11/4 Fall Picture Makeups
11/9 School Improvement Meeting 8am Media Center
11/11 Veterans' Day No School
11/16-20 WES Book Fair
11/25 Teacher Workday No School
11/26-27 Thanksgiving Break No School
Updated Volunteer Registry System
This week WCPSS sent out updated information and clarification for the Volunteer Registration system:
As you may be aware, Community Engagement is one of five objectives within the school district's new Strategic Plan. A small but important part of that objective includes better use of community volunteers. To help accomplish that goal, the volunteer registration process will remain open every day of the school year. This is effective immediately.
Those who register are agreeing to a criminal background check. A criminal background check is important when needed, but it is not required for every person who visits our schools. There are only two categories in the current system.
Guests: Visitors who are never left alone with students are considered guests. They do not need background checks. Typical examples would include speakers, presenters and community members attending a school event.
Volunteers: Visitors who are alone with students at any point do require background checks. There are no "levels" of volunteer status. You are either a volunteer who could be alone with students or you aren't. Typical examples range from a community volunteer who reads with a child to an overnight chaperone. The same background check is done for every type of volunteer.
Arrival and Dismissal Reminders
Families, first off thank you for following our arrival and dismissal procedures. It is very important that we all do our part to help in the arrival and dismissal of more that 1000 students each and every day at WES.
Please note the following areas that we need help from our families:
- Please do not drop off your child prior to 8:45am unless he or she has a scheduled before school activity. Staff is often involved in meetings and is not available to monitor students outside prior to that time.
-Students who arrive later that 9:15am must check in with an adult in the front office. This is for the safety of our students. Please take a moment and park your car to walk your child into the building.
-Students who need to be dismissed early from school for appointments should be signed out of the front office prior to 3:15pm. After that time, classes are packing up as well as returning from specials and recess, and it is very difficult to make multiple calls to classrooms to dismiss children. We understand that unusual circumstances arise and we are more than willing to help families, but please help us by planning ahead.
-Changes from normal dismissal procedures should generally be sent via letter or email to the classroom teacher. If the change happens during the school day however, we ask that you call the front office as soon as possible to alert the office staff. These messages are communicated to the classroom throughout the day.
Emails sent to classroom teachers often go missed at the last minute, as he or she may not have seen that message during the busy school day.
Thank you for your help with these important reminders!
News from the WES PTA
Save the Date: Save the Date: Book Fair Family Night and Concert
In conjunction to the Book Fair Family Night on Thursday Nov 19th, the PTA will sponsor a FREE Family Concert. Barbara Bailey Hutchison will perform a high energy, VERY interactive, concert featuring reading and the fun of exploring the library.
She will offer 30 min shows: 6:30PM and 7PM to allow you to have plenty of time to visit and shop the Book Fair. The book fair will be open until 8 PM.
For more information about the book fair click here.
Volunteers Needed for the Book Fair
Our annual Scholastic Book Fair will run November 16 – November 20th. Volunteers are needed to help set up the book fair, stock shelves and process book sales. Proceeds from the book fair support our media center and volunteers are needed to make it a success.
Please consider volunteering during the time your child’s class will visit the book fair. To see the schedule click here.
Sign up here to volunteer. Thanks!
All for Books
The Book Fair will be arriving soon which means it’s time for the All for Books program at WES! This program collects funds to help get books in the hands of as many Weatherstone students as possible. A donation of just $1 will help us raise funds for students at WES that can’t afford to purchase a book at the book fair. A donation slip will be sent home soon in your child’s Tuesday folder. Money collection will run November 4th – November 13th. Thank you for supporting this wonderful program!
November Volunteer Spotlight – Laura Emsley
By TANYA WEST
Laura has been volunteering at WES since she moved here in 2011. At that time her daughter was in the 4th grade. Laura currently has a son in Ms. Lockard’s 3rd grade class. Laura has enjoyed being Room Mom for both of her children’s classes. This year, Laura co-chaired the GoPlaySave fundraiser.
Laura says, “I really enjoy volunteering in my kids classes because they really seem to appreciate it. Even now, my 8th grader talks about some of the fun things we did over the years. Volunteering to help with the other PTA functions is important to help the school. I believe in our public school system but with the limited budgets, they need our help to be the best they can be.”
Thank you, Laura, for all your hard work and dedication at WES!