Hello Wildcat families,

I'm excited to announce that our state letter grades have been published, and Western Valley Elementary has earned a B! We had nearly 9 points of growth from last school year, and aim to continue our growth this school year. Congratulations and thank you to all of our students, teachers, staff, and families for all of the hard work and support you've shown to help us earn that B. Focus on instruction, support at home, good attendance, and interventions will all help us to move toward earning an A!

This week we have our 2nd Benchmark Tests. These will help us to see how much students have learned since August, and in which areas our kids need more support. Please be sure your students are at school every day and on time, and limit picking up students early whenever possible. We are testing Monday on ELA, Tuesday on Math, and Wednesday are make-ups and Science for 5th grade. I know our kids are ready!

On Thursday 10/31, we invite families to join us for our Book Character Wellness Walk (students are invited to dress up as a book character, and we'll walk around the back field to get in some healthy steps). Families who would like to join us will need to sign in at the front office and get a visitor sticker. Please talk to your child about where they can find their character in a book. Do they want to dress up as someone/something that doesn't have a story? Help your child write a story with that character as a star! Our Wellness Walk encourages kids to get outside and move their bodies, so even if they choose not to dress up, it'll still be a great day of movement!

This Friday is our 20th Birthday Celebration for Western Valley, commemorating the opening of our school in 2004. If you pre-ordered a limited edition shirt, they will be delivered this week. This Friday will be a free Spirit Shirt day, so kids may wear their WVE Birthday shirt, or another spirit shirt, with uniform bottoms, free of charge. Thank you to our parent volunteers who signed up. Keep an eye on backpacks for your letter with more information.

Wednesday, the Bookmobile will be back, with 3-5th grade students having priority. If you'd like your student to check out a book, please send them with their library card. If there is time, K-2nd grade *may* be able to check out a book as well.

Cell phone use is not permitted during the school day. If you have a student who is walking home, please don't have them call you until after they have exited the crosswalk. We've had a growing number of kids who are using their phones to call home while walking in the crosswalk and not paying attention to the cars around them. Safety first!

Have a great afternoon!

Jennifer Quirk

At WVE, we guide learners to reflect, communicate, and grow, to strengthen ourselves and our community.

WVE engages learners in a growth mindset to reach their potential while being accountable to their role within the community.

WVE is a place where everyone believes students can learn and grow as individuals. Effort is valued, teaching is intentional, progress is shared, and ideas are welcomed.

If you've been on campus recently, you have noticed the new security measures we have in place. The exterior lobby doors are now locked at all times, and there is a video doorbell feature that you press, and tell the office what you need (bringing in a tardy student, dropping off a water bottle or lunch for a child, picking up a student early for an appointment, volunteering at the cafeteria, etc.).

Upon being buzzed in, there is also a new ID scanner we are beginning to implement. Visitors sign in at the tablet on the counter, and you scan your ID. The scanner will then print out a visitor sticker for you with your picture, first and last name, date and time you signed in. This security measure helps us to better track who is on campus, and to verify that their ID was checked at the office. A benefit to this new ID scanner also, is that once your ID is scanned, you can quickly create an account that will store your ID in the tablet, so you do not have to present your ID each time (you just enter a unique password that you create). If you choose not to have your ID stored, that's fine too, you will just need to present your ID every time you come to campus, without exception.

We appreciate your patience and understanding as we implement more safety & security measures to ensure we are doing all that we can to keep our children and staff safe while we are at school.

Water refill stations are all around campus when they run out. Sending your child with a water bottle ensures they are never without a quick drink of water! We do not have disposable cups for water, and the drinking fountains are mostly in classrooms, so their own water bottle is best!

And don't forget to write their name on their water bottle!

As we head into cooler mornings and days, and kids are wearing sweatshirts, please remind your child that they may wear the hood up while outside, but not in the classrooms. Logo-free is best, but if it can't be helped, please be sure your child's sweatshirt is appropriate for elementary school. We'll have them turn it inside out if not.

Also, we're starting to find many sweatshirts and jackets on the playgrounds when the kids get hot. PLEASE put your child's name on the tag of their sweatshirts or jackets so we can return them to your student if they forget them outside.

Don't forget, our PTO has some uniform sweatshirts available for sale!

Did you know that every 4th grade student in the US is eligible for the "Every Kid Outdoors" pass? This pass gives free admission the 4th grader and their family to National Parks and other landmarks around the country. It's a great way to explore different parts of our beautiful country. While you're at a National Park, ask about the Junior Ranger program. It's a fun way for kids to get involved and learn a little more about our natural resources.

Fourth grade teachers will have paper copies of the pass available at Curriculum Night, or parents can sign up on their own on the website.

https://everykidoutdoors.gov/index.htm

We had some parent volunteers last year for making copies, Book Fair, field trips, and in the cafeteria to help students open packaging and keeping tables clean. It was a HUGE help! We would like to extend the invitation again this year. If you are interested in volunteering at school,

please fill out this form.

https://forms.gle/dwDkf4kz3My2vBV19

🍉🥑🍗🌮🍉🥑🍗🌮🍉🥑🍗🌮🍉🥑🍗🌮🍉🥑🍗🌮🍉🥑🍗🌮🍉🥑🍗🌮🍉🥑🍗🌮

Our students will all receive free lunch this year (no lunch applications needed), but we do need families to please complete the income eligibility form as well- this helps to pay for our Reading Intervention services, after school tutoring and clubs, summer school, Instructional Assistants, and so much more!

https://linqconnect.com/public/income-form/new?identifier=TARLF2

Our arrival and dismissal procedure will be similar this school year. For the safety of your children, please only use the parking lot and 63rd Ave to park and walk WITH YOUR CHILD to the crosswalk. Children may not be dropped off in the parking lot or along 63rd Ave to walk by themselves. It is simply not safe for them.

As a reminder, the drop-off area is along the fire lane curb, and the parking lot is ONLY for families who want to park and walk up their student. Students MAY NOT be dropped off in the parking lot. This creates an unsafe situation for children, which of course, no one wants. We will have signs up as reminders, but please be safe, and drop off children only in the designated areas.

**For the parent pick-up area, we will have grade levels wait under the shade structure (as best as will safely fit). A change this year is with older siblings meeting younger kids. They will NOT meet them in the classroom this year. Instead, upper grade siblings will meet their younger siblings outside, and will wait with them under the shade structure. This allows students to exit more quickly, and to meet up with the parent or guardian who is picking them up.

Use your Dashboard card for a faster Parent Pick Up! Ask your teacher or the front office for one.

Kids get breakfast in the classroom starting at 7:55, and we are into the start of instruction by 8:10 every day, so arrival any later than that means students are missing important learning time. And it adds up!

Students may now wear a WVE Spirit Shirt on Thursdays with uniform pants.

Order your Spirit Shirt now! You can pay cash or Zelle to jreeser@fesd.org

Dollar Dress Down Day (formerly known as Buck-a-Jeans Day) = Hosted once a month as a PTO fundraiser, students may pay $1 and wear a non-uniform outfit. You can purchase the Annual Pass for this for $10, and you don't have to dig around for $1 each of these days.

Spirit Shirt Thursday (new this year) = Every Thursday, students may wear a WVE Spirit Shirt and uniform bottoms. This free event is to drum up our Wildcat spirit, and to be a fun way to show our school pride!

Free Dress Down Days (these are for special occasions) = Fall Picture Day, a pass earned by a grown-up when they attend a PTO meeting, Curriculum Night, or other school event that we advertise parents coming to campus.

All students who ride the bus have been issued a bus ID, and those IDs have been zip tied to their backpacks to prevent loss. They will scan on and off the bus each time. The first bus ID is free, broken or lost replacements will cost $5.

If your child will need to take medication at school, please bring it (in the prescription bottle/box) to the Health Office. Children may not bring medication to school themselves. This includes even cough drops. When in doubt, DO NOT send medicine to school with your child!

Also, if your child has a Chronic Illness, and may miss school often due to an illness or condition, ask the office or Mrs Reyes about a Chronic Health Form.

Learn a new skill, or continue to grow in a field you've worked in before! Keep the same work schedule as your kids!

Check out some other openings around the district here- https://fowler.tedk12.com/hire/index.aspx

Our office is open 7:30am-4pm Mon-Fri.

Our administration & office staff are happy to help!

*10/30 Phoenix Public Library Bookmobile at WV, 3-5th

*10/31 Book Character Wellness Walk (parents & families invited to walk with us!)

*11/1 Western Valley's 20th Birthday Celebration! (Volunteers needed!)

*11/1 October Student of the Month Breakfast

*11/8 Teacher In-Service Day, No School

*11/11 Veterans Day, No School

*11/12 FESD Governing Board Meeting 4pm

*11/13 Phoenix Public Library Bookmobile at WV

*11/20 Phoenix Public Library Bookmobile at WV

*11/22 Dollar Dress Down Day & PTO Meeting

*11/22 Aja Calhoun Thanksgiving Dinner

*11/25-11/29 Thanksgiving Break, No School

*12/4 Phoenix Public Library Bookmobile at WV

*12/18 Phoenix Public Library Bookmobile at WV

*12/23-1/3 Winter Break, No School

*2/21 WVE Carnival!