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Dear Westgate Families,
I hope this finds you having a fantastic week!
As I shared on Monday, our Assistant Principal, Summer Manos, has accepted a promotion in another district and will be relocating at the end of month. Ms. Manos has been a tremendous asset to our students, staff, and community over her past three years at Westgate. While the news is bittersweet due to her ongoing positive impact at our school, we are beyond excited for this promotion, and wish her the very best in her new role. The Region 5 Leadership Team will support Westgate with an Interim Assistant Principal (if needed) as we advertise and interview for the position. I will keep the community informed of any updates along the way.
We also hope to see many of you at our first PTA meeting tonight, September 11, at 6:00 p.m. I will be sharing some small updates regarding Early Release Mondays, and Ms. Sutton will be sharing an Advanced Academics overview. Please see below for meeting details.
As always, thank you for your support of all things Westgate and have a wonderful rest of your week ahead!
Best,
Hallie Demetriades
Principal
PTA General Meeting - September 11 at 6:00 p.m.
Join us on Wednesday, September 11, at 6:00 p.m. in the cafeteria. In addition to our General PTA Agenda, our Principal Hallie Demetriades will join us to talk about the early release Mondays and Ms. Meg Sutton will join us to share more information about the Advanced Academics Program and answer questions. In-person attendance is strongly encouraged for audio and participation, but Zoom link is here if you are only able to attend virtually.
Don’t forget the Ledo’s fundraiser is the same night as the PTA meeting! Pre-order dinner 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 or bring your meal to the PTA meeting.
Zoom Link Here
Meeting ID: 941 2962 9411
Passcode: wolves
Restaurant Night - Ledo's Pizza - Sept. 11&12
Who doesn't love pizza night? Head to Ledo's pizza (7510 Leesburg Pike Falls Church, VA) on September 11th and/or 12th 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 Spirit Wear Ends THIS Friday, Sept. 13
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!
Stress Free Fundraiser to Support Field Trips
At Westgate, every grade enjoys at least one field trip each year. These trips are a valuable experience but can be quite expensive for both the school and families. Families are typically asked to contribute to bus rental costs. To ensure this tradition continues and that every student can participate, we're aiming to offset these costs through fundraising. Every dollar raised will go directly toward supporting these trips. As a bonus, the grade that raises the most money will win a popsicle party at recess! Please consider donating: Fundraiser Link.
Since this is our first year doing this, we made a $2500 goal and we are nearly there! Thank you to all those who have donated, every additional dollar above the goal will go towards field trips to continue to offset costs.
FallFest is Coming October 18 - WE NEED YOUR HELP!
Our annual FallFest is just around the corner. We have a lot of fun activities planned, but we can’t do it without your help. Please consider volunteering some of your time that evening to help us set up, run activities, or clean up after. Whether you have a knack for hanging decorations, arranging tables, or just lending a helping hand, we’d love to have you join us! Volunteering is also a great way to meet other members of the Westgate community!
Please sign up here!
Food Drive Volunteer Needed
We are seeking a dedicated volunteer to serve as our Food Drive Chair! In this role, you will partner with Ms. Van Tassel to coordinate a community-wide push for gift card donations to support families in need. Your efforts will help ensure that all families can enjoy a bountiful Thanksgiving meal this year. If you are interested, please email president@westgatewolvespta.com.
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.
Join 5th and 6th Grade Chorus!
Do you have a 5th or 6th grader that loves to sing? If so, please have them join chorus! Your singer will come home with a yellow chorus handbook to read about all the important information as well as chorus dates. You can also access the chorus handbook on your singer’s general music Schoology classroom. If your singer wants to be a part of this amazing group of singers, please complete THIS google form by Friday, September 16, 2024.
Band & Strings Sign-up for 4th - 6th Graders
Attention 4th, 5th and 6th grade parents! Your child can sign up to be in the Westgate Strings or Westgate Band! 4th grade parents – your children can sign up to play strings. 5th and 6th grade parents – your children can sign up for either band or strings. Be part of the fun and watch your children grow as they learn how to play an instrument and perform two concerts! Sign up here - https://forms.gle/LWdnBRfVCtZAo1AZ8. Spanish version here - https://forms.gle/PJJ9qArb57iGUnxr5. Questions? Please contact Mr. Erickson at pgerickson@fcps.edu or Mrs. Howell at khhowell@fcps.edu.”
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.
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!
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
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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 .
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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.
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.
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