WEST PTC | WEST PTC CALENDAR | WEST SCHOOL | NCPS DISTRICT

Winter season is nominating season! The PTC is looking for enthusiastic volunteers interested in taking on board roles for the 2021-22 school year. Nominating your friends is encouraged, nominating yourself is even better! As with all years, we are looking for new volunteers to bring fresh ideas and energy to our programs, events, fundraising and communications. No prior experience or special skills are necessary - just a willingness to get involved at West School! Visit our nominations page to learn more and reach out to us at presidents@westschoolptc.org to talk about your interests! 

Early Dismissal (12:05pm.)

No school.

Wear your green, white or Westy!

Please contribute to the Holiday Teacher Appreciation Luncheon on Wednesday, December 16th! This year the celebration includes a festive boxed lunch delivered by Walter Stewart’s and a Westy Whale Yeti coffee tumbler for each of them to take home. Thank you for donating items here to make this an extra special occasion for our dedicated West School staff!

The BOE encourages symbolic gifts such as personal notes but understands that families may want to do more than simply share a note! Gifts to teachers are optional and this year all gifts must be sent via email due to covid guidelines.  We would like to remind you that individual gifts with a monetary value of more than $50 are not permitted.  There have also been a number of questions about how to shop local this year for our teachers. If you are interested, please contact Laura Budd at laura@newcanaanchamber.com to purchase a Chamber of Commerce Gift Card . Laura can take payment and DROP OFF all of the gift card orders she receives at West School on Monday, December 21st. All orders need to be received by Friday, December 18th. For more information please visit - https://newcanaanchamber.com/gift-certificates/

STAY SAFE this holiday season by wearing a Westy face mask and waist pouch for mask storage. LIMITED remaining inventory, so buy yours here today along with other fun spirit wear items for the cold winter months!

When ordering your holiday cards this year, please consider purchasing them through Minted! You will receive 20% off your order PLUS 15% of the proceeds will go back to West School with the code FUNDRAISE WEST.

As you begin your holiday shopping, please consider making your Amazon purchases through Amazon Smile for the benefit of West School. Go to smile.amazon.com and select the charity West School Parent Teacher Council. You can shop normally, using your regular Amazon account and Amazon will donate .5% of your purchase to West School!

All incoming parents from East, South and West are welcome! Please join us on Thursday, January 14th at 9:30 AM for a virtual presentation about preparation for kindergarten which will include conversations on social, emotional, and developmental milestones. Bring your questions! Please pre-register your child(ren) to assure the appropriate number of kindergarten classes for 2021-22. (Snow Date: Friday, January 15th)

Grab the popcorn, gather the family and snuggle up on the couch, our annual variety show is going virtual for 2021 on Thursday, February 4th! Calling all 3rd and 4th Graders! Don’t miss your chance to be the stars of the show! Registration and more details to follow.

Mr. McLeod, East School's ICT teacher, is starting a new virtual coding club for all 3rd and 4th graders who are interested in learning to code. This class will include a weekly emailed challenge that the students will receive from Mr. McLeod, to be completed by the following week. Students will learn the basics of coding, starting with Scratch, and will delve deeper into the world of coding via Python. To learn more about this exciting new opportunity, click here!

On Tuesday, December 8th, the Board of Education met both virtually and in-person in the Wagner Room at NCHS. Dr. Luizzi kicked off the meeting with a covid update. He discussed potential changes to the quarantine period for close contacts based on new CDC guidelines as well as the impact on sports and the arts from State-level group gathering restrictions. Next, Dr. Correnty provided an update on programming and curriculum, including the key lessons from two remote learning elementary classrooms this fall. Following Dr. Correnty, Dr. Keating briefed the board on cleaning protocols, food services and the internal services fund. The board concluded the meeting with a review of the budget assumptions and draft calendars for the next two years. 

The next BOE virtual meeting is Monday, December 14th at 7:00PM. The meeting agenda and prior meeting minutes are here. Questions? Please contact the West BOE representative Erica Schwedel at edurep@westchoolptc.org.

Catch the holiday spirit at the Carriage Barn Art Center’s 5th Annual holiday exhibit and fundraiser open now through December 12th from 11AM - 4PM. More than forty spectacular, one-of-a-kind wreaths will be available to buy or bid on, along with a selection of small, original artwork priced at $250 or less. From traditionally decorated greens to unconventional materials and themed designs, the wreaths are created and donated by local artists, designers, businesses and organizations. Artwork by many celebrated local artists will include paintings, fine art photography, ceramics and mixed media works in a range of styles. Admission is free, masks are required inside and social distancing will be in effect.

THE NUTCRACKER: REIMAGINED ONLINE & IN PERSON In-person and livestream tickets available for 35th Annual Six performances at The Wall Street Theater in Norwalk, Saturday, December 12th at 11 a.m., 2 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. and Sunday, December 13th at 11 a.m., 2 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. While many ballet companies and academies have elected to forego annual Nutcracker performances, NEAD along with the NEDT Board is presenting a reimagined version of the Christmas classic. The one-hour performance this season will include only the 44 dancers who are members of NEAD’s Company and Enrichment programs for pre-professionals.