Volume 9 | February 4, 2022
Britt Hawthorne recommends learning the history of stepping. In February 2018, WHMS parents and members of their fraternities and sororities performed a step show for WHMS students.
32 Children’s Activities for Black History Month
Anti-bias and antiracist educator Britt Hawthorne offers these great suggestions for activities to experience Black History Month with your children.

Miss Katie is a children's songwriter, filmmaker, and teaching artist. She is also a member of Erin Mergil's AMS ABAR cohort. This Lunar New Year song is about the traditional Chinese folk legend of Nian, a colorful monster/dragon.
WHMS Happenings
An Upper El student uses the Horizontal Lay-Out of beads, which shows multiplication, the commutative property, and prepares students for the study of area.
Melinda's Upper El class participated in three three-legged races to experience how atoms bond to make molecules.

Jessa and Jeanne's Primary class have enjoyed weaving on their new loom.  
A Primary student paints the continents.
The first-year students in Sara and Hannah's class created personal timelines and shared them with the class. Sara says that everyone enjoyed seeing the pictures and learning more about their classmates.
The Toddlers have have been busy with their new works and with each other. Marion says that they are becoming more and more social as the year progresses.
WHMS Spelling Bee
Congratulations to Keya! The Middle School student won the WHMS Spelling Bee and will be representing Woodland Hill at the 2022 Capital Region Spelling Bee, which will take place virtually this year.

The WHMS Bee was also virtual for the first time because the Middle School class was quarantined at the time of the Bee.

This was Keya's second time winning the WHMS Bee. She also took first place in 2019.
Student-Led Anti-Racism Workgroup Book Recommendations
Refugee by Alan Gratz

This New York Times bestseller tells the story of three different children seeking refuge. The book narrates the tales of Josef, a Jewish boy on a journey to escape the horrors of 1930s Nazi Germany, Isabel, a Cuban girl in 1994 attempting to flee the unrest and riots afflicting her country, and Mahmoud, a Syrian boy in 2015, trying to find safety in Europe. All three embark on arduous journeys searching for refuge, facing unthinkable perils along the way. And despite being separated from each other by distance and time, a shocking ending will interlock their stories. This action-packed novel will shed light on some of history’s darkest times, and the people who struggled to survive.

The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer

When a horrible draught hit William Kamkwamba’s village in Malawi, his family lost all their season’s crops, leaving them without anything to eat or sell. After searching for a solution within his local library’s science books, William came up with an idea that would change his family’s life forever: building a windmill. Made out of old bicycle parts of scrap metal, William’s windmill brought electricity to his home, and helped his family pump the water they needed to farm their land. This book tells the story of how one boy’s idea can be brought to fruition, and change things for the better. 

Library News
Librarian Sarah Colwill created a display for the Lunar New Year.
Sarah also curated books for Black History Month.
Need-based Financial Aid available
Need-based Financial Aid for 2022-2023 is available. The deadline to apply is Monday, February 28, 2022.

Woodland Hill is committed to serving families of diverse socio-economic backgrounds through a growing financial aid program and affordable tuition. Approximately 20-22% of our students receive need-based aid annually.  Financial aid is based on financial need, space availability, and family commitment to a Woodland Hill education through the 8th grade. The amount of financial aid is dependent upon demonstrated financial need and available financial aid funds.

To apply for financial aid, visit the FACTS Grant & Aid website. All financial aid applications are made directly to FACTS Grant & Aid and are due no later than Monday, February 28, 2022.  A non-refundable application fee is required with the submission of your application to FACTS. Families may be considered for financial aid after the deadline if funds are still available. All requests for aid and financial information are kept strictly confidential. Please contact Kris Gernert-Dott or Danielle Hall with any questions.
Art News
Middle School students practicing their sewing skills in the Makerspace.
UE students made yarn paintings in art class inspired by the richly colored traditional work of the Huichol indigenous people.
Students in the extracurricular weaving class have the opportunity to weave on the floor loom.
Registration for the WHMS Summer Program 2022 opens today for WHMS families.