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Annie Performance
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Please join the Woodland Hill community and Theater Club for a rendition of Annie Junior!
Attend a performance today at 7:00 p.m., or Saturday at 2:00 p.m.!
There will be a Woodland Hill Artisans craft fair prior to each performance. The sale begins at 5:00 p.m. on Friday, and 1:00 p.m. on Saturday. The fair will include: Peruvian
jewelry, m
aple syrup,
fused glass nightlights, wooden combs, jewelry, s
oaps, clothing, lavender bags,
rice bags,
home decor, baked goods, cookie mixes, hot cocoa
mix, and hand-painted reusable cotton bags
After each performance, audience and cast are invited for frozen yogurt at 16 Handles. The owner has generously offered 16% of proceeds to Woodland Hill for all purchases from 8:00 p.m. until close on Friday night, and from 3:00-4:00 p.m. on Saturday.
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Accreditation Visit
Dear Parents,
The accreditation visit was a big success! While we do not yet know the details of the accreditation report, the 9 member team was very impressed with Woodland Hill. During the parting talk made by the Chair of the Committee, Dane Peters said that the whole committee was inspired by the faculty, parents, students, classrooms, facility and leadership of our school. They said that it was obvious that each of the faculty and staff view their work not as a job but as a mission, that we obviously love being here and being a part of such a strong and vibrant community.
During the week they spoke to parent groups, had lunch with children, had a student tour, examined documents, met with faculty and staff and observed meetings. They felt very welcomed at the opening welcome cocktail party and Annual Meeting.
They gave a special thank you to all who welcomed and accommodated their visit, and especially to Michelle Edwards who chaired the committee and took care of so many of the details.
We will receive the report within a couple of months and we will be able to use the recommendations to make our school even better.
-Susan
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Giving Thanks
Thanksgiving is a wonderful time to be in our Montessori classrooms. Each classroom celebrates in their own distinct way, cooking dishes together, sharing a meal, learning the history of the holiday, or exploring their own origins. Children give thanks and invite parents to join them in special classroom meals and rituals before heading off on the holiday break to spend time with family. It's a lovely time to celebrate our communities.
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Upcoming Meetings
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Allergy Group
The Food Allergy Discussion group met on November 20. The group was comprised of both allergy and non-allergy parents, administrators, and parents involved in food prep within the school. The group discusses best practices and tactics to minimize allergen risk within the school.
The group will meet again on January 12 at 8:45; all are welcome.
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Diversity Committee
The next Diversity Committee meeting is 1/11 at 4:30. The group has worked on organizing a variety of initiatives, including the Diwali Celebration, the Middle Eastern dinner and Lantern Walk, guest speakers on Women's Suffrage, and talks by Lyndon Cudlitz on gender identity.
The group is working on plans for Black History month, which will include a Step performance on February. All members of the Woodland Hill community are welcome to join!
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Middle School Happenings
Each year the Middle School collects cans, jars or boxes of mashed potatoes, turkey gravy, sweet potatoes, or other Thanksgiving food as part of a drive to collect Thanksgiving food to stock food pantries. They deliver the food they collect to the Concerns U location in Rensselaer.
On Monday, November 27, the Middle School participated in a workshop with Jon Rice on restorative practices. They did activities that showed their relationship to one another in their community, and discussed topics like love and respect. John talked about the idea that love is making space for others to be as they are, and that all humans deserve respect on a basic level. He taught them, there is no "I" in team, but that there is a "me" who is a part of and participating in the team. Additionally, they discussed trying to understand the reasons behind someone's behavior, and the need to give others a chance, rather than to act punitively.
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Save the Date!
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Woodland Hill is offering a parent/child cooking class - International Favorites on Friday, January 19 from 4:30-6 pm in our kitchen led by Nidhi Agrawal. Spaces will be available for eight children and eight adults to learn to cook a meal together, and then enjoy as a group (cost: $30 per child)
Additionally, there will be a parent night on Sunday, February 11 on Indian Cooking at Columbia Kitchen at
235 N Greenbush Rd, Troy, NY
. There is room for 14 adults. Parents will learn to cook a meal and then enjoy it with wine pairings! (cost: $40 each)
Nidhi Agrawal is a certified holistic nutritionist and health educator in addition to being Dev and Krisha's mom.
All net proceeds will benefit WHMS.
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WHMS Book Club
The Woodland Hill Book Group will have its first gathering of this school year on 1/22/18.
For the first time ever, the initial book group will be held at two times: during school and after school!
The January book is The Color Purple, by Alice Walker, and it will be the first in a series of books chosen to expand our exposure to and contemplation of Black History and African American writers. The second book (date TBA) will be Song of Soloman, by Nobel-prize-winner Toni Morrison.
We'll gather during school, 1:30-2:30, and after school, 3:15-4:15. Teachers, parents, and members of the expanded Woodland Hill Community (alumni, alumni families, friends, relatives, neighbors) are welcome. The place, at school, will be announced.
Some future book picks may include:
The Narrative of Sojourner Truth
Dust Tracks on a Road, by Zora Neale Hurston
Mule Bone, by Zora Neale Hurston and Langston Hughes
Tumbling, by Diane McKinney-Whetstone
The Wedding, by Dorothy West
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass
If you've never participated in a book group or you would like suggestions on how to come prepared, or if you would like to share an opinion/suggestion/encouragement of any of the choices above, you can contact Anne Marie Haber at amhaber@aol.com or (home) 518.274.5541. Please also contact Anne Marie if you'd like to be on a list to find out about further book group dates and book choices in the future.
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Victorian Stroll
The Woodland Hill violin students played during the Victorian Stroll from 2:00-3:00 on December 2 in The Atrium. This is a wonderful event for the whole community that the violinists participate in every year.
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Dates to Remember
Monday, December 11
WHMS Spelling Bee 3:30 p.m.
Thursday, December 14
Winter Concert 6:00 p.m.
Friday, December 15
Primary, Glee Club and Violin Concert 10:00 p.m.
Monday, December 19
Enrichment Begins
Tuesday, January 2
School Resumes
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