The playground at Huber Ridge Elementary will soon feature resources to help students play well with each other and resolve conflicts. 

As part of the Peaceful Playgrounds initiative, educators will promote monthly themes around friendship, social and conflict resolution skills on yard signs sprinkled across the playground area. The signs will also feature games and activity ideas for structured play.

Thanks to funding from the Westerville Education Foundation’s fall grant cycle, Huber Ridge staff plan to launch the initiative in March. Peaceful Playgrounds is among 10 projects awarded funding from WEF.

Westerville City School District’s “Parent Prep” returns to an in-person event this year after two years of a virtual format. The free workshop series provides parents and caregivers the opportunity to take sessions on various topics, including mindful parenting, healthy relationships, substance education, college and career planning and mental health and school resources. 

The program is coordinated through the Deputy Superintendent’s Office for families who are enrolled full time in the Westerville City School District. Parents or guardians wishing to apply to have their children attend a school different from their school of attendance must complete and submit an Intra-district Open Enrollment Application. Application forms are available at each school building; at the Early Learning Center (936 Eastwind Drive); or at www.wcsoh.org, where general guidelines can also be found.

Westerville families can register their incoming kindergarten students for the 2023-24 school year starting Jan. 17. 

Kindergarten is required for children before entering first grade; families may register their children for kindergarten if they will be five years old on or before Sept. 30.

Westerville South Theatre Troupe 513 has resumed a holiday tradition that had been on hiatus because of the pandemic: its traveling show to Westerville elementaries.

Throughout the district, Westerville students and staff have raised thousands of dollars to support more than 600 children in need during the holidays through Westerville Caring and Sharing.