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2/3-2/6 | Last Days of Carnival Ticket Pre-Sales | 2/7 | PTO Meeting, 6:30 PM - DATE CHANGE | 2/8
| Fall 2012 Kindergarten Dinner (5:45 PM) & Parent Meeting (6:30 PM) | 2/8 | Student Count Day | 2/9 | PreK-5 District IB Parent Information Night, Acme Township Hall, 6:00 PM | 2/10 | WW Carnival |
2/16
| Winter Music Concert, Gr 3-5, 2:30 PM & 7:00 PM | 2/20-2/27 | Scholastic Book Fair | 3/1 | Half Day of School | 3/1 | Dr. Seuss' Birthday Celebration | 3/2 | No School for Students |
3/20
| Way to Grow Gym Time, 10:00 AM - 11:15 AM | 3/23 | No School for Students | 3/26-3/30 | No School, Spring Break | 4/2 | School Resumes | 4/19 | Spring Picture Day |
In an effort to reduce the amount of paper coming home in your child's backpack, we have created a Community Resource Page to share upcoming community events, programs, local resources, and information.
See what's there now:
- Timberlee Snow Tubing
- Free Tax Preparation, 2/4
- Youth Ski Festival, 2/10-12
- Dance Camp, 2/11
- Wild World of Animals State Show, 2/11
- Winter Wowfest in TC, 2/17-19
- Lacrosse Workshops & Leagues
- Ski/Snowboard Programs
- Area Library Events
- Martial Arts Classes
- Support Groups
- Ballet, Arts, Music
- And Much More....
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| Go to Community Resources |
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Learning Enrichment & Athletic Program (LEAP) |
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District LEAP Updates
4th & 5th Grade Co-Ed Volleyball practice begins Monday, February 6th.
Baseball Pitching Clinics available for students in Grades 2-12. Clinics begin Saturday, January 28, and are offered Saturday and Sunday afternoons through March 18. Students can participate anytime throughout the clinic dates, however parents should register prior to students attending their first clinic.
For all LEAP programs visit www.tcaps.net/LEAP for more information, to register, and to make online payments.
Please feel free to contact LEAP Director Scott Robertson at 231-933-1758 or 231-933-1722 for more information or questions.
Parents Invited to Share Views for Continuous Improvement of LEAP
Parents are essential partners in building a quality LEAP program at TCAPS. The quality and caliber of LEAP programs is highly influenced through the positive relationships, skill building, and collaboration among coaches, students, parents, and the TCAPS LEAP team.
We are asking parents to provide feedback regarding LEAP program communications in a brief online survey. We want to better understand the services and support that may best meet your needs in delivering high quality programs for students. Our goal is to continuously improve the LEAP program and we invite you to share your views.
This survey will be available now through February 17th. Thank you for sharing your feedback.
CLICK HERE TO BEGIN PARENT SURVEY
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February 6-10 |
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Monday
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Chicken Caesar Wrap Sandwich |
Tuesday
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French Toast Sticks & Sausage Patties |
Wednesday
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Turkey Pot Pie |
Thursday
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Lasagna & Breakstick |
Friday |
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Chicken Stew over Biscuit |
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Way to Grow Playgroups
The next playgroups at Westwoods will be in the gym on the following dates:
Tuesday, March 20
10:00 AM - 11:15 AM
Way to Grow is open to all families who have children birth to 5 years old.
If you would like more information about the Way to Grow program, please call Kathy Nester-Pohlman at 342-9772. |
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Please share this newsletter with your friends and neighbors | |
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Principal Sander Scott... |
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 Tuning Into Learning
Now that our newsletters are being distributed to you electronically, I thought we might try embedding some video links in order to “spice up” our newsletter. In these two video clips, we take a peek into one Kindergarten classroom at Westwoods. We see two students engaged in literacy, one reading and another doing some “word work.”
If you know both kids, you’ll know their mothers are teachers at Westwoods. It’s not that we’re “playing favorites” as far as who gets on video so much as it’s Friday and I’m “up against a hard deadline in publishing this newsletter and these two moms are easy for me to ask for permission to publish the video. We’re certainly open to sharing the spotlight to any parent out there.
As you watch this first video clip, I hope you’ll notice one specific thing about this reader. She has developed what reading teachers call “one to one correspondence,” meaning she can identify each separate word. We know this because she points at each word as she reads. At this stage, this is appropriate. As she continues to develop as a reader, we’ll want her to “pull her finger out” but that’s part of the development of an early reader.
Click on the link below to see my introduction and this reader demonstrate “one to one correspondence.” Also, notice how excited she is about reading at the end of the book!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8x4IUocLvwk
Our next clip shows a student doing some word work. As I ask him a few questions about his completed work, I hope you’ll notice something when he talks about a pair of words that were hard for him. All of our teachers at Westwoods are working on developing a “growth mindset” to help students persist with difficult problems and enjoy the challenge. I hope my response to this student helps him develop his own Growth Mindset as it relates to challenges he’ll undoubtedly encounter as a learner (because we all do; otherwise we wouldn’t be learning).
Click on the link below to see this student do his “word work.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TuhYjBoYdWo
Thanks for “tuning into learning” at Westwoods!
Yours in Education,
Sander Scott
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Student Count Day – February 8th
Every school day is important to your child’s learning! Count Day on Wednesday, February 8th, determines funding amounts, based on student attendance, that help schools pay for many academic programs and services. Help your school by being in school on Count Day. In the event school is closed on Feb. 8th, then count day will take place on the following school day. |
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Searching for the Kindergarten Class of 2012-13
We are looking for any boy or girl who will be 5 years old on or before December 1, 2012. If you, or someone you know, has a neighbor, family member, or friend with a child entering Westwoods Kindergarten in September of 2012, please click here and complete this form. A registration packet will be sent to you in the spring. |
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Kindergarten Class of 2012-13 Dinner & Parent Meeting
If you have a student who will be starting Kindergarten in the fall, please plan on attending the Kindergarten Dinner & Parent Meeting. The dinner and meeting for all new 2012-13 Kindergarten students will be Wednesday, February 8th. Spaghetti dinner begins at 5:45 p.m. in the cafeteria and the meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. in the Westwoods Library. For more information, please call Hilary at 933-7970. |
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Noteworthy News
It's Concert Time! Westwoods Elementary School's Third, Fourth, and Fifth Grade students will be sharing their exciting musical activities in performances for family and friends on Thursday, February 16th, at 2:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. in the Westwoods Elementary School Gym.
There will be songs, dances, instruments, and fun creative movement-even a sing along! Please come join us for this Winter Celebration!
Mrs. Pierson (933-5720) and Mrs. Wiliford (933-7979) |
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Westwoods Wonderful Westside Carnival
This year, as in years past, the carnival promises to be a great night for the Westwoods community. The carnival will be held Friday, February 10th.
Carnival Dinner: Dinner will be available starting at 5:30 p.m. Continuing with a great Westwoods tradition, the fifth graders will be in charge of the carnival kitchen. All profits from the kitchen will be used to pay for LOC camp that fifth graders attend in the spring. This camp has long been a tradition at Westwoods and is a super experience for the students. Please help our 5th graders get to camp!
Popcorn Sale: New this year, we will have popcorn for sale. It is a great chance for parents to get a taste of our tasty school popcorn!
Carnival Games: Carnival games will begin at 6:00 p.m. This year, we will have two distinct hallways for games; in the preschool hallway will be games designed for our younger audience (duck pond, lollipop tree, etc.). The difficulty level will jump up a notch in the other hallway. The traditional cake walk and cookie walk will be back as well. |
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Overflowing Lost and Found
Our Lost and Found items are piling up! Next time you are at school take a look to see if anything looks familiar to you! The Lost and Found Tables are located in the hallway outside the cafeteria. |
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Spring "Fun Day" Pictures
Mark your calendars. Timeless Image will be here Thursday, April 19th, for spring "fun day" pictures! Flyers with order forms will be sent home two weeks before picture day. |
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Scholastic Book Fair
Scholastic Book Fair will be at Westwoods, February 20-27, in the Library. Stock up on some good books in preparation for the Reading Month of March and help support the Westwoods Library. |
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Dr. Seuss' Birthday Celebration
It's Dr. Seuss' birthday in March and we're celebrating this special day here at Westwoods on March 1st! Known for his funny rhymes for children, Dr. Seuss wrote and illustrated nearly 50 books of quirky children's verse during his lifetime.
At Westwoods, we invite all students and staff to dress up on March 1st as your favorite whimsical character from any Dr. Seuss books such as The Cat in the Hat, Green Eggs and Ham, Horton Hears a Who, One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish, or many more! We'll be reading Dr. Seuss books, eating green eggs and ham, and enjoying many other fun Dr. Seuss activities throughout the day! |
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Tenth Annual Teacher and Parent Education Series
Northern Michigan Psychiatric Services will deliver presentations from Dr. Sander Weckstein, Board Certified Child, Adolescent, and General Psychiatrist. Presentations will run from 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. at the TC Central High School Library Media Center, 1150 Milliken Drive, on the following dates:
February 7, 2012 “Depression and Bipolar Disorder in Children and Adolescents”
March 6, 2012 “Autism Spectrum Disorders in Children and Adolescents”
All presentations are open to the public and are free of charge. Please call Northern Michigan Psychiatric Service, P.C. at 231-935-0355 for more information. |
When Should I Keep My Child Home from School?
Whenever a child complains of not feeling well on a school day, parents are faced with the decision of whether or not to send the youngster to school. Generally speaking, if a child is sick, he/she should NOT come to school. If your child is vomiting, experiencing diarrhea, has a rash, sore throat or running a fever of 100 degrees or greater, please keep your child home for at least 24 hours after these symptoms are resolved. See the communicable disease chart in Healthy Learner’s section on page 27 of the Handbook for further information.
More School News |
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A big thank you to all the volunteers who "POP" into the school on Fridays to pop popcorn. We popped over 500 bags on Friday, January 20th! A special thank you to PopKies for helping us keep up the weekly popcorn flavors. If you are in downtown T.C., "pop" in and thank them in person!
The February PTO meeting has changed to Tuesday, February 7th, at 6:30 p.m. Free childcare is provided. We hope to see you there!
More PTO News |
Cognitive Ability Testing (CogAT) for TCAPS Talented and Gifted Program
TCAPS will administer the Cognitive Ability Test (CogAT) for any current 3rd grade student in the community at your home school during the February 27 through March 15 timeframe. Specific school testing dates are being developed right now and will be shared via email home to school families and posted on the district web site, www.tcaps.net.
TCAPS Talented and Gifted Program (TAG), provides a learning community where each student is surrounded by a peer group of academically gifted learners throughout the day. Students are screened for the program in the spring of their 3rd grade year. Recommendations for admission to the program are based primarily on test scores, in addition to teacher and parent input. In 4th and 5th grades, students identified as talented and gifted are offered the opportunity to attend a magnet school located at Central Grade School.
TCAPS International School at Bertha Vos Information Night February 9th
TCAPS will host an information meeting on Thursday, February 9, at Acme Township Hall. This meeting is open to all area students and families interested in learning more about programming available at TCAPS International School at Bertha Vos.
Information will be shared according to the following schedule:
Preschool information & enrollment
6:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Grades K–5 information & enrollment
7:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Informal question & answer session
8:00 PM – 9:00 PM
TCAPS is pleased to offer a PreK through 5th Grade International Baccalaureate (IB) Programme* at Bertha Vos for the 2012-2013 school year. The IB Primary Years Programme is recognized throughout the world as an exemplary school structure. It focuses on specific outcomes aligned with an international perspective, immerses students in service- learning, requires daily study in a second language, and utilizes a project-based approach to learning. *TCAPS has applied for ‘candidate’ status to implement the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme on a trial basis for the 2012-2013 school year.
Head Start and TCAPS' Ready "Four" School Programs
Working together to offer classroom opportunities to all area preschool children, ages 3-4 years old by December 1, 2012.
Location and transportation options available at time of application. Applications due by May 31, 2012. For more information or to make an appointment, please call Northwest Michigan Community Action Agency at 231.947.3780 or 800.632.7334.
Congratulations to our Preschool Raffle Winners
The four winners from the January 21 Preschool Raffle Drawing are as follows:
Michelle Nowicki – One Full Year Free Preschool
Julie Zrimec – Half Year Free Preschool
Amanda Kuberski - $1,000 Cash Award
Courtney Kazim - $500 Cash Award
Looking for Volunteers
TCAPS has an immediate need for volunteers for the following programs:
Traverse City Preschool Programs
all school dates/times available
Responsibilities may include outside time, circle time, classroom play, escorting children on frequent trips to the bathroom, clean-up, helping children get dressed for outdoors, and classroom materials prep support. Locations include Central Grade, Cherry Knoll, Courtade, Eastern, Long Lake, Montessori, Old Mission, Silver Lake, Traverse Heights, Westwoods, and Willow Hill Elementary Schools. A Department of Human Services background check, physical, and TB test are required. These are different than the standard TCAPS volunteer application.
Traverse City West Middle School
School Store
M-F 10:30 AM – 1:00 PM or
T/Th 7:10 AM - 7:40 AM
Volunteers will help supervise student volunteers as they stock merchandise, perform sales and run the cash register.
Traverse City East Middle School
After School Study Hour Volunteer
Weekdays 2:37 PM - 4:15 PM
Volunteers will provide supervision of 7th and 8th grade girls' volleyball players before their practice.
Traverse City West Senior High School
Noon Activity Program M-F 10:30 AM - 1:00 PM
The Noon Activity Program offers an opportunity to be a positive adult role model to high school students during the lunch hours. Volunteers are welcome on the day(s) of their choice for all lunch periods or a timeframe of their choice. Volunteers are encouraged to interact with students while helping supervise. Teens play basketball, Wii, cards, ping-pong, board games and more!
TC Central High School
Noon Activity Program (NAP)
M/F 10:30 AM - 12:30 PM &
T/W/Th 10:55 AM - 12:55 PM
Central High School is also looking for a Noon Duty Assistant for the NAP program. This is a paid position. Click here to visit TCAPS jobs. Once there, click on "view our open positions" and in the "search postings" box, type in CHS noon duty.
Library Media Center Support
To become a TCAPS volunteer, please contact TCAPS Volunteer Coordinator, Karyn Hertel, at 231-933-5654 or hertelka@tcaps.net.
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