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Dear Westridge Families,
What a wonderful way to begin December! I’m very pleased to share that we’ve had a strong and successful return from Thanksgiving break. Our students have re-engaged with enthusiasm, settled right back into their routines, and are ready to make the most of the weeks we have ahead as we head into the winter months.
I want to acknowledge something important: the second quarter often brings frequent days off, choppy weeks, and repeated transitions - which can make it challenging to build sustained instructional momentum. I see the resilience, focus, and effort from our students, and I deeply appreciate the support from our families. When you reinforce learning at home - reading together, writing, asking about what your child is doing in class - that makes a huge difference. Your partnership matters more than ever.
Our Instructional Focus This December
As we head into December, we’re turning renewed attention to our school-wide improvement work through intentional planning, collaboration, and reflection. The goal of our Continuous Improvement Plan is not just to check boxes, but to strengthen our routines, deepen student thinking, and make every moment in the classroom count. This past week, we kicked off our English Language Arts (ELA) Collaborative Learning Team (CLT) meetings focusing on two of our CIP priorities: establishing clear routines around teaching and learning, and refining the way we structure lessons so that every student has the opportunity to speak up, think deeply, cite text evidence, and tie learning back to our anchor charts and essential questions. As part of this work, we’ve continued our classroom walkthroughs - not as a formal evaluation, but to gather insight into how instruction is flowing, how tasks are structured, and how our practices are aligning with our standards of excellence. This gives us real information to reflect on and build from - data that informs how we grow as a learning community.
Next week, we will check in on “Learning Walks” – teachers observing peers’ classrooms to notice what’s working - the high-engagement strategies, the strong routines, the bright spots. It’s a culture of learning, sharing, and lifting great practice. Later in the week, at our Math/Science CLT, we’ll begin shifting more intentionally toward science. During the week of December 15, teams will review data to examine the results of our work so far: What’s going well? Where do we see evidence that routines and instructional structures are making a difference? What adjustments might we make after winter break? This cycle of planning, acting, looking, and reflecting - a core idea behind continuous improvement - helps us grow as a school and ensures our efforts are always responsive and meaningful.
Our work with the CIP directly impacts what students experience every single day. When classrooms have clear routines, lessons are thoughtfully planned, and learning tasks encourage deep thinking and collaboration, students benefit: they stay more focused, feel safe and confident, and develop stronger skills in reading, writing, and scientific thinking. This process also helps us maintain alignment, consistency, and clarity across grade levels and subjects - so that every child’s learning is supported, and every teacher has a shared vision of excellence. We believe that with commitment, collaboration, and thoughtful reflection, we can help all students grow - academically and as learners. Thank you for being part of this journey. We’re excited about the progress we’ll make together this month.
I’m thrilled to remind you all of our upcoming PTA fundraiser, the Snowball Scamper, next Saturday, December 13, from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM, right here at Westridge. We’re planning a fun run, food trucks, family fun - all to support our school community! We’re working closely with the PTA and keeping a close eye on the weather forecast; should anything change, we will communicate with you early and clearly. I hope many of you will join us for this special day.
Thank you, Westridge families, for your partnership, patience, and dedication. In a season that can feel busy and unpredictable, your support - both at school and at home - is a powerful anchor for our students. Here’s to a strong finish to 2025, full of learning, growth, and community. I am proud of our students, grateful for our staff, and honored to work with you all.
Warmly,
Steven Wilson
Principal
Westridge Elementary School
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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.