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West Homer Elementary
October 2023 Newsletter
Mission: The learning community of West Homer Elementary inspires and supports all students to be lifelong learners with the courage and confidence to make positive contributions to the world.
Vision: The mission of West Homer Elementary School is to build strong connections among community, families, staff, and students in a safe, healthy, nurturing environment that challenges each student
A NOTE FROM THE PRINCIPAL
A final runner rounds the corner on his way to the finish line and the crowd cheers causing his red cheeks to bend into a smile; 2 runners cross the finish line together in first place, shake hands and laugh; 5th and 6th graders cheer and high five 3rd and 4th grade runners as they labor through the course; parents, grandparents and caregivers show up to support all participants - the Orca Fun Run exemplifies our Vision and Mission at WHE, challenging each participant, developing courage and confidence to make positive contributions, and building connections with community. Thank you all for each of your individual efforts in making this event such a success!
We are looking forward to sharing student progress at this monthβs Parent Teacher Conferences on October 26th and 27th. Teachers will be reaching out to you soon to schedule a time. When you are here, please take a moment to stop by and share your feedback with me on how the school year is going!
Orca Fun Run
WELCOME NEW STAFF
Please welcome our two new staff members to our Orca Pod!
Mr. Mason Smith-Paraprofessional
Ms. Amanda Adams- Kitchen Manager/Cook
Mr. David Lefton-Special Education Teacher
Crazy Hair Day - Jackson Pollock Inspired Artwork from Ms. Corbell's class
Volunteer Carpenter Needed!
We are looking to build 2 outdoor recess ball bins for our campus. If you have some carpentry skills and some time, please contact the office to discuss project details.
π OCTOBER IMPORTANT DATES
10/2 Chess Club begins
10/10 Last Day of Cross Country Running
10/11 Last Day of Soccer
10/12 Early Release Day and End of Quarter
10/13 No School, Inservice Day
10/16 Basketball starts (M/W for 3rd and 4th, T/TH for 5th and 6th)
10/16 D&D starts (M/W for 5th and 6th)
10/17 PTO Meeting 4:30pm in Library
10/20 thru 10/27 Book Fair 8-11am and 2:45-3:30pm
10/26 & 10/27 Parent Teacher Conferences-No School for Students
10/31 Halloween Parade at 2:00pm
11/1 Picture Retake Day 8:15-9:30am
PARENT TEACHER ORGANIZATION
West Homer PTO is for everyone!
You are invited to join us in being part of the PTO. We spend the year building community here at West by celebrating staff and students, fundraising, and hosting community events. All these activities remind us how much we can invest in our schools and the people who make West Homer a place to learn and building connections. Some of the things the PTO is involved with is The Penny Wars, Lunch and Play with Caregivers, Community Coffee once a quarter, the Talent Show, Staff Appreciation, End of Year BBQ, and much more
Next meeting: October 17 in the school library from 4:30-5:30pm
NEW Safe School Helpline
The Safe School Helpline is provided to allow students, parents and community members the ability to confidentially submit report threats of violence, suicide, bullying or illegal activity that impact KPBSD schools, students, or staff. This service provides users the opportunity to leave a message or speak with a live crisis counselor for immediate needs. The helpline is administered by an independent, outside company. All communications remain private, confidential, and anonymous.
Four Ways to Report to the Safe School Helpline:
Call: 1-800-418-6423 or 1-800-4-1-VOICE (Ext. 359)
Text: TIPS to 614-426-0240
Online: SafeSchoolHelpline.com
Mobile App: Download FREE on the App Store or Google Play
Your message will be communicated with school officials. All information will remain anonymous to encourage the reporting of all safety concerns. Your report will be assigned a case number, which you may use later to confirm that your report was received.
*The Safe School Helpline does not replace 911. Please call 911 if you know an emergency is actively occurring.
AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS
Soccer and Cross Country Running are coming to an end. The last day of Cross Country is Tuesday, October 10. Soccer will end on Wednesday, October 11.
In additional to Japanese continuing, we are offering new After School Programs for the 2nd quarter. *All permission slips can be picked up at the Front Office*
Basketball
Basketball will begin on October 16 and go through December 7
3rd and 4th grade will meet on Mondays and Wednesdays from 3:00-4:00pm. Kylie Shuneson will the coach
5th and 6th grade will meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:00-4:00pm. Sean Joslyn will be the coach.
Chess Club
Chess club is back again this year. Andy Haas will be teaching Chess Club in the Art Room on Mondays and Thursdays. Students can do one of both days. Chess Club will begin on Monday, October 2 and will run through Thursday April 11th. There will be no chess club on school vacation days, but there will be Chess Club on early release days from 1:30-2:30pm
D&D Club
Mr. Crowl, Ms. Ross, and Mr. Dave will be running another session of Dungeons and Dragons this Fall for 5th and 6th graders on Mondays and Wednesdays immediately after school. Starting October 16th and running until December 6th. Space is limited so pick up your permission slips at the front office.
Japanese
2023-2024 Taiko Drums Project
Last school year, Japanese class from West Homer presented a wonderful greeting in Japanese to City Council members. We also did our first spring concert with Mrs. Tina Moore. Our Sakura band sung Sakura, Sakura, one of Japanese traditional songs in which Sakura means cherry blossoms. Students from Homer Youth String Orchestra Club played with the singers. Each student in the Sakura band played different instruments for the performance.
I appreciate that Mrs. Sara Sims gave the students a great opportunity to create their own amazing Yunomi teacups. At our tea party, we also celebrated 6th graders who moved to 7th grade and teachers who moved to other schools. Students served tea with their own Japanese Yunomi to their special guests with a variety of Japanese sweets and Japanese Yakisoba, Japanese fried noodles.
This school year, Mrs. Sara Sims will teach us how to make some Japanese chopstick holders in November. We will also create a total of 50 carboard Japanese Taiko drums with 50 pairs of Japanese drumsticks called bachi. Students in Japanese class from Paul Banks, Fireweed and West Homer school will perform with their own homemade Taiko drums with bachi in 2024 for the 40th anniversary of the friendship between City of Homer and Sister City, Teshio Hokkaido in Japan. Mr. Gary Lyon will help us make 50 pair of homemade bachi in Japanese class.
For this project, we need fundraising activities. I would like to have volunteers to help to share ideas, promote our projects, and participate in each activity. Our first activity will be making cardboard Taiko drums on Friday, October 6th at West Homer. Both Japanese classes will be combined for this project.
I am hoping that we can raise the funds for our project ($600.00 minimum) to cover the cost for the materials and special instructors starting in October. Our first fundraising activity will be on Monday, October 9th and 23rd at 7:30 am till 8am at the entrance of West Homer.
Bonus; We had 7 online class sessions with some Japanese students from Taishi High school, Hyogo Prefecture and Teshio Junior High School, Hokkaido Prefecture in Japan last school year. Students from 3rd grades to 6th grades will have wonderful and valuable learning experience to meet and greet in Japanese this school year as well.
Megumi Beams; Sister City Liaison/ Interpreter; Japanese International Exchange Coordinator/ Instructor
π Coming Up!
Halloween Parade! π
Come see the kids on parade in their costumes. No weapons as part of costumes or excessive gore. Parents are welcome to attend and take pictures.
π§ββοΈπ»π¦Έπ½ββοΈ
Tuesday, Oct 31, 2023, 02:00 PM
Our School
π‘ Reminders
1. IMPORTANT DATES π
Our first Parent/Teachers Conferences of the year are Thursday October 26 and Friday October 27. There is no school on either day. Your student's teacher will be in contact with you regarding the time of your conference.
π OCTOBER BREAKFAST & LUNCH SCHEDULE
Nurses Corner
A Note from the Nurse
The Wake up and Walk Program will be starting in October. Students will have the option to walk in the gym for morning recess from 7:35-7:55. If it goes well, we will extend it thru the winter months.
The most challenging part to making this program successful is having an adult available to monitor the students in the gym. So, if you feel like walking in the morning with students, we would love to have you join us! We would need you to complete the volunteer process if you havenβt already. If you are on our list of volunteers for this year, come on in!
Pink eye is still around. Good hand washing and not touching your eyes is the best defense for all germs but especially important for preventing pink eye.
It is wonderful to see students walking and riding their bike to school. Winter is on its way and it is now dark in the morning. Please be sure your student is visible to drivers and is following the rules of the road. Bicyclists need to be wearing a helmet if riding to and from school.
I have been doing heights and weights for all the students. I have also been doing vision and hearing screens on 3rd and 5th graders.
If you would like your studentβs results, please let me know.
Thank you,
Nurse Laura