This week will have our service learning project on Monday.  The students have built some adorable relationships with their buddies.  The 1st graders in Mrs. Koenig's class light up when they see their buddies.  The 5/6 graders always reflect on how much they love working with the kids.  

 

In Advocacy, our theme for March will be Mindfulness.  We will explore mind-fullness and develop tools to help students stay more connected and present.

 

It is time for conference sign ups.  You will receive an e-mail from your child's ELA/Math teachers with links to sign up for conferences at the end of day on Monday 2/2.  Those e-mail's should also include links for your child's 2nd and 3rd quarter Specials. Please reach out to the respective teachers id you have questions about their sign-ups.

 

A few reminders:

-Students who bring lunch must bring their own eating utensils! We do not have extras to share.  

-Students who order lunch must take the lunch. If your child does not like something, please do not order it.

- No Nutella

-other than lunch, students may only have water in their water bottles.

-candy can only be consumed during lunch

-snacks can be eaten when hungry but should be small. 

 

 

We had a wonderful time visiting Murphy Company on Friday 2/13. It was so lovely to see the smiles on the faces of the employees receiving the handmade cards.  The children were also equally happy to hand them out.  We all go to sit in their big conference room on some pretty fancy chairs learning about all the amazing things the company does.  Be sure to ask your students who attended what they learned about.  They also had some sweet treats ready for the kids that made them all happy.  When we returned to school, Monty was back.  What a lovely miracle to have our beloved Monty back at Westgate.

 

Also, thanks to all of you who helped out this past Kindness week.  It meant a lot to all of us to have such wonderful parental support for our amazing community.  

 

Enjoy Monday off and see you all back at school Tuesday February 17!

We kicked off Kindness Week Friday and explored our school wide theme with an adorable story about an Acorn.  Students also worked on the difference between sympathy and empathy.  We have a busy week of activities planned. 

 

We do not celebrate Valentine's day at Westgate so please have your students leave cards, candy, and other things like that at home.  Instead, we have many activities planned. Monday, we will focus of self-love. We also have another Buddy activity planned. Last week the older students helped the younger ones design their very special Pokemon.  It was so heartwarming to see the budding friendships developing.  

 

Don't forget about the food drive being put on by the 7/8 pod.  In addition, we will be walking to Murphy, a business near our school.  We will be spreading our kindness with homemade cards for the employees there.  If you still would like to join us this Friday (8:15-10:00), please e-mail me.  

 

Don't forget, Friday 2/13 is a half day!

We will meet with our buddies this week on Monday. During Advocacy, we are exploring self-awareness vs. self-control.  

Students should remember to pack eating utensils for their lunches and snacks brought from home. 

 

Welcome back from what I hope was a wonderful break for all.  Monday, we begin our Buddy program. Our advocacy is paired up with 1st graders in Ms. Koenig's class.

 

Our group will now have iLab as their special for the next 4 weeks.  

 

A few friendly reminders:

-Students should consume all beverages other than water before they enter the classroom.

-Please, no Nutella or Bananas in our classroom due to allergies.

-When Fidgets become toys, they will be asked to remain in the child's backpack.

-If your child is  bringing a lunch from home, please remember the eating utensils, too!

-Remind your student to turn in all electronics to our lockbox for the day. Please refer to the handbook for the policy on this.

 - Make. sure all water bottles and clothing items are labeled.  It makes it easier to get the items to their owners.

 

Students needing to take the ACCESS for ELD will begin this week.  Dibbels testing for Reading will take place, as well. 

 

As usual, please reach out if you have any questions or concerns. If it is specific to an academic class, you can reach out directly to that teacher.

 

 

 

 

 

We made it to the last week of 2025! There is a lot planned for this week with SPIRIT week.  In addition, we will finish MAP testing and make-ups and wrap up the week with a 5/6 POD Winter Celebration Friday afternoon.There will be movies and a craft/room. A sign-up for bringing snacks for the entire POD to share is available.  

I just wanted to let you know that Saturday (today) is the Barnes and Noble Westgate Fundraiser.  As I have not met many of you yet, I wanted to let you know that I will be there around 11:30am if you would like to say hello and have a face to my name. 

I wish you all a wonderful week as we slide into the winter break. For all those celebrating holidays over the break, I wish you seasons’ greetings.  While this time of year can be hectic, it also can be filled with precious family moments.  

  

If you missed the e-mail about the celebration, here it is again!

Hello 5/6 families,

Thank you for your continued support this season. As Winter break approaches, we’re planning a Winter celebration on December 19th with one craft/coloring room and three G‑rated movies.

We would greatly appreciate help with snacks. Please sign up using the attached SignUpGenius. Remember:

• All food must be individually wrapped.
• All snacks must be banana‑free and nut‑free (including peanut, tree nut, coconut, hazelnut, or any other nut).

If you have any questions, please let us know. Thank you so much for your help and generosity!

Sincerely,

5/6: Holiday Party - December 19, 2025

5/6 team

🫶 Advocacy

MAP testing for ELA and Math will take place this Thursday and Friday morning. 📝💻

On Monday, students will be presenting their activity ideas for our service learning project mentoring our Buddies. We will be paired up with Ms. Koenig’s first graders. 🌟👧🧒 The mentoring will begin when we return from Winter Break during the 3rd quarter. Students have already been paired with their first-grade Buddies and will meet them after Break. 💬🤝

We also invite you to join us at our Barnes & Noble event this Saturday, December 13, from 9:00am–9:00pm. 📚✨
It’s a wonderful opportunity to support our school community and celebrate a love of reading together while doing some Holiday shopping!

Dear Families!

 

I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for allowing me to help guide your children through this important phase of their lives.  Each one of your children brings a special gift to share with our community.  I am so grateful for landing at Westgate Community School. As I reflect on all that I am grateful for this season, I always think of those who do not find themselves in a warm embrace surrounded by friends and family with a delicious bounty of food to share.  I hope that each of you feels valued and loved this holiday season.  I can't wait to see your students back at school in a week to continue all the amazing learning we have been doing. There is so much gratitude to share.  If things are rough for you right now, please know that I care deeply and would love to help if you need it. Blessings to all.  

 

Happy Thank-ful Celebration,

Ms. Tanya Muftic

Advocacy & Academic Lab This Week 🧡

In Advocacy, we are continuing our Service Learning Project by completing questionnaires that will help us thoughtfully pair our students with their first-grade buddies in Ms. Koenig’s class 👫. Students have already collaborated to create posters showing what success in the Buddy Project looks like, and each child added their own creative touch to their group’s work ✨. We are excited to begin building these cross-grade connections.

We will also continue focusing on gratitude and community building 💛, helping students reflect on how they contribute to a positive classroom culture and how small acts of kindness strengthen our community.

In Academic Lab, students are rotating among the 5/6 teaching team to engage in targeted activities that enrich and extend their learning—both academically and in real-life skill areas 🎓. This flexible structure allows students to explore interests, reinforce essential skills, and challenge themselves in meaningful ways.

As we head into the holiday week, I want to wish each and every one of you a wonderful Thanksgiving 🦃, if you celebrate. This season offers a special opportunity to gather with loved ones, share good food, and appreciate the gift of togetherness.

Happy Thanksgiving! 🍁

We kicked off Gratitude Month by sharing what makes each of us feel thankful. 💛 Throughout the week, we’ll continue building community through team activities and daily morning meetings designed to start our day with a positive mindset.

This time before specials has become a meaningful opportunity to check in, share thoughts, and set intentions together. We will also begin gratitude journaling, reflecting on different topics that help us recognize the people, places, and moments that bring us joy.

I am so excited to start my journey with you and your lovely students at Westgate.  My first week started off with being a chaperone on the Outdoor Ed trip to IdRaHaJe.  Westgate students are lots of fun, for sure. I am still getting my bearings at school, but the support here is amazing and I feel so lucky to have landed at such a wonderful place! I am looking forward to working with your students and you to support them as they learn and grow.

 

The Halloween/Fall party which will take place in the afternoon Friday, October 31, 2025.  If you haven’t already done so, would you mind taking time to fill out the following sign up sheets:

 

Attached you will find a movie signup sheet that we would appreciate if you filled out by Wednesday, October 29, 2025. 

https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=g63kUOjsn0GLHt1cphgzjTCaYP_sY-ZBhex7mC4YQKRUQVhMWjA4VVg0RjVUVTRGQTVMNDRMOFNHQi4u

 

The other signup is if you would like to donate snacks or drinks for our celebration together. 

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C094BA4AB2EA3FFC70-59767843-halloween

 

As always if you have any questions, please reach out to any of us!