Bulldog Blast May 2025

Seventh Edition
May 4, 2025
principal-sharkey

Mrs. Sharkey, Principal 

dr_ware_acting

Dr. Ware, Acting Principal

Dear West Point Elementary Families,   

We hope this message finds you well! Here important updates and reminders to keep you informed and involved in our school community.

Please see important information, school articles, volunteer opportunities, photo galleries, and calendar dates below.  WPES Bulldog Blasts and teacher newsletters emailed to parents and teachers communicate the details for upcoming events.    

Upcoming events: 

  • Monday, May 12 - Library Day! Last day for students to check out books. 
  • Monday, May 19 - Return all library books.
  • Wednesday, May 21 School Board Meeting @ WPES (4:00PM - 5:00PM) 
  • Friday, May 23 - Field Day!  Volunteers needed! (See email for Sign-Up Genius link)
  • Monday, May 26 - Memorial Day holiday - No School
  • Wednesday, June 4 - Early Release of Students (1:30PM)
  • Thursday, June 5 UPK End of Year Celebration 
  • Friday, June 6 - Early Dismissal at 11:00AM, End of Quarter 4, and Last Day of School for students
  • Friday, June 6 - Grade 5 Promotion Ceremony (9:30AM)
  • Monday, June 9 - Teacher Workday - No students

Announcements:  

Substitute Teaching Positions:  Join our WPES team!  Use the QR code to apply for the substitute teaching positions.  DoDEA Americas seeks to hire you.  You can find the link to the West Point Substitute teacher details using this QR code.  Help us spread the word.  

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Library News:  

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Lunch Debt Reminder:  

Please check your child’s backpack for any lunch debt notices. We kindly ask that all outstanding balances be paid before the end of the school year.
Questions? Contact Ms. Angela Horn at WPMS:
📧 Angela.Horn@dodea.edu

Health, Wellness & Safety – Pets on Campus:

For the safety and comfort of all students, please do not bring pets onto school grounds without prior written approval. If your child has animal allergies, notify the School Nurse.
More details can be found in our School Handbook.

End-of-Year Behavior Reminder:

As we wrap up the school year, we encourage all students to continue showing respect and following school rules. This includes being kind and courteous to teachers, aides, bus drivers, lunch monitors, and administrators. Let’s finish strong!


Thank you for your continued support and partnership. Let’s make these final weeks of school positive, productive, and memorable!

Warm regards,

West Point Elementary School

Dr. LaRhonda Ware

Acting Principal

West Point Elementary School 

Mid-Atlantic District

Activities

5th grade students that participate in the Morning News club, will report on birthdays, current events, and other news items important to West Point Elementary School. Students will work as a team to serve as news anchors and behind the scenes crew....

Meets on: Thursday

Music and Movement Club is being offered to grades 3-5 and will begin on January 22nd. We will meet in the music studio every 1st, 3rd, and 4th Wednesday of the month from 3:15 - 4:00. Students are encouraged to bring water and appropriate shoes for ...

Meets on: Wednesdays (1st, 2nd, and 4th Wed.)

Meeting Time: 3:15 PM to 4:00 PM

4th grade students in the quilting club will independently hand sew a lap size quilt. During the quilting club session, students learn to design, sew, measure, cut and hand finish a small quilt of their very own. The young quilters learn to use a var...

Meets on: Thursday

The purpose of the student council is to give students an opportunity to develop leadership by organizing and carrying out school activities and service projects. In addition to planning events that contribute to school spirit and community welfare, the student council is the voice of the student body. They help share student ideas, interests, and concerns with the school wide community.

Meets on: 2nd Wednesday of month

Meeting Time: 3:00 pm - 4:00pm

Robotics Club Competition

Healthy Competition! That’s what the Robotics Club run by Mrs. Taplin and Dr. Thomascall from WPES and WPMS experienced. Students built advanced SPIKE robots, learned coding and programming, and applied these skills to complete missions. Along the way, they developed essential twenty-first century skills such as problem-solving, critical thinking, and collaboration. Despite competing against each other, the event was filled with laughter, camaraderie, and teamwork. Parents enthusiastically cheered their teams on, witnessing their children persevere and overcome challenges when programs didn’t work. It was a remarkable and dynamic robotic adventure, with Robust Robots Rallying Remarkably!

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Computer Access/Internet Policy/Electronic Devices

Each student, together with the student’s parent or guardian (if applicable), shall acknowledge and sign Form 700, “Use of DoDEA Internet and Use of Information Technology Resources,” before he or she is assigned a user account. In accordance with Enclosure 4 of DoDEA Administrative Instruction 6600.01, “Computer Access and Internet Policy,” February 16, 2010, the following are required of all students:

  1. Students shall use DoDEA information technology (IT) resources, including computers, electronic mail, and internet access, only in support of education and for research consistent with the educational objectives of DoDEA;
  2. Students shall respect and adhere to all of the rules governing access to, and use of, DoDEA’s IT resources;
  3. Students shall be polite in all electronic communication;
  4. Students shall use courteous and respectful language and/or images in their messages to others;
  5. Students shall not swear, use vulgarities, or use harsh, abusive, sexual, or disrespectful language and/or images;
  6. Students who misuse DoDEA IT resources are subject to disciplinary measures; and
  7. Students’ accounts will be deactivated upon transition out of a DoDEA school.

The signed agreement (Form 700) is to be retained in the administrative office at the student’s school for the duration of the student’s enrollment. A copy will be provided to the student and, if applicable, the student’s parent or guardian.

English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL)/Language Services

An English language learner (ELL) is a student whose first language is not English and is in the process of acquiring English as an additional language. In accordance with DoDEA Regulation 2440.1, DoDEA’s English Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Program is designed to teach ELLs to acquire English language and literacy proficiency through content. The ESOL Program builds students’ social, cultural, and academic skills so that identified ELLs succeed in an English language academic environment that provides access to college- and career-ready opportunities as their English-speaking peers.

The ESOL Program involves teaching listening, speaking, reading, writing, and study skills at the appropriate developmental and English language proficiency levels. This is accomplished by teaching language through a standards-based, high-quality academic content that pursues the student’s orientation within the United States culture. The ESOL Program’s instruction can be delivered in a variety of settings and program configurations. The scope and amount of ESOL instruction provided is determined by the student’s age, grade level, academic needs, and an English language proficiency evaluation. DoDEA’s ELLs may receive instruction both through the ESOL Program and within the main classroom setting.

Grading Information

At the beginning of each course or grade level, every DoDEA teacher shall make available information regarding grading policy and course requirements to parents and students. This information will be provided to parents and students by the end of the first month of the school year or by the end of the first month of the semester in the case of a semester course.

If any student demonstrates unsatisfactory progress or achievement, teachers must notify parents with enough time to correct the deficiency. Notification must occur as soon as unsatisfactory achievement is evident, and not later than the midpoint of the nine-week grading period.

Timely and accurate reporting of student progress shall be accomplished for students in grades 4–12, using the approved DoDEA Electronic Gradebook (EGB) System. All assignments (e.g., quizzes, tests, examinations, homework, speeches, etc.) that are used to assess and report student progress shall be promptly evaluated and/or graded, posted in the EGB, and returned to the student. The normal period of evaluation and posting should be no longer than ten calendar days from the day the assignment is collected, with reasonable exceptions for large projects. At a minimum, one assignment or grade should be recorded per week in the EGB System. To create an account and access the EGB System, please visit the DoDEA SIS Gradebook for instructions.

School Administrators

School Hours

Grade Regular Hours
PK - 5 8:20 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
  • All students must be in their classrooms by the tardy bell to be counted present.
  • Students arriving ten minutes past the start time are counted tardy.
  • Notify the school no later than 8:15 a.m. at WPES.Attendance@dodea.edu if a student will be tardy or absent.
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