A note from our Principal
West Side Families,
Ever the optimist, I'd like to welcome all of us to the month of March. If this is "In like a lion," I can't wait to see "out like a lamb." Last month, I talked about how January is technically a colder month than February. Well, the middle-to-late part of February made me feel like I lied to y'all. The weather has rallied for us, and I'm looking forward to what March has to offer.
I know one of the less popular aspects of March is "springing forward" with daylight saving time, and that comes at us pretty quickly starting March 9th. Nobody likes to lose an hour of sleep, but again, ever the optimist, I love the fact that the sun will be setting after 7:00 PM starting on March 9th.
Still, daylight saving time does bring up an important point, and I know I've talked about it before: sleep. How many hours of sleep do 4th and 5th graders need per night? Sleep experts tell us kids aged 9-13 need to sleep between 9 and 11 hours per night. Assuming your kids wake up at 6:30 AM, that means they should be in deep sleep by 9:30 PM at the very latest, which means they should be in bed with lights out by 9:00 PM at the very latest for the minimum recommended hours of sleep. As the days lengthen, this becomes more difficult for parents because kids will need to go to bed while it is still light outside. We have some intense learning coming up over the next few weeks, and we are going to need maximum effort from our kids to make the most of our time. We also need our kids in school, and one of the best ways to combat illness is by allowing our students to get the recommended amount of sleep every night. I hope you will commit to helping our kids have the best and healthiest experiences possible over the next couple of months. Thanks for reading our newsletter, West Side Families!
If you'd like more information on the science of sleep, here are a couple of great articles to read when you have the time:
Principal
West Side Elementary
307-347-4298 (office)
Thunderbirds have started reading for their Battle of the Books with the competition set for March 26th. This date has changed due to the limited number of available books for participants.
This is a challenging competition in which teams of 4 read books from a given list. After each book, students write a summary of the book. Summaries are DUE Monday, March 24th in order to qualify.
At the end of six weeks, teams will compete in a "Family Feud," or "knowledge bowl-style" tournament by answering questions about the books. At the end of the preliminary rounds, the teams with the most points will proceed to the championship! We will send out information to parents about the competition day. Ready, set, read!
Thanks to our PTO for their help with this and our upcoming March Madness reading!
Parents/Guardians -
We are on the downhill side of this school year! Almost ¾ of the way done! No matter what time of the year it is, however, students still have struggles and need a listening ear. Keep spending time with your kiddos daily, giving them the opportunity to tell you about their day, the highs and the lows. They crave attention and love from their family members.
In Guidance this month, we will be learning about the following:
4th Grade: Responsibility
5th Grade: DARE (Drug Awareness Resistance Education)
My Kindness Squad is helping West Side have a canned food drive and we've made it a competition! The class to donate the most items will get a root beer float party. Last day to bring items will be March 12. Thank you for your support! 🤩
Heather Rollema
K-12 School Counselor
TO: All PARENTS/GUARDIANS OF STUDENT(S) THAT ARE ELEVEN OR TWELVE YEARS OLD. The Wyoming Health Department is now aligned with the ACIP (Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices). New guidelines state if your child has turned eleven or twelve they are ready to receive their booster Tdap (Tetanus, Diptheria, pertussis) immunization. Please be advised that your child needs to have their Tdap booster before their 13th birthday to be in compliance with the Wyoming law. Please call your medical provider or Washakie County Public Health Office at 347-3278 to schedule an appointment for this immunization. Medical or Religious waivers may be obtained through the State of Wyoming Health Department or County Public Health office.
Thank you,
Gina Miller, RN WCSD#1 School Nurse
March 4: PTO Meeting at West Side 5:30
March 6: 5th Grade Spring Music Program @ 6:30 in Middle School Auditorium
March 7: End of Third Quarter
March 9: Daylight Savings Time Begins
March 10 - 12: Parent Teacher Conferences
March 10 - 12: Book Fair
March 13: Battle of Books Competition
March 17 - 21: Spring Break - NO SCHOOL
March 26: Battle of Books Competition
March 27: 5th Grade Rewards Day
