Friday
Nov. 9
Tour 9:15am
Spirit/Pizza Day
Monday
Nov. 12
Veteran’s Day
No School;
No Childcare
Wednesday
Nov. 14
Tour 9:15am
Board Meeting 6:30pm
Thursday
Nov. 15
Annual Giving Kick-Off Breakfast
Starts at 7:45 am
Friday
Nov. 16
Assembly
9:30am
Family Dance
6:30pm
Wednesday
Nov. 21
Special Friend’s Day
Thursday and Friday
Nov. 22and 23
Thanksgiving Vacation
No School
November 8, 2007
Annual Giving Kick-Off Breakfast, Nov. 15
Why I Give...
Family Friends' Day
Two New Yellow Vans!
Family Dance November 16th
Library News
Annual Giving
Kick-Off Breakfast
Thursday, November 15th
Starting at 7:45am
Kids and parents are invited! Every gift received on or before that day will increase by $50. Every class that reaches 100% participation earns Westside an extra $1000. And new sustainers (families that pledge to give $500 or more per child per year) are matched at 50% of their gift! Letters are going out today, so check you mailbox. And, gifts can be given online at www.westsideschool.org/annualgiving.htm.
Why I Give
by Jana Barber, Development Chair, parent and Board Member
In various committee meetings and in our last Town Meeting, the Board asked the question, “what’s really great about Westside School?” This question has inspired me to really think about why Westside School continues to be our choice for our kids education, and why we give to Westside School.
The board and administrative team has made an effort over the past couple of years to educate parents about the gap between what tuition covers, and the actual cost of school. Reflecting about why we give, frankly, the gap never comes up as the top reason for me. As trustee and chair of the development committee, that is probably heresy, but I would like to share a few of the reasons why my husband and I give….
We are inspired to give…
… because in 7 years at Westside, my kids have never not wanted to come to school.
…. because of the way I see my 4th grader mentoring the little kids – saying hello by name, looking out for the them, and loving being a reading buddy.
…because of the three trips that we’ve made to staples to get school supplies for the school in Africa , and I keep hearing “mom we need to get more.”
…because of the confident, thoughtful young woman our 4th grader is turning into, and our kindergartener is on the path to becoming.
…because of the Spirit Awards Night & Graduation, where our kids are recognized individually for their unique gifts and talents.
…because of the small group of families that saw a need and provided the funding to start our Chinese program several years ago.
Most of all, we are inspired to give to Westside School because of the families that gave before us. Because of their generosity and support of Westside, all of our kids get to go to an amazing independent school in their neighborhood.
The list is long, but you get an idea. As you think about annual giving, be mindful of the gap, but take a minute and think about why you give to Westside.
Family Friends’ Day
Wednesday, November 21
10:30am–Noon
(11:45am for PS, PK & K)
Our 4th annual Family Friends’ Day is scheduled for Wednesday, November 21. It’s a great opportunity for grandparents, aunts, uncles, neighbors and other adult friends to visit Westside and spend time with your child in their classroom. Friends meet in the gym at 10:30 for coffee, simple refreshments, and a short program, then spend the remainder of the morning in the classroom.
Every year, and in every class, friends do something different. Experience elementary school all over again. Each class does something fun – sometimes family friends participate in enrichment classes, sometimes they will do a special project, but it’s a day not to be missed! In the past, family friends, teachers and students have all loved this day!
Invites will go out soon, but first, we need the address from you! Kathy sent you an email last night. Please send your child’s teacher the address of your family friend, and we will send them an invitation. You might want to let them know it’s coming! Family Friends Day is a short day; school dismisses at noon (11:45am for PS, PK and K) and there is no aftercare. Last year, many students went home with their friend. If you would like to send your student home with their guest, please indicate it on the email.
If you have any questions, please contact the office, or email janar@westsideschool.org.
Have You Seen Westside School’s Two New Yellow Vans?
By Jo Ann, Head of School
They are parked outside my office and I am so thrilled that Westside has these resources to use for field trips. Field trips are an important part of our curriculum and getting car pools together to accommodate all the wonderful experiences our teachers put together is always a challenge. Our new vans will make this much easier. One of the first graders remarked, “I always wanted to ride in a yellow school bus!”
A couple of months ago, Mark Sundberg called and asked me if the school would like to have these two vans. I timidly said, let me see what the insurance implications are and I will get back to you. But I was so thrilled, because this wasn’t going to be a budget item for probably many years! I sent an email to the Board and to the teachers saying we had this incredible opportunity and the excitement built. It was my pleasure to call Mark and accept his and Tracy’s generous gift. Then not only did the vans arrive, but Mark and Tracy had painted them yellow and there was the Westside School logo!
Thank you, Mark, Tracy and Emily for giving Westside School something to cheer about!
The Family Dance
Friday, November 16
6:30-8:30pm
You and yer young’uns are invited to have a rip-roarin’ good old time at Westside’s Western Family Dance! Back from last year, DJ Spencer Howard will lead you through the macarena, the electric slide, the chicken dance, and more. So wear your cowbody gear, (if you want) and don’t miss out on this very popular annual event. It’s free!
Tight on time for dinner? Light sandwiches, snacks and drinks provided. Check your take-home folder for the flyer.
Sponsored by the Rootin’ Tootin’ Cowpokes of the WPO
Library News
By Sarah Wildflower, Librarian
The library is open to families from 3:15-4:15 on Mondays and Thursdays. We’ve had several families stop in to enjoy books or do homework. Maxine and Kayla came in to choose more princess books and their mom, Gwen, came in to choose a non-princess book that her daughters would enjoy. Nathan (PK) felt so cozy that he fell asleep on the couch while reading books. Mei comes in to do homework, and then enjoys finding books that teach her something new that she can share with her dad.
The second and third graders are just starting to learn how to use the library. They get slips of paper, called Library Challenges, with information about a book. Then, they decode it and figure out where to look. They get themselves into the right section (such as Chapter books) and guess where the author’s last name might be. Once they have a place to start, they begin to narrow it down. They pick a random book, look at the author’s last name, and decide if the book they’re looking for is before or after that name, and whether the book is a long way away or close by. It usually takes only six or eight steps to get to the right book, no matter how far away it’s being narrowed down from.
Grant was proud to find his book, but noted that he had needed some help. Everyone needs help to do something for the first time, but it only took one prompt for Grant to find the book on his own, because he had already narrowed down the search so well. Will remained searching even after others had quit, and GyNeece was so excited about the library challenges that she did three right in a row. Gina has been doing Library Challenges on her own for some time, and every week brings me book after book to show me what she has found.
If you want, next time you’re at the public library, practice with your children. They will still need some prompting, but it’s fun for them to see that they can use the same methods to find books in any library they are in.