Westridge Wildcat News
January 15, 2021
Message from the Principal
Hello Wildcat Families,
In education, we often are asked to reflect on our "Why". Why did we become teachers? Why did we choose to work with children? Why did we choose our district or school? This week I was reminded of my "why". My motivation to become a teacher and ultimately a school leader is anchored in service. Robert K. Greenleaf says, "A servant-leader focuses primarily on the growth and well-being of people and the communities to which they belong."
I am honored to serve my school and community. I care deeply for each student, family, teacher, and staff member. My office staff and I have had an opportunity to connect with many in our Westridge community this week. Our school and broader community have many thoughts and opinions regarding reopening our schools. Respectfully, I ask you to consider verbiage that builds bridges, not barriers; that we seek to hear each other, not judge; and that we continue asking hard questions, so that the answers may come out of respectful discourse and not broad assumptions or generalizations.
I thank you for your partnership and am here to support you as we move forward.
In Partnership,
Principal Montgomery
Change in Schedule 1/21/21
On Thursday, January 21st Westridge has a special schedule to make time for essential meetings with Superintendent Dr. Lora de la Cruz. and our teachers and staff to discuss and answer questions about our safety, health and instructional protocols. The hope is to build understanding and ease concerns as we prepare to transition to in-person learning.
Following is the adjusted elementary schedule to accommodate this all-staff meeting:
Morning Cohort will have an EARLY RELEASE and will run from 8am - 10:15am
Afternoon Cohort will have LATE START and will run from 1:15 - 3:30pm
(We will contact families participating in limited-in-person instruction directly about possible schedule changes for this day.)
Save These Dates!
1/18 - Martin Luther King Jr Day - No School
1/20- 2021-2022 Registration opens for new students in grades 1-5
1/21 - Early Release AM Cohort at 10:15am and Late Start PM Cohort at 1:15pm
1/21 - SSPAC Mtg 6pm - 8pm
1/25 - Library Lunch Break for K-2, 12 to 12:30 pm
1/27 - Coffee with Kari 9am - 9:30am
1/27 - LOSD CARES Workshop “Resilience Panel” 5 to 6 pm
1/29 - Teacher Grade Prep - No School
2/3 - World Read Aloud Day
2/24 - Registration opens for Kindergarten and Spanish Immersion Kindergarten
2/24 - Kinder Counts Information Night
A Message from Your Westridge School Advisory Committee (SAC)
Dear Families,
As we prepare for the return to in-person hybrid learning, our hope is that our community will collectively unite to prioritize our children's education by adhering to the best health and safety guidelines to mitigate the spread of this virus in our community.
In doing so, we are putting the health and safety of our students and teachers at the forefront of our mind. Please continue to adhere to public health guidance by continuing to be socially distant, wearing masks, practicing good hygiene and not congregating in large groups. If we wish to return with in-person hybrid instruction, it will require a unified effort to not only keep our metrics low enough, but also to inspire the confidence of our families, students and teachers.
With care,
Kari Montgomery
Angela Matteri
Jodi Steward
Brian Madden
Megan Busbee
Quinn Nieland
Cristina Cooper
Heather Romero
Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday
Always celebrated on the third Monday in January, this federal holiday honors Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr.'s life and commitment to equality and unity. The Day of Service encourages citizens to follow King's words: "Everybody can be great, because everybody can serve." Volunteers of all ages work on projects in their communities to honor King’s dedication to community service.
Schools are closed Monday, Jan. 18 in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr.
School Board Appreciation Month
Plans to Begin Returning to In-Person School
Description of models:
Hybrid Model:
- Students will return to in-person instruction at Westridge gradually (see chart below for dates)
- Students attend Westridge on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays for Math and ELA
- Students will enter and exit the building from designated and dedicated doorways with appropriate social distancing
- Arrival and dismissal procedures will be designed to maintain social distancing with specified protocols
- AM Cohort will be at Westridge from 8 to 10:45 am
- PM Cohort will be at Westridge from 12:45 to 3:30 pm
- Wednesdays are multi-synchronous days, students will access classes online
- All Specials classes (PE, Music, STEM, Science, Health and SEL) will take place online
- There will be no recess or snack
Students and teachers are required to wear CDC recommended facemasks [covering noses and mouths] for the entire cohort session, including entering and departing the building.
Students will be at individual desks, 6 feet apart. Students can work at their desks and floor space within their 6 foot bubble.
Students will be allowed to bring water bottles and appropriate safety protocols will be followed
We have water bottle refill stations, but ALL drinking fountains are closed.
We will still have breaks in our 6 foot bubble. Maybe we will learn a few dance moves!
Classrooms, desks, and all items left out will be sanitized using an electrostatic disinfectant in between cohorts and after school.
Students will have access to classroom books, though after use, will be “quarantined” for 24-hours. The library will offer delivery of library books to classrooms (either for in classroom use or for take-home)
There is a possibility a classroom can close down and go back to CDL. This will be in response to contact tracing of any cases of Covid.
Students MUST NOT come to school with illness symptoms listed on Please Keep Ill Students Out Of School. Kids must not be medicated to cover up symptoms.
If your family travels, you may be asked to quarantine.
There will be no drop off before 8, and no families socializing out front of school.
- Staff will expect and implement safety protocols
- AM/PM In-Person Cohort Schedule
If you need your child transported to school via the school bus, you MUST register with the district by EOD today, Friday, Jan 15. You can go to the LOSD website for registration information, or click here to sign-up for Bus Transportation. The buses are working closely with the district nurse and staff to make it as safe as possible. Students will be in masks, sitting every other seat, alternating rows. Bus drivers will be doing visual checks for any symptoms. The buses (as always) have cameras for security purposes.
Our Online Model will continue:
- AM Cohort will be online from 8 to 10:45 am on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday
- PM Cohort will be online from 12:45 to 3:30 pm on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday
- Wednesdays are multi-synchronous days
- All Specials classes (PE, Music, STEM, Science, Health and SEL) will take place online
- AM/PM Online Cohort Schedule
Information about our reopening plans can be found on our district website under Roadmap to Reopening. and in the Ready Schools, Safe Learners guidelines. Specific information about our Health and Safety Protocols can be found here.
Current dates for returning to in person-hybrid school can be found in the schedule below. Both the District and we will continue to update you with more information as it becomes available. If you have questions, please do not hesitate to ask.
Critical Message from the Westridge Office:
On that note, we are here to help make sure your child and you have the best year ever! Please contact us if you have any questions or concerns. We are in the office Monday through Friday from 7:30am - 3:00pm.
Jodi Steward and Andrea Murphy
Westridge Elementary School Office
503-534-5371
Coffee with Kari
Join me for coffee on Wednesday, January 27th from 9:00am - 9:30am. This is an informal time to just connect, ask questions, and learn together as we go through the school year. Bring a cup of coffee, or just call in and let's connect!
ID: 89488956670
Password: 537256
(US) +1 929-205-6099
Passcode: 537256
YouthTruth Surveys
As part of our district diversity, equity, and inclusion work, we are excited to offer the opportunity for you to give us feedback on your school experience through the YouthTruth survey. Giving parents, staff, and students the opportunity to reflect on their school experience is vital to understanding where we are and where we want to go.
The YouthTruth School Experience Survey is scheduled to be administered to all 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade elementary students between Monday, February 1 and Friday, February 19, 2020 during the school day. The survey will take 15-30 minutes to complete. Please note that parents may opt their child out of the survey if they would like - click here for more information.
Families will receive an invitation to participate in the survey on February 1. Please look for this invitation to access the 15-minute survey from the District website. The YouthTruth survey is confidential. You and your 3rd, 4th and 5th grade child(ren) responses will be held in the strictest confidence.
We encourage everyone to participate. This will be an important piece of information for administrators to use in order to address school experience issues.
Spanish Immersion Kindergarten Registration & Lottery for 2021-22
For families interested in signing up their kindergarteners for the Spanish Immersion Program, please heed these important dates for the 2021-2022 school year:
- Application available on the District website: February 24, 2021
- Application Deadline: March 12, 2021, 3:30 p.m.
- Lottery Date: March 17, 2021, 3:00 p.m.*
- Lottery Notification: March 19, 2021
*Should the district receive more applications than spaces available, a lottery will be held. Those wishing to participate in the lottery must submit their application to the District Administration Office no later than 3:30 p.m. on Friday, March 12, 2021.
*Younger siblings of students currently in kindergarten through 4th grade of the Spanish Immersion program have priority for enrollment only at the kindergarten level. Sibling priority does not apply to current siblings on the waitlist. If you currently have a child enrolled in LOSD’s kindergarten through 4th grade Spanish immersion program, you will have the first choice for enrollment in the kindergarten program. You will not be entered into the lottery, but you must submit an application to the program prior to the March 12, 2021 (3:30 p.m.) lottery deadline to be assured a slot. Slots not filled from sibling applications will be available in the general lottery.
Visit the LOSD Spanish Immersion Website for more details.
New Elementary Standards-Based Report Cards
This year, the Lake Oswego School District shifts to a standards-based report card for students in elementary schools. This new report card measures a child’s progress toward proficiency or mastery of the priority standards in Reading, Writing, Language, Speaking, and Math.
This approach provides the means for communicating a child’s learning in more specific terms. Standards-based reporting articulates clear end-of-year grade-level standards for each subject. Using the scale below, teachers will communicate where a child resides on a learning continuum by indicating the student’s progress toward mastery of each identified grade-level standard.
The standards-based reporting scale:
4 = The student is highly proficient and works consistently at an in-depth and complex level within or beyond the end of year standard*
3 = The student is proficient and meets the grade-level expectation of the standard
2 = The student is nearly proficient and nearly meets the end of year standard
1 = The student is developing and demonstrates limited proficiency on the end of year standard
Important notes about the scale:
- Reporting is based on the end-of-year grade-level expectation. Therefore, proficiency would not be expected in the middle of the school year.
- A “2” represents the expected target for the majority of the school year as this indicates the child is progressing with the standard as expected. A “3” will be given when the student completely meets the grade-level standard.
- Details of what is expected at mastery level can be found on the report card or on the list of assessed grade-level standards.
- A “1” may prompt additional communication from the classroom teacher so parents will better understand their child’s learning journey.
*It is rare that a child will receive a “4” especially at the end of the first semester. A “4” score may prompt additional communication from the classroom teacher to discuss ways he/she is meeting the child’s unique learning needs.
Behavior Learning Targets are approached differently than end-of-year standards. For more information about your child’s progress, contact the classroom teacher.
LOSD CARES (Connection and Resilience in Education Series)
LOSD knows that this year has been extremely challenging for students and families. In partnership with the LOSD Wellness Team (school counselors, social workers and district psychologist) and community mental health partners, LOSD is developing a workshop series for parents and guardians to support, inform, and empower families on issues surrounding mental health. The event will be on January 27, 2021 from 5-6 pm. Workshops will be held virtually via Zoom and will include focused discussions and question and answer opportunities. Please mark your calendar for the first workshop Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2021, 5-6 p.m.: “Resilience Panel” with Pediatric Associates of the Northwest.
In the meantime, please complete this family interest survey: LOSD CARES Survey . Your input will help shape future workshops.
Also, the LOSD Wellness Team is sharing resources for families during the holiday season:
Keep the Holidays Happy During COVID-19
“You’re Doing a Good Job”Please contact your school counselor or social worker with any questions.
New Student Registration for 2021-22 School Year
Registration for the 2021-22 school year will begin soon.
- January 20, 2021 for registering new students enrolling into grades 1–12 who have never enrolled in Lake Oswego before and returning students enrolling into grades 1–12 who are not currently enrolled but will re-enroll for next year.
- February 24, 2021 for registering new students enrolling into kindergarten for the 2021-22 school year.
- Students who are currently attending LOSD during the 2020-21 school year do not need to register for the 2021-22 school year.
LOSD is pleased to offer online registration through its parent portal, ParentVUE (contact your resident school for help with logging in). See the Registration & Verification page of the LOSD website for guidance.
Kindergarten Counts 2021-2022:
- Kindergarten Information Night (Kindergarten Counts) is on February 24, 2021. Each elementary school will hold an incoming kindergarten information night for parents to learn about kindergarten and meet the school's staff. More information about Kindergarten Counts will be forthcoming.
Information about Kindergarten in LOSD can be found here
Grab & Go Meals
NO GRAB-AND-GO MEAL PICK UP ON MON, 1/18/21
INSTEAD PICK UP ON TUES, 1/19/21
There is no school on Monday, 1/18/21 in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday. Grab-and-go meals will not be distributed on Monday, 1/18/21 and will instead be distributed on Tuesday 1/19/21. We will see you on Tuesday! (And Thursday is a regular grab-and-go meal distribution day.)
Read Aloud Club with Mr. Kieser:
Starting January 13th, Mr. Kieser will host a weekly book read-aloud on Wednesdays from 11:00-11:30 geared for students in grades K-2, but everyone is welcome. Come for a story and connection with peers!
You can access all of Mr. Kieser's groups at this link or directly though your student's Clever account with these instructions!
Grade 3-5 Scratch Coding Club
Do you like to play computer games? Have you ever wondered how they were made? Come to our 3rd-5th grade Scratch Coding Club. We will use the Scratch website https://scratch.mit.edu/ to learn how to move a spirit and create different games. Come learn how to code in Scratch and share projects with your friends.
We will meet in Mrs. Bates Zoom Room on Fridays at 11 Am. I hope to see you there.
Mindfulness Club
Hello Westridge parents and students! I am excited to offer a new opportunity for social connection and skill building. I will be hosting a drop-in Mindfulness Group open to all students at the following times:
7:45-7:55 Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday
12:30-12:45 Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday
In each group, we will do a quick check-in, a short mindfulness activity and a stretch or yoga pose. You can access the group at this link, or use these instructions to access the link through your student's Clever account.
Trivia Club with Ms. Montgomery
Do you enjoy knowing all kinds of random facts about different things? Come join the fun at our Wildcat Trivia Club! Each week, Ms. Montgomery hosts a lunchtime club where kids can hang out and enjoy lunch while we show what we know about a different theme.
We will start the new year off with Mandalorian trivia from 11:30 - 12pm on Thursday, January 21. Bring your lunch and have some fun sharing what you know about the Mandalorian!
You can find my Bitmoji in your Clever Classroom or follow the steps below OR here is my link if you want to have it handy-
https://loswego-k12-or-us.zoom.us/j/2721276503
Wear something Disney if you would like!
Social Time Munch and Crunch Lunch Clubs
Mr. Kieser hosts lunch groups for Kindergarten, 2nd and 4th grades. This is a time for all students in each grade to come together to have lunch, chat and do an activity together. Lunch Group is from 12:00-12:25 on the following days:
Kindergarten-Tuesday
2nd Grade-Thursday
4th Grade-Friday
Use this link or click on Mr. Kieser in your Clever Classroom to access any of Mr. Kieser’s groups:
https://zoom.us/j/5036503078?pwd=czVkb0lSUDdOUDVSeFE1bjB1bkJUQT09
Mrs. Bates hosts lunch groups for 1st, 3rd, and 5th grades. This is a time for all students in each grade to come together to have lunch, chat and do an activity together. Lunch Group is from 12:00-12:25 on the following days:
1st grade-Tuesday
3rd Grade-Thursday
5th Grade-Friday
Use this link or click on Mrs. Bates Zoom Room in your Clever Classroom to access: https://loswego-k12-or-us.zoom.us/j/3737960708
Westridge School Counseling Family Resources
Hello Westridge parents! Comprehensive Distance Learning has been a challenge for both parents and students. We want to provide as much assistance to you as possible, I have condensed several useful resources into the Westridge School Counseling Family Resources folder. Here you will find:
- An archive of all Social Emotional Learning lessons from the year, organized by character trait.
- Family activities to build connection and character
- Tips for parent and family self-care
- Webinars by myself and other Westridge staff.
This folder will be updated on a regular basis, so feel free to check it once in a while. If you have any questions or suggestions for useful resources, please contact me at kieserg@loswego.k12.or.us.
Gary Kieser, MA, LPC
School Counselor
Westridge Elementary School
503-534-2371, ext. 3932
Donating to Westridge PTSO
The Westridge Elementary PTSO (Parent Teacher Student Organization) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization run by parent volunteers. Through parent and community donations, we help to fund field trips, technology, and over 30 school programs each year for the enrichment of Westridge students.
While in the midst of the ongoing COVID pandemic, we find ourselves in an especially unique position this year. Many of our community members have experienced financial hardships as a result of the pandemic. We realize that it may not be viable for your family to donate to our annual fundraiser, and thus, we are not hosting one during this academic year.
While our school year looks quite different this year, the need for resources to enrich the academic experience of each and every student is still very real. Therefore, we are still gratefully accepting donations. If you are in a position to donate and able to take advantage of your employer's corporate matching program, we encourage you to participate in giving. Your donations are incredibly valuable and allow us to support our teachers and students.
Thank you for considering donating to support our Westridge students. If you would like to donate at this time or at any time during the school year, please visit Tinyurl.com/wildcatfund.
Tech Support:
Tech Information Sessions
LOSD hosted two Tech Information Sessions covering the “how tos'' for getting started with distance learning. The session recordings and presentations are posted on the district site under Resources/Tech Support for Families.
Tech Support Ticket
A majority of tech concerns can be resolved by submitting a Tech Support ticket -- the link is on all school and district homepages for easy access to help with passwords, log-ins, hardware fixes, etc.
Google Classroom Guardianship
By now all parents and guardians should have received an email requesting you to accept guardianship of your student's Google Classroom. If you need assistance with this request, please submit a request through the Tech Support button. Note: accepting guardianship simply gives you the option of selecting how often you would like to receive summaries (weekly, daily, or no summary) of your student's Google Classroom activity. Only student accounts have access to Google Classroom.
ODE State Assessment Notice
Westridge Elementary
Email: kari.montgomery@loswego.k12.or.us
Website: https://www.losdschools.org/wr
Location: 3400 Royce Way, Lake Oswego, OR, USA
Phone: (503) 534-2371