Calendar
(with apologies for last week's abridged version!)
3/26 Outdoor Ed Meeting - 6th Grade Parents 7:00-8:30pm Media Center. (Outdoor Ed is week of 5/11-5/15/09)
3/27 End of Third Marking Period.
3/28 Earth Hour 8:30-9:30pm Turn out your lights!
3/30 No School Professional Day.
4/1 American Plant Garden Center - Westland Day! 9:00am-7:00pm.
4/1 8th Graders visit B-CC 8:00am-2:30pm
4/1 Orchestra Adjudication 9am-12:30pm Clarksburg HS
4/2 Chorus Adjudication (7th & 8th graders) 9:30am-12:30pm Wooton HS
4/2 Band Adjudication 9:00am-12:30pm Damascus HS
4/3 8th Graders visit B-CC 8:00am-2:30pm
4/4-4/13 Spring Break
4/15 Choral Concert 7:00-9:00pm Westland Cafeteria
4/16 Principal's Coffee 9:00am 301.320.6515 to RSVP
4/16 Soccer vs. Hoover 3:15pm Girls home; boys away
4/16 Report Cards Distributed
4/21 PTA General
Meeting 7:00-9:00pm Media Center. (See below)
4/22 Soccer vs. Tilden 3:15pm Boys home; girls away
4/25 Westland Wild Dash 5K 8:30am
4/29 Soccer vs. Pyle 3:15pm Girls home; boys away. |
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PTA Meeting 4/21
Mark your calendars now for the PTA General Meeting on Tuesday, April 21, 7:00-9:00pm in the Media Center (rescheduled from March 25th). As part of Montgomery County's Middle School Reform initiative, several new courses will be introduced to the Westland 6th and 7th grade curriculum next year.
Principal Danny Vogelman will be on hand to discuss the new courses, as will Mr. Marty Creel, Director, MCPS Department of Enriched & Innovative Programs, and Ms. Stacy Gray, Supervisor, Middle School Expansion of Enriched & Innovative Programs.
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B-CC Used Book Sale!
 Drop-offs for the B-CC Book Sale continue through 3/27. You can drop off books every afternoon this week from 2:30-9:00pm (5pm on Friday). Curbside drop-off in the circle drive at the main entrance off East-West Highway. SALE DATES:
3/28 10:00-6:00pm 3/29 10:00-3:00pm All proceeds support B-CC PTSA! |
 Westland Wildcat Archives
If you missed an issue,
or just want to refer back to one, click here for the Westland Wildcat Archives! | |
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We've got a lot of news, so I'm going to keep my comments brief! Green's the theme this week. You can "go green" by participating in Earth Hour on Sunday, March 28th. You can "save green" by shopping at Modell's through April 2nd. You can "earn green" for Westland by heading over to American Plant Garden Centers on April 1st. You get the idea!
The 3rd Annual Westland Wild Dash is just around the corner, and now's the time to get involved. You can be a sponsor, a runner, a volunteer - or all of the above! This has turned into a much-anticipated community event, and I hope you'll join in. Rumor has is that Mr. Katz has put it out there that any Westland student who beats him, gets to throw a pie at him. Given that four Westland students beat Mr. Katz last year , I'd say he better start training soon!
It's shaping up to be a great spring at Westland. Now, if only the weather would warm up a bit...!
- Alysa Emden
PTA President |
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Lights Out Everybody!
Yes, you can make a difference. Vote Earth! Your light switch is your vote. This year, Earth Hour has been transformed into the world's first global election, between Earth and global warming.
Earth Hour began in 2007 in Sydney, Australia. 2.2 million homes and businesses switched off their lights for one hour. In 2008, the idea had grown into a global sustainability movement, with 50 million people switching off their lights. 2009 Earth Hour is going to the next level, with a goal of 1 billion people switching off their lights as part of this global movement.
MCPS and Westland MS are joining in this effort! Earth Hour will kick off a series of environmental awareness efforts involving Westland students that will culminate on Earth Day, April 22.
Earth Hour is a global call to action for every individual, every business, and every community. Pledge your support to Vote Earth during this Earth Hour by simply switching off your lights this one hour, Saturday, March 28 from 8:30 pm - 9:30 pm. For more information please visit www.earthhour.org |
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Shop at American Plant on April 1 - No Joke!
Shop at either of American Plant Garden Center's two locations on River Road between 9:00am and 7:00pm on Wednesday, April 1, and 10% of your purchase will be donated to Westland! All you have to do is mention Westland when you check out.
As the weather gets warmer, now's a great time to stock up on spring flowers, garden supplies, trees, mulch - and whatever else you need to spruce up your yard and garden after a long cold winter. American Plant was voted "Best of Bethesda Garden Center" in a recent Bethesda Magazine poll. They've long been a great neighbor to Westland, and we're excited to offer this new partnership. |
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8th Graders Create Edible Periodic Table!
As a culminating activity for the 8th grade Chemistry Unit, the students created an edible periodic table. On March 18 and 19, the students decorated brownies or cookies for two elements on the periodic table. The results were scientifically proven to be delicious! Many thanks to the parents who sent in the goodies that formed the basis of this project  . |
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Gotta Go to Mo's!
 It's not too late to head on over to Modell's Sporting Goods to get outfitted for spring sports. Or just get outfitted!
Shop through Tuesday, April 2nd - you can get 10% off your purchases, earn 5% for Westland, and earn MVP rewards too! All you need is the coupon that came home in your child's backpack. Hang onto it, because you can use it as often as you shop during the reward period. If, by some chance, your coupon didn't make it home, just e-mail Alysa Emden to make alternate arrangements. If you need extras for friends and neighbors, just ask - there's no limit on who can use the coupons! Please take advantage of this great opportunity to save money on purchases you'll be making anyway! |
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3rd Annual Westland Wild Dash 5K Gearing Up!
 Planning for the 3rd annual Westland Wild Dash 5K on Saturday, April 25 at 8:30am is well underway. Race co-chairs Cynthia Walicki-Chan, Melissa Peppe, and Meredith Valmon have done a lot, but now they need YOUR help. There are so many ways to participate:
1) Be A Sponsor! Are you looking for inexpensive advertising for your business? We can offer you space on the backs of 250 children and adults walking around Bethesda, Chevy Chase, Kensington, Friendship Heights, Silver Spring and beyond! A donation of $300 will buy that bit of important real estate on our great t-shirt (designed by a Westland student). If you cannot commit to that level of sponsorship, we can still offer you space on thousands of race brochures that will be distributed throughout the Bethesda area. You do not need to have a business to donate. If you have been meaning to contribute to the school and PTA, this is a great chance to do it! Please contact Cynthia Walicki-Chan regarding donations by March 30. 2) Be a Runner or Walker! Register now to walk or run the Westland Wild Dash 5K online. Just click here. Paper registration forms will be available next week. It's a great course through the local Westland neighborhood. Spend time with your kids, fellow parents and Westland staff doing something that will pay you back in mental and physical health benefits!
3) Be a Volunteer! Race day is an exciting time and we need volunteers to help with, among other things, packet pick up, monitoring intersections along the course, and helping with set up and clean up for the food and prize tables. Please contact Meredith Valmon if you can give the gift of time!
4) Get Ready to Run! The Westland Wild Dash Training Program begins TODAY (3/24) after school. Meet at the gym doors dressed to run by 3:00pm. Bring a water bottle. No need to sign up in advance; just show up ready to run. You can come to as many sessions as you like. Parents are welcome! The program will continue every Tuesday and Thursday until race day. | |
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Support Our Community Partnerships!
The PTA relies on the support of its community partners to help underwrite our many programs. But it takes two to make a partnership successful! Westland partners with the following organizations:
- Giant A+ - Westland has earned $3,152.77 to date! Don't forget to use your Bonus Card when you shop.
- Safeway E-scrip - You can still register. Just click here! Designate Westland MS, Group # 6586159.
- Wordex Corporation - Go green and save green with this great ink cartridge refill program. Just take your empty cartridges to Wordex (4808 Auburn Ave.). You'll get a refilled cartridge at a cost that's less than half of buying new and Westland will get $3 for every refilled cartridge!
- Target "Take Charge of Education" - Register your red card today and earn money for Westland. Just click here!
- Snider's Supermarket and Chevy Chase Supermarket - Westland earns 1% of everything you spend! All you have to do is SAVE YOUR RECEIPTS. Then, send them into school in an envelope marked "PTA - Grocery Receipts."
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THANKS TO OUR WILDCAT SPONSORS!
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Westland families can get green & earn green for Westland at a special event sponsored by the PTA and 