Principal's Message Continued From The Home Page

January Events:

Family Math Night—January 15th
The 2^nd annual Family Math Night will occur on Wednesday, January 15^th.
This is a fun night hosted by our staff and one that focuses on the fun and excitement that “doing math” involves! I hope you will join us! (NO RSVPs this year)

The evening begins at 5:00 with pizza provided by our generous PTSA, then after dinner families will move to a classroom where our teachers will provide games and fun for all! The evening concludes at 6:30. Click here for more information!

PTSA Sponsored READ-A-THON
January 18^th—January 26^th (with a fun kick-off event scheduled for 1/18 at Island Books)
The second annual PTSA READ-A-THON is coming soon. This event is meant to encourage reading for pleasure, please look for more details to come soon from PTSA.

Great Kindness Challenge Week
For the 2^nd year in a row, West Mercer will participate in the international Great Kindness Challenge Week (January 27^th-January 31^st). Students in grades 2-5 will be encouraged to complete 50 small acts of kindness this week and our kindergarten and 1^st graders will be encouraged to complete 12 small acts of kindness during the week. Students will bring home their checklists on Friday the 24^th so that students can begin checking off kind acts during the weekend. All completed checklists that are turned in to the office will earn a small surprise acknowledgment.

Kindergarten Information Night
Calling all Incoming Kindergarten Families!  We are having our Kindergarten Information Night on Tuesday, January 28th from 6-7 PM.  Please join us in the West Mercer Library to learn all about the kindergarten experience. PASS this on to neighbors and friends in our boundary area—the sooner we know the number of incoming kindergarteners the better we are able to plan (staffing and room assignments) for next year.

Dates of Note for January and February:

• January 14: Parent Edge event: Who We Are: Identity, Inclusion, and Allyship, at IMS, 7-9pm
• January 15: Family Math Night & PTSA sponsored pizza feed (5-6:30pm)
• January 15: 5^th grade Orchestra Curriculum Night, at IMS, 6-6:30pm
• January 18-26: PTSA READ-A-THON (kick-off event 1/18, Island Books)
• January 20: Martin Luther King Jr. Day (NO SCHOOL)
• January 22: 5^th Grade Band Curriculum Night, at IMS, 6:30-7pm
• January 23: PTSA sponsored Non-Competitive Spelling Bee, WM library, 4:00-6:00pm
• January 27: Teacher Professional Learning Day (NO SCHOOL for students)
• January 27^th—January 31^st: The Great Kindness Challenge Week
• January 28: Kindergarten Information Night for 2020-21 School Year (6:00-7:00)
• January 30: PTSA sponsored Competitive Spelling Bee, WM library, 4:00-6:00
• February 6 & February 7: Musical: Shrek, WM MPR, 7-8pm
• February 7: Parent Playground (K-2 12:20-1:00 and 3-5 12:45-1:25)
• February 14: Valentine’s Day
• February 17—February 21^st: Mid-Winter Break (NO SCHOOL)
• February 27: PTSA Membership Meeting, in library at WM, 7-8:30pm

As you can see, January will be a busy month! In fact, January is my favorite month during the school year. Yes, there are other months (all of them in fact) that have their own positive events and experiences; September, for example, is always one of such hope and enthusiasm, but January is my all-time favorite. It is a time when we actually get to settle in and “do school”. We are done with the “this is how we do it here” lessons of September and October and of course the holiday interruptions of November and December…now we LEARN! January is a month of great growth and is usually very satisfying for both students and staff. Here’s to a hope and belief that January 2020 will be a great month for all of us!

Warmest regards,

Carol Best                                                           Melanie Ready
Principal                                                             Associate Principal
West Mercer Elementary                                 West Mercer Elementary & Northwood Elementary