August 11, 2022
Hello, Westview families, 

Our staff arrived on campus this morning to begin in-service in preparation for the new school year and to welcome students back to campus. We are very excited about the year ahead and are eager to welcome families back on campus. Westview prides itself on the collaborative environment and family culture that continues to be a strength of our community. We are looking for ways to better serve our students and their families, and we know that it is all of us working together that keeps us moving forward. In this spirit, our theme for the 2022-2023 school year is Together We Grow. 

Best, 




Head of School
The Westview School
Calendar at a Glance

FRIDAY, AUGUST 19
  • Meet the Teacher

SATURDAY, AUGUST 20

1900 Playground
9:00 - 9:45 AM - ECD & Prekindergarten
10:00 - 10:45 AM - Kindergarten
11:00 - 11:45 AM - Lower Elementary

1830 Playground
10:00 - 10:45 AM - Upper Elementary
11:00 - 11:45 AM - Middle School
MONDAY, AUGUST 22
  • First Day of School
Welcome Back, Westview Teachers!
Teacher Assignments and Meet the Teacher
TEACHER ASSIGNMENTS
Each family will be contacted on the afternoon of Friday, August 12, by your child's 2022-2023 homeroom teacher. Your child's teacher will introduce themselves and provide sign-up information for our upcoming Meet the Teacher. 
MEET THE TEACHER
Westview is kicking off the start of the school year with Meet the Teacher conferences, which will be held on Friday, August 19. This year your family will have the option to join in person or via ZOOM. Conferences will be limited to student and parent(s) only. No siblings allowed, please. Each conference will last 30 minutes.

For in-person meetings, please arrive at your assigned appointment time. For the safety and security of all students and staff, it is required that you be “buzzed” in at the front door of the 1900 or 1830 buildings upon arrival on campus. Please register with Candi or Michelle and obtain a visitor pass to be worn during your time on campus.
Let's Talk About Communication
As we approach the start of the school year, we wanted to share a quick reference on the way Westview communicates with its families. We are committed to using the most effective tools to communicate important school information. It is our goal to provide you with clear and concise messaging in the most efficient and timely way possible. Below you will find a breakdown of all our communication tools. Each tool is used to share a different type of information and allows us to communicate with you. Having said this, we know that the strongest relationships include two-way communication. We encourage you to reach out to us as well. Please don’t hesitate to call or email if you have questions or concerns or just want to share a success story.
EMAIL COMMUNICATION
Email will be the primary mode of communication between the Westview administration and teachers to your family. Our weekly newsletter, the Westview Weekly, will be sent consistently every Thursday via email. You can update your email address at any time through our RenWeb portal. You can view the Weekly archives on the Publications page of our website.
W.I.N.S. NOTIFICATIONS
The Westview Information Notification System (W.I.N.S.) is the way Westview can quickly and efficiently notify families of immediate school-wide information, announcements, and/or emergencies. W.I.N.S. notifications will be sent via both text and automated phone messages.
WESTVIEW WEBSITE
You can find us online at www.westviewschool.org. Here you will find the most up-to-date information on our campus and our school. Under Campus Life, you will find our blog, which covers a variety of topics written by professional members of our Westview community. 
FACTS FAMILY PORTAL
The Westview School uses FACTS Family Portal (formerly RenWeb) as our school’s management system. Parents have access to FACTS – a private and secure parents’ portal that allows parents to see academic information specific to their children while protecting their children’s information from others.
WESTVIEW SOCIAL MEDIA
Westview has both an official Facebook and Instagram page that is managed by Sarah Chauvin, Communications Director. You can find us @TheWestviewSchool. Here you can find information about school events, community resources and see us delivering our mission. We encourage you to share, comment on and like our Westview School posts.

Mention @TheWestviewSchool, so we can share your post. Please do not share pictures of other Westview children on your posts unless given express permission by that child’s family.  

Please note: Social media will always be a supplementary form of communication for The Westview School. This is why it is the last thing in our communication list. It is an excellent way for us to share some amazing stories of our awesome school. While we may post important information like open house and school closures, please know that this is always done following an email or notification from W.I.N.S.
POW FACEBOOK PAGE
Search People of Westview on Facebook and request to be added to this private group of current and former parents and staff members. This is a wonderful resource for support and finding information such as “can you recommend a great person for swimming lessons?”
School Hours, Arrival Procedures, and School Year Calendars
SCHOOL DAY HOURS
For the 2022-2023 school year, drop-off and pick-up times will be as follows:
Early Childhood Development: 9:00 am – 2:00 pm
Pre-Kindergarten: 9:00 am - 2:00 pm
Kindergarten: 9:00 am - 2:00 pm
Lower Elementary: 8:30 am - 2:30 pm
Upper Elementary: 9:00 am - 3:00 pm
Middle School: 8:30 am - 3:30 pm
EARLY DISMISSAL THURSDAY
  • Early Childhood Development, Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten, and Upper Elementary dismissal is 12:00 pm on Thursdays.
  • Lower Elementary dismissal is 11:45 pm on Thursdays.
  • Middle School dismissal is 12:30 pm on Thursdays.
CARPOOL MAP
Please familiarize yourself with our carpool map to determine where you will drop off and pick up your child. Establishing a predictable, consistent daily routine is critical to our program. Your child’s planned activities for the day begin shortly after carpool, and it is essential that they not be late. Should you arrive after this time, you must park and bring your child to the front office, and someone will escort your child to the classroom. 
2022-2023 ACADEMIC SCHOOL CALENDAR
Our 2022-2023 academic calendar is available in a one-page format, or a digital version is available to download to your mobile device. Subscribe to The Westview School calendar online by visiting our calendar page or by using this direct link.
Simply Fresh Kitchen
Did you know that you can send a hot lunch to your child every day at The Westview School? The Simply Fresh Kitchen will send hot, nutritious meals as often as you like; all you need to do is register on their website, look at the menu and make your selections. It’s that simple. Visit the Simply Fresh Kitchen tab under Campus Life on The Westview School website for monthly menus and instructions on how to order.
Campus Security and Training Update
The tragic incident at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde in May weighs heavily on all our hearts and minds. We wanted to share with our families that security on the Westview campus has been a priority for the administration this summer.
 
In June, we met with the Chief of Police for Spring Branch ISD to review our safety and security protocols. During their visit, they offered suggestions for increasing school security. Additionally, the Harris County Fire Marshal has agreed to meet with Westview’s Emergency Response Team to review emergency plans and coordinate with first responders.  As a result of these collaborative conversations, we have adopted the Standard Response Protocol, which you can review here. 
All school staff will be trained in emergency response protocols in the next few weeks, and staff will practice these responses throughout the school year to ensure that we are prepared in the event of an emergency.

For the safety and security of all students and staff, it is required that all parents, alumni, and visitors be “buzzed” in at the front door of the 1900 or 1830 buildings upon arrival on campus. All visitors (parents and alumni included) should register with Candi or Michelle on each visit and obtain a daily visitor pass to be worn during their time on campus.  
2022-2023 COVID-19 School Protocols
We understand that COVID-19 is still a reality of our world, but we also recognize the important need to return to normal campus life as much as safely possible. The following are highlights of our current COVID-19 protocols:
 
  • The COVID-19 vaccine and masks are not mandated on the Westview campus. 
  • The COVID-19 vaccine is now approved and available for all individuals six months and older, making it the first time the entire campus is eligible for the vaccine. We strongly encourage the COVID-19 vaccine and boosters (when eligible) to prevent severe disease, hospitalization, and death. 
  • If there is a known exposure to COVID-19, you will be notified by a Westview administrator.
  • Regardless of vaccination status, no one will be required to quarantine for Close Contact. All Close Contacts should monitor for symptoms and test on Day 5 after the exposure or sooner should symptoms develop.
  • If an individual has COVID-19 symptoms, it is recommended to take a test (PCR or antigen) and/or consult a physician. If an individual has fever, vomiting, or diarrhea, they will not be able to return to campus until they are fever, vomit, and diarrhea free for 24 hours without the aid of symptom-relieving medication. 
  • If your child tests positive for COVID-19, isolate your child at home and email Nurse Ana for guidance and return to campus instructions. If an individual tests positive, they are required to isolate for 5 days from the start of symptoms or the day of the positive COVID-19 test, and they should wear a mask for an additional 5 days. 
Wildcat Ambassador Family Program
We are so excited to welcome many new families to Westview this coming school year. We would like to invite our newest Westview families to participate in our Wildcat Ambassador Family program. This program is intended to help our new families get acquainted with The Westview School. Each new incoming family will be paired with a current veteran Westview family. 
We like to think of our Ambassador families as “phone-a-friends.” You will welcome your assigned new family to our school, be available to answer any questions, and help them to navigate our programs and volunteer opportunities. But, the biggest value add that we hope we can provide is support. Our vertfamilies know firsthand how challenging navigating autism can be especially for a new family. Building connections with parents who have walked the same path is invaluable. Westview is a very special place, and we believe fostering connections between our people can only enhance everyone’s experience here. So, we hope you say yes, and let us connect you with one of our new families. We think you have much to offer. 
 
If you'd like to participate and be assigned a Wildcat Ambassador Family, please email Jolaine Zuccala. 
POW Popsicles on the Playground - Saturday, August 20
Save the date for Saturday, August 20, for POW's annual back-to-school event - Popsicles on the Playground. We are excited to kick off the 2022-2023 school year with POW's annual on-campus event.

POW will host the meet and greet. Make sure to check the schedule below for your class time. Come chill with POW for 45 minutes. Grab an icy treat and get to know your incoming classmates. Our event will be held outdoors. 

1900 Playground
9:00 - 9:45 AM - ECD & Prekindergarten
10:00 - 10:45 AM - Kindergarten
11:00 - 11:45 AM - Lower Elementary

1830 Playground
10:00 - 10:45 AM - Upper Elementary
11:00 - 11:45 AM - Middle School
A PUBLICATION OF THE WESTVIEW SCHOOL
We are proud to present the Summer edition of our school magazine, the Wildcat Chronicle. This issue includes a number of great articles highlighting events of the past spring. The publication of our magazine was a collaborative effort, and this issue contains articles written by teachers, staff, and community members.

Inside, you will find an article written by Mimi Le, Psychotherapist at The Stewart Center, that discusses ways autism is different in girls. You can also find an interview with Kori Spurger, Language Arts teacher, who shares how Westview Middle School prepares students for high school and beyond. Also, you can read updates from Westview alumni; it is so exciting to see the great things our former students are doing.

We hope you that enjoy what we have to share, and we encourage you to tell us what you may want to read about in future publications. Happy reading!