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Landon Firmstone has taken refurbishing the RDW garden on as his senior project. The refurbishing team also includes the RDW second grade and Autistic Support under the direction of Karen Firmstone and Cara Romanski. Some of the pictures include the children eating their school grown lettuce.

Waymart, Pa. – Universal Publishing recently presented a certificate of excellence in handwriting to Robert D. Wilson student Kenzie Gregory. Kenzie is a student in Miss Judge’s first-grade class. Kenzie achieved an honorable mention among first-grade entries in Universal Publishing’s 2018 National Handwriting Contest. The handwriting contest rewards students for their exceptional handwriting skills and raises awareness about the importance of handwriting instruction. First-, second-, and third-place winners were selected for each grade in grades K-5 and for grades 6-8 combined, as well as for the new teacher division. Honorable mentions were also awarded in both the student and teacher divisions. Winners were selected from thousands of submissions by public, private, and home school students and teachers from across the nation. When asked about the contest, Universal Publishing president Thomas Wasylyk said, “This is a great way to get students involved and promote excellence in handwriting – a skill used by every student, every day, in every subject. Kenzie should be proud of her achievement!” This year, students completed a two-part entry form in either manuscript (grades K-2) or cursive (grades 3-8) that required writing a provided sentence and answering an open-ended question. Teachers were asked to provide samples of both manuscript and cursive writing for their entries. All participants were judged on their letter formation, size, and spacing; word spacing; line quality; and slant. Judges also considered joinings on cursive entries. For a complete list of winners, visit upub.net/contest.

Third grade students recently received a 3-part guidance lesson series with Ms. Booth, entitled “Brain Works.” Through these lessons, students learned:

– Our skills grow when we form stronger neural connections
– Our brains get smarter when we are challenged (not when things are easy)
– Neuroplasticity: our brains are more malleable than scientists once thought
– Perseverance and grit are important for brain growth and success

These concepts were presented through Power Point presentations, educational videos, class discussion, and hands-on demonstrations. In the photos, students are learning how brain connections start off weak (students holding thread) but with practice grow stronger (students holding rope).

Research shows a strong correlation between the Growth Mindset and student effort/success. For more information visit: www.mindsetworks.com/science/ 

The Kindness Club at R.D. Wilson Elementary is up and running again for the fourth consecutive year. The club, which was starting as part of Rachael’s Challenge, includes a rotation of fifth grade students who develop projects to spread kindness in the school and community. Last year’s students decided to post kind messages on the new electronic sign at the school’s entrance. A community member saw the sign and called the school to ask about the club. Ms. Booth, the club’s advisor, gave examples of the projects that students had developed over the past few years. The community member (who wishes to remain anonymous) was so inspired that she offered to donate $100 to the cause.

Students (Grace Langendoerfer, Zoe Albitz, Mason Rush, Samantha Linn, Annaliese Dickison, and Madison Weist) will use the funds to buy art supplies, props, and other small necessities to carry out their wonderful projects. Thank you again to our generous donor!