The Weekly News West Elementary

For the 2023-2024 school year, West Elementary will be working on targeted practice on some “life” skills in addition to academics. Every week, we will practice a skill that will help us all be a little better. This week’s skill is REACTING TO PROBLEM.

Most people are pretty good at REACTING TO PROBLEMS but a reminder never hurts. This week we will be practicing.

1/2/24 -- Reacting to Problems

12/18/23 -- Being Polite

12/4/23 -- Introducing Yourself

11/6/23 -- Offering Help

10/30/23 -- Expressing Your Feelings

10/23/23 -- Knowing Your Feelings

10/16/23 -- Giving a Compliment

10/9/23 -- Review

9/25/ 23-- Following Instructions

9/18/23 -- Asking for Help

9/11/23 -- Listening

Used Book Sale!

The West Elementary Author Committee is sponsoring a used book sale! Proceeds will go toward funding an exciting visit from a famous author so West’s Cubs and Cats can learn writing tips from the pros!

Please spend some time over the Thanksgiving Holiday and the Winter Break searching for those “gently used” books you no longer need. Donated books can be sent to school with your child and will be collected by the teachers. We thank you in advance for all of your wonderful donations!

Our Book Sale will be held on January 24th and 25th during school hours. Books will be priced at $0.50 each or 3 titles for $1.00! In order to allow all students access to used books, there will be a $2.00 maximum purchase limit.

More information will be coming as the book sale draws closer!

West Elementary's Shared Decision Making Team (SDMT) is working on the following goals for our building this year:

• increasing student engagement through culturally responsive teaching;

• increasing parent engagement by providing new and different opportunities to bring families into school.

In order to increase engagement within our school community, we need to gather some information about what you think would be most beneficial. What is of interest to you as a parent? How can school help?

PLEASE TAKE A FEW MINUTES TO SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS. THANKS IN ADVANCE!

FAMILY SURVEY

Special thanks to Mrs. Danieu-Schiess, Mrs. Owusu, Mr. Teager, Mrs. Carroll, Mrs. Avery, Mrs. Wurl, Mrs. Griffin, and Mr. Duggan for participation.

We're excited to inform you that West Elementary will be hosting a Spelling Bee on February 12 for Grades 3-5 and February 14th for Grades 1-2 at 6:00 pm**. All students in 1st through 5th grade are invited to participate in this event. Simply complete the attached Google form and all study materials will be sent home with your child. Your child will also be invited to a Spelling Bee Google Classroom where all materials, study aids, and videos will be housed. Study materials include a Great Words; Great Words book list, which is a great resource to get your child acclimated to the spelling words in the context of great stories. A study list will also be sent home for your child to practice. Tips to help your child do his or her best will be included as well!

Please click here to register your children for the West Elementary Spelling Bee.

If you have any questions, please reach out to Mrs. Skuse at tskuse@wscschools.org or Mrs. Bojczuk at mbojczuk@wscschools.org. Thank you!

**Please note that the dates have been changed.

During January, The Child Advocacy Center and Best Self Behavioral Health will be presenting to all of our students. The nature of these presentations are to help students feel safe and speak up if they are feeling unsafe. The presentations will also help students to identify trusted adults that can help them in and out of school in unsafe situations. These presentations are part of Erin’s Law and are mandated by the New York State Legislature. If you have any questions please feel free to call our school social worker, Ms. Caprio at 677-3166 or check out NY State Department of Education website in regards to Erin’s Law http://www.nysed.gov/curriculum-instruction/erins-law.

This Form has been fixed to accept answers --

Please use the following link to fill out the West Seneca School District Volunteer Acknowledgement Form. If you plan on coming in as a guest reader, to volunteer with PTA, or to work in your child's classroom for holiday parties, please adhere to the obligations and expectations of a responsible parent volunteer. The following guidelines/procedures shall serve as a review of your important role in our schools:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdxcVhc_HrwLPRtnhODkr3nB-Y3aYQJ1Y62bV3RMrP3HDi1tA/viewform

The West Seneca Central School District recognizes that learning environments that are safe and supportive can increase student attendance and improve academic achievement. A student’s ability to learn and achieve high academic standards, and a school’s ability to educate students, is compromised by incidents of discrimination or harassment, including but not limited to bullying, taunting and intimidation. The District therefore strives to create an environment free of discrimination and harassment and promotes civility in the schools to prevent and prohibit conduct that is inconsistent with the District’s educational mission. To this end, the District has a comprehensive policy regarding the Dignity for All Students Act (“DASA”), which prohibits bullying, discrimination and harassment of students in specific circumstances. The policy is available on the District’s website and at our District office.

Please contact the District’s appointed Dignity Act Coordinators with questions.

West Elementary's coordinator -- Lisa Caprio -- ecaprio@wscschools.org or 716-677-3166

Ms. Elizabeth Caprio, School Social Worker

716-677-3166

ecaprio@wscschools.org

Ms. Lisa Gill, School Social Worker

716-677-3261

lgill@wscschools.org

Mrs. Nubia Cawthard, School Psychologist

716-677-3258

ncawthard@wscschools.org

Mrs. Lea O'Malley, School Counselor

716- 677-3671

lomalley@wscschools.org

January

Tue 2nd -- Popcorn and Paws K-2

Tue 16th -- Popcorn and Paws 3-5

Wed 24th -- Used Book Sale

Thurs 25th -- Used Book Sale

Fri 26th -- Dollar Day - Sports Day

"The Mission of the West Seneca Central School District is to provide a diversified educational program which will produce literate, caring, ethical, responsible, and productive citizens who are capable of adapting to change."