See more eclipse photos HERE
Dear Friends,
Our students' art is hanging on the walls throughout the school. If you didn’t get a chance to see it at A Taste of Our Towns, I suggest one of the following.
- Come to school just before 3:00 on April 29-May 3rd. Park your car, sign in, collect your child, and have them show you around the building to see the artwork.
- Come to school by 8:10 AM on Monday 4/29, Tuesday 4/30, and Wednesday 5/1. Park your car, sign in with your child, and have them show you around the building to see the artwork.
Our young artists translate their ideas, with the physical materials of clay, yarn, oil pastels, watercolor, paper, and glue. Through their eyes and the muscles in their hands and arms, they transpose their ideas into the stunning work on our walls. The artistic process provides our young artists respite, contemplation, and on occasion the space to share powerful, inspiring, or difficult stories. And sometimes … the process is just for silliness and joy. Congratulations to Teachers Deborah and Cathy for helping each child realize their vision.
I have just started to read Richard Haidt’s book The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness (2024). I always appreciate a book that tells me in the introduction what to expect, affords me the opportunity to double-check the research before I invest too much time, and even provides action steps to address the problems being explored. I am intrigued by the chapter “Spiritual Degradation and Elevation”. I understand that Haidt is not looking simplistically at the challenges our children and teens face. I appreciate that he provides practices that we as adults who care for children can choose to take together as a community to support our children. If you are reading Haidt, let me know what you think and might want to do together.
My office is always open.
Warmly,
Margaret Haviland
______________
Announcements:
- April 30th, and May 15th ~ 7:00-8:00 PM three-part series exploring what it is that makes Westfield Friends School a Quaker School. Everyone is welcome. April 30th we will consider Friends' beliefs and testimonies. Sign up here
- May 1st ~ Parents are invited to Meeting for Worship at 8:30 AM
- May 1st - 3rd ~ Book Fair
- May 3rd ~ Grandparents/Grand Friends Day and the Pancake Breakfast
- May 6-8 ~ ERB testing, Grades 3-8. A good night's sleep is the best preparation.
- May 6-10 ~ Teacher Appreciation Week
____________
|
In our library in honor of Poetry Month Don't Bump the Glump!: And Other Fantasies by Shel Silverstein |
In our library in honor of Poetry Month Words with Wings by Nikki Grimes
|
In our library in honor for Earth Day Earthsong by Sally Rogers
|
|
In our library for Passover Mrs. Katz and Tush by Patricia Polacco
|
What I am reading The Great Passion by James Runcie
|
What I am reading The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness by Jonathan Haidt
|
