Westbrook School
October 2, 2020
From the Principal...
Dear Westbrook Families,
At the Board of Education meeting on September 24th, the Board of Education made the decision to transition to a hybrid model if the metrics allow for it, which would allow for some in-person learning beginning on November 9th. Families may choose to continue with remote learning if that best fits their child’s and family’s needs. It is very important that all families complete this survey by TONIGHT. If you did not receive a survey, please check your spam/junk email to see if it went there instead of to your inbox.
This week, our teams have completed early literacy and numeracy benchmarking for all of our kindergarten and first grade students. This information will be used to inform teaching and learning practices within the classroom, as well as to identify students requiring additional math and literacy support services.
Hybrid or Remote Learning Survey - ALL FAMILIES MUST COMPLETE BY TONIGHT!
Thank you to all who completed the hybrid or remote learning survey. If you have not yet done so, please complete the survey by tonight at 11:59pm. There are many steps that will need to be taken after the survey is completed in order to prepare class lists and make changes to our daily schedules. In order to help families make a decision regarding whether they would like their child(ren) to continue with remote learning or participate in some in-person learning through a hybrid model beginning on November 9th, please click on this link to read more information about the different models for our Westbrook students. This link provides a breakdown of the schedules for our Circle of Friends, Kindergarten, and 1st Grade Students. Please know that we are here to help! If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me via phone or email.
Erin’s Law
As you may know, Erin’s Law mandates that sexual abuse prevention education for public school children in Illinois and many other states across the country. More information about Erin’s Law can be found by clicking here. Mrs. Ryno, our social worker, will be presenting a developmentally-appropriate lesson on this topic to each classroom beginning on the week of October 12th.
Our early childhood and kindergarten classes will hear the book Your Body Belongs to You by Cornelia Spelman. This book shares the message that a child’s body is his or her own in developmentally appropriate language. Our first grade classes will hear the book It’s MY Body by Lory Freeman. Mrs. Ryno will lead all classes in a brief discussion that is designed to empower and educate students and will cover the following concepts:
Safe touch vs. unsafe touch
The safety rule (No one should touch your private parts except to keep you clean and healthy)
Secrets
Saying no
Identifying and learning to tell safe, trusted adults
When someone breaks the safety rule, it is not the child’s fault
If you have questions about the content of the program, please feel free to contact Lisa Ryno at lryno@d57.org.
All students will be included in the sexual abuse prevention programs, unless a parent or guardian contacts me to request that their child not participate. Please notify me of this decision via email by Thursday, October 8, so we can arrange an alternate plan for your child.
Half Days During the 2020-2021 School Year
Throughout the 2020-2021 school year, there will be five days of half-day attendance for students throughout the district. At Westbrook, only first grade students will attend on those days. Our Kindergarten and Circle of Friends students will have no school on these days. On these days, the Kids Corner program will only be available to our first grade students in the AM only.
The 2020-2021 dates are:
October 9, 2020 - First grade students will attend from 9:20am-12:20pm.
January 15, 2020
February 12, 2021
March 5, 2021
May 21, 2021
More information to come regarding first grade student hours for the dates following the October 9th date.
Please contact the office if you have any questions or concerns. (wb-office@d57.org),
Westbrook Library Books
Families can now place Westbrook LRC library books on hold to be checked out to students!* Books can be placed on hold using the library's catalog, Destiny Discover. The books will then be checked out to students and made available for outdoor pickup at Westbrook. Please see the following directions and video for more details on how to place books on hold. If you have any questions, please contact Mrs. Larson at clarson@d57.org. We can't wait to check out books to our students!
LRC Book Hold and Checkout InstructionsWestbrook LRC Library Book
Follow Us on Twitter and Instagram
Please follow us on Twitter and Instagram! Our username is: westbrook_school_d57.
Have a beautiful weekend!
Wishing you and your family well,
Kristin Vonder Haar
An Important Reminder from Nurse Tworek:
HEALTH FORMS DUE BY THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15th
For All Kindergarteners, New Preschoolers and New First Graders to Westbrook:
Emails have been sent to families last week to inform parents/guardians of students whom are still in need of submitting their health paperwork to the health office.
The Physical and Immunization Reports are due to the health office, by October 15th, to avoid exclusion from school (once we are back to in-person learning). ****This means your child will NOT be allowed to come to school. Note: Please complete (answer all questions), sign, and date the parent portion at the top of the physical. Make sure your child’s name is on all forms.
The Illinois Department of Public Health mandates that we have these forms in the health office by October, 15th.
Eye exam reports are also due at this time for all Kindergarteners.
We appreciate your diligence in getting this to the health office ASAP!
You my scan the forms and email them to jtworek@d57.org [or] drop the health paperwork in the drop box at Westbrook School (in the foyer of door #1) [or] ask your pediatrician/eye doctor to fax the forms to #847-394-7349. Please alert the health office to keep a look out for any faxed health paperwork.
Thank You!
Julie Tworek, RN
847-394-7340 Ext: 2005
Kim Finnerty, RN (District Nurse)
PEPS Meeting Information
Westbrook PTO Flyers
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