Ms. Calder, Advocacy, 5/6

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March 2-6

Happy March!
 
This month the focus will be Mindfulness.  We will talk about what Mindfulness and learn strategies to help focus and reset for any task at hand. 
 
This week will be a full week.  At 4:00 pm this afternoon you will be emailed the parent teacher signups. One signup will come from me for Music and Art signups, and one will come from your child's ELA/Math teacher.  
 
Conferences will be Thursday, March 12 at Westgate from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm and Friday, March 13 which will be virtual from 8:00 am to 12:00 pm.  If you have any questions, please let me know. 
 
Have an amazing week!

February 23-27

Last week we spent time running through scenarios of how to show empathy. Then we spent the last part of the week creating a shoe that the student put down characteristics about themselves and then we hung them up in the room so that we can all see how we can support each other every day. 
 
Monday we will spend time with our 1st and 2nd grade buddies. 
For the rest of the week, we will finish out the week with our empathy unit. 
 
Parent Teacher conferences are coming, and I will be sending out a sign up on March 2 at 4:00.  Conferences will be Thursday, March 12 which will be at Westgate from 8:00 am until 8:00 pm. and Friday, March 13 which will be virtually from 8:00 am until 12:00 pm. 

February 17-20

I hope that you had an amazing long weekend!
 
This week we will continue our lessons on Empathy and Kindness. Because we didn't have school on Monday, we will not have our buddy time with 1st and 2nd grade.  
 
Friday, February 27 we will be having our Advocacy class picture. 
 

February 9-13

Welcome to Kindness Week!
All week we will have activities that embrace the different love languages.  We will end our week on Friday with our Kindness walk to Hope Montessori Academy.  If you haven't completed the permission form that I emailed to you, please do so by Wednesday. If you have any questions, please reach out to me. 
 
All week we will be collecting nonperishable items for the Precious Child.  This event was organized by the 7th ad 8th grade students.  Thank you!
 
Monday we will head over to our Second Grade Buddies for another fun activity.  
 
Reminders:
Monday: Skate City Spirit night from 5-7, Pajama themed. 
Wednesday: Permission form for the Kindness Walk due
Friday: Kindness walk and this is a half a day for students.  Carline will be begin at 11:30. 

February 2-6

February's theme is Empathy and Kindness. 
 
We had our first buddy lesson with the first and second graders last week and it was a success!!! We will have a new lesson this Monday!  What a great way to connect our community!
 
On Friday we will kick off our Kindness week activities!  I sent out a permission form for our walk on February 13.  Please make sure to fill this out by Wednesday, February 11.
 
Kindness Week at Westgate: Feb 9–13 
 We’re excited to celebrate Kindness Week with this year’s theme, Planting the Seed: An Acorn of Kindness. Students will take part in daily activities that grow compassion, connection, and community.
Our 7th and 8th graders are also leading a schoolwide food drive benefiting A Precious Child. Our goal is 2,000 non‑perishable items, with themed donation days to guide contributions:
  • Mon 2/9 – Protein Monday
  • Tue 2/10 – Pasta Tuesday
  • Wed 2/11 – Canned Veggies Wednesday
  • Thu 2/12 – Toiletries Thursday
  • Fri 2/13 – Canned Fruit Friday
Families are invited to support our Acts of Kindness for Teachers through donations and volunteer opportunities all week, including bathroom refresh items, hot chocolate cart supplies, carline volunteers, flower‑sale helpers, classroom readers, and more.
 
All sign‑ups and details can be found here: SignUpGenius: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0D45A8AE28A1FA7-61738675-kindness#/
Cash or check donations may be dropped off at the front office (note: Kindness Week) or contributed online through Westgate Events.
Thank you for helping us nurture a culture of kindness that grows far beyond our school walls.

January 26-30

On Monday we will have our first and second grade buddies to kick off our activities.  Four of the girls in our Advocacy created an activity to work on identifying syllables in words using balloons.  We are so excited to spend time with our buddies!
 
We will continue working on Growth Mindset activities to encourage growth in our everyday life!
 
Upcoming events:
Kindness week walk; Friday, February 13.  
I will be sending out a permission slip which will give all the specifics.  If you have any questions, please reach out to me. 

January 20-27

Meeting out second grade buddies last Monday was a great success, and we are all so excited to get to partner with the second-grade class! We won't have our time together this week as we had Monday off in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. However, we will meet again next Monday!
 
We will continue our lessons on Growth Mindset, and the students will be challenged to give pressing forward in all aspects of their life!
 
Your child should have brought home a weekly goal sheet on Friday.  During our Strong Start every morning, the students are to set a goal for the day for themselves.  During Advocacy the students are completing a reflection on how they think that their goal is going.  If you didn't see it this week, please look for it on Friday! :)

January 12-16

Happy New Year and welcome back to you all!
 
I hope that you had an amazing Holiday season and it was filled with memories and laughs!
 
The month of January is Growth Mindset.  We will have lessons that work on positive ways to look at all situations.  In addition, we will be working on some critical thinking skills. 
 
Starting on Monday, we will be implementing our service learning with our second-grade buddies.  The students are so excited to work as mentors to our younger students at Westgate!

December 15-19

This week we will be having a spirit week:
  • Monday, Dec. 15 – Pajama/Onesie Day Roll out of bed and head to school in your coziest pajamas or onesie!
  • Tuesday, Dec. 16 – Ugly Sweater Day Break out your most festive and tacky (school appropriate) holiday sweater.
  • Wednesday, Dec. 17 – Anything But a Backpack Day Get creative and bring your school supplies in something unexpected!
  • Thursday, Dec. 18 – Avatar Day Join the High School and dress as your element: Fire, Water, Air, or Earth.
  • Friday, Dec. 19 – Dress to Impress Day End the week in style with your sharpest look – it doesn't have to be black tie/formal, but it would be cool if you did. 
On Monday for Service Learning we will be creating a card for our 2nd grade buddies which will be starting after the Holiday Break. 
 
The rest of the week in Advocacy we will be focusing on generosity!
 
Reminders:
Wednesday morning, we will be taking the Math MAPS assessment in order to celebrate the growth of our students. 
 
Thursday: 6th graders will be going to International Towne. Please bring a sack lunch for our great adventure. 
 
Friday we will be having our Holiday Party in the afternoon. If you signed up for a snack, please have it at school Friday morning so we can organize the treats for the students. 
 
Winter Break will start on Friday afternoon, December 19 and classes will resume January 12.  I hope that you all have an amazing and safe Winter Vacation!!!
 

December 8-12

This week we will begin working on our Generosity lessons. 
 
Last week the students spent time working on their presentation projects that they will be teaching our second-grade buddies.  They will finish those presentations today and present to the class tomorrow. 
 
Reminder:
All 5/6 students will be taking the MAPS testing on Thursday and Friday started at 9:15. Please encourage your child to get adequate rest and good nourishment. We are so excited to see the growth in all of the students as they have been working hard on themselves all year! :)

December 1-5

I hope that you had an amazing Thanksgiving break!
 
Welcome back!
Only three weeks before the Holidays.  
 
The theme in Advocacy this month is Generosity. The lessons will focus on all the ways to show generosity and then we will brainstorm what our class can do to show generosity within our Westgate community. 
 
Monday we will have our Service-Learning lesson where the students will create a slide presentation of activities that we could do with our 1st and 2nd grade buddies.  Before break Mrs. Keating and I paired our students so that we are ready to go with our buddy partnership with the 2nd graders after break.  

November 17-21

Last week the students created a gratitude quilt that we have assembled and hung in the 5/6 POD, and the students also created small portraits of what they are grateful for to decorate our door.  This week we will finish out the week by continuing to think about and celebrate the things that we are thankful for. 
 
Reminder:
No School November 24 - 28 so that you can spend time with your families for Thanksgiving. 
 
I hope that you all have a blessed and wonderful week!

November 11-14

This week in Advocacy:
 
Tuesday: Service-Learning lesson.  Our class will be partnering with Mrs. Keating's 2nd grade class and she came into our classroom last week to meet all the students and talk to us about the best way to interact with your students.  We are so excited to start our partnership in January!
 
Wednesday - Friday: the focus will be gratitude.  We started making a gratitude that we will put together and hang in the POD.  We will continue our lessons about gratitude. 
 
This week in Academic Lab the 5/6 teachers have placed students into groups based on needs for each student.
Mrs. Muftic - will be providing more math assistance
Mrs. Lounsbury - will be reading and writing supports
Ms. O'Leary - will be working on Life Skills
Ms. Calder - will be guided students on ALP and interest projects

November 3-7

Welcome to the month of November!
 
This month our theme will be Gratitude where we will be spending time on lessons of what gratitude is, how do you show gratitude, and what are the benefits of gratitude. 
 
This week on Tuesday during Advocacy we will be doing a meet and greet with Mrs. Keating the 1st/2nd grade teacher who we will be partnering with for our Service-Learning buddies.  We will continue to talk about expectations when we start our buddy partnership with her class in January.  
 
Friday, November 7, the students will have a half day, and carline will start at 11:30.  Teachers will be having professional development in the afternoon.
 
Monday, November 10 there will be No School in honor of Veteran's Day!  Thank you to who have served or are serving our country!

October 27-31

Monday we will have a review over the lessons on Service Learning. Then for the rest of the week we will continue our lessons on "Using Your Voice" with a focus on bullying and strategies to use if you are in ever in this situation. 
 
Friday we will be having our Halloween party from 2:00 - 3:00.  There was a permission form emailed to you last Monday.  Please make sure that you complete the form giving your child permission to watch the movies. If you have any questions, please reach out to me.  If you signed up to bring snacks, please have them to school the morning of October 31 so that we have time to organize the treats before the party. 
 
Students are allowed to wear costumes and will change before the party.
Please read the expectations for costumes. 
 
Halloween Costume Expectations 
Costume expectations for all Adults and students: 
  • No Masks or face coverings 
  • No Full-Face Paint (partial face paint is allowed if a student can apply it 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.  Students can bring their costumes, and they should stay in their backpacks until they are allowed to change into them at 1:30, prior to the parties. Students will be in regular classes during the morning, and the costumes and their pieces and parts should not be a distraction. 
  • Adults and HS students can wear their costume to school, but all above expectations must be followed. 
If you have any questions, please reach out!
Have a wonderful week!