|
Dear Westgate Families,
It has been a wonderful first few days of school for our students and staff. We are so happy to be back at Westgate doing what we love most which is teaching our amazing students! Thank you to everyone that has ensured student safety remains a priority as we navigate arrival and dismissal procedures for new and returning families. We also appreciate your patience as bus routes continue to be closer to "on time" the further we get into the week.
We hope to see many of you tomorrow, August 22 at 5:30 p.m. for our PTA Back to School Picnic. If you pre-ordered pizza it will be waiting for you, and if you didn't, feel free to bring dinner from home and enjoy the company of other Westgate students, staff, and parents!
As a reminder, 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.
Lastly, if you have not responded to the Early Release Monday Survey that was sent to all families via eNotify on August 7, please do so immediately. We need this information so we can accurately plan for our first early release day on Monday, September 23.
As always, thank you for your support of all things Westgate and have a fantastic week ahead!
Best,
Hallie Demetriades
Principal
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. Feel free to bring your own dinner and enjoy the evening. Also, the deadline for pre-ordering pizza has already passed. We look forward to seeing many families tomorrow!
After School Programs - Sign up on August 27
Are you looking for enrichment activities after school? The Westgate PTA sponsors an After-School Program in the Fall, Winter, and Spring. The Fall session registration opens on August 27th at 7pm. The last day to register is September 6th. Classes will start on September 16th and end on November 22nd. For a list and description of class offerings and to register, please see the Westgate PTA website After-School Activities page. Classes fill up quickly! Please email Jessi at afterschool@westgatewolvespta.com with any questions. You can register here starting on August 27.
Room Parent Volunteer
Are you interested in being a room parent this year? Please e-mail RoomParents@westgatewolvespta.com to volunteer!
Responsibilities include: Distributing Teacher and PTA Announcements, Coordinating Classroom Activities, Organizing Teacher Recognition, General Classroom Liaison.
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.
⏰ Limited Early Release Mondays for Elementary Schools
You should have received an email from Westgate via eNotify with a required survey about the Early Release Mondays. Dr. Reid initially communicated the plan for these days in mid-June. This survey was due August 19 and is crucial to our planning. Please fill out asap if you haven't done so already.
The scheduled dates for Westgate are:
- September 23
- October 28
- November 25
- February 24
- March 17
- April 28
- May 19
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.*
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!
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!
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!
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.
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.
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.
|
