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WRES Knight's News Header

WRES Knight's News Header
WRES Knight'sNews Header

Friday, January 31, 2025 Friday, January 31, 2025

Message From the Principal Message From the Principal

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Dear Westridge Families,


What an incredible week it has been! Our students have seamlessly settled back into the rhythm of a full five-day schedule, demonstrating focus, determination, and a commitment to achieving at high levels. The energy in our classrooms has been inspiring, and it’s clear that our collective efforts - students, teachers, and families - are making a powerful impact on learning. Thank you for your continued partnership in fostering a strong, supportive school community. I look forward to welcoming everyone back on Monday as we kick off February with momentum and a shared dedication to success!


Warmly,

Steven Wilson

Proud Principal - Westridge Elementary

Important Dates Important Dates

  • February 7 - PTA Paint Night from 5:45pm-6:45pm and 7pm-8pm
  • February 14 - Amicus House Breakfast
  • February 17 - No School - Presidents Day Holiday (Schools and Offices Closed)

National School Counseling Week National School Counseling Week

Mrs. Oppenheim and Mrs. Loar
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At Westridge, we believe that every child deserves a strong support system to help them grow academically, socially, and emotionally. That’s why we are so incredibly grateful for our amazing school counselors, Mrs. Gabrielle Loar and Mrs. Lisa Oppenheim, who go above and beyond every day to ensure that our students feel safe, supported, and empowered.


Next week, February 3 through 7, is National School Counseling Week, a special time to recognize the invaluable role our counselors play in fostering student success. Whether they are providing guidance, leading social-emotional learning, supporting families, or simply offering a listening ear, their dedication makes Westridge a stronger, more compassionate community.


We encourage you to join us in celebrating our counselors next week! A quick note of thanks, an email, or a kind word from students and families can make a huge difference in showing appreciation for all they do.


Thank you for partnering with us in recognizing these amazing educators!

Attendance Counts! Attendance Counts!

Understanding Chronic Absenteeism – Your Input Matters! Understanding Chronic Absenteeism – Your Input Matters!

Prince William County Public Schools is participating in the statewide SNAP in Schools Initiative to address chronic absenteeism. George Mason University’s Learning Laboratory for Community Health, in partnership with the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the Virginia Department of Health (VDH), is conducting a parent/guardian survey to uncover the root causes of student absences in Virginia’s public schools.


Your insights are critical to helping us support students, families, and schools. The survey takes about 10 minutes, is completely anonymous, and will be open until February 28, 2025.


Please take a moment to share your thoughts and help create meaningful change for our students: Take the Survey Here

Family Engagement Series Family Engagement Series

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We warmly invite all parents to join our Family Engagement Series, a wonderful opportunity to connect, learn, and grow together as a community. This series includes interactive workshops, informative sessions on child development, and fun family activities designed to strengthen the bond between parents and children. Don’t miss out on this chance to engage with other families and gain valuable insights to support your child’s growth and well-being. For more information CLICK HERE.

Varsity Online Tutoring Varsity Online Tutoring

Varsity Online Tutoring – FREE Service Available 24 Hours per Day, 7 Days a Week.


Varsity Tutors for Schools platform is a FREE online resource for grades K-12 designed to support your students’ academic growth. This platform offers:


  • 24/7 On-Demand Chat Tutoring
  • Essay Review and Coaching
  • Live Group Classes
  • Test Prep Classes
  • Enrichment Classes
  • Celebrity-Led Star Courses and more.


How Do Student Access Varsity Tutors?


Students access Varsity Tutors by logging into Clever using their PWCS email address (for example, username@pwcs-edu.org) and password (this is the same password students use to log into their PWCS issued device). Once logged into Clever, you can find the link for Varsity in the PWCS Resources section. For more information please visit: https://www.pwcs.edu/departments/instructional_technology/online_tutoring/index

SNAP School Initiative SNAP School Initiative

Prince William County Public Schools is excited to announce that the Virginia Department of Social Services in collaboration with the Virginia Department of Education has initiated SNAP in Schools outreach to students and families in Virginia. SNAP provides food benefits to eligible families to supplement their grocery budget so they can afford the nutritious food essential to health and well-being. To learn more or to apply for SNAP benefits, please visit the CommonHelp website or call (833) 552-5582.

Crisis and Emergency Preparedness in PWCS Crisis and Emergency Preparedness in PWCS

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PWCS is committed to ensuring safe and welcoming environments for students and staff. If a safety concern or crisis occurs in or near our schools, PWCS uses standard terms to communicate with families. Watch this video to become familiar with the terms.


Watch Video

Community Needs Assessment Survey Community Needs Assessment Survey

We are conducting a survey to better understand the needs of our community. Your responses will help us provide better support and resources. All responses are confidential: Community Needs Assessment Survey.

Free Mental Health Resources for Students Free Mental Health Resources for Students

PWCS recognizes that this time of year can be particularly challenging for many students. To ensure that every student has access to the support they need, we would like to remind parents that free mental health telehealth services are available to all PWCS students through Hazel Health – at no cost. Together, we can make a significant difference in the mental well-being of our students now and beyond.


Visit the PWCS Hazel Health webpage for more information.


For more information or questions, please contact Francesca Knight, coordinator of social work services, at KnightFW@pwcs.edu.

Spark Program Partnership - Team Prince William Elite Basketball Spark Program Partnership - Team Prince William Elite Basketball

Team Prince William Elite (TPWE) is dedicated to empowering young athletes through the disciplines and experiences of competitive basketball. Please visit teamprincewilliamelite.org for more information.

Steven Wilson
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