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JANUARY 20, 2021
Highlights of the week:
- WUES International Festival
- WUES Kindergarten Round-Up Meeting Recap
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The new numbers for learning mode preference are in for the 4th cycle and we have 49 more students who will join us in the building (77% of our student body will be in-person). Additional students per class will be shared with teachers this week, and they will send an email to their homeroom parents with the number of students in their homeroom and the distance between students. If you have any questions, please reach out to your child’s homeroom teacher or grade level administer.
As we make adjustments to bring more students back in the building, it’s a good time to remind everyone that we still need to continue to wear our masks, social distance, and take other precautions to keep our students, teachers, and community safe. The distribution of the vaccine has started, but very few of our teachers have had an opportunity to get vaccinated yet. Thank you for your continued commitment and efforts to keep everyone safe.
Don’t forget that the WUES International Festival is this Thursday. The event will look different this year, but the celebratory spirit will be the same! Load your family in your car and take a short drive in your neighborhood to learn about different countries and cultures throughout the world.
Have a fantastic week!
Scott C. Disch
Principal
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International Festival (West U Style) is this THURSDAY! Be sure to check out all of the details and enjoy the fun journey around our neighborhood visiting all the countries represented. This map will help guide your journey!
We are also excited about the Bluebonnet Celebration this Friday for our 3rd-5th graders. Congrats to all our readers and many thanks to Melissa Pifko, Suzanne Maguire and Rosalyn Vera for all the planning!
In addition, our annual service project, Souper Bowl of Caring is quickly approaching. Please see below for more information on the many and fun changes this year.
Have a safe week everyone!
Olivia Benitez
PTO President 2020-21
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Looking ahead to some key upcoming dates.
PLAN NOW!
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JANUARY
Thursday, 21st
WUES International Festival (4-6pm / Off campus)
Friday, 22nd
WUES Bluebonnet Celebration (Virtual / during school day /
for kids in grades 3-5 who have read a qualifying number of Bluebonnet books, as assigned by their teacher)
Friday, 29th
WUES Teacher Service Day (No Students)
FEBRUARY
Monday, 1st
WUES Souper Bowl of Caring Starts
Thursday, 4th
WUES Souper Bowl of Caring Concludes
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WUES KINDERGARTEN 2021-2022
ROUND-UP MEETING RECAP
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Who: All Parents interested in Kindergarten
What: Visit the West U Elementary registration page for information about kindergarten enrollment dates, registration materials, Gifted & Talented ("G/T") application and testing.
When: Gifted & Talented DEADLINE THIS FRIDAY, January 22nd at 3pm. Students can register for G / T prior to registration.
HISD has not yet open Registration / Enrollment for 2021-22 school year.
Where: Online
How: If you missed the Kindergarten Roundup, you may view the recorded event HERE by following the Microsoft Teams link.
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INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL 2021 *THIS THURSDAY*:
TRAVEL THE WORLD IN WEST UNIVERSITY PLACE!
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Who: All WUES Travelers!
What: Get ready for International Travel! Explore (new) food, music, dances, costumes, souvenirs, and much more.
Fabulous prizes - visit at least 5 countries, document this in your passport, send a picture to us, and you are eligible to enter the raffle.
Please remember to travel safely and to follow CDC guidelines all the time.
Where: Around West University Place
When: THIS THURSDAY, January 21st from 4-6pm
How: No need to sign up - just get the passport, maps, and access the travel guide provided below or on the INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL WEBSITE and you are all set and ready to go!
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Links to Map (to print) and Google Interactive Map.
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Link to the Passport (QR code)
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Link to the full version of Travel Guide.
Particular thanks to Nothing Bundt Cakes for their generosity and support for International Festival 2021!
IF Chairs:
Anastasia Domakhina | Martina Luke-Dorn | Julie Gibson
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SOUPER BOWL OF CARING 2021 |
Who: All WUES Students
What: Souper Bowl of Caring 2021
When: Feb. 1 - 4, 2021
Why: WUES has long been a proud supporter of the Souper Bowl of Caring. This year, due to the coronavirus pandemic, WUES will not be able to have our students bring in the thousands of cans that we normally do. Instead, we are asking the students to submit online monetary donations that would have otherwise been spent to purchase the cans. KHOU Channel 11 has pledged to build 50 pantries in HISD schools where support is greatly needed. All of our SBOC donations will go to help KHOU launch these pantries!
Friends and family can donate in your child's name. Please be sure they know your child's grade and teacher in order to be credited for the friendly school competition.
More Information: Find complete Informational Flyer HERE.
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WUES SOCIABLE - VALENTINE'S COOKIE DECORATING CLASS |
Who: ALL Grades
What: Join us to learn mixing and rolling dough and cutting out sugar cookies. We’ll put together colorful royal icing, and kids will practice decorating various shaped cookies. Sorry, adults, this class is for kids! Class will be taught by Be Truly Sweet by Barb Mullins
When: Saturday, February 13th at 10am
Where: Class will Online via Zoom. Cookie kits will be available for prior pickup at WUES the week of February 8th.
How: Signup Sheet HERE. Cost is $40
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MICHAEL'S COOKIE JAR COLLABORATION - NOW INCLUDING VALENTINE'S COOKIES! |
Who: Everyone
What: West U Elementary PTO has partnered with Michael's Cookie Jar to provide you with discounted cookies for all your family events, PLUS 10% of each cookie sale goes directly to the PTO. You can share this website with friends, family and colleagues and 10% of THEIR cookie purchases will also go to the PTO!
When: 24/7 year-round
How: Use our school-specific website address immediately above to order cookies anytime!
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PTO MONEY AT WORK
Each week in this section, we will highlight how our PTO supports our school. Your PTO membership directly impacts our students. Join today!
The PTO is proudly sponsoring this year's Bluebonnet Celebration, an annual event attended by students in grades 3-5 who have read a qualifying number of Texas Bluebonnet Award-winning books. The approximately 600 student honorees this year will each receive a PTO-supplied goody bag that includes a custom pencil and bookmark, plus a Shipley's donut coupon as a sweet treat! Special thanks to the many 5th graders who made video clips to play at the Celebration, to WUES alum 7th grader Reese Williams who edited those all together, and to the hardworking organizers who collectively are making this event so special!
Keep up the MOMENTum!
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WUES STUDENT COUNCIL
Student Council is back at West U! The students are very excited to have this club back at school this semester. We have elected our representatives for each class in 4th and 5th grade. Now, our representatives are campaigning for positions within Student Council. Campaigning will take place via flyers and video messages for the next two weeks leading up to Election Day, January 28th. The students have worked hard to be a part of Student Council and we can’t wait to see what they do as representatives of our student body!
Special thanks to Ms. Musgrove (4th Grade Chair and Math teacher) for leading this important club at our school!
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ANCILLARY NEWS
The No Place for Hate Committee is kicking off 2021 with a new initiative. The “COMPLIMENT CAMPAIGN" has already begun, and will run through Friday, January 29th. Please WATCH THIS VIDEO for more information about this exciting initiative!
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BIRTHDAY BOOK CLUB
Happy Birthday to our Birthday Book Club students with birthdays during the week of January 18th through January 24th. Thank you to our Birthday Book Club contributors. Your donations directly benefit our WUES library with new books, engaging activities, technology, and much more. Ms. McMillan will be choosing books for our children and will include their special nameplate.
A very special Happy Birthday to:
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Lucy Burke - January 18
Samuel Arroyo-Cruz - January 22
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Greer Stasney - January 23
Aditya Tandon - January 23
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Charlotte Austin - January 24 |
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Taking a MOMENT to thank our Corporate Sponsors!
Particular thanks to Nothing Bundt Cakes for their generosity and support for the WUES International Festival 2021!
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