Dear Parent/Guardian:                                                                                                  

Welcome to the 2022-23 school year! I hope you have had a wonderful summer with your family!  I have missed your children and am ready to start school and have the best year ever!

A big THANK YOU goes out to our faculty and staff for all their efforts to start this year smoothly and efficiently. Teachers have worked hard getting their rooms organized and ready for stu­dents. Office and custodial staff have also worked hard to get the school clean and ready for our student’s return.

Finally, I want to say thank you to all our families for the never-ending support you give to West Side.  Strong parental support is what makes the difference in West Side’s ability to succeed!

John Wright

Principal

IMPORTANT REMINDERS

• The first day of school for 1^st – 5^th grades will be Wednesday, August 3.  This is a half-day of school from 8:00 – 11:46.    Kindergarten parents should come in anytime between 8 AM – 11 AM on this date to sign up for a phase-in day for their child and submit any missing registration paperwork.
• There is no school on Thursday or Friday, August 4^th and 5^th. (Teacher Workdays).
• The first full day of school (8 AM – 3 PM) is Monday, August 8^th. 
• We will host a parent open house for all kindergarten through 5th-grade students on Tuesday, August 9^th from 6:00 – 7:00 in the gym.  This open house will give parents a chance to meet teachers and administrators. Sign-ups for our PTO will also take place at this meeting!  Kindergarten parents will meet at 5:30 before the meeting starts in the cafeteria.
• Please take note that teachers take attendance at 8:00 each morning.  Students who enter the classroom after 8:00 will be counted as tardy (Note:  For attendance purposes, 3 tardies = 1 absence).  Any time your child is absent from school, please call the office to report this absence.
• Please be diligent in providing copies of any legal documents pertaining to your child.  These copies should be submitted to the main office.  We are happy to help with copying documents.
• You must have an active email account to set up a Skyward Family Access account.  To complete this year’s registration, parents of returning students should update all information and complete the required forms (15 steps) in Skyward as soon as possible.  A school computer is available for you to use if needed.  Notify the office if you need assistance.  We also have paper copies if you need them.
• This school year lunch is not free for all students.  Breakfast will still be in the classroom, but it will have to be purchased, so if your student picks up breakfast in the classroom it will be charged to their account.

Please note that when families fail to complete the Household Income Form it potentially hinders West Side’s ability to receive federal funding.  The number of income-eligible students that West Side reports determine how funding is awarded for federal programs, technology, etc. These funds help cover programs for homeless and neglected students, teacher training/recruiting, English learner programs, school nutrition programs, and more.  Because of low reporting numbers, West Side lost a substantial amount of federal funding for this school year and we lost one teaching position  (Ms. Garrett’s position as Reading Interventionist had to be eliminated).  So, please complete the Household Income Form to help us keep federal funding.    

**GENERAL SCHOOL PROCEDURES**

The information below is important for the safe and efficient operation of our school’s daily schedule. Our success will depend on your cooperation!

Drop-off Procedures:

• 7:30 - doors open at both the front/main office entrance and the back/gym entrance.
• 7:30-7:45 - all students remain in the gym.   
• 7:45 - students are dismissed from the gym to their classrooms by grade level for Early Start.  Students entering the building after 7:45 should go straight to their classroom.
• Students who are not in the classroom by 8:00 are considered tardy and should report to the office for a tardy slip.
• We encourage all students to attend Early Start at 7:45.  It is a terrific way for students to start their day.  It will give them time to eat breakfast and or do their AR reading. 
• Due to increased health and safety precautions, parents will not be permitted to escort students to class or eat lunch with students.

Dismissal procedures:

• All students are dismissed at 3:00 daily.
• The older sibling will go to the younger sibling’s classroom for dismissal.
• Exits from front/main office onto Burgie Street: all 4^th, 1^st, and 2^nd grades + Snodgrass (5^th) and Blevins (5^th)
• Exits from back/gym onto Happy Valley Street:  all 3^rd grade and kindergarten classes + McInturff (5th)

• A map of dismissal is included in this email.  All traffic at both drop-off and pick-up on both Burgie Street (front/main office side) and Happy Valley Street (back/gym side) will flow one way, from west to east. 
• Car traffic will not be allowed on Dakota Street as Dakota Street during dismissal as it is designated for buses only.
• For back/gym side pick up, please use G Street>Williams Ave>Happy Valley Street.
• For front/main office side pick up, please use Parkway Blvd.>Burgie Street. 
• When exiting, please make right-hand turns for safety. 
• Your student’s car tag should be placed in the front or passenger side window of your vehicle each day.  Please leave the tag in place until your child is loaded into your vehicle.