|
Dear Westgate Families,
I hope this finds you and your family well during these very unique and challenging times. There are many important updates embedded in this newsletter, so please take a moment to read thoroughly through the information.
As you know, we have been busy preparing for the safe return for some of our Pre-K & Kindergarten students coming for in person instruction next week. Those families who chose in person instruction for 2 days a week should have received updated information from their classroom teacher last Friday, Nov. 6. Please make sure that you complete your Parent/Guardian Health Screening Commitment Form (details below) prior or on the day your child returns to the building. Also, we covered many critical points in our K-2 return to school plan at our Town Hall meeting last week. You can find those details in the ppt slides below.
As a reminder, both today, Nov. 12, and tomorrow, Nov. 13 are asynchronous days for our PreK and Kindergarten students so there will be NO live sessions. This gives our teachers time to work on setting up their classrooms in order to welcome back their students next week. In addition, those students who decided to remain 100% virtual will still be provided online instruction four days a week. We ask for your patience in advance as we transition to having both students in the classroom, and simultaneously having students learning online. While we know there will be an adjustment period for all students, we are eager to begin our next journey with concurrent instruction and hope it meets the needs of all of our families.
For those of you that chose in person instruction for your child in first or second grade, you will receive an email from your classroom teacher tomorrow, November 13, informing you on what days of the week your child will be attending. Those students in grades 3-6 who chose in person instruction will receive more information in the weeks to come. Currently, FCPS is not returning students in grades 3-6 back to the building until after winter break.
We know the return to school transition will not happen without a few hiccups and roadblocks so we are eternally grateful for your support and understanding as we navigate again to another new normal. Please know how hard your child's teachers are working to ensure this next step goes as smoothly as possible. We are always looking for additional feedback to improve upon our communication and outreach to our families so please never hesitate to let us know our glows and grows. Thank you for your continued support of all things Westgate and I hope you have a wonderful rest of the week and weekend ahead!
All my best,
Hallie Demetriades
Principal
Virtual Book Fair
You’re invited to shop our Scholastic Book Fair online from Nov. 23 – Dec. 6! All purchases benefit our school and connect kids with new books, favorite characters, complete series, and more.
You’ll love the NEW option to shop for Book Fair exclusives directly from the interactive booklist and enjoy these special online shopping features:
- Over 6,000 items, including new releases, best sellers, and value packs
- All orders ship direct to home
-
FREE shipping on book-only orders over $25*
- All purchases support our school and earn 25% in rewards
Visit our Book Fair Homepage and click “Shop Now” on November 23rd to get started: https://www.scholastic.com/bf/westgateelementaryschool4
*Free standard shipping is available on book-only orders of $25 or more, after all discounts are applied. Free standard shipping (books) must be selected during checkout. Orders containing products other than books are not eligible for this shipping promotion.
Questions? Ask Mrs. Scherbenske @ mbscherbensk@fcps.edu
|
Season of Giving
The PTA has launched a Giving Campaign to help address the many challenges the COVID pandemic has created for our community. All of the funds raised will go directly to our fellow students, friends, and neighbors at Westgate. For more details on how and why to give, please go to:
https://charity.gofundme.com/o/en/campaign/support-our-westgate-community
|
PTA General Meeting
Mark your calendars for our next virtual PTA meeting on Tuesday, November 17th at 7:00 p.m. Maya (Cash) Carpenter and Cia Makrigiorgos will be leading a discussion regarding how to speak to our children regarding race and inequality. Ms. Demetriades & Mr. Cooper will also be there to answer any questions regarding the FCPS return to school plan. Please join us for these important discussions!
https://zoom.us/j/91471700007?pwd=ZVl2NHdta0N3RjVxRmRHSGhsUi9DZz09
Meeting ID: 914 7170 0007
Passcode: 624297
|
Outstanding Staff Awards
Let’s recognize Westgate Staff members for going above and beyond during this unusual school year! Nominations are now open for the Outstanding Employee Awards. To submit a nomination for a Westgate Outstanding Employee in one of the categories below, please complete this Nomination Form. Nominate someone for one category or multiple people for all categories! Nominations are due on November 20.
Outstanding Teacher
Eligibility: Has at least three years of experience as a teacher (in any school/school district); specialists are included in this category
Outstanding New Teacher
Eligibility: Has up to three years of experience as a teacher (in any school/school district); specialists are included in this category. At Westgate this includes Cia Makrigiorgos, Sarah Day, Megan Amelio, Lindsey Knoll, Summer Baroody, Bailey Katsarelis.
Outstanding Leader
Eligibility: At least one year of experience in their current position as a Schedule-C or School-Based Administrator scale employee (that is not the building principal):
Common positions in this category: Assistant and Associate Principals, Director of Student Activities, Director of Student Services
Outstanding Professional Employee
Eligibility: At least one year experience in current position as a Schedule-B employee or other non-instructional employee in a school that supports school leadership
Common positions in this category: School-Based Technology Specialist, Technology Support Specialist, Assessment Coach, Career Center Specialist, Instructional Coach, Psychologist, Social Worker, School Counselor, Safety and Security Specialist, Resource Teachers that serve in an administrative role in a school
Outstanding Operational Employee
Eligibility: At least one year of experience in current position as Schedule-A or Classroom Instructional Support Scale employee
Common positions in this category: Administrative and Office Staff, Safety and Security Assistant, Custodial Staff, Food Service Staff, IA, PHA, PHTA, All Parent Liaisons (regardless of how they are paid)
The deadline to submit a nomination is November 20.
If you have any questions, please contact Michelle Scherbenske at mbscherbensk@fcps.edu
|
FCPS Return To School & Westgate Town Hall Slides
Fairfax County Public Schools is partnering with families to ensure we keep students and staff safe and healthy as we return to school buildings for learning. Working together, we will follow recommended health guidance that focuses on student and staff health, safety, and emotional well-being.
The FCPS Family Guide for Return to School has a wealth of information on topics like concurrent instruction, lunch, the mandatory mask policy, recess, laptops, health protocols, and more.
On November 4, Westgate held a town hall that reviewed our return to school plan. You may access the ppt slides from our Town Hall here. If you have any additional questions please don't hesitate to reach out to Hallie Demetriades, Principal, at hcdemetriade@fcps.edu
|
Parent/Guardian Health Screening Commitment Form
Q: My child is scheduled to return to school in-person this month. Are there any forms I need to fill out?
A: Yes. Parents and guardians who chose in-school instruction for their child will be required to complete a Parent-Guardian Health Screening Commitment form as students are phased back into in-person learning. The document indicates the parent or guardian’s agreement and commitment to completing a daily health screening prior to sending the student to school and to keep ill students at home.
The form will be sent via email to families prior to their student resuming in-school instruction and must be returned before your child returns to school. You also may access this form in ParentVue. Parents or guardians may choose to provide their response electronically or to return a hard copy form with their signature.
The form can be found online and is available in English, Amharic, Arabic, Chinese, Farsi, Korean, Spanish, Urdu, and Vietnamese.
|
Students Rights & Responsibilities Form - Please Complete ASAP
If you have not done so already, please review the Student Rights and Responsibilities and related resources at https://www.fcps.edu/srr. After reviewing the information, fill out the SR&R Parent Acknowledgement Form using this link in Google Chrome. The form must be filled out one time per student. The deadline for completion of this was October 8 so please make sure you do this as soon as possible if you have not done so already. Thank you!
Library Curbside Checkout - Every Monday!
We are excited to remind you that we will continue to offer curbside checkout from our very own Westgate Library from 10:00 am - 12:00 pm every Monday. Please see the flyer here for more information regarding the details surrounding this process. We are thrilled to be getting real books back to students and hope you take advantage of this weekly opportunity. If you have questions, please contact your child's classroom teacher or Mrs. Scherbenske at mbscherbensk@fcps.edu.
|
Amazon Smile - Support our School!
Looking for an easy way to support Westgate? We have an AmazonSmile account! Every time you shop at Amazon and select the Westgate PTA as your designated charity, and .5% of your purchase will be donated to Westgate. You can click here (https://smile.amazon.com/ch/54-1561076) to get started! Just remember, to shop at smile.amazon.com instead of the regular Amazon page each time you make a purchase! Supporting Westgate couldn't be easier!
|
Technology/Support for Families
Parent Technology Help Desk
FCPS has launched a toll-free Parent Technology Help Desk to assist families with technology issues. The number is 1-833-921-3277 (833-921-FCPS). It will be answered 7 a.m.-11 p.m., seven days a week. Parents who need help in a language other than English should let help desk staff know, and an interpreter will join them on the line. (FCPS has Parent Information Phone Lines available in eight languages to assist with general questions about FCPS.)
FCPS has also created an online portal for older students and parents/guardians to request technology help.
|
|
