May 3, 2024

Good afternoon, families!

See below for what we have been learning in class. 

ELA:

• #classroombookaday challenge update: It is my goal to read 180 books to the class by the end of the year. By Thursday afternoon, I have read  110 books to the class. Ask your explorer what was their favorite read aloud this week. 

• We continued Unit 15 in Phonics this week which focuses on the sounds: ew, ue, oo.  Next week, students will be assessed. 

 Math:

• We continued Unit 9. In section B, students reviewed adding and subtracting within 1,000 using strategies based on place value. They will be reassessed on these concepts on Monday. 

Thematic Unit:

• We continued our thematic unit, Government. This week, we dove deeper into our study of the three branches. 

Resources:

• Family Support Letter for Math for Unit 9 (click link)

• Family Support video for Unit 9 (click link)

• Be sure your child knows how to spell the following trick words: January, February, July 

Assessments:

• week of May 6- Government assessment

• week of May 6- Math Unit 5 and 7 retakes

Westlake Weekly Information:

K-8 Field Day:

Mark your calendars for our K-8 Field Day on Thursday, June 6th. Help us end an amazing year by signing up to volunteer or make a donation for Field Day. CLICK HERE to volunteer or make donations to Field Day.

Families, we need your help! This year, June 6th will be a free dress day and each grade level will represent their grade level by wearing a different colored t-shirt. Please see below for what color shirt to have your child wear that day!

• Kinder - Red

• 1st - Orange

• 2nd - Yellow

• 3rd - Green

• 4th - Blue

• 5th - Purple

• 6th - Black

• 7th - Blue

• 8th - Tie-Dye

Upcoming Dates: 

• May 15: Open House

• May 16: WAVE Meeting

• May 17: WAVE Coffee Talk 

• May 24: Spirit Day-Book Character Day

• May 27: No School- Memorial Day

• June 6: Last Day of School

Have a wonderful weekend with your loved ones!

Mrs. Simental 

April 12, 2024

Good afternoon, families!

See below for what we have been learning in class. 

ELA:

• #classroombookaday challenge update: It is my goal to read 180 books to the class by the end of the year. By Thursday afternoon, I have read  109 books to the class. Ask your explorer what was their favorite read aloud this week. 

• We wrapped up Unit 14 in Phonics. We will begin Unit 15 after the break. 

• We finished up our Fairytale Unit. 

 Math:

• We finished up Unit 8 and students were assessed. After the break, we will begin Unit 9. In this unit, students consolidate and solidify their understanding of various concepts and skills related to the major work of this grade. They also continue to work toward fluency goals of the grade.    

Thematic Unit:

• We wrapped up our unit, Matter. We will wait to begin our next thematic unit, Government, until after Spring Break. 

Resources:

• Family Support Letter for Math for Unit 9 (click link)

• Family Support video for Unit 9 (click link)

• Be sure your child knows how to spell the following trick words: January, February, July 

Assessments:

• none at this time

Westlake Weekly Information:

19th Annual International Festival:

Our 19th Annual International Festival is just around the corner on Saturday, April 27th!  This community event is a family favorite that helps celebrate Westlake’s diversity.  In order to continue to host this spectacular event, we need your support.  It’s not too late to sign up to plan,  volunteer at the event, donate equipment, bake or purchase desserts for the Dessert Walk, or host a cultural booth.

• Cultural Booths: We currently have 10 booths signed up, but our goal is to see as many countries and cultures represented as possible. Cultural Booth hosts may provide a small sampling of native cuisine, cultural artifacts, and/or a children’s activity/game - the booth can be as simple or complex as you would like. Hosts are reimbursed up to $150 for booth expenses. CLICK HERE to sign up to host a Cultural Booth.

• Dessert Walk: Want to show off your baking skills? CLICK HERE to donate desserts for the Dessert Walk. 

• Equipment & Supplies: Equipment and supply donations are also needed (pop-up tents, ice chests, tables, drinks, ice). CLICK HERE  to sign up to donate or lend us your equipment.

• Volunteers: The success of this event greatly depends on the support of our volunteers. There are still many opportunities available and it is a chance to get those volunteer hours in during the last trimester! CLICK HERE to sign up for a shift.

• CLICK HERE to visit the website for all of the details about this year’s International Festival.

Upcoming Dates: 

• April 12: Progress Reports go home

• April 15-22: Spring Break 

• April 23: Coffee Talk at the HS

• April 26: Spirit Day- Cultural Day

• April 27: International Festival

• May 1: WAVE Meeting

Have a wonderful weekend with your loved ones!

Mrs. Simental 

March 29, 2024

Good afternoon, families!

See below for what we have been learning in class. 

ELA:

• #classroombookaday challenge update: It is my goal to read 180 books to the class by the end of the year. By Thursday afternoon, I have read  101 books to the class. Ask your explorer what was their favorite read aloud this week. 

• We continued Unit 13 in Phonics. Next week, we will wrap up Unit 13 and begin Unit 14 which will focus on the sounds: ou and ow. 

• We continued our Fairytale unit. We read Goldilocks and the Bears and another version titled, Goldilocks and the Three Hares. Students compared and contrasted the two. Next week, we will study the fairytale Little Red Riding Hood. 

 Math:

• We began Unit 8, Equal Groups. In this unit, students will work with equal groups of objects to gain foundations for multiplication. Check your child's blue folder for practice worksheets. 

Thematic Unit:

• We began our new unit, Matter. This week, students learned about the different properties of objects. For the next couple of  weeks, we will be conducting experiments. Click here to donate materials needed for our science experiments. Thank you in advance! 

Resources:

• Family Support Letter for Math for Unit 8 (click link)

• Family Support video for Unit 8 (click link)

• Be sure your child knows how to spell the following trick words: Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday

Assessments:

• Week of April 1-Matter cumulative assessment

Westlake Weekly Information:

Community Giving - Used Book Drive:

The Community Giving Middle School elective students are partnering with the Friends of the Sacramento Public Library.  From March 25th - April 5th, they will be accepting donations of undamaged, gently used books to be distributed to kids and organizations in need. Students may place books in the book bin in their grade level flex space, the front office, or Mrs. Hubbard’s classroom (G106).  If you have any questions please contact Mrs. Hubbard at shubbard@westlakecharter.com.

K-8 Spring Picture Day:

Spring picture day is Friday, April 5th.  All students will have free dress. Only students who have prepaid AND filled out the form will be sent to the photographer to have their picture taken. Forms were sent home on Friday. CLICK HERE if you would like to have your student’s spring picture taken, please fill out the form above AND prepay online or send payment in the packet. All 8th grade students should dress to impress - pictures for promotion certificates will be taken that day.

Upcoming Dates: 

• April 3: WAVE Meeting

• April 5: Spring Picture Day

• April 15-22: Spring Break 

• April 23: Coffee Talk at the HS

• April 26: Spirit Day- Cultural Day

• April 27: International Festival

• May 1: WAVE Meeting

Have a wonderful weekend with your loved ones!

Mrs. Simental 

March 15, 2024

Good afternoon, families!

See below for what we have been learning in class. 

ELA:

• #classroombookaday challenge update: It is my goal to read 180 books to the class by the end of the year. By Thursday afternoon, I have read  98 books to the class. Ask your explorer what was their favorite read aloud this week. 

• We started Unit 13 in Phonics. In this unit, we will focus on the long o sound and the vowel combinations, oa, oe, and ow.

• We also started our Fairytale unit. We learned  the elements of a fairytale and students began writing their own fairytale. We also read The Three Little Pigs and another version titled, No Lie, Pigs (and their houses) Can Fly. Students compared and contrasted the two. Next week, we will study the fairytale Goldilocks and the Three Bears. 

 Math:

• We assessed on Unit 7. Your child's results will be on the upcoming progress report. Next week, we will begin Unit 8, Equal Groups. In this unit, students will work with equal groups of objects to gain foundations for multiplication. 

Thematic Unit:

• We began our new unit, Matter. This week, students learned about the different properties of objects. For the next couple of  weeks, we will be conducting experiments. Click here to donate materials needed for our science experiments. Thank you in advance! 

Resources:

• Family Support Letter for Math for Unit 8 (click link)

• Family Support video for Unit 8 (click link)

• Be sure your child knows how to spell the following trick words: Monday, Tuesday, cousin, lose, tomorrow, beautiful

Assessments:

• Week of April 1-Matter cumulative assessment

Westlake Weekly Information:

Community Giving - Used Book Drive:

The Community Giving Middle School elective students are partnering with the Friends of the Sacramento Public Library.  From March 25th - April 5th, they will be accepting donations of undamaged, gently used books to be distributed to kids and organizations in need. Students may place books in the book bin in their grade level flex space, the front office, or Mrs. Hubbard’s classroom (G106).  If you have any questions please contact Mrs. Hubbard at shubbard@westlakecharter.com.

K-8 Spring Picture Day:

Spring picture day is Friday, April 5th.  All students will have free dress. Only students who have prepaid AND filled out the form will be sent to the photographer to have their picture taken. Forms were sent home on Friday. CLICK HERE if you would like to have your student’s spring picture taken, please fill out the form above AND prepay online or send payment in the packet. All 8th grade students should dress to impress - pictures for promotion certificates will be taken that day.

Upcoming Dates: 

• April 3: WAVE Meeting

• April 5: Spring Picture Day

• April 15-22: Spring Break 

• April 26: Spirit Day- Cultural Day

• April 27: International Festival

Have a wonderful weekend with your loved ones!

Mrs. Simental 

March 1, 2024

Good afternoon, families!

Happy March! I look forward to meeting with you next week to discuss your child's progress. Read on to see what we explored this week. 

ELA:

• #classroombookaday challenge update: It is my goal to read 180 books to the class by the end of the year. By Thursday afternoon, I have read  87 books to the class. Ask your explorer what was their favorite read aloud this week. 

• We began Unit 11. We will continue to work the new vowel digraph syllable type, with a focus on the long e sound. 

 Math:

• We began Unit 7, Addition and Subtraction within 1000. In Section A, students add or subtract within 1,000 where they do not make or break apart a ten or hundred. The number line diagram is used to help students recognize that when numbers are relatively close, they can count on or count back to calculate the difference.  

Thematic Unit:

•  This week, we continued our Difference Makers unit. This week, students are working on completing their speech outlines and memorizing their speeches.  If your child has finished typing their speech outline, I have placed a copy in their blue folder. Please have them practice at home. On the day of the showcase, it is highly encouraged that your child dress as their difference maker. In the past I have dressed as Sonia Sotomayor, Cesar Chavez, and Dolores Huerta. I have shopped my closet or my parents' closet to gather materials. Be creative! Please reach out if you have questions. Remember, our showcase is Wednesday, March 13 at 9am.  

Resources:

• Family Support Letter for Math for Unit 7 (click link)

• Family Support video for Unit 7 (click link)

• Be sure your child knows how to spell the following trick words: whose, won, son

Assessments:

• Unit 7- tentatively scheduled for week of March 18

Westlake Weekly Information:

K-12 Conference Week:

Conference week is next week, March 4th - 8th.  CLICK HERE to schedule your conference.  We strive to have  100% of our families meet with their teacher! The online scheduler is available to families through March 3rd so reserve your conference time now. CLICK HERE for instructions on how to use the online scheduler.  Remember, during conference week we will dismiss early to allow time for teachers to meet with each of our families – Kindergarten will dismiss at 1:00 PM and 1st–8th grade will dismiss at 1:30 PM, and High School will dismiss at 1:30 PM. Our K-8 BASE program will be open after school until 6:00 PM each day.

Pedestrian Safety Campaign Launch:

From March 4th-8th, we're launching a Pedestrian Safety Campaign! Look for safety pledge forms in your child's backpack for both you and your students to sign and return. Students will receive an “I pledged” sticker to add to our pledge wall in the cafeteria (and a sweet treat)! 

We will also have class and grade level competitions where students will receive tickets as rewards when observed using crosswalks, participating in the Walking School Bus, or safely entering and exiting parked cars. These tickets contribute to exciting competitions for classroom and grade level prizes. Let's prioritize safety and make pedestrian awareness a fun and rewarding experience for all! We need your help to make this a success.  CLICK HERE to sign up to help.  CLICK HERE for a video.

Missoula Children’s Theater Company:
On Monday, March  4th at 1:45 PM, all K-8 students are welcome to audition for Missoula Theater Company's production of Peter & Wendy. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to be in a professional show. CLICK HERE for details.  CLICK HERE to RSVP to audition.

K-8 Yearbook Orders: 

CLICK HERE to order your 2023-24 K-8 yearbook directly through TreeRing and get two pages to personalize with your own pictures! Use code 101667583471473 or see the email with the link to purchase. Order by May 1st for guaranteed delivery the last week of school. Need help? Contact: Mrs. Liechti at kliechti@westlakecharter.com.

Upcoming Dates: 

• March 4-8: Conferences (Early dismissal all week)

• March 4-10: Missoula Children's Theatre

• March 6: WAVE meeting at 6pm

• March 15: Spirit Day-Super Bright Day

• March 15: Coffee Talk at 8:30 am

Have a wonderful weekend with your loved ones!

Mrs. Simental 

February 9, 2024

Good afternoon, families!

I know that next Wednesday is Valentine's Day. If your child would like to bring in cards/treats for the class, please do not send in items with gelatin, mango, or sesame seeds/oil as an ingredient as we have allergies. Also, for a quicker distribution, please just write from: Your child's name. Thank you for your cooperation. 

Read on to see what we explored this week. 

ELA:

• #classroombookaday challenge update: It is my goal to read 180 books to the class by the end of the year. By Thursday afternoon, I have read  84 books to the class. Ask your explorer what was their favorite read aloud this week. 

• We continued Unit 10 in Phonics. Next week, we will wrap up this unit and move on to Unit 11. 

 Math:

• This week, we reviewed telling time. We reviewed time to the hour, half hour, quarter hour, and quarter till. Next week, we will review counting combinations of coins. After the break, we will begin Unit 7. Workbooks were sent home with your child. 

Thematic Unit:

•  This week, we continued our Difference Makers unit. This week, students learned about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Malala Yousafzai. Most of the class has chosen their difference maker that they will research. Ask your child who he/she chose. Next month, students will present their research in our Difference Maker Showcase. Check your child's blue folder for more information. 

Resources:

• Family Support Letter for Math for Unit 6 (click link)

• Family Support video for Unit 6 (click link)

• Be sure your child knows how to spell the following trick words: great, country, away, school, America, thought

Assessments:

• In the upcoming weeks, students will be tested on phonics skills, trick words, and running records. 

Westlake Weekly Information:

• On Thursday, February 15th, our 2nd Grade classes will be going to B Street Theater. As of February 7th, we have only received 41% of our grade level goal. Help us to continue to host these engaging field lessons to extend our Explorers’ learning! Please access the QR code on the field lesson permission slip coming home soon or CLICK HERE to donate for grade level field lessons.

• During the week of March 4th, all second graders will have the opportunity to participate in a Gifted & Talented Education (GATE) eligibility assessment during their regular school day.  Permission slips for your child to participate in this assessment are coming home today and are due Friday, February 16.  If you have questions about our GATE program or the assessment process, please email Heather Chastain, TOSA, Student Support Services at hchastain@westlakecharter.com.

• K-12 Talent Show:

You are invited!  Join us in the K-8 gymnasium on Friday, February 16th @ 6:00 PM for our K-12 Talent Show! Come show your WCS spirit by supporting our performers! Don’t miss this year’s staff dance!  The event is free.

• Pedestrian Safety Campaign Launch:

Mark your calendars! From February 26th-March 8th, WCS will be launching a Pedestrian Safety Campaign based on data collected in the neighborhood  that was analyzed by our amazing parent and community partnerships. We need adult volunteers to help at arrival and dismissal during the week of March 4th-March 8th. Thank you for your participation and partnership in keeping our students safe!  CLICK HERE to sign up.

• Missoula Children’s Theater Company:
  On Monday, March  4th at 1:45 PM, all K-8 students are welcome to audition for Missoula Theater Company's production of Peter & Wendy. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to be in a professional show. CLICK HERE for details.  CLICK HERE to RSVP to audition.

Upcoming Dates: 

• February 16: Talent Show 6pm

• February 16: Spirit Day- Decades Day

• February 19-23: February break-No School

• March 4-8: Conferences (Early dismissal all week)

• March 4-10: Missoula Children's Theatre

Have a wonderful weekend with your loved ones!

Mrs. Simental 

January 26, 2024

Good afternoon, families!

Read on to see what we explored this week. 

ELA:

• #classroombookaday challenge update: It is my goal to read 180 books to the class by the end of the year. By Thursday afternoon, I have read  75 books to the class. Ask your explorer what was their favorite read aloud this week. 

• We finished Unit 9 in Phonics and started Unit 10. In Unit 10, students will learn a new syllable type. This new syllable type is called the "D" syllable because it contains a double vowel combination, two vowels next to each other such as ai in bait. 

 Math:

• We continued Unit 6 and started section C. In this section, students will tell and write time from analog and digital clocks to the nearest five minutes, using am and pm. 

Thematic Unit:

• We will wrap up our Biodiversity unit this week. Next week, we will begin our Difference Makers unit. In this unit, students will learn about people who made a difference in their community. 

Resources:

• Family Support Letter for Math for Unit 6 (click link)

• Family Support video for Unit 6 (click link)

• Be sure your child knows how to spell the following trick words: great, country, away

Assessments:

• None at this time

Westlake Weekly Information:

• K-12 Talent Show:

The K-12 Talent Show Performance will be on Friday, February 16th @ 6:00 PM.

• K-5 Family Dance: 

Join us for WAVE’s Inaugural K-5 Family Dance entitled “Enchanted Evening”  held on Saturday, February 3rd at 5:30 PM. Tickets are $15 each and may be purchased as follows until the event is sold out:

• Purchase in person at the Maybrook Gate each morning. Payments can be made with cash or card. 

• Purchase via Venmo (Username: @wave-foundation). Please include your family name and the number of tickets in the description.

• CLICK HERE for the invitation

• CLICK HERE to volunteer and to donate food and drinks

• CLICK HERE to be directed to WAVE’s Amazon wishlist

Upcoming Dates: 

• February 3: K-5 Family Dance 5:30pm

• February 16: Talent Show 6pm

• February 19-23: February break-No School

• March 4-10: Missoula Children's Theatre

Have a wonderful weekend with your loved ones!

Mrs. Simental 

January 12, 2024

Good afternoon, families!

Happy New Year! Read on to see what we explored this week. 

ELA:

• #classroombookaday challenge update: It is my goal to read 180 books to the class by the end of the year. By Thursday afternoon, I have read 67 books to the class. Ask your explorer what was their favorite read aloud this week. 

• We started Unit 9.  In this unit, students will work on the other r-controlled vowels (er, ir, and ur). Those r-controlled combinations are not usually difficult for reading but they can tricky for spelling. 

 Math:

• We began Unit 6. In the first section, we will study the attributes of shapes. 

Thematic Unit:

• We started our unit on biodiversity. During this unit, students will be studying and researching different habitat types. 

Resources:

• Family Support Letter for Math for Unit 6 (click link)

• Family Support video for Unit 6 (click link)

• Be sure your child knows how to spell the following trick words: picture, learn, earth

Assessments:

• None at this time

Westlake Weekly Information:

• Learning Lab:

We want to invite 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students to the Learning Lab after school.  The Learning Lab is staffed by an instructional aide to assist Middle School students with their classwork and homework.  Families can sign up their Middle School student(s) by using School Dismissal Manager.  The Learning Lab is open Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays from 3:15 - 3:45 PM.

• K-12 Talent Show Sign-Ups – Due Tuesday, January 23rd:

CLICK HERE to sign up to audition to be a host, perform a talent, or be part of the stage crew team! Audition sign ups are due Tuesday, January 23, 2024.

• Auditions: Tuesday, January 30, 2024

• Talent Show Performance: Friday, February 16th @ 6:00 PM

Upcoming Dates: 

• January 15: Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday- No School

• January 17: WAVE Board Meeting 6pm K-8 Library

• January 19: Coffee Talk 8:30am K-8 Covered Dining

• February 3: K-5 Family Dance 5:30pm

• February 16: Talent Show 6pm

• March 4-10: Missoula Children's Theatre

Have a wonderful weekend with your loved ones!

Mrs. Simental 

December 15, 2023

Good afternoon, families!

Read on to see what we explored this week. 

ELA:

• #classroombookaday challenge update: It is my goal to read 180 books to the class by the end of the year. By Thursday afternoon, I have read 64 books to the class. Ask your explorer what was their favorite read aloud this week. 

• We completed Unit 8. After the break, we will start Unit 9.  In this unit, students will work on the other r-controlled vowels (er, ir, and ur). Those r-controlled combinations are not usually difficult for reading but they can tricky for spelling. 

• We reviewed non-fiction text features using Scholastic News articles. Can your child locate headings, bolded words, captions, photographs in a non-fiction text? Does your child know the purpose of the aforementioned features? 

 Math:

• We continued Unit 5 and wrapped up Section A. In Section B, students will compare and order three digit numbers using place value understanding and the relative position of numbers on a number line. They will also represent whole numbers up to 1,000 as lengths from 0 on a number line. 

Thematic Unit:

• We wrapped up our thematic unit on Economy and students were assessed. 

Social Emotional Learning:

• Our class is discussing how everyone can change, and that means we will have many opportunities to grow, learn, and try new things. Focusing on our abilities to grow, learn, and change can help us persist in trying new things. 

Resources:

• Family Support Letter for Math for Unit 5 (click link)

• Family Support video for Unit 5 (click link)

• Check your child's blue folder for Math resources to prepare for the upcoming Math test.

• Be sure your child knows how to spell the following trick words: world, answer, different

Assessments:

• Non-fiction Text features assessment- week of Dec. 18

• Unit 5 Math test-week of Dec. 18

Westlake Weekly Information:

• Family Survey:

The Family Survey is taken three times a year. CLICK HERE to answer six questions to rate your family's experience at Westlake Charter School during the 2023-24 school year. The deadline is Thursday, December 21st.

• Attendance:

Our “HERE FOR THE HOT COCOA!” competition is in full swing!  Our 3rd graders continue to lead the challenge but 1st graders are hot on their heels for the hot cocoa!  The grade levels with the highest average attendance from 11/27 to 12/21 will receive an exclusive Hot Cocoa party after Winter Break. Let's make attendance a fun thing together!

• Spirit Day - Pajama Day:

Thursday, December 21st is pajama day! Students and staff can show their spirit by wearing pajamas. Please remember to follow the dress code guidelines below for spirit day:

• Clothes must be free of inappropriate wording and images

• All shirts must have sleeves, no sleeveless shirts.

• All clothing must be free of rips and tears

• All clothing must fit properly. Pants around the natural waist, tops completely covering the torso area

• K-12 Talent Show Sign-Ups – Due Tuesday, January 23rd:

CLICK HERE to sign up to audition to be a host, perform a talent, or be part of the stage crew team! Audition sign ups are due: Tuesday, January 23, 2024

• Auditions: Tuesday, January 30, 2024

• Talent Show Performance: Friday, February 16th @ 6:00 PM

Upcoming Dates: 

• December 20: Holidays Around the World

• December 21: Spirit Day-Pajama Day

• December 22-January 8: Winter Break

Have a wonderful weekend with your loved ones!

Mrs. Simental 

December 1, 2023

Good afternoon, families!

Happy December! Read on to see what we explored this week. 

ELA:

• #classroombookaday challenge update: It is my goal to read 180 books to the class by the end of the year. By Thursday afternoon, I have read 60 books to the class. Ask your explorer what was their favorite read aloud this week. 

• We continued Unit 7. This unit focuses on the open syllable. The open syllable has only one vowel and it does not have a consonant after it. I will also introduce y as a vowel. In a one syllable word, y has the long i sound and in cry and in multi-syllabic words it usually has the long e sound as in baby. 

 Math:

• We continued Section B. In Section B, students will represent sums and differences on a number line. I am sending home a packet of practice problems to prepare for the upcoming assessment next week. 

Thematic Unit:

• We started our unit on Economy. This week, students learned the Journey of a Strawberry from the farm to the fork. Ask your child what they remember. 

Social Emotional Learning:

• Our class is learning about the diversity of activities and experiences and how we can become aware of and challenge stereotypes. 

Resources:

• Family Support Letter for Math for Unit 4 (click link)

• Family Support video for Unit 4 (click link)

• Check your child's folder for Section B practice problems. 

• Be sure your child knows how to spell the following trick words: eight, large, change, family, every, city

Assessments:

• Math assessment- week of Dec. 4

• Economy assessment- week of Dec. 18

Westlake Weekly Information:

• Exciting Opportunity to help Build our High School!

• NUSD is asking for feedback from the community about which future construction projects are the highest priority.  Please make sure your voice is heard.  We encourage you to share your feelings about the need for a permanent high school campus for our students. You can describe why a permanent high school campus is important and what types of features you would like to see. For example, modern safety features, access to high quality athletics facilities, access to green space, and more. 

Please take 3-5 minutes to share your thoughts for future construction projects using this NUSD Thought Exchange, before December 9, 2023. You can also “upvote” ideas and feedback left by others to help the district understand what is most important to you.

• 2024-25  Lottery Application Window Opens December 1st:

• Our 2024-25  lottery is now open, including our freshman, sophomore, junior and senior classes at Westlake Charter High School! Current students do not need to fill out an application to continue their enrollment at WCS; however, siblings do need to fill out lottery applications to attend. Spread the word and encourage friends and family to visit JoinWestlake.com to apply today.

• Toy Drive:

• We have partnered with the Natomas Chamber of Commerce for their annual Toy Drive.  Drop off new, unwrapped toys in either of our Front Offices by Friday, December 8th.  No time to shop? CLICK HERE for the Amazon Wish List that has been set up by the Natomas Chamber of Commerce and items will be delivered directly to them.

• Attendance:

• We have kicked off our “HERE FOR THE HOT COCOA!” competition!  So far, our 5th and 8th grade Explorers are in the lead with 96% attendance!!  The grade levels with the highest average attendance from 11/27 to 12/21 will receive an exclusive Hot Cocoa party after Winter Break. Let's make attendance a fun thing together!

Upcoming Dates: 

• December 21: Spirit Day-Pajama Day

• December 22-January 8: Winter Break

Thank you for reading this far. We have exhausted all of our snacks. If you could donate more, our class would greatly appreciate it. Thank you so much! 

Have a wonderful weekend with your loved ones!

Mrs. Simental 

November 10, 2023

Good afternoon, families!

Read on to see what we explored this week. 

ELA:

• #classroombookaday challenge update: It is my goal to read 180 books to the class by the end of the year. By Thursday afternoon, I have read 58 books to the class. Ask your explorer what was their favorite read aloud this week. 

• We continued Unit 6. This week we practiced reading and marking multi-syllabic words.

 Math:

• We began Unit 4, Addition and Subtraction on the Number Line. In Section A, students will represent whole numbers within 100 as lengths from 0 on a number line and understand the structure of a number line. 

Thematic Unit:

• We continued our unit on Plants. This week, students learned about seed dispersal and plant adaptations. 

Social Emotional Learning:

• Our class is learning what it means to understand and feel what someone else is feeling-to have empathy- and how being empathetic demonstrates kindness, generosity, and caring towards them. 

Resources:

• Family Support Letter for Math for Unit 4 (click link)

• Family Support video for Unit 4 (click link)

• Be sure your child knows how to spell the following trick words: only, house, move, right, place, together

Assessments:

• Plant assessment-week of Nov. 13

Westlake Weekly Information:

• K-8 Conference Week:

Our goal is for 100% of families to attend their Parent-Teacher Conference this week! CLICK HERE to schedule your conference. As of November 8th, 74% of families had signed up. The online scheduler is available through November 12th, so reserve your conference time now! CLICK HERE for instructions on how to use the online scheduler.  Remember, during Conference Week, Kindergarten will dismiss at 1:00 PM and 1st–8th grade will dismiss at 1:30 PM. Our BASE program will be open after school until 6:00 PM each day. 

• Supporting Your Student and Their Academic Habits, K-12:

On Wednesday, November 15th, from 6:00 - 7:00 PM, our counselors will be facilitating a workshop for parents/guardians geared towards building student academic habits. Topics such as time management, study habits, perseverance, and advocacy will be covered. Come for an evening of learning and collaboration!  CLICK HERE to RSVP, which is encouraged but not mandatory to attend.

Upcoming Dates: 

• November 10: Veterans Day-No school

• November 13-17: Conference week (early dismissal daily)

• November 20-24: Thanksgiving break

• November 29: Chili Cook-off

• December 21: Spirit Day-Pajama Day

• December 22

Please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions. 

Have a wonderful weekend with your loved ones!

Mrs. Simental 

October 27, 2023

Good afternoon, families!

Read on to see what we explored this week. 

ELA:

• #classroombookaday challenge update: It is my goal to read 180 books to the class by the end of the year. By Thursday afternoon, I have read 55 books to the class. Ask your explorer what was their favorite read aloud this week. 

• We wrapped up Unit 5 in Phonics. Next week, we will begin Unit 6. In Unit 6, we will learn about the second type of syllable, v-e syllable, which stands for vowel-consonant- e syllable. In this unit, your child will also learn when the consonant s is between two vowels, the s may have a /z/ sound as in rose. 

 Math:

• We wrapped up Section B and started Section C. In Section C, students will represent numerical data on a line plot. 

Thematic Unit:

• We started our unit on Plants. This week, students learned the life cycle of a plant and dissected a lima bean. 

Social Emotional Learning:

• This week was Red Ribbon Week. We discussed different ways to lead healthy lives. We also learned how to set  boundaries. If someone is doing something we don't like, we could say things like, "Please stop", "I don't like that", "I need more space" , or "I'm feeling uncomfortable".

Resources:

• Check your child's blue folder for practice pages for our upcoming math assessment. 

• Family Support Letter for Math for Unit 3 (click link)

• Family Support video for Unit 3 (click link)

• Be sure your child knows how to spell the following trick words: only, house, move, right, place, together

Assessments:

• Unit 3 Math Test- week of October 30

• Students will be assessed on phonics skills and reading comprehension for the next couple of  weeks. 

Westlake Weekly Information:

• Fall Food Drive: 

Our annual Fall Food Drive benefiting Joey’s Food Locker, and in partnership with the Natomas Chamber of Commerce, has begun and will run through November 13th. Next week, October 30th - November 3rd, our K-8 students will participate in a competition to see which grade level (K-5th) or Advisory class or (6-8th) can bring in the most donations! At the end of the week the winning classes win a popsicle party! CLICK HERE for more information.

• K-8 Conference Week:

Conference week is November 13th - 17th. The online scheduler is available to families on October 30th - November 12th so reserve your conference time now. CLICK HERE for instructions on how to use the online scheduler.

Upcoming Dates: 

• Now-November 3: Fall Food Drive

• November 1: WAVE Meeting 6pm

• November 8: WAVE Coffee Talk at 8:30am

• November 9: Spirit Day-Mix and Match Day

• November 10: Veterans Day-No school

Please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions. 

Have a wonderful weekend with your loved ones!

Mrs. Simental 

October 13, 2023

Good afternoon, families!

We are having our first field trip on October 24. We will be heading to a pumpkin patch. If you would like to chaperone and are fingerprinted, please email me back. I will be taking chaperones on a first come, first serve basis. I have 3 spots left. Permission slips have been placed in your child's blue folder. Read on to see what we explored this week. 

ELA:

• #classroombookaday challenge update: It is my goal to read 180 books to the class by the end of the year. By Thursday afternoon, I have read 50 books to the class. Ask your explorer what was their favorite read aloud this week. 

• We finished Unit 4. In Unit 4, we reviewed the suffixes -s, -es, -ed, and -ing. Your child learned that -ed could make 3 different sounds /d/, /t/, or /ed/. Students were assessed and results will be in next week's blue folder. 

• We continued Opinion Writing. Throughout this unit, students will work on responding to a prompt by stating their opinion, providing at least two reasons, and providing a concluding statement. This week, students worked on the following prompt: Which would you rather have: a magic carpet or a robot to do your chores? 

 Math:

• We started Unit 3: Measurement. In this unit, students will measure and estimate length in standard units and solve measurement story problems within 100. 

Thematic Unit:

• We continued our thematic unit, Earth Systems. This week, students learned the following vocabulary: valley and canyon. Ask your explorer to show you the gesture. We also conducted the experiment "What is strong enough to make a canyon?"

Social Emotional Learning:

• Our class is learning that emotions are one way we react to things and situation and to think ahead to try and predict, or guess, someone's feeling. We can also think back to what happened first to understand how someone is feeling.

Resources:

• Family Support Letter for Math for Unit 3 (click link)

• Family Support video for Unit 3 (click link)

• Be sure your child knows how to spell the following trick words:  against, knew, know, always, often, once

Assessments:

• Earth Systems benchmark- Week of October 16

• Writing Assessment- Week of October 23

Westlake Weekly Information:

• Book Fair:

Our Scholastic Book Fair opens Saturday, October 21st at the Fall Festival and will end Thursday, October 26th. The schedule is as follows:

Saturday, October 21st from 3:00 - 6:00 PM: Opening Day at the Fall Festival

Monday, October 23rd from 3:00 - 4:30 PM: Parent Shopping

Tuesday, October 24th from 3:00 - 4:30 PM: Parent Shopping

Wednesday, October 25th from 1:30 - 3:30 PM: Parent Shopping

Thursday, October 26th from 3:00 - 6:00 PM: Parent Shopping

CLICK HERE to set up your student’s e-wallet as cash is not accepted at the book fair.

Students will have the opportunity to visit the book fair during their regularly scheduled library visit and/or after school with a parent/guardian at the times listed above.  

• Fall Festival:

Our 11th Annual Fall Festival is just over a week away on Saturday, October 21st from 3:00 - 6:00 PM. This family event is open to the entire community with games suitable for all ages! The Fall Festival features food, a treat walk, games, and the ever popular silent auction baskets where all proceeds go directly to the classrooms.

• We’re looking for Classroom Ambassadors to help our teachers put together their class baskets. CLICK HERE to sign up to be a classroom ambassador.

• Do you or someone you know own a business they would like to share with our community? Sign up to host a sponsorship booth at our Fall Festival! CLICK HERE to download the sponsorship packet.

• Planning is well underway but there is still plenty of time to get in on the fun. If you're interested in joining the planning committee please reach out to Toni Elgamiel at wavewcs@gmail.com. 

• CLICK HERE  to view our flier

• CLICK HERE to volunteer for the event day

Upcoming Dates: 

• Now-November 3: Fall Food Drive

• October 17: WAVE Coffee Talk 6pm at WCHS

• October 20: Spirit Day- Role Model Day

• October 21: Harvest Festival 3-6pm

• October 23-27: Red Ribbon Week

• October 24: Field trip to Dave's Pumpkin Patch

• November 1: WAVE Meeting 6pm

• November 8: WAVE Coffee Talk at 8:30am

• November 9: Spirit Day-Mix and Match Day

• November 10: Veterans Day-No school

Please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions. 

Have a wonderful weekend with your loved ones!

Mrs. Simental 

September 22, 2023

Good afternoon, families!

Read on to see what we explored this week. 

ELA:

• #classroombookaday challenge update: It is my goal to read 180 books to the class by the end of the year. By Thursday afternoon, I have read 44 books to the class. Ask your explorer what was their favorite read aloud this week. 

• We wrapped up Unit 3 in phonics Next week, I will start Unit 4. In Unit 4, we will be reviewing the suffixes -s, -es, -ed, and -ing. Your child will learn that -ed could make 3 different sounds /d/, /t/, or /ed/. I will introduce the new suffix endings of -er and -est. Lastly, I will also introduce new vowel teams (oa, ow, ou, oo, ue, ew, and oe). 

• We continued Opinion Writing. Throughout this unit, students will work on responding to a prompt by stating their opinion, providing at least two reasons, and providing a concluding statement. This week, students worked on the following prompt: Would you rather have a dog or cat? Why? I also asked the class: Who would you nominate for a core value award? Why?

 Math:

• We continued Unit 2, adding and subtracting within 100. We will start Section C next week. In this section, students apply their knowledge to solve story problems that involve addition and subtraction within 100. 

Thematic Unit:

• We began our next thematic unit, Earth Systems. Students learned a Geologists Here, Geologists There chant and the following vocabulary: landform and geologist.  We are still needing some supplies for upcoming experiments.  If you are able to donate materials, please click here to sign up. 

Resources:

• Family Support Letter for Math for Unit 2 (click link)

• Family Support video for Unit 2 (click link)

• Be sure your child knows how to spell the following trick words:  please, again, animal, there, use

Assessments:

• Math Unit 2- next Friday or the Monday after break

Westlake Weekly Information:

• Olympic Triathlon:

We are so excited for our Olympic Triathlon event day on Friday, September 29th! Be sure to create your family’s website or prepare for our in-person drop off days! We have one week left until event day and have raised 34% of our fundraising goal.

• Bring donations to our K-8 campus on Wednesday, September 27th for our last in-person drop-of day

• CLICK HERE to set up a family donation page

• CLICK HERE to sign up to volunteer on event day. We are especially in need of volunteers to support the afternoon for our K/1 and 6/8 events 

• K-8 Yearbooks:

CLICK HERE to order your K-8 yearbook directly through TreeRing and get two pages to personalize with your own pictures! Use code 101667583471473 or see the email with the link to purchase. Get 10% off your purchase until 10/31. Need help? Contact: Mrs. Liechti, kliechti@westlakecharter.com.

• Fall Break:

Both campuses will be closed for Fall Break Monday, October 2nd through Friday, October 6th. We look forward to welcoming staff and students back on Monday, October 9th. Our BASE program will also be closed during Fall Break. 

• Picture Retake Day – Thursday, October 12th:

Our Picture Retake Day is Thursday, October 12th. Retakes are for the following:

• Students who are new to our school since the original picture day

• Students who were absent on the original picture day

• Students who would like to retake their photo, please return the original picture package

• CLICK HERE to order pictures

Upcoming Dates: 

• September 28-WAVE Coffee Talk at 8:30am

• September 29- Olympic Triathlon event/Progress reports go home

• October 2-6: Fall Break

• October 11-WAVE Meeting

• October 12: Picture Retake Day

Please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions. 

Have a wonderful weekend!

Mrs. Simental 

September 8, 2023

Good afternoon, families!

Read on to see what we explored this week. 

ELA:

• #classroombookaday challenge update: It is my goal to read 180 books to the class by the end of the year. By Thursday afternoon, I have read 35 books to the class. Ask your explorer what was their favorite read aloud this week. 

• We continued Unit 2 in phonics. We have been working on glued sounds as well as the r-controlled vowels: ar and or. 

• We continued Opinion Writing. Throughout this unit, students will work on responding to a prompt by stating their opinion, providing at least two reasons, and providing a concluding statement. We have learned about the following stages of the writing process: plan, draft, revise, and edit. 

 Math:

• We wrapped up Unit 1. I sent home workbooks with your child. Next week, we will start Unit 2, adding and subtracting within 100. 

Thematic Unit:

• We continued our Life Long Ago unit. This week, we completed an artifact sort whole class and independently. Next week, we will be wrapping up this unit. 

• Grandparents' Day is coming up on September 13. Please RSVP to let me know if your child's grandparent will be joining us that morning. I have received an RSVP from two families so far. If your child's grandparent will be joining us, they will need to sign in at the office as a volunteer before entering the classroom. If your child's grandparent is coming, they may bring in an artifact. Last year, I had grandparents bring in cassette tapes, records, feather pens, etc.  

Social Emotional Learning:

• Our class discussed what it means to belong to a community and how community members treat and work with one another. 

Resources:

• Family Support Letter for Math for Unit 2 (click link)

• Be sure your child knows how to spell the following trick words: pull, walk, full. both, talk

Assessments:

• Within the next month, I will be assessing your child on comprehension. 

• 9/15- Life Long Ago Assessment

Westlake Weekly Information:

• Olympic Triathlon: We are so excited for our Olympic Triathlon event day on Friday, September 29th! Be sure to create your family’s website or prepare for our in-person drop off days!

• Bring donations to our K-8 campus on Wednesdays at drop-off: 9/13, 9/20, 9/27

• CLICK HERE to set up a family donation page

• CLICK HERE to sign up to volunteer on event day

• Middle School Dance: Our student leadership team is preparing for our first Middle School dance of the year! The music, food, and photo booth fun will take place on Friday, September 22nd from 3:30 - 5:00 PM in the gym. We need families to volunteer for this event. Please CLICK HERE to sign up if you are able to help set up, chaperone, clean up or donate food/drinks. Thanks for your support!

• Classroom Ambassadors: We are looking for one or two family members from each K-5 class and Middle School Advisory class to act as a liaison between the school and families. Ambassadors will help in ensuring important information gets to every family  and help volunteer needs get met. CLICK HERE to sign up.

Upcoming Dates: 

• September 15- WAVE Bingo Night

• September 22-Spirit Day: Sports Day

• September 29- Olympic Triathlon event

• October 2-6: Fall Break

Please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions. 

Have a wonderful weekend!

Mrs. Simental 

August 25, 2023

Good afternoon, families!

Thank you for coming out to BTSN. If you were unable to make it, I will place the presentation at the bottom of this newsletter. Read on to see what we explored this week. 

ELA:

• I told them about our #classroombookaday challenge. It is my goal to read 180 books to the class by the end of the year. By Thursday afternoon, I have read 25  books to the class. Ask your explorer what was their favorite read aloud this week. 

• We continued Unit 1 in Phonics. We should likely complete Unit 1 next week. 

• This week, we talked about finding "good fit books". When we choose good fit books, we should be able to read most of the words and comprehend what we are reading. Go the public library and check out books that are just right for your child. 

 Math:

• We started Unit 1, Section B.  In this section, students explore situations and problems that involve categorical data and learn new ways to represent such data. Students begin by representing data about their class in a way that makes sense to them. Then, they are introduced to picture graphs and bar graphs. Students learn the conventions of these graphs as they create them. They discuss the types of questions that can be asked and answered by the graphs, including those that require combining and comparing different categories. 

Thematic Unit:

• This week, we learned about the map of North America. We labeled features as a class and with partners in preparation for the assessment. 

Social Emotional Learning:

• This week, our class discussed the many things we have in common with one another and how some things on the outside are easy to see. As we get to know one another better we can discover some of the ways we are the same on the inside. 

Resources:

• I introduced Lexia, Epic, and Freckle in class this week. Login information was given out at BTSN.  

Assessments:

• Thematic- Students were assessed on the map of North America today. 

• Within the next month, I will be assessing your child on trick words, phonics skills, and comprehension. 

Westlake Weekly Information:

• Olympic Triathlon:

We are so excited for our Olympic Triathlon event day on Friday, September 29th! Be sure to create your family’s website or prepare for our in-person drop off days!

• Bring donations to our K-8 campus on Wednesdays at drop-off: 9/6, 9/13, 9/20, 9/27

• CLICK HERE to set up a family donation page

• CLICK HERE to sign up to volunteer on event day

• Enrichment sign-ups:

Our fall Explorer Enrichment programs are starting soon! CLICK HERE to see the catalog of course offerings and information about how to sign up. Email achavez@westlakecharter.com with scholarship inquiries.

• Middle School Explorer Athletics:

HOOPS are here! All 6th, 7th, and 8th Grade Explorers are invited to come play basketball! The season starts the week of September 5th. Athlete packets, including a doctor’s physical clearance, are required for participation.

• CLICK HERE to sign up your middle schooler for basketball!

• CLICK HERE for the digital athlete packet, or pick up a hard copy from the front desk or Coach Sterling.

Email swynne@westlakecharter.com with any questions and check back next week for schedules and more information!

Upcoming Dates: 

• September 4-No School Labor Day

• September 6- WAVE Meeting

• September 15- WAVE Bingo Night

• September 22-Spirit Day: Sports Day

• September 29- Olympic Triathlon event

Please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions. 

Have a wonderful weekend!

Mrs. Simental 

 August 11, 2023

Good afternoon, families!

  We had an amazing first week! It was such a pleasure meeting you all at Meet the Teacher. This is such a sweet group of children and I know we are going to have an awesome year! Read on to see what we explored this week. 

ELA:

• Students wrote a letter to me telling me about themselves. 

• I told them about our #classroombookaday challenge. It is my goal to read 180 books to the class by the end of the year. By Thursday afternoon, I have read  5 books to the class. Ask your explorer what was their favorite read aloud this week. 

• We will begin phonics instruction next week. 

Math:

• Next week, we will begin our first unit: Adding, Subtracting, and Working with Data. In this unit, students build on what they learned about addition and subtraction in grade 1 to develop fluency with addition and subtraction facts within 20. They learn how to represent and interpret data on picture graphs and bar graphs, and they use these graphs to solve story problems involving addition and subtraction within 100. Students also learn a new representation, tape diagrams, to apply their understanding of the relationship between addition and subtraction and to solve problems.

Thematic Unit:

• Next week, we will begin our first thematic unit of the year. We will learn about maps and communities. 

Social Emotional Learning:

• This week, we began to build our classroom community by learning about each other's favorite colors and foods. We also completed a "find a friend who" activity. Next week, we will learn about growth  mindset. 

Assessments:

• None at this time

Westlake Weekly Information:

• Fall Picture Day:

Kindergarten-11th grade picture day will be on Tuesday, August 22nd at both campuses. 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 available to add to your package for Kindergarten to 5th grade classes only. We are looking for six volunteers to help with picture day. Email admin@westlakecharter.com if you are available to be at either campus from 8:00 AM - 2:00 pm on August 22nd - volunteers receive a free picture package. 

• 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. So, please, complete this form for every student in your family. 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.

Upcoming Dates: 

• August 22- Picture Day

• August 23- Back to School Night

• September 4-No School Labor Day

Please reach out with any questions. 

Have a wonderful weekend!

Mrs. Simental