West Monthly Newsletter
MARCH 2020
West Elementary School
Email: ediederich060@mygfschools.org
Website: https://www.gfschools.org/Domain/1047
Location: 615 North 25th Street, Grand Forks, ND, USA
Phone: 701-746-2310
Message from Mrs. Diederich
Hi West Families!
We have had a busy few weeks! It feels good to say the Wolfpack's temporary migration to Discovery is complete. Discovery has warmly opened their school and welcomed us in. With our first week complete, I can say this was a team effort. Thank you for your support in giving teachers an extra day to pack their classrooms. This helped ensure we were ready to continue teaching and learning on March 2.
It is nice to see warmer temperatures are on their way. Please continue to send winter gear, as this helps students stay warm and dry as they play outside in the melting snow.
We look forward to seeing you for parent, student, teacher conferences on March 6, 10, and 12. This is a time to celebrate learning, and discuss goals for the upcoming months of this school year. Report cards will be sent home electronically on March 13.
Enjoy the warmer temperatures and longer days spring brings!
Elisa Diederich
Principal Designee
Thank you again to everyone for your flexibility and understanding while we temporarily relocate to Discovery Elementary School.
Ms. Mathews called families who reside in the West boundary lines to see if your student will be riding the bus and if so, when they will ride and at what location. A Google Map (link: https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1x1RoC7Hpmx0oUpCsQ14-6mqzN06skFDe&ll=47.925741318110255%2C-97.06494240965196&z=15) has been created that shows the AM route (Route 2111) and PM (Route 2311) routes.
Please keep in mind that riding the bus is a privilege and ridership can be suspended due to student behaviors. We want the bus to be a safe place, so cooperation by all riders is a requirement. Families utilizing the bus will not need to pay a fee. Students should have received their bus tags that will notify them of their route.
If you have any questions, please call our office at 701-746-2310.
KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION
We are excited to see you on March 12th as we prepare for your student’s kindergarten year at Grand Forks Public Schools! Kindergarten registration for West Elementary will be held from 11-1 at the Mark Sanford Education Center, located at 2400 47th Ave. S. This registration is for parents only.
In order to help better prepare for your arrival at Kindergarten Registration, we would like you to take a few minutes to complete our online Pre-Registration form. This Google Form (http://bit.ly/Kindergarten2020) will allow us to capture information so we can begin your student’s enrollment now and cut down your waiting time at school that day.
Children who reach the age of five before August 1, 2020 would qualify to enroll for the 2020/2021 school year. You will need your child's birth certificate, updated shot records, a primary proof of address and a secondary proof of address. Acceptable documentation is listed at the end of this newsletter. Please contact our office at 701-746-2310 if you have any questions.
SPRING ENROLLMENT
Enrollment for next fall will be done electronically. You will need to have a PowerSchool Single Sign On account. Most of you have this set up already. Those of you that haven't, please let us know so we can send the information to create an account. This should be completed by March so that you are set up for when the time comes to go online to register.
For current students, "registering" will consist of going through the screens, making updates or changes and submitting.
New students will register online for next fall.
Please let us know if you will not be attending West next fall.
Report Cards
- Check with your spouse
- Check your spam
- Check your junk mail
- Call the West Office to make sure your email is correct
WE ARE NOW ON TWITTER
Morning Arrival Door Policy
Per the Grand Forks Public School District Elementary School Handbook: Breakfast is available daily at each school starting at 7:40am-8:20am. Morning programs begin at 8:00am. All students are welcome to join us for these programs. Students or families who choose not to use these programs may arrive at 8:20am.
School Meal Menu
https://schools.mealviewer.com/school/WestElementarySchoolND
NEW Lunch Times for WEST Students:
K Miller 10:55-11:25
3rd Raymond 11:23-11:48
4th Buchhop 11:38-12:03
2nd O'Halloran 12:08-12:33
5th Nikle 12:30-12:55
ARTWISE
March 31st-April 5th ArtWise and the Columbia Mall present the 2020 Elementary Art Show exhibiting more than 3,600 works of art by local students. Activities will include musical and dance performances and artists make’n’take activities.
This year ArtWise will hold Art Camps4Kids on Saturday morning--registration will be through www.artwise4kids.com or by contacting artwise@mygfschools.org or 701-787-4260.
On Saturday, at noon, we'll have our 1st Talent Show! Any short acts in which children are involved are welcome. Registration will be through www.artwise4kids.com or by contacting artwise@mygfschools.org or 701-787-4260.
Anyone interested in volunteering at the art show can sign up by following the link on our website.
Upcoming Dates
Monday, March 2nd
First Day at Discovery Elementary (Temporary Relocation)
3rd, 4th & 5th Grade Boys & Girls Intramural 3-4
Tuesday, March 3rd
4th Grade Special Project Pizza 8:30-10:15
3rd, 4th & 5th Grade Boys & Girls Intramural 3-4
Wednesday, March 4th
5th Grade Band Festival @ Valley Middle School 9:30-11:30
3rd, 4th & 5th Grade Boys & Girls Intramural 3-4
Thursday, March 5th
Therapy Dog Visit 1:30-2:30
3rd, 4th & 5th Grade Boys & Girls Intramural 3-4
Friday, March 6th
Early Dismissal NO ENCORE 11:20
Parent-Teacher Conferences 12-4
Sunday, March 8th
SPRING FORWARD!
Monday, March 9th
3rd, 4th & 5th Grade Boys & Girls Intramural 3-4
3rd, 4th, & 5th Grade Choir 3:10-4
Tuesday, March 10th
CANCELLED - RED EVENT
3rd, 4th & 5th Grade Boys & Girls Intramural 3-4
Parent-Teacher Conferences 4-7
PTO Meeting 6-7
Wednesday, March 11th
5th Grade Pen Pals 9:30-11:30
Early Release 1:30
Thursday, March 12th
Kindergarten Roundup @ Mark Sanford Education Center 11-1
Therapy Dog Visit 1:30-2:30
3rd, 4th & 5th Grade Boys & Girls Intramural 3-4
Parent-Teacher Conferences 4-7
Friday, March 13th
Report Card Day!
Monday, March 16th
CANCELLED - 3rd, 4th & 5th Grade Boys & Girls Intramural 3-4
CANCELLED - 3rd, 4th, & 5th Grade Choir 3:10-4
Tuesday, March 17th
CANCELLED - 3rd, 4th & 5th Grade Boys & Girls Intramural 3-4
Wednesday, March 18th
NO SCHOOL
Thursday, March 19th
NO SCHOOL
Friday, March 20th
NO SCHOOL
Monday, March 23rd
CANCELLED - 3rd, 4th & 5th Grade Boys & Girls Intramural 3-4
CANCELLED - 3rd, 4th, & 5th Grade Choir TBA
Tuesday, March 24th
CANCELLED - 3rd, 4th & 5th Grade Boys & Girls Intramural 3-4
Wednesday, March 25th
CANCELLED - 3rd, 4th & 5th Grade Boys & Girls Intramural 3-4
Thursday, March 26th
CANCELLED - 4th Grade Drees Farm Field Trip 8:45-10:30
CANCELLED - Therapy Dog Visit 1:30-2:30
CANCELLED - 3rd, 4th & 5th Grade Boys & Girls Intramural 3-4
Monday, March 30th
Spectra Dental Care Follow Up 11-2
3rd, 4th & 5th Grade Boys & Girls Intramural 3-4
3rd, 4th, & 5th Grade Choir 3:10-4
Tuesday, March 31st
CANCELLED - 4th Grade Orchestra Greater Grand Forks Symphony
3rd, 4th & 5th Grade Boys & Girls Intramural 3-4
First Day of ArtWise
Wednesday, April 1st
CANCELLED - 5th Grade Pen Pals 9:30-11:30
Early Release 1:30
Thursday, April 2nd
Therapy Dog Visit 1:30-2:30
MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID
TEARS is offering Adult Mental Health First Aid and Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA) classes through May 2020. These 8-hour classes are to mental health what CPR is to physical health – learning to recognize the symptoms and how to be connectors for help. All classes are $20/person.
The classes will be held:
March 2020
3/20: 5-9 PM, 3/21: 8 AM-12 PM at Altru Professional Center, Youth MHFA
3/21: 8 AM-5 PM at Altru Hospital Meeting Room A, Adult MHFA
3/27: 5-9 PM, 3/28: 8 AM-12 PM at Red River High School, Youth MHFA
April 2020
4/3: 5-9 PM, 4/4: 8 AM- 12 PM at TBD, Youth MHFA
4/10: 5-9 PM, 4/11: 8 AM-12 PM at Red River High School, Youth MHFA
4/18: 8 AM-5 PM at TBD, Youth MHFA
4/25: 8 AM-5 PM at TBD, Adult MHFA
May 2020
5/15: 5-9 PM, 5/16: 8 AM-12 PM at TBD, Youth MHFA
5/23: 8 AM-5 PM at TBD, Youth MHFA
5/23: 8 AM- 5 PM at TBD, Adult MHFA
Participants must be 18 years of age or older and must go to both session dates. If you register for a class with two class dates back-to-back, you must attend both 4-hour dates to receive a certificate. You can register for classes by searching Mental Health First Aid on Eventbrite
https://www.eventbrite.com/ or looking under Events on the TEARSGF Facebook page.
Contact Moriah Opp (mopp@altru.org) with any questions.
Reading Connection Newsletter
School Cancellation and Postponement Procedures
In the event that school is postponed or cancelled due to weather, the following procedures will be followed:
1. School postponement and cancellation alternatives will be as follows:
- a. Hold school as normal.
- b. Open school but delay sending buses.
- c. Delay the start time in all schools by two (2) hours based on each school’s start time.
- * Elementary School: Start time is 8:25, so school would start at 10:25.
- * Middle School: Start time is 8:40, so school would start at 10:40.
- * High School: Start time is 8:00, so school would start at 10:00.
- * Head Start: Start time is 8:00, so school would start at 10:00.
- *When school starts late, there will be no morning Early Childhood Special Education classes. Afternoon Early Childhood Special Education classes will be held.
- * Breakfast will not be served at any sites.
- d. No school in Grand Forks Public Schools all day.
- e. No school for the Grand Forks Air Force Base School District students all day.
- *Decisions related to the delayed opening or closing of air base schools may not always be consistent with those made for in-town schools. On those days when severe weather makes travel conditions so hazardous as to threaten the safety of staff members, opening delays or the closing of base schools will be given special consideration.
- f. Once school is in session, it will not be terminated until the regular closing time except in very severe situations. However, school buses may leave early. Radio and TV stations will be used to notify parents.
The decision to close or delay school will be made as early as possible. Announcements will be made on the District (www.gfschools.org) and school websites, and District social media (www.facebook.com/GrandForksPublicSchools; www.twitter.com/GFSchools). Announcements will also be made on local radio and TV stations.
Grand Forks Public Schools will be using our automated calling system to call staff and parents if school will be delayed or cancelled due to severe weather conditions. Typically, this automated call will occur to staff between 5:30 a.m. and 6:00 a.m., and to parents between 6:30 a.m. and 7:00 a.m.
Parents or guardians may always exercise their right to keep students home or pick them up early during stormy conditions.
If an emergency situation should develop during the time school is in session, children will be cared for in school until the storm has subsided.
If buses are sent home early, all buses will be sent.
- a. Radio and TV stations will make the announcement of the departure time.
- b. The lead-time needed for the procedure is approximately one (1) hour.
- c. If conditions are dangerous, bus drivers must use common sense in discharging students that must walk a considerable distance. If possible, use the radio and contact the base station. Have parents meet the bus or be on the lookout for their children. If the driver is unable to contact parents and conditions are dangerous, do not let students off the bus but return to school and notify the principal. Schools that have bus students must have a written procedure for caring for students in the event they must be kept overnight at school.
Newsletter Inserts
DIGITAL NEWSLETTERS
We send newsletters out electronically. Please make sure we have your email address on file in the office. We will have paper copies of the newsletter in the office for families who need a hard copy.
A GUIDE FOR PARKING, ARRIVAL & DISMISSAL ROUTINES
Please see FORMS & OTHER INFORMATION for the West & Discovery Parking, Arrival and Dismissal Procedures.
ENCORE
ENCORE After School Program is offering additional after school care to families who need coverage on early release days. Space is limited. Please see attached flyer for more information.
ABSENCES AND TARDIES
If your child(ren) are going to be late or absent from school, please inform the school office by calling the attendance line number and leaving a message before 8:25 am at 701-746-2329.
Attendance is very important. If your child is not in school, he/she is missing out on very important learning. We monitor student attendance closely and follow the Grand Forks Public Schools "Stay in School" policy.
PARENT/GUARDIAN AND EMERGENCY CONTACT INFORMATION
Please keep the school office up-to-date on any address, phone number, and email changes. It is very important that we have all the current and correct information on file. We need updated emergency contact information in the event of an emergency.
TELEPHONE CALLS
Our office receives many telephone calls from parents who want to leave messages or make different after school arrangements for students. We ask that you limit these calls to emergencies only. As a school, we limit announcements so student learning is not interrupted. Please remind your child in the morning before they leave for school about rides, appointments, etc. Your cooperation is greatly appreciated.
FAMILY SERVICES
If you have needs for your child, please visit with Alisa Bowman, School Social Worker (abowman260@mygfschools.org). She is here to help make school a successful place for your child.
FREE/REDUCED MEAL APPLICATION can be found here: https://apply4schoolmeals.dpi.nd.gov/
BIRTHDAY SNACKS
Due to an increased number of students with food allergies, we no longer celebrate student birthdays with a "birthday snack" in the Grand Forks Public Schools. Parents are welcome to find other non-food items to send to school if they wish. For example, a book, game, pencil or school supplies may be donated to your child's classroom.
PETS AND ANIMALS AT SCHOOL
Pets or animals are prohibited on school grounds during school hours due to potential safety and health concerns.
NEWS FROM OUR SOCIAL WORKER
NEWS FROM OUR NURSE
Hello West Families,
Please click on the download below to view the HANDWASHING newsletter.
Thank you!
Mandy Iverson