NOVEMBER 2020
A Message from our Principals:
Principal, Paul Bierman
Associate Principal, Katie Mathews
Associate Principal, Matt Peetz
It is our sincere hope that this month’s note finds you and your family well. Our students continue to amaze us daily with their hard work in the classroom, with the kindness they share, and with the joy they spread throughout the school. We thank you for your continued partnership as we work together to provide the best education possible for our students. Our teachers and students continue to adapt to the changes in our instructional models, and we are grateful for your continued support. As we move into the hybrid on November 9th, please make sure you reach out to us with any questions you may have about your child’s daily schedule. Just a reminder that students are expected to participate in a daily Google meeting and complete assigned work on their virtual days. 

Did you know that November is National Family Literacy month? Studies show that reading aloud with a parent or loved one is the best way to help children develop as readers. Try to find some time to cozy up with your child and dive into a good book. If a child reads for 20 minutes every night, they will hear 1.8 million words a year! 

If you were unable to schedule a virtual parent teacher conference with your child’s teacher, please do not hesitate to contact your teacher or the school office to set up a time to meet with your student’s teacher(s).

As always, please feel free to contact us with your questions and concerns.
We are excited to see all of our students back at school, but with these unusual times, we want to remind you of the following important guidelines when it comes to your child's health. Please be sure to check your child every day to make sure that they are healthy enough to come to school by checking the Daily Home Screening Guidelines.

  • No one should come to school if they are sick.
  • No one should come to school if someone in their household has tested positive for COVID-19.
  • No one should come to school if they have been tested, but do not yet know the results.
  • No one should come to school if they have been identified as a close contact to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19.

You can find more health information here.

Thank you for your cooperation with these guidelines as it is important for the safety and health of all of our students and staff members.
Beginning Monday, November 9th, students in grades 4K-5th will pivot to the Hybrid Learning Model. Please know that we are taking this action to protect the health and safety of our students, staff, families, and community. We hope to be able to return to all in-person learning in the very near future.
 
Your child will return to the same in-person days as they previously attended in the Hybrid Model unless different arrangements have been made to balance out class sizes. You will be contacted by your child's teacher or school office if a change is needed. All students will attend virtually the other days of the week. Unless you had previously made different arrangements with your child’s school.
  • Students with Last Names A through L will attend in-person on Monday and Thursday. 
  • Students with Last Names M through Z will attend in-person on Tuesday and Friday. 
 
To prepare for this transition, there will be no school for 4K-5th grade students from November 2-6, 2020. November 5-6 was previously scheduled as no school days. November 2-4 were added for additional staff development days. November 5th is reserved for Virtual Parent-Teacher Conferences. Please touch base with your child’s teacher to schedule a time to visit.
 
Students in 6th-12th grades will continue in the Hybrid Learning Model.
 
There is no school for 6th-12th grade students on November 5-6, 2020. November 5th is reserved for Virtual Parent-Teacher Conferences. If you would like to schedule a conference with your child’s teacher(s), please reach out to them.
 
As always, we appreciate your support and understanding during these incredibly challenging times. If you have any questions, please contact us at (608) 768-8934.
Upcoming Events
NOVEMBER:
2-6 - NO SCHOOL
4 - Special School Board Meeting 7 p.m.
5 - Virtual Parent-Teacher Conferences
9 - Hybrid Begins (Group A - Mondays & Thursdays, Group B - Tuesdays & Fridays)
11 - Veteran's Day
16 - School Board Meeting 7 p.m.
25 - NO SCHOOL
26 - NO SCHOOL - Happy Thanksgiving
27 - NO SCHOOL
27 - First trimester ends

DECEMBER:
3 & 4 - Report cards go home
21 - School Board Meeting 7 p.m.
23-31 - NO SCHOOL - Winter Break
31 - New Year's Eve

JANUARY:
1 - NO SCHOOL - Happy New Year
4 - School Resumes
The cold weather season is in full swing and we have noticed some children coming to school without proper attire. All students are required to go outside for recess unless they have a doctor’s excuse requesting the student remain indoors. 

Students should have hats, gloves or mittens, snow pants and boots when going outdoors. Students who choose not to wear these items at recess will need to accept the consequences of their decision. We are not able to provide dry clothing for students who do not dress appropriately. If you need assistance in obtaining appropriate winter gear, please contact Mr. Bierman at (608) 963-5278.

Remind your child to bring shoes in his/her backpack when wearing boots. You may choose to leave an extra pair of shoes here at school. Students will not be allowed to call home if shoes are forgotten. They are able to wear their boots in the classroom. Students who have physical education and have forgotten their shoes will have to sit out during the class.  
All Milk Break tickets will come out of the lunch accounts. If you need to add money to your lunch account for your child's milk break (45 cents per milk), payments can be made online through Skyward, or cash/check deposits may be dropped off in each school's main office or directly to the Food Service Department Office.

If you have any questions regarding milk tickets, please contact the Food Service Department Office at (608) 768-8938.
Trouble with Technology?
We all know technology is great - when it works! If you are having trouble getting your child into Google Meets or are having other issues, check out this page for some tips and tricks, or give our friendly technology staff a call if you can't get your child logged in.
Report Cards Go Home
  • December 3 - Group A
  • December 4 - Group B

The First Trimester ends November 27. Kindergarten - Grade 5 Report Cards will go home with students on December 3 & 4. Your student will receive their report card on the day that they are in face-to-face attendance.

Report cards give you a deeper look into what your child is learning and achieving. Please contact your child's teacher with any questions or concerns. Thank you for partnering with us in educating your child
The School District of Reedsburg strives to support the emotional wellbeing of our students by offering a continuum of services in partnership with local community-based agencies. We encourage you to navigate the resources on this web page and reach out to a Mental Health team member if you have questions or concerns.

A recently published article about Mental Health.
Become a Substitute Paraprofessional or Teacher and
IMPACT the lives of children in your community!
Watch Katie Mathews, Elementary Associate Principal, explain the role of Substitute Paraprofessional.

#DYK - A three-year short-term substitute teacher license may be issued to an applicant who holds an associate degree or higher and who has completed an approved substitute training program. 

For complete details and to apply visit WECAN.
Visit the district's COVID-19 Dashboard and learn what it means when your child is a Close Contact.
Informational links, and Sauk County COVID-19 testing locations.
Our goal is to make sure all students are safe while waiting for and riding the bus.

Watch this video to see what our Transportation Department is doing in keeping everyone safe during COVID-19.
The School District of Reedsburg is committed to keeping our families, staff, students, and community members informed during the 2020-2021 school year. While there are still many uncertainties regarding the school year, we are hard at work to ensure our students continue to have access to a high-quality educational experience. This web page serves as a hub for updates related to the educational delivery methods being used within our schools along with other resources. The situation surrounding COVID-19 is evolving with time. We will regularly update this page as our plans continue to transition along with sending updates via Skylert messages.
The School District of Reedsburg will hold virtual learning on days that would otherwise be lost to school closure (ie. inclement weather), which should eliminate the need to make up lost instructional hours later in the school year.

COVID-19 has accelerated the district into fully accommodating virtual learning at all grade levels.
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Mask Policy
Governor Evers' mask mandate has been extended until Nov. 21, 2020. The School District of Reedsburg would like to remind our families that per school district policy, face coverings will continue to be required while on school premises after Nov. 21, 2020, and until further notice. 
Westside Reminders
  • If your child will not be attending school, please call the school office at (608) 768-8934 by 8:30 a.m.
  • Students should not come to school before 7:45 a.m. There is no supervision until that time.
  • If your child's going home plan has to change, please contact the school office before 2:45 p.m.
Food Service
To order meals for virtual school days, families will need to continue to fill out the online meal pre-order form every week for each child.

The month's breakfast and lunch menus may be accessed by clicking the button below.
Westside Elementary School – School District of Reedsburg
401 Alexander Avenue | Reedsburg, WI 53959
 (608) 768-8934 | Contact Us
District Mission Statement
Our mission is to prepare our students for the future, instill a sense of respect and a passion for learning.