January came and went in a flash, but we sure made the most it -- sending our 5th graders to Outdoor Education, engaging in College & Career Day events, completing Diagnostic Assessments, Special Olympics, celebrating the 100th Day of School, participating in the The Great Kindness Challenge, hosting our first annual Bingo Night and Pasta Feed, etc...! Although a short month, February is looking to be just as exciting, with lots of opportunities for you to engage in your child's education! (See our schedule of events below.) Many thanks go out to our numerous parent volunteers -- whose support we rely on to raise the funds and host the events for the benefit of all of our Wildcats!

This month we will be focusing on the life skill of 'Trust'. This theme flows nicely after last month's focus on Kindness/Caring and ties in well with the Soul Shoppe workshop coming up this week: "I've Got Your Back", where students will learn that in order to help others who are experiencing teasing, tricky friendships, or other troubles, they can speak up, help out, and be an ally. At Westwood, we strive to provide a safe and enjoyable learning environment for all students, which includes providing them with tools and strategies they can use to help navigate the inevitable conflicts and challenges they will face along life's path. This also includes working with the students who make negative choices to help them learn from their mistakes by providing logical consequences, helping them recognize the impact their behavior has on others and our community as a whole, and making reparations. It is always a work in progress, but it never ceases to amaze me how willing these young people are to listen to each other, accept responsibility, and work toward a resolution. In many ways, we learn more from them about what it means to be patient, empathetic, and forgiving. All of this is a team effort, and we appreciate all of your support in reinforcing our school-wide rules and expectations, and conflict resolution and self-management strategies at home. For example, sharing the video below with your child, may help him/her determine if he/she is involved in a peer conflict, or is experiencing true 'bullying'. Please reach out to your child's teacher or myself with any questions or concerns.

Sincerely,

Mrs. Klinkner, Principal

February

3-7 - Fund Education Week

3 - Special Board Meeting (4:30, District Office)

4 - Kindergarten Registration (9-12, 1-3); Community Advisory Committee (7:00, District Office)

5 - Community Coffee (7:40-8:00, Courtyard); Global School Play Day; Soul Shoppe Workshops

7 - Spelling Bee (1:15pm)

10 - NO SCHOOL (Teacher In-Service); Elementary Intradistrict Transfer Window Opens (through March 10 - click here for more information)

11 - Valentine's Family Dance (5-6:30pm)

14 - NO SCHOOL

17 - NO SCHOOL (President's Day)

19 - STEM Fair (6-7pm)

20 - District English Learner Advisory Committee (5:30, Willow Creek Center)

21 - Reading Challenge Ends; English Learner Advisory Committee (2:30, Library)

24 - Reading Logs Due; School Site Council Meeting (2:30, Library)

25 - Parent Faculty Club Meeting (6:30-8:00)

28 - Reading Challenge Top Readers Announced; End of 2nd Trimester

Do you have a child who will be turning 5 on/before December 2, 2020? If so, your child is eligible for Transitional Kindergarten (birthdays from 9/2/15-12/2/15) or Kindergarten (turning 5 on/before 9/1/20). Please click here to start the online registration process. Our office will be open on Tuesday, February 4, from 9-12 and 1-3 to begin accepting the supporting documentation required for registration - no appointment necessary. Please bring the following items with you:

• Completed registration packet (printed)
• Proof of Residency (2 items required; NO utility bills will be accepted)
• Original Birth Certificate
• Immunization Record

Additional documentation required for registration will be provided upon receipt of a completed packet.

If you are unable to come in on Tuesday, you may stop by the office at any time during regular office hours (M-F, 7:30-3:30) to complete your child's registration. Please contact us with any questions you may have at 925-685-4202.

Dear Parent or Guardian,

Some students will be taking the California Healthy Kids Survey soon. We want to hear from you as well. We would appreciate your participation in the a CA School Parent Survey (CSPS). Your survey responses are anonymous. This is an opportunity for parents to confidentially communicate their perceptions and concerns about the school and its environment.

MDUSD values the survey data for addressing the needs of students, improving the learning and teaching conditions, and addressing LCAP requirements. Each family is invited to participate in the CA School Parent Survey (CSPS) however, there should only be one survey participant per student.

Parents can access surveys in the following languages online or on paper: English, Spanish, Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), Hindi, Korean, and Vietnamese. Parents can access surveys in the following languages on paper: Arabic, Armenian, Cambodian, Farsi, Hebrew, Punjabi, Russian, Somali, Tagalog, and Thai. Please let your school office staff know if you would like a paper copy of the survey in one of these languages.

If you have any questions about this survey or your rights contact Linda Pete; MDUSD Administrator, Student Services at 925-682-8000, Ext 4061.

We are excited to kick off the annual Reading Challenge, with the support of our PFC! The Reading Challenge will lead us into the Read Across America spirit week, with top grade and school readers recognized during the Family Reading Night and Dr. Seuss Birthday Bash event taking place on Tuesday, March 3rd. All students who read 360 minutes by 2/21 will earn a free Six Flags Park Ticket. 600+ minutes earns them a Park Ticket and a Reading Rewards Pack! More information and a Student Reading Log were sent home with students (look for a bright orange and a bright blue paper). Please check with your child's teacher if you didn't receive a packet. Any kind of reading counts - reading aloud, reading silently, being read to, etc. Reading 20-30 minutes will help students reach the 360 minute goal!