Westwood Elementary Newsletter
OCTOBER 2023
WWES Families,
Welcome Fall (well kind of- I sure am waiting for cooler weather)! Can you believe that it is already October? We are excited to continue to work with our staff, you, and our students to make it a great year.
Fall conferences are October 25th and 26th- forms are coming home next week. Please fill out and return as soon as possible so that we can get your scheduled. All students will have a conference scheduled.
We had a super successful Science Spectacular Family Night, thank you to all who attended! We are very grateful for the Ohio State University Extension office who we partnered with for this awesome event. Make sure to check out the photos on our Facebook page or there are a few posted below.
We have another fun event coming up on Thursday, Oct 12th at Schuster's Greenhouse (8638 Murray Ridge Rd, Elyria). This is a campus event and will offer a fun night of all things fall- hayrides, spending time together, and the greenhouse will be open! Space is limited and you must purchase a ticket to attend. If you need another order form, let us know.
Please encourage your student to exemplify the "3 Bees"- ask your student about this, they will be happy to tell you all about them!
We also will have printed copies of this newsletter in the main office, should you need one. Please make sure you have an email listed in Powerschool that you check regularly- we frequently communicate electronically.
Regular attendance at the elementary school level is crucial to each student’s success, as it sets up a good pattern for your child’s entire school career. Please make sure your child is here every day that it is possible.
Please follow us if you are not already: Westwood Elementary-Elyria City Schools; https://www.facebook.com/westwoodelementaryecsd/
If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us.
Your Partner in Education,
Ms. Stacey Gatten
Principal
Happenings this Month
October
2- National Bully Prevention Day- wear blue!
11- Marco's pizza night
12- School picture Day
12- Hayrides at Schuster's (presale only)
13- NEOEA Day- no school
16- Kalahari fundraiser begins
17/18- 3rd grade fall Ohio State Testing
18- Unity Day- wear orange
19- 3rd grade to EHS
20- End of quarter 1
23- Records Day- no school for students
25/26 Fall conferences by appointment only
27- Report cards emailed home
31- Halloween- students are welcome to wear costumes that are school appropriate
Drop off and pick up procedures
To ensure drop-off and pickup run smooth and effective:
· You may ONLY enter at 42101 Griswold to enter the car line. We will no longer be using Adelbert for drop off- Adelbert is only for Preschool now.
· Please do not plan to arrive earlier than 8:55 for Elementary School drop off in the morning. If Elementary students arrive early you will need to keep your student(s) in the vehicle with you until staff comes out to unload students at 8:55am.
· Please do not plan to arrive earlier than 3:00pm for Elementary pickup in the afternoon.
· Once in the lot, please pull up to the car in front of you, as this will allow more cars to enter the lot, and keep cars off the street.
· Please be ready and prepared so that we can keep cars moving efficiently in the lot.
· Follow all directions from staff, they are there to help.
· Please drive safe and slow- this is a school zone and we need to keep all students and staff safe.
· You will exit at Griswold also.
We appreciate your help in keeping our students safe.
Building Information-
School hours are 9:10am-3:10pm.
Doors do not open until 8:55- please do not drop off early or allow students to walk early.
If you are dropping off, please hold your child in the car with you until 8:55am.
Please call the office to report your child(ren)’s absence at 284-8002 before 9:30AM. Our phone has 24-hour voicemail so that you may call and leave a message anytime. Please leave a voicemail if no one answers the phone in the office; voicemails are frequently checked and the office will receive your message.
Please make sure you always have a photo ID with you, when you come to the school, this is for the safety of our students.
The Main Office of any school building is a hub of activity. Students and staff are always on the go, in and out of the space throughout the school day.
It’s an active place for regular check-ins and meetings with students, as well as staff conferences and daily interactions with school principals and counselors. The Main Office is also a confidential space at times for conversations and interactions between school personnel and students.
Parents and caregivers are part of the equation, too. For any number of reasons, parents may be asked to come to their child’s school during the day. When that happens, parents should follow the district’s visitor procedures by using the school’s main entrance buzzer and intercom system to gain entrance to the school, and then signing in at the front desk.
If parents/caregivers do not have a meeting at the school but still need to come to the school during the day to see their child or to speak to a staff member, call-ahead notice or an appointment is required.
This ensures parents will be seen in a timely manner and upholds the safety practices of the school. To contact the Main Office, please call 440-284-8002
Our school address is: Westwood Campus, 42350 Adelbert St, Elyria, OH 44035
Our phone number will stay the same: 284-8002
Bus info
You can also find more information here:
Follow us on Facebook!
Westwood Elementary- Elyria City Schools.
Also follow Elyria City School District for district information.
Food Services
You may apply online
for free/reduced lunch. Please complete this form as soon as possible.
A breakfast will be available to all students at no cost this year
Firstview Bus information
You can sign up here:
https://www.elyriaschools.org/departments/operations/transportation
Information is Just a Text Away!
Have you opted in to receive text messages from Elyria Schools?
If you haven't already, please take a moment to sign up to receive automatic text messages from Elyria Schools.
This is a valuable tool in an emergency or when there's important, time-sensitive information to share.
The service is free and opting in is easy. Parents or guardians simply need to send a text message of “Y” or “Yes” to our district's short code number at 67587.
Just as simple, you can opt out at any time by replying to one of our messages with “Stop.”
The text feature and the robocall system are tied directly a student's contact information that is on file with your child's school. Please make sure this information is kept up-to-date to ensure you continue receiving calls or texts from Elyria Schools.
Counselors Corner
Hello!
October is National Bullying Prevention Month and includes Unity Day and Red Ribbon Week. Beginning next week, the focus of our Second Step classroom curriculum will be the Bullying Prevention Unit. In the lessons, your child will learn specific skills to help stop bullying. Students will learn how to:
• Recognize when bullying is happening
• Report bullying to a caring adult
• Refuse to let bullying happen to themselves or others
• Be a bystander who stands up and is part of the solution to bullying
Also, feel free to continue the conversation at home with your student using the Second Step information below.
Thank you!
Mrs. Stacey Yee
School Counselor
News from the School Nurse
Hello Families,
Here are 10 common myths about the flu:
1. MYTH: You can catch the flu from the vaccine.
The flu shot is made from an inactivated virus that can't transmit infection. So, people who get sick after receiving a flu vaccination were going to get sick anyway. It takes a week or two to get protection from the vaccine. But people assume that because they got sick after getting the vaccine, the flu shot caused their illness.
2. MYTH: Healthy people don't need to be vaccinated.
While it's especially important for people who have a chronic illness to get the flu shot, anyone can benefit from being vaccinated. Current CDC guidelines recommend yearly vaccination against influenza for everyone older than 6 months of age, including pregnant women.
3. MYTH: Getting the flu vaccination is all you need to do to protect yourself from the flu.
There are a number of steps you can take to protect yourself during flu season besides vaccination. Avoid contact with people who have the flu, wash your hands frequently, and consider taking anti-viral medications if you were exposed to the flu before being vaccinated.
4. MYTH: The flu is just a bad cold.
Influenza may cause bad cold symptoms, like sore throat, runny nose, sneezing, hoarseness, and cough. But according to CDC, the 2019-20 flu (normal year before covid) season led to at least 18 million medical visits, 24,000 deaths and 410,000 hospitalizations. The hospitalization rate for children ages four and under that flu season was 95.1 per 100,000 people as of the week ending on April 25, 2020.
5. MYTH: You can't spread the flu if you're feeling well.
Actually, 20% to 30% of people carrying the influenza virus have no symptoms.
6. MYTH: You don't need to get a flu shot every year.
The influenza virus changes (mutates) each year. So, getting vaccinated each year is important to make sure you have immunity to the strains most likely to cause an outbreak.
7. MYTH: You can catch the flu from going out in cold weather without a coat, with wet hair or by sitting near a drafty window.
The only way to catch the flu is by being exposed to the influenza virus. Flu season coincides with the cold weather. So, people often associate the flu with a cold, drafty environment. But they are not related.
8. MYTH: Feed a cold, starve a fever.
If you have the flu (or a cold) and a fever, you need more fluids. There's little reason to increase or decrease how much you eat. Though you may have no appetite, "starving" yourself will accomplish little.
9. MYTH: Chicken soup will speed your recovery from the flu.
Hot liquids can soothe a sore throat and provide much needed fluids. But chicken soup has no other specific qualities that can help fight the flu.
10. MYTH: If you have a high fever with the flu that lasts more than a day or two, antibiotics may be necessary. Antibiotics work well against bacteria, but they aren't effective for a viral infection like the flu. Then again, some people develop a bacterial infection as a complication of the flu, so it may be a good idea to get checked out.
Thank you and for questions please contact me at hessrose@elyriaschools.org or
Rose Hess RN. BSN. LSN. @ 440-284-8153
Thank you,
Rose Hess
School Nurse
School Picture Day
School attire and cell phones
Hoodies, and similar tops or jackets with hoods, are "fan favorites" when it comes to school attire. We like them, too, but not when they are worn up and over the head during the school day.
The district's Student Code of Conduct provides direction on headgear, stating that it may not be worn over a person's head or scalp (excluding headgear that's worn for religious or medical reasons.) Hoods can make it difficult to identify an individual in an emergency, and they can also be a distraction in class. Please remind students that hoods may not be worn up during the school day.
The Student Code of Conduct also offers guidance on attire. Clothing must be school appropriate and may not present a health or safety hazard or disrupt the educational environment. Pants and tops must fit properly and be in good repair; crop tops are not permitted.
Additionally, footwear must be school appropriate--slippers and slipper socks are not permitted. Blankets also may not be worn in school.
Students may bring their cell phones to school but they must be turned off and put away during the day unless they are used as a part of a teacher-directed lesson in class. Same rules apply to Bluetooth headphones--they may not be worn during the school day.
If you need to reach your student during the school day, please contact the main office and our staff will convey a message or assist you in reaching your student.
Sending in treats......
Families may bring in prepackaged treats (with ingredients listed by the company that packaged it) BUT we are really encouraging non-food items. We have to be very careful of food allergies, to keep all students safe. Birthday treats ARE not required or encouraged, but okay, if you choose.
Birthday/Holiday treat ideas include:
Pencils, bookmarks, fidgets, pop-its, bracelets, crayons, squishes, pencil toppers or erasers, glow sticks, play dough, slinkies, stickers, prepackaged snack with ingredients listed (from the company that produces it).
Thank you for an AMAZING Science Spectacular!
Stay Connected
Website: https://www.elyriaschools.org/domain/30
Location: 42350 Adelbert St, Elyria, OH 44035, USA
Phone: 440-284-8002