Family News

Re-enrollment packets for the 2026–2027 school year were sent home before break. Please complete and return your student’s packet by Friday, March 13 to secure their seat at Westminster Community Charter School.

Our lottery for new students will take place in April, so it is important that all current families submit their re-enrollment forms on time.

If you need another copy of the packet or have any questions, please contact the main office. Thank you for your continued partnership!

Now Accepting Applications for the 2026–2027 School Year (Grades K–8)

We are now accepting applications for students entering Kindergarten through Grade 8 for the 2026–2027 school year. Limited spots are available in Grades 1–8.

All students who are not currently enrolled must submit an application, including siblings of current students.

Lottery Preference is given to:

Siblings of currently enrolled students
Students residing in the 14215 zip code

We encourage you to share this information with your family and friends who may be interested in joining our school community.

Click here to apply.

Application

March 3 - UB Basketball Game 5:30-9:00

March 6 - Five Weeks Close

March 9-13 - Howard Students at the School - Alternative Spring Break

March 11 - Open House 4:00-5:30

March 14 - Ready, Set, Kindergarten 10:00-12:00

March 19 - Parent Teacher Conferences - 1/2 Day for students 11:00 dismissal

March 20 - EID - No School

March 25 - EID Celebration 4:00-5:30, New Family Open House

April 1 - STEM Night, Open House, Job Fair

April 3-10 - No School Spring Break

Key Strategies for Supporting Absent Students:

Communicate with the School: Promptly notify teachers and staff about absences to discuss missed work and create an intervention plan.
Establish Routines: Maintain consistent, healthy habits such as early bedtimes, regular sleep schedules, and preparing backpacks/clothes the night before to reduce school-day anxiety.
Address Root Causes: Work with school counselors or social workers to understand why the student is absent (e.g., anxiety, health issues, bullying).
Support Reentry: Make the return to school positive. Collaborate with the school to ensure the student feels welcomed back rather than overwhelmed, possibly by focusing on building relationships first.
Utilize Resources: Leverage school or community services for transportation, clothing, or health needs that might be causing attendance barriers.
Focus on Small Wins: Set goals for consecutive days attended to build momentum, treating setbacks as a restart rather than failure.

Sign up to Volunteer using this link.

https://forms.gle/BWy5c6GEiRomCo1C7

Chaperones

Any parent who wants to chaperone a field trip, must complete the volunteer application.

PAC Meetings are held on the third Tuesday of each month at 5:00 pm.

The meeting is in person as well as on ZOOM, https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83528350620?pwd=HPfQzAzIDjMozORJNmyP5bkeUaYYMJ.1

March Meeting 17th, 5:00 pm

Safety Drills

At our school, student safety is always our top priority. Throughout the year, we practice different types of safety drills—such as fire, shelter in place, and lockdown drills—so that everyone knows what to do in an emergency. Each year we need to conduct:

Fire Drills - We have completed 6 successful drills.
Lock Down Drills
Early Release Drill
Shelter in place Drills

Please reassure your student that these drills are to practice, and nothing to be afraid of.

Lockdown Drills

A lockdown drill helps us practice what to do if we ever need to secure the building from a threat. This is most like a safety concern in the school building. During these drills, teachers guide students to move away from doors and windows, stay quiet, and wait calmly until it’s safe.

We take care to explain each drill in a calm, age-appropriate way so that students understand it’s a practice and not something to be afraid of. Our goal is to help everyone feel prepared and confident, not scared.

Thank you for talking with your child about the importance of these safety routines and reassuring them that these drills are simply one of the many ways we work together to keep our school safe.

We will be conducting Lockdown Drills on 2/25 and 4/2,

I will send a reminder message and also let you know how the drill went after each event.

Final Drill 4/2