Happy Holidays from Westgate School

We wish you a joyous holiday and look forward to seeing you in the New Year.

Westgate School Staff

Traffic and parking around Westgate

As you may recall, at the beginning of November administration decided on a trial basis to place fluorescent traffic cones to identify areas potentially dangerous to pedestrians.

We would like you to provide us with feedback regarding this trial.  We will continue this practice if it is having a significant impact on driver awareness of pedestrians.

Please email westgate@cbe.ab.ca to provide feedback.

Holiday Hampers

Each year we remember our families at Westgate School who are in need of assistance during the holiday season. Through the generosity of the students, parent and teachers we were able to provide 20 families with holiday hampers.  This year we also donated some items to Inn From the Cold – a charity that supports families in Calgary.   We would like to thank everyone for their kindness and generous donations.  

Westgate Staff  

Scholastic Book Fair

Thank you to all our parents, students and teachers for your support at the Scholastic Book Fair during Parent Teacher Conferences in November. Due to everyone’s generosity we raised over $11,958 to support our library collection.

Our next Book Fair will be in March, 2016!!

Carol Singing

During the last four days of school, students will be carol singing in the gym. On our last day of carol singing, Friday, December 18th, all students come together to sing carols in all 3 languages.

This year we would like to add a little Canadian content.  Mummering is a Christmas-time house visiting tradition that has been practiced in Newfoundland since the early 18oo’s.  Mummering involves a group of people, disguised in ridiculous attire, who go to their neighbour's homes to sing, dance and enjoy the season.  Mummers traditionally cover their faces so that their neighbours have to guess who they are, but we will forego this tradition and ask that students not cover their faces.

Information on mummer costumes can be found online.  Costume examples we have discussed in class are; a hockey jersey with a pink wig, wearing clothes inside out and backwards, a bath robe with rubber boots, boys dressed as women and girls dressed as men, etc.; the sillier and more outrageous, the better.  Please remember to dress students in comfortable clothing appropriate to wear outside for recess.

The Week Ahead: December 14 - 18, 2015

Monday, December 14
Grade 5 Vaccinations in the morning
12:00 - 2:00 Grade 3, Rms. 9, 19 & 28 Speed Skating at the Oval
Grade 2 Swimming

Tuesday, December 15
Grade 2 Swimming
10:35 - 11:05 French Carol Singing
11:40 - 12:28 Grade 5 Drama Club
12:00 - 2:00 Grade 3, Rms. 9, 19 & 28 Speed Skating at the Oval
1:06 - 1:36 Spanish Carol Singing

Wednesday, December 16
10:35 - 11:05 Spanish Carol Singing
12:00 - 2:00 Grade 3, Rms. 9, 19 & 28 Speed Skating at the Oval
1:06 - 1:36 French Carol Singing

Thursday, December 17
10:35 - 11:05 French Carol Singing
1:06 - 1:36 Spanish Carol Singing

Friday, December 18
10:10 - 11:10 Carol Singing - All Classes
11:40 - 12:28 Grade 5 Dance Club

New School Bus Passes

Today your child received their new bus pass, known as a ZPass. The Zpass will serve as your child’s bus pass for the year and students should carry the bus pass each day. Like previous bus passes, it should be placed in a secure location in the student’s backpack and be accessible when required. Bus drivers are required to make periodic bus pass checks; no child will ever be refused bus service, even if they are unable to produce their bus pass. Bus drivers will collect names of students who are unable to produce their bus pass when asked and will notify school administration.

Your child will need to carry this pass every day when they are riding a CBE yellow school bus to and from school. Please keep this card safe as there is a $5 charge for replacement ZPasses with pouches.

Not all bus contracts have been processed yet. If your child did not receive a bus pass today we expect the remainder to arrive in the new year.  If your child takes the bus and you have not registered for transportation please register online through your My CBE Account or complete the forms and return them to the school as soon as possible.

The Week Ahead: December 6 - 11, 2015

Sunday, December 6
Deadline to order Special Lunch

Monday, December 7
12:00 - 2:00 Grade 3, Rms. 8, 20 & 26 Speed Skating at the Oval

Tuesday, December 8
Grade 2 Swimming
11:40 - 12:28 Bells
11:40 - 12:28 Grade 5 Drama Club
11:40 - 12:28 Grade 3 Choir, Rms. 9, 19 & 28
12:00 - 2:00 Grade 3, Rms. 8, 20 & 26 Speed Skating at the Oval
2:50 - 3:40 Grade 5 Guitar Lessons (returning students only)
2:45 - 4:45 Gr. 4-5 Calgary After School Program

Wednesday, December 9
Grade 2 Swimming
11:40 - 12:28 Grade 4 Pop Choir Club
12:00 - 2:00 Grade 3, Rms. 8, 20 & 26 Speed Skating at the Oval

Thursday, December 10
Grade 2 Swimming
Dryland Training, Rms. 9, 19 & 28
11:40 - 12:28 Bells
1:00 Grade 3 Choir Dress Rehearsal
2:45 - 4:45 Gr. 4-5 Calgary After School Program
7:00 pm Grade 3 Choir Concert

Friday, December 11
Grade 2 Swimming
Subway Special Lunch
11:40 - 12:28 Grade 5 Pop Choir Club
1:00 Grade 1 Spanish Assembly

Westgate School Casino Fundraiser

Many thanks to the parent volunteers who helped make the Casino fundraiser a huge success! Thanks go out to Tyler, Susannah, Scott, Joelle, Sharleen, Jennifer, Althea , Karin, Sheri, Mike, Sherri, Kirby, Kelcey, Teresa, Miranda, Bev, Paola, JJ, Denise, Tim, William, Scott, Ryan, Jennifer, Jodi, Natasha, Christy, Alison, Aravind, Susan, Kevin, Caroline, Michelle, Mike, Kelly, Aaron, Ken, Guillermo, Diane, Tracy, Gillian, John, Natalie, Alex and Geoff.  What a team, we could not have done it without you!

The numbers are not in but we expect that Westgate School will receive approximately $65,000. Many of the computers, Smart Boards, bussing and sub support for field trips and swimming, classroom resources, music instruments, and much much more, are paid for with these funds.

On behalf of everyone at Westgate, THANK YOU!