High School Advocacy Activities 

 

Monday- I have a strict belief that the more we know about a place the more we want to care for it. We can’t travel many places right now, but we can still appreciate what Earth has to offer. Let's travel using Google Earth. (https://www.google.com/earth/) Use the Search function to look up these different places: 1. Your house 2. Westgate Community School - you'll get to see what it looked like before we had our playground 3. Favorite nature area to visit 4. Favorite City to visit 5. Somewhere you want to visit      Use the Street View function (the little guy above the black and white Earth on the bottom right hand corner of the screen) to look around each of these places.  

 

Tuesday - Head to Mrs. Valenza’s Staff Profile page to hear her reading from Silent Spring by Rachel Carson.  

 

Wednesday - Load up a good playlist, your favorite album, or your favorite song on repeat for a 15 minute walk (at least!).  

 

Thursday - Earth Day is next Wednesday. What better time to learn about this EPIC day??? Here is one article from Scholastic. 

               And this history article is straight from the Earth Day website. Make sure to watch the video on this page of the 1^st Earth Day where Denver is featured!  

               Ask yourself, family members, neighbors: Where would you be on this 1^st Earth Day in 1970 as a high schooler? On the capital steps? At school? Riding your bike around town?  

 

Friday - Originally we were going to have an Earth Day fair at Westgate but that can’t happen anymore. We’re going to celebrate in a little different way. Head to Mrs. Valenza’s Staff Profile Page to see what she wants you to do!  

Office hours for high school teachers are listed below. Students are encouraged to reach out during these times if they have questions regarding academic material. Parents: if you have questions, please reach out to the appropriate teacher through email. We are also happy to set up zoom meetings for parent questions by request as well.  

 

Office Hours  

 

Kern: Tuesday & Wednesdays 2:00-3:00PM 

Zoom Link:https://us04web.zoom.us/j/2870016972?pwd=QVFLZ3dneWtJV0NvbCtYYVNmano3UT09 

 

Cuevas: Tuesday and Wednesday from 9:30 – 10:30 

Zoom Link: https://us04web.zoom.us/j/9876797217?pwd=Uk9yaE01QXBqaWZOWk1oNklNNDV6dz09 

 

Matthews: Tuesday and Thursday 9:30 - 10:30 

Zoom Link: https://us04web.zoom.us/j/7186478925?pwd=eS9yak1IRnRSQXBRV3pqTmRiSmp2UT09 

 

Schneider: Tuesday 1:00 - 2:00; Wednesday 9:00-10:00; Thursday 1:00-3:00 

Tuesday Zoom Link:  https://us04web.zoom.us/j/207062615?pwd=N3lZN1VHazA0MWdJcUlMUjllOG9jZz09  

Wednesday Zoom Link:  https://us04web.zoom.us/j/475890524?pwd=ekhyaDR5ajdkSU0veEdOckNyT1B6QT09  

Thursday Zoom Link:  https://us04web.zoom.us/j/873937436?pwd=RzdZTDdibDk0bFc2YzU1dG0yRmdHdz09  

 

Brinkley: Monday 1:30 - 2:30 and Friday 10:00 - 11:00 

Monday Zoom Link: https://us04web.zoom.us/j/269528729 

Friday Zoom Link: https://us04web.zoom.us/j/269528729 

 

Hello Seniors and Parents,

 

First off, I want to express how much it saddens and pains me that we will not be able to celebrate several of your milestone moments as a class. Know that we as a High School team all share this disappointment with you and are working tirelessly to make those moments the best we can in our current circumstances.

Some of you had several questions, which Mrs. Novak addressed in her reply. If you haven’t seen that message, I urge you to check your inboxes. I will post the message here as well.

My plan for senior advocacy is to meet for an hour every Friday afternoon from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. via zoom. I already sent you the join code and password. A reminder that you must sign in using your real first and last name to be allowed in to live zoom meetings. If you don’t have a zoom account set up, check out my zoom tutorial video posted here.

I also planned to check in with you all at 10:30 a.m. today to circle with you. That one is in your inbox as well, called “Monday Zoom Check-in.” Hope to see you soon!

 

-Brinkley

Here is a copy of an email from Mrs. Novak about some of your concerns we heard:

Hello Class of 2020!

 

I appreciate your communication, and I sure miss seeing your faces. This is such a difficult time for everyone, but especially for the Class of 2020 at Westgate and around the world. I have spent a lot of time thinking about your class and working with my team to come up with the best possible plan. 

 

First of all, I am sorry that you feel you have not received communication. All the communication that anyone has received in the building has gone to all grade levels/ all high school families. Nothing has been kept from the Seniors and I apologize if you feel that things have been withheld. 

 

Secondly, the news that came earlier this afternoon was extremely difficult news, and we were all grasping to some hope that we wouldn't get that news. Due to that change, we as a team had to take a couple of hours to communicate properly. I just sent out an  email to all High School families about everything you listed below (Prom, Graduation, Service Hours, Internship, testing and more). I copied that message below for your reference. It does answer your questions, but I want you to know that I am still open and available to hearing your concerns. We are striving to communicate as quickly as we get the information, and I appreciate your grace and understanding. 

 

So much is uncertain right now, and so much is out of our control. We desperately want to celebrate your wonderful class, and we commit to doing that in some creative and special way, but it will not be as it once was. We are planning, planning, planning and we will keep you updated. I am sorry that your class is experiencing this global pandemic as Seniors. 

 

Mr. Brinkley is sending you some information for Senior Advocacy, and I hope you all tune in so we can get together soon. I appreciate you all so much. I am sending you love and positive energy. See the message below... 

 

Hello, and welcome “back” from Spring Break, High School families! 

 

Earlier today, Adams 12 Five Star Schools and other Denver Metro area schools announced that school buildings will remain closed for the remainder of the school year. This decision impacts various end of the year events and activities, and the purpose of this email is to update you on the status of these events. Please take a few moments to read the announcements below and do not hesitate to respond with any questions or concerns. This is a challenging time for our community, and it is more important than ever to remain connected. We sincerely appreciate your understanding and continued partnership as we navigate school in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. This continues to be an evolving situation, and we will update families regularly as we learn more from the Governor’s Office and the State Health Department.

 

Spring Testing

 

As you heard from the District earlier this week, SAT and PSAT Spring testing dates have been cancelled until June, including the Colorado SAT testing date on April 14. The Colorado Department of Education and The College Board are working to generate possible solutions for PSAT and SAT administration. More information will be shared once it becomes available.  

 

Service Hours and Service Trips

 

Westgate has made the difficult decision to cancel all high school service trips scheduled for May. Habitat International has suspended all trips through May 2020, and due to the spread of COVID-19, we are cancelling the freshmen and sophomore trips, as well. The community service requirement for all high school students will be waived for the 2019-2020 school year.

Service is something that Westgate values, and we encourage all who are able to continue providing service during this time. Though it is no longer a requirement, we invite you to engage in service in whatever ways you can, from creating art in your neighborhood to visiting HelpColoradoNow.org. 

 

Senior Internships

The second semester Internship requirement will be waived for all current 12^th grade students. We understand that there are many obstacles in obtaining internship hours right now, and the health and safety of our community is our priority. If your senior has already completed the internship hours, please reply and let myself or Autumn Washington know that you have completed the full requirements. 

 

Prom

Initially, Westgate had moved Prom to mid-May in hopes that we would be able to celebrate together, but due to the spread of COVID-19 and continued social distancing mandates in place, we are cancelling Prom for all students this Spring. I want to thank all of the students who worked so hard on planning Prom this year. Your work has not gone unnoticed, and we appreciate you. 

 

Graduation

Commencement is an important and special milestone for our students. With the decision to keep school buildings closed for the remainder of the school year, we are saddened to announce that we are unable to host our scheduled Commencement Ceremony for the Class of 2020. Westgate remains committed to celebrating the Class of 2020 in some capacity, and we are actively planning creative and alternative plans for Graduation that we will share with families in the upcoming weeks. 

General Academics

All High School teachers will be contacting families today with information about Distance Learning. They will also be posting regularly on their classroom pages, so I encourage you to subscribe to their pages, if you have not already! 

As we embark on this distance learning journey, I want to remind you all that we are truly in this together. I have so much gratitude for you all, and I wish you the health and safety during this time. You will receive regular communication from your teachers regarding coursework, and I—along with other members of our Administration—will be available for Office Hours weekly. We’ve got this, Westgate!

 

Amanda Novak

7th-12th Grade Assistant Principal 

Westgate Community School

K-12 Gifted Education for the Whole Child

Thornton, CO 80241

303-452-0967

**Pin this email to the top of your inbox** 

 

Good afternoon, 

 

I hope this finds you healthy and well. With Monday fast approaching, we teachers are each working to make sure our online lessons are ready to go. As of today, Westgate will be working through online, remote learning for the remainder of the school year. This email is to inform you of how classes will work for the remainder of the year, as well as a list of how each teacher would like their assignments submitted. Your student will receive another email from each teacher with Zoom login information. 

 

Westgate Class Pages 

All classroom assignments will be posted to the class pages on the Westgate website at https://www.westgateschool.org/ We encourage both students and parents to subscribe to their class pages to receive weekly updates. Links for all high school class pages can be found here: https://www.westgateschool.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=597639&type=d&pREC_ID=classes   

 

Schedule 

There is no set schedule for when students must work on their assignments or log into classes. The schedule is flexible, and they may work and turn in their assignments any time before Fridays at midnight.  
 
If it helps, students may want to set up their own schedules. Maybe they will work on each subject for 30 minutes a day, or maybe they want to set up a different weekday for each subject. They can do whatever works for them!  

 

A master schedule is attached to share when teachers are hosting advocacy, class instruction and office hours.  
 

Submitting Assignments 

Submitting assignments will vary from teacher to teacher. 

 

Brinkley: OneNote or Email  

 

Cuevas: Email (replying to initial assignment email works well) 

 

Kern: One Note or Email 

 

Matthews: OneNote. (There will be a "finished assignment" tab for students to upload their assignments) 

 

Schneider: OneNote or Email  

Once a week or so, feedback will be sent to students. Grades will still appear on IC as normal. 

  

Office Hours 

Each teacher will be holding a minimum of two office sessions during the week.  Please review the attached schedule for each teacher’s office hours.  If for some reason you are unable to meet with teachers during their scheduled office hours; please reach out to the teacher via email to make alternative arrangements.  

 

Parent Information 

Parents: if you have questions, please email to set up a time for a separate zoom conference. You can also always feel free to email!  

If there are any class concerns, please keep in mind the communication pathway. Address questions and concerns in the following order: 

Classroom Teacher 

Advocate 

Assistant Principal – Mrs. Novak  
 

Zoom Expectations: 

Zoom meetings are not required however, we strongly encourage students to utilize these opportunities to maintain classroom culture and community.  

 

Please remember this is still school, and as such we are striving for a professional environment. You are not required to share your video but anything in view should be school appropriate. Teachers will turn off video or audio for any student who becomes inappropriate at any time. 

 

Logging in: please use your first and last name for your screen name. For instance, a student named “Jane Smith” would write “Jane Smith” for their screen name. Students will receive emails with login information for individual teachers/classes. 
 

Please do not share links and passwords with others. Teachers will not allow unfamiliar names or students from different classes to sign in to zoom sessions. 

 

Thank you for taking the time to read this email. We hope you are staying safe through this time, 

 

Amanda Matthews   

Dale Kern 

Jason Brinkley 

Amy Schneider

Timothy Cuevas 

Hello Seniors and Parents,

 

Some senior-only reminders:

 

Make sure you are tracking your internship hours as we will be providing with a log for that soon and it will be included in the grade for the internship.

 

A reminder to make sure you have ordered caps and gowns.

 

We are planning a boondocks day and will be using a group rate that we will split up and determine the individual cost.

 

We surveyed the seniors about what students they would want to make their senior presentations. You could send me any photos you want included in those and I could forward them to those underclassmen.

 

Have a great week!

 

-Jason Brinkley

Hello,

 

Here is the signup for Quarter 3 Conferences. Notice that the days are a little different than the original calendar: Monday and Tuesday evenings 4-7, nothing on Thursday, and 8am to 8pm Friday. 

 

 

Thanks, and hope to see you there!

 

-Jason Brinkley

 

 

Hello,

Just some reminders about policies:

Happy Monday! Welcome back to another snow week at Westgate!

Now that we’ve had a few weeks to settle back into a normal routine, it’s time to set our sights on the future. Here are a few dates to add to your calendars:

 

Prom: Thursday, 7-10 P.M., April 2^nd (second Thursday of Spring Break)

Prom is less than two months away! This year’s theme is Casino Night, and every ticket purchase will include the (monopoly-style) cash you need to win big. Tickets will soon be on sale at the front desk. We are currently only accepting staff chaperones.

 

Friday 2/14 - Be KIND to EVERYONE! 

Wear Westgate Shirts 

Community Kindness Day! 

 

Kindness Day: Friday, February 14^th

Kindness Day is only two Fridays away! In the high school, we spend time making kindness cards to be passed out to the community. On the morning of February 14^th, advocacy groups will be heading to the Thorncreek Crossing area (the shopping area with Target) to hand out our cards. We will be out from 11:30 to 12:30. We will be distributed as follows:

Freshmen: Kern: Barnes and Noble to Michael’s

Sophomores: Cuevas: Target to Dollar Tree

Juniors (half): Matthews: Chick-fil-a and surrounding area

Juniors (half): Schneider: Chipotle and surrounding area

Seniors: Brinkley: Krispy Kreme and surrounding area

 

General Concerns

Last week, Westgate High School had some trouble with students finding or devising systems of “rating” other students, then ranking one another based on attributes like intelligence, physical attractiveness, or overall worth. These sorts of systems are demeaning to all involved. They are untrue and can cause lasting harm to our confidence and feelings of self-worth. Furthermore, they are a form of bullying and will not be tolerated at Westgate. If your child comes home with stories of being “ranked,” please take the time to talk with them and encourage them. Everyone in this building is worth much, much more than the opinions that others might place on them. As always, we at Westgate are doing all we can to ensure we maintain the safe, inclusive environment we value so highly. Please feel free to reach out to your advocate if you have any continued concerns.

 

-Jason Brinkley

Senior Advocate

Hello Senior Parents,
In an effort to keep the schedule equal to the hours seniors have been allowed to do internships on Fridays, we are giving the seniors the option of leaving Westgate on Fridays at 11:25 instead of doing an hour of soul service.
The majority of the students chose to leave instead of doing soul service (specials.) I will email those of you directly about those who chose to stay.
This means that today and going forward seniors will leave Westgate at 11:25 a.m. I have asked seniors to contact you about this change.
-Jason Brinkley

Hello,

 

Just a quick reminder that tomorrow Friday January 17th will be the senior class picture. Thanks,

 

-Jason Brinkley