West Point El. Parent Update

Week of October 27, 2024

Dear West Point Families,

Happy last week of October! We know our students are very excited for Halloween. Please see the information below about our "Experience the Magic Halloween Parade."

We are keeping an eye on the weather forecast for the week. Please be sure to send your students with warm coats as our days start getting colder. Our Family Advocate, Andrea Craig, can assist families if needed with getting coats for your children. You can contact her at acraig@dsdmail.net.

First Term report cards will be available on myDSD this Monday, October 28 at 4:00 p.m. Please be positive with your students and celebrate their achievements! We want students to embrace a growth mindset which helps them realize that learning is a process. Celebrate your students' growth and help them set goals for this next term. This is also a great time to help students commit to daily home reading and daily attendance if needed.

Here are three important things to know for the coming week.

There is no school this Friday, November 1 for Teacher Professional Day.
Daylight Savings ends this Sunday, November 3 at 2:00 a.m. Be sure to turn your clocks back one hour so students don't arrive at school too early next Monday, November 4.
Our Halloween Parade is this Thursday, October 31 starting at 9:05 a.m.

Students should come to school with their costumes on and be able to easily change out of their costumes after the parade.
All costumes must follow the guidelines listed below.
If you would like to watch the parade, parents can set up chairs on the field on the outside the walking loop. (The inside section of the loop and the playground blacktop need to stay clear.)
If you will be volunteering after the parade, you must come through the front office doors to check in.

We hope you have a wonderful week. Every day is a great day to be a Wildcat!

Sincerely,

Marjorie Conrad and Christie Bouy
Principal and Administrative Intern, West Point Elementary

Upcoming Dates

Monday, October 28: 1st Term Report Cards available on myDSD at 4:00 p.m.
Tuesday, October 29: 2nd Grade Field Trip to Loveland Living Aquarium
Thursday, October 31: "Experience the Magic" Halloween Parade
Friday, November 1: Professional Day, NO SCHOOL for students
Friday, November 8: PTA Meeting, 9:30 a.m., in the faculty room
Tuesday - Wednesday, November 12-13: Hearing Screening
Wednesday, November 20: Community Council, 5:30-6:30 p.m., in the conference room
Wednesday - Friday, November 27 - 29: Thanksgiving Break, NO SCHOOL
Tuesday, December 3: West Point Elementary Choir Concert, 7:00 p.m.
Friday, December 6: School Choir and School Orchestra performing at West Point City Angel of Hope Ceremony, evening
Thursday, December 19: 5th Grade Colonial Fair
Friday, December 20: Last Day of 2nd Term, EARLY OUT
Monday, December 23 - Friday, January 3: Winter Break, NO SCHOOL
Monday, January 6: Professional Day, NO SCHOOL
Tuesday, January 7: Students return to school

Congratulations!

Weekly Principal Paw Award Recipients

Congratulations to last week's Principal Paw Award recipients! We love celebrating our students at our golden ears party and sharing the many ways they go above and beyond to be safe, respectful, responsible, and caring.

Halloween Guidelines

Students are invited to join in our Halloween celebration on Thursday, October 31. We will start the day at 9:05 a.m. with our "Experience the Magic" Halloween Costume Parade, which will be held outside along the track in the back field. Students may wear costumes for the parade, but they need to be prepared to change out of their costumes immediately following the parade. Please send a bag to put costumes in so they don't get lost.

Watching the Parade: Parents can enjoy the parade, too! Please bring a camp chair or other outside chair and find a spot on the field on the outside of the track. We need to keep the inside of the track and the playground black top clear.

Costumes: These guidelines are meant to help our Halloween celebration be respectful, responsible, safe, and kind for all.

Be respectful: Avoid stereotypes. Be racially sensitive and culturally appropriate. Students may not dress up as an ethnic or cultural group (i.e., a Mexican, a Geisha, a Native American, etc.). Culture is not a costume. Skin color must not be altered in any way.
Be responsible: Recognize that students in a wide age range will see the costumes. Costumes should be family friendly. Costumes may not be gory or threatening.
Be safe: No weapons, real or pretend are allowed (i.e. light sabers, swords, hooks, Wolverine claws). Masks may not be worn. Crowns or hats may be worn.
Be caring: Costumes should be fun and exciting, not political or offensive.

Experience the Magic

Magical Manners

Our new magical manner for this week is "Be a Good Friend during Recess." We love this reminder that recess should be fun for everyone. Students will discuss why it is important to keep sports and games school friendly and why it is not good sportsmanship to change rules, exclude others, trash talk, and more. Having fun, building relationships, and getting to move and play are what make recess enjoyable for all!

52 Modern Manners for Kids

October's LETTERING Focus - A is for Attentiveness

This is our last week for our focus on Attentiveness. Students have been practicing attentive listening this month and will get to reflect on why it is important. Please ask them to show you what they have learned!

Excellence Project

We are excited to see the many projects students have chosen to work on this year. If you have not already done so, please have a conversation with your child and help them choose one thing they would like to learn more about or become better at this year. We want every student to feel the sense of accomplishment that comes from setting and working towards a goal for personal improvement!

October Brag Tags

Please help your students stay strong this last week of October! Students can earn a brag tag if they have 0-1 absences for the month. They earn their reading brag tag by reading at home at least 18 days during the month.