Washington Elementary School 🐾
From the desk of Dr. Tiffany Jacobson
Laura Smith, 4th Grade Teacher
I am thrilled to be joining Washington School as a fourth-grade teacher this year! I’ve been teaching for over 30 years and love helping students discover the joy of learning.
Westfield has always been home. I grew up here, attended Westfield Public Schools, and now have the privilege of teaching in the same district. Once a Blue Devil, always a Blue Devil! While teaching at Lincoln and Wilson Schools, I’ve come to truly appreciate the incredible students and supportive families in this community.
Currently, I live in Scotch Plains with my husband, our two daughters, and our sweet dog, Beau. Outside the classroom, I enjoy reading, spending time with my family, shopping with my girls, and relaxing at the beach.
I’m looking forward to meeting my students and connecting with their families for a wonderful year ahead filled with curiosity, laughter, and learning.
Lauren Kazanecki, 1st Grade ABA
Hi, I'm excited to be joining the Washington School community as a special education teacher. This is my fourth year teaching in Westfield, and I feel so lucky to spend each day learning and growing alongside my students.
A glimpse into our classroom: We are a team that values kindness and caring for one another. With the support of our wonderful paraprofessionals, we create a warm and inclusive environment where every student feels welcomed and valued. Each day brings opportunities to learn, build relationships, and become more independent.
Outside of school, you’ll usually find me reading a good book, going for a run, spending time with family or searching for my next favorite local iced coffee. I can’t wait for a wonderful year at Washington School!
Alexandra Ryan, Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA)
Hi everyone! My name is Allie Ryan, and I'm excited to be joining Washington School as a Behaviorist. I am looking forward to supporting students, collaborating with staff, and building positive relationships throughout the school. I live in Keyport with my husband and our two golden retrievers, Millie and Denver.
Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with family and friends, going to the beach, and trying new restaurants. I'm excited for a great school year and can't wait to get to know everyone!
We’ve been busy at Washington School this summer preparing for the upcoming school year and the exciting improvements ahead!
Significant drainage work is currently in progress, including the installation of a new retention basin. This important infrastructure work needs to be completed before construction of the new addition begins and it will help to improve drainage across the school grounds.
As part of this work, the playground will be relocated closer to the field, creating a refreshed outdoor space for our students. A new basketball court will replace the previous court, which had experienced ongoing drainage issues beneath the surface. Check out this brief video taken this week.
Health Services: Maintaining the health and safety of our school community is a shared responsibility. The Washington School Health Services page is updated with information on cold and flu season, contagious diseases, COVID-19, as well as other topics. This page also includes the Administrative Regulations, a list of communicable diseases and the minimum exclusion times for students to remain out of school. Your child should not attend school if they are sick. Please keep your child home and notify Nurse O'Connor (coconnor@westfieldnjk12.org) for further instruction.
Students who become ill at school must be picked up within 30 minutes of being notified by Nurse O'Connor. Please make sure your emergency contact list has been updated to include local contacts.
Medication Drop Off: If your child requires medication to be administered during the school day, please contact Nurse O'Connor to make arrangements. All medication must be dropped off by a parent or legal guardian.
Wednesday, August 26............between 12:30 - 3:00 PM
*Please make an appointment with Nurse O'Connor for additional days/times.
Allergies: Washington School is a “peanut aware” facility. If your child has a known food allergy, please contact Nurse O'Connor so that a food allergy plan may be developed.
Hand Hygiene: Children will engage in frequent hand-washing and hand-sanitizing throughout the school day. Each classroom is outfitted with a sink.
Opening Day Forms: Opening day forms required by the New Jersey Department of Education and the District are posted on the Genesis Parent Portal. Please login to the Genesis Parent Portal to update your contact information and to complete all necessary District forms for each of your children. The deadline for submitting all forms is XXXX. If you are new to the Genesis Parent Portal, pages 4 and 5 of the Genesis Parent Access Manual provides directions.
Be sure to check the school supply list for your child’s grade level to see what they’ll need for the upcoming school year. For added convenience, you can also use School Toolbox to order supplies and have them delivered directly to your home.
Orders are due by August 18 and every order benefits the Washington PTO.
Washington teachers have curated boxes of supplies that correspond to your child's grade this fall. You can customize each box to add or remove items (e.g. if you already have scissors, you can remove those from your child's box). Shipping is FREE on orders over $85.
Click here to place your order. Contact Stephanie Cohen with any questions
Visitors: All visitors must check in at the visitor management kiosk at the main entrance. To enter the building, visitors will need a pre-scheduled appointment with a staff member. Upon arrival, visitors will
- ring the intercom bell at the main entrance on Sherman Avenue
- state their name and reason for visiting
- follow the kiosk instructions to scan their photo ID (driver's license or state ID).
After check-in, visitors will receive a badge from the main office, which must be worn while in the building. Before leaving, visitors should return their badges to the main office. Implementing this system is essential for the safety of our staff and students. Below is a graphic with the check-in steps, and an FAQ link for more details.
Drop Off Box: For visits that don’t require entry, please utilize the drop-box located at the front entrance for water bottles, school supplies, sneakers, snacks, lunch, instruments etc. Label all items with student’s name and teacher’s name.
Fire and Security Drills: All fire and security drills are practiced monthly. Families are notified of each security drill via email. Security drills include: non-fire evacuation, evacuation to relocation site, shelter in place, and lockdown.
Every Minute Matters! Arriving on time and attending school regularly helps students begin the day ready to learn, stay connected to their classroom community, and build consistent routines. In New Jersey, a student is considered chronically absent when they miss 10% or more of the school days in which they are enrolled—including excused and unexcused absences.
Thank you for making timely arrival and regular attendance a priority.
Children learn best when they feel safe, supported, and connected. That's why we pay attention not only to academic progress, but also to students' social-emotional well-being and behavior. Through our Responsive Classroom approach and the district's implementation of the Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) Framework, we intentionally teach and support the social, emotional, behavioral, and academic skills students need to succeed.
Throughout the year, we gather information in many different ways, including screenings in reading and math three times a year, classroom work, daily interactions with classmates and teachers, and ongoing conversations with families. Our goal is to know each child as an individual.
Using this information, our staff works together to provide the right level of support and challenge for every student. Some students may need extra help for a period of time, while others may benefit from additional enrichment. We want every child to grow academically, build confidence, and develop healthy relationships.
Families can learn more about what students are learning by visiting the district's EduPlanet Curriculum Portal, which provides grade-level curriculum information. Student progress is shared through our standards-based report card, which focuses on how well students are meeting grade-level learning goals and highlights their growth over time.
Membership Toolkit
Stay Connected with the PTO! Visit the PTO website to become a member and stay up to date on upcoming events and opportunities throughout the year, including enrichment classes, food days, and much more.
Snack
Students are encouraged to bring a healthy, nut-free snack and a water bottle each day to help them stay energized and ready to learn. Water filling stations are available throughout the building, allowing students to refill their water bottles as needed. Additional information about the timing and frequency of classroom snack breaks will be shared by your child's teacher at the start of the school year.
For the first half of this school year, the PTO-sponsored after-school enrichment programs will run from late September through early December on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays, and include Painting & Sculpture, Lego Legends, and COOL'inary Cooking Club.
Additional details, including registration information and program schedules, will be shared through the Membership Toolkit in the coming weeks.
August 27 | 2:30–2:50 PM
Students are invited to stop by for an informal Meet & Greet with their teacher and classmates. This is a great opportunity for students to say hello, visit their classroom, and begin getting comfortable before the first day of school. Parents and caregivers are welcome to join us!
Please enter the building through the main entrance on Sherman Street.
September 10 | 6 - 8 PM
Save the Date for Back-to-School Night and Visit the Book Fair! Join us for an evening to meet your child’s teacher, learn about the curriculum and classroom experience, and discover important schoolwide events and activities specific to your child’s grade level. We look forward to seeing you!
Make time to stop by our Book Fair during Back-to-School Night in the gymnasium! Browse a great selection of books and help inspire a love of reading while supporting our school community.
Our fifth graders will enjoy an exciting overnight adventure at Fairview Lake YMCA Camp. Students will spend time outdoors, participate in team-building activities, and build lasting memories with their classmates. More details about the trip, including dates and logistics, will be shared with families soon. For now...
Date: October 8 - 9, 2026
Family Information Session: September 9, 2026 @ 7 PM (virtual)