Bulldog Breakdown 11/20 - 11/26

Good Evening Bulldog Families–

I hope that everybody is doing well and enjoying a fantastic weekend! 

I want to start by wishing everybody a happy Thanksgiving. I am thankful to our entire Westfield community. You are incredibly supportive of our staff, programs, and of course, our students. We are also grateful to have an amazing staff that works incredibly hard for you and your children. Thank you all!

As a reminder, we only have school this week on Monday (11/21) and Tuesday (11/22). School offices will be closed Wednesday (11/23) through Friday (11/25). School will resume again on Monday (11/28). 

As always, please feel free to reach out to me with observations, suggestions, questions and celebrations. You can do that through e-mail, call, or  through the form located here: https://forms.gle/4eW9rgPRVBF2a5gd8. Please remember that if you do not include your information on the form, I will not be able to follow-up. 

I wish your family a great week! Go Bulldogs!

Tony DiBari 

Proud Principal

Tardy/Hallway Policy

We have seen a rise in student tardiness to class, as well as students wandering the halls during class time. Starting the Monday that we get back from Thanksgiving Break (11/28), we will be doing tardy sweeps to help remind students to be in class on time. More information will be in the Breakdown next week, but please talk with your student and remind them about the importance of getting to class on time and being in class throughout the period. 

Class of 2023 News

We are getting close to turning the calendar page to 2023 and June 5th will be here before we know it. 

Here is information to prepare for the big day on June 5th: 

1. Every Senior needs to pay Senior Dues. The amount is $80. 
1. Pay on MySchool Bucks
2. Pay Cash/Check (payable to Westfield High)  in Subschool 3 (SS3) (Room F224)
3. Payment can be made in installments. Please see Mrs. Park or Mrs. Waterman in SS3. 
2. Fill out the Cap and Gown Order form which is located on the Class of 2023 Schoology page. This form needs to be filled out to ensure that the correct size of gown is ordered for your student. 
3. Save the Date for February 23, 2023, for a 100 Days meeting for Senior parents and students. It will be held at Westfield High School in the evening. 
4. Make plans to attend Graduation on Monday, June 5, 2023, at George Mason University’s Eagle Bank Arena at 9:30am. Students will be required to attend two rehearsals at Westfield to prepare for the ceremony on June 1 and June 2. 

A comprehensive calendar of events and activities is on the Class of 2023 Schoology page. 

Lastly, the Senior Panoramic Photo is available for purchase: https://vando.imagequix.com/s1857335123. 

Thank you for your support of the senior class!

Westfield Theater

Westfield Theatre is thrilled to present Mischief Theatre's smash hit farce! Welcome to opening night of the Cornley Drama Society’s newest production, "The Murder at Haversham Manor," where things are quickly going from bad to utterly disastrous. This 1920s whodunit has everything you never wanted in a show—an unconscious leading lady, a corpse that can’t play dead, and actors who trip over everything (including their lines). Nevertheless, the accident-prone thespians battle against all odds to make it through to their final curtain call, with hilarious consequences! Part Monty Python, part Sherlock Holmes, this Olivier Award–winning comedy is a global phenomenon that’s guaranteed to leave you aching with laughter!

Performance dates: December 1st and 2nd at 7:00pm and December 3rd at 2:00pm and 7:00pm

Reserved tickets are $10 students and $15 adults.

Buy tickets here:

https://www.etix.com/ticket/v/15474/

Principal’s Coffee

Parent coffees are a monthly opportunity to meet with me and give feedback about your experiences at Westfield, as well as ask any questions you may have. It’s a great way to connect with me and impact what’s going on here at Westfield. Our first Principal’s Coffee will be on Thursday, December 1st. See you there!

WHS Food Pantry

PTA FOOD PANTRY is looking for donations to help kids in need.  We have seen a huge increase in snack requests since last year.  Please consider checking out our wish list and adding an item to your cart.  It will ship directly to the school.  We are also accepting similar items (individually wrapped snacks, new sweatpants, book bags and water bottles) at the bin on my front porch if you would rather not purchase online.  Please reach out to me with any questions about donating.  

Wishlist: https://tinyurl.com/wfhsfoodpantry

Donation Bin: 5445 Tree Line Dr, Centreville VA

Questions: jenmcnerney@hotmail.com

Thank you!

Staff Recognition

FCPS Cares is an opportunity for parents, staff, and community members to recognize FCPS employees for going above and beyond to help others and show they care. Please visit the following link to recognize staff members who have done impactful things: FCPS Cares

Volunteer Call-out

We are still looking for your help! We value you as community partners and want to invite you to become more involved at Westfield. One way to do this is to volunteer and substitute teach. If you’re interested, the first step is following the links below. Thank you for your willingness to help!

FCPS Volunteers:  https://www.fcps.edu/get-involved/volunteer-fcps 

Substitute Teachers:   https://www.fcps.edu/careers/career-opportunities/substitute-teaching-opportunities/new-applicants

Westfield Volunteer Interest Form:  https://forms.gle/go7B58zdT1cz5Km9A

Tech Updates

Need Tech Support? CLICK HERE

Calendar

A comprehensive schedule of events can also be found at www.westfieldathletics.org and on Schoology.

From FCPS

Alcohol & The Holidays

The holidays usually involve family time, games, movies, food, and possibly drinks. The holidays may involve less family members this year, but that doesn’t necessarily mean less alcohol for some. Alcohol consumption has increased during the pandemic and when ABC stores were deemed essential it didn’t help lower those rates (ABC News, September 29, 2020). Many people are still trying to figure out how to navigate our “new normal” since a global pandemic wasn’t on our to-do list in 2020, but we encourage you to consider a few things during these trying times.

Questions to consider when drinking with your family:

1. What message am I sending if I drink in excess around my underage child?
2. Have I had conversations about responsible drinking with them?
3. Are the conversations I have about alcohol realistic?
4. Do my conversations with others reinforce alcohol use as a coping skill during stressful times?
5. What messages am I sending my underage child if I allow them to drink with me or another adult in the house?

Info to consider:

“One-third of Fairfax County students (33.7%) reported drinking alcohol at least once in their lifetime, ranging from 18.8% of eighth-grade students to half of twelfth-grade students (49.4%). One in seven students (15.2%) reported drinking alcohol in the past month, ranging from 4.5% of eighth-grade students to 27.7% of twelfth-grade students.” (FCPS Youth Survey 2020)

“Female students reported higher rates of alcohol use in their lifetime (36.1% compared to 31.2% of male students), in the past month (17.1% and 13.1%, respectively), and binge drinking in the past two weeks (7.3% and 6.5%, respectively)” (FCPS Youth Survey 2020).

Resources:

Holiday Stress

Helpful Info to Quit Vaping

FCPS video on Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drugs

Substance Abuse Prevention (Spanish)

For general questions about the FCPS Substance Abuse Prevention Program, please contact the Office of Student Safety & Wellness at: (571) 423-4270 and be sure to follow us on Twitter at @FCPSSAPS.

For further Information & support:

Stacey King, MSW, M.Ed

Substance Abuse Prevention Specialist

saking@fcps.edu  

FCPS Calendar Survey

FCPS parents/caregivers, employees, and students in grades 7-12 were emailed an invitation to take the 2023-24 School Year Calendar Survey. This survey is part of an annual process to gather input from the community to help develop the school year calendar for the following year. Please complete the survey by Thursday, December 1, and make your voice heard! For more information or help filling out the survey, please visit our website.

How Can You Help Your Child Have Good Attendance?

Just a few missed days here and there, even if they’re excused absences, can add up to too much lost learning time and put your child behind in school.  This is as true in kindergarten as it is in high school.

• Talk about the importance of showing up to school every day, make that the expectation. 
• Help your child maintain routines, such as finishing homework and getting a good night’s  sleep.
• Find out if your child feels engaged by his classes and feels safe at school. Make sure he or she is not missing class because of behavioral issues and school discipline policies. If any of these are problems, work with your school.
• Stay on top of academic progress and seek help from teachers or tutors if necessary. Make sure teachers know how to contact you.
• Stay on top of your child’s social contacts. Peer pressure can lead to skipping school, while students without many friends can feel isolated.
• Encourage meaningful afterschool activities, including sports and clubs.

Looking ahead to the holiday season, if missing school is unavoidable, talk to your children’s teachers in advance to create a plan for making up missed work.  But remember, a homework packet cannot make up for the interaction and learning that goes on in the classroom.

Visit our website for more attendance resources. 

Academic Matters

During the Academic Matters portion of Monday’s School Board meeting, Superintendent Reid discussed the innovative assessment practices happening in FCPS as part of our School Division of Innovation designation from the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE). 

This recognition means that VDOE has approved a plan to improve student learning, educational performance, and college, career, and citizenship readiness skills. It positions FCPS as a state leader in innovative practices with the opportunity to impact statewide policy decisions. Watch Dr. Reid’s presentation.

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