Westwood Elementary Newsletter

Thank you for a great start to the school year! It has been great to get back into the school routine and getting to know your student. Thank you for all you do to help your student be successful.

Do you know that we have a Westwood building pledge? Ask your student about it and we would love for you to recite it at home too!

We are special

We can learn

We can think for ourselves

We are good

We are loved

This newsletter contains important information, and I will send only one each month. Please take the time to read it each month- it is packed full of information. We also will have printed copies in the main office, should you need one. Please make sure you have an email listed in PowerSchool that you check regularly- we frequently communicate electronically.

If you drop off or pick up your student- please make sure you are only doing so in the designated pickup and drop off area where staff are located. We do this to ensure your student is safe and supervised by an adult, thank you for your cooperation. You can see more details below in the drop off and pickup procedures.

Regular attendance at the elementary school level is crucial to each student’s success, as it sets up a good pattern for your child’s entire school career. Please make sure your child is here every day that it is possible.

Please follow us if you are not already: Westwood Elementary-Elyria City Schools;

https://www.facebook.com/westwoodelementaryecsd

Your Partner in Education,
Ms. Stacey Gatten
Principal

September

10- School store fundraiser kickoff

20- Interims sent home electronically

26- Science night

To ensure drop-off and pickup run smooth and effective:

· You may ONLY enter at 42101 Griswold to enter the car line. Adelbert entrance is only for Preschool. Please do not cut through- this creates additional traffic for EECV, and we want ALL students to be safe. Also please only drop off and pick up in the designated area, do not use the visitor parking for drop off as it it not an area that is supervised by staff.

· Please do not plan to arrive earlier than 8:55 for Elementary School drop off in the morning. If Elementary students arrive early you will need to keep your student(s) in the vehicle with you until staff comes out to unload students at 8:55am.

· Please do not plan to arrive earlier than 3:00pm for Elementary pickup in the afternoon.

· Once in the lot, please pull up to the car in front of you, as this will allow more cars to enter the lot, and keep cars off the street.

· Please be ready and prepared so that we can keep cars moving efficiently in the lot.

· Follow all directions from staff, they are there to help.

· Please drive safe and slow- this is a school zone and we need to keep all students and staff safe.

· You will exit at Griswold also.

We appreciate your help in keeping our students safe.

School hours are 9:10am-3:10pm.

Doors do not open until 8:55- please do not drop off early or allow students to walk early.

If you are dropping off, please hold your child in the car with you until 8:55am.

Please call the office to report your child(ren)’s absence at 284-8002 before 9:30AM. Our phone has 24-hour voicemail so that you may call and leave a message anytime. Please leave a voicemail if no one answers the phone in the office; voicemails are frequently checked and the office will receive your message.

Please make sure you always have a photo ID with you, when you come to the school, this is for the safety of our students.

The Main Office of any school building is a hub of activity. Students and staff are always on the go, in and out of the space throughout the school day.

It’s an active place for regular check-ins and meetings with students, as well as staff conferences and daily interactions with school principals and counselors. The Main Office is also a confidential space at times for conversations and interactions between school personnel and students.

Parents and caregivers are part of the equation, too. For any number of reasons, parents may be asked to come to their child’s school during the day. When that happens, parents should follow the district’s visitor procedures by using the school’s main entrance buzzer and intercom system to gain entrance to the school, and then signing in at the front desk.

If parents/caregivers do not have a meeting at the school but still need to come to the school during the day to see their child or to speak to a staff member, call-ahead notice or an appointment is required.

This ensures parents will be seen in a timely manner and upholds the safety practices of the school. To contact the Main Office, please call 440-284-8002

Our school address is: Westwood Campus, 42350 Adelbert St, Elyria, OH 44035

Our phone number will stay the same: 284-8002

Hello Westwood families!

My name is Amanda McCall and I am the new nurse at Westwood. I have spent the last 3 years at Ely and Hamilton. I’m excited to bring two new programs to Westwood this year. In September, we will be having a mobile vision clinic visit the school. Forms were sent home with your student. This form is only to be returned if you want to OPT-OUT of this service. I sent an email out through the parent portal with further information on the vision program. In addition, you can also find more information about them at: https://visiontolearn.org/. There will also be a mobile dental clinic. They are scheduled to visit October 30th and 31st and then again in May. They complete dental cleanings and other small procedures while students remain in school. Dental forms will be sent home in September. You can find out more information about them at: https://mobiledentists.com/. One last thing, if I needed an updated immunization record for your child, I tried reaching out by phone, email, and letters were sent home. You can call me at 440-284-8153 to discuss further and to avoid exclusion from school beginning September 10th, 2024.

Amanda McCall RN, BSN

Westwood Campus

mccallamanda@elyriaschools.org

440-284-8153

Hello and welcome back to another exciting school year! I am looking forward to working with you and your student(s) again!

For those of you who may not know me, my name is Stacey Yee, and I am the School Counselor at Westwood Elementary. Throughout the year, I will be meeting with students, presenting classroom lessons, and supporting families and students with needs or concerns. Please feel free to reach out to me at any time this year!

Our weekly lessons will begin this month with all students in Kindergarten through 4th grade. We will be following our Second Step curriculum again this year, and the first unit is about having a growth mindset and setting goals to prepare us for success this year. Students will be participating in lessons and activities focusing on paying attention, making mistakes, helpful and unhelpful thoughts, and the importance of practice to reach our goals.

Each month, I will also provide the links to follow along and extend the conversation at home with your student(s). See below for the links for September:

Kindergarten Home Link (English)

Kindergarten Home Link (Spanish)

1st Grade Home Link (English)

1st Grade Home Link (Spanish)

2nd Grade Home Link (English)

2nd Grade Home Link (Spanish)

3rd Grade Home Link (English)

3rd Grade Home Link (Spanish)

4th Grade Home Link (English)

4th Grade Home Link (Spanish)

Thank you!

Stacey Yee

School Counselor

Westwood Elementary

yeestacey@elyriaschools.org

(440) 284-8244

See below for information from Food Services:

School pictures are scheduled for Tuesday, October 8th. More information will be coming home with your student soon. Mark your Calendars!

Families may bring in prepackaged treats (with ingredients listed by the company that packaged it) BUT we are really encouraging non-food items. We have to be very careful of food allergies, to keep all students safe. Birthday treats ARE not required or encouraged, but okay, if you choose.

Birthday/Holiday treat ideas include:

Pencils, bookmarks, fidgets, pop-its, bracelets, crayons, squishes, pencil toppers or erasers, glow sticks, play dough, slinkies, stickers, prepackaged snack with ingredients listed (from the company that produces it).

Have you opted in to receive text messages from Elyria Schools?

If you haven't already, please take a moment to sign up to receive automatic text messages from Elyria Schools. This is a valuable tool in an emergency or when there's important, time-sensitive information to share.

The service is free and opting in is easy. Parents or guardians simply need to send a text message of “Y” or “Yes” to our district's short code number at 67587.

Just as simple, you can opt out at any time by replying to one of our messages with “Stop.”

The text feature and the robocall system are tied directly a student's contact information that is on file with your child's school. Please make sure this information is kept up-to-date to ensure you continue receiving calls or texts from Elyria Schools.

Hoodies, and similar tops or jackets with hoods, are "fan favorites" when it comes to school attire. We like them, too, but not when they are worn up and over the head during the school day.

The district's Student Code of Conduct provides direction on headgear, stating that it may not be worn over a person's head or scalp (excluding headgear that's worn for religious or medical reasons.) Hoods can make it difficult to identify an individual in an emergency, and they can also be a distraction in class. Please remind students that hoods may not be worn up during the school day.

The Student Code of Conduct also offers guidance on attire. Clothing must be school appropriate and may not present a health or safety hazard or disrupt the educational environment. Pants and tops must fit properly and be in good repair; crop tops are not permitted.

Additionally, footwear must be school appropriate--slippers and slipper socks are not permitted. Blankets also may not be worn in school.

Students may bring their cell phones to school but they must be turned off and put away during the day unless they are used as a part of a teacher-directed lesson in class. Same rules apply to Bluetooth headphones--they may not be worn during the school day.

If you need to reach your student during the school day, please contact the main office and our staff will convey a message or assist you in reaching your student.

Website: https://www.elyriaschools.org/domain/30
Location: 42350 Adelbert St, Elyria, OH 44035, USA
Phone: 440-284-8002