bricco@whiteoakschool.org.

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The White Oak Players will present their production of "Clue" on Friday, May 2nd at 7PM in the gym! Please see the ticket order form attached. Ticket orders can be emailed or delivered to Mrs. Williams, Ms. Michalski, or Ms. Alger in the front office. Checks can be made payable to: White Oak School. Your name will be on the list at the door the night of the play. There will be refreshments for sale as well! Come see who dun it! It's guaranteed to be a night of fun and laughs!

*If you would like to contribute to the refreshment table at the play, please use this link to sign up! Thank you!!!

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The Student Council Spring Festival is May 9th!

The Student Council is hosting a Spring Festival open to all students and their families. An outdoor event, there will be a scavenger hunt, yard games, crafts and refreshments for sale! $12 per person or $25 per family for entry! Tickets will be on sale after April vacation.

‍

Enchanted Forest Prom

An Enchanted Forest Prom is at Storrowtown Tavern on May 17th for Grades 9-12. Tickets are $75 each. Tickets are on sale at milk break and lunch. Checks can be made payable to White Oak School. Students are allowed to bring guests from outside of school. There is a form to be signed available at the ticket table.

Reminder: Thursday, April 17th is a 1 PM dismissal and there is no school on Friday, April 18th.

Have a great weekend!

Jody

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• It's Pickleball season in PE classes! Our students are learning how to play this very popular sport- maybe they will teach you at a nearby court this spring!
• A big congratulations to our very own Sonny F. who came in 3rd place in the Kids Race at the Holyoke St. Patrick's Day Road Race last weekend!
• Speaking of 3rd place - a big wahoo!! to Ainsley P. who's Stop the Swerve PSA poster earned 3rd out of 27 entries for the District Attorney's office's contest. The winners were announced at Wednesday night's event at the Basketball Hall of Fame. Ainsley won $500 to be used at the school for technology purposes!
• Students who attended the event heard about the dangers of distracted driving from the DA and an ADA and had the opportunity to use drunk and drugged simulation goggles to experience how our bodies and minds become impaired under the influence. I am attaching important information for parents about the legal ramifications of hosting underage social gatherings.
• On Thursday, the Juniors attended a Career Exploration and Job Fair at Westfield State University. With over 70 local businesses in attendance, students had the opportunity to ask questions and learn about all different jobs and careers. As a bonus, they were able to grab lunch in the campus dining hall!
• The Drama Club has been practicing several times a week and the production is really coming along! Mark your calendar and join us on May 2nd for the viewing of "Clue"! It's sure to be a fun night of figuring out who dun it!
• This week Evan D. had an interview with Coach Sutter from Westfield State University. He did an amazing job - watch the April Acorn for a summary of their conversation!

SAVE THE DATE:

Friday, April 11th the Student Council is hosting a Spring Festival! It is open to all students and their families. An outdoor event, there will be a scavenger hunt, yard games, crafts and refreshments for sale! $12 per person or $25 per family for entry! Flyer coming soon!

Prom Tickets

Prom tickets will be on sale next Tuesday! $75 Per Person. Checks should be made payable to White Oak School. See a Student Council member at milk break or lunch to purchase your tickets!! Prom is open to Grades 9-12.

April theme of the month:

April: Perseverance

Give extra effort to make it through to the end.

This month, we are challenging students to work hard and stay determined. We are partnering with you to acknowledge your child’s achievement of goals- big and small! By helping your child develop perseverance now, you can prepare them to learn from their future failures and work hard to achieve future successes. This month, look for opportunities to teach and model the power of perseverance.

Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying ‘I will try again tomorrow.‘  
–Mary Anne Radmacher

Watch the April Acorn for some activities you can do at home to support this theme!

Upcoming events:

• April 10th - Credit For Life Financial Literacy Fair at Westfield High School for Juniors and Seniors- field trip forms ARE DUE BY THURSDAY, APRIL 3RD!!
• April 11th - volunteers from Berkshire Bank will be presenting their program "Financial Decisions for Young Adults" to all high school students.
• Parent Conferences are April 10th and April 16th. Watch for a confirmation email from Betsy Ricco for your scheduled day and times!

We have 2 upcoming programs with the District Attorney's office for Grades 8-12:

April 9th: Just Once: A presentation that addresses the dangers of experimenting with drugs and the risk of taking prescription medications, that includes:

• A 24-minute documentary that tells the story of drug addiction and recovery through former students that attended local high schools, their parents, and experts in the field
• A guest speaker who shares their personal story of their battle with addiction.
• Target Audience: Grades 8-12

May 13th: Stop the Swerve: Addresses the dangers of impaired and distracted driving, and includes:

• A 19-minute documentary that tells the story of two local tragedies that were a result of driving under the influence.
• An Assistant District Attorney who specializes in vehicular homicide cases.

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Have a great weekend!

Jody