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Cougar News
March, 2021
Webster Elementary 202 N. Sycamore St. Mesa, AZ
Mrs. Stacey Ball
Principal
Principal’s Message WEBSTER SCHOOL HOURS:
8:15-2:45 Regular Day
8:15-12:45 Wednesday Early
Webster families! Did you know that March 1-6 is Read Across Release.
Due to current safety proto-
America week? This week is a time to celebrate reading! Below cols, we are limiting visitors on
are some wonderful resources to enjoy stories from around the campus. Help us keep our
staff and community safe by
world --and beyond! Here at Webster, students will hear stories scheduling an appointment,
from diverse authors and characters. limiting the number of people
you bring with you, and wear-
ing a face covering.
Story Time from Space
Story Time from Space is a project of the Global Space Educa- IMPORTANT NUMBERS
tion Foundation, which sends children’s books to the Interna- Secretary 472-4860
tional Space Station. While in space, astronauts record them- Registrar 472-4861
selves on video reading these books to the children of Earth and Attendance 472-4864
share them on the Story Time from Space website. Nurse 472-4852
Counselor 472-4806
Storyline Online Psychologist 472-4856
At Storyline Online, SAG-AFTRA Foundation records well- Family Support 472-4876
known actors reading children’s books and makes graphically
dynamic videos so that children around the world can enjoy fa-
vorite stories, such as The Kissing Hand, A Bad Case of Stripes, March Calendar
and Stellaluna. 3/1 First Day of Woman’s
History month
Chocolate Fundraiser
Goodnight with Dolly Kick Off
Goodnight With Dolly features Dolly Parton reading aloud titles 3/5 College T-shirt day
End of the quarter
from the Imagination Library. Snuggled in bed with her Imagi- Early Release
nation Library book, Dolly shares stories that are just right for 12:15 pm
this moment in time. 3/8–12 Spring Break
No School
3/19 End of Chocolate
Webster community! Our annual Chocolate Fundraiser
Fundraiser is starting now!
Sale starts: March 1st.
Sale ends: March 19th.
Your support is much needed and appreciated!
Webster Cougars and parents! Happy March! We are nearing the end of 3 rd quar-
ter, and spring is right around the corner. It is a perfect time to “grow” as stu-
dents and as human beings! Our focus in the counseling department is teaching the
students how to accept responsibility for our actions and improve ourselves
through these actions. This gives us a clearer understanding of our behavior. By
understanding our emotions and the antecedents (prior events leading up to), our behavior can be recognized,
understood, and improved upon! There is no “luck” to this, just a conscious effort to be the best we can be.
That is the cougar way!
Jonathan Mejia
School Counselor
Webster Elementary
From the Health Office
Exercise is important even if it is just getting up and moving for 5 minutes! Exercise
helps prevent certain diseases, obesity, and diabetes. Here are some fun ways to
incorporate exercise as a family:
• Dance party! Even toddlers like to boogie and shake, so turn that beat up and get
moving in this fun way. A workout without even realizing.
• Family bike rides, this is a great way to spend quality time together while exercising. If children are too
young to ride independently there are many amazing carriers and bike trailers available.
• Yard work, although this might not be everyone’s favorite activity it at times needs to be done! Raking,
mowing, pulling weeds is not only a good workout but can teach children about helping and responsibility.
• Outdoor games, such as soccer (or any sport), tag, hula hooping, jumping on the trampoline, are all great
workouts and loads of fun!
Dannielle Latvenas-Russell
Webster Elementary Nurse
480-472-4852/ dlatvenasrussell@mpsaz.org
Library News
Hello from the library! March 2nd is Read Across America Day, a day used to celebrate the wonderful world
of literature. We’re going to be celebrating the entire week of March 2nd by enjoying a different book each
day to not only celebrate literature, but to honor how books can highlight the beautiful diversity of our coun-
try and the world! Please take a moment to listen a couple of our book choices for the month of March.
Same, Same but Different - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ze11Q-S8-LA
Elliot lives in America, and Kailash lives in India. They are pen pals. By exchanging letters and
pictures, they learn that they both love to climb trees, have pets, and go to school. Their
worlds might look different, but they are actually similar. Same, same, but different!
Through an inviting point-of-view and colorful, vivid illustrations, this story shows how two
boys living oceans apart can be the best of friends. – Amazon
Chocolate Milk, Por Favor - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idGcvzb4hnY
"Chocolate milk (Gabe's favorite drink) is a recurring symbol in this heartwarming story
about the importance of making friendships and helping others, and the power of kindness
when working to overcome the language barrier. Highly recommended!"
- Midwest Book Review
From the Parent Resource Center
Top 8 Tips for Helping Your Child Prepare for AZMERIT
Spring has arrived, which means we’re already nearing the end of another school year in
Arizona. It’s time to measure what students have learned and if they are on track and pre-
pared for the next step in their education. This year, Arizona students will be taking a brand
new test, called AzMERIT.
Think of the test as an academic checkup. Just as you would want your doctor to share an
honest assessment of your child’s health, AzMERIT will give you the most accurate infor-
mation about your child’s academic ability.
We know that taking tests can be stressful and students can experience every emotion from
panic to apathy. It is important your child is mentally and physically prepared and there are simple ways to alleviate
anxiety and stress.
1. Talk to Your Child’s Teacher
Teachers are an excellence resource for details about the skills your child has been working on this school year and
what support you can give your child at home to help him prepare for the test.
2. Reinforce Critical Thinking Skills
Your child has been preparing for the new test since the school year began. All of her projects, assignments and
discussions have reinforced critical thinking and problem-solving skills. However, you can reinforce those skills at
home by reading with your child and asking her to talk about the central idea or theme of book or article. Ask her
to ex-plain something she has written. Have her explain the steps she took to solve a math problem.
3. Practice At Home
You can support your child by learning about the skills being assessed on the test, as well as what sample questions
might look like and talking with him about it. If your child will be taking the test on a computer, it would useful to
go through some sample questions so he is familiar with the platform.
4. Keep Track of Test Days
If you know when the tests are coming, you can make sure other activities are kept to a minimum. Ensure school
takes priority over practices, appointments and trips.
5. Serve a Healthy Breakfast
Research has shown the impact eating breakfast has on academic performance. Focus on foods that are healthy and
a good source of energy, like eggs and whole grain toast, or oatmeal packed with fruit and nuts. Less healthy
choices such as donuts and sugary drinks can leave your child feeling tired and hungry just an hour or two later. A
nutritious breakfast will help her stay focused and alert.
6. Safeguard Sleep
Make sure your child gets enough sleep the night before exams and in the days leading up to tests. Enforce a “tech
curfew” – no phones, tablets, video games, or TV for 30 minutes prior to bedtime. This will help him wind down and
prepare to get a good night’s rest.
7. Don’t Stress
Your stress can carry over to your child. By keeping your own stress levels down, you can help her succeed. Try to
emphasize to your child that she doesn’t have to be perfect, and that you’ll support her no matter what.
8. Stay Positive
Your child can be influenced by your reaction to testing time. Give him a positive send-off in the morning and tell
him he has the needed skills, he just needs to relax and pace himself.
Remember, AzMERIT and other standardized tests are not the finish line. They simply serve as check points along
every child’s educational journey. With very few exceptions, testing results should be used to determine areas of
strength and weakness so students can monitor and adjust. Set goals for any skills that need work and celebrate
when your child reaches each goal.
To learn more about the test and what your child needs to know to be successful, visit
www.expectmorearizona.org/standards-assessments/
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