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 Volume 1, Issue 15
Leadership Ledger
Westlawn Families:
Sending a BIG Westlawn ‘thank you’ to the Falls Church High School Spotlight Theatre troupe for their absolutely flawless performance of The Phantom Tollbooth on Monday evening! Our goal at Westlawn is to nurture, empower, and advocate for our children, and bringing the performance to Westlawn provides a window into what the future could hold for students as they continue in the Falls Church Pyramid, if they are so inclined. Ms. Beth DeMarco leads a wonderful group of children who spent Saturday preparing for the event, and worked until well past 10:00 PM after the performance to pack up and move to the next location.
Today is our Thanksgiving Luncheon! Families are welcome to join their child(ren) during lunch time. Students eat free; adult meals are $4.75. Please note we may be running low on change, so exact payments (check or cash) are preferred. Check out the Thanksgiving Luncheon page on our website for more information. There you’ll find grade level lunch times, menus, and a link to volunteer during the luncheon.
As we celebrate the Thanksgiving season, please know how thankful Ms. Carpenter, Ms, Theiss, and I are to be part of this beautiful community. We are thankful for every day, and consider it an honor to serve the Westlawn Family.
Christoph Hill, Stephanie Carpenter, and Erin Theiss
Proud Principals
 Second grade students had the opportunity to get reacquainted with the parachute during PE this week. In this photo students are learning the power of pulling together to stretch the parachute to its maximum size.
No Feather Report Next Week
The editors will be celebrating with their families. We hope you and your family have a safe and restful break that leaves you recharged for a busy and bustling December!
Community Conversations Slide Decks Now Available “Live” (and in Spanish)
We recently switched from using Google Slides to using Canva for our Community Conversation slide decks. Canva allows us to host the slide decks at a URL which makes it easier for people to view them on a mobile device. It also allows us to provide our community with slide decks translated into Spanish! Take a look at Community Conversations slide decks in English or Spanish. And remember: you are always welcome to join us for a live Community Conversation on Wednesdays at 11 AM on Zoom!
SIS ParentVUE and More Scores Incoming
Did you know that text scores are often reported first in SIS ParentVUE before they are printed and mailed home? We still have 300 families who need to create SIS ParentVUE accounts. If your family is one of them, please contact our parent liaisons at 703-241-5100 or via TalkingPoints messages to Hilda Reyes or Ariana Yataco. They can walk you through the process of setting up an account and using it to access information. Then you’ll be ready for the scores from the SEL screener, which should populate in early December!
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:
- Veterans Day Recognitions
- Resources on IEPs, Financial Aid, Literacy, Community Leadership
- Teacher Hiring Event
Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving this weekly newsletter, please sign up today.
November 21-23: Aesop Live! Performance
Luther Jackson Middle School Drama will be performing Aesop Live! Between November 21-23. Learn more about show times and buy tickets.
November 21: Fall Choral and Instrumental Ensemble Concert
Join us for a night of music featuring our chorus and instrumental ensemble. Doors open at 6:00 and the show starts at 6:30! This is a free program and open to all members of our community.
November 22: Bingo Night
Join the Westlawn community for a wonderful night of fun and games! Bingo cards and pizza will be on sale. Bingo games will start at 6:00 PM and last until approximately 7:30. Volunteer to sell pizza, sell bingo cards, or run an activity.
November 27-29: No School
There is no school in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday.
December 3: Picture Day Retakes
If you missed the first picture day, or you did not like your picture, today is the day to dress sharp and bring your best smile!
December 3: FLE Parent Preview Night
Adults are invited to attend our virtual Family Life Education materials preview night, which will take place on Zoom starting at 7 PM.
December 4: Hoodie Wednesdays
We finished teaching kindergarteners their colors, and now we will switch over to other fun clothing days on Wednesdays. Until winter break, all Wednesdays will be Hoodie Wednesdays! Students and staff are encouraged to wear hoodies to school to be comfortable and to remember to keep it easy during this busy time of year.
December 9-13: Book Fair
The Scholastic Book Fair will be held December 9-13 in the Westlawn library! The Family and Friends Night will be on Tuesday, December 10. Now is the perfect time to set up an eWallet for your child so they can shop at the fair without needing to carry around a baggie full of cash. Also: we need book fair volunteers!
December 10: Friends, Books, and Music
It is an afternoon and evening of excitement on December 10! The book fair will be hosting a Family and Friends Night from 3:30 PM - 6:15 PM in the library. Then the band and strings winter concert will take place in the gym at 6:30 PM. We hope to see you that evening!
December 11: Restaurant Night
The December Restaurant Night will be held at Panera in the Mosaic District from 4-8 PM. More details are coming in a future Feather Report!
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.
Searching for Basketballs
The Westlawn PE Team is in need of basketballs! If you are cleaning out your garage, they are collecting basketballs in gently used or like-new condition to ensure that all students have quality equipment during upcoming units. You can donate basketballs by sending them into Westlawn to the attention of Mr. Maloney.
Volunteer at Bingo Night
Volunteer at bingo night from 5:45 PM - 7:30 PM on November 22. Volunteers are needed to run activities, sell pizza, and sell bingo cards.
Volunteer at the Book Fair
Volunteer to help sell books, update displays, and help students complete wish lists.
LAST DAY! Support the Fall Fundraiser through Charleston Wrap
Westlawn families are invited to support our fall fundraiser through Charleston Wrap. The fundraiser will last from November 6 through November 22. Learn how to join the Westlawn shop and share the shop with your own family and friends.
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 recordings on our website.
AAP Curriculum Training
Have you ever wondered what makes a teacher prepared to teach AAP curriculum? Great question! Here in FCPS we have a robust AAP team in the central office as well as in every school. FCPS Academy courses in a variety of advanced academic topics are open to all staff. Everyone who works with AAP curriculum on a full-time basis is FCPS endorsed or working toward endorsement in this specialized category, including our Westlawn full-time teachers! Our AART recently finished a masters in gifted education and so is also endorsed with the state of Virginia. Some examples of the AAP curriculum used in FCPS include: William & Mary Center for the Gifted Language Arts materials, William & Mary Center Social Studies materials, and M2 and M3 math materials.
Social-emotional learning (SEL) is an important part of helping children develop the skills they need to succeed in school and life. This year, we are using Second Step, a research-based SEL program designed to teach students essential skills like empathy, emotional regulation, and problem-solving. Each focus for the week will share recommendations for conversations and activities families can do at home to promote SEL outside of school.
Kindergarten
In this week’s lesson, your child will learn to use body language and context clues to figure out when someone feels mad. They’ll practice looking at the person’s face and body, as well as thinking about what’s going on in the situation. Try This at Home: Encourage your child to notice when others around them feel mad. Have them practice using body language and context clues to figure out when family members, friends, or characters in books, movies, or on TV might be feeling mad.
1st Grade
In this week’s lesson, your child will learn to use body language and context clues to figure out when someone feels calm. They’ll practice looking at the person’s face and body, as well as thinking about what’s going on in the situation. Try This at Home: Encourage your child to notice when others around them feel calm. Have them practice using body language and context clues to figure out when family members, friends, or characters in books, movies, or on TV might be feeling calm.
2nd Grade
In this week’s lesson, your child will learn how to use positive self-talk to help themselves feel better when they’re upset, disappointed, or worried. Try This at Home: Ask your child what they want to tell themselves when they’re having a tough day. Encourage them to use positive self-talk at home.
3rd Grade
In this week’s lesson, your child will learn how, when, and where to take a break in different situations as a way to manage a strong emotion. Try This at Home: Discuss where and how your child can take a break at home. Then ask your child how they could take a break in place, for example, in the car or at the grocery store.
4th Grade
In this week’s lesson, your child will learn about questions they can ask to rethink situations and they’ll practice asking these questions using made-up stories. Try This at Home: Ask your child, “What questions could you ask yourself to rethink a situation?” (Questions might include, “What happened?” “Has this ever happened to anyone else?” and “What’s something good that happened?”) Talk about how those questions can help them think differently about a situation.
5th Grade
In this week’s lesson, your child will practice breaking down situations that feel big and unmanageable into smaller, more manageable pieces. They will also practice identifying a small change someone could make to manage their strong emotions the next time a situation occurs. Try This at Home: Tell your child about a recurring situation in your life that typically causes you to feel a strong emotion, like stress or anger. Ask your child what you can change to make the situation better, and why they would suggest that change.
If you have questions about these prompts or ideas, or social-emotional learning in general, please email Westlawn’s SEL Coach, Ms. Andrews. We can work together to create a positive and safe school environment!
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