April 2025 Newsletter
The Art & Science of Learning at WHPS

Sunday, April 6, 2025 | 1:00-3:00 PM

Meet Camp Team | Barnyard Animals | Bounce House | Camp Activities
✏️ Register by April 11 to secure your spot!
[Download Camp Brochure] | [Visit Camp Website]

📢 This Month’s Focus: Big Growth Starts With Small Steps

• 🌱 From the Head of School: Starting Small & Headed Somewhere BIG

• 🟠 Elementary News: Building Resilience Through the Circle of Control

• 🪣 Preschool News: Sand, Science & School Readiness

• 🐮 Barnyard News: Exploring Ecology & Animal Intelligence

• 📅 Calendar of Events: Full WHPS Calendar

📖 The Long-Term Impact of How Children Learn

What may look simple in the early years is actually the start of something profound. At WHPS, our Kindergarten and First Grade programs are intentionally designed to lay the foundation for a rigorous, transformative education. Instead of packets of worksheets and rote drills, students are learning how to learn—thinking deeply, asking meaningful questions, and building the confidence to work both independently and collaboratively.

They’re developing resilience, discovering their unique voice, and learning to take ownership of their growth. This kind of foundation doesn’t just prepare them for the next grade—it empowers them to soar in the years ahead.

🚀 If it looks like it starts small in Kindergarten, that’s because it does.

These early experiences aren’t just a gentle introduction—they’re a strategic foundation that grows with children year after year. By the time students reach Upper Elementary, the impact of this kind of investment comes fully into focus—in the self-directed learners, thinkers, and people they become.

Inside This Month’s Article

• ✨ Why WHPS Prioritizes Real Skills Over Busywork

• ✨ What Collaborative Learning Looks Like in Action

• ✨ How Early Foundations Lead to Future Growth

🔗 [Read More About Where the Groundwork is Going →]

Elementary News

Melanie Henson, Principal | Cynthia Baroudi, Dean of Students

🟠 The Circle of Control

Grades don’t tell the whole story. True success comes from developing the inner tools to navigate life’s ups and downs with clarity and resilience.

One way we support this growth is by teaching the “Circle of Control,” a simple but powerful tool that helps shift energy from frustration to purposeful action. What begins as a guided classroom conversation becomes second nature by upper elementary, empowering students to handle academic and social hurdles with confidence.

Inside This Month’s Article

• ✨ What Is the Circle of Control—And why it works

• ✨ How WHPS Reinforces These Skills—From Morning Meetings to SLCs

• ✨ Ways Families Can Support This Mindset at Home

🔗 [Read More About the Power of the Circle →]

Preschool News

Robin Gee & Ailin Sacks | Collins Campus
Christine Chiché-Lopez & Roxana Mackey | Oxnard Campus

🪣 👣 Beneath Their Feet — The Case for Sand

At WHPS, we choose sand over rubberized flooring for a reason: it supports whole-child development in ways artificial surfaces can’t. From strengthening motor skills to sparking STEM curiosity, sand play fosters creativity, resilience, and collaboration. It's messy, meaningful—and it builds school readiness from the ground up.

Inside This Month’s Article

• ✨ Why We Choose Sand—The developmental science behind the decision

• ✨ How Sand Play Supports Brain Growth and Early Learning

• ✨ Real-World Skills from Messy Play—Creativity, cooperation, and confidence

🔗 [Read More About the Benefits of Sand Play →]

Science & Nature Center News

👋 Welcome Sarah Euchner to the Barnyard Team!

We’re excited to introduce Sarah Euchner, our new lead Specialist Teacher in the WHPS Science & Nature Center! Sarah brings a rich background in ecology, animal behavior, and environmental science education—and a genuine passion for helping students connect with the natural world.

She holds a BS in Ecology, Animal Behavior & Evolution from UCLA and has taught environmental science to students from early elementary through high school. With hands-on experience working with reptiles, intertidal species, and leading science education programs, Sarah is a wonderful addition to our Barnyard team.

🐾 April in the Barnyard

This month, students are diving into ecology, adaptation, and animal behavior—exploring how living things survive, thrive, and interact with their environments.

• 🦖 4th & 5th Grade: Students are investigating endangered species and conservation through real-world cases like the California Desert Tortoise—comparing it to our own tortoise, Teddy. They’re also participating in our flower dissection lab, uncovering the hidden structures that make pollination possible, from delicate stamens to the secret chambers where seeds begin to grow.

• 🦎 2nd & 3rd Grade: In Ecology 201, students are studying reptile ecology and animal intelligence—exploring how some species use tools, like crows cracking nuts or primates fishing for termites, and how scientists measure intelligence across the animal kingdom.

• 🦜 1st Grade: Students are simulating migration, mapping seasonal routes, and learning how animals adapt to changing environments. They’ve also begun planting a garden, with crops that will soon help feed our barnyard animals.

• 🧠 Kindergarten: In Ecology 101, students are discovering how animals and humans use tools—like chimps with sticks or birds with twigs—while also exploring nutrition through hands-on activities.

• 🩺 Preschool & TK: Our youngest scientists are learning how animals stay healthy by weighing real animals on scales, wrapping “injured” stuffed animals in bandages, and using special tools to carefully feed a lizard.

[Science & Nature Center on Instagram →]

📅 Important April Dates

See the Full WHPS Calendar

Events at Both Campuses

• 6: Summer Camp Open House & Carnival at 1:00 PM

• 11: Last Day to Enroll for Summer Camp

• 18: Spring Holiday — WHPS Closed

Oxnard Campus Events

• 2: PAWS Meeting at 6:30 PM on Zoom

• 4: Community Coffee from 8:30–9:30 AM

• 8: Fifth Grade Graduation Pictures

• 8: Neurodiverse Family Group Meeting from 9:30–10:30 AM

• 9: Elementary School Tour at 10 AM

• 9: Culture & Belonging Meeting from 12:30–1:30 PM

• 11: Elementary Spring Variety Show from 10:00–11:30 AM

• 14-17: Preschool Egg Hunt Events

• 14-18: Elementary Spring Break

• 21: Shake Shack FREE Lemonade Stand from 2:30-3:30 PM

• 22: Earth Day Preschool GO Event & Restaurant Night at Shake Shack

• 30: Elementary School Tour at 10 AM

• 31: Elementary Spring Variety Show from 10:00–11:30 AM

• May 1: Open House from 4:00–6:00 PM (Campus Closed at 3:00 PM)

Collins Campus Events

• 1: PAG Meeting at 7:30 PM on Zoom

• 2: Rooms 5 & 6 Science & Nature Center Visit at 9:30 AM

• 17: Spring Egg Hunt at 9:45 AM (Parents Invited)

• 22: Earth Day GO Event (Children Only)

• 23: Restaurant Night at West Hills Pizza

• 24: Captain Carl Tide Pool Event, Sponsored by PAG (Children Only)

• 29: Open House from 4:30–5:30 PM (Campus Closed at 3:00 PM)