The Tiger Tribune
November 2021
Principal's Message
Dear Parent(s)/Guardian(s),
I would like to start out by thanking each and every one of you for your continued support and participation within our school community!
I have been excited to see parent involvement in our classrooms--if you are looking for ways to volunteer and you do not know where to start, contacting your child’s teacher would be a great first step!
As many of you know, we are currently raising funds for our West Ward Walk-a-Thon led by our PTO! The students had the opportunity to come up with ideas for prizes, and then vote for the most desirable ones. Here's a more in-depth explanation of the Walk-a-Thon. Please see below for more information in the "Message from our PTO" section.
I urge you to, please, continue your efforts in raising these funds which pay for events like field trips for the kids, a portion of 5th grade camp, Donuts with Dudes, Muffins with Mses., and other enriching activities. Help us reach our $15,000 goal!
In addition to developing academic skills, our students have also been working hard on rounding out their characters. This month’s Tiger Trait is Gratitude. Students will learn what it means to show gratitude, and how being thankful for what we have is important.
Our ROCKS program remains strong. Not only are students earning prizes through earning their ROCKS tickets, they are also able to participate in an end-of-the month activity. There is a catch to the end of the month activity though; students are only able to participate if they have zero office referrals. We want all of our students to be able to participate in these fun activities, so it is important to remind each child to act responsibly and show respect.
Have a great November everyone!
Gratefully,
Melanie Cassar
Principal, West Ward Elementary
Things to Know
West Ward Family Pool Night
The PBIS committee is so excited to host a Family Pool Fun Night this year! Parents and/or guardians, grab your kids, swimsuits and towels and head to the Aquatic Center on Friday, December 3rd to have an amazing time splashing and burning energy at the high school pool from 6:00 - 7:30p.m. Cost will be $5/person. The Aquatic Center would like a head count by November 19th. Please look for and fill out the form that will be sent home soon. Thank you!
Student Council Seeking Volunteers
West Ward Student Council is sponsoring Popcorn Fridays again this year! We are in need of two parent volunteers to assist with the popping of the popcorn each Friday. Parents must have a current background check on file in order to volunteer. The money raised by Student Council will go toward school improvements such as new soccer nets outside.
West Ward students will be able to purchase popcorn on Fridays. The bags will be $0.25 a piece. Our first Popcorn Friday is November 12th! Please sign up to be a volunteer here!
Thank you for your support of West Ward Student Council!
A Message from our PTO
Our Walk-A-Thon is scheduled for Friday, November 12 from 12-2pm at the High School Track. Students should dress in warm, comfortable clothing and shoes for walking! Family members are welcome to watch from the stands, but will not be able to walk with students. In the event of rainy weather, we will move the Walk-A-Thon to an indoor location and, unfortunately, guest will not be able to attend. Thank you so much for your continued support of West Ward students and staff!
Donuts with Dudes is scheduled for Wednesday, December 15 from 7:00 - 7:45 am in the West Ward cafeteria.
PTO Meeting Schedule - Monday, November 15 at 8:00am
Monday, December 13 at 8:00am
**Parent Volunteers are needed, please consider joining the PTO!
Breakfast and Lunch Program
As many of you are aware, the State of Michigan has pushed out the breakfast and lunch meal reimbursement of the federally assisted program through this year. This means that all students, regardless of socio-economic status, can get a free meal at breakfast, as well as lunch time, and the district will be reimbursed for those meals.
A lunch time meal is defined as containing three items, so students must take three items from the lunch line; for example, an entree, a milk, and a fruit. Another option is for them to take a milk, and a combination of fruit and veggies. On the other hand, students may not take ONLY a milk, as this is not considered a meal, and therefore does not qualify for this particular program.
Students who only want milk will need to pay 50 cents per carton, OR they may get a milk with a combination of fruits and/or vegetables. Please let me know if you have any questions or wonderings about this.
Positive Behavior Rewards
Flyers
APS is continuing the electronic flyer distribution tool called “Peachjar.” To view school-approved digital flyers, you simply click on the “Peachjar Eflyers: Student Activity Postings” on your school’s website homepage. No more flyers being lost in backpacks or misplaced. They are just one click away. Flyers are always posted in the APS app and on our webpage at alleganps.org. No action is required on your part. If you signed up last year, your account is still active. If you are new to APS, you will receive a welcome email from our service provider (Peachjar) that includes a username and password. This is provided to give you the opportunity to manage your account and flyer delivery preferences. Or you can sign up at peachjar.com/parents.html. You do not need to login to receive or view school digital flyers. This system is used exclusively for distribution of school-approved flyers. Your email address will not be shared or used for any other purpose. Thank you for supporting our efforts to ensure parents/families are well informed about school programs, activities, and events.
SchoolMessenger Text Messaging
Our school utilizes the SchoolMessenger system to deliver text messages, straight to your mobile phone with important information about events, school closings, safety alerts and more. You can participate in this free service by doing the following:
- Send a text message of "Y" or "Yes" to our school's short code number, 67587.
- You can also opt out of these messages at any time by simply replying to one of our messages with "Stop".
SchoolMessenger is compliant with the Student Privacy Pledge, so you can rest assured that your information is safe and will never be given or sold to anyone.
West Ward Tiger Traits
West Ward Elementary prides itself on developing the whole child! We want our students to be well-rounded individuals who achieve the skills to be lifelong learners and productive members of society. In order to do so, we focus on a character trait each month:
- September - RESPECT
- October - RESPONSIBILITY
- November - GRATITUDE
- December - COMPASSION
- January - WISDOM
- February - SELF-CONTROL
- March - EMPATHY
- April - COURAGE
- May - PERSEVERANCE
Please have conversations with your children about how they can showcase these traits throughout the school year. At the end of every month, one student from each classroom is recognized for going above and beyond in exhibiting that month's trait. Nominated students will receive an award and get to have Donuts with the Principal!
Upcoming Events
November 7
- Daylight Savings Time Ends: Turn your clocks back 1 hour
- Early Release: Dismissal at 11:53a.m.
November 23
- Early Release: Dismissa at 11:53a.m.
- End of 1st Trimester
November 24 - 26
- No School: Thanksgiving Break
West Ward Elementary School
Website: https://alleganps.org/ww/
Location: 630 Vernon Street, Allegan, MI, USA
Phone: (269)673-7000
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/westwardelementaryschool