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January 11, 2021
Dear Upper Elementary Families,
Happy New Year! I hope everyone was able to relax and enjoy family time during the holiday season. The students at the Upper Elementary have been doing an outstanding job attending meets and completing work during remote learning. I know remote learning can be challenging, but the teachers and staff appreciate all you’re doing to make this work.
I wanted to update everyone on some schedule changes to our calendar that will affect upcoming Parent/Teacher conferences. The half days that are scheduled for Parent/Teacher conferences on the calendar for February 4th, 5th, & 11th will now be full days of school. We’re hoping that our kids will be back in school and we don’t want them to be out of school more than necessary. We would like to keep some consistency for them upon returning to in-person learning. Report cards will be sent home with your child on Friday, February 5th or they will be mailed if we are learning remotely. Your child’s teacher will reach out to you if there are any particular concerns, and you are certainly welcome to contact your child’s teacher to discuss your concerns just as we encourage you to do throughout the year. We’re hoping that this will alleviate scheduling and child care issues for families, but we certainly want to keep the lines of communication open.
Please reach out to me or your child’s teacher if you have any questions or concerns. Thank you for all your patience and understanding as we navigate through these challenging times.
Best,
Trevor Haskell
Upper Elementary School Principal
October 2020 Students of the Month - click here.
November 13, 2020
Dear Upper Elementary Families,
In response to the recent spike in cases in our area, and as Mr. Migliori has stated this past week, we are planning to transition to 100 percent remote learning for one full week as we return from Thanksgiving break (November 30 - December 4), and Winter break (January 4 - January 8). The Upper Elementary building expects to resume in-school classes on Monday, December 7 and Monday, January 11, respectively.
The students and staff continue to adjust as necessary as we proceed through this challenging time, and have shown resilience with respect to wearing masks in the classrooms and remaining socially distant throughout the day.
With the holiday season rapidly approaching, I want to take another opportunity to update our school families on the upcoming district plans and expectations regarding the transition to remote learning, as well as answer any questions you may have. This coming Monday, November 16th, I will once again be hosting grade-level Google Meets. Below, you will find the times for each grade-level meeting, as well as a link. The live link below will be active 10 minutes prior to the start of the first meeting. This link will also be uploaded to the district website and will be posted in all of the students’ Google Classrooms.
Meeting Link: Click here
Meeting Times:
3rd Grade - 5:00 - 5:25 p.m.
4th Grade - 5:30 - 5:55 p.m.
5th Grade - 6:00 - 6:25 p.m.
6th Grade - 6:30 - 6:55 p.m.
Thank you for your continued support. I look forward to seeing you all Monday night.
Trevor Haskell
Upper Elementary School Principal
October 21, 2020
In anticipation of Halloween, the Upper Elementary School is celebrating “Halloween Spirit Week” the week of October 26.
Students and staff are encouraged to participate by following these themes:
Monday, October 26 – Hat Day (wear a crazy hat or your favorite hat)
Tuesday, October 27 – Crazy Socks Day (wear mismatching socks or any fun socks)
Wednesday, October 28 – Westmo Colors Day (get out that green and white to represent Westmo)
Thursday, October 29 – Halloween Colors Day (wear your orange and black or Halloween festive outfit)
Friday, October 30 – Dress as Your Favorite Book Character Day
Remote learners are welcome to participate as well!
Click here to view a flyer for “Halloween Spirit Week.”
September 2020 Students of the Month - click here.
October 8, 2020
Dear Upper Elementary Parents/Guardians,
The school year is off to a great start. The students have done a tremendous job transitioning back to school and are working hard each day. For the 2020-2021 school year, the Upper Elementary will be switching from 6-week report cards to 10-week report cards. Below, you will find the new report card issue dates.
Report Card #1 – November 20, 20205th/6th Progress Reports – December 18, 2020
Report Card #2 – February 4, 2021
5th/6th Progress Reports – March 18, 2021
Report Card #3 – April 23, 2021
5th/6th Progress Reports – May 28, 2021
Report Card #4 – June 24, 2021
In the meantime, teachers have been advised to reach out to families with any academic or behavior concerns they may be noticing with your child. If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to your child’s classroom teacher. Fifth and sixth grade teachers will continue to send progress reports, but they will be sent at the 5-week mark. Those dates are listed above.
Thank you for all of your support as we provide the best learning experience for our students.
Sincerely,
Trevor Haskell
Upper Elementary School Principal
Click here to read a PDF version of this letter.
October 5, 2020
Dear Parents and Guardians,
We would like to inform you that beginning today, ALL students will be required to transport their Chromebooks TO AND FROM SCHOOL EACH DAY. Students will also be provided one charger to bring home – Chromebooks should be charged every night, so when they bring them back to school they will be fully charged and ready to use for the day.
Students will be able to access IXL Math and Raz-Kids, as well as Google Classroom.
This step is being implemented only out of an abundance of caution in order to maintain a level of preparedness should the district be forced abruptly to switch back to remote learning. Please know that no decisions to do so are currently being made, but as Mr. Migliori has stated, the situation is constantly being updated, so we are hoping to do what we can to remain prepared and vigilant.
Please be sure your student(s) are charging their devices at night and bringing them back to school every day.
Thank you all for your continued support.
Trevor Haskell
Upper Elementary School Principal
Click here to read a PDF version of this letter.
September 25, 2020
Dear Upper Elementary Families,
We are three weeks into the 2020-2021 school year and it is evident that the students are excited to be back, whether they are learning in-person or remotely. The students and staff have adjusted to the “new norms” of wearing masks in the classrooms and remaining socially distant throughout the day.
On Monday, September 28, I will be hosting grade-level Google Meets to update families on any changes that have occurred in the specific grade-level as well as answer any questions families may have. Below, you will see the times for each grade-level meeting as well as a link. There will be a live link on this letter that is uploaded to the district website and the link will be posted in all of the students’ Google Classrooms.
Meeting Link: meet.google.com/sth-qkae-phm
Phone Number: 1-929-399-6234
Phone PIN: 477 397 295#
Meeting Times:
3rd Grade – 5:00-5:25 p.m.
4th Grade – 5:30-5:55 p.m.
5th Grade – 6:00-6:25 p.m.
6th Grade – 6:30-6:55 p.m.
Thank you for all of your support as we continue to provide the best education to our students during these challenging times. I look forward to seeing you Monday night.
Trevor Haskell
Upper Elementary School Principal
September 15, 2020
Dear Parents/Guardians:
Please keep your child home and/or contact your child’s doctor for:
-Fever greater than 100.0 degrees (your child needs to be fever free without medication for at least 24 hours to return to school)
-Coughing
-Sore throat
-Vomiting and/or diarrhea within the last 24 hours
-Headache
-Fatigue or muscle/body aches
-Loss of taste or smell
-Congestion or runny nose (without diagnosis of allergies)
*These are the same reasons that you may be contacted to pick up your child from school.*
During the COVID-19 pandemic, it can be hard to know when to send children to school. Usually, the best place for them is in school, but there are some times when keeping them home to rest or calling your health care provider for further direction is recommended.
If your child has any of the symptoms noted above, he/she will need to stay home from school until:
-He/she is fever and symptom free for at least 24 hours.
AND
-He/she has been seen by a medical provider who has diagnosed him/her with a condition other than COVID-19. We will need a return to school note stating the condition and that the student is “free from communicable disease.”
OR
-He/she has a COVID test and a negative result is provided to school. Your student will need to remain home until the test result is available. A negative test result needs to be sent to school and reviewed prior to your student returning.
OR
-You can keep your student home for 14 days from the onset of symptoms.
This information is from the Westmoreland Central School District’s COVID-19 Reopening Safety Plan. Click here to view the plan.
Thank you in advance. If you have any questions, please contact me at (315) 557-2631.
Sincerely,
Sabrina Verdgeline, RN
School Nurse
Upper Elementary School
September 7, 2020
Click here to watch three videos explaining how Upper Elementary School students must be dropped off and picked up to/from school.
Dear 3rd Grade Students and Families,
We would like to welcome all of the incoming 3rd graders to the Westmoreland Upper Elementary School. My name is Trevor Haskell and I am the new building principal. The staff is excited to have all of you join our building and we can’t wait to begin the school year. The district administration and staff have been working diligently on plans to safely reopen the building this fall.
On behalf of the third grade team (Mrs. Kirk, Ms. Mayenzet, & Mrs. Riggles), we would like to invite you to our 3rd Grade Orientation Night on Tuesday, September 1, at the Upper Elementary School. In order to follow safety guidelines, I have split the orientation into three groups based on assigned classes. To ensure safety among everyone, we ask that you please attend the assigned time slot and wear your mask at all times inside the building.
Mrs. Kirk - 5:00-5:30 PM
5:00 - 5:05 - Introductions (UE Gymnasium)
5:05 - 5:25 - Students go on school tour with Mrs. Kirk; Parents meet with Mr. Haskell
Ms. Mayenzet - 5:30-6:00 PM
5:30 - 5:35 - Introductions (UE Gymnasium)
5:35 - 5:55 - Students go on school tour with Ms. Mayenzet; Parents meet with Mr. Haskell
Mrs. Riggles - 6:00-6:30 PM
6:00 - 6:05 - Introductions (UE Gymnasium)
6:05 - 6:25 - Students go on school tour with Mr. Agosto; Parents meet with Mr. Haskell
***Please plan to complete and return the Student Information Form on Orientation Night.***
Trevor Haskell
Upper Elementary Principal
Click here to view a PDF version of this letter.
August 24, 2020
The Upper Elementary School is planning for in-class learning on September 8, however all students must pick-up Chromebooks/textbooks just in case the district is instructed to begin classes virtually. Families with students in multiple grades may pick-up all student items at one time.
Please be mindful of social distancing and wear a mask!
Pick-up Day
Monday, August 31
Upper Elementary School Parking Lot
Grade 3: 4:00-4:30 p.m.
Grade 4: 4:30-5:00 p.m.
Grade 5: 5:00-5:30 p.m.
Grade 6: 5:30-6:00 p.m.
Click here to view a flyer.
August 24, 2020
Dear Parents/Guardians,
As we begin this year, we will continue to face challenges together. We’re hoping this information will provide the guidelines for instruction that will help us all work together to ensure kids continue to learn and grow throughout the school year.
What you can expect from us:● Chromebooks will be distributed prior to the first day of school.
● Students will have access to Chromebooks and use of Google Classroom.
● Device support - If you’re having trouble connecting or need tech support, you can contact Tech Support at techsupport@westmorelandschool.org
● Teachers and support staff are available to assist with strategies for reluctant learners and behavior, if needed.
● Special Education/504 services and accommodations will be provided to students.
● Special Areas will post lessons as well as provide live meetings.
Student Expectations:
● Remote Learners - Students will be responsible for logging into their classroom and/or attending meetings with teachers at their scheduled times daily.
● Students will complete the learning tasks that grade level teachers assign.
● Students will be responsible for logging into any online learning tools (IXL and Raz-Kids) that have been assigned by the teacher.
● In Person Learning - Students will be expected to wear masks in school. Breaks will be offered by teachers throughout the day. Students will practice good hygiene, hand washing and social distancing.
● Students are expected to attend school each day, unless excused by parent/guardian, whether they are learning remotely or in person. Attendance will be taken.
Parents:
● Remote Learners - Parents will support/establish a daily schedule that will develop a positive routine for learning each day. Parents will promote positive behavior during online learning in class or small groups. Parents will support their children to stay on task, but allow children to complete their own work. Struggle is part of learning!
● Parents will reach out to teachers as needed.
This may be a helpful resource for you:
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1PDVZvie0DnFbFEVFB8U3j89o1mD5BCUXTE6ymbb9y_k/mobilepresent?slide=id.g4f60ec15fb_1_0
Please don’t hesitate to reach out for anything. We will support you in any way possible! Thank you so much for all your support and commitment to learning.
Stay healthy!
Best Regards,
Mary Anne O’Connell – Primary Elementary School Principal
Trevor Haskell – Upper Elementary School Principal
July 21, 2020
Dear Parents, Staff, Students, and Stakeholders:
It is with great pleasure and excitement that I have become a member of the Westmoreland Community! I am honored to embark upon my role as the Principal of the Westmoreland Upper Elementary School, and I look forward to working with the students, staff and community to further student success.
I have lived most of my life in the Mohawk Valley region and have never wanted to leave this special area of New York. My own educational experiences have inspired me to become an educator. I graduated from St. Bonaventure University in 2015 and accepted a second-grade teaching position in the Oneida City School District before moving to the Vernon-Verona-Sherrill Central School District where I have taught third and fourth grade for the past four years. In 2018, I earned my Master’s degree in Elementary Education. My decision to become an administrator came from a desire to make a positive impact on an entire school, not just my classroom of students.
The students of Westmoreland are the future, and it takes all of us to be actively involved in their education. I encourage you to help our students to meet and exceed the expectations we have set for them. I am very much looking forward to meeting the great families and faculty of the Westmoreland Central School District over the course of the 2020-2021 school year. Just know my door is always open to help support you and focus on what is best for our students. Please continue to be on the lookout for more information regarding the district's plans for the fall and don’t forget that the Upper Elementary Library is open on Tuesdays from 9:00a - 12:00p.
Respectfully,
Trevor Haskell
Upper Elementary School Principal
Click here to read the letter in PDF format.
May 2020 Students of the Month - click here.
April 2020 Students of the Month - click here.
May 13, 2020
Dear Parents/Guardians:
It is with great enthusiasm and optimism that I announce I am leaving my principalship at the Upper Elementary School, and starting July 1, I will begin my new position as Director of Pupil Personnel/Curriculum K-12 for the Westmoreland Central School District.
This decision was a very difficult one to make, as my team and I have worked hard and tirelessly the past two years to build the Upper Elementary School learning community and climate to where it stands today. The Westmoreland staff and community have been so supportive over the last two years, and I can’t wait to continue the hard work and strive for excellence in this new role. I will miss leading the Upper Elementary team, and I will certainly miss all of my students. However, I look forward to expanding my role and building new relationships with even more staff and students in all grades, Pre-K-12. As you may know, Westmoreland is my home district, and this new role provides an opportunity for me to make a deeper, positive change in my own community.
I will continue to work with my teams over the next few months to maintain and wrap up our 2019-2020 goals and establish a vision for the future of the Upper Elementary School. I will also continue to work closely with Superintendent Migliori, Mr. Healy and our administrative team to make sure this is a smooth transition.
Thank you to everyone for all the support as we continue to do what’s best for kids!
Stephen J. Polera
Upper Elementary School Principal
Click here to read the letter in PDF format.
April 2, 2020
Fourth Marking Period Honor Roll - click here.
April 1, 2020
Letter from Upper Elementary Principal Regarding Online Learning - click here.
March 2020
Letter from Upper Elementary Principal Regarding COVID-19 (coronavirus) and Precautions - click here.
February and March 2020 Students of the Month - click here.
Third Marking Period Honor Roll - click here.
January 2020 Students of the Month - click here.
Second Marking Period Honor Roll - click here.
January 2020
Letter from Upper Elementary Principal Regarding the Winter Reading Challenge - click here.
December 2019 Students of the Month - click here.
October and November 2019 Students of the Month - click here.
First Marking Period Honor Roll - click here.
November 2019
Dear Parents and Guardians:
Just a reminder, ALL students are still earning their way to a “Movie/Popcorn Holiday Celebration.” Students will earn the first school-wide incentive by following our school-wide rules, “The Bulldog Four.”
The Bulldog Four:
I will be responsible.
I will give my best effort.
I will be respectful & kind.
I will be safe.
Teachers will be collecting data from November 18, 2019-December 18, 2019. The “Holiday Movie/Popcorn” incentive will be held on Friday, December 20, 2019, in the Jr./Sr. High Auditorium.
Our first Grade 5 and Grade 6 Fun Night will be on Friday, November 15, 2019, from 6:00-7:30 p.m.
Our school Bookstore is Now Open! “The Doghouse” is currently open during lunch periods. Many items, including school supplies, Westmoreland and Bulldog swag apparel and t-shirts are available.
If you are interested in volunteering, please call the school at (315) 557-2617. Check out our website for updates, and we're also on Twitter @WestmoUpperElem. If you have any concerns, please feel free to contact me at school.
Stephen Polera
Principal
To view a PDF version of this message, click here.
October 2019
Letter from Upper Elementary Principal Regarding the Fall Reading Challenge - click here.
September 2019 Students of the Month - click here.
