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Westgate Families,
As we move through another wonderful quick week together, I want to take a moment to express my heartfelt gratitude for this incredible school community. Your continued generosity, kindness, and partnership make Westgate a truly special place for our students to learn and grow. Whether you are volunteering your time, encouraging your children at home, or simply supporting our greater community, please know that your contributions are deeply appreciated.
Thank you for helping us build a school environment where every student feels cared for, welcomed, and valued. I am grateful for each of you and the many ways you help make Westgate successful.
As always, thank you for your continued support of all things Westgate and have an amazing long holiday weekend ahead!
All my best,
Hallie Demetriades
Principal
Window for Full-Time AAP Referrals Closes on December 15
Parents and guardians of students in Grades 2-7 who would like their student to be considered for full-time Advanced Academic Programs (AAP) services must submit the AAP Full-Time Referral Form to Amanda Manno, AART, at acmanno@fcps.edu no later than December 15, 2025.
Each year, families can submit a referral for Full-Time AAP services any time from the first day of school through December 15. No late referrals for Full-Time AAP services will be accepted.
Once a referral is received, our school will compile information related to the student. Then, a committee of six trained professionals from across the county will review materials to determine eligibility for full-time AAP services.
Next Steps for Parents
At the elementary level, referrals for subject-specific and part-time AAP are screened by the school. If you miss the full-time referral deadline, your student can still be screened for subject-specific or part-time AAP services for the remainder of the year.
At the middle school level, honors courses are open to all students.
For more information, please visit the Advanced Academic Programs website.
✅ Please Return Your Federal Impact Aid Survey
FCPS is asking all families to fill out a Federal Impact Aid Survey. The form is available in SIS ParentVUE under Online Packets, which is in the upper right corner of the screen after logging in. Please complete it as soon as possible.
Schools will provide paper forms to families who have not completed the survey in ParentVUE starting Wednesday, November 12. For more information, please visit the Federal Impact Aid Survey page.
Register for ParentVUE
Learn how to activate your SISParentVUE account, so you can easily submit your survey and have access to other helpful information about your child.
Winter After-School Registration Opens December 8
Please check your student's Tuesday folder or the PTA website to learn about all our winter after-school class offerings. We have a lot of exciting options this winter for athletes, artists, innovators, and more!
Registration for the winter session will be open for two weeks: December 8 - December 19. Activities begin January 12 and will end by March 20.
There are scholarship opportunities for students who qualify for free or reduced lunch. Scholarships are limited and are available on a first-come first-served basis. Please email afterschool@westgatewolvespta.com to request a scholarship.
Family Engagement Month at Westgate
November is Family Engagement Month! As we celebrate the many holidays and traditions of the season, we invite families to share something special with their child’s class—a story, craft, or presentation that highlights your culture or family traditions.
You can join in person or share something for your student to present. Presentations should be about 15–20 minutes and not include food due to allergy concerns.
Your child's classroom teacher will be scheduling classroom visits through Winter Break and will reach out to you regarding how you can sign up. We can’t wait to celebrate our diverse and wonderful Westgate community together!
Rising 7th Grade Curriculum Night @ Longfellow MS- January 14, 2026
Longfellow Middle School will be hosting a Curriculum Night for rising 7th grade families (current 6th grade students) at Longfellow MS on Wednesday, January 14, 2026, from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM. This evening session aims to provide parents with information that will help their incoming 7th grade student with the transition to middle school. Families will have the opportunity to explore elective course offerings and hear from a variety of Longfellow staff about the courses and programs offered to 7th grade students. Students and staff will also be available to answer questions.
If inclement weather occurs, the event will be rescheduled for Wednesday, January 21, 2026, from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM.
We look forward to welcoming you to Longfellow!
Volunteer Registration Update
Due to the overwhelming response from our community, FCPS is temporarily pausing fingerprint requirements for most Level 3 volunteers.
If you are scheduled for an upcoming fingerprinting appointment, please cancel your appointment unless you are a mentor, host parent, or non-parent volunteer having frequent, direct, and unsupervised contact with students, which will still require fingerprinting. FCPS will be charged if individuals miss a fingerprinting appointment without canceling in advance.
Those who have already been fingerprinted will be processed to be eligible for all Level 3 opportunities.
Field trip chaperone opportunities will now be classified as Level 2 (not requiring a background check).
To ensure continuous safety, all new volunteers are required to sign a Volunteer Certification Statement. This statement is a legal attestation confirming you have no history of violent felonies, physical/sexual crimes against children, or crimes of moral turpitude.
Want to volunteer? Visit Volunteer FCPS to find and sign up for volunteer opportunities. Contact Volunteers@fcps.edu with any questions.
Westgate Spiritwear—Available All Year!
Even though the Spiritwear Fundraiser has ended, families can still purchase Westgate gear anytime throughout the year and have it shipped directly to your home!
While prices are slightly higher and there’s a delivery charge, this is a great way to grab something special for the holidays — or show your Westgate pride any time of year.
The online store now includes an even bigger selection, with mugs, hats, blankets, and of course, plenty of Westgate shirts!
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