The Principal's Corner:
Dear Families,
Well, despite the unreal weather we have been experiencing, we are actually well into the school year. Yet again it has been an absolute pleasure getting know the students and watching them grow so far this year. Over the summer I read a book called Ms. Bixby’s Last Day by John David Anderson and the book focuses on the relationships that students build with their teachers and staff at the school. The book follows three students and their journey with what can occur when their teacher, unexpectedly, is gone for the rest of the year. One of my favorite quotes from the book reads:
“We all have moments when we think nobody really sees us. When we feel like we have to act out or be somebody else just to get noticed…But somebody sees. Somebody out there probably thinks you're the greatest thing in the whole world. Don't ever think you're not good enough” – John David Anderson
This quote speaks to me about our staff and what we aim to do outside of just delivering instructional material and assessments to our students. We want to be the people who notice, we want to be the people who see our students flourish, and we want to help them explore and engage their passions. The message we want our students to believe to their core is that they are special, they are unique, and they are talented beyond their wildest imagination.
We do this in several ways; for example, our 4th-grade team this year has begun working on a program called Wonder Workshop- the aim of this program is to allow students to explore their interests while still moving along the 4th-grade curriculum and learning goals for the day. How can someone do this was a logical question that I was given and my answer is simple: talented and passionate teachers. Our 4th-grade teachers meet, plan, and share their ideas while adapting it to their individual classrooms.
This concept is not just unique to 4th grade here at Hutchings, but it is actually in every single grade K-5. Through Project Based Learning, Wonder Workshop, MakerSpace, The Garden, The Outdoor Classroom, Enrichment Time, and the underlying concept that we want to push and support our students as much as possible in the short period of time that we have them. At Hutchings, we have an amazing team, a talented team, and a team that cares more about students than anything I have seen in the past. This makes Hutchings a truly special school to be a part of.
Hurricane Hustle:
I also wanted to take a moment and thank our PTO, the numerous volunteers, and all of the families that gave donations to the school for the event! The partnership between our community and the school allows us to do the great things listed above!
Halloween:
Halloween, this year, will look slightly different than in the years past. This year, grade levels will determine what time and day they want to have their grade level or classroom parties and they will coordinate the activities that will be done within their grade. When talking with students in each grade from K-5 the vast majority of the students expressed they would rather have a longer party with their peers than do the parade (89% of students surveyed). When conferring with the staff, an overwhelming majority agreed that classroom parties were preferred to a parade. Please look for communication from grade levels for the dates and times for classroom parties.