Dear West Elementary Families,

Fourth Quarter Progress Reports

Fourth quarter progress reports went home today, April 17. This is a great opportunity to celebrate your child’s hard work or sit down with them to talk about their academic progress. Our focus for the fourth quarter is “Getting Prepared for the Next Grade Level.” We want every student to finish the year strong and push toward the expectations of their upcoming grade.

If you are unclear about where your child stands, please message your child’s teacher. There are many opportunities for students to catch up if they are behind. In math, students can use "My Path," a digital platform that analyzes individual strengths and weaknesses to help them master grade-level standards. Reading and writing practice can happen anywhere; please encourage your child to read simple books or write at home whenever possible. Your support and encouragement make a significant difference.

Next Week: Earth Week and Spirit Week

Next week is Earth Week! We will celebrate our planet with a Spirit Week (please see the flyer for daily themes). Wednesday, April 22, is an Early Release Day with dismissal at 12:25 pm. We will also hold another Redbird Rules Rally that day, so please encourage your child to wear Red on Wednesday.

West Spelling Bee Champions

Congratulations to our West Spelling Bee Champions! These students will represent our school at the district spelling bee on Wednesday, May 6.

TJ Vickers

Olivia Garcia

Charli McIntire

Juniper Phillips

Christopher Baahlman

Nico Ezeagu

Aubrie Grant

Jacob Kramer

Owen Pichee

ROAR Volunteers Needed

We are looking for more volunteers for our R.O.A.R. (Reach Out and Read) Program. To participate, simply complete a volunteer application and come to the school at 7:30 am to listen to our students read. All volunteers must enter through the front door near the office to sign in. Please do not use the student entrance.

April Tier One Updates

Our Referral Free Reward for April is Extra Recess. So far, only 42 students have received referrals, meaning over 90% of our students have been referral-free this month! Please continue to talk to your children about the importance of making good choices at school.

Weekly Academic Shout-Outs

Our students have been working hard on their recent assessments. Here is a breakdown of the fantastic results from our classrooms:

Third Grade

In Mrs. Jones’ class, students took a quiz on measuring length and plotting data on line charts. The class earned a strong average score of 74, and seven students achieved perfect scores.

Fourth Grade

Mrs. Evans’ class showed incredible mastery of time and money word problems, averaging 91% on their quiz. Sixteen students had perfect scores, and almost every student in the class scored a B or higher.

Mrs. Goeken’s class also tackled time and money problems. They achieved an average of 79%, which shows a solid understanding of these practical math skills, and 12 students earned perfect scores.

In Mrs. Tepen’s class, students worked on the relationship between decimals and fractions. The class averaged 76%, with seven students earning perfect scores.

Mrs. Kanallakan’s class also focused on relating decimals to fractions. The class averaged a 75%, and 15 different students scored an 80% or higher, showing that more than half the class has a very strong grasp of the material.

Fifth Grade

Mrs. Peipert’s class took a quiz on creating line plots and interpreting data. The class averaged a 72%, and six students earned perfect scores on this data-heavy assignment.

i-Ready My Path at Home

To help your child prepare for rigorous end-of-year assessments, please encourage them to complete i-Ready My Path lessons at home for at least ten minutes per day. Please check to ensure they are passing their lessons. To access the portal:

1. Have your child sign into their Google Account (the same login used for their Chromebook).

2. Go to portal.altonschools.org

3. Click "Clever"

4. Select "i-Ready"

5. Select "My Path"

Family Resources

How to track student progress: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RVM5ahBg7EbnbA5twBSCOu6ODSP7kfmg/view?usp=sharing

Video Guide for K-5 Family Resources: https://www.loom.com/share/a2608dca526f4e2eb9e5140ba1542a3b?sid=507307ba-03b1-4b42-b932-f8aa6dc75b9b

Character Trait of the Month - Cooperation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zb30dFjXxJU&t=108s

Grade Level Links

2nd Grade: https://sites.google.com/altonschools.org/alton-school-district-curricul/2nd-grade

3rd Grade: https://sites.google.com/altonschools.org/alton-school-district-curricul/3rd-grade

4th Grade: https://sites.google.com/altonschools.org/alton-school-district-curricul/4th-grade

5th Grade: https://sites.google.com/altonschools.org/alton-school-district-curricul/5th-grade

District Scorecard Progress

We are tracking two major goals as part of our District Improvement Plan:

Goal 1: Increase the percentage of students with perfect attendance weeks. Consistent attendance is one of the strongest predictors of academic success.

Goal 3: Increase the percentage of students passing every class. We are focused on providing targeted support to ensure every student masters grade-level standards.

Communication and Important Information

All school communication is sent through ParentSquare. Please ensure you are connected to receive updates.

West Elementary School: 618-463-2134

Bus Garage: 618-466-5400

Facebook Page

Stay updated on transportation with the My Ride K–12 App. Use your student’s 6-digit “Other ID” in Skyward Family Access to register.

Important Dates

April 17: Progress Reports Go Home

April 22: Early Dismissal (12:25 pm)

April 28: West Band, Orchestra, and Choir Concerts (9:30 am & 6:30 pm)

April 30: Fifth Grade Field Day