Hello Westside Village Families!
Here are a few things to look out for this week:
Aug 27: Open House, 4:30-6:00
Sep 3: First Day of School for ALL Westside Students, including all Kindergarteners (FULL school day, 8:35-3:35)
Sep 3: Parent Coffee in the Garden, 9:00
Sep 10: Early Release Wednesdays Begin (8:35-2:05)
Click here for the full WVMS School Year Calendar.
Welcome to the 2025-26 School Year!
Dear Westside Village Families,
Enjoy the remaining days of summer and get ready to gear up for a fantastic adventure, the 2025-26 School Year! We hope our families have had some fabulous fun and great connection time with each other.
Westside Village is looking forward to connecting with our new and returning families. We are committed to building strong relationships with families, getting to know all students, building and enriching skills and interests to encourage each child’s inherent dignity and infinite potential.
We have exciting news to share that includes Title I funding, Computer Science opportunities for our entire school including a course for our elders, Spanish K-8, and more new innovative and inclusive fun!
Mark your calendars for Open House on Wednesday, August 27th 4:30-6:00. This will be an opportunity to connect with all staff, sign up for Extended Care and Clubs (you do not have to be present to sign up; there will be an email sent out as well), and learn more about the school year ahead.
We have a deep commitment to meet the needs of every child in order to ensure that each child receives what they need to grow and develop and ultimately succeed. Please check out the following information to get ready for a fantastic year.
Enjoy the remaining days of summer; we can’t wait to see you!
Wendy & WVMS Staff
ALL Westside Students Start on Sept 3
Westside Village does not do a staggered start for our Kindergarteners or other grades (like you may see noted on other district calendars or communications). All Westside students begin on the same day: Wednesday, September 3rd.
Bus Transportation
Is your student riding the school bus during the 2025 – 2026 school year? Registration is required, even if your student rode the bus last year.
If you have a student this year who is eligible for transportation, please log into your ParentVUE account and use the Online Registration tool. Select the “Annual Request for Transportation” tile to walk you through the bus rider registration process. If you need assistance with logging into or trouble shooting your ParentVUE account, please email [email protected] or contact Marcie in the office.
To find out if your student is eligible for transportation, go to bls.fyi/bus.
Did you hear the news? Our Transportation Department is using a new and improved rider app for families! It’s called My Ride K-12, and you can download and use it to receive notifications and real-time updates on your student’s bus.
Beginning Saturday, August 16, you can log into My Ride K-12 and add your student(s) to your profile using their student ID number and 8-digit date of birth (MMDDYYYY). While you may be able to see bus routes as early as August 16th, bus routes will be finalized and available to view in the app by September 1.
For in-person assistance with transportation registration, we have two events just for you. You’ll find technical assistance, translators, and snacks.
Monday, August 18, 1:30 – 6:30 p.m.
Bend Transportation Office – 501 SE 2nd Street, Bend
Wednesday, August 20, 1:30 – 6:30 p.m.
La Pine Elementary School – 51615 Coach Road, La Pine
You can also find step-by-step instructions in this video.
If you have any other questions, please email [email protected]. And happy riding!
BLS Communication
- BLConnect
- BLConnect is the district’s communication tool to communicate to families for emergencies (security issues and snow days). Please update your information by using this link BLConnect.
- BLS Instagram and BLS Facebook
- Go into ParentVUE and select Online Registration → “New Enrollments & Update Information” to update the following information:
- Emergency Contact information
- Email addresses
- Phone numbers
- Home Address
We Have Availability in Some Grades
If you know of anyone that may be a good fit for our community, have them reach out! We have room in some grades. 541-355-2000 or [email protected].
Get Remind Texts
Be on the lookout for an invitation to join Westside Village’s Remind text group. Groups are by grade level, so you may need to accept multiple invitations. Often our texts apply to our entire community but there are times that they are specific to a certain grade level, so it’s good to join each applicable group. This is not required, but it’s a great way to receive quick reminders from our school.
Free Breakfast & Lunch for All Students
Did you know that all students in the Bend-La Pine school district will continue to receive free breakfast and lunch this year? No application is required. If your student would like a second meal or second milk, they will need to pay for those items. Meal accounts can be loaded for that purpose using BLPay.
Monthly menus can be found in the office or posted in this blog at the beginning of each month.
We Provide All School Supplies
We will provide all needed school supplies. You are welcome to send your child with a backpack and water bottle. We strongly suggest labeling all items so they can be returned to your student’s cubby if lost.
News From Friends
What is Friends of Westside Village?
Friends of Westside Village is our nonprofit organization that supports and guides our school improvement. It is a group of parents, guardians, community members and staff that works together to develop and monitor our school improvement plan. This includes finances, curriculum, programs, and events. The Village Council is made up of Friends Volunteer Board Members and elected families, students, and school staff (traditionally known as Site Council.)
Friends of Westside Village also develops, directs and supplements our Extended Care Programs, Clubs, Adventures, Artists in Residence, and other enhancement academic and social activities.
The Village Council develops and leads the work, follows articles of organization (bi-laws,) and makes decisions based on budget, finances, and input from our families and community members. Our open meetings are once a month during the school year. We highly encourage our families to attend.
Extended Care & Clubs
Welcome back to a new school year at Westside Village Magnet School! We’re excited to continue offering Extended Care and Clubs this year. Our program provides a safe, engaging space for students before and after school from 7:30 AM to 5:30 PM on school days.
We guarantee space for every WVMS student who enrolls early or on time. Each session lasts six weeks to align with our school calendar. Payment and sign-ups are processed per session and are due before the start of each session.
Session Dates:
- Session 1: Sept 3 – Oct 17 Available for signups starting on 8/27
- Session 2: Oct 20 – Dec 5
- Session 3: Dec 8 – Jan 29
- Session 4: Feb 2 – Mar 13
- Session 5: Mar 16 – May 1
- Session 6: May 4 – Jun 11
2025/26 Pricing: (adjusted to better support families)
- Full-time care (Mon–Fri): $390 per child, per session (down from $450 last year!)
- Part-time care (<5 days/week): $270 per child, per session
- Individual Club: $120 per child, per session
- Daily Drop-in: $20 per child, per day — please inform the office or a teacher in advance
Clubs are offered each session based on student interest and facilitator/volunteer availability. Students voted on their favorites last year, and here’s the list:
| Clay Club Jewelry Making Club Book Club Improv School Newspaper Music/Drumming Club | Drama Martial Arts Skateboard Club Coding Club Lego Club Arial Silks | Robotics Club Art Club Garden Club Photography Bee Club |
If you’d like to volunteer to lead a club your child is interested in, please let us know! Parent volunteers receive free extended care for that session. Volunteers must complete a background check and meet district requirements.
If your family needs financial assistance, please visit our website to apply for a scholarship.
Warmly,
Alice McElyea
Extended Care Program Director
Friends of Westside Village