President's Message

August 2015

Hello Bulldogs!

It’s that time - the new school year in almost here! The WHS PTSA has been busy planning for the new year and is excited to get started! For those new to Westfield, welcome! To returning families, welcome back!

As you get organized for the year, please note that the PTSA website, www.ptsa.westfieldhs.org and the school’s main webpage contain valuable information. Please bookmark the websites and check them often. Also, if you are on Facebook, please “like” us. You can find us at Westfield High School PTSA. We will continue using these as information resources as in the past.

We will also send out regular PTSA E-blasts with various bits of information about the goings on at Westfield. Please sign up to receive the e-blasts using the link on top of the PTSA website. If you represent a Westfield club or activity, please send information you’d like included in eblasts and/or on the PTSA calendar.

First up:

• Freshman Parent Night is Wednesday, August 26^th at 7 pm. The presentation will take place in the auditorium. PTSA membership forms will be available.
• The First PTSA meeting of the year will be on Thursday, August 20^st at 7 pm in the library. If you are able to attend, we would be happy to see you!
• Required forms turn in opportunity– There will be several days before the Bulldog BBQ to turn in all required student forms. Dates/times details will be sent out via a Keep-In-Touch email soon and should be on the Westfield website soon. The forms are available under the “Student Packets” link on the left side of the Westfield HS website. http://www.fcps.edu/WestfieldHS/
• The Bulldog BBQ is Tuesday, September 1st from 5-8 pm. All Westfield students and families are invited to attend. This is the time to turn in required school forms, pick up schedules, join the PTSA and other groups, add money to your student’s lunch card, bid on incredible, donated items at the silent auction, eat dinner, catch up with friends, and more! A keep-in-touch message will be sent from Mr.Rumburger very soon.
• First ever Online Silent Auction from 8/24-8/29, with the continuation of the live event at the Bulldog BBQ on 9/1. Details to be posted soon!
• Volunteers are needed to help keep the BBQ running smoothly! If you can help (shifts are as little as 1 hour), please sign up at http://www.signupgenius.com/go/whsbulldog
• 9^th grade and new student orientation is Friday, September 4^th from 8am-12pm. There will be bus transportation available at various elementary schools in the area please check the Westfield Website at http://www.fcps.edu/WestfieldHS
• Back to School Night for 11^th and 12^th grade is Wednesday, September 16^th at 7pm.
• Back to School Night for 9^th and 10^th grade is Tuesday, September 29^th at 7pm.

You might ask why it is important to join the PTSA? I will tell you my experience with the PTSA- I have been a member of the PTSA since 2001 when the school opened. I have worked on various projects with the PTSA and met so many wonderful people that I still call friends to this day. I worked with Dale Rumberger and so having him back as interim principal is like having an old friend back on board. I am proud of the projects that have been established with Westfield PTSA. One of the things the PTSA does is provide a safe environment for our seniors to celebrate their graduation through the All Night Grad Party. The students have a wonderful and memorable time; I know that my own children have really enjoyed the parties over the years. Our PTSA offers scholarships to our graduating seniors- what a nice way to say goodbye and good luck to our graduates! A project that I am very involved with and shows what an amazing community we live in is the Family in crisis program that we have established. Twice a year the PTSA reaches out to the community to ask for gift cards to be given to our Westfield Community families that are experiencing a crisis in their lives. You, the amazing community, responds with such support that we have been able to hand out over 8000.00 in gift cards in the past year. There are many other things the PTSA sponsors and supports, please take the time to look through the website to see how you would like to help.

I invite and encourage you to join the Westfield HS PTSA this year. Your membership matters! Your membership and involvement help the PTSA work toward its goal of supporting all students, staff members and families at Westfield. You can join online now by clicking the link on our website or you can print the form and bring it in with your required forms. We will have printed copies available at the Bulldog BBQ. As a bonus, every person who joins the Westfield HS PTSA by October 5^h, 2015 will be entered into a drawing for a new Kindle Fire HD!

The PTSA will create a directory again this year, thanks to April Milner who has volunteered to be the chairperson again this year! If you or your business would like to advertise in the directory, please email April. Rates are very reasonable.   Directories may be ordered using the All-In-One Membership form, which has a directory area. Finally, if you choose to opt-out your student from the directory, you must complete either the FCPS opt-out form or the opt-out portion on the Membership form by October 1, 2015.

I look forward to seeing you at the BBQ (if not before!) and look forward to a great year! Please contact me with questions or concerns.

Meg Crossett
Westfield HS PTSA President