September 6, 2019
Welcome Back!
It gave us great pleasure to welcome back each of our incredible families and our “New to West” families! We know it is going to be another awe-inspiring year and we thank you for sharing your amazing children with us! The first day was seamless as 424 students became our new West School community. This year we feel inspired to “See the Good” as we continue “Another Great Year at West!” We also welcomed 7 new certified staff members and 5 teaching assistants. Each of them was selected after a rigorous interview process and we are confident we have the finest faculty ever. We hope your child had a GREAT first week of school and we look forward to a great year ahead. 
Parent Pick-Up Line
Thanks to all parents who are using the yellow cards that our secretary, Kelly Maar, printed this summer. You should have received them on the first day of school in your child’s backpack. Placing these cards in your front passenger side window makes loading students in the pickup line run in an efficient manner and hopefully makes your wait time in line a bit shorter. If you need another card for a second car or for your nanny caregiver, please give Kelly a call and we can get those to you quickly. Thanks again for helping us keep the line moving and the loading safe for all students. 
THANK YOU To Our Amazing PTC! 
On behalf of every faculty member at West, we send a huge thanks to each of the parents who made our Back to School Luncheon so special! The food was delicious and the floral decor and “Westy the Whale” watermelon fruit platter was outstanding. As usual, our PTC parents went above and beyond to “Create a Great Luncheon at West”. A sincere and genuine thank you to all.
Open House 
Our annual West School Open House is an opportunity for you to visit your child's classroom and receive information regarding grade level curriculum as well as the daily routines and expectations unique to your child's class. The special area teachers will also be presenting information relative to their subject area and you are encouraged to visit them. 
On September 17th 
  • Grades K, 2 will meet in their child’s classroom from 6:30 - 7:10 PM
  • Administrator/PTC Welcome will be in the BBT from 7:15 - 7:40 PM 
  • Grade 1 will meet in their child’s classroom from 7:45 - 8:25 PM 
On September 25th
  • Grade 4 will meet in their child’s classroom from 6:30 - 7:10 PM
  • Administrator/PTC Welcome will be in the BBT from 7:15 - 7:40 PM
  • Grade 3 will meet in their child’s classroom from 7:45 - 8:25 PM
Building Update 
Over the summer, our West School gymnasium was equipped with air conditioning. This has made a very positive difference in the temperature in the gym, as you can imagine. We are anticipating an increase in the use of the space for our school assemblies since it can accommodate the entire school. We also have new hand dryers in our larger bathrooms, which students are using in place of paper towels. New grass has been planted on the back playground after the water tower painting and septic tank work. We also received a new card reader for the third grade entrance which will ease the student congestion coming in from the back playground each morning. A special shout-out to our custodians and maintenance department for all of their hard work this summer. The school looks amazing! 
Outdoor Learning Center
We are excited to share that phase one of our OLC (Outdoor Learning Center) is well underway! This summer the ground was leveled, pavers were installed and a wall was built to clearly define the space. An irrigation system was installed and the grasses and stone provide a finished feeling for the space. We will soon be installing the custom made shade that will provide a shaded area for students to learn and grow. We are grateful to the hard work and planning of the committee members and our PTC presidents for their coordination of the project.
School Attendance
At West School, we believe attendance in school is very important. Research shows that students are more likely to succeed in academics when they attend school on a regular basis. At the same time, we understand that children become ill from time to time and an absence is required in order to feel well. Please be aware of our district attendance policy that is grounded in the Connecticut General Statutes that require that students who have more than nine absences in total during the school year to submit appropriate documentation (ie. from a medical professional for student illness) in order for any additional absences to be considered excused. A district attendance letter is automatically sent to parents at the time of the ninth absence as a reminder of this policy. Please click on the link to review our absence and attendance policy: Student Handbook - Absences and Attendance. This information can also be found in our Student Directory, which you can purchase at our PTC meeting and Open House Meetings. 
WELCOME BACK PTC COFFEE AND DIRECTORY DISTRIBUTION, Tuesday, September 10th, 9:30 AM, BBT
Please join us for the first PTC Coffee featuring: 
  • New Year Welcome from Principal Jan Murphy.  
  • District update from Superintendent Dr. Bryan Luizzi. 
  • Tips for getting the school year off to a great start by Ellen Brezovsky, the new Executive Director of New Canaan Cares. 
Pick up your directory, sign up for volunteer opportunities, catch up with old friends and make some new ones! Join the PTC by clicking here!

OPEN HOUSE - GRADES K, 1, and 2, Tuesday, September 17th, 6:30 PM

STUDENT PHOTO DAY, Wednesday, September 18th

FALL FAMILY FUN NIGHT, Thursday, September 20th, 5:00 PM
RSVP here and volunteer here!

OPEN HOUSE, GRADES 3 and 4, Wednesday, September 25, 6:30 PM

SPIRIT DAY, Friday, September 27th
Wear your green, white or Westy!

ROSH HASHANAH, Monday, September 30th
No school
FALL FAMILY PHOTO DAYS ARE BACK!

Capture the magic of your family right now! Arrange a photo session and get a jump start on your holiday cards. Choose from three great photographers and book your Family Photo session today – ALL sitting fee proceeds are donated to West. Sessions are selling quickly so book today! Click here for more details and to sign up.
BEFORE/AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM REGISTRATION ENDS TONIGHT!

Registration for Before and After School Programs ends tonight, Friday, September 6th! Don't miss out on these fun and exciting enrichment opportunities, including Rad Lab Science, Kids Cook Too, Mindful Monday Yoga for Girls, Hot Wheels Racing, Robotics for Little Ones and more! Click here for class offerings.
FALL FAMILY FUN NIGHT
Don't miss the first and largest family social event of the year on September 20th at 5:00 PM! Bring the entire family to enjoy dinner from a variety of amazing food trucks plus ice cream, games, music by DJ Stella and more! Don't forget your picnic blanket! To purchase tickets, click here. Children 2 and under are free. To volunteer for this event, click here! We hope to see you there!
SHARE A BOOK
Our Library Media Specialist, Mr. Murren, continues to build an inspiring and forward-looking space for our school. Parents and caregivers can strengthen that vision by donating books. Please look for our table in the lobby at both Open Houses this month. Share-a-Book is the only fundraiser for the library at West. With a $20 donation, donors will receive a bookplate that can be personalized. The bookplates will be placed in new books selected by Mr. Murren. Please contact Barb Rosen at ( shareabook@westschoolptc.org) with any questions.
SIGN UP FOR 3RD AND 4TH GRADE NUTMEG READING GROUPS

Sign ups for the Nutmeg Book Clubs will open Monday, September 16th at 9:00 AM! The popular clubs were established by the West PTC to give kids a chance to read some top-notch, age-appropriate literature and discuss it with their friends. Each club chooses their own books from the annual Nutmeg Book Award nominees and students vote on the annual winner. Each group will meet six times throughout the year at West either before school or during lunch in grade and gender specific groups. Space limited, so keep an eye out!
MEDIA CENTER VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
The long awaited media center signup has arrived and we need you! Come see your child during their class session and help make it a great day in the West School Media Center. If you are a new volunteer, you will receive training during your first shift. Please click here to sign up.
LUNCH ROOM VOLUNTEER SIGN UP
Come help your children and their friends during lunchtime! Click here to sign up for a shift.
WEST SCHOOL VOLUNTEER HUB

The PTC needs parent volunteers throughout the year to keep our programs running smoothly. We hope all parents will find an opportunity to get involved. Click here to see the current volunteer opportunities around school.
SHOW YOUR WEST SCHOOL SPIRIT!
NEW styles/colors are available! Choose from a great selection of shorts, t-shirts, sweatshirts, flannel pajamas, socks, headbands and much more! Shop early to get the best selection and Be Ready for school-wide Spirit Days. Don't delay as styles/sizes often run out before Open House! Spirit Wear will be available for sale at school on:
  • 9/10 - Welcome Back PTC Coffee
  • 9/17 - Open House (Grades K-2)
  • 9/25 - Open House (Grades 3-4)
A GREAT BACK TO SCHOOL DAY AT WEST

It was a great week back at West, with lots of smiles and excitement!
BACK TO SCHOOL TEACHER APPRECIATION LUNCHEON

On Friday, August 30th the West School Teachers Lounge was transformed with flowers and the staff were treated to a delicious lunch to start the year off right! A big thank you to Back to School Lunch Chairs Kristina Ancker, Jennifer Houle, and Anca Jordan.
BOE UPDATE
The New Canaan Board of Education meeting was Tuesday, September 3rd, this week. On the agenda was Back to School Principal Reports. Mrs. Murphy reported on the many exciting initiatives at West School, and she spoke about a very positive first day of school. West School welcomed 424 kids in grades K-4 on Thursday last week, including 32 new students in grades 1-4. This year West has added "See the Good" to our school motto “Make it a Great Day at West.” A few improvements in facilities happened over the summer, including the installation of hand dryers in the bathrooms, helping to make our school more green. 

The next BOE meeting is Monday, September 16th at 7:00 PM in the Wagner Room at the New Canaan High School. The meeting agenda and prior meeting minutes are here. To watch the BOE meeting live on television, tune into channel 78 on Optimum cable. Questions? Please contact the West BOE representatives Jen Joyce and Susan Clarke at edurep@westchoolptc.org.
FIELDFEST 2019, Saturday, September 7th, 5 PM - 10 PM at Coppo Field in Waveny Park
Tickets are on sale now for a night of live music and family fun to raise funds for the New Canaan Athletic Foundation. Featuring performances by 8track Band, Funkydawgz Brass Band and Bad Dog Buddy. Kids attend free! There will be food trucks, bounce houses, and face painting. Click here to buy tickets. 
CUB SCOUTS PACK 7 BONFIRE
Interested in scouting? Please join Pack 7 Cub Scouts at our annual bonfire at the New Canaan Nature Center on Thursday, September 19th from 7pm to 8pm. Hot dogs and s'mores for all! Learn about scouting and upcoming scout events. Hope to see you there! Any additional questions, please contact Pack 7 Cubmaster Keith Laska: keithlaska@gmail.com
NC SQUASH K-4 FALL SEASON
The NC Squash K-4 fall season starts September 25th! Registration opens soon on www.ncsquash.com (Elementary). In addition, a squash Open House will be held on September 18th. All K-4 New Canaan public school students are welcome to sign up for the Open House to try squash and learn about our programs! Head to www.ncsquash.com to learn more or email Suzanne Koeppl ( suzanne.koeppl@gmail.com) or Liz Schmidt ( ebschmidt@optonline.net).
NEW CANAAN HISTORY DAY
Please save the date for the inaugural New Canaan History Day being held on Sunday, September 29th from 2pm to 4pm. Visit us at the New Canaan Museum & Historical Society (13 Oenoke Ridge) to learn about New Canaan's history and to show off your town pride. The museums will be open and knowledgeable docents will be at the Hanford-Silliman House, the Tool Museum, the Rock School and the Cody Pharmacy. Enjoy family-friendly activities including making corn husk dolls, lemonade and butter, as well as hoop rolling and hopscotch. The event is free and open to the entire community. Old time snacks and toys as well as our popular landmark ornaments will be available for purchase.
RUN TO E.A.T. 5K/KIDS FUN RUN TO BENEFIT FOOD ALLERGIES
Please SAVE THE DATE for a fun local food allergy fundraiser! Sunday October 6th from 9:15 AM to 12:00 PM is the first Run to E.A.T. (5k and Kids Fun Run) through Waveny Park in New Canaan. The run benefits End Allergies Together (E.A.T.), a non-profit where all money raised goes directly to fund scientific research to accelerate cures for food allergies. Please register here. Please contact Michelle at michelle@endallergiestogether.com for more details or with any questions.
YOUNG WOMEN'S LEAGUE LITTLE RAMS 3RD ANNUAL FUN RUN
The 3rd Annual Fun Run registration opens on September 3rd! The run will be held on Saturday, October 19th from 3:00 PM-5:00 PM at East School. The run is open to kids ages 2-10 and runners are invited to fundraise for one of our two featured beneficiaries for the run--KIDS FANS and New Canaan Mounted Troop.  
In addition to the excitement of the actual run, kids will enjoy a DJ and magician. Food trucks will be on hand to make for an easy, early dinner picnic! Click here to learn more: https://www.ywlnewcanaan.org