Dear West Elementary Families,

Happy 2025! I hope the winter break was full of fun, relaxation, and making memories for you and your children. I know that the return to the hustle and bustle can make many of us bittersweet, but I was ready to get myself back into a routine! We are excited to welcome your children back to school tomorrow morning and look forward to a strong second semester full of huge academic growth, new learning, friendships continuing to develop, and fun!

This email contains many of the basics as reminders for each of us. It's an excellent time for us to hit the reset button, recommit ourselves to our goals, and model strong habits for our kids!

So today, it's time to clean out the backpacks, and for heaven's sake, please don't forget those lunch boxes. Label any new water bottles, coats, or hats with first and last names. See if your kids remember their lunch numbers and how they get home from school every day. Turn on your morning alarms, and best of luck getting those littles to bed early. We will not apologize for the second semester being the best yet! Let's do this, Westies!

See you in the morning,

Libby McNamara

School Hours:

Students may not be dropped off before 7:30 am

School starts at 7:50 am

PK Students dismiss at 1:55

K-3 Students dismiss at 2:55

Transportation Numbers

These are VERY important. Every child should have one on their backpack. Every family will have parent tags. Do NOT lose these. You will also use it as a “fast pass” during celebrations at school.

Car Line Information

Arrival and dismissal are two of the busiest times at any elementary school. Please be patient with staff, other families, and your child. We all want to get where we are going safely! More extensive information can be found on our website. 

DROP OFF (AM)

• Follow staff member instructions…we want you to pull ALL THE WAY forward. We can unload A LOT of cars this way!

• Students do NOT need to wait for adults to open the car door. We are there to assist, but if they can open the door, they should do so

• Students should try to exit the car from the DRIVER side.

PICK UP (PM)

• If you pick up a car rider, you MUST have a transportation tag in your window. Students will NOT be released to anyone without that tag

• Please contact the office if you need to change transportation during the day. No changes can be accommodated after 2:00 p.m. 

Buses

• PK Students are not allowed to ride the bus. 

• Students are not allowed to ride buses home with friends. 

• All things transportation can be found HERE.

Communication

• The best way to contact your teacher about your child is by email. Teachers will respond within 24 hours. 

• If you have transportation changes, calling the office is IMPERATIVE. Do NOT depend on classroom teachers to see that during the school day.

Technology

• As a reminder, we do not allow students to have wireless telecommunication devices per BPS policy. Read more about the policy here.

We want your kids at school!! Did you know that missing 10%, or about 2 days each month over a school year, can make it harder to learn to read?

If your child seems anxious about going to school, talk to the teacher or school counselors for advice on making your child feel comfortable and excited about learning. We are here to help!

As a reminder, discomfort doesn't always mean something is bad. Instead, it may mean that it's not fun or ideal and that it's an opportunity to grow. I predict many students will experience some discomfort when returning to school routines from an extended break (we always do!). This is a perfect opportunity to model that we CAN do hard things! Please do not hesitate to reach out if we can assist your family in any way.