Stinger Stories

Dear West Side Families,

It has been the best week back after Spring Break! Our students and staff have returned ready for a memorable final six weeks of school. Next week, our 3rd-5th grade students will begin Georgia Milestones End of Grade (EOG) assessments. Parents can find additional information including the complete testing schedule. During testing days, we encourage quiet transitions in the hallways to be respectful of our students hard at work.

Following EOGs, all K-5th grade students will complete Spring MAP assessments (May 5 - May 9). Look for your child's complete testing schedule to be shared by his/her teacher. Results from all end of year assessments will be mailed home along with your child's final report card.

Next Thursday, April 24, we will celebrate our final PTA event of the year - Spring Family Picnic! This event is an opportunity for students and families to enjoy dinner, dessert, live music, and playtime on the playground. It is a great way to begin the end of year festivities. We hope all of our families can join for a wonderful evening!

As we close out the last few weeks of school, your child will likely begin to reflect fondly on a year of academic, social, and emotional growth. Students feel both the excitement of summer, but also the bittersweet feelings of a familiar chapter closing. If you find your child needs additional support or encouragement during this time, please do not hesitate to reach out to your child's teacher, counselor, or any member of administration. As always, thank you for your trust this year - it is a great honor to be part of your child's elementary school years!

Warm regards,

Christina

Christina Wagoner, Ed.D.

Principal

Third-fifth grade students will take Georgia Milestones End of Grade (EOG) assessments April 22-May 1. Your child's teacher has prepared him/her all year, ensuring your child will do his/her best! During testing weeks, you can help your child at home by doing the following:

1. Ensure that he/she arrives at school on time and well-rested on testing days.
2. Talk about the purpose of testing with your child, explaining that this test will give the school and family important information about the child’s academic progress and achievement of his/her learning goals.
3. Ease your child’s nerves by providing them with encouraging words each day of testing, such as – “Do your best today!”, “Take your time and concentrate on each question”, and “I know you’ll do great, if you give it your best!”

Our student-led Yearbook Club has been working each week to create a meaningful keepsake of their 2024-2025 year at West Side. You will want this special memory from this school year. Buy your yearbook by April 25th for delivery before the last day of school. Yearbooks purchased after April 25th will be delivered after the last day of school.

Candidate declarations for our School Governance Team (SGT) ends by April 25th. West Side has one parent/guardian position open for election. If you are interested in running for a position on the SGT, please complete and submit a Parent/Guardian Candidate Declaration Form at the link below. Our SGT plays a critical role in the success of our school.

With only a few weeks of school left the WS PTA has many exciting events still to come for stingers and families. Please see all the information below and stay tuned to social media and beelines.

Make your Direct Donation to West Side PTA! Any amount of giving helps support our students, teachers and school community. Our Givebacks store is open for Direct Donations!

Order West Side Spirit Wear! The West Side PTA Givebacks store is OPEN! Check out our new and RE-STOCKED items! Order anytime and it will come home with your Stinger.

Follow West Side PTA on Instagram and Facebook!

Instagram - @westsideelementarypta

Facebook Group - West Side Elementary PTA

We can’t wait to see our families on campus for one of our favorite Spring events!! Pizzas can be pre-ordered from Mellow Mushroom now thru 6pm on 4/21 via the link below! When you pre-order your pizza, it will be waiting for you at the event for pick up. If you do not pre-order, bring your own picnic meal and join us for the fun!

Join us in thanking our amazing Incentive Committee Chairs, Camila Nogueira and Rachael Anderson, for all their hard work this year. These events give back to our PTA and we are so thankful for the opportunities we have had this year.

Thank you to our amazing Spirit Wear Committee - Erin Stuntz and Sterling Driver. They have worked endlessly all year long to fulfill your Stingers spirit wear orders. We are so thankful for their behind the scenes work in keeping our Stingers looking good!

Get a jump start on purchasing school supplies for the 2025-2026 school year! Your 1st Day School Supplies kits will be delivered to your child's classroom BEFORE the 1st day of school. Each kit is created with teacher selected school supplies. Deadline to order is June 15th.

Interested in partnering with West Side PTA at the corporate level? E-mail westsideelementarystinger@gmail.com to request a Corporate Sponsor packet and learn more!

Exciting News! Registration for our Before and After School Programs is now open for NEXT SCHOOL YEAR!

Key Information:

• Re-register Every Year: Every school year, parents need to re-register their students to ensure they can attend the programs.
• Registration Deadline: To attend the After or Before School Programs at any time next school year, families must register by JULY 1st in order to be able to attend the program during the 2025-2026 school year.

Program Highlights

Before School Program (BSP):

• Time: 7:00-8:00am
• Activities: Quiet games, homework help, and independent reading
• Fee: $15 registration, $5 daily rate

After School Program (ASP):

• Time: 3:30-6:00pm
• Activities: Fun learning activities including games, crafts, technology, and enrichment opportunities
• Fee: $25 registration, $10 daily rate

Combo Registration: $40 for both ASP and BSP

Make sure you register your student by JULY 1st to ensure they can attend ASP/BSP at any time during the 2025-2026 school year!

Email: cwagoner@marietta-city.k12.ga.us
Website: https://www.marietta-city.org/Domain/14
Location: 344 Polk Street Northwest, Marietta, GA, USA
Phone: 7704293172