The WES students, parents, and community members have certainly been busy over the last several weeks.
We have successfully navigated Fall Fest (thanks PTA), Faculty Professional Development Day, the first annual Westowne Turkey Trot, and some very beautiful, cool weather.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the parent volunteers who have donated their time working with students in the classrooms. It is nice to see students working with these volunteers to master sight words, math facts, or developing reading fluency. Moreover, those volunteers that assist with copying, laminating, and other tasks that support the office and teachers are extremely helpful! Your support is greatly appreciated!
Also, thank you to those families that have supported the PTA fundraising efforts as these funds go directly towards instruction. If you have not joined the PTA, please do so. Their efforts support all our students! We are lucky to live, work, and learn in such a supportive community!
The teachers have also been very busy finalizing grades on Engrade and entering grades and comments on student report cards. Yes, the first marking period ended on Friday, November 3, 2017 and first marking period report cards will be distributed at the end of the day on Thursday, November 16, 2017. It is important to note a change this year in grades 1, 2, and 3 report cards. Teachers in these grades will not provide written comments on the report card for quarter one. This is to place emphasis and importance on the first quarter teacher-student conference. Elementary Conference Day is scheduled for November 17, 2017. Teachers will be scheduling conferences in the near future.
Understandably, children are excited about their first report card of the school year. Here are some helpful hints to keep in mind:
- Report cards are designed to be an official communication of academic progress between school and home. Please be sure to take the time to review this document with your student. Thoroughly reviewing this document says a great deal to children when parents take the time to share in their child’s success.
- Try to maintain a positive outlook regarding this report. Although you are encouraged to identify goals for improvement, it is equally important to celebrate areas of success.
- All Baltimore County elementary schools will be closed on Friday, November 17, 2017 so that parents may have a convenient opportunity to conference with teachers. Students accompanying parents to school on conference day must be supervised by parents at all times.
- All students are required to bring back their report card envelopes signed by a parent/guardian. Envelopes are expected to be returned to school no later than back in school on Wednesday, November 22, 2017. Envelopes may be returned to teachers following scheduled conferences on November 16th.
After reviewing your student’s report card, please be sure to discuss the grades for each subject area and discuss how the student may continue to earn high marks and/or assist with the development of a plan to raise marks in needed areas. Goal setting for the next marking period is certainly appropriate as our students are able to meet high expectations. As always, thanks so much for your continued support! The following websites may provide options/assist with discussing the quarter one report card with your student (these sites are from a simple google search, but provide sound advice regarding discussions about grades).
http://www.schoolcommunitynetwork.org/downloads/TipSheets_English/DiscussingYourChildsReportCard_Eng.pdf
https://www.understood.org/en/learning-attention-issues/understanding-childs-challenges/talking-with-your-child/tips-for-reacting-to-childs-report-card
http://www.education.com/magazine/article/Dealing_with_Report_Cards/
Asking for your Assistance: The faculty and staff at Westowne has been working hard to develop strong classroom routines and easy-to-follow directions/rules to ensure student success. We are asking that all parents reinforce with their students the following actions to ensure a friendly, safe learning environment:
- Please smile and say hello to adults in the building. This is not only respectful, but allows for adults to get to know students beyond their classroom. We want to form strong relationships with our students!
- Please reinforce the need to talk politely to all students and adults. We are hearing student use negative language, curse words, and teasing others. We want all students to feel comfortable in our building and to treat everyone with respect. We want to continue to develop a supportive environment in which students may develop strong friendships with their classmates.
- Please discuss with your students the need for self-control. We have far too many situations where students kick, push, slap, etc., in order to hurt others or to simply tease others to hurt feelings. These actions will not be tolerated as students must be able to come to school and know that the building is a safe environment with a focus on friendship and learning. Students should never take matters into their own hands and be physically aggressive or fight others at school. They should immediately share their concerns with their teacher or other adults in the building.
- Please talk with your children about calling out and/or leaving their seats during classroom instruction. It is important to remind them to focus on the teacher and be fully engaged in the lesson. We have far too many students willing to disrupt instruction in order to gain individual attention. This takes valuable learning time from others.
- Last, but not least, please reinforce with students that when walking in the halls, all lines should be silent. A fair number of our students feel that they do not need to follow this direction and tend to interrupt learning in classrooms as they move throughout the building. Moreover, students should talk in a regular voice while at their table in the cafeteria. We want lunch to be relaxing for students and not a place to play.
Thank you in advance for your assistance. Westowne is a wonderful school to attend and we want to continue efforts to ensure that every student experiences a war, safe, and supportive learning environment!
