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 Volume 1, Issue 29
Leadership Ledger
Westlawn Families,
Spring is here and so are the events at Westlawn Elementary! Thank you to all our families who have volunteered for Laps for Learning on Friday, and a HUGE thank you to our Westlawn PTA, Mr. Maloney, and Ms. Reed for the coordination efforts it has taken to make this event possible. There is still time to volunteer, use this link if you’d like to be a part of this wonderful event.
Students are actively preparing for a few big upcoming events, including our Spring Musical presentations of PIRATES! The Musical on April 9, and our Drama Club’s culminating performance on April 11. Our Spring STEAM Academy is getting ready to begin as well, all while students prepare for statewide assessments! It’s a wonderfully busy time to be part of the Westlawn community, and we are thankful for every child and every family. Please review this message closely, there’s a lot to know!
Sincerely,
Christoph Hill, Stephanie Carpenter, and Erin Theiss
Proud Principals
 First graders took a field trip to Glen Echo Park this week!
Westlawn is a Community of Readers
We recently asked families and staff to recommend great books for grown-ups. Check out these amazing suggestions, and get yourself booked this Spring Break!
Help and Resources for Infants, Toddlers, and Their Families
Are you concerned about your infant, toddler, or preschool-aged child's development? Resources are available if your child exhibits difficulties in one or more of the following areas:
- communication,
- fine and/or gross motor skills,
- self-help skills,
- problem solving
- attention skills
Learn more about typical developmental milestones.
The Infant & Toddler Connection of Virginia (ITC) is the state’s early intervention system for infants and toddlers (0-36 months) with disabilities and their families. ITC provides evaluations and services for children who have developmental delays or medical conditions that may affect development. Parents are encouraged to contact ITC at 703-246-7121 to share their concerns.
Early Childhood Child Find is the process of identifying children with potential special education needs between the ages of 20 months and 5 years (children must be two by September 30).
FCPS Early Childhood Identification and Services (ECID&S) offers a free referral process to identify potential developmental delays or disabilities. Special education services are provided for all children who are found eligible through the referral process. Parents are encouraged to contact 571-423-4121 with questions or to make a referral.
✨ Helping students meet the criteria for kindergarten readiness is Goal 1 of the Strategic Plan.
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:
- Student Achievements
- Art in our Schools Month
- Celebrating Students Setting Positive Examples
Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving this weekly newsletter, please sign up today.
March 28: Laps for Learning
Laps for Learning is our annual fundraiser where students run laps around our field and raise money for Westlawn. This year Laps for Learning will take place on March 28, and we need volunteers!
March 31-April 1: No School
There is no school on Monday, March 31 or Tuesday, April 1.
April 2: Fun Clothing Day
Today, in celebration of National Walking Day, we encourage you to wear sneakers and fun socks!
April 3: Kindergarten Orientation
Orientation for new kindergarten students and their families happens from 9-10 am in our cafeteria. If you know a family who is new to Westlawn, please forward this email to them so they can subscribe to The Feather Report today! New families can officially register by calling us at 702-241-5100 and setting an appointment with Ms. Caballero.
April 4: Bingo Night
Save the date! More information is forthcoming.
April 7: Spring Picture Day
Save the date! More information is forthcoming.
April 8: PTA Meeting
The April PTA meeting will be on Zoom starting at 6:30 PM. Hope to see you there!
April 9: Restaurant Night
The April Restaurant Night is at Chipotle in Falls Church at 358 W. Broad Street! Use code DP2XF7B when placing an order online for pickup, or show this flier when dining in person. Make it dinner and a show by following it with PIRATES!
April 9: PIRATES: The Musical!
Our spring musical debuts tonight for one night only! Make sure you are at Westlawn at 6:30 PM to be mesmerized, impressed, and delighted!
April 11: Drama Club Performance
Families are invited to our drama club performance at 4:30 PM. It’s a great way to kick off Spring Break!
April 14-18: Spring Break
There is no school April 14-18 due to Spring Break.
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.
PTA Opportunities
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.
Summer Enrichment
It’s hard to believe… but summer is coming! Letting kids play outside with no parameters is a great way to promote confidence and creativity. Unstructured play that encourages imagination, problem-solving, and nature-based exploration… and removes screens… helps their brains develop longer attention spans and critical thinking skills. Sometimes, however, you need a supervised place for your children. Unfortunately, budget cuts mean there is no summer Young Scholars program this year, but here are a few other opportunities for summer enrichment.
Coding Camp (4th-6th Grade): Students will engage in hands-on coding activities using block coding and Python programming languages. Students will gain an understanding on how coding is utilized in Air Force STEM careers.
Robotics Camp (4th-6th Grade): Robotics camp will engage students in technical learning through the coding and programming of VEX robots. Throughout the week, students will come up with a solution to a real-world problem.
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 practice solving problems by offering to share and take turns. Try This at Home: Encourage your child to offer to share and take turns with items at home.
1st Grade
In this week’s lesson, your child will learn and practice ways to make amends to start to solve a problem. Try This at Home: If disagreements or hurt feelings occur at home between siblings or family members, help your child think of a way to make amends, help others feel good, and start to solve the problem.
2nd Grade
In this week’s lesson, your child will learn that after causing a problem accidentally, besides saying sorry they can do something to make the situation better for the other person. Try This at Home: Encourage your child to think of ways to make amends or do more than say sorry after an accident.
3rd Grade
In this week’s lesson your child will learn to pick a solution to a problem by either finding a compromise or by showing kindness. Try This at Home: Ask your child to explain what a compromise is.
4th Grade
In this week’s lesson, your child will learn how to successfully solve an interpersonal problem by picking a solution that’s safe, respectful, and can work for everyone involved. Try This at Home: Talk with your child about a time when they were able to solve a problem with a safe and respectful solution that worked for everyone involved. Describe a time when you did the same. Point out that solving problems may not always be easy, but it’s worth the effort.
5th Grade
In this lesson, your child will reflect on whether a solution to an interpersonal problem worked for everyone involved. Try This at Home: Ask your child how they can know when they’ve found a good solution to an interpersonal problem.
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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