Important Links

SEL: RULER Technology Resources Arrival / Dismissal CCSD COVID Information

WELCOME TO THE 2023-2024 SCHOOL YEAR

Dear Westorchard Families,

We hope you enjoyed a wonderful summer filled with joy and excitement! We are very excited to welcome your children to school on September 5th. Our custodial and office staff continue to work hard to prepare the building for the return of our students during these last few summer days. Throughout the summer, teachers and teaching assistants participated in professional development sessions and workshops that involved new learning, designing experiences, planning lessons and creating materials for our students.

It is important for your family to establish routines from the beginning of the school year. We strongly recommend that your children ride the bus to and from school. The student day starts at 8:55 a.m. and ends at 3:20 p.m. Students who arrive after 8:55 AM will be marked tardy. Guidelines for our arrival and dismissal procedures are listed below. For everyone’s safety it is important that these guidelines are followed:

Bus Arrival and Dismissal:

Some time during this week, Chappaqua Transportation will send you your child’s bus route information, which includes a Bus Number, Bus Stop Location, Pick Up Time and Drop Off Time.
Buses arrive at Westorchard between 8:40-8:50 AM.
Buses depart at 3:30 PM.

Arrival/Drop off:

When you reach the top of Granite Road, make a sharp left and proceed to the back of the building.
Children should be ready to exit the car immediately on the passenger side by the sidewalk.
For safety reasons, drivers should not get out of the cars while in the drop off lane.
Children arriving after 8:55 AM will be marked tardy.

Late Arrival:

Children arriving after 8:55 am will be marked tardy.
If your child is arriving late, you will need to park in the front lot and walk your child into the building to sign them in in the front lobby.

Early Pick Up:

If you are picking your child up early it must be before 3:00 p.m. The time of the pick up needs to be indicated in School Dismissal Manager (see below).
Please park in the front lot and come to the Main Entrance to sign your child out.

Dismissal/Pick Up:

If you are picking up your child at the end of the day, please proceed to the back of the school and park in a designated parking spot. Please arrive and park by 3:15 p.m.
Students will be dismissed from the back door to the parking lot, where you can receive them.
Any dismissal changes need to be indicated in School Dismissal Manager before 1 pm each day. Please see the "Important Links" button above for more information about the School Dismissal Manager platform.

Health Office Information and Forms, including required physical exam forms, prescription medication forms, and EpiPEN authorization forms, can be accessed by following this link: https://www.chappaquaschools.org/. Once you click on this page, scroll to the button to find information about health forms etc.

Food Services/LUNCH

Please click here to find out information about the food service program.

STAFFING UPDATES for 2023-2024

Each year, there are changes in staffing due to resignations, retirements and fluctuations in enrollment. Please see below for changes to our grade level teams and to our specials teachers and service providers. Also, please join me in welcoming our new Westorchard team members.

Ms. Jennifer Kean-Thompson, Assistant Principal

Ms. Kean-Thompson joins us from Bell Middle School, where she served as the Assistant Principal. She started in Chappaqua in 2018 as the Literacy Staff Developer. Before joining the Chappaqua Community, she was a Staff Developer at Teachers College Reading and Writing Project and an elementary school teacher in Queens, NY. Ms. Kean-Thompson brings with her a knowledge of pedagogy and a passion for understanding how kids learn best.

FUN FACT about Ms. Kean-Thompson: She loves to travel! She has visited every continent except Antarctica.

Please join me in welcoming Ms. Jennifer Kean-Thompson to Westorchard.

Dr. Bethany Burrows, School Psychologist

Dr. Burrows joins us from New Rochelle Public Schools where she served as a district-wide psychologist and evaluator. She also served in the same role at Green Chimneys, a therapeutic program in Brewster. Dr. Burrows brings to us extensive experience in multiple settings working with children of different ages.

FUN FACT about Dr. Burrows: She grew up in Michigan and attended the University of Michigan. She is a huge Wolverine fan - GO BLUE!

Please join me in welcoming Dr. Burrows to Westorchard.

Ms. Laura Hickernell, 1st Grade Teacher

Ms. Hickernell joins us from the NYCDOE where she taught first and second grade. She started her career as an associate teacher at the Success Academy, Upper West. Ms. Hickernell is certified to teach grades K-6, special education and reading.

FUN FACT about Ms. Hickernell: She has met with her bookclub every month for the past nine years. She looks forward to bringing her love of reading to her first grade students.

Please join me in welcoming Ms. Hickernell to Westorchard.

Ms. Theresa Swertfager - Physical Education

Ms. Theresa Swertfager comes to us from Roaring Brook School where she served a full-year leave replacement PE teacher. Prior to that, Theresa worked in the Blind Brook School in the same role. Ms. Swertfager is certified in physical and health education.

FUN FACT about Ms. Swertfager: She was the only recipient from the University of Florida to receive the Dr. Pepper and Goteach foundation scholarship award.

Please join me in welcoming Ms. Swertfager to Westorchard.

Ms. Kayla Greenberg, Leave Replacement Special Education Teacher

Ms. Greenberg joins us from Valhalla Schools, where she served as a special education leave replacement teacher and a 4th grade leave replacement teacher. She is certified in general and special education, grades one through six. Kayla will fill in for Jessica Drinkwine until the middle of November.

FUN FACT about Ms. Greenberg: She loves indoor rock climbing and spending time at the beach with her family.

Please join me in welcoming Ms. Greenberg to Westorchard.

Mrs. Mollie McNealy, Art Teacher

Mollie will join us from Roaring Brook School where she has taught art for two years. Her colleague, Elizabeth Rose, joins us from Grafflin School. They will each be at Westorchard two days out of the 6-day cycle to teach art.

FUN FACT about Mrs. McNealy: She loves to ride around on her electric scooter. In addition, she is currently taking ukulele lessons.

Please join me in welcoming Mrs. McNealy to Westorchard.

Staffing Shifts at Westorchard for the 2023-2024 School Year

Dear Families,

It is this time of the year when staffing changes take place. Please note the following staffing shifts for next school year:

Kindergarten First Grade Second Grade Third Grade Fourth Grade

Tara Miozzi Karol London Antonella DellaGala Lisa Rudovic Torrey Keeley

Katie Loretan Chrissy Vanzo Mary Goff Kait Podlovits Erin Posner

Robin Connolly New Teacher Cathy Anderson Nicole Curran Lisa Fitzgerald

Kaitlin Englert Jennifer Halliday Kalli Sherwood Renee Mattiello Caitlin Cerone

In addition, there will be shifts for other teachers and staff in the building. They are as follows:

Mr. Williams is transferring to Roaring Brook to teach physical education.
Mrs. Cury is transferring to Seven Bridges to teach art. We wish them both well in their transitions.
The art teachers from Grafflin and Roaring Brook will split their time between their buildings and Westorchard to teach our students.
Ms. Eileen Winter will transfer from Bell School to teach AIS math at all three elementary schools.
There is currently a district-wide search for three physical education teachers, one of whom will join us at Westorchard.
Please join me in welcoming Dr. Bethany Burrows, our new school psychologist. Dr. Burrows joins us from the New Rochelle City School District where she supports students and staff across the district.

Summer Wishes

Dear Westorchard Families,

Thank you for all your support during another pandemic school year. We very much hope to return to a pre-COVID school year in September.

I wish you the very best during the summer months as you create fond memories with family and friends. Please remind your children to read each day to maintain and strengthen their reading development. Please see below for reading some resources from our librarian, Mrs. Schaber.

Regards,

Jim

Resources from our librarian

April 5th Updates

Please see the following updates:

Formation of Classes for Next Year: Please click here to read important information regarding the formation of classes for next year. There is also a link included in the document and a deadline for submission.

New Lunch Process Starting Tomorrow: Starting tomorrow, students will pick up their hot or cold lunch by moving through the serving line. Although meals are still free because of the pandemic, there is a cost for snacks. Please be sure to go to myschoolbucks.com to create a lunch account and a starting balance if you would like your child to be able to make a snack purchase.

COVID-19 Tests: If you would like a COVID test to administer to your child toward the end of the break, please stop by our main entrance and our security guard will give you one box of two tests per child.

March 18th: Update Regarding Arrival and School Start Time

Dear Families,

As per Dr. Ackerman's recent communication to families, we are finally returning to our pre-COVID school day!😀 This means that we will revert to our start and end times which we followed before the pandemic. In order to make this work, we strongly encourage you to have your child take the school bus to and from school. Our buses arrive and drop off on time each day, so children riding the bus are not marked as tardy.

Starting on Monday, if you need to drive your child to school, he / she can be dropped off in the back of the building beginning at 8:40. We encourage families to arrive by 8:35 so they can secure a spot in the car line. If families arrive at 8:50 or later, they must park in a designated parking space in front of the building and walk their child to the main entrance to sign him / her in. Students will be marked as tardy if they arrive at 8:50 or later. The school day ends at 3:20. This is when we will begin dismissing students to the buses and to those who are picking them up.

Please feel free to reach out to us if you have any questions. Thanks.

Jim and Alissa

Update Regarding Masks: March 1st, 2022

Dear Families,

We hope you enjoyed a wonderful and relaxing winter break. We are writing to follow up on Dr. Ackerman’s message regarding the mask mandate for schools. As she mentioned, the requirement for masking will be lifted on Wednesday, which means masking will be optional based upon your family’s decision to do so. This afternoon, Ms. Stoever and I will host a student assembly to discuss the following:

Because the number of positive cases is decreasing, our governor has made the decision that masks are now optional at Westorchard. All students and staff will now have a choice as to whether or not they want to wear a mask.
The decision to wear or not wear a mask is up to you and your family. Be sure to speak with your family about this if you haven’t already done so. Your family is trusting you to follow through with their decision while at school, so please make the appropriate choice and respect your family’s decision.
Whether you and your parents decide you do or do not need to wear a mask, that decision will be honored and respected by all students and adults at Westorchard. We will continue to treat one another with caring, kindness and respect, whether someone is wearing a mask or not.
We will continue to follow the social distancing requirement of three feet. We will also continue to follow the same safety guidelines for snack and lunch.
In the coming weeks, you may have different feelings about whether or not you want to wear a mask. Be sure to discuss this with your family.

Using age-appropriate language, we will share with students the messaging above. Also know that our staff will not monitor each family’s individual decision to wear or not wear masks, so please reinforce this decision with your child each day, as it may evolve over time.

Please feel free to reach out to us if you have any questions. Thanks.

Jim and Alissa

Updates: 11/12/21

Arrival Procedures: If you arrive to the school to drop off your child at 9:05am or later, you will need to park your car and walk your child to the front door to sign them in. We will now have two different clipboards for signing students in or out. Please be sure to include all the information that is listed in the header of the columns. These documents provide us with important information for attendance and safety purposes.

Responsibility for Personal Items: Teaching children to be responsible for their personal items helps them to be successful both in and outside of school. Elementary school is a safe, supportive environment for students to begin to take responsibility because the natural consequences are minimal but still teach an important lesson. We encourage you to identify several age-appropriate tasks that your child assumes responsibility for each day (i.e. a K student can be responsible for putting their folder in their backpack, a 2nd grade student can be responsible for charging their iPad, and a 4th grade student can be responsible for bringing their instrument in on lesson day). If your child forgets to fulfill their responsibility and leaves a non-essential personal item at home you need not feel compelled to bring it to school. We will also do our part to make these moments growth and learning opportunities for your child.

Kindness Spirit Week

November 13th is World Kindness Day. World Kindness Day is an international observance that promotes the importance of being kind to each other, to yourself, and to the world. The purpose of this day is to help everyone understand that compassion for others binds us together. The day serves as a reminder that simple acts of kindness have power and that together, we can all work to create a kinder world one act at a time.

Beginning on Monday, November 15th we will have a “Kindness Spirit Week.” Each morning we will announce a kindness challenge of the day to encourage students and staff to perform acts of kindness both in school and at home. We hope that focusing on the importance of kindness and practicing kind acts throughout the week will instill habits and behaviors that will continue to be sustained and strengthened going forward.

Thank you to the PTA for sponsoring a virtual performance based on Carol McCloud's award-winning book, Have You Filled a Bucket. The theatrical adaptation is a fun and effective way to teach students the concepts of “Bucket Filling” and “Bucket Dipping” and the importance of treating each other with kindness. Teachers will be able to stream the show at any time during the week.

Thank you in advance for promoting a culture of kindness at Westorchard!

Monday, November 15th - Give a compliment

Focus on complimenting someone’s character (i..e. “You are always so helpful!” or “I can tell that you worked really hard on that project!”) You can give a compliment by saying it to the person or by writing/drawing them a note.

Tuesday, November 16th - Be inclusive

Invite someone to play or work with you. Take the time to observe and notice who may need an invitation to join you or to join a group. .

Wednesday, November 17th - Start with hello

Share a cheerful greeting (i.e. “Hello!”, “Good Morning!”, “Happy Wednesday!”, “Have a great day!”) with as many people as you can. Use their name if you know it. If you can’t remember, ask!

Thursday, November 18th - Be an active listener

Practice giving someone your full attention when they are speaking to you. Ask someone a question about themselves and listen attentively to their answer to show you genuinely want to get to know more about them.

Friday, November 19th - Share a positive message

Write or draw a positive message for others (i.e. “You are loved!” or “You brighten up our community!”) Leave the note in a place where someone can unexpectedly find it.

Updates: 10/22/21

Halloween:

Students may wear costumes on Friday, October 29. We will keep an eye on the weather for Friday. If we need to, we will hold the parade on Thursday instead.
We will continue with our annual Halloween Parade this year for students only.
Costumes should not disrupt the educational environment or impede students from fully participating in classes.
All COVID safety requirements must be maintained.
1. Students must have a face mask recommended by the CDC as part of COVID precautionary measures covering their mouth and nose. (A simple costume mask is not the same and is not permitted.)
2. Students need to continue to follow good hand hygiene. All costumes should allow students to wash their hands and use hand sanitizers quickly.
3. Students must also be able to safely maintain 3 feet physical distance from others during the school day.
Any student wearing a costume must fully prepare before arriving at school. Spray cans, hair coloring, spray string, face painting, etc., will NOT be allowed at school.
No toy (or real) weapons are allowed at school.
Goodie bags with treats or toys will not be permitted. Thank you for your understanding.
Our elementary schools serve as a place of learning, safety, respect, and inclusion. Parents are reminded that not all costumes are appropriate for school, and we encourage parents to supervise their child's costume choices. Please avoid costumes that convey cultural appropriation or stereotypes.

Media Access and Squid Games: It has come to our attention that students are talking about/playing “Squid Games” at recess. For those of you who may not be familiar with the show it is a survival drama series from South Korea. The show features cash-strapped characters competing against each other in various challenges for a chance to pay off their debts. If they lose, they’re brutally executed. The show is fiction, but the games in it are based on real children’s games (i.e. Red Light, Green Light). Copycat violence amongst children has already made its way into the news. Please monitor your child's media consumption.

Parent / Teacher Conferences: Our parent/teacher conferences will take place on 10/29, 11/1 and 11/2. Your child's teacher will be in touch with you shortly to schedule a time to meet over Zoom.

Updates: October 5th

Pokemon, Fidgets and Toys, Oh My!: These prized possessions and others have become a distraction to students both on the school bus and across the school day. Thank you in advance for making sure your child keeps these at home. Students get especially upset if these items become lost or damaged. Thank you in advance for your cooperation and understanding.

Afternoon Pick Up: Starting on Tuesday, October 12th, parents or caregivers will park in the back parking lot and walk to the back door where they will be checked in to pick their child up outside. PLEASE be sure you have your Fastlane PIN ready as you approach the building. Not having your PIN will cause a delay. We anticipate this new process will shorten the dismissal time for families. Thank you in advance for supporting a smooth and safe dismissal for all!

Extra Masks: Please be sure to pack a few extra masks in your child's backpack. They come in handy if a mask breaks or gets soiled.

Back to School Contact Form: Just a friendly reminder, please complete the Back to School Contact Form discussed at Open House. Click HERE for the form.

Parent / Teacher Conferences: Our parent/teacher conferences will take place on 10/29, 11/1 and 11/2. Your child's teacher will be in touch with you shortly to schedule a time to meet over Zoom.

Be Who You Are Day - Thursday, September 30th

Be Who You Are Day: This Thursday, September 30th is “Be Who You Are Day.” The day is inspired by author Todd Parr whose books have been amongst the beloved, timeless favorites in our classroom libraries. Todd's books encompass messages of self-love, diversity, and inclusivity. The theme of this day aligns with our efforts to nurture a school community in which all students feel seen, heard, and valued so we will be celebrating by encouraging students and staff to come to school dressed in a way that showcases who they are. This could include:

Wearing their favorite color
Wearing an item that symbolizes a hobby/interest
Dressing in a way that represents their family heritage
Dressing in a way that reflects their unique personality

Please see the link below for more information and resources:

https://www.toddparr.com/landing-page/todd-parr-be-who-you-are-day/

Principal Coffees

As a reminder the Principal Coffees have been rescheduled for Friday, October 1st at the following times:

9:15am - Grades K - 2
10:15am - Grades 3 & 4

The coffees will held on the Kindergarten playground. Parents/guardians may enter the playground through the gates at either the front or rear of the playground.

Open House - September 22nd

As you know, our Open House program will take place virtually this year. This is an opportunity for you to meet your child's classroom teacher, to learn about the grade level curriculum and to get an overview of a typical day in the life of your child while he / she is here at school. Please refrain from asking your teacher about your child's progress at this point in the year. There will be subsequent opportunities to do so, in addition to parent/teacher conferences in November. Also, this event is for parents only, not for students. Your classroom teacher or service provider will provide you with a link to his/her Zoom meeting. Please note the following times for the other sessions:

Specials Teachers (Art, Library, Music, Physical Education): 6:40-7:00. Click here for Zoom link.
Kindergarten, First and Second Grade: 7:00-7:30
Third Grade and Fourth Grade: 7:45-8:15

We will send a short video from us to provide you with an overview for the year. Please click here on Open House Night to view the video. As we do during every Open House, we would like to thank the Chappaqua School Foundation for all their support over the years. They recently supported the installation of a new sound and video system in our cafeteria and the purchase of three mobile displays, which have served students well during the pandemic. Click on the navigation bar to the left to learn more about the Foundation.

We look forward to another awesome year at Westorchard! GO WO!!

Jim and Alissa

Schoolwide Name Celebration

At Westorchard we are committed to nurturing a school environment in which all community members feel that they are respected and valued as unique individuals. Over the first few weeks of school, our classroom and special area teachers have created the time and space for students to explore and share their personal identities. In doing so, students have discovered and strengthened their connections to one another while at the same time learning to appreciate the ways in which differences enrich our lives.

One of the first markers of our identity that we share with others is our name. Our names carry personal meaning and history which closely intertwines them with our sense of self. In recognition of the power of our names and the ways in which they reflect our personal identities, we are inviting all Westorchard community members to participate in a schoolwide name celebration. This week every child will be bringing home a pennant template (also linked HERE) on which they can write their name and share why their name is special to them. Students may choose either their first, middle, or last name and can communicate their ideas through words, drawings, and/or pictures. The completed pennants will be displayed in the hallways around the school so we can learn about and celebrate one another’s name stories.

You can click HERE to view sample pennants but please take creative liberty and allow the project to be a reflection of your child(ren)’s unique name story. Questions you may want to discuss with your child(ren) are:

Who chose your name?
Why was your name chosen?
What does your name mean?
What is the cultural/ethnic/religious origin of your name?

Please return the completed pennant to your child(ren)’s classroom teacher by Friday, September 24th.

We look forward to getting to know all members of the WO community better through this special project.

After School Dismissal Pick-Up Update- 9/10/21

As we continue to fine tune our pick-up process at the end of the day, please view this short video. You can print an additional copy of the placard if you lose the one we will give you this afternoon. If you don't already have the SDM app, please click here to download it.

After School Programs and Bussing- 9/10/21

We understand there has been some confusion regarding bussing to after school programs outside the district. This is not something that is coordinated by the school. If your child is involved in an after school program, please reach out to that program directly to coordinate with them, and they will share the relevant transportation information with you. Thank you.

Update-COVID Testing and Access to Remote Instruction - 9/10/21

We are writing to clarify the process for access to remote instruction, as this has changed since last year. If you indicate on the Operoo screener that your child has a COVID symptom, your child needs to get a COVID test and will be marked as “sick” for that day and will not have access to remote instruction. If on that same day, your child gets tested, please submit paperwork to our school nurse that a COVID test is pending. Your child will then have access to remote instruction on the following day.

Opening Day Update

Dear Families,

We had an amazing and and flawless first day of school! Even though we couldn't see their beautiful smiles, we could hear the cheers and the hellos as adults greeted students and students reconnected to their classmates. Despite the weather, we were able to conduct a smooth and efficient arrival at the beginning of the day and dismissal at the end of the day. Students quickly settled into the day with their morning meetings with classmates, followed by an introduction of classroom structures and routines. It was though we had never left in June!

At the end of any given day, we usually ask our children or our partner, "How was your day"? , the response to which is usually, "It was fine" or "It was good". Today, when you ask your child about his or her day, you can try asking, "What did you learn today that you didn't know yesterday"? or, "What was the highlight of your day"? Asking more specific questions will yield more specific responses. Give it a try! :-).

Please read on to learn about some important reminders and enjoy our First Day Photos.

IMPORTANT OPEROO STUDENT HEALTH SCREENER: Today, there were 75 families who did not complete the Operoo student health screener. It is critical to everyone's safety that parents complete this screener each morning whether your child is well or sick. Thank you in advance for helping keep our school safe. If you are experiencing technical difficulties or you don't have a log in, please contact operoo@chappaquaschools.org.
Lunch Orders: Click the link in the navigation bar on the left. It's very important that you place your child's lunch order by 8:00. If you miss the 8:00am cut-off for ordering, please call the Food Service Department directly at 914-238-7201 ext 2456 or email jecrealese@chappaquaschools.org. They will do their best to accommodate your request.

Arrival and Dismissal Details: Please click on the link in the left navigation menu to see all the details related to arrival and dismissal. We strongly encourage you to have your children take the bus to and from school. This will alleviate some of the traffic congestion we experienced last year. If you do drive your child to school, please create a placard with your child's last name and place it on your driver's side dashboard. This will help us with check-in. Thanks.

Open House Details: Please join us for a virtual Open House Night on September 22nd. More information is forthcoming.
Fall Parent / Principal Coffee: We will host Parent / Principal coffees this fall. Please join us outside on September 24th for two sessions: K-2 families from 9:15-10:00 and Grade 2-4 families from 10:15-11:00. If there is inclement weather, we will reschedule these.

Welcome Back, 2021-2022

Dear Families,

We hope you enjoyed an amazing summer! We are excited to welcome back your child / children for another wonderful school year. Although we continue to be challenged by the COVID-19 virus, we are well-prepared with all our safety protocols in place to maintain a safe and supportive learning environment for all students. We will continue to update this Google site throughout the year, so you have all the information you need right at your fingertips. We have outlined below different aspects and areas as they relate to the opening of school.

Arrival and Dismissal Details: Please click on the link in the left navigation menu to see all the details related to arrival and dismissal. We strongly encourage you to have your children take the bus to and from school. This will alleviate some of the traffic congestion we experienced last year.

Health and Safety: The three most significant safety measures we will take relate to masking, distancing and hand hygiene. All students and staff will wear masks and take mask breaks throughout the day. In classrooms and other instructional spaces, students will keep 3-feet of distance from one another with assigned seats. During lunch, students will maintain 7-ft of distance by having two students at a table with a transparent plastic shield between them. Students will also practice hand hygiene throughout the day, particularly before eating snack or lunch. Our custodians will clean bathrooms multiple times throughout the day in addition to cleaning high-touch areas, such as door knobs and railings.

Lunch Orders: Click the link in the navigation bar on the left.

Lunch / Recess Details: In order to maintain a safe distance during lunch, we will use the Cafeteria and one of our gyms to seat two students at each table with a transparent barrier between the students. Students will have the same lunch options that they had last year. During recess, students can play with students from other classes. At the end of recess and back in the classroom, students will follow our hand washing protocols.

Specials Programming: This year, we will resume our in-person specials classes which will be 40-minutes in duration. Students will travel to those spaces for Art, Music, PE and Library. Weather permitting, physical education classes will be conducted outside. Instrumental music lessons that require respiratory exertion will be conducted outside, and all other instrumental lessons will be conducted inside.

Outdoor Learning Spaces: As we did last year, we will take full advantage of the variety of amazing outdoor learning spaces we have here at Westorchard. From lunch to lessons, teachers will use our Breezeway, Courtyard, Amphitheater, Nature Trail, Garden and playground spaces to engage students in learning and in other outdoor experiences.

RULER and Social Emotional Learning: Students will begin each day with our RULER routines so teachers can get a sense of students' social and emotional needs. These routines include a mood meter check-in and a community circle/morning meeting. This time is so critical, as teachers provide the support and strategies students will continue to need during these challenging times.

Our Focus on Culturally Responsive Teaching and Learning: Last year, we introduced students to age-appropriate experiences related to diversity, equity and inclusion. We will continue our focus on these concepts by addressing them in context of our existing curriculums. We will also work with Insight, a consultant group, who will engage our staff in related professional development.

Staffing Update: Please see below regarding an update on staffing changes.

Open House Details: Please join us for a virtual Open House Night on September 22nd. More information is forthcoming.

Fall Parent / Principal Coffee: We will host Parent / Principal coffees this fall. Please join us outside on September 24th for two sessions: K-2 families from 9:15-10:00 and Grade 2-4 families from 10:15-11:00. If there is inclement weather, we will reschedule these.

STAFFING UPDATE - 8/23/21

As we prepare to open for another unique school year, we would like to share some information with you regarding staffing. Because Jenna Collisson, our former reading teacher relocated upstate and due to rising enrollment in third grade, we have hired a new reading teacher and a new third grade teacher. Trisha Burton will transfer to Roaring Brook School, so we are also finalizing a search for her replacement, as well. We are pleased to introduce to you the newest members of our Westorchard team:

Muriel Samedy, Reading Teacher

For the past six years, Muriel has been a reading teacher in the Mount Vernon City School District. She has also taught in other public and private school settings throughout her career. She currently holds certifications in elementary education, literacy and school leadership. Muriel attended New York University and Hunter College for graduate and postgraduate work.

Throughout the search process, Muriel impressed us with her extensive knowledge of reading development in students and her instructional abilities through the demonstration lesson. Muriel has implemented many of our current reading intervention approaches, including LLI and the TC reading and writing units of study. From meeting with our interview committee, to the demonstration lesson with a student, we are convinced that Mrs. Samedy will serve our students well and provide rich and rigorous reading intervention programming. We look forward to Murial joining our team.

Amanda Turkel - Third Grade Teacher

Since 2017, Ms. Turkel has been an elementary school teacher at PS 109, Sedgwick School where she taught second and fourth grade. She earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Indiana University and a master’s degree in math and STEM education from Hunter College.

Amanda has supported both general education students and students with disabilities in an integrated setting. Ms. Turkel brings to us a strong background in mathematics and STEAM work.

Kaitlyn Podovitz - Third Grade Teacher

For the past five years, Mrs. Podlovitz has been an elementary school teacher in Darien, Connecticut where she taught third grade. She earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a master’s degree in education from Sacred Heart University.

Throughout the search process, Kait impressed us with her extensive knowledge of instruction as it relates to her experience in the classroom. She has also served in a leadership role as the grade level leader for her grade level. We are confident that Mrs. Podlovitz will serve our students well and provide them with a rich and rigorous academic experience. Of particular note, during her demonstration lesson she skillfully demonstrated how to gradually release ownership and responsibility to students at different points in the lesson..

TEAM WESTORCHARD: 20121-2022 - "GO WO-WE GOT THIS!"

KINDERGARTEN TEAM

Robin Connolly

Tara Miozzi

Katie Loretan

Liz Morhardt

FIRST GRADE TEAM

Karol London

Jennifer Halliday

Cathy Anderson

Chrissy Vanzo

SECOND GRADE TEAM

Mary Goff

Antonella DellaGala

Kalli Sherwood

THIRD GRADE TEAM

Lisa Balbona

Renee Mattiello

Kate Naaman

New Teacher

FOURTH GRADE TEAM

Torrey Keeley

Lisa Fitzgerald

Erin Posner

Nicole Curran

SPECIALS TEAM

Tom Williams - PE

Mike McNeece - PE

Deanna Torrisi - Music

Andrea Schaber - Library

Sara Cury - Art

SERVICE PROVIDER TEAM

Trisha Harrypersad - School Psychologist

Kristin Mongiello - Speech / Language

Laura Cassidy - Physical Therapist

Abby Gitlin - Occupational Therapist

Nadia Buffa - ENL

Cathy Kovitz - Reading

Muriel Samedy - Reading

SPECIAL EDUCATION TEAM

Crissy Werner

Sarah Moskowitz

Jennifer Villano

TEACHER AIDE TEAM

Karen Bucko

June Fragale

Rena Gavigan

Julie Hare

Sharyn Langholtz

Amy Love

Virginia Mancini

Jennifer Monaco

Joann Mastrocola

Denise Tierney

TEACHING ASSISTANT TEAM

Anne Kelly

Carolyn Daly

Christine Dammann

Eileen Farrington

Elona Coku

BUILDING SUBSTITUTES/

INTERNS

Jenna Baig

Dan Bozzelli

Bianna Cardinale

Victoria Carroll

OFFICE STAFF TEAM

Lisa Ribushofski

Dawn Dellner

Astrid Jarzembowski - School Nurse

Michelle Antonecchia - Health aide

John Nicol - Security Guard

CUSTODIAL TEAM

Michael Klein

Emilio Santos

Dago Sanchez

Hans Haddad

Heidi Seymour

We must teach our children that: "In diversity there is beauty and there is strength." Maya Angelou

Dear Families,

One of our priorities this year focuses on diversity, equity and inclusion. We have engaged our students in a variety of experiences to explore these important and sometimes complicated concepts and ideas. Please see below to learn about some of the work our teachers and students have done on their journey.

Identity Mapping - Gr. 4

Our fourth grade students started some work with identity mapping. Identity mapping is a process by which students visually represent and assess their subjective network of groups to which they belong.

They engaged in this work during their reading unit on Power and Perspective. To tie all of this together, they used Sara K. Ahmed’s work from Being the Change, and created identity webs (The Paseo).

Students started by reading the book Dreamers by Yuyi Morales. They then created an identity web for Yuyi, the author; after which, students worked on their own identity webs. They concluded with a gallery walk where students viewed their classmates webs and asked questions and drew similarities.

Black History Month

In honor of Black History Month we acknowledged the contributions of influential Black Americans. Each day we highlighted a Black hero on the morning announcements and created a bulletin board and a curated collection of texts to commemorate their accomplishments. These heroes included well-known Civil Rights activists, such as Thurgood Marshall, as well as lesser-known individuals, such as Victor Hugo Green whose "Green Book" allowed Black tourists to travel safely across the United States.

BiPOC and Diverse Authors for Authors Day

One of the silver linings of this year is that the virtual platform for Author's Day visits provided access to a diverse pool of authors who represented different races, ethnicities, cultures, and backgrounds. With the support of the Author's Day Committee we invited the authors listed below to share their unique, personal journeys as writers/artists and articulate how their identities and experiences have influenced their work.

Kindergarten - JayNay Brown Wood

First Grade - Yangsook Choi

Second Grade - Fran Manushkin

Third Grade - Minh Le

Fourth Grade - Peter Lerangis

A Thought from One of Our Youngest Learners. - We are Inspired!

One of our youngest learners in kindergarten, inspired by our Black History Month celebration, wrote the following during Choice Time, "Black History Month" "United is one" "Black" "Peach" We are so inspired by his insights!

Story Walks

With the support of the PTA's Literacy Committee and Mrs. Schaber, we have been able to set up a monthly story walk for our students. When selecting texts, we prioritized #OwnVoices authors and books that promoted messages of inclusion and equity. The PTA generously purchased copies of many of these titles for our classroom libraries so teachers could extend these important conversations with their students. Examples include:

Speak Up

I am Every Good Thing

Be Kind

The Invisible Boy

Show Your True Colors

Dear Westorchard Teachers,

We want to show that here at Westorchard we don’t just accept our differences, we celebrate and love them. To spread this message we are inviting you and your students to participate in a special project.

Every student and staff will be given a paper cut out of either an apple, peace sign, or heart in a color of the rainbow. We invite the students and staff to decorate these symbols and write something about themselves that show their “true colors.” For example, a hobby, interest, character trait, or part of their identity. The cut-outs will then be arranged in a rainbow formation and proudly displayed.

We thank you in advance for your collaboration and support.

Sincerely,

A Fourth Grade Student on Behalf of the WO Students

"A Kids Book About..." Series

We provided every teacher at Westorchard with this set of "A Kids Book About..." series. Teachers are beginning to share these books with their students to engage them in conversations about race, belonging, empathy and emotions. These topics may come up in conversations at home, so please keep an ear out.

Asian and Pacific Islanders Heritage Month

May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. This is an opportunity for us to celebrate the rich history and culture of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and the important role that these cultures and histories play in our nation’s story. To celebrate, each class will be researching a country in Asia and sharing information related to that nation's culture on the morning announcements. We will have a large display in the front lobby to track our journey across the continent and document our learning. Students and teachers will have access to a curated collection of digital and print texts featuring AAPI authors, characters, heroes, and storylines. A special thank you to Mrs. Schaber and Ms. Buffa for their contributions to this work!

Updates - 4/8/21

Formation of Classes for Next Year: Shortly, we will begin to create next year's classes. Please click here to read more information about this. There is also a link to a survey for you to complete if you wish to do so.
Wednesday Dismissal Time Change: Starting on Wednesday, April 14th, we will start our dismissal 11:30 instead of 11:20 for students who are being picked up. Please plan accordingly.

Our Westochard Promise: BE Kind, BE Safe, BE Open-Minded

The rise in incidents of bias, racism, and violence against Asians, Asian Americans, and Pacific Islanders

As we all prepare for spring we have an opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to creating and nurturing a learning environment that is inclusive and welcoming for all of our students and staff. We can model for the rest of the world what it means to be a safe space where we celebrate our differences. We must remain aware that as a country we still toil in the relentless grip of social injustice for many citizens in the country. I write to you today to acknowledge the continually growing bias towards the Asian community. As reported by the media, we know the Asian community continues to face backlash for the current pandemic. This irrational stance has subjected adults and children alike to hurtful comments and in some cases violence. When we engage students around topics of race, we use the time to educate and explain. Young children hear and see things and then repeat them, not always aware of the impact of their language. Our children are digital natives and see information snippets that are at times confusing. As parents and educators we can’t be everywhere; however, we can “get in front of it” and be proactive by speaking about the importance of how we treat one another, especially when issues are big and begin to consume the news.

As a school we remain vigilant in our efforts to speak with students about the importance of words, their impact and how we use them. At this point, we have not engaged students in recent events related to bias towards the Asian American community. However, through literature and conversation, we are doing our very best to explain to students the importance of treating one another with fairness, while promoting inclusive expectations. We are not suggesting that students will always become friends or even agree on topics; however, we are saying that school is one of the main places where we learn about civility and dignity. We ask for your partnership as we work together on issues that focus on how people are treated. We have the opportunity to make sure our students know the value of fairness and experience the feeling of belonging on a daily basis. At Westorchard, we must ensure that each and every student feels both emotionally and physically safe and cared for by their peers and the adults.

We remain ready to support and advocate for all of our students and families. We appreciate your commitment as we work together to cultivate culturally responsive, equitable and inclusive learning environments for all of our students.

Suggested Resources for your consideration:

https://www.learningforjustice.org/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LnaltG5N8nE

https://www.adl.org/education/resources/tools-and-strategies/parent-family-and-caregiver-resources

Updates - 3/18/21

Please note the following. We thank you in advance for your cooperation and understanding:

At the end of the day, we have noticed that some families who are picking up will try to cut the car line on Granite Road, creating a very dangerous situation. Please be patient and wait in line so we can dismiss everyone in a safe, timely manner.
If you are dropping off your child at the beginning of the day, please be sure you arrive by 9:15 so your child can get to the classroom on time.
If you are ordering lunch for your child, please be sure to complete this form before 8:45 each morning.

Update Regarding Arrival - 2/24/21

I am writing to update you regarding our morning arrival process. Starting tomorrow, Thursday, February 25, we will take students' temperatures with our new thermal scanners, which are set up just inside our entrances. There will be an adult at each scanner to monitor for elevated temperatures. If there is any question about a student's temperature, we will send the student to the Health Office for a second check. If our nurse completes a second check and the temperature is 100 degrees or higher, she will call you to come pick up your child.

For car riders, we will also have an adult outside to support students as they exit your vehicle. In order to keep the car line moving, please have your child prepared to exit the car on the right side. When you see the sign, "Exit Car Here", this begins the designated area in which students can begin to exit the vehicle. In order to keep everyone safe, please wait until you passed the sign to have your child exit the vehicle. Please be sure your vehicle stays to the left of the orange cones as you move forward. Thank you for your support and assistance.

Parents of remote learners are welcome to come to pick up learning materials from school. Please come between 7:30am-8:30am, 9:30am-2:00pm, or 3:30pm-4:00pm.

February Update

January 29, 2021

Dear Westorchard Families,

We are writing to share a few updates with you for the coming weeks. Please note the following:

Black History Month: We are excited to celebrate Black History Month this February. Each year, there is a different theme or focus and this year's theme is, "The Black Family: Representation, Identity and Diversity" This year, we will celebrate in a variety of ways. Each morning on the announcements, we will recognize the contributions of Black men and women from different eras in American history. During library class, our school Librarian, Andrea Schaber, will focus on the following themes as they relate to Black history: grades K-2: Celebrations and Culture and in grades 3-4: Heroes. We have also compiled a variety of resources teachers can use with students in the classroom. Thank you to the PTA for coordinating an indoor story walk of the text I Am Every Good Thing for the classes to read and discuss.

A Conversation with Phillip Marcus, our new Director of Equity, Inclusion and Wellness: On February 11th at 7:00, we look forward to hosting a conversation with Phillip. We will focus on the following: "How to start the conversation about race in your home through literature". Please click here to access the Zoom link.

Valentine's Day: Yes, we intend to celebrate Valentine's Day, but in a safe and purposeful way. We encourage students to write Valentine's to their peers. Please provide your child with a paper lunch bag or a small size bag in which their classmates can place the cards. Once the exchange is over, the teachers will staple the bags and send them home. We ask that you "quarantine" the bags for three days before opening, as a precaution. Food items will be not be permitted.

Winter Wear: As the temperatures continue to fall, we ask that you make sure your child has a proper winter coat, gloves and a hat so he/she can participate in outdoor recess. In addition, snow boots and snow pants are required if your child would like to play in the snow with others.

Arrival: Please be sure that as you pull into the parking lot your child is prepared to quickly exit the vehicle from the passenger side. Please avoid getting out of the vehicle yourself as this slows the drop-off process.

School Dismissal Manager: Please be sure your dismissal plans are accurately reflected each day in School Dismissal Manager. For those who have been remote, please remove your pick up information from the system. We suggest that you check the system each week to make sure it is accurate. Thanks for doing this. It helps make dismissal run more smoothly.

A Note from Nurse J:

One thing I’ve noticed is that many of our students are having growth spurts! It seems to happen this time of year. Today, when I told a student that I thought he grew, he replied proudly saying, “ I’m five!”. Whether this is related or not, I’ve been getting more requests to see if I can get a student’s mask to fit better because they keep sliding down. Even with some of our kindergarteners, their masks seem a little too small to make them stay on. To fit properly the mask should easily cover the area between the bridge of the nose and go to under the chin, behind the jawbone. It shouldn’t fit tightly over nose and mouth area. There should be space so the lips can move freely when your child speaks. The sides of the mask should have no gaps against the cheeks.

If you notice your child’s mask slides down every time they talk- the mask is too small.
If you see that your child’s mask keeps “popping” off an ear and falling off- the ear loops may be too tight- try loosening them. NOTE- both ear loops have to be the same size so the mask sits properly on the face.
You may notice red marks behind your child’s ears after wearing their mask. This needs to be addressed, because after a while, it hurts from wearing the mask.
If there are any gaps, it defeats the purpose for wearing the mask in the first place. The mask could be too big or not adjusted properly.
If your child keeps touching the outside of their mask to keep adjusting it then it isn’t a good fit. You may need to try a different style of mask or adjust the ear loops or ties.

General guidance on face masks: The CDC has outlined five criteria to keep in mind.

Face masks should fit snugly and comfortably
They must be secured with ties or ear loops
They should comprise multiple fabric layers
You should be able to breathe without restriction while wearing the face mask
You should be able to wash the face masks without causing damage or losing the face mask’s shape

Thank you for your continued support and partnership. Stay warm out there!

Sincerely,

Jim and Alissa

COVID-19 Update

January 15, 2021

Dear Chappaqua Central School District Elementary Families,

This letter is to share with you that starting Tuesday, January 19, Chappaqua Central School District will adjust our practices based on new guidance from Dr. Amler, Commissioner of Health for the Westchester County Department of Health (WCDOH). This guidance indicates that increasing space between students and the room size where students eat lunch will reduce the number of students who would face school exclusion if there is a positive COVID-19 case in their space.

In an effort to adhere to the new guidance and reduce exposure when possible, the following adjustments will be implemented in each of the three elementary schools:

Lunch

Students will eat lunch in the cafeteria. Students who have classes in larger spaces will continue to eat lunch in those spaces. (Gym, GLC)
Lunch will continue to be bagged and the menu will remain the same.
Schedules have been adjusted to accommodate the new quarantine guidelines.

Transportation (Bus Seating)

Bus seats will be numbered.
Students must sit in the same seat each day.
Drivers will make note on the daily attendance sheet of the seat number where students are seated. Tracking seat numbers will aid in student identification if a positive case is reported.
Siblings must continue to sit together.

In closing, these adjustments will aid in restricting the number of individuals who must be excluded from school when a positive case is reported. The elementary schools will continue to ensure that social distancing is maintained, students are masked when not eating and handwashing and sanitizing continue to be consistent.

Thank you for your continued support and partnership.

Sincerely,

Carol Bartlik, Jim Skoog, & Tonya Wilson

UPDATE: Change of Status - Remote / In-Person Learning Form

We are writing to clarify if and when you choose to change your child's learning status because we need to make sure our teachers have accurate information about whether or not your child will be in-person or remote on any given week. Please adhere to the following:

If your child is an in-person learner and you want him/her to be a remote learner, please submit this survey by 5:00 on Thursday evening the week before the week your child will be remote. If you want your child to remain a remote learner the following week, there is no need to complete the survey again. If you would like your child to return to in-person learning, please complete the survey by 5:00 on Thursday evening the week before your child is scheduled to return.

How to Approach Holidays During this Pandemic

Please click here to view a resources regarding how to approach the holiday season during this challenging time.

Halloween Update (Revised on 10/23)

As Halloween approaches, we would like to share some details with you regarding the activities planned for 10/30. Unfortunately, we won't be able to host our annual Halloween Parade. Instead, each class will have a scheduled time to take a story walk on our nature trail. The Westorchard PTA has graciously provided storyboards, which will be posted throughout the trail. They will also adorn the trail with pumpkins and decorations. UPDATED: We are changing our plan regarding costumes based upon some guidance from Governor Cuomo. Students can wear costumes to school; however, we ask that they require no management or assistance from an adult. Also, students will not be permitted to wear Halloween masks. Thank you for your understanding. Please click here to see some additional guidance about how to celebrate the holiday safely.

OPEN HOUSE DETAILS

As you know, our Open House program this year will be conducted via Zoom on Thursday evening, September 17th. If she hasn't already done so, your child's teacher will send you the Zoom link shortly. You will also have an opportunity to meet with our specials teachers and service providers.

SPECIALS TEACHERS: Physical Education, Thomas Williams and Daniel Fanelli; Music, Deanna Torrisi; Librarian, Andrea Schaber; Art, Sara Cury

SERVICE PROVIDERS: Reading Teachers, Cathy Kovitz and Jenna Collisson; Psychologist, Trisha Harrypersad; Speech Teacher, Kristin Mongiello; Occupational Therapist, Abby Gitlin; ENL Teacher, Nadia Buffa and Physical Therapist, Laura Cassidy

Here is the schedule for the evening. Please click on the Zoom links to access the meeting with our specials teachers and service providers.

Pre-Recorded Video Message from Jim, Alissa and Nurse Jarzembowski. Click here to view.

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