September 12, 2025
September 12, 2025
Embedded Files
Next week, we will be learning:
Math
Next week, students are beginning Unit 2! They will add and subtract within 100 using strategies based on place value, properties of operations, and the relationship between addition and subtraction. They'll use what they know to solve story problems later on in the unit.
Phonics
We'll be finishing Unit 2 next week. This will still focus on bonus letters, glued sounds, and r-controlled words.
Writing
Next week, students will begin responding to daily prompts in their Writer's Notebooks to build writing stamina before beginning our first official opinion writing unit the following week.
Thematic
Students are immersed in Life Long Ago. Next week, they will learn how to interview someone and record notes. Grandparents Day is on Wednesday, 9/17 from 9:00 - 9:45am! Please RSVP to let me know if your student's grandparent will be joining us in class. This will help me get a better idea of how I can structure this activity.
Language Arts
Our new Language Arts structure includes 20 minutes of Lexia each day. Students have been working on Silent Sustained Reading and choosing Good Fit Books. We've also been completing "Daily 3" lessons that help students learn grammatical skills.
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Notes from Ms. Kleinman
Hello Families, listed above under Thematic is important information about Grandparents Day coming up next month! Please make sure to review the flyer for information and reach out with any questions! Please remember to RSVP for this event so I can get an approximate head count!
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Westlake News
School Supplies and Field Lesson Donations:
Great news, Explorer families! Westlake Charter School has already reached 26% of our School Supplies donation goal and 12% of our Field Lesson donation goal. Keep up the great work, Explorers! CLICK HERE to make your donation today!
Olympic Triathlon:
We’re aiming for 100% student participation as we come together to support Westlake’s incredible programs. The Olympic Triathlon event is right around the corner on Friday, September 26th. CLICK HERE to watch our Olympic Triathlon Kickoff video.
CLICK HERE to set up a family donation page on the Pledgestar website. You can customize it with your student’s name, a photo, and a donation goal. It is easy to quickly request sponsors via email or text, explaining why Westlake is amazing and how they can help us meet our goal this year.
Prize Levels - Prizes starting on September 9th
🎉 25% Participation – Chips & Drinks for the class!
🍧 50% Participation – Popsicle Party time!
🍩 75% Participation – Donut Party celebration!
🍕 100% Participation – Pizza Party for the win!
$100 Goal Challenge – Prizes & Rewards!
Every student who raises $100 or more will be celebrated with:
✅ Guaranteed Prize – A special Olympic Triathlon medal
✅ Raffle Entry – For every $100 a student raises they’re entered into a raffle for AMAZING prizes:
Top Prize for K-8: eScooter
Top Prize for HS: 🎧 Apple AirPods 4
Additional prizes: Pair of Disneyland tickets, $25 Gift Cards (Amazon, In-N-Out, Jamba Juice, and more!)
💡 The more students who hit the $100 goal, the bigger the celebration for our school community!
Classroom Volunteering 101:
We've launched Classroom Volunteering 101 to give every family the tools and confidence to step into the classroom and make a difference! Our next training sessions are as follows:
In Person: Wednesday, September 17th at 5:00 PM on our K-8 Campus
Online: September 24th at 9:00 AM via video conference - CLICK HERE for the Zoom link
If you aren't able to make it to either, or would prefer to complete this training independently, please CLICK HERE to take our training online whenever it works for you.
Once you've completed Classroom Volunteering 101 either online or in a group, you’ll complete a short form that will let our staff recognize you as a trained classroom volunteer. You can then reach out to your teacher to schedule a time to volunteer in the classroom. When you arrive on campus to volunteer, please check in at the front desk with your photo ID.
CLICK HERE to express interest in volunteering at an upcoming event. We appreciate you and are looking forward to hosting you on campus soon!
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Specialties News
For the Week of 9/15/25:
Next week 2nd grade artists will chose a simple animal to draw and then add watercolor or marker plants and flowers to the background or top of the anmial's head as a decoration. I look forward to seeing these creatures come to life with floral designs!
No update yet.
Hola, familia. This week we will be talking about the fall colors and the activities we do in our favorite season.
Please contact our specialty teachers for any questions!
September 5, 2025
September 5, 2025
Next week, we will be learning:
Math
Next week, students will finish making sense of and interpret tape diagrams. We'll also continue to represent and solve compare problems with unknowns in all positions within 100. Students will be taking their Unit 1 test. A practice packet will be sent home in Friday Folders.
Phonics
We'll begin Unit 2 next week! This will focus on bonus letters, glued sounds, and r-controlled words. A family resource packet will be sent home in Friday Folders.
Writing
Students created a fun, silly monster in their Writer's Notebooks and have begun writing sentences to describe their monster. The focus is on creating strong sentences that include as many details as possible so their readers can "make a movie" in their mind.
Thematic
Students have been learning about artifacts from the past. They even learned about their teacher's past! We'll be connecting the past to their lives now by comparing and contrasting the similarities and differences.
Language Arts
Students will begin practicing to build silent reading stamina in the weeks ahead, as well as various word work exercises to build grammatical skills.
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Notes from Ms. Kleinman
Hello Families, listed above under Thematic is important information about Grandparents Day coming up next month! Please make sure to review the flyer for information and reach out with any questions!
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
Westlake News
School Supplies and Field Lesson Donations:
Great news, Explorer families! Westlake Charter School has already reached 24% of our School Supplies donation goal and 11% of our Field Lesson donation goal. Keep up the great work, Explorers! CLICK HERE to make your donation today!
After School Live - Fall Explorer Enrichment:
Some of our fall Explorer Enrichment classes have begun and others start soon - most classes still have space, so CLICK HERE to see the catalog of Explorer Enrichment course offerings and information about how to sign up. E-mail amayle@westlakecharter.com with scholarship inquiries.
Classroom Volunteering 101:
We've launched Classroom Volunteering 101 to give every family the tools and confidence to step into the classroom and make a difference! Our next training sessions are as follows:
In Person: Wednesday, September 17th at 5:00 PM on our K-8 Campus
Online: September 24th at 9:00 AM via video conference - CLICK HERE for the Zoom link
If you aren't able to make it to either, or would prefer to complete this training independently, please CLICK HERE to take our training online whenever it works for you.
Once you've completed Classroom Volunteering 101 either online or in a group, you’ll complete a short form that will let our staff recognize you as a trained classroom volunteer. You can then reach out to your teacher to schedule a time to volunteer in the classroom. When you arrive on campus to volunteer, please check in at the front desk with your photo ID.
CLICK HERE to express interest in volunteering at an upcoming event. We appreciate you and are looking forward to hosting you on campus soon!
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Specialties News
For the Week of 9/8/25:
Next week 2nd grade artists will begin to practice watercolor painting. We will look at the artwork of Helen Dardik who is an illustrator and painter, as well as Carolyn Gavin. We will take inspiration from these artists to draw an animal of our choice and use watercolor techniques over our drawings.
Greetings Movers! I will be gone this week from Tuesday-Friday. My sub will have the students play Goal Ball which they have played with me before. It incorporates the following skills: hand-eye coordination, using hands as a striking implement to hit a small foam ball, blocking skills, and most importantly positive sportsmanship.
Buenos dias, Explorers! This week we will continue with our Morning Slides routine, where we practice days of the week, emotions, and spelling. We will focusing on speaking.
Please contact our specialty teachers for any questions!
August 29, 2025
August 29, 2025
Next week, we will be learning:
Math
Next week, students will make sense of and interpret tape diagrams. We'll also represent and solve compare problems with unknowns in all positions within 100.
Phonics
We'll officially wrap up Unit 1 next week. Students will continue to learn about CVC words, digraphs, blends, and more!
Writing
This week we have been setting up our Writer's Notebooks with JOT ideas to help students have a list of ideas they can use while they write. Next week, we will begin responding to prompts in our notebooks and work on how we build strong sentences.
Thematic
Students will begin our Life Long Ago unit next week. Within this unit is a very special event we call Grandparents Day. This event will take place on Wednesday, September 17 from 9-9:45am. Students can bring in their grandparents to be interviewed by our class to learn more about what life was like long ago. Flyers have gone home in Friday Folders that detail more information.
Language Arts
Students will begin practicing to build silent reading stamina in the weeks ahead, as well as various word work exercises to build grammatical skills.
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Notes from Ms. Kleinman
Hello Families, listed above under Thematic is important information about Grandparents Day coming up next month! Please make sure to review the flyer for information and reach out with any questions!
Back to School Night slides can be found HERE!
If you were not able to attend Back to School Night, login information for your student's Clever dashboard has been sent home in Friday Folders! Everyone is also getting a Clever badge printout in case your home computer has a camera and you would like to login via QR code.
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Westlake News
Fall Picture Day:
K-8 picture day is NEXT Tuesday, September 2nd. This is a uniform picture day for our K-8 campus. All students will have their picture taken for the yearbook and student IDs, even if they don’t purchase a picture package. CLICK HERE to pre-purchase your pictures online. Group pictures will be taken for Kindergarten through 5th grade classes only.
School Supplies and Field Lesson Donations:
Great news, Explorer families! Westlake Charter School has already reached 20% of our School Supplies donation goal and 8% of our Field Lesson donation goal. Keep up the great work, Explorers! CLICK HERE to make your donation today!
After School Live - Fall Explorer Enrichment:
Some of our fall Explorer Enrichment classes have begun and others start soon - most classes still have space, so CLICK HERE to see the catalog of Explorer Enrichment course offerings and information about how to sign up. E-mail amayle@westlakecharter.com with scholarship inquiries.
Traffic/Parking Reminders: Please be respectful and mindful during our arrival and dismissal process, following traffic rules is an essential part of maintaining a safe environment for children. This includes parking in designated areas, adhering to the instructions of school staff, and obeying traffic laws. Traffic rules help to ensure that students are not in harm’s way when they are entering and exiting vehicles. When drivers obey traffic laws, they are less likely to be in an accident or cause a disruption in the flow of traffic. Additionally, traffic laws help to reduce congestion and provide a safe environment for pedestrians.
Jibe Bike Doctor:
Bike Doc is North Natomas Jibe's free basic bike repair and tune up service. This basic repair service is offered at no cost to our community. Students and families of Westlake Charter School are invited to register to bring in bicycles on September 5th from 3:15 – 6:15 PM. CLICK HERE to book a spot or show up day-of for service first come, first served. (Families can register up to 4 bikes for individual appointments.) Note that not all issues are fixable by Bike Doc in the repair window. These issues can be referred to a bike shop for in-depth service.
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Specialties News
For the Week of 9/2/25:
Second grade artists will continue working on their artist portfolio and learn about new art tools through experience. This time they will trace their bubble letter name and any lines and designs with a sharpie, as well as add color with markers and crayons. I look forward to seeing their talents come together in this art peice that explores personal interests.
Greetings Movers! Next week we will be incorporating stations into our class setup. This will give us an opportunity to practice cooperation in a group setting, we will work on various catching & throwing scenarios, and balancing.
Buenos dias, Explorers! This week we will continue reinforcing our routine, and will introduce the Morning Slides. It's an overview of what we have learned the previous week. We will do hands on activities to talk about what we did over the Summer.
Please contact our specialty teachers for any questions!
August 22, 2025
August 22, 2025
Next week, we will be learning:
Math
Next week, students will interpret picture graphs and bar graphs, represent data using picture graphs and bar graphs, and solve one-step problems using addition and subtraction within 20.
Phonics
We'll wrap up Unit 1 next week. Students will continue to learn about CVC words, digraphs, blends, and more!
Writing
Before beginning their journal setup, students were asked to write about their favorite part of summer vacation. This was a "cold write" assignment for me to gauge where they are at in their writing with little to no instruction first. You will be able to see this writing at Back to School Night! Next week, we will actually begin Writer's Workshop where students learn how they can set up their journals in class. We'll talk about brainstorming ideas and how we can use our journals to express ideas. In the future, students will be writing in their journals as they respond to prompts while working on handwriting skills if needed.
Thematic
Students have been learning about different types of communities (rural, suburban, and urban). Next week, we will introduce a map of North America and practice how to find and label places on a map. Our first assessment will be given on Friday, August 29th.
Language Arts
Students will begin practicing to build silent reading stamina in the weeks ahead, as well as various word work exercises to build grammatical skills.
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Notes from Ms. Kleinman
Hello families, I'm looking forward to seeing everyone at Back to School Night next week! This is a wonderful opportunity to learn about our classroom, all of our upcoming units this year, and understand important teacher-guardian communications. I hope to see you there!
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Westlake News
K-8 Back to School Night:
Our K-8 Back to School Night is NEXT Wednesday, August 27th. To the best of our ability, we would like to keep this event distraction free by encouraging families to make this a non-student event. This will allow for teachers and families to connect in a distraction-free environment. For families that need supervision, our BASE program will be available to help, however, space is potentially limited. If you know that you will need childcare to attend this event, please CLICK HERE to RSVP for BASE as soon as possible so that we can properly prepare.
Kindergarten through 5th Grade Families: We have two identical sessions, you only need to attend one. Session one is 6:00 - 6:30 PM, session two is 6:40 - 7:10 PM. A video from your child's specialty teacher(s) will be available.
6th-8th Grade Families: We have two identical sessions, you only need to attend one. Session one is 5:00 - 5:40 PM, session two is 6:00 - 6:40 PM. During these sessions, you will meet with your student’s core teachers and specialty teachers. Your students are creating your schedule for the evening.
Fall Picture Day:
K-8 picture day will be on Tuesday, September 2nd. This is a uniform picture day for our K-8 campus. All students will have their picture taken for the yearbook and student IDs, even if they don’t purchase a picture package. CLICK HERE to pre-purchase your pictures online. Group pictures will be taken for Kindergarten through 5th grade classes only.
Free and Reduced Price Meals:
Families, each year it is incredibly important to our school that we are able to account for every student during this form collection process. We are authorized by the Natomas Unified School District and as a part of our partnership, we commit to collecting these forms from every family. Physical copies of the 2025-26 application will be available at Meet the Teacher. Please complete this form for every student in your family and return it to either front office. While meals remain free for all students this school year, this is important data for our Charter authorization.
CLICK HERE to complete the Free and Reduced Price Meals (FRPM) acknowledgement form which will allow us to ensure everyone has received this information. Even if you don’t think you qualify for free or reduced priced meals, please complete the form for our tracking purposes.
CLICK HERE to complete the FRPM application online.
After School Live - Fall Explorer Enrichment:
Our fall Explorer Enrichment starts soon! CLICK HERE to see the catalog of Explorer Enrichment course offerings and information about how to sign up. E-mail amayle@westlakecharter.com with scholarship inquiries.
Learning Lab:
The Learning Lab is open to Middle School Explorers after school on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays from 3:15 - 3:45 PM. The Learning Lab is staffed by an Instructional Aide to assist Middle School students with their classwork and homework. Families should sign up their Middle School student(s) using School Dismissal Manager.
JIBE Bike Doctor:
Bike Doc is North Natomas Jibe's free basic bike repair and tune up service. This basic repair service is offered at no cost to our community. Students and families of Westlake Charter School are invited to register to bring in bicycles on September 5th from 3:15 – 6:15 PM. CLICK HERE to book a spot or show up day-of for service first come, first served. (Families can register up to 4 bikes for individual appointments.) Note that not all issues are fixable by Bike Doc in the repair window. These issues can be referred to a bike shop for in-depth service.
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Specialties News
For the Week of 8/25/25:
Art (Mrs. Ascheman)
Second grade artists will begin working on their artist portfolios where they will keep their artwork for the year. They will be introduced to pencils and erasers to draw their name in a bubble letter style.
Greetings Movers! Next week we will be continuing group and collaborative play with cooperative ganes to help build a positive learning PE environment.
Buenos dias, explorers! This week we will continue reinforcing our classroom expectations and procedures. We will practice to use the different areas of the classroom with a new color and number coded system. We will work on a collaboration activity, and discover the different ways to have fun while learning.
Please contact our specialty teachers for any questions!
August 15, 2025
August 15, 2025
Welcome to Second Grade! Next week, we will be learning:
Math
Students will begin Unit 1 in math where they will represent and solve story problems within 20 through the context of picture and bar graphs that represent categorical data. Students build toward fluency with addition and subtraction. A support packet will be sent home in Friday Folders.
Phonics
We'll begin a phonics orientation as we jump into Unit 1 next week. Students will learn about CVC words, digraphs, blends, and more! A support packet will be sent home in Friday Folders.
Writing
We will begin Writer's Workshop where students learn how they can set up their journals in class. We'll talk about brainstorming ideas and how we can use our journals to express ideas. In the future, students will be writing in their journals as they respond to prompts while working on handwriting skills if needed.
Thematic
Our first thematic unit of the year is all about maps! Students will learn how to understand and use map skills to describe the locations of people, places, and environments.
Language Arts
Students will begin practicing to build silent reading stamina in the weeks ahead, as well as various word work exercises to build grammatical skills.
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Notes from Ms. Kleinman
Hello Explorer families and welcome to a new school year! We're off to a great start already and I'm looking forward to learning more about each student in the year ahead.
As a reminder, All About Me bags went home at Meet the Teacher or after the first day school if you were not able to attend Meet the Teacher. Please remember to send your student to school with their bag in their backpack. Throughout next week, students will be taking turns to share their bags with their classmates to build community. I'm looking forward to seeing all the things that are important to them! Please make sure they are not coming to school with anything irreplaceable or valuable- they can draw a picture of that item instead.
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Westlake News
K-8 Back to School Night:
Our K-8 Back to School Night is on Wednesday, August 27th. To the best of our ability, we would like to keep this event distraction free by encouraging families to make this a non-student event. This will allow for teachers and families to connect in a distraction-free environment. For families that need supervision, our BASE program will be available to help, however, space is potentially limited. If you know that you will need childcare to attend this event, please CLICK HERE to RSVP for BASE as soon as possible so that we can properly prepare.
Kindergarten through 5th Grade Families: We have two identical sessions, you only need to attend one. Session one is 6:00 - 6:30 PM, session two is 6:40 - 7:10 PM. A video from your child's specialty teacher(s) will be available.
6th-8th Grade Families: We have two identical sessions, you only need to attend one. Session one is 5:00 - 5:40 PM, session two is 6:00 - 6:40 PM. During these sessions, you will meet with your student’s core teachers and specialty teachers. Your students are creating your schedule for the evening.
Fall Picture Day:
K-8 picture day will be on Tuesday, September 2nd. This is a uniform picture day for our K-8 campus. All students will have their picture taken for the yearbook and student IDs, even if they don’t purchase a picture package. CLICK HERE to pre-purchase your pictures online. Group pictures will be taken for Kindergarten through 5th grade classes only.
Free and Reduced Price Meals:
Families, each year it is incredibly important to our school that we are able to account for every student during this form collection process. We are authorized by the Natomas Unified School District and as a part of our partnership, we commit to collecting these forms from every family. Physical copies of the 2025-26 application will be available at Meet the Teacher. Please complete this form for every student in your family and return it to either front office. While meals remain free for all students this school year, this is important data for our Charter authorization.
CLICK HERE to complete the Free and Reduced Price Meals (FRPM) acknowledgement form which will allow us to ensure everyone has received this information. Even if you don’t think you qualify for free or reduced priced meals, please complete the form for our tracking purposes.
CLICK HERE to complete the FRPM application online.
After School Live - Fall Explorer Enrichment:
Our fall Explorer Enrichment starts soon! CLICK HERE to see the catalog of Explorer Enrichment course offerings and information about how to sign up. E-mail amayle@westlakecharter.com with scholarship inquiries.
Learning Lab:
The Learning Lab will open to Middle School Explorers after school on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays from 3:15 - 3:45 PM beginning Monday, August 18th. The Learning Lab is staffed by an Instructional Aide to assist Middle School students with their classwork and homework. Families should sign up their Middle School student(s) using School Dismissal Manager.
JIBE Bike Doctor:
Bike Doc is North Natomas Jibe's free basic bike repair and tune up service. This basic repair service is offered at no cost to our community. Students and families of Westlake Charter School are invited to register to bring in bicycles on September 5th from 3:15 – 6:15 PM. CLICK HERE to book a spot or show up day-of for service first come, first served. (Families can register up to 4 bikes for individual appointments.) Note that not all issues are fixable by Bike Doc in the repair window. These issues can be referred to a bike shop for in-depth service.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
Specialties News
For the Week of 8/18/25:
Art (Mrs. Ascheman)
Welcome Artists! Next week we will be learning about the expectations in the art room and discover a tool we will use to create artwork!
Greetings Movers! Next week we will be getting to know one another, establishing class expectations in the gym, and discovering ways to safely move our bodies in personal space & personal space
Buenos dias, explorers! This week we will be learning about the expectations and procedures to succeed in the Spanish classroom. We will know how to use the new classroom materials, and the different ways to have fun while learning.
Please contact our specialty teachers for any questions!
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