April Newsletter
Calendar
April 13: The starts of M-Step testing
April 21: Half Day
April 25: Enrollment Block Party 5:00pm-7:00pm
May 3: 6:00pm Spring Music Concert at Holland High
May 5: 4:30pm-7:00pm Dutch Costume Pick up at HLA
May 6: 9:30am-12:00pm Dutch Costume Pick up at HLA
May 10 & 11: Tulip Time Parades - HALF DAY OF SCHOOL FOR ALL STUDENTS
May 19: West Field Day
May 23: Commencement
May 29: No School - Memorial Day
May 30: Summer Resource Fair at West 3:36pm - 5:30pm
June 5-6*: Half Days|*Last Day of School
Principals Corner
Hello West Families,
Happy Spring to the wonderful West Family! It is hard to believe that we are in the home stretch of the school year. Our 3rd-5th grade students are taking the M-STEP state assessments so please make sure they are getting plenty of sleep and nourishment. Please sign to have your student march in the Tulip Time parade on May 11. if you have not done so already! Anyone marching in the parade must have a costume! There is a link to the information you need in this newsletter. Please mark your calendar for the West Field Day on May 19 with a rain day make-up of May 26. So many fun activities for the students in the final weeks of school.
I am honored for the opportunity to lead West and be a part of this amazing school community. Please reach out to me if you have any needs or concerns pertaining to your students' experience at West.
Yours in Education,
Chad Tolson
Dutch Costume Rental Information
Here is the link to an online story that includes info about costume rental AND a link to an online permission slip for your school:
http://www.hollandpublicschools.org/pub/news/posts/2580
Volunteer Forms
If you are interested in Marching in the Parade with your students class, or volunteering in any year end school activities, you must fill out the attached volunteer form and be approved ahead of time. Please click here: Volunteer form
March Read-A-Thon
Thank you to everyone who participated in the March Read-A-Thon; it was a huge success!
We read 44,355 minutes and raised $9,315 dollars. West also raised the most money of any school in
the district and Mr. Tolson won the Top Principal prize and earned $500 for West. Congratulations to all our Students!
Enrollment Block Party
Tuesday, April 25, 5-7pm at Holland Middle School
We’ll celebrate new students and families to Holland Public Schools and offer assistance to complete online enrollment. EVERY family enrolled in HPS Kindergarten who attends the BLOCK PARTY will get a Summer Goodie Bag with books and fun activities for summer learning! Please click the link to learn more! https://www.hollandpublicschools.org/pub/news/posts/2588
Student Learner Profiles
If you would like to request a specific teacher for the 2023/24 school year, please pick up a Student Learner Profile form in the West front office. Forms are due May 1.
Music
Spring Music Concert for 1st, 3rd (2/3 Grade) and 5th Grade. Wednesday May 3rd at 6:00PM at the Holland High School Performing Arts Center.
PBIS Updates
For the month of April, we are focusing on what the letter “E” stands for in the word POWER. The “E” stands for being Engaged. Students can receive a YELLOW Power Ticket when he/she is caught being an active learner. Again classes are working together to earn that special reward at the end of the week. This is very exciting to see the power tickets are effectively helping kids to be engaged in learning!
Reach for the STARS - Students are striving to earn stars in the cafeteria and on the playground. Students can earn a classroom star for showing POWER expectations in both these locations. If they earn 80% of their stars for the week, they earn an extra recess.
Thank you to our 5th grade Power Squads for helping promote POWER expectations through their Pride and Own your Actions video they created.
Please make sure to talk with your student about our POWER expectations and what they can do at home and school to represent POWER!
OCSN News
This Thursday, April 13th from 4- 6pm the Power H Shop will be open at Longfellow Elementary School 32 E 24th st. This is a store with household items free to Holland Public Families who might be experiencing financial difficulties.
Monday April 17th there is a Feeding America Mobile Food Pantry in collaboration with OCSN starting at 4:30 pm. It is a first come first serve, drive thru with no income verification required.
West will be hosting their second annual Summer Resource Fair on Tuesday, May 30th from dismissal to 5:30 pm in the West Gym! We will have snacks, fun activities and community partners! This is a time to celebrate the end of the year with all our West Families!
Check out the OSCN News Letter here!
PTO News
Hello West Families!
Thank you for participating in the District PTO Read-A-Thon. West raised $9265, read 43,415 minutes, and earned the top principal award of $500. This will go a long way in supporting field trips, classroom cash, staff appreciation and more! Thanks so much to everyone who helped make it a success!
Our next meeting for Monday, April 17 at 5pm HAS BEEN CANCELED. The next meeting will be May 15 at 5:00pm, in the conference room at West. We are planning field day and staff appreciation in May, plus looking ahead to next year. If you can’t make the meeting but would like to stay informed, please email HollandWestPTO@gmail.com.
We also want to thank everyone who supported the recent Book Fair. Thanks to excellent sales, PTO was able to purchase $1000 of books for the library, $500 for classrooms and $250 for the Read-at-Home room. Thank you!
PTO Save the Date:
PTO Meeting - May 15 @ 5pm
Popcorn Friday - April 28 @ 8:30am
Field Day - May 19 (rain date 5/26)