Westside Elementary

Happy School Psychology Week to our School Psychologist, Mrs. Ellyssa Walters. Mrs. Walters attended Kansas State University receiving a bachelors in Psychology and Masters in Education, she later attended the University of Wisconsin-Stout seeking an Education Specialist Degree. She is nationally certified by the National School Psychology Certification Board and has since been in education for eight years. When she is not at work she enjoys spending time outside with her family and animals. She also enjoys reading, listening to music, and painting! When asked what drives her as an educator she shared, "Every student has the potential to learn and improve. It is truly a privilege to support students as they work to reach their goals. I love that as a school psychologist I get to not only work with students, but also teachers, families, and administrators to help support students’ social, emotional, and academic needs in school and life". Westside is so grateful to have her and wish Mrs. Walters a wonderful School Psychology Week! #CPSZEBRAPRIDE

As Westside prepares to recognize Veterans Day, military members continue to serve our country and local community. Mrs. Whitaker's Pre-K Class received a visit from military representative, Austin Barnett. Pre-K students were not only impressed by his Navy uniform, but also excited to learn that Mr. Barnett's mother is also one of their teachers, Ms. Kristi! He spent time reading and answering questions for astonished little Westies. Thank you so much for assisting in our community, and thank you for your service! #CPSZEBRAPRIDE

🦃 CPS will be closed for Thanksgiving Break 🦃 November 21st - 25th

Fifth grade student, Cal Jackson, had the opportunity to read to his sister's pre-k class. Sweet Miss Scout and her friends loved listening to Cal read "Mind Your Manners, B.B. Wolf". Our Westies are such great leaders and siblings! #CPSZEBRAPRIDE

Please help us put the giving in Thanksgiving! We are collecting non-perishable food items to help out Westside families during the holiday. You may send items to school with your child or drop them off in the office.

We are happy to introduce the wonderful, Mrs. Nelson! Mrs. Nelson is certified Early Childhood, English Language Learners , Gifted, and currently teaches third grade at Westside. Mrs. Nelson taught in Texas for four years before moving to Oklahoma where she has begun her third year teaching. When discussing her time in education Mrs. Nelson says, " I love the light bulb moments and building relationships with my students and families". Mrs. Nelson hopes to one day receive her certification in Special Education. When Mrs. Nelson isn't at school she enjoys spending time with her family and being outside. She and her family enjoy racing quads almost every weekend. When asked why she chose the teaching profession she said, "My why is the kids and always will be. They are what make my job worth every minute of it. Watching them grow socially, emotionally, and academically. I love getting to celebrate them". We love having Mrs. Nelson at Westside! If you happen to see her around the building please say hello. #CPSZEBRAPRIDE

Congratulations to Ms. Karly Johnson, Westside Elementary School’s 2022-2023 Teacher of the Year! Ms. Johnson teaches second grade and is also Westside’s communication director. She is a teacher who has an emphasis on fostering learning within the whole child. Ms. Johnson not is not only an intentional teacher who educates in a diverse manner with high academic standards, she also focuses on nurturing the mental, emotional and social health of her students. Ms. Johnson is a leader through action. She is always willing to step in and step up to help our students and Westside team be successful. Ms. Johnson is a truly joyful spirit, an encourager at heart and passionate teacher who pours herself into her students and the ever changing, diverse needs of each child that enters her classroom. Congratulations on this honor Ms. Johnson!! Well deserved and we are so proud to have you representing Westside! #CPSZEBRAPRIDE

Finally, someone who can dunk on Mrs. Ratcliff! Meet Officer Hagen, or as he's known on the court, Air Hagen. Officer Hagen decided to call Claremore home in 2008. He and his wife have two lovely girls and former Westies. He has worked with the sheriff's office and is a wonderful representation of the Claremore Police Department. We are so grateful to have him in our building. Please say hello when you see him.👮‍♂️🏀 #CPSZEBRAPRIDE

As we wrap up National Principal's Month, we'd like to thank Westside's fearless leader, Mrs. Hinds. Mrs. Hinds works hard and devotes her heart to our wonderful Westside Community. We are thankful for her kindness and leadership. We asked two fifth grade students, who are long time Westies, why they like Mrs. Hinds. Here's what they had to say. "I like Mrs. Hinds because she makes the school a lot brighter." -Hudson Baldwin "I like Mrs. Hinds because she drives to school in a cool whip." -London Woods #CPSZEBRAPRIDE

Everybody loves that Chick-Fil-A sweet tea and lemonade! Bring it to your holiday gathering, corporate party, or home for dinner. This month Chick-fil-A will donate $1 to the Claremore Public School Foundation. CPSF funds class and teacher grants district-wide. Go by and grab a gallon or two... or three this month. #CPSZEBRAPRIDE

Check out the 4th Annual Westside Craft Bazaar. There will be so many amazing booths and lots of opportunities for holiday shopping. This is a great way to support local small businesses and Westside students.

The second annual Westside Running Club Costume Run was a success! Students wore their Halloween costumes, recorded their laps, and collected candy along the way. You can tell by the smiles and sweat that it was well worth the effort. Thank you to everyone who helped make this a fun and successful night. Several students earned their 10 mile foot, a few earned their 20 mile foot, and there might be a couple getting close to that 25 mile mark. Keep up the great work, Westies! Also, stay tuned for our canned food drive run coming in November. #CPSZEBRAPRIDE

Friday, November 4th is Will Rogers Day! CPS will participate in movie star dress-up day to help bring back the excitement of this historical event. Feel free to dress up as your favorited movie character. We want to be good community members and support this effort. In addition, we want to help celebrate and share our connection to America's Favorite Son. #CPSZEBRAPRIDE

🦇SO MUCH FAMILY FUN IT'S SCARY 👻Halloween Carnival at the Robson PAC 🎭Presented by Imagine ACTion Children's Theater 📅Oct. 28th, 29th, and 31st ⏲6p - 9p 💲Games start at .25 l Proceeds benefit Imagine ACTion Children's Theater #CPSZEBRAPRIDE

The results of the pumpkin decorating competition are in! Here are the winners for each grade level. Congratulations to our winners and huge thank you to everyone who participated. This year's pumpkin submissions were spectacular! #CPSZEBRAPRIDE

Mrs. Collins' Class had a big spooky challenge this week! These second graders had many math challenges to navigate before unlocking the haunted house and receiving the final prize. This is such a fun and creative way to see students challenge themselves academically. #CPSZEBRAPRIDE

Who you gonna call? Mrs. Campbell's class! This week, students around the nation recognize Red Ribbon Week as we campaign against drug use. Mrs. Campbell's Class has been talking a lot about what it means to be a drug free leader. After showing support with a Ghostbusters themed door, these third graders made the agreement to sign it. These signatures represent their pact to remain drug free! We love the creativity and dedication, Mrs. Campbell's Class! #CPSZEBRAPRIDE

Cameron University Student Teacher, Miss Tabor, surprised Westies with shaving cream to integrate into their learning. Third grade students use this as a super fun way to practice their spelling words! #CPSZEBRAPRIDE

Westside students love to read! Mrs. McCaw's students enjoy finding quiet spaces to do this. We think this young man has the right idea! What is your favorite space to read?

Check out Mrs. Johnson's Science Superstars! These second grade students take time on Fridays to complete various experiments. These students use the Scientific Method to analyze liquid movement, make dissections, and grow gross mold. Tell us about some Science experiments you have enjoyed!