03/23/2023

3 Student Inventions I Need Right Now

Ever had one of those hot summer days at a sports park and wished you had a simple (and dry!) way to cool off? Maybe you should try out the Chilly Sleeve, an arm device that gets cooler the more you sweat in it, thanks to its use of polyvinyl alcohol.  This is just one […]

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03/16/2023

Using Questioning to Help Children Develop Critical Thinking Skills

During my recent visits to classrooms, I have noticed many strategies that our teachers use to help our students develop their critical thinking skills.  Critical thinking is when we analyze and evaluate information, connect the dots between concepts, and see alternative ways of looking at problems and solutions.  One of the most effective ways to […]

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01/26/2023

The Importance of You

Our community is often recognized as one of the many special features of WES. Research shows that a strong school community can lead to increased engagement, motivation, and a sense of belonging among all students. This is why we work hard to create a school culture that sees, nurtures, and values the individual; where differences […]

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01/19/2023

Lessons to be Learned From a Unisaurus Rex

I walked into the gym this week to find large numbers of dinosaurs had taken over the stage, including a curious one with sequins and a satin horn. It turns out that particular glitter-loving creature was actually a dinocorn (the offspring of a unicorn and dinosaur). Grade 1 was busy rehearsing Roxy: The Last Unisaurus […]

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12/15/2022

The Real Joy of the Holidays

I watched yesterday’s all-school chapel with a smile on my face. Of course, our children performed very well, but what really brought me so much happiness was hearing that our older students were incredibly complementary and supportive of our younger Dragons.  Kindness. Community. Joy. As we head into the holiday season, I see our values […]

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12/01/2022

The Magic of a Good Book

Author and Illustrator Lauren Castillo spoke with our students in Kindergarten through Grade 8 this week about her thought process behind creating books. She even let our Dragons try their hand at drawing some of her characters, which they thoroughly enjoyed! This is one of my favorite times of the school year, in part, because […]

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