Weekend Wire
September 17, 2023
WESTWOOD ROADRUNNERS
WELCOME TO WESTWOOD!
DATES TO NOTE:
09/18--Professional Growth Day--No School for Students
09/19--Dining 4 Dollars--Kebab Shop--All Day
09/22--Art Corp Orientation
09/25--First Full Day of Kindergarten
09/28--XPloration
09/29--Friday Flag
09/29--PTA Open Association Meeting-directly following Friday Flag
10/12--XPloration
10/12--Math Olympiad begins
10/13--Picture Day
DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP: A SHARED RESPONSIBILITY
SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING IN DIGITAL LIFE
FAMILY CONVERSATIONS
Social and emotional learning is most effective when all members of your school community are
included. These conversation starters for families are aligned with the SEL in Digital Life classroom activities. Please use these family conversation starters to help your family talk meaningfully about your digital lives.
MEET OUR AMAZING TEAMS!!
3rd Grade Teachers Mrs. Williams, Mrs. McCray, Mrs. Stogsdill, Ms. Brennan, and Mrs. Leigh.
2nd Grade Teachers - Mrs. Matsushita, Mrs. Shumake, Mrs. Oliver, Ms. Chopak, Mrs. Ostrander, Mrs. Varga and Mrs. Setzler.
SCHOOL SITE COUNCIL ELECTIONS
The School Site Council is made up of the principal, three teachers, five parents and one classified staff employee. Each member has an equal voice to provide input and support for school improvement programs and school budget. Meetings are held the first Tuesday of the month. Members of the School Site Council are elected by their peers to serve a two-year term.
What school site council does?
The Council’s purpose is to propose school wide goals, i.e., “85% of the 2nd-5th graders will score at the Proficient Level or above in Math, as measured by the California Standards Test.” The goals must be directly related to improving student achievement. The council also recommends the allocation of funds, in compliance with federal and state laws, to meet those goals. The goals, review of data, and budget are components of the annual Single Plan for Student Achievement (SPSA).
We need your help in electing three Parent or Community members on the site council for the 2023 - 2024 and 2024 - 2025 school years. Please vote below.
Please vote for our community members by Monday, September 25, 2023.
FIRST GRADE PHYSICALS
Dear Parent/Guardian of a First Grade Student:
California state law requires first grade students to obtain a specified health screening (physical examination) within 18 months prior to entering first grade or within 90 days of entering first grade. The purpose of this specified physical examination is to detect health problems that may interfere with your child's learning.
NOTE: This health screening is a separate requirement from the official immunization records required upon entrance to kindergarten and from the Oral Health Exam form.
Thank you if you have already turned this in.
If you do not want your child to have a physical at this time, please complete and sign the waiver portion of this form. Completing the waiver portion will also satisfy this form requirement. If your first grader has recently had a well-child visit with their doctor, a copy of those forms from the doctor will satisfy this requirement. A blank First Grade Physical (CHDP) form can be found at the link below or you can stop by our office and pick one up.
PLEASE RETURN THE COMPLETED FORM TO THE OFFICE BY: NOVEMBER 6TH
https://4.files.edl.io/ea59/05/19/23/064402-32f01ea8-4fdf-4062-9909-7946e18868b3.pdf
https://4.files.edl.io/7847/05/19/23/064402-52ad20b3-8967-474f-af66-0268ee6a8244.pdf
Thank you for your cooperation and assistance.
THE POSITIVITY PROJECT
Other People Mindset: Being Present and Giving Others My Attention
Dear Families,
This week our school community will be focusing on the Other People Mindset of Being Present and Giving Others My Attention. This means when I’m with other people, I’m present and give them my full attention.
This element of the Other People Mindset is so important today due to the increasing number of distractions vying for our time and attention. Phone calls, text messages, emails, social media notifications all have the dangerous capacity to pull us away from the present moment and, what’s most important -- our relationships with other people.
Just like plants need sunlight to grow, our relationships need attention. If we don’t give our attention to the people we’re building relationships with -- whether family members, close friends, or even distant colleagues -- we can’t build those relationships. It’s vitally important that we pick our heads up from our cell phones and truly listen to other people when they’re talking. A positive culture is built on positive relationships -- and we can’t build positive relationships without attention.
To practice and encourage the character strength of perspective with your child, please visit the Positivity Project’s P2 for Families (password: P2), where together you will watch a video, read a quote, and talk about the answers to three questions.
Have a wonderful week!
Recess Roundup
Play Structure
As a reminder, we are asking teachers to explicitly teach each of the playground games following the schoolwide schedule (also posted on the PE shed).
Week 5: Play structure
There will be a little video on RRTV that shows students how to play safely on the play structure.
There is only walking, no running or chase games.
No throwing, digging, or making piles with the wood chips.
One at a time on the slide. Sliders must sit on their bottoms and go down feet first.
Slides are for going down only. No climbing up them.
Monkey bars- start at the ladder, one at a time, swing by your hands towards the play structure.
No climbing over the top of the bars.
If you are waiting to swing on the swings, stand back along the black top in front of one person swinging, and count to 30. Use your fingers to show the person you are counting.
Problems
Anyone not following the rules may be stopped from playing that recess or for a longer period of time
September is Attendance Awareness Month
Help your child be an Attendance H.E.R.O.:
Here. Everyday. Ready. On-time.
Parent partnership is crucial to ensuring our students are receiving the full advantage of consistent school attendance. Students who attend school regularly are significantly more likely to achieve proficient academic levels in reading and math, do better on tests, as well as likelier to graduate and be successful in future endeavors. Help us accomplish this by:
Establishing consistent bed times and wake up times
Planning ahead to avoid scheduling appointments and vacations during school
Communicating with teachers regarding illnesses or religious/cultural holidays
Staying engaged and regularly checking in with your children about their experiences
Emphasizing the importance of attendance with your children
Reaching out to us for help to address any barriers to attendance
Thank you for your support and partnership! For more attendance tips and resources go to bit.ly/attendancehero
FAMILY LEARNING CENTER
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
Westwood PTA Needs Volunteers for this year’s Boo Bash, October 27th. The event is $5 per person, but volunteers and their families enter free.
We need a small army of volunteers to make this event successful. Please sign up to help run events, or bring a Trunk or Treat vehicle.
This year we have split the shifts into 2, 1 opening and 1 closing, so you can spend part of the event with your family. Trunk or treat volunteers should bring their own relief person if desired.
With your help, this event will be GREAT!
Sign up HERE
MORE THAN A MEAL
lthough all students now receive school breakfast and lunch at no charge, families are still encouraged to complete the Free and Reduced Price Meal Application.
Please complete either an online application or a paper "Free and Reduced Meal Price Application Form." The paper forms can be obtained from and returned (completed) to any school office.
Our Online Meal Application Process is FAST, SAFE, SECURE, PRIVATE and AVAILABLE anytime, anywhere, and is the preferred method.
You will be notified by mail of your child's eligibility.
Please complete only one application (online OR paper) per family. The information you give will be used to determine your child's eligibility for free or reduced-priced meals.
This information may also be used for other state or federally funded benefits.
LIBRARY NEWSLETTER
September 2023
Why should you read to your child? Read this article to find out!
What happens to our kids’ brains when they read article
It’s Library Time!
Here are some good habits to reinforce in the classroom and at home:
Make note of your library day. Books are due no later than your library day, and can be turned in earlier if you want.
Please remember to put books in backpacks the night before your library visit. Books need to be returned to the teacher's library book spot upon arrival at school.
Find a safe place at home to keep library books so they don't get lost or damaged.
Use clean hands when reading a library book and turn the pages gently. Use a bookmark.
Keep library books away from younger children who might know how to take care of a library book.
It's strongly encouraged to keep library books in a large plastic bag to protect it against food and water spills in backpacks.
Keep library books away from food, water and pets.
Book Care Video: Don’t Let the Pigeon Touch the Books!
How can you support the library? There are many ways.
The used book sale will be held every Thursday, unless it’s raining, just outside the library. Proceeds of the sale go to buying books that students are asking for. It’s a great way to support the library. Only 25 cents a book!
Celebrate your child’s birthday or a special occasion and donate a book from the Amazon Wish List. Please fill out this google form Birthday Book Club.
Support your child’s love of reading by donating new books to the library! Any new hardcover books that are purchased and donated are greatly appreciated! Here’s a link: Amazon Wish List. Donated books will have a book plate in the front of the book with your child’s name and they’ll have first check out privileges.
Another way to support the library is to donate gently used children’s books, printer paper, Astrobrights colored paper in primary colors, Post-its or kleenex. You can drop them off in the library with a note.
September Choice Board Celebrating National Hispanic Month and much more! Kick off National Hispanic Heritage Month and watch this video Join the Celebracion!
Happy Reading!
Nancy Whitelock, Librarian at Westwood
YEARBOOK
2023-24 Yearbooks are on sale already! 10% off through the end of September!
PARENT EDUCATION PROGRAMS
About Us
Principal
Email: kholmes@powayusd.com
Website: https://westwood. powayusd.com
Location: 17449 Matinal Road, San Diego, CA, USA
Phone: 858-487-2026
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WWESRoadrunners
Twitter: @RoadrunnersWwes
Nondiscrimination Philosophy and Policy Statement
The Poway Unified School District (PUSD) is an equal opportunity employer/program and is committed to an active Nondiscrimination Program. PUSD prohibits discrimination, harassment, intimidation, and bullying based on actual or perceived race, color, ancestry, national origin, nationality, immigration status, ethnicity, ethnic group identification, age, religion, marital or parental status, physical or mental disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or gender expression or association with a person or a group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics. For more information, please contact: Title IX/Equity Compliance Officer, James Jimenez, Associate Superintendent of Personnel support Services, Poway Unified School District, 15250 Avenue of Science, San Diego, CA 92128, 1-858-521-2800, extension 2121, jjimenez@powayusd.com. For students, you may contact Title IX Coordinator/504 Coordinator Jamie Dayhoff, Director of Attendance and Discipline, Poway Unified School District, 1-858-521-2840, jdayhoff@powayusd.com.