Westwood Updates
January, 2019
Principal's Note
We are continuing to take our winter “pulse” to see how much growth we have made from Fall to Winter and then set goals for the remainder of the year. Many of these goals will be shared with you at parent-teacher conferences in February. As as reminder, our school is working towards a 2% increase in the amount of students that are proficient at grade level standards (50th percentile or higher) in both literacy & math. This aligns with District 200’s Strategic Goal of growing 10% over a five year period. When you look at our school’s 2-year trend, we have already almost hit our target of 10% growth as we have grown our PARCC (now called the Illinois Assessment of Readiness, IAR) proficiency total from 37% in the 2016-2017 school year to 46% last year in the 2017-2018 school year. However, we continue to strive to help our students grow & we know you do as well as parents. We encourage a "growth mindset" and we have high expectations for all students. As we continue to provide academic supports, we also realize the vital role of positive relationships among students and staff. Our expectations for student behavior are consistent across grade levels. The Westwood staff is committed to our goals for student growth. We work collaboratively to provide a school environment that both challenges and supports students to work to their potential and to meet the grade level standards for reading, writing, math, science, & fine arts. Your continued partnership with the Westwood staff, particularly your child’s teacher, is vital. Please call with any questions or concerns. Communication with the classroom teachers and the office is important to us. If you have any questions or want to know who to contact for certain concerns, please feel free to contact me directly at 815-206-7740.
Ryan Hart, Principal, Westwood Elementary School
Don’t Forget to Sign-Up Conferences!
Winter parent/teacher conferences will be held for all D200 schools on: Thursday, February 14 from 2:00-9:00 PM and on Friday, February 15 from 8:00 AM - 12:30 PM. Some dual language teachers will have additional times available. You will also have the option of signing up for a separate conference with a specials teacher (art, music, or physical education), however you do not have to sign up for a conference with them. If you would like help signing up, please call the office at 815-337-8173. Please see this letter below for all details:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1qKbNTTo4b1MD9RKGzrxDySdRU0Mu3f3wAgL29oq6WHg/edit?usp=sharing
https://woodstockcommunityunitdistrict200.meettheteacher.com
Reading to Your Children
This is one of the best ways you can support your child’s reading progress & achievement.
What should I read aloud? Your child is becoming an independent reader - but that doesn't mean you have to stop reading aloud. In fact, older readers reap many benefits from story time. Some families enjoy shared reading time, with alternating the reading of pages or chapters. Here's advice for deciding what to read:
Stretch their abilities: Choose something more challenging than what your child can read on their own. You'll expose him to more complex plots and harder words. Stop periodically to check whether they understand what is going on, and look up new words in a dictionary or online dictionary.
Show enthusiasm: Pick reading material you and your child will both enjoy. Whether it's a full length novel or a short article, the pleasure you take in reading is likely to be contagious. Consider a classic book you loved at your child's age or a review of a restaurant the two of you would like to try. Maybe you can make choosing a book a family outing by heading over to the Woodstock Public Library. Ask the librarians for help while you’re there because they are always more than willing to help!Erin’s Law Presentation
Bring Someone You Love to Breakfast
Girls on the Run
Westwood Staff Directory
Attention Westwood Young Authors
Winter Clothing
Education Foundation Groundhog Dinner
Education Foundation Groundhog Dinner & Auction - Check out this website for information on the upcoming Groundhog Dinner & Auction put on annually by our amazing Woodstock Education Foundation. All the money raised at this event goes right back to the kids in our Woodstock schools in the form of grants to teachers for special projects & materials. It will be a fun event for a good cause. Interested in volunteering to help set up for the event instead of attending? If so, please call Billie Cornell at 815-354-6719 or email president@d200edfoundation.org
2nd Annual "Get Fit for a Cause"
-Mr. Mecklenburg & the D200 PE Department
Give Kids a Smile
Birthday Celebrations Reminder
Westwood Dental Clinic Registration Extended
PTO Information:
Come Check out the PTO - We're just like you. We're parents, teachers, workers... you name it. And the one thing we all have in common is our dedication to the students at Westwood. And the more involvement we have, the bigger impact we can all make. Our next meeting is Wednesday, February 6, at 6:30pm in the Westwood library! See you there!
Help Us Plan the Fun Fair! - Please consider attending the planning meeting for this year’s Fun Fair on Wednesday, February 6, right before the general meeting at 6:00pm in the library! We’d love to hear your ideas for how to make this a great event for our kids & their families!
Spirit Days - Every Friday is Westwood Spirit Day! Show your school spirit & wear your favorite Westwood Spirit Wear! You can purchase Westwood Spirit Wear anytime by coming into our main office, filling out an order form, & paying by cash or check (made payable to the “Westwood PTO”). The Spirit Wear order will then be delivered to the classroom within a couple weeks!
Family Bingo Night - We will be hosting a Family Bingo Night here at Westwood on Friday, February 22, from 6:00-7:00pm. You'll be able to pre-order your bingo cards so they'll be ready for you on the 22nd & this will be a fun event for the entire family while also raising money for our great Westwood PTO! We can't wait to see you there!
School Store - The next school store dates are Friday, February 8, Friday, February 22, & Friday, March 8. Need a new pencil or pen? Your child can purchase items during their lunch/recess time. They only need to bring a dollar or two at most.
Boxtops - Keep cutting out & sending in those box tops each month! Your child can turn these into their teacher & the homeroom that brings in the most each month gets an animal cracker party!
Westwood PTO On Facebook – Follow us on Facebook by searching for “Westwood Elementary PTO”. We’re the one with the Westwood Wildcats logo! We make special announcements, post pictures, & more!
The Westwood PTO