February was all about love, kindness, and learning in our first-grade classroom! We  started the month by reflecting on the special people, places, and things that fill our hearts with love. Through a creative drawing and writing activity, students shared what brings them joy, comfort, and gratitude. Many of them expressed love for God, family, friends, teachers, pets, and even their favorite things like sports and food.

In Science, students recently explored the fascinating world of negative charges and static electricity through an engaging hands-on experiment. They learned how static electricity can attract and repel objects by using balloons. The experiment allowed them to observe firsthand how rubbing a balloon on their hair or clothing could create a charge, causing the balloon to attract or move small particles like bending water from the sink.

February 20th marked our official 100th day at school! Our Montessori students have marked each new day by adding a “unit” golden bead to a crystal bowl. They watched as the bowl grew full and every time we got to 10 loose beads, we would trade it in for a ten bar.

French classes kicked off a very celebratory season with National Croissant Day! Students in both Lower and Middle School enjoyed a delicious croissant on the first day of February. Sixth grade students studied the history of croissants, which actually originated in Vienna. Grade 8 students prepared for their Paris trip by practicing how to order pastries. Lower School students watched a recipe video on how to make a giant croissant.

We will strive for Chapel Time to be a peaceful time for prayer, reflection, and character building. These past few weeks we have been enjoying the routines in Chapel. We prayed the rosary, and students and teachers with help from Fr. Danny Morrison of Little Flower and Fr. David Spillane, LC, gathered for Eucharistic Adoration in Our Chapel of the Little Flower to practice our faith as a community.

Modernization—the transformation from a traditional, rural society to an industrial, urban society—serves as the focus of the next unit in Grade 8. Students began with an investigation into three forces that drove the modernization of American society: electricity, technology, and automobiles.

Have you ever wondered why some people are so good at remembering information? Has it befuddled you what keeps your childhood phone number firmly cemented in your brain when you cannot remember what day of the week it is? Or why do your children remember certain multiplication facts better than others?

Students have been working on an ongoing project in our fifth grade math, advisory, religion, and language arts classrooms this winter. Our “A Seat at the Table” PBL, which began on December 1st, has the fifth graders working together to plan a meal to serve to others in February. Students have been discussing and writing about the qualities of an enjoyable meal, brainstorming menu ideas, and ultimately planning out the meal, including the cost for each meal component to feed the group.  Our project will culminate in a celebration during which students will have an opportunity to serve the meal they prepared.

Students have been enthusiastically exploring multicultural fairy tales as part of our Project-Based Learning (PBL) project. In one engaging activity, students compared Yeh-Shen, the Chinese version of Cinderella, with the traditional Cinderella story.

At The Woods Academy, we believe education should challenge students while also nurturing their confidence, well-being, and sense of belonging. While anxiety is a reality students will encounter throughout life, our philosophy is that school should be a place where children feel safe, supported, and known — not overwhelmed.

That perspective guided our recent Coffee & Conversation parent session focused on managing academic and performance anxiety. Led by our counseling team, the discussion explored how families and schools can work together to support students while reinforcing an important truth: when children feel secure, known, and valued, they are better positioned to learn, grow, and thrive.

At The Woods Academy, we believe that educating the whole child means nurturing both mind and body. Healthy sleep and nutrition are essential foundations for learning, emotional regulation, and overall well-being—and they are values we intentionally support throughout each school day.

Recently, our School Nurse and School Counselor hosted a Nutrition and Sleep Coffee Chat, sharing research, practical strategies, and reassurance that small, consistent habits—at home and at school—can have a lasting impact on children’s health. 

At The Woods Academy, supporting children in a digital world means going beyond managing devices to nurturing balance, character, and thoughtful choices. During a recent Coffee & Conversation, leaders explored guidance from Jonathan Haidt’s Anxious Generation and Richard Culatta’s Digital for Good, helping parents understand how to raise responsible digital citizens who engage with technology intentionally, confidently, and with integrity in their daily lives.