Background:
Vanessa Beauchaine joined the Wrentham Public Schools in July 2015. She began her career as an educator in 1994 and has served students in Pre-K through the 8th grade as a paraprofessional, classroom teacher, special education teacher, and principal prior to serving in her current role. In addition to serving as the Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction, she also serves as the ELE Director and oversees the ESSA grant programs.
Education:
Certificate Program in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Cornell University
Ed.D. in Educational Administration, Boston College
Principal Certification Program, MESPA/Northeastern University
Ed.M. in Elementary Education, Boston University
B.A. Colby College
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Upcoming Events...Top of Page
DECEMBER 2024
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Tuesday, December 17th
School Committee Meeting
Roderick Library, 7:00 pm
December 23, 2024 - January 1, 2025
NO SCHOOL - Winter Break
(School Resumes on January 2, 2025)
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Learning in 2024-2025Top of Page
What would you like to know more about?
We try to provide timely updates through Dr. Cameron's periodic updates to families. If you have any other questions that have not yet been answered, click the button below. Thank you!
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Note from Dr. BeauchaineTop of Page
December 2024
Dear WPS Families,
Here are a few updates for this month.
DECEMBER 9th - 15th: Computer Science Education Week (CSEd Week)
Beginning on Monday, December 9th through December 15th, we will be celebrating CSEd Week, which is designed to promote and introduce computer science education among students. Building a foundational knowledge of coding and computer science can help to prepare students for the ever-changing workplace. The Hour of Code activities students engage in promote problem solving skills, creativity, innovation, and resilience! All of the WPS students will have opportunities to engage in Hour of Code activities during Technology classes during the week of December 9th and there will be an extension opportunity through the Bingo Challenge where students can also engage in additional coding activities at home.
Reading Resources Accessible from Home
Over the long Thanksgiving Holiday, some of our students were using their extra time to read. Sometimes, over the holidays or vacations we may have extra time available to read, but it may be challenging to go to the library or store to get additional books for our avid readers. As a Wrentham student, your child has access to the library collections through SAILS. SAILS' mission is to provide resource sharing, direct and equal access, and meet every patron's needs, through cooperation, leadership, and technology. Click this link to login to SAILS Kids. There are print options, of course, but there are also audio, video, and online formats accessible as well. (Tumblebooks also provides many ebooks and activities related to the books as well.)
Wishing all of our students, their families, and WPS staff a wonderful winter break with your family and friends!
November 2024
Fall Conferences
Fall conferences will be held in the afternoon on November 20th and in the evening on November 21st. The week before conferences, documents for each grade will be added to this webpage that will outline the learning focus areas from the start of the year through November 1, 2024. We will also send updated versions of the learning focus area documents to families in late January 2025, before the report card is sent home, prior to spring conferences, and before the final report card in June.
Click the links below to view the August-November Learning Focus Documents for each grade:
ENGLISH:
CHINESE:
PORTUGUESE:
SPANISH:
UKRAINIAN:
Native American Heritage Month
November is Native American Heritage Month and there are a variety of resources that you and your families can access for free. Last year, many may remember that our community celebrated the 350th anniversary of the town of Wrentham. The land known now as Wrentham was part of a much larger section of Massachusetts that was home to the Wampanoag people for approximately 8,000 years. Back in 1662, a group of investors purchased this land from the Wampanoag sachem at that time, Metacomet. Metacomet, commonly referred to by the English name "King Philip" is the namesake of the King Philip Middle School, which our students attend beginning in seventh grade.
In honor of Native American heritage month, if you would like to learn more, you may want to visit one of the sites below.
Veterans Day
Thank you to all of the Wrentham community veterans for serving our country in times of peace and conflict. For more information about the history of Veterans Day, explore the links below:
As always, if you have any questions about curriculum and instruction related topics, please send me an email using the button on the left side of this page.
October 2024
DIBELS - Early Literacy Assessment
We administer the DIBELS (Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills) assessment to students in grades 1- 6 in September, January, and May of each year to monitor progress in foundational reading skills. (It is administered twice a year to Kindergarteners, in October and May.)
Subtests that assess phonemic awareness, phonics skills, sight word recognition and fluency are each only a minute long. For students in grades 2 - 6, there is an additional comprehension subtest called the Maze that takes three minutes. These assessments take minimal time to administer, but provide valuable information. Each subtest has been demonstrated to be a reliable and valid indicator of children's early literacy development and is an approved early literacy screener by Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). Click the slide deck HERE to see a brief description of the skills that are included and to see which skills are included for the different grades.
Summer Reading and Math
Many students in Kindergarten all the way up through Grade 6 submitted their Summer Learning Logs in September. Certificates to honor their commitment to continuous growth and learning as "summer scholars" were delivered to their classrooms at the end of September. The principals and I are proud of the ongoing efforts of our scholars to keep their learning momentum going throughout the summer!
Students took advantage of some extra math practice provided through online sources such as Freckle, Reflex, Frax, and Prodigy. Other students logged in time by engaging in math calendar challenges, math card games, or practice books on their own to keep their computational skills sharp. Other students extended their practice over the summer to map skills, spelling, grammar skills, and reading comprehension.
Our summer readers read a wide variety of fiction and nonfiction. If you and your children are looking for some new favorite books to enjoy, consider the authors and titles recommended by your child's peers.
Kindergarten:
Drew Daywalt - The Day the Crayons Came Home
Mo Willems- Don’t Let the Pigeon series
Blbby Lynn Maslen - Bob Books "Dot" series
Tomie DePaola - Strega Nona
Grade 1:
Mo Willems- Elephant and Piggie series
National Geographic - Animal Books (nonfiction)
James Dean - Pete the Cat series
Rebecca Elliot - Owl Diaries series
Scholastic (Multiple Authors) - Scooby Doo series
Grade 2:
Ann Martin - Baby-Sitters Little Sister series
Mo Willems - Can I Play, Too? and the Elephant and Piggie series.
Arnold Lobel - Frog and Toad series
Annie Barrows - Ivy & Bean
Kate DiCamillo - Mercy Watson
Cynthia Rylant - Mr. Putter & Tabby and Henry & Mudge
Grade 3:
Rebecca Elliot - Owl Diaries
Nonfiction Series (Multiple Authors) - "Who Was___" series
Matt Christopher Sports Fiction series
Grade 4:
Dav Pilkey - Dog Man series
Rebecca Elliot - Owl Diaries
Jamie Smarts - Bunny v. Monkey
Ann Martin - Assorted Titles
Grade 5:
Christopher Paolini - Assorted Titles
Rebecca Elliot - Owl Diaries
Lemony Snicket - Assorted Titles
Melissa de la Cruz - Isle of the Lost series
Grade 6:
Dav Pilkey - Cat Kid Comic Club
Ann Martin - Assorted Titles
Erin Hunter - Warriors series
Stephen Pastis - Timmy Failure series.
September 2024
Welcome Back WPS Families!
It was wonderful to see so many of you at our "Meet & Greet" events on August 27th and to have all of our students and teachers return with excitement for the new school year!
WPS Curriculum Webpage
The Curriculum & Instruction page on our website will be updated at the start of each month to share information related to your child's learning experiences, including information about the new ELA programs, report cards, assessment information, and other periodic curriculum highlights.
Recognizing Summer Learning:
I have already received a number of summer reading and math logs and look forward to seeing more as each day passes. Students are welcome to submit their logs up through Friday, September 20th. At the end of September, students will be recognized and celebrated for their continued independent learning endeavors at home over the summer.
Do you need another summer reading or math log for your child? Click the following link to access the Summer Learning 2024 page of the website and click the tab for your child's grade. If you are unable to access the logs, please click the button below to email me and I will be more than happy to assist you.
Upcoming Events:
September 18th
Roderick Curriculum Night
September 19th
Delaney Curriculum Night & Title I Information Night
Delaney Title I Information Night - September 19th
Each year, we are provided with funds through Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) under Title I. These funds are designed to:
- Strengthen the core program in schools and provide academic and/or support services;
- Provide evidence-based programs;
- Provide professional development; and
- Involve parents/guardians as active partners in their children's education.
To learn more about the Title I program at Delaney School, join me in the Delaney Conference Room anytime between 6:00 - 7:30 pm before or after you visit your child's teacher during the Delaney Curriculum Night.
May this be a rewarding year of learning for everyone! I want to keep learning and improving as well and welcome your feedback and suggestions throughout the year to make the WPS experience for you and your children even better. Please feel free to contact me at any time.
Wishing you all a wonderful school year!
June 2024
Dear Families,
Celebrating Learning and Looking Ahead
This is an exciting time of year for our WPS scholars! There are the favorite school community events such as Field Day, Camp Bournedale, or the performances such as the Chorus and Band concerts. In addition, there are opportunities to celebrate the learning within each classroom honoring students' growth and progress. Our students continue to come to school "ready to learn" each and every day and to keep that learning momentum going, there are resources available for families over the summer as well.
Some students are already engaged in summer programs at the school such as Summer Reading and Math, Extended School Year, and Summer Institute that are occurring in July and August. Students are encouraged to engage in activities linked to the Summer Learning page on our website. While it is not required, reading daily (even for just 15 minutes a day) along with practicing math skills during the summer months, can help to prevent regression and boost confidence.
Whether students are at home or "on the road" this summer, they may click here to access the Summer Reading and Math Learning Page to view the various options for each grade. Scholastic provides a free online resources with many digital options, which is monitored 24/7 as a safe option for families. In addition, Barnes & Noble is continuing their incentive program and the information is linked to our summer webpage as well. Feel free to email me by clicking the button on the left side of the page if you have any questions.
June Report Cards
Leading up to conferences or report cards, we send out a grade level "Learning Focus Area" document for each grade to provide additional information about the skills and concepts taught at that time of year. The April to June Learning Focus Area documents are linked below:
Pre-Kindergarten (English)
Kindergarten (English); Kindergarten (Chinese)
Grade 3 (English)
Grade 6 (English)
May 2024
Dear Families,
Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) Information
Students in Massachusetts attending publicly-funded schools are required to participate in the annual MCAS testing beginning in grade 3 as stated in the 1993 Massachusetts Education Reform Law, state law M. G. L. Chapter 69, section 1I. When needed, students are provided with accommodations and/or modifications consistent with those provided in the classroom to provide equitable access to all students. You can click this link to learn more about the MCAS participation requirements.
Our Wrentham scholars in grades 3- 6 have already completed the ELA portion of MCAS and students across the grades worked diligently to apply what they have learned over the years to demonstrate their understanding. During the month of May, students will participate in the Math MCAS in grades 3-6 and our fifth graders also participate in the Science Technology & Engineering (STE) MCAS.
MCAS provides a snapshot of student progress reflecting what each student knows and is able to do based on the questions asked on one particular day. The MCAS results provide us with helpful information and feedback about curriculum and instruction, and can help us to identify particular areas for growth within a particular grade, school, or the district as a whole. The results may also indicate areas for growth for particular students and can assist us in identifying supports that are necessary to close learning gaps between subgroups of students and the aggregate. This level of data analysis ensures that we are providing equitable access to the curriculum for each and every student.
For a deeper understanding of each individual's student's progress towards the grade level standards, we also look beyond MCAS. For the individual student, we put the greatest weight on the evidence of student growth when working with teachers and specialists over the 180-day school year including, formal and informal assessment data as well as work samples that show students' growth over time.
The 2024 MCAS results will be published in the fall and the student reports will be sent home to families. Each year, we analyze the results, look for strengths and areas for growth and this information is also shared with the community at a School Committee meeting. If you wish to view the summary data of previous years, it is always accessible on the Massachusetts DESE website.
If you have any questions about MCAS, please feel free to contact me by clicking the email button on the left.
April 2024
Spring Parent-Teacher Conferences
As we look ahead to parent-teacher conferences on April 10th and 11th, families are encouraged to view the Learning Focus documents below for your child's grade. The grade-level documents below provide the areas of focus from January through the end of March.
The documents listed below have live links:
PRE-K
PreKindergarten (English)
K
Kindergarten (English)
Kindergarten (Chinese)
Gr. 1
Grade 1 (English)
Grade 1 (Portuguese)
Grade 1 (Spanish)
Gr. 2
Grade 2 (English)
Grade 2 (Chinese)
Grade 2 (Spanish)
Gr. 3
Grade 3 (English)
Gr. 4
Grade 4 (English)
Grade 4 (Portuguese)
Grade 4 (Spanish)
Gr. 5
Grade 5 (English)
Grade 5 (Portuguese)
Grade 5 (Spanish)
Gr. 6
Grade 6 (English)
Grade 6 (Haitian Creole)
Enjoy the time with the teachers and specialists you are able to meet with this week. It is a great opportunity to celebrate all that your children have accomplished so far, and how we can continue to foster their learning through the rest of the year.
As always, feel free to contact me with any questions you have by clicking the email button on the left side of this page.
March 2024
CURRICULUM HIGHLIGHT: English Language Arts (ELA)
Getting to Know Our Recommended ELA Programs:
After a thorough ELA Curriculum Review, the recommendation for a new ELA program was shared with the School Committee at their last meeting on February 13th. The goal of the ELA review process was to select a high-quality ELA program for grades K - 6 that “Partially Meets Expectations” or “Meets Expectations” on CURATE or is rated “green” on EdReports for:
- Text quality and organization
- Classroom tasks and instruction
- Accessibility for students
- Usability for teachers
- Impact on student learning
After piloting two programs, the ELA Committee went through a consensus building process where all members were in support of recommending "My View" published by Savvas for Grades K - 5, and "My Perspectives" published by Savvas for Grade 6. Here are a few slides from the School Committee presentation that shows some of the highlights of the two programs:
(You may also view these slides in the Google Slides presentation as well.)
After reviewing the findings of the ELA Curriculum Review, the School Committee voted to approve the recommendation from the ELA Curriculum Review Committtee, contingent upon adequate financial resources.
Wrentham Public Schools also applied for a High Quality Instructional Material grant and were approved for an amount that will cover approximately 20% of the cost of the program to support the ultimate adoption of this high-quality ELA program in Wrentham.
If you would like to learn more about My View (K-5) and My Perspectives (Gr.6), click the buttons below.
February 2024
Greetings WPS Families!
Term 1 Report Cards - February 9, 2024
Our first written report card of the year will be distributed on February 9th and reflects the learning progress made from the start of the year through January 26, 2024. All of our report cards for Kindergarten through Grade 6 are standards-based in all academic subjects: English Language Arts, Mathematics, History & Social Science, and Science, Technology, and Engineering. in 2023-2024. (PreK Report cards are standards-based for ELA and Math only.)
Unlike a "letter grade" of A, B, C, that reflects a percentage of "correctness", standards-based grading reflects the progress towards proficiency of specific learning standards. Students may have already mastered some academic standards this year. However, since we have only completed half of the year, it is likely that students are progressing towards the majority of end-of-year standards. It is expected that students will need additional learning opportunities to have sufficient practice to reach a level of proficiency by the end of Term 2.
The academic standards describe specifically what students should be able to do, understand, and think about. Therefore, when students are first learning a new concept or skill, it is likely that they will need additional time and support. Gradually, with sufficient exposure and practice, students will progress closer towards mastery of that specific standard.
This year, we also piloted two new ELA programs. Two classrooms at each grade piloted one of the programs. This means that some classrooms were working on an informational unit in ELA instead of a narrative unit during the first half of the year. By the end of the year, all students within each grade will have had ample learning experiences to address all of the report card line items by the end of term 2.
Our 2023-2024 Report Card Brochure will explain the different scales we use to communicate the progress each child is making towards the end-of-year grade level academic and personal development standards.
The detailed Learning Focus Areas for November - January are linked below:
January 10, 2024
CURRICULUM HIGHLIGHT: English Language Arts (ELA)
What ELA program does Wrentham Public Schools use?
Instead of a single program for general classroom instruction, we use a variety of curriculum materials designed to meet the needs of students as they develop all domains of language: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. We take into consideration the developmental needs of students and the need to build early literacy foundational skills in grades K through Grade 2, in addition to developing reading and writing skills throughout the grades.
Early Literacy/Foundational Skills:
Pre-K through Grade 2:
- Handwriting Without Tears (PreK and K) Developmental approach teaching groups of letters beginning with those easiest to produce, developed by occupational therapists.
- Lively Letters (PreK and K) Systematic, multi-sensory approach to teaching phonological awareness and phonics. Students begin by learning pairs of voiced/unvoiced consonants which are partnered together as they are similarly produced sounds and follows the scope and sequence recommended (and developed) by speech/language pathologists. Students practice blending, segmenting, and manipulating the sounds, the skills that are highly correlated to successful reading and spelling.
- Heggerty (K and 1) - This phonemic awareness curriculum includes short daily lessons include recognizing and producing rhymes, isolating initial, medial, and final sounds, blending sounds and segmenting words, and manipulating sounds.
- Fundations (1 and 2) - Systematic approach for phonics, following the Orton-Gillingham scope and sequence that provides a structured reading, spelling, and handwriting curriculum using engaging, multisensory techniques.
Units of Study for Writing (K-6) & Units of Study for Reading (K - 6)
Wrentham Public Schools has been using the Units of Study for Reading and Writing since the fall of 2015. Students engage in learning opportunities through the workshop model where the literacy block begins with a mini-lesson that is delivered to the whole group, followed by opportunities to engage in small group instruction or independent practice as teachers rotate through different groups of students, providing them with the instruction and guidance they need. Students develop as readers and writers within the different genres: narrative, information or explanatory, and opinion or argument writing.
Framing Your Thoughts (K - 6)
For the teaching of explicit teaching of grammar and language conventions, we have incorporated Framing Your Thoughts lessons based upon the ELA standards included in the MA DESE ELA Frameworks for each grade level.
January 2024
Happy New Year!
Term 1 Report Cards
The first reporting period of the year will be ending on Friday, January 26, 2024. In our current reporting cycle for the 2023-2024 school year, we began with the parent-teacher conferences in the fall and families received grade level learning focus documents that provided details about what students were learning in each subject area. Before the report cards are sent home on February 9th, families will receive updated versions of the learning focus documents reflecting the learning opportunities students engaged in from November through January 26th.
Celebrating WPS Musicians
On Wednesday, January 31st, we will host our Beginning Band Concert. This is the premier performance for our Roderick instrumentalitsts. The following week, on Wednesday, February 7th, the Winter Concert, featuring advanced band students and the chorus will be performing as well. Thank you to Ms. Salazar, our Instrumental Music Teacher, and Ms. Mariotti, our General Music Teacher & Chorus Director for creating the opportunities for our musicians to perform for others and share their love of music. We are proud of our young musicians who are working hard to learn the various techniques to play their instruments and sing during practices in school and for their practice efforts at home as well!
ACCESS for ELS
Each year, students who are learning English as a second language (English Learners or ELs) take a test called ACCESS for ELs. This assessment occurs annually and measures student growth towards English Proficiency in the four language domains: Listening, Reading, Speaking, and Writing.
December 2023
DECEMBER 4th - 10th: Computer Science Education Week (CSEd Week)
Beginning on Monday, December 4th through December 10th, we will be celebrating CSEd Week, which is designed to promote and introduce computer science education among students. Building a foundational knowledge of coding and computer science can help to prepare students for the ever-changing workplace. The Hour of Code activities students engage in promote problem solving skills, creativity, innovation, and resilience! All of the WPS students will have opportunities to engage in Hour of Code activities during Technology classes during the week of December 4th and there will be an extension opportunity through the Bingo Challenge where students can also engage in additional coding activities at home.
Reading Resources Accessible from Home
Over the long Thanksgiving Holiday, some of our students were using their extra time to read. Sometimes, over the holidays or vacations we may have extra time available to read, but it may be challenging to go to the library or store to get additional books for our avid readers. As a Wrentham student, your child has access to the library collections through SAILS. SAILS' mission is to provide resource sharing, direct and equal access, and meet every patron's needs, through cooperation, leadership, and technology. Click this link to login to SAILS Kids. There are print options, of course, but there are also audio, video, and online formats accessible as well. (Tumblebooks also provides many ebooks and activities related to the books as well.)
November 2023
Early Literacy Screening
As you will recall, we are administering the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills assessment to screen for potential reading difficulties. Members of the Literacy Data Team including literacy specialists and administrators recently assessed students in grades 1 - 6 and the DIBELS score reports will be mailed home to families on November 3rd.
The scores were shared with classroom teachers and the majority of students are on track based upon the DIBELS scores in conjunction with other classroom assessments. If scores are significantly below the grade level benchmark, families will be notified about the next steps which may include options such as additional classroom instruction or small group support. Families are encouraged to reach out to me or their child's principal if they have questions after receiving the scores.
Fall Conferences
Fall conferences will be held on November 8th and 9th. The following documents linked to each grade outlines the learning focus areas through October 31, 2023. We will send updated versions of the learning focus area documents to families in late January 2024, before the report card is sent home, prior to spring conferences, and before the final report card in June.
Native American Heritage Month
November is Native American Heritage Month and there are a variety of resources that you and your families can access for free.
Veterans Day
Thank you to all of the Wrentham community veterans for serving our country in times of peace and conflict! For more information about the history of Veterans Day, explore the links below:
As always, if you have any questions about curriculum and instruction related topics, please send me an email using the button on the left side of this page.
October 2023
Summer Reading and Math
Many students in Kindergarten all the way up through Grade 6 submitted their Summer Learning Logs in September. Certificates to honor their commitment to continuous growth and learning as "summer scholars" will be delivered to their classrooms the first week in October. The principals and I are proud of the ongoing efforts of our scholars to keep their learning momentum going throughout the summer!
Students took advantage of some extra math practice provided through online sources such as Freckle, Reflex, Frax, and Prodigy. Other students logged in time by engaging in math calendar challenges or practice books on their own to keep their computational skills sharp or practice applying spelling, grammar skills, and reading comprehension..
Our summer readers read a wide variety of fiction and nonfiction. If you and your children are looking for some new favorite books to enjoy, consider the authors and titles recommended by your child's peers.
Kindergarten:
James Dean - Pete the Cat series
Mo Willems- Don’t Let the Pigeon series
Daisy Meadows - Fairy series
Fairy Tales and Fables
Grade 1:
James Dean - Pete the Cat series
Leo Lionni - A Color of His Own
Mercer Meyer - Little Critters series
Jane O’Connor - Fancy Nancy series
Latasha Perry - Like Mine series
Mo Willems- Don’t Let the Pigeon series
Grade 2:
Annie Barrows - Ivy & Bean
Michael Bond - Paddington series
Barbara Park - Junie B. Jones series
Dav Pilkey - Dog Man series
Cynthia Rylant - Henry & Mudge
Mo Willems - I’m Invited to a Party
Grade 3:
Stan & Jan Berenstain - Berenstain Bears series
Ben Clanton - Narwhal series
Jeff Kinney - Diary of a Wimpy Kid series
Mary Pope Osborne - Magic Treehouse series
Dav Pilkey - Dog Man series
Tracey West - Dragon Masters series
Grade 4:
Aaron Blabey - Bad Guys series
Ann Martin - Babysitters Club series
Rachel Renee Russell - Diary series
Tracey West - Dragon Masters series
R.L. Stine - Goosebumps series
Lauren Tarshis - I Survived series
Grade 5:
Judy Blume - Assorted Titles
Rebecca Elliot - Owl Diaries
Ann Martin - Babysitters Club series
J.K. Rowling - Harry Potter series
Megan Stine - Who Was series
Grade 6:
Donald J. Sobol - Encyclopedia Brown
Gertrude Chandler Warner - Box Car Children Series
Wanda Coven - Middle School and Other Disasters
Matt Tavares - Hoops
Tui T. Sutherland - Wings of Fire series
September 2023
Welcome Back WPS Families!
Our first two days of the 2023-2024 school year brought eager students and enthusiastic teachers together as a learning community, excited to learn and grow together.
Recognizing Summer Learning:
I am pleased to share that many students continued their learning over the summer through the Extended School Year services, Summer Institute, and the Summer Reading and Math programs. Our students in K through 6th grade continue you to embrace one of our core values: Continuous growth and learning! I have already received a number of summer reading and math logs and look forward to seeing more and more as each day passes. Students are asked to submit their logs by Friday, September 22nd. At the end of September, students will be recognized and celebrated for their continued independent learning endeavors at home over the summer.
Do you need another copy of the summer reading or math logs for your child? WPS families can still access the summer reading and math logs on our website. Click the following link to access the Summer Learning 2023 page of the website and click the tab for your child's grade. If you are unable to access the logs, please click the button below to email me and I will be more than happy to assist you.
Upcoming Events:
It was wonderful to see so many of you at our "Meet & Greet" events on August 29th and I will look forward to seeing you at our upcoming events in September:
September 15th
WPS Welcome Wagon Breakfast for New Parents/Guardians (8:30 - 9:15 am)
September 19th
Delaney Curriculum Night (5:30 - 8:00 pm)
Title I Information Night (6:00 - 7:30 pm)
September 20th
Roderick Curriculum Night (5:30 - 7:30 pm)
The Curriculum & Instruction page on our website is updated mothly on the first of each month to highlight specific information you may need about curriculum, report cards, and other important information related to your child's learning experiences.
May this be a rewarding year of learning for everyone! I want to keep learning and improving as well, and welcome your feedback and suggestions throughout the year to make the WPS experience for you and your children even better.
Wishing you all a wonderful school year!
June 2023
Dear Families,
Celebrating Learning and Looking Ahead
This is an exciting time of year for our WPS scholars! There are the favorite school community events such as Field Day or the performances such as the 5th Grade Gym Show, Chorus and Band concerts. In addition, there are opportunities to celebrate the learning within each classroom honoring students' growth and progress. Our students continue to come to school "ready to learn" each and every day and to keep that learning momentum going, there are resources available for families over the summer as well.
Some students are already engaged in summer programs at the school such as Summer Reading and Math, Extended School Year, and Summer Institute that are occurring in July and August. Students are encouraged to engage in activities linked to the Summer Learning page on our website. While it is not required, reading daily (even for just 15 minutes a day), along with practicing math skills during the summer months, can help to prevent regression and boost confidence.
Whether students are at home or "on the road" this summer, they may click here to access the Summer Reading and Math Learning Page to view the various options for each grade. Feel free to email me by clicking the button on the left side of the page if you have any questions.
June Report Cards
Leading up to conferences or report cards, we send out a grade level "Learning Focus Area" document for each grade to provide additional information about the skills and concepts taught at that time of year. The April to June Learning Focus Area documents are linked below:
Wishing you a wonderful end of the school year!
May 2023
Dear Families,
Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS)
Our students in grades 3- 6 have completed the ELA portion of MCAS and students across the grades maintained fervent efforts to try their best. During the month of May, students will participate in the Math MCAS in grades 3-6 and our fifth graders will also participate in the Science Technology & Engineering (STE) MCAS.
MCAS provides a snapshot of student progress reflecting what each student knows and is able to do based on the questions asked on one particular day. The MCAS results provide us with helpful information and feedback about curiculum and instruction, and can help us to identify particular areas for growth within a particular grade, school, or the district as a whole. The results may also indicate areas for growth for particular students and can assist us in identifying supports that are necessary to close learning gaps between subgroups of students and the aggregate. This level of data analysis ensures that we are providing equitable access to the curriculum for each and every student.
For a deeper understanding of each individual's student's progress towards the grade level standards, we also look beyond MCAS. For the individual student, we put the greatest weight on the evidence of student growth when working with teachers and specialists over the 180-day school year including, formal and informal assessment data as well as work samples that show students' growth over time.
The 2023 MCAS results will be published in the fall and the student reports will be mailed home to families. Each year, we analyze the results, look for strengths and areas for growth and this information is also shared with the community at a School Committee meeting. If you wish to view the summary data of previous years, it is always accessible on the Massachusetts DESE website.
Roderick Rising Scholars Program
This year, in advance of the 2023 ELA MCAS Administration, all Roderick students participated in the Roderick Rising Scholars program before the testing window began. It was a week-long program where each grade devoted an hour each day to focus on what we termed "strategies for life" as students geared up for MCAS. This devoted time allowed students to think critically while completing ELA tasks such as comparing and contrasting two different texts or employing strategies to present a cogent response to open-ended questions. Each session included a hook to ground the learning for the day, clear learning objectives, with fun built in as well. There was a positive, elevated tone to this focused time for our Roderick scholars before the testing window began.
Similary, during the last week in April, Roderick students participated in the Math Rising Scholars week in preparation for the Math MCAS beginning in May. For each grade, there was a particular focus based upon certain concepts and skills that had been identified as relative areas for growth, such as geometry or statistics and also incorporated positive problem-solving strategies so students have multiple ways to attack an unfamiliar problem. Within each lesson, there were also opportunities to differentiate to either reinforce or extend concepts to meet the needs of all learners. We are proud of the way in which our scholars responded to the challenges presented and students are prepared to bring their best efforts in the weeks ahead.
If you have any questions about MCAS, please feel free to contact me by clicking the email button on the left.
April 2023
Spring Parent-Teacher Conferences
As we look ahead to parent-teacher conferences on April 5th and 6th, families are encouraged to view the Learning Focus documents below for your child's grade. The grade-level documents below provide the areas of focus from January through the end of March.
The documents listed below have live links:
PRE-K
PreKindergarten (English)
PreKindergarten (Chinese)
PreKindergarten (Portuguese)
K
Kindergarten (English)
Kindergarten (Portuguese)
Gr. 1
Grade 1 (English)
Grade 1 (Chinese)
Gr. 2
Grade 2 (English)
Gr. 3
Grade 3 (English)
Grade 3 (Portuguese)
Gr. 4
Grade 4 (English)
Grade 4 (Portuguese)
Gr. 5
Grade 5 (English)
Grade 5 (Spanish)
Gr. 6
Grade 6 (Portuguese)
Enjoy the time with the teachers and specialists you are able to meet with this week. It is a great opportunity to celebrate all that your children have accomplished so far, and how we can continue to foster their learning through the rest of the year.
As always, feel free to contact me with any questions you have by clicking the email button on the left side of this page.
March 2023
Dear Families,
Each year, during the first week of March we have a school community celebration. Aligned with Read Across America, we are holding a Fun with Math and Reading family event on Thursday, March 2nd. If you click on the link above, you will see that there are options to choose from to have fun with your whole family. We hope to see many of you there!
March is also Women's History Month. There are numerous resources that are available for children and their families to learn more about the contributions of women and girls through history, not only in the United States, but around the world as well.
1. New Literature: The Horn Book Magazine is known for highlighting new children's literature and young adult selections. They have a different selection promoted each week of March.
2. The History of Women's History Month: PBS Kids provides athat explains how March came to be known as Women's History Month.
3. Local Library Selections: Even more resources, including ebooks are available through our website. Use this link to connect to be directed to the School Library page created by our librarian, Mrs. Lopez. She has many suggestions for students as we celebrate reading during the first week of March!
February 2023
Greetings WPS Families!
Term 1 Report Cards - Distributed February 3, 2023
Our first written report card of the year will be distributed on February 3rd and reflects the learning progress made from the start of the year through January 20, 2023. All of our report cards for Kindergarten through Grade 6 are standards-based in all academic subjects: English Language Arts, Mathematics, History & Social Science, and Science, Technology, and Engineering. in 2022-2023. (PreK Report cards are standards-based for ELA and Math only.)
Unlike a "letter grade" of A, B, C, that reflects a percentage of "correctness", standards-based grading reflects the progress towards proficiency of specific learning standards. Students may have already mastered some academic standards this year. However, since we have only completed half of the year, it is likely that students are progressing towards the majority of end-of-year standards. It is expected that students will need additional learning opportunities to have sufficient practice to reach a level of proficiency by the end of June.
The academic standards describe specifically what students should be able to do, understand, and think about. Therefore, when students are first learning a new concept or skill, it is likely that they will need additional time and support. Gradually, with sufficient exposure and practice, students will progress closer towards mastery of that specific standard.
Our 2022-2023 Report Card Brochure will explain the different scales we use to communicate the progress each child is making towards the end-of-year grade level academic and personal development standards.
The detailed Learning Focus Areas for November - January are linked below:
January 2023
Happy New Year!
Term 1 Report Cards
The first reporting period of the year will be ending on Friday, January 20, 2023. In our current reporting cycle for the 2022-2023 school year, we began with the parent-teacher conferences in the fall and families received grade level learning focus documents that provided details about what students were learning in each subject area. Before the report cards are sent home on February 3rd, families will receive updated versions of the learning focus documents reflecting the learning opportunities students engaged in from November through January 20th.
Celebrating WPS Musicians
On Thursday, January 12th, we will host our annual Winter Band & Chorus Concert. Students will perform before the Delaney and Roderick students during the day and that evening, our musicians will also have the chance to perform for their families as well. Thank you to Ms. Goodman, our Instrumental Music Teacher, and Ms. Mariotti, our General Music Teacher & Chorus Director for creating the opportunities for our musicians to perform for others and share their love of music. We are proud of our young musicians who are working hard to learn the various techniques to play their instruments and sing during practices in school and for their practice efforts at home as well!
ACCESS for ELS
Each year, students who are learning English as a second language (English Learners or ELs) take a test called ACCESS for ELs. This assessment occurs annually and measures student growth towards English Proficiency in the four language domains: Listening, Reading, Speaking, and Writing.
December 2022
DECEMBER 5th - 11th: Computer Science Education Week (CSEd Week)
Beginning on Monday, December 5th through December 11th, we will be celebrating CSEd Week, which is designed to promote and introduce computer science education among students. Building a foundational knowledge of coding and computer science can help to prepare students for the ever-changing workplace. The Hour of Code activities students engage in promote problem solving skills, creativity, innovation, and resilience! All of the WPS students will have opportunities to engage in Hour of Code activities during Technology classes during the week of December 5th and there will be an extension opportunity through the Bingo Challenge where students can also engage in additional coding activities at home.
Reading Resources Accessible from Home
Over the long Thanksgiving Holiday, some of our students were using their extra time to read. Sometimes, over the holidays or vacations we may have extra time available to read, but it may be challenging to go to the library or store to get additional books for our avid readers. As a Wrentham student, your child has access to the library collections through SAILS. SAILS' mission is to provide resource sharing, direct and equal access, and meet every patron's needs, through cooperation, leadership, and technology. Click this link to login to SAILS Kids. There are print options, of course, but there are also audio, video, and online formats accessible as well. (Tumblebooks also provides many ebooks and activities related to the books as well.)
November 2022
Fall Conferences
This fall, teachers and specialists are conferencing with families earlier in the year. The following documents linked to each grade outlines the learning focus areas through October 31, 2023. We will send updated versions of the learning focus area documents to families in late January 2024, before the report card is sent home, prior to spring conferences, and before the final report card in June.
Native American Heritage Month
November is Native American Heritage Month and there are a variety of resources that you and your families can access for free.
Veterans Day
Thank you to all of the Wrentham community veterans for serving our country in times of peace and conflict! For more information about the history of Veterans Day, explore the links below:
As always, if you have any questions about curriculum and instruction related topics, please send me an email using the button on the left side of this page.
October 2022
Summer Reading and Math
Many students in Kindergarten all the way up through Grade 6 submitted their Summer Learning Logs in September. Certificates to honor their commitment to continuous growth and learning as "summer scholars" will be delivered to their classrooms the first week in October. Both the principals and I are proud of the ongoing efforts of our scholars to keep their learning momentum going throughout the summer!
Students took advantage of some extra math practice provided through online sources such as Freckle and Prodigy. Other students logged in time by engaging in math calendar challenges or practice books on their own to keep their computational skills sharp or practice applying spelling and grammar skills. Some students chose to develop their own summer goals, setting a target, and often surpassed their goals. We have persistent scholars who exemplify our core value of continuous growth and learning!
Our summer readers read a wide variety of fiction and nonfiction. If you and your children are looking for some new favorite books to enjoy, consider the titles and authors recommended by your child's peers.
Kindergarten:
Nonfiction Series (By multiple authors) A Day in the Life Of...
Mo Willems
Judi Barrett - Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
Fairy Tales and Fables
Grade 1:
Mary Pope Osborne - The Magic Treehouse Series
Liza Charlesworth
Laura Numeroff - If You Give a Mouse a Cookie
Mo Willems - Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus
Grade 2:
Barbara Park - Junie B. Jones series
Annie Barrows - Ivy & Bean
Cynthia Rylant - Henry & Mudge
Ellen Miles - The Puppy Place Series
Grade 3:
Chloe Perkins - Living in... series
Ann Martin - Babysitters Club series
Dav Pilkey - Dogman series
Jeff Kinney - Diary of a Wimpy Kid series\
Tracey West - Dragon Masters series
Grade 4:
Lauren Tarshis - I Survived series
Mary Pope Osborne - Magic Treehouse series
Judy Blume - Assorted Titles
Dav Pilkey - Dogman series
J.K. Rowling - Harry Potter series
Grade 5:
Ann Martin - Babysitters Club eries
C.S. Lewis - Narnia series
John Patrick Green - Investigators series
Robert Kondo - The Dam Keeper series
Grade 6:
Meredith Costain - Olivia's... series
Stuart Gibbs - Spy School series
Lauren Tarshis - I Survived series
Gary Paulsen - Various titles
September 2022
Welcome Back WPS Families!
We are excited to welcome all of our staff, students, and their families back to school!
Recognizing Summer Learning:
I am pleased to share that many students continued their learning over the summer through the Extended School Year services, Summer Institute, and the many different Academic Support programs. Our students in K through 6th grade have truly embraced one of our core values: Continuous growth and learning! I have already received a number of summer reading and math logs and look forward to seeing more and more as each day passes. Students are asked to submit their logs by Friday, September 23rd. At the end of September, students will be recognized and celebrated for their continued independent learning endeavors at home over the summer.
Do you need another copy of the summer reading or math logs for your child? WPS families can still access the summer reading and math logs on our website. Click the following link to access the logs: Summer Learning 2022. If you are unable to access them, please click the button below to email me and I will be happy to assist you.
Upcoming Events:
It was wonderful to see so many of you at our "Meet & Greet" events on August 30th and I will look forward to seeing you at our upcoming Curriculum Nights this fall.
DELANEY EVENTS:
- Delaney Curriculum Night (5:30 - 8:00 pm)
- Title I Information Night (5:30 - 7:30 pm)
RODERICK EVENTS:
- Roderick Curriculum Night (5:30 - 7:30 pm)
NEW FOR 2022-2023:
While this Curriculum & Instruction page on our website is not new, this year, I will be sending an update on the first of each month via email to highlight specific information you may need about curriculum, report cards, and other important information related to your child's learning experiences. I have included some direct links for your convenience at the bottom of this newsletter as well that you can access at any time.
As the Chinese proverb states, "Learning is a treasure that follows its owner everywhere!" May this be a rewarding year of learning for everyone! I want to keep learning and improving as well, so I welcome your feedback and suggestions.
Wishing you all a wonderful school year!
June 2022
Dear Families,
Celebrating Learning Success!
Over the course of this year, our students have shown they have been Respectful, Responsible, and Ready to Learn! Students have made great gains academically and we have been able to provide more frequent learning excursions and community events such as the Art Show, Music Concerts, Memorial Day Celebration, and the upcoming Gym Show and Grade 6 Promotion ceremony.
On the last day of school, the student report cards will be available on the Aspen Family Portal. In advance of their release, families will also receive the Grade Level Learning Focus Document that provides additional detail about what students were learning during this term. For your convenience, they are also linked below:
Learning Focus Area Documents (April - June)
Continuing to Learn Over the Summer
Our WPS scholars have learned many things this year and there are some additional resources your children have access to while they are enjoying the summer with your family to maintain their learning momentum.
Some students are already engaged in summer programs at the school such as Summer Academic Programs, Extended School Year, and Summer Institute that are occurring between July 11th and August 12th. In addition, students may choose to engage in activities linked to the Summer Learning page on our website. While it is not required, reading daily (even for just 15 minutes a day), along with practicing math skills during the summer months, can help to prevent regression and boost confidence.
Whether students are at home or "on the road" this summer, they may click here to access the Summer Reading and Math Learning Page to view the various options for each grade. Feel free to email me by clicking the button on the left side of the page if you have any questions.
Enjoy the summer!
May 2022
Dear Families,
Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS)
This year marks our return to a more typical MCAS schedule for the first time in three years. Our students in grades 3- 6 have completed the ELA portion of MCAS and students across the grades maintained fervent efforts to try their best. During the month of May, students will participate in the Math MCAS in grades 3-6 and our fifth graders will also participate in the Science Technology & Engineering (STE) MCAS.
MCAS provides a snapshot of student progress reflecting what each student knows and is able to do based on the questions asked on one particular day. The MCAS results provide us with helpful information and feedback about curiculum and instruction, and can help us to identify particular areas for growth within a particular grade, school, or the district as a whole. The results may also indicate areas for growth for particular students and can assist us in identifying supports that are necessary to close learning gaps between subgroups of students and the aggregate. This level of data analysis ensures that we are providing equitable access to the curriculum for each and every student.
For a deeper understanding of each individual's student's progress towards the grade level standards, we also look beyond MCAS. For the individual student, we put the greatest weight on the evidence of student growth when working with teachers and specialists over the 180-day school year including, formal and informal assessment data as well as work samples that show students' growth over time.
The 2022 MCAS results will be published in the fall and the student reports will be mailed home to families. Each year, we analyze the results, look for strengths and areas for growth and this information is also shared with the community at a School Committee meeting. If you wish to view the summary data of previous years, it is always accessible on the Massachusetts DESE website.
If you have any questions about MCAS, please feel free to contact me by clicking the email button on the left.
April 2022
Spring Parent-Teacher Conferences
As we look ahead to parent-teacher conferences on April 6th and April 13th, families are encouraged to view the Learning Focus documents below for your child's grade. The documents listed below have live links.
Enjoy the time with the teachers and specialists you are able to meet with on April 6th and April 13th!
As always, feel free to contact me with any questions you have by clicking the email button on the left side of this page.
March 2022
Dear Families,
As we launch the first month of spring, we are also celebrating Women's History Month. This year, the theme is, "Women Providing Care, Providing Hope." There are numerous resources that are available for children and their families to learn more about the contributions of women and girls through history, not only in the United States, but around the world as well.
1. New Literature: The Horn Book Magazine is known for highlighting new children's literature and young adult selections. Click on this link if you would like suggestions for picture book biographies selected in honor of Women's History Month.
2. The History of Women's History Month: PBS Kids provides a brief video that explains how March came to be known as Women's History Month.
3. Highlighting Women Heroes: National Geographic Kids also provides a summary highlighting some of the many women heroes with links to learn more.
4. Local Library Selections: Even more resources, including ebooks are available through our website. Use this link to connect to be directed to the School Library page created by our librarian, Mrs. Lopez. She has many suggestions for students as we "Celebrate Reading" during the first week of March!
February 2022
Greetings WPS Families!
Term 1 Report Cards - Distributed February 4, 2022
Our first written report card of the year will be distributed on February 4th and reflects the learning progress made from the start of the year through January 21, 2022. All of our report cards for Kindergarten through Grade 6 are standards-based in ELA, Mathematics, and Science and we will be adding Social Studies in 2022-2023. (PreK Report cards are standards-based for ELA and Math only.)
Unlike a "letter grade" of A, B, C, that reflects a percentage of "correctness", standards-based grading reflects the progress towards proficiency of specific learning standards. Students may have already mastered some academic standards this year. However, since we have only completed half of the year, it is likely that students are progressing towards the majority of end-of-year standards. It is expected that students will need additional learning opportunities to have sufficient practice to reach a level of proficiency by the end of June.
The academic standards describe specifically what students should be able to do, understand, and think about. Therefore, when students are first learning a new concept or skill, it is likely that they will need additional time and support. Gradually, with sufficient exposure and practice, students will progress closer towards mastery of that specific standard.
Families will receive a Report Card Brochure via email that will explain the different scales we use to communicate the progress each child is making towards the end-of-year grade level academic and personal development standards.
The detailed Learning Focus Areas for November - January are linked below:
January 2022
Happy New Year!
Term 1 Report Cards
The first reporting period of the year will be ending on Friday, January 21, 2022. In our current reporting cycle for the 2021-2022 school year, we began with the parent-teacher conferences in the fall and families received grade level learning focus documents that provided details about what students were learning in each subject area. Before the report cards are sent home on February 4th, families will receive updated versions of the learning focus documents reflecting the learning opportunities students engaged in from November through January 21st.
Below are the links for each grade's Learning Focus Area Documents:
December 2021
Greetings!
New Children's Literature for the Holidays
With Thanksgiving ushering in the holiday season, we quickly turn the calendar to December, which holds the winter solstice and as well as different holidays celebrated in Wrentham and around the world. We have been adding new titles to our classroom libraries to expand the collection of literature providing "mirrors" to allow us to see ourselves reflected in the text as well as "windows" allowing us to learn about others' experiences.
As wintertime can yield some additional indoor time, you may wish to peruse the list of 46 Outstanding Works recommended by the School Library Journal (SLJ). They include books about holidays, picture books, middle grade selections, as well as young adult titles. You may also find additional titles to quench the thirst for even more great reads for your children through the American Library Association list of all of the award-winning books of 2021.
Computer Science Education Week (CSEd Week)
Beginning on Monday, December 6th through December 12th, we will be celebrating CSEd Week, which is designed to promote and introduce computer science education among students. Building a foundational knowledge of coding and computer science can help to prepare students for the ever-changing workplace. The Hour of Code activities students engage in promote problem solving skills, creativity, innovation, and resilience! All of the WPS students will have opportunities to engage in Hour of Code activities during Technology classes during the week of December 6th and there will be an extension opportunity through the Bingo Challenge where students can also engage in additional coding activities at home.
November 2021
Fall Conferences
This fall, teachers and specialists are conferencing with families earlier in the year. The following documents linked to each grade outlines the learning focus areas through October 22, 2021. We will send updated versions of the learning focus area documents to families in late January 2022, before the report card is sent home, prior to spring conferences, and before the final report card in June.
If you are interested in the year-long view, the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) has created grade level curriculum summaries for parents. For your convenience, they are linked in the section below.
FREE Lively Letters Training for Parents
Kindergarten families are encouraged to register for the FREE 3-hour training on November 13th with the creators of the Lively Letters program! Click here to register: Free Lively Letters Training
Native American Heritage Month
November is Native American Heritage Month and there are a variety of resources that you and your families can access for free.
Veterans Day
Thank you to all of the Wrentham community veterans for serving our country in times of peace and conflict! For more information about the history of Veterans Day, explore the links below:
As always, if you have any questions about curriculum and instruction related topics, please send me an email using the button on the left side of this page.
October 2021
Summer Reading and Math
Many students in Kindergarten all the way up through Grade 6 submitted their Summer Learning Logs in September. Certificates to honor their commitment to continuous growth and learning as "summer scholars" were delivered to their classrooms. Both the principals and I are proud of the ongoing efforts of our scholars to keep their learning momentum going throughout the summer!
Students took advantage of some extra math practice provided through online sources such as Freckle and Prodigy, two of the most common activities. Other students logged in time by engaging in math calendar challenges or practice books on their own. Some students made it an almost daily routine over the summer months!
Our summer readers read a wide variety of fiction and nonfiction. If you and your children are looking for some new favorite books to enjoy, consider the titles written by the authors below that were common titles among their grade-level peers:
Kindergarten:
Katharine Holabird - Angelina series
Marjorie Weinman Sharmat - Nate the Great series
Norman Bridwell - Clifford the Big Red Dog series
Grade 1:
Norman Bridwell - Clifford the Big Red Dog series
Barbara Park - Junie B. Jones series
Mairi MacKinnon - Favorite stories (Ex: The Gingerbread Man, The Tortoise & the Hare)
Kevin Henkes - Chrysanthemum, My Garden, Egg, and many more!
Grade 2:
Jerry Pallotta - Who Would Win series (Nonfiction)
Mary Pope Osborne - Magic Treehouse series
Mo Willems - Elephant's Can't Dance, Pigeon series
Rebecca Elliott - Owl Diaries series
Grade 3:
Elisabetta Dami - Geronimo Stillton series
Jeff Kinney - Diary of a Wimpy Kid series
Cynthia Rylant - Cobble Street Cousins series
Ron Roy - A to Z Mystery series
Grade 4:
Lauren Tarshis - I Survived series
Lincoln Pierce - Big Nate series
Dav Pilkey - Dogman series
Assorted Authors - Who Was... Series (nonfiction)
Grade 5:
David A. Kelly - The Ballpark Mystery series
Lauren Tarshis - I Survived series
Judy Blume - Assorted Titles (Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, Sheila the Great, and more!)
Kate DiCamillo - Mercy Watson series
Grade 6:
Eoin Colfer - Artemis Fowl series
Alan Gratz - Allies and other Young Adult books.
Dan Gutman - My Weird School series (and the Baseball Card Adventures series)
September 2021
Welcome Back!
We are excited to welcome all of our students and staff back this year when we can be in-person each and every day!
I am pleased to share that many students continued their learning over the summer through the Extended School Year services, Summer Institute, and the ten different Academic Support programs. In addition the Summer Reading and Math logs are swiftly coming in as well! Our students in K through 6th grade have truly embraced one of our core values: Continuous growth and learning! Later this month, students will be recognized and celebrated for their continued independent learning endeavors at home as well.
WPS families can still access the summer reading and math logs on our website. Click the "Summer Learning 2021" from the menu bar at the top of this page. If you are unable to access them, please click the button on the left side of this page to email me and I will be happy to assist you.
I wish you all a rewarding 2021-2022 and look forward to seeing you at some of our upcoming events!
June 2021
Looking Ahead to 2021-2022
As we close out the 2020-2021 school year, we have much to celebrate! Whether learning in fully-remote, hybrid, or in-person learning models, our students and their teachers, have done a remarkable job persevering in their pursuits. Both students and staff adapted well to the use of new tools and rethinking what teaching and learning can look like.
While this has been an unconventional year, it is customary at this time of the year to think about the kinds of summer learning that can help students maintain their learning momentum to have a strong start in September. Reading daily along with practicing math skills during the summer months can help to prevent learning loss.
Some students are already engaged in summer programs at the school such as the Academic Programs, Extended School Year, and Summer Institute that are occurring between July 12th and August 12th. However, we also have summer learning options that are both fun and engaging ways for students to stay on track whether they are at home or "on the road" this summer to start the 2021-2022 school year with confidence.
WPS families received information about the Summer Reading and Math Activities, which are accessible right from our website. If you are unable to access them, please click the button on the left side of this page to email me and I will be happy to assist you.
May 2021
Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS)
Typical Routine
Families of students in Massachusetts in grades 3 through 12 are familiar with the term MCAS. Each spring, we are used to the routine of administering the MCAS in English Language Arts and Math to Wrentham students in grades 3-6 and also administering the Science Technology & Engineering (STE) MCAS to fifth graders as well.
Changes This Year
This year, there is only one testing session per subject area, which limits the amount of time that students are spending taking the test and allows more classroom time to continue their learning. Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) has also revised the MCAS guidelines to allow students who are learning in fully remote classes to take the test online. Test administrators run a Google Meet in the background so that they can monitor the students while taking the test akin to the way we do in the classroom. Students have access to the online proctor to ask questions and receive support.
Enduring Message
Amidst the changes, the enduring message to students remains the same as we encourage them to simply try their best. MCAS provides a snapshot of student progress. The ultimate results mark how a student on one particular day met the content-related challenges included on the ELA, Math, or STE MCAS and does not capture a complete 360 degree view of student growth and progress overall. For that, we look to the evidence of student growth in the classroom with the teachers that students are with every day.
However, the results can be used to note trends across different standards, which may be used to inform other curricular decisions. The results may also point to areas for growth for particular students and can assist us in identifying supports that are necessary to accelerate learning and prevent learning loss in the upcoming year.
Taking Stock of the Process
With the first week behind us with simultaneous in-person and fully-remote MCAS, we are on a good path! Students and staff have been remarkably flexible and students are putting forth their best effort. Students are Meeting Challenges As Students, applying what they have learned and exhibiting persistance and perseverance with positivity.
March/April 2021
Spring Parent-Teacher Conferences
As we look ahead to parent-teacher conferences, information about what families can expect at conferences as well as the focus learning areas for the past 45 school days will be sent to families via email on Monday, March 29th. The documents outlining the grade level learning focus areas through March 26, 2021 are also listed below:
Enjoy the time with the teachers and specialists you are able to meet with on March 31st and April 7th and feel free to join me at one of the open office hour times listed under Upcoming Events!
February 2021
Report Cards
Typically, we have three reporting periods, or trimesters between September and June. This year, we altered the timeline for conferences and report cards to provide four opportunities for home-school communication about students' progress. This year's schedule is listed below:
December - Parent/Teacher conferences
February - Written report card with comments
April - Parent/Teacher conferences
June - Written report card with comments
Our first written report card of the year will be distributed on February 5th and reflects the learning progress made from the start of the year through January 22, 2021. All of our report cards from PreK through Grade 6 are standards-based in ELA and Mathematics and we will be adding Science and Social Studies in 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 respectively.
Unlike a "letter grade" of A, B, C, that reflects a percentage of "correctness", standards-based grading reflects the progress towards proficiency of specific learning standards. Students may have already mastered some academic standards this year. However, since we have only completed half of the year, it is likely that students are progressing towards the majority of end-of-year standards. It is expected that students will need additional learning opportunities to have sufficient practice to reach a level of proficiency by the end of June.
The academic standards describe specifically what students should be able to do, understand, and think about. Therefore, when students are first learning a new concept or skill, it is likely that they will need additional time and support. Gradually, with sufficient exposure and practice, students will progress closer towards mastery of that specific standard.
Families will receive a Report Card Brochure via email that will explain the different scales we use to communicate the progress each child is making towards the end-of-year grade level academic and personal development standards.
January 2021
Happy New Year!
A brand new year elicits hope and the promise in all that CAN be. Over the past few weeks, despite the varied challenges that 2020 posed to so many, I have heard some positive reflections from friends and family members, inspiring recollections of small successes, as well as triumphs over the toughest of challenges. The cohesive action and resilience of our community to respond intentionally in the face of a pandemic is one among them. Our teachers' ability to continue to hone their craft to make learning opportunities engaging and effective is yet another.
Books are Mirrors and Windows: Reading helps us learn about ourselves and others
Sometimes, characters we read about in fiction as well as the real people we learn about in non-fiction texts serve as mirrors, reflecting images of ourselves or they serve as windows, helping us to "see" others' experiences. On a number of occasions, I have been asked for some recommendations for texts that provide multiple perspectives of historical events or holidays such as Columbus Day or those that provide an opportunity for students to "see" themselves in texts, characters they can personally relate to who look like them.
In the past there are a number of book lists that have been shared:
Recently, however, I learned about the annual book list curated by a group at the University of Pennsylvania's Graduate School of Education. This year, the selections focus on stories of joy, love, loss, and resilience from multiple perspectives and addressing issues related to gender, race, ability, ethnicity, religion, and more. There are many different genres included across grades PK-8 included in this list: 2020 List for Young Readers.
If you are looking for other resources for your older children as well, visit the UPenn Graduate School of Education Educator's Playbook where both educators and parents can access the latest research and learn new tips for how to support our children at every level.
Do you have a suggestion for a future topic? Click the button on this page to provide your suggestion for an upcoming teaching and learning update.
December 2020
Celebrating Successes and Looking Ahead
During the first two weeks in December, we invite families to join teachers for parent-teacher conferences. This is a time to celebrate all that our Wrentham scholars have accomplished, a perfect time for students to reset their goals, and identify how the adults at home and at school can support them over the coming weeks.
While we typically hold our first set of parent-teacher conferences at this time of year, there are some notable changes to this year's reporting schedule. This year, we modified our trimester reporting schedule to one that provides four opportunities over the course of the year for families to receive feedback on student progress:
- Fall conferences,
- Winter writtern report card with comments,
- Spring conferences, and
- June written report card with comments.
Families will soon receive a survey that will include opportunities to provide feedback about these changes. We would benefit greatly from your feedback, hearing about what works well, and what would make this process even better for you and your family. Families are also encouraged to ask a question or provide suggestions related to teaching and learning at any time by clicking the button on this page.
Hybrid and Remote-only Considerations
Hybrid and remote-only learning models present some unique challenges. Students can often find it challenging to stay on task and it can be tempting to engage in preferred activities that students are used to doing when they are at home. Students thrive when there is a consistent, predictable routine and can benefit from:
- Waking up at the same time every day whether they are learning at home or in school.
- Working in a quiet, distraction-free home-learning space. (Headphones are helpful as well.)
- Creating a schedule or task list each morning with set meeting times.
- Setting a timer to complete individual tasks.
- Building in mindfulness and movement breaks.
- Setting expectations for when the learning day is done.
Our mental health team has put together a phenomenal resource with additional recommendations and helpful executive functioning strategies for families. Please click here for more information.
Do you have a suggestion for a future topic? Click the button on this page to provide your suggestion for an upcoming teaching and learning update.
November 2020
Student Learning Progress
This fall has been a source of bright moments within the Wrentham Public Schools! Our WPS scholars are making the most of their time with their classmates and teachers and they remain eager to learn. We are fortunate to have been able to maintain the in-person days within the hybrid learning model and we are currently increasing our ability to provide opportunities for students to have greater contact with teachers on the "remote" learning days. Thank you for providing your feedback and suggestions along the way through the periodic surveys. With your input, we are continuing to refine the remote and hybrid learning models for the betterment of our students.
As we look ahead to parent-teacher conferences, information about what families can expect at conferences as well as the focus learning areas for the past 45 school days will be sent to families via email. The documents outlining the grade level learning focus areas through November 20, 2020 are also listed below:
As always, if you have any questions, please feel free to submit your questions to me by clicking on the button on this page. I look forward to hearing from you!
October 2020
WPS Summer Scholars
Congratulations to all of our Summer Scholars who participated in the summer learning opportunities right from our website. Read on to see what titles were on WPS Students' "must read" lists and the favored Math activities.
Grade Level Book Recommendations: Check out these "MUST READS" from our Scholars:
PreK and K: Franklin the Turtle, Otis the Tractor, and Pete the Cat series top the lists!
Grade 1: Danny and the Dinosaur books and many selections by Mo Willems were the favorites!
Grade 2: Pig the Pug and Bad Guys series as well as the Dragon Masters series were read often!
Grade 3: Cleary's "Ramona" series, Magic Treehouse books, and the Puppy Place series were a hit!
Grade 4: Fourth graders preferred Babysitter's Club, the Dogman series, and the non-fiction "Who was..." and "What was..." series!
Grade 5: Fifth grade sports enthusiasts enjoyed books by Jake Maddox as well as the Warrior Cats series.
Grade 6: Babysitter's Club and the Saddle Club series were popular as well as Greed Mythology selections by Rick Riordan.
Favorite Math Activities and Explorations:
Out of all of the scholars, there were students in grades 1 through 6 who participated! When students are looking to continue their learning, here are some suggestions from each grade level based upon the summer participation:
Grade 1: Freckle and the daily Bridges activities
Grade 2: Math Fluency Games (found on our website) and Freckle
Grade 3: Math Fluency Games and Freckle
Grade 4: Freckle, Math Fluency Games, and Zearn
Grade 5: Freckle, Math Fluency Games, Talking Math (Illustrative Math) and Zearn
Grade 6: Freckle, Math Fluency Games, Talking Math, and Zearn
CONGRATULATIONS to all of our Summer Scholars! Each summer scholar will be receiving a certificate to acknowledge their commitment to continuous growth and learning, one of our Core Values!
September 2020
Welcome to the Wrentham Public Schools!
While school will look and feel different during the 2020-2021 school year, our focus on providing rigorous learning opportunities for Wrentham students remains the same. Most students will be learning in the hybrid model and attending school two days a week in person and learning from home on three days, others are engaging in a “remote only” learning model and are learning from home each day.
Over the past six years, we have gradually adopted the workshop model for English Language Arts for both Reading and Writing PK through Grade 6. Through professional development, collaboration between and among teachers, and periodic coaching opportunities, we have seen marked growth. Our students see themselves as accomplished readers and writers.
After conducting a Mathematics curriculum review, Wrentham adopted Bridges in Mathematics and Number Corner for grades K-3 and Illustrative Math for grades 4-6 in the spring of 2020. The programs are similar in concept to one another and provide students with opportunities to develop deep mathematical understanding, build proficiency with skills, and increase in their ability to solve complex problems. Both programs provide a coherent progression of skills and concepts, provide support for student learning in ways that are accessible to all students through multiple learning modes, and supports teachers as confident facilitators of mathematical discourse.
Our dedicated teachers work collaboratively to review, revise, and refine their lessons and units in Social Studies and Science as well. We will continue to focus on the development of lessons that are taught through inquiry-based pedagogy. It is not only what students know and are able to do, but what they are thinking about. With teachers skillfully asking questions that continue to foster students to reflect, observe, and refine their understanding of the world around them, we can build upon students' natural curiosity as students explore, create, and innovate.
Our specials team provide opportunities for students to engage with Technology, Music, comprehensive wellness through Physical Education and Health, Art, and Library. Throughout the year, there are opportunities for students to showcase their work through performances and presentations. We encourage you to follow our Instagram account to see examples of their learning in action as well.
As the Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment, I am committed to working with students, families, and staff to optimize the learning opportunities for all of our students. From time to time, families will receive requests for feedback through brief surveys. Your feedback helps us to learn and grow as a district and we are grateful for your active involvement.
Please return periodically throughout the year as updates about the general education curriculum, Title I, and English Learner Education will be linked to this website.
WIth best wishes for an exciting year of learning,
Vanessa C. Beauchaine, Ed.D.
Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment
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ELA Programs for 2024-2025Top of Page
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Grade Level Learning Expectations for FamiliesTop of Page
The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) has published user-friendly guides to the curriculum frameworks for all grade levels. (Guides are also posted in Spanish, Portuguese, and Chinese as well.)
You may access them by clicking the link here: Grade Level Learning Standards
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New to WPS?Top of Page
If you are new to Wrentham and would like to be connected with a host family to help you connect with other Wrentham families and to learn more about the WPS experience, please email me and I will be happy to assist you! We are glad you are here!