Parent Letter March 2022

Dear Westside Parents and Community Members,

As we approach the end of the third quarter and the beginning of spring break, we have some information to share with you about upcoming changes related to COVID-19 as well as some updates.

COVID-19 Update

Effective for our students and our staff, wearing masks in Los Angeles County remains strongly recommended in schools, however, this will no longer be a requirement. So, when students and staff return to school on Monday, March 14th, mask wearing will be optional.

The health and safety of our students, staff and community members remains a top priority. While masks will be optional starting on Monday, access to other services and supplies will still be available including:

• Vaccines and boosters at local clinics
• Covid-19 testing opportunities
• Masks for students and staff who want to continue masking
• Hand sanitizer and soap to support frequent handwashing

We understand that there are different beliefs, opinions, reasons, and comfort levels around masking, yet it is important for us all to be patient and respect the personal choices of others. Know that some families may have vulnerable household members or young children who they feel need more protection. Help us foster a climate of empathy and support for everyone’s choices. We have all been through a challenging two years, yet we’ve managed to maintain a hopeful outlook. It is our hope for brighter and continued healthier days ahead.

We ask parents to continue monitoring their children for Covid-19 symptoms before sending them to school each day. If your children have symptoms, please keep them home. By working together, we can keep Covid-19 from spreading to our students and staff which could create outbreaks on our sites.

Thanks for your cooperation in keeping our schools safe and healthy for all.

Job Fair

Our Human Resources staff will be hosting a Job Fair on Saturday, March 12 for certificated teacher applicants. If you are interested in becoming a teacher in the District, please visit the District website www.westside.k12.ca.us for information and an appointment. We are continuing to seek the best qualified teachers for our students. If you know someone who is looking for a teaching position, please share this information.

We have other positions available in our classified service as well. Please apply as we need quality individuals to support our children in the classroom or in other service areas within the District.

Kindergarten Round Up

Many of our schools are hosting Kindergarten Round up for children who will be entering transitional kindergarten or kindergarten in the 22-23 school year. Please check the website of your local school for the schedule of events. We look forward to seeing you at an event at your home school.

Upcoming Middle School Events

Hillview and Joe Walker Middle Schools will be hosting events for parents and students for students who will be entering either the 6th grade Honors Programs or 7th grade.

Hillview Middle School Community Open House will be held on Wednesday, March 16th from 5:30-7:00 p.m. The program begins in the Gym. We hope to see you there.

Joe Walker Middle School will host its Community Open House on Thursday, March 17th from 5:00-7:00 p.m. The program begins in the Cafeteria. Please stop by to find out about our middle school program.

Joe Walker Middle School will be hosting a team from WASC (Western Association of Schools and Colleges). The team will visit the school beginning on Sunday, March 13 and conclude by Wednesday, March 16. Following the visit, a recommendation will be made to the WASC Board determining the length of the next accreditation for the school.

Hillview Middle School will be holding a credit retrieval intersession program during spring break. Please contact the school for more information.

April 2 at 11:00 a.m. Joe Walker Middle School will be hosting a ceremony recognizing the 50th Anniversary of the opening of the school. The event will focus on the many accomplishments that have been achieved by students and staff during those 50 years, will try to recognize the first class to promote from the school, will feature tributes to Joe Walker for whom the school is named, and will end with creating another 50 year time capsule to be opened in 2072. Thanks to the organizing committee and to Ms. Goldovsky for all the work on this community project.

Enrollment

Please visit our Online Enrollment to enroll your students for the 22-23 school year. For Kindergarten enrollment, students must be 5 by September 1, 2022. Students enrolling for Transitional Kindergarten must be 5 by February 2, 2023 (this is a change in the age at which students can enter this program–when we start school on August most TK students will be 4 years old, but will turn 5 between September 2, 2022 and February 2, 2023).

All enrollment can be completed online, so there is no need to leave the comfort of your home or office to register your child. Thank you for taking the time to complete this early as it helps with meeting staff needs for next year.

Intra-district Transfers

If you would like to enroll your child at a school that is not in your home school boundary, please submit an intra-district transfer request. 1st round transfers will close on April 15th. Applications will still be accepted thereafter, however, they will only be considered after 1st round applicants have been placed. When more applications for a school, program or a grade level exceed the number of available seats, a lottery will be conducted. The lottery will first consider siblings of existing students at the school. Once this process is completed, you will be notified as to whether your child has been assigned a seat at your preferred school or is on a waiting list. This process takes time to complete, so it is anticipated the information will be delivered to you via email about July 1, 2022.

Progress Reports

3rd quarter progress reports should arrive home with your children on March 18th. At the same time, you should also receive the spring test results from the NWEA showing your child’s growth and achievement level this year. If you have any questions about progress reports or the NWEA results, please contact your child’s teacher.

Spring Break

Our schools will be closed for spring break beginning Monday, March 21-April 1, 2022. We hope that you will enjoy some well deserved rest and special family time during this break from school. Classes will resume on Monday, April 4, 2022.

Upcoming Board Meetings

The Board of Trustees will meet in regular session on March 15, 2022 and April 5, 2022. Regular session begins at 6 p.m., and the meetings are held in the multipurpose room at Hillview Middle School, 40525 Peonza Lane, Palmdale, CA 93551. Thank you again for all of your support and cooperation during this 3rd quarter of the school year. Please enjoy the upcoming spring break with your family and friends.