Westwood Intermediate/Middle School

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Curriculum Overviews are posted in Schoology for parents and students to access. The overviews are a snapshot of what students will be learning this year and are the first unit of studies aligned to the Academic Competencies for each subject area, school expectations, specific team schedule information, and grading. Staff will host a question and answer via WebEx tomorrow evening, Thursday, September 28.

• Grade 5 – WebEx Meetings – 6 p.m.
• Grade 6 – WebEx Meetings – 6:30 p.m.
• Grade 7 – WebEx Meetings – 7 p.m.
• Grade 8 – WebEx Meetings – 7:30 p.m.
• Specialists and Elective Teachers – WebEx Meetings – 8 p.m.

• Cozy Day – Monday
• Jersey Day – Tuesday
• Backwards / Inside out day – Wednesday
• Team Colors – Thursday (5/6 Colors: Spanish Immersion – Yellow / 5A – Orange / 5B – Gold / 5C – Red / 6A – Purple / 6B – Blue / 6C – Green / Setting III – Silver)
• SLP Spirit Day – Friday

There is a fun opportunity to help us name the SLP Panther and participate in the Panther Pride Sweepstakes next week. See more information in the newsletter. This is always a fun week of community building at Westwood and across the district.

Have a great rest of your week,

Tom Larson

Principal

Come and enjoy an evening of music geared for children and the young-at-heart at the SLPHS Showcase: A Children's Concert with SLPHS Bands on Monday, October 2 at Spring Lake Park High School. Starting at 6 p.m., there will be games and crafts in the lobby area. The concert will begin at 7 p.m. in the Fine Arts Center.

Families will enjoy a particularly special performance of a brand new piece of music called Monarch Migration, which paints a picture of the migration of monarch butterflies from Canada to Mexico, composed by Mexican composer Nubia Jaime Donjuan and based on the storybook by St. Paul author Ann Hobbie.

The concert is entirely free! The SLP High School Band Boosters will have a raffle and guests can purchase tickets for the raffle drawing which includes Gophers football tickets.

We will begin academic and social, emotional, and behavioral screening assessments over the next few weeks. We use these assessments as additional pieces of information to ensure we are providing students with the support they need.

We will be doing NWEA Measures of Academic Progress reading and math assessments in the upcoming days. We use these assessments as additional pieces of information to ensure we are providing students with the support they need.

If you haven't done so already, please take a few minutes to complete your review of student behavior and attendance expectations with your student(s).

1. Log in to Campus Parent Portal with your district username and password.
2. Select your student in the upper right corner.
3. On the main menu click on DOCUMENT.
4. Locate the Parent Documents section.
5. Click on the 2023-2024 Behavior and Attendance Agreement.
6. Review the document with your student.
7. Sign and submit.
8. Repeat these steps if you have more than one student in the district.

If you have any questions, please reach out to our front office, 763-600-5300.

5th grade:

This year, 5th grade students have the opportunity to join Westwood choir. Students will learn how to sing in unison and two-part harmonies along with basic sight singing, music theory, reading sheet music, cultural perspectives, and more! This is an active ensemble where we will use games, dance, and movement to get students singing music from around the world. We will perform in a concert on Wednesday, December 20 at 7 p.m., and we will have more fun opportunities along the way. Sign up for your t-shirt size and get ready to SING!

6th grade:

6th grade band students also have the opportunity to sign up for the special band kid choir, the 6th Grade Extra Choir! This ensemble is specifically for 6th grade students who wish to take band and still sing in the 6th grade choir. In this group, we will learn how to sing in two-part harmonies from music around the world. This is an active ensemble where we will dance, sing, and add movement to our singing work to engage students in a fun, interactive way. Students will increase their knowledge of sight-singing, reading sheet music, and participating in a full ensemble. Students in this choir will have the opportunity to sing in the 6th grade choir concert on January 9, 2024, at 7 p.m. Sign up today and get ready to SING!

All of the registration is online this year, and you may sign up for either through the link or scan the QR code. If you have any questions, please reach out to the 5-8 choral director, Bailey Geist Schlottman.

• Thursday, September 28 - MAP Math
• Monday, October 2 - SLPHS Showcase Concert, 6 p.m. games and crafts and 7 p.m. showtime, Spring Lake Park High School Fine Arts Center
• October 2-6 - Homecoming Week
• Cozy Day – Monday
• Jersey Day – Tuesday
• Backwards / Inside out day – Wednesday
• Team Colors – Thursday (5/6 Colors: Spanish Immersion – Yellow / 5A – Orange / 5B – Gold / 5C – Red / 6A – Purple / 6B – Blue / 6C – Green / Setting III – Silver)
• SLP Spirit Day – Friday
• Friday, October 6 - Homecoming Football Game, Panther Stadium, 7 p.m.
• Saturday, October 7, 2023 - Live on 65: 7,000 Miles to Broadway (Singer/Guitarist + Pianist + Bassist), Fine Arts Center, 7 p.m. Get your tickets online.
• Monday, October 9 - Free Vaccine Clinic event, Kenneth Hall in Spring Lake Park High School (door #33), 3:30-7 p.m. Sign up here.
• Tuesday, October 10 - Free Vaccine Clinic event, Kenneth Hall in Spring Lake Park High School (door #33), 3:30-7 p.m. Sign up here.
• Wednesay, October 10 - Westwood Fundraiser Ends (all packages must be turned in)
• Wednesday, October 11 - Caregiver Learning Event: Mental Health Awareness & Coping Skills, Westwood Intermediate and Middle School (The Den), 6-7 p.m. RSVP for this event.

Arthur, an energetic kindergartener, spent quality time one morning reading a book with a friend on a comfy couch in his classroom. When asked his favorite part of being in Sr. Mateo’s classroom this year, he was quiet at first, seemingly deep in thought. Then he suddenly exclaimed very loudly “EVERYTHING!” His smile showed his happiness and pleasure – his joy.

Across Spring Lake Park Schools and across grade levels, among friends and seat mates, in the midst of assignments and instructions and collaboration and conversations, there have been sightings of joy. Joy has been spotted at recess, in the lunchroom, during morning meeting time, in hallway exchanges between students and staff and even during math class.

Read how students and staff are finding joy at school.

Last fall, senior Owen Adwan was encouraged to attend an apprenticeship open house for Bühler Group, a company with ties to food and mobility. They manufacture equipment for food production and parts for vehicles.

That encouragement paid off. A Class of 2023 graduate of Spring Lake Park High School, Owen is now part of a two-year apprenticeship program. He gets paid to attend classes, works hands-on for the company, and will earn an associate's degree and graduate debt free.

We recently caught up with Owen to hear how his time at Spring Lake Park Schools prepared him for this apprenticeship opportunity and his plans for the future.

Ms. Osmanovic and Mr. Repasky classes teamed up and played pass the ball down the row of students until they came back to the person in the front again.

7th grade Red Team science students began using microscopes to examine the similarities and differences between plant and animal cells.

Students were investigating the effect of temperature changes on particle motion. Heat was used to expand the gasses inside pop cans and they were tipped into a tub of cool water. As the air cooled and compressed, the cans imploded from the lack of air left in the can.

Thanks for the great turn out last night at our PTO meeting. It was great to welcome new people, find out how to be involved in PTO events throughout the year and learn about competency based learning.

We appreciate everyone who has already turned in fundraising orders or donated to the PTO. When we UNITE to meet our goal we can provide our annual educational enrichment programs to students such as Art Adventure, Mileage Club, Spring Lock-in, Book Fair and more!

The PTO would like to fund:

• Upgraded basketball hoops/recess fixtures
• "Mindful Moment" areas for all school use
• 5th grade field trip to orchestra hall
• Classroom speakers
• 8th Grade End of Year Celebration
• and other unity building activities to celebrate end of trimesters

We really hope everyone will participate in some way! There are three great new incentives along with the popular limo ride at 25 items. PTO is offering an a-la-carte incentive “WOW” bonus prize for selling just ONE item! On November 9, we will have a cart of treats such as cookies, chips, snacks, ice drinks, Bubblr, Prime, etc. for students to choose from!

College Tuition Rewards Program: Tuition rewards is a unique program that is accepted at over 400 private colleges and universities. Each reward point represents a guaranteed minimum discount equivalent to one dollar with a maximum discount of up to one year’s tuition. Students who “Join the Clubhouse” by registering online and send out 10 emails (no sales required) instantly receive 500 tuition reward points. Additional points are accrued with sales.

Last but not least, the bonus “PAWSOME” backpack clip buddies. Students were given coupons in their packets that they can turn in throughout the fundraiser to receive collectible dog themed clips for achieving different goals.

Distribution Plan

• 5/6 graders: turn coupons into the envelope in their teacher's classroom any day before the morning meeting. Volunteers will come in on distribution days to drop off clips earned.

• 7/8 graders: can bring their coupons to lunch on distribution days where volunteers will be waiting to hand out clips.

Remaining PAWSOME Distribution Days:

• Friday, September 29
• Tuesday, October 3
• Thursday, October 5
• Tuesday, October 10

We need volunteers to help with distribution, please sign up if you can! One lead volunteer will be there to explain and help along with who signs up. See sign up sheet on BAND or email the PTO.

Help us name our Panther! We are taking name submissions September 27-30. Then starting October 1-4, vote for your favorite name. The Panther’s name will be revealed at the Homecoming Game on Friday, October 6.

This year's Live on 65 season kicks off with "7,000 Miles of Broadway" on Saturday, October 7, 2023. J. Robert Spencer will take audiences on a musical journey through different genres including some favorites from the Jersey Boys of which he performed on Broadway. Tickets for adults are $15 and students are $5. Get your tickets online. If you didn’t see the story earlier this month, check it out.

The Panther Pride Sweepstakes starts on Sunday, October 1. The Panther Foundation is posting a new question on the sweepstakes page each day. Each day, families and staff members can submit their entries. The more entries you have in by Thursday, October 5, the more chances you have to win.

Students who win earn a $500 cash prize for their school and will choose where to direct the funds from several pre-determined projects. The winning student will also win a $50 Panther Store Gift Card. The winners will be randomly drawn on Thursday, October 5 at 5 p.m. Good luck, Panthers!

• Competency-Based Learning - Fact Sheet
• Access to curriculum and student learning experiences
• Safety and security update: 2023-2024
• Get ready to see what’s behind the curtain
• 2023-2024 School Handbook

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