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Upcoming Dates & Annoucements:
- Think Spring! WCDS Spring Break- March 2-6. Classes resume on March 9th.
- Several of our WCDS families will be traveling to Chile with FC Wheeling Soccer over spring break, including Miss Meredith and Mrs. Fuentes, and will have the opportunity to visit a local school while they are there. As our students are learning Spanish as a foreign language, we are excited about the chance to support children in Chile who are learning English. If you have any bilingual English/Spanish children’s books at home that you would be willing to donate, they will be shared with the school as a way to support their English language learning. The Dolly Parton Imagination Library books are often bilingual and are a wonderful option to donate! Thank you for helping us share language, learning, and kindness beyond our classroom. Muchas gracias!
Hello SK Families!
Though this week was short in days, there was no shortness of love within our classroom walls. The air buzzed with anticipation as we prepared for our Valentine’s Day celebration.
On Wednesday, we read The Love Letter by Anika Aldamuy Denise. The story follows a heartfelt journey of a lost love letter that travels from one unexpected place to another, quietly touching lives along the way. Though the letter was written with one special person in mind, its message of love ripples outward, spreading kindness and warmth throughout the community. The children were captivated by how something as small as a letter could carry such big feelings and how love, once shared, has a way of growing far beyond its original destination.
Inspired by this story, we introduced a special classroom project. Each child drew a popsicle stick with a classmate’s name, the only catch was that it had to remain a secret! The room filled with wide eyes and excited whispers as they carefully peeked at their chosen name, holding their secret close to their hearts.
The children then sat down to write their own secret love letters using three simple prompts:
- You are…
- I like your…
- You make me feel…
What beautiful reflections emerged from these young budding writers. Some wrote, “You are kind,” “You are respectful,” “You are fast,” and “You are funny.” Others shared, “I like your eyes,” “I like your smile,” “I like your kindness,” and even, “I like your brain.” When expressing feelings, their words were just as powerful “You make me feel happy,” “You make me feel joyful,” “You make me feel grateful,” and “You make me feel kinder.”
The sincerity in their writing was profound. Each child paused to truly consider their friend, noticing, appreciating, and celebrating the qualities that make them who they are.
They carefully addressed their envelopes, sounding out names with focus and pride. Then, carrying the loving energy forward, they paired their letters with the hearts they had created last week and added a special drawing just for their secret Valentine
On Thursday, we read the story Heart Strings by Brooke Boynton-Hughes. This tender story reminds us that love is an invisible thread, a string that stretches from heart to heart, connecting us to the people, places, and memories we hold dear. Even when we are apart, those heart strings remain strong. The children listened thoughtfully, recognizing that feeling of being tied together by care, kindness, and belonging.
We began to wonder together: How are we connected?
The children shared beautiful reflections, through friendship, through family, through shared laughter, through helping hands. We imagined our classroom like a woven tapestry, each of us a vibrant thread crossing and looping together, creating something stronger and more beautiful because we belong to one another.
This wondering led us into an exploration of My Map Book by Sara Fanelli. As we slowly turned each page, we discovered that maps can be so much more than roads and cities. There were maps of days, maps of families, maps of colors, maps of neighborhoods … and even maps of hearts. Each page invited us to think about the many layers that make us who we are.
Inspired by these ideas, we felt our hearts growing even bigger. And just when we thought they couldn’t possibly stretch any further , they did. We blew up those little heart drawings and began filling them with all the love we carry inside, each child created a map of their very own heart.
They filled their heart maps with everything they treasure most, family members, pets, favorite places, bestill our hearts, their kindergarten teachers, favorite foods, friends, colors, activities, and memories. Some hearts were carefully sectioned like neighborhoods; others swirled together in joyful bursts of color and imagery. Each one was as unique as the child who created it.
To be honest, they were so beautiful and so precious that we had a grander idea for these illustrations. Rather than sending them home in the usual way, your children’s heart maps have become framed keepsakes, small treasures we hope you will hold near and dear in the map of your own hearts. We are quietly creating something special with them for later on.
This beautiful glimpse into your children’s hearts was nothing short of breathtaking and magical.
A MAP OF THEIR HEARTS:
In Math this week, love sweetened our learning as we explored a little Valentine’s math using candy conversation hearts. With trays full of pastel colors and tiny messages, we dove into the world of graphing.
First, the children sorted their hearts by color, carefully organizing them into neat groups. Then, they translated their collections into graphs, counting how many of each color they had and recording their findings. We asked big questions: Which color do you have the most of? Which do you have the least of? The children eagerly compared quantities, noticing differences and proudly sharing their discoveries.
Soon, our thinking grew even deeper. We began adding two colors together “What happens if we combine the pink and yellow?” and even subtracting. Laughter and excitement filled the room as they compared graphs with classmates, noticing similarities and differences in their data. Math became a joyful conversation, and dare I say, the favorite part, was eating them at then end, talk about the real subtraction!
Later in the week, we introduced the concepts of tens and ones. Using number blocks, the children physically built groups of ten, snapping cubes together to see and feel what a “ten” truly looks like. We explored how numbers higher than ten are created, sometimes you need a full ten and some extra ones. Watching them manipulate the blocks, count carefully, and proudly announce, “I have one ten and three ones , that makes thirteen!” blew us away! We are so impressed by their engagement and the determination they showed as they worked to grasp these new concepts. They approached each challenge with curiosity, focus, and growing confidence. It is beautiful to witness their mathematical thinking unfolding
MATH FUN:
In phonics this week Miss Hanna’s group revisited the letters C and K, carefully reviewing when to use each one. We talked about the vowels that follow and how those vowel partners help us decide which letter makes the /k/ sound. With growing confidence, they began applying this understanding to S blends, weaving their knowledge together as they read and built words. It was beautiful to see the lightbulb moments when patterns began to click.
Miss Arden’s group reviewed the word families –am and –an, listening closely to those middle vowel sounds and noticing how just one letter can change a word entirely. They also practiced when to use C and K depending on the vowel that follows, strengthening their ability to decode and spell with intention. Their careful thinking and attention to sound patterns is truly blossoming.
Miss Lori’s group proudly wrapped up their letters, focusing on words that end with Y. What an exciting milestone as they complete their letter explorations!
Each group is moving along so beautifully. Their confidence is growing, their strategies are deepening, and their willingness to take risks with reading and writing continues to inspire us. It is such a joy to watch their literacy journeys unfold.
On Friday, love was truly in the air. The excitement of handing out Valentines to friends was palpable . SK truly loves love, and it showed in every smile, every carefully placed card, and every eager pair of hands reaching into decorated mailboxes.
We celebrated with delicious treats, thank you to everyone who helped provide for our classroom party. Centers were full of all things valentines. From still life drawing of roses to love potions, the giggles were heard and the joy was felt.
Then came the moment we had all been waiting for, the great reveal of our secret love letters. With wide eyes and full hearts, the children searched for their envelopes and began to discover who had written to them. We watched as each child beamed while reading their letter. For some, the author was exactly who they imagined. For others, it was someone they least expected.
What a beautiful reminder that love and kindness go a long way, and sometimes, you find them in the most unexpected places.
The room was filled with quiet smiles, surprised laughter, and tender moments as they absorbed the thoughtful words written just for them. It was more than a Valentine’s exchange; it was a celebration of seeing and being seen, of noticing one another’s gifts, and of speaking them out loud.
They also shared what they think love is after the heartwarming story “Love Is” Just like in the story, love isn’t always hugs and kisses … it’s this …
Love is …
Mylah – “ When my dog plays with me”Â
Kipton – “Playing with my cousin Tucker”
Stylee – “When my sister plays with me”Â
Hailey – “When my mom and dad and I go out together”Â
Emma -”When my parents help me clean up”Â
Wendell – “When my brother and I are nice to each other”Â
Leonardo – “When it was time to let my pet turtle go” Â
Sophia – “Family”Â
Noah – “My brother, who loves me so much”Â
Moxley – “Playing with my brother”Â
Scarlett – “Making someone happy when they are feeling sad”Â
Bodhi -”Being kind to others”Â
Evelyn – “Sharing”Â
Lucas – “Helping people up”Â
Bria -”Being nice to my sister”Â
Rory – “Playing with my dog as a puppy”Â
Parker – “Snuggling”Â
Adison -”Being kind and helpful to people when they dont feel good”Â
Bradford -”Believing in God”
Daxton – “Being nice to everyone no matter what”
Ollie – “Helping my mom and dad when they don’t feel good”Â
Izaak – “When my mom plays with me”Â
Alyx – “When my brother cuddles me”
Sharing your children’s love and kindness with us is nothing short of a gift. Our hearts will forever hold a special place for all 25 of them!
We hope wherever your maps lead you this weekend, you find a little unexpected joy along the journey. đź’•
Miss Arden & Miss Hanna