Words To The Wise

It is hard to believe that the second marking period is over and we are half way through the school year! Snow…no snow, the weather has certainly been unpredictable. Warm weather through the last weekend in January and 32” all at once…can you believe it! At least Punxsutawney Phil did not see his shadow and we can look forward to an early spring. Anyway, please be aware that the second marking period ended on January 15, 2016 and that second quarter report cards were to be distributed on February 4, 2016. You did not miss your student’s report card though! Due to the inclement weather, report cards will now be distributed on February 8, 2016. The elementary report cards are designed to report the achievement of students whose instructional program is based on the Maryland State College and Career Readiness Standards (Common Core). If you have any questions or concerns regarding the second marking period report card, please contact your student’s teacher to set up a conference.

I am sure everyone has observed the great progress made on the new building. It is amazing how fast the structure has gone up. All cinderblock walls are completed and brick veneer work has started around the back side of the gym. The roof steel is going up and the roofer is on site with hopes of getting the building “dried in” by March 1st. Electricians are pulling wire and the plumbers are getting inspections on the large amount of pipe they have installed. BGE should be on site in the next couple of weeks to get their direct burial cable in so the building will have power. Only one day of construction was missed due to the snow and the schedule to complete the building looks great. Please check out the pictures of the progress on the new WES!

Greetings, Westowne Families!

I hope you are staying warm and safe during these cold and snowy winter days. Despite the various delays and closings, our staff and students remain focused on rigorous teaching and learning. Students are to be commended for their “owlstanding” behavioral choices, knowing that they have the power to choose to be kind, respectful, and ready to learn!

Students are continuing to work diligently as we move forward with Winter MAP assessments (K-5th) and ESOL-Access (ESOL students only) assessments.

Special Education & Winter Weather

During these winter days BCPS may have a school closing or delay on a scheduled IEP Team meeting day. Just a few reminders below in the event that you experience a delay or closing on your child’s Team meeting day.

~ All BCPS School Closed: Parent will be contacted by Ms. McBride, Assistant Principal and/or Ms. Massie, Team Secretary regarding a rescheduled meeting date.

~ 2 Hour Delay: All meetings that are scheduled from 9:30am – 11:15am will be rescheduled since school doors will not open for students until 11:00am. Ms. McBride, Assistant Principal and/or Ms. Massie, Team Secretary will contact those families regarding a rescheduled meeting date. Any Team meetings scheduled after 11:15am will continue as scheduled.

Best,

Ms. Amanda McBride

Assistant Principal

Our Grade 5 Black Saga Team, The Super Owlettes, are excited to compete in our regional competition. It will take place at Dumbarton Middle School on Tuesday, 2/16 at 4:30. We encourage you to join us and cheer us on! If you see Kathleen Prince, Keely Horch, Kira Morton, or Summer Hubbard (our alternate), please wish them well!

Congratulations to Jameson Butler (grade 3) and Topher Bell (grade 4)!

Each of them will have an artwork on display at the Walters Art Museum in honor of Baltimore County Public Schools celebration of Youth Art Month!

Topher designed the RoboMonkey 2.0, and Jameson is sending her interpretation of Matisse’s goldfish.

Congratulations to both artists!

The work will be on display March 12-15 with a reception from 1-3 on March 12. Way to go Topher and Jameson!!

Congratulations to all the kiddos who completed their book reviews and got to join in the celebration!

In celebration of School Counselor Appreciation Week we would like to give a huge thank you to Mrs. Brumfield and Mrs. Stine our amazing Westowne Counselors. They work tirelessly to support our boys and girls each and everyday. Remember when you see them in the hallway to thank them for all that they do.

A big thank you to Ms. Ingle, Ms. Bill, Ms. Pettit and Mr. Willig for this awesome production that allowed us to showcase the many talented children at Westowne!

HONESTY is our character word for the month of February. It is defined as telling the truth, admitting wrongdoing, being trustworthy, and acting with integrity. But.... being honest means more than telling the truth. When you're honest, you’re sincere. You have a sense of honor and fairness. You're trustworthy and genuine. You’re not just honest on the outside; you’re honest on the inside, too. You don’t lie to anyone, including yourself. This sounds hard, and sometimes it is, but you probably know someone who has these qualities. If you’re fortunate, that person is your friend.

Eight Gifts That Don’t Cost A Cent

1. The gift of listening: The key to this gift is to really listen. No interrupting, daydreaming, no planning your response. Just listen.

2. The gift of affection: Be generous with appropriate hugs, kisses, pats on the back and handholds. Let these small actions demonstrate the love you have for family and friends.

3. The gift of laughter: Clip cartoons. Share articles and funny stories. Your gift will say… “I love to laugh with you.”

4. The gift of a written note: It can be a simple “Thanks for the help” note or a full sonnet. A brief, handwritten note may be remembered for a lifetime, and may even change a life.

5. The gift of a compliment: A simple and sincere compliment such as: “You look great in red.” ”You did a super job.”… or “You handled that very well” can make someone’s day.

6. The gift of a favor: Every day, go out of your way to do something kind for someone else.

7. The gift of solitude: There are times when we want nothing better than to be left alone. Be sensitive to those times and give the gift of solitude to others.

8. The gift of a cheerful disposition: The easiest way to feel good is to make others feel good.

Knowing Your Child’s Learning Style Promotes

More Effective Learning

When your child gets to school, the teacher will be very interested in knowing how he/she learns best. Most children generally fall under one of three main learning styles—those who learn best by hearing and listening, those who learn best by looking and seeing, and those who learn best by touching and doing. As you and your child go about your day, he/she will give you clues to what his/her learning style might be.

Here are some things to look for:

If your child learns best by looking and seeing, he/she probably enjoys TV, movies, and stage shows. Loves to see the pictures in a book, and will ask you questions about them. Likes to draw and color. Wants to watch a new activity being done before he/she tries it himself.

If your child learns best by hearing and listening, he/she probably: Enjoys listening to and making music; loves talking, singing, storytelling and jokes. Often ask you to read to him/her. “Talks himself/herself” through new activities. For example: “first I pull my laces tight, and then I cross them.”

If your child learns best by touching and doing, he/she probably: Enjoys moving to music and playing games that involve motion; has fun pretending to be his/her favorite book or TV character. Loves to play in the sand, play with play-dough and do puzzles. Doesn’t mind trying new activities, since he/she learns while in the middle of doing them.

WEATHER

Maryland is finally experiencing some Winter weather! Please ensure that your child is dressed appropriately for the weather. If it is not raining or snowing, students will go outside for recess. Please have your child wear a coat, hat, gloves, and appropriate footwear to school each day. Also, please ensure that your child is wearing athletic shoes to school on PE day. Boots, dress shoes, heels, and, open-toed shoes can be slippery in the gym and outside.

HEAD LICE

Since head lice (pediculosis) is a common occurrence, especially in elementary school, it is good practice to examine your child’s head weekly to make sure that he/she does not have head lice. The following signs/symptoms indicate that the condition may be present:

1. Persistent itching of the scalp.

2. Tan or white nits (eggs) approximately the size of a flake of dandruff and firmly attached to the hair shaft. Nits will not flake off when touched like dandruff does.

3. An insect about 1/8 inch long in the hair, typically found around the ears and at the back of the neck. The lice are almost always found in layers of hair underneath the top layer.

If you suspect head lice, contact your health care provider as soon as possible for diagnosis and treatment. Please notify the school nurse if your child is diagnosed with head lice. In addition, all members of the household should be examined and treated if lice are observed, unless your health care provider advises otherwise. Please note, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children with nits alone NOT be treated with lice shampoo; instead, these children should be monitored at home for 14 days to be sure no live lice appear. Nits should be removed from the hair on a daily basis so that the nits do not hatch in the hair, thereby, producing live lice. If the nits do not come out of the hair with a fine-toothed lice comb, you can use your fingernails to slide the nits down the hair shaft to remove them.

Head lice is not a serious condition, but it can be spread from close personal contact. To eliminate the spread, follow these procedures:

1. Wash bed linens, towels, hats, scarves, coats, and clothing in hot water and dry on high heat.

2. Boil combs and brushes for 5-10 minutes.

3. Vacuum furniture, car seats, pillows, mattresses, rugs, and floors.

4. Discourage the sharing of combs, clothes, towels, head phones, ear buds, sport helmets, etc. among family members and friends.

5. Place objects that cannot be washed or vacuumed (stuffed animals, pillows, and clothing that must be dry cleaned) in a tightly sealed bag for 14 days.

CLOTHING

If your child comes home wearing “borrowed” clothing from the nurse, please wash and return the clothing to the nurse. I cannot take back worn underwear; please keep those. If your child is in Preschool, Pre-kindergarten, or Kindergarten, please send in a weather appropriate change of clothing in a bag, labeled with your child’s name and room number, to be kept in his/her classroom in case of emergencies. Those clothes will be returned to you at the end of the season.

Thank you!!

• Please remind your students to check the lost and found for items they may be missing.
• Thanks for your patience with our current parking situation, but please be mindful to not park in the apt complex, the cross walk or the muddy areas in the lot. We don't want to see you towed or stuck.
• Parents dropping off at the Y please remember that teachers that may be in the building are preparing for the day and are not available for conferences if you need to make an appointment please email the teacher.