Message From the Principal
Hello Westridge,
I hope everyone enjoys some time together next week to celebrate Thanksgiving and Native American Heritage Day. The PTSO has been working with the school to put together this 'tree of thanks' with each student filling out a leaf with what they're grateful for. I took pictures of a few of my favorites here. There's a lot of positive energy coming from this tree!
Have a great weekend everyone,
Noah
In This Newsletter:
Save the dates!
Safety Symposium
Counselor's Corner
Opt Out Form- State Assesments
Continuing Reminders:
Native American Heritage Month
History and Spelling Bee information
Suicide Prevention Training
STEM News and Needs
Nurse Notes
Meet the Westridge Staff!
Reporting Tardies and absences
Statewide Assessment Notice
Save the Dates!
11/19: 3pm 1st grade parents Craft & Sip
11/21-11/25: No School
12/2: PIcture retakes
12/5: 1st & 3rd grade Mom's Movie Night 6pm
12/10: 5th grade families at Elf Jr Play 1pm
12/11: 4th grade families at Elf Jr movie 1pm
12/13: Vision Screening (Grades K/1/3/5 only)
12/19-1/2: No School (Winter break)
PTSO Event's Page Calendar can be found here for more info on Parents Nights out and Meet Ups!
Safety Symposium About Fentanyl and Firearms
LOSD is hosting the 2022 Fall Safety Symposium in partnership with Lake Oswego Police Department, Homeland Security, Gun Owners for Responsible Ownership (GOFRO), and BeSMART. All in our learning community are welcome to attend the in-person session.
Wednesday, Nov. 30
7-8:30 p.m.
Lake Oswego High School Library
2501 Country Club Road; parking in the front of the building
Special guest speakers will give us the facts on critical safety issues in our schools and community, share life-saving information, and provide proactive strategies for families.
Topic 1: Secure Storage of Firearms - BeSMART for Kids & Teens!
Topic 2: The Fentanyl Crisis and the Role of Narcan
National American Indian Heritage Month:
Today the PTSO had the great pleasure of hosting Northstar Dance Company for our first school-wide assembly. We hope that your student enjoyed this unique opportunity to experience Native American music, dance, and culture in honor of National American Indian Heritage Month. If you like to learn more about the Native American experience and history, please visit these websites and our local library.
The Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde
National Museum of the American Indian and Native Cinema Showcase
December SEL theme: Empathy
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:
Nurse Notes:
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.
Oregon Lions Sight and Hearing Foundation will soon be conducting their annual vision screening of K,1,3,and 5th grades. Click for more information.
On the day of your school's vision screening, please consider donating any old glasses you have to the Lions Club. Click for more information.
Is your child up to date? Check here and be sure to update school records before you leave for Winter Break.
Meet the Westridge Staff!
Each week we will get to know a few Westridge staff members with a Q&A session!
This week, we met up with Gary Kieser, Sara Vogel and Larissa Stewart
Gary Kieser:
Q: What is your job here at Westridge?
A: School Counselor
Q: How long have you worked at Westridge?
A: This is my fourth year
Q: Where did you grow up?
A: Lake Oswego
Q: What did you do after high school?
A: I went to college at Portland State.
Q: Tell me about your family or any pets!
A: I'm married with two sons aged 13 and 16, plus 2 cats.
Q: What are some interesting or fun facts about you?
A: When I was a little kid, my pediatrician projected my full-grown height at 5'9". I'm 6'5" and over a foot taller than my siblings.
Q: What are somethings you love to do in your free time?
A: I love the outdoors including camping, hiking and mountain biking.
Sara Vogel:
Q: What is your job here at Westridge?
A: School Psychologist
Q: How long have you worked at Westridge?
A: This is my 15th year
Q: Where did you grow up?
A: in the Bay Area (Los Altos)
Q: What did you do after high school?
A: Attended college in CA and Oregon, then went to grad school in New Hampshire
Q: Tell me about your family or any pets!
A: My husband and I eloped when we were 21 and we're still married! We have two beautiful daughters (ages 16 and 18) and are adjusting to our oldest leaving for college at UO. We have two kitties (Jasper and Peary). We don't currently have a hamster, but have probably had 10 or so over the years.
Q: What are some interesting or fun facts about you?
A: I think school mascots are the best, and I loved getting to know our mascot Rocky during Covid and making videos for Westridge students during the school closure.
Q: What are some things you love to do in your free time?
A: Going on long bike rides all over Portland.
Larissa Stewart:
Q: What is your job here at Westridge?
A: Speech-Language Pathologist
Q: How long have you worked at Westridge?
A: This is my second year
Q: Where did you grow up?
A: I grew up in Southern Oregon
Q: What did you do after high school?
A: I went to college at SOU and started teaching high school English at age 22. After about 12 years, I went back to school at U of O to become a speech language pathologist.
Q: Tell me about your family or any pets!
A: My husband and I just added a golden retriever puppy to our empty nest. I have a 26 year old son who graduated from OSU a few years ago. He lives and works nearby.
Q: What are some interesting or fun facts about you?
A: I was a middle/high school and community theater actor. I played and coached volleyball until I had my son.
Q: What are some things you love to do in your free time?
A: I enjoy reading and great shows ( live theater, movies, TV, music.)
Safe Oregon
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.
(Students should also be aware that intentionally providing a false report is a serious offense.)
Stay connected with the LOSD AP:
Contact information for the Westridge PTSO
Find us on Facebook!
Follow us on Instagram @westridge.ptso
Email: westridgeptso@gmail.com
Yearbook Photos: yearbookwestridge@gmail.com
Westridge Elementary School
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