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Ms. Rosenblatt, Advocacy

Course Description

Welcome Back!

Hello! My name is Andi Rosenblatt and I am your child’s Advocacy Teacher for the 2023-2024 school year! Advocacy is a time for students to build supportive relationships with their peers and with an adult they can trust. It is a time for everyone to feel recognized and welcomed into the school community. As your child’s Advocate, I will be your primary point of communication, and I look forward to working with you and your child throughout the year.

Posts

May Advocacy Update

Our advocacy theme for May is Self-Care & Wellness! This is also the month we will be doing the Earth Week. We are so excited to see all the amazing things we will do to promote self-care and wellness, as well as the care we'll promote for our Earth. 
 
May is also the month of Mental Health Awareness! Our experts in the field--Ms. Autumn Washington, Ms. Alexa Kinslow, and Mr. Dave Chermak--have a plethora of resources to share. Please seek their advice and resources to make May's wellness theme even better. 🙂 
 
ON MAY 16th, WEAR GREEN TO CELEBRATE AND BRING AWARENESS TO MENTAL HEALTH MONTH! 
Why wear green, you may ask? 
As the official color for mental health awareness, green represents renewal, hope, and vitality. Wearing green, whether it’s a complete outfit, a simple green awareness bracelet, or lighting up your building, symbolizes unwavering support for mental health. Participating in this challenge sends a powerful message: Mental health is important, and by joining together, we are advocating for and supporting mental health.
 

April Advocacy Update

 Our Advocacy Theme this month is Social Awareness.   
 
This month, we are focusing on helping our students develop a deeper understanding of the feelings, needs, and perspectives of others.  

Social awareness is a vital skill that promotes empathy, compassion, and inclusivity. By fostering social awareness in our students, we are nurturing their ability to engage with others in a respectful and understanding manner.  

We invite you to join us in supporting this important theme by engaging in conversations with your children about empathy, active listening, and the importance of considering the feelings of others. Your involvement and support in reinforcing these values at home will further enhance the impact of our efforts at school.  

CMAS Testing Schedule

It is time for CMAS testing! CMAS testing for 3rd and 4th grade will take place between April 15th and April 26th. 
 
On Tuesday, April 16th through Thursday, April 18th, we will be taking the CMAS Math test.
 
On Tuesday, April 22nd through Thursday, April 25th, we will be taking the CMAS ELA test.
 
Testing is done in the morning. All students who come in late during testing times will not be permitted to enter the classroom. We encourage parents to not pick up students during testing. 
 
Students are encouraged to eat a big breakfast and get a good night's sleep if they can. This can be a stressful time for some, but they've got this!!

March Advocacy Update

Our Advocacy Theme this month is MINDFULNESS! 
 
Join us this March as we delve into the power of mindfulness. In a world filled with distractions and noise, cultivating mindfulness offers a pathway to inner peace, clarity, and resilience. Through our advocacy theme this month, we aim to introduce and integrate mindfulness practices into our classes, fostering a supportive environment where individuals can thrive mentally, emotionally, and academically.
 
Throughout March, our classes will incorporate various mindfulness techniques, including guided meditation, mindful breathing exercises, and reflective journaling. These practices will help our students develop greater self-awareness, emotional regulation, and concentration skills. By nurturing a mindful approach to learning and living, we empower our community to navigate challenges with grace and intention.
 
Together, we'll embark on a journey of self-discovery and growth, embracing the present moment with openness and compassion! ❤️ 

Kindness Week Extension

Last week we celebrated Kindness Week at Westgate. We focused on giving back to our community. For the rest of February, we are going to focus on being kind to ourselves! On Monday, students came up with self-care/kindness goals that they want to accomplish by the end of the month. Ask them what their goal is and see if you can help them reach their goal!

Kindess Week

We are about a week away from celebrating Kindness Week and Kindness Day (aka Valentine’s Day) or Wednesday, Feb. 14!!  Reminder, our students do not exchange Valentine’s Day cards/candy/etc. so please do not send your student to school with valentines or treats.  Instead, our students are going out into the community to distribute hand-made Kindness cards to our neighbors.  All companies that participated in previous years are excited to restart this tradition and the new companies are looking forward to hosting our students. Our class will be going to Anythink Library. Anythink Library's mission is to "open doors for curious minds in their local community...in order to support and promote positive change". It is a free library service around Colorado!
 
Here is the Kindness Week schedule:
 
2/12 Monday: Words of Affirmation, Encouragment, and Love
  • Write a letter, send a text, or make a phone call to someone you appreciate
  • Example: Send messages (letter, text, etc.) to five people with whom you'd like to send words of affirmation
2/13 Tuesday: Quality Time
  • Enjoy intentional quality time with someone you love and appreciate
  • Example: Play a board game, make dinner together and eat around a table, read a book, take a walk, etc.!
2/14 Wednesday: Kindness Day Acts of Service
  • Do something kind (like a conscious act of kindess) for someone today
  • Example: Share a compliment, smile at somebody, help clean up, etc.!
  • This is the day we will be going to Anythink Library
2/15 Thursday: A Day of Giving
  • Share a gift with someone (you don't need money to give a gift!)
  • Example: Cook a meal, bake a treat, make a craft or just give something from your heart to someone else!
2/16 Friday: No School, Feel Good Friday! Be Kind to Yourself
  • While you are home on your day off...
    • Encourage yourSELF with words of affirmation
    • Do something kind for yourSELF
    • Give yourSELF a gift

February Advocacy

February’s Advocacy Theme:  Empathy for Others 

In February, we continue our work with EMPATHY. This month is about looking at EMPATHY in the form of caring for others. Kindness week fits in perfectly with this theme as we plan to be kind to others in different ways: Words of affirmation, Acts of Service, Quality Time and Giving.  

Learning Goals 

Students will learn skills to communicate their feelings and needs to others, while also learning skills that allow them to listen and respond to the feelings and needs of others.     

Students will practice receiving and providing feedback.   

Scholastic Book Fair

We are having a book fair at Westgate this week, January 22nd-26th. You can shop with your students from 3:30-4:30pm. Students viewed the book fair today, and can buy books during specific school hours.

January Advocacy Update

Happy New Year! We hope you had a wonderful holiday season filled with joy and relaxation. 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:

  1. 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:

  1. 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.

December 11-13

Students are putting their multiplicaiton and division skills to the test! They have to plan a Winter Wonderland Party for the class. Students will learn about counting money, budgeting, and more!