The Compass
Week of August 9, 2021
Navigation Notes
Welcome Back Westside Students and Families! We are excited to kick off the 2021-2022 school year with you and your child. Thank you to all who attended our "Meet the Teacher" event last Friday night as it was wonderful to see your smiling faces in our building.
Below you will find important Back-to-School information, so please take a few moments to review for a smooth transition. The entire Westside staff is anxiously awaiting the arrival of our 1st-6th grade students starting on Tuesday, August 10th! Kindergarten begins officially on Friday, August 13th. Let's have a fantastic year together!
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
Back-to-School Updates & Reminders
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) during the first week of school.
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.
PBIS Relaunches at Westside
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!
School Swag
Please send a reusable water bottle with your child daily!
Upcoming Events
- August 10th- First Day of School (1st-6th)
- August 13th- First Day for Kindergarten
- August 17th- First Day for PreK ESE
- September 2nd: Open House