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Ms. Hansen, Advocacy, Kindergarten

Course Description

Advocacy is all about helping the children learn how to advocate for themselves as well as learn important social/emotional skills. Each month we will have a new learning topic for Advocacy time. This topic is shared by the school but tailored to each grade levels needs. Throughout the school year I will be your child's advocacy teacher, as well as their advocate, for academic needs and social/emotional needs, I am hoping that we can work together to let your child be their most authentic self while also learning so much this year! 

Posts

Advocacy Week of April 22nd

Hi families! This week is Earth Week! (Wahoo!) We will be learning how we can celebrate Earth Week every week and find ways we can help the planet. The whole school will be celebrating Earth Week a bit later in the year, so look out for more news on that.


Some of the activities we will be completing will include making utensil bags! Plastic can take up to 500 years to fully decompose! Yikes! Feel free to give your students a reusable fork or a spoon on Tuesday to place into their utensil bag. 


As a fun treat, we will also be making Earth Week Pudding! If you’re unsure how to make it, it’s quite simple. You start with the gravel (crushed oreos), add some soil (chocolate pudding), add in a few worms (gummy worms), and finish with some more gravel (more crushed oreos). Voila! You have a tasty treat! 


If you would like to provide some of these ingredients for our class we would greatly appreciate it! Here is a sign-up genius. Please have your student bring in the item by Thursday, April 25th, so we can purchase any missing items if necessary. 


Also, a friendly reminder that our field trip is this Wednesday, April 24th! We are so excited to get ready to visit the zoo! Please have your student wear a purple or white shirt, bring a sack lunch, and be prepared for the weather (sunscreen on, hats if needed, a jacket, etc).

Advocacy Week of April 15th

On April 24th, we will have our last field trip of the year to the Denver Zoo! Here, we will learn about animals, their habitats, how they are taken care of, and how we can help to take care of them. Please sign this permission form by Friday, April 19th. We will remind parents closer to the day of the field trip, but for those of you who are early planners, this is what students need to be prepared for our day at the zoo: 

Please provide your student with a packed lunch and water bottle. Students will be exploring the zoo indoors and outdoors. Please plan accordingly to the weather (jackets, sunscreen, hats, etc.). If possible, please have your student wear a white or purple Westgate shirt. If you would like to chaperone, you will need a background check. You can find that here.

Advocacy Week of April 8th

Welcome back families! I hope you had a restful break! Please check out our other classroom pages to see what we will be doing this week. We have some exciting events in store, including, watching the solar eclipse on Monday! Don’t worry, families! We will have eclipse glasses and will discuss the importance of wearing them while looking at the sun. Feel free to talk to your kindergartener about that at home as well! 

In addition to this, we will begin spelling tests based on spelling patterns. This week, we will be working on short a sounds and on Friday, students will be tested on 4 CVC (consonant, vowel, consonant) words and 1 CVCC (consonant, vowel, consonant, consonant) word. 

Lastly, next week for social studies, we will be discussing the life cycle of humans. How we are babies and then eventually grow to adults. To start the lesson off, we will begin by having a ‘guess the baby’ game, where students will guess which student matches the baby picture. Due to this fun game, we would love for parents to email us a baby picture of your kindergartener. Please send us pictures by April 11th. If you do not feel comfortable sharing a baby picture of your kindergartner, please have your student draw a picture of themselves as a baby instead. Thank you!

Advocacy Week of March 18th

Hi families!

Field Trip March 19th

As you know, we will be having a field trip to the butterfly pavilion on Tuesday, March 19th. If you have not yet sent in a permission slip, please do so here. We will be reaching out to chaperones tomorrow afternoon.  

Send your students with a sack lunch, a water bottle for the day, and have your student wear a purple or white Westgate shirt. We will be participating in a Butterfly Buddies lesson to connect with our year-long service-learning curriculum.

PJ Day
Our class is working on earning a PJ and Stuffy Day on Friday, March 22nd (the day before Spring Break). Similar to the Chex Mix Reading Party, they have a goal to earn 16 checks by March 21st by showing their awesome RISE skills! If they earn 16 checks, they can wear their PJs and bring in a stuffy. Be on the lookout for an email this upcoming week for if they earned their checks (I know they totally can)!

Advocacy Week of March 11th

Field Trip March 19th

Hello wonderful families! 

Kindergarten is going on a field trip to the Butterfly Pavilion on Tuesday, March 19th. Please complete the permission form here by Friday, March 15th. Send your students with a sack lunch, a water bottle for the day, and have your student wear a purple or white Westgate shirt. We will be participating in a Butterfly Buddies lesson to connect with our year-long service-learning curriculum.

In addition, we are in search of 1 chaperone for this field trip. If you are interested in chaperoning for this field trip, please complete the background check via the Westgate website here and then email me by Friday, March 15th. I will give parents who have not participated in previous field trips first priority.
 
 
PJ Day
 
Our class is working on earning a PJ and Stuffy Day on Friday, March 22nd (the day before Spring Break). Similar to the Chex Mix Reading Party, they have a goal to earn 16 checks by March 21st by showing their awesome RISE skills! If they earn 16 checks, they can wear their PJs and bring in a stuffy. Be on the lookout for an email next week for if they earned their checks (I know they totally can)!

Advocacy Week of February 26th

I wanted to share with parents that we will be having another lockdown drill in the springtime. We will be reminding students what a lockdown drill is and what we do in a lockdown drill. We know this is a delicate subject and often difficult for kindergarteners, so we want to take our time discussing it with them so they feel the most comfortable. 

Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns!

Advocacy Week of February 12th

IMPORTANT! 

On Monday (February 12th), we will be exploring how the biscuit has been transformed through the ages through the work of Black chefs and inventors. To support student learning, we will eat biscuits and make butter as a class! Please let us know if you would not like your child to eat any of these items and bring a substitute for them to eat in place. If you have any other questions or concerns, please let us know as soon as possible. 


Kindness Week

Kindness week is here! For kindness week, the kindergarteners will walk to the bus barn on Wednesday, February 14th and hand deliver cards of appreciation to our bus drivers. You can submit your permission slip here for your child to attend our field trip. Please have your permission slip signed by Tuesday, February 13th. As we will be walking to the Bus Barn, please have your child bring a warm jacket, gloves, beanies, etc. Be prepared for weather if necessary!​

Advocacy Week of February 5th

Specials!

We will be starting a new round of specials this week! On Monday, we will be back with Mrs. M in Art. 


Donation Opportunity and Can Your Kiddo Eat Figs? 

In one of the stories, students will learn about figs and fig trees. If you would like to donate dried figs to our classroom for students to try a fig, please let me know. If you would not like your student to eat a dried fig, please also email me. 


Kindness Week and What About Valentine’s Day? 

Kindness Week is celebrated during the week of Valentine’s Day or the week of February 12th. It is a long-standing tradition at Westgate. We celebrate and spread kindness by doing different activities throughout the week. Each day has a different theme, aligned with the different love languages. ​

Monday – Words of Affirmation​

Tuesday – Quality Time​

Wednesday – Acts of Service​

Thursday – Gift Giving​

For kindness week, the kindergarteners will walk to the bus barn on Wednesday, February 14th and hand deliver cards of appreciation to our bus drivers. You can submit your permission slip here for your child to attend our field trip. Please have your permission slip signed by Tuesday, February 13th. As we will be walking to the Bus Barn, please have your child bring a warm jacket, gloves, beanies, etc. Be prepared for weather if necessary!​

We will be joined with a high school class to build community within our school as well! Sadly, we will not be having any chaperones joining us at this time, but please feel free to email me if you would like to attend our next field trip.


But wait… What about Valentine’s Day? At Westgate, we do not exchange cards, candy, or treats. We instead focus this time on how we can show appreciation to members in the community.

Advocacy Week of January 8th

As we dive into the new year, we are excited to introduce our Advocacy Theme for January: Growth Mindset.


What is a Growth Mindset? A growth mindset is the belief that abilities and intelligence can be developed through dedication, hard work, and perseverance. It's about embracing challenges, learning from criticism, and understanding that effort is the path to mastery.


Skills Students Will Learn: In the upcoming weeks, your child will engage in various activities and discussions across different classes that aim to cultivate a growth mindset. Here's a glimpse of the skills they will be focusing on:


Resilience: Students will learn to bounce back from setbacks, viewing challenges as opportunities for growth rather than insurmountable obstacles.


Perseverance: Embracing the idea that success often involves sustained effort, students will be encouraged to stay committed to their goals, even when faced with difficulties.


Adaptability: Developing the ability to adapt to new situations and learn from experiences will be a key focus, fostering a mindset that values continuous learning.


Embracing Feedback: Students will be taught to see feedback as constructive, using it to refine their skills and enhance their understanding, rather than viewing it as criticism.


Extending Growth Mindset to Personal Lives: It's essential to emphasize that the principles of a growth mindset extend beyond the classroom. Encourage your child to apply these concepts in their daily lives:


Goal Setting: Help your child set realistic goals and work with them to develop a plan to achieve those goals. Celebrate progress along the way, reinforcing the idea that improvement comes with effort.


Positive Self-Talk: Encourage your child to replace negative thoughts with positive affirmations. Remind them that their abilities are not fixed and that they can improve with dedication and hard work.


Embracing Challenges: Teach your child to see challenges as opportunities for growth. Encourage them to approach new experiences with enthusiasm and a willingness to learn.


We believe that fostering a growth mindset will not only enhance your child's academic journey but will also contribute to their overall personal development. If you have any questions or would like to further discuss how to support your child in embracing a growth mindset, please don't hesitate to reach out.

Advocacy Week of December 4th

Field Trip
On Friday, December 8th we will have a Field Trip to the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. We will explore the history exhibit and discuss how things are today and how they were different in the past. We will also visit the dinosaur exhibit to explore life cycles. Here is the Permission Slip Link. Please have this completed by Monday, December 4th. Each class will need 3 chaperones. We are always in need of chaperones, so please sign up if you are able. If you would like to chaperone, it is required to have a background check. You can submit a background check here.
 
Each student will need to have a packed lunch. If possible, please have them wear a Westgate shirt (a purple shirt, their kindergarten shirt, or their fun-run shirt all work!).
 
Parent Teacher Conferences
Parent teacher conferences are right around the corner! I would love to meet with you to share what we are learning in the classroom, talk about your student, and answer any questions or concerns you may have. 
 
On Thursday, December 14th, we will have 20 minute meetings in our kindergarten classroom from 8:00am - 8:00pm. On Friday, December 15th, we will have 20 minute meetings online through Teams from 8:00am - 12:00pm. A link will follow when you have chosen a time slot. Here is the sign-up genius to sign up for either an in-person or virtual meeting.
 
In addition to our day-to-day learning, our kindergarten class also worked with Mr. A, our i-Lab teacher, and Mr. Wise, our P.E. teacher. 
 
If you would like to sign up with our i-Lab teacher, Mr. Anderson (or Mr. A), please follow this link to his sign up. 
 
If you would like to sign up with our i-Lab teacher, Mr. Anderson, or Mr. A, please follow this link to his sign up.
 
Holiday Shop 
Our Holiday Shop is a way for students to purchase gifts for their family and friends. We viewed the shop today as a class. Students may bring money in to purchase items during snack time and recess but be mindful that kindergarteners may lose or misplace money. The Holiday Shop is also open after school, so feel free to join your kindergartener when you've picked them up from the car line. 

Advocacy Week of November 27th

Upcoming Events:

On Friday, December 8th we will have a Field Trip to the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. We will explore the history exhibit and discuss how things are today and how they were different in the past. We will also visit the dinosaur exhibit to explore life cycles. Here is the Permission Slip Link. Please have this completed by Monday, December 4th. We will need 4 chaperones for our class. We are always in need of chaperones, so please sign up if you are able. If you would like to chaperone, it is required to have a background check. You can submit a background check here.
 

Advocacy Week of November 13th

Friendly reminder, on Friday, we will be having a whole-grade Thanksgiving feast! We will be doing this from 2:30pm - 3:00pm. Here is a sign-up genius if you’d like to donate food or time to our Thanksgiving celebration. If you do not want your student to eat any of the food on the list, please let me know before Thursday, November 16th.

Advocacy Week of November 6th

As we step into the beautiful month of November, we are thrilled to share with you our social-emotional focus for the month: Gratitude. This month, our students will be taking part in a variety of activities designed to foster happiness and togetherness during their advocacy sessions. 

Gratitude is a wonderful and powerful emotion that reminds us to appreciate the small and big things in our lives. It has been shown to boost well-being, promote a positive outlook, and strengthen our connections with others. We believe that teaching our students the art of gratitude is an important part of their overall education. 

Throughout November, our students will engage in books, videos, and activities that encourage them to reflect on what they are thankful for and to express their appreciation. These activities will not only deepen their sense of gratitude but also help build a strong sense of community within our school. 

We invite you to join us in this month of gratitude by having conversations with your children about what they are thankful for. Encourage them to share their thoughts and feelings, both at home and at school. We look forward to witnessing the positive impact of this focus on happiness and togetherness throughout our school. 

Please start to bring a warm coat everyday. 

Students will go outside for recess (and occasional classes) if the temperature is higher than 20 degrees and if it is not actively snowing. With that in mind, please send your students to school on cold days with warm winter clothing items. A waterproof down jacket, layers, beanies, gloves, wool socks, and scarves are a great way to set your student up for success. We also recommend putting their name in the tag of their jackets to help prevent lost jackets. If your student needs affordable winter items, there are a few locations that sell them nearby:

Advocacy Week of October 30th

Hi families!

Halloween is almost here! Please check out some of the awesome events we have going on. Let us know if you have any comments or questions! We have a few more spaces on our sign-up genius if you want to donate something. Thank you! 

  • October 31st: 
      • Halloween K-4 Carnival 1:30 – 2:30 PM -  It is a Westgate tradition that each year the 5/6 Team hosts a Halloween Carnival for the K-4 students. This is a student only event. 
      • K-8 Halloween Party 2:30 – 3:15 PM - We will be having a Halloween party in our classroom. We will begin the party with Halloween Bingo, afterwards, students will have the option to watch It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, create a monster, make witch hands (made with vinyl gloves, candy corn, and popcorn), play pumpkin tic-tac-toe, or do all three! While we are celebrating together, we have the option to have snacks and treats. We welcome you to donate items on the following Sign-Up Genius. A friendly reminder that all of the snacks should be individually packaged and brought to the front office if the student has difficulty bringing them to our classroom. We also have an opportunity for two volunteers to join our classroom. Each volunteer must have a background check before joining us. Thank you for your support, we truly appreciate it! 
  • Halloween Costume Expectations: 
      • No Masks 
      • No Full Face Paint (except what a student can apply themselves in the time they have to get ready before class parties). 
      • Face paint may not be worn to school. 
      • No Weapons or anything that can be used as a weapon 
      • No inappropriate or offensive costumes – all body parts must be covered 
      • Students K-8 may NOT WEAR THEIR COSTUMES TO SCHOOL. All students will be given time to change into their Halloween costumes. Students will be in classes during the morning. 
      • HS students can wear their costume to school, but all expectations must be followed 

Cold Weather Information:

Students will go outside for recess (and occasional classes) if the temperature is higher than 20 degrees and if it is not actively snowing. With that in mind, please send your students to school on cold days with warm winter clothing items. A waterproof down jacket, layers, beanies, gloves, wool socks, and scarves are a great way to set your student up for success. We also recommend putting their name on the tag of their jackets to help prevent lost jackets. If your student needs affordable winter items, there are a few locations that sell them nearby:

Advocacy Week of October 16th

Hi families! 


I hope you had a restful fall break! Here are some upcoming events and what we will be discussing in advocacy during the month of October: 


    • October 19th: We are going on our first field trip! We will be going to Miller Farms. Students will explore how vegetables are grown, and what they need to survive, and at the end of the trip, they get to pick their own vegetables to take home! We will need 4 chaperones for our field trip. Before you can join our classroom, you must have a background check. It will cost $20, but it is good for the entire school year. You can submit a background check here. Here is our electronic permission slip for our field trip. Please complete it by Tuesday, October 17th. We will be outdoors the entirety of the field trip, so please prepare for any weather changes (bring sunscreen, hats, close-toed shoes, and jackets as needed). Please feel free to bring gloves or reusable bags. In the past, the plastic bags provided broke quickly. Also, students will need lunch to bring on the field trip. We will not be having lunch at school, so school lunches are not accessible. Students will have time for a snack before and after the field trip, so 2 snacks are encouraged to bring as usual. 
    • October 20th: Trunk or treat! Students will get to show off their Halloween costumes and check out some decorated car trunks as they get some candy. The event will be from 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. in the parking lots at Westgate. A huge thank you to the families who donated candy for this event! 
  • October 31st: 
      • Halloween K-4 Carnival 1:30 – 2:30 PM -  It is a Westgate tradition that each year the 5/6 Team hosts a Halloween Carnival for the K-4 students. This is a student-only event. 
      • K-8 Halloween Party 2:30 – 3:15 PM - We will be having a Halloween party in our classroom. We will begin the party with Halloween Bingo, afterward, students will have the option to watch It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, create a monster, make witch hands (made with vinyl gloves, candy corn, and popcorn), play pumpkin tic-tac-toe, or do all three! While we are celebrating together, we have the option to have snacks and treats. We welcome you to donate items on the following Sign-Up Genius. A friendly reminder that all of the snacks should be individually packaged and brought to the front office if the student has difficulty bringing them to our classroom. We also have an opportunity for two volunteers to join our classroom. Each volunteer must have a background check before joining us. Thank you for your support, we truly appreciate it! 
  • Halloween Costume Expectations: 
      • No Masks 
      • No Full Face Paint (except what a student can apply themselves in the time they have to get ready before class parties). 
      • Face paint may not be worn to school. 
      • No Weapons or anything that can be used as a weapon 
      • No inappropriate or offensive costumes – all body parts must be covered 
      • Students K-8 may NOT WEAR THEIR COSTUMES TO SCHOOL. All students will be given time to change into their Halloween costumes. Students will be in classes during the morning. 
      • HS students can wear their costumes to school, but all expectations must be followed 
 
  • Advocacy: In the month of October, we are focusing on the empowering theme of 'Using Your Voice' in our school community. As a community, we play a crucial role in helping our students navigate the challenges they may face at school, including bullying. This month, we encourage you to engage in open conversations with your students about the importance of using their voices to stand up against bullying. By teaching them to speak up, report incidents, and support their peers, we can create a safe and inclusive environment where every child feels heard and valued. Together, let's empower our children to be advocates for kindness, empathy, and respect, ensuring that our schools are places where everyone can thrive.

Our advocacy will cover a range of topics around Bully Prevention and Using Your Voice, including: 

  • Understanding Bullying
  • Communication and Reporting
  • Empathy and Inclusion
  • Prevention