Westhill Weekly News

Westhill Weekly News

May 5, 2025

 

 

This week, the PTSA is excited to celebrate our amazing Westhill staff!

teacher appreciation week clipart

While a schedule of activities has been planned, we also welcome and encourage you to share how you and your culture traditionally honor educators and staff. Your unique ideas and contributions can help us make this celebration even more meaningful and inclusive for our wonderful team.

 

STATE TESTING (SBA) starts THIS WEEK

This week, students in grades 3-5 will begin the Smarter Balanced Assessment (SBA). While this is a state-wide assessment, at elementary it is not high stakes for the student or staff. We ask students to just do their best and not stress about it. If anything, it is designed at this age to inform schools on what areas within the common core state standards they are teaching to mastery, and which areas they can work harder on. Parents, here is how you can best prepare your children.

  • ensure your child has enough sleep
  • provide a healthy, well-balanced breakfast & lunch
  • arrives at school on time
  • do NOT apply stress- just encourage students try their best

screenshot of Westhill SBA Calendar

 

Dear Westhill Families,

Spring brings sunshine, excitement, and fresh energy to our school community—but it can also bring stress and uncertainty as we begin thinking about the year ahead. This season often raises important questions:

  • Who will my child’s teacher be?
  • Will they have friends in their class?
  • Will my child feel seen, safe, and valued?
  • What will next year look like?

 

These questions are valid and expected. I recognize that I may have the privilege of more certainty, knowing I will likely return as your principal next fall. But I also understand that many of you are navigating unknowns, and that can feel heavy. Please know: you are not alone.

As we look ahead to the upcoming school year, I want to thank you for your continued partnership and support. Each new year brings a fresh opportunity for growth—not only for our students but also for our teaching teams and practices. With that in mind, I want to share a few important updates and reminders.

First, thank you to everyone who submitted input on student groupings for next fall. The survey is now closed, with 80 thoughtful entries. Your voices are appreciated and will help guide our planning. That said, our staffing and grade configurations are driven by enrollment, which may continue to shift over the next few months. While we will do our best to honor your input, we cannot guarantee that every request will be met.

As with any vibrant school community, change is inevitable—and we’ve already seen several shifts in our staff makeup, and it’s only May. Each spring, we reflect on our practices and adapt to meet the evolving needs of our students. Change can be challenging, but it also offers an opportunity for growth, renewal, and innovation. That said, transitions often invite speculation—and lately, we've noticed an increase in rumors and misinformation circulating about specific grades, staff, and routines. I want to gently remind our community that when we don’t have the full story, our minds often try to fill in the blanks. That’s natural—but it can also be harmful.

Let’s recommit to our WESTHILL WAYI am Respectful. I am Responsible. I am Safe. I Belong.

These values should guide not only our actions—but also our conversations. If a story is not yours to tell, it’s not yours to pass on. Social media and word-of-mouth can feel like quick ways to get information, but they often lack the full picture. If something doesn’t sit right or you have a concern, we ask that you come to us directly. We’re here. We’re listening. We’re committed to transparency and to working through challenges together.

Westhill is a strong, compassionate, and close-knit community. Let’s stay grounded in that strength—not in speculation. Let’s continue to show up for one another and build each other up—especially during times of change.

Thank you for your trust, your partnership, and your belief in our shared work. Our team is here, showing up each day for your children’s growth and well-being—and we’re excited for what’s ahead!

 

Upcoming Events

Example calendar with dates pinned

Tuesday, 5/6 @ 5:30-6:30 pm Kindergarten Readiness Night

Wednesday, 5/7 is a FULL DAY. We will have ROUND UP! at 3:15-3:45. Please let us know ASAP if your student will not be on campus at that time- especially our 5th grade leaders.

Thursday, 5/8 @ 5:00pm TRACK & FIELD MEET @ Kenmore MS

STAY TUNED: Accelerated Math (HiCap) Parent Info. coming soon!

 

hello spring clipart

SPRING is HERE!

What a beautiful week it's been outside! With more sunshine in the forecast, we’re all enjoying the signs of spring—longer days, warmer weather, and, of course, more active and playful recess time. With that increased energy, however, we sometimes see behaviors pop up that, while they may seem playful on the surface, can actually be hurtful or exclusionary to others.

One recurring example is the “Cheese Touch,” made popular by Diary of a Wimpy Kid. For those unfamiliar, it’s a fictional game where the person with the "Cheese Touch" is socially avoided until they can "pass it on" by touching someone else. What may seem like harmless fun in the movie or book actually mirrors real social dynamics—ones that can lead to ostracizing and hurt feelings.

In essence, the “Cheese Touch” becomes a metaphor for exclusion. It’s a way children sometimes rationalize why certain classmates are left out or picked on—even when those classmates haven’t done anything wrong. Unfortunately, even with class discussions and reminders, versions of this game still make their way onto the playground year after year.

Please know that we take these situations seriously. When students report incidents—whether or not they see the follow-up—we do respond and address the issue with care and consistency.

We appreciate your support in talking with your child about the importance of inclusion and kindness. Spring is a wonderful time to grow—not just in nature, but also in how we treat one another.

 

 

photo of front of Westhill Elementary

Contact info

If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact us. If you need to change your child's dismissal plans- PLEASE CALL THE OFFICE not the classroom. Our teachers rarely have time to check their email or answer phones while teaching. You can reach out via the following links:

  • (425) 408-5500 front office
  • (425) 408-5510 attendance line
  • www.nsd.org/westhill
  • staff contact hours: 9:00 - 4:30