Westwood Elementary Newsletter

SEPTEMBER 2022

WWES Families,

Thank you for a great start to the school year. This is your September Newsletter, please read it, as it contains a lot of important information.


Do you know that we have a building pledge? Ask your student about it and we would love for you to recite it at home too!

We are special

We can learn

We can think for ourselves

We are good

We are loved


We also will 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

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Happenings this Month

Happenings this Month

September

5- Labor Day, no school

13- PTO @ 3:30

14- Marco's pizza night

20- Vaccination exclusion day

Happenings this Month
Drop off and pick up procedures

Drop off and pick up procedures

Please be patient- drop off and pickup takes time.


To ensure dropoff and pickup run smooth:


· Please enter ONLY at the old Westwood Middle school entrance, on Adelbert to enter the car line.


· Please do not plan to arrive earlier than 8:55 for drop off in the morning. If you arrive early you will need to keep your student(s) in the vehicle with you until staff comes out to unload students at 8:55.


· Please do not plan to arrive earlier than 3:00 for pick up 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.


· 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 may exit at Griswold or Adelbert, but again may only enter at Adelbert, at the Old Westwood middle entrance.


Doors open at 8:55am.

The tardy bell rings at 9:10am. Any student who arrives after 9:10am must enter through the main office and sign in.


Please make sure you are following our procedures for drop off and pickup- there is one drop off line, and the detailed map is below. Please enter off Adelbert only; cutting through the parking lot and attempting to cut in line is not fair to everyone else. Also, please take your time, and in order to keep everyone safe, please do not speed through the lots. Cars should NOT be using the elementary circle as a drop-off/pick-up point; this is why we have started placing cones to block it off. We have put this plan in place to provide the safest route for our students; we ask that you please follow those directions while being kind to the adults at drop off and pickup. If you have any questions, please call the school at (440) 284-8002.


We appreciate your help in keeping our students safe.

Drop off and pick up procedures
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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

School Resource Officer Joins Westwood Campus

Westwood welcomes Deputy Lipscomb from the Lorain County Sheriff's Office to Westwood Middle and Westwood Elementary as the new campus School Resource Officer (SRO). Deputy Lipscomb (Mr. L as the students call him) has been spending time going into classrooms and talking to students in lunch to get to know them. He plans to be part of classroom lessons and activities as the year goes on.


Welcome to Westwood and to Elyria Schools, Deputy Lipscomb!

Pictured below are Principal Gatten, Deputy Lipscomb (Mr. L) and Principal Jones.

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Firstview Bus information

First Student offers a live tracking app called FirstView that makes it easy for parents to follow the progress of their student's bus before and after school. This is helpful to allow you to see your students bus and in the event of a delay you could get the information quickly.


You can sign up here:

https://www.elyriaschools.org/departments/operations/transportation

Information is Just a Text Away!

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.

Information is Just a Text Away!
School Picture Day

School Picture Day

School pictures are scheduled for Wednesday, October 12th. More information will be coming home with your student after the school year begins.
School Picture Day

Boys and Girls Club

Applications will be accepted online using this link (www.bgcneo.org), or in person in the main office at Westwood Elementary School. Completed paper applications should be returned to the main office of the location your child wishes to attend.

First day of after-school Boys & Girls Club was August 29th, and if your child qualifies, you will be contacted with a start date. The after-school program is free and children are accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Please email Alivia Nimene at animene@bgcneo.org with any questions.

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News from the School Nurse

News from the School Nurse

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 20th.

Emails and letters were sent out to those students that still need updated shots.


When you get the vaccinations, please send a copy to the office or email to the nurse at hessrose@elyriaschools.org


Please call me with questions at 440-284-8153



Thank you,

Rose Hess

School Nurse

News from the School Nurse
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Elyria City Schools Homepage

All the current and up to date information at a district level.

Stay Connected

Stay Connected

Stay Connected

42350 Adelbert St, Elyria, OH 44035, USA 440-284-8002 elyriaschools.org/domain/30