Friday
May 23
5th Grade
Fieldtrip
Monday
May 26
Memorial Day
No School
Thursday
May 29
ERB Parent Information
4:30pm
Friday
May 30
5th Grade
Fieldtrip
Sunday
June 1
Tuition Payment Due
Wednesday
June 4
Kindergarten
Field Trip
Friday
June 6
Spirit/Pizza Day
Field Day
Thursday
June 12
5th Grade
Graduation/Spirit Awards
6:30pm
May 22, 2008
From Jo Ann - Staff Changes
Field Day Volunteers Needed
End of the Year Events
News from Blue Plate Express
ERB Meeting for Parents
Mentor Families Needed
New Summer Camp Teachers
New Portable Coming
Library Update
From Jo Ann
Staff Changes for 2008-2009
I want to thank the teachers for providing an opportunity for parents to come and glimpse what lies ahead for their children at our “Looking Ahead” meetings. It is wonderful to talk about the expectations at the next grade. For first and second graders, you may not know which classroom your child will be assigned, but it’s valuable to meet both teachers and understand how different personalities can be responsible for delivering the same curriculum.
There are not many years that an administrator can say that all the teachers are returning! But this year we can! However, we are saying goodbye to a couple of our wonderful assistants: Jeffie-Lou Jackson Thorn and Amy Klessen.
Jeffie Lou has accepted a position as a drama teacher at Van Asselt Elementary. She will be working with kindergarten through fifth graders. Jeffie Lou has been a part of our staff for six and a half years! She has worked in our early school, in third grade, in first grade and our extended day. On behalf of our community, “thank you, Jeffie Lou, for your contributions to Westside!”
After one year we have come to appreciate having Amy Klessen in our pre-kindergarten program as an assistant and in our after care program. Amy is moving to New York City to start her master’s degree program. Thank you, Amy, for your time with our children.
We wish both Amy and Jeffie Lou the best!
During the summer we will hire three new assistants to join our staff.
Director of Finance
I am so happy to announce that Catherine Lanham, our interim business manager, has joined our staff permanently. Catherine’s title will be Director of Finance. Catherine has a Master of Business Administration from McGill University and a BA from Whitman College. She will be in the office Tuesday through Friday. (She can be reached at catherinel@westsideschool.org or accountant@westsideschool.org. Her direct line is 206.631.8501)
Thank you for your patience as together Catherine and I make changes to our processes in this office. It is our intent to make our office run more efficiently and to serve you better.
Olympic Year Field Day
Friday, June 6th
Volunteers Needed
Join the Westside student body and faculty at this year’s Olympic-themed Field Day! The fun begins with an all-school pizza party at 12:00pm and culminates with the 5th grade donut-eating contest at 2:30pm. You won’t want to miss Westside teachers tossing water balloons or watching your child participate in 18 different playground games. Game and team leader volunteers are needed so please look for the sign-up sheet on the WPO board inside the front door and come out and play! Contact Susan Oxholm to volunteer or for more information: (206) 313-2523.
End of the Year Events
Graduation/Awards Night for 1st-5th Grade Families
Westside School’s annual Graduation and Awards Night for 1st through 5th grades is Thursday, June 12 at 6:30 p.m. Graduation will be at Grace Church, 10323 28th Ave. SW, just past the school. In addition to graduating our 5th graders, each 1st-3rd grader will receive a special “Spirit Award”. The 4th graders graduate the 5th graders and it will be a special night for them as the leadership of the school passes on to them. The awards will be followed by a year-in-review slide show, put together by our Director of Studies, David Bergler. Refreshments will be served after the ceremony. It is a special night and we hope you can come.
Lincoln Park Picnic for PS and PK Families
The preschool and pre-kindergarten children will be dismissed at 11:45a.m.on the last day of school, Friday, June 13. The children and their families are invited to bring a sack lunch and meet at Shelter #3 on the beach at Lincoln Park. This is not a field trip as school officially closes at noon. Children attending this picnic must be transported and supervised by a parent or another adult. Please let your child’s teacher know if he/she is being accompanied by someone other than his/her parent.
Yearbooks
Yearbooks will be distributed to all students on Wednesday, June 11, before dismissal. A donation of $10 per yearbook is appreciated. Please drop off your donation in the office.
Last Day of School-Early Dismissal
The last day of school is Friday, June 13. PS, PK and Kindergarten dismiss at 11:45am and 1st -5th at noon. School Closes at Noon-No Aftercare Provided.
Blue Plate Express Info
June menus are on the web site and ready to order. Also, check out our summer cooking camps, they are filling up!
ERB
Parent Meeting
May 29, 4:30pm
How do you read the ERB testing results? What does it mean? Come to this informational meeting to learn all about the ERB test and what it means for your child.
Mentor Families
Last year, we started a mentor family program for new families joining Westside. Families were asked to welcome new families to Westside by making a phone call, sending an email, etc. and to be on-hand throughout the year to answer any questions about the school and/or to promote upcoming events.
Many mentors simply made a welcome phone call to new parents in August, and new families really appreciated this outreach, while others invited their new family over for dinner. Either way, having this introduction to Westside helps new families feel welcome.
Westside is getting ready to pair up new families with mentor families again. If you are interested, please send an email to Kathy (kathyw@westsideschool.org). You can put a lot of time into being a mentor, or just a few minutes. Either way, you’re connecting with a new family and helping Westside create a strong community.
Introducing Two New Teachers
to Inner Spark Summer Camp
Westside Welcomes Renowned Artists
Laura Wong-Whitebear Teaching Native American Basket Weaving July 7-12, 9:00-12:00 for students entering 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades
We are fortunate to have Laura Wong-Whitebear as a guest instructor for the Inner Spark summer program. Laura is a member of the Colville Indian Tribe, and the Interim Executive Director of the Northwest Native American Basketweavers Association. She is a fiber artist weaving with non-traditional materials and also enjoys Native American beadwork, and is dedicated to learning and researching traditional plateau basketry. She received an artist fellowship at the National Museum of the American Indian. Wong-Whitebear is founder of the Three Generations Dance Group, and has served on many projects including the Community Advisory Board for the Pacific Voices Exhibit, Burke Museum 1994-1997. She most recently was an Artist in Residence at the John Stanford International School.
Jessamyn Hager teaching Beading From Around the World
July 21-25, 9:00-12:00 for students entering 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades
Jessamyn Hager has been involved with the culture and history of jewelry making and beading for many years. Her creations reflect her passion for this art form. Jessamyn has taught this craft in many classrooms throughout the Seattle area. This summer she will work with Inner Spark campers on an eclectic variety of international beading. Jessamyn not only teaches the art of beading but also brings the history and culture of this art to the classroom.
There are only a few spaces available for both of these incredible classes. Don’t miss out on a chance for your child to participate. Payments for all Inner Spark classes won’t be due until seven days prior to the opening of camp.
New Portable Installation
Next year, Westside will have two second grades classes and two classrooms. Erin and Kathleen will teach in the current second grade classroom and the current third grade classroom. What happens to 3rd grade? It moves to a new portable classroom!
The new 3rd grade classroom will be installed May 31st, and electricity and water hook-ups, etc. will continue through the end of the year.
Library Update
By Sarah Wildflower, Librarian
Summer is almost upon us – and I bet you’re wondering what to read to fill those long, lazy days. I will be sending an email with a book list of interesting new books for each grade (with all of the lists on the library webpage, as well). For all ages, there are “Books to talk about together” for parents and children to share. This list ranges from issues of homelessness to microcredit lending, from immigration to the perils of imitating friends. I trust these will provide an opportunity to talk about your values and beliefs with your children. I hope “Classics to read aloud” will remind you of some of your childhood favorites and give you a chance to share those with your children. Most of these are the first books in a series, so if you are enthusiastic about a book, there are a lot more ahead to peruse.
Both King County and Seattle Public libraries do summer reading programs, if you would enjoy more incentives to read (for both you and your children). A packet can be picked up at your local branch. For library locations, please visit http://www.spl.lib.wa.us/ (Seattle Public Library) or http://www.kcls.org/ (King County Library).
All books are due back to the Westside School library on June 5th, 2008. Please take a good look around the house, under the bed, in the couch cushions, at Grandma’s house and on your bookcase for all those stray books. Have a great reading summer!
Below is a list of books to talk about together and a list of books to read together. More detailed information about these books will be on the Westside School library webpage.
Books to talk about together
Picture books
The Chick and the Duckling by Mirra Ginsburg
One Green Apple by Eve Bunting.
Ryan and Jimmy : and the well in Africa that brought them together by Herb Shoveller.
A Day’s Work by Eve Bunting
One Hen by Katie Smith Milway.
Fly Away Home by Eve Bunting.
Tea With Milk by Allen Say
El Chino by Allen Say
Smoky Night by Eve Bunting
Chapter books
Half and Half by Lensey Namioka.
Ribbons by Laurence Yep.
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred Taylor.
Journey to Topaz by Yoshiko Uchida.
The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman
Classics to read aloud
Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder
Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien.
Betsy-Tacy by Maud Lovelace
The Singing Tree by Kate Seredy
Twenty One Balloons by William Pène Du Bois
A Long Way from Chicago by Richard Peck
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle