West PreK-5th Grade Elementary

School Start Time

Reminder:  Please bring your student to school on time!  The warning recess bell rings at 8:35am.  School begins at 8:40am.  Any student that comes in after the school start time will be marked tardy.  If students need to have breakfast they must be dropped off before 8:35.  We appreciate your help and conscientiousness of our school start time.

STEM Donations Needed

Our STEM program could use your help!  Holland has expanded the STEM program this year to reach kids K-8!  We are in constant need of supplies.  Paper towel tubes, toilet paper tubes, pill bottles, oatmeal containers, shoe boxes and cereal boxes are in high demand right now!  Please bring your items into the office, where a STEM donation box will be placed.  Thank you for your help!

Lost & Found

Lost and Found is taken away at the end of each month and donated to a local charity.  Please check the rack in the front entryway daily!

Winter Gear

Please make sure to label all of your students outerwear (coat, mittens, hat, snow pants, boots, etc.) with his/her name.  There are a lot of mix ups and lost items during the winter months.  If things are not labeled with a student name, most times the items are not returned to the correct owner.  If your student is in need of any items please contact Jen Timmer.  The office does not have items to borrow so please make sure your student has what they need every day. 

Hand Washing  

Hand washing is an easy, inexpensive, and effective way to prevent the spread of germs and keep people healthy.  It is simple enough for even very young children to understand. Hand washing gives children and adults a chance to take an active role in their own health. Families can stay healthy by:

• Teaching them good hand washing technique
• Reminding their kids to wash their hands
• Washing their own hands with their kids

Miles of Smiles

The Miles of Smiles dental van will be here again on October 22.  Forms are in the school office.  This is a free, No Cost, dental service for children who have Medicaid Insurance/Healthy Kids Dental or those uninsured who:

• Live or attend school in Ottawa County
• Do not have a dentist
• Have not had a dental checkup in the last 6 months
• Are on free/reduced lunch

POWER- Playground Expectations

• PLAY safe keep hands and feet to self
• GOOD sportsmanship
• BRING IN what you take out
• LINE UP when whistle blows

What’s Happening at West

Students from Mrs. Kooyer’s third grade class teamed up with Ms. McFarland’s Kindergarten class for the first time to meet as Reading Buddies. 

School Start Time

Reminder:  Please bring your student to school on time!  The warning recess bell rings at 8:35am.  School begins at 8:40am.  Any student that comes in after the school start time will be marked tardy.  If students need to have breakfast they must be dropped off before 8:35.  We appreciate your help and conscientiousness of our school day.

Penny War!

Please help the West PTO raise money to support field trips, family events, teacher appreciation and more!  Bring money during conferences to put in containers or send money into school during the penny war. Put your dollars and cents in beginning on October 8 and ending on October 17.

Parent Teacher Conferences

The Fall Parent-Teacher Conferences schedule for the week is as follows:

• Thursday, October 11- 12:00pm-3:00pm All students are dismissed at 11:40am   
• Tuesday, October 16- 3:50pm-6:50pm Full Day of Classes for all Students 

The Scholastic Book Fair is also being held during conferences times in the West Media Center.

Miles of Smiles

The Miles of Smiles dental van will be here again on October 22.  Forms are in the school office.  This is a free, No Cost, dental service for children who have Medicaid Insurance/Healthy Kids Dental or those uninsured who:

• Live or attend school in Ottawa County
• Do not have a dentist
• Have not had a dental checkup in the last 6 months
• Are on free/reduced lunch

Pops for Tops Winners 

We have our first official "Pops for Tops" box top winner!  Mrs. Hildebrand's class took the crown for the month of September, with 262 box tops.  West had one of the best box top months to date, with 1327 box tops turned in total. (For you competitive folks, there was only a 16 point difference between the top three classes.  Mrs. Kooyer’s was in second place and Mrs. Witters in third.)    Thank you to those that have volunteered to cut; we have another turn in date the end of October!  Keep those box tops coming in!

POWER- Hallway Expectations

• WALKING feet
• WALK with a purpose    
• QUIET  voices
• Keep hands & feet TO SELF and EYES looking forward

What’s Happening at West

Two of our Varsity Football players came to read with Mrs. Mierle-Kruggel’s 2^nd grade class.  Sophia Porretta was excited to have her brother Andrew come and join her class!

Office Hours

The West office is open from 8:10am-4:30pm, Monday-Friday, during the school calendar year.  Anything outside of those hours are by appointment only.

Penny War!

Please help the West PTO raise money to support field trips, family events, teacher appreciation and more!  Bring money during conferences to put in containers or send money into school during the penny war. Put your dollars and cents in beginning on October 8 and ends on October 17.

School Attendance

Our school day at West starts at 8:40am sharp!  We have been experiencing a large number of students coming in late in the morning.  Attendance is based on the number of minutes that a student is in school not the number of days a child is in school.  Tardy’s accumulated will lead to absenteeism which will lead to a truancy report being filed.  Please make every effort to have your student here on time.  Remember that the building opens at 8:10am and every student can come and eat free breakfast before school starts.  Thank you for your assistance!

Can you Help? Rescheduled

On October 12 at 9am the Read At Home book for the RAH room will not be here.  There has been a delay in the delivery of the books. Please stay tuned for the reschedule date.  Thank you!

Staff Appreciation Lunch

Hello, Holland West PTO needs your help! We would like to show our teachers and support staff appreciation for all they do for our children by providing a lunch during parent teacher conferences.  We are asking you to take a look at the items needed and if you are willing and able to help, please sign up. Items would need to be to the school on the 11^th of October no later than 10am. Please label any dishes/ serving pieces and pick them up promptly (by the end of the school day on Friday).  Thank you in advance for helping us say thank you to our staff!   -Julie Smith and the West PTO

Classroom/Office Needs

Cold and Flu season is just around the corner.  If you are able to send your student in with Kleenex, hand sanitizer, and/or disinfectant wipes for the classroom or West office the staff would appreciate it VERY much! 

Parent Teacher Conferences

The Fall Parent-Teacher Conferences schedule for the week is as follows:

• Tuesday, October 9- 3:50pm-6:50pm Full Day of Classes for all Students 
•  Thursday, October 11- 12:00pm-3:00pm All students are dismissed at 11:40am   
• Tuesday, October 16- 3:50pm-6:50pm Full Day of Classes for all Students 

Scholastic Book Fair

The fall Scholastic Book Fair is almost here! It will be held during conference times on October 9, 11 & 16 listed above.  Students will be able to preview with their class during library times on October 4 & 8 so keep an eye out for those wish lists!

Life Services

A reminder to the families of students who are part of the Life Services morning programming: the outside doors open at 7:25am and lock 10 minutes later at 7:35am.  If your student arrives after the 7:35am time they will not be able to enter the building until 8:10am.  Please contact the Life Services System Coordinator Lisa Lindemulder with any questions.

What’s Happening at West

Every week, third graders in Mrs. Kooyer’s class look forward to Fridays. Every Friday, we have “chocolate talk.”  This is where we combine hot chocolate and donuts along with reading Scholastic News. This is a great opportunity to build our knowledge in current events and non-fiction articles. 

Office Hours

The West office is open from 8:10am-4:30pm, Monday-Friday, during the school calendar year.  Anything outside of those hours are by appointment only.

Student Count Day

Student count day is this coming Wednesday, October 3.  Please make every effort to have your student at school that day!  All public schools get their funding from the State of Michigan based on the count taken twice a year and this is the first one!  We appreciate your dedication to the education of your student.

PBIS

West proudly implements Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS). This support system promotes methods of identification and support of positive behaviors.  One of the ways we do this is by using POWER tickets (Pride, Own your actions, Wise Choices, Engaged, Respect) When students are using West POWER they get a ticket which goes into a weekly drawing.  We are in need of prizes for these weekly drawings.  If you are able to give a monetary donation, or small items, toward the PBIS fund please have your student bring it to the office labeled PBIS.  The suggested monetary amount is $10 per family.  If you are able to give more, wonderful, but if a family is not able to give we just appreciate the positive support from home!

Parent Teacher Conferences

The Fall Parent-Teacher Conferences schedule for the week is as follows:

• Tuesday, October 9- 3:50pm-6:50pm Full Day of Classes for all Students 
•  Thursday, October 11- 12:00pm-3:00pm All students are dismissed at 11:40am   
• Tuesday, October 16- 3:50pm-6:50pm Full Day of Classes for all Students 

*The Scholastic Book Fair will be held in the West Media Center during the Parent Teacher Conference hours.

Life Services

A reminder to the families of students who are part of the Life Services morning programming: the outside doors open at 7:25am and lock 10 minutes later at 7:35am.  If your student arrives after the 7:35am time they will not be able to enter the building until 8:10am.  Please contact the Life Services System Coordinator Lisa Lindemulder with any questions.

Title 1 Parent Meeting

Dr. Ramirez will host a Title 1 Parent Meeting on Monday, October 1 from 6pm-7pm in the West Media Center.  She will review the curriculum and answer any questions you may have on your child's education. Dr. Ramirez will also cover ways that may help your student in reading and math.

Can you Help?

On October 12 at 9am there will be 10,000 books that will be going into the West RAH (Read At Home) room.  These books will ALL need to have card pockets and cards put in them so students can check the books out to bring home.  Any time you have to give will be much appreciated!  The more people the less time it will take!  If you have any questions please call Vicki Shearer at 616-834-1092.  Thank you for your help!

Box Tops

Pops for Tops!  Our first box top collection is this week Friday, September 28.  All box tops have expiration dates, and many are expiring November 1, so take a moment and check the dates and see if any of your box tops are expiring soon!  The class with the most box tops turned in for our pick up in September will get tootsie pops!  Box tops can be sent in throughout the year. If you are interested in cutting and counting box tops, please contact Amy Maatman. Your help is much appreciated!

School Nurse 5K Run/Walk

Holland Hospital’s 6^th annual School Nurse 5K Run/Walk is Thursday!  Check-In opens at 4:30pm at Holland High School and the Run/Walk start time is 6pm.  The route is not closed off, so children 12 and under MUST be accompanied by an adult.  Information or question can be answered  by contacting our school nurse, Jen Yoder, or go to the Run/Walk website or Facebook page for more information and to sign up.

What’s Happening at West

West had a LOT of Spirit last week!  Here are a few pictures of SuperHeros and those that were Dressed for Success!