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WILDCAT NEWS
April 2024
News from Ms. Harcus
Hello Westside Family!!!!
Happy Spring! What a funny March and start to April we have had! I am looking forward to warmer weather and more sunshine this coming month!
Lots of exciting things are coming up at Westside including celebrating Hmong Heritage Month, our All School Bowling Trip at the end of the month and other fun grade level activities happening!
I continue to be impressed with how hard our students and staff are working and the growth we have seen in every single Wildcat. I am so incredibly proud of our school community.
I hope you all have a wonderful month and I look forward to seeing you all soon!
With love and gratitude,
Nikki Harcus
Principal
Music Concerts
Mark your calendars for Music Concerts at Westside Elementary!
Concert Wednesday, April 24th
- 1st Grade performs at 11:45 a.m.
- Kindergarten performs at 2:45 p.m.
- 2nd Grade performs at 2-1:45 p.m.
Concert Wednesday, May 15th
- 5th Grade performs at 11:45 a.m.
- 3rd Grade performs at 12:45 p.m.
- 4th Grade performs at 1:45 p.m.
Important Dates
Friday April 12, 2024
NO SCHOOL
Staff Professional Development
Autism Acceptance Month
April is Autism Acceptance Month!
Let's celebrate our neurodiverse students with Spirit Week
Monday April 22, 2024:
Favorite/Expert day - what is your favorite thing, group, character, whatever! Share by wearing something to represent it
Tuesday April 23, 2024:
Hats off to Autism - wear a hat to celebrate autism
Wednesday April 24, 2024:
Pokemon Day - the -creator of Pokemon has autism, dress up as your favorite character or pokemon shirt
Thursday April 25, 2024:
Sensory Friendly Day - wear comfy clothes
Friday April 26, 2024:
Neurodiversity Day! - wear tie-dye, rainbow day, autism acceptance shirts
Save the Dates
Save the Dates for more Family Fun:
- Spring Fling on Friday, April 5
- Westside Fun Run on Friday, May 24
- Westside End of Year Party on the Playground on Tuesday, June 4
- Westside Night at the Madison Mallards game on Thursday, June 27
More details to follow on all of these fun events
Public Health - Measles Update
This spring there have been measles cases in several states.
Please take a moment to review the District Measles Update for important information regarding your child's immunization record, where to get vaccinated and signs & symptoms of measles.
Summer School Registration
Registration for Summer School Classes opened on
Tuesday April 2, 2024 and will close on Friday April 19, 2024.
Check out Sun Prairie Area School District Mail - Course Guides for PK-8 for more information.
School Day Hours
ARRIVAL
Supervision outside starts at 7:30 am
First Bell rings at 7:35 am - Students enter the building
Instruction starts at 7:40 am
DISMISSAL
2:40 pm on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesday and Fridays
1:30 pm on Thursdays
District School Bus Information
Please take moment to review the District Bus Evacuation Drill information.
Bus Evacuation Drills: April 23 & 24, 2024
The district is required to practice bus evacuations twice a year per state law. Bus evacuation drills will be held April 23rd at the middle and high schools and April 24th at the elementary schools. Please note that buses could be delayed on these days.
Reporting a Student Absence
Parents/Guardians may report a student absence to Westside Elementary 24 hours a day by calling our Attendance Line at
(608) 834-7500, press 1 to report a student absence.
Please leave a short message with the following information:
- Child's name
- Teacher's name or grade
- Reason for absence
- Who is calling
Please contact the office, 608-834-7509 before 7:30 a.m. any morning your child will not be in school, even if they will be joining us late. If we do not hear from you, a safe arrival call will be made to you at home and/or work. We want to make sure every child is safe!
Student Appointments
- Name of Student
- Teacher's name or grade
- Time of pick up
- If the student will be returning to school
If you are picking up a student during the school day, you will need to sign them out in the main office and please bring your ID with you. We do ask that you give yourself adequate time for check out before your appointment.
Volunteer Background Checks
If you are interested in volunteering and/or being a chaperone, please check out the District's Volunteer Procedure.
Here are the links from the District website to the Background Check Form(s).
Thank you for considering!
Westside OPTS Updates
Who We Are & What We Do:
Westside OPTS is the parent-teacher organization at Westside Elementary School. All members are volunteers, made up of parents, grandparents and caregivers of Westside students, as well as teachers and school staff. Our mission is to support education for Westside Elementary School students by fostering relationships between the school, parents, and teachers.
How To Get Involved:
We are committed to supporting our teachers, students and families and we would love your help!
- Volunteer your time and/or talent! If you have a special skill, want to help with fundraising, or like to work on teacher appreciate activities, please let us know.
- Board Members:
Presidents - Chiquita Hall
Vice President - Matt Weyer
Secretary - Nikki Wachter
Treasurer - Cathy Weyer
Volunteer Coordinator - Holly DeGroot
OPTS Meetings
Westside OPTS meets the 2nd Tuesday of each month (except December) from 6:00 - 7:30 p.m. Our next meeting will be held on Tuesday April 9, 2024 at Westside Elementary.
We hope to see everyone there!
Let’s Connect!
Via Email: westsideopts@gmail.com
Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pg/westsideOPTS/about/?ref=page_internal
Fundraisers
Box Tops - Download the new Box Tops app and scan your receipts when you purchase any foods with a Box Tops label on the package.
Shoparoo - Free app where you scan any receipt, get bonus points, and pick Westside to receive funds. Monthly/yearly drawings.
Community Schools Reference Guides
Like and follow us here to keep current on all the wonderful things happening at Westside!