Ms. Heyman, Advocacy

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Advocacy Week of September 22nd

Hi Families, 
 
This week in advocacy students will practice using a flexible brain instead of a rigid or 'stuck' brain. To do this, they will explore texts including 'A Little Spot of Flexible Thinking' and 'They Saw a Cat'. After listening to these texts, students will discuss sentences they can say when they are feeling rigid in their thinking and complete different activities that will have them explore different perspectives. 

Week 9/8

Snacks and Food Guidelines
To support a smooth and focused learning environment, we ask that all snacks be individually wrapped and easy for students to access independently. With the exception of kindergarten, students do not have a designated snack time. Instead, they are allowed to eat their snacks as needed during instructional time.
For this reason:
  • Please avoid large containers or bento boxes that may be difficult to manage during class.
  • Snacks should be pre-portioned into small containers or individual baggies.
  • Bulk items (such as full-size bags of chips or cereal) tend to be a distraction and should be portioned out ahead of time.
  • If your child needs multiple snacks throughout the day, that’s completely fine, as long as it doesn’t interfere with their learning or the learning of others.
Food Sharing Policy
Except for birthday celebrations, students should not share food with others, including unopened or individually wrapped items. To ensure the safety of all students—particularly those with food allergies, please review this policy with your child. This helps us prevent any potential cross-contamination and keep everyone safe.
Introducing the New “R” in RISE: Resilience
We’re excited to announce an addition to our RISE values: Resilience!
This new value emphasizes the importance of persevering through challenges, whether academic, emotional, or social. From tackling tough assignments to navigating tricky peer interactions, resilience helps students grow not just as learners, but as people.
While academic growth has always been part of our RISE conversations, this addition provides a clearer connection between personal effort, progress, and success. We will be encouraging students to reflect on their strengths and use them to push through difficulties, building confidence and character along the way.
Not sure who to talk to? 
A lot of parents asked at engagement nights who to go to when their child needs help resolving a problem. Here's who you talk to!
    For any social-emotional concerns, parents should first reach out to the teacher involved. If the issue remains unresolved, the next step is to contact the school counselor. If further help is needed, parents can then speak with the assistant principal for their child’s grade level (K-4, 5-8, or 9-12). If the problem still isn’t solved, contact the principal, followed by the executive director, and finally a board member if necessary.
 
    For academic concerns, parents should also start by contacting the teacher. If the issue involves gifted education, the gifted coordinator should be contacted next. For other academic issues or if the gifted coordinator cannot resolve the problem, parents should reach out to the assistant principal for their child’s grade level. If needed, the next contacts are the principal, executive director, and then a board member.
 
This step-by-step process helps ensure that concerns are addressed at the right level for a timely and effective resolution.
 
Upcoming Events
September 9-12: Spirit Week
Get ready for a week full of fun, creativity, and Westgate pride! Join us in celebrating Spirit Week with these exciting daily themes:
    • Monday, Sept 9th – Rainbow Day – Brighten up the halls by wearing your favorite color or go all out and wear the whole rainbow!
    • Tuesday, Sept 10th – Crazy Hat/Hair Day – Let your imagination run wild! Sport your silliest hat, wildest hairstyle, or both!
    • Wednesday, Sept 11th – Westgate Wednesday – Represent your pod with pride! Wear your Westgate gear or your pod’s color. Kinder – purple, 1/2 – red, 3/4 – green, 5/6 – blue, 7/8 – gray, HS – black
    • Thursday, Sept 12th – Throwback Thursday – Flashback to your favorite decade - think tie-dye, neon, overalls, or retro vibes!
    • Friday, Sept 13th – Pajama Day – End the week in ultimate comfort. Rock your coziest pajamas (school-appropriate, of course)!
       
Tuesday, September 9th: Events Committee Meeting
Monday, September 15: 3rd grade field trip to Dinosaur Ridge
Tuesday, September 16th: 4th grade field trip to Dinosaur Ridge 
Thursday, Sept 18: Parry’s Pizza Spirit Night Fundraiser- 4:00-9:00pm @ 100 E 120th Ave, Northglenn.
Friday, September 19: Half day of school!
September 24: Student count day- make sure your student is present!
September 25th: Kindergarten field trip to Miller Farms

Week 8/18

Dear Families,

As we transition into another exciting week at our school, we want to take a moment to express our heartfelt gratitude for your continued partnership and support. Together, we are creating a nurturing and enriching environment for our children.

Important Announcements

  • Standardized MAPS Testing:

    • We want to remind you that our standardized MAPS testing will take place Tuesday 8/19 and Wednesday 8/20.  Please ensure that your child is well-rested and comes to school prepared to do their best!
  • R.I.S.E. Character Trait Focus:

    • This month, we will be focusing on the character trait of resilience. We encourage you to discuss this trait with your child and share stories of overcoming challenges. Let’s foster a growth mindset together!

Celebrations from the Week

This week, we celebrated integrity among our students. We are proud to highlight the following achievements:

  • Student of the Week: Congratulations to Katima for demonstrating outstanding integrity in class!
  • Class Achievements:Advocacy has completed a week's worth of collaborative discussion that emphasized honesty and teamwork. Their hard work truly reflects our core values.

These moments remind us of the incredible character our students are developing, and we appreciate your support in reinforcing these values at home!