Westchester Weekly
Newsletter September 15, 2022
News from the Principal
Hello Westchester Community,
It has been a great week at Westchester ES. Thank you to all the parents that have attended conferences. I am certain that you heard many great things about the progress your child is making. Fall Break is upon us. I hope each of you have time to rest, relax and enjoy your children.
There are a few updates coming after we return from Fall Break. Please consider the following.
We will welcome parents to enjoy lunch with their children beginning Tuesday September 26th.
Due to limited time and considering this is a special time for your and your child, we ask that younger siblings are not included.
If parents plan to eat a school lunch, they will need to have $4.50 cash or deduct the cost from their child’s lunch account. We will have a link on our school website that you can sign up for an adult lunch.
Please be mindful of food from outside since we do have students with food sensitivities. We do not allow for sharing. Any fast food would need to be eaten with your child outside the cafeteria.
Community Circle - September 30th.
Please arrive by 8:25 AM, proceed to the auditorium.
Our first grade students led our Circle last week and will lead the next one. We invite any first grade parents to join us. Enjoy the music and fun with our students and staff.
Upon conclusion, we will dismiss parents to exit the building. Students will then return to class.
Mark your calendars for our first parent Coffee Chat. We invite parents to attend to learn more about standards-based grading and the use of the Infinite Campus gradebook. We will offer two sessions.
October 10th at 8:30 at the school.
There will also be a Virtual session that evening at 6:30 PM for parents that can not attend in the morning.
Have an enjoyable Fall break. We look forward to seeing everyone back on September 26th.
From your grateful principal,
Christine Knox
Calendar of Events
September
- 9/12-16- Conference week
- 9/15 & 9/16- Early Release days 12:50 pm
- 9/15-10/15- Hispanic Heritage Month
- 9/19-23- Fall Break- No School
- 9/25-9/27 Rosh Hashanah
- 9/27- Author visit with Erin Entrada Kelly
- 9/30- 8:30 AM Community Circle with First Grade!
- 9/30-10/1 -Decatur Book Festival https://decaturbookfestival.com/session
- 10/10-10/14- WE Book Fair
Wolves of the Week!
Students at Westchester are demonstrating collaboration, one of our habits of scholarship.
CSD Hispanic Heritage Month
We celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 to October 15) to recognize the achievements and contributions of Hispanic American champions who have inspired others to achieve success. The observation began in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week under President Lyndon Johnson. It was enacted into law on August 17, 1988. The theme for 2022 is "Unidos: Inclusivity for a Stronger Nation ."
View related records on the National Archives’ Hispanic/Latino Heritage resource page and in the Archives Catalog.
More information about this month is available on our Equity website.
From Señora Rodes
Hola familia!
It’s Septiembre 15th!! Today we start a month of celebration for all Hispanic people who live in the United States. We celebrate our heritage, the significant presence and influence of Hispanics in our society, and our broad spectrum of traditions and culture.
We encourage you to explore and to join us to celebrate “The Hispanic Heritage Month” in some way! How? There are many ways to celebrate! Here, just a few of them:
Here in Decatur we will have our local Hispanic celebration. Check the Placita Latina for this coming Saturday September 17!!
Listen to Music
A great way to teach children about Hispanic culture is by exposing them to music in Spanish. Choose age-appropriate music or music by key figures in Spanish music or just sing along with the 21 Speaking countries song in Rockalingua (username and password: westchester)
Get into the Kitchen
Food is always something that reminds people of home. Hispanic culture has a plethora of cuisine to enjoy from every Hispanic culture. Parents can get into the kitchen with their children and prepare recipes from diverse Hispanic cultures. Another option is to eat from a Hispanic restaurant and try something new. Nowadays, it is easy to find Argentinian empanadas, El Salvadorian pupusas, and Mexican tacos in the Metropolitan Atlanta area. Try the favorite sandwich of Sra. Rodés: Cuban sandwiches . Very close to us, here at 1365 Clairmont Rd we can find ”Buena gente”, another Cuban restaurant. Metro Atlanta has some amazing Mexican restaurants; here are some of our favorites. Plaza Fiesta’s restaurants offer lots of options for Latin American cuisine. Buford Highway also has some great options. More restaurants include Alma Cocina in Buckhead; Nuevo Laredo Cantina in Atlanta; No Mas! Cantina in Atlanta; La Fonda Latina with five locations; The Freakin’ Incan in Roswell; and Xelapan in Doraville. For a sweet treat, check out La Moreliana or Picos in Plaza Fiesta or La Mejor de Michoacan in Norcross.
Read Spanish or Bilingual Books
Books and stories often tell a story that reflects the background of a certain culture. You can read Spanish language or bilingual books to your children to learn more about various Hispanic cultures. We are developing a virtual Spanish library here.
Important Information about Gifted Review
Fall Book Fair 10/10-10/14
CSD News and Announcements
Special Education Department
Community Spotlight Meeting- Threshold Community Program
Mr. Dave Nelson, Executive Administrative Director of Threshold Community Program, will share an overview of supports provided by this program.
Services include but are not limited to:
Individual and group counseling
College and career support
Social skills building
Academic tutoring and support for middle, high school, and college students
Target Audience: Parents of students ages 14-18 with an IEP.
Date: September 29
Time: 6-7pm
Location: Virtual (Register Here)
For questions, email Cheryl Grant cgrant@csdecatur.net
ESOL Parent Meeting and Title I Annual Parent Meeting
Attention all ESOL & Federal Programs Parents and Families!!!
Please Save the Date for our ESOL Parent Meeting and Title I Annual Parent Meeting hosted on Thursday, October 6, 2022 at 5:00 p.m. at the Wilson Center Central Office,125 Electric Avenue Decatur, GA 30030.
Come learn about our ESOL & Title I Programs in CSD and the support your student will receive this year. We will have treats, music, games, and Vegan S'mores for the whole family to enjoy.
Additional Information about the meeting can be found on the flyer linked here.
This meeting will be recorded.
If you have questions about the ESOL Parent Meeting and Title I Annual Parent Meeting, please contact Paris Hardnett at phardnett@csdecatur.net or Willie Washington at wwashington@csdecatur.net.
Superintendent Search Community Conversation
Thank you to everyone that attended the input session facilitated by GSBA on the 14th. We will have another session on the 28th.
Although it is not required to attend, we are asking for anyone wishing to attend one of the in-person sessions to please register via this form. Registering ahead of time will help us better plan the events and breakout sessions.
Event details:
Session Two: Wednesday, September 28, from 6-7:30 pm in the Decatur High School cafeteria.
If you can not attend the next session, you can still provide input by participating in the survey on the website.
Community Partner Announcements and Updates
City of Decatur
Attention!! All teachers and instructors who are Artists, Actors, Chefs, Scientists, Engineers, and Designers! If you are looking for a Summer opportunity that engages kids and aids in the exploration of kids' interests, look no further. E Camps Summer program will offer a variety of interest each week. Camps are presented in four categories: Cooking, Theatre, STEAM, and Explorations.
If you would like to share your expertise and talents with our participants by facilitating an enrichment camp please use the link below to apply.
Here is the link for the 2022-2023 E-Camp Summer Application: https://decaturga.seamlessdocs.com/f/ECamp2023.
Decatur Education Foundation
Would you like to help a high schooler meet their post-secondary goals? It’s not too late to volunteer as a FOCUS Coach, and we need just a few more volunteers. Click here to sign up: https://forms.gle/DCP6xpRJeV6LcmMn9.
We currently have 28 2nd- 8th grade CSD students who have requested a tutor, but only 20 tutors – could you donate one hour per week to tutor a CSD student? Sometimes there is a specific need, and other times, the students need help with homework, organization, or motivation. If that sounds like a great way to give back to your community, click here to sign up: https://forms.gle/w5jbpvWnpkVFYnN48.
PS – Upper high schoolers make GREAT tutors, and many need volunteer hours!
Our friends at Gathered & Grounded are offering a group session just for teens called Unwind Sundays during the month of October. Sessions are from 8-9 pm on October 2, 9, 30 and November 6 and are designed to provide a safe place for teens to prepare for their week. To sign up go to www.GatheredAndGrounded.com. DEF is providing scholarships for families for which the attendance cost is prohibitive.
MADISON AVE DERBY - REGISTRATION OPEN
Don't miss your chance to be a part of one of Decatur's most iconic neighborhood events! Driver registration is now open for the 11th Annual Madison Avenue Derby, the non-motorized racing event where amateur racers of all ages design and build human-powered soapbox cars to compete against the clock in a downhill race!
Join the excitement as a racer or spectator on October 15, 2022, for a day of family-friendly fun - proceeds from the event this year go to support the Friends of Refugees! REGISTER TO RACE NOW
Reminders from Last Week
Personal Belongings
Be sure to label all student items with their name. Many unclaimed items land in our Lost and Found each year. Previously, students were able to bring personal “stuffies” and toys to school with them. We are asking that all of these personal items remain at home unless it is a special event that has been communicated by your classroom teacher. If they are brought to school teachers will direct students to keep them in their lockers and not bring them to school again.
School Website
Check out our updated Website. This is a great source of information that’s regularly updated. You can also connect to the PTA website. You will find helpful communication such as the Westchester Family Handbook.
Who Do I Contact?
Visit past newsletters for answers to your questions🤗
Westchester Elementary School
Email: bnation@csdecatur.net
Website: https://www.csdecatur.net/Westchester
Location: 758 Scott Boulevard, Decatur, GA, USA
Phone: 404-370-4400
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/westchesterelementarycsd