WESTIE MEETS the community, school staff, and more all over the district (WSD photo).

By Joy Qiao
Special to the Tribune

This spring, the Westminster School District launched Where’s Westie? — a community engagement campaign built around Westie, the district’s official bell mascot — as a deliberate effort to meet students and families in the everyday spaces where they already spend their time.

The initiative represents a shift in how the District thinks about outreach: less seasonal, more sustained; less transactional, more relational.

“At Westminster School District, we believe that building relationships with families should not wait until enrollment season or Back to School Night,” said Superintendent Gunn Marie Hansen, Ph.D.

“Where’s Westie? is our commitment in action — showing up consistently, being present in this community, and making every family feel that WSD is a district that knows them and values them long before their child ever walks through our doors.”

Westie was introduced at the January Governing Board of Education meeting as part of a broader initiative to deepen community connection. The public campaign launched with appearances at three events in a single weekend and each one chosen to reach families in a different kind of setting.

At the 5th Annual MathCounts Competition at Johnson Middle School, hosted by the Vietnamese American Aerospace Peer Association, WSD students competed alongside peers from surrounding communities in mathematics, with civic leaders including Mayor Charlie Nguyen and Board President David Johnson in attendance.

Later that weekend, Westie and Board President Johnson made an unannounced visit to Rancho Santa Margarita and Oso Lake Scout Camp, where students from Finley and Schmitt were spending the weekend — a deliberately informal moment that signaled the District’s presence extends well beyond the school day.

The weekend concluded at the inaugural Cruzin’ for Kids event hosted by the Boys and Girls Club of Westminster, where more than 40 cars and bikes were on display and WSD operated an enrollment booth alongside the festivities.

The range of settings was intentional. Where’s Westie? is designed to show up where community life actually happens — competitions, campouts, car shows — rather than relying on families to seek the district out.

“Having a visible mascot in community settings makes it easier for families to engage with the District and learn more about our schools,” said Elsie Simonovski, Ph.D., director of whole child and family engagement. “It supports positive relationships, fosters a sense of belonging, and increases awareness of the programs and opportunities we offer.”