Weekend Wire
May 17, 2020
WESTWOOD ROADRUNNERS
SUPER HEROES SHOW CHARACTER
MAY IS FOR TRUSTWORTHINESS
DATES TO NOTE:
5/12 -- 1st through 5th grade NEW student Enrollment begins
5/12 -- TK/Kindergarten Enrollment continues
Fifth Grade Promotion
We are just getting started planning for fifth grade promotion under the new circumstances. Please be looking for updates on dates and times for your child's class recognition. We can't wait to celebrate your accomplishments.
Safety patrol 20 / 21
Attention Fourth Graders - are you interested in Safety Patrol next year?
The school Safety Patrol was established in 1935 by the San Diego Police Department and began just one school. Its purpose was to assist elementary school children across uncontrolled intersections on their way to and from school and to reduce the number of pedestrian and bicycle collisions involving elementary age students.
Mission: The mission of S.S.P. is to promote the safe crossing of elementary students to and from school and to provide classroom education to maximize the safety of students at all times.
The School Safety Patrol is in nearly 90 schools throughout the city. Fifth grade students make up nearly 1,000 SSP members whose job it is to cross children and adults safely at their school locations. They are selected, trained, and supervised on an ongoing basis by our School Resource Officer. Their jobs include:
- Control pedestrian traffic
- Control vehicle traffic
- Watch and report traffic violations
The WWES Safety Patrol provides our students safe crossing of Matinal Drive 15 minutes before and after school. The selected students show an honest effort in school, and are positive role models for other students. They are selected on the basis of academic performance, citizenship, and maturity. They demonstrate the willingness to take responsibilities and give our children the safety they need.
Please follow the link to submit an application if you are interested in becoming a Safety Patrol Member.
We are also looking for parent volunteers to support this program.
Safety Patrol Applications due
5/ 25/ 2020 at 8 a.m.
Kindergarten Registration Update
Welcome to all of our new families and new students enrolling in kindergarten. Our office staff is working diligently to complete next steps in the registration process. Should we have a question regarding your child's registration we will reach out to you. Welcome to Westwood!
Counseling Corner by Mrs. Zucchet
It has been nine weeks since we have all been together at school and families should pat themselves on the back for their efforts in managing all of the changes that came our way so quickly and unexpectedly. As I connect with families, I am hearing that some students are finding distance learning to be challenging. If your child is one of these students please know that you are not alone. This is a whole new way of learning for children and for some kids, it is going to take time to adapt to all of the changes that have occurred since the middle of March. Below are some strategies that might be helpful if your child is struggling. Thinking of you all!
Tips for children who are struggling with distance learning:
For writing assignments, have the child record their thoughts first and then transcribe them. Sometimes kids won't feel stuck if they are just speaking into a recorder.
Think of a special spot where the child can do the subject they least enjoy each day - outside on the patio, in a comfy chair with a stuffed animal, etc. This spot can be reserved just for that subject so that it gives the child something to look forward to and makes the task more pleasurable.
Try having soft music in the background. Research has shown that some children can focus more with soft music playing. However, for others it can be distracting so it's a matter of finding out if this might work for the specific child. Instrumental (classical) music has been shown to help with focus as well as nature sounds (waves crashing, etc.) but animal sounds are specifically distracting and should be avoided.
For a special treat, allow the child to chew a piece of gum or have a drink with a straw each day while working on the subject they least enjoy. Again, research has shown that the acting of sucking (think of babies nursing or with a pacifier) is very soothing and can calm us when we are frustrated/overwhelmed and help us to focus more. Specifically, gum chewing and sucking through a straw have been shown to be effective for kids.
Give the child as much choice as possible. When children have lots of choices it helps them to feel more in control of the situation and they are more likely to be cooperative. For instance, let the child choose if they want to work on the subject they enjoy the least before getting to the subjects they like, or if they might prefer to tackle the difficult subject in the middle of the day or at the end of the day. Let the child choose how long to work on this subject before taking a break. When taking a break it would be helpful to determine with the child ahead of time how long the break will be so that there isn't any arguing about when the break should end. If the child can do something active during the break that would be great! If the child gets really frustrated with an assignment then definitely step away from it for a bit. Persisting when emotions are running high will not be productive.
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, try to always come from a place of empathy. When your child is feeling overwhelmed you can say something like, "Leah, I see that you are really frustrated and upset right now. Distance learning can be really difficult at times. I bet you wish that once in a while you had a magic wand and could wave it to make all of your school work magically get finished." Statements like this will help the child feel understood and that will help the frustration dissipate much sooner.
In Wellness,
Teresa Zucchet
Westwood Elementary School Counselor
Office Hours: Mondays 1 pm - 3 pm and Tuesdays 2 pm - 4 pm
ROADRUNNER TV
About Us
Principal
Email: kholmes@powayusd.com
Website: https://powayusd.com/en-US/Schools/ES/WWES/Home
Location: 17449 Matinal Road, San Diego, CA, USA
Phone: 858-487-2026
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WWESRoadrunners