A monthly e-newsletter to keep you connected to your District

BACK TO SCHool 2019

WELCOME BACK!

A NOTE FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT

It felt like just yesterday I was bidding farewell to the graduating Class of 2019 and now I find myself welcoming the incoming Class of 2032. Where did the time go?

Hopefully your summer was filled with plenty of quality family together time making memories that will last a lifetime. This year, my family and I took a trip to Acadia National Park in Maine. The picture below was taken in the middle of a 20+ mile bike ride. (No one was smiling in the picture we took when it was over!). Despite the sore ... seats, we had a wonderful time.

Now that the summer is coming to an end, I am excited to report that Westwood Regional Schools is ready for the start of another amazing school year on Thursday, September 5. The picture above of all our school and district staff was taken at our opening convocation held this morning.

Please take time to read through this entire newsletter to find out about all the work that has taken place to prepare for the start of school, beginning with the Board's adoption of the 2019-2020 District Goals. The goals, don't represent all that we are doing this year, but they highlight key areas of focus.

Check out our newly designed school websites for any information to help you prepare for the start of the year. If you have any questions, feel free to contact your school's main office for assistance.

Last, but not least, I would like to take a moment to thank all the staff who have been hard at work over the summer getting everything ready for the return of our students. Our classrooms and schools look fantastic!

We are looking forward to seeing you soon.

Warm Regards,

Dr. G-

2019-2020 DISTRICT GOALS

Student Achievement: Support student growth and academic achievement through a focus on the continuous review and refinement of curricula, instructional practices, and professional development.
Strategic Planning: Implement Year 4 activities outlined in the 2016-2021 Strategic Action Plan associated with each of the five goals.
Facilities & Fiscal Planning: In addition to the goals and objectives outlined in the strategic plan: Plan for September 2020 completion of the Middle School Expansion project and associated transitions at the Middle School and High School. Conduct an updated and comprehensive demographic and facilities use study to determine current and future needs.
Data Driven Decision-making: Increase the practice of collecting and using data to inform decisions in all aspects of the school district.
Communications: Proactively communicate with the larger community to keep them informed of program and to promote the school district.

Click HERE to view additional details for each of the goals.

SUMMER ACTIVITY AROUND WRSD

SAFETY & SECURITY UPDATES

True to our commitment to maintaining safe and secure learning environments and consistent with our 2016-2021 Strategic Plan, all our schools will benefit from several enhancements this year. A summary is provided via the presentation below; however, a few highlights include, but are not limited to:

SECURITY SPECIALIST AUTHORIZATION TO CARRY: Approved by Policy 7446 and via Board resolution, our School Safety and Security Specialist, a 30+ year veteran of law enforcement, will be permitted to carry a firearm beginning this year. In addition to the cooperation we have with local and county law enforcement, this measure serves as another means of supporting our schools in the event of an unthinkable emergency.
TRAFFIC CALMING MEASURES: In the Spring of 2019, the District installed speed tables to assist in slowing vehicular traffic on school grounds. In addition to the speed tables, new signage was installed throughout the district.
LOCKS & MASTER KEY UPGRADE: All door locks and key cores were replaced throughout the district to meet the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) while following the best practices in school security by further controlling access to our buildings and classrooms while allowing any keyholder to lock a door from the inside, in case of a lockdown.

2019-20 Safety and Security Update

Summer FACILITY PROJECTS

HS Bathroom Renovation

Berkeley Bathroom Renovation

Washington Bleacher Removal in Preparation for Replacement

George School Tree Replacements

Brookside Roof Replacement

WRMS Bridge Fence Replacement

HS Showcase Installation

Berkeley Sidewalk Expansion

HS LED Exterior Light Upgrade

WEBSITE & APP LAUNCH

WEBSITE HIGHLIGHTS

Our new site and app are 100% live for the 2019-2020 school year! Some of the things you'll find are:

Streamlined navigation, retired old pages, and updated links and resources.
The SITES menu allows you to switch between schools and the district pages.
The EXPLORE menu provides links to all other pages.
The EVENTS section includes our annual calendar and school calendars.
LIVE FEED is a dynamic media stream that mirrors what we post on our Facebook and Twitter feeds.

If you encounter a problem with our website or just have a suggestion you would like to bring it to our attention, please submit a Website Suggestion by clicking HERE!

APP HIGHLIGHTS

The newly designed Westwood Regional Schools is your mobile means of staying connected to your schools and the district. The app does not replace all the valuable information available on our website. Instead, it gives you fingertip access to our Live Feed, News, Events, Dining, Staff Directory, & Documents. One additional feature that is available on the app is the ability to send push notifications to your phone (if you set it up) with important information and announcements. Check out the reference below for instructions.

App-Notifications.pdf

2019-20 Annual Notifications

In addition to the forms and documents located in the Genesis Parent Portal for your review, the following documents are being provided for your information. If you have any questions about any of these documents, please don't hesitate to reach out to your building principal.

JULY & AUGUST MEETINGS

Board meetings continued throughout the summer in preparation for the 2019-20 school year. Click on the links below to view the agendas* for each meeting:

July 23, 2019 (Board Retreat)
July 25, 2019 (Regular Meeting)
August 29, 2019 (Regular Meeting)

You can also review prior agendas and meeting minutes online.

*Note: Minutes are added to each folder after they are approved by the Board of Education at a public meeting.

Any policies currently under review by the Board can found here and ALL final policies and regulations can be found on the district website under the Board of Education drop down menu.

On behalf of the Westwood School District and Board of Education, we would like to extend a warm welcome to our new 2019 certified staff for the 2019-2020 school year!

MARK YOUR CALENDARS

REVISED WRSD School Calendar 2019-2020 (approved 042519).pdf

2019-2020 School Calendar

September

5: First Day of School
30: District Closed
26: Board of Education Meeting

October

1: Staff Professional Development (Schools Closed for Students)
9: District Closed
17: Board of Education Meeting
21-22: Half-Days for PreK-5 Students (parent conferences)
23: PreK-5 Evening Parent Conferences