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Woodside Elementary School

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Principal's Welcome

principal dedek

Principal Rick Dedek

 

Dear Parents and Guardians,

I am delighted to extend you a warm welcome to Woodside Elementary School (WES), a proud member of MSAD 75. We are located in the heart of Topsham, Maine!

Woodside is one of the five outstanding K-5 elementary schools within MSAD 75, and it is also home to our district's Elementary Special Programs Department, designed to serve students with moderate to severe to profound special needs. Currently, our school is home to a diverse community of approximately 320 students. We maintain an average student-to-classroom teacher ratio of approximately 18:1, which includes our students in Special Programs. At Woodside, we take immense pride in our reputation for meeting the unique needs of all learners and our unwavering commitment to delivering high-quality instruction through MSAD 75's teacher professional development model that includes late start Wednesdays for Responsive and Proactive Teacher Development.

It is well-documented that the key factors contributing to student success are excellent teaching, active parental involvement, and clear feedback. At Woodside, we hold the same belief and continually strive to enhance our teaching methods and curriculum strategies while fostering stronger parent engagement. We invite you to play an active role in supporting our school community by volunteering, participating in community events, or reaching out to our excellent Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO) at woodsideschoolpto@gmail.com to assist in enriching our school activities.

When you visit Woodside, you will immediately notice our district-wide commitment to safety and security. During school hours, we maintain a single point of entry. Simply press the doorbell to your left and check in at our main office, where you will be warmly welcomed by one of our dedicated staff members. After signing in, you will be asked to wear a visitor badge and you will have the opportunity to view exemplary student work and observe our students practicing our three fundamental rules in our Code of Cooperation:

  1. We are Safe.
  2. We are Responsible.
  3. We are Respectful.

At Woodside, we wholeheartedly embrace a strength-based teaching and learning culture. To this end, we work hard to help students identify their own areas for improvement or enrichment in grades 4-5, enhancing our approach to Response to Intervention (RTI) in all grades K-5, and dedicating additional time to special content areas such as Art, Music, PE, and Learning Commons. We also encourage positive school attendance rates through engaging extracurricular activities, including Lego Club, Woodside One Wheelers, Chorus, Maine Refrain, and other community based activities and sports that sometimes call Woodside their "home" for meetings or practices.

At Woodside School, we place a strong emphasis on family. In addition to providing school-age childcare support for families attending after-school PTO meetings, we have biannual parent-teacher conferences, annual open-house or curriculum nights, an ice cream social to kick off the year, and a school-wide field day with parent volunteers to conclude our year. If your family needs assistance with breakfast or lunch for your child, we offer a free lunch program that we encourage everyone to take advantage of. We are here to help families access other community based supports that families may require in times of need. Please visit the Student Support Services page for more resources that are available to our students and families.

I encourage you and your family to cherish this special time in your lives. As I have personally witnessed, watching my own children grow and thrive in MSAD 75 schools, the elementary educational years pass by in the blink of an eye!

We encourage all families to demonstrate their commitment to education by actively getting involved. The simplest gesture is to ask your child, "What did you learn today at school?" When children expect such inquiries, they tend to prepare for them, sparking meaningful conversations at home. We also invite you to volunteer in the classroom or participate in our PTO group. We consider it a privilege to be a part of your journey and invite you to join us in the crucial task of educating our nation's future citizens and decision-makers. In my perspective, there is no greater calling.

Thank you for choosing Woodside Elementary School and becoming an integral part of our exceptional Woodside Faculty and Staff, as well as our larger school community, dedicated to the growth and educational development of your children.

If you wish to learn more about Woodside or have any questions, please don't hesitate to reach out to someone in our school community. We take great pride in the relationships and reputation we have cultivated over the years as a high-quality elementary school with a steadfast commitment to the success of our learners. You are also welcome to meet with me during our monthly "PTO Meetings" or schedule an "open office hour" meeting with me or our assistant principal through our dedicated office team.

Sincerely,

Mr. Dedek, Principal
Woodside Elementary School