Westridge Wildcat News
October 2, 2020
October is Dyslexia Awareness Month
What is Dyslexia?
Dyslexia is a learning disability in reading. People with dyslexia have trouble reading at a good pace and without mistakes. They may also have a hard time with reading comprehension, spelling, and writing. But these challenges aren’t a problem with intelligence.
Children and adults with dyslexia struggle to read fluently, spell words correctly, and memorize rote facts such as multiplication tables, among other challenges. But these difficulties have no connection to their overall intelligence. While people with dyslexia can be slow readers, they often, paradoxically, are very fast and creative thinkers with strong reasoning abilities.
Dyslexia can’t be “cured” – it is lifelong. But with appropriate instruction, an individual with dyslexia can learn to read, write, and spell and can become a highly successful individual.
Get the facts on Dyslexia from the International Dyslexia Association (IDA): Fact Sheets
Video: What is Dyslexia? https://youtu.be/zafiGBrFkRM
Ways to help your child at home: https://www.understood.org/en/learning-thinking-differences/child-learning-disabilities/dyslexia/dyslexia-strategies-you-can-try-at-home?_ul=1*jhht1b*domain_userid*YW1wLTY5YzJjRVMxUnU3YU03WDduMFdORVE
Each week in October, we will feature a message about dyslexia in this newsletter. If you have questions or concerns regarding your child’s learning, please contact the school principal and/or literacy specialist. Another great parent resource would be to contact your school’s Student Services Parent Advisory Committee (SSPAC) representative. Please see here to learn how to contact your school representative.
Coffee with Kari
Thank you to the parents who were able to join Mr. Kieser and I at our first coffee talk with the principal. Our next coffee will be offered on Wednesday, October 14th from 9:00am - 9:30am. This is an informal time to just connect, ask questions, and learn together as we go through the school year. I will be offering these informal meetings twice per month. This next session, join myself and Mrs. Bates, our RTI Coordinator through the link below. Bring a cup of coffee, or just call in and let's connect!
ID: 89488956670
Password: 537256
(US) +1 929-205-6099
Passcode: 537256
Library Book Curbside Pickup for all Grades Starts Next Week
Starting next week, all Wildcats can reserve books with Mrs. Calbreath and can participate in our curbside pickup! Please review the information in Mrs. Calbreath's bit.ly and the attached video. Pick up will be Thursday, Oct. 1. The video includes all instructions students and families need in order to place a book request.
Science Bags and Information
For more information, support videos, materials, and handouts, please visit the following website that Mr. Zurcher put together: Science Parent Website. Note that you may substitute materials as necessary.
Thank you!
Are you Ready for i-Ready?
Over the next few weeks, elementary and middle school students will complete two on-line i-Ready assessments; one is for math and the other is for reading. i-Ready is a program that will help us determine your child’s academic strengths and areas for continued growth, personalize their learning, and monitor their progress throughout the school year. i-Ready allows us to meet your child where they are and provides us with data to inform and tailor instruction to accelerate growth. We will conduct these assessments three times per year, and results will be shared with parents.
The i-Ready Diagnostic is an adaptive assessment that adjusts its questions to suit your child’s needs. Each item a student receives is based on their answer to the previous question. For example, a series of correct answers will result in slightly harder questions, while a series of incorrect answers will yield slightly easier ones. The purpose of this is not to give your child a score or grade but to determine how to best support their learning. Please view this two-minute introductory video, Intro Video to iReady for Families
Our assessment schedule will begin on September 28th; math will be first, and then reading. Please keep your eyes on both the school and teacher newsletters for up to date information.
Register for the School Bus
Click here to register for bus transportation for 2020-21 school year.
Registration will remain open until Monday, Oct. 5, before begin determining exact bus routes. The sooner people register, the fewer route changes need to be made once bus service begins. Thank you in advance for your prompt response in this essential preparation for onsite school.
A Message From Our School Counselor
Dear Westridge Families,
This month through our Social Emotional Learning (SEL) lessons, we will be introducing the character trait of Empathy. Empathy is an important skill for creating connected and kind communities and developing healthy relationships. There is a growing need for more Empathy in our world. As anxiety increases in our culture, Empathy decreases. As more hate speech incidents occur in the world, as people use empathy less, we begin to see a divided and fractured community and world.
So, we are working to develop a few key skills in order to live more empathetic lives. As a school community, we will be examining how Empathy looks, sounds, and feels. First, developing an “emotional vocabulary” to make sure we have the words to understand and describe what we are feeling personally. Second, being able to connect with others based on their feelings, even though we may not have the exact same story or perspective as someone else. Finally, we will think about how being an upstander when empathy is not being used can help support our community members and stop harmful actions.
The definition students will be learning this month for empathy is: the ability to understand and connect to the feelings of another.
For your reference, here are links for extension activities if you would like to explore empathy further as a family:
K-2 Empathy Family Letter 3-5 Empathy Family Letter
K-2 Empathy Family Letter in Spanish 3-5 Empathy Family Letter in Spanish
Asynchronous SEL lessons will be available to students weekly by 8 a.m. each Monday morning. Students may complete these supplementary lessons at their convenience any time throughout the week. Students will find their grade level lessons in their respective Google Classroom:
Westridge SEL (K-2): 76wnd6p K-2 Google Classroom Invite Link
Westridge SEL (3-5): q53zivt 3-5 Google Classroom Invite Link
Sincerely,
Gary Kieser
Westridge Elementary School Counselor
PTSO General Meeting October 5th, 5-6pm
meet.google.com/gjv-rmmg-ojz
Meeting ID
Phone Numbers
(US)+1 252-582-0093
PIN: 560 292 968#
Tech Support:
Tech Information Sessions
LOSD hosted two Tech Information Sessions covering the “how tos'' for getting started with distance learning. The session recordings and presentations are posted on the district site under Resources/Tech Support for Families.
Tech Support Ticket
A majority of tech concerns can be resolved by submitting a Tech Support ticket -- the link is on all school and district homepages for easy access to help with passwords, log-ins, hardware fixes, etc.
Google Classroom Guardianship
By now all parents and guardians should have received an email requesting you to accept guardianship of your student's Google Classroom. If you need assistance with this request, please submit a request through the Tech Support button. Note: accepting guardianship simply gives you the option of selecting how often you would like to receive summaries (weekly, daily, or no summary) of your student's Google Classroom activity. Only student accounts have access to Google Classroom.
Technology Protection Payment Methods:
Technology Protection Payment Methods
If you have decided to insure your device, please see the following methods of payment:
Online payment through community schools
https://www.onlineregistrationcenter.com/register/207-6753
Check: Please put your child’s name and school in the memo area of the check and mail to:
LOSD Office c/o: Kim Wagner
2455 Country Club Road, PO Box 70
Lake Oswego, OR 90734
Fee Waiver: https://www.losdschools.org/domain/1838 mail to:
LOSD Office c/o: Kim Wagner
2455 Country Club Road, PO Box 70
Lake Oswego, OR 90734
Payment is due by October 1, 2020, to insure your child’s device.
LOSD Student and Family Handbook 2020-2021
Free Meals for All Children
LOSD is providing free packaged breakfasts and lunches for all children who wish to participate in our Grab & Go meal service. New flexibility from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) enables LOSD to provide free meals to all children ages 1 to 18, even if the children are not enrolled in LOSD, now through the end of December 2020.
Children do not need to sign up for meals. However, it would be extremely helpful for our food service team to be able to plan ahead for the number of meals to serve. If children in your care are interested in participating in the Grab and Go meal service, please click here to complete a 30 second form.
The free Grab and Go meal service begins next week. Due to Labor Day holiday, next week's meal pick up will be on Tuesday, Sept. 8. After that, starting Monday, Sept. 14, breakfast and lunch meals can be picked up on Mondays and Wednesdays at the following locations:
Lake Grove Elementary, 11 a.m. - 12 pm.
River Grove Elementary, 11 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Lake Oswego High School, 11:45 a.m. - 12:45 p.m.
Lakeridge High School, 11:45 a.m. - 12:45 p.m.
Meals should be picked up at the school site located closest to you. Children may participate in one or both days of the week; they may pick up 2 days of meals on Mondays and 3 days of meals on Wednesdays. Face coverings are required at pickups.
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