|
Dear Westgate Families,
The wait is almost over! We are thrilled to welcome our students back this Monday, August 19. It is hard to believe that we are about to start another school year and yet we are so excited to have students back in our hallways in a few short days!
We hope you will make it a priority to attend our annual Westgate Open House this Friday, August 16. As a reminder, this is an event for students to come to Westgate, meet their teacher, drop off supplies, and see their classroom. School supply lists can be found here. Open House for Kindergarten students only is from 10:00 - 11:00 a.m. while grades 1st-6th will be from 10:30 - 11:30 a.m. If you have both a kindergartener and an older student you may come in at 10:00 a.m., but the upper grade classrooms will not be open until 10:30 a.m. We will have plenty of staff members to help you find your way to your child's new classroom!
Immediately following our respective Open Houses, we will have Popsicles on the Playground from 11:00 - 12:00 p.m. so that our students and families can continue to build relationships and meet one another.
Prior to our first day of school, please make sure you activate and login to your ParentVue account. ParentVue will serve as your way to update your emergency contacts, opt in or out to certain school related activities, access your child's quarterly progress report, and report student absences. Please see the information below on how you activate your account and update pertinent information.
As always, thank you for your support of all things Westgate and we can't wait to see many of our families this Friday, August 16 at Open House!
Best,
Hallie Demetriades
Principal
⏰ Limited Early Release Mondays for Elementary Schools
You should have received an email from Westgate via eNotify last week with a required survey about the Early Release Mondays. Dr. Reid initially communicated the plan for these days in mid-June. Please complete this survey no later than August 19 so we can plan accordingly.
The scheduled dates for Westgate are:
- September 23
- October 28
- November 25
- February 24
- March 17
- April 28
- May 19
School Supply List for 2024-25
School supply lists for the 2024-25 school year can be found here. If you preordered supplies through the PTA this spring, it will be delivered directly to your child's classroom. We encourage families to bring their child's school supplies to Open House on Friday, August 16.
Activating Your SIS ParentVUE Account
The SIS (Student Information System) ParentVUE Account is an online tool parents can use to access information about their child’s attendance, report cards, discipline incidents, health information, and more. In ParentVUE, you can also view student progress reports/report cards and SOL scores.
Your secure SIS ParentVUE Account offers you the ability to use one username/password to login to both the SIS ParentVUE Account and Schoology.
Using the SIS ParentVUE account, parents will also be able to view school information, including teacher e-mail addresses, the FCPS calendar, and emergency contact information. Visit the FCPS website and use the search function and keywords “SIS Parent Overview” for more information.
Many of you have already activated your SIS ParentVUE account with the activation key. If you are unable to login to your account, you may need to reset your password on the SIS Parent Account login page (https://sisparent.fcps.edu):
- Select the “Forgot Password” button.
- Your username is the primary email address you have on file with us in our Student Information System.
- More information is available here.
Newly enrolled families should have received an activation key for your account. If you have not yet activated your account, please reach out to Tracy Green at tmgreen@fcps.edu.
Please take action now to ensure your account is active!
Boo Hoo Breakfast - August 19
All parents of kindergarteners are welcome on the Westgate Elementary picnic area (by the playground) after morning drop off Monday, August 19 at 8:50 for doughnuts and coffee. This is an opportunity to meet other parents who have kindergarteners and to have a few teary-eyed moments as your little ones embark on an amazing new journey at Westgate. We hope to see you there and meet new families!
Back to School Picnic - August 22, 5:30-7:00 PM
Reconnect with old friends, meet new ones, and spend time with your student's teacher at our annual Back to School Picnic. Bring a blanket and some dinner, or order pizza from Westgate PTA.
Pre-order pizza here by 5:00 PM on August 20!
New this year: Inside Scoop Ice Cream Truck!!
PTA Membership
The PTA's primary focus is fostering a strong partnership between teachers and families to build a vibrant school community.
We play a vital role in funding and planning school-wide events and supporting teachers through supplementing resources not covered by the regular Fairfax County school budget. Thanks to the incredible support from many of you, we've been able to subsidize field trips, organize fantastic community events like FallFest and Bingo Night, increase teacher reimbursements, and offer a diverse range of after-school programs.
But we need your support!!
To be a part of this thriving community, we invite you to join the PTA. Dues are $15 per family and you can sign up HERE!
Becoming a member grants you voting privileges at all PTA meetings and, as an added benefit this year, provides discounts for select events throughout the year as well as a special Westgate PTA magnet! Pick yours up at Open House or the Back to School Picnic.
Westgate Spirit Wear is on Sale NOW!
Westgate spirit wear is now on sale. You can order directly through the website here.
Find "Spirit Wear Store" and select Westgate Elementary Spirit Wear. The order can be sent directly to your child's classroom.
The last day to order is September 13th.
This is a great way for you and your child to feel connected to the community and show your Westgate spirit!
School Meals & Free and Reduced Price Meal Applications
|
Breakfast and Lunch
Breakfast will cost $1.75. Lunch will cost $3.25, and milk $0.60. Money can be added to your child’s accounts using www.myschoolbucks.com. You can also write a check to Westgate Food Services and deliver it to our Food Services Manager at Open House. During the school year, you can find the menu for breakfast and lunch here .
|
Free and Reduced-Price Status
Students eligible for free or reduced-price meals will continue to receive these benefits through the end of September. A new application must be filled out each new school year and forms are available online now: https://www.fcps.edu/resources/student-safety-and-wellness/food-and-nutrition-programs/free-and-reduced-price-meals.
Applications are accepted at any time, but we encourage you to apply or renew your application before the end of September. Call (703) 610-5700 if you need help. This must be completed for eligible students to receive free meals.
Emergency Care Card Form - Complete prior to August 19 in ParentVue
Emergency Care Card Forms are important in helping us contact you in case of an emergency. Parents can help by assuring that the school has the most up-to-date information.
Please update any information by using the ParentVue/Online Verification Update system. To read more about the OVU, visit the OVU page on the FCPS site. To access your ParentVue to update/verify, visit the ParentVue Login page.
Emergency Care updates are due the first day of school.
Back to School Night - Wednesday, August 28
Please join us Wednesday, August 28 to learn more about your child's teacher and the school year ahead at our annual Back to School Night. We will be offering two sessions for BTSN. The first session will run from 5:30 - 6:10 p.m. and the second from 6:15 - 6:45 p.m.
*As a reminder, this is a parent only event. Please make alternate childcare arrangements for your student if you plan to attend.*
The Westgate stress-free Fundraiser
Every year, Westgate Elementary provides enriching Field Trips for students at every grade level. While these trips offer tremendous value to our students, they can be costly for both the school and our families. To ensure we can continue this important tradition, the PTA is raising funds to help offset these expenses. All contributions will go directly toward subsidizing Field Trips.
We are accepting donations now through October 18th (Fallfest). You can donate via the link below, or by cash or check made payable to Westgate PTA. Please be sure to indicate your child’s grade, as the grade that raises the most money will enjoy a popsicle party during recess!
Please feel free to donate online here today!
Parent Digital Consent System
New this year, families will use the Parent Digital Consent System to complete some forms that have used paper in the past. You will log in using your ParentVUE Account credentials, There, you will be able complete the Digital Resources Consent form for the school year, which is required for all students. You will also be able to find more information about opt-out forms and complete those forms for your student.
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.
-
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.
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.
|
