A Busy Week and a New Reading Mission!
Connect with your child’s teacher, explore the Book Fair, and help your Wildcat start a month of reading and discovery. Here are the dates, actions, and family resources to keep handy this October.
This Week at a Glance: October 5–9
Early dismissal every day: School ends at 1:30 p.m. all week. Please plan pickup and after-school arrangements.
October 6: Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO) meeting at 9:00 a.m.
October 7 and 8: Parent-teacher conferences and the Book Fair.
October 9: Provo High School Latinos in Action students visit first grade.
Make time to connect: Schedule your parent-teacher conference.
Wildcats Are Ready for the Mission!
A new reading adventure is beginning at Westridge! Our Operation Wildcat Book of the Month Club introduces students to stories connected to a monthly theme, building a love of reading along the way.
October’s theme, “Wildcats Are Ready for the Mission!”, celebrates growth and new beginnings. These books remind students that they do not need to know everything when they begin. They can learn through experience, discover their strengths, and keep improving.
Meet October’s Books
Picture books: The Magical Yet and The Dot
Kindergarten–grade 4 chapter book: Clementine
Grades 4–6 chapter book: Princess Academy
As you read together, try asking: “What did this character learn by trying something new?” A simple conversation can help children connect a story to their own experiences.
Read, Color, Celebrate: Riley’s October Challenge
Riley the Giraffe is inviting Wildcats to read every day! Tracking sheets went home on Friday, October 2. Here is how to participate:
Read for at least 20 minutes each day. Read independently, read with someone, or listen while someone reads aloud.
Color one book on the Riley tracking sheet. One colored book represents one day of completing the 20-minute challenge.
Return the tracking sheet at the end of October to receive a special prize.
Choose a comfortable spot, find a book, and make reading part of your family’s routine. Every 20 minutes counts!
Next Deadline: STEM Fair Forms Due October 13
Have a question to investigate or an idea to build? The science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) Fair is an opportunity to explore it.
STEM Fair forms are due October 13. Use the project form for your child’s grade level: kindergarten–grade 4 or grades 5–6. Review the parent information packet as you prepare your project.
Plan Ahead: October Events
October 13–15
October 13: Community Council meeting at 7:00 a.m.
October 14: First-grade field trip. Contact your child’s teacher for details.
October 14: Hope Squad meeting, 3:20–4:00 p.m.
October 15: District Parent University for kindergarten–grade 3 families, 5:00–7:30 p.m. at Shoreline Middle School.
Planning to attend the October 15 family event? Explore the details and register:
Read about the October 15 ProvoREADS Family Literacy Night
Register for the October 15 family event
No-School Days and Red Ribbon Week
October 21: Professional Development Day. No school for students.
October 22–26: Fall Break. No school.
October 27–30: PTO Red Ribbon Week. More information will be shared as the event approaches.
Choir
Choir meets on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 7:45–8:20 a.m.
Attendance Matters: Keep Us Informed
When your child needs to miss school, please contact Westridge each time so the absence can be excused.
Call: Westridge’s school office at 801-374-4870
Email: Report an absence to westridgeattendance@provo.edu
All absences must be excused to avoid district attendance intervention. Intervention begins after the first five unexcused absences.
District intervention may include attendance letters, family advocate or social worker home visits, resolution conferences, district mediation, and referral to the Division of Child and Family Services (DCFS) or the County Attorney’s Office.
School Meals: Three Helpful Resources
If you have not submitted a free or reduced-price meal application for the 2026–2027 school year, school meals will be charged at full price. Submit your application promptly to request meal benefits.
Apply for free or reduced-price school meals
Pay for school meals through MySchoolBucks
View school breakfast and lunch menus
The online meal application provides step-by-step instructions. Families can apply from anywhere with an internet connection, and completed applications are sent to the school office the same day.
Breakfast and Lunch Prices
Breakfast: Reduced price, $0.30; full price, $2.00.
Lunch: Reduced price, $0.40; full price, $2.75.
Additional breakfast: $3.00.
Additional lunch: $5.00.
Students who purchase additional meals are charged full price, including students who qualify for free or reduced-price meals. Free and reduced-price benefits apply only to the first meal served each day. Students may bring lunch from home to avoid additional meal charges.
School Hours: Know When to Go
October 5–9 is an early-dismissal week: Kindergarten–grade 6 students attend from 8:40 a.m.–1:30 p.m. each day.
Regular Weekly Schedule
Monday–Thursday: 8:40 a.m.–3:20 p.m.
Friday: 8:40 a.m.–1:30 p.m.
First bell: 8:35 a.m.
Morning arrival: Meet on the Kindergarten Playground or North Playground.
Keep Up with Our Wildcats
Stay connected with school announcements, student celebrations, and the moments that make Westridge special. Invite your family to follow along, too!
Explore the Westridge Elementary website
Follow Westridge Elementary on Facebook
Instagram: @westridgeprovo
