Westwood Elementary

Dear Parents and Guardians, I hope this message finds you well. I am writing to inform you about the new statewide Cell Phone Policy for Schools in South Carolina, which has been implemented to create a more focused and effective learning environment for all students. Beginning January 1, 2025, the South Carolina Department of Education requires that personal electronic devices, including cell phones, be regulated during school hours to minimize distractions and enhance student engagement. Our district has aligned its procedures with this policy to support academic success and ensure a safe learning environment. For the purpose of the policy, the school day is defined as the beginning of the instructional day to the dismissal of the instructional day (from bell to bell). Key Points of the New Cell Phone Policy: 1. Classroom Use: o Students are not permitted to use cell phones during instructional time unless explicitly authorized by the teacher for educational purposes. o Cell phones must be turned off or placed on silent and stored securely away such as in backpacks, lockers, or designated areas during class. 2. Medical Necessity: o Explicitly required by a student’s IEP, Medical Plan, or 504 Plan. 3. Volunteer Services o Students who are members of a volunteer firefighting or emergency organization may be authorized to carry a telecommunication device with written permission from the District / School designee. We understand the important role that cell phones play in staying connected with your child. However, this policy aims to promote responsible use of technology while prioritizing academic and social growth. Your partnership in reinforcing these guidelines is crucial to the success of this initiative. Please review the policy with your child and discuss the importance of maintaining a distraction-free learning environment. If you have any questions or concerns about the new policy, feel free to reach out to your child’s school. Thank you for your support as we work together to ensure a productive and focused school experience for all students. Sincerely, Dr. Lori Brownlee-Brewton, Superintendent

Veterans Day

Drama Camp

Costume Drive

Westwood will have Fall Picture Make Up on Monday, November 4th. If you did not get your picture made earlier this year, please plan to have it made Monday. Thank you!

Tomorrow is “Give Drugs the Boot!” Wear your boots. We will not be wearing costumes. Thank you!

We have come to realize that there is an error in our Honor Roll report for the first nine weeks. We will post a corrected report Monday. I apologize for any confusion this may have caused. Paul Anderson, Principal Westwood Elementary

Dear Parents, We are excited for this Friday night’s Abbeville vs Dixie Football game! To ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for everyone, please note the following: No student 8th grade or younger will be allowed to enter the stadium without a parent or guardian present. Students who are middle school age or younger (8th grade and below) must be supervised by their parent or guardian at all times while at the game. Thank you for your cooperation in helping us maintain a safe environment. We look forward to seeing you at the game!

WWES Artwork

Varsity Tutoring ACSD has partnered with Varsity Tutors to provide unlimited, live support from highly qualified tutors, self-study resources, and engaging extracurricular classes. https://www.acsdsc.org/page/varsity-tutoring

Fall Picture Day

Artwork created by selected students from Westwood Elementary School will be on display at the Abbeville County Library at 1407 N Main Street in Abbeville. There will be a reception on October 17 from 6-7 pm hosted at this location by the library. Students who have artwork on display will bring home a letter.

Westwood Parents/Guardians, Students are scheduled to return on Wednesday, October 9th. Our teachers have been scheduling Report Card Conferences for dates/times other than tomorrow (Tuesday) due to the school wide Teacher In/Service from 8-3. Please make sure you have a conference scheduled before October 25th. Thank you for your support.

Westwood Has Power!!! We will open the front lobby of the school for our Westwood Families. If you need a cool place to come sit and charge your device come by the school between the hours of 10:00am til 1:00pm. We will hopefully have a TV for the little ones to watch 🤞. Clean restrooms for you to use. We have a little library outside if you need a book and just want a cool place to read. We have you covered.

Chromebooks were sent home today (Thursday 9/26) for the purpose of allowing students to complete assignments for elearning. A paper assignment is also being sent home in case of power loss or no internet. Either will be accepted on Monday as attendance for tomorrow. If your student was absent today, they will have 5 school days to complete the assignment. We are not be sending the chargers with students because, in the past, they are the first things that are lost or not returned. For this reason, each Chromebook has sufficient charge for each student to complete work assigned for Fridays elearning. Please remind your child that the Chromebooks purpose is for elearning assignments only and that the Chromebook cannot be charged so assignments should be completed in a timely manner and that Chromebooks should be returned back to school on Monday! Thank you for your continued support. Friday Sept. 27th - eLearning Day; Monday Sept. 30th - Regular School Day; Tuesday Oct. 1st thru Tuesday Oct. 8th - Fall Break (No students); Wednesday Oct. 9th - School Day(s) resume on a normal schedule

Due to travel conditions this morning, our Recognition Programs are cancelled and will be re-scheduled.

Parents, due to the anticipated high wind gusts of over 40 miles per hour forecast for Friday, Abbeville County School District will operate on an e-Learning Day on Friday, September 27th. These high winds can affect the safe operation of school buses. Your child's school will send additional information related to the e-Learning Day. Students and teachers will not report to school. All after-school activities scheduled for Thursday are also canceled. Please stay safe!

Attention Parents/Guardians, Please be reminded that car riders should be picked up between 2:20 and 2:45, in the car line. After this time, they will be escorted to the office to wait for you. Should there be extenuating circumstances where you find yourself running a bit late, please call the main office at 864-366-9604 or 864-378-9565. After 3:00, the students may not be in the main office as our staff, from time to time, have meetings in other areas of the building and we will not leave a child unattended. This may slow down your pickup process unintentionally. Thank you for your help in this matter.

Abbeville County School District has been made aware of a social media post that alluded to a threat to a school in Abbeville. The Abbeville County Sheriff's Office was notified immediately. After looking into this, no credible threat against any school in Abbeville County has been identified, Unfortunately, these types of threats have increased in communities across our nation. Abbeville County School District takes all alleged threats seriously. Your child’s security and safety remain our top priority. As always, we encourage our students, parents, and community members to report any suspicious behavior or perceived threats to our schools and law enforcement. .

Dear Parents/Guardians, I'd like to thank you all for a smooth opening to our school year. Our morning car rider line, which is sometimes a headache, is moving so well that blocking the entrance at 7:45 hasn't been necessary. However, today was almost the exception. An as yet unidentified vehicle appeared to ignore the STOP sign and continue causing the bus driver to stop abruptly and use the horn. Please adhere to the STOP sign at the end of the car line (road)to avoid any future near collisions. Thank you!