The Westgate Wire

Below are a few things to put on your radar.

• We will have a Severe Weather drill on Thursday March 17th at 9:30 a.m. Teachers will review our safety procedures and where students should seek shelter within the building should we experience severe weather.
• Save the Date: Westgate's Fun Fair is back! It will be held on Friday, May 13th. More information will be shared later this spring.
• We will be taking Yearbook pictures of student clubs on Wednesday, March 16th. Please have students wear their Westgate Spirit Wear for the pictures.
  

In addition, please be mindful of students and parents walking and riding bikes around the school. Remember, everyone loves their children and wants them to be safe. These are your friends and neighbors. Be patient, be calm, and set an excellent example for our children!

As was mentioned in last week's Westgate Wire, we will be experiencing some procedural changes as we return to a more pre-pandemic environment. Parents will be welcomed back to our buildings for all events that they would normally be invited to pre-pandemic. Also, students are now allowed to attend middle school extracurricular events and sporting events as spectators. Allie and I appreciate the kindness, patience, and respect everyone has shown one another as we have navigated all of this together. Below are some additional changes that will be taking place for you to be aware of as we move forward.

LUNCH

On Monday, we will begin our new lunch schedule. It will be similar to the schedule we used pre-pandemic. Students will have 30 minutes to eat and then 30 minutes of recess. Please note, students will no longer be seated at every other seat and will be able to sit next to one another at the lunch table. Classrooms will be assigned tables, and students will be able to choose where they sit within the table grouping for their classroom.

ASSEMBLIES

When possible we will begin to utilize our Commons for school assemblies. Given the number of students (just over 600!) and the size of our Commons, these assemblies may only involve specific grade levels at one time. In addition, Miss Rauzi and Miss Weismann are also planning in person music performances for some grade levels. More information will be shared at a later date.

Allie and I are very excited about how things are moving forward in our school and community. We are proud of our students, staff, and parents for how everyone has managed all of the changes. We anticipate we will have a busy Spring and close of the year with many events coming up, and we look forward to all of these typical experiences together.

Annually, 3rd-8th graders participate in the Illinois Assessment of Readiness. The IAR is a computer-administered state assessment that serves as an accountability measure for Illinois students enrolled in a public school. All students in these grade levels are tested on the English Language Arts and Mathematics Illinois Learning Standards. Westgate testing sessions are scheduled in 6 testing blocks ranging from 60-90 minutes each. Testing will take place between March 8-15.

Are you ready to Pack the Piggies? The Arlington Heights Council of PTA’s (AHC-PTA) funds $11k worth of scholarships each year. The scholarships are divided into $10k for graduating D214 seniors and $1k given to D25 elementary students. This March, the AHC-PTA will be initiating our first ever “Pack the Piggies” fun-raiser across the district to help raise funds for the scholarships.

The contest begins March 14th and goes thru March 17th. Each school will have a goal of raising $1k. If the goal is attained by a school, they win its predetermined prize chosen by the principal. Some schools will silly string or slime a staff member, while another school’s prize will be to have the principals work from the rooftop! Please help your students reach their goal by having them bring in coins, cash, or checks to pack their school’s piggy! Let’s have some fun for a great cause!

Summer U 2022 June 8-July 1, 2022 at South Middle School *Dates subject to change pending review of winter weather emergency days. Registration will begin on March 7, 2022 at 9am and end on April 29, 2022. Please visit www.sd25.org/summeru for a full list of courses and times. If you have any questions about Summer U, please email summeru@sd25.org for assistance.

• Beach Day-3/18
  
• Spring Break- 3/21-3/25