Family News

February 3, 2025

What Makes Westminster Special

Scratch Kitchen

Over the past two years, we have revamped our food service program, partnering with Beyond Green Partners to bring this to life. Our goal is to have a food service program that implements sustainable food practices, emphasizes a comprehensive focus on implementing sustainable food practices within a kitchen setting, features locally sourced ingredients and scratch cooking, minimizes food waste, and educates staff on environmentally conscious culinary methods.

What sets us apart from most schools in Buffalo is our unique scratch kitchen. Led by a Chef Manager and an assistant cook, we prepare all our food from scratch, ensuring complete control over the quality and flavor of every dish.

A scratch kitchen is simply one in which the cook prepares all the food from scratch, making everything from the dough for pizza to the sauce on top. This means that the chef has complete control over the quality and flavor of every dish. It also means the food is more nutritious because we rely on fresh ingredients instead of processed foods, which can be high in sodium, added sugars, and saturated fats. More than 95% of the breakfasts and lunches are made from scratch, using only the freshest ingredients. We strive to use local vendors that support local farmers and businesses, which can help create local jobs and ensure fresh items. Another benefit is customizing our menu to match our students' cultural tastes. We have even worked with some parents to develop menu items. To include all of our students, we offer halal meals.

Re--Enrollment Packets Coming Home

All students reenrollment packets will be coming home this week. The packets are coking in a manilla envelop so you know what to look for in your child's backpack. If you do not receive one before Thursday, please reach out to your child's teacher and we will make sure you get it at dismissal. We are asking that you return these by Friday February 28th. This holds your students space for next year. Please make sure you include any updated address, phone number of emergency contacts.

You do not need to complete an application for your students who are currently enrolled, just return this packet.

Applications for the 2025-2026 School Year are open

Please share the link with anyone looking for an excellent school for their students next year. Westminster is doing great in our Academics. When compared to the K-8 Buffalo Schools, Westminster scored 1st in Science, 2nd in ELA, and 3rd in Math. We also did better than many other Charter Schools, such as CSAT, Elmwood Village Hertel, Buffalo United, Reach Academy, Charter School of Inquiry, and King Center, to name a few. The application link is below. If you have a rising Kindergartener please apply for them to secure their spot. If your child is currently enrolled you do no need to complete an application.

For every family you recommend who applies for next year you will be entered in a drawing for a $100 gift card.

https://forms.gle/sYyTWP8FzSbLJYESA

How to help kids with math at home :

1. Maintain a positive attitude
A lot of kids (and adults) feel anxiety when presented with a math problem. But if your child is struggling with a concept, that doesn’t mean they’re bad at math. Math is a skill that takes practice, just like any other. Encourage your child to help them build their math confidence by saying you just don't understand it yet. . They can grow into math understanding, but it takes time.
2. Ask math questions that interest your child
Let’s face it — some math can be boring. If your kid doesn’t care much about trains, why should they care about how fast they’re going or where they’ll meet? Instead of pushing them to answer these standard questions, ask them about what they’re actually interested in.
Math is everywhere. Find places to use math around your house to help your child’s math abilities come to life. Count the slices of pizza the next time you order out, then determine the percentage of pizza everyone has eaten. Get your little ones to help you sort socks. Talk about the probability of rolling an even number during your family night board game session. Look around and you’ll find tons of opportunities!
3. Be patient and take it slow
Math builds on itself, but that means it can be tricky to keep up if your child is struggling with a new concept. When this happens, slow down and back up. Don’t keep pushing new ideas until they understand the old ones.
4. Get your child to teach you math
Math looks a little different now. If your kid’s homework is confusing, ask them to explain their process. This is a great connecting moment to share with your child.
5. Try game-based learning
If you find your child getting frustrated, ditch the textbooks and worksheets and try something different. Game-based learning is all the rage, and for good reason. Kids are naturally drawn to games, whether they’re cooperative board games or video games played on their tablets. Why? Because games are fun and exciting! Game-based learning can take the stress out of math instruction. Kids can practice their math with just the right mix of the familiar and the challenging.
Prodigy Math, for example, is a game-based learning platform where players explore fantasy worlds, build characters and battle friends — all while answering curriculum-aligned math questions!