Last Week of School 

Monday & Tuesday –  

• Regular school days 

Wednesday –  

• Continuation for 5/6 from 1-2 pm in the gym  
• Last full day of classes 

Thursday –  

• Half day of school – students should be picked up at 11:30 
• Pod End of Year Party – 8:45-10:15 
• Sign up for snacks and volunteer opportunities: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0A4DA4AD2EA3F85-56end
   

  5/6 End of Year Party Please consider signing up to bring snacks to share during our end of year party and/or volunteer to help (must have approved background check on file).  Our party will be Thursday morning, May 25, from 8:45-10:15 am. All items need to be individually packaged from the factory and include ingredient lists. No nuts, please! Each slot is for 10+ of the same item, so there are plenty to share all around. Thank you! www.signupgenius.com

   
• Celebrating graduating seniors – 10:30 
• Carnival from 2-6 pm 
• Open House 3-5 pm: come see all your child’s hard work  

Friday –  

• Half day – dismissal at 11:30 
• Yearbooks given out & time for yearbook signing – Yearbooks or other autograph papers only. Please no shirts, hats, etc.  
• Last day of school 

After continuing computer problems, including inappropriate internet searches, playing games, harassing emails, taking/sending pictures, several missing computers (possible bullying), stolen batteries, failure to properly store and/or charge on a large scale in our pod, we are going to end the year without computer use.  Sadly, the issues are too widespread to continue taking computers from individual students.  Creating paper alternatives or managing behavior for that number of students without computers in class makes more work for us as teachers.  Having them all working on paper makes things more manageable. 

After Friday, May 5, (about a week earlier than usual) only students with documented IEP/504 accommodations will be allowed access to computers.  These students have been/will be informed and will be closely monitored by teachers. 

If they are currently working on research or writing assignments, teachers have been encouraging students to finish as much as they can before the end of the day Friday.  After that, they can work on computers at home or work on paper.  All our lesson plans for the remainder of the year will be adapted to paper, hands on, or verbal options. 

A reminder that all grades for the quarter will be posted on May 19, and any makeup work is due May 15.  Students wanted to continue checking grades in IC at home may request their username and passwords from teachers if they need them. 

For specific assignment questions, please reach out to the applicable teacher.   

For questions or concerns regarding this decision, please reach out to [email protected] 

Our Spring Carnival and silent auction is quickly approaching! To help make our silent auction a success, each advocacy will be collecting items to be assembled into a basket that will be sold at the silent auction to be held at the Spring Carnival on May 25^th from 2:00-6:00pm. This year we will need 2 parent volunteers per pod to assemble the baskets once the items are collected. The SignUp Genius below includes items for the baskets in the 5^th and 6^th Grade pod. We are not collecting cash donations for baskets this year and instead are focusing on items and gift cards related to the basket theme. Please send donated items in with your child no later than May 19th.  Click here for the 5^th and 6^th Grade basket donation sign up. Thank you for your contributions! Watch for more information on the carnival coming soon!

Greeting Advocacy Families, 

We have some big events coming up in these last couple of weeks of April. Here are this week’s updates:  

• This Friday wear PJ’s in our Advocacy for a fun spirit day and to celebrate all the hard work testing!
• April Advocacy is Empathy: Caring for Our Planet.
• April 21^stis the last day to order yearbooks. 
• Earth Week is April 17^th– 21^stand this year’s theme is “Invest in Our Planet”. We are focused on engaging governments, institutions, businesses, and the more than 1 billion citizens who participate annually in Earth Day to do their part – everyone accounted for, everyone accountable. Here’s what’s happening during Earth Week, and how you can do your part too! 
• Earth Week Global Clean Up permission slips went out last week; please be sure to have students return

Friday, April 14^th  

• Accepting clothing swap donations during afternoon carline (3:30-4:00)
• No appointment needed.  You will be routed to the drop off point as you exit carline.
• Looking for a few volunteers!

Monday, April 17^th: Climate Literacy 

• Last opportunity to donate to clothing swap is during afternoon carline (3:30-4:00)
• No appointment needed. You will be routed to the drop off point as you exit carline.
• Looking for a few volunteers!
• Climate Literacy Lesson during advocacy

Tuesday, April 18^th: Sustainable Fashion 

• Westgate Clothing Swap! 4:00-6:00pm in the gym (see flyer attached for shopping details) Volunteers needed.
• Sustainable Fashion Lesson during advocacy

Wednesday, April 19^th: End Plastics 

• Plastic Free Day at Westgate!
• Zero Waste crew members will be in classrooms at lunch time and will recognize students who come to school with no plastic (baggies, water bottles, containers) by stamping their hand!
• Recycle relay races during specials time.
• Recycling Lesson during advocacy

• Each grade will go outside with Ms. Charlie and plant specific plants related to their service-learning project.

Friday, April 21^st: Global Cleanup 

• Westgate Community School and Washington Street Cleanup from 1:30-2:30pm. 
• Check your email for permission forms 3^rd-8^thgrade from your advocacy teacher a week prior to the cleanup. 

Saturday, April 22^nd: Global Cleanup Challenge and Earth Day 

• Happy Earth Day! We challenge you to cleanup in your local neighborhood. 
• Send us pictures of you and your family picking up trash around your local area on Earth Day to [email protected]
• Tag us on social media with #wildaboutearthday

CMAS Testing from April 4-19 

• 6th grade: Language Arts and Math; April 4-6 
• 5th grade: Language Arts, Math, and Science; April 11-14, 19-20 

Families - Annual Family Survey!

• An email with a link to our annual survey came out on March 3.
• Your honest feedback is vital.
• We look at all responses and use them to improve Westgate.
• Every year, successes and challenges identified in this survey help provide direction for an action plan aimed at our school’s growth.
• Watch your inbox for an invite from [email protected]. 

Q4 Club Registration Opened 3/3/23

• Please visit the clubs page for information about clubs being offered 4^th quarter.
• Westgate is excited to be hosting Chess Wizards, Mad Science, Sound Formation, Sticky Fingers Cooking, and Stretch-n-Grow this quarter.
• Click here to see all the offerings and to register!

Yearbook Ordering is Open

• $31 each / can only be purchased online / must order by April 20
• Click here to order.

Westgate and Missoula Children's Theater Present Aladdin!

All students in grades K-12 are invited to audition. Approximately 64 roles will be cast.

• Auditions will be held May 1^st from 3:45-5:45pm at Westgate and individual roles will be announced immediately following the audition.
• Rehearsals will be from 3:45-5:45 and 6:00-8:00pm (individual rehearsal schedules will be provided-not all roles need to attend all rehearsals).
• Performances will be on Saturday May 6^th at 2:00pm and 4:30pm.
• Performances are open to the public and tickets are $5.
• Please click here for more information and to register now!

Change to District (and Westgate) Weather Delayed Start Time

• The district changed the time to a 1-hour delayed start; in previous years it was 2 hours.
• Westgate aligns with the district on weather delays and closures
• We will notify families as soon as we know of a weather delay or closure Please make sure your information is up to date in Infinite Campus.  
• The information will be communicated in several ways, including:
• Westgate Website
• Email/text message to families
• Westgate Social Media – Facebook and Twitter

Specials- I-Lab

Reminder:  School Hours and Supervision Times

• Supervision begins at 7:45 AM
• Doors open at 7:50 AM
• School starts promptly at 8:00 AM
• School ends at 3:30 PM
• Supervision ends at 3:45 PM

The office is open 7:50 AM-3:45 PM

Kindness Week: Feb. 13-17

• Feb. 1- Spirit Night @ Skate City! 5-7 pm
• Feb. 14- Kindness Day- more details to come

• Goal setting/planning (realistic!)
• Emotional regulation
• Setting personal boundaries
• Self care/healthy routines
• Growth Mindset