Parent and Family News
Week of February 12, 2024
Parent Newsletter Week of April 8th, 2024
Celebrate Eid With Us & Bring a Guest for Open House
We invite our families to join us Thursday, April 11 from 5 to 6:30 p.m. to celebrate Eid
as Ramadan comes to a close. All are welcome to come enjoy delicious food, and fun
with henna and other activities.
During our Eid celebration, we’ll also be hosting an Open House for new families.
Please help us spread the word and consider bringing guests, so we can introduce
prospective students and parents to our vibrant school community! Visitors will have a
chance to take a tour and learn more about our engaging K-8 curriculum, free tuition,
and supportive faculty.
This is a chance to surround yourself with more parents like yourself – parents making a
strong choice about their child’s education. As members of our community, your
endorsement of our school is critically important to our success, and we appreciate your
support.
Families: Show Your Pride!
Enrollment
As I shared in last week’s newsletter, the Buffalo Board of Education unanimously
recommended the state grant a five-year, full-term renewal of our school’s charter. We
expect the New York State Board of Regents to sign off on this decision at their meeting
on April 15.
Thanks to the efforts of our faculty, staff, students, and you—our dedicated families—our
school met or exceeded all student growth and achievement goals. We appreciate your support throughout this process!
As we look forward, we’re working to grow our enrollment for the upcoming school year.
As active members of our school community, we know how much weight your opinion
has throughout the broader community, and we would appreciate your support.
How You Can Help:
1. Spread the word that Westminster is here to stay!
2. Follow us on social media and share our content.
3. Share the link to enroll with your neighbors and interested families on social
media or via text message: https://www.westminsterccs.org/apply/
Follow us on Social Media:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WestminsterCCS
X: https://twitter.com/WestminsterCCS
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/westminsterccs/
With your support, we look forward to building on our school’s 30-year history
of educating our community’s children. With your help, we can grow our pride!
What Does Part of the WCCS Pride Mean
Lions are the only cats that live in large social groups called “prides.” The pride has a close bond and works together to ensure the success of all members. Living in pride makes life easier. Hunting as a group means there is a better chance that the lions have food when needed, and it is less likely that they will get injured while hunting. Lion researchers have noticed that some activities are “contagious” within a pride. If one lion yawns, grooms itself, or roars, it sets off a wave of yawning, grooming, or roaring!
WCCS’s goal is to be a PRIDE. We work together for the betterment of all members. Unity and family bonds are a source of strength and the foundation of a fulfilling and meaningful existence. Belonging to pride provides social benefits to the members. It fosters bonds among pride members. These social bonds create a network that supports cooperative learning, caring for members, and defending against outside threats.
Upcoming Events
April 8 - Staff PD Day
April 9 - Students return to school from Spring Break
April 10 - Full School Day for Students
April 11 - Edi Celebration & Prospective Parent Open House 5:00 pm
April 12 - Early Release Day 2:30
April 17-18 - NYSED SCIENCE ASSESSMENT Grades 5 & 8
April 17 - 2nd Generation Parent Workshop 4:00 pm
April 19 - End of 3rd Quarter
April 19 - 8th Grade Fund Raiser - Chicken BBQ 3:00-6:00
May 1 -2 - NYSED ELA ASSESSMENT Grades 3-8
May 4 - Super Saturday, 9:00-11:30
May 9 - Spring Showcase 5:00 pm
May 10 - PD Day, no school for students
May 13-14 - NYSED MATH ASSESSMENT Grades 3-8
May 22 - Prospective Student Open House, 5:00 pm
May 22-30- Spring iReady
May 31 - Moana Junior - 7:30 pm
June 1 - Super Saturday 9-11:30, Moana Junior - 7:30 pm
June 14 - Grade 8 Awards and Dance
June 18 - Field Day
June 20 - Kindergarten Graduation, 8th Grade Graduation
Early Release Day - April 12th
I want to remind you about our early release drill this Friday, April 12th. This is a part of our ongoing efforts to ensure the safety and security of our students and staff.
All students need to be picked up at 2:30 on Friday.
Students and staff will practice the procedures for an early release scenario during this drill. This scenario could involve various factors, such as inclement weather, infrastructure issues, or other unforeseen circumstances that may necessitate an early dismissal from school. Students will be released at 2:30 instead of 2:45 on this day. Walkers will be released at 2:30, and riders must be picked up at that time. No students will be released from 2:15 to 2:30 that day.
This drill's purpose is to familiarize everyone with the protocol for an orderly and safe early dismissal, should the need arise. We want to ensure that our students and staff are prepared to respond calmly and efficiently in any situation that requires us to end the school day prematurely.
If you have any questions or concerns about the early release drill or our safety procedures, please do not hesitate to contact us.
8th Grade Fund Raiser
All profits go directly to the 8th-grade dance and class trip cost.
Tickets can be purchased through the website, go to For Families, and then 8th Grade dues and Fund Raiser.
Friday, Apr 19, 2024, 03:00 PM
24 Westminster Avenue, Buffalo, NY, USA
Why Attendance is Important in Helping Every Student Succeed
One of the most important things your child can do to reach the goal of success is also one of the most basic: attend school every day on time! By attending class regularly, your child is likelier to keep up with daily lessons and assignments and take quizzes and tests on time. Research has shown that your child's regular attendance may be the most significant factor influencing their academic success. Some of the greatest benefits of attending school regularly are:
Achievement: Students who attend school regularly are more likely to pass reading and math assessments than students who do not.
Opportunity: For older students, being in school every day allows them to experience more activities to help them learn more about college and gain vital information to build a successful academic record.
Being part of the school community: Just by being present at school, your child is learning how to be a good citizen by participating in the school community, learning valuable social skills, and developing a broader worldview.
What parents can do:
Follow the school's guidelines and attendance policy and report excused absences immediately. Review the school's expectations and ensure you understand who you need to contact if your child is absent.
Take an active role. Stay involved with your child's daily experiences by asking how the school day went and listening carefully to what your child shares with you — successes and struggles. Make it a point to meet your child's teacher(s) and friends.
Locate potential sources of anxiety. If your child frequently appears upset or reluctant to go to school and cannot tell you why, schedule an appointment with their teacher or a member of your child's student support team (School Social Worker, School Counselor, and Administrator) to talk about possible sources of the anxiety.
Keep updated on school events and announcements. Read the school documents your child brings home and note important announcements and dates, such as evening events and parent-teacher conferences.
Limit the time your child misses school due to medical appointments or illness. Avoid scheduling doctor's appointments during the school day. Allow your child to stay home only for contagious or severe illnesses.
Schedule family events with your child's school schedule in mind. Plan holiday celebrations or family trips during weekends or school vacations. In the case of family emergencies or unexpected trips, talk to your child's teacher(s) as far in advance as possible and set up a way that your child can work ahead or bring necessary homework on the trip.
Plan. Encourage your child to prepare for the next school day by laying out clothes the night before and helping to fix lunches.
Promote the importance of education: Teach your child how important education is to their future success by stressing the importance of regular school attendance. Let your child know that attending school regularly will assist them in developing the good habits they need for their future.