STUDENT / FAMILY SERVICES

school and children

49. Parent Volunteer Leaders

We currently have a parent volunteer named Hillary DeBlasio who you can contact to answer any questions you may have regarding West Seattle Elementary and how you can be involved.

50. West Seattle Elementary Website

The school website is an excellent resource to learn what is happening at West Seattle Elementary. Here is the website address: http://westseattlees.seattleschools.org/

51. West Seattle Elementary Family Newsletter

A school newsletter containing items of interest for students and parents is usually distributed monthly. The newsletter includes news from students, announcements of PTA activities and other timely information. Please read the newsletter and check the updated school calendar printed monthly in the newsletter.

In order to reduce printing costs and for environmental reasons, we will be making the newsletter available electronically.

52. Parent/Family Bulletin Board

Families will find items of community and school district interest posted in the main hall.

53. Parent Etiquette While at WSE

· Parents conduct is often mimicked by children. Please come to WSE prepared to address any concern in a professional manner. Yelling, blaming, cursing, or threatening behaviors will not be tolerated and you may be escorted off campus by security or police.

· You are always welcome to schedule an appointment with the secretary to see the Assistant Principal, and if not satisfied, you can schedule an appointment with the secretary to see the principal.

· The principal would love to give her undivided attention to every case that comes before her. However, she will ONLY see people who have scheduled an appointment to see her.

· When attending school functions with small children, please respect the enjoyment of others. Please monitor and contain your children so they are not disruptive to the presentation at hand.

· During assemblies or presentations, please be quiet and attentive to the presenters by not talking to each other. Please show respect to our students who work hard to put on these presentations for you.

54. Parent/Guardian Visitations

Parents and guardians are always welcome at West Seattle Elementary. Please make sure that you first sign into the office prior to visiting your child’s classroom. In addition, to make the most of a visit, it is preferred that you schedule it ahead of time in order to avoid conflicts with assemblies or field trips. Please check in at the office. If you would like to talk to teachers, please ask them when it would be convenient. We ask that you not talk with teachers during instructional times.

55. Visiting at Lunch

Parents and guardians are welcome at any time to eat lunch with their child. You may join your child in the lunchroom for a hot lunch or bring your own lunch. Please make sure that you first sign into the office prior to visiting your child in the lunchroom.

56. Parent Booster Club/Parent Teas

Parent Booster Club/FEAT meets once a month to conduct the business of the PTA and its various committees. Meetings are open to all parents. Meetings will be posted the first week of school.

57. Parent Volunteers

Parents and other adult family members are encouraged to volunteer in our school at any time. Please check with your child’s teacher to see how you may help. If you would like to help in the library or office, you help would be graciously accepted. If you have hours that do not allow you to help during the school day, often teachers have tasks that could be completed at home and then the projects could be returned to school. Any assistance, whether regular or occasional, would be appreciated. State law requires a background check for any volunteer in a school setting. This is a simple process, but will require you completing a form stating your date of birth and providing picture I.D. You will also need to watch a volunteer video. Parent volunteers are asked to sign the Volunteer Book upon arriving at school.

58. Family and Community Involvement

Family involvement is a critical factor in our success as a school. As I mentioned earlier, our welcoming and respectful environment is one of the cornerstones of West Seattle Elementary. Building a close relationship with our families starts from the moment you choose our school. We welcome and encourage your participation in your child’s education and recognize that family involvement comes in many forms. Our PTA Leaders can help you find ways to become involved that work best for you. Families are encouraged to volunteer in classrooms, on the playground, in the cafeteria and the office, to chaperone field trips, assist with and attend our wonderful family events, and perhaps most important, work with your child on their homework and read to them every day. Please contact Abdi Ali if you would like to volunteer at WSE.

59. Community Clean-Up

West Seattle Elementary has been a staple in the community. We have partnered with Neighborhood House and other community development organizations. We take pride in this community and work tirelessly to see it thrive. One of our big focuses this year is community engagement and support.

We will host 2 community clean up days. We are asking the High Point Community for their support and join our efforts to keep High Point a beautiful, clean, and safe community.

GENERAL/MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION

60. Library Books

West Seattle Elementary’ s library is a vibrant place with great books. Students at WSE attend library classes each week. Our library provides story time, information literacy lessons, pleasure reading, and reference materials.

It is important to keep our library up-to-date with quality materials. Therefore, all students are responsible for the books they check out. If your student damages library material; you will need to pay for its repair or its replacement. Cost is determined by type of damage. Damage includes any markings, underlining, highlighting and sticky notes of all kinds. Please do not attempt to repair the material. If you notice that library material appears damaged or is missing parts, inform library staff before you check it out to avoid being assessed repair charges.

61. Lost and Found

Articles found in or near the school are put in the Lost and Found area in the cafeteria. Children may check the Lost and Found for any item that is missing. It is important that parents put LABELS on all children’s caps, coats, overshoes, mittens, lunches, etc. It will save you money and avoid the frustration over “lost” belongings. Laundry marking pens can be obtained at most convenience stores. Two or three times during the year we donate the unclaimed lost and found items to community agencies that support families in need. Families are notified in advance of the date of the donation.

62. Recess Policies

Weather permitting; Students are given two recesses each day. Decisions to have outside recess during cold weather depend upon the temperature, rain, ice and the wind chill factor. Always dress your child for outside recess.

Students will have supervised free time for games and talking to friends on days when bad weather prevents outside recess.

63. Field Trips, Field Day and other Extracurricular Activities WSE staff work hard to extend the academic experience for students through field trips, field day and other extracurricular activities. In all cases, these activities require students to follow directions; be on their best behavior; and to be safe. Due to the risky nature of these activities; these activities are earned and are not privileges.

64. Pictures

A privately contracted photographer takes individual student pictures in the fall. A range of individual portrait packages may be offered. In the spring there will be a class photo taken, along with a second set of individual pictures if you choose.

65. Birthdays

If parents wish, they may bring treats to their child’s class to celebrate a birthday. Please contact the teacher ahead of time to make necessary arrangements. When bringing treats, we ask you to be aware of any allergies that may exist in your child’s classroom, so all students are able to participate in the celebration. West Seattle Elementary is a “No Peanut School.”

66. School Colors

West Seattle Elementary school colors are purple. Our logo is a husky. We use this symbol to encourage school pride and spirit and encourage students and staff to wear the shirts on Fridays. Our PTA sells West Seattle Elementary t-shirts.

67. Telephone Calls

Students are not allowed to use any school phone without adult permission. Parents should limit phone messages for students at school to emergency

situations. Please call by 1:00 if you have an urgent message in order to allow necessary time to deliver the message before the end of the school day. All teachers have voicemail that they may access from their classrooms. Teachers will not be expected to answer the phone during the instructional day, but messages may be left on voice mail to be returned within 48 hours. Do not leave messages on the teacher’s phone that have to do with a change of plans for where a child should go after school or regarding a family emergency.