A Note From The Woods

With another wonderful year of great learning, experiments, concerts, field trips, celebrations and so much more under our belts, it’s time to wish all of our students and families a summer filled with sun, fun and lots of reading! Whether your child enjoys stories read to them or loves to read to you, reading is an activity for all seasons.

As the chapter closes for the 2008-2009 school year, we are already busy planning for your students to return to Wood Acres in August. Faculty and staff use the summer months to refresh, enhance professional learning, order curriculum, deep clean classrooms and most importantly, prepare to welcome students back to a great little school tucked away in the woods.

With an ever improving caliber of curriculum, talented teaching staff, and engaged students, Wood Acres has again done extremely well on our annual standardized testing. Your child’s individual results (for Kindergarten through 6^th grade) are enclosed in this envelope. Please carefully read the backside of your child’s summary as it contains great explanations of testing “lingo” and help with data analysis. Celebrate success, plan for areas of improvement and remember that this is just one window into the performance of your child this year. Additionally, your child’s final evaluation or report card is also enclosed and provides you with a great overview of academic performance throughout the year. Wood Acres is the place to learn… and our test scores and report cards prove it! Well done!

What we cannot put into this envelope are the memories, giggles, smiles, tears, “ah has”, and powerful sentiment that come from spending 180 days with your child. Each year we see your families through personal celebrations and personal tragedies; academic highs and learning challenges. We have seen your child grow in inches and shoe sizes; in mind and in spirit. We are as proud of them as you are! Thank you for such an amazing year of teaching and learning the Wood Acres way. May your summer be full of family fun, reading, sand, water, and SPF #30! See you in August.

Head of School

Parent Packets coming your way

Parent packets with details for the new school year will be mailed the last week of July. The packet will include your student’s class assignment, the full year school calendar, Meet & Greet details, Camp S’mores registration (for early childhood students) and everything you’ll need to get the school year off to a tremendous start. With a small office staff over the summer, we will make every effort to get the packets out as quickly as possible but your patience will be most appreciated. We can’t wait to see you and your student in August!

Immunization Forms Needed!

At your child’s annual check-up, please make sure to get a copy of the Georgia immunization form 3231. Students are required to have a current immunization form on file prior to the beginning of school.

Great Summer Reading Ideas

Reading is the perfect family activity to enjoy during the summer. To find classic children’s literature as well as the most notable new titles, visit the American Library Association’s website, www.ala.org. You will find lists of Caldecott and Newbery Medal winners as well as honor books. The lists are a wonderful starting point to find new favorites for you and your child!

Newbery & Caldecott Medals

The Newbery Medal is awarded annually by the American Library Association for the most distinguished American children’s book published the previous year. The award encourages original, creative work in children’s literature. Each year, the Caldecott Medal honors an artist who has created the most distinguished picture book for children. If you visit the ALA website, you’ll see some very classic titles that you’ll enjoying sharing with your child as well as great new works to discover together. Here are a few title that have recently been added…

Newbery Medal Winners

• Good Masters! Voices from a Medieval Village, by Laura Amy Schlitz
• The Higher Power of Lucky, by Susan Patron
• Criss Cross, by Lynne Rae Perkins
• Kira-Kira, by Cynthia Kadohata
• The Tale of Despereaux, by Kate DiCamillo
• Crispin: The Cross of Lead, by Avi

Caldecott Medal Winners

• The House in the Night, illustrated by Beth Krommes, written by Susan Marie Swanson
• Flotsam, by David Wiesner
• The Hello,Goodbye Window, illustrated by Chris Raschka, written by Norton Juster
• Kitten’s First Full Moon, by Kevin Henkes
• The Man Who Walked Between the Towers, by Mordicai Gerstein

Summer Reading Lists for Fifth, Sixth & Seventh Graders

It is summer time and time for summer reading! As students begin to enjoy their varied summer activities, The Wood Acres School’s fondest wish is that a book will accompany them as they go. Reading is a valuable tool not only during the academic year, but during the summer as well. It allows students to gather knowledge, think critically, and derive pleasure from the words on the page.

Reading lists for the upper school students will be mailed in early June so look for your envelope in the mailbox soon!

Update on Wednesday, August 5, 2009 by The Wood Acres School

Wood Acres Parents: The 5th, 6th, and 7th grade reading lists are now available in the the Parent site (requires login) in the Reading Lists section.