Skip to main content

Advocacy - Mrs. Matthews

Posts

Last Week of School! 6/1/21

Hello Families, 
Well this is it! We have made it to our final week of the 2020-2021 school year. This is always a bittersweet time for me, but even more so this school year. We have been through a rollercoaster this year. From online learning to in person, mask wearing, covid precautions, and internet and zoom failures. Through the ups and downs you have all been patient and understanding, but most of all supportive. I will never be able to thank you all enough for your unwavering support and kind words as we navigated this unprecedented year of Kindergarten. I am so proud of our Kinders this year. They grew and learned in spite of the conditions and they taught me a thing or two along the way. Thank you so much for trusting me with your children this year! 
Below are a list of events for these final days of Kindergarten. Aside from the events below, we will spend the week packing up supplies, playing, and enjoying our last days together as a class. Please email if you have any questions. 
 

6/2 Move up Day

We are excited to welcome the first grade teachers to our Kindergarten classrooms. First grade teachers will provide a brief presentation about the amazing things students can expect in first grade next year.

6/3 Kindergarten Continuation Ceremony

Our Kindergarten Continuation Ceremony will be on Thursday 6/3 at 8:15am. All continuation ceremonies will be held over Zoom (zoom link will be emailed out the evening of 5/31). Students will be presented with a Continuation Certificate, small gift, and a round of applause. The ceremony will be recorded for any families unable to attend at that time.

6/3 Kindergarten End of Year Celebration

We will have an end of year celebration following our continuation ceremony. Students will make end of Kindergarten crowns, eat lots of goodies, have as many dance parties as they want, and have a last run around the playground. We cannot have parent volunteers join us in the building, but I promise to take pictures and email them out for you all to enjoy. I will need your help to make this celebration everything that out Kinders deserve. Please click here to view our sign-up genius to donate treats, drinks, and bubbles. Please send any donations with your student any time this week! 

6/3 Last Day of In-Person Learning - Half Day! 

Students will be released at 11:30am 

6/3 Parent Teacher Conferences via Zoom 1-8pm

6/4 Asynchronous Day - Final Field Trip Friday & Last Day of School! 

Today will be our final day of the school year. Students will access our final field trip Friday on Seesaw. You will also be able to view the virtual yearbook pages students signed for one another in our Seesaw classroom. 

6/4 Parent Teacher Conferences via Zoom 8am-12pm

Advocacy: End of Year Events and Sign-Up 5/24/21

Hello Families, 
It's hard to believe that the school year is almost over. This has definitely been a year to remember. I am really excited to celebrate the grit, growth, and flexibility our Kinders have demonstrated this year. Below you will find the dates and times of important events as well as a sign-up genius for teacher conferences and another sign-up genius for our end of year celebration. I appreciate all of your help and support to make these last two weeks memorable. 
 

5/21 - 5/28 Parent Teacher Conferences Sign-Up 

End of Year Parent Teacher Conferences will be held on Thursday 6/3 from 1-8pm and Friday 6/4 from 8am - 12pm. Teacher conferences will be held over Zoom and will be 20 minutes long. Please click here.

5/28 & 5/31 No School

6/2 Move up Day

We are excited to welcome the first grade teachers to our Kindergarten classrooms. First grade teachers will provide a brief presentation about the amazing things they can expect in first grade next year.

6/3 Kindergarten Continuation Ceremony

Our Kindergarten Continuation Ceremony will be on Thursday 6/3 at 8:15am. All continuation ceremonies will be held over Zoom (zoom link will be emailed out the week of continuation). Students will be presented with a Continuation Certificate, small gift, and a round of applause. The ceremony will be recorded for any families unable to attend at that time.

6/3 Kindergarten End of Year Celebration

We will have an end of year celebration following our continuation ceremony. Students will make end of Kindergarten crowns, eat lots of goodies, have as many dance parties as they want, and have a last run around the playground. We cannot have parent volunteers join us in the building, but I promise to take pictures and email them out for you all to enjoy. I will need your help to make this celebration everything that out Kinders deserve. Please click here to view our sign-up genius to donate treats, drinks, and bubbles. 

6/3 Last Day of In-Person Learning - Half Day! 

Students will be released at 11:30am 

6/4 Asynchronous Day - Final Field Trip Friday & Last Day of School! 

Today will be our final day of the school year. Students will access our final field trip Friday on Seesaw. You will also be able to view the virtual yearbook pages students signed for one another in our Seesaw classroom. 

May Advocacy: Healthy Bodies, Healthy Minds

Dear Families, 
Many of you have probably heard that physical health and mental health are inescapably linked. You may even have some personal examples of how exercise or eating well has made you feel better, or how you feel more tired or run down when you eat too much sugar or fast food, or when you don't move your body throughout the day. During the month of May, we are going to continue to explore these themes and share about how physical wellness impacts mental health and how emotional wellness impacts our physical health – it goes both ways.

 

On the Horizon 

Teacher & Staff Appreciation Week (May 3 – 7) - See the flyer for details. Please refer to the Sign-Up Genius below for ways to donate to this event https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E0F4DA9AD2CA5FD0-teacher Additionally, here is the link for any monetary donations: https://www.westgateschool.biz/Westgate-Events-25-admin-fee-events.htm  Please reference “Teacher & Staff Appreciation Week 2021”.

Monday – Teachers & Staff Breakfast. A small gift will be provided to teachers and staff.

Tuesday – Teachers & Staff Lunch. #TBT Share your favorite memory with your teacher.

Wednesday – Carline Appreciation. Decorate your car and create signs to show your appreciation while in carline.

Thursday – Snack Cart for Teachers & Staff. Create a “Virtual Award” to share with you teacher.

Friday – Virtual Appreciation. Create a piece of artwork, poem, or a video to share with your teachers and staff online or via email.  

Virtual Silent Auction (May 17th – 23rd) Watch your email and social media for details.

Upcoming Spirit Nights:
WED, MAY 26th (1pm – 9pm) 
Yogurt Yum 3969 E 120th Ave             
Thornton, CO 80233

May 11th Board of Directors Meeting 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM 

May 14th Events & Fundraising Committee Meeting 8:30 AM – 9:30 AM (Zoom) 

May 14th Friday Community Connect 11 AM – 12 PM (via Zoom) 

May 20th School Accountability Committee Meeting 5:30 PM – 7 PM (Virtual ) 

May 21st Senior Brunch 10 AM - 12 PM

                Senior Graduation Rehearsal 12 PM - 1:30 PM

                Outdoor Movie Fundraiser 8 PM - 10 PM WG Parking Lot

May 27th Commencement Class 2021 6PM - 7:30 PM WG Outdoor Auditorium

May 28th No School 

May 31st No School - Memorial Day 

June 3rd Half Day In Person and Online 7:45 AM - 11:30 AM last day in person

                Parent Teacher Conferences (Zoom) 1 PM - 8 PM

June 4th Half Day Asynchronous 

                Parent Teacher Conferences (Zoom) 8 AM - 12 PM 

 

No School Monday 4/26/21

Hi Families, 
Don't forget, NO SCHOOL ON MONDAY 4/26. Have a great long weekend and enjoy the weather. See you all on Tuesday!  

Yearbook Order & Lunch Sign-up 4/20/21

Families,

This past school year has been nothing less than historic and our 2020-2021 yearbook captures a moment in time.

They are on sale for $30/ea through May 4th at 9 p.m.  Order online at 2020-2021 Westgate Yearbook.

Lunch orders are now open thought the end of the year.  Go to the Westgate Lunch Program Page to see the menus and place your order.

Contact the Business Office if you have any questions about the yearbook or lunches.

Advocacy: Service Learning Update! 4/16/21

Hello All, 

We have an exciting week planned to celebrate Earth Day this week. We will be reading the Lorax By: Dr. Seuss and brainstorm one small thing we can do to conserve our natural resources and give back to the Earth. Students will design a quilt square that is environment related for our Community Earth Day Quilt!

Service-Learning Exhibition starts April 22

This year, for service learning, students stayed in their advocacy classes to work on projects. Classes chose a topic and then made projects to educate others about that topic.

Projects will be completed and ready for exhibition on April 22 and will be available to view on the left side of the webpage here.

These projects are available for you to learn about and support a range of causes such as bees, unhoused populations, and wild animal habitats.

Community Clean Up – April 22 - 25

Trash pickups are always a popular activity around Earth Day so let’s join the popular crowd. Unfortunately, we still can’t be together doing this as a group so you will pick up litter wherever you’d like! We have a goal of picking up 2021 pieces of litter between April 22 and April 25.

You can choose 30 mins to an hour sometime within those 4 days to head out and make your community a little cleaner.

Westgate has Washington Street adopted from 120th-128th. If you’d like to pick up litter along our adopted street you are more than welcome!

Please fill out this form to indicate you’d like to participate. You’ll receive a sticker, bags, gloves (if you need them) and a general safety video the week of April 19.

Send pictures and how many pieces of litter you picked up to Mrs. Valenza at [email protected]. There will be a running total on the environmental education page of our website so you can follow along the whole weekend!  If you post to social media use the hashtag #WCSEarthDay2021

Westgate Tree Giveaway Pickup 

Westgate recently received a grant from the National Wildlife Federation as well as a sponsorship from the West Adams County Conservation District for a tree giveaway in conjunction with Earth Day.   

Current Westgate families can choose to pick-up their trees during carline on Thursday, April 22nd or drive thru the community pick-up that will be offered from 5-6:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 22nd.  To maintain COVID precautions, the trees will be delivered directly to you while you remain in the car.

On The Horizon

 

 Friday, Apr 23; NO SCHOOL – Professional Development Day

● Friday, Apr 23; HS Prom, 7-11p

● Thursday, Apr 29; Environmental Education Webinar 5p

 

April Advocacy - We Love the Environment! 4/5/21

Hello Families, 
April's advocacy is all about the Earth and taking care of the environment. We will take what we learned about conservancy in March and build on it to understand how and why we can take care of the Earth. We will spend more time outside exploring and learning using our outdoor campus. Kindergarten will go on a birds and bugs scavenger hunt, go on a listening walk, and repurpose twigs, leaves, and rocks to make beautiful art. All Westgate students will also design and create an Earth Day Quilt Square in celebration of Earth Day. 
 

Discussion Questions for Home: 

What is your favorite thing the Earth provides us with?

What do you appreciate about the Earth?

What is the coolest invention for the environment?

What would you invent to help the environment?

What animal do you want to protect the most?

Would you rather be The Lorax or The Once-ler?

Would you rather live by the ocean or in the mountains?

Westgate is Giving Away Trees!

Westgate recently received a grant from the National Wildlife Federation as well as a sponsorship from the West Adams County Conservation District for a tree giveaway in conjunction with Earth Day.   

The trees are large tube trees and you can choose between a Rocky Mountain Juniper or a Ponderosa Pine.  Both are native to Colorado, drought resistant and hardy. Reserve your tree now as the supply is limited and will be reserved on a first come, first served basis.

Current Westgate families can choose to pick-up their trees during carline on Thursday, April 22nd or drive thru the community pick-up that will be offered from 5-6:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 22nd.  To maintain COVID precautions, the trees will be delivered directly to you while you remain in the car.

NOTE:  the tree giveaway is for the community so please forward this information to whomever you think might be interested.

On the Horizon:

 

● Wednesday, Apr 7; Spirit Night at Taziki’s

● Friday, Apr 9; Events & Fundraising Committee Mtg, 830a

● Friday, Apr 9; Friday Community Connect, 11a

● Friday, Apr 9-15; Board of Director Election 

● Tuesday, Apr 13; Board of Directors Mtg, 6:30p

● Thursday, Apr 15; School Accountability Committee Mtg, 5:30p

● Friday, Apr 23; NO SCHOOL – Professional Development Day

● Friday, Apr 23; HS Prom, 7-11p

● Thursday, Apr 29; Environmental Education Webinar 5p
 

 

 

Advocacy Update 3/15/21

Hello Families, 
Parent teacher conferences are right around the corner. Conferences will be held on Thursday 3/18 and Friday 3/19. Conferences will be 20 minutes long and held via Zoom. If you have not yet signed up for a conference please contact me via email so we can get you scheduled. 
 

DEAR: Drop Everything And Read!

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.

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.

 

YEARBOOKS ARE ON SALE NOW!

Yearbooks for the 2020-2021 school year are now on sale! Yearbooks are $30 and can be purchased online only through May 4. Click here to order. 

 

On the Horizon: 

Mon 3/15 Kindergarten Brings Leprechaun Traps to School
Thurs 3/18 (8am - 8pm) Parent Teacher Conferences 
Fri 3/19 (8am - 12pm) Parent Teacher Conferences 
Thurs 3/18 - Tues 3/30 Spring Break - NO SCHOOL
Wed 3/31 Return to School First Day of Quarter 4! 

Advocacy Update 3/8/21 - 3/12/21

Hello Families, 
We will be participating in asynchronous learning 3/8 - 3/12. Students will access pre-recorded lessons and activities on Seesaw each day. Learning Materials were sent home in your student's backpack in the yellow, green, and purple folders. You can access our weekly learning calendar here. 
 
Parent teacher conferences are right around the corner. Conferences will be held on Thursday 3/18 and Friday 3/19. Conferences will be 20 minutes long and held via Zoom. You can sign up for a conference here. If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to reach out via email.
 

DEAR: Drop Everything And Read!

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.

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.

 

YEARBOOKS ARE ON SALE NOW!

Yearbooks for the 2020-2021 school year are now on sale! Yearbooks are $30 and can be purchased online only through May 4. Click here to order. 

 

On the Horizon: 

Mon 3/8 - Fri 3/12 Asynchronous Learning from Home via Seesaw
Tues 3/9 (6:30pm - 8:30pm) Board of Directors Meeting
Thurs 3/11 (5:30pm - 7pm) School Accountability Committee Meeting
Fri 3/12 (11am - 12pm) Friday Community Connect
Fri 3/5 - Fri 3/12 - Sign Up Genius for Conferences Available
Thurs 3/18 (8am - 8pm) Parent Teacher Conferences 
Fri 3/19 (8am - 12pm) Parent Teacher Conferences 
Thurs 3/18 - Tues 3/30 Spring Break - NO SCHOOL
Wed 3/31 Return to School First Day of Quarter 4! 

March Advocacy: Going Green 3/1/21

Hello Families,

The “inspiration” for this month’s theme was spurred by the wildfires we had in Colorado last year (which now has its own Wikipedia page). If you are like me you wanted to do something, anything! One of those somethings is education. We have the very special opportunity to educate our students about the environmental issues facing us today.

This month students will apply what we have learned about natural and man-made resources, the weather, and seasons to learn more about environmental issues facing us today. Kindergarten will focus on the environment and insects and animals. We will learn about endangered species on land and in the sea. We will also investigate the importance of Bee's and what we can do to protect them. Learning about these things at these ages is imperative to ushering in a generation that cares about the world around them.

This month’s advocacy is a lead into April’s theme of “We Love the Environment!” So, remember that by understanding the environmental issues we all face we can also see the light and hope.

Vocabulary: 

Climate Change - Climate change describes a change in the average conditions — such as temperature and rainfall — in a region over a long period of time. 

Sustainability - using resources in such a way that they will continue to be available in the future.

Endangered  -  wild animal or plant that is in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range. A species is considered threatened if it is likely to become endangered within the foreseeable future.

Engaging Your Student at Home: 

Below are a few guiding questions you can use to open up a discussion about what we are learning at school. I have also included a few resources you can watch at home with your student. 

 

Why do people litter?

Should single-use plastics be banned?

What animal do you want to protect the most?

Should we protect bees?

Read Aloud: What Does it Mean to be Green

Read Aloud: I can Save the Earth

Animated Story: The Life of Lilly the Sea Turtle

Read Aloud: Michael Recycle

Animated Story: Save the Bees

YEARBOOKS ARE ON SALE NOW!

Yearbooks for the 2020-2021 school year are now on sale! Yearbooks are $30 and can be purchased online only through May 4. Click here to order. 

 

On the Horizon: 

Wed 3/3 (4pm – 8pm) : Spirit Night Chipotle
951 E 120th Ave Unit A, Thornton, CO 80233-5719
Tues 3/9 (6:30pm - 8:30pm) Board of Directors Meeting
Thurs 3/11 (5:30pm - 7pm) School Accountability Committee Meeting
Fri 3/12 (11am - 12pm) Friday Community Connect
Fri 3/5 - Fri 3/12 - Sign Up Genius for Conferences Available
Thurs 3/18 (8am - 8pm) Parent Teacher Conferences 
Fri 3/19 (8am - 12pm) Parent Teacher Conferences 
Thurs 3/18 - Tues 3/30 Spring Break - NO SCHOOL
Wed 3/31 Return to School First Day of Quarter 4! 
 
 

 

100th Day of School! 2/11/21

Hello Families! 
Can you believe it is almost the 100th Day of School? In Kindergarten we love to celebrate by doing all things 100. We will make 100th day necklaces, count to 100 many different ways, try to read 100 books, and have 100 dance parties. Students will come to school dressed like they are 100 years old and imagine what they would do if they had $100.00! 
Congratulations! We've made it to the 100th Day of School. 

Westgate Kindness Week 2/8 - 2/12

Hello Families, 

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 [email protected]. 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: @Westgate Wild Use #ShareYourKindness when posting on all platforms!

Be Kind To Teachers Week!

Let us show our teachers and staff how much we appreciate them! During Westgate Kindness week, the parents and students will shower the teachers and staff with kindness. Here is a sneak peek of the events we have in store for our Westgate teachers and staff:

2/8 Monday (Gratuity Tree)

2/9 Tuesday (Lunch);

2/10 Wednesday (Snack Cart)

2/11 Thursday (Stay Safe and Healthy)

2/12 Friday (Show your love on social media or via email). 

 

On the Horizon: 

February 8th - 12th - Kindness Week!

February 11th - 100th Day of School! 

February 15th - No School Presidents Day

February 16th - No School Teacher Work Day

Kindness Week 2/8 - 2/12

Hello Families, 

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 [email protected]. 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: @Westgate Wild Use #ShareYourKindness when posting on all platforms!

February Advocacy: Grit and Growth Mindset 2/1/21

Hello Families,

This month our advocacy theme is grit and growth mindset. What do you do when life gets tough? How do you respond when you are dealt a tough hand, when the world sends you rain instead of rainbows, when you are facing challenges and disruptions and setbacks? I have always been intrigued by the wisdom to “make lemonade,” because it always felt like an unhelpful platitude. How does one truly turn something so difficult into something positive and valuable? The concepts of grit and growth mindset help us understand how to approach the inevitable challenges in life by training our minds and adopting practices that will indeed teach us to make lemonade.

I believe we only have control over two things in life: how we prepare, and how we respond. By adopting a growth mindset, we can train ourselves to respond with grace and flexibility, even when things don’t go our way. The more we do this, the most resilient we become. We can view challenges as opportunities, allowing us to grow and transform in the face of obstacles.

Grit combines this idea of resilience with purpose and direction. The more hurdles we overcome, the more we risk, the more we courageously pursue our goals, the grittier we become. Gritty people have goals and they work hard to achieve them. Gritty people are not afraid to fail, in fact, they fail all the time. They fail, they learn from failure, and then they apply that knowledge in their continued pursuit until they achieve their goals.

So, in a time when we’ve been handed our fair share of lemons, let’s collect those lemons with some growth mindset and grit, and maybe just maybe, we will end up with lemonade.

“No matter the domain, the highly successful had a kind of ferocious determination that played out in two ways. First, these exemplars were unusually resilient and hardworking. Second, they knew in a very, very deep way what it was they wanted. They not only had determination, they had direction. It was this combination of passion and perseverance that made high achievers special. In a word, they had grit.” - Angela Duckworth, Grit.

Vocabulary: 

Growth Mindset – A person with a growth mindset believes their abilities can improve over time and they can reframe challenges and setbacks in a positive light. (resource: https://www.understood.org/en/friends-feelings/empowering-your-child/building-on-strengths/growth-mindset)

Fixed Mindset – A person with a fixed mindset believes their abilities are set in stone and they cannot improve no matter how hard they try. (resource: https://www.understood.org/en/friends-feelings/empowering-your-child/building-on-strengths/growth-mindset)

Grit – Angela Duckworth introduces grit as the combination of passion and perseverance that sets high achievers apart. Grit is defined by courage and resolve—an understanding that greatness requires risk and courage. “Gritty” people are not afraid to fail—they persevere through challenges.

Resilience - A resilient person has experiences hardship and obstacles, and perseveres, coming back stronger than before. “Rather than letting difficulties...overcome them and drain their resolve, highly resilient people find a way to change course, emotionally heal, and continue moving toward their goals” (https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/resilience)

At home discussion questions:

What is something new you have learned to do recently? Was it hard to stick with it?

What is something you want to learn how to do or learn about?

What is something you want to get better at?

What are you an expert at?

What could you accomplish if you had no fear?

On the Horizon: 

February 1st - In Person and Synchronous Learning Begins

February 8th - 12th - Kindness Week!

February 11th - 100th Day of School! 

February 15th - No School Presidents Day

February 16th - No School Teacher Work Day

 

January Advocacy: Self Compassion and Regulation 1/25/21

Hello All, 

This month our advocacy theme is self-compassion and self-regulation. Students will learn why they or others may become dysregulated, what dysregulation may look or feel like, and how to respond and re-regulate. We will learn the basic tenets of self-compassion (self-kindness vs. self-judgment, common humanity vs. isolation, mindfulness vs. overidentification). Students will examine their own areas for growth and they will change their negative self-talk into positive mantras.

In-Person PALS Assessment Week

We are preparing for our week of PALS assessment coming up January 25th - 28th. During this week, your student will attend ONE DAY of in person instruction. There will only be 4 students in person each day. On days where your student is not in the building there will be asynchronous learning available using recorded lessons and Seesaw activities. Students remaining online for quarter 3 can pick up supplies at the front office on Friday the 28th. 
 
Please be sure that your student arrives to school on their specific day with all their learning materials from home as well as a sack lunch, water bottle, two snacks, and a mask or two. There will not be access to drinking fountains, hot lunches will not be available this week, and there will not be any before and after school care provided. 
 
You can access our weekly learning calendar here.

On the Horizon: 

January 25th - 28th PALS Assessment in person for select students

January 29th - Supply Pick Up for Mrs. Matthews Kinder ONLINE ONLY STUDENTS. 

February 1st - In Person and Synchronous Learning Begins

February 15th - No School Presidents Day

February 16th - No School Teacher Work Day