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Ms. Calder, Advocacy, 5/6

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March 17-21

This week is filled with fun packed activities:
 
Tuesday afternoon we will be putting on a Cultural Fair for the 7th, 8th and 9th graders.  All the 5th and 6th graders have worked so hard at learning and showcase the culture that they chose. 
 
Wednesday the 6th graders will be going to Young Ameri Towne to put into practice all the things that they have been learning about in economics and civics. 
 
Friday the 5th graders will go to Young Ameri Towne and the 6th graders will be going to South Platte Nature Center.  
 
Reminder to send sack lunches for all the field trips. :)
 
Reminder that on Friday starts our two-week Spring Break. Classes will reconvene on April 7.  I hope that you have a safe and fun filled two weeks. :)

March 10-14

This we will continue looking at Mindfulness tools. 
 
Upcoming events:
 
March 13 - 5th graders will be taking a field trip to Majestic View Nature center.  Please make sure to send a sack lunch with your child on this day.
 
March 18 - Cultural Fair.  The students have been working hard on creating trifolds showcasing their culture and creating an activity to share with the 7th/8th graders and the High Schoolers.  
 
March 19 - 6th graders will be taking a field trip to Young AmeriTowne.  
Please make sure to send a sack lunch with your child on this day.
 
March 21 - 
   5th graders will be going to Young AmeriTowne
   6th graders will be going to South Platte Nature Center. 
Please make sure to send a sack lunch with your child on this day.
 
If you haven't completed the permission forms, please contact Ms. Calder for the 6th grade field trips, and Mr. McGinnis for the 5th grade field trips. 
 

March 3-5

This week the Scholastic Book Fair will be at Westgate. 
Get ready— our first ever Middle School Scholastic Book Fair is coming soon! Studies show that kids read more when they choose books for themselves, so join this great opportunity to connect with your student over the thrill of bringing home new books to dive into.

This book fair, while open to all, is geared towards more advanced readers and will have higher level books than what is offered at our All School Book Fair. 

Here’s everything you need to know about the Book Fair:

  • Dates: March 3rd and 4th 3:30-5pm, March 5th 3:30-5:30pm, March 6th 8am-12pm
  • Location: Teacher’s Lounge, Downstairs at Westgate

Students will also be able to shop during their lunchtime March 4th and 5th.

Reminder: 

Parent Teacher Conferences are Thursday, March 6 from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm. and Friday, March 7 from 8:00 am to 12:00 pm. 

Your child's ELA/Math teacher sent out a sign up.  If you missed the sign up, please contact your child's teacher.  Also, I sent out signups for Music and Art specials teachers. If you have any questions, please let me know. 

 

The theme for March Advocacy will be Mindfulness, and on Wednesdays we will continue working on our Service-Learning project for the Cultural Fair.  

 

Important Date reminders for upcoming Field Trips

March 15 - 5th grader to Majestic View Nature Center

March 19 - 6th graders to Young AmeriTowne

March 21 - 5th graders to Young AmeriTowne, 6th graders to South Platte Park

If you haven't filled out the permission forms, please do so ASAP. 

If you have any questions, please let me know. 

 

February 24-28

This week we will continue to look at Kindness and Empathy.  Mrs. Kahn will be coming on Tuesday to talk with our Advocacy about the Cultural Fair and make sure that we are all on the right track.  
 
On Monday the Parent Teacher conference signups will be coming out.  
I will be sending out the special's signups for Music and Art. You will also receive a signup from the teacher who teachers your child for ELA and Math.  
 
Parent Teacher conferences are Thursday, March 6 from 8:00 and to 8:00 pm at Westgate and Friday, March 7 from 8:00 am to 12:00 pm virtually.   We look forward to talking with you. 

February 18-21

Thank you for all your support for Kindness Week!  As a class we brought in 118 items for the Food Drive.  We meet our goal as a class!
 
For this week we will focus on our Service-Learning Project which is our Culture Fair presentations.  The students in our Advocacy each picked a culture and have been researching important characteristics that they would like to share at our Culture Fair in March.  The 7th and 8th graders and high school students will be coming to check out our display boards and get their passports stamped.  We are so excited to share all of our findings with Westgate students. 
 
 

February 10-14

Dear Westgate Families, 

Kindness Week is Monday, February 10th through Friday February 14th. A few things for you to know about: 

  • We do not exchange Valentines cards, candy, or treats at school. If your student arrives with Valentine’s cards, candy, or treats, they will be asked to put them back into their backpack to be taken home.
  • Get your Kindness Day permission slip (virtually emailed to families) signed by Wednesday February 12th. Classes will be walking to different nearby businesses to deliver hand-made kindness cards to local businesses on Friday, February 14th. We do not need any chaperones for these trips.  
  • Be prepared to go rain or shine on Friday, February 14th (half day) – bring a warm jacket, gloves, beanies, etc. If needed because we will be walking outside. 

NEW this year – Kindness Week Food Drive! Let’s spread some kindness by collecting non-perishable food items for A Precious Child. The details: 

  • Bring non-perishable food items to your advocacy class from Monday, February 10th – Friday, February 14th. 
  • Last year in November we collected 1,100 non-perishable food items! Help us reach our goal of 1,500 this year! 

Monday, February 10th: Spice it up Monday - Dried herbs and spices 

Tuesday, February 11th: Pasta Tuesday - Dried pasta in boxes 

Wednesday, February 12th: Veggie Wednesday - Canned vegetables 

Thursday, February 13th: Toiletry Thursday - Kleenex, toilet paper, paper towels 

Friday, February 14th: Fruit-filled Friday - Canned fruits 

 

In addition, there are different advocacy themes for each day aligned with the different love languages. Here’s a list of things that you can do to support your student’s learning at home. 

Monday, February 10th: Words of Affirmation 

Kindness Week Challenge #1 – Use kind words of affirmation with 3 or more other people you see today. It could be a family member, friend, teacher, grocery store worker, or anyone else. Set aside a few minutes daily where each person gives a positive word or phrase to another family member. 

Tuesday, February 11th: Quality Time 

Kindness Week Challenge #2 – Spend at least 30 minutes of quality time with yourself or someone you love today after school. Have a family game night, movie or show night, cook or bake something as a family, enjoy story time, crafts, exercise, or even some yard work together. 

Wednesday, February 12th: Acts of Service 

Kindness Week Challenge #3 – Do another act of service for someone when you get home! Cook a meal for the family, organize a shared space, help each other with chores, plan a relaxation evening, do a surprise improvement project, or care for a pet together. 

Thursday, February 13th: Gift Giving 

Kindness Week Challenge #4: Deliver the gift you made today in class to the person you made it for. Talk about how giving someone a gift made you feel. Dedicate an evening to creating homemade gifts for each other, create a family shared photo album, playlist, or video.  

Friday, February 14th: Kindness Day (Half Day) - various walking trips 

Kindness Week Challenge #5: Create a family “Compliment Jar”. Place a jar in a common area. Family members can write positive affirmations or compliments about each other on small pieces of paper and drop them in the jar. 

 

February 3 - 7

February's Theme for Advocacy is Empathy and Kindness.  
 
The week of February 10-14 will be Kindness week. There will be an activity for each day for our Advocacy. We will be making kindness cards to deliver to the Hope Montessori Academy on Friday, February 14.  Please make sure to fill out the permission slip that I emailed to you last week.  If you have any questions, please let me know. 
 
 
In addition to our special events, we are holding a food drive with a different theme each week.  Our goal for Westgate for the whole school is 1,500 food items. 
 
2-10 Spice it up Monday; dried herbs and spices
2-11 Pasta Tuesday; dried pasta in boxes
2-12 Veggie Wednesday; canned vegetables
2-13 Toiletry Thursday; Kleenex, toilet paper, paper towels
2-14 Fruit-filled Friday; canned fruits
 
 
Reminder:
Students have an early dismissal on Friday, February 14 with carline starting at 11:30. 

January 27-31

Reminder Skate City will be happening on Wednesday, January 29 from 5:00 to 7:00.  We would love to have our Advocacy help show support for Westgate!
 
Kindness Week will be happening February 10 - 14.  Please read the posts from earlier weeks.  
 
Special reminders:
We will be having a food drive with a specific item for each day:

Monday – Spice it up Monday; dried herbs and spices​

Tuesday – Pasta Tuesday​; Dried pasta in boxes​

Wednesday – Veggie Wednesday​; Canned vegetables​

Thursday – Toiletry Thursday​; Kleenex, toilet paper, paper towels​

Friday – Fruit-filled Friday​; Canned fruits

Our goal as a school is to collect 1,500 items. 
 
Also, I emailed out a permission slip for us to go on our Kindness Walk on February 14 to the Hope Montessori Academy.  Please fill out the form as soon as possible. 
 
Thank you!

January 21 - 24

Reminder Westgate will have Skate City Night on, Wednesday, January 29 from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm. There should have been a flyer that went home in the Friday folder.  If you have any questions, please let me know. 
 
The Advocacy with the most students will earn $150 for the class.  
 
 

Dear Westgate Families, 

Kindness Week is Monday, February 10th through Friday February 14th. A few things for you to know about: 

  • We do not exchange Valentines cards, candy, or treats at school. If your student arrives with Valentine’s cards, candy, or treats, they will be asked to put them back into their backpack to be taken home.
  • Get your Kindness Day permission slip (virtually emailed to families) signed by Wednesday February 12th. Classes will be walking to different nearby businesses to deliver hand-made kindness cards to local businesses on Friday, February 14th. We do not need any chaperones for these trips.  
  • Be prepared to go rain or shine on Friday, February 14th (half day) – bring a warm jacket, gloves, beanies, etc. If needed because we will be walking outside. 

NEW this year – Kindness Week Food Drive! Let’s spread some kindness by collecting non-perishable food items for A Precious Child. The details: 

  • Bring non-perishable food items to your advocacy class from Monday, February 10th – Friday, February 14th. 
  • Last year in November we collected 1,100 non-perishable food items! Help us reach our goal of 1,500 this year! 

Monday, February 10th: Spice it up Monday - Dried herbs and spices 

Tuesday, February 11th: Pasta Tuesday - Dried pasta in boxes 

Wednesday, February 12th: Veggie Wednesday - Canned vegetables 

Thursday, February 13th: Toiletry Thursday - Kleenex, toilet paper, paper towels 

Friday, February 14th: Fruit-filled Friday - Canned fruits 

 

In addition, there are different advocacy themes for each day aligned with the different love languages. Here’s a list of things that you can do to support your student’s learning at home. 

Monday, February 10th: Words of Affirmation 

Kindness Week Challenge #1 – Use kind words of affirmation with 3 or more other people you see today. It could be a family member, friend, teacher, grocery store worker, or anyone else. Set aside a few minutes daily where each person gives a positive word or phrase to another family member. 

Tuesday, February 11th: Quality Time 

Kindness Week Challenge #2 – Spend at least 30 minutes of quality time with yourself or someone you love today after school. Have a family game night, movie or show night, cook or bake something as a family, enjoy story time, crafts, exercise, or even some yard work together. 

Wednesday, February 12th: Acts of Service 

Kindness Week Challenge #3 – Do another act of service for someone when you get home! Cook a meal for the family, organize a shared space, help each other with chores, plan a relaxation evening, do a surprise improvement project, or care for a pet together. 

Thursday, February 13th: Gift Giving 

Kindness Week Challenge #4: Deliver the gift you made today in class to the person you made it for. Talk about how giving someone a gift made you feel. Dedicate an evening to creating homemade gifts for each other, create a family shared photo album, playlist, or video.  

Friday, February 14th: Kindness Day (Half Day) - various walking trips 

Kindness Week Challenge #5: Create a family “Compliment Jar”. Place a jar in a common area. Family members can write positive affirmations or compliments about each other on small pieces of paper and drop them in the jar. 

 

January 21 - 24

We will continue with Module 6 reading
"Neil Armstong: One Giant Leap for Mankind" working on the reading skills of Vocabulary and Ask and Answer questions.  
  For writing, the students will be continue working on their Argumentative essay by researching and start their rough draft. 

January 13 - 17

I hope that you all had an amazing and wonderful break!!
 
For the month of January, the theme for Advocacy will be Growth Mindset where we will be spending time changing our language to support positive outcomes even if we don't get something the first time! 
 
On Wednesday, we will be spending time on our Service-Learning project of Culture Awareness.  The students have been put into groups and will start researching to start the preparation for our Culture Awareness Fair (date to still be determined) 
 

As we think about Kindness week below is information of how we celebrate Kindness Week in February:

 

Dear Westgate Families, 

Kindness Week is Monday, February 10th through Friday February 14th. A few things for you to know about: 

  • We do not exchange Valentines cards, candy, or treats at school. If your student arrives with Valentine’s cards, candy, or treats, they will be asked to put them back into their backpack to be taken home.
  • Get your Kindness Day permission slip (virtually emailed to families) signed by Wednesday February 12th. Classes will be walking to different nearby businesses to deliver hand-made kindness cards to local businesses on Friday, February 14th. We do not need any chaperones for these trips.  
  • Be prepared to go rain or shine on Friday, February 14th (half day) – bring a warm jacket, gloves, beanies, etc. If needed because we will be walking outside. 

NEW this year – Kindness Week Food Drive! Let’s spread some kindness by collecting non-perishable food items for A Precious Child. The details: 

  • Bring non-perishable food items to your advocacy class from Monday, February 10th – Friday, February 14th. 
  • Last year in November we collected 1,100 non-perishable food items! Help us reach our goal of 1,500 this year! 

Monday, February 10th: Spice it up Monday - Dried herbs and spices 

Tuesday, February 11th: Pasta Tuesday - Dried pasta in boxes 

Wednesday, February 12th: Veggie Wednesday - Canned vegetables 

Thursday, February 13th: Toiletry Thursday - Kleenex, toilet paper, paper towels 

Friday, February 14th: Fruit-filled Friday - Canned fruits 

 

In addition, there are different advocacy themes for each day aligned with the different love languages. Here’s a list of things that you can do to support your student’s learning at home. 

Monday, February 10th: Words of Affirmation 

Kindness Week Challenge #1 – Use kind words of affirmation with 3 or more other people you see today. It could be a family member, friend, teacher, grocery store worker, or anyone else. Set aside a few minutes daily where each person gives a positive word or phrase to another family member. 

Tuesday, February 11th: Quality Time 

Kindness Week Challenge #2 – Spend at least 30 minutes of quality time with yourself or someone you love today after school. Have a family game night, movie or show night, cook or bake something as a family, enjoy story time, crafts, exercise, or even some yard work together. 

Wednesday, February 12th: Acts of Service 

Kindness Week Challenge #3 – Do another act of service for someone when you get home! Cook a meal for the family, organize a shared space, help each other with chores, plan a relaxation evening, do a surprise improvement project, or care for a pet together. 

Thursday, February 13th: Gift Giving 

Kindness Week Challenge #4: Deliver the gift you made today in class to the person you made it for. Talk about how giving someone a gift made you feel. Dedicate an evening to creating homemade gifts for each other, create a family shared photo album, playlist, or video.  

Friday, February 14th: Kindness Day (Half Day) - various walking trips 

Kindness Week Challenge #5: Create a family “Compliment Jar”. Place a jar in a common area. Family members can write positive affirmations or compliments about each other on small pieces of paper and drop them in the jar. 

 

December 16-20

Happy last week in December!
 
We will continue our theme of Generosity this week, and on Wednesday we will be working on our Service-Learning theme of culture awareness. 
 
Reminder:
Winter Break will start on December 20 and the students will return on January 13, 2025.  I hope that you all have a safe and glorious Holiday Season!

December 9 - 13

Advocacy this week we will continue discussing the topic of Generosity! 
 
This week the students will preview the Holiday Shop on Monday.  The Holiday shop will be open during the following times:
 
Monday after school 3:30 - 4:30 
Shop hours
Monday through Friday 11- 1 and 3:30 - 4:30 M, T, Th, F; 
Wednesday has an extended hour 3:30 - 5:30 
 
During the school day students need to have money to purchase items, and afterschool the students need to have a parent present. 
 
Tuesday and Wednesday of this week the students will be taking the MAP assessment starting at 9:15; Tuesday will be the Reading MAPS assessment and Wednesday will be the Math MAPS assessment.  
 
Have a wonderful week! 

December 2 - 6

I hope that you had an amazing Thanksgiving with your family and friends. 
 
For the month of the December is Advocacy the theme is generosity.  We will be spending time embracing the season of giving.  
 
Next week the 5th and 6th graders will be taking the MAPS assessment for reading and math on December 10 and 11 at 9:15 to show the progress that the students are making.  Please make sure that students are eating a good breakfast, getting of rest and that they are present for the assessment. Thank you in advance for your support.  
 
Have a wonderful week!

November 18 - 22

Happy week before Thanksgiving!
 
We will continue working on our gratitude lessons this week in Advocacy. 
 
The 5 / 6 POD has decided to keep Rubik' cube out of our classrooms.  The Rubik's cubes have become in problem in our classrooms and distracting students from their academics.  Please help us in keep the Rubik's cubes at home.  If students need fidgets, they should be a one hand tool that helps the child focus. If the fidget becomes a distraction to themself or others, we will remind the students, the purpose of fidgets. Thank you for your support in helping our students be successful.  If you have any questions, please reach out to me. 
 
Reminders:
Next week is Thanksgiving Break and I hope that you have a wonderful time with family and friends! :)