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Dear Parents:
I feel so fortunate to be writing this month’s letter from the principal. It is an opportunity for me to put into words the impact your generosity has on our students.
I spent this afternoon walking the LPS Chief Information Officer, Dan Maas, around Wilder. His visit had two purposes. The first was to see how technology impacts learning for our students. The second reason for his visit was to share his expertise as we work to improve student access to technology. Preparing students for 21st Century learning and life certainly includes competency in using ever changing technology.
As we visited classrooms, two things were apparent. All of our classrooms are equipped with the tools for excellent instruction. Teachers and students use projectors, document cameras and white boards to learn, learn, learn. These items are in place at Wilder thanks to you. During the fall of 2006-2007 every classroom was equipped with a projector and document camera. PTO funded $15,000 of this $25,000 project. As spring rolled around, chalkboards were replaced with whiteboards. This update required $9,500 in PTO funds. PTO funds also made it possible for us to upgrade the resource classroom with new tables, chairs, an easel and a free standing whiteboard. Over the summer, new furniture, designed specifically for computers, was placed in the computer lab.
As a staff and parent community we continue to value educating the whole child. The shiny new equipment that delights our kindergartens is also a result of PTO funds. $20,000 in PTO funds paid for playground equipment, gravel, cement work and outdoor trashcans.
Imagine the delight of Wilder staff as they saw $30,000 in wish list items become reality. Students at every grade level are working with new fiction and non-fiction materials. Kindergarten classrooms have software to support mini computer centers. New equipment is advancing instruction in Art, Music and PE. Two fifth grade classrooms are sporting new desks and chairs. A motorized screen is being installed in the library media center.
Beyond these one time purchases your generosity supports annual budget items including weighted staffing (extra teachers), a stipend per student, Science Training Camp, the Wild Art Show, GT, Enrichment Day and Fun Run to name just a few.
So…you may be thinking what’s next. Glad you asked. Carpenters and electricians are busy mounting projectors, plans are in the works to take ten teachers to the Technology in Education Conference in June of 2008, and a second computer lab is on the drawing board.
Your generosity certainly makes a difference in instruction every day. As we look to the future the goal is to maintain and improve current programs, provide optimal staffing and increase student access to technology. Yes, we want to do it all and more. Creating, maintaining and sustaining the level of excellence that characterizes Wilder takes financial resources beyond State and District funding. It also takes careful planning. Creating a second computer lab next year means planning to replace two computer labs in the next three to five years. While we are celebrating a PTO with strong financial resources, we also need to ensure ongoing financial resources to maintain and sustain the comprehensive education you’ve come to expect at Wilder.
A couple of thoughts come to mind as I think about this month’s letter from the principal. First and foremost is how fortunate I feel to work with and for such an outstanding staff and parent community. Second, ask your child what he or she thinks about having document cameras in our classrooms. I know both Dan Maas and I were amazed by the articulate and perceptive comments from students. One group of fifth graders shared that it is easier to understand math because the document camera allows teachers and students to show their thinking. In my book, that is an instructional homerun. The Rockies aren’t the only ones having a Rocktober to remember. First graders shared that the document camera makes Topic Sharing better. Show and Tell certainly looks different than when I was in first grade. Our littlest learners think nothing of placing a cherished item under the document camera so everyone can see, creating a story using Kid Pix or using PowerPoint for an animal report.
In the weeks and months to come you’ll receive information regarding our Silent Auction. Mark your calendar now for March 15, 2008. The auction theme this year is “The Future at Their Fingertips”. The future for our students is certainly bright, full of promise, and in good hands due to the strong partnership between school and home. Our goal for the auction is to ensure that the building blocks for student success are in place now and in the years to come. Every contribution is meaningful. Every block counts. One block builds on the next. Together, we’ll build the best possible learning environment for students. Thank you for sharing your time, talent and generosity.
Sincerely,
Kathleen Ambron
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