The Buzz at Westbrook
October 11, 2019
From the Principal...
Dear Westbrook Families,
This week, our kindergarten team engaged in a lesson study that focused on writing workshop. It was such a joy to dig deeper into writing workshop with our kindergarten team. This year, our kindergarten and first grade teams are implementing our new writing curriculum: Teachers College Reading and Writing Project. The team celebrated successes this year, including excitement about writing, ownership over their writing, tying in background knowledge into their writing, and practicing the mantra that they “are not done and have only just begun.” There are always different things that we can add to our pictures or stories to make our writing even stronger!
Coffee & Sweets You are invited to come enjoy a cup of coffee and some sweets with Karl Anderson (assistant principal) and me on Friday, October 18th from 9:30-10:30am. We will be sharing information about the book Conscious Discipline, which is the focus of our staff book study this year. We will discuss and review the different strategies that the authors suggest to help children grow their emotional intelligence. Please RSVP by Monday, October 14th!
Professional Learning Westbrook continued their work around building a restorative justice mindset on Friday afternoon. A restorative justice mindset places relationships at the center of communities. At Westbrook, we build community by greeting each other in the morning, holding class meetings, giving students opportunities to share about their lives outside of school, having community building circles where students answer questions or share information to build the class family, and more! Implementing a restorative justice mindset in a school building creates opportunities for students to learn from their choices as well as develop social, emotional, and problem-solving skills.
Fall Conferences Westbrook will hold parent-teacher conferences on the following dates*:
Tuesday, November 12 from 4:20-8:20pm
Thursday, November 14 from 4:20-8:20pm
Tuesday, November 19 from 4:20-8:20pm
*Please note that Kindergarten teachers have an additional sign-up time during the day to accommodate their AM and PM parents.
Conference sign-ups are NOW OPEN. Click on the link on Westbrook School’s homepage.
You may now access the site and sign-up for conferences with your child's classroom teacher, specials (art, music, PE), special education teachers, as well as related services staff.
Step-by-step directions of how to sign-up for a conference can be found here.
District 57 Education Foundation Grants The District 57 Education Foundation is a non-profit organization comprised of Mount Prospect community members whose mission is to raise money to fund grants in the areas of curriculum, wellness, STEM and technology. Grant requests may be written and submitted by district teachers, staff, and parents. The grants enrich the educational experiences of all students, helping them to achieve at their highest potential. Funded grants allow teachers to have access to the resources they need to support teaching and learning at Westbrook, Lions Park, Fairview, and Lincoln schools.
Over the years, the Foundation has funded $1.5 million in grants used for items such as computers, iPads, ELMO projectors, Smartboards, musical instruments, art supplies, fitness equipment, flexible classroom seating and supplemental reading material - all to enrich our children’s educational experiences. We are currently in the Fall Grant Request Cycle. A description of the grant request submission process and form is located within the Grants section of our website at https://www.57edfoundation.org .
Grant requests for this cycle are due by Nov 1 to the Ed Foundation at d57edfoundationgrants@gmail.com. Parent community members who are interested in submitting a grant request should contact the school principal to which the grant will benefit. The Ed Foundation will review all requests at their November meeting. Please contact the Ed Foundation at d57educationfoundation@gmail.com with any questions. Thank you for your continuous support of the D57 Education Foundation.
Tasty Bites The Westbrook PTO will be sponsoring the Tasty Bites Program again this year for our kindergarten and first grade students! Please CLICK HERE to learn more about the Tasty Bites Program and to provide permission for your child to participate. Please complete this form TODAY, so that your child can participate. Without a form submitted, your child will not be permitted to try the sample fruit/vegetable/herb. Contact Allison Poulos and Joellen Fitzgerald at westbrooktastybites@gmail.com with any questions!
PTO Meeting Please join us for our next PTO meeting on Wednesday, October 16 at 7pm!
Follow Us on Instagram and Twitter Please follow us on Instagram and Twitter! Our username is: westbrook_d57.
Have a nice long weekend! Thank you for your support!
Kind regards,
Kristin Vonder Haar
Westbrook Calendar Reminders
October 11 ...........................................................................................Half Day for 1st Grade Only
October 11............................................................No school for Circle of Friends & Kindergarten
October 14.............................................................................................Columbus day - No School
October 16..................................................................................................PTO Meeting, LRC, 7pm
October 17....................................................................Board of Education Meeting, Fairview,7pm
October 24..........................................................D57 Parent Tech Info Session, Fairview, 6:30pm
October 25........................................................................................PTO Walk Pancake Breakfast
November 4......................................................................................No School - Staff Institute Day
November 6................................................................................................1st Grade Special Lunch
November 7.................................................................Board of Education Meeting, Fairview, 7pm
November 12, 14, 19.........................................................................Parent - Teacher Conferences
November 13.....................................................................................................Picture Re-Take Day
November 20...............................................................................................PTO Meeting, LRC, 7pm
November 21...............................................................Board of Education Meeting, Fairview, 7pm
November 25-29............................................................................Thanksgiving Break - No School
December 2.............................................................................................................Classes Resume
December4.................................................................................................1st Grade Special Lunch
December 5.................................................................Board of Education Meeting, Fairview, 7pm
December 10.......................................................................Ed Foundation Meeting, Fairview, 7pm
December 18.............................................................................................. PTO Meeting, LRC, 7pm
December19..................Board of Education Meeting and Pubic Hearing on Levy, Fairview, 7pm
December 23-January 3...........................................................................Winter Break - No School
January 6................................................................................................................Classes Resume
Important Information about 2019/20 Half Day Institute Days at Westbrook
Throughout the 2019/20 school year, there will be five days of half-day attendance for students throughout the District.
- At Westbrook, only 1st grade students will attend on those days from 9:20 to 12:20. Please note the difference dismissal time for our busers and walkers.
- Our 1st grade students will not need to bring a lunch on these days.
- Our Kindergarten and Circle of Friends students will enjoy the WHOLE day off for the five Institute Days listed below.
- The Kids' Corner program will only be available to our 1st grade students from 7:00am to 9:20am Please make sure to inform your private daycare providers of this variance in schedule. Please contact the office if you have any questions or concerns. (wb-office@d57.org)
Below are the Half Day Attendance Dates.
*Non Attendance Day for Circle of Friends and Kindergarten students
First Grade only 9:20 a.m.-12:20 p.m.
Friday, October 11, 2019
Friday, January 17, 2020
Friday, February 14, 2020
Thursday, April 9, 2020
Friday May 22, 2020
Let's talk! From our Speech Pathologists
Westbrook School for Young Learners
Email: wb-office@d57.org
Website: https://www.d57.org/westbrookschoolforyounglearners_home.aspx
Location: 103 Busse Road, Mount Prospect, IL, USA
Phone: (847) 394-7340
Twitter: @westbrook_d57