Westbrook Elementary School

03/08/2020

Weekly Message from Principal Cox:

Announcements and News

Coronavirus (COVID-19) MCPS Web Page
Please visit the MCPS Web Page for detailed information about our preparation for Coronavirus (COVID-19), including FAQs.MCPS is working very closely with the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services and the Office of Emergency Management and is updating this page daily as new information is received. Please check often to stay informed. The safety of our students, staff and community is our first priority in MCPS and at Westbrook Elementary School. We continue to emphasize good personal hygiene habits both visually and verbally. Thank you for your continued support during this time.

Building & Grounds Spring Clean Up
Thank you to everyone who contributed to this event. The curb appeal at Westbrook is spectacular!

Parking Lot Concerns
This is a reminder for parents to utilize the designed parking spaces when picking their children up from KAH. It has been observed that some parents are not always utilizing the open parking spaces. Instead, they are parking along the curb or in the middle of the parking lot when parking spaces are available. This is causing congestion and a safety issue in our parking lot and we need your help. Please continue to utilize all available parking spaces when picking your children up. Thank you very much for your attention.


Science Fair Information
A reminder that the Science Fair will be here before we know it. Please take a minute to sign your son or daughter up if they are planning to do a project this year. Below is the information about this annual Westbrook event! In addition to the amazing science fair exhibits, we will also have a robot demonstration and some cool exhibits from NASA (courtesy of a Westbrook parent), including a space suit for kids to try on and freeze dried astronaut food! Mark your calendar to attend even if your child is not participating. Thanks to Steve Mitchell for spearheading the Westbrook Science Committee.

When is the Science Fair?
Wednesday, April 1st from 7-8 PM (set up at 6:30 PM).
Who can participate?
The Westbrook Science Fair is non-competitive and optional for students in all grades. Students conduct experiments or scientific research at home and then present their findings on poster board displays.
Is there a cost to participate and how do I register?
No! There is no fee to participate. To register, simply add your child’s name, grade, and a parent's email address to the form linked here: https://bit.ly/39vrpSw
What are the guidelines?
All projects should follow the scientific method and test a hypothesis (or answer a question for a younger child). We have created a form that students can follow while working on their project. Here are links to the form and an example of a completed form. Displays should consist only of tri-fold presentation boards. Glass, flames, live animals, and hazardous materials of any kind will NOT be allowed as part of a student’s display. No demonstration projects on site (for example, no "volcano-type” demonstrations or slime making on site)

Students may work by themselves, or with one other student from the same grade level. A student’s project should reflect his/her age and ability level. All experiments must be supervised by an adult.

I want to participate but how do I get started?
Review the Scientific Method. Here’s a short video that explains it: The Steps of the Scientific Method for Kids - Science for Children: FreeSchool
Think of an interesting question and how you might answer it. Need some ideas? Check out this website: http://www.sciencebuddies.org
Form a question and make a prediction (K-2) or draft a problem statement and a hypothesis (3-5)
Plan, conduct, and write up your experiment(s)
Review the results of your experiment(s)
Form your answer (K-2) or conclusion (3-5)
Create your presentation board
Rehearse your verbal presentation/talking points

Important dates:
Registration Deadline - March 25th
Science Fair - April 1st

Yearbook Committee Photo Request
Do you have photos from any recent school events? Please share them with the yearbook Committee! Set up your RePlayIt account at https://www.replayit.com/ #/home to submit any photos for consideration in the yearbook. Once your account is set up, you can find our school from the drop-down menu (Westbrook Elementary School). The password Yearbook. Please don't forget to indicate who is in the picture and identify the current grade level(s) of the children.

Quick Links!
Check out grade level newsletters here .
Monthly information from our specialists and our counselor.
The PTA website is loaded with information as well, including all PTA events and membership information.
All previous weekly updates.
All Coffee and Conversation dates, topics and presentations.
MCAP, IEP, BOE, ESOL, MAP- do you know the meaning of the many MCPS acronyms? There is a guide that defines each of them and it can be found here.
Looking to know what assessments your child will be taking throughout the year? Check out the comprehensive calendar of assessment windows for all elementary grade levels.

I encourage you to visit our website regularly as we are frequently adding information, events, and resources to help you support your child.

Please reach out to me directly if you have any questions or concerns. I have an open-door policy and desire to support our school/home community partnership.

As always, we look forward to personally greeting the students back to school.

Proudly serving the Westbrook Community,
Principal Cox

02/13/2020

Only 12 more students needed for Kids Heart Challenge and $500 of free PE Equipment!!

Westbrook!! We are SO close. We only need 12 more kids to register for the Kids Heart Challenge and we will reach our goal of 50% of the school participating which earns us $500 worth of FREE PE Equipment!!

Steps to get started:
Download the Kids Heart Challenge app or visit heart.org/KidsHeartChallenge to register.

Ask your child to select a personal health challenge: be kind, move more or be ready.

Set a fundraising goal with your child and send emails to invite friends and family to support it.

What are you waiting for??? Registration is easy and FREE. Please sign your kids up today! Registration and fundraising ends on Tuesday, February 18th. We are currently at $10,500 raised... well done and keep up the good work!!

Ms. Thai worked and played with our students all last week in fun, heart-healthy activities and challenges and they learned about the importance of being kind, moving more and being ready. Did you SEE the inflatable climbing structure in the gym?? It was amazing. Please support this important program and the PE department at Westbrook by participating in the registration and fundraising efforts of Kids Heart Challenge. We appreciate you!!

The American Heart Association offers programs for the classroom and for the gym to get help kids healthy and performing better in school.

02/07/2020

Lost & Found

Has your child lost a glove? A hat? A lunchbox? Their coat? This is but a sample of what is currently in the school's Lost & Found.

Items that are left and found are placed in the Lost & Found located near the gym.

Please label your child's belongings -- it's the best way to be sure it gets returned quickly.

Please make sure to visit Lost & Found soon - we will wash and donate all unclaimed items at the end of the 3rd marking period on 3/27.

02/06/2020

Westbrook Talent Show is This Sunday!

Where: WESTLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL AUDITORIUM

When:Sunday, February 9th @5:30pm

Cost: Free! Bring money for pizza and snacks.

PERFORMERS: Please arrive at 5:00pm and find your seat in the performer’s area with your name on it and be seated.

Audience: Please DO NOT TALK during any of the acts and keep an eye on your students. We have had problems hearing because of chatting and running around in the past and we would love for this year to be different! If you are in the auditorium during the show please remain seated and try and move to buy snacks between acts. (It takes a village)

A digital program will be sent out on Saturday night with the order of performances. We can’t wait to watch our students shine!!

Cheers!

Meghan, Rachel, Meredith, and Jill

02/06/2020

Next Trash Free Lunch Is Tuesday February 11

Dear Westbrook Families,

The next Trash Free Lunch will be held on Tuesday, February 11. Please let Sacha or Lisa know if you would like to volunteer!

Guidelines for Trash Free Lunch

To be trash free, students should bring all food and drinks in recyclable and/or reusable containers along with reusable utensils and a reusable napkin if needed.

The following is considered Trash Free:

* Any reusable container
* Recyclable containers such as yogurt, apple sauce cups, aluminum foil and plastic water bottles. Students are directed to put containers and aluminum foil in recycling bins in the cafeteria.
* Banana peels, apple cores, etc. are OK, they are biodegradable

The following is considered TRASH:

* Plastic bags or wrap of any kind (even if students take them home to reuse them)
* Individually packaged snacks (cheese sticks, chips, granola bars, gogurts, fruit squeezes, etc.)
* Juice boxes, pouches or Horizon milk containers (although the box may be recyclable, the straw and wrappers are not)
* Disposable plastic utensils
* Paper napkins

If your child buys lunch at school: Bring in reusable utensils and a cloth napkin. Students must recycle their drink container and cardboard tray in the cafeteria.

Students who bring a "Trash Free” lunch (or bring a reusable napkin and utensils from home if they are buying lunch) are entered in a drawing for a chance to win a prize (a reusable container). In addition to being entered in a prize raffle, students who are trash free are also given a wooden coin, which they then deposit into one of two collection boxes to contribute to one of the chosen charities for the year (this year’s charities are the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and the Little Falls Watershed Alliance). At the end of the year, remaining funds and any raised through the Trash Free Lunch program will be donated to each of these charities in amounts reflected by our kids' donations (in wooden coins) each month.

02/03/2020

Dear Westbrook Community,

The SGA is sponsoring a fundraiser for the first two weeks of February where students can buy Valentine cards for their friends and Westbrook staff members! Students may purchase cards with stickers to decorate. Then, students can personalize the cards for their friend/friends and place it in the mailbox near the front office. Our SGA officers will deliver these cards to classes on Valentine’s Day! Don’t worry, we will ensure that every student at Westbrook receives a card.

Here’s how it will work: Students who would like to purchase cards should bring $1 per card to Mrs. Modderno’s classroom. Before school or during recess are the best times to do this. Mrs. Modderno will give the students cards and stickers to decorate. They can take the cards home to fill out, and will put the completed cards in a mailbox by the front office. Students can buy cards for any other student at Westbrook, regardless of class or grade!

With the money earned from our fundraiser, we will be able to purchase more recess equipment for students to use. We hope you’ve seen the awesome new soccer goals that we were able to purchase with money from last year’s SGA fundraiser!

Please email Mrs. Modderno if you have any questions at [email protected].

Lastly, the students of Westbrook have donated 439 non-perishables to Manna Food Bank. We are only 61 cans away from earning a principal playdate. Please help those families in need by donating non-perishables. We thank you for your generosity!

Thank you,

Molly Woods & Kim Modderno

Westbrook SGA Sponsors

02/03/2020

Weekly Message From Principal Cox:
Good evening Westbrook Community!

According to Punxsutawney Phil we will have an early spring this year. While a nice snow storm would be great fun, looks like the spring flowers may arrive early this year. Westbrook looks beautiful in the spring thanks to the efforts of our Beautification Committee and our school community. Enjoy the Superbowl this evening if you are watching!

Here are a few events for the upcoming week (see grade level newsletters/emails for more details):

Monday- Counselor Appreciation Day!

We are grateful to have such a caring counselor at Westbrook! Happy Counselor Appreciation Day Mrs. Faerber!

Tuesday:

Report cards distributed
7:00 p.m. Town Hall Meeting (Open Q&A) /7:30 p.m. in the Media Center-childcare provided by KAH.

Wednesday:

Proposed Boundary Options presentation/meeting by MCPS for Westbrook and Somerset Elementary Schools. This meeting will be held at Westland Middle School, at 7:00 p.m. in the cafeteria. See you there! See MCPS flyer here.

Thursday:

Nothing to date

Friday: Spirit Wear Day

1st grade Artist in Residence Kick Off Assembly
Show your school pride! Ledo Pizza gift certificates will be randomly passed out to those in Spirit wear or school colors who are demonstrating good work habits and/or Community of Caring values.

Are you aware of the American Heart Association's Kids Heart Challenge? Have you seen the information for No Place for Hate? Do you know the topics and dates for the Coffee and Conversations? Check it all out here!

I encourage you to visit our website for monthly grade level newsletters, monthly information from the specialists and our counselor, as well as all previous weekly updates. The school calendar will also help you stay on top of all school activities. The PTA website is loaded with information as well, including all PTA events.

SAVE THE DATE: Friday, February 14th- Class/grade level Valentine’s Day Parties begin after 2:15 p.m. Volunteers should sign in at the front office.

Do you have photos from any recent school events? Please share them with the yearbook Committee! Set up your RePlayIt account at https://www.replayit.com/ #/home to submit any photos for consideration in the yearbook. Once your account is set up, you can find our school from the drop-down menu (Westbrook Elementary School). The password Yearbook. Please don't forget to indicate who is in the picture and what grade level(s) the children are in

As always, we look forward to greeting the students back to school tomorrow morning.

Please reach out to me directly if you have any questions or concerns. I have an open-door policy and desire to support our school/home community partnership.

Proudly serving the Westbrook Community,

Principal Cox

02/02/2020

Kids Heart Challenge

The American Heart Association Kids Heart Challenge event, formerly known as Jump Rope for Heart, is happening now! We’re all working together for positive changes and happy, healthy hearts and minds.

Check out this special video message from Mrs. Cox at https://youtu.be/zOGSNb0lENY.

If 50% of WESTBROOK students REGISTER ONLINE for the KHC, OUR SCHOOL receives $500 of PE EQUIPMENT!

Registration is free so please visit http://www2.heart.org/goto/westbrookes today!

GOAL: Register 200 students online—1/2 of our students

TO DATE: 102 students registered —Thank you!!

NEED: 98 more students to register and take the challenge to BE KIND, BE ACTIVE, BE READY

This is easy and will help Westbrook raise $500 towards PE Equipment while also raising awareness in our community on what it means to be "heart healthy." Please sign up prior to Monday as P.E activities will focus on being heart healthy this week!

Special thanks to Alison Goradia, our Westbrook Elementary PE Liaison and Ms. Thai, our wonderful P.E. who can answer any questions you may have at [email protected].

Thank you for your time and continued support,

Karen Cox

Westbrook Elementary School is partnering with the American Heart Association to launch the Kids Heart Challenge. See how to register and support this worthy...

01/26/2020

Weekly Message From Principal Cox:

Good evening Westbrook Community!

We are ready to begin the second half of the year and are excited about this long stretch of solid academic time in the classrooms! I hope that your conversations with your child have resulted in goal setting for the 3rd marking period. My biggest wish is that your child is as happy and excited to be at Westbrook as we are.

Here are a few events for the upcoming week (see grade level newsletters/emails for more details):

Monday- No School

Teacher Professional Day – No school for students.

Tuesday:

3rd Marking Period begins

Wednesday:

Grade 5- MAP-R testing

Thursday:

Proposed Boundary Options presentation/meeting by MCPS for Westbrook and Somerset Elementary Schools. This meeting will be held at Westland Middle School, at 7:00 p.m. in the cafeteria. See you there!

Friday: Spirit Wear Day

Grade 5 MAP-M testing
Show your school pride! Ledo Pizza gift certificates will be randomly passed out to those in Spirit wear or school colors who are demonstrating good work habits and/or Community of Caring values.

Have you seen the information for No Place for Hate? Are you aware of the American Heart Association's Kids Heart Challenge? Do you know the topics and dates for the Coffee and Conversations? Check it all out here!

I encourage you to visit our website (https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/westbrookes/) for monthly grade level newsletters, monthly information from the specialists and our counselor, as well as all previous weekly updates. The school calendar will also help you stay on top of all school activities. The PTA website is loaded with information as well, including all PTA events

SAVE THE DATE: Friday, February 14th- Class/grade level Valentine’s Day Parties begin after 2:00 p.m. Volunteers should sign in at the front office.

Do you have photos from any recent school events? Please share them with the yearbook Committee! Set up your RePlayIt account at https://www.replayit.com/ #/home to submit any photos for consideration in the yearbook. Once your account is set up, you can find our school from the drop-down menu (Westbrook Elementary School). The password Yearbook. Please don't forget to indicate who is in the picture and what grade level(s) the children are in

As always, we look forward to greeting the students back to school on Tuesday morning. Enjoy an extra weekend day with your family.

Please reach out to me directly if you have any questions or concerns. I have an open-door policy and desire to support our school/home community partnership.

Proudly serving the Westbrook Community,

Principal Cox

01/20/2020

Weekly Message From Principal Cox:

Good evening Westbrook Community!

I hope you are enjoying the long holiday weekend even without the promised snow. The staff have planned for a rigorous week of instruction as we finish out marking period two! This is a great time to talk with your child about goal setting for the second half of the school year. The students have worked very hard already this year and have made excellent academic progress. Goal setting can help maintain focus during the remaining five months of the school year.

Here are a few events for the upcoming week (see grade level newsletters/emails for more details):

Monday- School Closed

Holiday- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day – School Closed

Tuesday:

Nothing to date

Wednesday:

Nothing to date

Thursday:

Nothing to date

Friday: Spirit Wear Day & Early Release

Show your school pride! Ledo Pizza gift certificates will be randomly passed out to those in Spirit wear or school colors who are demonstrating good work habits or community of caring values.

Early release day for students. Dismissal is at 12:55 p.m.

Have you seen the information for No Place for Hate? Are you aware of the American Heart Association's Kids Heart Challenge? Do you know the topics and dates for the Coffee and Conversations? Check it all out here!

I encourage you to visit our website (https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/westbrookes/) for monthly grade level newsletters, monthly information from the specialists and our counselor, as well as all previous weekly updates. The school calendar will also help you stay on top of all the events. The PTA website is loaded with information as well, including all PTA events

SAVE THE DATE: Please save the date: January 30th, 7 p.m. at Westland Middle School to see the proposed boundary options presented by MCPS for Westbrook and Somerset Elementary Schools.

Do you have photos from any recent school events? Please share them with the yearbook Committee! Set up your RePlayIt account at https://www.replayit.com/ #/home to submit any photos for consideration in the yearbook. Once your account is set up, you can find our school from the drop-down menu (Westbrook Elementary School). The password Yearbook. Please don't forget to indicate who is in the picture and what grade level(s) the children are in

As always, we look forward to greeting the students back to school on Tuesday morning. Enjoy an extra weekend day with your family.

Please reach out to me directly if you have any questions or concerns. I have an open-door policy and desire to support our school/home community partnership.

Proudly serving the Westbrook Community,

Principal Cox

01/13/2020

Weekly Message From Principal Cox:

Good evening Westbrook Community!

I hope you enjoyed the unseasonable weather this weekend. I have heard from several community members that the PTA BINGO night was quite a success! Sorry to have missed it- my daughter had a dance competition this weekend!

Thank you to the teachers and parents for organizing a fabulously informative First Grade Heritage Event! Hopefully you will be able to submit some of the cute pictures to the yearbook committee. Please set up your RePlayIt account at https://www.replayit.com/ #/home to submit any photos for consideration in the yearbook. Once you set-up your account you can find our school from the drop down menu (Westbrook Elementary School) and our site is password protected. The password is Yearbook. Please don't forget to indicate who is in the picture and grade level(s).

Here are a few of the highlights for the upcoming week (see grade level newsletters/emails for more details):

Monday-

Nothing to date

Tuesday:

Trash Free lunch! Check out the guidelines here!

Wednesday-

Club and group photos, along with candid photos by Freed
Patrol Meeting

Thursday:

Nothing to date

Friday: Spirit Wear Day!

Show your school pride- random Ledo Pizza gift certificates passed out to those in Spirit wear or school colors who are demonstrating good works habits or community of caring values. Respect is the theme this week. How will you show respect?.

Have you seen the information for No Place for Hate? Are you aware of the American Heart Association's Kids Heart Challenge? Do you know the topics and dates for the Coffee and Conversations? Check it all out here!

I encourage you to visit our website (https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/westbrookes/) for monthly grade level newsletters, monthly information from the specialists and our counselor, as well as all previous weekly updates. The school calendar will also help you stay on top of all the events. The PTA website is loaded with information as well, including all PTA events

Please save the date: January 30th, 7 p.m. at Westland Middle School to see the proposed boundary options presented by MCPS for Westbrook and Somerset Elementary Schools.

We have experienced an increasing number of cars turning onto Allen Terrace from Baltimore Avenue after 8:30 a.m. Please pay careful attention to the street signage and follow the directions in order to keep our students safe while coming to and leaving school. This is critical, especially given the lack of sidewalks at that intersection.

As always, we look forward to greeting the students back to school tomorrow morning.

Please reach out to me directly if you have any questions or concerns. I have an open-door policy to help support our school/home community partnership.

Proudly serving the Westbrook Community,

Principal Cox

01/08/2020

Next Trash Free Lunch Is Tuesday January 14

Dear Westbrook Families,

The next Trash Free Lunch will be held on Tuesday, January 14. Please let Sacha or Lisa M know if you would like to volunteer!

Please see the *updated* guidelines below.
Thanks!

Guidelines for Trash Free Lunch

To be trash free, students should bring all food and drinks in recyclable and/or reusable containers along with reusable utensils and a reusable napkin if needed.

The following is considered Trash Free:

* Any reusable container
* Recyclable containers such as yogurt, apple sauce cups, aluminum foil and plastic water bottles. Students are directed to put containers and aluminum foil in recycling bins in the cafeteria.
* Banana peels, apple cores, etc. are OK, they are biodegradable

The following is considered TRASH:

* Plastic bags or wrap of any kind (even if students take them home to reuse them)
* Individually packaged snacks (cheese sticks, chips, granola bars, gogurts, fruit squeezes, etc.)
* Juice boxes, pouches or Horizon milk containers (although the box may be recyclable, the straw and wrappers are not)
* Disposable plastic utensils
* Paper napkins

If your child buys lunch at school: Bring in reusable utensils and a cloth napkin. Students must recycle their drink container and cardboard tray in the cafeteria.

Students who bring a "Trash Free” lunch (or bring a reusable napkin and utensils from home if they are buying lunch) are entered in a drawing for a chance to win a prize (a reusable container). In addition to being entered in a prize raffle, students who are trash free are also given a wooden coin, which they then deposit into one of two collection boxes to contribute to one of the chosen charities for the year (this year’s charities are the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and the Little Falls Watershed Alliance). At the end of the year, remaining funds and any raised through the Trash Free Lunch program will be donated to each of these charities in amounts reflected by our kids' donations (in wooden coins) each month.