I hope you are all rested and ready for the start of 3rd Quarter!  While I know some students may already be looking forward to Spring Break, I'm looking forward to working with the students, staff, families and volunteers who make Westgate the amazing community it is.  

 

The transformation of our outdoor campus continues.  You'll likely see some new piles of dirt behind the construction fence but that means the crew has been making progress while we were gone.  After this phase of infrastructure improvement comes the pouring of concrete and then the building of a new chicken coop, goat pen, amphitheater, outdoor classrooms (2), walking paths and classroom gardens.  We are committed to being an active partner with our community and these spaces and amenities will be available for use by all.  

 

Inside the building, we are starting a new theme in advocacy called Self Compassion.  The three elements are:  Self-Kindness vs. Self-judgment, Common Humanity vs. Isolation and Mindfulness vs. Overidentification.  Students will work on learning to be kind to themselves; recognizing that they are not alone in failing as it is a shared human experience and learning to be nonjudgmental when observing their thoughts and taking thoughts to positive actions that move them mindfully forward.  We are committed to balancing academics with intentional activities that teach and support social, emotional and physical development. 

 

Finding the right educational fit for a student can be difficult and even impossible if you don't know the choices available.  Please share the Westgate story with your friends and on any social media channels you use.  We welcome the opportunity to answer questions from future families and talk about our community and curriculum.  Ms. Rochelle Goforth can assist any family in answering initial questions, completing an application, scheduling a tour or attending an information night.  She can be reached at rochelle.goforth@westgateschool.org.

 

Sharon Collins

Executive Director