Please join us!

Agenda items include holiday giving, family support, teacher appreciation, fundraising updates and looking ahead to the Read-a-Thon in the new year. We welcome questions, feedback and participation from everyone who attends, but there's no expectations! 

Wednesday, November 18, 2020
6:30pm - 7:30pm
zoom link

With new guidelines announced today for the next four weeks by Governor Inslee amidst rising COVID numbers this fall, we know the stress of COVID, losses, finances, isolation, remote schooling is worsening for many families. You aren't alone if you're feeling the weight of these concerns! Together, we're going to get through this.

As a PSO, we've been trying to be creative this year in finding ways to foster Westgate Cougar spirit and help students feel like part of the community even while we're learning from home - from the Cleanup in September, to the video assemblies, spirit wear, and writing to the Cougar! 

We're also trying to identify the biggest concerns that families have through our Family Support Survey and what the PSO might be able to do to address some of these concerns. So far, kids' social relationships, academic progress, and both kids' and parents' mental health are the stressors that have been highlighted in the survey. If you haven't yet filled out the survey, please take a couple minutes now to do so here - your input is deeply appreciated. We'll be talking more about the results and some ideas coming out of the survey at the PSO meeting this coming Wednesday, November 18 from 6:30-7:30. 

Westgate staff have also been working hard to make sure classes have needed supplies and engaging kids creatively via zoom while dealing with the same uncertainty we're all facing about COVID and remote learning. Typically, one of the things the PSO organizes is the monthly staff appreciation luncheons; this month, at the PSO meeting, we're hoping to brainstorm ways families, classes, and the PSO can express appreciation for our dedicated Westgate staff. Please join us!

Lastly, there are some resources available on our website, including food, financial, mental health resources. If you know of other resources to add, please feel free to link them below. All this feels hard because it is hard! And there is help and support available. Take care of yourselves and each other. 

We've got links for the last three newsletters here! Info about the Family Support Survey, Charleston Wrap Fundraiser, Spirit Wear (including masks, golf umbrellas!), and writing to the Westgate Cougar!
​November 12, 2020 newsletter
November 4, 2020 newsletter
October 28, 2020 newsletter

Westgate families, the PSO wants to know how we can support you this year. We put together a quick 4-question survey to assess needs and concerns and we’ve begun the process of identifying school, district, and community resources.

Survey is available in English and Spanish here: https://bit.ly/WestgateFamilySupportSurvey

Resources are on the Family Support page. If you know of other resources we could add, please comment below!

This week's newsletter features a message from retired teacher, Mrs. Dreimiller!
​Read it here. 

The Catalog Fundraiser is starting today and will go until Friday, November 20. This year, we're using Charleston Wrap®, which offers gift wrap, kitchen items, personalized gifts, gourmet foods and more. Simply register using our school code: 18502 and the Westgate PSO will receive funds for every purchase. 

Funds raised from this campaign will be used to buy a yearbook for each student, support the cost of supplying every student with school supplies, and help provide grants to teachers among other PSO programs.

Thank you in advance for helping us reach our goal by sharing our fundraiser with your friends and family!

The next PSO meeting will be held on Wednesday October 21, 2020 from 6:30-7:30pm on zoom. All members of the Westgate community are invited. Agenda items will include the Principal's Update, Fundraising Updates, Family Outreach, and Grant Requests from teachers and staff. There's usually time for questions at the end and we value your presence and involvement! 

Check out the latest few email newsletters: September 30 Newsletter includes Westgate Cleanup Photos - thanks to all who participated; October Issue 1 Newsletter with info about Fred Meyer Reward Program and other fundraising updates; and the October Issue 2 Newsletter with info about school pictures and the yearbook! You can see all the Newsletters by going here: ​https://www.westgatepso.org/news/category/newsletter.

September 24, 2020 Newsletter with enrichment resources. Read it here. 

• Thank you to the 29 people who joined us for part or all of the meeting tonight! 
• We welcomed our new Principal, Mary Freitas, who shared that the District is communicating with neighboring school districts about plans to reopen school buildings - information will be shared with the community as it comes. Goal is to get kids back in the school building - safely!
• Fundraisers will be different this year: our biggest one is usually the Fun Run in fall, but this year it'll be a Read-a-thon in the winter. We're continuing to encourage Shop with Scrip and Amazon Smile, as well as using PayPal for direct one-time or monthly donations. And look out for info about Holiday Catalog sales in late October/November. 
• We're anticipating that we won't be able to raise the revenue we have in years past because of all the challenges of 2020, but we want to sustain our support of teachers and staff while working toward educational equity by doing things like purchasing the school supplies for all students and making the yearbooks free of charge to all students. Therefore, we passed a budget with a deficit of around $21k! If you can make a donation or raise funds for the PSO, that will help us cover more of our expenses this year, leave some reserves in the bank, and ensure we can continue expanding the ways we support our Westgate community!
• We also know that parents and families need more support this year. We're looking for volunteers to help develop a survey to go out to Westgate families so we can understand what families' priorities are and then plan for how we can meet those needs! Please contact Laurie if you're interested in helping.
• Our first Volunteer event is the Westgate Cleanup on September 26 from 10am-12pm. Cleanup details and sign up here.
• Foundation for Edmonds Schools Virtual Run/Walk 5k is coming up on 10/3-10/4. Register and join the Westgate team here.
• Enrichment activities and resources are being compiled by Selina, our Enrichment Chair. Some free STEM, movement, and learning resources have been posted on the website already. Please share any other good resources you've found!

These monthly meetings are a chance to get involved, share your perspective, ask questions, and make suggestions. The PSO depends on you -- the Westgate Community — to get involved. Please join us at our next meeting on October 21 from 6:30-7:30. 

​Full (draft) Meeting Minutes available here. 

Our Enrichment Chair, Selina, has been gathering resources to share with families about remote activities available to families. If you have suggestions or other (especially free) resources, please write a comment below!

Move 60 program through Edmonds School District - free for K-6th graders in ESD
Cosmic Kids Yoga - you tube channel with free kids yoga, like "Sonic the Hedgehog Yoga Adventures"
GoNoodle - free movement and mindfulness videos for kids

Code.org - Learn to make your own game, app or computer drawings. Older kids use blocks, javascript and HTML. Express courses, Minecraft games.
The cat in the hat invents - STEM-based website through PBS Kids that challenges kids to be engineers and problem-solvers. They can design robots and play educational games.
Mystery Science - Stress free science lessons and experiments for kids K through 5th grade.

Rivet - A free reading app (and website) for kids with over 3500 leveled books.
Dance Mat Typing - free typing game website
National Geographic Kids - Explore the world through games and videos 
​Google Arts & Culture - Kids can access world-renowned museums from home.  You can tour the collections of more than 1,200 museums online through its catalog.

We may not be going to school in the building, but our beloved Westgate is due for its annual spruce up! Show your Westgate Cougar pride by signing up for a time to come volunteer (socially distanced, with masks!) to weed, trim bushes, and make our school look great! 
Volunteers must wear masks and follow guildelines to remain socially distanced. Please bring gardening gloves, garden tools, weed wacker, wheelbarrows etc for your own use as we won't be sharing tools this year. Sign up for a shift as a family (don't need to put down how many people in your family are coming). 

Our meeting this month is Wednesday, September 16 from 6:30-7:30pm on zoom:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81117251695?pwd=cm10QTNJa0hNOEZNRFRidG9oZVJCUT09
Please join us to talk about how we can best support our students and teachers this year. 

Latest PSO Newsletter sent out to all parents on September 16, 2020 is available to download here. 

Read the latest PSO newsletter.

School supplies for ALL students can be picked up at Westgate on Tuesday September 8:
Grades 4 - 6 12:00 to 1:30pm
Grades 1 - 3   2:30 to 4:00pm
Please write your child(ren)’s name and teacher(s) on a piece of paper to give to the staff when you drive up to the school.

We know this year has been challenging for everyone and supporting families,  teachers and staff is our utmost priority. Thank you to the PSO supporters who made it possible for the Board to approve this special grant to purchase these supplies for all students. 

If you’re able, making a donation (of any amount!) will allow us to fully fund our grants for teachers and staff budget and identify and meet other needs in the Westgate community this year. Thank you!

Read the message from the PSO Board, get to know the Board members, and start learning about how to get involved with the PSO in the September Newsletter!
​
You can also sign up for our email newsletter below. 

We are looking forward to our first general meeting of the Westgate Parent Staff Organization of the 2020-2021 school year! We'll be meeting via zoom on the third Wednesday of September, 9/16 from 6:30-7:30pm. We'll post the zoom link closer to the date! Join us to hear about how we hope to support our teachers, staff, and families while we're all figuring out what the school year during COVID19 is going to look like. 

Attention Westgate families: The PSO is working with the school and teachers to purchase some school supplies for ALL families to help make the transition to fully remote school go a little more smoothly. We'll share more details as soon as possible. We know this year will be unlike any other and we're also re-thinking what our fundraising is going to look like. We can do it together!