West Sylvan Middle School

Unfortunately, I am writing to you all from an empty school building without our most important stakeholders today. Like you, I am waiting and watching each day to hear updates, and I want this strike to be resolved as quickly as possible. I trust that you are receiving information through larger District communications, as they are being published. Nightly updates will continue to be sent by 7:00PM about the following school day, as the strike continues. There was another mediation session today, Friday, between PAT and PPS. We’ll wait to hear updates on those conversations and hope for better news ahead!

• Grades for First Quarter are now delayed due to the strike, as today was intended to be a planning day to update First Quarter grades, which would allow them to be posted to report cards and sent home by early next week. Answers about the timeline for how the late grades will be resolved and when we will start second quarter will come from District leaders through their negotiations with PAT (as calendars are always negotiated items). Middle schools have a unique schedule with our students changing electives at the quarter mark.

• Since this is a strike, Educators and School Counselors are not working. This means that you will not receive responses to emails, per their strike protocols. Our Educators have been actively picketing daily from 8:00AM - 10:30AM around WSMS in the nearby neighborhood by Skyline and Highland, and there have been afternoon rallies that they are all encouraged to attend. If you are curious about the PAT messaging and events they have planned, the website is here.

• A few District provided guiding resources are here for how to talk with your students about this strike. Also, specific resources to support our students’ mental health needs can be found at the link on this website.

• The District educational options for independent learning are linked here, and thanks to Ms. Crombie, we have checked to be sure that each student had a Chromebook to take home for accessing items virtually. These linked resources are not teacher-directed or teacher-led items, unfortunately, simply options to continue with some self-paced learning.

• All families, regardless of income are eligible for meal service Tuesday through Thursday for grab-and-go packed meals at WSMS. Families can also go to any PPS school that offers meal service for that pick up if WSMS is not your closest school location. A link to the various resources available for families is here. Also, transportation is routing some buses with meals to service the apartment buildings around PPS where many of our families on free-and-reduced lunch reside to help our students access food, if transportation is a barrier. A bus will deliver to the Vibrant building where a group of our students reside, as an example.

• Chromebook items and repairs: All students and families have the ability to call the Support Desk at 503.916.3375 or send an email to support@pps.net. Should there be a need to replace a device for a student, an appointment will need to be made to allow them to enter the PEC building. Students are also allowed to work directly with their school to exchange a device or charger should that be a need.
  
  

We hope that the weekend brings better news for our students! Go Wolfpack!

Jill Hunt, Principal
Ben Keller, Assistant Principal

We appreciate all of the family support on October 31st for treats for students, and thank you to all of our families who helped with the Sixth Grade Pack Party! There was lots of fun on both days, and our students appreciated all of the support!

The following resources are available to all PPS families during the strike:

• https://www.opb.org/article/2023/11/02/portland-public-schools-strike-resources-meals-for-families/

• https://www.kptv.com/2023/11/03/local-groups-businesses-offer-childcare-options-portland-families-during-strike/

• FoodFinder.OregonFoodBank.org : Oregon Food Bank is offering “pop-up” food distribution locations. They are open one day a week, for as long as the strike lasts, and are available to anyone.

Counselors are usually available by email, and they are part of PAT, so they are unavailable throughout the strike. Please refer to the following list for your School Counselor by grade.

NOVEMBER

• Thu, NOV 2nd: End of First Quarter
  
  
• Fri, NOV 3rd:
  NO SCHOOL for Students due to Educator Planning
  
  
• Mon, NOV 6th: Start of Second Quarter
  
  
• Fri, NOV 10th:
  NO SCHOOL due to Veterans Day holiday
  
  
• Mon, NOV 20th ~ Fri, NOV 24th:
  NO SCHOOL due to Fall Break
  
  
• Mon, NOV 20th: Fall Teacher Conferences (in-person at WSMS)
  Tue, NOV 21st: Fall Teacher Conferences (virtual options)

Fall Conferences are planned to be held both in person and virtually this school year. The conference dates are Monday, November 20th, and Tuesday, November 21st. In-person conferences will be held on the 20th, and virtual options will be available on the 21st. Educators will be sending out communications as we get closer to those dates to tell families how to sign up for conferences. Educators are prioritizing meetings with the families of students who are struggling in classes (low grades, poor attendance, behavioral issues) first, and then will open up time slots for families of students who do not have these same concerns. If your student is doing well, setting up conferences is not necessary. Families are also encouraged to contact Educators via email throughout the year, with items as they arise.

• We are saying goodbye to Ms. Amy Greene, who joined us at the start of this year as a half-time Tech Teacher. Amy is moving on to other endeavors, and we thank her for the time given to WSMS! We will, unfortunately, need to have a Substitute, or Subs, covering the classes that Amy taught while we look for another solution. The Advisory students who were with Amy will move to other Educators at WSMS, and a Sub would lead Period 1 and Period 2 classes while we finish some hiring and shifting of Educator’s positions.
  
  
• We are still working to hire a permanent Educator for Ms. Ashcraft’s vacant 8th Grade Spanish Immersion position. We have offered the position to a candidate who lives abroad, and we are waiting on TSPC to issue a U.S. teaching license. In the meanwhile, we are working to have a regular substitute teacher who can be here most days to cover the classes, who also speaks fluent Spanish. Consistent substitute coverage has been a challenge. In addition, our DLI Intern is working directly with as many of the classes, as possible, for additional support. We’ve assigned our site Instructional Coach and our site Climate Coach (helps with classroom systems for management and behavior) to support those classes in the meanwhile.
  
  
• We have posted a full-time Math position for the school year. If you know of anyone who would be an excellent candidate for our students, please tell them about the opening. The position is temporary for this school year. The website to apply is here.
  
  
• We still have an open Paraeducator position in our Intensive Skills Classroom. This is a full-time position from 8:30AM - 4:00PM. Monday-Friday. Interested applicants can apply here.
  
  
• We are always looking for Substitutes who like working in our building! To become a substitute, the information is here.

A spectacular showcase of the Dramatic Arts!
PopCycles was lots of fun!

Our Scholars are practicing being “BALANCED” this month, as our selected Learner Profile Trait. They are working on understanding the importance of balancing different aspects of life - intellectual, physical, and emotional - to achieve well-being for themselves and others.

Please make every effort to pick up students before or after their grade-specific Lunch period (see below). Once students are scattered around the field playing at recess, picking up during Lunch recess becomes more timely for all involved. Please do not call or text your student to tell them you are here or to tell them to come to the Office. If a student uses their device to check a text and/or answer a phone call, their phone will be confiscated.

6th Grade LUNCH: 11:37 AM ~ 12:07 PM

7th Grade LUNCH: 12:31 PM ~ 1:01 PM

8th Grade LUNCH: 1:25 PM ~ 1:55 PM

Breakfast is available in the hot lunch room at that time. Students with Choir before school (appears as period 0 on StudentVue), start school at 8:00AM each day. Students should ring the doorbell at the front doors upon arrival.

Please remind your students to bring and wear their school ID daily. We’ve shared out many ways that our students can be safe by displaying their IDs throughout the day through our Advisory videos. IDs are used on campus for quickly identifying students (this is especially helpful for Substitutes). Students use them to check out library books and to buy hot lunch. Bus drivers also look for student IDs to be sure that students are on the correct route.

We do NOT allow students to order items directly from delivery services throughout the day, as they are inviting strangers to our campus, and we have no way of monitoring what they are delivering. There is an unfortunate option where students can order illegal items, such as VAPE devices, through delivery services. Students are reminded of this school policy regarding food delivery services when it is violated, and items are held in the Office for end-of-day pickup. Family members are also notified when this occurs.

If you have chosen to give your student a cell phone, please actively monitor their social media accounts and messaging activity. Nearly every single school discipline issue on campus has started with social media posting outside of school. This is another reason that our cell phone policy exists, as we don’t want students engaging in cyber-bullying and cyber-harassment throughout their school day. Set up parental controls where they can only access their phone during certain times, if you are allowing these devices.

WSMS is a cell phone free zone from 9:00 AM - 3:45 PM daily. We request and advise all families to keep scholars’ cell phones at home during the school day. If a scholar brings a cell phone to school, they will be expected to store their turned-off phone in their locker throughout the entire school day (including lunch periods). Important messages can be given to our Main Office via phone or email (westsylvanoffice@pps.net), and will be forwarded to your scholars’ PPS student email account. Please do not call or text your student. If your scholar chooses to use their cell phone, smart watch, air pods, tablet, et al, the device will be confiscated. If your scholar uses their device to check a text from and/or answer a phone call from you, their phone will be confiscated. Not only will their phone be confiscated, it shows you do not find this school rule important. This sets a bad precedent.

Interested in Volunteering and Being More Involved?

Become an approved PPS volunteer by following the information here. Once your application is approved, please contact the Main Office to see how and when you can be of service. Our Friends of West Sylvan organization also regularly shares ways to get involved on campus, specifically to volunteer in the Library, monitor hallways, help in the Main Office, help in classrooms, and do recess duty.

Friends of West Sylvan is parent/family organization that supports Scholars and Staff and fosters community connection through fundraising and volunteer opportunities. Join the mailing list and stay connected with other families!

MAIN OFFICE

westsylvanoffice@pps.net

(503) 916-5690

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT/ PRINCIPAL'S SECRETARY

[Staff / Substitutes / Financial]

Jerda Solonche

jsolonche@pps.net

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT/ SCHOOL SECRETARY

[Students / Attendance / Enrollment]

Kirsten Crombie

kcrombie@pps.net

Website: www.pps.net/westsylvan
Location: 8111 Southwest West Slope Drive, Portland, OR, USA