Westwood Elementary Newsletter

It was great to welcome students back today! I hope that you were able to stay warm and safe during our arctic blast.

Safety is always a priority, and I have need to address 2 concerns with you. This information is for car rider drop-off and pickup. School hours are 9:10am-3:10pm and doors do not open until 8:55am.

- Please do not drop off students early -

Students must stay in the car with you until 8:55am when staff opens the building doors. Staff opens the doors at 8:55 and until then they must remain in the car with you. We cannot have unsupervised students waiting alone outside of the building.

Also- please make sure you are only doing so in the designated pickup and drop off area where staff are located. We do this to ensure your student is safe and supervised by an adult, thank you for your cooperation. The visitor loop, which states "no student drop-off" is not a drop off area. You can see more details below in the drop off and pickup procedures, or feel free to ask if you have any questions,

Please continue to talk with your student about the "3 Bees"- consistent language and expectations can help make the day go smoother- both at school and at home! We appreciate all you do to help your child be successful at school.

Please follow us if you are not already: Westwood Elementary-Elyria City Schools;

https://www.facebook.com/westwoodelementaryecsd

Your Partner in Education,
Ms. Stacey Gatten
Principal

February

2- School Counselor appreciation week

3- PTO meeting @ 3:30

3- 4th Grade music info night @ EHS PAC

10- TechE Club @ 8:00am

11- 100th day of school

11- Marco's Pizza Night

12- Conferences (by appointment only)

16- Presidents Day- no school

17- Student Council @ 8:15am

17- Random acts of kindness day

19- Conference makeups (if calamity day occurred on 2/12)

20- Suzin L Fundraiser begins (PTO)

24- TechE Club @ 8:00am

Attendance Matters in February!

As we continue through February 2026, we want to remind families how important daily attendance and on-time arrival are for student success. When students are at school, they build strong learning habits, stay connected with classmates and teachers, and feel confident in their routines. Even a few missed days can add up and impact learning.

We are proud to partner with the Cleveland Browns and the Stay in the Game! Attendance Network to encourage positive attendance habits and celebrate student success all year long. Students can also look forward to ongoing attendance incentives and fun celebrations throughout the month.

Cold mornings and busy schedules can make arriving on time challenging, so here are fresh tips to help keep February mornings running smoothly:

New February tips for getting to school on time:

• Create a “Sunday night reset” to prepare for the week ahead
• Place backpacks by the door before going to bed
• Charge devices overnight in one central location
• Set a family goal for leaving the house on time
• Use natural light or music to help wake up gently
• Encourage students to dress independently to save time
• Choose quick, grab-and-go breakfast options
• Build in a small buffer for unexpected delays

Thank you for your continued partnership this February. Together, we can help our students succeed, build positive habits, and Stay in the Game! 🏈

Hello,

I am so excited to be back and working with your students! After having my second daughter in June, I was fortunate enough to be able to spend the first half of the school year at home with her. Mrs. Mariotti did an amazing job filling in for me, and we will be picking up right where she left off!

Since we have been back from Winter Break, we have been working on our Second Step unit on Kindness and Empathy. We have been discussing being a good friend, seeing someone else’s perspective, and showing kindness within our school. Our third and fourth graders even had the opportunity to spread kindness to our community by decorating coffee sleeves that were generously donated by Biggby Coffee on Griswold Road. Students brainstormed ideas and then created colorful coffee sleeves that have pictures and kind messages on them to brighten someone’s day. Please watch for an announcement in the month of February for the day that Biggby will be passing out the coffee sleeves, and you might have a chance to get one yourself with a beverage at the Griswold Road location!

Our students will then be diving right into our Second Step Problem Solving unit. We will be focusing on the importance of stating problems, listening to others, working together, and practicing various problem-solving strategies.

As usual, see below for some additional information to continue the conversation at home. Thank you!

To ensure drop-off and pickup run smooth and effective:

· You may ONLY enter at 42101 Griswold to enter the car line. Adelbert entrance is only for Preschool. Please do not cut through- this creates additional traffic for EECV, and we want ALL students to be safe. Also please only drop off and pick up in the designated area, do not use the visitor parking for drop off as it it not an area that is supervised by staff.

· Please do not plan to arrive earlier than 8:55 for Elementary School drop off in the morning. If Elementary students arrive early you will need to keep your student(s) in the vehicle with you until staff comes out to unload students at 8:55am.

· Please do not plan to arrive earlier than 3:00pm for Elementary pickup in the afternoon.

· Once in the lot, please pull up to the car in front of you, as this will allow more cars to enter the lot, and keep cars off the street.

· Please be ready and prepared so that we can keep cars moving efficiently in the lot.

· Follow all directions from staff, they are there to help.

· Please drive safe and slow- this is a school zone and we need to keep all students and staff safe.

· You will exit at Griswold also.

We appreciate your help in keeping our students safe.

School hours are 9:10am-3:10pm.

Doors do not open until 8:55- please do not drop off early or allow students to walk early.

If you are dropping off, please hold your child in the car with you until 8:55am.

Please call the office to report your child(ren)’s absence at 284-8002 before 9:30AM. Our phone has 24-hour voicemail so that you may call and leave a message anytime. Please leave a voicemail if no one answers the phone in the office; voicemails are frequently checked and the office will receive your message.

Please make sure you always have a photo ID with you, when you come to the school, this is for the safety of our students.

The Main Office of any school building is a hub of activity. Students and staff are always on the go, in and out of the space throughout the school day.

It’s an active place for regular check-ins and meetings with students, as well as staff conferences and daily interactions with school principals and counselors. The Main Office is also a confidential space at times for conversations and interactions between school personnel and students.

Parents and caregivers are part of the equation, too. For any number of reasons, parents may be asked to come to their child’s school during the day. When that happens, parents should follow the district’s visitor procedures by using the school’s main entrance buzzer and intercom system to gain entrance to the school, and then signing in at the front desk.

If parents/caregivers do not have a meeting at the school but still need to come to the school during the day to see their child or to speak to a staff member, call-ahead notice or an appointment is required.

This ensures parents will be seen in a timely manner and upholds the safety practices of the school. To contact the Main Office, please call 440-284-8002

Our school address is: Westwood Campus, 42350 Adelbert St, Elyria, OH 44035

Our phone number will stay the same: 284-8002

Families may bring in prepackaged treats (with ingredients listed by the company that packaged it) BUT we are really encouraging non-food items. We have to be very careful of food allergies, to keep all students safe. Birthday treats ARE not required or encouraged, but okay, if you choose.

Birthday/Holiday treat ideas include:

Pencils, bookmarks, fidgets, pop-its, bracelets, crayons, squishes, pencil toppers or erasers, glow sticks, play dough, slinkies, stickers, prepackaged snack with ingredients listed (from the company that produces it).

Stay Connected: Opt In to Receive District Text Messages

Have you opted in to receive text messages from Elyria Schools?

If you haven't already, please take a moment to sign up to receive automatic text messages from Elyria Schools. This is a valuable tool in an emergency or when there's important, time-sensitive information to share.

To begin receiving text messages from Elyria Schools, parents and guardians must opt in. The service is free and signing up is simple:

Text “Y” or “Yes” to 67587

That’s it! You’ll start receiving important updates and reminders via text.

Need to stop messages later? Just reply with “Stop” to any of our messages.

Please note: our texting feature and robocall system are tied directly to the contact information on file for your student. It’s essential to keep your phone numbers and email addresses up-to-date with your child’s school to ensure you continue receiving calls and texts.

Don't miss out on timely updates—opt in today!

Hello Westwood Families,

February is American Heart Month

• Small, consistent lifestyle choices can make a big difference in keeping your heart strong and healthy. Heart disease is one of the leading causes of illness, but many risk factors are preventable. Healthy habits can lower your risk of heart attack, stroke, high blood pressure, and diabetes.

  Eat for a Healthy Heart

  • Choose fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins
  • Limit salt, added sugars, and saturated fats
  • Use healthy fats like olive oil, nuts, and avocados
  • Watch portion sizes and stay hydrated

  Get Moving

  • Aim for 150 minutes of moderate activity per week
  • Activities like walking, dancing, swimming, or biking all count
  • Even short movement breaks during the day help your heart

  Quit Smoking & Limit Alcohol

  • Smoking damages blood vessels and raises heart disease risk
  • If you drink alcohol, do so in moderation

  Manage Stress & Sleep Well

  • Practice stress-relief techniques like deep breathing, stretching, or mindfulness
  • Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep each night

  Regular checkups help you stay informed about:

  • Blood pressure
  • Cholesterol
  • Blood sugar
  • Weight and BMI

  Early detection can prevent serious heart problems. Start with one healthy change today and build from there. Your heart will thank you!

If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out via phone: 440-284-8153 or email: mccallamanda@elyriaschools.org

Amanda McCall RN, BSN

Westwood Campus

440-284-8153

Hoodies, and similar tops or jackets with hoods, are "fan favorites" when it comes to school attire. We like them, too, but not when they are worn up and over the head during the school day.

The district's Student Code of Conduct provides direction on headgear, stating that it may not be worn over a person's head or scalp (excluding headgear that's worn for religious or medical reasons.) Hoods can make it difficult to identify an individual in an emergency, and they can also be a distraction in class. Please remind students that hoods may not be worn up during the school day.

The Student Code of Conduct also offers guidance on attire. Clothing must be school appropriate and may not present a health or safety hazard or disrupt the educational environment. Pants and tops must fit properly and be in good repair; crop tops are not permitted.

Additionally, footwear must be school appropriate--slippers and slipper socks are not permitted. Blankets also may not be worn in school.

Students may bring their cell phones to school but they must be turned off and put away during the day. An updated Ohio state law now prohibits students from using cell phones during instructional time throughout the school day. While Elyria Schools already has a policy in place that restricts cell phone use during learning time, this new law now requires that the policy be enforced in all schools.

As a result, students may not use their cell phones during the instructional day, unless part of a teacher-directed lesson. Phones must be powered off and stowed in a locker or backpack during school hours.

More details will be shared as the school year begins, but we’re asking for families’ attention and support in helping students understand and follow these rules. Our goal is to maintain a focused and respectful learning environment for all students.

While we’ll always start with reminders and redirection, continued disregard of the policy will lead to appropriate consequences in line with our student code of conduct. According to the law, exceptions can be made for medically documented situations, emergencies, or instructional needs that the classroom teacher considers essential.

Thank you for your partnership in preparing students for this important change and helping ensure a successful start to the year.

If you need to reach your student during the school day, please contact the main office and our staff will convey a message or assist you in reaching your student.

Website: https://www.elyriaschools.org/domain/30
Location: 42350 Adelbert St, Elyria, OH 44035, USA
Phone: 440-284-8002