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 Volume 1, Issue 8
Leadership Ledger
Dear Families,
We wish all our students and families a happy, safe, and hopefully dry, four-day weekend. The first quarter is winding down, take these days to help your child(ren) recharge. Learning is fun, and it’s also exhausting!
Next Wednesday is our annual "Walk, Bike, and Roll to School Day." This event is a great way for our students to get active, promote environmental sustainability, and enjoy the company of their peers. We encourage you to join us for this fun-filled morning, and we thank our PTA volunteers for supporting the initiative.
And finally, it’s time to schedule a family conference with your child's teacher. If you haven't already done so, please reach out to your child's teacher via TalkingPoints or email to arrange a meeting. These conferences provide a valuable opportunity to discuss your child's progress, set goals, and work together to ensure their academic success.
Thank you for your continued support of our school community. Have a wonderful long weekend!
Christoph Hill, Stephanie Carpenter, and Erin Theiss
Proud Principals
 National Custodian Appreciation Day was October 2, and we celebrated our wonderful custodial team with treats and gifts! Thank you to Morena Bermudez, Elmer Castillo Luis Guerra, Ana Romero, Rafael Sorto, and the recently-retired David Paniagua for all that you do to keep Westlawn clean and safe!
 Free Immunizations for All FCPS Students
Students are again required to have certain immunizations to attend school in FCPS. If your child still needs any of these required immunizations, there are free immunization clinics offered throughout Fairfax County on October 8, October 12, October 21, and November 18. Please note that the clinics request you to register in advance.
We Are Hiring!
We are hiring a full-time Public Health Training Assistant (PHTA). If you have questions or want to submit your resume, please email Mr. Hill.
HIPPY is Here, and You Can Still Join!
HIPPY is a program designed to support parents of preschoolers in learning how to help their children become school-ready. Westlawn hosts multiple sessions of HIPPY on Wednesdays, and there are a few spots left. If you are interested in signing up, please email our parent liaison Mrs. Reyes, or call her at 703-241-5100. HIPPY is open to all families, not just those who currently have children at Westlawn. Please share this information if you know a family with preschool-aged children in our neighborhood.
FCPS News
Are you curious about what’s happening more broadly in FCPS? This week’s In Case You Missed It (ICYMI) FCPS roundup covers:
- FCPS Strives to Become Purple Star School Division
- Sign and Return SR&R
- Upcoming Immunization Clinics
Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving this weekly newsletter, please sign up today.
 October 3 - October 4: Student Holidays
There is no school for students on October 3, in recognition of Rosh Hashanah, and October 4, which is a staff work day.
October 9: Wear Purple to School!
October 9: Walk, Bike, and Roll to School Day
Students are encouraged to use human-powered systems to come to school on October 9 via walking, biking, or rolling. Participating students will receive a special prize!
October 12: Steamology STEM Fest
Mt. Vernon High School is holding its annual Steamology STEM Fest and families are invited!
October 14: Student Holiday
There is no school for students on October 14 in recognition of Indigenous Peoples’ Day.
October 14-18: Digital Citizenship Spirit Week
Westlawn will celebrate Digital Citizenship Week by hosting a Spirit Week from October 14-18. This year’s focus for Digital Citizenship Week will be on the ways in which digital citizenship overlaps with social-emotional learning.
  To see more schoolwide and community events, remember to check out our website calendar! You can also subscribe to our calendar to make it even more convenient.
 Volunteer Opportunity: Hand Out Prizes for Walk, Bike, and Roll to School Day!
Get your day off to a great start by handing out prizes to students who walk, bike, or roll to school on October 9! Sign up for a Walk, Bike, and Roll location.
Donation Opportunity: Umbrellas
Do you have any extra umbrellas? We are collecting them to use when walking between the quad classrooms and the main building. If you have any to donate, please give them to Ms. Vu or Ms. Escalante in the main office.
Donation Opportunity: Help Fund Sensory-Appropriate PAC Libraries
Our new Preschool Autism Classroom (PAC) program is looking for financial support to fund libraries full of sensory-appropriate books for their students. Donations can be made through the Scholastic website, and both PAC teachers will split the total collected.
Volunteer Opportunity: Be the Laps for Learning Queen or King
Laps for Learning is Westlawn’s annual PTA fundraising event, with an emphasis on the fun. In this role you will get to work with PTA President Simone Rose and PE teacher Grant Maloney to help structure and deliver a positive and enjoyable lap-running event on March 27. This role is a great fit for someone who believes in the importance of fitness and wants to help students fall in love with running. To claim it for yourself, please email Simone Rose.
Join a Community Conversation
Join us on Wednesday at 11 AM on Zoom to hear the important news from the school from Principal Hill! Community Conversations happen weekly barring school holidays or weather closures. If you miss a Community Conversation, you can catch up with slides and AI-generated transcripts on our website.
 Learning = Fun!
One of the unique and super fun things about Westlawn is our Mobile Makerspace! A few years ago the AAP department was able to use grant funding to create a large mobile cart that can be moved all over the school. This cart is chock full of a wide variety of craft, recycled, and building supplies, and the tools to put them all together (such as: cardboard, pipe cleaners, craft sticks, clay, scissors, tape and glue)! Teachers create new lessons or use already existing ideas and allow students to engage in the Engineering Design Process through building, revising, collaborating and presenting their creations. Sometimes major events in history are depicted, sometimes landforms are better understood through building them, and sometimes real-world problems might be solved like building CO2 collectors.
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