Family News

🦁 We had a successful 1st Week of School

What a great first week of school! It has been wonderful to welcome our students back to Westminster Community Charter School and see our halls and classrooms filled with learning, laughter, and Lion Pride.

Lions are unique because they live together in groups called prides. Members of the pride depend on one another for protection, support, and survival. Each lion has a role, and the strength of the pride comes from its members working together and looking out for one another.

At Westminster Community Charter School, our Lions Pride works the same way. We are a community of students, staff, families, and partners who depend on and support one another. Every person belongs, every person matters, and every person contributes to the strength of our Pride.

Our three schoolwide expectations guide how we take care of ourselves and one another:

Be Safe – Make choices that protect yourself and others.
Be Respectful – Treat people, our school, and our community with kindness and respect.
Be Responsible – Take ownership of your choices, your learning, and your role in our Pride.

Just like a lion pride, we are strongest when we work together. When one member needs help, others provide support. When one member succeeds, the Pride celebrates. When each of us does our part, our entire community becomes stronger.

At Westminster, you are never just one Lion—you are part of the Pride.

Parent Advisory Council

The Parent Advisory Council (PAC) is a group of Westminster Community Charter School parents and guardians who partner with the school to strengthen communication, family engagement, and the overall school community. PAC provides families with a voice in school programs, activities, policies, and decisions that impact students and families.

The council meets the third Wednesday of each month at 5:00 PM on Zoom, to share feedback, discuss school priorities, identify family needs, and help plan activities and events. PAC also provides opportunities for families to learn more about academics, student support, attendance, school programs, and community resources.

All WCCS parents and caregivers are welcome to participate. Whether you attend every meeting or join when you can, your ideas and involvement are valued. Together, we work to make Westminster a school where every student and family is a valued member of the Pride.

If you are interested in joining just attend a meeting.

First PAC Meeting Tuesday Sept. 15th - 5:00 PM

Tuesday, September 15, 2026

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81948339148?pwd=iFqubYk1Dmj7rFuM4bP94z3bxvSqQj.1
Meeting ID: 819 4833 9148
Passcode: 709069

Agenda:

Arrival and Dismissal

Attendance - Here Today, Ready for Tomorrow

Academics - Homework

Menus - Breakfast and lunch

Afterschool Program

Behavior Matrix

Dress Code

Cell Phone Policy

Busing 2026-2027

School Transportation

📅 Start Date: September 2025

🕖 Bus Hours: 7:00 AM – 2:00 PM
🏫 School Hours: 7:25 AM – 2:00 PM
📍 Eligibility: Students must live more than 0.7 miles from the school to qualify for bus transportation. BPS determines eligibility based on the address on file for your student(s).
🏡 Required: Families must have a current proof of residence for bus registration. If you move during the year, we need an updated proof of residency to change your bus route. The bus requires 2 weeks for a change, so please provide up-to-date evidence of residence as soon as possible.

Registration with home district, if you live outside of Buffalo you must request transportation from your home district.

All bus communication comes from the Buffalo Transportation department, please reach out direct to them with questions. Transportation Hotline: 716-816-4895, Depot numbers below:

200 Buses -716-874-0544

300 & 400 Buses - 716-835-5410

500 Buses - 716-826-4771

600 Buses -716-896-1171

700, 800 & 900 Buses -716-894-4778

🦁 NEW for 2026–2027! $2 Dress Down Day Fundraiser

FIRST DRESS DOWN DAY IS 9/18, Please send in your students $2

]New this school year, Westminster Community Charter School will hold a $2 Dress Down Day Fundraiser on the third Friday of each month.

Students who bring in $2.00 may dress down for the day. 100% of the money collected will be used to support student events and activities throughout the school year. This is a fun way for students to enjoy a dress-down day while helping us provide special experiences for our Lions!

How It Works

Participation is optional.
The cost to participate is $2.00.
Students should bring their $2 in and give to their homeroom teacher anytime during the week of the scheduled Dress Down Day.
Dress Down Days will be held on the third Friday of each month.
Clothing must be school appropriate.
Students who do not participate should wear their regular WCCS uniform.
All funds raised will go directly toward monthly student events and activities.

2026–2027 Dress Down Days

MonthDate

SeptemberFriday, September 18, 2026

OctoberFriday, October 16, 2026

NovemberFriday, November 20, 2026

DecemberFriday, December 18, 2026

JanuaryFriday, January 15, 2027

FebruaryFriday, February 26, 2027

MarchFriday, March 19, 2027

AprilFriday, April 16, 2027

MayFriday, May 21, 2027

JuneFriday, June 18, 2027

Thank you for supporting opportunities that make school fun, build community, and celebrate our students.

Every person is a valued member of the Pride.

One Pride. One Community. One Purpose.

Ongoing PAC Fund Raiser

A great way to clean up your house and support the school.

🦁 WCCS School–Family–Student Partnership

At Westminster, we enroll families, not just students. Students are most successful when the school, families, and students work together. Each of us has an important role in helping every student learn, grow, and succeed.
School Responsibilities
Westminster will:
- Provide a safe, positive, and challenging learning environment.
- Treat students and families with care and respect.
- Provide high-quality instruction for all students.
- Keep families informed about their child's academic progress, attendance, and behavior.
- Provide staff with training and support to meet students' needs.
- Teach and model respect, responsibility, integrity, and good character.
- Apply school rules and expectations fairly and consistently.
- Partner with families to support student success.
- Keep families informed through newsletters, flyers, meetings, social media, and other school communications.
Family Responsibilities
Families will:
- Make sure their child attends school every day and arrives on time.
- Support learning and positive behavior at home.
- Stay in contact with teachers and attend scheduled conferences.
- Check that homework and other assignments are completed.
- Support school and classroom rules.
- Make sure their child comes to school in the proper WCCS uniform each day.
- Participate in school activities and events when possible.
- Communicate with the school when there are questions or concerns.
- Encourage their child to do their best every day.
Student Responsibilities
Students will:
- Come to school every day, on time and ready to learn.
- Bring the materials they need and leave distracting items at home.
- Give their best effort in class.
- Complete classwork and homework on time.
- Wear the proper WCCS uniform each day.
- Follow school and classroom expectations.
- Treat students, staff, families, and visitors with respect.
- Take responsibility for their choices and behavior.
- Take care of the school building, books, technology, and other school property.
🦁 We Are One Pride
When students, families, and staff work together, we create a school where every student can be successful and every person knows they are a valued member of the Pride.
One Pride. One Community. One Purpose.