A Week of Collaboration & Community 🖤💛
This week at @WHChestnut, @CornwellAveES, and @WHGWashington, the theme of teamwork, collaboration, and learning from one another came alive in powerful ways.
From welcoming new families to teaching foundational phonics skills, leading engaging morning meetings, beautifying learning spaces, and building reading proficiency, our elementary schools demonstrated what it truly means to be a learning community.
The takeaway? Education is a shared journey where everyone—students and adults alike—has something valuable to contribute and something meaningful to learn.
#WHe are #RamProud of the collaborative spirit that defines our elementary schools and grateful to the educators, staff, students, and families who make West Hempstead thrive.
Together, #WHeRiseTogether. 🐏
This week at @WHChestnut, @CornwellAveES, and @WHGWashington, the theme of teamwork, collaboration, and learning from one another came alive in powerful ways.
From welcoming new families to teaching foundational phonics skills, leading engaging morning meetings, beautifying learning spaces, and building reading proficiency, our elementary schools demonstrated what it truly means to be a learning community.
The takeaway? Education is a shared journey where everyone—students and adults alike—has something valuable to contribute and something meaningful to learn.
#WHe are #RamProud of the collaborative spirit that defines our elementary schools and grateful to the educators, staff, students, and families who make West Hempstead thrive.
Together, #WHeRiseTogether. 🐏
Join us Feb 2 at 8PM for "The Empowered Child" with Shimmy Trencher, LCSW! Learn about nurturing self-esteem & positive discipline. HANC Reinstein Campus, 240 Hempstead Ave. RSVP: dloike@hanc.org #WestHempstead #Parenting
Chestnut kindergarteners had a productive week of learning. We are practicing reading sight & CVC words while also crafting opinion writing responses! Check us out!
Join us Feb 2 at 8PM for "The Empowered Child" with Shimmy Trencher, LCSW! Learn about nurturing self-esteem & positive discipline. HANC Reinstein Campus, 240 Hempstead Ave. RSVP: dloike@hanc.org #WestHempstead #Parenting
Whether writing, fishing or matching....Chestnut kindergarteners are sounding out CVC words. Take a look at our excellent work this morning!
Chestnut Street had a productive first day back from break. Whether writing about learning goals or celebrating the new year, kindergartners were actively learning throughout the day! Take a look!
#RamCulture
Welcome back! 🎒 We're excited to see everyone return on Monday, January 5th. Hope you had a wonderful break! Let's jump back in with energy and enthusiasm. Here's to new learning, friendships, and great moments ahead! #WHeRoseTogether
Happy New Year from the RamFam!
As WHe welcome 2026, WHe want to extend our gratitude to our incredible community. This past year has been filled with growth, achievement, and countless moments of learning and connection, made possible by the dedication of our students, families, staff, and community partners.
We’re excited about the opportunities that lie ahead in this new year. Together, we will continue to nurture curiosity, celebrate diversity, and empower every student to reach their full potential. Thank you for your ongoing support, collaboration, and commitment to excellence in education.
May this year bring renewed hope, continued success, and joy to you and your loved ones. Here’s to a WHonderful 2026 filled with learning, growth, and endless possibilities!
With appreciation and optimism,
WHUFSD
#WHeRiseTogether
Happy Holidays from all of us here at Chestnut Street! We wish our WH families lots of rest, love and peace!! We started the day with a joyful sing-along with the help of our SS friends! Thank you WH!
#Ramculture
Chestnut kindergarteners are warming up their minds by writing about weekend news, leading letter sound drill lessons and crafting fun holiday decorations! Take a look!
Chestnut kindergarteners are fully engaged in literacy learning this morning! We are reviewing our sight words and reading with one another. Be sure to read every night at home!
Learning in action! 📚✨ From choir performances to phonics practice, from small group instruction to collaborative learning in the hallway—our students are thriving! Every space is a place to grow. #WHerRiseTogether
It might be cold outside but inside Chestnut Street, kindergarteners are warming up by using their cognitive abilities. We have started the day by matching letters with sounds and measuring objects around our classrooms!
🕎 Happy Hanukkah to all celebrating the Festival of Lights! May these eight nights bring joy, hope, and brightness to your homes. We're grateful for our diverse community where we learn from and celebrate with one another. Chag Sameach! ✨
Mrs. Wagner's class had a wonderful visit from SS debate club students and Mrs. Shannon. The SS students read kindergarten classics and then spent time crafting bookmarks with our students! Thank you!
Chestnut kindergarteners are active learners! They are building deeper understanding by exploring, moving, talking, and discovering new concepts through hands-on experiences. Take a look!
📚 Our December Literacy Newsletter is here! Discover how our students are growing as readers & writers, plus simple ways to build literacy at home this holiday season. From cozy read-alouds to recipe reading—every moment counts! #WHeRiseTogether https://tinyurl.com/56zyp8n6
Happening Now....Chestnutters are enjoying some pre-thanksgiving activities and feasts!! Check us out....
I got to start my day in Mrs. Wagner's room with "alphabet movement." Alphabet movement is the practice of using physical actions to learn the alphabet. This type of activity helps build stronger connections for learning letter-sound pairings and better physical health.
Closing the Vocabulary Gap Through Independent Reading
As educators, we talk a lot about achievement gaps and opportunity gaps. But underlying many of these is something more fundamental: the vocabulary gap.
Research consistently shows that vocabulary knowledge in early grades is one of the strongest predictors of reading comprehension and academic achievement in later years. Students with larger vocabularies comprehend more, learn faster, and achieve higher outcomes across every subject area.
So how do we build vocabulary? Not primarily through vocabulary lists and weekly quizzes, though those have their place. The most effective vocabulary instruction happens almost invisibly—through wide, voluminous reading.
When students read extensively, they encounter words repeatedly in varied contexts. They develop an intuitive sense of word meanings, connotations, and appropriate usage. They build not just vocabulary, but the sophisticated language comprehension that separates strong readers from struggling ones.
The problem? Many of our students simply aren't reading enough. The average American student reads only 10-15 minutes per day outside of school. That's not enough exposure to build the vocabulary necessary for academic success.
Here's what makes a difference:
· Prioritize reading volume: Ten books at the right level beats one frustratingly difficult book
· Honor student choice: A book they'll actually finish beats a "better" book they'll abandon
· Count all reading: Magazines, graphic novels, audiobooks, online articles—it all contributes
· Create reading time: Make it non-negotiable, like brushing teeth
· Model reading: Let your children see you read for pleasure
This week, help your child set a reading goal—not based on difficulty, but on volume. Twenty minutes daily, every day. Track it. Celebrate it. Protect it from other activities.
Their vocabulary—and their future—will thank you.
"Once you learn to read, you will be forever free." - Frederick Douglass
Let's give every child this freedom through the gift of words.
#WHeRiseTogether#VocabularyDevelopment #ReadingVolume #LiteracyForAl
As educators, we talk a lot about achievement gaps and opportunity gaps. But underlying many of these is something more fundamental: the vocabulary gap.
Research consistently shows that vocabulary knowledge in early grades is one of the strongest predictors of reading comprehension and academic achievement in later years. Students with larger vocabularies comprehend more, learn faster, and achieve higher outcomes across every subject area.
So how do we build vocabulary? Not primarily through vocabulary lists and weekly quizzes, though those have their place. The most effective vocabulary instruction happens almost invisibly—through wide, voluminous reading.
When students read extensively, they encounter words repeatedly in varied contexts. They develop an intuitive sense of word meanings, connotations, and appropriate usage. They build not just vocabulary, but the sophisticated language comprehension that separates strong readers from struggling ones.
The problem? Many of our students simply aren't reading enough. The average American student reads only 10-15 minutes per day outside of school. That's not enough exposure to build the vocabulary necessary for academic success.
Here's what makes a difference:
· Prioritize reading volume: Ten books at the right level beats one frustratingly difficult book
· Honor student choice: A book they'll actually finish beats a "better" book they'll abandon
· Count all reading: Magazines, graphic novels, audiobooks, online articles—it all contributes
· Create reading time: Make it non-negotiable, like brushing teeth
· Model reading: Let your children see you read for pleasure
This week, help your child set a reading goal—not based on difficulty, but on volume. Twenty minutes daily, every day. Track it. Celebrate it. Protect it from other activities.
Their vocabulary—and their future—will thank you.
"Once you learn to read, you will be forever free." - Frederick Douglass
Let's give every child this freedom through the gift of words.
#WHeRiseTogether#VocabularyDevelopment #ReadingVolume #LiteracyForAl
