Dear Parents and Guardians,
We hope you had a chance to relax and recharge this summer, despite the heat! As we gear up for the new school year, we’re filled with excitement and enthusiasm to welcome you back to West School.
A special welcome to all of our new families joining us this year! We’re thrilled to have you as part of our West School community and can’t wait for you to experience the kind, supportive, and positive environment that makes our school such a special place.
Our goal this year, as always, is to create a learning environment that is engaging, challenging, and joyful, a place where every student feels supported and inspired to grow.
We know that children thrive when they are actively thinking, participating, and building connections with others. Our amazing faculty and staff have been busy preparing to provide a safe, welcoming, and stimulating space for every child.
Class placements will be shared soon. We understand how important a smooth transition is for both students and families, and we’ve taken great care to thoughtfully match each student with a classroom that will best support their academic, social, and emotional development.
As we begin this exciting new school year, we invite you to be active partners in your child’s education. A strong home-school connection is key to student success, and we look forward to working closely with you. There will be many opportunities throughout the year for you to get involved, including through our West School PTC community.
Thank you for entrusting us with your child’s learning journey. We’re committed to making this year one filled with curiosity, discovery, and personal growth. Together, we can make it a fantastic year for every student.
Please be sure to check below for some important information and key dates as we get started. Here’s to a joyful, successful school year ahead!
All the best,
Jan Murphy, Principal
Patricia Gracia, Assistant Principal
Who’s Who (and What’s New) @West?
We have several new staff members to welcome to our West School Community! Please read on for details...
Grade Level Changes
Kaila Palumbo - from grade 4 to grade 2
Welcome - New to West Faculty and Staff
Pre-K: Katie Lukens
Pre-K: Sara Weisblum
Building Sub: Tori Rothschild
School Psychologist: Catherine (Quinn) Tatom
Librarian Sub: Suzanne Holobigian
Special Education Secretary: Danielle Sibilia
Custodian: Katrina Diaz
District Classroom Coach: Kerry Needle (PreK - 1)
Name Changes
Cara Capilli is now Cara Mill
Taylor Gambella is now Taylor Orlando
New to West Teaching Assistants (TAs) and Interns
Fiona Stevens, General Ed TA
Nicole Panolis, SPED TA
Meggin Lundstrom, Pre-K TA
Arianna Bell, Pre-K TA
Siarra Correa, Pre-K TA
Gabby Cherundolo, Intern
Instructional Leaders 2024-2025
Grade K - Jen Kennedy | Grade 4 - Tania O’Leary |
|---|---|
Grade 1 - Tanya Striffler | Special Education - Alicia Ponticello |
Grade 2 - Alison Pattison | Special Area Teachers - Stefanie Sommerville |
Grade 3 - Holly Myer | Pre-K - Ashley Klein |
"New to West" Orientation
On Tuesday August 19th, we will host our New to West Orientation for all new students
in grades 1-4. The event will be held at West at 10:15 AM
Meet and Greet
On Monday August 25th, we will host a Meet and Greet for all students in grades 1-4. This
will be held in your child’s classroom from 10:30 - 11:00 AM. The Meet and Greet will end
promptly at 11:00 AM to give teachers the opportunity to have lunch. The first day of school
for students in grades 1 through 4 is Tuesday, August 26, 2024.
Kindergarten Meet and Greet
Our kindergarten students will come to school with their parents on Tuesday August
26th, the first day of school. They WILL NOT ride the bus the first day of school. Each
kindergarten family recently received a letter with the specific time for their visit to the
classroom.
West School Hours
The instructional day for students is 8:40 a.m to 3:10 p.m.
School begins each day at 8:40 AM and ends at 3:10PM. Supervision begins at 8:30
AM; students are not to be dropped off prior to 8:30 AM unless enrolled in Early
Birds.
Our Early Bird program is available for working parents who need child care. It runs
from 7:30 - 8:30 AM. registration information for Early Birds can be accessed
HERE.
We encourage families to use bus transportation to ease traffic flow at the start
and end of the day. If your child will be picked up by car, we will continue to use the
back loop.
Parent Pickup: ORANGE cards will be distributed to your child on the first day of
school. The card has your last name on it. Please place your card in the passenger
side window so that staff can easily read it and have your child ready. On the
first day, a simple sheet of paper with your name will suffice. Please be sure that you
place this name card on the passenger side window each day to allow our staff to
match your child to your car.
School Lunches
Here is a LINK with information about our school lunches. Student Options $3.70 (Students should order double portions in the morning)
There are seven daily lunch options available: Hot Lunch, Sandwich Lunch, Bagel Lunch, Sunbutter & Jelly Lunch, Pinwheel Lunch, Cheese & Cracker Meal, and our new Vegan Burger Lunch.
School Calendars
Enrollment Snapshot
We are beginning the year with 28 sections across pre-K through grade 4. This includes a
shift from five sections in grade 4 to four, while maintaining five pre-K classrooms. We also
have 15 new students and 12 new families joining our West School community. Our total enrollment is 477 students.
Pre-K – 5 sections | Grade 2 – 5 sections |
|---|---|
Kindergarten – 4 sections | Grade 3 – 5 sections |
Grade 1 – 5 sections | Grade 4 – 4 sections |
Thank You to Our Custodians
Our custodial and maintenance staff have worked diligently to prepare the school for the start of the year. This summer, several classrooms received new SMART Boards, and every space, from lockers and windows to walls and floors, was cleaned and polished. We are committed to maintaining a healthy and safe environment for all. Special thanks to our Director of Facilities, Scott Olson, Head Custodian Juan Ochoa, and custodians Shtjefen, Katrina, and Bill for their excellent teamwork and dedication in ensuring the building is ready for our students.
Thank You to Our Administrative Assistants
A huge shout out to Lauren Radigan and Valeska Diaz for their hard work this summer in helping to get the school year off to a great start!
Van Drivers - Thank You for the Summer Help!
Sandra, Nanette and Freddy did a meticulous job cleaning desks and lockers, washing windows and getting the school ready for the new year!