If you want to attend charter advocacy day at the capitol this year, be sure to get your applications to Mr. Sturr this week. It’s a great way to flex your civic muscles, represent Westgate, and interact with your elected leaders.     

A reminder that food and drink, cell phones, and outside technology are not allowed in classrooms at Westgate.  

Prom is coming. Join us for a fantasy dream on the evening of April 4 at Stonebrook Manor. Clear your calendar. A special thanks to our student leadership group for their continued work on this event and to the seniors for voting for the fantasy theme. It will be our best prom yet. Expect tickets in late February.   

The semester is more than a quarter of the way done, and teachers are posting grades every week. Be sure to check your grades weekly so you don’t get behind. Similarly, if you’re doing well, pat yourself on the back and keep at it.  

We expect students to use the pod judiciously and with teacher permission. Similarly, there should only be one student out of a classroom at a time using the restroom. This lets us manage fire drills and parent calls.  

• As a reminder, freshmen can leave campus for lunch this semester if we have a parent consent to leave form. If you haven’t done it yet, ask Mr. Cuevas for one.  

Weekly Update 2-18-19 

It’s a short week this week thanks to President’s Day. To celebrate: Four presidents of the United States have won the Nobel Peace Prize – Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, Jimmy Carter, and Barack Obama.   

Prom is coming. Join us for a fantasy dream on the evening of April 4 at Stonebrook Manor. Clear your calendar. A special thanks to our student leadership group for their continued work on this event and to the seniors for voting for the fantasy theme. It will be our best prom yet. Expect tickets in late February.   

The semester is a few weeks in, and teachers are posting grades every week. Be sure to check your grades weekly so you don’t get behind. Similarly, if you’re doing well, pat yourself on the back and keep at it.  

We expect students to use the pod judiciously and with teacher permission. Similarly, there should only be one student out of a classroom at a time using the restroom. This lets us manage fire drills and parent calls.  

• As a reminder, freshmen can leave campus for lunch this semester if we have a parent consent to leave form. If you haven’t done it yet, ask Mr. Cuevas for one. 

 Jason Brinkley

Junior Advocate

Weekly Update 2-11-19

This is kindness week at Westgate and the high school will be making and distributing kindness cards on the 14^th. It is an annual tradition for the high school and we always have a great time spreading kindness to our neighbors.  

No school on Friday February 15th for teacher work day.

Prom is coming. Join us for a fantasy dream on the evening of April 4 at Stonebrook Manor. Clear your calendar. A special thanks to our student leadership group for their continued work on this event and to the seniors for voting for the fantasy theme. It will be our best prom yet. Expect tickets in late February.   

The semester is a few weeks in, and teachers are posting grades every week. Be sure to check your grades weekly so you don’t get behind. Similarly, if you’re doing well, pat yourself on the back and keep at it.  

We expect students to use the pod judiciously and with teacher permission. Similarly, there should only be one student out of a classroom at a time using the restroom. This lets us manage fire drills and parent calls.  

• As a reminder, freshmen can leave campus for lunch this semester if we have a parent consent to leave form. If you haven’t done it yet, ask Mr. Cuevas for one.  

Weekly Update 2-4-19 

The semester is a few weeks in, and teachers are posting grades every week. Be sure to check your grades weekly so you don’t get behind. Similarly, if you’re doing well, pat yourself on the back and keep at it.  

Prom is coming. Join us for a fantasy dream on the evening of April 4 at Stonebrook Manor. Clear your calendar. A special thanks to our student leadership group for their continued work on this event and to the seniors for voting for the fantasy theme. It will be our best prom yet. Expect tickets in February.     

We expect students to use the pod judiciously and with teacher permission. Similarly, there should only be one student out of a classroom at a time using the restroom. This lets us manage fire drills and parent calls.  

• As a reminder, freshmen can leave campus for lunch this semester if we have a parent consent to leave form. If you haven’t done it yet, ask Mr. Cuevas for one.  

Weekly Update 1-28-19 

Prom is coming. Join us for a fantasy dream on the evening of April 4 at Stonebrook Manor. Clear your calendar. A special thanks to our student leadership group for their continued work on this event and to the seniors for voting for the fantasy theme. It will be our best prom yet. Expect tickets in February.     

We expect students to use the pod judiciously and with teacher permission. Similarly, there should only be one student out of a classroom at a time using the restroom. This lets us manage fire drills and parent calls.  

• As a reminder, freshmen can leave campus for lunch this semester if we have a parent consent to leave form. If you haven’t done it yet, ask Mr. Cuevas for one. 

Weekly Update 1-22-19 

Life's most persistent and urgent question is, 'What are you doing for others? -- MLK  

We’re back to the daily grind. Front Range classes start this week and the schedule will be a typical one. 

A hearty thanks to everyone who made last week our best start week ever in the high school. Successes like last week happen because everyone is on board and committed. Thanks students and families.  

Weekly Update 1-14-19 

Welcome back! We have a week before Front Range classes start again so we have the first ever official Westgate Sex Drugs and Rock and Roll week. (Well, we’re still working on the rock and roll part, anyway.) See the attached schedule for the entire program, but we’ll have a drug education program on Monday and sex ed later in the week. Both are in response to student feedback and requests, but sex ed is a state educational requirement and the sessions all are based on Colorado’s education standards. Similarly, there will be a consent portion as required by Colorado law and general good sense.   

• Friday is class picture day. Your advocate will give you a form if you want to order pictures but be sure to take a bath and comb your hair regardless.

 Jason Brinkley

Junior Advocate

If you do not want your student participating in this program, please call or email your child’s advocate (Sturr, Brinkley, Ellis, or Cuevas) or Amanda Novak at 303-452-0967 / [email protected].

If our team does not hear from you before the training begins, we will assume you would like your student to participate in this education program.

On Thursday, January 17^th, 2019, the Responsible Sex Education Institute through Planned Parenthood is visiting Westgate to teach High School students about topics such as gender and sexuality, healthy relationships, consent, STIs, and more. Please see information provided by the RSEI below:

Dear Parent(s) Guardian(s),

We, at the Responsible Sex Education Institute, believe that everyone deserves the information to keep their bodies and relationships healthy, safe and happy. 

On January 17^th, your student will participate in a sexual health program taught at Westgate Community School by educators from the RSEI.

High School Sexuality Education curriculum topics will be taught within this program.  These topics will be taught by a trained member of the Responsible Sex Education Institute of Planned Parenthood of The Rocky Mountains. The lessons teach youth about consent, healthy relationships, contraception, gender and sexuality, communicating about sex, STIs, and sex & technology. We teach these topics by providing medically accurate, developmentally appropriate, and factual information.

You are welcome to preview the High School Sexuality Education curriculum materials. Please contact Julie LaBarr, The Responsible Sex Education Institute Program Manager at 303-813-7631 and we will arrange a preview time and answer any questions you may have about the program.

If you do not want your student participating in this program, please call or email your child’s advocate (Sturr, Brinkley, Ellis, or Cuevas) or Amanda Novak at 303-452-0967 / [email protected].

If our team does not hear from you before the training begins, we will assume you would like your student to participate in this education program.

Thank you for taking the time to review this information. If you have any questions or concerns, do not hesitate to reach out to any High School teacher or Amanda Novak. 

Finals Schedule! 

Monday, December 17th is a full day for all 9th-11th grade students (and 12th grade students who have Westgate classes). Finals will take place on Tuesday, December 18th and Wednesday, December 19th. Your student only needs to attend school during his or her final. Yes, you read that right! If your student only has one final on Tuesday, they only need to come to school during that one final! If your student needs to stay at school, we have supervised study rooms available all day. Thursday, December 20th is a half day for all students. Students needs to attend school on Thursday, December 20th from 8:00am-11:30am.  

 Please see the Final Schedule below and do not hesitate to reach out with any questions or concerns.  

 High School Fall 2018 Semester Finals Schedule 

Tuesday, December 18^th 

8:00am-10:00am 

• English 9 – Ellis 
• US History – Sturr 
• Geometry (Juniors Only) – Cuevas 
• Study Room – Brinkley

10:00am-12:00pm 

• World People Studies – Sturr 
• Spanish 1 – Brinkley 
• Study Room - Cuevas

1:00pm-3:00pm 

• Humanities – Sturr 
• Spanish 3(1:00-2:00) - Spanish Cultures (2:00-3:00) – Brinkley 
• Algebra 2 and Geometry (10^thGrade) – Cuevas 
• Study Room – Ellis

Wednesday, December 19^th 

8:00am-10:00am 

• English 10 – Brinkley (sub proctor) 
• Government – Sturr 
• Biology 11 – Ellis 
• Study Room - Cuevas

10:00am-12:00pm 

• Biology 10 – Ellis 
• English 11 – Sturr 
• 9th Grade Math Classes (Alg1, Alg2, Geo) – Cuevas 
• Study Room – Brinkley

1:00pm-3:00pm 

• Business Math – Cuevas 
• Spanish 2 – Brinkley 
• Earth Science – Ellis 
• Study Room – Sturr

• Thursday morning is our annual holiday celebration.     
• Battle of the Bards, our Shakespeare festival and culmination of our theater units in English 11 and English 9, has been moved to the afternoon of Monday the 17th to accommodate all our students. Parents, families and guests are welcome to join us for a fun afternoon of student performances in our very own tiny globe theater.    

From our assistant principal, Amanda Novak: 

I am excited to announce that we are instituting Coffee Talks for our High School parents, guardians, students, and community. Throughout this school year, I have received parent feedback that our community may benefit from occasional gatherings intended to inform and encourage discussion, perspective, and input.  As we continue to build our High School culture, it is important that you are part of this process. 

Our first Coffee Talk will be held during Winter Conferences - details below - and will cover basic changes and concerns in the High School this year. There have been questions about new procedures, systems, agreements, and more. We are opening the table for authentic discussion, so join us! After our first meeting, we will host Coffee Talks during Quarters 3 and 4 around topics such as Vaping, Substance Abuse, Mood and Emotions, and more (if you have any great ideas, please send them my way!). We will host some talks in the morning, some right after school, and some in the evenings. We know you are busy people and we want to accommodate you the best we can. Please consider joining us, and as usual, do not hesitate to reach out with questions or concerns.  

What: Coffee Talk - High School Basics (Systems, Procedures, General Concerns, all the things)  

When: Thursday, December 20th at 6:00pm 

Where: In the High School Community Space 

There will be coffee! 

• Remember, if you have any questions on high school events or issues, your first stop is with your advocate, followed by the team lead, Mr. Sturr, and then on to the appropriate administrator. 

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Can you believe we are one week away from the end of the first semester? This year, we have been working diligently to provide a high quality and rigorous academic program for our high school students. After experimenting with many different opportunities during these post-FRCC weeks, we made the decision this year to implement Final Exams. We believe Final Exams are an important way for students to demonstrate knowledge in a content area, and we hope that students maintain a high level of focus all the way to the finish line. 

Monday, December 17th is a full day for all 9th-11th grade students (and 12th grade students who have Westgate classes). Finals will take place on Tuesday, December 18th and Wednesday, December 19th. Your student only needs to attend school during his or her final. Yes, you read that right! If your student only has one final on Tuesday, they only need to come to school during that one final! If your student needs to stay at school, we have supervised study rooms available all day. Thursday, December 20th is a half day for all students. Students needs to attend school on Thursday, December 20th from 8:00am-11:30am. 

 Please see the Final Schedule below and do not hesitate to reach out with any questions or concerns. 

High School Fall 2018 Semester Finals Schedule

Tuesday, December 18^th

8:00am-10:00am

• English 9 – Ellis
• US History – Sturr
• Geometry (Juniors Only) – Cuevas
• Study Room – Brinkley

10:00am-12:00pm

• World People Studies – Sturr
• Spanish 1 – Brinkley
• Study Room - Cuevas

1:00pm-3:00pm

• Humanities – Sturr
• Spanish 3 (1:00-2:00) - Spanish Cultures (2:00-3:00) – Brinkley
• Algebra 2 and Geometry (10^th Grade) – Cuevas
• Study Room – Ellis

Wednesday, December 19^th

8:00am-10:00am

• English 10 – Brinkley (sub proctor)
• Government – Sturr
• Biology 11 – Ellis
• Study Room - Cuevas

10:00am-12:00pm

• Biology 10 – Ellis
• English 11 – Sturr
• 9th Grade Math Classes (Alg1, Alg2, Geo) – Cuevas
• Study Room – Brinkley

1:00pm-3:00pm

• Business Math – Cuevas
• Spanish 2 – Brinkley
• Earth Science – Ellis

For the End of Semester Reflection:

Check your current grades in infinite campus.

For which class do I need to study or complete assignments?

Considering this class, how could I have been more successful?

In which class am I doing best?

What contributed to me being most successful in this class? Name at least two reasons.

Weekly Update 12-3-18 

Great job everyone with our service learning panels on Friday. It’s always a pleasure to have guests come in and see all of the good work that we’ve been doing in the high school. 

• Conferences are the 20^th and 21^st. Sign up here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080e4da9af2aa2fe3-quarter2

From our assistant principal, Amanda Novak: 

I am excited to announce that we are instituting Coffee Talks for our High School parents, guardians, students, and community. Throughout this school year, I have received parent feedback that our community may benefit from occasional gatherings intended to inform and encourage discussion, perspective, and input.  As we continue to build our High School culture, it is important that you are part of this process. 

Our first Coffee Talk will be held during Winter Conferences - details below - and will cover basic changes and concerns in the High School this year. There have been questions about new procedures, systems, agreements, and more. We are opening the table for authentic discussion, so join us! After our first meeting, we will host Coffee Talks during Quarters 3 and 4 around topics such as Vaping, Substance Abuse, Mood and Emotions, and more (if you have any great ideas, please send them my way!). We will host some talks in the morning, some right after school, and some in the evenings. We know you are busy people and we want to accommodate you the best we can. Please consider joining us, and as usual, do not hesitate to reach out with questions or concerns.  

What: Coffee Talk - High School Basics (Systems, Procedures, General Concerns, all the things)  

When: Thursday, December 20th at 6:00pm 

Where: In the High School Community Space 

There will be coffee! 

• Battle of the Bards is coming up! Our Shakespearean Freshmen and Juniors will be performing on the evening of December 13 for friends and family. Mark the calendar now. 
• Remember, if you have any questions on high school events or issues, your first stop is with your advocate, followed by the team lead, Mr. Sturr, and then on to the appropriate administrator.

 Jason Brinkley

Junior Advocate

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080E4DA9AF2AA2FE3-quarter2