Dates and Announcements  

Dates and Announcements 

• Spirit Week: This week is Spirit Week. See the above schedule for the themes for each day.  

• Curriculum Night Virtual Presentations: Thursday, August 31, 5:00-6:00  
  Teams will send information and links to families as we get closer to the date. All presentations will be recorded and links to the recordings will be sent to families. 

• We have a 4-day weekend coming up next weekend. There is no school on Friday, September 1 and no school on Monday, September 4.  

• Switching Academic Classes: Last week, we began switching for literacy, math, and social studies classes. Please remember that these placements will be fluid (may change) as we gain a better understanding of the learning needs of each student and to help us find their “just right” class.  

• Specials: Our current special is PE. Next week we will switch specials, and we will go to Music. Don’t forget to subscribe to Mr. Hopson’s edlio page to get updates about this class. 

• Water and Snacks: Please remember to send your child a spill-proof, reusable water bottle, that is labeled with their name. In addition, we have 2 snack times, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Healthy snacks are always the best option. Please make sure your child knows which food is for their lunch meal and for snacks.  

• Change to morning carline and drop-off: Beginning on Monday, August 21, staff members will be outside and ready to assist by 7:40 a.m. every day, and the school's doors will open promptly at 7:45 a.m. Our goal is for all students to be in the building by 8:00 a.m. and we believe the extra five minutes will enhance the  

ZERO WASTE WEDNESDAYS! 

How It Works: 

• Every Wednesday is “Zero Waste Wednesday” here at Westgate. What this means is that if students have a lunch that doesn’t use any waste AT ALL (i.e., nothing to throw away, like baggies, cans, plastic cups, paper lunch bags, etc.), then their names will be entered into a raffle. Ten raffle winners will receive recognition over the intercom on Fridays for being the Zero Heroes of the Week. 
• *Students who have school lunch will qualify if they accurately sort their lunch into the appropriate trash and recycling AND have a reusable water bottle for the day* 

• Bonus Recognition: If there is an entire classroom that has zero waste lunch one day, the entire class will receive recognition automatically.  
• Extra Bonus Recognition: The class with the most days with all Zero Heroes at the end of the year will be considered the Zero Hero champions of the year! 
• Why: 

• The goal is for families to start the conversation about alternatives to lunch waste, like glass or plastic lunch containers, reusable lunch bags and water bottles, and cloth napkins. If a student has any item that must be thrown away (at school or at home) their names will not be entered, and they can try again next week and every week after that. Hopefully, this will instill changes that will go far beyond Wednesdays during lunchtime at Westgate. https://www.westgateschool.org/apps/pages/waste 

• Volunteers 

• Complete an online Volunteer Interest Form 
• Complete a background check.  Cost is $20.95 
• Complete a Volunteer Agreement Form 

• Advocacy:  

• Our August Advocacy theme is RISE (Respect, Integrity, Safety, Empathy)!  
• This week we will continue our Advocacy focus on our PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports) program, R.I.S.E. Last week, we focused on the “S” for Safety. We learned how to be safe with our bodies, in our spaces, and with our classmates. This week, our focus will be on the “E” in RISE which stands for Empathy. Empathy is when we understand and care about the feelings of others.  

• Switching Academic Classes: This week, we will be switching for literacy and math classes, starting on Monday. Please remember that these placements will be fluid (may change) as we gain a better understanding of the learning needs of each student and to help us find their “just right” class.  

• Specials: Our current special is PE. 

• Water and Snacks: Please remember to send your child a spill-proof, reusable water bottle, that is labeled with their name. In addition, we have 2 snack times, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Healthy snacks are always the best option. Please make sure your child knows which food is for their lunch meal and for snacks.  

• Announcement regarding nuts: 

• As a 1-2 team, we misunderstood the guidelines regarding nut allergies in our pod. We sent out a letter stating that our entire pod needs to provide nut-free food for their child. This is incorrect. You can send in foods with nuts for your child’s lunch and/or snack. We will be providing a nut-free table for the children that require it.  

• Change to morning carline and drop-off: Beginning on Monday, August 21, staff members will be outside and ready to assist by 7:40 a.m. every day, and the school's doors will open promptly at 7:45 a.m. Our goal is for all students to be in the building by 8:00 a.m. and we believe the extra five minutes will enhance the efficiency of our morning drop-off routine. 
• Curriculum Night Virtual Presentations: Thursday, August 31, 5:00-6:00  
  Teams will send information and links to families as we get closer to the date. All presentations will be recorded and links to the recordings will be sent to families. 

• Pete is retiring! Our facility dog Pete is retiring. His last day will be Aug. 25. Westgate is currently looking for a new facility dog. 

ZERO WASTE WEDNESDAYS! 

How It Works: 

• Every Wednesday is “Zero Waste Wednesday” here at Westgate. What this means is that if students have a lunch that doesn’t use any waste AT ALL (i.e., nothing to throw away, like baggies, cans, plastic cups, paper lunch bags, etc.), then their names will be entered into a raffle. Ten raffle winners will receive recognition over the intercom on Fridays for being the Zero Heroes of the Week. 
• *Students who have school lunch will qualify if they accurately sort their lunch into the appropriate trash and recycling AND have a reusable water bottle for the day* 
• Bonus Recognition: If there is an entire classroom that has zero waste lunch one day, the entire class will receive recognition automatically.  

• Extra Bonus Recognition: The class with the most days with all Zero Heroes at the end of the year will be considered the Zero Hero champions of the year! 
• Why: 

• The goal is for families to start the conversation about alternatives to lunch waste, like glass or plastic lunch containers, reusable lunch bags and water bottles, and cloth napkins. If a student has any item that must be thrown away (at school or at home) their names will not be entered, and they can try again next week and every week after that. Hopefully, this will instill changes that will go far beyond Wednesdays during lunchtime at Westgate. https://www.westgateschool.org/apps/pages/waste 

• Volunteers 

• Complete an online Volunteer Interest Form 
• Complete a background check.  Cost is $20.95 
• Complete a Volunteer Agreement Form 

• Advocacy:  

• Our August Advocacy theme is RISE (Respect, Integrity, Safety, Empathy)!  
• This week we will continue our Advocacy focus on our PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports) program RISE. Last week, we focused on the “I” for integrity. Integrity is simply doing what is right even when nobody is looking. This week, our focus will be on the “S” in RISE which stands for Safety. We will talk about how to be safe with our bodies, in our spaces, and with our classmates.  

• Switching Academic classes: This week, we will assess students with NWEA Maps testing. Please make sure that your child is on time for school this week, as testing will begin promptly at 8:15 a.m. On Tuesday, we will assess literacy and on Thursday we will assess math. This will help us figure out the best placement for your child in their academic classes.  We hope to start switching for literacy and math classes later this week.  Please remember that these placements will be fluid as we get to know our learners and to best meet the needs of each child. 

• Specials: Our current special is P.E. 

• Water and Snacks: Please remember to send your child a spill-proof, reusable water bottle, that is labeled with their name. In addition, we have 2 snack times, one in the morning and one in the afternoon.  Healthy snacks are always the best option.  Please make sure your child knows which food is for their lunch meal and for snacks.  

• Announcement regarding nuts: 

• As a 1-2 team, we misunderstood the guidelines regarding nut allergies in our pod. We sent out a letter stating that our entire pod needs to provide nut-free food for their child. This is incorrect. You can send in foods with nuts for your child’s lunch and/or snack. We will be providing a nut-free table for the children that require it.  

• Morning and Afternoon carline are “hug and go” only.  The staff asks that you please stay in your car and allow your child to exit the vehicle on their own.  This will allow the flow of traffic to move quickly. 

• Curriculum Night Virtual Presentations: Thursday, August 31, 5:00-6:00  
  Teams will send information and links to families as we get closer to the date. All presentations will be recorded and links to the recordings will be sent to families. 

• Clubs: After school enrichment clubs begin this week. If you would like to sign up, visit the school’s clubs page. 

• Pete is retiring! Our facility dog Pete is retiring. His last day will be Aug. 25. Westgate is currently looking for a new facility dog. 

ZERO WASTE WEDNESDAYS! 

How It Works: 

• Every Wednesday is “Zero Waste Wednesday” here at Westgate. What this means is that if students have a lunch that doesn’t use any waste AT ALL (i.e., nothing to throw away, like baggies, cans, plastic cups, paper lunch bags, etc.), then their names will be entered into a raffle. Ten raffle winners will receive recognition over the intercom on Fridays for being the Zero Heroes of the Week. 
• *Students who have school lunch will qualify if they accurately sort their lunch into the appropriate trash and recycling AND have a reusable water bottle for the day* 
• Bonus Recognition: If there is an entire classroom that has zero waste lunch one day, the entire class will receive recognition automatically.  
• Extra Bonus Recognition: The class with the most days with all Zero Heroes at the end of the year will be considered the Zero Hero champions of the year! 
• Why: 

• The goal is for families to start the conversation about alternatives to lunch waste, like glass or plastic lunch containers, reusable lunch bags and water bottles, and cloth napkins. If a student has any item that must be thrown away (at school or at home) their names will not be entered, and they can try again next week and every week after that. Hopefully, this will instill changes that will go far beyond Wednesdays during lunchtime at Westgate. https://www.westgateschool.org/apps/pages/waste 

• Volunteers 

• Complete an online Volunteer Interest Form 
• Complete a background check.  Cost is $20.95 

• Complete a Volunteer Agreement Form 

• Advocacy:  

• Our August Advocacy theme is RISE (Respect, Integrity, Safety, Empathy)!  
• This week we will continue our Advocacy focus on our PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports) program RISE.  Last week, we focused on the “R” for respect.  We talked about showing respect to others, to our community, to things in our classroom and so forth.  This week, our focus will be on the “I” in RISE which stands for Integrity.  Integrity is simply doing what is right even when nobody is looking.    

We will be teaching students what these 4 words mean—focusing on a different part of RISE each week—and what it looks like to live these values out during school and at home. We will use RISE all year to celebrate positive behaviors.  

I am excited for the school year!