westmere elementary newsletter - Guilderland Central School District

WESTMERE ELEMENTARY 

NEWSLETTER 

http:/www.guilderlandschools.org/westmere/Westhome.htm 

NOVEMBER 2013 

Mrs. Beth Bini 

Principal 

Dear Parents, 

November is often considered a time for “being thankful” and caring for others. This 

month, Westmere is demonstrating kindness for one of our youngest students Dylan Conboy. 

Dylan was diagnosed with Leukemia at the age of three. However, in most ways, Dylan is just 

like any other kindergarten student. He loves coming to school, riding the big yellow bus and 

playing with his friends. 

From November 4-22, Westmere will be participating in the “Pennies for Pasta” fundraiser 

by collecting loose change for the Leukemia and Lymphoma society. Each child will have a small 

orange collection box for collecting coins. Money raised will stay in the capital region, going 

directly to the local chapter of the Leukemia and Lymphoma society for research purposes. 

Children are not expected to collect door to door, but rather drop in loose change found in the car, 

couch cushions, dad’s dresser or mom’s purse. The Leukemia society will host a kick off assembly 

at Westmere on Friday Nov. 1, teaching us more about this blood disorder in a child friendly, age 

appropriate way. Look for more information in the parent letters coming home on Friday, 

including a letter from Dylan’s mom, Mrs. Conboy. 

During this month of thankfulness, Westmere wishes you and your family health and happiness. 

Happy Thanksgiving. 

Sincerely, 

Beth Bini 

SCHOOL OFFICE HOURS 

7:30 A.M.-3:30 P.M. 

Telephone: 456-3771 

Secretaries: 

Mrs. Marie Wark 

Mrs. Laura Lawton

IMPORTANT DATES TO 

REMEMBER 

November 5 Parent-Teacher Conference Day 

NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS 

November 5 PTA Bake Sale 

November 5 BOE Meeting 7:00 PM HS LGI 

November 11 VETERAN’S DAY NO SCHOOL 

November 12 Building Cabinet 2:15 PM Room 113 

November 14 11:30 Dismissal-K-5 Parent-Teacher 

Conferences 

Building Project Vote-7:00 AM-9:00 PM 

All Elementary Schools 

November 15 PE Family Fun Night 6-8 PM 

November 19 PTA Mtg. 6:00 PM 

BOE Mtg. 7:00 PM HS LGI 

November 22 School Picture retake day 

November 27- THANKSGIVING RECESS- 

29 NO SCHOOL 

December 3 

December 6 

December 10 

December 14 

9:00 Bus Evacuation Drill & Peaceful 

School bus activity 

PTA Craft Night 6:00 PM Cafeteria 

BOE Mtg. 7:00 HS LGI 

PTA Fundraiser Barnes & Noble 

 

 

 

 

day. Make sure your child has breakfast 

every morning before coming to school. 

Eat healthy foods. Fruits and vegetables 

have important vitamins we need to 

help fight germs. 

Exercise and fresh air also helps to keep 

the germs away. No matter how cold it 

gets, a half hour of exercise and fresh 

air helps to keep your child healthy. 

Obtaining enough sleep is important for 

your child to learn. Most elementary 

children need at least 8 hours of sleep to 

feel refreshed for the next day. Lack of 

sleep interferes with the learning 

process as well as decreases the immune 

system. 

Your child should be wearing 

appropriate clothing for the season. 

Pack away the flip-flops and the shorts. 

A winter coat, hat and gloves are 

needed on those cold winter mornings, 

while waiting for the school bus. 

If we all continue to follow the above guidelines, 

everyone at Westmere will have a healthy and safe school 

year. For more information about the benefits of obtaining 

a flu vaccine, please go to: 

http://www.nyhealth.gov/prevention/immunization/recom 

mended_ And as a reminder, please call the Main Office at 

Westmere - 456-3771, every day your child is absent from 

school for any reason. Your cooperation is always 

appreciated. 

– Marie C. Eoff, R.N. 

FROM THE NURSE 

Fall has arrived and with it the beginning of the 

cold and flu season. It is still recommended that all 

children and adults obtain the flu vaccination. The New 

York State Department of Health is asking all school 

districts to reach out to their students and their families to 

inform them of the benefits of obtaining a flu vaccine. 

There are seven important activities of daily living, that 

coupled with the flu vaccination will help all children and 

adults to stay healthy: 

FROM THE MICKI 

NEVETT LIBRARY 

 

 

 

Wash your hands with soap and water 

many times throughout the day. Follow 

the steps of - Apply water, then soap, 

lather up the soap while singing “Happy 

Birthday” to yourself (~20 seconds), 

rinse your hands, and dry. 

Teach your child to cover their mouth 

when they cough, by covering their 

mouth in the fold of their arm. Teach 

your child on how to blow their nose 

and then dispose of the tissue. And then 

wash their hands. 

A healthy breakfast is the fuel your 

child’s body needs to get through the 

The Micki Nevett Library 

Westmere Elementary School 

. On Thursday October 17, the district librarians presented 

the second annual Cyber Smart event. It featured 

workshops on a variety of topics including eBooks and 

Audio books, tips for making smart, safe Google searches, 

and the using of the library catalog to find useful and safe 

websites and databases. Westmere students learn about 

these and other Digital Citizenship topics in class at the 

library during the school year. 

Visit the library website to sign into the library catalog and 

help your students keep track of checkouts, put holds on

ooks they’d like to borrow, etc. Students now in grades 3- 

6 received library cards with their student ID numbers last 

year and will receive new cards again soon. Kindergarten 

students received a letter with their first library book that 

includes the ID number and directions below. For students 

in grades 1-2 and any families missing library cards feel 

free to ask for the ID numbers. Directions for signing into 

the catalog are listed below. 

Visit: 

http://www.guilderlandschools.org/Teachers/westmere/km 

oretti/WESlibraryhome.cfm 

• Click Catalog and Resources at left 

• Click the first link, Westmere Library Catalog 

• Click Login in the top right corner 

• The User Name is your student’s 5 digit student ID 

number. Found on student’s library card or book 

borrowing letter (for Kindergarteners). Please ask if you 

need this number. 

• The password is the last two digits of this ID number. 

Passwords for shorter ID numbers or those with a 0 may be 

slightly different. Ask your student (grades 3-5) or send a 

note/email. 

• Use the green My Info tab to review your student’s 

checkouts under Items Out. Use the green Catalog tab 

to search for book titles, authors, and subjects. To 

request a specific book, send a note to school with the 

title and author. 

Thank you! 

Kari Moretti 

School Librarian 

PE 

The annual SCHWEST cross-country fun run was 

a huge success. Thank you for your patience as we waited 

for Mother Nature to cooperate and we also thank you for 

your participation and your support. It was great to see 

our community involved and engaged with the health and 

fitness of our children. 

Our K – 4 th grade students have been learning 

about foot-eye and hand-eye coordination and our 

5 th graders have been involved with soccer and team ball. 

Information on Fifth Grade Ski Club will be 

coming out soon so please look for it in your child’s 

backpack. 

We also want to remind all 5th and 4th graders 

about Monday andTuesday Intramurals. It is open to all 

5 th and 4 th grade students and they come whenever it fits 

into their schedule. We play a variety of games and 

activities along with taking suggestions from the students. 

Our first Family Fun Night is Friday, November 

8 from 6-8pm. Please put this on your calendar. 

Your Physical Educators 

Mrs. Reed-Best & Mr. Schwan 

MUSIC 

Fourth and fifth grade chorus, fifth grade band, and fifth 

grade orchestra are all practicing and rehearsing for 

our December 18th concert. 

Reminder to 4th and 5th grade instrumental students: 

Consistent practice (5 days, 20-25 minutes) is the key to 

success. We are building muscle and muscle memory! 

Parents, we would appreciate any practice reminders you 

could give your child. 

Third grade recorders will be in soon. We cannot wait to 

hear the beautiful music. 

Karylene Close, Judy Russo, Jeff Herchenroder 

MOTIVATION IS 

KEY 

At one time or another, most parents use rewards to 

motivate their kids. And there’s no question that reward 

systems work. But when the rewards stop, the good 

behavior sometimes stops, too. That’s important to 

remember when it comes to school. Researchers have 

found that students who are motivated only by the desire to 

get a good grade rarely do more that the minimum they 

need to get by. 

However, when students are motivated by an inner reward, 

they are more likely to stick with a task. Students with 

intrinsic motivation learn because they’re curious. They 

retain what they have learned longer, and they earn higher 

grades.

Here’s how to help your child develop intrinsic 

motivation: 

Start with their interests. Before they work on 

a project, have them think about what they want 

to learn. 

Help your child share what they are learning. 

Give positive feedback and also encourage them 

to praise themselves for a job well done. 

“Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way 

to succeed is always to try just one more.” Thomas A. Edison 

Reprinted with permission from November 2013 issue of Parents make 

the difference! (Elementary School Edition) newsletter. Copyright 2013. 

VOTER APPROVAL 

District to seek voter approval for building 

improvements 

On Thursday, November 14, Guilderland Central School 

District residents will head to the polls to decide on two 

proposed building projects totaling $18.2 million. If 

approved by voters, the projects will address various 

necessary internal and external building improvements 

district-wide. 

Proposition 1, in the amount of $17,324,650, calls for 

upgrades to aging infrastructure in the district’s seven 

school buildings and improvements for safety, security and 

technology systems district-wide. 

CHILD’S HOMEWORK 

Homework gives your child an opportunity to practice the 

skills she is learning in school. But did you realize that it 

also teaches important life lessons? 

When your child completes homework on their own, they 

learn: 

Responsibility. Your child learns the importance 

of fulfilling their obligations. They also learn to 

hold themselves accountable for their mistakes 

and successes. 

 

 

 

Perseverance. Most parents want to protect their 

kids from frustration. However, making your 

child’s life easier now will only make it harder in 

the future. 

Time management. Learning how to manage 

their time in order to get their homework finished 

is on the most valuable skills your child can learn. 

Initiative. Homework can help your child learn 

how to be self-motivated. When they choose to 

complete spelling assignments a few days before 

they are due, they are showing initiative. 

Reprinted with permission from the October 2013 issue of Parents make 

the difference! (Elementary School Edition) newsletter. Copyright 2013. 

Proposition 2, in the amount of $846,300, includes 

renovations and upgrades to the high school auditorium 

and calls for the replacement of wooden light tower poles 

on the high school football field/track. Note: The passage 

of the smaller proposition is contingent upon the passage 

of the larger proposition. 

The projects going before voters will enable GCSD to 

continue to provide safe and well-maintained facilities to 

support student learning and achievement, and will address 

many of the district’s long-range needs. 

The proposed $17,324,650 building project (Proposition 1) 

includes the following components: 

$14,032,950 for renovations to electrical, heating 

and ventilation, roofing, plumbing and site 

systems throughout the district’s seven school 

buildings. 

$1,483,000 devoted to safety and security 

improvements centered around effectively 

controlling visitor access and enhancing 

classroom security. 

$1,808,700 for technology infrastructure and 

program upgrades to enhance instructional 

opportunities for students. 

The proposed $846,300 building project (Proposition 2) 

includes the following components: 

$553,800 for renovations and upgrades to the 

high school auditorium 

$292,500 for high school football field/track light 

pole replacement 

Polls will be open on November 14 from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. 

at all elementary schools. 

How will the proposed projects affect my taxes? 

For district residents owning a home or property with an 

assessed value of $246,500 (the median assessment in the

Town of Guilderland), the estimated tax increase per year 

for the proposed projects based on current information is: 

• Proposition #1: $65 (26.1 cents/$1,000 assessed 

value) 

• Proposition #2: $3 (1.3 cents/$1,000 assessed 

value) 

• Total for Propositions #1 & #2: $68 (27.4 

cents/$1,000 assessed value) 

parents. They can be reassured that the district now has a 

quick, easy and reliable method of mass communication 

between our schools and home in the event of a true 

emergency.” 

For more information, please visit 

www.guilderlandschools.org and click on the “Building 

Project Referendum” Web icon. Also, a special edition 

district newsletter is being prepared which outlines the 

proposed projects in greater detail. The newsletter will be 

sent to all district residents in early November. 

ONE CALL NOW 

District introduces new emergency telephone 

notification system for parents: One Call Now 

Beginning in the new school year, Guilderland Central 

School District officials will be able to contact all district 

parents in case of emergency with just a push of a button 

through the One Call Now telephone alert system. This is 

the first time the district has partnered with such a 

company to provide nearly instantaneous telephone 

notification in the event of school closings and delays, 

early dismissals, or other emergency situations. 

All GCSD parents with student currently registered in 

school have already been automatically entered into the 

One Call Now calling system based contact information 

contained in the district’s student management system, 

School Tool. Parents do not need to sign-up for this 

service. 

Parents should know that the One Call Now system will 

only be used in case of school closures, delays or other 

serious emergencies. Parents will not receive phone calls 

about fundraisers or other school events that do not impact 

the regularly scheduled school day. 

A test run of the service took place last spring, when a 

power outage at Lynnwood Elementary forced an 

unexpected closure at the school. Using the One Call Now 

system, the district was able to deliver more than 1,500 

messages about the closure to school parents and staff. 

The majority of those messages were received by users 

within the first 15 minutes of distribution. 

“One Call Now is an investment in the safety and security 

of our students and schools,” said Superintendent Dr. 

Wiles. “With nearly 5,000 students in seven school 

buildings, the system also provides peace of mind for our

November 2013 

MAIN LINE MENU 

MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY 

A fruit or vegetable 

must be taken by a 

student for a meal 

to be reimbursable 

otherwise ala carte 

pricing will be 

charged 

4 

Pre-Made Turkey BLT Wrap 

(1 ½ oz OR turkey, 2 Slices of Turkey 

Bacon, 1 leaf Romaine Lettuce, 2 

Slices Tomato, WG 8” Wrap 

1 oz RF Mayo) 

(2 Proteins & 1 Starch) 

or 

Baked Rotini w/ Mozzarella Cheese 

Melted on Top 

(1 c WG Pasta & 2 oz Protein) 

¾ c Vegetable 

Fresh Baby Carrots 

Fresh Celery Sticks 

½ c Cooked Green Beans 

1/2-1c of Fruit 

Fresh Apple 

Fresh Orange Wedges 

3 Varieties of Asst. Canned/Frozen Fruits 

11 

Veterans Day 

18 

½ c RF Baked Nachos Served w/ 

2 oz Spicy Meat Sauce, 2 oz Melted 

Cheddar Cheese & 1 oz Salsa 


or 

Hamburger on a WW Bun 

Served w/ 6 Tater Tots and 2 PC’s 

Ketchup 

(2 Proteins, 2 Starches & 1 Vegetable) 





½-1c of Fruit 

Fresh Apple 



25 

5 Chicken Nuggets Served w/ 

½ c Long Grain Rice and 2 PC’s 

Ketchup 

(2 Proteins & 2 Starches) 

or 

BBQ Rib Served on a WW Bun 







Fresh Apple 



5 

Election Day 

(No School) 

FSWer’s Report to work 

12 

Pre-Made Buffalo Style Popcorn 

Chicken WG Wrap (10 Popcorn Chicken 

Mixed wih Hot Sauce, ½ oz Grated 

Cheese and 1 oz of RF Ranch Dressing) 


or 

WG White Pizza 

(2 Proteins & 1 ½ Starch) 



½ c Steamed Broccoli 



Fresh Banana 


19 

Mini Maple Burst Pancakes and 

1 oz Turkey Sausage 

(2 WG Starch & 1 Protein) 

or 

WG Pizza 







Fresh Banana 


26 

Italian Dunkers (2-1 oz WW Bread 

Sticks w/2 oz LS Spaghetti Sauce) & 

4 RF Mozzarella Sticks 


or 

WG Pizza 








Website address: www.guilderlandschools.org 

6 

2 WG Stuffed Shells Served in 

Spaghetti Sauce 

(2 Protein & 2 Starches) 

or 

WG Bagel Pizza 




Fresh Cucumber Slices 

½ c Steamed Sweet Peas 

½ -1 c Fruit 

Fresh Apple 


13 

½ c RF Baked Nachos Served w/ 2 oz 

Spicy Meat Sauce, 2 oz Melted 



or 

2.67 oz BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich on 

a WW Bun 






½ -1 c Fruit 

Fresh Apple 


20 

Italian Dunkers (2-1 oz WW Bread 

Sticks w/2 oz LS Spaghetti Sauce) & 

4 RF Mozzarella Sticks 


or 

RS Hot Dog on a WW Bun Served w/ 2 

PC’s Ketchup or 2 PC’s Mustard 






½ -1 c Fruit 

Fresh Apple 


27 28 

Menu is subject to change without notice 

7 

Baked Potato Served w/ 

2 oz Meat, 2 oz Melted Cheese, 1 

Slice of WW Bread & 2 PC’ 

Margarine 

(2 Proteins, 1 Starch & 2 Vegetables) 

or 

Stuffed Crust Pepperoni Pizza 


¾ c Vegetables 


½ c Steamed Corn 


Fresh Apple 



14 

Elementary School 

11:30 Dismissal 

K- 5 

Parent Conferences 

No Lunches Served 

21 

2 oz Sliced Oven Roasted Turkey 

Served and 2 oz RS Gravy Served w/ 

½ c Mashed Sweet Potatoes & WW 

Bread 

(2 Proteins, 1 Starch & 2 Vegetables) 

or 

WG Pizza 




½ c Steamed Corn 


Fresh Apple 



Happy 

Thanksgiving 

1 

½ c RF Baked Nachos Served w/ 2 oz 

Spicy Meat Sauce, 2 oz Melted 



or 

Grilled or Breaded Chicken Pattie 

Served on a WW Bun Served w/ 2 

PC’s Ketchup 



Assorted Fresh Vegetables 

½ c 3 Legume Salad 


Assorted Fresh Fruit 


8 

12 Sweet & Sour Popcorn Chicken 

Served on Long Grain Rice 


or 

Cheeseburger Served on a WW Bun 

w/ 2 PC’s Ketchup 


Or 

4 Mini Pizza Bagels 








15 

5 Chicken Nuggets Served w/ ½ c 

Long Grain Rice and 2 PC’s Ketchup 


or 

1 ½ oz Ham & ½ oz American 

Cheese Melt 

Served on a WG Croissant 








22 

Grilled or Breaded Chicken Pattie 

Served on a WW Bun Served w/ 2 

PC’s Ketchup 


or 

Cheesy Baked Rotini 

(Mac & Cheese) 








29

Available Daily at the Elementary Schools 

MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY 

2 oz WG Bagel & 2 PC’s 

Margarine or 1 PC Cream 

Cheese, 

4 oz Yogurt 

½-1c Fruit 


8 oz Low Fat Milk 

or 

1 ½ oz LS Bologna & 

½ oz Cheese on WW 

Bread 

½-1c Fruit 



2oz Cut Up Grilled Chicken 

Over 1 c Romaine Lettuce 

Served w/ PC RF Ranch 

Dressing 

½-1c Fruit 

1 Slice WW Bread 


or 

Bagged Lunch 

4 oz Yogurt 

1 oz Mozzarella Stick 

1 Pkg of Graham Crackers 

½ c Baby Carrots 

¼ c Celery 

Apple 

8 oz RF Milk 



Cheese, 

4 oz Yogurt 

½-1c Fruit 



or 



Bread 

½-1c Fruit 



2oz Cut Up Grilled Chicken 

Over 1 c Romaine Lettuce 

Served w/ PC RF Ranch 

Dressing, 

½-1c Fruit, 

1 Slice WW Bread 


or 

Bagged Lunch 

4 oz Yogurt 

1 oz Mozzarella Stick 

1 Pkg of Graham Crackers 

½ c Baby Carrots 

¼ c Celery 

Apple 

8 oz RF Milk 



Cheese, 

4 oz Yogurt 

½-1c Fruit 



or 



Bread 

½-1c Fruit 



New State & Federal Regulations for 2013-2014 

Assorted low fat and Fat Free milk only 

½ c Fruit Serving 

¾ c Vegetable Serving 

(weekly minimums: 1/2c legumes, 3/4c dark greens, 1/2c red/orange, 1/2c starchy, Plus an addition 1c) 

1 Grain Minimum Per day, up to 9 Grains Per Week Maximum 

(No daily sandwiches or bagels will be allowed) 

1oz Protein Minimum, 2 oz Protein Maximum per day 

(maximum on all Sandwiches and entrées) 

Minimum- Maximum Calories 550-650 

Saturated Fat- Less than 10 % of Total Calories 

Sodium- 640 mg or less 

Zero Trans Fats 

Menu is subject to change without notice 

WG: Whole Grain WW: Whole Wheat LS: Low Sodium RF: Reduced Fat 

Visit Our Website at www.guilderlandschools.org 

Student Lunch Price: $2.70 Milk: $.50 Adult Lunch Price $3.29 plus tax 

Breakfast $1.85 

A fruit or vegetable must be taken by a student for a meal to be reimbursable 

otherwise ala carte pricing will be charged 

The School Lunch Program is operated in accordance with U.S. Department of Agriculture Policy, which does not permit discrimination because of race, color, sex, age, handicap or national 

origin. Any person who believes that he or she has been discriminated against in any U.S.D.A. activity should write to the Secretary of Agriculture, Washington, D.C. 20250.

Westmere Elementary School 

PTA Newsletter 

November 2013 

Dates to Remember: 

November 5: 

NO SCHOOL 

November 8 

PE Family Fun Night 

6:00 p.m.—8:00 p.m. 

November 11: 

NO SCHOOL 

November 27-29: 

NO SCHOOL 

Thanksgiving Recess 

Book Fair Recap 

Many thanks to all of the students, parents, teachers 

and staff for supporng the fall book fair. The 

book fair had so many great selecons and kids 

loaded up on books for their home libraries. A 

HUGE thank you to Wendy Sliter and Tammy 

Sbardella for organizing this year’s event. Thank 

you to the parent volunteers who helped throughout 

the week: Maria Witazek, Anna Carroll, Lori 

Guyer, Megan Vrooman, Lisa Corcoran, Chrisne 

Groat, Lisa Osher, and Jill Shorter. 

Don’t worry...if you didn’t get a chance to pick up any selecons this me around, 

the book fair will be back in the spring. Happy Reading!!! 

Cherrydale Fundraiser 

Thank you to the families who sold goodies, handy 

kitchen utensils, wrapping paper and more for our 

newest fundraiser from Cherrydale! Items will arrive 

soon. The money raised from this fundraiser will be 

used to further the programs the Westmere PTA sponsors 

and for future purchases to benefit our school. 

2012-2013 PTA Officers 

Lisa Osher President 

Wendy Sliter Vice President 

Christine Groat Treasurer 

PE Family Fun Night 

Join the Physical Educaon Department on 

November 8 for PE Family Fun Night...a night of 

fun games and acvies that is not to be missed. 

Bring the enre family for some extra exercise, 

friendly compeon and fun! We hope to see you 

there, Westmere! 

Rachel Bailey 

Secretary 

Jill Shorter 

Corresponding 

Secretary

westmere elementary newsletter - Guilderland Central School District

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