Dear 3^rd and 4^th grade Families,

As part of our service-learning curriculum, our students will be doing an AM Tending shift with Mrs. Kahn, our Environmental Education Coordinator who helps take care of the school’s farm animals. Please be aware that each student from 3^rd and 4^th grade will have the opportunity to take care of the animals from 8:00-8:30am on one assigned day in groups of roughly 5 students. Your student will be informed of which day they will be assigned. On their tending day, please send them to school with weather appropriate clothing and closed toe shoes that can get messy. They should be prepared to go out to the Coop with Mrs. Kahn by 8:00am on their tending day. If you have any questions, feel free to contact [email protected] .

We are excited to announce that Spirit Week is just around the corner! From August 26th to 30th, we have a week full of fun and creativity planned for our students. Each day will have a unique theme, and we encourage all students to participate and show their school spirit. Here’s what we have lined up:

Monday, August 26th - Team Day Students can kick off the week by wearing their favorite sports team gear. Whether it’s a jersey, hat, or even socks, let’s see that team pride!

Tuesday, August 27th - Class Colors Day Each grade has its own color. Students are encouraged to wear their specific class color T-shirt if they have one, or simply dress in the colors of their grade group. Let’s paint the school in a rainbow of class pride!

• Kinder - Purple
• 1/2 Pod - Red
• 3/4 Pod - Green
• 5/6 Pod - Blue
• 7/8 Pod - Gray
• HS - Black

Wednesday, August 28th - Wacky Wednesday It’s time to get Westgate Wild! Students can wear something backwards, inside out, or come up with their own wild and wacky look. The wackier, the better!

Thursday, August 29th - Crazy Hair or Hat Day Let your creativity shine with the wildest hats or craziest hairdos you can imagine. It’s a day to let your hair down—or up, or sideways!

Friday, August 30th - Pajama Day We’ll wrap up Spirit Week with a cozy half-day. Students can roll out of bed and come to class in their pajamas.

Please ensure that all clothing is school-appropriate and follows the dress code.

The September lunch menu is now available. 

Be sure to add the Westgate lunch information page to your favorites to easily find menus and ordering links online: Lunch Program - Westgate Community School (westgateschool.org) 

Lunch Program Ordering

1. In order for your student to receive a hot lunch, orders must be placed using the links below. Although lunches are free this year, only students who have pre-ordered a lunch will receive a hot lunch.
2. Click on the links below to place an order for that week. Submit a separate order for each student.
3. Ordering closes at 9:00 PM on Monday for the following week.
   Week of August 26 - ordering is closed, please send a lunch from home if you missed the deadline

• Week of September 2 - ordering closes at 9:00 p.m. on August 26
• Week of September 9 - ordering closes at 9:00 p.m. on September 2
• Week of September 16 - ordering closes at 9:00 p.m. on September 9
• Week of September 23 - ordering closes at 9:00 p.m. on September 16​​​​​​​
• Week of September 30 - No School - Fall Break!
• Week of October 7 - No School - Fall Break!

Every Wednesday is “Zero Waste Wednesday” here at Westgate. What this means is that if students have a lunch that doesn’t use any waste AT ALL (i.e. nothing to throw away, like baggies, cans, plastic cups, lunch bags, etc.) then they will receive a stamp on their hand from the Zero Hero Team.

**students who have school lunch will qualify if they accurately sort their lunch into the appropriate bins – trash and recycling.

Why Focus on Lunches?

The goal is for families to start the conversation about alternatives to lunch waste, like glass or plastic lunch containers, reusable lunch bags and water bottles, and cloth napkins. If a student has any item that must be thrown away (at school or at home) then they will not receive a stamp. Hopefully, this will instill changes that will go far beyond Wednesdays during lunch time at Westgate.

Hello! My name is Alyssa Papiernik and I am your child’s Advocacy Teacher for the 2024-2025 school year! Advocacy is a time for students to build supportive relationships with their peers and with an adult they can trust. We will be focusing on the students’ social-emotional learning, which we incorporate into core academic subjects as well. It is a time for everyone to feel recognized and welcomed into the school community. As your child’s Advocate, I will be your primary point of communication, and I look forward to working with you and your child throughout the year.

This is my third-year teaching at Westgate Community School. I am so excited to be with the amazing 3^rd and 4^th grade team this year! I received a B.A. in Human and Educational Services at Illinois State University. I also received my masters in December of 2020 in Elementary Education from Lewis University.  This is my fifth-year teaching and my fifth-year teaching third grade! Third grade is my favorite grade, and I cannot wait to have an amazing school year getting to know and supporting your student.