Westridge Wildcat News
February 19, 2021
Message from the Principal
Dear Wildcat Families,
On February 23rd, Westridge will welcome our Kindergarten and 1st Grade Wildcats to in-person learning. We have been busy getting the building ready and are excited to see you! All 2nd and 3rd Grade students will follow on March 1, and our 4th and 5th Grade Wildcats return on March 5.
In preparation for reopening, please remind your children that Westridge will look and feel different. Everyone is required to wear a mask, wash their hands frequently and maintain proper social distancing. I know our students will respond quickly and easily if we all are good role models. Parents, please wear a mask and maintain proper distance when dropping off and picking up your student.
Remember to check out our reopening page below which includes our reopening video and other important information to ensure you and your child are ready for in-person learning.
With your help, Reopening will be a huge success for all!
Stay warm and safe!
Principal Montgomery
Save These Dates!
2/19 - Youth Truth Survey window closes (EXTENDED through next Friday, Feb 26)
2/20 - PTSO fundraiser- MOD Pizza (see flyer below and click to register!)
2/23 - First Day for Kindergarten and 1st Grade students
2/24 - Registration opens for Kindergarten and Spanish Immersion Kindergarten
2/24 - Kinder Counts Information Night
3/1 - First Day for Grades 2 and 3 students
3/5 - First Day for Grades 4 and 5 students
Math Placement
Black History Month
February is Black History Month. Some classroom discussions and activities this month may connect to Black history throughout our school. Attention to Black history is not limited to this month as we continue growing as a community of learners committed to being anti-bias and anti-racist in all that we do. Read about districtwide efforts focused on Diversity Equity and Inclusion here .
Returning to In-Person School Starts February 23rd
Description of models:
Hybrid Model:
- Students will return to in-person instruction at Westridge gradually (see Save These Dates)
- Students attend Westridge on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays for Math and ELA
- Students will enter and exit the building from designated and dedicated doorways with appropriate social distancing
- Arrival and dismissal procedures will be designed to maintain social distancing with specified protocols
- AM Cohort will be at Westridge from 8 to 10:45 am
- PM Cohort will be at Westridge from 12:45 to 3:30 pm
- Wednesdays are multi-synchronous days, students will access classes online
- All Specials classes (PE, Music, STEM, Science, Health and SEL) will take place online
- There will be no recess or snack
Students and teachers are required to wear CDC recommended facemasks [covering noses and mouths] for the entire cohort session, including entering and departing the building.
Students will be at individual desks, 6 feet apart. Students can work at their desks and floor space within their 6 foot bubble.
Students will be allowed to bring water bottles and appropriate safety protocols will be followed
We have water bottle refill stations, but ALL drinking fountains are closed.
We will still have breaks in our 6 foot bubble.
Classrooms, desks, and all items left out will be sanitized using an electrostatic disinfectant in between cohorts and after school.
Students will have access to classroom books, though after use, will be “quarantined” for 24-hours. The library will offer delivery of library books to classrooms (either for in classroom use or for take-home)
There is a possibility a classroom can close down and go back to CDL. This will be in response to contact tracing of any cases of Covid.
Students MUST NOT come to school with illness symptoms listed on Please Keep Ill Students Out Of School. Kids must not be medicated to cover up symptoms.
If your family travels, you may be asked to quarantine.
There will be no drop off before 8am, and no families socializing out front of school.
- Staff will expect and implement safety protocols
- AM/PM In-Person Cohort Schedule
If you need your child transported to school via the school bus, you MUST register with the district. You can go to the LOSD website for registration information, or click here to sign-up for Bus Transportation. The buses are working closely with the district nurse and staff to make it as safe as possible. Students will be in masks, sitting every other seat, alternating rows. Bus drivers will be doing visual checks for any symptoms. The buses (as always) have cameras for security purposes.
Our Online Model will continue:
- AM Cohort will be online from 8 to 10:45 am on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday
- PM Cohort will be online from 12:45 to 3:30 pm on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday
- Wednesdays are multi-synchronous days
- All Specials classes (PE, Music, STEM, Science, Health and SEL) will take place online
- AM/PM Online Cohort Schedule
Information about our reopening plans can be found on our district website under Roadmap to Reopening. and in the Ready Schools, Safe Learners guidelines. Specific information about our Health and Safety Protocols can be found here.
Current dates for returning to in person-hybrid school can be found in the schedule below. Both the District and we will continue to update you with more information as it becomes available. If you have questions, please do not hesitate to ask.
Pizza and PTSO!
Please help us plan by spreading the word to your friends and family and by RSVPing at www.groupraise.com/events/175849. Thank you!
PTSO Fundraiser: Minted
Updated Elementary Grab-and-Go Distribution Schedule
Monday, February 22 11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. curbside at Lake Grove and River Grove Thursday, February 25 11:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m. curbside at Lake Grove and River Grove Monday, March 1 11:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m. curbside at Lake Grove and River Grove Thursday, March 4 Classroom Distribution Begins at all Elementary Schools (K-3) Friday, March 5 Classroom Distribution at all Elementary Schools (K-5)
· Thursday, February 25 and Monday, March 1 have new Grab-and-Go pickup time at the elementary schools to accommodate Hybrid in-person students' classroom schedule
· Thursday, March 4 Grab-and-Go meals will be distributed to students every day the students are in the classrooms. More detailed information is coming next week.
· Until the end of the school year, our high school Grab-and-Go curbside distribution will continue for LO Online students, secondary students, homeschooled students, and community students.
Grab-and-Go Meal Survey
Please complete this short five-question Grab-and-Go Meal Survey to help Food Services plan for our return to school.
Critical Message from the Westridge Office:
On that note, we are here to help make sure your child and you have the best year ever! Please contact us if you have any questions or concerns. We are in the office Monday through Friday from 7:30am - 3:00pm.
Jodi Steward and Andrea Murphy
Westridge Elementary School Office
503-534-5371
Register for the School Bus
In preparation of our students being able to attend school in person, we need to be ready to provide bus transportation for all students who need it. We are encouraging families to walk, bike or carpool, when possible, but if you think your child will ever need to take the bus to or from school during the 2020-2021 school year they will need to be registered.
Please complete a registration for each child in your care. Thank you in advance for your prompt response in this essential preparation for onsite school. Register for the Bus with this link. For more information, see the Student Transportation of America website: https://www.losdschools.org/Domain/66
YouthTruth Surveys - EXTENDED THROUGH FEB. 26
As part of our district diversity, equity, and inclusion work, we are excited to offer the opportunity for you to give us feedback on your school experience through the YouthTruth survey. Giving parents, staff, and students the opportunity to reflect on their school experience is vital to understanding where we are and where we want to go.
The YouthTruth School Experience Survey is scheduled to be administered to all 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade elementary students between Monday, February 1 and Friday, February 19, 2020 during the school day. The survey will take 15-30 minutes to complete. Please note that parents may opt their child out of the survey if they would like - click here for more information.
Please use the link below to access the 15-minute survey from the District website. The YouthTruth survey is confidential. You and your 3rd, 4th and 5th grade child(ren) responses will be held in the strictest confidence.
We encourage everyone to participate. This will be an important piece of information for administrators to use in order to address school experience issues.
Spanish Immersion Kindergarten Registration & Lottery for 2021-22
For families interested in signing up their kindergarteners for the Spanish Immersion Program, please heed these important dates for the 2021-2022 school year:
- Application available on the District website: February 24, 2021
- Application Deadline: March 12, 2021, 3:30 p.m.
- Lottery Date: March 17, 2021, 3:00 p.m.*
- Lottery Notification: March 19, 2021
*Should the district receive more applications than spaces available, a lottery will be held. Those wishing to participate in the lottery must submit their application to the District Administration Office no later than 3:30 p.m. on Friday, March 12, 2021.
*Younger siblings of students currently in kindergarten through 4th grade of the Spanish Immersion program have priority for enrollment only at the kindergarten level. Sibling priority does not apply to current siblings on the waitlist. If you currently have a child enrolled in LOSD’s kindergarten through 4th grade Spanish immersion program, you will have the first choice for enrollment in the kindergarten program. You will not be entered into the lottery, but you must submit an application to the program prior to the March 12, 2021 (3:30 p.m.) lottery deadline to be assured a slot. Slots not filled from sibling applications will be available in the general lottery.
Visit the LOSD Spanish Immersion Website for more details.
New Student Registration for 2021-22 School Year
Registration for the 2021-22 school year will begin soon.
- January 20, 2021 for registering new students enrolling into grades 1–12 who have never enrolled in Lake Oswego before and returning students enrolling into grades 1–12 who are not currently enrolled but will re-enroll for next year.
- February 24, 2021 for registering new students enrolling into kindergarten for the 2021-22 school year.
- Students who are currently attending LOSD during the 2020-21 school year do not need to register for the 2021-22 school year.
LOSD is pleased to offer online registration through its parent portal, ParentVUE (contact your resident school for help with logging in). See the Registration & Verification page of the LOSD website for guidance.
Kindergarten Counts 2021-2022:
- Kindergarten Information Night (Kindergarten Counts) is on February 24, 2021. Each elementary school will hold an incoming kindergarten information night for parents to learn about kindergarten and meet the school's staff. More information about Kindergarten Counts will be forthcoming.
Information about Kindergarten in LOSD can be found here
Read Aloud Club with Mr. Kieser:
Starting January 13th, Mr. Kieser will host a weekly book read-aloud on Wednesdays from 11:00-11:30 geared for students in grades K-2, but everyone is welcome. Come for a story and connection with peers!
You can access all of Mr. Kieser's groups at this link or directly though your student's Clever account with these instructions!
Grade 3-5 Scratch Coding Club
Do you like to play computer games? Have you ever wondered how they were made? Come to our 3rd-5th grade Scratch Coding Club. We will use the Scratch website https://scratch.mit.edu/ to learn how to move a spirit and create different games. Come learn how to code in Scratch and share projects with your friends.
We will meet in Mrs. Bates Zoom Room on Fridays at 11 Am. I hope to see you there.
Mindfulness Club
Hello Westridge parents and students! I am excited to offer a new opportunity for social connection and skill building. I will be hosting a drop-in Mindfulness Group open to all students at the following times:
7:45-7:55 Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday
12:30-12:45 Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday
In each group, we will do a quick check-in, a short mindfulness activity and a stretch or yoga pose. You can access the group at this link, or use these instructions to access the link through your student's Clever account.
Social Time Munch and Crunch Lunch Clubs
Mr. Kieser hosts lunch groups for Kindergarten, 2nd and 4th grades. This is a time for all students in each grade to come together to have lunch, chat and do an activity together. Lunch Group is from 12:00-12:25 on the following days:
Kindergarten-Tuesday
2nd Grade-Thursday
4th Grade-Friday
Use this link or click on Mr. Kieser in your Clever Classroom to access any of Mr. Kieser’s groups:
https://zoom.us/j/5036503078?pwd=czVkb0lSUDdOUDVSeFE1bjB1bkJUQT09
Mrs. Bates hosts lunch groups for 1st, 3rd, and 5th grades. This is a time for all students in each grade to come together to have lunch, chat and do an activity together. Lunch Group is from 12:00-12:25 on the following days:
1st grade-Tuesday
3rd Grade-Thursday
5th Grade-Friday
Use this link or click on Mrs. Bates Zoom Room in your Clever Classroom to access: https://loswego-k12-or-us.zoom.us/j/3737960708
Waste Less Wednesdays
This is an opportunity for 5th grade students to meet and learn with the Lake Oswego High School Green Team. In March, fifth graders will be learning about food waste and its impact in their science classes (March 3-5). They will also continue this learning in Innovation/STEM class with a project focused on helping to decrease food waste. In addition, they will have a chance to meet with the high school green team and learn more. See details below.
February 24, March 3, March 10 (11-11:30 am): Waste Less
Wednesday Adult-supervised meetings over Zoom. Activities will
include high student-led discussions (whole group and breakout
rooms, Kahoots, short videos, etc..)
Topics will include:
● Learn how to perform a home food waste audit;
● Discuss what we know about food waste and its impact
on the environment, as well as strategies for preventing food
waste at home
● Imagine how our food waste data can drive strategies
● Explore how small changes locally can add up to a big
difference
Join Zoom Meeting
https://loswego-k12-or-us.zoom.us/j/83896317784?pwd=UDJLcTJwbUl5WUhRQzdZU0pTMC83Zz09
Westridge School Counseling Family Resources
Dear Westridge Parents,
This year I've had the pleasure of hosting virtual social groups for students. With the upcoming transition to in-person hybrid learning, I will need to make changes to the group schedules. Friday, February 19th will be the last day for the groups that I host. I will publish a new schedule in the newsletter as soon as possible. Gary Kieser, MA, LPC School Counselor Westridge Elementary School 503-534-2371, ext. 3932
Counseling Corner:
Social Emotional Learning-Kindness
Hello Westridge parents! Our theme for February's Social Emotional Learning curriculum is Kindness. These lessons are posted in my Google Classroom every Monday morning. You can find more info on our theme, including great family connection activities and links to my Google Classroom in our February SEL Newsletter.
February 17th Problem-Solving Webinar
As part of our efforts to support you in these challenging times, our School Counselor, Mr. Kieser, is hosting a webinar on strategies for parent/child problem solving strategies on February 17th from 6:00-7:00 pm. This webinar will provide you with concrete tools to reduce stress and build problem solving skills in your child. The Zoom link for the webinar is https://zoom.us/j/5036503078?pwd=czVkb0lSUDdOUDVSeFE1bjB1bkJUQT09
LOSD CARES Website:
LOSD CARES is a Connection and Resilience in Education Series hosted by the LOSD Wellness team of our school counselors, social workers and psychologists. Working with community mental health partners LOSD has developed a workshop series for parents and guardians to support, inform, and empower families on issues surrounding mental health. On January 27th we hosted our first event titled Parenting in a Pandemic: Building Resilience in Children and Adolescents. You can access a recording of the event and related resources at the LOSD CARES website.
Donating to Westridge PTSO
The Westridge Elementary PTSO (Parent Teacher Student Organization) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization run by parent volunteers. Through parent and community donations, we help to fund field trips, technology, and over 30 school programs each year for the enrichment of Westridge students.
While in the midst of the ongoing COVID pandemic, we find ourselves in an especially unique position this year. Many of our community members have experienced financial hardships as a result of the pandemic. We realize that it may not be viable for your family to donate to our annual fundraiser, and thus, we are not hosting one during this academic year.
While our school year looks quite different this year, the need for resources to enrich the academic experience of each and every student is still very real. Therefore, we are still gratefully accepting donations. If you are in a position to donate and able to take advantage of your employer's corporate matching program, we encourage you to participate in giving. Your donations are incredibly valuable and allow us to support our teachers and students.
Thank you for considering donating to support our Westridge students. If you would like to donate at this time or at any time during the school year, please visit Tinyurl.com/wildcatfund.
ODE State Assessment Notice
Westridge Elementary
Email: kari.montgomery@loswego.k12.or.us
Website: https://www.losdschools.org/wr
Location: 3400 Royce Way, Lake Oswego, OR, USA
Phone: (503) 534-2371