September 2025
SEPTEMBER CONTENT
- September Advocacy
- Mill Levy Override Information
- Safe Routes to Schools Update
- Free Meals Update
- Picture Day Tomorrow
- Hearing & Vision Screenings
- Spirit Week
- Let's Gogh Fun Run
- Class Updates
- Events
- School Count Day - We need you in class!
___________________________________
SEPTEMBER EVENTS
(click for redirect to our calendar of events online)
DAY |
DATE |
EVENT |
|---|---|---|
| MON | 9/1 | NO SCHOOL - LABOR DAY |
| FRI | 9/5 | Individual Photo Day - Don't forget to order! |
|
MON
|
9/8 | SPIRIT DAY - Rainbow Day |
| TUE | 9/9 |
SPIRIT DAY - Crazy Hat/Hair
Event Committee Meeting (2-3:30PM)
|
| WED | 9/10 | SPIRIT DAY - Westgate Wednesday |
| THU | 9/11 | SPIRIT DAY - Throwback Thursday |
| FRI | 9/12 | SPIRIT DAY - Pajama Day |
| MON | 9/15 |
K-3 Hearing/Vision Screenings
3rd Grade Field Trip
|
| TUE | 9/16 |
5/7/9 Hearing/Vision Screening
4th Grade Filed Trip
Grant Committee Meeting (2:30-3:30PM)
Board of Directors Meeting (6-8:30 PM)
|
| THU | 9/18 | SPRIT NIGHT - Parry's Pizza |
| FRI | 9/19 | HALF DAY - release at 11:30 |
| TUE | 9/23 | Board of Directors Meeting (6-8:30 PM) |
| WED | 9/24 | STUDENT COUNT DAY |
| THU | 9/25 | Kinder Field Trip |
| FRI | 9/26 |
Let's Gogh Fun Run!
Kinder- Johnny Appleseed Day
|
| MON-THU | 9/29-10/2 |
Elementary Scholastic Book Fair
|
| TUE | 9/30 |
Evening Exploration with iLab (more info to come!)
|
SEPTEMBER ADVOCACY - Self-Awareness: I am Strong!
In September our focus for Advocacy is Self-Awareness
Skills for Self:
- Identifying emotions
- Identifying triggers
- Self-soothing/ self-care/ calming strategies
- Identifying strengths
- Advocate for needs and resources
Learning Goal:
Students will use self-compassion to reflect on their own strengths and what makes them special and unique.
Students will practice identifying their emotions and leveraging their strengths to overcome challenges.
___________________________________
MILL LEVY OVERRIDE & WESTGATE
When compared to nearby school districts, Adams 12 Five Star Schools ranks 14th out of 15 nearby school districts in per student mill levy override (MLO) dollars. That means we have less money than others for ongoing teacher salaries and academic programming.
Charter Schools receive a proportionate share of all MLO dollars – this impacts Westgate Community School directly! These MLO funds impact the operations of our school (and every school in Adams 12) including teacher and staff salaries, curriculum, and programming.
We have a solution. If voters pass an MLO in November, the district would secure much-needed funding to invest in safety, world-class staff and academic programming. Learn more.
___________________________________
SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL PROJECT FINISHED
Great news! The Safe Routes to School Grant is finally finished for the 2025 school year. This particular grant provided the following improvements for safer walking and biking:
- Construction of the sidewalk along the south side of 126th Ave between the City's Infrastructure Maintenance Center and the 126th Avenue Lafayette Street intersection.
- A sidewalk along the west side of Lafayette Street between Eastlake Ave. and 126th Ave.
- A crosswalk and pedestrian activated flashing lights at the 126th Ave. and Lafayette St. intersection
- School Zone flashing light along Washington St. in front of Westgate Community School
This Safe Routes to School - Westgate Community School Sidewalks Project was funded in through a grant from the Colorado Safe Routes to School Program, and an agreement with the City of Thornton, and Westgate Community School.
___________________________________
Free Meals for All Students – Through December 2025
Good news! Every student at Westgate can get free lunch at school through December 2025 thanks to Colorado’s Healthy School Meals for All program.
After December 2025, things may change. If statewide funding for Healthy School Meals for All is not extended, families who do not qualify for free or reduced-price meals may need to pay for school meals starting in January 2026.
What this means for you now:
- Your child can enjoy lunch at no cost every school day through December 2025 regardless of eligibility.
- We will keep you updated this fall so you know what to expect in January 2026.
- We’re committed to making sure all students have access to healthy meals at school and will share updates as soon as we have them.
- To secure free meal status, families are encouraged to complete the Combination Meal Benefits/Family Economic Data survey form online at: https://charterchoice.strataapps.com/
___________________________________
TOMORROW IS PICTURE DAY
Picture Day is TOMORROW - Friday, September 5!
If you want to order with the paper form that was sent home, be sure your student brings the completed flyer with cash or check tomorrow to turn in.
- You can also place your order on mylifetouch.com
- USE Picture Day ID: EVT3GHHTT
- Order before midnight on Picture Day to get FREE shipping!
- Orders after Picture Day must be placed online only on mylifetouch.com.
___________________________________
Hearing & Vision Screening in September
Yearly hearing and vision screenings are coming up:
- September 15: K-3
- September 16: 5th, 7th, and 9th grade
Please remind your students to wear their glasses or contacts on these days. Parents will only be notified of the results if students do not pass the screenings.
___________________________________
SPIRIT WEEK - September 8th - 12th
Join in the fun and take part in Westgate's Spirit Week! Each day has a dress up theme to show your school spirit. Do a little or do a lot!
Monday - Rainbow Day: Wear the colors of the rainbow or any color you want. Can you make your whole outfit that color?
Tuesday - Crazy Hair or Hat Day: We've seen some pretty crazy hats and hair! Get creative and make your own hat or do your hair the craziest way you can!
Wednesday - Westgate Day: Wear your Westgate gear. Have a Westgate shirt, wear it. Or dress in your Pod theme color.
- Kinder - Purple
- 1/2 - Red
- 3/4 - Green
- 5/6 - Blue
- 7/8 - Gray
- HS - Black
Thursday - Throwback Thursday: Dress up in your favorite era. Get down with the 19- 90's, 80's, 70's, 60's, or beyond! Like Victorian, ancient Greek? You decide!
Friday - Pajama Day: A Westgate Classic! Jump out of bed and get right to school! Wear your PJs all day! (PJ's must abide by school dress code)
___________________________________
LET'S GOGH FUN RUN!
We’re excited to announce our annual Let’s Gogh Fun Run to benefit our beloved art program! This year, we’re putting a creative twist on tradition while keeping the fun and spirit alive. Find more information: WESTGATE COMMUNITY SCHOOL FUN RUN
What’s New This Year?
While we won’t be offering free T-shirts this time, families can still purchase a commemorative race shirt through our Spirit Store. Shirts are currently available for purchase before the race and for up to two weeks afterward, so no one misses out on the chance to show their school spirit! In this way, more of your sponsorship dollars go directly into the art program, and you can order t-shirts in your team colors or the color you prefer. Parents and guardians will also be able to purchase a shirt to show their support!
Every Student Gets a Keepsake!
Each participant will receive a custom race bib to wear during the run. These bibs will be marked with the number of laps completed and will be sent home as a special memento of their achievement.
Support Through Sponsorships
Friends and family can sponsor a student through our online payment portal. Sponsorships are a flat rate (not per lap), and sponsors must include the student’s name and the amount they wish to contribute. Funds raised go toward to supporting our art program!
Let’s Gogh make this event unforgettable—thank you for your continued support and enthusiasm!
Download the PDFs below to share with friends and family and start getting sponsors today!
___________________________________
CLASS UPDATES
ILAB IS LOOKING FOR DONATIONS
ILab is collecting clean, recycled materials for student upcycling projects! These hands-on activities help students practice creativity, problem-solving, and sustainability. We would love donations of items such as:
- 2-liter bottles and plastic containers
- Bottle caps and lids
- Unique or sturdy boxes and cardboard tubes
- Fabric scraps, yarn, or ribbon
- Small plastic parts or interesting packaging
- Please no glass, sharp metal, or food-soiled items.
Thank you for helping our students turn everyday recyclables into innovative creations!
_____________________
ELD Update
Our ELD students have been busy learning and practicing important skills across grade levels:
- Kindergarten – practiced asking for help and talking about their likes and dislikes.
- 1st–2nd Grade – worked with partners to practice reasoning. Students chose one option out of three and gave three reasons for their choice.
- 3rd–4th Grade – focused on making inferences using signal words such as think, because, and idea. They also enjoyed a trip to see farm animals and the garden, then wrote about their observations.
- 5th–6th Grade – practiced comparing and contrasting. A big thank-you to these students for helping set up our ELD room!
- 7th–8th Grade – worked on recounting information and analyzing the author’s purpose.
_____________________
5th & 6th OUTDOOR ED
Please make sure you complete all of the following by October 3rd to participate:
- IDRAHAJE Online Enrollment Form- see the email from Mrs. Dewar
- Go to the red “Group Participants” button, then the “Register/Login” button
- ONLY complete the form for the student attending
- Westgate Digital Permission Slip- see the email from Mrs. Dewar
- Completed Medication forms returned to Westgate (if applicable) found on the school website
- Pay $220/student fee (online in the payment portal, or drop cash or check off in the school lobby)
_____________________
7th & 8th NEW YORK TRIP IN MARCH
This year Westgate has the 7th & 8th Grade trip planned for New York in March!
An amazing metropolis of art, history, and culture, 7th & 8th Graders will experience a trip of a lifetime exploring Times Square, Rockefeller Center, MOMA, Radio City Music Hall, Wall Street, and more! There is still time to sign up - this is a trip you don't want to miss!
Tour Center ID: 1139
Click the link: RESERVE YOUR SPOT TODAY
_____________________
High Schoolers Meet Chicks
Early this September the High School biology class will get a specialized visit from our newly hatched farm chicks. Currently in incubation, we are anxiously waiting for these chicks to hatch. Once they do, Ms. Kahn will be visiting the High School biology class for a special session and gender reveal!
In these sessions students learn how to identify their gender based on their traits and anatomy. This is fun, informative, and interactive! Typical biology students do not get an opportunity like this, and we are excited to be able to provide this unique experience!
EVENT INFO
Thank you to all who turned out for our spirit nights!
- $559 raised at Red Robin!
- $469.50 was raised from the Skate City Spirit Night! Amazing turn out from our families and friends!
- Next Spirit Night is Parry's Pizza on September 18th!
Upcoming Events: (more info to come, keep an eye out for email announcements)
- Elementary Book Fair
- Evening Explorations with iLab
Keep an eye out for emails and the latest in the Happening Hub, our Westgate events newsletter that comes out mid-month!
_____________
SCHOOL COUNT DAY
School Count Day for Westgate is September 24th! This is an important day for your student to be IN CLASS.
We ask that you do not schedule appointments on this day and do your best to be on time to school. This day is critical for school funding and every student counts!
_______________
Download the Westgate School APP!
Get access to permission slips, attendance forms, calendars, and more in the palm of your hand!
Please visit our Westgate School link to find the app for your device
Download today to receive information quickly and directly on your phone!
Users can choose their preferred language.