Dear Western Families,

Thank you to everyone who made the Santa Sale and Holiday Happenings special for our Westies! The PTO put a lot of work into this event - and had a ton of volunteers to pull it off! We appreciate all of the hard work that went into the event. Our 5th grade Elves did a wonderful job taking the younger students through the "shop"!

This week, we have a half day on Wednesday the 11th for staff Professional Development. Please remember that lunches will not be served but students will have an opportunity to have a snack during recess.

Please note: Good News Club has cancelled this week's program and will resume on 12/16.

Looking forward to a GREAT week with our Westies!

Sincerely,

Dr. Bagley, Principal

We are excited to announce a Winter Math Fluency Challenge for all students in grades K-5! This initiative aims to strengthen math fact fluency in a fun and engaging way. Each classroom will participate in daily and weekly activities that support individualized practice and celebrate progress.

Students will have various opportunities to practice math facts, including classroom games, daily practice, and optional homework. Each accomplishment, such as completing homework or mastering a new set of facts, earns them cotton balls to help "build" their class snowman. When the snowman is fully fluffy, the class will enjoy a special prize!

Thank you to Mrs. Deschene for creating this challenge and providing all the materials needed for a smooth implementation. If you’re at the Dollar Tree and want to contribute, feel free to grab some extra cotton balls for our growing snowmen!

We look forward to celebrating your child’s growth in math fluency this winter.

This was in the newsletter last month, but now that "messy weather season" is upon us - here's a reminder!

The Rhode Island Broadcasters will no longer be sending school cancellation text messages. Coventry Schools has the capacity to do emails, text messages (SMS), and robocalls. You must "Opt-in" to receive our text messages. Attached below is the directions on how to "opt-in" for text message notifications.

Dress Warm: We go outside as often as possible in the winter. We use the Winter Weather Watch Guideline to make daily decisions, but we do try to get our students some fresh air whenever possible. Our policy is that students must wear the same gear for recess as they wore to come to school.

Snow Boots: This was a common question this week! There was simply too much ice to go outside on Thursday and Friday. Typically, students may play in the snow as long as they have snow boots on. If you send your child to school in snow boots, be sure to check their schedule because they will need proper footwear for Physical Education. It doesn't look like there will be much snow to play with next week, but we have a long winter ahead!

Need Coats, Hats, Gloves? If your child need gloves, a hat, or a coat, please reach out to Dr. Bagley. We have some extra donations and will do our best to provide you with what your child needs.

Lost and Found: We are overflowing with items. Please have your child check the lost and found during lunch. All items will be donated during winter break. We aim to send out photos of all items before donating.

Just a heads up about the following half days/winter break days:

• Wednesday, 12/11 is a half day. Dismissal at 11:30
• Friday, 12/20 is a half day. Dismissal at 11:30
• Winter break is from December 23 - January 1st. Students return Thursday, January 2nd.

Please see the Coventry Public Schools Calendar for details on other days off or half days.

Dear Western Community:

This holiday season, we are launching a food drive to support families in our school community. Our goal is to collect food and snacks that are easy for kids to prepare on their own. These donations will make a meaningful difference, ensuring that children have access to nutritious and accessible options when adults may not be available to assist them. Please see the flyer below for details.

Thank you for making a difference in the lives of our Westies. Together, we can make this season brighter for everyone!

With gratitude,

The Western Feinstein Committee

We will celebrate the 80th day of school on January 7th - this is a huge accomplishment! We will celebrate with 80s attire and music throughout the day. Our students can see what it was like to dress LIKE TOTALLY RAD :-).... and they join in with their own 80s gear too! This always makes for a fun ad memorable day.

Our new Westie Wear site is live and ready to shop. The orders will be delivered directly to your home. Feedback on selection is ALWAYS appreciated. Let us know what you want added to the site. When shopping, notice that some items say "youth". If it doesn't say "youth", it refers to adult sizing.

Are you looking for something special to celebrate your child’s birthday this year? You can order a Spirit Stick Birthday bag and send a spirit stick home with all their classroom friends! Spirit sticks are fun tags with pictures and sayings that kids love to collect! Each $15 birthday bag will include one random spirit stick for each child in the classroom to take home, including the birthday child.

If interested in ordering, submit payment via cheddar up or by sending the attached form back to school with payment in the form of cash or check for $15 made out to WCCO. Please have your order submitted the month PRIOR to your child’s birthday. Late orders will be fulfilled but cannot be guaranteed to be delivered on the chosen delivery date. Any questions please email birthdayspiritsticks@gmail.com

https://spirit-stick-birthday-bundles-copy.cheddarup.com

If you plan to have your child order breakfast or lunch at school, you can set up an account at https://www.myschoolbucks.com/, where you can add funds to the student account and monitor their daily activities and balances.

The state is now providing the districts with information pertaining to students/families who are receiving state benefits other than SNAP. For confidentiality reasons, you may contact our district liaison, Barbara Ernoernobarbara@coventryschools.net 401-822-9400 ext 210. Your benefits may already transfer over without additional paperwork.

Below are the new free/reduced lunch forms for 24-25, or you may simply apply online here. Applying online is much quicker and completely confidential. If you do fill out a paper application, please bring it to the school prior to start or send it in with your child on the first day of school. It's very important to know is that your current free or reduced status will expire mid October and if you have not filed a new application the children's accounts will automatically revert to paid lunch. Please reach out with questions.

Join the PTO!

The Western PTO had a great meeting earlier this week. Thank you to The Sweet Spot Nutrition for hosting! It's okay if you missed it - meeting minutes are below and we have another meeting in September.

Join the PTO to stay in the loop:

• Stay informed about school activities, policies, and opportunities for involvement.
• Collaborate with a group of parents who share a common goal of supporting our school.
• Contribute your unique skills, talents, and ideas to enhance the educational experience for all students.

Next Meeting: Next Meeting is 11/20 at 6:30

Location: Western Coventry Cafeteria (babysitting will be available)

Minutes from the last PTO Meeting: July Meeting

Check out the PTO on Facebook (WCCO Facebook Page). Membership is free and there are many ways to help and support our great school.

For families that need before and after school care, the Westwood YMCA offers a program that is housed right at Western Elementary. Participating families can drop their students off as early as 7:00am, and the latest after school pick up is 6:00pm. For more information or to sign up visit https://ymcapawtucket.org/westwood-ymca/ or call 401-397-7779.

Please also see Coventry District Calendar

• December 11th: Half Day (Staff PD) dismissal at 11:30
• December 16 - 20: Holiday Spirit Week
• December 20th: Half Day
• December 23 - January 1st: Winter Break
• January 20th: No School MLK Day
• January 29th: Half Day (Staff PD) dismissal at 11:30
• February 17 - 21: No School Winter Break
• March 24th: Spring Pictures