March 11, 2021
Hello, Westview families, 

There's a meme making the rounds this week that says, "a year ago, this was our last normal week, and nobody knew what was coming." Isn't that the truth?! And while it's real easy to wax poetic about the twists, turns, and pivots the past year has brought us all, I look at our Westview community: our staff, our students, our families, and I see us thriving. We've done things differently, adapted to significant change, and have been flexible through it all. From where I stand, we are ALL doing pretty darn well. 

Do you follow us on social media? Five days a week, we share happenings around campus on Instagram and Facebook, highlighting many of the wonderful things our staff and students are doing during the school week. We thought it would be fun in this week's weekly to highlight a few things spied on campus that didn't make it to the 'gram. 
COVID-19 protocols may have halted our school field trips, but that didn't stop our PreK classes from getting hands-on during a lesson on community helpers. Post office improv had students buying stamps from 'postal worker Ms. Candi' and mailing letters to parents in the Westview blue mailbox.
Lower Elementary students look like they are playing with their food, but Mrs. Brown builds conceptual understanding of math by using manipulatives. Cookies and Twizzlers serve as the tools to motivate students to work out an array for longer multiplication problems. 
One more sleep until Westview Goes to the Movies, and our Development Department has been nonstop preparing for the event. Here is a sneak peek of Dr. Koch getting ready to film her introductory message. 
Little girls, holding hands, and princess dresses. It's the trifecta of Kindergarten cuteness. We love watching our friendships flourish among our students. 
"Be who you are, everyone else is taken." - Oscar Wilde
Westview teachers celebrate and encourage students in the things they are most interested. Take our Middle School friend, Max, who took bird watching to recess this week. 
Yee Haw! If there is a dress-up day to be had, Ms. Peters' Lower Elementary class is here for it. Go Texan Day for some pretty tough and cute cowboys.
We wish you all a safe and healthy Spring Break. Doesn't next week feel so well deserved? We have all worked hard. Thank you for your support as we continue to follow our COVID-19 protocols to do our part to ensure our students' and teachers' health and safety. Please remember that if you are traveling by plane next week, let us know to plan to transition your student to virtual school after the break.

We are excited that many of our staff have started the process of being vaccinated. Thank you to our Medical Advisory Board for most recently sharing resources with our faculty on when and where to schedule vaccine appointments.

Finally, thank you to everyone who is planning to attend our revisioned Westview event tomorrow night. Westview Goes to the Movies definitely falls into the category of "different than last year." We have a full house for the event, and we cannot wait to go to the movies.




Head of School
The Westview School
Calendar at a Glance

March 12

March 15-19
  • Spring Break

April 2
  • Good Friday (No School)
Throwback Thursday: 2020 Fundraising Luncheon
In February 2020, Westview friends and families gathered at River Oaks Country Club. There are no truer words than “hindsight’s 2020.” We count ourselves fortunate that The Westview School Annual Fundraising Luncheon was successfully held and was such a great event for our school. Gathering in a room filled with 100+ people seems a bit nostalgic now, but, truthfully, the Westview luncheon brings those feelings to many guests. Everyone that gathers in support of Westview has an autism connection. It is always impactful to listen to the heartfelt stories of our former and current parents. The 2020 luncheon invited former parent, Joni Garcia, and current parent, Shannon Griffiths, to share their autism journey. It is always humbling for us as a school community to hear, in our parents’ words, the significant impact The Westview School makes in the lives of those we serve. We have included excerpts from last year’s speeches. The messages of Westview’s influence on the lives of children with autism and, subsequently, their families should be shared with everyone, even our supporters not able to attend our luncheon. [Read More]
Stay Westview Strong
Governor Abbott’s plan to lift the statewide mask mandate does not affect The Westview School’s COVID-19 protocols, including mask usage and health screenings. 
 
The Texas Education Agency sets the standard of care for children in schools. Yesterday, the agency encouraged schools to continue following recommendations from the CDC and local health departments designed to prevent and mitigate the spread of COVID-19. 
 
Our commitment has been to do what we can to ensure the health and safety of our students and staff. At a time when vaccines are still not readily available and new variants are being found across the country, we are closely following the recommendations of worldwide public health officials.
Those recommendations continue to be:
 
  • Wear a mask
  • Stay 6 feet from others
  • Avoid crowds
  • Wash your hands often
  • Cover coughs and sneezes
  • Clean and disinfect
  • Monitor your health daily
  • Get vaccinated when it is your turn
 
I am extremely proud of how our families, students, and staff have partnered to ensure the health and safety of all in our community. Our shared commitment to protecting one another has been key to our success in the delivery of our mission and meeting the needs of our students. We will continue to monitor this situation and consult with our Medical Advisory Board before making any adjustments to our current plan.
Travel Reminder for Spring Break (March 15-19)
It is important for us to remind families that our ability to stay open and serve our students on campus depends on all of us doing what we can to stay healthy and avoid contracting and spreading the virus. One of our policies in the Campus Reopening Plan requires a quarantine after travel by airplane, train, bus, etc. 


If you and your family are planning to travel by plane for Spring Break, please let us know so we can plan to transition your student to virtual school after the break. Thank you for your continued attention and dedication to keeping our students safe and healthy.

With Spring Break rapidly approaching, we wanted to share the CDC’s recommendations for minimizing exposure to the virus during travel.
Do You Follow Us on Social Media?
Westview has both an official Facebook and Instagram page that is managed by Sarah Chauvin, Communications Director. You can find us @TheWestviewSchool for both. Here you can find information about school events, community resources and see us delivering our mission. We are always looking to grow our reach, and any like, positive comment, and share helps us do that!  
 
Mention @TheWestviewSchool, so we can share your post. We do ask that you not share pictures of other Westview children on your posts unless given express permission by that child’s family. 
 
Please note: Social media will always be a supplementary form of communication for The Westview School. It is an excellent way for us to share some amazing stories of the great things that are happening at our awesome school. While we may post important information like open house and school closures, please know that this is always done following an official email or notification from W.I.N.S.
Westview is Hiring!
Westview is looking to increase our substitute teacher list. Applicants for a substitute teacher at Westview must be over 18 and a high school graduate. Experience working with children is a plus. References are required. As a Westview substitute, you will primarily work as the class assistant for the day. If you or someone you know may be interested in substitute teaching on a preschool, elementary, or middle school level, please email a resume to Russell Avery.
 
Any additional questions/inquiries regarding job opportunities at The Westview School can be directed to Russell Avery.
Resources


Please refer to COVID-19 tab on The Westview School website for the most up to date information regarding our Child First Reopening Plan.


For the Kids