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Good Afternoon Westgate Families,
I hope this finds you having had a wonderful week! It is hard to believe that we have officially entered into the last quarter of the school year. We are excited to finish the year off strong with many exciting events and learning to look forward to in the coming months.
As a reminder, there is no school on Wednesday, April 10 for Eid al Fitr. Please ensure that you make alternate arrangements for your student on that day.
Lastly, you may have noticed our new electronic marquee out front. We would like to thank our PTA for their support and generosity of our updated sign and look forward to having a timely and visible way to share important information with our families.
As always, thank you for your continued support of all things Westgate and have a fantastic weekend!
All my best,
Hallie Demetriades
Principal
Solar Eclipse - April 8
A solar eclipse is happening on April 8. It's a rare and exciting astronomical phenomenon and one that requires important safety reminders. Looking directly at the sun, even during an eclipse, can permanently damage your eyes. The solar eclipse is supposed to occur during afternoon and dismissal hours.
Here's what you need to know & what to share with your child:
- Don't look at the sun without approved eyewear. This applies to students and staff, and we encourage you to reinforce this at home.
- Regular sunglasses are not good enough. The NASA website has more information about eye safety.
- Eclipse timing: The eclipse starts around 2:04 p.m., peaks at 3:20 p.m. (which coincides with dismissal), and ends around 4:32 p.m. Please remind your child to be especially vigilant about eye safety during dismissal. If you have concerns about your child walking or riding the bus home, please arrange for alternative transportation.
- PM recess will be indoors.
For more details, visit the FCPS Solar Eclipse webpage.
Kindergarten Registration
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.
Order a 23-24 Yearbook!
Yearbooks for the 2023-2024 school year are currently on sale! If your child is interested in having this memory, you can purchase a book online for $16.00, with options to add-on other packages. You can use the link and school code below. The deadline for ordering a yearbook is Friday, April 19th.
Online Website: https://ybpay.lifetouch.com
Online Code: 14414124
Spring Buy One Get One Free Book Fair - April 15 - 19
The Spring Buy One Get One Free Book Fair is coming soon! For each book that you buy, you get another for the same price FREE! Students will visit the book fair to make wish lists and may make purchases during the week.
- Spring Book Fair April 15 - 19
- Family Shopping Night is Wednesday, April 17 from 3:30 - 7:00 Stop by to shop with your student! Remember to visit the teacher wish lists to build our classroom libraries.
- Book Fair Website Visit our site for information and to set up ewallet accounts.
eWallet
Give students a secure, cash-free way to shop by setting up an eWallet account. There is no charge to set up an eWallet. Parents simply create an account on the website and authorize a spending limit on their credit card. You can set up an eWallet for your student’s teacher as well!
Volunteer
Volunteers are needed to make this event a success! Parent volunteers help with everything from setting up the fair to working the cash register to helping shoppers find books. Use the Book Fair Sign Up to help out.
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
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
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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