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Good Afternoon Westgate Families,
I hope this finds you having a wonderful start to the week. As we sprint our way towards spring break we hope you are enjoying the warmer weather and the longer days. Next week, our students are invited to participate in our Westgate Spirit Days. Each day is a different theme for students to show off and celebrate their love for Westgate.
I want to thank our amazing PTA for successful Smart Talk and Bingo events last week. We are so fortunate to have such a committed and dedicated group of parents supporting our school and students. There are always ways to get involved with the PTA so see below for more upcoming events and opportunities.
Thank you for your continued support of all things Westgate and wishing you a fantastic week ahead!
All my best,
Hallie Demetriades
Principal
AAP Updates from Ms. Sutton
Are you interested in hearing more about what is going on in our Advanced Academic Program (AAP) at Westgate? Sign up for Talking Points to receive updates about the advanced and rigorous learning experiences that are provided to students across all grade levels. We look forward to sharing more about what this looks like at Westgate and the many different opportunities that are students are given.
Click HERE for directions in English.
Click HERE for directions in Spanish.
SOL Spring Testing Dates
SOL Testing dates are below. Please plan to have students in school on these days whenever possible.
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Grade 3
Reading-May 18
Math- May 23
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Grade 4
Reading- May 17
Math-May 24
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Grade 5
Reading-May 25
Science-May 12
Math-May 19
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Grade 6
Reading- May 16
Math-May 26
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Dates are subject to change, as needed. Make-ups will happen through out the window, May 1-26. Retakes are scheduled for May 30-June 2.
PTA Opportunities - Great Schools Need the Involvement of Great Parents!
Do you have a rising kindergartener for the 2023-2024 school year?
We need a volunteer to coordinate three playdates over the spring and summer for the incoming kindergarten families. We are asking now in the hopes this person can solidify some dates before the rising kindergarten orientation in April. This person also coordinates the boo hoo breakfast for families on the first day of school. If you are interested in welcoming new families to Westgate please reach out to Dottie at president@westgatewolvespta.com.
The PTA is seeking at least three parents to form a nominating committee by March 8. This committee works together in March and April to identify parents with the talent, time and interest to fill vital volunteer roles for the coming 2023-2024 school year. Please email Dottie at president@westgatewolvespta.com to form this committee.
Some of the positions we are seeking to fill include Secretary, Treasurer, Vice President, and Room Parent Coordinator. We are also seeking chair persons for special events. If you would like to nominate yourself for a specific position don't hesitate to reach out to Dottie at president@westgatewolvespta.com.
Design Palooza - T-shirt Design Contest - Submissions Due March 31st
DesignPalooza 2023 is Westgate’s Annual Design and Engineering Fair. The Theme for 2023 is…….Games, Games, Games!
Everyone loves a good game and I'm sure you have played many. Maybe you have come up with new ideas of what a game should be. This year DesignPalooza participants will design and create new games and then play them on Thursday, May 4th, 2023. Calling all creative kids! We need YOU to design our t-shirt!
- Make a black-and-white drawing on white paper to show off our theme: Games,Games, Games!
- Be sure to include your name, your teacher, and what color you think the shirt should be.
- If your drawing is selected, you’ll see your artwork worn by every student who participates in DesignPalooza2023, and you’ll get a free shirt, too!
- Drop your drawing off at the main office by Friday, March 31st, 2023
- Applications for DesignPalooza entries will be coming shortly
Questions? Email designpalooza@westgatewolvespta.com
Design Palooza - Register to Participate - May 4th
Design Palooza is our annual design and engineering fair. DesignPalooza supports STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts/Architecture, and Math) learning as children of all ages are challenged to use their design and creativity skills. The fair will happen on Thursday, May 4th, 2023 in the cafeteria. Every student is invited to participate and present their project at the fair. If your student doesn’t want to create a project we still encourage them to attend, view classmates’ projects, and partake in fun design puzzles and challenges. Click here to register your child here.
School Board Approves 2023-24 School Year Calendar
The Fairfax County School Board approved a calendar for the 2023-24, 2024-25, and 2025-26 school years at their February 9 meeting. Learn more about the approved calendar.
The first day of the 2023-24 school year will be Monday, August 21, and the last day will be Wednesday, June 12.
Developing a school year calendar is a balancing act, involving multiple factors that must be considered. Community input is one of those factors, and we appreciate our community for being involved in the calendar development process.
La Junta Escolar Aprueba el Calendario para el Año Escolar 2023-24La Junta Escolar del Condado de Fairfax aprobó un calendario para los años escolares 2023-24, 2024-25 y 2025-26 en su reunión del 9 de Febrero. Más información sobre el calendario aprobado.
El primer día del año escolar 2023-24 será el lunes 21 de Agosto y el último día será el miércoles 12 de Junio.
El desarrollo de un calendario del año escolar es un acto de equilibrio, que implica múltiples factores que deben ser considerados. La opinión de la comunidad es uno de esos factores, y agradecemos a nuestra comunidad por participar en el proceso de desarrollo del calendario.
Westgate Attendance Information
Report an Absence/Tardy:
Absences and Tardies should be reported to school by 9:30 A.M. Automated Attendance Notifications are sent out by the county if school is not notified by this time.
Report an Absence or Tardy in one of these manners:
-Student’s First and Last name
- Grade or Teacher’s name
- Reason for the absence/Tardy: Include symptoms if they are ill, especially if they have fever, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, sore throat and/or cough. If your child has a diagnosis from a Health care provider, please include that information.
NOTE:
Your child may return to school when they have been symptom free without the aid of medication for 24 hours.
Share Program
Can you name a local McLean organization that started over 50 years ago, is 100% run by volunteers, and serves about 1500 local families a year?
It's Share! Check out shareofmclean.org to learn about our food and clothing room, furniture program, technology program and much more.
Whether you can donate time, furniture, or money, we'd love to have you Share! If you find yourself in need of help at this time, our website has information on how to "Get Help."
FCPS CARES
The FCPS CARES Program is an opportunity for families, staff, and community members to recognize FCPS employees for going above and beyond to help others and show they care. We invite you to submit your story, so we can all acknowledge the good work of FCPS employees at Westgate. We love our staff members; let's tell them how we feel!
Dual Language Immersion Program Registration
Registration for the countywide lottery for Dual Language Immersion (DLI) programs will open on Monday, January 23. Current pre-k students may apply for the kindergarten immersion program, and current kindergarten students may apply for the first grade immersion programs for the 2023-24 school year.
Programs are available in French, German, Japanese, Korean, and Spanish. Visit the DLI registration page for more information on where the programs are offered.
Parents who are interested in the DLI programs in FCPS are encouraged to attend an informational meeting at their school site. Meetings will begin on January 11. Details regarding access to virtual meetings will be available on the Dual Language Immersion registration page by the meeting date.
Get more information on DLI programs and registration.
Low-Cost Internet for Free and Reduced-Price Eligible Students
The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) is a new Federal Communications Commission (FCC) program to lower internet costs for families with children who have been eligible for free or reduced-price meals within the last 12 months. A qualifying household will receive $30 per month toward internet services and a one-time discount of up to $100 for a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet. Families can check their eligibility and register at AffordableConnectivity.gov or by calling 877-384-2575.
Zones of Regulation
This year we are excited to have implemented the program, Zones of Regulation at Westgate school wide. This program teaches students how to name their emotions and build strategies to help manage them. Emotions are categorized by blue, green, yellow, and red and each color represents a state of alertness. The green zone is the calmest and a place where we are ready to learn. You can find out more by clicking this here (English) or here (Spanish).
Free, On-Demand, Online Tutoring
Does your child need homework help or feedback on their writing? How about a practice quiz to get ready for a test? FCPS students who’ve used Tutor.com have provided positive feedback:
- “This tutor was very helpful! She didn't tell me the answers. When needed, she helped me solve them! She was very kind and she really helped me!” –Elementary Math Student
- “This was an awesome tutor! She explained why I needed to do specific steps, and she gave me practice problems! Best tutor I have had!” –IB Chemistry Student
Unless they’ve been opted out, students can access Tutor.com through Schoology. Every session is personalized to meet students’ needs from remedial to advanced levels. Sessions focus on conceptual learning and critical thinking—not quick answers.
Learn more on FCPS’ Tutor.com webpage.
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Want to Work for FCPS? Subs, Monitors, and Others Needed!
FCPS is always looking for kind and caring substitute teachers and substitute instructional assistants to ensure our students continue to thrive when teachers and instructional assistants need to be out of the classroom. Substitute teaching is a great opportunity for future teachers, stay-at-home parents, retirees, college students, part-time employees, and anyone who wants to make a difference.
FCPS has started offering bonuses for substitutes who are available to teach on high volume days. Additionally, substitutes who work more, will earn extra bonuses when they reach 50, 100, or 150 days worked in a school year.
Substitute Teacher and Substitute Instructional Assistant information sessions are held virtually on Wednesdays from 1 to 2 p.m. Candidates will receive an email link to the virtual information session the Monday before the session. Sign up for an information session.
Join the PTA Today!
Our PTA is amazing and we would love for you to join and be a part of this great community of Westgate families. Signing up is easy and help us reach our goal and sign up today! You can sign up here.
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