Published: September 22, 2007 11:28 pm            

School Happenings for 9-23-07

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

• Third Grade — Our entire third grade is off to a great start this year. We have been read, read, reading for our AR goals!

To celebrate Constitution Day we all made replicas of our Founding Fathers of the Constitution using 1/2 gallon milk jugs. We think they look real! Besides making replicas, we are singing the preamble, too. Mrs. Gaddis wants to thank Kelvin Williams of the US Army recruiter office for all the great pencils he donated to her class.

• Fifth Grade — Wow! I (Timmie Wells) can’t believe it’s already the fourth week of school. Mrs. Wells’ fifth-grade class is reading “The Sign of the Beaver.” The kids are enjoying the story and enjoying creating wanted posters for the villain in the book.

• Sixth Grade — Westwood Elementary sixth-grade students are off to a great start! We have just completed our Star Testing for Math and Reading, and all students have an Accelerated Reading Point Goal to meet by Oct. 5. Students who meet their point goal will get to attend the big Homecoming Pep Rally at the high school. Also, in Language Arts, our objective is to explore a variety of reading genres. Let’s all read, read, read!

The Sixth Grade Safety Patrol has been on the job for a week. These students are referred by their teachers to help in the morning and afternoon and with special occasions.

Safety patrols help direct students and parents to locations on campus. They help teachers monitor during high traffic periods. These students are role models for the younger students.

This year’s Safety Patrol members are: Courtney Stanhope, Daquinton Anderson, J. T. McLain, Justin Williams, Courtney Lindsey Haylee Morrow, Lakota Lusk, Karson Laningham, Catherine Guillotte, Brittany Johnson, Alicia Stewart, Seth Perry and Chloe Cargill.

• The Learning Circle — This week, TLC, The Learning Circles’ students studied the Constitution as Westwood Elementary students continued to celebrate the anniversary of the U.S. Constitution. Classes read articles and booklets with Mrs. Christian and Mrs. Knowles to learn about the creation of the Constitution in 1787. 

During morning announcements on Tuesday the entire student body sang “The Preamble,” which they learned in music class.

• Science Lab News — Science lab students were hard at work this week. Students began their rotation lab which is a series of experiments that the students conduct in order to learn science lab rules, science lab tools, measurements, and much more. Some experiments included using instant snow, the triple beam balance, and growing frogs.

• Fourth Grade — The fourth-grade classes at Westwood Elementary School have worked really hard this past week learning all we can about the Constitution and our rights. We have learned to sing the Preamble (thanks to Mrs. Fargo, Music), read stories, acted out plays and had a really good time being enlightened about our true rights. We’ve been very busy re-visiting place value in math. Each year, we learn more and more about numbers. This year, we’ve discovered decimals during our trek through the place value maze. Also, our Million Dollar Projects are due on Friday. We are still studying perspectives in reading. We have found out the same story can be seen in different ways depending on who sees and tells it. TAKS Writing is under way and moving smoothly. “Terrific Tuesday” writing lessons are already showing some impressive writing samples. By the time we take the test in March, we should all be writing solid 4’s.

JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL

• Important Dates — Monday, girls volleyball at Mexia; Wednesday, See You at the Pole at 7:30 a.m.

• Box Tops for Education — Westwood Junior High School will participate in the “Box Tops for Education” program. The school will earn cash for each box top brought in. Everyone is encouraged to save their tops and give them to their first period teacher. For a list of which products you can use for this program, you can go to http://www.boxtops4education.com . A list will also be available in the office.

• Student Council Officers — The students, staff, and faculty would like to congratulate the following students for being elected to this year's Student Council: President, Theron Dingas; vice president, Maci Kimbrough; treasurer, Presley Camacho; reporter, Kelly Chappell; and secretary, Emily Gailey.

It was a tight race with many deserving and qualified students. We would like to say thank you for everyone's efforts during this campaign. Mrs. Gotcher, the Content Mastery teacher, is this year's sponsor.

• Exploring Patriotism in Texas History Class — Students in Mrs. Ressler’s Texas History class recently had a chance to explore the meaning of patriotism through the National Anthem. Each student wrote about what the national anthem, “The Star Spangled Banner”, meant to them. David Harris, a seventh grader, was one of the students chosen to spotlight because of his sincerity, according to Mrs. Ressler. The writings were in remembrance of September11.

• Our Nation’s Song by David Harris — The song to me represents our nation’s pride and endurance. That we do not run when danger is at our door. That even when it seems all is lost, hope endures. Most of all, that our country is the strongest, best nation in the world.

• WJHS Fund-raiser — A school-wide fundraiser was kicked off Tuesday on the Junior High campus. The students began selling “Granny’s Gourmet Goodies,” such as cookie dough, cheesecake and gourmet breads.

Students who sell 10 items or more will be rewarded for their sales, not to mention the many bonuses and drawings along the way.

Money will need to be collected when the order is taken and the deadline for the fundraiser will be September 27. Mr. Shepperd, WJHS principal, announced Wednesday if the school reaches its goal of $25,000, he will even dye his hair orange! Profits from the sale will be used for academic incentives/rewards and activities and instructional support. For any questions concerning the fundraiser, please contact vranderson@westwoodisd.net or call 903-723-0423.

PRIMARY SCHOOL

• Character Club — The following students were named as Character Club members for the week of Sep. 10-14 because they demonstrated the character trait, “Good Learning”: Ma’Shayla Owens, Jordan Howell, Haley Gray, Autumn Baublet, Jerius Fuller, Monica Sanchez, Brynn Bowden, D’Micheal Bellfield, Shane Moser, Darius Turner, Montrina Towns, Evelyn Alfaro, Kameron Collier, Jacob Daniels, Cheyenne Oakley, Melissa Springer, Javarus Simmons and Jose Najera.

• Head Start News — We are learning how to take great care of our teeth. We have learned which foods are good and which are bad for our teeth. We have learned which foods help keep our teeth clean.

Most importantly, we’ve learned how to brush our teeth, and we get to brush our teeth every day. If you do not brush your teeth, you will get cavities. So, take care of your teeth!

        

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