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Westgate Families,
We’ve wrapping up a great third week of school! Our students are continuing to build strong routines, connect with classmates, and dive into learning with enthusiasm. Thank you for all you do to support them and our school community!
Here are a few important updates and reminders:
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There will be No School on Tuesday, September 9.
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We will have a 3-hour early release on Wednesday, September 10, with dismissal for most students at 12:30 p.m.
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Please be sure to complete the Early Release Wednesday Google Form by the end of today, September 4 so we can plan accordingly for next week.
Mark your calendars!
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Our first PTA Meeting will be held on Wednesday, September 17 at 6:00 p.m. We’re excited to welcome Amanda Manno, our Advanced Academics Resource Teacher, who will be sharing information about the continuum of supports in the Advanced Academics Program. We hope to see you there!
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Don’t forget about our upcoming Fall Fest on October 17! It’s a family favorite, and we need your help to make it a success. Booth and volunteer sign-ups are linked below.
As always, thank you for your continued support of all things Westgate and have a fantastic weekend ahead!
All my best,
Hallie Demetriades
Principal
Early Release Wednesday Form - Action Needed
Our first Early Release Wednesday will be on September 10th, and we must ensure that every child has a safe and smooth transition at dismissal. To help us prepare, we ask that all families complete the dismissal form by today, September 4. Please note, we will use this dismissal preference for all future Early Release Wednesdays.
We understand that some families may have already filled out their dismissal preference on the digital consent form. However, this form is created centrally and does not collect all of the information that we need. As a result, we need all families to complete this form so we have the most accurate dismissal preferences for Early Release Wednesdays.
We expect that most students will dismiss at 12:30 p.m., but we recognize that some families may need after school supervision. Please note that supervision on Early Release Wednesdays will be provided by our instructional assistants, not by your child’s classroom teacher. No new instruction or learning will take place during this time.
Your timely response will help us plan effectively for Early Release Wednesdays. Please click the link below to complete the form:
Early Release Wednesday Form
Thank you for your cooperation and support in helping us ensure Early Release Wednesdays are as smooth as possible.
Join Chorus at Westgate!
Do you have a 5th to 6th grader that loves to sing? Have them join the Westgate chorus!! Please read the chorus handbook for all the detailed information as well as the google form link to sign up. Once you complete the form, your singer is automatically in the group. For any questions, please email Mrs. Schubert (VJSchubert@fcps.edu) or Ms. Jenelle (CJennelle1@fcps.edu) .
PTA Armchair Fundraiser!
No selling. No door knocking. Just simple giving. The Armchair Fundraiser is officially underway — and every dollar goes directly back into our school community to fund programs, assemblies, teacher support, and student activities.
Our first milestone? $2,500 — and then… Ms. Van Tassel gets silly stringed by lucky students! Let’s make it happen!
👉 Donate to the Armchair Fundraiser
After School Enrichment Classes - Registration Closes Monday, September 8
Looking for fun enrichment activities for your student(s)? We have a lot of exciting offerings this fall for athletes, artists, innovators, and more! Registration closes Monday, September 8. Classes begin September 15. Activities will end by November 21.
Classes that still have room:
- Board Games (K-2) *now available to 2nd graders
- Board Games (3-6)
- Chess (Grades K-6)
- Coding (Grades 1-6)
- Fitness Fanatics (Grades 3-6)
- Flag Football (Grades K-3)
- Garden Club (Grades 2-6)
- Pottery (Grades K-6)
- World Sports (K-2)
Register here!
Some scholarships are available for those who qualify for free/reduced lunch. Questions? Email afterschool@westgatewolvespta.com
Ensuring Student Safety: Register for Volunteer FCPS
At Westgate, our volunteers are a vital part of our school community. We deeply value the time and care they give to our students.
Recent updates to our volunteer process focus on one primary goal: keeping students safe.
We are excited to announce the official launch of Volunteer FCPS, our new online volunteer management system. This platform is now live and being used division-wide to manage all volunteers and opportunities.
All new and past volunteers must first register through the new Volunteer FCPS platform. Previous submissions in UConnect are no longer valid for volunteer processing. Second, complete a volunteer orientation and then fill out the volunteer application that includes their contact information, areas of interest, and availability. Depending on the level of involvement, some volunteer roles may require a background check.
Volunteer Levels
Level 1: Infrequent volunteers (monthly or less frequent) who are always supervised do not need a criminal background check. However, they do need a sex offender registry check, which is performed by signing in at the school's visitor kiosk, usually in the front office.
Level 2: Frequent, ongoing, or regular volunteers (daily, weekly, bi-weekly) who are also always supervised are subject to the same requirements as Level 1 — no criminal background check, but a sex offender registry check via the kiosk is mandatory.
Level 3: Volunteers with direct, unsupervised interaction with students must complete a criminal background check, including fingerprinting and child abuse and neglect checks. This applies to roles like mentors, tutors, or field trip chaperones who are alone with students (not accompanied by an FCPS staff member) at any time during the activity.
Student Volunteers: FCPS students who volunteer under the supervision of an FCPS staff member or parent/caretaker. Student behavior while volunteering is governed by the FCPS Student Rights and Responsibilities. Students should not sign up through the Volunteer FCPS management system, nor should they check in via the visitor management system.
As a reminder, all volunteers — and visitors to a school — are required to sign in by scanning their ID at our visitor kiosk. Visit the Volunteer FCPS Frequently Asked Questions page to learn more.
Student Smart Watches and Cell Phones
Please remind your child that FCPS is phone-free! For elementary school students, this means:
- Smart watches that serve a dual purpose may be worn, but the phone features (texting, Internet viewing, and calls) are to be off when phone use is prohibited.
- Cell phones and personal devices (airpods, earbuds, headsets, other items connected to the internet) must be off and away for the entire school day (bell to bell).
If you need to reach your child during the school day, please call our main office at 703-610-5700. Learn more about FCPS’ cell phone and personal device policy.
Spanish: La Política de FCPS con los Teléfonos Celulares: Por qué es Importante
La política de FCPS con los teléfonos celulares ayuda a los estudiantes a concentrarse, a aprender y a involucrarse. Cuando los estudiantes guardan sus celulares, tienen más interacciones cara a cara con sus compañeros y los maestros tienen más oportunidades para desarrollar sus habilidades de resiliencia y de resolución de problemas. Por favor, recuérdale a su hijo que:
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Teléfonos celulares y otros dispositivos personales (“Airpods”, “earbuds”, audífonos, otros dispositivos conectados a la internet) deben estar apagados y guardados todo el día escolar (desde el timbre de entrada hasta el de salida).
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Relojes inteligentes o “Smart watches” que tienen distintos propósitos pueden usarse, pero las funcionalidades relacionadas con el celular (textos, navegación internet y llamadas), deben estar apagadas mientras el uso del teléfono esté prohibido.
Si usted necesita comunicarse con su niño durante el día escolar, por favor llame a la oficina principal.
Get Involved – Join the PTA!
The Westgate Elementary PTA's primary focus is fostering a strong partnership between teachers and families to build a vibrant school community. Family membership is only $15 in annual dues. Whether you have 20 minutes or 2 hours, your involvement makes a big difference.
👉 Join the PTA today!
Help Lead Fallfest!
Want to help bring Fallfest to life? We’re looking for volunteers to help plan and run the big event.
👉 Volunteer to help with Fallfest
PTA Fallfest: You Booths!
This year’s Fallfest is all about YOU! We’re inviting students to host their own booths — showcasing a talent, leading an activity, running a game, or sharing a craft. Want to teach others how to dribble a soccer ball? Show off your LEGO building skills? Or maybe run a mini science experiment? The possibilities are endless — and the spotlight is yours!
👉 Sign up to host a You Booth (Deadline to sign up is September 26th.)
Emergency Care Card
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.
Early Release Wednesdays
Westgate will have 8 early release Wednesdays throughout the school year. Please note that we will dismiss at 12:30 p.m. on those days.
The scheduled dates for Westgate are:
- September 10
- October 29
- November 12
- December 10
- February 18
- March 18
- April 22
- May 13
Parent Digital Consent System
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, In ParentVUE 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.
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.
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!
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.
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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