January 6, 2022
Dear Westview families,
 
Thank you so much for your patience and understanding as we unexpectedly pivoted this first week back to school from in-person learning to virtual.
 
The halls of Westview have been a bit more quiet than usual, but in every classroom and ZOOM session, teachers and assistants were engaging with their students, and students were engaging with one another. I am so proud of our staff for pulling together an excellent instructional week for our students with very little notice. If there is one silver lining, it would have to be that you had an opportunity to see the great work that our teachers and assistants do on behalf of our students every day.
 
The collaborative spirit within our community is inspiring. I loved watching our veteran staff support our three new teachers and get them settled into online learning. It is that magical Westview thing that allowed us all - parents, students, and staff - to handle the unexpected and have such a successful, albeit unusual, first week back. 

This week was a reminder to us that we still need to grow our substitute teacher list. This is a perfect fit for a Westview parent. If you are interested in supporting our school in this way, please reach out to Michelle Chapa to complete the necessary paperwork and background check to be added to our list.
 
Our staff are on the mend, and we cannot wait to welcome your students back to campus on Monday, January 10, 2022. 
 
You all make me proud to be a Westview Wildcat.
 
Happy New Year!
Head of School
The Westview School
Familiar faces in new places. Brenna Smith has moved from Middle School math to take over the 1900 PE teacher position. Week one of 2022 has her brightening up her space and getting her students moving at home.
Speaking of PE, Mrs. Liza's Kindergarten class dove right into PE Class with Ms. Brenna. Lots of smiles and participation from these little Wildcats.
Ms. Ally engages her PreK students in an online vocabulary lesson using Sqauwker the parrot.
Virtual school did not put a damper on the excitement of seeing friends after break. Mrs. Garcia's Lower Elementary students were super excited to catch up with their classmates this week.
Middle School ELA with
Ms. Lozenich dove right back into Chapter 17 of Harry Potter.
Calendar at a Glance

Monday, January 10, 2022
  • In-Person Classes Resume

Thursday, January 13, 2022
  • Grandparents and Special Friends' Day (Virtual Event)

Monday, January 17, 2022
  • Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (No School)
Westview Welcomes
The Westview School is delighted to welcome our new music and drama teacher to campus. Nelson Armstrong, a Houston native, began his musical education at HSPVA (High School for the Performing and Visual Arts) and is a recent graduate of Temple University in Philadelphia, PA. A fan of all music, Mr. Armstrong especially loves jazz and is proficient at the trumpet. He enjoys learning popular songs on the piano, and his latest project is creating a full-service music studio in his home. Mr. Armstrong brings much creativity and talent to Westview, and we can’t wait for him to meet our students.
Westview is excited to welcome back to the Westview campus, Kathyrn Leger. Mrs. Kathryn has rejoined us this Spring as a lead teacher in Early Childhood Development. With over five years of experience as an employee of The Westview School, Mrs. Leger previously worked as an Early Childhood Development and a first-grade teacher. Mrs. Leger holds a degree in Elementary Education from Sam Houston State University with a concentration in child development. Her special needs education and experience, coupled with her honesty, compassion, and creativity, make her an excellent addition to the teaching team for our littlest Wildcats. We are so happy to have her smiling face back on campus.
Westview LOVES our grandparents. This year our Grandparents and Special Friends' Day event will again be held virtually on Thursday, January 13. While our special guests will not be on campus this year, we have blocked time during the school day for all grandparents to ZOOM into classes.
 
The Grandparents and Special Friends' Day ZOOM will be a 20-30 minute time commitment per class. Your student’s teacher will email the ZOOM link and any activity details for our grandparents on Monday, January 10. Please forward the email to all grandparents (or special friends) as an invitation to Grandparents and Special Friends' Day.
 
We have also put together a helpful document on "Simple Steps to ZOOM" to share with your families. 
PLEASE NOTE THE TIME FOR YOUR GRANDPARENTS' DAY ZOOM
 
The times per grade level are listed below: 
9:30 AM – 10:00 AM – ECD + PreK
10:00 AM - 10:30 AM – K
10:30 AM – 11:00 AM – Lower El
11:00 AM – 11:30 AM – Upper El 
11:35 AM – 12:05 PM – Middle School 
Now Enrolling: Picky Eaters Food Group - Spring Session
The Stewart Center is currently enrolling for Picky Eaters Food Group Session II. The tentative start date will be the week of January 16th. 

Food group is for any child ages four & up and is offered by Ali Nevins, Speech-Language Pathologist, and Abby Cook, Occupational Therapist.
 
Picky Eaters therapy is designed to diversify your child's diet. Our therapists use sensory-based feeding intervention based on the SOS Approach to Feeding.

If you are interested in enrolling your child or would like additional information on Picky Eaters, please contact Ali Nevins or Abby Cook with The Stewart Center.
Note from Nurse Ana: Submit Vaccine Records
If your child has been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, please provide a copy of your student's vaccine record to Nurse Ana.

You can email a copy of the card directly to the nurse's office at mmeraja@westviewschool.org.
Westview is Hiring
The Westview School is hiring! Westview is seeking qualified, enthusiastic professionals, to join our team of educators and therapists to fulfill our mission of providing a stimulating, specialized learning environment where children with autism spectrum disorder can reach their fullest potential. If you or someone you know is interested, send a resume and letter of interest electronically to Candi Pettit.

SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS NEEDED

The Westview School is looking to increase our substitute teacher list. A Westview substitute primarily works as the class assistant for the day. If you or someone you know is interested in substitute teaching on a preschool, elementary, or middle school level, please contact Michelle Chapa to complete the necessary paperwork and background check to be added to our list