April brought a lot more than just showers to Whittier!
Kindergarten, first, and second grade scholars showed off their ARC end-of-unit projects in the first week of April. Families were able to see a sneak-peak of their learning from the past 6 weeks while students were in unit 3. Scholars have started their fourth and final unit on various topics: kindergarten students are studying bugs in an entomology research lab, first grade is learning about plants through an argument research lab, and second grade will learn about jobs in their community, also through an argument research lab.
Whittier students and staff experienced a rare and extraordinary event in the second week of April- a solar eclipse! Classes wore their official solar eclipse glasses while viewing 94% moon coverage during the eclipse, provided to students and staff by the district. Specials classes prepared lessons about the solar eclipse. STEM classes created solar eclipse paper plate diagrams, students drew solar eclipse pictures during Art, and learned even more about the eclipse through music with Ms. Kapsa. It was truly an event to remember.
Whittier ended a fun and busy month of learning with an exciting surprise visit from Pete the Cat himself on April 26th. Pete greeted our scholars and visited classrooms, reminding and encouraging students to continue reading for 30 minutes each night and to log their reading in A.R.C. Reads (online) or on a paper reading log. Reading at home is essential for students to be able to make adequate progress in reading. It directly contributes to students' success and learning. Keep up the good work!
Kindergarten, first, and second grade students took the i-Ready math diagnostic test during the week of April 22nd. This assessment gives teachers a deeper understanding of how students are currently performing, which skills they are proficient in, and which specific areas they would instructionally benefit from, moving forward. Instructional staff spend a considerable amount of time reviewing student scores to ensure that they are meeting scholars' needs and monitoring their progress and growth accordingly.
Looking ahead...
-ABC Countdown to Summer begins 5/2
-ALICE classroom lessons and practice during the week of 5/3
-SEL Team's Family Night Luau is 5/7 from 5:30-7:00pm @ Sunnyside-MacArthur field
-Tim Hannig's Pro-Kids Show will take place on 5/8
-NWEA reading and math testing will take place from 5/13-5/24
-Career Week lesson during the week of 5/13
-NO SCHOOL on 5/27 (Memorial Day)
-ALL library materials are due back on 5/29
Don't forget to register your scholar for pre-k, kindergarten, first grade, or second grade for the 2024-2025 school year! Call the Whittier office at (708)449-3175 for assistance or to schedule an in-person appointment.