Westwood Elementary Newsletter
MAY 2023
WWES Families,
Can you believe it's May? Can you believe our final day for the quarter is June 1st? What a exciting and busy year it has been. It has been an honor and privilege it has been to be with you this year and I am excited moving forward to continue to grow and learn from each other. Thank you for your support, feedback, dialogue, love and communication.
I have been, and will continue posting on Facebook summer camps, summer activities and ideas for the summer months. If you dont already follow/like our Facebook page we would love to have you: https://www.facebook.com/westwoodelementaryecsd/
Thank you for taking the time to read this digital newsletter! There is important information and dates included, to help you plan ahead. We also will have printed copies of this newsletter in the main office, should you need one. Please make sure you have an email listed in PowerSchool that you check regularly- we frequently communicate electronically.
Please continue to check their child’s progress on PowerSchool, even this last month. If you need your login or password information, please contact Mrs. Carey in the front office. Even as we finish out the year, it is important to know your students academic progress. Thank you for your support this year!
If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us.
Your Partner in Education,
Ms. Stacey Gatten
Principal
Happenings this Month
MAY
4th- 1st grade zoo field trip, Spelling Bee for qualifiers at NWMS 6:00pm
8th- Staff appreciation week starts
9th- 4th grade push up day to MS
10th- Kindergarten Safety Day
12th- Special Olympics
17th- Young Authors
19th - 4th grade dance 5-7pm (RSVP only)
23rd- Flower Walk
24th- 4th grade field trip to Goodtime
25th- 2nd grade field trip to Science Center, Pioneer Challenge Day
29th- NO school. Memorial Day
31th- Ice cream truck for students
JUNE
1st- Last day for students and field day
Bus info
You can also find more information HERE.
Follow us on Facebook!
ECSD Webpage
Firstview Bus information
You can sign up here:
https://www.elyriaschools.org/departments/operations/transportation
Building Information-
School hours are 9:10am-3:10pm.
Doors do not open until 8:55- please do not drop off early or allow students to walk early.
If you are dropping off, please hold your child in the car with you until 8:55am.
Please call the office to report your child(ren)’s absence at 284-8002 before 9:30AM. Our phone has 24-hour voicemail so that you may call and leave a message anytime. Please leave a voicemail if no one answers the phone in the office; voicemails are frequently checked and the office will receive your message.
Please make sure you always have a photo ID with you, when you come to the school, this is for the safety of our students.
The Main Office of any school building is a hub of activity. Students and staff are always on the go, in and out of the space throughout the school day.
It’s an active place for regular check-ins and meetings with students, as well as staff conferences and daily interactions with school principals and counselors. The Main Office is also a confidential space at times for conversations and interactions between school personnel and students.
Parents and caregivers are part of the equation, too. For any number of reasons, parents may be asked to come to their child’s school during the day. When that happens, parents should follow the district’s visitor procedures by using the school’s main entrance buzzer and intercom system to gain entrance to the school, and then signing in at the front desk.
If parents/caregivers do not have a meeting at the school but still need to come to the school during the day to see their child or to speak to a staff member, call-ahead notice or an appointment is required.
This ensures parents will be seen in a timely manner and upholds the safety practices of the school. To contact the Main Office, please call 440-284-8002
Our school address is: Westwood Campus, 42350 Adelbert St, Elyria, OH 44035
Our phone number will stay the same: 284-8002
Information is Just a Text Away!
Have you opted in to receive text messages from Elyria Schools?
If you haven't already, please take a moment to sign up to receive automatic text messages from Elyria Schools.
This is a valuable tool in an emergency or when there's important, time-sensitive information to share.
The service is free and opting in is easy. Parents or guardians simply need to send a text message of “Y” or “Yes” to our district's short code number at 67587.
Just as simple, you can opt out at any time by replying to one of our messages with “Stop.”
The text feature and the robocall system are tied directly a student's contact information that is on file with your child's school. Please make sure this information is kept up-to-date to ensure you continue receiving calls or texts from Elyria Schools.
News from the School Nurse
After working as a nurse in the emergency room, here are some tips I learned to help you stay safe during the nice weather ~
Make outdoor time a safe time – wear a helmet when riding bikes, skateboards, and scooters. Knee pads and elbow pads are easy to wear and add more protection. Watch for cars if riding on or near the roads.
Limit outdoor exposure when the pollen or mold counts are high if you have allergies. They are especially high when it’s windy. This is a great time to wear a mask.
Poison Ivy, Oak, and Sumac contain oil causing an allergic skin reaction that looks like swollen itchy red bumps and blisters appearing wherever the oil has touched the skin. Check the areas around your home and teach your kids to recognize and avoid it. If your dog goes into the woods, be careful of the oils getting on their fur and giving it to you when petting them. Do not burn poison ivy or other poison weeds as the oils can get into your lungs and cause lung damage.
Stinging insects are back – If you are stung, remove the stinger as soon as possible with a scraping motion. Wash with soap and water and apply a cold compress. If trouble breathing, severe swelling or fainting occurs, call 911 or an emergency number right away. Ice helps the pain and swelling.
Animal bites – don’t disturb a sleeping dog or a dog that’s eating! Always ask the owner before petting a strange dog. Wash wounds well with soap and water and call a doctor or go to the emergency room right away. A tetanus or rabies shot may be needed plus antibiotics.
Ticks are already a problem in our area – use tweezers to grasp as close to the head as possible and pull the tick away from where it is attached. Call the doctor for symptoms of a rash or fever. Use flea and tick medicine on your pets that go outside in the grass. Check them for ticks too, they like to burrow into the areas around the ears and neck. You may not see them but you may feel the lump. They are the size of a small appleseed.
Make sure you drink plenty of water, especially when it’s hot. Dehydration can make you dizzy and nauseated. Eating fruits and vegetables helps with staying hydrated too.
Have fun and stay active! You’ll feel better physically and mentally if you go outside and enjoy the nice weather. Take the dog for a walk, it keeps them happy too:)
Please call me for any ideas or questions about health related matters. Clinic 440-284-2853
Thank you,
Rose Hess
Westwood School Nurse
Student Birthday Treats
Families may bring in prepackaged treats (with ingredients listed by the company that packaged it) BUT we are really encouraging non-food items. We have to be very careful of food allergies, to keep all students safe. Birthday treats ARE not required or encouraged, but okay, if you choose.
Birthday treat ideas include:
Pencils, bookmarks, fidgets, pop-its, bracelets, crayons, squishes, pencil toppers or erasers, glow sticks, play dough, slinkies, stickers, prepackaged snack with ingredients listed (from the company that produces it).
Drop off and pick up procedures
To ensure drop-off and pickup run smooth and effective:
· You may ONLY at 42101 Griswold to enter the car line. We will no longer be using Adelbert for drop off- Adelbert is only for Preschool now.
· Please do not plan to arrive earlier than 8:55 for Elementary School drop off in the morning. If Elementary students arrive early you will need to keep your student(s) in the vehicle with you until staff comes out to unload students at 8:55am.
· Please do not plan to arrive earlier than 3:00pm for Elementary pickup in the afternoon.
· Once in the lot, please pull up to the car in front of you, as this will allow more cars to enter the lot, and keep cars off the street.
· Please be ready and prepared so that we can keep cars moving efficiently in the lot.
· Follow all directions from staff, they are there to help.
· Please drive safe and slow- this is a school zone and we need to keep all students and staff safe.
· You will exit at Griswold also.
We appreciate your help in keeping our students safe.
Stay Connected
Website: https://www.elyriaschools.org/domain/30
Location: 42350 Adelbert St, Elyria, OH 44035, USA
Phone: 440-284-8002