Westwood Intermediate/Middle School

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We hope it was a good winter break. As we move back into the routine of school and a new calendar year, here are a few reminders:

• For the 2024-2025 school year, there is no use of cell phones or earbuds during the academic day from the first bell to the last bell. Students are encouraged not to bring cell phones or other personal electronic devices to school. The school is not responsible for the loss or theft of personal devices. If students choose to bring personal devices to school, they must remain in their locker during the school day.
• We have office hours next week Thursday, January 16, 3:30-5 p.m.
• Drop off time for middle school students (grades 7 and 8) is 7:15 a.m. and intermediate students (grades 5 and 6) is 8:15 a.m. Students are not let into the building prior to these times.
• Winter is here and students go outside for recess when the air temperature is above 0 or windchill above -10. Be sure your child has winter jacket, hat, and gloves or mittens.

This is the time of year when we start looking ahead to next year. We’ll be kicking off course registration in the coming weeks – starting with our 8th graders looking ahead to high school. See some details in today’s newsletter and mark your calendar for online or in-person events that make sense for your family. There are a variety of ways for you (and your student) to connect and engage to get the information you need to help support great decisions for next steps.

Finally for this week, a preview of an upcoming drill. Each year, we are required to conduct several safety and security drills. This is practice for staff and students to respond to a variety of scenarios. We will have our next lockdown drill with students on Wednesday, January 15 at 1:45 p.m. If you do not want your student to participate, please let our office know so we can make other plans for them.

Happy New Year,

Tom Larson

Principal

Attention 8th grade students (and families)! It's time to turn in your adorable baby photos for the yearbook! Please find your favorite baby picture and fill out this form to submit your photo. Please make sure to only submit one photo per student. All photos must be received by January 31 to be included in the 2025 yearbook.

Questions may be directed to Mrs. Powell.

Orders may be placed online at Westwood Yearbook Order Here or scan the QR code. Questions may be directed to Kristine Powell at kpowel@district16.org.

• Monday, January 13
• Grupo de Padres Hispanohablantes de SLP reunion, 5 p.m., Woodcrest Spanish Immersion School
• High school registration opens for the 2025-2026 school year

• Thursday, January 16 - Office Hours, 3:30-5 p.m.

• Friday, January 17 - No school

• Monday, January 20 - No school, holiday

• Monday, January 27

• PTO meeting at 10 a.m.
• Wind Ensemble/8th Grade Band Concert, Fine Arts Center, SLPHS, 7 p.m.

• Tuesday, January 28

• High School counselors visit 8th graders at Westwood to discuss registration
• 8th grade family online registration info session, 6:30 p.m. | WebEx
• 7 and 8 grade Choir Concert, Fine Arts, 7 p.m.

• Wednesday, January 29 - 8th grade family online registration info session, 9 a.m. | WebEx

• February 3 - High school spring athletics registration opens

• February 4-7: PTO Book fair open school hours

• Wednesday, February 5 - Explore your Options event at the high school for grades 8-11, 5-7 p.m.

• Friday, February 7 - PTO Family Night & Book Fair, 6 p.m.

• Tuesday, February 11 - 6th to 7th grade transition online info sessions, 10 a.m. or 6 p.m. | WebEx

• February 13-18 - No school

• Thursday, February 13 - Conference Office Hours, 4-7 p.m. (walk-in ONLY, no scheduled conferences)

• Friday, February 14 - High school registration closes for the 2025-2026 school year

• February 16-22 - Panther Foundation's Panthers for a Purpose Week of Giving

• February 19-27 - ACCESS testing, Grades 5 & 6

• February 22 - Panther Foundation's Panthers for a Purpose Party

• Tuesday, February 25 - 7th to 8th grade transition online info session, 6 p.m. | WebEx

Registration for the 2025-2026 school year is almost here, which means our 8th graders will start thinking about and preparing for high school. Over the coming weeks, there will be opportunities for 8th graders and their families to learn more about Spring Lake Park High School, including course offerings, program options, graduation requirements, athletics and activities opportunities and more.

Registration officially opens on Monday, January 13. As we prepare for the opening of course registration, please be aware of and mark your calendar for important timelines and events happening over the next few months.

• Monday, January 13 – High School registration opens for the 2025-2026 school year. Students register for classes in Infinite Campus. Starting January 13, registration materials, including a registration catalog and an interactive course guide will be available on the registration hub.
• Tuesday, January 28
• High school and middle school counselors will be working directly with 8th graders to introduce them to the high school and help them create their first 4-year plan. This will be the first step toward registration for next year.
• Join an 8th grade family online information session covering a general overview of registration, 6:30 p.m. | WebEx
• Wednesday, January 29 – Join an 8th grade family online information session covering a general overview of registration, 9 a.m. | WebEx
• Wednesday, February 5 – Explore your Options event at the high school, 5-7 p.m. This in-person event will provide a deeper dive into a variety of topics including Ways to Earn College Credit, Career and College Pathways, Athletics and Activities and more!
• Friday, February 14 – High school registration closes for the 2025-2026 school year

Purple Team students competed in an Ultimate Tic-Tac-Toe challenge throughout the day, and we crowned Kenneth Vang the ultimate winner during our party at the end of the day! At the party students frosted cookies, made snowflakes, and enjoyed hanging out with friends prior to leaving for winter break.

Ms. Fritze’s math class was using Cheezit crackers to model determining area and perimeter of rectangles.

Mr. Clark's classes played a financial game simulation called “Steel Empire.” The objective was to be one of the first teams to build a steel corporation through buying 16 different businesses. The kids earned profits through their businesses each turn and had to strategize over which business to by next. If they weren’t careful and didn’t save enough money for bad years they could lose businesses.

Red Team scientists explored how to determine if a chemical reaction has occurred by conducting and observing experiments in a ziploc bag.

The Westwood 6th Grade Choir recently hosted their first concert of the season! The singers put together a winter programs showcasing their developing choral skills with singing in multi-part harmonies in a variety of choral styles. The grand finale of the concert included a medley of hit tunes from the 1960's and 1970's including "Happy Together" and "Lean on Me!"

The 5th grade choir kicked off their start to choir with a concert! Singers enjoyed singing a variety of musical genres while learning the foundations of choral singing including breath support, diction, singing in unison and 2-part harmonies, and even singing acapella! Choristers sang in 12 different languages as they wished everyone peace with a grand confetti-filled finale of "Let it Go" and "I'm a Believer!" We look forward to the spring session of 5th grade choir coming up soon!

Our next PTO meeting is Monday, January 27 at 10 a.m. in the Den. Afterwards, at 10:30 a.m., there will be a presentation about Schoology, competencies, and how competencies look in Schoology. If you are wondering how your student submits work and want to check if they have any missing assignments - this will be a great place to learn! If you have any specific questions, you can submit them in advance by clicking here. To view past meeting minutes, please visit our PTO page.

There are 12 weeks left in the Maud Hart Lovelace reading challenge. Is your student in the den student group? If they sign up with the link below, they will receive schoology messages with MHL and other library reminders.

To sign-up for the Maud Hart Challenge (Den Group), click here.

Access Code 96F6-QRC3-88MDB

Art Adventure is like a field trip brought to students right at school. It introduces six pieces from the Minneapolis Institute of Art's collection to 5th & 6th grade students, and encourages creative, critical thinking through discussions & explorations of art across various cultures & time periods. It’s a wonderful opportunity for students to experience art in a personal way through reproductions and tactile props. Volunteers need no previous art knowledge as they ask students questions about the pieces during their normal art time. We need 4-6 volunteers who can be in the school 4-6 hours to interact with students. Not all hours need to be on the same day. Free training is provided by MIA. More info coming soon!

Our annual book fair will be open during the day from 7:25 a.m.- 3:30 p.m. week of Feb. 4-7. There will be a Family Fun Night Friday, February 7 from 6-8 p.m. Families can play Bingo in the cafeteria, check out some of the games/puzzles or bring their own from home, have open gym time, or play KanJam or Corn Hole.There will be $1 concession snacks/drinks for sale in the cafeteria. The Book Fair will also be open. This is not a drop-off event. Students must have a guardian in attendance. The book fair will also be open for families to shop.

We will need the help of several volunteers to run these events hours are subject to change based on volunteer availability. Volunteers will receive a $5 off coupon for use at the book fair.

Spring Lake Park Schools is hosting a number of events this winter and spring to help current and incoming families prepare for the next steps in their students’ education. Whether you are looking to enroll a student, preparing for a school transition or registering for classes, we hope students and families can join us to learn more about:

• Kindergarten New Family Information Events for the Class of 2038
• Get to Know Westwood for current 4th grade families
• Transition to 7th grade for current 6th grade families
• Transition to 8th grade for current 7th grade families
• High school registration for current 8-11 grade students and families
• Enrolling a new student

The Panthers for a Purpose Week of Giving celebration will take place February 16-22. To top off the week, the biggest Panther Party celebration will be held on February 22, 2025 at Bunker Hills Event Center in Coon Rapids featuring an amazing silent auction and Dueling Pianos performed by Sweet Keys Dueling Pianos. Save money and purchase your Early Bird Ticket now. Prices go up on Monday, January 20.

There are many ways to get involved including sponsorship, silent auction donations, volunteering and more! Learn more here.

• Audition for the Westwood Musical: High School Musical, Jan. 13: 7th and 8th grade students are encouraged to audition for the upcoming Westwood Musical: High School Musical on Monday, January 13. Audition forms are available in the office or music rooms. Join the Schoology Westwood Middle School Theater group for updates - Access code: R8JX-BBF6-4TS42.
• Westwood Strength and Speed Gr 7-8 - Starts January 15: Westwood Strength and Speed is designed to introduce 7th and 8th graders to foundational fitness principles in a supportive, structured environment. Students will learn safe and effective weight room techniques, focusing on building strength, agility, and overall physical fitness. This course emphasizes proper form, discipline, and teamwork, helping young athletes develop a solid base for future sports and fitness endeavors. Led by SLP Alumni and 10th Grade Football Coach Nick Wetzel.
• Volleyball Skills Academy - Gr 5-8 - Starts January 16: The Volleyball Skills Academy is designed for 5th-8th grade boys and girls who want to enhance their skills through high-intensity drills, advanced techniques, and agility training. Led by SLPHS Girls Volleyball JV Coach Bianco.

• Students Bring Big Ideas to Life in ‘Shark Tank’ Style Competition
• From paper plants to community circles
• Enrollment is open for the 2025-2026 school year
• Now Hiring Paraprofessionals - apply online today

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