Happy autumn! Amazingly, we’ve been in school just about a month.
Here’s some of what I’ve seen in my daily visits to classrooms this week:
  • A kindergarten, second and fifth grade classroom using movement while students either spelled or counted. There’s plenty of research to support using movement while learning.
  • A new student in a kindergarten classroom adding his picture and name to the class list.
  • A music teacher reviewing with students how they earn a “4” in class – students say, “listen to all the notes,” and “follow all the teacher notes.”
  • A first grade teacher saying to a student, “I notice you saying the word really slow to hear all the sounds.”
  • A third grade teacher showcasing her own writing on the Smart Board and having students score it based upon a rubric. Students discussed emotion of the written piece and any dialogue that used quotation marks.
  • A fourth grade classroom with all students actively engaged in writing, allowing the teacher to conference with a student one-to-one.
Friday, October 5 is the next scheduled PTO-sponsored Parent’s Coffee in the library, 8:30-9:30. I like to keep this forum open for parent concerns, but I will start the meeting with a discussion about traffic at the Cedar Street intersection as it relates to student safety. There are two parents interested in pursuing solutions from town officials, so I’d like to hear from as many parents as possible.
This year all Wellesley elementary schools will be offering foreign language classes as an extra curricular activity, provided by a third party either before or after school.  At Fiske, Go Lingo, will be providing this service Wednesdays after school. The scheduled start of the program is Wednesday, October 9. The program will run from noon dismissal to 1:30 with families providing a lunch from home, if they want their child to eat before 1:30 pick up time. There is a cost of $264 for the 11-week program. The language offered will be Spanish and is opened to all grade levels. Look for a flyer this Friday.
Thanks to all Fiske families coming out and supporting the Wild West through either volunteering, sponsoring or partaking in all the day’s events. It is truly a wonderful community event that just happens to raise around $30,000! As I anticipated the dunk tank was chilly, but well worth it.
Two items for your attention:
  1. There are no latex balloons allowed in school. This also means when we hold our annual Halloween parade balloons are not allowed as a costume accessory.
     
  2. I know many families provide tutors for their children outside of school. I understand the need for support at home, but I want families to know that staff is not expected to discuss students and/or curriculum directly with tutors. Instead parents should discuss their child’s individual needs with a their child’s teacher and then pass on those concerns to a tutor. Having teaching staff discuss methods, curriculum and pedagogy with a tutor can put teachers in an uncomfortable position, especially if a tutor does not agree to the methods at school. If you have questions or concerns about this practice, please feel free to call me at school.
Finally, there is no school on Thursday, September 25, 2014 in observance of Rosh Hashanah.
Sincereley,
Anthony Colannino
Principal
Fiske Community News 9/25/14