Westgate Families,
It is hard to believe that tomorrow marks the first day of spring and we are only one week away from spring break. As the countdown to break begins, the Westgate Student Ambassadors have scheduled a Westgate Spirit Week to celebrate. See below for all the details on how your child can participate.
Also, please make note of the upcoming important dates:
March 20 - No School for Staff/Students (Eid al-Fitr)
March 27 - 2 Hr. Early Release @ 1:30 p.m. (End of Qtr. 3)
March 30 - April 3 - No School for Students (Spring Break)
April 6 - No School for Students (Teacher Workday)
April 10 - No School for Students (Teacher PD Day)
Please read below for updates and upcoming events.
As always, thank you for your continued support of all things Westgate and wishing everyone a fantastic long weekend ahead!
All my best,
Hallie Demetriades
Principal
Westgate Spirit Week - March 23-27
Join the Westgate Student Ambassadors (WSA) in counting down to Spring Break by participating in our Spirit Week next week!
Monday, March 23: Class Colors Day
Tuesday, March 24: Culture Day – Dress in clothing or colors that represent your family’s culture
Wednesday, March 25: Hat Day AND Westgate Wednesday – Wear a hat, and/or wear your Westgate spirit wear!
Thursday, March 26: Sports Day – Wear your favorite athletic clothes or rep your favorite team
Friday, March 27: Pajama Day!
Yearbooks are on Sale Now!
Order your 2025–2026 Westgate Elementary School Yearbook today! Capture the memories, friendships, and special moments from this school year in a keepsake your child will treasure for years to come.
Visit www.buytheyearbook.com and enter School Code: 732383 to place your order.
Order deadline: April 24, 2026 — be sure to order before the deadline so you don’t miss out on this year’s edition!
Spring 2026 PTA Sponsored After-School Enrichment Opportunities
We’re thrilled to bring back many of our favorite classes—and even more excited to introduce some brand-new offerings this season, including Drama Club, Golf, and Tennis!
Registration opens Monday, March 16 and closes April 6. Classes will run from April 13 through June 5.
Keep an eye out for more details—flyers will be sent home in Tuesday folders on March 10!
Some scholarships are available for those who qualify for free/reduced lunch. Questions? Email afterschool@westgatewolvespta.com
Kindergarten Orientation and Registration at Westgate
Our kindergarten orientation is being held on April 10 @ 9:00 a.m. to give parents of students entering school in August an opportunity to learn more about kindergarten at our school.
We recognize that parents are their children’s first teachers. Resources on the School Readiness and Transition to Kindergarten webpage provide parents with ways to support their children to help ensure a smooth transition to kindergarten.
There’s also an easy-to-follow five-step process outlined for registering your child for kindergarten. Register your child today! Contact our registrar, Tracy Green, at tmgreen@fcps.eduwith any questions.
Conozca más sobre el Kindergarten en la escuela Westgate
Nuestro evento de puertas abiertas para kindergarten se llevará a cabo el April 10 para darles a los padres de los niños que entran a la escuela en agosto, la oportunidad de conocer más acerca de cómo es el kindergarten en su escuela. Contacte directamente a su escuela si no la encuentra en la lista de esta página web.
Nosotros reconocemos que los padres son los primeros maestros de sus niños. Los recursos ofrecidos en la página web para la Preparación y la Transición a Kindergarten proveen a los padres con formas de apoyar a sus niños que aseguran que éstos tengan una transición al kindergarten sin contratiempos.
También contamos con un proceso de cinco pasos que es fácil de seguir, diseñado para que inscriba a su niño en kindergarten. ¡Inscriba a su niño hoy!
Si tiene cualquier pregunta, contacte a nuestro registrador escribiendo o llamando al tmgreen@fcps.edu
Volunteer Registration Update
Due to the overwhelming response from our community, FCPS is temporarily pausing fingerprint requirements for most Level 3 volunteers.
If you are scheduled for an upcoming fingerprinting appointment, please cancel your appointment unless you are a mentor, host parent, or non-parent volunteer having frequent, direct, and unsupervised contact with students, which will still require fingerprinting. FCPS will be charged if individuals miss a fingerprinting appointment without canceling in advance.
Those who have already been fingerprinted will be processed to be eligible for all Level 3 opportunities.
Field trip chaperone opportunities will now be classified as Level 2 (not requiring a background check).
To ensure continuous safety, all new volunteers are required to sign a Volunteer Certification Statement. This statement is a legal attestation confirming you have no history of violent felonies, physical/sexual crimes against children, or crimes of moral turpitude.
Want to volunteer? Visit Volunteer FCPS to find and sign up for volunteer opportunities. Contact Volunteers@fcps.edu with any questions.
Westgate Spiritwear—Available All Year!
Even though the Spiritwear Fundraiser has ended, families can still purchase Westgate gear anytime throughout the year and have it shipped directly to your home!
While prices are slightly higher and there’s a delivery charge, this is a great way to grab something special for the holidays — or show your Westgate pride any time of year.
The online store now includes an even bigger selection, with mugs, hats, blankets, and of course, plenty of Westgate shirts!
🛍️ Shop here!
Your Support Is Making a Difference!
Thanks to the incredible generosity of our Westgate community, the money raised from our PTA Fundraiser is already being put to good use with engaging activities for our students!
And if you haven’t donated yet, the fundraiser is still open — and we’re getting closer and closer to that pie in Mr. H’s face!
Help us reach our goal here: https://www.givebacks.com/causes/9ca818ba-e882-445c-b9dd-a397b724a246/campaigns/f39b8a163d81
Thank you for helping us bring innovative and inspiring experiences to our school — your support truly makes it happen!
Remaining Early Release Wednesday Dates
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:
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.
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.
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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