Westerly School of Long Beach

Join us this Thursday, Jan. 14th at 10 a.m. for Virtual Coffee with Westerly Admissions Get to know Westerly School, the only K-8 independent school in Long Beach! Register here: bit.ly/westerlycoffee #MySchoolOfChoice

Yesterday, as part of our efforts to keep our community safe and healthy, Westerly hosted its first-ever, on-campus COVID-testing for our students. The testing process flowed smoothly throughout the day, better than we could have predicted, thanks to the teamwork shown by our dedicated parents, staff, and some incredible volunteers. With testing continuing today for faculty, we're prepared and looking forward to a safe return to campus on Monday.... #Adaptability #MySchoolOfChoice

Chag Sameach - we hope everyone had a wonderful Hanukkah! #WhyWesterly #LoveOfLearning #ThinkExploreLead

Happy New Year 2021 from all of us at Westerly School! #WhyWesterly #LoveOfLearning #ThinkExploreLead #MySchoolOfChoice

2020 is nearly finished. It has been a transcendent year for our Westerly community - together we have navigated a world of remote learning and social distancing and have remained connected and strong throughout. We are profoundly grateful for our wonderful students, nurturing teachers, and supportive families. Here's to a bright new year ahead. #MySchoolOfChoice #WinterBreak #SeeYouInJanuary

Happy first day of Kwanzaa! Today we celebrate the first principle of the holiday: 'Umoja,' which means 'unity' in Swahili. ~ Celebrate Kwanzaa with the California African American Museum (CAAM) by practicing the sixth principle of the holiday, Kuumba (creativity), today Dec. 26th at 2:00 p.m. PST here: bit.ly/34MlYii ~ Coyaba Dance Theater West African Dance Company is also hosting a free virtual dance presentation featuring Kwanzaa’s 7 principles on Tuesday, Dec. 29th from ...3:30 to 4:30 p.m. PST: bit.ly/2KsRxH5 How is your family celebrating Kwanzaa this year? #WhyWesterly #LoveOfLearning #ThinkExploreLead

REMINDER: Our Westerly Admissions virtual coffee is TOMORROW, Thursday, Dec. 10th at 10 a.m. Sign up for the coffee here: bit.ly/westerlycoffee #WhyWesterly #LoveOfLearning #thinkexplorelead

Westerly 2nd Graders perform a Nutcracker-themed movement activity for our special virtual Winter assembly! More snippets from the assembly to come, but for now please enjoy and join our students and amazing Music Teacher, Mrs. Geiser, as they dance along with the Trepak (Russian dance) from Tchaikovsky's famous ballet. Note the many different patterns you hear as you follow along - and have fun! #WhyWesterly #LoveOfLearning #ThinkExploreLead

Please support our WPA events by purchasing Scrip through our Holiday Scrip fundraiser this week! The Westerly Parent Association (WPA) is committed to supporting our children, teachers, administration, and community, sponsoring school activities such as parent-education opportunities, Diversity and Multicultural Awareness Committee events and assemblies, student and teacher appreciation and support, and donation drives. With 750+ brands to choose from (e.g. Amazon, Target, ...Starbucks, etc.), Scrip gift cards make great gifts for students, teachers, stocking stuffers, or even for everyday shopping! HOW IT WORKS The WPA can earn money back when you buy gift cards through Scrip - you can do this via one of the methods below. **If this is your first time purchasing Scrip to support the WPA, use this enrollment code to create your account: 7EL36DB715876 Apple Store: apple.co/3qArtKf (download the RaiseRight app) Google Play: bit.ly/2L8PW96 (download the RaiseRight app) Visit ShopWithScrip.com ORDERS DUE FRIDAY, DEC. 11th @ 3:00 P.M. Additional Resources: Scrip Holiday Shopping Guide: bit.ly/37IirlR How Scrip works: bit.ly/3n7z3dj For any questions, contact [email protected]

Westerly 1st Graders study the art of Yayoi Kusama, a Japanese contemporary artist who began painting with polka dots as motifs at around age 10. "Every time I have had a problem, I have confronted it with the ax of art." -Yayoi Kusama By developing their artistic knowledge and skill sets, students can expand their creativity in all aspects of their lives!... #WhyWesterly #YayoiKusama #LoveOfLearning #ThinkExploreLead

Happy Hanukkah from Westerly School! To everyone celebrating, we wish you eight wonderful nights of light and love. #HappyHanukkah

The Westerly Admission team invites you to join us for our next virtual coffee on Thursday, Dec. 10th at 10 a.m. This is a great opportunity for families to learn more about our K-8th grade school, our educational philosophy, and academic programs. Sign up for the coffee here: bit.ly/westerlycoffee... #WhyWesterly #LoveOfLearning #ThinkExploreLead

Giving Tuesday was a success! Thank you to all of our amazing Westerly community members and friends who have generously contributed to our Annual Fund! If you haven't yet had the chance, there is still time to donate and support our students - click here to help us reach our goal! bit.ly/westerly2021 #WhyWesterly #LoveOfLearning #ThinkExploreLead

It's #GivingTuesday! We love what Westerly 4th Grader, Elin, had to say about "giving back" during our most recent Monday morning assembly, and we hope that YOU will make a positive impact today by giving back to Westerly School. From our Art, Music, and Spanish classes, to our Student Leadership and mentorship programs, donations directly support nearly every aspect of our school! Show your support to our incredible students by making a donation here: bit.ly/westerly2021 P.S.... ANYONE can give on Giving Tuesday! Double your impact by asking your company to match your donation! #WhyWesterly #LoveOfLearning #ThinkExploreLead

A compilation of photos from some of our Halloween activities this year - our first-ever "drive-thru Haunted House," "Spooky Spaces" contest, and some fabulous Halloween COSTUMES, of course!

Welcome back from break, Wildcats! Thank you to our Student Leadership team for hosting another awesome virtual Monday meeting this morning. We hope everyone is having a great start to their week! #WhyWesterly #LoveOfLearning #ThinkExploreLead

Thanksgiving is more than a time for thankfulness. We encourage families to honor Native Americans through education. "These books give a far more nuanced, and accurate, account of Indigenous Peoples. They will set children and adults alike straight on what really happened around the time of the so-called First Thanksgiving, and what Native life is like today." #Thanksgiving

Today we celebrate Día de Muertos, or Day of the Day Dead! Día de Muertos has been celebrated for centuries in Mexico as a way to honor and remember loved ones who have passed. The holiday is celebrated in many other Latin countries as well including Columbia, Ecuador, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Peru, and Venezuela. Learn the customs, traditions, and history of this holiday and why thousands honor the dead during Día de Muertos! Here are three informational articles an...d sites we recommend: How Countries Around the Globe Celebrate Día de Muertos: bit.ly/322EO35 10 Ways To Virtually Celebrate Día de Los Muertos: bit.ly/3eikTlI More information on all things Día De Muertos: https://dayofthedead.holiday/

We are proud to share that one of our very own Westerly parents, Amber Hopper, has been selected to serve on Long Beach Post's new Community Editorial Board! The Board will "write unified opinion pieces as the institutional voice of the publication," as well as rebuttals "in order to give readers the opportunity to consider both sides of the issue." Members are also invited to write "opinion columns on issues and subjects in which they have a personal interest, experience or expertise, as well as write critically about [the Post's] news coverage, or national media coverage." #WhyWesterly #ThinkExploreLead #DiversityEquityInclusion

Westerly students are off for Thanksgiving Break this week. We hope everyone is enjoying themselves! In the meantime, here are some photos from our 3rd graders' recent "bird beak" lab - these young scientists have been studying adaptations and survival in science, and with this experiment, they had the opportunity to test different shaped "beaks" to discover which foods birds might eat in order to survive in their environment. #LoveOfLearning #WhyWesterly #ThinkExploreLead

"I have grit and I don't quit." Thank you to our Art Teaching Associate Ms. Bacchus for creating these gorgeous, colorful reminders across our campus! Wishing all of our Westerly Wildcats a happy hump day. #WhyWesterly #MySchoolOfChoice #ThinkExploreLead #LoveOfLearning

Today we observe Indigenous Peoples Day and honor the cultures of the Native American peoples. #whywesterly

Westerly 1st Grade "mentees" virtually meeting with their 6th grade mentors earlier today Our mentorship program provides an amazing opportunity for students to bond with and learn from one another. Our younger kiddos especially appreciate having a Westerly student role model to look up to! #WhyWesterly #Gratitude #ThinkExploreLead

Hatima Tovah! Yom Kippur the Day of Atonement began at sundown on September 27th and ends at sundown today, September 28th. Yom Kippur marks the culmination of the 10 Days of Awe (the days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur), and is a period of introspection and repentance. This is the time Jewish people examine how we have failed ourselves, others, and God; hopefully leading to regret, restitution, redemption and renewal. Having been sealed in the book of life, we gree...t others by saying, "Hatima Tovah," which means, You are wished a sealing for good in the book of life. Traditionally, the day is spent at the Synagogue, praying and fasting. It is common to wear all white on Yom Kippur and no leather or other adornments. The day ends with a "break the fast" meal that was prepared ahead of the holiday with family, friends, and the community. We encourage you to learn more about Yom Kippur here: bit.ly/36eWjAr

Happy Diwali! Diwali, the Indian Festival of Lights, is a time to celebrate light, hope, and goodness around the world. To all of our families and friends - we wish you a very Happy Diwali! #Diwali2020

Today on Veterans Day, we thank all of the brave Americans who have served and made sacrifices for our country! Our students dedicated this week's virtual assembly to honoring all of our veterans - here are a few highlights. #VeteransDay View the full assembly here: bit.ly/36qaYad

Some Friday fun in Middle School Advisory! Each week, small groups of Westerly Middle Schoolers meet with faculty advisors to engage in activities and discussions beyond the traditional classroom setting. This particular group utilized today's meeting to introduce themselves, discuss values, "positives and negatives" of Mobile Learning, and set goals for the trimester, emphasizing words/phrases such as 'trust,' 'connection,' 'safe place,' 'stress relief,' 'honesty,' 'focus...ing,' and 'support.' It is vital that we continue to support our students with both their academic and social-emotional needs during this critical development period. We would love to know how you are supporting your student(s) at home - let us know in the comments! #WhyWesterly #LoveOfLearning #MySchoolOfChoice

Mango magic Check out our Kindergarteners' most recent art project, in which the students learned to draw/paint mangoes, blending the colors in paint to create secondary colors. During this stage in child development, students begin to understand color, shape, size, line, proportion, and pattern, in addition to developing hand/eye coordination, observation skills, fine motor skills, and learning to express themselves creatively! #WhyWesterly #ArtLife #MySchoolOfChoice

"Reading is the key that opens doors to many good things in life. Reading shaped my dreams, and more reading helped me make my dreams come true." - Ruth Bader Ginsburg Thank you, Justice Ginsburg, for continuing to inspire us. Wishing all of our Westerly community a happy Monday, especially our amazing 3rd-8th grade students who are currently engaging in Mobile Learning! Keep on reading, Wildcats. ... #LoveOfLearning #MondayMotivation #MySchoolOfChoice

Shanah Tovah! Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish new year, begins at sundown today, September 18th. Traditionally on Rosh Hashanah, Jewish people worship at a Synagogue, greet others with Shanah Tovah (a good New Year) or Shana Tova U'metukah (a sweet New Year), and at home, dip apples in honey and eat round challah to usher in a sweet New Year. Rosh Hashanah is also a time for reflection, to review your year, and consider how you might have wronged others or fallen short of your... potential. The blast of the Shofar, a ram's horn, reminds us of what is possible and what we can accomplish with the New Year. We encourage your family to learn more about Rosh Hashanah via the links below! For Grades K-5: bit.ly/3hDxu32 For Grades 6-8: bit.ly/3mAKcTO For Teens and Adults: bit.ly/3iMRxxw #RoshHashanah #ShanahTovah

Westerly has the best parents around! Thank you to all of our parent volunteers who joined us for our first Westerly Parent Association meeting of the year! (additional members not pictured) The WPA is committed to supporting our children, teachers, administration, and community. We appreciate these amazing volunteers as they help with planning innovative, engaging, educational, and exciting school and community activities throughout the year! #WhyWesterly #WesterlyParents #Kindness #MySchoolOfChoice