Thursday
December 13
Winterfest
6:30pm
Tuesday
December 18
3rd to Seattle Children’s Theater
Thursday
December 20
4-5 to Seattle Children’s Theater
Friday
December 21
Early Dismissal
No Aftercare
Monday
December 24
-
Friday
January 4
Winter Break
School Closed!
Monday
January 7
School Resumes
Thursday
January 10
Tour 9:15am
Friday
January 11
Assembly 9:30am
Spirit/Pizza Day
December 13, 2007
Winterfest Tonight at Grace Church!
Blue Plate Lunch Reminder
Westside Annex Open House
Annual Giving Update
News from Pre-K and PS
Art
Afterschool Enrichment Classes
New Staff Added
Open House Thank You
Winterfest Tonight!
At Grace Church
Just down the street from Westside
at 10323 28th SW
Remember that Winterfest is tonight. The program starts at 6:30pm, and students should be at the church sitting with their class by 6:15pm. There’s plenty of parking and seating available. The event will be recorded and filmed, and DVD’s will be available in time for the holidays! Reserve your copy online, and pick it up on Friday, December 21st in the office. They’re $15.
Blue Plate Lunch Reminder
Remember to make your lunch order for January before you get busy with the Holidays. January lunches are posted and can be ordered now at www.blueplateseattle.com.
Westside Annex Open House
Friday, December 21st
Stop in and visit the Westside Annex. If you’re curious about what’s been happening down at the house, it will be open for tours on Friday, December 21st during the school day. Just walk all the way down the hall and out the Explorer West doors, and the house is on the right at 10002 30th Ave SW. Heidi, the Business Manager and Jana, the Marketing and Development Director, will work in the house full time, and it will also be used for meetings and other events. Thanks to Brent and Anne Fosso, it looks beautiful! Check it out!
Annual Giving Update
Congratulations to Nancy’s PS Class, Margie’s First Grade class, the 3rd grade class and the 5th grade class for reaching 100% participation this week! They’ve joined the 2nd graders and Marsha’s Kindergarten class, who had already reached this important mark. If you haven’t given yet, there’s still time! Visit www.westsideschool.org/annualgiving.htm or pledge by sending an email to janar@westsideschool.org. We plan to celebrate a successful annual giving campaign in January.
News from Pre-K and Preschool
By Claudia Ross-Weston, PK Teacher
Delicious baked bread aromas are emanating from Claudia and Nancy’s kitchen. It is bread making time. The Pre-kindergarten and Preschool classes are grinding corn and wheat by hand. The two classes have joined forces to prepare cornmeal and whole wheat flour. First the students help make corn bread. The following day they get to assemble the ingredients for yeast bread. The third day is French style bread formed into shapes of letters or animals. Each student receives a sample of their handy work to take home and share with their families. Not only are the children learning about cereal grains, change and how breads are made, they are gaining new knowledge of leavening and how different ingredients make breads rise. “Hey, that bread is really puffy.” one child observed. As we study food groups, science and cooking are integrated into the curriculum.
Art
By Margery Lamden, Art Teacher
A most impressive aspect of art is how each work has a specific story to tell. “When you have a pure, sincere motivation, then you have the right attitude towards others based on kindness, compassion, love and respect.”--- The Dalai Lama.
And we all have woven thread that links us to each other. The art projects so far have brought us many visual treasures. Some of the art work is displayed throughout the halls, some has or soon will be sent home, and art is always on display in the art room. So come and visit!
One of the projects that grades 2 through 5 created was their own unique multi-layered paper mask. I showed the students pictures of masks and we talked about how masks are used in various cultures for rituals, ceremonies, and dances. I demonstrated different ways of folding and taping paper shapes such as rectangles and triangles so they would turn into three dimensional forms. The students eagerly began their exploration of constructing masks. They worked with focus and imagination. Each mask is skillful and expressive. One student said, “it’s amazing how you can create something so cool from just folding and over-lapping paper.”
Many thanks to all of you for sharing your children with us. They definitely bring joy to the world
After School Enrichment Classes
Session 2
The always popular after school enrichment classes are starting again the week of January 7th. Please register online. The link is on the Parent/Student Network page. Another session will start after mid-winter break.
Chess
Day: Tuesday
Time: 3:15-4:30
Date: 5 Week Session starts 01/08/08
Grade: First - Fifth Grade
Cost: $60.00
Learn to play chess, or practice what you already know! Chess can strengthen problem solving skills, teach children to make difficult and abstract decisions and enhance math abilities memory and critical thinking skills. The ever popular Elston Cloy returns to guide the chess class.
Science Adventures – Physics Factory
Day: Wednesday
Time: 3:15-4:30
Date: 5 Week Session starts 01/09/08
Grade: First - Fifth
Grade (No K)
Cost: $75.00
Physics Factory - Unlock the mysteries of electricity, sound, light, and motion by exploring the amazing world of physics! Build a kaleidoscope, create a musical instrument and get rolling with a K’Nex race car. From the pull of gravity to the hidden power of electrons and electrical circuits, Newton never knew physics like this!
Yoga
Day: Thursday
Time: 3:15-4:30
Date: 5 Week Session starts 01/10/08 (No class on Feb 7th)
Grade: Kindergarten - Fifth Grade
Cost: $60.00
Cynthia Voth & Joanna Bond return to help kids get in touch with their bodies, strengthen and relax their muscles, and develop coordination, focus and confidence. Each class will include sharing, breathing/centering (pranayama), postures (asana), games that incorporate the postures, and a closing relaxation. Yoga can be a fun exercise for kids. Be sure to wear comfortable clothing and bring a yoga mat.
Book Club
Day: Thursday
Time: 3:15 - 4:00
Date: 4 Week Session starts 1/10/08
Grade: Third - Fifth Grade
Cost: $20.00
Join Librarian Sarah for a book club! Read the classic horse story, Misty of Chincateague Marguerite Henry and the well-reviewed cat book, Whittington by Alan Armstrong. Class will meet in the library, and each child will be given the books to keep. Limit 10 students
Kindergarten Chess Club
Day: Friday
Time: 2:45-3:45
Date: 5 week session starts 01/11/08
(no class on Feb 8th)
Grade: Kindergarten
Cost: $60.00
Learn to play chess, or practice what you already know! Chess can strengthen problem solving skills, teach children to make difficult and abstract decisions and enhance math abilities memory and critical thinking skills. The ever popular Elston Cloy returns to guide the chess class.
New Staff Added
Westside School would like to welcome Devin McQuiston to our staff after the holiday, January 7, 2008. Devin will work in our K-5 after school program. In addition, he will offer assistant support to second and fourth/fifth classrooms. Devin replaces Danielle DeLappe, who has decided not to return to work following the birth of her daughter. Devin has a BA in Humanities from Seattle University. He is familiar with private schools as a graduate of Seattle Preparatory High School. He is also one of Westside School’s Pre-K alumnae as he was in Pre-K with Claudia.
Open House Thank You!
Admissions at Westside has been busy this year, and our open house on Saturday, December 8th was a huge success! We couldn’t do it without you. Thanks to the following people for helping: Mikel O’Brien, Damon Graves, Amy Carrasco, Susan Viscon, Teresa Muench, Teresa McNally, Suzette Riley and Lauren Cole.