Weekend Wire
April 4, 2021
WESTWOOD ROADRUNNERS
Roadrunners, We Are Proud of YOU!
DATES TO NOTE:
4/1-4/30--Continuing Student Enrollment (TK-12)
4/7-- Dining for Dollars--Flippin Pizza
4/8--1st & 2nd Grade(Virtual) Materials Distribution
4/9--Spirit Day-Dress in your Disney attire
4/12-4/16--SPRING BREAK--NO SCHOOL
4/20--Allen--Materials Distribution
4/23 - On Campus Student Asynchronous Day- on campus students work from home - ESS available for enrolled students (no change to VL day)
4/26 - Expanded re-opening for on campus students
4/27--XPloration
4/27--Community Conversations on Racial Equity (see flyer below)
4/28--Varga, Wilkinson & Williams Materials Distribution
4/30--Spirit Day--Dress like a Teacher Day
Continued Re-Opening Updates
COMMUNITY COMMUNICATION
April 2, 2021
Hello Westwood Families,
Thank you for participating in our recent survey of on-campus families. With the standard for physical distancing decreased from 6 feet to 3 feet in the classroom between students per the latest CDC and CDPH guidance*, the majority of PUSD elementary families indicated their preference for combining AM/PM sessions into one cohort and expanding the learning day.
Based on this survey data, Poway Unified is planning to expand on campus learning beginning Monday, April 26th, 2021. Poway Unified will open elementary schools to all in-person students in an expanded-day learning model, 5-days a week, pending Board approval on April 8, 2021.
This means that our current schedule of separate AM/PM sessions of 150 minutes per day, 5 days per week will end on Thursday, April 22.
On Friday, April 23, all of our in-person students will have one asynchronous learning day at home, so that our staff can prepare their classrooms and adjust instructional practices for the newly expanded learning model.
Starting Monday, April 26, we will combine AM/PM sessions, so that all of our on-campus students attend together, 5-days per week for 250 minutes per day.
The start and end time for Westwood Elementary School on-campus students will be:
K-5: Start 8:00 a.m. End 12:10 p.m.
*As PUSD explained in the survey email, the latest The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and California Department of Public Health (CDPH) guidelines have been updated, to allow the expanded day learning model. For example, physical distancing has decreased from 6 ft. to 3 ft. between students in our classes and remains 6 ft. outdoors, as feasible. (The outdoor guidance is due to the fact that students may be eating snacks outside and removing their masks.) Temperature checks at school will be phased out, but verbal health checks will continue at drop-off. We will ask you to screen at home prior to sending your child to school to ensure students come to school symptom-free and continue to keep our classrooms open for on-campus learning.
Thank you for your attention to this information and I will be following up after Board approval with additional information for our expanded opening.
Thank you,
Principal
COUNSELING CORNER
APRIL 2021
Learning how to understand our moods and regulate our emotions is a critical skill and is something that many children and adults still find perplexing. In The Book of Moods, Lauren Martin helps to demystify the complexity of our moods and offers adults concrete strategies that we can use for ourselves and teach our children. Below are some of the key take-aways from the book.
We have to work at happiness. Happiness is not something that just arrives at our door every morning. Like sweat, it’s something we must work for. It’s easy to be in a funk, in a mood, and let the negative emotions take over. It takes effort and practice to get up and look for reasons to be happy. It takes work to move from one emotion into another.
Happiness is not a permanent state and that’s okay. The motion of life is up and down, and our emotions follow. Many people get scared and worked up when they are sad or angry, thinking they will always feel that way. Whenever we are feeling down, we might start to believe that we will forever be stuck in this unpleasant state and that happiness will never return. It's helpful to remember that happiness always returns, but it also always leaves. And knowing it always comes back is what makes the other feelings tolerable. No feeling is permanent, and happiness is always there for the taking.
If we aren’t careful, our moods can interfere with our ability to keep healthy habits. Many individuals live according to if they are ‘in the mood’ to do something. And if they are in a negative mood, it keeps them from doing the things they know are good for them. In fact, some people’s worst habits come out when they are in a bad mood. This usually results in our negative feelings persisting for far longer.
It can be empowering to realize that we have the ability to change our moods and to understand that most of the time we’re never ‘in the mood’ to do anything we should do. Moods are so random and volatile that if we waited until a mood struck to do anything, we wouldn’t accomplish very much and would continue falling into the unhelpful habits that our unpleasant moods seem to demand.
Most of the things we are not in the mood to do – exercising, eating healthy, taking time to clean the house rather than sitting and watching TV, seeing a friend after a long day of work – are the exact things that will change our mood for the better once we’ve done them. Once we understand this, we learn how to push past the mood and force ourselves to keep our goals and healthy habits.
If we put all of this into practice we will begin to notice that our negative moods become more fleeting and that our positive moods last longer. And most importantly, we will help our children learn how to manage their own moods.
CONTINUING STUDENT REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN
PUSD 2021-2022 Continuing Student Registration now Open!
Online Continuing Student Registration will be open from April 1 - April 30, 2021. Parents and Guardians will receive an email notification once the website is open. We must receive a completed digital packet for all returning students. This will allow for proper placement of your student for the 2021-2022 school year. This annual digital process will allow a family to complete one single “family” packet instead of completing one packet per student. Packets can be completed using any computer, tablet or smartphone with an internet connection.
Please ensure you can log into https://sis.powayusd.com. If you do not know your username and/or password, you can visit https://password.powayusd.com to retrieve your login credentials.
New for the 2021-2022 registration, families will be requested to select the Learning Platform desired for each of their students. There will be five different options for PUSD families to choose from. The options include On-Campus (TK-12), Virtual Connect Academy (K-8), Poway Virtual Courses (9-12) and Poway Home Education (6-12). Information on these different options can be found here.
Please email your current Principal as soon as possible if you do not plan to return to PUSD for the 2021-2022 school year. Thank you for your attention to this important process.
The PUSD Enrollment Team
2021-2022 LEARNING OPTIONS
Dear PUSD Staff,
We’re excited to share with you our learning options for the upcoming school year. PUSD will be offering five different learning options for 2021-22:
· Full-Day In-Person Instruction (TK-12)
· Connect Academy Virtual School (K-8)
· Poway Virtual School Courses (9-12)
· Poway Home Education Program (TK-8)
· New Directions Independent Study (6-12)
Please watch this video to learn more: https://youtu.be/6YT_r3ZXf-c
You can also check out PUSD’s website for more information.
We will also be sharing this video with our families tonight and offering two informational parent meetings on:
· March 25 5:30pm to 6:30pm
· March 30 5:30pm to 6:30pm
Continuing student registration for the 2021-22 school year begins April 1, 2021, and we’re so pleased to be able to provide multiple learning options for our students and families.
More detailed information regarding staffing and learning options will be forthcoming following the conclusion of the registration period, which includes an initial family commitment survey.
Library Newsletter
Bringing the Library to You
April 2021
Roses are red,
Violets are blue
Poetry Month is here
And I’m excited
Are you?!
Poetry Choice Board is full of all kinds of good stuff. Click on the link to the All About Poetry page to help your child explore poetry and write their own poetry or try the Poetry Machine to see all the different kinds of poetry.
Just in time for Spring Break! 4th & 5th Graders ~ Get outside and EXPLORE! Here’s a pass to America’s parks. Click here for more information - Every Kid Outdoors Pass
Want to travel without leaving your living room?
This is for elementary aged students. Click here to visit museums all over the world World-Class Virtual Museum Tour
Spring Choice Board is for when you have some extra time over spring break. There are many activities to choose from: Relax, Create, Read, Play and Visit. You can even listen to an astronaut read a book from the International Space Station! How cool is that?!
Earth Day is April 22nd ~ How can you make our Earth a better place? Here’s an Earth Day Choice Board for you to explore ways to keep Earth cleaner. Have you read the Garbage Barge by Jonah Winter? Well now you can! Click on the Storyline Online link to hear Justin Theroux read this great book!
Please return any Chromebooks for the following reasons to the library. Library hours are 7:45-2:15 Monday-Friday:
Chromebook doesn’t work properly (be sure to include the following information: your student’s names and state the reason it’s no longer functioning properly for example, sound issues). We will record that it was returned and you’re no longer responsible for this computer.
You will be leaving Westwood Elementary in the near future.
You have your own device and no longer want a district issued device.
Or, donations of gently used, like new children’s books are also accepted. You may drop off your donations at the library. Library hours are 7:45-2:15 Monday through Friday.
Storytime Lessons with Mrs. Whitelock. Want to see what your children have been enjoying from the library? Go to Westwood Library Google Classroom.
Need more resources and information? Visit Westwood Library Canvas Course to view the many resources available.
Getting Started:
Library Services:
Checking Out Books for On-Campus Students
Checking Out Books for VLA Students
Happy Reading! Mrs. Whitelock, Librarian at Westwood Elementary
SCHOOL COUNCIL SPIRIT DAY
BOX TOPS FOR EDUCATION
Hello, Westwood Parents!
My name is Eleanor Pe, your WWES Box Tops Coordinator! I am very excited to get this program started once again for our school! This is such an easy and valuable way to raise funds for our school office and teacher supplies. Stay tuned for more news about prizes for joining. Click on links below to get started!
Before submitting your receipt box tops (BTs), please note your child's name & teacher's name in the "Credit Memo (star icon)". Email me a screenshot of you joining the BT app. If you're already a member, email me a screenshot of your box tops submission for this month & I'll make a note for our upcoming BT contest! Email: wwboxtops4educ@gmail.com
Go, Westwood Roadrunners!
Box Tops App: Easiest Way to Support WWES!
VIRTUAL TALENT SHOW
Does your child have a talent that they'd love to share with the school? We'd love to see it! The in person show is on hiatus but we'd love to see a 90 second video (or shorter) of your child's talent. Please send videos to wwesroomparents@gmail.com by April 19th to be showcased in a virtual talent show.
RUNNING CLUB
Did you know that Running Club is still running this year? ;) Well, it is and we hope that your student(s) will participate.
Since we can't run on campus this year please tally your child's miles run outside of school for each month and then input the month's total in this form each month through May. At the end of each month starting in March, classrooms will earn the Golden Shoe for the miles most run. At the end of the year tokens will be earned per 5 miles run. Please only include the miles run from Feb 22nd to May 31st (google form will stop taking responses 6/2).
And here is a PDF of a run log to help your runner keep track of the miles they've run.
There are some great running routes on the PTA website https://www.westwoodelementarypta.com/running-club.html and you can also use https://onthegomap.com/#/create to calculate the distance of your own routes.
VIRTUAL BOOK FAIR
TODAY, APRIL 4TH IS THE FINAL DAY!!
Hello Roadrunners! The virtual Scholastic Book fair is ending soon! Your Scholastic purchases will earn 25% back for the school. Every year, the book fair puts hundreds of books in the hands of young readers, updates our school library and adds new reading materials in the classrooms. Help your reader and the school by purchasing during our virtual fair. Teacher wishlists are available for you to choose a gift to your class. Free shipping for orders over $25.
READY, SET, ART!
Student Council is proud to announce Ready, Set, Art! - an art competition and fundraiser. We can't wait to see all the amazing artistic talent at Westwood and help raise money for our school. Teachers will be passing out blue flyers to on-campus students or at their next VLA materials distribution, or you can print/view the digital version here. We hope to see many students participating!
Yearbooks
Your student will want to remember this unique year with a 2020-2021 yearbook! Your student gets to customize two pages just for them which will print in their individual yearbook so it will really be unique and special! Also, for every yearbook purchased a tree is planted!
Purchase yearbooks here:
https://tr5.treering.com/validate Use passcode: 1015978769242468
Or scan here:
Be a STAR in the yearbook! We want to see your pictures!! Please upload pictures from all sorts of things this year such as, Dress Like an Animal Day, St. Patrick's Day, Virtual Learning, and lots more here:
https://tr5.treering.com/school/231813/photos/shared-photo-folders
Health Office Notes
Please remember to be proactive and prescreen your student at home prior to leaving for school. If your child has any of the following symptoms, please keep them at home. If your child has developed any one of the symptoms below while at school, they must be sent home immediately. Parent(s) will be notified to pick up their student immediately.
- Fever or chills
- Cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Fatigue
- Muscle or body aches
- Headache
- New loss of taste or smell
- Sore throat
- Congestion or runny nose
- Nausea or vomiting
- Diarrhea
Per the CDC Guidelines (use link below of Decision Tree updates as of 2/22/21):
The individual may return based on one of the following:
https://covid-19.sdcoe.net/Portals/covid-19/Documents/Health%20Practices/COVID-19-Decision-Tree.pdf
a) 10 days from the day symptom(s) first appeared, AND improved symptoms and no fever (or fever reducing meds) for the last 24 hours.
b) With proof of negative PCR COVID viral test (no rapid results test accepted for negative results), may return immediately if symptoms are greatly improved AND student has been fever free (without fever reducing meds) for 24 hours.
c) A signed note from a licensed MD, DO, NP, or PA (who manages that condition) must: confirm the chronic diagnosis (i.e., cites labs, date-of record when diagnosed); include provider’s contact information; explain how symptoms are unrelated to COVID-19; and be accompanied by signed consent for school to interact with MD, DO, NP, or PA.
Please call the Health Office for any questions or concerns.
Amazon Smile
Amazon Smile
Does the Amazon driver know you by name? Got enough boxes to stack to the moon? Did you know that with every delivery you can raise money for Westwood Elementary?
1. Go to smile.amazon.com
2. Sign in to your Amazon account
3. Search for Westwood Elementary PTA San Diego
4. Sign up!
Or scan here:
PTA Membership
The year may look different but Westwood still needs you! Join the PTA so we can all work together to make this year the best possible.
About Us
Principal
Email: kholmes@powayusd.com
Website: https://powayusd.com/en-US/Schools/ES/WWES/Home
Location: 17449 Matinal Road, San Diego, CA, USA
Phone: 858-487-2026
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WWESRoadrunners
Twitter: @RoadrunnersWwes