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Mrs. Reeder, Advocacy, 2nd Grade

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Advocacy Update 9/19/22-9/23/22

Dates and Announcements

  • Zero Waste Wednesday update: This week, 18 out of 23 students in our class participated in Zero Waste lunches! Wow! Our class had a couple names shouted out as "Zero Heroes" on the school intercom: Matthew Easley and Ian Goodman.
  • Wednesday, September 21: Student Count Day Please make sure your child attends school and is on time on this day.
  • Wednesday, September 21, 5:00-8:00 p.m.: Spirt Day at Skate City
  • Friday, September 30: Scholastic Book Orders due. There is still time to order! If you are interested in placing an online order, shop our class page here: https://orders.scholastic.com/YGYPH. I gave some recommendations for books, as well as books on our class’s wish list.

 

Attendance: Many of you may have received a letter from the school regarding attendance. These letters were sent to families whose student has been absent 3 or more days already this semester. As long as the school has communication from a parent/guardian, the first 5 absences are automatically excused.  After 5 days all absences are unexcused unless the school has documentation from a doctor, etc.  

Coming in late and leaving before 3:30 also accumulates absences. In regard to tardies, 4 tardies will be the equivalent of 1 absence, so you will also receive a letter from the school if your child is tardy on a regular basis. School starts promptly at 8:00 a.m. It is very important that your child arrive on time and be present for the entire day.  If you have any questions, please contact Natalie Tomlinson at [email protected] or call 303-452-0967.

 

Volunteer Opportunities:

  • Thank you volunteers! Your help is greatly appreciated! 😊
  • Friday Folders: sign up to help on some or all Fridays throughout the year, sorting papers by students to be sent home in Friday Folders. Feel free to sign up through the end of May, if you would like. https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0F4FA4AD2FA6FFC25-friday1
  • Tear out pages from workbooks: Both our math and language arts workbooks need the papers torn out of them before the students can use them. The math workbooks are quite large. This is a volunteer opportunity that would need to be accomplished at the school.

 

Donations:

  • Thank you for the donations that have already been sent in!
  • Our class would love to have a few extra snacks on hand for those students who forget/don’t bring one. This week, we ran out by Friday. If you are able, individually wrapped snacks are appreciated. This is an ongoing request.

 

Advocacy Class: This past week in Advocacy, we learned about being strong. Your child knows that there are many ways to be strong in addition to physical strength, such as perseverance, bravery and having a growth mindset. On Friday, we began identifying things we are good at as strengths.

 

Service Learning and/or Westgate Animals: Last week we played a game with Ms. Charlie and Mr. Gale’s class about animal populations and what resources the animals need in order to survive from season to season. This coming week, we will learn how to identify Westgate’s chickens.

Advocacy Update 9/12/22 - 9/16/22

Dates and Announcements

 

  • Zero Waste Wednesday update: This week, 19 out of 23 students in our class participated in Zero Waste lunches! Wow! Our class had a few names shouted out as "Zero Heroes" on the school intercom:

    Jordyn Basurto, Akira Revere, Grace Rupert, and Chai Collier.

  • Wednesday, September 14, 4:00-8:00 p.m.: Spirit Night at Noodles and Company (14375 Orchard Parkway, Westminster, CO 80023)

  • Wednesday, September 21: Student Count Day Please make sure your child attends school and is on time on this day.
  • Wednesday, September 21, 5:00-8:00 p.m.: Spirt Day at Skate City
  • Friday, September 30: Scholastic Book Orders due. There is still time to order! If you are interested in placing an online order, shop our class page here: https://orders.scholastic.com/YGYPH. I gave some recommendations for books, as well as books on our class’s wish list.

 

 

Original Works Artwork Fundraiser:

Every year, Westgate holds an Original Works Fundraiser. This fundraiser is where kids create artwork in the school classrooms and parents/guardians have the opportunity to buy products with the artwork on them. The school gets a percentage of all the sales. All the processing is done offsite in a professional facility. This is done early in the year in order to have products returned early enough for holiday gifts!

Students will work on these in school until September 21st. Then, on October 24th, students will receive custom brochures with instructions on how to view their artwork displayed in the Online Gallery and order products. You will have until November 4th to order your students' work. It is not required to order anything. Their work should arrive late November/early December, in time for holiday gift giving.

 

 

Volunteer Opportunities:

  • Friday Folders: sign up to help on some or all Fridays throughout the year, sorting papers by students to be sent home in Friday Folders. Feel free to sign up through the end of May, if you would like. https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0F4FA4AD2FA6FFC25-friday1
  • Take Home Decodable Books: These books need to be torn out of the books and stapled into individual books for children’s use.
  • Classroom Library Labels: I need a few new labels for my classroom library. This would require typing out the bin name and finding a corresponding picture to accompany it. I will print in color, then you will cut it out, adhere to a 3x5 card, and laminate it for me. All supplies will be provided. Feel free to create the labels on the computer at home, email them to me and then come into the classroom to finish them up.

 

Donations:

  • Our class would love to have a few extra snacks on hand for those students who forget/don’t bring one. If you are able, individually wrapped snacks are appreciated. Thank you for the donations that have already been sent in! This is an ongoing request.

 

Advocacy Class: This past week in Advocacy, we learned about empathy. Your child knows that empathy is understanding and caring about the feelings of others. Next week we will begin learning about our strengths as people, with September’s advocacy theme, “I am Strong!”

 

Westgate Animals: This week Ms. Charlie came into our classroom, and we learned some trivia about goats and chickens.

Advocacy 9/6/22-9/9/22

Dates and Announcements  

  • Friday, September 9: School Picture Day - Please make sure your child is in school and ready for a great photo! Picture Day forms went home in Friday Folders this past Friday. 
  • Wednesday, September 14, 4:00-8:00 p.m.: Spirit Night at Noodles and Company (14375 Orchard Parkway, Westminster, CO 80023) 

 

Volunteer Opportunities:  

  • Friday Folders: sign up to help on some or all Fridays throughout the year, sorting papers by students to be sent home in Friday Folders. Spots have been filled into January. Feel free to sign up through the end of May, if you would like. 
  • Math Workbooks: Tear out and staple math pages from our math workbooks. The math workbooks are large and heavy and will require you to come into the classroom to work on this. 
  • Take Home Decodable Books: These books need to be torn out of the books and stapled into individual books.  
  • Classroom Library Labels: I need a few new labels for my classroom library. This would require typing out the bin name and finding a corresponding picture to accompany it. I will print in color, then you will cut it out, adhere to a 3x5 card, and laminate it for me. All supplies will be provided. Feel free to create the labels on the computer at home, email them to me and then come into the classroom to finish them up. 

Donations:  

  • Our class would love to have a few extra snacks on hand for those students who forget/don’t bring one. If you are able, individually wrapped snacks are appreciated. Thank you for the donations that have already been sent in! This is an ongoing request. 
  • Our second graders love books by Mo Willems. We would love to have the Knuffle Bunny series added to our classroom library. 

Advocacy Class: This past week in Advocacy, we learned about empathy. Your child knows that safety is understanding and caring about the feelings of others. Next week we will continue to learn about the ‘E’ in RISE – Empathy. 

Animal Visits: This week we had a chance to meet the new goats, Melvin and Bear. These goats are much friendlier than our other goats and the children were able to pet, feed, and interact with them. They did a great job, and no one upset any goats this week! 😊  

Zero Waste Wednesdays begins tomorrow!

Ms. Charlie, our outdoor education teacher, is piloting a new program called “Zero Waste Wednesdays,” and it begins tomorrow! Every Wednesday will be “Zero Waste Wednesday.” What this means is that if your child has a lunch that doesn’t use any waste AT ALL (i.e., nothing to throw away - like baggies, cans, plastic cups, paper lunch bags, etc.), then their name will be entered into a raffle. Ten raffle winners will receive recognition over the intercom on Fridays for being “Zero Heroes”. Students who have school lunch will qualify if they accurately sort their lunch into the appropriate trash and recycling and have a reusable water bottle for the day. If a student has any item that must be thrown away (at school or at home) their names will not be entered, and they can try again next week and every week after that. Hopefully, this will instill changes that will go far beyond Wednesdays!

  • Purpose: The goal is to foster conversations about alternatives to lunch waste, like glass or plastic lunch containers, reusable lunch bags and water bottles, and cloth napkins.
  • Bonus Recognition: If there is an entire classroom that has zero waste lunch one day, the entire class will receive recognition automatically.
  • Extra Bonus Recognition: The class with the most days with all Zero Heroes at the end of the year will be considered the Zero Hero champions of the year!
Birthday snacks must be individually wrapped; store bought and contain nutrition information. They cannot come with several in one container and cannot be homemade. Please DO NOT send snacks that do not follow these guidelines. I am not allowed to serve snacks that don't follow these guidelines and if they are sent in, the snacks will be sent to the office to be sent back home. Sorry for the inconvenience. Please see the attached picture for reference. 

Advocacy Update 8/29/22 - 9/2/22

Dates and Announcements  

 

  • Friday, September 2: NO SCHOOL – Teacher Professional Development 
  • Monday, September 5: NO SCHOOL – Labor Day 
  • Friday, September 9: School Picture Day - Please make sure your child is in school and ready for a great photo! Picture Day forms went home in Friday Folders this past Friday. 
  • Curriculum Night Recordings: If you missed the in-person or virtual Curriculum Night presentations, it was recorded, and a YouTube link was sent out to you by the school. Please let me know if you have any questions. 
  • Birthday treats: Birthday snacks must be individually wrapped; store bought and contain nutrition information. They cannot come with several in one container and cannot be homemade. Please DO NOT send snacks that do not follow these guidelines. I am not allowed to serve snacks that don't follow these guidelines and if they are sent in, the snacks will be sent to the office to be sent back home. Sorry for the inconvenience. Please see the attached picture for reference. 

 

 

Volunteer Opportunities:  

  • Friday Folders: sign up to help on some or all Fridays throughout the year, sorting papers by student to be sent home in Friday Folders. Spots have been filled into January. Feel free to sign up through the end of May, if you would like. 
  • Math Workbooks: Tear out and staple math pages from our math workbooks. The math workbooks are large and heavy and will require you to come into the classroom to work on this. 
  • Classroom Library Labels: I need a few new labels for my classroom library. This would require typing out the bin name and finding a corresponding picture to accompany it. I will print in color, then you will cut it out, adhere to a 3x5 card, and laminate it for me. All supplies will be provided. Feel free to create the labels on the computer at home, email them to me and then come into the classroom to finish them up. 

 

Donations:  

  • Our class would love to have a few extra snacks on hand for those students who forget/don’t bring one. If you are able, individually wrapped snacks are appreciated. Thank you for the donations that have already been sent in! This is an ongoing request. 
  • Our second graders love books by Mo Willems. We would love to have the Knuffle Bunny series added to our classroom library. 

 

 

This past week in Advocacy, we learned about safety. Your child knows that safety is:  

  • Acting in ways that won’t harm yourself or others. Examples: handle scissors appropriately, wash your hands after using the bathroom, use good hygiene, stay where the teacher can see you, follow recess rules, etc. 
  • Being careful. Examples: Watch where you are going, walk in the hallways and on the stairs, use the playground equipment and recess spaces in safe ways, make sure the teacher knows where you are going when you leave the classroom, etc. 
  • Treating our classroom and school spaces in ways that won’t harm yourself or others. Examples: pushing in chairs, using furniture appropriately, walking in the classroom, following rules around the animals such as being quiet and calm, etc. 

 

We learned how we be safe in the classroom, the pod, the bathroom, at recess, and in the hallways. Next week we will learn about the ‘E’ in RISE – Empathy. 

 

Animal Visits: We also had a chance to visit the animals this week. We got to see the barn cats (just look), feed the chickens, and pet the goats. The students learned that goats do not like sudden movement or screaming. Westgate is getting 2 new goats, and this Monday we will be meeting the new goats during Advocacy.  

Advocacy Update 8/21/22

Dates and Announcements

  • August 25: Curriculum Night 6:00-8:00. One-hour live in person, and one-hour virtual options available. The virtual presentation will be recorded and sent to families after the live event is over.
    • From 6:00- 7:00 PM, 1st/2nd will be doing the virtual presentation.
    • From 7:00- 8:00 PM, 1st/2nd will be hosting the in-person presentation at Westgate. Sorry, no children allowed at the in-person presentation.
  • August 22-26 Spirit Week:
    • Monday: Westgate Wild Day – Wear your pod color (red for 1/2)
    • Tuesday: Tie Dye Tuesday
    • Wednesday: Wacky Wednesday – Crazy hair/mismatch day
    • Thursday: Throwback Thursday – Wear something that is a blast from the past!
    • Friday: Pajama Day
  • We started switching for literacy and math on Friday, August 12. Please remember that these classes will be fluid (which means there will be changes) to best meet the needs for your child. We are continuing to administer assessments to the students. As we get to know them and their needs better, we will make adjustments.
  • Gym shoes – Our class is currently in P.E. for specials. Please make sure your child wears or brings gym shoes every day.
  • Friday Folders - Your child should have a Friday folder that comes home each Friday. Please look through the folder with your child and return it to school empty each Monday.
  • Please label your child’s belongings, including lunch boxes, water bottles, and backpacks.
  • Help your child learn how to tie his or her shoes.

Volunteer Opportunities:

  • Friday Folders: sign up to help on some or all of the Fridays throughout the year, sorting papers by student to be sent home in Friday Folders. 

Donations:

  • Our class would love to have a few extra snacks on hand for those students who forget/don’t bring one. If you are able, individually wrapped snacks are appreciated. Thank you for the donations that have already been sent in! This will be an ongoing request.

 

This past week in Advocacy, we learned about integrity. Your child knows that integrity is:

  • Doing the right thing even when no one is watching.
  • Acting in a way that you know to be right and kind in all situations.

We learned how we can show integrity in the classroom, the pod, the bathroom, at recess, and in the hallways. We listened to books in which the main characters were good examples of showing integrity. The books we read were, “Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters,” by John Steptoe, and “A Hen for Izzy Pippik,” by Aubrey Davis. Next week we will learn about the ‘S’ in RISE – Safety.

Advocacy Update 8/14/22

Dates and Announcements

  • August 17, 4:00-8:00: Spirit Night at Raising Cane’s
  • August 25: Curriculum Night 6:00-8:00. One-hour live in person, and one-hour virtual options available. The virtual presentation will be recorded and sent to families after the live event is over.
  • August 22-26 Spirit Week:
    • Monday: Westgate Wild Day – Wear your pod color (red for 1/2)
    • Tuesday: Tie Dye Tuesday
    • Wednesday: Wacky Wednesday – Crazy hair/mismatch day
    • Thursday: Throwback Thursday – Wear something that is a blast from the past!
    • Friday: Pajama Day
  • We started switching for literacy and math on Friday, August 12. Please remember that these classes will be fluid (which means there will be changes) to best meet the needs for your child.    
  • Gym shoes – Our class is currently in P.E. for specials. Please make sure they wear or bring gym shoes every day.
  • Friday Folders - Your child should have a Friday folder that comes home each Friday. Please look through the folder with your child and return it to school empty each Monday.
  • Please label your child’s belongings, including coats, lunch boxes, water bottles, and backpacks.
  • Help your child learn how to tie his or her shoes.  
  • Update to Counseling Request system: Hello everyone! We have decided to switch up our counselor request system this year in an effort to better serve our students. Students in Kindergarten through 4thgrade will have the opportunity to fill out a paper counselor request form that they get from their teacher. Once they fill out the form, students will turn it into the front desk. Ms. Kinslow, the K-6th school counselor, will collect the forms at the front desk throughout the day and follow-up with those students as soon as possible. For more urgent or serious needs, Parents and Teachers can use the Counselor Referral form located on the Westgate Website under the counseling section. As always, counselors are available via phone and email as well. Thank you so much! – Ms. Kinslow

 

Volunteer Opportunities:

  • Friday Folders: sign up to help on some or all of the Fridays throughout the year, sorting papers by student to be sent home in Friday Folders. 

 

Donations:

  • Our class would love to have a few extra snacks on hand for those students who forget/don’t bring one. If you are able, individually wrapped snacks are appreciated.

This past week in Advocacy, we learned about respect. Your child knows that respect is:

  • caring how your actions and words effect those around you.
  • Treating people, places, and things with kindness.
  • treating others, the way that you want to be treated.

We learned how we can show respect in the classroom, the pod, the bathroom, at recess, and in the hallways.

 

 

Welcome and Introduction

Hello!

 

My name is Nina Reeder and I am your child’s Advocacy Teacher/ Advocate. Advocacy is more than just a Homeroom. Advocacy classes are first and foremost a time for students to build supportive relationships with their peers and with an adult they can trust, as well as learn about social and emotional health. It is a time for everyone to feel recognized and welcomed into the classroom and school community. As your child’s Advocate, I will be your primary point of communication, so feel free to reach out to me at any time. I am committed to advocating for your child this year.

 

I began my teaching career in 2005 and I consider myself a lifelong learner!  I know it is very important for me to provide a safe and welcoming environment where students can grow and tackle challenges.  I love milk chocolate with peanut butter, the color blue and spending time with my family and my two dogs.

 

I have subscribed you to my Advocacy page and my classroom pages through Edlio. Edlio is our means of posting information to our class pages on the Westgate website. You will receive updates to your email automatically whenever I post to Edlio. You may also receive an email from me with the same information.  Please follow this link for weekly updates, academic information, upcoming events and other information.

 

This quarter, your child will have P.E. with Mr. Wise, and Music with Mr. Hopson. You are not pre-subscribed to their Edlio pages, so please go to Mr. Wise’s and Mr. Hopson’s Edlio Pages on the Westgate Staff Pages website and subscribe.

 

This month, our August Advocacy theme is RISE!

At Westgate, Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) is a part of our Whole Child Education program. PBIS is a system in which students, staff and community create a set of school-wide behavioral expectations/ core values, we teach those expectations in all our various environments, and then we CELEBRATE when we see students doing those things! At Westgate, we RISE (Respect, Integrity, Safety, Empathy).

Week 1

R

 

What does RESPECT mean?

Being kind to people, property, and yourself. Being considerate of our community.

Week 2

I

 

What does INTEGRITY mean?

Telling the truth and doing the right thing even when nobody is looking.

Week 3 

S

 

What does it mean to be SAFE at school?

Act in ways that won’t harm yourself or others.

Week 4

E

 

What is EMPATHY?

Understanding and caring about the feelings of others.

 

We will be teaching students what these 4 words mean—focusing on a different part of RISE each week—and what it looks like to live these values out during school and at home. We will use RISE all year to celebrate positive behaviors.

I am excited for the school year and am looking forward to working with you and your child to help them grow!