Notes from the Head of School

Happy Friday!

We had a very busy week here at White Oak!

*Mrs. Lynch's OE class did a sequencing directions activity where they made paper airplanes and then they got to fly them, taking advantage of the beautiful weather earlier this week! So fun!

*On Tuesday, Mr. Micks took 16 students to a food industry trade show on the grounds of the Big E. There, the students explored various booths of products sold to kitchen and restaurant businesses. They learned about pricing and the volume of options available while getting some yummy samples!  

*We had some visitors on campus this week - a momma bear and her cubs awakened from their winter slumber. We were able to observe them from the safety of our cafeteria windows as they lumbered around the edge of the woods!

*On Wednesday, Mrs. Rida's and Mrs. Luongo's social studies classes visited the American Heritage Museum in Hudson, MA. Here's a summary from some of the students who went: "Mrs. Rida and Mrs. Luongo’s history class is learning about different wars and took a field trip to the American Heritage Museum.  We were able to learn about the different types of wars and their history.  First, we traveled a long way on the school vans to get there, which was fun.  When we arrived there, there were tanks parked in the back.  The tanks were epic to see!  Next, we entered the building, and there was a cannon there!  Next, we went into a room and watched an intense and interesting movie about all the wars from the earliest to the current war.  After the movie, we got to be in an actual trench, which simulated a battle going on around us.  This showed us what it was like to be a soldier at this time during WWI.  Then, we walked into a room where we saw the first tanks ever created and used.  After that, we got to watch another war video about WWII.  Other wars we learned about were the Vietnam War, the Civil War, the Gulf War, and the War on Terror.  Overall, the coolest things we saw were a giant missile, a big, big jet, a tank painted like a tiger, a boat that transports tanks, a super old prison cell, and a train that showed a movie in it.  This was a great trip, and we learned a lot!"  

By: Bradley, Callie, Madeleine, Finn, Richard, and Blake

We are grateful to the docents and the veterans who were there to enrich our visit with information and stories!

*On Thursday, we were privileged to have Professor Bob Benard from American International College speak to our 11th and 12th graders about the different options available to students after high school. He spoke about trade schools, 2 year and 4 year colleges. He also explained the differences students can expect as they leave high school and continue on post-high school tracks, including the need to be independent in seeking accommodations. Thank you to Mr. Benard for sharing this important information with our students!

*Today, a group of students embarked on our first 8 week program at the Acts of Hesed Farm in Southampton. This leadership program incorporates the use of animals such as horses, goats and donkeys in a safe, supported environment with an equine specialist and a clinician in addition to our Mrs. Kelly. The goal of this program is to generalize emotional regulation, social and leadership skills from the farm to the school setting.

We are so thankful to 11th grader Alyssa C. who introduced us to this farm. Alyssa has a passion for animal-assisted experiences. Much of this opportunity has been financially supported by St. Germain Investment Management in Springfield, MA in Alyssa's name. Alyssa is currently working on a project to share more information about the farm and her experiences there. I look forward to sharing it with you all soon!

*Don't forget to reserve your dinner tickets for next Thursday's senior raffle and pasta dinner! This is the biggest fundraiser of the year - bring family and friends! I will attach a raffle prize list to this email - you can:

*Purchase your dinner tickets and raffle tickets ahead of time and send the attached form in to Mrs. Williams

*Purchase just your dinner tickets ahead of time and buy raffle tickets the night of - please reserve your dinner tickets with Mrs. Williams ASAP

*Purchase just raffle tickets ahead of time - you do not need to be present to win! Fill out the form and send it in to Mrs. Williams.

There will be many more prizes than those listed available the night of the raffle, including themed baskets, gift cards, a night at Foxwoods Casino and more!

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*Senior Lauren B. is working on her Gold Award- the highest award a Girl Scout Senior/Ambassador, gr 9-12 can earn! For her project titled "The Power of Understanding Dyslexia, she wanted to help other kids & families struggling with Dyslexia and Dyscalculia, while also helping teachers with resources.  She is creating resources to teach others about these disabilities and the importance of early identification and intervention.  She is also creating a library of literacy resources and activities that teachers can both use and share with parents when kids are struggling.  Lauren is gathering donations to add an audiobook section in a local public school’s library.  Her hope is to help both struggling readers and all students reach their reading goals, and hopefully encourage more of a love for reading.To donate or support Lauren's project, please see the flyer below!

UPCOMING:

*Tuesday, March 24th & Wednesday, March 25th - 10th Grade ELA MCAS testing will take place.

*Friday, May 1st - The Drama Club presents Willy Wonka Jr.

*Saturday, May 9th "Once Upon A Time" Prom - open to grades 9-12 - The Carriage House at Storrowtown Tavern in West Springfield.

Have a great weekend - hope to see you on Thursday the 19th for the Senior fundraiser!

Jody

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Happy Friday!

*Here are some scenes from last week's snow time fun!

*Mrs. Benjamin's PE classes are splitting their time between required Health & Wellness classes and learning the game of Pickleball! Can you dink while staying out of the kitchen?!?!

*Today in Club Meetings, the Boardgames Club learned a new Spanish card game while the Helping Hands Club created inspirational rock art for a rock garden coming soon to campus! The Drama Club is preparing for their May production by watching the original Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.

*The Luau Dance was so much fun! We did the Limbo, Cupid Shuffle, ChaCha Slide and Macarena. There were jump ropes, hula hoops and snacks! Thank you to everyone who came and thank you to the Student Council officers who hosted!

*The Seniors are busy gathering raffle prizes for their big fundraiser on Thursday, March 19th at 6PM! It's time to purchase dinner tickets - information is below. The prize list is coming together and attached to this email - many more prizes will be added before the winners are called on the 19th so join us for all the fun and excitement! The class continues to collect prizes of gift cards, theme baskets and more. Reach out to Mrs. Williams at twilliams@whiteoakschool.org with questions!

*UPCOMING:

*Tuesday, March 24th & Wednesday, March 25th - 10th Grade ELA MCAS testing will take place.

*Saturday, May 9th "Once Upon A Time" Prom - open to grades 9-12 - The Carriage House at Storrowtown Tavern in West Springfield.

*I'm including information about 2 opportunities:

 - There is a Lifeguarding Class being offered for those aged 15+ through the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Westfield.

  - The Westfield Public Schools are looking for adults to volunteer to help run Credit For Life - a financial literacy fair that White Oak's Juniors and Seniors attend every year. If you, are someone you work with, are interested, the information is below!

* This week, I had the opportunity to travel to Washington, DC with the Massachusetts Association for Approved Private Schools (MAAPS) to meet with lawmakers regarding Special Education funding and federal oversight that could impact schools like White Oak. Among those I met were House Minority Whip Katherine Clark (MA), Rep. Richard Neal (MA), and Rep. Jim McGovern (MA). I was fortunate to be one of the voices for our students and families!

Have a great weekend!

Jody

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Happy Friday!

*This week, Mrs. Lynch's OE class had fun with a following directions activity where they built their own snowmen in the warmth of the classroom! Following multi-step directions can be challenging and this class did an awesome job!

*The White Oak Wolfpack wrapped up their basketball season this week. We are sad that they only had 1 home game, but are proud of the way the team came together and worked hard this season! Thank you to the families who provided transportation and support for the team. A HUGE shoutout to Coaches Gumina and Rida who provided positive and unwavering enthusiasm and guidance to the team!

Reminder: Students need to wear sneakers when playing in the gym - whether it is in gym class or during indoor recess at morning break or lunch! We have seen an uptick in injuries when students are playing in slides or Crocs. Students who don't change into sneakers are not allowed to play. Thank you for reinforcing this at home for everyone's safety!

*1st period today, the Student Council officers helped to run the lower school meeting. After the 6th & 7th graders read to their peers, the high school students shared a reading about Martin Luther King Jr. and then facilitated a game of "get to know you" Bingo. The students did a great job, so they were able to end the period with a game of Fishy, Fishy!

*The Student Council is still selling Kindness Grams - for $2 you can send a note and a sweet treat to a classmate, friend or teacher. Make someone's day brighter by purchasing at milk break and lunch. Grams will be delivered on Thursday next week.

We have a lot of exciting things happening next week!

*On Monday, The Springfield Museums on The Go will visit our campus to present a program called Us and Them: Discrimination During the Holocaust and Today to all of our high school students. Through hands-on activities and primary source interpretation, students will be immersed in the experiences of local Holocaust survivors who settled in the Springfield area while examining historic cases of discrimination, identifying upstanders vs. bystanders, and tracking the progression of hate from individual acts of prejudice to genocide. Student have previewed vocabulary and important themes in their classes this week. We are looking forward to this important discussion with our students.

*On Wednesday, Ms. Daley and Mrs. Benjamin will be teaching Hands-Only CPR to all of our students. Students will review what they can and should do in case of medical emergencies and practice the basic life-saving skill of Hands-only CPR on our CPR training manikins. We review this skill each year as part of our partnership with Kev's Foundation who has provided the school with several AED machines.

*Wednesday is our 100th day of school! Let's Celebrate! How? Well, students and staff can dress like they are 100 years old, or wear something that represents 100 items or 100 days of fun and learning! We will have a photo spot set up - so watch for those pics in next week's email!

*Hands-Only CPR training comes during our Heart Health Awareness month! Students who have participated in our online campaign have received their red t-shirts and a stress ball from Mrs. BenjaminWe are asking EVERYONE to wear red next Thursday, February 26th to show support and awareness for heart health!

It's not too late to join!

If you haven’t already, register here:   White Oak Web Page

*Friday, February 13th is a 1PM dismissal before our Winter break from 2/16-2/20!

SAVE THE DATES:

*Luau Dance for Grades 4-7: March 6th, 3:30-5 PM, $10 in the cafeteria hosted by the Student Council officers

*The White Oak Drama Club will present: Willie Wonka on Friday, May 1st with a possible Saturday, May 2nd matinee performance. The cast is hard at work learning their lines at morning break and lunch. Do not miss the opportunity to see this production, complete with song!

* Prom: May 9th, Storrowton Tavern, West Springfield- open to high school students only!

Have a great weekend! Stay warm!

Jody

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