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PRINCIPALS' CORNER
Jan Murphy and Ashley Furnari
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HAPPY FALL!
October has begun! As we say goodbye to summer, we are noticing that with these cooler mornings and warmer afternoons, many students are leaving behind jackets, sweatshirts, and sweaters. Please take a moment to visit our lost and found "center" located in the Brown Bag Theater to claim these valued pieces of our students' wardrobes.
WEST SCHOOL RECESS "STEM CARTS"
 Thanks to our PTC, students are designing structures using KEVA blocks, Legos and Magna-Tiles to promote problem solving skills, collaborative learning and creative thinking during indoor recess. Working in collaboration with our
Library Media Specialist and Technology Integrator, our PTC put together a "STEM CART" for the library that includes specific bins filled with activities geared for grades K-2 and 3-4. Classroom teachers can check them out as they would a library book and return them after recess. Although going outside is always the preferred form of recess, our students are beginning to enjoy using these innovative materials as a creative alternative to the indoor recess activities used in the past. We will be monitoring their use and getting feedback from students about the types of activities they like best and what they might like to see included in the future.
NEW KINDNESS WALLS AT WEST!
As part of our School Climate Plan, our hallways in building three are sporting some new "Kindness Quotes". Inspired by our beautiful lunchroom mural,
Mrs. Hedus
spearheaded this idea to transform our hallways into inspiring and meaningful messages. There are three new quotes and we hope to be able to add several more. A special THANK YOU to our PTC, which continues to amaze us with their wonderful support in promoting a positive school climate. Can you find the other two quotes?
CONNECTICUT FARM BUREAU WOMEN'S LEADERSHIP COMMITTEE
Debbi Tanner, chairperson of the CT Farm Bureau Women's Leadership Committee, and local Ponus Ridge neighbor,
Mr. Kriz
, came to West last Wednesday to speak to our first grade students about where food comes from. Mr. Kriz, a local farmer, gave a presentation about his role as a beekeeper and
Mrs. Furnari
was on hand to demonstrate how to use the special protective gear needed when working around bees. Students received stickers and a newspaper about bees to take home. Our students asked great questions and impressed the beekeeper with their knowledge about bees! Mr. Kriz also sponsored a bookshelf stocked with farm-themed books for the students at West School. The display of books is in our front lobby, to be enjoyed by our students and families. We would like to thank
Mary Hanna
, our social studies coordinator, for helping us organize the visit.
CURRICULUM RESOURCE FOR PARENTS
Do you want to know more about what your child is learning at West? Check out our curriculum information pages on the
West School
website. These resources were developed by our curriculum coordinators under the leadership of Dr. Jill Correnty. We hope you will find them to be a valuable resource.
HALLOWEEN PARADE
Halloween is coming... We will be having our annual
Halloween Parade
on
Wednesday, October 31st at 2:00 PM
.
Please be reminded that as your child begins to plan his/her costume for the parade, toy guns, swords, or other weaponry will not be allowed as part of a costume. Costumes must be of a non-violent nature. Also, be careful of masks and/or headgear that could block vision and/or scare others. The children will be walking a good distance and we want them to be safe in their costumes. We appreciate your cooperation and support.
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VISITING AUTHOR ROSEMARY WELLS, Monday, October 15th
We are excited to welcome Visiting Author,
Rosemary Wells
, to West School. If you purchased signed books, Elm Street Books will deliver them to the school for your child to bring home after the visit.
PERFORMING ARTS COUNCIL ASSEMBLY, Wednesday, October 17th, 2018
New Canaan Conservatory Performing Arts Center performs Robin Hood.
DISTRICT-WIDE PARENT MEETING, Thursday, October 18th, 2018, 7:00 PM
Marc Brackett, Ph.D.
, Director of the Yale University Center for Emotional Intelligence presents "From Theory to Practice: Emotionally Intelligent Parenting". It is widely recognized that Emotional Intelligence has a powerful influence on performance, decision making, relationships, and health. Dr. Brackett is returning to New Canaan by popular demand to share strategies to help increase our emotional intelligence as parents. He will review the five key skills of Emotional Intelligence, including tools that will be taught to students in the district this year and next. He will also discuss how parents can support this work at home. He will be speaking at the Saxe Middle School Auditorium.
SPIRIT DAY, Friday, October 26th
Wear your
Green, White and Westy!
 HALLOWEEN PARADE, Wednesday, October 31st, 2018, 2:00 PM
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PLEASE CONTRIBUTE AN ITEM TO THE WEST SCHOOL ONLINE AUCTION!
Our most important fundraiser of the year, the Winter Auction relies on donations from our generous parent community. If you are able to donate tickets to sporting events, Broadway shows, or a winter home/ski getaway package, please contact
auction@westschoolptc.org
MIGHTY MATH IS BACK
 We are so excited to launch Mighty Math and are hoping for our best year of participation yet. Students will earn prizes throughout the school year when they reach minute milestones! Click
here to learn more about the voluntary program, open to all West School students, to encourage the practice of mathematics at home. Last year we had over 200 students record over 290,000 minutes!
MEDIA CENTER VOLUNTEERS
The long awaited media center signup has arrived and we need you! We especially need additional volunteers for all
Kindergarten classes,
Brady,
Land and
Drummond. Come see your child during their class sessions and help make it a great day in the West School Media Center. Please click
here
to sign up.
WEST FAMILY PHOTO DAYS
Don't miss your chance to book a photo session for Family Photo Days! Sessions are available through October - book NOW to be sure your photos are ready for your holiday cards. Take advantage of this opportunity to get a jump on your holiday to-do list while supporting West school! Click
here
fo
r all the details and to sign up.
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NATIONAL BLUE RIBBON AWARD TO WEST SCHOOL
 This week we learned that West School has been named a National Blue Ribbon School for 2018! This is a prestigious national award, recognizing outstanding achievement. It is yet another reminder to be grateful for the administration, faculty, staff and parents who make up our wonderful school district. Click here
for more information about this recognition.
MIGHTY THANKS TO MIGHTY MATH CHAIRS
Thank you to our
Mighty Math chairs,
Cecilia Henderson
and
Chrissy Bogal
and our
West School Math Specialist
,
Trish Gracia
. Their beautiful and colorful board in the Brown Bag Theatre recognizes Mighty Math summer accomplishments. Now that Mighty Math 2018 has launched, students will be able to follow their class progress on the hallway boards.
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At the meeting on Monday, September 17th, Mr. Clarke and and Mr. Perna presented the Facilities Project Update regarding maintenance and capital projects at the District's five schools. Over the summer, among other projects, West was painted and got new LED lighting; playground equipment was repaired, and new hand dryers were installed. The gym floor project is still being completed. Click here for full minutes, meeting videos, and agendas.
The next BOE meeting is scheduled for Monday, October 8th at 7:00 PM, NCHS, Wagner Room. All BOE meetings are broadcast live on cablevision channel 78 and rebroadcast on Thursdays at 7:30 PM and Mondays at 4:00 PM. Questions? Please contact the West BOE Reps Janée Hunter and Mary Blanc at
edurep@westschoolptc.org.
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NEW CANAAN GIRL SCOUTS
New Canaan Girl Scouts is looking for parents of girls in grades K-3 to volunteer to start new troops at West School. Your unique strengths and skills will benefit and inspire girls. Our NEW process is QUICK and EASY to get a troop up and running. Our program is very flexible and progressive, so you are able to choose a schedule that works best for you! And if you are not able to be a Co-Leader, consider being a Troop Helper. For more information, please contact:
NEW CANAAN LIBRARY
Calling all readers ages 8 to 12! On
Sunday, October 28th from
1-3 PM, in partnership with
Elm Street Books, the Library will be hosting a
Middle Grade Author Extravaganza
! Eleven nationally published children's authors are coming out to New Canaan for the day and will be discussing their work and themselves at an informal panel discussion from 1-2 PM. From 2-3 PM there will be an opportunity for a meet, greet, and book signing with each of the authors upstairs in the children's section of the Library. Click here to register and click here for additional information about this event.
NCLA FALL LACROSSE CLINICS
New Canaan Lacrosse Association Fall Ball Clinics are open for registration. Girls' clinics are grades K-8 and boys' clinics are K-4. Click
here for details and to register.
NEW CANAAN YMCA
Elementary schoolers have the run of the Y for one night this month on
Saturday, October 20th
from
6:30 PM to 9 PM
! For this event, participants will be divided into groups of 5 or so and led around the Y to several activities such as free swim in the Scooter pool (non-swimming option available), time in Bouncing Bears, events in the gym, and activities in the Flex Space! A snack will also be provided at the start of the event! Register
here
. Member and non-member rates $20/$35. Must register beforehand! Join the fun at the Y this fall! Other date for this program is
November 10th.
KIDS FALL WOODWORKING CLASS
Kids Fall Woodworking Class at the Carriage Barn Arts Center. A hands-on introduction to woodworking for kids! In this 4-week workshop kids will plan and create a one-of-a-kind project such as a hinged wooden storage box. Mondays, October 8th to October 29th from 4 PM to 5 PM. Ages 6-10. Fee: $210/$190 for family members (supplies included). Register here or call 203-594-3638.
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