September 7, 2023
Hello, Westview families,

You have heard the phrase, "it takes a village," and Westview has many talented professionals who help our school shine. In this week's Westview Weekly, we are excited to introduce you to our new school nurse, Brooke Gagliardi and to talk about our Support Specialists, Michael McKee and Jessica Guerra. They are just a few of the unique individuals who play important roles on Westview's campus as an added layer of support for our students.

Today, we hosted our first Westview EDU of the school year followed by our first POW meeting. What an excellent turn-out for both events, and we are so thankful to our community for supporting the things happening on Westview's campus. Thank you to Lizzy Simon, today's Westview EDU presenter, for kicking off our educational series with such a informative and relevant topic for our families - The Sensory System and Self-Regulation. If you would like a recording of today's Westview EDU, please email Sarah Chauvin to be included on the email. POW met immediately following the presentation, and we are looking forward to all the ways our parent group will build community and celebrate our school this fall. If you missed the meeting, the minutes are posted below. Thank you to this year's POW Steering Committee, Stefanie Rugaard, Diane Maness, and Erica Sevigny, for an excellent start to POW.

Best,




Head of School
The Westview School
Meet Our New Nurse - Brooke Gagliardi
Westview welcomed Brooke Gagliardi to campus this week as our new nurse. Brooke is a Texas native, born in the DFW area, but has spent most of her adulthood in South Texas. "I often refer to Corpus Christi as my hometown," shares Brooke. Brooke graduated from Martin High School in Arlington, TX, and attended nursing school at Del Mar College in Corpus Christi. She has over 15 years of experience as a registered nurse, most of which was spent in the pediatric specialty. She worked several years in Corpus Christi as a school nurse at an area high school. Her most recent job experience was as a traveling nurse, and this past summer, Brooke worked as a camp nurse at Mo-Ranch on the Guadalupe River. Brooke shares that the hardest part at the end of any nursing contract is leaving the staff and patients with whom she formed close relationships, so she is most excited about building relationships at Westview and getting to know the staff and students. The feeling is mutual, Nurse Brooke! We are so happy you are here.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Nurse Brooke is available as a health resource to parents daily during school hours. You can contact the Westview Health Clinic by email or phone (713) 973-1900 x 126.

As a reminder, for the health of our campus, if your child is sick, please keep them home. This includes the following symptoms: a temperature greater than or equal to 100.0℉, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea.

Students who exhibit the above symptoms above may not return to school until:
  • At least 24 hours have passed since the resolution of fever without the use of fever-reducing medications.
  • At least 24 hours have passed since the last bout of vomiting or diarrhea without the use of medication.

IMMUNIZATION RECORDS
It is a state requirement that we have up-to-date immunization records for all students. If you have not submitted your child's immunization record or if your child has recently received new vaccinations, please submit/resubmit your child's records to Nurse Brooke. Contact your pediatrician's office to receive a copy. 

DELIVERY OF MEDICATIONS TO SCHOOL
All medication, including over-the-counter and vitamins, must be delivered to school in the original container. Medications must be turned into the school nurse or Westview staffer by a parent. It is a licensing requirement that medications be transferred from adult to adult and cannot be brought to school via child or child's backpack.

All medications must be accompanied by a Student Medication Form. Thank you for your strict adherence to these guidelines.
Meet Your Support Specialists
As a school, our ultimate goal is setting our students up for success. We do this in part by providing support to our students based on their individual, unique, and specific needs. Many times that support often comes directly from your child's teacher, sometimes an added layer comes from the unique to Westview role of our Support Specialists.
 
This team is essential to the growth and well-being of all our Westview students. With our student population, behavior issues sometimes arise. Our Support Specialists are available to help students who need to work through emotional or social struggles during the school day. Using the Nurtured Heart Approach, Mr. Michael and Ms. Jessica focus on getting our students back to baseline. If needed, they can partner with teachers to develop personalized behavior plans that can be put in place to aid a student in the classroom setting. Additionally, they may partner with families to address challenging behaviors at home.  
 
Our Support Specialists are an integral part of the Westview team that works toward student success.
BEHAVIOR REPORT PROCEDURES
Our Support Specialists have a process in place for when students receive additional behavioral support from staff members beyond their regular teachers. As a part of this process, we send automated messages, called Behavior Notices, via the FACTS email system to families each time their student receives this type of additional support. 
 
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT BEHAVIOR NOTICES
  1. We will not send Behavior Notices for “every little thing.” The vast majority of behavioral supports provided at Westview occur within the classroom setting, with the child’s classroom teachers, and are not included in this procedure. 
  2. Receiving a Behavior Notice does not necessarily mean that your child is “in trouble” or has “done something wrong.” We are simply documenting when and how support staff are used and take the opportunity to communicate with families. 
  3. Receiving a Behavior Notice does not mean that your child’s behavior has worsened or that there is a new problem at school. We are simply describing the services provided to help your child be as successful.
  4. Unless otherwise specified, you are not expected to provide additional consequences or take additional actions in response to receiving a Behavior Notice.
  5. If you EVER have a question, concern, or comment about a Behavior Notice, please feel free to contact one of the Support Specialists, and we will be happy to speak with you.
Calendar at a Glance

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 8
  • Westview Spirit Day (On Fridays We Wear Blue)

SEPTEMBER 11-15
  • Scholastic Book Fair

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 14
  • Open House | 6:00 PM

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 15
  • International Dot Day (Come to school dressed in your best polka dot clothing to celebrate)
Are You a Digital Calendar User?
The 2023-2024 calendar is updated online. You can keep track of The Westview School calendar by subscribing to our events online. Visit our calendar page or click this link to set up your Westview calendar subscription. 
Support our Library: Scholastic Fall Book Fair
Our Scholastic Book Fair will be back on campus from Monday, September 11 to Friday, September 15. We are looking for volunteers to help with the following activities.

Thursday, September 7 | Friday, September 8
BOOK FAIR SETUP

Monday, September 11
STUDENT PREVIEW DAY

Wednesday, September 13 | Thursday, September 14
STUDENT PURCHASE DAYS

Monday, September 18
BOOK FAIR CLEAN-UP


 
Art is Celebrating International Dot Day | Friday, September 15
Attention Westview Wildcats! Next Friday, September 15, Art is celebrating International Dot Day! By special request from Mrs. Kaylee and Mrs. Angela, come to school dressed in your best polka dot clothing to celebrate. Don’t have polka dots in your closet? Do not worry! Art has some creative ideas for getting our students in the spirit.

What is Dot Day? It’s a dot-filled celebration that teaches students, through creativity, courage, and collaboration, how to “make their mark” through art. Westview is excited to join in this global event! 

Make your mark. See where it takes you! 
A Note from Mr. Khan - 1830 Students + Outdoor PE
With the book fair set up in Largent Hall next week, Mr. Khan will be moving his Upper Elementary and Middle School PE classes outdoors, weather permitting.

We know that the weather could be hot, and the ground may be muddy. Please remember to send your student with a refillable water bottle. We also encourage students to arrive at school wearing sunscreen and bug spray. If muddy ground may present a sensory concern for your child, we ask that parents send extra socks and/or shoes.
Save the Date for Alex’s 5K Run/Walk & Kids' K
Do you want to run for a cause in support of The Westview School? Join Ms. Jess and Team Westview at this year's Alex's 5K on Saturday, November 4, 2023 at MacGregor Park. This is a fun, family-friendly race event created as a tribute to the life of Alex Jamrich, who passed away suddenly in 2010 at the age of 17. The annual event not only celebrates Alex's life but also promotes autism awareness and raises funds for research and services in the Houston community. The proceeds from Alex's 5K support three Autism-related charities: Autism Speaks,  Avondale House, and The Westview School. We are so thankful for their generosity.

For more information and to register for the event, visit the official Alex's 5K website.
It's Not Too Late to Sign-Up for Fall Extracurriculars
KARATE WITH MASTER PLUMBER
Improve self-control, focus, balance, flexibility, respect, and confidence in Phil's Karate Classes. Master Plumber is returning to Westview for karate on Thursdays. Sessions will be held on Thursdays starting September 14, 2023 and running through April 2024. Time for Lower Elementary is 11:45 AM to 12:30 PM, and Upper Elementary + Middle School is 12:30 PM to 1:15 PM. Karate fees are $320 per student for the fall semester (Sept-Dec) plus $80 for uniform & registration. The spring semester (Jan-April) fee is $320.

See the flyer for more details plus no class dates.
CHESS WIZARDS
We are excited to welcome Chess Wizards back to campus this fall for challenging chess lessons, exciting tournaments, fun, team activities, and more! If you’re brand-new to chess, you will learn the basics and get playing right away. If you’re a seasoned checkmate artist, you will learn new ways to let your creativity show on the chessboard. Classes will be Tuesdays from 3:20 PM to 4:20 PM for 8 sessions beginning on September 12. The cost is $168 per student. Chess Wizards enrollment is for Upper Elementary and Middle School students only.  Register at www.chesswizards.com. See the flyer for more details.
Message from POW: September Meeting Minutes
POW held its first monthly meeting of the school year today. WOW! What an amazing attendance! Thank you so much to our parents, , for making our first POW meeting of the 2023-2024 school year such a great one. Kudos to our POW Steering Committee of Stefanie Rugaard, Diane Maness, and Erica Sevigny for organizing, planning, and executing an excellent start to POW.

If you couldn't make the meeting but are still interested in getting the info on what POW discussed, you can find the minutes from today's meeting here.

We look forward to seeing everyone at the next meeting scheduled for October 12!

POW Meetings are held once a month, typically on a Thursday. Dates will be added to our digital calendar, posted in the Calendar at a Glance, and in the Westview Weekly each month. A reminder will be sent the week before the meeting.