Webster Weekly
DANIEL WEBSTER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL - PASADENA, CA
Information for the week of August 16, 2021
Principal's Message
Hello Webster Families,
Our first two days of school went very well. We have ironed out a few details that needed to be adjusted. I appreciate your concern for safety and know that limitations to campus access can be difficult.
For those who have asked about meeting the teachers, our Back to School Night is this Thursday, August 19th! Teachers will hold two virtual sessions. One will be at 6:00pm and one will be at 6:30pm. You are welcome to join at either time. This will give families with two children the opportunity to meet with both teachers. You will be receiving an invitation via email to the sessions directly from the teacher.
We have an EARLY DISMISSAL on THURSDAY at 11:30am because of Back to School Night. After school programs will pick up at 11:30am and continue until their regular pick-up times.
Please see the link below to access our most up-to-date calendar information. You may also access our calendar directly from our website at www.pusd.us/webster.
Please send students to school with filled water bottles. Students may refill them throughout the day.
Visitors will be by appointment only. Visitors may make an appointment by emailing our office clerk, Ms. DeabregoPaz at deabregopaz.frances@pusd.us or by calling (626)396-5740.
Remember that WEBSTER WOLVES ARE STRONG AND SMART!
Sincerely,
Mrs. Forrest
Webster Back to School Night
Back to School Night will be held virtually on August 19, 2021. This is a minimum day with an 11:30am dismissal. After school programs will begin at 11:30am.
Updated PUSD COVID-19 Safety Plan
Webster Daily Start and Dismissal Times
TK-5th Grade:
Monday: 7:50 am to 12:35 pm
Tuesday-Friday: 7:50 am to 2:15 pm
Special Education PreK:
5 hour program
Mon- 9:00am - 12:00 pm
Tues-Fri: 9:00am - 2:00pm
AM
Mon- 7:45am- 10:05am
Tue-Fri: 7:45am - 10:45am
PM
Mon: 10:15am - 12:35pm
Tue-Fri: 11:15am - 2:15pm
Link to Webster Reopening Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Chromebook Distribution
Chromebook Distribution will take place on Wednesday and Thursday of this week during the school day.
Social Studies Text Book Return
All TCI Social Studies books issued last year must be checked back in. If you have not done so, these textbooks may be returned to the main office.
Uniforms
Students will be wearing uniforms for the 2021-2022 school year. Our uniform colors are khaki, blue, and white. Students may wear navy blue or khaki pants, shorts, skirts, skorts, or dresses and white, dark blue, or light blue polo shirts. Students may wear Webster Spirit Wear shirts on Fridays. The last Friday of each month will be FREE DRESS!
Webster spirit wear is available to purchase through our PTA. PTA also has Webster logo masks available for sale. Please contact websterptapresident@gmail.com with inquiries.
Pick-Up and Drop-Off
Please prescreen at home for fever and other signs of COVID19 such as cough, runny nose or exposure to anyone who has tested positive for COVID19.
Supervision will begin at 7:30 am. Please do not drop off before 7:30 am.
General Ed PreK, TK and Kinder student drop-off will be at the Pepper Drive Gate/Kindergarten Playground. Just prior to the 7:50am bell, students will line up by classes. The teachers will meet the classes on the playground.
TK & KINDERGARTEN PICK UP WILL BE AT THE DRIVE-THRU AROUND THE STAFF PARKING LOT with the 1st - 5th graders.
Drop-off and pick-up for 1st-5th grade students will be at the drive-thru around the staff parking lot. Please pull up as far as possible. Students should have backpacks with them inside the car to be most time efficient. Make sure to not block the left lane. The left lane will be reserved for thru traffic. DO NOT park in the staff parking lot as we need the spaces for our staff. Walkers and bikers may enter at the gate in between the staff parking lot and the auditorium.
Upon being dropped off, 1st, 2nd and Ms. Benn's students will be directed by staff to their class line on the upper playground where they will be supervised by staff. Teachers will meet the classes on the playground.
Self Contained Special Education classes will be dropped off at the north driveway on Pepper Dr. but PICKED UP at the KINDERGARTEN PLAYGROUND GATE on Pepper Dr. (Same as in the Spring)
Students in after school programs will be directed to their locations.
PTA Activities for the Year!
*Our Sept. Book Fair and Grandparent/Special Visitor lunch are postponed
Pasadena LEARNs 2021-22 After School Program
PasadenaLEARNs is currently accepting applications for the 2021-22 school year! Programs will operate Mondays-Fridays every regular school day from dismissal until 6 pm.* Program offerings include:
- academic support
- enrichment opportunities (STEM/STEAM, visual and performing arts, and much more)
- structured recreation/mindfulness
- social-emotional learning/leadership/team building
- healthy and nutritious supper
Click on your child's school to apply. Spaces are limited! Apply now!
*Program dates and times subject to change.
Webster
PUSD Announcements including Independent Study Option
Important notifications for the new school year are posted at https://www.pusd.us/Page/9474 and are listed below:
Recent Legislation
Assembly Bill (AB) 104 was passed to help mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on student performance during the 2020/21 school year. This legislation temporarily modifies practices regarding student retention, grading, and graduation status for eligible students during the 2020/21 school year ONLY. Read the letter
Amendments to Assembly Bill (AB) 130 require school districts to offer an independent study option to students and families to be made available to students whose health would be put at risk by in-person instruction, as determined by the parent or guardian. The TK-12 Independent Study Program in the Pasadena Unified School District will be held virtually through the Center for Independent Study (CIS). Read the letter
Safe Storage of Firearms
- In support of the California Department of Education (CDE) urgent request to inform school communities about the law regarding the safe storage of firearms, we are sharing the following information with you. Read the letter
Fundraising Opportunities
Restaurant Nights - Attend our monthly restaurant nights to get a break from cooking and support Webster PTA.
Amazon Smile - As you are doing your shopping, please keep Webster in mind. Amazon Smile donates money from purchases back to our school at no cost to you. Simply go to smile.amazon.com and enter Daniel Webster Elementary PTA as your charity of choice.
Annual Fund - Visit our online donation form
If you are making matching gifts through an employer, please let them know that they must provide PEF's information to their employer in order for us to confirm their gift.
Box Tops - Box Tops can still be clipped and put into an envelope or ziplock bag and turned into the school in the Box Tops box provided under the shade structure at the drive-thru. You can also upload the virtual version off your receipt. The app is called “Box Tops”. Select Webster as your school of choice and follow the instructions to set up an account to get credit.
Parent Portal
It is necessary that the school has accurate contact information, including a working email. You can update all important contact information on the parent portal. Aeries Parent Portal is a wonderful resource that all parents need to sign up for in order to access student attendance, grades, and teacher information to name a few. If you do not yet have an Aeries Parent Portal account, you can go to https://www.pusd.us/Page/6203 and follow the instructions to create an account. Please make sure you have set up your account before school starts so you know what class your child has been assigned to for the 2021-2022 school year. Our office will reopen on August 4th and will be able to provide you with needed information on or after this date.
In our commitment to take the appropriate measures to protect all student information and privacy, we are making changes to the requirements for all passwords within Aeries student, parent, and staff portal accounts.
To view more specific instructions on how to reset your password, please visit:
Resetting Parent/Student Portal Password
https://www.pusd.us/Page/7867
For questions regarding this issue, please contact the District’s ITS department directly at Help4ParentPortal@pusd.us
PUSD COVID-19 Dashboard
PUSD has prepared a COVID-19 Dashboard to support timely and transparent information related to known COVID-19 cases connected to our school campuses while maintaining privacy and confidentiality. The dashboard will be updated biweekly.
www.pusd.us/covid19dashboard Parent Leader for the Arts at Webster
Please let Mrs. Forrest know if you are interested in being a parent leader for the arts for Webster. A parent leader does the following:
Serves as a representative for DAT/CAT meetings
Supports communication of arts events to all stakeholders
Advocates for arts education priorities for your site and the district
Join Webster Parent Teacher Association (PTA) Today!
Sign up for the PTA today by following this link:
https://jointotem.com/ca/pasadena/daniel-webster-school-pta
Please join us and become a member today! We invite every parent, teacher and neighbor to join with the PTA as we work to make Webster the best school of choice in PUSD and a great place for our kids!
Webster PTA has and does support our students in the following ways:
- The Music & Instrumental program
- Playground equipment and shade structures
- IPADS and apps for class instruction and interactive learning
- Lego Robotics
- School Supplies
- Assemblies
- The Art Loft
- The Garden
- Community events; movie nights, restaurant nights, sock hop, fall festival, pancake breakfast, Back to School social and more!
Tax Deductible Giving through Webster's Annual Fund
Daniel Webster Elementary School has been honored as a California Distinguished School. Great teachers, strong leadership, and parent involvement make Daniel Webster a great school to send our children.
In addition to the great education our students receive, they are also provided with various opportunities to participate in our music and arts activities. We're asking for your support to continue this legacy by donating to the Daniel Webster Annual Fund and help us reach our goal of $50,000.
These funds will be used to financially support our music and arts programs, and to support the instructional goals set forth by the School Site Council
We would like to see every family donate at least $1.00 per week ($50 for the school year) for each child they have enrolled at Daniel Webster.
Think of it as donating less than the cost of a weekly cup of coffee or soft drink to help ensure that your child receives a high quality education.
If you can donate more, we would encourage you to donate towards our Giving Tree. We have various levels of donations:
Bronze - $100
Silver - $200
Gold - $300
VIP - $500 or more
If you are not able to contribute financially please consider donating your time and talents.
To donate:
If you are making matching gifts through an employer, please let them know that they must provide PEF's information to their employer in order for us to confirm their gift.
Parent/Student Handbook 2021-2022
Use the following link to find the 2020-2021 Parent/Student Handbook:
https://www.pusd.us/Page/3247
On the same link, you will also find annual parent notification forms that I recommend be completed through your Parent Portal account.
