Westchester Weekly
All-Star Newsletter April 28, 2022
News from the Principal
Greetings Westchester Families,
We have come to the end of April. It is hard to believe that we only have a few short weeks left of this school year. I want to thank all of you that have contributed to the PTA Fuss-Free Fundraiser. Your generosity is truly appreciated. This has been a challenging year for everyone but Westchester parents come through. We are well on our way to meeting our goal. Many students check the display at the car rider entrance to see how far we have to go.
Our PTA has been so supportive of the hard work of the teachers and staff. The board is having a meeting next week to discuss end of the year plans. Any parent is invited to join us on May 4, 2022 at 6:00. This is a great way to meet some of the other parents and learn more about how you can be involved. Join us in the Media Center at 6:00. Childcare will be provided.
The student expeditions are ongoing and will be coming to an end with the Celebrations of Learning. We look forward to seeing how the students have become experts on their topic of study. The habits of character and scholarship are evident in the work of the students. They continue to persevere, collaborate and work to show craftsmanship in all they do. I have enjoyed seeing our students research historical figures to learn about their individual stories of character and the obstacles they faced as well as how these famous figures have been good stewards that make a difference in the lives of others. Ask your child about their learning.
There is great learning taking place at Westchester Elementary each day and I feel so fortunate to be a part of it.
Your very grateful principal,
Christine Knox
Upcoming Calendar Events
April is National Autism and Library Month
April 1st-May 1st Ramadan
April 25-May 12th- MAP Testing
April 27th- PTA Meeting from 6-7pm
April 28th- DEF Dine Out!
April 29th- Community circle with Ms. Montgomery's Crew
May is Nation Asian & Pacific Islander Month and Jewish Heritage Month
May 4th- PTA Meeting @ 6:00pm
May 6th-Parent's Night Out 6-9pm @ Intown Stars
May 13th- Field Day!
Lost and Found 🥴
There are TONS of jackets, sweaters and shirt. PLEASE come by if you are missing something.
All items will be gone at the end of month and there are some really nice items here.
Talent Show!
1st grade Expedition Update
Westchester First Graders are learning how to overcome obstacles through their spring expedition called, "Their Story, Our Story, My Story". Throughout the expedition positive character traits are reflected upon as tools for adapting and working through the challenges we face. The character traits we focus on are: respect for others, respect for our environment, courage, equality, tolerance, perseverance, commitment, craftsmanship, bravery, and confidence. As the children take a journey through the lives of historical figures, our Westchester staff members and their own lives, they identify and connect with the life challenges we all face and how we must rise above. The end result of our journey connects our community through the lens of equity.
At Westchester, the students reflected upon ways to help our school become more equitable. One of the paths to equity was to provide better access for all on the swingset. The children advocated for an ADA swing as a beautiful addition to our playground. Through community donations and a DEF grant, the Westchester Wolves raised the money needed for the swing. Thank you all! The Westchester First Graders are taking steps to being equitable humans that reflect and rise above.
MAP Testing
Dear Westchester Families,
During the weeks of April 25th through May 12th, Westchester will be administering the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) test. MAP is a computerized adaptive test which helps teachers, parents, and administrators improve learning for all students and make informed decisions to promote a child's academic growth. Students take the MAP test in the fall, winter, and spring. By taking it 3 times a year, teachers and parents are able to see how their student is growing in the areas of reading and math throughout the school year. We will use this data to help us make informed instructional decisions for our students.
The tests will be administered by classroom teachers and proctors in their classrooms. Spring MAP scores will be available to parents with report cards at the end of the school year.
Times below include device set-up, logging in, and breaks.
May 2-3 (Math)
2nd grade students- 8:30-9:30
May 5-6 (Math)
1st Grade- 8:30-9:15
Kindergarten- 9:30-10:15
May 9th-May 12th
Makeups as needed
If you have any questions please reach out to our Instructional Coach, Christie Manasso cmanasso@csdecatur.net
Family resources::
Field Day Coming Soon
What: Field Day 2022
When: Friday, May 13th (8:30-11:30)
Where: Westchester Elementary
*If needed, rain date is Friday, May 20th (8:30-11:30).
PTA News
Fuss Free Fundraiser!
Let's hear it for our wolf pack - AWOOO!! Your contributions thus far have earned all students POPCORN AND POPSICLES at field day! Now let's see if we can hit our ultimate goal - showering Principal Knox with WATER BALLOONS! But first - let's keep it going for BOUNCE HOUSES! See the flyer on how to donate TODAY!
PTA Meeting for all Parents Rescheduled to May 4th 6-7pm
Please join us in our next in-person PTA meeting on Wednesday, May 4th from 6-7pm at Westchester Elementary in the Media Center. Childcare will be provided in the auditorium courtesy of the PTA. We hope to see you there!
May 6th Parent Night Out at Intown Stars Gymnastics
Save the date for Westchester's next Parents Night Out at Intown Stars Gymnastics on May 6th 6-9pm and register here now!
Asian American & Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander Heritage Month
MESA Spring Festival May 7th
MAY IS MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH!
Through Mental Health America, W.E. advocate for decreasing stigma surrounding mental health/illness. Wear GREEN on Monday (May 2nd) to show your support for mental health and take a screener for yourself or your student to “determine if you are experiencing symptoms of a mental health condition”.
The Youth Mental Health Project also supports National Mental Health Awareness Month through recognizing the first week of May as Children's Mental Health Awareness Week by hosting a week of family events to “find connections and build community”! Check out the week’s events: https://ymhproject.org/cmhaweek/Decatur Parents Network
1) The Speakers Series for May 3 @ 7:00
Here is a brief description:
Decatur Parents Network invites parents to join us for a non-judgemental webinar about marijuana's impact on the young brain. This is NOT a discussion about legalization, decriminalization, or adult use. We are putting all that aside to just have a chance to hear about the potential impact on use by young people. The presenter is Dr. Merrill Norton, CMAC, ICCPP-P of Chemical Health Associates, and professor emeritus from UGA's College of Pharmacology. Register for this webinar at https://bit.ly/DecaturParentsNetworkMaySpeakerSeries
2) Our virtual parents' chat for next month is scheduled for May 2 @ 7:30 pm. I have attached our logo as well as the promo if desired.
Here is the short description you requested:
"We can't protect our children from everything, but we can educate ourselves and support each other. Many of our parents have requested more time for interaction and NETWORKING. Join us for our NEW monthly, informal parent chats. The next one is May 2 at @7:30 p.m. Please Register Here ahead of time; space is limited."
Link https://bit.ly/DecaturParentsNetworkParentChat
Both of these events will also be on Decatur Prevention Initiative's Facebook page for sharing if that is easier.
Here is the link for the Speaker Series :FB link.
Please let us know if you have any questions or need any more information. Your support is always appreciated. Most of our parents say they see our events on school e-blasts.
Culture Night at DHS
CSD Announcements and Updates
School Nutrition News
Free and Reduced Priced Meal Applications
If you have not completed a free and reduced lunch application this year, please be sure to get
it completed prior to the last day of school. Please remember a new application must be
submitted each school year since the previous year's application will not work.
Applications can be completed online at:
https://campus.csdecatur.org/campus/portal/parents/decatur.jsp
It is quick, convenient, confidential and absolutely free. Paper applications can be picked up at
your school or requested through the school nutrition office. If you complete a paper
application, please send it back to your child’s school as soon as possible. This will be helpful
because this year’s eligibility status will last for 30 days when school begins on August 2, 2022.
*You will complete a new application for SY22/23 while your child maintains the temporary 30
days status.
Changes Coming to School Nutrition:
During the April board meeting, the board tentatively approved that school nutrition breakfast
and lunch cost will increase by $0.50 for each grade level.
City Schools of Decatur meal prices for SY22/23 are listed below:
Meal Prices after a child has received 1 meal at the regular grade level rate will be the Adult
Price. However, if your child wants to buy only a milk or purchase additional meals or extra sale
items like chips, they will need to have money placed on their online meal payment account.
Extra Mile Award
Students: Do you know a teacher or CSD employee who has gone “the extra mile” this year? Nominate them for the CSD Extra Mile Award! The Extra Mile Award is an annual award that allows students to show their appreciation for the teachers or staff they feel go above and beyond what is expected of them.
Students (not parents) at any grade level can write an essay describing how their teacher (or staff member) goes the extra mile (parents can help younger children write the essay). The essays should be detailed and describe how the employee goes above and beyond.
Click here to submit a nomination. Students can also find the form any time via LaunchPad (it’s the purple icon labeled “Extra Mile Award nomination”). The deadline is May 25.
These awards will be presented at the CSD Opening Day Celebration in July.
Questions? Contact cburnett@csdecatur.net or 404-371-3601
CSD Night at Atlanta United Game
City Schools of Decatur has secured discounted ATL UTD tickets for their match on Saturday, May 28 vs. Columbus Crew. All students, family, and friends that purchase through this link will save up to 50% off tickets plus reduced fees while supplies last.
$5 from every ticket will go back to support City Schools of Decatur. The top 20 students who sell the most tickets will also get to participate in the player high-five tunnel experience before the match! Be sure to enter the name of the student who you received this offer from and select your school at the drop-down during checkout.
Offer expires May 14 or until tickets are sold out. Click this link https://fevo.me/csd to learn more.
Community Partner Announcements and Updates
Decatur Education Foundation
It’s time to Step Up for Teachers!
Express your appreciation for a teacher or CSD staff member with a Step Up tribute: Go to www.stepupforteachers.com, make a $25 contribution and you can leave a tribute message for your favorite CSD employee. DEF will notify the honored person. For $50 you can honor two CSD staff members AND have a yard sign delivered to your Decatur address! To celebrate our DHS seniors, we also have yard signs for the Class of 2022. Your contributions support Teacher Innovation Grants and provide an encouraging boost that our teachers need to finish the school year!
Help with Food Insecurity
It’s our mission to eliminate the problems our kids face so they can learn and thrive. To address food insecurity, we have several Amazon wish lists that continue monthly and are currently running low. Please consider making a donation to one of the following links for Renfroe and Talley at these links:
RMS Snacks: https://a.co/d0HJHTr
Tally Snacks: https://a.co/8BxrMEz
Weekend Food Backpacks: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/1IVCVGY0GCF9S?ref_=wl_fv_le
DEF Treasure Hunt
DEF’s treasure hunt continues for the next two weeks. Everyone who completes the hunt will be entered to win a raffle to win some cool prizes. Just click HERE for instructions, it’s easy and fun for the whole family!
Reminders from Last Week
Comprehensive Local Education Agency Implementation Plan
Please join us to share your feedback on the CSD 2022-2023 Comprehensive Local Education Agency Implementation Plan (CLIP).
Thursday, May 12, 2022 at 6:00 p.m. (In-Person)
125 Electric Ave. Decatur, GA 30030
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Tuesday, May 17, 2022 at 6:00 p.m. (Virtual Only)
Meeting Link: https://csdecatur.zoom.us/j/93791607801?pwd=bDdlOEl1dFBIRU13Mk5mR2V6cnlaQT09
2023-2024 and 2024-2025 Academic Calendar Stakeholder Feedback Surveys
It is time to gather stakeholder input on the 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 academic calendars. Please review the linked calendars. Each calendar has three options for stakeholders to review. The “standard” option for both years follow the current calendar setup, with two early release days before fall and winter break. “Option 1” calendars have an early release day once a month. “Option 2” calendars have a mix of early release days and digital learning days. The incorporation of additional early release days will play an essential role in providing our teachers time for much-needed professional learning (PL). While PL can occur during the school day, it requires the use of substitutes or combining classes.
After reviewing the calendars, please provide feedback via this survey link. The survey for feedback will remain open through May 13. Stakeholder feedback will be reviewed and taken into consideration before a recommendation is made to the Board for approval of the 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 academic calendars in August or September.
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