Notes from the Head of School

Happy Friday!

It was another busy week at White Oak School as winter continues to hold on despite it being the first day of spring!

*On Tuesday, Ms. Crowe and Mr. Schindel took a group of high school students to tour Asnuntuck Community College in Enfield, CT. They were able to observe in each of the shops, including in Robotics, Welding, and CNC Machining. In addition to seeing the hands-on opportunities presented for training in each of these fields, they heard about all of the potential avenues for jobs in each specialty.

*We had a school full of green on St. Patrick's Day - we were feeling the luck of the Irish! Helenya showed off her shirt which featured this week's school-wide vocabulary word- shenanigans!

*Students had class meetings today - they played games, did activities, planned field trips and bonded with the others in their grade!

*Students helped a few faculty members celebrate their birthdays this week!

*Last night's Senior raffle and pasta dinner was a SMASHING SUCCESS! Thank you to everyone who came out, bought tickets, or donated money. A huge congratulations to the senior class and their advisors - Mrs. Williams, Ms. Ramsden and Ms. Capobianco on a job really well done! Stay tuned to see what adventures they plan with the money raised!

*Week 2 of the Acts of Hesed leadership group brought more time with the animals while building confidence and skills through the use of proactive language and team problem solving!

*REMINDER: - next Tuesday the 24th and Wednesday the 25th, the 10th grade students will take the ELA MCAS test. Although the MCAS tests are no longer used to determine competency towards graduation requirements, it is still very important that students take the tests seriously and try their best. A good night's sleep and a protein-filled breakfast are big contributors to help as well.

*A NOTE FROM MRS. SUTTER - our upcoming PAC meeting will take place on March 25th from 9am-10am in Building C. The meeting will be presented by our very own Tara Armstrong, M.S., CCC-SLP. Details of the presentation are as follows:

Neurodiversity in 2026: Navigating the New Landscape

If it feels like the landscape of neurodiversity is shifting under your feet, you’re not imagining it. The 2020s have brought a wave of new information that changes how we see everything from basic health to the tools our kids use daily. This talk is about making sense of the big changes, trends, and talking points. We’ll have space for discussion and resource-sharing, so you can walk away with practical tools and updates you need to navigate 2026.

We’ll start with what the scientific community is learning about how whole-body health and neurodiversity go hand-in-hand. We’ll look at why things like chronic stomach issues, hormonal shifts, sleep struggles, or even being double-jointed are often connected to ADHD and autism—and how you can help your doctor see the big picture of your child’s health. We will also look at how the world is changing for students with dyslexia, as powerful accessibility tools have become standard features on the devices that we all use every day. Finally, we’ll take a look at the conversation currently happening around the autism diagnosis. While there have been some heated debates on social media lately, it’s a topic that researchers have also been exploring for quite some time. We’ll talk through these different perspectives and what they mean for the community.

Please RSVP by March 23rd via email at asutter@whiteoakschool.org so we can plan accordingly. I look forward to seeing you all there!

*On Thursday, April 2nd,  the Hampden County District Attorney's office will present their "Stop The Swerve" event at the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield. I have attended this event many times and it always proves to be educational and frankly a little shocking as students get to experience simulated drunk, drugged and distracted driving. There is also a presentation for parents on the liability of hosting teen parties. White Oak entered a billboard idea into their contest. I hope you will consider attending this event and supporting this really important educational source. (See attached flyer) - if you don't have parent conferences scheduled that night!

*MORE MCAS DATES:

-Tuesday, March 31st- Grades 4 & 6 ELA

-Wednesday, April 1st- Grades 5 & 8 ELA

-Thursday, April 2nd- Grade 7 ELA

Have a great weekend! Think Spring!

Jody

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