Hello Westside Families! Thank you for an AMAZING first week of school! The students did such a wonderful job jumping back into the routines and demonstrating our new Explorer Expectations: WE are Safe. WE are Respectful. WE are Responsible.

I truly appreciated your patience and support for dismissal as we ensured every child arrived home safely each day. We have 150 new students on campus compared to last year and almost 50 more car riders, so dismissal is expected to take a little longer. However, the teamwork between you and the staff has allowed us to clear car loop in 30 minutes. Remember that transportation changes cannot be made over the phone, but need to be in writing, and have your car tag labeled and visible in the afternoon. Again, to maximize every instructional minute, students are not moving towards dismissal until 2:30p (1:15p on Fridays), so don't arrive too early.

This week we will have our first monthly Safety Drill per district guidelines. Students will practice different responses to Critical Incidents such as Secure the Perimeter, Shelter in Place, Lockdown, and even Evacuations. All drills will be announced to students and staff as such and families will be notified after their completion.

On Tuesday, August 17th, the Scouts of America will be visiting classrooms to promote their program. On Wednesday, August 18th, the Scouts of America will host an informational meeting on campus at 6p.

Jammers will begin their practices this week and we are excited to see how they will blossom this year! Their first performance is mid-September.

This week we will begin our schoolwide Acceleration Time for ALL students. This time block groups students at their current level and supports or enriches their learning to move every child forward. It is our hope to close some of the achievement gaps caused by the pandemic and indirect effects.

Finally, if you have not "liked" us on Facebook (Westside Elementary), please sign up to get the latest updates and photo posts of all the great things happening around campus.

~Mrs. Stephanie Woodbury, Principal

(321) 956-5050 or Woodbury.Stephanie@BrevardSchools.org

Planners/Welcome Letter

• In the front of your child's planner or in the folder picked up at registration, you will find many of our updated policies and helpful information.
• If you have not yet purchased a planner for your 2nd-6th grader, please send in $5 (cash preferred)

COVID Protocols

• Currently, masks are OPTIONAL for all students and staff. We will have masks available if your child would like one, but forgot theirs at home.
• Social Distancing will still be encouraged and staff are trained to find these opportunities as much as possible.
• Custodial standards will remain to keep our campus clean and disinfected daily.

Arrival Procedures

• Doors to our building and breakfast will open at 7:30am.
• Car Rider drop off is located on the SOUTH side car loop from 7:30a-7:55a.
• Every student is welcome to a FREE breakfast in our cafeteria.
• Classes start promptly at 8:00a.
• If your child arrives past 8:00a, please park and come to the office to sign them in.

Dismissal Procedures

• We will begin our dismissal procedures at 2:30p.
• Car Riders: ALL Kindergarten and their siblings will now pick up in the FRONT car loop. Please begin the line behind the school buses which will load first. 1st-6th grade students who are car riders will be picked up in the SOUTH SIDE car loop. Please have your car tags visible with all student names. We ask for your patience the first week so we can ensure all students arrive home safely.
• Bus Riders: Buses will load in the front of the school. Any PK or Kindergartener must have an identified adult meet them off the bus with an ID. These students will be brought back to school if an adult is not at their drop off location.
• Biker/Walkers: Students who will be walking or biking home will exit at the NORTHWEST bike rack. Students must exit campus before being picked up by parents. Any Kindergartener must be escorted by an older sibling or meet their parent WEST of the bike rack.
• Day Care: Staff members will escort students to their day care vans each day.
• Remember, transportation changes MUST be in WRITING with parent signature. We cannot take transportation changes over the phone.

FREE Breakfast & Lunch

• The state is continuing their support of nutrition in our schools by providing FREE breakfast and lunch for all students.
• You may create an account at http://www.MyPaymentsPlus.com if your child would like to purchase a la carte items such as chips or ice cream.
• Breakfast is open from 7:30a-8:00a in the cafeteria.
• Students will receive 30 minutes for lunch.
• At this time, parents and families are not permitted to have lunch with their child.

Visitors/Volunteers

• At this time, visitors are not permitted on campus per School Board policy. Please say your good-byes at the front doors and our staff will ensure every child is walked safely to class.
• We are welcoming REGISTERED Volunteers back in our building, however, they must be scheduled and approved by administration. If you are interested in volunteering, please reach to your child's teacher or staff member. They will then send proposal to administration for approval.
• If you would like to become a REGISTERED Volunteer through our Brevard District Security office, you can click here for more information.

Dress Code

• Please ensure your child is dressed for success each school day. Below are guidelines to remember:
• Shoes- Students have recess each day and should have appropriate footwear to actively play. ALL shoes must have a back or backstrap around heel. No "slides" or "flip flops" are permitted. Sneakers are preferred especially on PE days.
• Clothing- no ripped or torn clothing is permitted. Torso area needs to be fully covered. Sleeveless shirts must have a 3" width or strap. Clothing or accessories cannot have inappropriate messages or designs.
  
• Hats are not permitted indoors unless for a special event. Students may bring hats for recess or PE.
• ALL dress code policies can be found here in our Student Handbook from BPS.

During the first week of school, every student will be taught our 3 pillars: WE are Safe. WE are Respectful. WE are Responsible. Under each of these pillars are expectations for different school environments such as the classroom, recess, cafeteria, hallway, and bathrooms.

To support positive choices and behaviors, students will earn COMPASS CASH which they can spend on classroom incentives, at our Explorer Exchange store, and even purchase tickets to quarterly PBIS events.

Additionally, we are implementing Class Convention each morning to build strong social-emotional skills and build relationships within each class community.

Be sure to ask your child about the 3 pillars and how they are demonstrating each one!