Mr. Baldwin's Advocacy
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Advocacy Choice Board for the Week of March 8th
Since we do not have classes next week, you are welcome to do these great environment-related projects at home! You are not required to do these, but you are welcome to if you'd like! Feel free to work at your own pace. Check the post above this one for the project document!
Here is a potential schedule for you to follow:
Monday – Choose topic and start googling. Post topic choice in Teams.
Tuesday – Set a timer and do 30 minutes of research on your topic
Wednesday – Start on project choice
Thursday – Work on project
Friday – Finish project and submit on Teams
March Advocacy Update
Advocacy Focus for March
Our Advocacy focus for March is “Going Green, a look at Environmental Issues and their Solutions”. All classes will be working and learning about environmental topics and how we can make a positive impact.
Spring Conference Sign Up
Conferences are coming up on March 18th & 19th. On the 18th, conferences will be from 8:00am - 8:00pm. On Friday the 19th, conferences will be held from 8:00am - 12:00pm. We will be posting the sign-up link on Friday, March 5th, so please look for that in your e-mail or the advocacy pages. The 20-minute slots are first come, first serve.
DEAR
March is National Reading Month!
The Westgate Events & Fundraising Committee is hosting the 3rd annual Drop.Everything.And.Read (DEAR) fundraiser during this time.This is a great time to celebrate reading, encourage students to be readers and give to your community!
Please consider reading a diverse selection of books. Students need books that provide both windows and mirrors if we are going to create more readers, writers, and people who feel included and recognized, and who understand that the world is far richer than just their experiences alone. The National Education Association recommends these books and authors to get you started. Reading is Fundamental offers this Diverse Book Finder link.
Donations can be made to Westgate by...
Check
Make payable to 'Westgate Community School'
12500 Washington Street
Thornton, CO 80241
ATTN: Teri Garrick
*NOTE: Please add D.E.A.R in the memo for donations.
Every bit helps. Donations from $5 - $25 are gladly accepted.
You can also donate here:
https://www.westgateschool.biz/Westgate-Events-25-admin-fee-events.htm
All donations will be used for needs such as:
- Finishing our playground
- Finishing the environmental educational campus
- Purchase of new technology equipment
- Additional teacher training
Contact Events Fundraising if you have any questions/comments.
Snack
Each class will have snack at some point in the morning. Please do not send your child to school with candy or treats as a snack. The snack should be (somewhat) healthy. Cookies, brownies, & similar items are considered treats. A good snack to bring would be fruit/vegetables, cheese, jerky, etc...
Upcoming Dates:
March 18th & 19th: Conferences
March 20th - 30th: Spring Break
March 31st: Beginning of 4th Quarter
Assignments for Friday, February 26th
Assignments for Friday, February 26th:
Science:
- Read all remaining articles that we did not finish in class & answer the questions at the bottom
- Complete the Week 2 Earth Science Quiz: Oceans & Waterways
Social Studies:
- Read all remaining articles that we did not finish in class & answer the questions at the bottom
- Complete the Week 21 Social Studies Quiz: Agriculture & Production
Math:
- Complete the Week 22 Quiz in Teams. It is in the Quiz Tab and says “Week 22 Quiz”.
Literacy:
- Make any last finishing touches on your Persuasive PowerPoint. Make sure that it has been shared with me. The outline of the slides are:
- Title slide
- Introduction
- Pros
- Cons
- My Opinion
- Picture and Caption
- Picture and Slogan
- Bibliography
- Questions and Comments
Don’t forget to add pictures, transitions, & animations!
February Advocacy Update
Welcome Back!
We are very excited to have kids back in the building on Monday!
Reminders:
- Make sure your child comes with a cold lunch and water bottle. There will not be access to a microwave, and the water fountains are blocked off. However, your child can still fill up their water bottle throughout the day.
- Please make sure your child brings back any hard copies & packets that were picked up earlier this quarter. We will be using those in class. Your child is also welcome to bring any school supplies such as notebooks, pencils, markers, etc...
- Make sure your child has a jacket! We will be having outdoor recess whenever weather permits!
- Optional - Pack a book for your child to read! This is ideally a chapter book. This book can be used if work is done early in literacy, or during quiet time. Since we cannot lend out books from our classroom library, this may be something to consider.
If your child is staying online, please make sure you have accessed the daily schedule along with the times for Zoom. There will likely be a lot of technical issues to work through this week, so I appreciate your patience as we work through this new way of doing synchronous online learning. Please reach out to me if there are any issues and I will do my best to get them resolved as soon as possible. All live lessons will also be posted as a recording in Teams if your child is unable to attend synchronously.
Office Hours
Now that we are back in-person, Office Hours will be moved back to Fridays. My Office Hours will be on Fridays from 2:30 - 3:30pm by accessing our normal Zoom link.
Advocacy Focus for February
Our Advocacy focus for February is Growth Mindset & Grit. Our class will be working on helping students learn to reframe failure and have perseverance and tenacity in their academic and personal lives. Identifying and replacing the negative self-talk that so many of us are accustomed to with positive self-talk will also be part of this unit.
Kindness Week
At Westgate, we believe in promoting kindness every single day. During the week of Valentine's Day, however, we traditionally focus on celebrating and prioritizing acts of kindness as a way to show our love, admiration and appreciation for one another and for our community. Just because we are navigating COVID this year does not mean we cannot continue to celebrate and promote kindness, it might just look a little different!
This year we are challenging our community to perform at least 200 acts of kindness as a school. We invite you to document and share your acts of kindness with us! Each day has a kindness type/ style and a challenge that goes with it. You can follow the suggestions for each day and document the kind act. Please share by using the hashtag #ShareYourKindness to tag your act of kindness on social media (social media tips are below), or you can send a picture or video directly to communications@westgateschool.org. The week will culminate in a reimagined Kindness Day where we will collect cards and letters of appreciation and then Admin will deliver via contactless delivery to local first responders, essential workers, and seniors at Bonaventure.
2/8 Monday - Words of Affirmation, Encouragement and Love
- Write a letter, send a text, or make a phone call to someone you appreciate
- Send messages (letter, texts, etc.) to five people with whom you’d like to send words of affirmation
2/9 Tuesday - Acts of Service
- Do something kind (like a conscious act of kindness) for someone today
- Share a compliment, smile (even behind your mask, your eyes will smile too!) at somebody, help clean up, etc.!
2/10 Wednesday - Quality Time
- Enjoy intentional quality time with someone in your bubble
- Play a board game, make dinner together and eat around a table, read a book, take a walk, etc.!
2/11 Thursday – A Day of Giving
- Share a gift with someone (you don’t need money to give a gift!)
- Cook a meal, bake a treat, make a craft or just give something from your heart to someone else!
2/12 Friday - Kindness Day Reimagined
- Throughout the week, we will collect letters for essential workers and first responders. Admin will complete a contactless delivery on this day!
- Free Kindness Day! How many acts of kindness can you give today?
Social Media Tips - Post on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram to share your acts of kindness
Our Facebook page is: https://www.facebook.com/westgatecs
Tag Westgate’s Twitter: @westgatewild
Tag Sharon Collins, Executive Director: @EdSharonCollins
Westgate’s Instagram is: @WestgateWild
Use #ShareYourKindness when posting on all platforms!
Upcoming Dates
Week of February 11th - Kindness Week
February 15th - Presidents’ Day - No School
February 16th - Teacher Work Day - No School
January Update
Schedules
The schedule for January 6th, 7th, and 8th are as follows:
|
Wednesday, January 6 |
Thursday, January 7 |
Friday, January 8 |
|
8:30-9:00 - Advocacy |
8:30-9:00 - Advocacy |
|
|
9:30-10:30 – MAP Reading (1 hour) |
9:30-10:30 – MAP Math (1 hour) |
9:30-10:00 – Science Pre assessment |
|
11:00-11:30 – Language Arts Pre Assessment |
11:00-11:30 – Social Studies Pre Assessment |
11:00-12:00 – MAP Completion and Make-up (up to 1 hour) |
|
1:45-2:15 – 3-4 Specials |
|
|
All of our normal Zooms (other than Specials) will be the same link as normal!
Topic: David Baldwin's Zoom Meeting
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us04web.zoom.us/j/5857924667?pwd=M1orTXVmeHhyaDV0b3poc2xBODBFQT09
Meeting ID: 585 792 4667
Passcode: See e-mail for password
Our schedule after this week is the same schedule that we had in semester 1:
|
|
Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
|
8:30-9:00am |
Advocacy |
Advocacy |
Advocacy |
Advocacy |
|
9:30-10:00am |
Literacy |
Social Studies |
Literacy |
Social Studies |
|
11:00-11:30am |
Math |
Science |
Math |
Science |
|
1:45-2:15pm |
Specials 3-4 |
|
Specials 3-4 |
|
Specials
Our class will have Music as a specials class this quarter! See the link in the distance learning schedule below. The Zoom link for music is: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82429300190. The password will be emailed separately.
Supply Pick-Up
Supply Pick-Up will be on January 8 from 1:00 - 4:00 PM (South side of the school – near Lobby).
Important Dates
- January 5 – Complete the technology readiness check for MAP assessment. Email me with troubleshooting questions.
- January 6, 7, 8 – Pre Assessment and NWEA MAP assessment days. Note: January 8th is a Friday and all three days require synchronous attendance. See the assessment schedule and Zoom links below. This assessment is crucial to planning for your student’s academic needs
- January 8 - Supply Pickup
- January 11 - Regular Distance Learning classes begin on Zoom. See the distance learning schedule.
- January 18 - Martin Luther King, Jr. Day - No School
- Week of January 25th - PALS Testing - More information to come
Theme of the Month
Our Advocacy focus for January is Self-Compassion & Regulation. The learning goal for January is: Students will learn the basic tenets or self compassion (Self-kindness vs. Self-judgment, Common Humanity vs. Isolation, Mindfulness vs. Overidentification). Students will examine their own places for growth and they will work toward changing negative self-talk into positive mantras. Self-regulation will include topics such as coping skills, identifying and managing emotions, goal setting, & self-care.
Month of December
Advocacy Themes of the Month
Our new focus for December are Optimism & Gratitude! We will focus on ways to think more positively, as well as ways in which we can show who and what we are grateful for.
Conferences
Winter Parent Teacher Conferences will take place from 8:00am - 8:00pm on Thursday, December 17th and from 8:00am - 12:00pm on Friday, December 18th. The link to the sign up will be emailed to all parents on Monday, December 7th and will also be available on every teacher’s Advocacy pages. Please sign up for a time to meet with your child’s teacher!
Important Dates
Last day of school for kids - December 16th
Conferences - December 17th & 18th
Return to Distance Learning - January 6th
MAP Testing - January 6th - 8th(please check your email in January for more details)
Supply Pick-Up - January 8th (please check your email in January for more details)
Week of November 16th
Math and MobyMax
Email from Director Collins: You will notice that K-8 teachers will be including 10 minutes of math practice each day as an assignment for every student beginning next week. We believe this daily practice is important for growth and retention of math concepts school-wide. Just as we ask for students to read each day, we are now adding daily math practice to our expectations. This assignment will not replace any standards-based instruction during math class but will be a supplement to support on-going growth.
In order to meet Director Collins expectations, as a 4th grade team, we will be requiring a minimum of 10 minutes per day spent on MOBYMAX.com. If your student has not taken the initial Math placement test, they must do this in order to be assigned lessons to improve their over math skills and attain the desired growth levels.
Your student should have their individual login for MobyMax.com and If not, they can send an email to their advocate for it. As a parent, you can login as well using their information to track their progress and see any updates.
Supplies Pick-Up
Supplies can be picked up on Friday, November 20th, from 9:00am – 12:00pm. The majority of these supplies were already in the previous pickup, but we are adding math packets that we will cover for the rest of the quarter.
Thanksgiving Break
There will be no school during the week of Thanksgiving!
November 23rd - 27th - No School
Week of November 2nd
Materials Pick Up
All materials can be picked up at the front desk any time between 9:00am and 3:00pm during the week of November 2nd, except for Friday.
Distance Learning Schedule
As a reminder, here is our distance learning schedule moving forward:
Monday/Wednesday
8:30 - 9:00 - Advocacy
9:30 - 10:00 - Language Arts
11:00 - 11:30 - Math
1:45 - 2:15 – Specials
Tuesday/Thursday
8:30 - 9:00 - Advocacy
9:30 - 10:00 - Social Studies
11:00 - 11:30 – Science
3:00 – 4:00 – Office Hours
Advocacy Theme for November – Community
The Advocacy theme for November is Community. Now more than ever, we need community. We will spend our time discussing the different communities we belong to, learning about other communities, and having fun together to create a welcoming community amongst ourselves.
Enrichment Opportunities for 4th graders!
Spanish Introduction will be held on Mondays from 4-5. Students will learn Spanish vocabulary and have a chance to practice it in conversations. Email Jason.brinkley@westgateschool.org for the Zoom information.
Mrs. Maslen is hosting Online Game Time for a few more Mondays this quarter from 4:15-4:45. Students will get to connect with their peers by playing games through the Jackbox.tv platform. Please email lora.maslen@westgateschool.org for the specific dates and the Zoom information.
Ms. Ross is hosting Acrylic Painting Club on Wednesdays from 4-5pm. Students will learn basic acrylic painting techniques. Email jasmine.ross@westgateschool.org for the Zoom information.
Social Zooms
Now that we are going back into distance learning the need for connection and community is of great importance. Katie Goforth and Julie Ruhl will be hosting grade level Social Zooms for all students throughout the day every Friday. Social Zooms are intended to be an unstructured space for kids to connect. Ms. Katie and Mrs. Ruhl are hosting the Zoom, but the purpose of the Social Zoom is to allow students to connect organically. They will ensure the Zoom remains school appropriate, safe and comfortable for all students!
- There is a social zoom in the morning and one in the afternoon to accommodate different family needs.
- In Fourth Grade, the Social Zooms will be from 11:15-11:45am and 3-3:30pm
- Here is the AM [11:15 am] Link: https://zoom.us/j/98629368262?pwd=Ym5VNTh2bG5ZMXZuU2E3c2pORU10Zz09
- Here is the PM [3:00pm] Link: https://zoom.us/j/96680911182?pwd=dzFuSHJpUHg0WUJCYTRFOG96WVNHUT09
- The passwords for each meeting is posted in your students Teams.
- Social Zooms are completely optional! You can join none, one, or both!
- Ms. Katie and Mrs. Ruhl will be monitoring the Zoom to maintain school expectations. If there are concerns during the Zoom, they will provide warnings and redirect behavior, but if the behavior continues, the student may be removed from the Zoom.
- If you have any questions, please email chandra.valenza@westgateschool.org - we hope to see your student Friday!
Week of October 26th
Bully Prevention
October is Bullying Prevention Month and we have the honor of doing a virtual screening of the documentary The Upstanders. Being an upstander is being someone who takes action when you see someone being bullied. You are bound to see some familiar faces as the documentary was filmed at Westgate.
On Wednesday, October 28th at 6:00pm there will be a virtual screening of the documentary as well as a panelists discussion of the film. These panelists include our very own Ms. Washington, Mrs. Novak, and Mrs. Collins as well as the director, Scilla Andreen. The link will be available through the newsletter in coming weeks. Email Chandra.valenza@westgateschool.org with any questions. We hope to see you there!
New Schedule
Our schedule for in person learning is changing next week! Please make sure you pack a snack with your child since lunch will be later than normal.
7:45 - 8:15 - Morning Gathering
8:15 - 9:15 - Specials
9:15 - 10:45 - Language Arts
10:45 - 11:45 - Math
11:45 - 12:15 - Lunch Recess
12:15 - 12:45 - Lunch
12:45 - 1:15 - Advocacy
1:15 - 2:05 - Social Studies
2:05 - 2:25 - Afternoon Recess
2:25 - 3:15 - Science
3:15 - Clean Up & Car Line
Picture Retakes
Picture days will be Wednesday, October 28, and Thursday, October 29. These days are for students who did not get their picture taken in September, and for students who would like retakes. *Retakes will only be given if the student brings the original photo package back to the photographer.* In general, we will be photographing in-person learners on Wednesday (because that is not costume day!) and online learners on Thursday.
Halloween
Students can wear costumes on Thursday, October 29th in honor of Halloween. Students can only wear their COVID mask (no Halloween masks or full painted faces). We will not have a class party and students cannot bring snacks to share. Students must also wear their costumes to school. There will be no opportunity to change into a costume.
Spirit Week:
Monday, Oct 26th Pajama Day
Tuesday, Oct 27th Crazy hair day
Wednesday. Oct 28th School Spirit: Wear your Westgate gear!
Thursday, Oct 29th wear your Halloween costume. The only mask your student can wear is the Covid face covering.
Original Works:
It is that time of year for our annual ‘Original Works’ fundraiser. For those who are new to the school or for those who have forgotten – because of all the things we have to remember these days – this is a fundraiser where kids create artwork in the “classroom”, and families have an opportunity to purchase products with their creative artwork on them. The school gets a percentage of all sales. This is typically our 3rd largest single fundraiser of the year, but with things being so different, it has the potential to be one of our largest fundraisers for the current school year.
Important Original Works Dates:
Now until October 16th – Kids will create their artwork. They may continue to work on this at home!
October 19th through November 2nd – Families will be able to order products on the Original Works website.
November 2nd – Order deadline date to guarantee all orders are turned around quickly and in plenty of time for the holidays.
Late November to Early December – Products will be delivered directly to families’ homes.
Week of October 19th
Bully Prevention
October is Bullying Prevention Month and we have the honor of doing a virtual screening of the documentary The Upstanders. Being an upstander is being someone who takes action when you see someone being bullied. You are bound to see some familiar faces as the documentary was filmed at Westgate.
On Wednesday, October 28th at 6:00pm there will be a virtual screening of the documentary as well as a panelists discussion of the film. These panelists include our very own Ms. Washington, Mrs. Novak, and Mrs. Collins as well as the director, Scilla Andreen. The link will be available through the newsletter in coming weeks. Email Chandra.valenza@westgateschool.org with any questions. We hope to see you there!
MAP Reports
MAP reports will be sent out by Friday, October 23rd. Please look for this email.
Office Hours
Office Hours will be held every Friday from 2:30 - 3:30pm. Please join the Zoom link if you have any questions!
Halloween
Students can wear costumes on Thursday, October 29th in honor of Halloween. Students can only wear their COVID mask (no Halloween masks or full painted faces). We will not have a class party and students cannot bring snacks to share. Students must also wear their costumes to school. There will be no opportunity to change into a costume.
Spirit Week:
Monday, Oct 26th Pajama Day
Tuesday, Oct 27th Crazy hair day
Wednesday. Oct 28th School Spirit: Wear your Westgate gear!
Thursday, Oct 29th wear your Halloween costume. The only mask your student can wear is the Covid face covering.
Original Works:
It is that time of year for our annual ‘Original Works’ fundraiser. For those who are new to the school or for those who have forgotten – because of all the things we have to remember these days – this is a fundraiser where kids create artwork in the “classroom”, and families have an opportunity to purchase products with their creative artwork on them. The school gets a percentage of all sales. This is typically our 3rd largest single fundraiser of the year, but with things being so different, it has the potential to be one of our largest fundraisers for the current school year.
Important Original Works Dates:
Now until October 16th – Kids will create their artwork. They may continue to work on this at home!
October 19th through November 2nd – Families will be able to order products on the Original Works website.
November 2nd – Order deadline date to guarantee all orders are turned around quickly and in plenty of time for the holidays.
Late November to Early December – Products will be delivered directly to families’ homes.
Important Dates for the Month:
Oct. 21st- Spirit Night at Freddy’s 4 PM – 8 PM (14255 Lincoln Street, Thornton, CO 80023)
Oct. 27th- Board of Directors Meeting
Oct. 28th and 29th- Picture Retakes
October
Welcome back!
Our theme for October is Bully Prevention.
Back to School
What does that mean if I’m an in-person student?
- Students will be in school as normal from Monday - Thursday
- Friday will be an at-home work day with no pre-recorded videos (just like first quarter)
- Students will be allowed to attend office hours which are on Friday
What does that mean if I’m an Online student?
- Zoom Advocacy with Mrs. Valenza (see her email for details)
- Pre-recorded lesson videos and independent assignments every day, Monday - Thursday.
- Friday will be an at-home work day with no pre-recorded videos (just like first quarter)
- Students will be allowed to attend office hours which are on Friday
There will not be any birthday treats allowed this quarter. Please leave toys at home as well.
Original Works:
It is that time of year for our annual ‘Original Works’ fundraiser. For those who are new to the school or for those who have forgotten – because of all the things we have to remember these days – this is a fundraiser where kids create artwork in the “classroom”, and families have an opportunity to purchase products with their creative artwork on them. The school gets a percentage of all sales. This is typically our 3rd largest single fundraiser of the year, but with things being so different, it has the potential to be one of our largest fundraisers for the current school year.
Important Original Works Dates:
Now until October 16th – Kids will create their artwork.
October 19th through November 2nd – Families will be able to order products on the Original Works website.
November 2nd – Order deadline date to guarantee all orders are turned around quickly and in plenty of time for the holidays.
Late November to Early December – Products will be delivered directly to families’ homes.
Important Dates for the Month:
Oct. 14- First day of Quarter Two for ALL
Oct. 15th- School Accountability Committee meeting
Oct. 21st- Spirit Night at Freddy’s 4 PM – 8 PM (14255 Lincoln Street, Thornton, CO 80023)
Oct. 27th- Board of Directors Meeting
Oct. 28th and 29th- Picture Retakes
Week of September 14th
This is a reminder that our in-person day next week is Wednesday, September 16th, from 8:00 - 3:30. Please let me know if your child is not planning on attending this in-person learning day.
In addition, please send your child to school with the following materials that were in the blue bag that was sent home during orientation:
- A box of crayons / markers (either one is fine)
- A pencil and pencil sharpener
- One notebook
- A book to read if they have one they want to bring
- A copy of the book Frindle
As a reminder, your child will also need to bring a lunch from home that does not need to be heated up. We will not have access to a microwave. It is a good idea to also pack a refillable water bottle. Students do not need to bring their computers. We will use the computers at school if there are any computer-based assignments.
Please let me know if you have any questions. I look forward to seeing the kids next week!