School Community
West Ada Update - December 9, 2021
West Ada School District (WASD)
2021-22 School Year Theme: Reflect on the past, embrace the present and build on the future.
Email: communicate@westada.org
Website: https://www.westada.org/
Location: 1303 East Central Drive, Meridian, ID 83642, USA
Phone: 208-855-4500
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JointSchoolDistrictNo2/
Twitter: @westadaschools
WE ARE...WEST ADA
Important Dates:
- December 13 - Regular Board Meeting, 5:00pm
- December 20-31 - NO SCHOOL all grades: Winter Break
- January 3 - School Resumes
- January 10 - Regular Board Meeting, 6:00pm
- January 14 - Second Semester Ends
PLEASE NOTE: To meet our goal of all students achieving at high levels, the West Ada School District Service Center is closed from 8:00-9:00 a.m. every Wednesday for collaborative team meetings and the work of Professional Learning Communities (PLC). In these meetings, teams review data, establish goals, and monitor school/district improvement strategies.
What's BUB-ling?
A message from West Ada's Superintendent, Dr. Derek Bub:
I would like to extended a HUGE, heartfelt thank you to the classified and certified employees as well as the students and parents who joined me this week as part of my Superintendent Advisory Committee meetings. I am inspired by the passion, care, support and positivity in our School Community. Thank you all for your time, honesty and collaboration. I am looking forward to our next meetings in February.
We are excited to introduce an employee of the month program here at West Ada School District this year. Each month district leadership will recognize two elementary, middle and high school staff members as well as two district service center staff members in appreciation and recognition of all that our staff does to support West Ada and one another.
Congratulations to our December Employees of the Month in West Ada School District:
Elementary School:
- Elizabeth Sherod, Extended Day K Teacher - Barbara Morgan STEM Academy
- Sarah Brown, Safe School Assistant - Barbara Morgan STEM Academy
Middle School:
- Matthew Moxham, Math 8 Teacher and Math PLC Lead - Victory Middle School
- Munevera Mustedanagic, Head Custodian - Victory Middle School
High School:
- Karly Bryant, Teacher - Renaissance High School
- Kaira Colton, Teacher - Renaissance High School
- Bryan Kennebrew, Security - Renaissance High School
District Service Center:
- To be announced next week...stay tuned!
PRINCIPAL PRIDE
Mike Hirano, Rocky Mountain High School
This week our PRINCIPAL PRIDE spotlight is on Mike Hirano, Rocky Mountain High School
Number of Years in West Ada: 31
Number of Years at Rocky Mountain High School: 14
- What I like about West Ada: Collaborative Community that really focuses in on student learning.
- The best thing about being a Principal is...The best thing about Rocky is our Students and Staff. We are one big family that cares for each other.
- Family: I have been married for 37 years to my wife Mona and we have three children and five grandchildren.
- Favorite Food: All types of food.
- Favorite TV Show: Suits
- Hobbies: Skiing, cooking, fishing, and camping
- Fun Fact: I have been with West Ada for my entire teaching career.
We are so lucky to have such exceptional leaders in West Ada. Thank you for your continued leadership, dedication, service and compassion to those you serve!
SCHOOL COMMUNITY
'Tis the Season of Giving
Surprise your favorite teacher this holiday by showing your support with a year-end gift that goes directly back to the students and their classroom.
https://www.westada.org/Page/52729
Teaching our Children Social-Emotional Skills
- Lesson 1: Zones of Regulation
- Lesson 2: Toolbox Project
- Lesson 3: Breathing and Quite Safe Place
- Lesson 4: Listening and Empathy
- Lesson 5: Personal Space and Using Our Words
- Lesson 6: Garbage Can and Taking Time
- Lesson 7: Please & Thank You and Apology & Forgiveness
- Lesson 8: Patience and Courage
INFORMATION FROM PREVIOUS NEWSLETTERS:
Health Reminders:
Welcome back, we hope you all had an enjoyable holiday break. We want to send out some health reminders as we head back to school.
Masks are still required on the bus, as the Centers for Disease Control has issued a public health order requiring masks to be worn while on public transportation (this includes school buses). We must comply with a public health order.
Visitors to our buildings are not required to wear masks.
Please stay home if you are sick.
For Community and Household Covid-19 Exposures (sleepovers, club sports, weddings, funerals, etc.) or household exposures (someone in your household tests positive) please utilize the following resource to calculate your quarantine period and notify your child's school of absence.
- Primary care provider (MD/DO/PA/NP) note specifying quarantine length of time
- Central District Health 208-321-2222
- For Quarantine and isolation calculations for community/household exposures you may use Central District Health COVID19 Calculator:
- Central District Health (idaho.gov)
You can learn more here: https://www.westada.org/domain/11845
Love & Logic Parent Education Class
Love & Logic is a parenting approach that provides parents with an opportunity to gain practical and proven tools for raising respectful and responsible kids. Classes will begin Monday January 24th from 6-8 pm in the Frontier gymnasium and will be held weekly. The last class will wrap-up on Monday March 7th (there will be no class on President’s Day, 2/21). The cost of the class is $15 per person/couple (to cover the cost of the workbook).
Please email Buffington.sara@westada.org by January 3rd in order to reserve your spot! Money will need to be collected so that workbooks can be purchased before the class begins.
Purposity
At West Ada School District we are dedicated to meeting all the needs of our students and making sure they are prepared to learn each day. Because of this, we’re excited to invite you to join Purposity. West Ada officially launched with Purposity in 2018. Since then, 888 needs have been met for students and families throughout our district.
Purposity allows you to quickly and easily lend a hand to someone right here in our community. By downloading their app, you’re sent notifications linked to a specific need once a week. It might be a winter jacket for a student in one of our schools or household essentials for a family that lost their home in a fire. The average item costs about $30 and directly impacts someone specific. You’ll be able to read their story and decide if you want to help, meeting the need in just a few clicks, right from your phone in under a minute. You’ll know exactly who you’re helping and why. It’s the simplest way to make an impact locally. All information is secure and confidential.
Purposity makes meeting needs for our students even faster and easier. Plus, the new app has several others features to help you track your generosity, find inspirational content, and see your impact. Your donation is also tax deductible. Just head to the App Store or Google Play to download the Purposity app and follow West Ada in rallying around our students!
Mitigating Measures in the Classroom
- Teachers and students must sanitize their hands upon entering the classroom. Building custodians will check wall mounted hand sanitizer dispensers daily to check levels and replace cartridges. Teachers are responsible for requesting individual bottles of hand sanitizer from administration.
- Student desks should be distanced as much as possible, at least three (3) to six (6) feet apart is ideal.
- Remind students NOT TO SHARE laptops or computer keyboards, drinks, food, snacks, writing utensils, tissues, face masks, make-up, chap stick, eating utensils, musical instruments, or personal items.
- Frequently touched items should be cleaned often.
- You can learn more on this page Modifying Facilities.