GATOR GAZETTE
Westgate Elementary Monthly Newsletter
May 7, 2021
Office/Attendance 402-390-6495
mininni.patricia@westside66.net
Preschool/Club 402-390-8202
May
15 - Don & Millies Caring and Sharing Saturday, May 15 11am-9pm
18 - Band Concert (5th grade) 6pm, Westside High School Gym
18 - Band Concert (6th grade) 7:30pm, Westside High School Gym
20 - Strings Concert (5th grade) 6pm, Westside High School Gym
20 - Strings Concert (6th grade) 7:30pm, Westside High School Gym
27 - Last Day of School - 1:00 pm Dismissal
August
FREE breakfast & lunch 21-22 school year!
ALL Westside Community Schools students will receive FREE meals (breakfast & lunch) for the 21/22 school year. Meals are funded by the US Department of Agriculture, as an extension of waivers issued to provide safe, healthy food for children during the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting closures of schools.
“This is outstanding news for our district, our city, and kids across the United States,” said Erin Vik, Director of Nutrition Services for Westside Community Schools. “One of our top priorities has always been to support our students and families by providing them basic needs like food. Thanks to this funding from the USDA, we can continue to ensure our kids and families can focus on learning and achievement, rather than where their next meal will come from.”
All Westside Community Schools students, regardless of need, will be able to access breakfast and/or lunch each school day at no charge to them and at no additional cost to the district. This will continue throughout the remainder of the 2020/21 school year, and continue through the 2021/22 school year. In addition, Westside Nutrition Services will once again be providing take home meals for free throughout the summer for Westside students and their families, also funded by the USDA under the Summer Meals program. Details on sites and dates will be shared in the coming weeks.
“Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have provided more than 500,000 meals for our families to take home,” said Vik. “I am proud of our district’s efforts, and we are ready to continue providing this important opportunity for our students and families.”
7TH GRADE PHYSICALS AND IMMUNIZATIONS REQUIREMENTS
MIDDLE SCHOOL HEALTH PHYSICAL/IMMUNIZATION REQUIREMENTS
By law, all incoming 7th graders must present evidence of having a complete physical examination, updated immunizations (Tdap is required by state law), and a dental exam prior to entering school. For missing immunizations, state law allows us to accept only valid medical exemption forms, signed by a physician or notarized religious exemption forms. A signed waiver form from parents/guardian refusing to provide physical exam documentation is also required. All forms are available from the District’s ABC Welcome Center.
Physicians may print out results of the physical exam and immunizations on their forms, or parents may print the 7th grade health physical exam form from the WMS website found in the “Health Information” area. Exams must be completed anytime after March 1, 2021, and before school starts in the Fall. Students planning to participate in sports must have a physical dated after May 1, 2021.
If your child has a chronic condition such as asthma, diabetes, or epilepsy, a health action plan is required. Asthma action plans must be completed and signed by a doctor and may be found on the WMS website in the “Health Information” area or picked up from the WMS main office. I will be checking my email periodically during the summer. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the main office at WMS for general information.
Kim Eymann
Westside Middle School
Principal
402-390-8211
Elementary Instrumental Music Celebration Concerts!
Band and String Families, we are excited to announce our district wide end of the year celebration concerts! Each performer may have 4 guests in attendance with them at these events! Info about safety requirements and practices will be sent home as the dates approach. Please add the appropriate date and time for your student to your family calendars and reserve the night for this event! We can not wait to gather together for a live performance to celebrate all that these students have accomplished as musicians throughout this unprecedented year!
Mrs. CJ, Mr. Freeman, Mrs. Matheson and Dr. Meints
Fifth Grade Band Students
Tuesday, May 18, 6:00 pm, Westside High School Gym
Sixth Grade Band Students
Tuesday, May 18, 7:30 pm, Westside High School Gym
Fifth Grade String Students
Thursday, May 20, 6:00 pm, Westside High School Gym
Sixth Grade String Students
Thursday, May 20, 7:30 pm, Westside High School Gym
Coming soon!
We will be having a virtual concert this year for each of our music classes! The students are very excited to share with you what we have been doing this year. Each class has picked their favorite songs, games and activities to share with you! You will be receiving an email with a concert link in the near future, where you will be able to view, share and congratulate your students on the GREAT job they have been doing in music this year. We are looking forward to sharing our favorite activities with you soon!
~Mrs. Bosworth
Vocal Music Teacher
Summer Learning Opportunities
Throughout the school year, as part of Westside’s Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) process, students are assessed in reading and provided with strong instruction to support their needs. To engage families and extend the learning for students, we are sharing ways in which you can support your child with their reading. As we enter into summer, it is important to encourage practice in the area of reading so that students maintain the skills they learned this year.
This link: https://tinyurl.com/ue2tbc6v outlines opportunities to continue learning with and without technology. Included are links to various activities you can do with your child, as well as reading programs available in the community and some website/app recommendations. The top priority this summer is simply having your child read every day. This can include times when someone reads to or with them.
2021 Geo Bee
We're proud of all the Westside Community Schools students who competed in the Geography Bee Regionals! Their hard work and dedication paid off!
Congratulations to Jake Neumeister from WMS and Bennett Snodgrass from Sunset Hills for advancing to the championship rounds in their age groups.
Symptoms Tracker
Children’s COVID-19 Help Line
402-955-3200
Visit ChildrensOmaha.org/Symptoms to access Children’s COVID-19 Symptom Checker, an online assessment tool developed by Children’s to help parents and supplement our 24/7 COVID-19 Help Line.
TO REPORT ABSENCES...
CALL:
Office - 402-390-6495
(Available 24 hours a day)
You are welcome to leave a message with your child’s name and reason for the absence
START TIME: 8:30 A.M.
Our instructional school day will start at 8:30 a.m. Doors will be opened at 8:20 a.m. allowing students plenty of time to walk to classrooms, hang up backpacks, check in with teachers and peers, and be ready for those first important words of the day at 8:30 a.m. Give your students every advantage of a successful day by having them here at 8:20 a.m.!
Following Instructions
Listening
Working with Others
Appropriate Voice Tone
Expectations for May
Cafeteria
Assemblies
Technology
Basic Behavior
Breakfast and Lunch Information
Due to a grant, school breakfast and lunch are FREE. If you would like your child(ren) to eat a grab and go breakfast, they may arrive at 8:20
•Please note: If your child orders extra of the entree or anything a la carte there WILL be a charge for those items.
Online lunch menu may be viewed here:
https://schools.mealviewer.com/school/WestgateElementarySchool
Free/Reduced Application available here: http://wcsapplyforfreelunch.heartlandapps.com
Applications must be completed every year regardless of whether you have qualified in the past.
MySchoolBucks
Advantages of using MySchoolBucks:
- View your student's meal purchases
- See current account balance at a glance
- Automatic reminders when student or staff balance gets low
- Schedule recurring payments and never worry about lunch money again
Click on the link to access: www.myschoolbucks.com
Getting started is a simple three-step process!
1. Download the app or visit the MySchoolBucks homepage and click on “Sign Up Free”.
2.Create a user profile with your email address, establish a password, and set up your security questions.
3.Add a Student to your account using the student’s name, date of birth, and/or student ID number. (Some schools and districts may require either the student’s date of birth or student ID number. If you need assistance with your student's ID, please contact their school.)
Now you’re ready to make payments!
MySchoolBucks Parent Support
1-855-832-5226
support@myschoolbucks.com
CHECK OUT THE NEW WESTGATE WEBSITE!!!!
Be sure to bookmark this site for upcoming events and other school-related information.
Westside Edge Show Choir Camp
Have you always wanted to be a part of Westside show choir? Maybe you want to improve your voice or learn how to shake those bad dancing habits? Sorry parents, this ad is just for the kids. Westside Middle School is hosting their annual summer show choir camp June 7-11 at Westside Middle School for any student entering 6th, 7th or 8th grade in the Fall of 2021. Students will learn to sing and dance a full show as well as gain insights into the audition process for Westside Middle School Show Choir. The registration link and more information can be found here:
KEEP US FROM GETTING LOST!
Please make sure to mark all jackets, coats, hats, gloves, lunch pails, backpacks and other student items with their NAME in case they are left around the building or out at recess. This helps us get them back to the right owner.
1st - Wednesday of each month 6am-7pm
2nd - Tuesday of each month Community Club Mtg. 6pm
3rd - Saturday of each month 11am-9pm
84th & "Q" Streets
402-593-6099
Free After School Club @ Do Space!
This is a brand new, virtual After School Club we've recently launched at Do Space for elementary and middle school kids. Each session explores STEAM activities with kids -- including coding tutorials, engineering and making, design, and digital art. This program is totally free and hosted on Zoom every weekday afternoon except Fridays. Do Space is located in Omaha, but it's our hope this program benefits kids across Nebraska. You can find more information here: https://dospace.org/afterschool/.
Requirements for Early Admission to Kindergarten
In accordance with Nebraska Statute 79-214, the Westside Community Schools allows for the admission of children residing in the District as early entrance kindergarteners through a locally designed testing program. Children of District residents who wish to be tested for early entrance must turn five between August 1 and October 15, 2021. For further information regarding early entrance to kindergarten, please call 402-390-3303.