The Westmoreland Wrap Up
October 14, 2022
Regardless of the weather, learning is alive each and every day at Westmoreland School. Walking through our classrooms and hallways and interacting with our students never gets old. There is always something new to learn and see!
Please be sure to circle October 18th on your calendar for next week! Next Tuesday, October 18th, is a 12:45 dismissal due to professional development. If you did not preorder pizza from the PTO, please send a snack/light lunch to school with your child. Aftercare begins at 12:45.
Have a great weekend!
Socktober Success!
Halloween Information
Students are invited to wear their costumes to school on Monday, October 31st! We are hoping for sunny skies so students can parade outside in their costumes at 2:15!
Orange cones will line the parade route. We will be exiting the Kindergarten door near the turtle statue, parading up the sidewalk, past the front doors of our school, across the blacktop, in through the library doors and around for loop 2!
All parents are invited to attend and enjoy the costumes!
In the event of rain, I will send an email if we need to cancel the parade.
To ensure a safe and productive school day, please adhere to the following guidelines:
Please be sure your child’s costume fits properly and is not too long.
Please leave fake weapons or props that accompany the costume at home, as they may not be appropriate for our school environment.
The costume you wear must allow you to sit, stand or move around the classroom without difficulty.
Costumes should be appropriate and not offensive to others.
We are looking forward to a fun Halloween!
Evacuation Drill
On Monday October 10th, with assistance from Fair Lawn Emergency Management, our students practiced an evacuation drill to an off-site location. In the event we had an emergency which would not allow us to return to our school building, we would walk to the Fair Lawn Senior Center. We exited the building like we would do for a fire drill, the staff were signaled to report to our evacuation site. Staff and students walked down the sidewalks in a very organized fashion, they were quiet and ready to listen to all directions. Once we accounted for all students and staff at the center, we walked back to school. The drill took about 45 minutes from start to finish and we received many compliments from borough employees. We were really proud of our students!
Fire Truck Visit
REACH
Each month, the REACH Department will feature information regarding our STEM Programs. This month, the department is highlighting and sharing activities completed by our 3rd and 4th graders.
Grade 3 STEM: Building Basics Foam Block Tower Challenge
In this Type 1 REACH Program, the third grade students are learning about the Engineering Design Process and the forces engineers must consider when building a structure. The students engaged in an engineering challenge to build a foam block structure that is a minimum of 10 inches tall and can withstand an earthquake. Some structures were stronger than others which led to a great discussion about how to make improvements.
Grade 4 STEM: Building a Shelter
In this Type 1 REACH Program, the fourth grade students are using the Engineering Design Process to solve real-life problems. Their most recent challenge was to build a water-proof shelter in the Amazon Rainforest with only a few materials. The students worked in groups to design and build their shelters. Each shelter was tested with a spray bottle to determine if they could withstand the weather of the Amazon Rainforest.
PTO News and Upcoming Events
We have some mums left over if you would like to purchase them to support our programs!
Look for PTO fun-friday afterschool snacks in the near future!
Please join us for our first dine out fundraiser of the year at the Empress Diner on Wednesday, November 2nd. Please print the flyer to be stapled to your receipt.
FLASE Dinner Dance Fundraiser
2022-2023 Teacher of the Year Nominations
Colleagues and parents can nominate individuals for these special awards, making them even more meaningful.
If you are interested in nominating a teacher or educational specialist, please find the nomination form attached below.
Please email all nominations to gbernstein@fairlawnschools.org by Wednesday, November 4th. Paper copies of nomination forms can also be picked up in the main office.
Upcoming Important Dates:
October
10/18: 12:45 dismissal due to Professional Development/No lunch served. Aftercare begins at 12:45
10/21: Diwali Celebration
10/24: School Closed for Diwali
10/27: PTO Halloween Dance, 6:30pm
10/28: CRAZY SOCK DAY
10/28: Halloween Safety Assembly
10/31: Halloween Parade, 2:15pm