West Weekly Updates| October 23rd
Hello West Families,
It is hard to believe that we have already reached the end of the first quarter! Our students and teachers have been working hard, and we are looking forward to sharing their progress with you. As we move into the second quarter, I want to thank our families for their continued support and partnership.
Parent-Teacher Conferences – October 29 & 30
First-quarter grades are being finalized, and report cards will soon be available. Parent-Teacher Conferences will take place on Thursday, October 29, and Friday, October 30.
These conferences are one of the most important opportunities we have to strengthen the partnership between home and school. They provide an opportunity to:
● Celebrate your child’s accomplishments and academic growth.
● Discuss academic progress, classroom performance, and areas needing improvement.
● Identify patterns in attendance, behavior, work completion, and learning.
● Better understand your child’s strengths and challenges.
● Learn specific strategies you can use at home to support your child’s learning.
● Share information about your child that may help teachers better meet their needs.
● Establish goals for the second quarter and develop a plan for continued success.
Remember, conferences are not just for students who are struggling. Even students who are performing well benefit when parents and teachers work together to challenge them, recognize their accomplishments, and identify opportunities for continued growth.
Please call our office next week to schedule your conference in advance. Our number is 618-463-2134. We hope to see every family participate!
Important Health Notice – Pertussis (Whooping Cough)
Unfortunately, we have been notified that two siblings at West Elementary have been diagnosed with pertussis, commonly known as whooping cough.
Pertussis is a highly contagious bacterial respiratory infection. We encourage all families to remain vigilant and familiarize themselves with the symptoms, prevention measures, and recommended precautions.
Please take a moment to review the letter from the Health Department, which includes important information about symptoms, treatment, and when students should remain home from school.
Click Here to Read the Health Department Letter
We appreciate your cooperation in helping us maintain a healthy school environment. If your child develops symptoms or has been exposed, please contact your healthcare provider for guidance.
Reminder – Toys and Squishies
We want to provide a gentle reminder that students should not bring toys, squishies, or other personal play items to school without prior approval from a teacher or administrator.
Although we understand that students enjoy these items, they can become distractions during instructional time. Thank you for helping us keep our classrooms focused on learning.
Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program
Our Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program is underway! Thanks to funding through the Illinois State Board of Education, students will have opportunities every Monday and Friday to sample fresh fruits and vegetables, including some they may have never tried before.
This week, our students had the opportunity to try starfruit and Sugabee apples!
Here are a few fun facts you can share with your child:
● Starfruit: When sliced across the middle, this tropical fruit forms a five-pointed star! Its skin is edible, and its flavor is often described as a combination of apple, grape, and citrus.
● Sugabee Apples: These apples are known for their sweet flavor and crisp texture. Apples also contain fiber, which helps support healthy digestion.
Students are not required to eat the fruits and vegetables, but we strongly encourage them to give something new a try. One of the goals of this program is to introduce students to healthy foods and encourage them to develop healthy eating habits.
Ask your child what they thought about this week’s selections!
Quarterly Student Rewards – Celebrating Positive Choices
Today, we celebrated our first-quarter reward with students who met our schoolwide expectations!
To participate in quarterly rewards, students must:
● Have zero office discipline referrals.
● Have all assignments completed and submitted.
● Consistently demonstrate our four RRSK pillars: Responsible, Respectful, Safe, and Kind.
For the second quarter, we are hosting a West Elementary Ball on December 17th! This is a special opportunity for qualifying students to dress up, enjoy music, dance, play, and celebrate their accomplishments. Students—and their parents—who have zero referrals or missing assignments and meet all four pillars (Responsible, Respectful, Safe, and Kind) will receive a VIP ticket to the dance. Students who meet three pillars will earn a different reward, while students who meet 0–2 pillars will remain in the classroom with fun, engaging activities planned for them.
We recognize that these expectations are challenging, and that is intentional. We want our students to understand that success comes from the choices they make each day. Being responsible, treating others with respect, making safe decisions, showing kindness, and completing assignments are habits that will benefit them far beyond elementary school.
Our goal is not simply to reward students who are already meeting expectations. We want to motivate every Redbird to grow, make better choices, and work toward becoming the best version of themselves.
At West, we encourage our students to SOAR by setting high expectations, taking responsibility for their actions, overcoming challenges, and recognizing that every day is another opportunity to improve.
We hope our families will encourage their children to work toward earning this exciting second-quarter reward!
Join the Gilson-West Parent Teacher Group
We encourage our families to become involved with the Gilson-West Parent Teacher Group (PTG)!
Our PTG plays an important role in supporting students, teachers, and school activities. Getting involved is a great way to connect with other families, contribute ideas, and make a positive difference in our school community.
Whether you can volunteer your time, support an event, or simply participate when opportunities arise, your involvement matters.
Click Here for More Information About Our PTG
District Scorecard Progress
As part of our District Improvement Plan, we continue to focus on two important goals that directly impact student success.
Goal 1: Increase the Percentage of Students with Perfect Attendance Weeks
Attendance continues to be a priority at West. Every day of instruction matters, and students benefit from being present, participating in lessons, and building consistent routines.
Even occasional absences can result in missed instruction that is difficult to make up. We will continue recognizing students for strong attendance while partnering with families to address barriers that may prevent students from attending regularly.
Goal 3: Increase the Percentage of Students Passing Every Class
As we finalize first-quarter grades, this goal is especially important.
Our teachers continually review student performance, identify learning gaps, and provide additional academic support when needed. We want students to do more than simply earn passing grades. We want them to develop the knowledge, skills, and confidence necessary to succeed at the next grade level.
Families can support this goal by checking assignments, discussing what their children are learning, encouraging strong study habits, and maintaining communication with teachers.
Both goals require a strong partnership between school and home. Thank you for making attendance a priority, monitoring your child’s progress, and helping us maintain high expectations for every student.
Stay Connected with West
We want to make sure every family has access to important school information.
ParentSquare
ParentSquare remains our primary communication platform for school announcements, classroom updates, and important reminders.
Click Here for ParentSquare Information
Important Phone Numbers
● West Elementary School: 618-463-2134
● Bus Garage: 618-466-5400
Follow our school Facebook page for celebrations, photos, reminders, and updates.
West Elementary Redbirds Facebook Page
My Ride K–12 App
Families who utilize bus transportation are encouraged to use the My Ride K–12 App to stay informed about transportation information.
You can register using your student’s six-digit “Other ID” found in Skyward Family Access.
Click Here for My Ride K–12 Information
Have a Great Weekend!
Thank you for another great quarter at West Elementary! I appreciate the work our teachers and staff do each day, the support of our families, and the effort our students continue to demonstrate.
As we begin the second quarter, let’s continue working together to help every student grow academically, socially, and personally.
Every Redbird. Every Day.
Have a wonderful weekend!
TaRael Kee
Principal