August 21, 2020
Welcome Back!
Dear Westmoor Families-

In just a couple of days we are all set to welcome back our little Westmoor Bulldogs!!! The building and grounds look great and we are ready for business. This week staff have been in working hard and collaborating with colleagues. They have also been planning for the first few weeks of school, attending professional development, and putting the finishing touches on classrooms.

Don't forget we have the in-person Curriculum Night via Zoom this year. Please plan to join one of the two sessions that are offered. Each teacher will be offering two sessions for you to choose from on Thursday, August 27. Please check for communication from your teacher for Zoom links.

Session One: 6:30- 7:15
Session Two: 7:30-8:15

Our generous PTO dropped off delicious grab and go lunches for the whole staff on Tuesday...what a treat! If you haven't had a chance visit the PTO webpage look for information regarding spiritwear, joining the PTO, and more.

Please see the very amature video I made for our students and families to get a little sneak peak into the building. I was able to catch a couple teachers working late to add to the video too : )

Can't wait to see you all soon!!!! Have a wonderful weekend.
-Mary
School News
New Staffing in the Office:
I'd like to welcome two new staff members to the office. Our new school nurse is Ann Martin and she is replacing Rebecca Boston who has gone to the NBJH as the head nurse for the district. Ann has a wealth of experience in the school setting and working closely with families. Her direct number is 847-504-3815 and she can also be reached at [email protected].
We are also very fortunate to welcome back Julie Sherman to Westmoor, a previous parent. Julie is a registered nurse and will fulfill the role as the health nurse aide. Her direct email is [email protected].
Busing Routes:
If your family is using bus service this year, you should have received information about your child's route from First Student. Please note that the bus route will not start until 8:20 with the bus arriving around 8:45 each morning to Westmoor. We are all aware of this and will have bus supervisors stationed ready to lead students inside. Additionally, no bus rider will be marked tardy due to the bus arrival. If you have questions regarding the bus route please contact First Student at 847.724.7200.
Picture Day:
The picture day for K-5 students is scheduled for Wednesday, September 9. YE and RLA students are scheduled on Thursday, September 10. Mark your calendars! There will be additional information coming out to families soon.
In-Person Weekly Schedule:
As we have shared, safety is our top priority this year. Therefore, we have added additional time for arrival and dismissal procedures and mask breaks. Please click here for more information on what the weekly schedule will look like for in-person learners this year.
SAFETY:
  • All students and staff will be required to wear face coverings, covering their nose and mouth, while inside the building. Parents, please send your child to school wearing a mask with a second, clean mask to put on after lunch. Teachers will ask for 1-2 extra masks to keep in lockers as well.
  • All student desks have been placed 6-feet apart. Teachers can interact with students for a few minutes at a time closer than 6 feet (e.g., passing out papers, giving individual feedback on an assignment) and may also use a face shield or plexiglass divider provided by the district. 
  • All parents must “self-certify” their student’s health before the student arrives to school, or boards the school bus every day. This simple self-certification survey will help ensure that everyone is taking part in the collective effort of keeping our students and staff safe. Please self-certify by 7:45 a.m. each day for each child. Our district office staff will send a separate email with more details about this process. 
ARRIVAL:
Students may arrive at school any time between 8:15 a.m. and 8:35 a.m. This year, as soon as they arrive, students will enter the building and walk to their classroom. Children will have choice time at their seats until the school day begins.
  • Walkers
  • Kindergarten walkers will enter through the main office (Door A)
  • 1st grade walkers will enter by Cherry Lane (Door B)
  • 2nd-3rd grade walkers will enter by the playground (Door C)
  • 4th-5th grade walkers will enter by the gym (Door D)
  • Bus riders
  • Will enter through Cherry Lane (Door B) with the bus supervisor
  • Carline
  • If you are driving your child, cars enter the parking lot northbound on Cherry Lane and drop students off along the sidewalk next to the parking lot. Staff members will be present to greet students.

School begins at 8:35. Any student arriving after the 8:35 bell will need to be signed in at the front office. Please make every effort to ensure that your children are here on time to begin their days. We will give plenty of leeway in the first weeks of school as we all adjust to the new routines.

DISMISSAL:
We will stagger our dismissal this year to help maintain physical distancing.
3:20pm: Students attending KidCare and riding the bus will be picked up from class and escorted to the bus or KidCare.
3:25pm: Walkers will be picked up from classroom and escorted to the playground.
3:30pm: Car riders with remain in their class and dismissed once their names are called.

Our kindergarteners and 1st graders who walk or meet parents outside will be dismissed through the back playground doors (Door C).

Please practice social distancing from others if you are waiting to meet your child(ren) and depart Westmoor as soon as your children exit the building.

Please note, our playgrounds will be roped off this fall to prevent children from playing on equipment during recess times. If you choose for your child to play on the equipment after school, please make sure they are well-supervised.
LUNCH:
  • Our goal is for students to eat lunch outside as much as possible. They will not typically be eating in their classrooms and when the weather cooperates, classes will eat outside. In inclement weather, we will make use of the three tents that will be set up on the property.
  • Please send your child with a towel or yoga mat to sit on when eating outside
  • Students may go home for lunch as long as a parent or guardian signs a release form with the main office and communicates the plan with the teacher in advance. Please contact Tracy Ferraro if you would like to request a form.
  • We are not currently offering PTO pizza days or Marla’s Brown Bag lunches.
RECESS:
  • Students will have a morning recess and afternoon recess scheduled each day. This will provide a mask break as students can take off masks while outside and more than 6 feet from others.
  • Classes will play in specific zones. All students will be given a lanyard (with quick release function) to hold masks around their necks while outside. Using the lanyard is not a requirement.
SNACKS:
  • We will incorporate snack time into our outdoor recess schedule. Please send a healthy snack for your child, including fruit and vegetables
  • As the number of children with food allergies increases, we strive to make sure that all students are included at Westmoor. To that end, your child’s teacher will notify you if there is an allergen that should not be brought into the classroom. (Since we are eating snacks and lunch outside this year, this should be less of an issue!)
Remote Learning Academy News
Technology and Supply Pick Up
This week our RLA families had the opportunity to pick up technology from NBJH. Next week our RLA staff volunteers will be here Tuesday, August 25 from 4:30-6 p.m. for pick up of student materials and pre-ordered school supply kits. I'm hoping to see some of our RLA students in the carline!!! Don't hesitate to call our front office if you have questions.

iPad keyboards
Fifth-grade students received new devices. We are awaiting the arrival of the keyboard cases from Apple. These slightly larger iPads do not fit our current keyboard case. Given the pandemic, production slowed and they are behind in fulfilling orders. Once the cases for these devices arrive, we will work out a plan to swap out the current 'flap-style' cases. These students WILL receive keyboards with their new cases. 

Room Parents
We are looking for parents that may want to fulfill the roll of a room parent for our RLA classes. Please see the PTO section below for additional information on signing up.

Curriculum Night
Each teacher will schedule a Zoom call with parents on Thursday, Aug. 27. They will offer the same presentation from 6:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. or 7 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Picture Day
Westmoor picture day will be fast approaching! Our RLA picture day is schedule for Thursday, September 10. If you are interested in having your student's picture taken please look for further information coming out soon.

Attendance
To report an absence please either email  [email protected] or call 847-498-7960 before 9:00 a.m. in addition to emailing your child's teacher. Thank you!
PTO News and Events
Hello and welcome back WM families! We know everyone is gearing up for the first day of school on Monday, August 24.  

The back to school packet linked below (repeated from the 8/14 weekly) has a plethora of information that you may find useful in preparing for the 2020-2021 school year.

If you have questions about the PTO or the website, feel free to email us at [email protected].

CALLING ALL GRADE 2 PARENTS & PARENTS OF REMOTE LEARNERS (ALL GRADES) Please consider volunteering to be a Room Parent this year. It will be a very simple task as there are no classroom volunteer opportunities this year – solely, communicating from the PTO to class & coordinating group appreciation/gifts. Please contact Lindsey Baker directly, if you are interested: [email protected].


This packet contains information about:
  • How to Join PTO
  • Paperless PTO & School Directory
  • Free Will Giving
  • Birthday Signs
  • School Supplies
  • Westmoor Lanyards/Yoga Mats
  • Ordering Spiritwear
  • Amazon Smile
  • DQ Back to School Week
Westmoor School | Mary Sturgill, Principal | 847-498-7960 | Email | Website