Westridge Wildcat News

Hello Westridge,

It has been another great week here! Things are getting colder and there is definitely a 'holiday buzz' in the air. The PTSO had a very successful fundraiser with wreath and popcorn sales, and they're setting up right now to hand these out as I write this.

On the academic end of things, it was a productive week. I was in many classrooms this week and consistently saw our kids working hard and having fun with some difficult concepts-- everything from letter and sound recognition repetitions to practicing advanced grammatical structures. And they're eating it all up.

Have a great weekend,

Noah

New or Updated Information:

Save the dates!

MOD Pizza Fundraiser

Minted Fundraiser

Foster Child Toy Drive

Winter i-Ready

Continuing Reminders:

Counselor's Corner

Opt Out Form- State Assessments

STEM News and Needs

Nurse Notes

Meet the Westridge Staff!

Reporting Tardies and absences

Statewide Assessment Notice

There will be no PTSO meeting in December!

12/5: Respond to Racism: Kids' Storytime 5pm

12/5: 1st & 3rd grade Mom's Movie Night 6pm

12/11: 4th grade families at Elf Jr movie 1pm

12/12: 5th grade families at Elf Jr Play 1pm

12/13: Vision Screening (Grades K/1/3/5 only)

12/19-1/2: No School (Winter break)

1/19: PTSO Meeting 7pm

PTSO Event's Page Calendar can be found here for more info on Parents Nights out and Meet Ups!

Ordering holiday cards and gifts? Shop online at Minted using the code FUNDRAISEWESTRIDGE. You save 20% and Minted donates 15% to the Westridge PTSO.

Please take a few minutes to review the information and resources below regarding Oregon Health Authority (OHA) and Center for Disease Control (CDC) updates and resources for respiratory viruses, including Influenza, Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), Monkeypox (mpox), plus Hand, Foot, and Mouth disease (HFMD). This information can also be found on our District Nurse website page.

Oregon health officials recently issued a call to action in response to the rapid spread of RSV and Influenza virus. State health officials recommend that people:

• Stay home when sick.

• Cover coughs and sneezes with the inside of your elbow, or with a tissue that you immediately throw away after use.

• Clean and disinfect all high-touch surfaces, including doorknobs, faucets, chairs, countertops, and tables.

• Regularly wash hands with soap and water or use hand sanitizer, especially after coughing or sneezing into a tissue.

• Avoid sharing cups, water bottles, and other drink containers, or eating utensils.

• Get a flu shot and stay up to date on COVID-19 vaccinations, including new bivalent boosters. There is no vaccine for RSV.

• Consider wearing a mask in crowded indoor spaces.

Monkeypox (mpox)

Monkeypox is passed from person to person by close physical contact (not just sexual), but unlike some other disorders affecting skin it remains infectious until all scabs are gone and skin is dry. As such, a very precise and accurate diagnosis of skin lesions, particularly in high-contact sports such as wrestling is important. We continue to advocate for early testing and treatment of students who are ill as well as close collaboration with local and state health departments during times of outbreaks. Most importantly, prevention is the hallmark of controlling these illnesses in our students. With OHA’s announcement this Fall of pediatric mpox (monkeypox) cases in Oregon, it’s important to share information on tools available to manage this illness.

OHA Monkeypox Website – Regularly updated and includes evidence-based information about this illness.

Monkeypox Vaccination Providers – Use zip code to explore healthcare locations providing vaccines.

CDC Monkeypox Toolkit for Schools and Early Care and Education Programs – Provides a user-friendly format for existing monkeypox considerations in schools.

AAP Monkeypox Website – American Academy of Pediatrics site with information and resources.

Influenza (the Flu)

The flu was nearly nonexistent during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic but is now making a significant comeback and earlier in the year than normal. Many students have already been affected and many more will be. Both the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the American Academy of Family Practice (AAFP) recommend early testing for those who are symptomatic to differentiate the Flu from COVID-19. Also, most antiviral medications against the Flu are most effective if started in the first 48 hours.

OHA Flu Prevention Website – Information for prevention and vaccines.

CDC Influenza Resource Center – Information and resources in multiple languages.

AAP Influenza Recommendations – American Academy of Pediatrics recommendations for prevention and control.

AAFP Influenza Website – American Academy of Family Physicians resources for prevention.

Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV)

RSV is a common respiratory virus that is transmitted through respiratory droplets, direct contact, and by touching contaminated surfaces. For most children, RSV produces mild illness, however, children under 2 years old are especially susceptible to RSV and are at increased risk of severe illness and hospitalization. It is important to note that many school-age children have siblings at home who may be younger and more susceptible to severe illness and hospitalization. The ways we can prevent the spread of RSV and other respiratory illnesses are familiar and include frequent and thorough handwashing, covering coughs and sneezes, masking, and disinfection of high-touch surfaces.

OHA RSV Website – Information about symptoms and prevention.

Oregon’s RSV Report – Updates RSV activity in Oregon every Wednesday.

CDC RSV Resources – Information about prevention, symptoms, and care.

AAP RSV Guidance – American Academy of Pediatrics recommendations.

Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease (HFMD)

There has been a notable increase in outbreaks of hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) in Oregon this year, particularly this Fall. HFMD is an infection caused by a virus. Although HFMD is common in children younger than 5, several recent outbreaks have involved high school or junior high students, including student-athletes. Common symptoms of HFMD include fever, mouth sores, and rash (commonly on the hands and feet). HFMD spreads through fluids spread through coughs and sneezes, fluids from blisters or scabs, contact with feces, and contact with objects and surfaces that have the virus on them. Most people with HFMD recover on their own in seven to 10 days. Treatment of HFMD is symptom-based: drink enough fluids to prevent dehydration and use over-the-counter medication to relieve fever and pain from mouth sores.

OHA HFMD Information for ADs, Coaches, Athletic Trainers, and Parents (English)

OHA HFMD Information for ADs, Coaches, Athletic Trainers, and Parents (Spanish)

CDC HFMD Website – Information about symptoms and prevention.

This Winter, all elementary students will complete two online i-Ready assessments. Like Fall, one is for math and the other is for reading. i-Ready is a diagnostic that will help us determine your child’s strengths and areas for growth, personalize their learning, and monitor their progress throughout the school year. i-Ready allows us to meet your child where they are and provides us with data to inform and tailor instruction to accelerate growth. This is the second of three i-Ready assessments we give each year, and the results will be shared with parents.

Dear Westridge Families,

During December, through our Social Emotional Learning (SEL) lessons, we will be introducing the character trait of Empathy. Empathy is an important skill for creating connected and kind communities and developing healthy relationships. There is a growing need for more Empathy in our world. As anxiety increases in our culture, Empathy decreases. As more hate speech incidents occur in the world, as people use empathy less, we begin to see a divided and fractured community and world.

So, we are working to develop a few key skills in order to live more empathetic lives. As a school community, we will be examining how Empathy looks, sounds, and feels. First, developing an “emotional vocabulary” to make sure we have the words to understand and describe what we are feeling personally. Second, being able to connect with others based on their feelings, even though we may not have the exact same story or perspective as someone else. Finally, we will think about how being an upstander when empathy is not being used can help support our community members and stop harmful actions.

The definition students will be learning this month for empathy is: the ability to understand and connect to the feelings of another.

For your reference, here are links for extension activities if you would like to explore empathy further as a family:

Kindergarten

1st Grade

2nd Grade

3rd Grade

4th Grade

5th Grade

WHEN TO KEEP YOUR STUDENT HOME FROM SCHOOL

Please follow this link to see when and for how long to keep your student home due to various symptoms.

IMMUNIZATIONS

Is your child up to date? Check here and be sure to update school records before you leave for Winter Break.

Contact your District Nurse

Each week we will get to know a few Westridge staff members with a Q&A session!

This week, we met up with classified staff members Bei Li, Brenda Mejdell, Amy Frazke and Kristen Hoevet

Bei Li:

Q: What is your job here at Westridge?

A: Medical Educational Assistant

Q: How long have you worked at Westridge?

A: This is my second school year

Q: Where did you grow up?

A: Jinan, China

Q: What did you do after high school?

A: I went to medical school after I graduated from high school

Q: Tell me about your family or any pets!

A:My husband and I have two daughters and one son. We used to have a cat, Fluffy, who lived with us for 16 years and a dog, Benny, who were with us for 12 years.

Q: What are somethings you love to do in your free time?

A:I like to cook for my family, read books, travel and hanging out with my friends.

Brenda Mejdell:

Q: What is your job here at Westridge?

A: Medical Educational Assistant

Q: How long have you worked at Westridge?

A: This is my first year at Westridge but was at Hallinan for 5 years as a Med EA prior

Q: Where did you grow up?

A: Corvallis, OR

Q: What did you do after high school?

A: I graduated from Oregon State and moved to the Portland area. I worked for Nordstrom for 10 years. When my daughter, Mackenna, was born I decided to stay home for a few years. When she, Mackenna was in Middle School I went back to work in commercial real estate. Now that my daughter is finished with college, I wanted to do something less stressful, thus working with kids now. :)

Q: Tell me about your family or any pets!

A: I have a 2 year old German Shepard named Bear. Most of my time outside of work involves trying to wear out the dog.

Q: What are some interesting or fun facts about you?

A: Fun Fact: I was the Beaver mascot at Oregon State.

Q: What are some things you love to do in your free time?

A: I love to do crafts and organize when I am not busy entertaining the dog.

Kristen Hoevet:

Q: What is your job here at Westridge?

A: Educational Assistant

Q: How long have you worked at Westridge?

A: This is my 4th year

Q: Where did you grow up?

A: Lake Oswego

Q: What did you do after high school?

A: College- Seattle Pacific University- Classroom teacher in Bellevue and in Beaverton School District. Moved on to have kids and then taught preschool for 7 years.

Q: Tell me about your family or any pets!

A: I have been married to my husband Jon for 20 years. We have a daughter named Ali, who is a sophomore this year at University of Oregon. We love going down for football games in the fall and visiting with our girl. Go Ducks! I also have a son named Jackson, who is a freshman at Lakeridge. Jackson is enjoying playing football this year. We are loving watching him on the field every Thursday night. We have a ten year old labradoodle named Miles who loves long nightly walks.

Q: What are some interesting or fun facts about you?

A: I met my husband in fifth grade at Westridge. Both of our children went to Westridge too!

Q: What are some things you love to do in your free time?

A:I love going for long walks with friends and my dog Miles, doing pilates, going to Duck games, and traveling to new places.

Amy Fratzke:

Q: What is your job here at Westridge?

A: Educational Assistant

Q: How long have you worked at Westridge?

A: This is my 7th year

Q: Where did you grow up?

A: Pleasanton, California

Q: What did you do after high school?

A: Graduated from the University of Oregon. After graduation I decided to become a flight attendant for Delta Airlines because I wanted to see and travel the world.

Q: Tell me about your family or any pets!

A: I have been married to my husband Matt for 24 years. We have 2 sons, Garrett 18 and Colin 15. Garrett goes to Willamette University and Colin is a sophomore at Lakeridge High School.

Q: What are some interesting or fun facts about you?

A: I have a twin sister Lynnea who also lives in Lake Oswego. If you see someone who looks a lot like me you be sure to say hi!

Q: What are some things you love to do in your free time?

A: I love to travel and am happy to go anywhere any time! I also love running. You can see me running all around Lake Oswego.

Each school year, Oregon students take assessments to meet federal requirements. The purpose of these assessments is to provide data that schools can use to ensure that every child is on track and achieving learning goals.

State law requires us to inform you that a form is available from the State Department of Education that allows you to opt your child out of the math and English Language Arts assessments for the current school year. Should you wish to opt out your child, fill out the form and submit it to the main office at your child’s school. Please note the submission deadlines listed on the form. Meeting the deadline will help the school with planning and preparation. If you wish your child not to participate in the science assessment for grades 5, 8, and 11, submit this request in writing to the principal of your child's school.

If you have questions or want more information about state assessments, please contact your child’s principal or teacher(s).

Click here for opt-out form for Math and English Language Arts.

Please contact the office any time your student will be absent or be late for school. Anytime your child arrives at school after 8:20am, they will need to report to the office to get a tardy slip and report their lunch choices. When reporting absences, please email both Andrea and Jodi.

Office phone number and voicemail: 503-534-2371

Attendance Secretary: Andrea Murphy (murphya@loswego.k12.or.us)

Principal's Secretary: Jodi Steward (stewardj@loswego.k12.or.us)

Parents-guardians who have concerns about a student’s well-being are encouraged to reach out to their principal, and to maintain strong lines of communication and partnership between students, families, staff, and other resources.

SafeOregon is also an effective way to report a tip regarding safety threats or potential acts of violence to our students or schools.

https://www.safeoregon.com/

(Students should also be aware that intentionally providing a false report is a serious offense.)

Stay connected to the district and your school(s) and receive urgent notifications by subscribing to the Lake Oswego Schools App.

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Email: westridgeptso@gmail.com

Yearbook Photos: yearbookwestridge@gmail.com

All members of our community are committed to providing a safe and inclusive learning environment that cultivates empathy, creates challenging opportunities, and fosters lifelong learning.

Email: hurdn@loswego.k12.or.us weaverl@loswego.k12.or.us
Website: https://www.losdschools.org/wr
Location: 3400 Royce Way, Lake Oswego, OR, USA
Phone: 503-534-2371