October 2023

Dear West Belmar Parents,

November is a time to reflect on the academic progress that your child has made this new school year.

The month will kick off with the celebration of Dia de los Muertos on Thursday, November 2nd from 5:30–7:30 pm. The Day of the Dead is a holiday traditionally celebrated by people of Mexican heritage. There will be traditional authentic Mexican Food, live music, dancing, and crafts. Come join the family fun!

Parent/Teacher conferences will be held on the 3rd, 4th, 7th, and 8th for grades K-5. There will be a 1:05 PM dismissal on these days. The night conferences will be held on Tuesday the 7th from 6:00–8:00 pm. At the conferences you will have the opportunity to sit with your child’s teacher and discuss the academic process your child has made. There are no report cards distributed during the first marking period. The standard-based report card will be distributed at the end of the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th for grades K-5.

At the conference keep an open mind. Remember that you and your child’s teacher are a team and want to help your child succeed. Your goal is to work for cooperation between you and the teacher. Here are more helpful hints:

1. Ask to see your child’s work.
2. Ask the teacher to explain anything you do not understand. Every profession has its own terminology which can be hard to understand.
3. Sum up what has been discussed at the conference. Make sure both you and the teacher agree on any decisions you have made about your child.
4. Finally, stay in touch with your child’s teacher throughout the school year.

West Belmar School will be closed on the 9th and 10th of the month for the annual NJEA Teachers Convention held in Atlantic City. Educators from across the state will attend these conferences to obtain information on the most current educational topics. For our teachers they will bring the information back to our school to continue to build a tradition of excellence.

The end of the month will be the celebration of Thanksgiving. The kindergartners and first graders celebrate their annual Thanksgiving Feast on November 22nd. The students will prepare for the feast by studying the early settlers of the pilgrims and Indians. They will read and write about stories and make costumes for their special feast!

This is a time for all of us to think of the many things we are thankful for!

Thursday, November 2nd from 5:30-7:30 PM

at West Belmar Elementary School

Come celebrate Dia de los Muertos at WBS! There will be live music, arts and crafts, and dancing! Authentic Mexican food will be available to purchase. Come enjoy this special celebration with us!

• Friday, November 3rd (Afternoon)
• Monday, November 6th (Afternoon)
• Tuesday, November 7th (Evening)
• Wednesday, November 8th (Afternoon)

We will dismiss at 1:05pm each of these days.

Early dismissal - Wednesday, November 22nd

School closed - Thursday, November 23th & Friday, November 24th

Happy Thanksgiving!

Picture make-up day is November 14th

November 1, 2023

7:00-8:30 PM

WHS Cafeteria

Tuesday, November 14th

Wall Intermediate School

Public session starts at 7:30 PM

Wall vs. Manasquan

Thursday, November 23, 2023

WHS Varsity Field at 10:00 AM

• Click here for more information

The months of November and December are dedicated to the exploration of the mindset, ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE.

Through the ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE Mindset, we are taught that we can use either the positives or negatives in our lives as a foundation on which to build. Choose the positives, and we are on our way toward extraordinary success! By focusing on the things we have, there is no time to be distracted by what we don’t have.

4 Key Components:

• Treasure Yourself
• Be More Grateful
• Thank it Forward
• Elevate Your Perspective

Suggestions to stay healthy during cold, flu, and COVID season are helpful during this busy time of year. Habits like frequent hand washing, exercising, eating a balanced meal, and getting plenty of rest are the best ways to maintain a healthy immune system. If your child experiences symptoms of a cold, flu, or COVID, please keep them at home. If your child has a temperature greater than 100.0, he/she must be fever-free without fever-reducing medication for 24 hours before returning to school. Children diagnosed with COVID, whether it be symptomatic or asymptomatic, should be isolated for 5 days, beginning on the first full day of symptoms (or the day he/she was tested if asymptomatic), and may return to school on day 6 if symptom-free. If you have any questions, you can refer to the guidelines on the district website or speak directly with the School Nurse.

The PTA wanted to say ‘Welcome Back’ to another year at West Belmar School! We are excited to get reacquainted with you all and meet those of you who are new to our school. West Belmar is truly a great place to be, and we are looking forward to another year filled with adventure!

PTA executive board:

• Charlene Gorhan - President
• Marissa Mc Intrye - Vice President
• Meghan McDermott Treasurer
• Erin Polo - Recording Secretary
• Shannon Cusick - Corresponding Secretary

Please feel free to come to us if you have any questions, concerns…or even ideas.! We welcome your input! There are many changes underway this year…some challenging and others we eagerly anticipate.