Family News

On Tuesday, November 5th, Election Day, we will have a 1/2 day for students. Teachers will host Parent Teacher Conferences from noon to six that day. Please be on the lookout for your teacher for a chance to sign up for a time slot.

Our Community Police Officer Meegan is hosting a coat drive. She collects gently used coats and jackets for all ages to distribute to those in need. She will be collecting items until November 10th. Donations can be brought to the school or to the E District Buffalo Police at 2767 Bailey Ave, Buffalo, NY 14215. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to contact her at AGMeegan@bpdny.org. On November 11th, she orchestrated a drop-off for the items at multiple shelters in the City of Buffalo. Thank you in advance for supporting this community effort to keep our neighbors warm this winter.

Every student has a right to educational opportunities that will enable them to develop their fullest potential. Attendance policies are based on the principle that regular school attendance maximizes the student’s interaction with their teachers and peers and is a significant component of academic success. Improved school attendance generally increases student achievement.

Therefore, this attendance policy provides for the early identification of attendance problems and

effective methods to address the issue(s). Successful implementation of any attendance policy requires cooperation among all education community members, including parents/guardians, students, teachers, administrators, and support staff. WCCS has committed to:

1. Maintain adequate attendance records on each student to ensure that each student maximizes achievement of academic standards.

2. Increase school completion for all students.

3. Identify general attendance patterns to design attendance improvement efforts.

4. Ensure that the student’s whereabouts can be accounted for.

5. Identify patterns of student behavior that may require student and /or parent/guardian attention.

Student Attendance Policy

Students must attend school all days that school is in session for the entire day, 8:00 a.m. – 2:45 p.m., unless they have a valid (excused) reason. Please remember that the New York State Department of Education has defined any student who misses 10% or more school days as chronically absent. This includes both excused and unexcused absences. Missing just two (2) days of school a month – for any reason – can be a problem for kids in several ways. Chronically absent students in kindergarten and first grade are less likely to read on grade level by the time they reach third grade. For older students, being chronically absent is strongly associated with failing to graduate high school – even more than low grades or test scores. When absences add up, these students are more likely to be suspended and drop out of high school. Chronic absenteeism is also linked with teen substance abuse, as well as poor health as adults. Please help support your scholar’s educational success by having them at school all day, every day.

Please get in touch with our main office if you need help getting your child to or from school.

What image comes to mind when you hear, “learning vocabulary words?” A dictionary? A stack of flashcards? I think of the exhausting list of words to “define and write in a sentence to prepare for the quiz on Monday” assigned to me.

Today’s research has changed educators’ understandings, though, about how to best help students learn new words — not just for Monday’s quiz, but permanently Many of those strategies can easily be turned into family habits. Consider trying these ideas at home:

Cultivate a fascination with words. Fostering kids’ interest in words encourages a lifelong habit of noticing new ones and retaining them. Whether it’s a tart apple or a mischievous face, simply commenting on exciting words or sharing just the right word for a particular circumstance is powerful modeling. Honing in on high-utility words — one or two that help make sense of a picture book, for example — works well. Your best bet is to offer a brief and straightforward definition right when the word comes up.

Reading Aloud Studies show that picture books contain more diverse word choices than spoken language — even conversations between adults! New words normally pepper the story, which provides the perfect context for explaining them in kid-friendly terms.

Play word games. Word games are excellent for flexing children’s vocabularies. You can work on previously learned or new vocabulary words, such as “Does the bird you’re thinking of swoop down to get its food or hover over a plant to eat?” when playing. Nothing motivates kids to use just the right words like some competitive spirit!

The YWCA Program, as well as Fall Clubs, is underway. Please see this week's lineup.

YWCA runs Monday-Thursday 3:00-5:30

CLUBS 3:00-4:30

Girls on the Run (Tuesday & Thursday)

Boys Basketball (Tuesday & Thursday) combination with YWCA 3:00-5:30

Spanish- Hidalgo (Wednesday)

Sports and Fitness(Thursday)

Passport to Adventure (Tuesday)

Book Club- (Monday)

Recycle Club- (Wednesday)

Coming Soon -After Halloween

Hair Club - (Thursday) combination with YWCA 3:00-5:30 - will need to fill out a school permission slip and YWCA application

Join us on Social Media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WestminsterCCS

X: https://twitter.com/WestminsterCCS

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/westminsterccs/

Scan the code to join all three.

Check out our updated website: https://www.westminsterccs.org/

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!

November 5th - 1/2 Day for Students, pick up at 11:30 am. Parent Teacher Conference 12 pm-6 pm

November 7th - End of the First Quarter, all report cards published to the Parent Portal

November 11th - No School, Veterans Day

November 13th - Multicultural Night 4:30-6:00, High School Application Night 4:30-5:30 pm.

November 20th - Picture Retake Day

November 21st -Parent Meeting (PAC) 5:30-6:30

November 26th - Lockdown Drill

November 27th - Friendsgiving

November 28th and 29th - No School

December 2nd-6th - Scholastic Book Fair

December 5th - Literacy Night 5:00 pm

December 16th-19th - Santa's Workshop

December 17th - Winter Showcase 5:00 pm

December 17th - Winter Celebration 5:30-7:00 pm

December 19th - Parent Meeting (PAC) 5:30-6:30

December 20th - Last Day before Winter Break, December 23rd -Jan. 1st

Setting up a Parent Portal account allows parents and guardians to view their child’s assignments, report cards, attendance, and assignments. Follow the directions below to register.

**Note: You will need the 900 number (ID number) for each child you will be adding to your account. Most students in grades 3 and higher know their number, If you need the 900 number, reach out to your child’s teacher, or call the office.**

1. Go to the Westminster website: www.westminsterccs.org. Under the “For Families” tab, click on “Parent Portal”.

2. If you already have a username and password, use them to log in here. If it is your first time logging in, click on “Online Registration”.

3. Fill in the boxes for “Account Information”. Note: the school district is ‘WestminsterCSD’. Be sure that the email address you provide is valid, you will be receiving an automated email at the end of the registration process.
4. Fill in the boxes on the ‘Personal Information’ page. This is information about the parent or guardian (the adult). Student information is in the next section.
   

5. Fill in the boxes for ‘Student Information’. You may add all students that you will need access for.

6. You will receive an auto-generated email sent to the email address you provided with your log-in credentials. Your account will be reviewed by the account administrator and will be available in about 2 business days.

7. Your registration process is complete! Once your account is activated by the account administrator, you can log in at any time to view your child’s assignments, discipline, attendance, grades, and report cards.

GRADES K – 8

Tops: Navy Blue School Logo Top

WCCS Embroidered short sleeve polo
WCCS Embroidered Sweatshirt

Bottoms: Khaki or Navy (color)

Uniform or Dress Pants*

Uniform or Dress Shorts*

Uniform Jumper

Uniform or Dress Skirt*

Dress Pants - do not include denim, ripped material, leggings, or jeggings. Dress pants would be made of cotton, polyester blend, or wool.

Dress Shorts - must be made of dress pant materials and have at least a 7-inch inseam; the bottom must be hemmed (no cut-offs).

Dress Skirts - must be made of dress pant materials and have at least a 9-inch inseam; the bottom must be hemmed (no cut-offs).

Short-Sleeve Polo shirts - students should not wear any visible shirt underneath their polo. If students are cold, they can wear a school sweatshirt.

Clothing that is ripped, cut, slashed, or has holes, is prohibited, even on dress-down days. Clothes with rips that are filled underneath are not allowed.

Footwear: Shoes or Sneakers

• Rubber Bottom Shoes - appropriate for running and playing

• Cotton, leather, or man-made leather, solid uppers

• Shoes must have enclosed heels and toes.

• No sandals, slides, slippers, high heels, house shoes, moccasins, boots, flip-flops, rubber body shoes, or Crocs are allowed.

• These footwear requirements are due to safety issues.

Shirts can be purchased at https://www.westminsterccs.org/ under at families tab, student will bring the shirts home.