Autumn Greetings from West Side

Welcome to the beginning of our 2011-2012 school year. We have had the best opening of school ever. Thanks to all of you for the support and help you give as we have spent the month preparing our students for the routines and the year ahead.
By now most of your have returned the many forms we need to update information and assist your families transitioning between home and school. If you haven’t yet done so, please review them and sign whatever is necessary. They include:

 Emergency Contact form from our office
 Parental Authorization form
 Medical updates from our school nurse you’ll need to sign.
 Signature confirming you have reviewed the Code of Conduct,
Student Handbook and Student Planners(Grades 2-5)

I’d also like to take the opportunity to welcome our new teachers and staff at West Side. Mrs. Christine McMahon has joined us as a reading teacher after several years in that position at Fowler. We also have a new psychology intern, Mrs. Jessica Anderson who is assigned to our building due to the departure of Ms. Morgan Fee. We also start the year with a student teacher, Mr. Andrew Waldroff , who is working in Kindergarten with Mrs. Barbara Sadue. West Side is also now the home of the Community Based Transitions Program. These high school students work each Friday as part of their career planning for their senior program.

This will be a transitional year of many changes for West Side. We are all of aware of the changes in K-12 education that started last year. They involve a more rigorous system of assessments for students and evaluations of teachers and principals based on the degree of success the children display. Last year we started to put together the framework to meet these new expectations. This year we’ll start implementing some of the changes and put the remaining pieces in place by the end of the school year.

It will also be a transitional year for me personally. This will be my last year as your principal. I will retire at the end of the school year. My goals this year are to prepare the teachers and students for the new core standards and challenges ahead, and to celebrate every minute leading this wonderful school and the people who make it such an educational gem.

Our first chance to celebrate together is coming this week! Please join us for Open House on Thursday, September 29, from 5:00 to 6:30 p.m., followed by our first volunteer training for parents at 6:30. Each classroom has prepared a special opportunity for you to work with your child and explore his or her program in some way. Our teachers in Grades K-2 have all been working with a new program called Responsive Classroom. Responsive Classroom strives to create a community of learners that includes students, teachers, parents, and the principal! You’ll see a message from me each Monday that helps us all share the week ahead. Part of Responsive Classroom is for you and your child to share your hopes and dreams for the year with the teacher and the teachers are preparing special activities for you to do so.

We are also pleased to provide information about public agencies related to helping your child be successful and safe in school. A welcome addition to our displays is the Masonic Child Safety Identification program for all families who wish to participate.

We hope that all of you will be able to attend Open House. Until then, please stop by any time or call to say hello or express any questions or concerns. Have a great year with us at West Side!