September 4, 2025

A Note From Our Principal

Dear Westerly Creek Families,

An area of emphasis in learning at WCE is something we call "personal success factors". WCE embraces personal success factors because they are essential for academic achievement and long-term well-being. By teaching skills such as emotional intelligence, zest, and gratitude to name just a few, we equip students to face life's challenges, excel in their careers, and enjoy fulfilling lives beyond the classroom.

Each month, we will spotlight one success factor, exploring what it looks like both in and out of the classroom. During our daily morning meetings, we'll learn about this factor, its meaning, and its relevance for each grade level.

We encourage families to discuss these success factors and find ways to integrate them into the home environment, making them part of daily routines. Together, we can prepare our students for success beyond the classroom and in life.

We are excited to kick off the year by focusing on what it means to have a Growth Mindset. A growth mindset is the belief that you can become smarter and improve skills through hard work and learning. It's like a muscle for your brain that gets stronger with use!

Having a growth mindset means embracing challenges, learning from mistakes, and understanding that saying "I can't do it… YET!" is a powerful way to express that you are on the path to learning. This attitude encourages perseverance when things get tough and allows you to continue growing and achieving more in life.

Let’s support our students on this journey together!

Jill A. Corcoran
Principal

What's Going On At WCE

Important To-Do

Make sure you have WCE Notifications turned on in the DPS App. THIS IS NOT THE DEFAULT SETTING. You have to manually select WCE in app 'Notification Preferences' to be alerted when your student's teacher posts. Click here for a step by step screen share recording for turning on WCE Notifications. Still having trouble? Feel free to reach out to wcecomms@gmail.com for assistance.

Don't have the DPS App yet? Teacher weekly updates will be sent through the app (unlike email in the past). Messages will be sent through the app in the Rooms section (unlike Remind in the past). Please make sure you have downloaded the app so you are up-to-date on your student's classroom(s). Click Here for directions for downloading and signing in.

School Pictures

School pictures will be taken Thursday & Friday next week! Pictures are taken outside with a few poses, both up close and full body. All previewing and ordering of the pictures is done through Bloom's website. No preordering is necessary. You'll get a chance to view all your child's photos before deciding if you want to order anything.

Click here for more details

Collaborative School Committee (CSC)

The WCE Collaborative School Committee (CSC) is currently seeking nominations for parent representatives.

The CSC is a vital part of our school community, responsible for advising on key decisions, allocating resources, and fostering collaboration among parents, teachers, and administrators. Serving on the CSC provides you with a platform to actively contribute to the educational experience at Westerly Creek Elementary. Fill out the nomination form here. *Yes, you can nominate yourself!

Parents' Night Out

Camp Explore (Ms. Bateman and Ms. Anderson) will be hosting Parents' Night Out again this year. Parents' Night Out will be hosted once per month. Click here to sign up.

BESS Mental Health Survey

What is the BESS ?

In Denver Public Schools, we use the Behavioral and Emotional Screening System (BESS) to screen all students for behavioral and social emotional risk.
It is a short questionnaire completed by students (3rd-12th), teachers, and parents

Why the BESS ?

Proactive and systematic way to determine appropriate supports for students and meet student needs
Screening data is used to provide students with access to appropriate social emotional/mental health interventions
Addressing the behavioral and social emotional needs of our students is critical to ensuring their well-being and healthy development, their access to safe and welcoming schools, and their ability to engage with grade level texts and tasks.

DIRECTIONS:

1. Scan or click the QR code below or follow this link: tinyurl.com/bessoverview

2. Enter your student’s DPS ID and date of birth (MM/DD/YYYY).

3. Complete the screening form.

To learn more, view our Frequently Asked Questions at tinyurl.com/bessoverview

Parent Friendly Overview of the BESS Screening System is another useful guide.

Community Wide News

Last day to buy tickets is September 10!

A WCE favorite with a new feel: new location and breweries on site (Fiction Beer, Second Dawn, Prost, Cheluna, and Odell). Come hoist a pint and help raise funds for our students.

Click Here for Tickets