Westwood Elementary Newsletter
December 2023 AND January 2024
WWES Families,
WWES Families,
How is it already December and the final days of 2023? The weather has decided to change- we have a limited supply of coats and boots if you need them- please call the office (440-284-8002) and Mrs. Hayes will be happy to assist you.
We are very proud of our students and how hard they are working on the "3 Bee's"
Be Kind
Be Respectful
Be Responsible and ready to learn
Students can be recognized in a variety of ways by "bee-ing" caught following these expectations: Positive Office referrals, Student of the Month winners, Bee-bucks, and Worker Bee awards. I hope that you talk about the 3 Bee's at home often. :)
We do have printed copies of this newsletter 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.
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/
If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us.
Your Partner in Education,
Ms. Stacey Gatten
Principal
Happenings this Month
December
2- Santa Breakfast (presale tickets only) 8-10am
15- 4th grade music recruitment concert @ EHS
18- Pajama/cozy day (no slippers, regular shoes need to be worn)
19- Grinch/Green day
20- Winter break begins
January
3- School resumes
11- End of Quarter 2
12- Records Day- no school for students
15- Martin Luther King, Jr. Day- no school for students
16- PD Day- no school for students
19- Report Cards emailed home via school messenger
Drop off and pick up procedures
To ensure drop-off and pickup run smooth and effective:
· You may ONLY enter 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 cut through- this creates additional traffic for EECV, and we want ALL students to be safe.
· 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
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
Counselors Corner
Hello! November was another exciting month for us as we learned about mindfulness and gratefulness leading up to Thanksgiving break. In our lessons, we practiced breathing exercises that allowed us to be more present in the moment to appreciate our current surroundings and situation and created class thankful wreaths. We also took the opportunity to spread kindness and gratitude decorating and delivering thank you notes to someone either at home or school.
We also kicked off our Emotion Management unit in all grades which will continue into December. Each morning on the announcements, we are sharing one fact about emotions for all of us to use to reflect on during our day. Students are learning to name and regulate their emotions while beginning the process of problem solving through both their own emotions as well as with others. Our third and fourth graders are also starting to practice using “I messages”. These “I messages” will blend both categorizing emotions and problem solving as students use the following phrase:
“I feel ________ when you ________. Can you please ________?”
It is the goal during our lessons and throughout each day that students begin using these phrases as they interact with others to improve their communication skills to use assertive language and reduce accusative language.
As usual, see below for some additional information to continue the conversation at home. Thank you!
Mrs. Stacey Yee
School Counselor
News from the School Nurse
Hello Families,
Since RSV is in the news so often, here are some facts and tips for staying healthy: Respiratory syncytial (sin-SISH-uhl) virus, or RSV, is a common respiratory virus that usually causes mild, cold-like symptoms. Most people recover in a week or two, but RSV can be serious. Infants and older adults are more likely to develop severe RSV and need hospitalization. If you are age 60 or older, a vaccine is available to protect you from severe RSV. If you are pregnant, you can get an RSV vaccine between 32–36 weeks of pregnancy to protect your infant after birth, or a preventive antibody can be given to your baby after birth.
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Symptoms: People infected with RSV usually show symptoms within 4 to 6 days after getting infected. Symptoms of RSV infection usually include:
- Runny nose
- Decrease in appetite
- Coughing
- Sneezing
- Fever
- Wheezing
These symptoms usually appear in stages and not all at once. In very young infants with RSV, the only symptoms may be irritability, decreased activity, and breathing difficulties.
RSV can spread when:
- An infected person coughs or sneezes
- You get virus droplets from a cough or sneeze in your eyes, nose, or mouth
- You have direct contact with the virus, like kissing the face of a child with RSV
- You touch a surface that has the virus on it, like a doorknob, and then touch your face before washing your hands.
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Take steps to relieve symptoms: Manage fever and pain with over-the-counter fever reducers and pain relievers, such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen. (Never give aspirin to children). Drink enough fluids. It is important for people with any illness to drink enough fluids to prevent dehydration (loss of body fluids).Talk to your healthcare provider before giving your child nonprescription cold medicines. Some medicines contain ingredients that are not good for children.
Severe RSV: Most of the time RSV will cause a mild, cold-like illness, but it can also cause severe illness such as Bronchiolitis (inflammation of the small airways in the lung) or Pneumonia (infection of the lungs)
Some people are at increased risk of severe RSV disease, including those who have chronic lung or heart disease or a weakened immune system.
Two to three out of every 100 infants and older adults with RSV infections may need to be hospitalized.
To avoid the spread of all diseases, wash your hands well, sanitize surfaces such as door knobs and remotes and avoid crowded places unless wearing a mask for protection. Stay home when sick and get plenty of rest.
Have a Healthy and Happy Holiday Season,
Thank you and for questions please contact me at hessrose@elyriaschools.org or @ 440-284-8153
Thank you,
Rose Hess RN. BSN. LSN.
School Nurse-Westwood Campus
Sending in treats......
Families may bring in prepackaged treats (with ingredients listed by the company that packaged it) BUT we are really encouraging non-food items. We have to be very careful of food allergies, to keep all students safe. Birthday treats ARE not required or encouraged, but okay, if you choose.
Birthday/Holiday treat ideas include:
Pencils, bookmarks, fidgets, pop-its, bracelets, crayons, squishes, pencil toppers or erasers, glow sticks, play dough, slinkies, stickers, prepackaged snack with ingredients listed (from the company that produces it).
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.
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.
Stay Connected
Website: https://www.elyriaschools.org/domain/30
Location: 42350 Adelbert St, Elyria, OH 44035, USA
Phone: 440-284-8002