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Dear Westridge Families,
What an outstanding week it has been at Westridge! I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude to all our families who joined us for Back to School Night on Thursday. Your presence, partnership, and commitment to staying connected with teachers enrich our culture of learning and make a tremendous difference for our students.
As we move forward, our intentional focus remains on Student Ownership - ensuring that every child is responsible for doing the thinking in the classroom. During classroom observations, my instructional leadership team and I are looking for students who are:
- Doing the majority of the work of the lesson - speaking, listening, reading, and writing.
- Reasoning and making meaning of texts, persevering through difficulty while still owning the complex thinking.
- Talking and asking questions about each other’s thinking to deepen understanding.
- Providing text evidence to support their ideas and using topic‑ or text‑specific language in their responses.
- Making real‑world connections to ideas from texts or reference materials.
Thank you for reinforcing these habits at home by encouraging your children to explain their thinking, justify their ideas, and practice speaking and reasoning. These skills will serve them well not only in school, but throughout their lives.
We are grateful for your continued partnership and look forward to another strong (and slightly shorter) four‑day week ahead. Together, we are helping every Westridge student learn, grow, and thrive.
With appreciation,
Steven Wilson
Principal
Westridge Elementary School
Want to make a real impact this school year? Join the PTA and help us create unforgettable experiences for our kids.
Whether you have five minutes or five hours, your voice matters. The PTA is a place for connection, collaboration, and making things happen. Plus, it’s a great way to stay in the loop and meet other awesome parents.
👉 Sign up today and be part of the magic: https://ptawestridge.givebacks.com/shop
Let’s dive in together—because when we all pitch in, amazing things happen.
This year, Prince William County Public Schools took a bold and research-based step forward by adopting the new Cell Phone-Free Education Policy. Beginning in August 2025, all schools will implement a bell-to-bell policy that limits cell phone use during the instructional day. This
decision, shaped by community input and a successful pilot across 33 schools, is rooted in a
shared goal: creating classroom environments where students are fully present—mentally,
emotionally, and socially. The student-created slogan, “Stop the scroll, take control,” reminds us
that this policy is about empowerment, not restriction. It is about reclaiming focus, restoring
meaningful human connection, and giving our students every opportunity to thrive. For more
information, I invite you to review the PWCS FAQ page. We are grateful for your engagement
and look forward to continuing this important work together.
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.