Westwood Elementary Newsletter
WELCOME BACK- AUGUST 2023
Welcome Back Families!
I hope this email finds you well. We are so excited to be back and cannot wait to see you! This newsletter contains important information, and I will send only one each month. Please take the time to read it each month- it is packed full of information. We also will have printed copies in the main office, should you need one. Please make sure you have an email listed in PowerSchool that you check regularly- we frequently communicate electronically.
We have some new faces here at Westwood, see below for information on our new School Counselor and new Assistant Principal. Ms. Jones will not be here at Westwood Elementary this year, and we wish her all the best at Ely and Northwood Elementaries. Mrs. Stefancin, will be starting her retirement and we also wish her joy and relaxation in retirement. I would like to thank both of them for all they did for our students while they were here.
Regular attendance at the elementary school level is crucial to each student’s success, as it sets up a good pattern for your child’s entire school career. Please make sure your child is here every day that it is possible.
Please follow us if you are not already: Westwood Elementary-Elyria City Schools; https://www.facebook.com/westwoodelementaryecsd/
I am excited to watch your student learn, grow, and succeed. My goal is to make your student feel loved and comfortable here, all while meeting their needs, growing them academically and finding their strengths and interests. I am committed to helping every child reach their full potential; academically, socially and emotionally.
If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us.
Your Partner in Education,
Ms. Stacey Gatten
Principal
Happenings this Month
August
17- Open House (details below)
21- First day for students with last name A-G only (last names beginning H-Z DO NOT attend today)
22- First day for students with last name H-O only (last names beginning A-G and P-Z DO NOT attend today)
23-First day for students with last name P-Z only (last names beginning A-O DO NOT attend today)
24- First full day for all students
Drop off and pick up procedures
To ensure drop-off and pickup run smooth and effective:
· You may ONLY at 42101 Griswold to enter the car line. We will no longer be using Adelbert for drop off- Adelbert is only for Preschool now.
· Please do not plan to arrive earlier than 8:55 for Elementary School drop off in the morning. If Elementary students arrive early you will need to keep your student(s) in the vehicle with you until staff comes out to unload students at 8:55am.
· Please do not plan to arrive earlier than 3:00pm for Elementary pickup in the afternoon.
· Once in the lot, please pull up to the car in front of you, as this will allow more cars to enter the lot, and keep cars off the street.
· Please be ready and prepared so that we can keep cars moving efficiently in the lot.
· Follow all directions from staff, they are there to help.
· Please drive safe and slow- this is a school zone and we need to keep all students and staff safe.
· You will exit at Griswold also.
We appreciate your help in keeping our students safe.
Building Information-
School hours are 9:10am-3:10pm.
Doors do not open until 8:55- please do not drop off early or allow students to walk early.
If you are dropping off, please hold your child in the car with you until 8:55am.
Please call the office to report your child(ren)’s absence at 284-8002 before 9:30AM. Our phone has 24-hour voicemail so that you may call and leave a message anytime. Please leave a voicemail if no one answers the phone in the office; voicemails are frequently checked and the office will receive your message.
Please make sure you always have a photo ID with you, when you come to the school, this is for the safety of our students.
The Main Office of any school building is a hub of activity. Students and staff are always on the go, in and out of the space throughout the school day.
It’s an active place for regular check-ins and meetings with students, as well as staff conferences and daily interactions with school principals and counselors. The Main Office is also a confidential space at times for conversations and interactions between school personnel and students.
Parents and caregivers are part of the equation, too. For any number of reasons, parents may be asked to come to their child’s school during the day. When that happens, parents should follow the district’s visitor procedures by using the school’s main entrance buzzer and intercom system to gain entrance to the school, and then signing in at the front desk.
If parents/caregivers do not have a meeting at the school but still need to come to the school during the day to see their child or to speak to a staff member, call-ahead notice or an appointment is required.
This ensures parents will be seen in a timely manner and upholds the safety practices of the school. To contact the Main Office, please call 440-284-8002
Our school address is: Westwood Campus, 42350 Adelbert St, Elyria, OH 44035
Our phone number will stay the same: 284-8002
Westwood Elementary Open House and Title Information Night
Please join us at Westwood Elementary school for Open House on
Thursday, August 17th from 5:30-6:30pm.
You will have the chance to meet your title teachers and receive more information on Title 1 services.
Stop in your student’s classroom and visit their teacher.
Bus info
You can also find more information here:
Follow us on Facebook!
Westwood Elementary- Elyria City Schools.
Also follow Elyria City School District for district information.
Food Services
You may apply online
for free/reduced lunch. Please complete this form as soon as possible.
A breakfast will be available to all students at no cost this year
Firstview Bus information
You can sign up here:
https://www.elyriaschools.org/departments/operations/transportation
Information is Just a Text Away!
Have you opted in to receive text messages from Elyria Schools?
If you haven't already, please take a moment to sign up to receive automatic text messages from Elyria Schools.
This is a valuable tool in an emergency or when there's important, time-sensitive information to share.
The service is free and opting in is easy. Parents or guardians simply need to send a text message of “Y” or “Yes” to our district's short code number at 67587.
Just as simple, you can opt out at any time by replying to one of our messages with “Stop.”
The text feature and the robocall system are tied directly a student's contact information that is on file with your child's school. Please make sure this information is kept up-to-date to ensure you continue receiving calls or texts from Elyria Schools.
Meet our new School Counselor, Mrs. Yee!
Hello! My name is Stacey Yee, and I am excited to be the school counselor at Westwood Elementary! I have been a school counselor for 5 years and was previously an Intervention Specialist. My husband and I live in Elyria with our 11 month old daughter. I look forward to working with the students, families, and staff at Westwood Elementary this year!
Same face, new role- Mrs. Hayes is our new Receptionist!
Meet Ms. Neale, our new Assistant Principal!
Hello, My name is Erin Neale and I am very excited to be the Assistant Principal at Westwood Elementary this year. I am eager to start my journey at Westwood and to continue my educational journey with the Elyria City Schools. I have spent the last 11 years in Elyria City Schools teaching at Franklin Elementary, Hamilton Elementary and Eastern Heights Middle School. I have a passion for building relationships with children, parents and teachers, and I feel that is key to helping children learn and grow. I am looking forward to beginning an amazing year of academic growth for your child. I look forward to meeting you and your child; please feel free to stop by and introduce yourself during Open House or the first couple days of school. Let's have a wonderful school year!
Whose class will my child/children be in?
Here is the PowerSchool link https://ps-elyr.metasolutions.net/public/
News from the School Nurse
Hello Families,
I am Mrs. Hess and will be your school nurse again this year. Mrs. McKinney will be our school health aide, and we are excited to start a new school year!
Welcome back to school!
To help get back into the school routine:
Go to bed at the same time every night
Get at least 8 hours or more of sleep
Eat a healthy breakfast every morning
Get plenty of exercise to help you stay healthy
Get into a routine of doing homework
Healthy Habits to help you stay illness free all year!
Wash your hands often with soap and water.
Cover your mouth when you cough: use your elbow not your hands.
Eat nutritious foods like fruits and veggies for snack and lunch every day.
Don’t skip meals.
Please make sure your student’s immunizations are up to date, if they are not according to state mandates, students can’t come to school after September 15th.
Please make sure if your student is to take medication at school that a form is completed by a physician, signed by a legal guardian and brought to the clinic in its original container.
Thank you and for questions please contact me at hessrose@elyriaschools.org or
Rose Hess RN. BSN. LSN. @ 440-284-8153
Thank you,
Rose Hess
School Nurse
School attire and cell phones
Hoodies, and similar tops or jackets with hoods, are "fan favorites" when it comes to school attire. We like them, too, but not when they are worn up and over the head during the school day.
The district's Student Code of Conduct provides direction on headgear, stating that it may not be worn over a person's head or scalp (excluding headgear that's worn for religious or medical reasons.) Hoods can make it difficult to identify an individual in an emergency, and they can also be a distraction in class. Please remind students that hoods may not be worn up during the school day.
The Student Code of Conduct also offers guidance on attire. Clothing must be school appropriate and may not present a health or safety hazard or disrupt the educational environment. Pants and tops must fit properly and be in good repair; crop tops are not permitted.
Additionally, footwear must be school appropriate--slippers and slipper socks are not permitted. Blankets also may not be worn in school.
Students may bring their cell phones to school but they must be turned off and put away during the day unless they are used as a part of a teacher-directed lesson in class. Same rules apply to Bluetooth headphones--they may not be worn during the school day.
If you need to reach your student during the school day, please contact the main office and our staff will convey a message or assist you in reaching your student.
School Picture Day
Staggered start for K-8
Like last year, students in kindergarten through eighth grade are starting the year with a staggered return, beginning Monday, Aug. 21.
The gradual start gives elementary and middle school students the opportunity to meet their teachers and learn their new schedules in smaller, more individualized settings.
Staggered start begins Monday, August 21th for grades K-8.
8/21-First day for students with last name A-G only (last names beginning H-Z DO NOT attend today)
8/22-Frist day for students with last name H-O only (last names beginning A-G and P-Z DO NOT attend today)
8/23-First day for students with last name P-Z only (last names beginning A-O DO NOT attend today)
8/24-First day of school for ALL students
Kindergarten Screenings
Stay Connected
Website: https://www.elyriaschools.org/domain/30
Location: 42350 Adelbert St, Elyria, OH 44035, USA
Phone: 440-284-8002