W.E.stchester Weekly
March 18, 2023
News from the Principal
Greetings WE Families,
We have come to the last week of school! I can not believe how quickly this year has gone. Thank you to all of the support from our families and community!!! This week we welcomed our rising Kindergarten students from ECLC. Next week we say goodbye to our 2nd graders and wish them well as F.AVE.
We are in the various planning stages for the 2023-2024 school year. There are many ways to get connected. Our PTA board is looking for committee chairs and we will have School Leadership Team elections in August. If either of these roles are appealing to you, send me an email at cknox@csdecatur.net and I can share more with you about the work that our volunteers do.
Mark your calendars for July 28th! We will have our Meet and Greet for the 2023-2024 school year. School starts on August 1, 2023!
From your grateful principal,
Christine Knox
On the Scene
Learning Mandarin
Norah & Katherine show off their craftsmanship in drawing Mandarin characters.
Learning Hebrew
Asher teaches his class about the Hebrew alphabet.
Loom Bracelets
Ms. Henry's class has had so much fun making loom bracelets this year. They practiced craftsmanship and collaboration.
Westchester and CSD Communication Survey
Hi Westchester Families,
Please complete this survey to help us best plan for and implement communication structures that will keep our Westchester families informed of the important happenings in our school community. All schools will be conducting a similar survey.
The results of these surveys will be shared with other school and district leaders to help inform areas of strength and growth throughout the district.
This survey should take you approximately 10 minutes to complete, and will provide us with valuable information about our communication platforms, frequency, and content. Thank you for your support.
New from our Nurse
Medication Pick Up
If your child has any meds in the clinic, they can be picked up during the last week of school, Monday-Thursday 7:45-3:15. Come to the front office and ask to see Nurse Jess for med pick up. Medications cannot be sent home via backpacks. Leftover meds will be disposed of properly.
Thank you and stay safe this summer! Sunscreen, helmets, & hydrate!
Grade Level Supply Lists 23-24
Westchester Elementary parents...Did you know the average parent has to visit two and a half stores to get everything on their child's back to school supply list? Not when you order from 1st Day School Supplies! In just a few clicks you'll have everything you need and only the brand names you trust and respect like Ticonderoga, Crayola, Elmer's and Clorox.
Better yet, you'll save up to 30% when you order from 1st Day school Supplies compared to shopping at big box retailers like Target, Walmart and even on Amazon.
So, what are you waiting for? Buy early and save this year with 1st Day school Supplies.
Summer Reading
Summer will be here before we know it! Check out these awesome summer reading opportunities on our website.
PTA Board Nominees
We are so thankful for the parents who have volunteered to serve on our PTA Board. Here are the nominees. All PTA Members will have the link to vote. Voting ends Wednesday, 5/17.
CSD News and Announcements
Extra Mile Awards
Students: Do you know a teacher or CSD employee who has gone “the extra mile” this year? Nominate them for the CSD Extra Mile Award! The Extra Mile Award is an annual award that allows students to show appreciation for the teachers or staff they feel go above and beyond what is expected of them.
Students (not parents) at any grade level can write an essay describing how their teacher (or staff member) goes the extra mile (parents can help younger children write the essay). The essays should be detailed and describe how the employee goes above and beyond.
Click here to submit a nomination. The deadline is May 31.
These awards will be presented at the CSD Opening Day Celebration in July.
Questions? Contact cburnett@csdecatur.net or 404-371-3601
FAVE and Talley Elementary Orchestra
Calling all rising 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders interested in playing the violin, viola, cello, or bass!! Click here to complete the FAVE and Talley Elementary Orchestra interest form.
Math Chats
If you missed Part 1: What are the new math standards? OR Part 2: What is mathematical modeling? of the three-part Math Chats series, please watch the video recordings linked below. Part 1: What are the new math standards? Link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1dto_UROTIko5k4kUpwyagQiH-H9H_XZM/view?usp=sharing Part 2: What is mathematical modeling? https://drive.google.com/file/d/19g4nlt-Xh-zOHgDvlxvKjxB4CP1hIHd5/view?usp=sharing The next session, Part 3: How to help my child with the new standards? will be held today, May 18 at 9:30 or 5:30. Both sessions will present the same information. All sessions will be virtual. To learn more about math in CSD, please visit our webpage at https://www.csdecatur.net/site/Default.aspx?PageID=4833.
CSD Summer School for Grades K-8
Registration for summer school for grades K-8 ends on May 19, 2023. Participation is by letter of invitation only.
Launchpad Summer Camp!
It’s time to register for Launchpad for Learning Summer Camp hosted by CSD! Registration ends July 3 at midnight. Spaces will fill up quickly, so register soon.
Launchpad for Learning is an exciting, 1-week summer camp hosted by the City Schools of Decatur for students in grades K-8 in the 2023-24 school year. The Launchpad for Learning Summer Camp will be held July 10-13. Launchpad for Learning Summer Camp is a great opportunity for students to be introduced to upcoming grade-level standards with hands-on activities and fun experiences. This year our activities will have a S.T.E.A.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Music) focus for $225 per student.
Linked is a Registration Help Form that will guide you through the registration process, and there is a video showing how to register posted here. We are excited about Launchpad and the possibility of helping our students transition into the new school year! If you have any questions, please feel free to email Maury Gusta, District Launchpad for Learning Coordinator, at mgusta@csdecatur.net.
Community Partner Announcements and Updates
Decatur Education Foundation
It's time to Step Up for Teachers! www.stepupforteachers.com is live and ready for your tributes to CSD teachers, paraprofessionals and staff. For a $25 donation, you leave a message of appreciation, we'll notify the honored person and post it on our website. For a gift of $50 or more, you can select between a "We Step Up" or a “Congratulations Class of 2023" yard sign. Please note that we cannot deliver signs this year. If you would like a sign but cannot contribute, please email drew@decatureducationfoundation.org with your tribute and your sign preference. Proceeds from the Step Up campaign help fund Teacher Innovation Grants that are awarded every fall. Together we make a difference for our teachers, our schools and our kids.
A Big THANK YOU to ColorWheel Art Studio for choosing DEF as their recipient of their Empty Bowl fundraiser to address food insecurity! They raised $3,000 that will go towards our Lighten the Load program that assists Decatur families with meeting basic needs. Together, we make a difference for our kids!
Don’t Cook, Take a Break, It's May-hem! Dine out with NaanStop for DEF next Thursday, May 18th! To place your order in advance, click here: https://naanstop-decatur.square.site/. Order by 7:00am that morning and pick up between 5:00 pm and 5:45 pm on Thursday at Avery/Bucher in Winnona Park. 20% of proceeds will be donated to DEF, thanks to Naan Stop and Greg Kodesh Realty.
Reminders
Lost and Found is Closing for the year.
If your child has trouble keeping track of their clothing or water bottles, we encourage you to label items over the summer. We do take the time to look through it and return lost items. Over spring break, we returned 2 LARGE trash bags of items to a donation center. Like-new brand name jackets and sweaters were donated. Don't let that happen today! Order some labels to make your life easier. (Westchester does not benefit from your purchases, just a suggestion).
Visit past newsletters for answers to your questions🤗
Westchester Elementary School
Email: bnation@csdecatur.net
Website: https://www.csdecatur.net/Westchester
Location: 758 Scott Boulevard, Decatur, GA, USA
Phone: 404-370-4400
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/westchesterelementarycsd