Westchester Weekly
All-Star Newsletter October 29, 2020
Principal's Corner
Greetings WE Families,
There are many things I love about Decatur, but one of the things I love the most is my Tuesday lunch breaks at City Barbecue. The ribs and macaroni and cheese are simply amazing to me. When our PTA confirmed that City Barbecue was willing to partner with Westchester for a Dine Out on November 4th, I knew it was fate. My favorites are coming together! I'm still riding the excitement from our incredible Move-A-Thon fundraiser. Thank you to everyone who supported the event in any way! Yet, I'm soon to be over the moon following the Dine Out at City Barbecue.
As we prepare to close the second term of the school year tomorrow, I want you to know that my heart is full. WE have accomplished so much together and we're only 1/3 through the school year. We're still just getting started!
Important Dates:
Friday, October 30 - End of 2nd term
Monday, November 2 - Non-attendance day for students
Thursday, November 12 - Report cards will be available through Infinite Campus
I appreciate our Westchester community. I am here for you and I'm grateful to work with you.
Kindly,
Kimberly R. Watson, PhD
Principal
Westchester Elementary School
(404) 370-4400 Phone
(404) 370-3844 Fax
Instructional Update- Please Read
As we begin Term 3, we would like to express our appreciation for the continued support all families have given our Westchester teachers and students. We are setting goals with our students around independence and accountability, and they are rising to the challenge at every opportunity. Your children are extraordinary.
Although virtual instruction strives to promote independence, our young learners continue to need support from home with organization, engagement, and reinforcing behaviors that support learning. Please continue to reinforce our EL Design Principle of Responsibility for Learning by helping your student submit required work. Making a weekly practice of checking on what assignments are required and ensuring that they are completed to your child’s best ability is a way that you can support teachers in their efforts to accurately assess each child’s strengths and needs. Teachers use this information to plan next steps for your child and for the class as a whole.
Ms. Nation’s video below will walk you through the steps of looking at submitted and missing work. This is intended to guide you moving forward---please do not go back to submit all of the missing work you see, as this could be overwhelming and not necessary. As we move into Term 3, consider making this a weekly practice with your child.
Please reach out to your child’s teacher for any needed information about how to submit required work. Thank you for your ongoing collaboration. We cannot do this without you, and we are grateful for our Westchester families every day.
Best,
Mrs Manasso, Instructional Coach
Ms. Nation, Media Specialist
Teacher Workday Reminder!
Reminder: Monday, November 2nd is a teacher workday and students will not have school.
Meals: There will be no CSD meal delivery on Friday, October 30 but there will be meal deliveries on November 2.
PTA News- Move-A-Thon
Congratulations to our fabulous Westchester Wolves for pulling off our first and very successful Move a Thon! They moved non stop, and with all their energy and love of their school, raised over $8000 and collectively moved 36,560 minutes!
Even if you did not participate in the Move-a-Thon, you can still support our school. We understand these are challenging times and not all parents were able to track minutes and fundraise for their child. Please consider donating to our PTA and help us continue to support our Westchester community.
You can continue to make donations through Sunday, 11/8 at the following link:
https://westchesterpta.org/peer-to-peer/
MOVE-A-Thon Winners!
Biggest Fundraiser - Julian Whiteside - $600
First Place Kindergarten - Wagner with 3079 minutes
First Place First Grade - Querubin with 4891 minutes
First Place Second Grade - Duszak with 6690 minutes
Biggest mover in each class:
Kindergarten
Frix - Emily Chervan with 1120 minutes
Wagner - Emmett Ohlandt with 659 minutes
Wertz - Kate O'Connell with 630 minutes
Seides - Alan Qadri with 469 minutes
First Grade
Querubin - Quinn Glidewell with 1240 minutes
Ivey - Henry Martin with 840 minutes
Parker - Isla Shiener with 840 minutes
Montgomery - Silas Smith with 688 minutes
Second Grade
Duszak - Kaitlyn Hirose with 1122 minutes
Bingham - Keegan Chervan with 1120 minutes
Renaux - Abigail Nurse with 810 minutes
Thank you Katie Clarke for all your help organizing this fun fundraiser for our school!
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Welcome to the Westchester PTA! Whether you're a returning family or new to our school, we are excited to have you as part of the Westchester community. Please visit our website to learn more about your PTA and join us.
Our PTA has designed an online store for school spirit wear https://teamlocker.squadlocker.com/#/lockers/westchester-elementary-school?_k=c1y67h
NED Show Update
Hello Westchester!
As you know we recently hosted an all school live stream event called The NED Show. We trust your student was encouraged by the show which inspires everyone to become Champions at school and in life!
Here are a couple of our favorite follow up home resources from The NED Show website. You may want to use these with your child as they are designed to go hand in hand with the program.
The NED Pledge
Champion Choices
If you'd like additional resources, they are available here.
If you’d like to purchase a NED messaged item for your child they will be available at school on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 12:00-1:00 pm until Thanksgiving.
And don’t forget to ask your student what they learned in the show about Never giving up, Encouraging others and Doing your best!
Day of the Dead/El Día De Los Muertos
Some families are celebrating Halloween this coming weekend. Some families do not celebrate it. Other families celebrate similar festivities. That’s the case of the Hispanic community of Mexico and other Latinoamerican countries. Known in Spanish as 'El Día de Los Muertos', this widely observed holiday is celebrated on November 1st and 2nd every year. It is a holiday that focuses on remembering family members and friends who have passed away and celebrating their memory. It’s a brightly colored celebration of incredible costumes and face painting.
Did you know?: Day of the Dead has been recognized by UNESCO in its List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Sugar skulls have become the worldwide symbol for the Day of the Dead. If you’re celebrating Day of the Dead in Mexico, you’ll see these small skulls made of sugar everywhere during the celebration. They’re typically decorated with colorful patterns of icing and other vibrant motifs. Despite being edible, they usually aren’t eaten – think of your teeth! – but instead used as a decoration. Chocolate versions are also available if you’re feeling hungry.
Tips For Celebrating El Día De Los Muertos Or Day Of The Dead With Children.
Click on this video to learn how to cook “Pan de muertos” y Chocolate caliente.
Library “Día de los muertos”
Community Circle Dates
Here are Dates for 2nd Quarter
11/11
Wellness Wednesday
While students completed their synchronous SEE Learning unit last Wednesday, October 28, Wellness Wednesday will continue through January. There will be no live classes going forward for SEE Learning but students are invited to participate in asynchronous offerings from the Wellness Wednesday website, https://www.csdecatur.net/wellnesswednesday. Individual schools may offer additional options.
Dine out- City BBQ
Eat barbeque and support Westchester Elementary
—giving back never tasted so good!
DATE: November 4th 2020
LOCATION: City Barbeque Decatur, 2511 Blackmon Dr.
On November 4th at City Barbeque Decatur, we’ll get 20% of the proceeds from every order we bring in!
Ordering in person? Show this message to the cashier at checkout (either a printout or just on your phone).
Ordering online? Use code FundA at checkout at https://order.citybbq.com/menu/decatur for pickup or delivery on November 4th.
Ordering over the phone? Ask to apply code FundA when you provide your payment information.
Want to increase your impact? Place a group order online: a bigger order for you means a bigger donation for us! Start a group order at https://order.citybbq.com/menu/decatur, send the link around the office, and be a hero (to both us and your coworkers- remember to social distance, of course). Just remember to use code FundA at checkout!
Remember: all orders have to be picked up or delivered on November 4th from City Barbeque Decatur for it to count toward our fundraiser.
CSD Special Ed November Virtual Meetings
Assistive Technology and How it works!
Hosted by: Yael Cohen and Frank DeFilippo
November 5, 2020
6:00pm - 7:00pm
RSVP to Cheryl Grant cgrant@csdecatur.net
Yael Cohen, Occupational Therapist and Frank DeFilippo, Special Education Coordinator will present assistive technology tools to support students in CSD.
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CSD News
We are looking to hire Pod Facilitators to support our students through Virtual Learning. Spread the word! Click here https://www.applitrack.com/csdecatur/onlineapp/default.aspx?Category=Substitute to apply!
Meal Service to Continue:
If you choose to have your meals delivered to a local bus stop, we suggest signing up for "Predictable Ryde" through the CSD Transportation Department. Link to website here: Predictable Ryde Bus Tracker App Registration. The app is free, its purpose is to provide notifications as the school bus approaches your stop for meal delivery. For the steps on how to set up your app, please visit
From Transportation: Bus registration
In anticipation of the eventual opening of in-person school, Transportation will be sending emails in November with your assigned route information and how to register for your child to ride the bus. If you intend for your student to ride the CSD bus to or from school at any time this year, please complete the registration form sent in the email from CSD's Transportation department this November. This will serve as your official CSD bus registration as well as the "Predictable Ryde" registration, once registered you will then need to set up the app which will allow you to track your child's bus.
If you have any questions, please contact the Director of Transportation, Lowanda Bowman at lbowman@csdecatur.net.
Thank you.
Meal deliveries will continue until December free to all children. However, during the week of October 26-30, there will only be meal deliveries on Monday, October 26, and Wednesday, October 28. On Wednesday, October 28, meal deliveries and pick-ups will also include meals for Friday because there will be no deliveries on Friday, October 30. Meals will be available for pickup and delivery on November 2 even though students will not be in school.
A Season of Giving
A Season of Giving is beginning preparations for our 26th year of service to the City of Decatur community. As with everything else in 2020, this program will be a little different than we are used to!
Due to the pandemic, we will be changing our program to be managed online. If your family would like to request assistance with holiday gifts for children who live with you, through 8th grade, you must complete the SurveyMonkey application by October 31st: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/2020ASeasonofGiving
If you have trouble with the form, questions, or concerns, please email us at aseasonofgiving@decaturga.com or call our voicemail, 404-378-8068, and leave a message.
For those families who do not need assistance, and would like to participate, we would love your help! We have changed how we will handle the program for 2020. We will not be collecting physical gifts but providing gift cards to the families requesting assistance. If you would like to help us this year, please donate at https://legacydecatur.com/give/. Please select ‘A Season of Giving / Christmas Decatur’ for the organization in the donation form.
Decatur Education Foundation
In non-pandemic years, we would be gearing up for our big fall party, Supper & Sips. Since we can't gather together in support of Decatur's kids to enjoy some delicious local food, drinks and fun games, we're launching our "Just Another Thursday Night at Home." While you won't enjoy the party and camaraderie of the Supper this year, you can still have that great feeling of fellowship by supporting our families with a gift to DEF. To participate: put on your jammies, pour yourself a beverage, get cozy on the sofa and click here
Do you have some positive support to give to a Decatur student? DEF is still seeking some adult male volunteer mentors for their AIM Scholars Mentoring Program. AIM mentors are paired with 3rd grade students and “meet” regularly throughout the year. In just 2-4 hours per month, mentors help connect their mentees with educational and enrichment activities so they can find their passions and develop life skills. For more information, please visit decatureducationfoundation.org/mentoring
Understanding Evaluation and Eligibility
Presented by Vickie Wingard
November 19, 2020
6:00pm - 7:00pm
RSVP to Cheryl Grant cgrant@csdecatur.net
experience in conducting psychological evaluations and in leading special education eligibility teams in the decision-making process. She also works closely with the Multi-Tiered System of
Support (MTSS) Teams at her assigned schools and is an important resource for identifying research-based interventions and progress-monitoring tools in order to document students’
Response to Intervention (RtI), which is a requirement for special education consideration.
Navigating Employment & Social Security Benefits
Navigating Employment & Social Security Benefits
Hosted by Sally Atwell
November 12, 2020
6:00pm - 7:00pm
*Target audience- parents of eighth grade & high school age students with an IEP
RSVP with Cheryl Grant cgrant@csdecatur.net
Sally Atwell, Benefits Navigator will guide families through an overview of how individuals with special needs can maintain disability benefits while working under the WIPA program (Work Incentives Planning and Assistance).
Community Work Incentive Coordinators provide information on:
- How your Social Security benefits and other State or Federal benefits would change if you were employed
- Work incentives such as Plan to Achieve Self Support, the Trial Work Period, and Impairment Related Work Expenses
- Other programs and services that can help you create a plan for successful employment.
Important CSD Contacts
Here are few other webpages that might be helpful to parents are:
Important CSD Contacts: https://www.csdecatur.net/domain/1658
www.csdecatur.net/opening - a repository for all documents, announcements, and communications about how CSD is handling the 2020-2021 school year.
www.csdecatur.net/nutrition - How to order meals
www.csdecatur.net/transportation
www.csdecatur.net/bustracker - How to sign up for the new Predictable Ryde Bus tracking app used for meal delivery, soon for the Fly-brary, mobile book delivery and when in-person learning resumes to track students on their buses
https://virtual.csdecatur.net/tech-help (how parents and staff can put in a tech support request)
https://virtual.csdecatur.net/students - classroom login information
https://virtual.csdecatur.net/parents - Virtual Learning Handbooks
*****************************************************************Please check our weekly newsletters, emails as well as your student's Google Classroom for all upcoming news and events.
Westchester Elementary School
Email: bnation@csdecatur.net
Website: https://www.csdecatur.net/Westchester
Location: 758 Scott Boulevard, Decatur, GA, USA
Phone: 404-370-4400