Superintendent’s Monthly Update January 2017

Inspire the Love of Learning When teachers share unbridled excitement about what they are teaching, students get excited, too. We have identified “Inspire the Love of Learning” as a core value of our practice in the Wakefield Public Schools. But how do we actually do this, as teachers or as parents? All of us can reflect back on a favorite teacher who was important to us; someone who helped us become who we are or where we are in our lives today. What was it about that influential teacher that made a difference? Think about your own experience: it is likely that this teacher shared his or her enthusiasm for a specific subject area, believed in your capacity to be good at it, and provided the support and guidance you needed to be successful. It is likely that this teacher saw something special in you and made you feel good about yourself. It may be these very actions that inspire students to love of learning and become confident learners. Share your passion Enthusiasm is infectious. When teachers share unbridled excitement about what they are teaching, students get excited, too. Many of us pursued a career where the flame of interest was ignited by a mentor who enthusiastically loved the subject. This teacher could not contain his or her zeal for the subject, peaking our own curiosity. To this day, my favorite quality of good teaching is passion.

WMHS Cheerleaders – State Champs

Happenings State of Schools & Budget Feedback Forums Staff Forum: Wednesday, January 4 Savings Bank Theatre Gr. 5-12 2:30 – 3:30 p.m. Gr. PK-4 3:30 – 4:30 p.m. Parent & Community Forum: Wednesday, January 11 Galvin Auditorium 7:00 – 8:30 p.m. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration Monday, January 16 Galvin Auditorium 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. Sponsored by Wakefield’s Human Rights Commission

If I have learned one thing in my 34 years in education, it is that students rise to the level of expectations we set for them. Model a Growth Mindset Key to loving learning is being fearless about it. Teachers and parents practice Growth Mindset when they embrace students’ mistakes as stepping stones in the learning process, and celebrate practice, growth, and progress - as opposed to praising achievement, especially when it comes with speed and ease. By endorsing the right things, we alleviate the worry students have about appearing “smart” or “talented”. We can cultivate a mindset that students are capable of learning just about anything, if they are willing to put in the effort and practice it may require, and be open to the support and guidance of a teacher or mentor along the way. Growth Mindset opens a world of learning, adventure, and opportunity, and the confidence to try new things. This is truly a gift of lifelong learning. Set high expectations There is nothing more powerful than someone believing in you. Accompanying that belief is unending support and encouragement, just when you need it. If I have learned one thing in my 34 years in education, it is that students rise to the level of expectations we set for them. When we raise the bar, they keep reaching for it. Important to this idea is that students feel safe to take risks and know that we won’t give up on them, ever. Equally important to this idea is that achievement isn’t the ultimate goal, growth is. Reaching the summit is not where joy resides, it is always in the journey, and most often about the people who shared that journey with you.

Save the date: Parent University 2017 Our 4th Annual Parent University is scheduled for Saturday, March 11 from 8:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. at the Galvin Middle School. Wakefield Academy will sponsor an exciting day camp for kids, with many fun and engaging activities, to free up parents to choose from as many as 20 free parent workshops. We will again host a keynote speaker: this year we have booked Mike Mascolo, a psychologist from Merrimack College who presents a variety of topics involving grade PK-12 students, with a specialty focus on how to motivate kids. I am currently seeking WPS faculty presenters who can share their expertise in any one of three topic strands: Curriculum/Student Learning, Technology Integration, and Educating the Whole Child. Parents have expressed interested in learning more about how to support their child with homework, and a number of parents have inquired about inclusion and co-teaching as a new area of interest. Please contact Karen Fitzpatrick if you are interested in presenting a session on March 11.

Wakefield Education Foundation Grants As usual, we are astounded by the generosity and support we receive from WEF in grants each year, to enrich student learning PK-Post Academy. In 2017, we will receive funding for: Digital Illustration Drawing Tablet (High School) Technology Integration Class Computer Build (High School) Traveling Museum of Science (Middle School, Elementary School) Creative Coding with Tynker (Middle School) Outdoor Science Classroom (Elementary School) Google Expeditions Kit (Elementary School) “Lively Letters” (Preschool) POST Academy “Boot Camp” (18-22) “Thinkers & Tinkerers” (Elementary School) Science Lab Motion Sensors (High School) Theater Arts (High School)

Reading collection (Elementary School) Writing Tool Kit Texts (Elementary School) Artist in Residency (Elementary School) Geography Gameshow (Middle School) Guest Author (Middle School) In total, WEF granted more than $20,000 in funds to support these exciting opportunities and programs for our students.

Water Testing Update MassDEP water testing begins at the Greenwood School in January. All schools in the district will participate in this water testing program so that we can verify that all fixtures are compliant with MassDEP standards for lead and copper, and to identify and eliminate or replace any fixture found not meeting standards. We should expect some exceedances, as they are common in schools everywhere. We should be able to identify any issues that arise and replace fixtures as needed. As an assurance to the community, I continue to communicate MassDEP’s statement that "the public water supply in Massachusetts is among the best in the country, subject to the most stringent government standards in the world".

A new water expansion tank is in the process of being installed at the Galvin Middle School as an action step to resolve the intermittent automated shut-off of some sinks in the building.

We are: Doyle Early Childhood Center, Dolbeare, Greenwood, Walton, Woodville, Galvin Middle School, Wakefield Memorial High School, & P.O.S.T. Academy