Westridge Elementary

• Principal's Message - NEW!
• Wildcat Processional Pictures - NEW!
• Virtual Spirit Week Photo Collage - NEW!
• Officer Euscher Read Aloud, David Gets in Trouble - NEW!
• Officer Sheldon Read Aloud, Officer Buckle and Gloria - NEW!
• Counselors' Corner - NEW!
• LOSD Distance Learning for All Overview
• How to Get Ready for Google Meetings
• LOSD Family Guid to Google Meet
• LOSD Tech Support Request
• LOSD Distance Learning Support Portal
• Yearbook Photos Needed
• Kindergarten Registration (20-21) - Deadline is May 1st
• Parent Input Form for Class Placement (20-21) - Deadline is May 1st
• LOSD Boundary Change Put on Hold

Dear Wildcat Families,

For those who were able to view our Westridge Staff and Teacher Processional, we hope that it was as fulfilling for you as it was for us. Seeing your faces, hearing the hellos, seeing your amazing signs, and being able to connect with you in some small way meant everything to us. While not the same as being there, I have added a few pictures that parents from our wonderful community have shared. To access more photos, please look at the Westridge Elementary PTSO Facebook page.

We hope you continue to stay well and that our communications, videos, problem solving and troubleshooting efforts during this time are helpful to your children and you as families. It is our goal to provide the best online learning we can while having a lot of patience, flexibility, and grace with our students, parents, and each other as staff. We are aware that nothing we do online can fully replace the wonderful experience of coming to school every day and we really miss all of your children's smiling faces. Seeing their joyful activity on Seesaw is great, but not the same.

We appreciate how many kind and appreciative messages we have received in support of the efforts of our staff. Teachers have been embracing a huge learning curve along with the kids and all of you! Thank you for taking the time to reach out and recognize it!

In addition to the assignments posted online, teachers are creating many different ways of connecting with children, whether it be through Google Meets, Flipgrid, Padlet, or other platforms. They are working countless hours to create the best learning experiences for students and will continue to monitor and adjust lessons as needed and possible. The goal is that students will become more independent learners at home. At the same time, we understand it can be extremely challenging for younger children to manage this on their own and many of you are working. We don't want you to stress if it does not all get done. Do what you think is best and works for your family.

I hope you have a chance to enjoy our virtual spirit week photos, processional pictures, and fun read alouds from our school resource officers.

In Partnership,

Principal Montgomery

Dear Students and Families,

In an effort to provide support to students and families, your school counselor has created a Request to Check-In Google form:

Request to Talk to Mr. Kieser

If you have a need for counseling support, please click on the link, fill in the information (make sure to click submit ;) and then I will communicate with your parents/guardians to set up a virtual check-in with me.

Please see below for the district guidelines about virtual student contact:

• The goal of any 1:1 contact between counselor and student is to provide direct social-emotional support.

• All contact must be through Google Meets for video and Google Hangouts for audio.

• All contacts between school staff and students must be scheduled through parents.

• Contacts with 10 or fewer students cannot be recorded.

• Students have the option to participate without mic and/or camera.

Sincerely,

Gary Kieser, MS, LPC

Westridge Elementary School Counselor

Starting next week, teachers may host scheduled group meetings to create connections and provide interactive teacher-led instruction. Parents must be notified in advance. Any meetings of 10 or more students will be recorded and made available so that students missing the session can watch it at a later time. Students will be given the opportunity to turn off their camera and/or microphone. Students that do not follow video conferencing etiquette or typical classroom behavior expectations may be excused from the meeting by the teacher.

*Please click on the button LOSD K-5 Elementary Family Guide to Google Meet below to see a full version of the thumbnail.

Having trouble with your device? Please submit a help request ticket here or go onto losdschools.org if you run into any technology concerns. Your help request ticket will get routed to the best person to assist you with your needs.

Distance Learning Resources on losdschools.org is a new central location for parents and guardians to find resources, instructions and supports while schools are closed. This is your ONE STOP SHOP!

Resources range from setting up Seesaw and Google Classroom and submitting a requests for tech support and passwords, to participating in our "grab and go" meal service and registering for emergency childcare.

The show must go on and we need your help! We WILL be putting out a yearbook this year and we need help to fill a special section on this truly historic event. How (and where) are your kids learning and what are they doing to stay busy? What inspiring things are they doing in hopes of a better day and how are they staying connected to their friends and teachers? Send your photos to the yearbook team at Westridge.Yearbook.2020@gmail.com and please be sure to add your child's teacher to the photo for proper identification.

We are now accepting Class Placement Input Forms for the 2020-21 school year. Input is optional. Keep in mind, we do not accept specific teacher requests. Parents are welcome to provide input regarding their child’s learning environment. Input on this form will be given to a team of teachers who will work collaboratively to place students in well balanced classrooms.

Click the "Westridge Parent Input Form" below to add your input. Forms must be submitted by May 1st, 2020 for consideration.

If you have an incoming Kindergarten Student, please click here to register as soon as possible - the registration deadline is May 1.

• On May 1st, any school that has more age-eligible registered kindergarten students than capacity will conduct a lottery.
• Lottery Deadline: May 1, 2020.
• Lottery Tier 1: Applicants with age-eligible siblings currently attending the same resident school will be given priority and will not go into the lottery but MUST register by the May 1 deadline.
• Lottery Tier 2: Age-eligible registrations received by May 1, 2020.
• Lottery Tier 3: All registrations (including sibling and early admission) received after May 1, 2020 are subject to availability.
• Lottery Date: May 6, 2020.
• Lottery Notification Date: May 8, 2020.
• All enrollments not selected in the lottery or received after the May 1 cut off, whose school is at capacity, would then be automatically overflowed to other schools in the district.
• Overflow schools won't be finalized until summer and we will notify families as soon as school assignments are determined.
• Most families are enrolled and attend at their resident school and are not included in the lottery process.
• Bus transportation will be provided for overflow students.
• Early-admission candidates must be assessed and pass the approval process. Approved early-admission students will be placed at the end of the applicant list for placement in their resident school.
• Any students who are overflowed for kindergarten will return to their home school for first grade.

As discussed at this week's School Board meeting, LOSD is holding off on making any boundary changes for the 2020-2021 school year.

The uncertainties, impacts and hindrances caused by the Covid-19 stay home orders make it an extremely difficult and insensitive time to move students, staff and families. Right now, the sole focus of our LOSD team needs to be on providing the best possible teaching, learning and service during this time.

The decision to pause on boundary changes is not a reflection of the Boundary Review Committee's work. Quite the opposite. LOSD believes strongly in the need to adjust boundaries for the long-term benefit of our elementary schools. All of the work leading up to this point will continue to inform the district and School Board when the discussion is revisited next fall. The district’s intention is to make a decision by next winter to allow our school communities ample time to prepare for any boundary changes.

While we wait to make boundary changes, the district is committed to providing more equitable experiences at each elementary school, including additional support for the larger schools. This discussion will continue throughout the spring and summer as we prepare to welcome everyone back to school next year.

At this time, we are working remotely. We will check voicemails daily, but the best way to reach us is by email.

Office Phone: 503-534-2371

Principal Kari Montgomery - montgomk@loswego.k12.or.us

Principal's Secretary Jodi Steward - stewardj@loswego.k12.or.us

Attendance/Records Secretary Andrea Murphy- murphya@loswego.k12.or.us

All members of our community are committed to providing a safe and inclusive learning environment that cultivates empathy, creates challenging opportunities, and fosters lifelong learning.

Email: kari.montgomery@loswego.k12.or.us
Website: https://www.losdschools.org/wr
Location: 3400 Royce Way, Lake Oswego, OR, USA
Phone: (503) 534-2371