Weekend Wire

9/2--Labor Day--NO SCHOOL

9/6--Friday Flag

9/12--VAPA

9/20--Friday Flag

9/26--VAPA

9/30--District Professional Growth Day--Non Student Day

10/1-First Full Day of School for Kindergarten

10/4-Friday Flag

10/10--VAPA

10/11--Picture Day

Dear Roadrunner Families,

I hope this message finds you well and that your family is enjoying a smooth transition into the new school year!

We’ve successfully completed our first full week of school, and I’m thrilled to share how our Roadrunners are settling in. It’s been wonderful to see them embracing their new routines and expectations with such enthusiasm. Our students are not only adapting to their schedules but also forging new friendships while strengthening existing ones. It’s heartwarming to witness the growth and camaraderie within our community.

This week, we also kicked off our character chats with the students. These discussions will continue into next week, focusing on six key character traits that we believe are essential for personal growth and a positive school environment. Here’s a quick overview of these traits:

• Trustworthiness: Always being honest and dependable.

• Respect: Being kind to others and accepting their differences.

• Responsibility: Taking care of your actions and doing what you are supposed to do.

• Fairness: Treating everyone equally and making fair choices.

• Caring: Being concerned about others and wanting to help them.

• Citizenship: Helping your community and following its rules.

We believe these traits will help guide our students in their daily interactions and personal development, and we look forward to seeing how they embody these values throughout the year. You can help to support your students by pointing out positive examples of trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, and good citizenship that you see in your daily lives.

A highlight of our week was Friday’s VAPA (Visual and Performing Arts) day. Our Roadrunners practiced new languages, learned about theater, and were able to share what they would like to experience through VAPA this year. We encourage you to ask your child about their experience. It’s always exciting to see the creativity and enthusiasm our students bring to these special events!

Thank you for your continued support and partnership. As we move into the next week, we’re excited for more learning and fun ahead.

Wishing you a wonderful long weekend!

Bill Egan
Principal
Westwood Elementary School

We will start the year introducing you to all of our amazing staff members! This week, we are showcasing our First Grade teachers, Kira Thoene, Kim Wise, Emily Medico and Amanda Greenwood

Our top priority is to ensure that every student has a safe and smooth drop-off experience each morning. The Ambassador Program, which starts next week, consists of dedicated 3rd-5th graders who will assist in the drop-off line, specifically in the unloading zone. This program is designed to streamline and speed up the process, but it only works effectively if everyone follows the rules.

To help us achieve this goal, we kindly ask that all drivers please:

• Stay in your vehicle while dropping off in the car line.
• Pull all the way forward as directed by staff or Ambassadors.
• Ensure students exit the vehicle safely on the sidewalk side.
• Embrace the extra steps! Dropping off as soon as your car reaches the designated zone encourages an active lifestyle for our children and makes the drop-off process more efficient for everyone.

Thank you for your cooperation and for helping us keep all of our students safe!

Dear Families,

This week, our school community will focus on the character strength of Curiosity. Curiosity means you like exploration and discovery. You ask lots of questions because you want to learn more about anything and everything.

Curiosity is essential to our character, driving our desire for wisdom and knowledge. It keeps us engaged in stories and encourages us to try new activities or travel. Everyone experiences curiosity differently — behaviorally, intellectually, and emotionally.

People with strong curiosity are more likely to ask questions and try new things. Curiosity is a form of courage because asking questions shows we don't know something, and trying new activities risks failure. However, it's through questions and exploration that we learn and grow.

To practice and encourage curiosity at home, please visit the mobile-friendly P2 for Families. There, you will watch a video clip together and discuss a quote and three questions related to the strength of curiosity.

Thank you for your support!

To ensure our students are set up for success on the playground, we will b teaching playground games during PE. Each week, the entire school will focus on one specific game.

1. Four players on court. 1st has been in the longest, then 2nd, 3rd, and 4th is the new player.

2. The 1st player serves by dropping the ball and then hitting it. Players take turns hitting the ball in number order.

3. When hit, the ball must hit the ground, the wall, and the ground again before being hit by the next player.

4. Players must move out of the way after they hit the ball.

5. Play continues until someone commits a foul. Once out, the player leaves the game and a new player comes in. New player begins as 4th to hit.

Fouls

When a foul is committed, the player leaves the game and goes to the end of the line.

1. Hitting the ball before it bounces on the ground.

2. Hitting the ball out of bounds or over the wall.

3. Letting the ball bounce twice before hitting it.

4. The ball cannot bounce between the wall and the first white line or land on the line. If so, the person that hit the ball is out. This is the “Dead Zone”.

5. Not moving out of the way for the next player.

There are no “redos”, “do-overs”, “interference”, etc. No exceptions.

Remember to solve disagreements peacefully: WALK, TALK, ROCK!

What is the School Site Council?

The SSC is made up of five staff members and five parent/community members, each serving a two-year term. We currently have two openings for parent/community representatives for the 2024-25 and 2025-26 school years. Members are expected to attend all meetings, with our first Zoom meeting scheduled for October.

If you are interested in nominating yourself or someone else for the SSC, please submit the nomination form by September 12, 2024.

Westwood has over 840 students, and we need your help to ensure a smooth and safe dismissal. We are requesting that all parents, family, friends and caregivers to wait behind the faint yellow line on the pavement for your student. This will reduce crowding around the teacher dismissal area and improve safety for all. Thank you!

Each year, all individuals that volunteer at the school must submit a new Level 1 Volunteer Application so that the District can run a new Megan's Law background check and review the TB clearance date. At this time, it is taking 4-6 weeks for background checks to be completed. A volunteer packet can be found on the District website or may be picked up in the office.

2024-2025 yearbooks will be amazing! Order them now so you don't have to worry about them at the end of the school year and receive 10% off!

https://www.treering.com/purchase?PassCode=1015978769242468

Bill Egan

Principal

Email: kholmes@powayusd.com
Website: https://westwood. powayusd.com
Location: 17449 Matinal Road, San Diego, CA, USA
Phone: 858-487-2026
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WWESRoadrunners
Twitter: @RoadrunnersWwes

Nondiscrimination Philosophy and Policy Statement

The Poway Unified School District (PUSD) is an equal opportunity employer/program and is committed to an active Nondiscrimination Program. PUSD prohibits discrimination, harassment, intimidation, and bullying based on actual or perceived race, color, ancestry, national origin, nationality, immigration status, ethnicity, ethnic group identification, age, religion, marital or parental status, physical or mental disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or gender expression or association with a person or a group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics. For more information, please contact: Title IX/Equity Compliance Officer, James Jimenez, Associate Superintendent of Personnel support Services, Poway Unified School District, 15250 Avenue of Science, San Diego, CA 92128, 1-858-521-2800, extension 2121, jjimenez@powayusd.com. For students, you may contact Title IX Coordinator/504 Coordinator Jamie Dayhoff, Director of Attendance and Discipline, Poway Unified School District, 1-858-521-2840, jdayhoff@powayusd.com.