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Dear Westridge Families,

Thank you for another wonderful week! As we head into the final stretch before the holiday break, I’m filled with excitement for all the joy and opportunities ahead. With just one week remaining, let’s focus on finishing strong and staying resilient. Whether through class projects, holiday preparations, or community events, this is a time to shine and come together as a school family.

Next week is packed with excitement, including our winter music performances and the Principal’s Advisory Council meeting. Additionally, the PTA Holiday Store will be in full swing, giving students the chance to pick out meaningful gifts for loved ones. To ensure its success, we need your help! Volunteers are essential to making this experience special for our students. Please consider signing up using the link in the Holiday Store section below - your support makes all the difference.

Thank you for your continued partnership, and I look forward to sharing another memorable week with you all before we head into a well-deserved break. Here’s to a strong finish to 2024 and an amazing start to 2025!

Warm Regards,
Steven Wilson

Proud Principal - Westridge Elementary School

• December 16 through 20 - PTA Holiday Store
• December 17 - Winter Strings Concert
• December 18 - Principal's Advisory Council Meeting from 6 to 7PM (Rescheduled)
• December 19 - Chorus Ensemble Concert at 6:30PM
• December 20 - PTA Cookie Celebration
• December 20 - School Sing Along at 2:45PM
• December 23 through January 3 - Winter Break (No School)

The PTA Holiday Store is a beloved tradition at Westridge, giving students the joy of selecting thoughtful gifts for family and friends while learning the spirit of giving. This festive event not only brings smiles to our students but also helps fund important school programs. To make this event a success, we need your help! Volunteers are essential for setting up, assisting students with shopping, and keeping the store running smoothly. Even an hour of your time can make a big difference! If you're available to lend a hand next week, please sign up Click Here Sign-Up to Volunteer at the Holiday Store. Thank you for supporting this wonderful holiday tradition!

Click Here Sign-Up to Volunteer at the Holiday Store

Calling all bakers! Your talents are needed to make the Westridge staff cookie party a success. Volunteer bakers, bake 2 dozen of your favorite holiday cookies or treats. MAKE SURE TO MARK ANY ITEMS WITH NUTS. Wrap in a disposable or non-returnable container and drop off to the main office by 3:30 pm Wednesday, December 18th. **Store bought treats are accepted too!**

Is baking not your thing but want to join in on the fun? That's ok too! We are also looking for volunteers to assist in setting up cookies in the teacher's lounge on December 19th.

Make sure to sign up here: https://signup.com/go/MSMTrid

Questions? Please contact us at PTAWestridge@gmail.com

The Impact Aid survey has been extended! All parents, particularly military connected families, should complete this survey as soon as possible. It is important that over 10% of Westridge's military connected families have completed Impact Aid Surveys so that we can remain eligible for DoDEA grants that support resources and programs for students and families. Please visit the PWCS Federal Impact Aid website for instructions on how to complete the survey. For assistance with your ParentVUE account, please contact the school. The following are a few key facts to provide you further information about Impact Aid:

• School districts with military installations or other federal lands within their boundaries lose local revenue because of nontaxable federal activities. Impact Aid funding partially reimburses school districts for this loss of locally derived revenue.
• Examples of eligible federal properties include national parks, military installations, and federal office buildings but there are many more.
• Federally connected and military connected are not the same. Parents can be federally connected but are not military connected. This is why it is important for ALL parents to complete the Impact Aid survey.
• Parent information captured on the Impact Aid survey is used solely to submit the Impact Aid application.
• Since enrollment changes and students move from year to year, the U.S. Department of Education requires school districts to count students annually. With that said, parents should complete a new Impact Aid survey every school year.

The Principal’s Advisory Council (PAC) offers a meaningful platform for parents and teachers to come together, share insights, and collaborate on valuable feedback to guide our school’s Continuous Improvement Plan (CIP). We warmly invite all Westridge families to join us for our next PAC meeting, which has been rescheduled to Wednesday, December 18, 2024, from 6:00 to 7:00 PM in the WRES Library. Whether or not you serve as an officer, your voice and perspective are vital in strengthening our school environment and advancing our commitment to student success, school culture, and a positive climate.

If you have any questions or suggestions in advance of the meeting, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Principal Steven Wilson directly. Your engagement and support are truly appreciated, and together, we’re making Westridge a place where every student can thrive!

Thank you for being such an important part of our community. We look forward to working with you!

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PWCS recognizes that this time of year can be particularly challenging for many students. To ensure that every student has access to the support they need, we would like to remind parents that free mental health telehealth services are available to all PWCS students through Hazel Health – at no cost. Together, we can make a significant difference in the mental well-being of our students now and beyond.

Visit the PWCS Hazel Health webpage for more information.

For more information or questions, please contact Francesca Knight, coordinator of social work services, at KnightFW@pwcs.edu.