Byline by Beth

Spring has arrived with the beautiful weather, flowers/trees blooming, and spring fever.  For those not familiar with spring fever, it is a condition teachers see in the classrooms at this time of year.  Symptoms include increased restlessness, daydreaming, forgetting daily routines, and how to complete work in a timely manner.  To help alleviate the symptoms, teachers have children move more, adjust and modify lessons based on the students’ state of mind, and try new activities to maintain engagement.  We find that our students frequently will present as needing more sleep, so we encourage all families to ensure students receive the minimum hours of sleep recommended by the APA.

•  Children 3 to 5 years of age should sleep 10 to 13 hours per 24 hours (including naps)

• Children 6 to 12 years of age should sleep 9 to 12 hours per 24 hours 

As of April 9, we have 29 days left of school. By partnering together, we will make the coming weeks productive, happy experiences for our students.

E-Cycle

Woodward North will be hosting our annual E-cycle Saturday, April 17 for our families and the community.  We hope you will take advantage of this opportunity to donate items listed on this form as we work to make our world a greener place to live.

Field Day 2021

Ms. Bryant and Mr. Brown have planned a 2020 Field Day that will allow us to adhere to our safety guidelines while still having a taste of our traditional Field Day.  Students in first through sixth grades will participate in their events during their scheduled PE time May 3 through 13.

May 7 and 14 - Wear Spirit Day Shirts and favorite shorts.

May 7 - Mini Field Day for PK and K students  8:00 - 9:30 

Field Day Videos produced by our sixth-grade students will be shown during Morning Meetings.
May 3 - Australia 

May 4 -  Brazil 

May 5 - Canada 

May 6 - Jamaica 

May 10 - Madagascar

May 14 - Field Day Finale - Students will be awarded medals for their events, watch a live stream of the Academic Bowl, enjoy a school picnic with a special treat courtesy of our Parent Community, and participate in a homeroom Tug of War with their teachers. While it won’t be the same without parents here to cheer on their athletes, we hope to make it a memorable day! 

Spirit/Field Day Shirt

Woodward North students received their Spirit/Field Day shirt this week that will be worn with the uniform bottom on designated days.  For those chilly days, we encourage them to wear a long-sleeved shirt underneath their Spirit shirt.  

Spirit Shirt Days:

Wednesday, April 14

Wednesday, April 28

Friday, May 7

Friday, May 14 

Remote-Learner Materials/Supplies Pickup

Families who have chosen to Opt-In for Remote Learning may pick up their child’s materials on Friday, April 16, between 7:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.  The next pick-up date will be Friday, April 30.

Remote School Day

Friday, April 30, is an academy-wide remote school day.  All students must log on through Zoom to the classroom at 8:00 am.  Students should be in uniform with all materials ready at hand.  There will be opportunities throughout the day for a snack, screen breaks, and lunch.  We ask that parents remind their student(s) of the guidelines for remote learning covered at the beginning of the year. Please reach out to the office, 404-765-4490 if you should experience any difficulties connecting from home. 

Chaplain's Corner

Greetings Woodward Academy Community,

I cannot believe it’s already April 2021! And while so much continues to occur in the world, I remain inspired by the compassion of our students each day and their willingness to share their beautiful traditions with one another. For instance, a few of our students participated in this video highlighting Navroz, Passover, Holi, and Easter! 

As we move through April, I am eager for our students to share about the following religious observances:

• April 1 (Christianity) - Holy (Maundy) Thursday commemorates the washing of the feet and the institution of the Lord’s Supper by Jesus.
• April 2 (Christianity) - Holy (Good) Friday commemorates the Passion of Jesus Christ.
• April 4 (Christianity) - Easter celebrates the resurrection of Jesus and initiates the 50-day period of Pentecost.
• April 4 (Judaism) - This is the final day of Passover, commemorating the departure of the Israelites from Egypt.
• April 8 (Judaism) - Yom HaShoah is held in memory of the six million Jews who died as victims of Nazi atrocities.
• April 13-May 12 (Islam) - Ramadan is a time of self-examination and religious devotion, during which Muslims do not eat or drink from the first sign of dawn until sunset.
• April 14 (Hinduism & Sikhism) - Vaisakhi is the first day of the solar new year, celebrating the harvest.
• April 26 (Buddhism) - Theravada New Year is celebrated as the new year for Theravada Buddhists, beginning with first full moon day in
  April and continuing for three days.

I pray you’ve experienced a positive start to 2021, as I know 2020 provided greater challenges than we possibly could have imagined. Please know that if you are struggling with your spiritual or mental health, you are not alone. I am always in your corner if you would like a little additional support. I am meeting with Lower School, Primary School, and Woodward North classes this Spring to help students focus on self-compassion. I am happy to continue to have these conversations with any of our students, employees, or families.

Blessings,

Rev. Katie O'Dunne (she/her)
Chaplain K
Woodward Academy Chaplain
The Pauline and R.L. Brand Jr. '35 Chair of Religious Studies
404-391-7589
katelyn.odunne@woodward.edu

Admissions

We are now accepting applications for the 2021-2022 school year, and we want to make sure siblings of current Woodward students have primary consideration for our limited openings. You may start the application process here. In addition, if you have family, friends, or neighbors interested in applying their children, you can email a letter of recommendation to admissions@woodward.edu to improve their chances for acceptance. Thank you for entrusting Woodward with the education of your child, and we look forward to helping you, your family, and friends share the Woodward experience!

Absences/Tardies

We have a new procedure for informing us if your child will be late or absent from school. Please email abswn@woodward.edu by 8:30 a.m. so that we can account for all students’ whereabouts in a timely manner.

Counselor Connection

As a family, are you extremely busy during the week? After dropping off your kids at various practices and meetings as well as having to prepare dinners and plan other activities, does it feel as if you don’t have enough time to connect? It is important for all members of a family to experience a “sense of belonging.” “Alfred Adler, an Austrian physician, psychotherapist, and the founder of Adlerian psychology, emphasizes the importance of feelings of belonging. As humans, we desire to feel known and experience a sense of love and belonging.” What are several effective bonding tips that would enhance and “cultivate connection, love, and belonging?”

“Unplugging from technology, having family dinners, taking family walks, reading before bed, creating a family mantra, and speaking words of affirmation and encouragement” are poignant activities that families may engage in to develop and solidify connections and deepen a sense of belonging. “Speaking words of affirmation and encouragement” can be extremely uplifting for children and adults in a family because “acknowledging your family members’ unique traits and abilities can help us feel recognized and understood. Start by complimenting each family member at family dinner or a family outing, and let affirmation become a daily practice in your family.” Providing space and making time for family members to share and to “build each other up” may alter and reframe a family’s “busy” week into a family’s “encouraging” week.    

https://growcounseling.com/family-cultivating-connection/