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PRESIDENTS' MESSAGE
Stacey Harmon and Karen Willett
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As Thanksgiving approaches, we pause to give thanks to our wonderful West School community.
Thank you to our tireless
West School parents
who contribute generously to West in every way, and always with enthusiasm, whether volunteering their time or donating funds that support our school.
Thank you to
Mrs. Murphy and Mrs. Furnari, all of the West School teachers, Janine Farkas and Kelly Maar, Dave Wannagot, Jozie Bell, and the rest of the dedicated staff:
psychologists, social workers, therapists, lunchroom ladies, support staff and custodians who support our children with kindness every day.
Thank you to our PTC Executive Board members who work with dedication throughout the year on behalf of our school. And thank you to all our chairs and volunteers whose collaboration and hard work bring so many social events, programs, fundraisers, communications and enriching opportunities to our school community.
Our PTC committees are hard at work on some of these events right now! This week, please support the PTC's largest fundraiser of the year, our online auction, which ends on Sunday! Help us to reach our goal of 100% participation by bidding on an item in our auction
here
or making a donation
here
.
Next week, don't miss our Enchanted Forest Book Fair! Come shop for great books to kick off your holiday shopping. Join us on
Tuesday, November 13th
at Family Night and shop while your children enjoy a magic show in the BBT.
We are always GRATEFUL to be part of a community filled with the respect, kindness and dedication that make every day a GREAT DAY at West.
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AUCTION ENDS THIS SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 11th, at 9:00 PM
Make West 100%
The West School Auction is nearing an end and we need YOU to get involved! The PTC spends over $250 PER STUDENT on programs beyond classroom instruction to enrich the school's curriculum. In addition to enrichment programs, this year's funds will support the development of a NEW Outdoor Learning Center in the West Courtyard.
It's our goal to MAKE WEST 100% and get every family involved no matter the size of the donation.
This year's auction
is bigger and better than ever! With over 70 items available, there's something for everyone. Highlights include:
- The chance for your child to be principal for a day, ride to school in a police car, have an "almost sleepover" in the library with Mr. Murren or get a singing telegram delivered in class by Mrs. Fitzgerald.
- Rounds of golf at Hudson National and Bonnie Briar Country Club.
- Great tickets to see the Boston Red Sox, University of Michigan Football and the WWE.
- Three incredible getaways to the Berkshire East Resort, Sugarbush and the Weekapaug Inn.
- Four tickets to this year's Turkey Bowl on Thanksgiving Day -- a New Canaan tradition.
- A 10-foot tree installed in your home with lights and five decorated wreaths for your door and windows.
And much, much more!
ENCHANTED FOREST BOOK FAIR - Family Night, Tuesday, November 13th, 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM
Discover the magic of reading at the West School Book Fair starting
Tuesday, November 13th
through
Thursday, November 15th
. Gift your child's teacher new books for the classroom library! Purchase a Teacher Gift Certificate for them to use at the book fair. Click here to order now! Deadline to order is Monday, November 12th at 9:00 PM. All gift certificates will be labeled with the name of the gifting child and delivered to teachers on Tuesday, November 13th. The Book Fair can't happen without the help of our parent volunteers! Please consider volunteering for ONE or TWO shifts during this 3-day event. Please click
here to sign up to help and see class schedules.
Questions? Contact
bookfair@westschoolptc.org
.
THE GREATEST SHOW BY WEST SCHOOL, Thursday, February 7th
Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, children of all ages...SAVE THE DATE for The Greatest Show-West School's Variety Show at Saxe Auditorium. Additional details and registration information coming soon!
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BOOK FAIR VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
We need you to help make West School's Enchanted Book Fair a success. There are so many tasks to choose from: wish list helpers, cashiers, book organizers, set-up, pack-up assistants and more. Opportunities available starting
Friday, November 9th and ending
Friday, November 16th. Please click
here to volunteer.
SHOP MINTED HOLIDAY CARDS AND SUPPORT WEST SCHOOL!
 Now that you have your beautiful family photos, use them in a MINTED HOLIDAY CARD while supporting West School! Use the PROMO CODE: FUNDRAISEWEST when you check out and Minted will donate 15% to WEST School and you will receive 15% off your order! This fabulous offer will run for the entire month of NOVEMBER! Click
here to shop, and remember to use the PROMO CODE above! Promo Code expires on Friday, November 30th, 2018.
WEST CONFERENCE DAY FUN
Students will have early dismissal on Teacher Conference Days from
Tuesday, December 4th to Friday, December 7th. After-school classes, sponsored by the New Canaan Recreation Department, will be offered to keep your student busy while you attend your conference. Classes offered this year include legos, science, sports, art, holiday crafts and chess! Class descriptions and offerings are listed on the Rec Department website
here. IMPORTANT: To allow room for everyone, there is a registration limit of one class per student for enrollment
November 7th-11th. Beginning
Monday, November 12th, you may register for all remaining classes. Classes are open to K-4 students. Contact the Recreation Department for assistance.
AUTUMN KIDS CARE COLLECTIONS
Please bring in gently used or new books for KIDS CARE Book drive
Hello West School families! Kids Care is asking for your help! In the month of
November
we will collect NEW & GENTLY USED CHILDREN'S books for the CT based "READ TO GROW" program. This program supports parents in an effort to promote literacy and language skills for children from infancy. This is a perfect opportunity to go through your bookshelves before you add new books from the Fall Book Fair! There will be designated bins beneath the Kids Care Bulletin Board for the month of November only. We are grateful for your donations! Also, in an effort to support those within our own community, we are excited to announce that we will be collecting much needed items for the New Canaan Food Pantry throughout the school year. There will be a box beneath the Kids Care bulletin board (near the teacher's lounge) for the entire school year. The following food items are always in need: Canned tuna, canned chicken, canned fruit, canned vegetables, canned tomatoes, canned chili, canned stew, canned soup, pasta, pasta sauce, pancake mix (just add water type), maple syrup, brown rice, and white rice. MANY THANKS!
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SOCKTOBER SUCCESS
Thank you to all of the generous West families who donated socks for the homeless! If you were in the office over the last few weeks, you saw the overflowing boxes of socks. Thank you for helping #warmfeet and #warmhearts!
THOUGHTS FOR STORM VICTIMS
At the Girnys' Halloween class party, the children painted tote bags and wrote notes for kids in a South Carolina school that sustained significant damage in Hurricane Florence. Thank you to the parents and children who took the time to do some beautiful and heartfelt work.
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At the meeting on
Monday, November 5th
, the Board reviewed the current and projected NCPS enrollment and staffing reports as well as the K-12 Health Curriculum Update. Complete presentations and reports can be found
here
. Highlights from the enrollment and staffing report include: * Total K-4 enrollment is 1494 (38 students less than last year) * West School currently has 439 students in 23 classes with a student teacher ratio of 18.3 * NCPS is projected to be entering a period of stable but slightly decreasing enrollment for the next several years.
A special Board of Education meeting has been scheduled for Monday, November, 19th at 7:00PM, NCHS, Wagner Room. The purpose of this special meeting is to conduct a Public Hearing concerning school start times. The public comment period will be extended beyond the usual 15 minutes. Parents are encouraged to attend this meeting. The regularly scheduled BOE meeting of November 19th, 2018, will follow the Public Hearing. All BOE meetings are broadcast live on channel 78 and rebroadcast on
Thursdays at 7:30PM
and
Mondays at 4:00PM
. Questions? Please contact the West BOE Reps
Janee Hunter
and
Mary Blanc
at
edurep@westschoolptc.org
.
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HEALTHY SCHOOL START TIMES NEW CANAAN
The
Monday,
November 19th Board of Education meeting will be dedicated to school start times.
Dr. Luizzi will present the Transportation Study and the BoE encourages parents to attend and speak before or after the meeting. If you would like to learn more about this important topic, visit
Healthy School Start Times New Canaan. The site includes facts, resources and FAQs on why school start times matter.
ALICE IN WONDERLAND JR. AT SAXE
Experience the magic of Wonderland! Join dancing flowers and singing Woodland Creatures, a grinning Cheshire Cat and a helpful Caterpillar, a Mad Hatter's tea party and a White Rabbit running late for the evil Queen's croquet game, and, of course, Alice in all her various sizes as they explore the topsy-turvy, colorful world that is Wonderland. Based on the 1951 Disney film and the beloved novels of Louis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland Jr. is a not-to-miss musical! Tickets on sale now. Click
here for tickets. There will be three performances:
Friday, November 30th at 7 PM and Saturday, December 1st at 11 AM and 2 PM.
Presented by 5th and 6th graders at Saxe Middle School Auditorium.
NEW CANAAN RACQUET CLUB YOUTH TENNIS
Give the gift of tennis to your child! Classes are held on weekdays after school and on the weekends. For more information go to:
www.ncrctennis.com/junior-clinics to ensure your child learns the "sport of a lifetime"!
ANNIE JR. AUDITION OPPORTUNITY
 Open Arts Alliance, a non-profit arts education organization that provides outreach, classes, volunteerism, and productions for students across Connecticut is having auditions for Annie Jr. Auditions will be held
December 12th, 13th, & 14th
at Round Hill Community Center (395 Round Hill Road in Greenwich, Connecticut). Performances of Annie Jr. will take place on
April 27th and 28th
at the Cole Auditorium at the Greenwich Library. Students will focus on teamwork, character study, confidence and communication skills throughout the process while connecting and building relationships. Children (ages 8-18) are encouraged to audition. Registration can be completed
here
.
WINTER REGISTRATION NOW OPEN FOR SQUASH K-4 PROGRAM
 Winter 2018/19 registration is now open for the New Canaan Squash elementary (K-4) program! You can register by clicking here.
The program is designed for New Canaan public school students to learn squash in a positive team environment. Players will be grouped by grade (K-2, 3-4) and practices will be held at St. Luke's Squash Club in New Canaan. Clinics are available 1 day a week or 2 days a week! If you have any questions, please contact
Liz
Schmidt ebschmidt@optonline.net or Suzanne Koepplsuzanne.koeppl@gmail.com.
NEW CANAAN YOUTH WRESTLING
Interested in Wrestling? Registration for our 2018-2019 season is now LIVE! You can click
here or go to the "Register Now" button
on our Club Website - www.newcanaanwrestling.org.
We are pleased to offer 3 programs again this year: Elementary (K-4th grade); Middle School (5th-8th grade) and a Travel program. Our travel program is by coach invitation only. If you have not participated before, but are interested in joining the travel team contact Coach Jason Milligan at
jason@milliganrealty.com
. Practice will begin the week of December 3rd. Register prior to November 16th to avoid a $50 late fee and to guarantee that you get the club gear included with your registration fee. New wrestlers are welcome! We always love to expand our wrestling family and get more kids out on the mats. Questions? Contact Patty Zoccolillo at
pzoccolillo@optonline.net
or 203-428-7678.
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: Michele Breed at
mbreen@gsofct.org.
FORMER WEST SCHOOL STUDENT'S EAGLE SCOUT PROJECT
Benjamin Clay attended West Elementary, Saxe Middle school, and is now a sophomore at NCHS. He is a Boy Scout in New Canaan's Troop 286 and is currently working on his Eagle Scout project. For his project, he has chosen to collect new and gently used winter outerwear, clothing, and boots for the Open Doors Shelter in Norwalk. The shelter needs items for ALL ages and ALL sizes before it gets too cold outside. He is hoping West School will support his project. A large plastic bin has been placed inside the lobby to collect donations. Items may also be picked up by calling 203-594-1253. For those who prefer to make a bulk purchase online, click
here
to purchase from a wishlist. All items will be donated to the Open Doors Shelter. More information can be found
here
.
HANK DURFEE COOKING CONTEST
 Hank Durfee, a fourth grader at East School, is one of 25 finalists in the Uncle Ben's Beginners cooking contest where he could win $30,000 for East School. He needs your votes to win! Please vote as often as you can until
Sunday, November 11th (one vote per day) and help Hank win. Click
here to vote.
NEW CANAAN CARES HELPING KIDS MANAGE STRESS
Just like adults, some kids have a hard time managing anxiety caused by stress. Hear speaker Tracey Masella, LCSW, Silver Hill Hospital Tuesday, November 13th, at 9:30AM at East School. Understand what causes anxiety and explore simple strategies to better manage stress and anxiety for both kids and parents. Learn helpful tips for more effective communication with our kids to help navigate the tricky terrain of childhood. Please PRE-REGISTER @ newcanaanCARES.org.
EVERTON 2011-2009 GIRLS SOCCER TRYOUTS
Everton America is holding supplemental travel soccer tryouts for girls born between 2011 -2009 on Monday, November 19th 5PM to 6PM at SONO Fieldhouse, Norwalk. There are a few spots open on the team for girls looking to play premier soccer this winter and spring. Register here. If you have any questions you can email Leanne Campbell - lcampbell@evertonamericact.com or call the office on 203 529 3330.
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