News

Dear Shlenker Families and Friends,

Everyone learns at Shlenker! I hope you began the “school rituals” that we sent you last week early so every student is ready for a productive school year. Our Young Toddlers will learn how to separate from family and our PreK-4 students will learn how to recognize their names and move those names on the Promethean Board when they arrive in the classroom. Elementary students will continue learning their regular school subjects, but many of the assignments will involve technology. Which subject is most important? Which subject is hardest? Which subjects will your child like best or least? Each question is particular to each student.

As parents and teachers, we can best support our students by providing ample time to practice anything new. I recently read an article about a study of how children process math. The bottom line is… practice prepares students for what they need to know now, and if a student becomes proficient in early learning, they will be more successful in more difficult assignments later. Our job, as caretakers, is to provide time, space, and support (if needed) for any new learning and to continue to practice that learning until it is automated. This could apply for spelling, math facts, basic sight words, or even early language acquisition. Researcher Mann Koepke explained that “if your brain doesn’t have to work as hard on simple math, it has more working memory free to process the teacher’s brand-new lesson on more complex math.” It seems to me, the principle will work with any subject. I suppose the old axiom “practice makes perfect” still applies in every way.

Thank you for choosing Shlenker for your children. I assure you that we take our responsibility very seriously and look forward to a collaborative partnership with you throughout the year. The teachers, administrative team, and support team are all here to help you.

Warmest wishes for a wonderful year,

Ricki Komiss

Head of School