Wayne Trail Elementary Blog: 2018

Wednesday, August 8, 2018

First Week of 2018-2019 School Year!

August 17, 2018

Check back next week for our exciting start!

Tuesday, May 29, 2018

SUPER Year!

2017-2018 School Year... a SUPER year!

(year in review and a few summer updates)

This year’s theme was to have students: Discover their Superpower! Students were to push themselves to be extraordinary. Many times this year, you could walk the halls and see students wearing their Superhero capes because they went “above and beyond,” just like Superheros do! Students earned these capes as they sought to discover their talents and do their best to follow our “5Rs” on a daily basis.

A few highlights from this year included additions to our Makerspace, a library green screen for video announcements and a Lego wall. This year’s theme of Superheros was fitting in so many ways. In the Fall, we hosted our annual Fall Fest where students learned about the heroes of the past through history lessons and with partnering with the local Wolcott House. In November, our students and staff helped to fill and package 217, 728 meals for the Feed My Starving Children event. This was the most notable and memorable SUPER service accomplishment of this year as over 850 volunteers from the school and community came together to pack 1,008 boxes, which feeds 596 kids in high poverty countries all over the world.

In December, students learned how sports, especially hockey, relate to school. This Hockey Week was even capped off with a visit to a Walleye game, where our school was awarded a $1,000 grant! We also turned a day "off" into a day "on", when nearly 40 students volunteered on Martin Luther King Jr. Day in January. These students volunteered at senior care facility, stocked a local food pantry and assisted residents at Sunshine Community Center. In February, we collected close $800 to benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma society with our hat day. In March, students participated in Diversity Week where students learned about embracing their differences and similarities and what it means to come together as one.

Students were also engaged in the quarterly PBIS (positive behavior intervention and support) rewards, where they got mesmerized by a magician, came up close to a variety of exotic animals, jumped in bounce houses (with the addition of jousting) and participated in homeroom challenges or an art project on Friday, May 18. It was a SUPER year to say the least!

A reminder that the PTP group is sponsoring a FREE Wayne Trail Pool Party from 7:30-9:30pm on Friday, June 15 at Rolf park to celebrate the end of a successful year. Also, back-to-school registration day is Wednesday, August 8 from 7:30am-6:30pm at the high school PAC. Wayne Trail open house is August 13 from 5:30pm-7:00pm and the first day of school is August 15!

Don't forget if you are a 4th grade (going into 5th) parent, please encourage your child to read online at myON. We have cool technology prizes for winners when we return back in August!
Have safe and enjoyable summer!

Dr. Nick Neiderhouse
Wayne Trail Elementary
Principal

More Mud Run pictures are below:

Monday, March 26, 2018

School Visit to School of Innovation (Willoughby-Eastlake City Schools)

March 26, 2018

School of Innovation

     I had the pleasure and opportunity to take four of our teachers to visit a school east of Cleveland last week. The purpose of our visit was to learn how this school was incorporating S.T.E.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) activities into student learning on a continuous basis. We were blown away with this school's model and vision of present and future learning. This school is apart of a large suburban school of Cleveland called Willoughby-Eastlake. Currently, they house grades 3-7 and they have plans to add a grade level each of the next few years to build up to offering high school courses. Their model is unique and different by design, as this school was started in 2015 with a purpose of providing hands-on, problem-based, collaborative and critical thinking lessons, not every once in a while, but integrated into their modes of daily learning. Some pictures below remind me of the "shops" that were in many high schools up until about the last decade where students were measuring, cutting, welding all sorts of items. In the modern area, students are using 3-D printers, robotics, poster makers, computer programming and animated design, etc. This school had many collaborative spaces where students could work in small groups of 3 or 4 or a lead teacher could instruct 60-70 students at a time.
     This engaging atmosphere allows much student empowerment, where students are constructing their own learning with the teachers being the facilitators more often than not. Students are charged with challenges to solve real-world problems and the "growth" mindset is the norm (see fourth picture below) and not a "fixed" mindset. This allows students to attempt new ideas, without fearing failure and actually encouraging it. For instance, they are starting a partnership with a local environmental group to study how the creek next to their school can be modified to reduce the continuous risk of flooding without altering the ecosystem in the area. Their live "learning" lab approach allows students to be heavily active in the process from problem-solving to solving the problems.
     In addition, they have numerous guest speakers in throughout the year to expose the students to possible careers and for other motivational purposes. This has allowed the school to receive grants and partner with local businesses to benefit student learning either through materials, equipment or funding. It is our hope that we can plan to incorporate some of these concepts more regularly into how we engage students in learning and they can gain more ownership in their own learning paths. We know this will take some time to develop lessons, plan and seek resources to push our students to be innovative, problem solvers and critical thinkers. However, we were inspired and encouraged by what we learned and observed. We now hope to continue to communicate with schools like this school so we can learn how we can better prepare students for the future. If you would like to know more about this school, you can visit:

http://www.weschools.org/SchoolOfInnovation_home.aspx

Written by: Dr. Nick Neiderhouse (Wayne Trail Elementary Principal)

Life-Changing Update

If you recall, the Maumee community teamed up with Wayne Trail to help purchase and pack meals for the Feed My Starving Children program in November of 2017. They sent us an update and I thought this was great news to share!

From Feed My Starving Children (FMSC):

I wanted to update you about where the meals from your event shipped now that they have all left our warehouse:

936 Boxes (202,176 meals) shipped to Haiti through Food for the Poor. Food for the Poor links the church of the First World with the church of the Third World in a manner that helps both the materially poor and the poor in spirit. FFTP has distributed FMSC meals through its extensive network of partner organizations in the Caribbean, Central America and South America.

72 boxes (15,552 meals) shipped to Malawi through Reach Now International. Reach Now International reaches orphans, refugees, internally displaced people, those affected by war, governmental situations, poverty, persecution and other natural conditions and calamities with the gospel and practical help. RNI has distributed FMSC meals in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Central America, Eastern Europe and the Middle East to serve these populations.

In total, FMSC shipped 1,008 boxes (217,728 meals) that were packed at the 2017 Maumee MobilePack, which could potentially provide 596 kids a meal a day for an entire year! The meals packed at your event contributed to our ability to send one full shipping container to each of these partners at this time—that is 1,260 boxes each—for a total of 544,320 meals to be fed to the least of these, bringing hope and providing nourishment! A Tanzanian Proverb says, “Little by little, a little becomes a lot”…one scoop, one bag, one box, one pallet, one container, fills many bellies at a time… Thank you for your continued partnership with Feed My Starving Children; we simply can not do what we do without your love for our mission and leadership over this event!

Literally, life-changing great work!

Dr. Nick Neiderhouse

Wednesday, February 28, 2018

Diversity Week February 20-23

Diversity Week

February 20-23

Student Learning Workbooks

In my opinion, it is important that everyday we have an awareness that we all have differences. Some are smaller and some are larger. These differences come in so many different thoughts, values, languages, attire, appearance, etc. The goal for Diversity Week last week, was to break down any barriers and embrace who we are as individuals because each one of us has value and is important. We continue to teach students about respect, tolerance and awareness. The activities and learning that students engaged in, allowed them to understand other view points and take a minimal risk as they tried a food from a different country or said "hello" in a different language.

Diversity Week is also purposefully celebrated in February in conjunction with Black History Month. As you can see from the photo above, students read about contributions that African Americans have made in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. These workbooks had excellent biographies of both African American men and women and a fun activity that followed on each page. In "addition" I think it is important to recognize the contributions that all groups have had in society. Math teachers read a book called "One Grain of Rice," where students read about a mathematical folktale that taught students about being wise and fair as well as how to multiple or how to double a number. This tied in Indian culture and art as well. Lastly, our social studies teachers read, "This is How We Do It." This takes students into the lives of seven actual kids from around the world and informs them about school, food, traditions, family structure etc. from countries like Peru, Italy, Japan, Uganda, Russia and others. Students then discussed and wrote about what they learned. All of these activities added to students' educational experiences and allowed them to understand how the world outside of Maumee is larger than they realize.

Syrian Lentil Soup

Greek Treats

Official Greek Attire

Schwarzwalder Kirsch Torte

Students enjoying their diverse samples from around the world

Mannequin or Wax Museum Displays

Celebrating friends from India and Native American Populations

Celebrating friends from Mexico

Celebrating friends from Ireland

Tuesday, January 30, 2018

Hat Day on Friday, February 2 for Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

Over the next few weeks, you will be receiving information to donate for various causes in the month of February. The first one will be for this week and all donations will benefit the northern Ohio Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. We have partnered with this society over the past five years and have raised close to $9,000 in the time period! These donations go directly to local families who are in need of financial support for medical costs and treatments as well as funding research to fight the blood cancer. Due to participating in the Feed My Starving Children event in the late fall, this year we are doing a one-day drive (not multiple weeks) on Friday, February 2. All students need to do is donate at least $1 by this Friday and they can wear a hat to school. Obviously, more that $1 will also be accepted.
Additional information will also be coming out later this week about supporting the Panther Pride's Foundation theme of "28-day Change Challenge." Each week will be a theme for giving during the month of February.

Lastly, our physical education teachers, Mr. Sheridan and Ms. Lipstraw, will be conducting a "Jump Rope for the Heart" campaign in the coming weeks. I encourage you to find a cause that is close to your "heart" and please consider contributing to the variety of great causes that are happening this month.

Dr. Neiderhouse

WT Principal

Thursday, January 18, 2018

2nd Annual Serve Day

Martin Luther King Jr. Day

turns into a day of Service for Wayne Trail Students

On Monday, January 15 over 30 students participated in voluntary service in their communities. Wayne Trail Elementary partnered with First Pres of Maumee to set up an entire day where students enjoyed serving others in the morning and then headed to First Pres to eat lunch, play games and watch a movie. We are very grateful for our continued partnership with them for this day and other serving events! Below are a few pictures of students living out our district's vision of proactively engaging and inspiring student learning, involvement and service. In addition, MLK Jr. believed, "Everybody can be great because anybody can serve!" These students were great and served a wide-array of groups including those who are disabled, senior citizens in assisted living centers and local citizens living in poverty. Thanks to your donations and student council organizing the food drive before winter break, we were able to donate over 10 boxes full of food!

On another note, the Princess Ball has been rescheduled for Feb. 23 at Gateway from 6:30-8:30pm. The parent groups are looking for volunteers. If interested, please visit: http://signup.com/go/dySaFGK.

Lakes of Monclova

Sunshine Creating Community

Under One Roof Food Pantry

Monday, January 8, 2018

First WT Maker Day

January 8, 2018

Maker Day at Wayne Trail Elementary

When students returned from Winter Break on January 4, they were engaged in their first ever "Maker Day!" It was actually scheduled for a Thursday and Friday two-day event, but due to weather conditions, school was canceled on Friday. Nonetheless, one-day was enough to get a taste of our S.T.E.M. (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) curriculum approach to provide students hands-on and creative learning opportunities. We received supplies from parent donations the whole month of December and still bought other items to add increased challenges. The title of "The Great Arctic Circle STEM Challenge" was fitting with the weather and provided students a very relevant approach to learning. We kicked off the day with an assembly explaining the "Why" we are setting aside a whole day for a Maker Day and to set a foundation for how we would be following the Engineering Design Process (pictured below) to complete the challenges. To create a buzz in the air, I passed out marshmallows as students entered the assembly because marshmallows is what one challenge called for as a resource. We also rewarded our winter break reading winners at the assembly to start with excitement and praise! Following the 15-minute assembly, students returned to class to choose a challenge, form into groups and start to establish jobs/group roles. The rest of this day will be depicted through the pictures below with captions. Overall, it was a fun and successful way to start the second semester with learning and getting students to think outside of the box.