What's Up at Westside?
April 6th - April 9th
Weekly Calendar of Events
Westside Distance Learning Website Launches
Tuesday:
Wednesday:
Thursday:
Friday: No School (April 10th)
Monday: No School (April 13th)
All Westside Events are canceled through the duration of the school closure.
3rd 9-weeks Report Card Availability Is On Hold
School Closure Extended through May 4th!
Principal's Corner
Dear Westside Elementary Family,
Happy Sunday!!!! We have an exciting week ahead as we take a giant step forward in providing education virtually for our children. Our Westside staff have been working diligently this past week to prepare for Phase 2 of the distance learning process. This process has been complex with lots of moving parts. Through our staff’s hard work this past week, we have been able to create comprehensive distance learning plans for each grade level and individualized plans for our special education students. We have also created a NEW campus distance learning website, in an effort to simplify this new process and allow our families to bookmark one website and locate all information for Westside and LISD.
I am so proud of our staff for taking time to balance their own personal families and take care of the students of Westside. That is no easy task, as many of you know, under a Shelter In Place order. They have pushed themselves to have a positive growth mindset and learn how to navigate the virtual environment safely for our students faster than I have ever seen an adult learn. I am so honored that these educators get to teach our kids!
Westside, we are ready!!!!! We can’t wait to welcome our students back to school on Monday and can’t wait to see them in their virtual classroom settings throughout the week! I can say on behalf of our entire Westside staff, we miss our kids and our families terribly! School is just simply not the same without your kids and families in it.
Have a wonderful day with your family and we hope to see all of you in the morning!!!
Together is always better,
Amanda Reyes Lillard
Principal
Special Note: We hope you took time to view Rocket Radio News on Friday for a few special messages from the admin team, View Here!
Phase 2: Westside's NEW Distance Learning Plan
Phase 2 Distance Learning Commitments to Families:
- We’ll strive to keep it simple. We understand that this can be a stressful time for everyone and that overwhelming our students and our families does not contribute to learning.
- The district will launch a new Parent Hub on the LISD website this Monday as a part of Phase 2 to provide parents with additional academic and student mental health and wellness resources. We will add it to our campus Distance Learning Website.
Teaching and Learning in Phase 2:
- Learning plans will be mindful of the home environment, balance screen time, and include physical activity as much as possible.
- Students will receive assignments with an expectation that a good faith effort will be made to complete them.
- The most critical lessons will be highlighted bright yellow, so families know what is most important or what may be required to be turned in.
- Feedback to students about their learning will be given in a timely manner.
- Grading for the remainder of the year will utilize a Pass/Incomplete format with the emphasis placed on student support, progress, and mastery.
- Teachers will monitor the morale of their class and the workload of the students carefully. For more information:
Special Education Updates (Updated 4/4/2020)
ARDs, Initial Referrals, and evaluations in progress will start up on April 6th. Meeting invitations will include a link to attend a Zoom Meeting.
All students who have an IEP, will receive individualized lesson plans to support their goals on Monday. Tracking teacher will be sending the plans directly to the parent/guardian.
Tracking teachers will email you with a password to access your child's program supports virtually.
If your tracking teacher is to become ill, the tracking teacher will notify you ASAP so that you know your child's virtual supports may not be available that day. While we hope for all staff to stay well, we know the inevitable will occur and staff could become ill. So this will be our plan should this occur.
Types of Student Support
Group Zoom: Recommended small group support and instruction to monitor student progress.
Open Zoom: Optional for any student who is seeking clarity or guidance with the current week's learning plan.
Virtual/Phone Parent Conferences: Conferences can be requested and scheduled by emailing the teacher.
Zoom Conferencing Guidelines (Updated 4/4/2020)
2. Students do NOT need Zoom accounts to attend the meeting.
3. Zoom Invitation Links will be sent to the parent's email address listed in eSchool.
4. Video Conferencing with your child's teacher should NOT be Photographed, screenshotted, or recorded.
5. All elementary aged children are required to have an adult in the room while the video conferencing is occuring.
6. Be mindful of your child's background. While it is exciting to be able to video conference with your child's teacher, we want to make sure we respect your family's privacy at all times of the work day.
All Zoom Meetings will be password protected. Your child's teacher will email your password to you. If you receive a special program support, that teacher will email you a seperate password for your child's individualized programs (i.e. Dyslexia, SRP, QUEST, Sped)
Does your child need an electronic device?
On Thursday, April 9th, we will be distributing Chromebook laptops to elementary students (grades PreK–5) who have limited or no access to a device at their homes. LISD has installed content filtering on the devices in order to keep students safe while online and to comply with the Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA). These devices are on loan from Leander ISD to provide learning opportunities for all students and are expected to be returned in the future.
Because we do not have enough devices to distribute to every elementary student; we respectfully ask that you determine your family's need. We understand that multiple children in a home cannot utilize one device, so make the best decision for your family. This will allow us to better serve our families who do not currently have devices for their students.
Our goal is for all students to be able to adequately access their learning plans through the use of a device.
Chromebook distribution for remote learning will take place at Westside Elementary on Thursday, April 9th from 8:30 am-11:30 am. Students enrolled in the PreK-5th programs may pick up their devices at the campus closest to their residence/home if desired. Click Here for other pick up locations.
Westside Elementary device pick up will occur through a drive thru model. You will enter through Nelson Ranch Loop and follow our Kinder/1st Car Rider Pick Up procedures. All cars will exit to Ryan Jordan lane and can choose which direction to leave the neighborhood.
Please have the following ready in order to check out a device:
a. Parent/Guardian identification (driver license or some other form of ID) – parent will hold it up to the car window. This will be used to verify parent/guardian information for your child.
b. Place the following, in LARGE PRINT, on your vehicle dashboard or hold up to the window (**see below**)
c. Upon receiving the loaned device(s), please exit per map.
Video: Process to pick up device
We graciously ask for your patience as our LISD staff is working to ensure a safe delivery process. If families are still waiting for a device and the scheduled time is coming to an end for our campus, the families may be asked to return at another date and time the following week. We thank you, in advance, for your patience and understanding.
Free Breakfast & Lunch for LISD Students Begins
From 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., any student can visit one of four locations to pick up their two meals. Students will be able to pick up a hot lunch and a breakfast meal for the next morning during this one-stop, curbside or drive-thru pick-up. The locations are:
- Bagdad Elementary School,
- Reed Elementary School,
- River Place Elementary School, and
- Running Brushy Middle School.
To receive food, we will not require proof of enrollment. TDA guidelines do require a student to be present to pick-up food.
LaunchPad - Student Access
Student login for Launchpad: Click Here to Login
User name: Last Name(first 8 letters)_id (lunch number)
Password (birthdate): xxxx (four digit year)xx(month)xx(day)
Available Resources in Launchpad:
Istation K-5 (Online Reading Skill Practice K-5)
Sora Online Library
Studies Weekly Online Version (newspapers/magazines)
Maps 101 (Interactive Maps)
DreamBox - (Online Math Practice K-5)
Math Learning Center Apps
Imagine Math for 3-5
BrainPop!
TIgtag and Tigtag Junior (videos, lessons, images, and games to support science)
Science Student Site - Student site with resources to LISD science modules
Discovery Education - Virtual Field Trips
Westside's eBook Access, Click Here
Download Launchpad Application 60 Second Video Tutorial
Click Screen Cast Link below
Mrs. Burkett's Counselor's Corner
Request a Virtual Conference or Phone Call
Social Emotional Distance Learning Resources
Office Hours: 10:00-12:00 & 1:00-2:00, Monday-Friday
Email: mandi.burkett@leanderisd.org
Let's Talk
Free Internet
Sixty (60) days of free Internet Essentials service, which is normally available to all qualified low-income households for $9.95/month.
For new customers, applicants can simply visit www.internetessentials.com (website includes written and video chat customer service options) or by calling 1-855-846-8376 (English) or 1-855-765-6995 (Spanish).
Sixty (60) days free broadband and Wi-Fi access for households with K-12 and/or college students who don’t already have a Spectrum broadband subscription.
No installation fees for new households.
Enroll by calling 1-844-8395.