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Good Morning Westgate Families,
I hope this finds you having a wonderful week!
It is hard to believe that tomorrow is the last day of the third quarter. It is amazing how quickly this year has gone by for our community. We look forward to ending our school year strong with many exciting events, and opportunities, for our students over the next couple of months.
As a reminder, there is no school March 25-29, and April 1 & 2. We hope that you are able to take some time over the break to spend it with family and friends. We look forward to having our Wolves back at Westgate on April 3.
As always, thank you for your continued support of all things Westgate and have a happy and healthy spring break ahead!
All my best,
Hallie Demetriades
Principal
Kindergarten Registration & Orientation
Do you have, or know of a rising kindergartener scheduled to come to Westgate next year? All students that turn five by September 30, 2024 are eligible to attend Kindergarten this fall. Please spread the word that registration is underway as we are excited to meet our newest Wolves. Please consider registering asap since our staffing reflects the number of registered students. Registration information for kindergarten and new students can be found on our website here.
Also, we will hold our annual Kindergarten Orientation for parents and students on Tuesday, April 2 at 9:00 a.m. This will provide an overview of our kindergarten program and gives an opportunity for both parents and students to meet teachers, families, and other staff. We hope to see many of our new wolves and their families at Westgate that day! You may also contact our main office at 703-610-5700 or tmgreen@fcps.edu if you have additional questions.
Westgate Volleyball Game- April 19
Don't miss out on one of the best nights of the year where Westgate staff play Freedom Hill in a volleyball game. Game will happen at Marshall High School Gym. Doors open at 6:30 and game starts at 7pm. Head to our store here to pre-order tickets, pizza and some amazing spirit items.
(Note, everyone 5 and over needs a ticket to attend the event).
Don't forget to wear Westgate colors (red and blue) and even bring signs to support our team. Go Wolves!
Also if you are interested in volunteering to help at this event, you can sign up here.
Ledo's Pizza Fundraiser- April 17 and 18
Who doesn't love pizza night? Head to Ledo's pizza (7510 Leesburg Pike Falls Church, VA) on April 17th and/or 18th and make sure you mention WESTGATE! A percentage of the sale from both nights will go to the Westgate PTA. You may even catch other Westgate families!
Westgate Parents - We Need You!
To ensure the success of planned events we need parent and family volunteers. We want you to be involved with us and need your help to ensure items like Fallfest, BINGO, Teacher Appreciation, Spirit Wear and so much more can continue.
This year we were fortunate to have board members that represented students in all grades (except for 3rd) and we want parents' voices from all grade levels. Please consider investing your time and talent into your child's experience at Westgate Elementary. Thank you to everyone that contributed either on the board or through events and activities to help make this year a successful return to the school building! Special thanks to Jessi Papapietro for stepping in mid year to ensure the after school programs were an option for our children this spring.
Please look out for information that will be coming soon in Tuesdays folders and upcoming PTA communications with more details about the roles on the board as well as event chairs and committee coordinators. You can also reach out to any member on the board to learn more! Please share your time and talents. Email president@westgatewolvespta.com
FCPS Family Engagement Survey
FCPS’ Family Engagement Survey will is open. Parents/caregivers will received the survey link via email from independent research firm K12 Insight. Please participate — your feedback is critical in helping to inform and improve practices to best support our students.
Taking this survey will also help strengthen the partnership between your family and your school. When that partnership is strong, students can experience a range of benefits including improved school readiness, higher student achievement, better social skills and behavior, and an increased likelihood of graduating high school.
The survey will take about 10-15 minutes to complete and will be available in 10 languages. Please visit the Family Engagement Survey webpage for more information. Your voice matters!
SOL Dates - 3rd - 6th Grade Students
Please note that students in 3rd - 6th Grade take end of year SOL tests. We ask that you avoid scheduling out of school appointments and vacations during the testing window. The following are our tentative SOL dates. If you you have any questions or concerns please reach out to your child's classroom teacher or our School Testing Coordinator, Ally Gilmore. Thank you for ensuring a smooth testing window for your child.
SOL Testing Dates:
- Wednesday, May 15 – Grades 3-6 Reading
- Friday, May 17 – Grade 5 Science
- Wednesday, May 22 – Grades 3-6 Math
TJ Techstravaganza - May 18
We represent the leadership of Tomorrow’s Women in Science and Technology (TWIST), a student organization at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJHSST). Each year, we promote STEM through our annual flagship outreach event, Techstravaganza, and we would like to invite your school’s students to attend! Techstravaganza is a free, public, hands-on STEM activity fair for elementary and middle school students in Northern Virginia. In previous years, we've hosted more than 4,500 students and 70 labs presenting STEM activities. Our exhibitors range from TJHSST clubs and our own TWIST volunteers to organizations like NASA SCaN, Art of Problem Solving, George Mason University, American Society of Naval Engineers, and the National Air and Space Museum. This year, we will be holding the 20th annual Techstravaganza on Saturday, May 18, 2024 from 10 AM to 4 PM at TJHSST. Admission is free, food will be for sale, and we hope that you can spread the word in your school. Here is our registration link: https://tinyurl.com/techstrav24, and attached are flyers (in English and Spanish) that can be used to advertise this event. We would appreciate you sharing this with families in a newsletter or your school's social media. Please let us know if translating the flyer into other languages will help. More information about the event can be found on our website at tjtechstrav.org. Thank you so much, and please let us know if you have any questions! Sincerely, TWIST Coordinators Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology 6560 Braddock Road, Alexandria, VA
Arrival/Dismissal Safety Reminders for Westgate
Please remember to be mindful of our important safety procedures during arrival and dismissal.
- There are NO left hand turns allowed in, or out of, Kiss & Ride during arrival or dismissal.
- There are NO illegal u-turns allowed in front of the school on Magarity Road. Please enter kiss and ride from the correct side (towards rt. 7) and follow the traffic pattern, as we've witnessed both student and staff safety being compromised too often.
- Please ONLY cross your child at the dedicated cross walk (with police officer). Crossing you children at any other location is not safe.
- There is NO parking on either side of Magarity Rd. right in front of the school. Please do not park in these areas.
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Cars are not permitted in the bus loop between 8:20 - 9:00 a.m. and between 3:00 - 3:40 p.m.
Our number one priority at Westgate remains student safety. Thank you for adhering to these very important safety reminders. Please note that the Fairfax County Police Department will be closely monitoring this situation.
Join the PTA Today!
Our PTA is amazing and we would love you to join and be part of this great community of Westgate families! Signing up is easy and you can help us reach our membership goal by signing up today! You can sign up here.
SIS ParentVue
Access your student’s attendance records, grades, and assignments at any time with SIS ParentVUE. Caregivers should receive an activation code when they register their child.
Once you have activated a ParentVUE account for an FCPS student, you will keep the same account until the student graduates. Information about students in the same family can be accessed through the same ParentVUE account. Access SIS ParentVUE by using an app on your iPhone, iPad, or Android devices.
Need help creating a SIS ParentVUE account? This video walks through the steps. Find out more about SIS ParentVUE.
Multilingual Parent Information Line
☎️ Parent Information Phone Line Available in Eight Languages
Parents/caregivers who speak Amharic, Arabic, Chinese, Farsi, Korean, Spanish, Urdu, or Vietnamese may call a telephone information line for general information about FCPS. View the list of phone numbers.
Spanish: ☎️ Línea Telefónica de Información para Padres Disponible en Ocho IdiomasPadres/cuidadores que hablan Amárico, Árabe, Chino, Farsi, Coreano, Español, Urdu o Vietnamita pueden llamar a una línea telefónica de información para obtener información general sobre FCPS. También pueden obtener apoyo para comunicarse con la escuela de su hijo. Vea la lista de números de teléfono.
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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