September 2016

Hello Westfield Bulldogs!

Welcome back to school! I hope the year has started off well for your students and you!

As you get organized for the year, please note that the PTSA web site, 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.

Upcoming Dates/Events (complete list of events on the PTSA calendar):

• PTSA Meeting: 9/15 – Come hear the new Sully School Board Rep, Tom Wilson along with Dr. Copeland discuss FCPS and Westfield at 7:00 in the library
• Back to School Night:  9/20 for ALL grades
• Senior Parent Meeting: Before the back to school night on 9/20 at 6:00 PM
• Bulldog Café: Will be open during Back to School Night! Stop by the cafeteria to enjoy a quick dinner before meeting your student’s teachers! Subway sandwiches, pizza, chips, candy and water will be available.
• Volunteers are needed to help the Bulldog Café run smoothly! If you can help, please sign up at http://www.signupgenius.com/go/whsbulldog Some student volunteer opportunities are available!
• Vision and Hearing Screenings:  October 3^rd and 4^th.  Please volunteer to help at http://www.signupgenius.com/go/whsbulldog

This year, Back to School Night is only ONE night!  Your students should give you a map with their class schedule listed. This will allow you to try to locate their classes more easily!   I encourage you to attend to learn more about your student’s classes, especially the expectations of the teachers and the work load. Stop by the Bulldog Café in the cafeteria to fuel up before or during the evening.

October’s PTSA meeting on October 20 will have a presentation for parents on Cyberbullying and Social Media

The PTSA is hard at work planning programs that parents/guardians will find beneficial when raising a teenager. Work is in progress to bring back alumni to talk to parents, freshmen and sophomores about how to plan their high school career in order to meet college requirements: the ins and outs from our own students who have traveled the path. Another successful program is a session about The Teenage Brain (we are assured that they have one!)! We will post the dates on the website and send out an E-blast for notification.

The PTSA is proud to have already been able to do the following for your staff/students/families this year:

• Sponsor the Welcome Back to School teacher/staff luncheon
• Offer some school supplies to the teachers during the lunch
• Co-sponsor the Bulldog BBQ
• Approve staff mini grants
• Spruce up the landscaping in the front of the school, including by the flagpole

Please help us continue to make an impact! Thank you to everyone who has joined the Westfield HS PTSA this year! If you haven’t yet, please join. 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 or you can print the form and send it in to the main office. As a bonus, every person who joins by October 7^th, 2016 will be entered into a drawing for a gift card for dinner and a movie!

The PTSA will create a directory again this year, thanks to April Milner who has volunteered to be the chairperson 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 September 30, 2016.  We are also looking for a person to shadow April and become the Directory Chair next year!  Please help!

Thank you to everyone who has already volunteered time this year! Many people helped make the Bulldog BBQ and Staff lunch a success! New volunteer opportunities are listed now at: http://www.signupgenius.com/go/whsbulldog

For a complete list of businesses and individuals who donated to this year’s silent auction, please BBQ information page. We greatly appreciate the support of our business community and ask that you consider supporting these businesses that support us!

As always, please contact me with any questions, suggestions or comments you may have.

Please consider signing up to help with one of our open/upcoming committee positions.  These include ACE (Honor Roll); ANGP co-chair; Directory chair; ANGP Volunteer chair; Mulch Volunteer chair; Fundraising chair; Silent Auction co-chair; ANGP Ticket chair; E-Blast chair; Bulldog Café; and Publicity.

I look forward to working with you.

Kindest Regards,

Tricia Monroe
Westfield HS PTSA President