Westwood Weekly
Staff Newsletter - Week of October 14-20, 2019
Shout-Outs!
- Welcome back, Kelly Starick!
- Welcome Monica Ward, our new Noon Supervisor!
- Farewell to Danny Buhler (last day was last Thursday) and Monica Kibble, SEA in A3 (last day Friday)!
- Many thanks to all who participated in our McTeacher Night fundraiser! We raised almost $900 in support of our programs and services!
Highlights this Week!
All Month: Disability Awareness; Anti-Bullying Awareness
This Week: Digital Citizenship Week
Monday - No OT today.
-Rock Steady Juggling Assembly (3rd-5th - 8:45-9:30; K-2 (10:05-10:50)
-Section 504 Meeting for Corey H (9-10am, Library)
-Nancy at SPSA Training (2-4pm)
-Hip Hop Class (2:25-3:30, MUR)
-Board Meeting (7pm, Dent Center)
Tuesday -
-Soul Shoppe Fiery Feeling Workshops (tentative)
-Annual IEP Meeting for Ruben IA (2:30, D6)
-Parent Request IEP Meeting for RL (3:30, A3)
-Data & Assessment Committee Meeting (3:30-5:00, WCC)
Wednesday -
-JCL Tutoring Begins!
-Bollywood Dancing After-School Enrichment (1:05-2:05, MUR)
-Teacher Collaboration Day (1:55-3:25)
Thursday -
-Nancy at Elementary Principal's Meeting (7:30-11:30, WCC)
-Earthquake Drill - The Great California Shakeout (after lunch)
-Lego Class (2:25-3:30, E4)
-Annual IEP Meeting for Cody R (2:30, B2)
-Parent Request IEP Meeting for Luis Jeremiah R (3:30, B1)
-DELAC Meeting (5:30-7:30, WCC)
-Dave & Buster's Family Fun Night Event (5-9pm)
Friday - Pumpkin Sales Order Forms Due
-Kindergarten Pumpkin Patch (10:10-10:40, B-wing Lawn)
-ELAC Meeting (2:30, Library)
-Coding Class (2:25, Library)
-PE Minutes Due by 2:37
Saturday -
-EDMS Family Fun Walk (9am)
Upcoming Events:
10/21 - Kids Heart Challenge Assembly (10:15-10:45, MUR)
10/22 - AVID Training for AVID Site Team
10/23 - MDUSD Health Fair (4-7pm, Loma Vista)
10/23-10/31 - Red Ribbon Week/Jump Rope for Heart Fundraiser
10/28 - Board Meeting
This Week in AVID
This week we have been revisiting how to coach our students to develop better critical reading strategies. Here are some “writing in the margins” strategies that gradually teach students how to improve their metacognition skills. Teachers may use one lens at a time or align one or two of the lens to a particular reading assignment. Another great idea is to form groups and have each student take a role and mark the text accordingly. Afterwards, they meet to discover how their partners reacted.
Jeanne Johnson - AVID Instructional Coach
Google Classroom Add Code: 7uwcLg
PBIS Weekly Focus
Common Area of the Week BATHROOMS - Refer to the sample lesson. Continue to reinforce a positive environment through Wows, Morning Meetings, and praise for desired behavior. All adults should keep Wows easily accessible.
Social-Emotional Learning – Morning Meetings – Here’s a quick video reinforcing our daily practice! Keep up the good work!
Costume Parade - Please be sure to share our Costume Parade rules with your students and their families.
Handbook Helper
Minor Volunteers/Visitors – Be sure you have received prior approval from Nancy before allowing minors to visit/volunteer during the school day. This includes family members. Remember: All adults volunteering at the school require fingerprint and TB clearance. Please see Nancy if you have any questions.
Digital Citizenship
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY FOR ELEMENTARY TEACHERS:
Engineering is Elementary - This 1 day training is for teachers that have NOT attended an EIE pd in the past, or that are teaching a new grade. Units will be explored by grade level, teachers will learn the basics of the NGSS and the Science and Engineering Practices. Team from the same sites will have registration priority. CLICK HERE for the flier and registration. For questions, please email Jan Robertson at robertsonj@mdusd.org
SILICON VALLEY MATH INITIATIVE: Principals please share with your teachers: Thursday, 10/24/19, from 8:30 - 3:00 at Willow Creek Center will be the second Silicon Valley Math Initiative (SVMI) PD session for this school year. Please share and post the flyer linked: HERE.
- This session will focus on Using Groupwork Feedback to Nurture Mathematics Discourse & Concept Lessons and will include grade span breakout sessions.
Click here to register your interest in attending the 10/24 SVMI PD session, or go to bit.ly/SVMImdusd10-24-19.
Note: Registration is first-come, first-served with first priority for elementary grade level and site teams and secondary department teams and then for individuals.
Registration closes Monday, October 21, 2019. Space is limited and a wait list will be created if needed.
Teachers who register will receive a confirmation email with a sub code and link to register with SVMI, when their spot is secured.
STUDENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT Intradistrict Transfers 2020-2021
Secondary Intradistrict Transfers (October 15, 2019 – November 15, 2019):
The online application for secondary Intradistrict transfers (current grades 5-11) will be available at mdusd.org/transfers, October 15, 2019 – November 15, 2019. Transfer information will be available on the District’s website at: mdusd.org/transfers, through each site’s school webpage, and in each school’s newsletter!
Elementary Intradistrict Transfers (February 10, 2020 – March 10, 2020):
Please note the following changes to the Elementary Intradistrict transfers timeline: All Elementary Intradistrict Transfer applications will be available at the same time. Therefore, the online application for Intradistrict transfers (new TK/K and current K-4) will now be available at mdusd.org/transfers, February 10, 2020 – March 10, 2020.
Health Fair
MT. DIABLO HEALTH FAIR/FREE FLU VACCINES: Please see the flyer HERE for the Mt. Diablo Health Fair and Open House on Wednesday, October 23rd on the Loma Vista Campus. Free flu vaccines will be available and all can visit our sensational career programs.
Parent-Faculty Club Business
Looking for Class Talent - The PFC is looking forward to hosting our Talent Show again January 24th! Signing up and doing a solo act can be daunting. We we want to encourage as many group acts as possible. Our coordinator, Sierra Kulak, is hoping with more time teachers may be able to use PE time or music class time to put together an act representing a grade or class - consider connecting it to a theme in your curriculum. And of course, we encourage more staff members to perform this year as a treat for our students and families.