West Friday Forecast

This will be my last Friday Forecast of the 2020-2021 school year but for those returning to us, I will be in touch over the summer. If you need anything at all or if I can answer any questions, never hesitate to reach out!

We are so grateful for our learners and parents and all you've done to support West this year. This was a year none of us anticipated but I am so proud of the learning that happened!

Monday, May 24th, is Yearbook Distribution Day!

PRE-ORDERED BOOKS

IN-PERSON LEARNERS:

The yearbooks that were pre-ordered by learners who are currently in-person will be handed out during each lunch period on Monday, May 24.

REMOTE LEARNERS:

The yearbooks that were pre-ordered by learners who are currently remote will be available for pick-up from 11:00am - 12:30pm or 3:45pm - 5:30pm on Monday, May 24. The yearbooks will be available for curbside pick-up in the back of the school.

YEARBOOKS FOR PURCHASE

If you did not pre-order a yearbook, you can purchase a yearbook during either of the pick-up times in the drop-off lane in back of the school on Monday, May 24, while supplies last. Those times are:

11:00am - 12:30pm

and

3:45pm - 5:30pm

The cost of the yearbook is $50 and you can pay with cash or a check made payable to CISD.

DID I PURCHASE A YEARBOOK THIS YEAR?

If you are not sure whether you pre-ordered a yearbook this year, you can email Karen McGinnes (kmcginnes@coppellisd.com) with your learner's name and grade level. She will check the records and promptly reply.

Please join us on Tuesday for a parade to honor our 8th graders moving to high school! We encourage everyone to decorate cars and show their school spirit as you drive through!

We selected our top 2 learners in each grade level and celebrated them this week at West. These amazing learners were chosen because of their effort, citizenship, and all around representation of our Wrangler Creed.

I am a Wrangler.

I am a positive example.

I am respectful.

I care for all people and property.

I challenge myself every day.

I am not afraid to fail.

I am a Wrangler.

All library books were due on Monday, May 10th. Emails have been sent notifying students of overdue books. They may also login to destiny.coppellisd.com to view their account. Please remind your student to return books to the library this week. VIRTUAL LEARNERS may return books to the book drop located at the front entrance of West. Thank you for helping as we wrap up another great year at the CMSW Library!

Students and Parents,

Please log in to your HAC accounts and look at your 2021-2022 Course Requests. They are located at the bottom of the "Classes" screen under your current schedule.

These are the requests we currently have entered for you. This is NOT your schedule for next year, this is just what you have requested. Please remember, electives are not guaranteed.

If you would like to make any changes, please send your counselor an email before the last day of school 🙂

Last names A-L Jaime Duncan jduncan@coppellisd.com

Last names M-Z Stephanie Julian sjulian@coppellisd.com

Check out some updates from our counselors!

https://www.smore.com/4tukv-counselor-chat-20-21

Yesterday, the Department of Education and the Department of Justice released Confronting COVID-19-Related Harassment in Schools, a fact sheet for students and families. You may find this resource on the Office for Civil Rights website in English, Chinese-simplified, Chinese-traditional, Korean, Tagalog, and Vietnamese, with additional translations expected later this month.

Please share this widely with your networks. This will help ensure that students and families are aware of their rights in school settings and of how to access help if needed, including from the Office for Civil Rights in the Department of Education and the Civil Rights Division in the Department of Justice.

As President Biden wrote at the start of his presidency, in his Memorandum Condemning and Combating Racism, Xenophobia, and Intolerance Against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the United States, “The Federal Government should combat racism, xenophobia, and intolerance against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and should work to ensure that all members of AAPI communities — no matter their background, the language they speak, or their religious beliefs — are treated with dignity and equity.”

A group of West learners are raising money to support the impact of COVID-19 across India. Check out their Go Fund Me to contribute and learn more.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/d56zf8-help-india-fight-covid19?utm_campaign=p_lico+share-sheet&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=customer

Hi everyone!

I apologize for the last few weeks not having a Friday Forecast shared with you. My father passed away last Friday and was very ill before that, so I have been in and out over the last few weeks. I am back now and really grateful for our staff and our incredible children and families.

We only have a few weeks left of school and we are excited to celebrate our kids in the coming weeks and all they have accomplished!

We would like to congratulate all of our learners on a job well done this school year. Our teachers have selected one learner for every course they teach who has done an outstanding job! Please view the flipgrid links below for your grade level to see the winners! We are so proud of you all!

Password for all links is west2021

6th Grade Flipgrid Link

7th Grade Flipgrid Link

8th Grade Flipgrid Link

West will celebrate our current 8th graders and their moving on to high school with a drive thru parade and celebration on Tuesday May 25th from 5:30-6:30 PM. We encourage our current 8th grade families to show their school spirit by driving through our parade so we can cheer for them, take pictures and honor them in a special way. We hope you will all join us!

If you happened to miss the parent meeting for those in athletics next year, the link below will recap that meeting for you!

https://spark.adobe.com/page/EKZySoRCL2uKM/

Please see the flyer below if you are interested in Color Guard!

We are thrilled to announce a joint venture between the Coppell West Theatre and Choral Departments. Mrs. Hartzell and Ms. Hazleton are so excited to be able to provide a Summer Musical Theatre Camp for learners in grades 5-9 - a chance for them to come together to produce and perform in a Disney Musical.

This summer we will have two sessions – June 8-11 we will work on THE LION KING, KIDS. June 14-18 we will work on ALADDIN, KIDS. Each camp session is limited due to COVID considerations and registration is available on a first come, first served basis. The camp goes from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm Monday thru Thursday and 12:00 pm to 8:30 pm on Friday, with a 7:00 pm performance. Accommodations can be made for summer school and other conflicts on an individual basis.

The flyer for the Camp with all pertinent information is attached. We would also appreciate any help you can give us in "Spreading the word" as this is happening in a relatively short time.

If your child is going to be in athletics next year, please plan to attend (on zoom) a parent meeting on Tuesday April 27th (6-7 PM).

Link for Boys Athletics

https://coppellisd.zoom.us/j/88291040667?pwd=TnAzOVlPTElvYXZBeHNjSWRBdi9GUT09

Link for Girls Athletics

https://coppellisd.zoom.us/j/9393234835?pwd=NUpXY1ZPaEE5LzNpeThoZm9sdEluUT09

We would like to invite you to be a member of the West Spirit Squad for the 2021-2022 School Year. The West Spirit Squad is responsible for leading pep rallies, cheering at athletic events, and spreading school spirit! Experience is not required. Please fill out the google form linked below by April 30th, if you are interested in being a part of an awesome community.

West Spirit Squad Interest Form

Have any questions? Contact Ms. Tangassi at stangassi@coppellisd.com

Our Destination Imagination team - ‘Master Maniacs’ from CMSW has been selected to compete at the Destination Imagination Global Finals. The team took up the service learning challenge and worked on Recycling/Composting as their topic. They won 3rd place overall in the Lone Star finals and 1st place in Instant Challenge.

Team Members (from L to R):

Dhanushi Raval - 7th Grade

Anvita Anumala - 8th Grade

Sriya Meduri - 8th Grade (CMSE)

Neha Nagarapu - 8th Grade

Nitya Bhupathiraju - 7th Grade

The Virtual BOOK FAIR will open on Monday, April 26th!

View the Virtual Book Fair and shop at the Scholastic Store using the link below.

Families have until Sunday, May 9th to make purchases. Items will be shipped directly from Scholastic to your home.

https://www.scholastic.com/bf/coppellmiddleschoolwest

Thank you for supporting the CMS WEST Library!

Coppell High School 9th Grade Center is looking for PTO Board Members for next year!

The specific board positions needed are:

PE Uniforms

Write-A-Check

Hospitality

We would like to invite all 8th grade families to drive-thru on May 25th between 5:30 and 6:30 PM to celebrate your learner's accomplishments. Our staff will be surrounding the building to honor these very special learners. We encourage you to decorate your cards and join the parade in the front car loop!

The Coppell High School Boys Golf Team will be holding tryouts for all incoming freshman who are interested in being on the CHS Boys Golf Team on Monday, April 26 and Tuesday, April 27 at Riverchase Golf Club beginning at 4:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. both days. If you are interested in trying out, please email jspoor@coppellisd.com

At the end of this month, on April 30, our Science and Social Studies Departments will be hosting STAAR Wars, a full day of review activities and games to prepare for the STAAR tests that will take place the following week. We are excited to bring this fun, intensive day of review back to life after a hiatus last year due to COVID, and I want to share some brief details about the day with you in advance.

In order to meet the needs of both our face-to-face and remote learners, the review activities will be hosted through a Schoology course titled “STAAR Wars 2021.” Your learner has already been added to this course, and on April 30, the review lessons and games will be published. Face to face learners will be assigned to a pair of in-person educators to guide them through the activities; remote learners will also have access to virtual educator support through Zoom links that will remain open all day. Each of your learners will be sorted into a faction, or team, and they will earn points for their faction by completing review modules in the Schoology course. The faction with the highest point-average at the end of the day will be declared the STAAR Wars champion!

On the morning of April 30, we will host an eighth-grade wide Zoom meeting at 8:10 to explain procedures and schedule for the day. This Zoom link will be published in the STAAR Wars course on Schoology, but I have also provided it here:

Topic: STAAR Wars 2021 Welcome Meeting

Time: Apr 30, 2021 08:00 AM Central Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting

https://coppellisd.zoom.us/j/89068571987?pwd=TzNkVHFKaGJGVGJBbVhMWDJMV2dYdz09

Meeting ID: 890 6857 1987

Passcode: west

We all look forward to supporting your learners through this exciting day. Should you have any questions, please reach out to your learner’s science or social studies educator.

If your student is enrolled in athletics for next school year they MUST have a Pre-Participation Physical on file with the Coaches at West in order to be eligible to participate. Coppell is making it very simple to get this taken care of by offering these for $25 on May 23rd at the CHS indoor Football Facility.

Each Student-Athelte MUST have one before the 2021-2022. school year begins. Please do not wait until the last minute and try to schedule a well visit with your personal physician as many of them will be booked up!

Please see the flyer below. If you have any questions please reach out to Coach Kelder at jkelder@coppellisd.com.

If your student is enrolled in athletics for next school year they MUST have a Pre-Participation Physical on file with the Coaches at West in order to be eligible to participate. Coppell is making it very simple to get this taken care of by offering these for $25 on May 23rd at the CHS indoor Football Facility.

Each Student-Athelte MUST have one before the 2021-2022. school year begins. Please do not wait until the last minute and try to schedule a well visit with your personal physician as many of them will be booked up!

Please see the flyer below. If you have any questions please reach out to Coach Kelder at jkelder@coppellisd.com.

As a reminder, learners will not have school tomorrow- Friday April 2nd or Monday April 5th.

On Tuesday April 6th we will have 7th grade Writing STAAR. We will be testing all in-person and remote 7th grade learners on campus that day (unless they've let us know they are choosing to take the test absence) and 6th and 8th grade learners will be learning from home and not expected to come to school that day. This is in an effort to limit the number of learners in the building to allow for safety and social distancing. If you don't have supervision and need to send your 6th or 8th grader to school, please let me know.

For 7th graders testing:

• The google form for 7th grade parents to let us know their plans for STAAR testing is now closed for new responses, so if you need to make a change please email your child's counselor.

• For 7th grade learners testing, please check room assignment list to know what room you are testing in. This can only be accessed by learners using their CISD login credentials.

• All 7th grade remote learners will be testing in the gym and should be dropped off and picked up at the back entrance of the school.
  
  
• All learners can be picked up when they have completed testing. If they need to stay in school all day, they may do so.

• For learners riding the bus, the bus will only be available at normal dismissal time- 3:35.

The State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR®) tests are quickly approaching and I wanted to share our plans with you. The state requires all STAAR tests to be taken in person regardless of current learning location.

Safety Protocols

Remote learners reporting to campus for this test will be in a testing area separate from in person learners with strict safety protocols in place. We will not be joining our remote and in person learners on days when they are both on campus.

• All learners and staff will practice social distancing and remain 6 feet apart.
• All learners and staff will wear a mask at all times and practice good hygiene (hand washing, sanitizing, cleaning of work surfaces and chairs, etc.)
• All learners may be picked up as soon as their testing is complete. Parents will let us know if they will leave learners in school the entire day or pick them up after testing on the google form mentioned below.

Attendance & Requirements

We respect your decision to continue to participate in remote instruction and not come to school on STAAR testing dates, recognizing that in making that decision, your child will not be participating in his or her STAAR assessment for grades 6-8. Please be assured that not participating in a STAAR assessment in grades 6-8 does not affect promotion or retention decisions. If your child is in Algebra 1 and takes the end-of-course (EOC)- this remains a graduation requirement and learners will need to take and pass this test in order to graduate.

Important Note for Parents

To keep as few learners gathered together as possible on each testing day, WHEN YOUR LEARNER IS NOT TESTING, THEY WILL BE A REMOTE LEARNER. These will still be school days with learners expected to participate in class remotely and complete all work.

Example: For 7th grade Writing on April 6th- only 7th grade learners testing will be here in person. 6th and 8th grade learners will be remote learners on that day.

If you are unable to keep your learner home, we can make arrangements for them to work remotely on course work from CMS West. You'll need to indicate this on your google form.

Please see below for information on which days your learners will need to be in person and which days they will need to be remote.

The STAAR testing dates are as follows:

7th grade Writing- Tuesday April 6th, 2021. If you have a 7th grade learner and have NOT yet completed the google form, please do so now. This deadline was March 12th and we have less than half of our 7th graders accounted for.
All 7th grade parents must fill out the form linked below.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfLr8nLt-Ss3gC2Fc3MfXHkPsHrt5hGAJkB6t5nEI5bIKBL5g/viewform

Algebra 1- Tuesday May 4th, 2021. If you have a learner enrolled in Algebra in any grades 6-8, this is a graduation requirement.
All Algebra parents must fill out the form below.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeQGRPcG-IF9Y6j9DpJK7qIfQhggtPOtyMlznvU0ojkQyCBAA/viewform

8th grade Science- Thursday May 6th, 2021.
8th grade Social Studies- Friday May 7th, 2021.
All 8th grade parents must fill out the form linked below just once for both social studies and science.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeGcVyZBNGGcxY58QWJu-3ft_vLmwn8n4wJ-8Zuaidm7qp0qA/viewform

6th, 7th, 8th grade Math- Tuesday May 11th, 2021.
All parents grades 6-8 (except Algebra parents) must fill out the form below.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScjWGarYKuRojppqQJw0_AzlgkfUUYM1NnhQtProLoUtiY3lg/viewform

6th, 7th, 8th grade Reading- Wednesday May 12th, 2021.
All parents grades 6-8 must fill out the form below.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScMe2fWl0kLjAK6_CRcOGvNjFWGkCcMpzkh6QcQe2nqDb7oUQ/viewform

If you need or want to make a change to your selection after completing this form, please email your child's counselor. Their contact information can be found on the Counselor's Corner.

The State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR®) tests are quickly approaching and I wanted to share our plans with you. The state requires all STAAR tests to be taken in person regardless of current learning location.

Safety Protocols

Remote learners reporting to campus for this test will be in a testing area separate from in person learners with strict safety protocols in place. We will not be joining our remote and in person learners on days when they are both on campus.

• All learners and staff will practice social distancing and remain 6 feet apart.
• All learners and staff will wear a mask at all times and practice good hygiene (hand washing, sanitizing, cleaning of work surfaces and chairs, etc.)
• All learners may be picked up as soon as their testing is complete. Parents will let us know if they will leave learners in school the entire day or pick them up after testing on the google form mentioned below.

Attendance & Requirements

We respect your decision to continue to participate in remote instruction and not come to school on STAAR testing dates, recognizing that in making that decision, your child will not be participating in his or her STAAR assessment for grades 6-8. Please be assured that not participating in a STAAR assessment in grades 6-8 does not affect promotion or retention decisions. If your child is in Algebra 1 and takes the end-of-course (EOC)- this remains a graduation requirement and learners will need to take and pass this test in order to graduate.

• I will send a google form for each test administration so that families can share with us their plans for testing days to aid in our planning. I have already sent the first of these to all 7th grade families for 7th grade Writing on April 6th, 2021.

Important Note for Parents

To keep as few learners gathered together as possible on each testing day, WHEN YOUR LEARNER IS NOT TESTING, THEY WILL BE A REMOTE LEARNER. These will still be school days with learners expected to participate in class remotely and complete all work.

Example: For 7th grade Writing on April 6th- only 7th grade learners testing will be here in person. 6th and 8th grade learners will be remote learners on that day.

If you are unable to keep your learner home, we can make arrangements for them to work remotely on course work from CMS West. You'll need to indicate this on your google form.

Please see below for information on which days your learners will need to be in person and which days they will need to be remote.

Today is Fun Friday! The schedule is below and learners can choose their activity. This should be a day for fun and catching up on any missing work! There will be no traditional class time and remote learners should choose a fun activity they enjoy from home.

PTO is Seeking Designs for next year's Spirit Wear!

Guidelines:

The contest is open to all west students. Registration is free. We are accepting one entry per learner. Multiple entries or multiple designs in one entry can lead to disqualification.

Design your work:
1. Paper - Use standard size paper. Scan your design and upload as jpeg OR
2. Digital format- size not more than 8.5 x 11 inches.

Please make sure you save your original artwork. If you win, we will need your original artwork to reproduce the design.

It should not have your name or grade as part of your design. Please fill those details in google form.

You may use 2 to 3 colors of your choice. (recommend to use school colors). Your art work should represent CMS West values.

Form link - https://forms.gle/iAuEUDPDWw6ynmjG8

Details are on - https://cmswpto.membershiptoolkit.com/tshirtdesigncontest

PTO is Seeking Designs for next year's Spirit Wear!

Guidelines:

The contest is open to all west students. Registration is free. We are accepting one entry per learner. Multiple entries or multiple designs in one entry can lead to disqualification.

Design your work:
1. Paper - Use standard size paper. Scan your design and upload as jpeg OR
2. Digital format- size not more than 8.5 x 11 inches.

Please make sure you save your original artwork. If you win, we will need your original artwork to reproduce the design.

It should not have your name or grade as part of your design. Please fill those details in google form.

You may use 2 to 3 colors of your choice. (recommend to use school colors). Your art work should represent CMS West values.

Form link - https://forms.gle/iAuEUDPDWw6ynmjG8

Details are on - https://cmswpto.membershiptoolkit.com/tshirtdesigncontest

One of our sweet learners took a servant leader's mindset during the recent winter storms. Varuni Saranu setup a go fund me page to collect money for those struggling in the storm and was able to collect $480 within 3-4 days. With $480, she bought water bottles and packaged food and was able to donate those items to the warming shelters in Irving and Coppell.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/Texas-Winter-Storm-Victim-Fund

The Coppell Education Foundation is pleased to announce that they are accepting nominations for Superstar CISD educators and employees. The employee must be nominated by other employees, parents and at the middle schools, students may also nominate. Nominations and information can be found in the following links:

https://tinyurl.com/CoppellSuperStar (nomination form)

http://coppellisdef.com/super-star (information about the program)

Please see below for some information from our school nurse- Lacy Morrow.

We are working toward the goal of 70% of families participating. If 70% of families contributed $25 we would reach our goal! Please consider donating anything you can!

https://cmswpto.membershiptoolkit.com/packet/18784

If we reach our goal, we will have a Fun Friday on Friday March 12th for all learners!

Check out our teachers telling you about all the ways PTO has been able to support our campus through Write-A-Check! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NkUVyw8qgh4&feature=youtu.be

Attention Parents: We have received several calls and emails from parents that missed the January 29th deadline to order a yearbook. Due to the unusual nature of the year and having a large number of students learning virtually from home, our publisher has given us until February 19th to collect orders. If you missed the previous deadline, you must order by Friday, February 19th to receive a copy of the 2021 yearbook. Order online at: http://jostensyearbooks.com/?REF=A08157930

We are working toward the goal of 70% of families participating. If 70% of families contributed $25 we would reach our goal! Please consider donating anything you can!

https://cmswpto.membershiptoolkit.com/packet/18784

If we reach our goal, we will have a Fun Friday on Friday March 12th for all learners!

Check out our teachers telling you about all the ways PTO has been able to support our campus through Write-A-Check! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NkUVyw8qgh4&feature=youtu.be

My apologies for the late delivery on last week's Friday Forecast. We had some issue with our new Parent Square communication app so this is just now arriving to you. Pay special attention to Write-A-Check details and dates for registration!

Your child heard a presentation from the CHS 9 and New Tech counselors last week that covered graduation requirements and planning courses for all four years of high school.

You can view the video your child saw here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IT_RmucdZcc&feature=youtu.be

The online registration process began on Friday, January 29th. Students will need to enter their courses for all four years into Home Access Center (HAC). This must be completed by February 19th.

We know there may be a lot of questions and we are here to help!
Mrs. Duncan and Mrs. Julian will have open zoom sessions on Monday, 2/1, Tuesday, 2/2, Thursday, 2/3 and Friday, 2/5 to answer any questions that come up. Students and or parents can log in to the open zoom to ask their questions. There will NOT be a presentation, it will just be an open zoom. Zooms will be open from 11-12:40 each of those four days.

Open Zoom Link:
https://coppellisd.zoom.us/s/81898848137

Helpful Links:
CHS 9 Registration Info
9th Grade Registration Timeline

We have collected $1,940.00

6th grade has had 16 donations- 4% participation

7th grade- 16 donations- TIED- 4% participation

8th grade- 9 donations- 3% participation

The total participation for the school as a whole is at 4% right now. Come on West parents- please get your donations in today, any amount will help make a difference!

https://cmswpto.membershiptoolkit.com/packet/16711619

Please use this link to learn more about Math at home opportunities in February!

We will have district mandated MAP testing this coming week for all learners- both in person and remote.

Monday January 25th will be Science

Wednesday January 27th will be Reading

Thursday January 28th will be Math

Please see the links below for helpful information.

MAP Schedule

MAP Save the Date Infographic

MAP Troubleshooting Guide

Attention 8th Grade Parents -Application Deadlines Coming Up for New Tech High @ Coppell

Did you know:

• CISD offers a 4-year project-based learning high school, New Tech High@Coppell (NTH@C);
• NTH@C offers a broad range of courses, including AP and dual-credit options;
• Shuttle service from NTH@C to CHS allows students to participate in extracurricular activities, including Band, Theatre, Athletics, Choir and Drill Team; and
• Last year, there was a waiting list to attend NTH@C. Please plan to complete your application by January 27th to guarantee your spot. Visit https://www.coppellisd.com/domain/3403 and access 'New Learner' Tab to access Application.
• If your 8th grader is interested in attending NTH@C next year, you would like additional information or you have questions about application process and deadlines, please visit: https://www.coppellisd.com/domain/3403"Why I Chose New Tech"

We have mailed home a note with an honor roll sticker to each of our learners who made the all A Honor Roll. We are so proud of your hard work!

Sudeep Balireddy (7th grade) recently competed in an essay writing contest in memory of Martin Luther King, Jr. and the observance of MLK Day Monday January 18th. You can see more about this in minutes 36-39 of the video linked below!

We are excited to welcome everyone back for the Spring Semester. Please remember that we are here to help you and to offer our assistance in any way possible. We hope everyone had a safe and restful holiday!

As our learners and staff begin the Winter Break, we wish you all a very Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year. I hope that 2021 will bring peace and a return to normal life and blessings to all of our West family!

As a reminder, we have a special schedule for Friday December 18th. Please use the link below to review. We are taking some time in the afternoon to encourage learners to relax and watch a movie. Our in person learners will have several movies to choose from. For our remote learners, we encourage them to choose a favorite movie to enjoy at home. We won't have any zoom meetings in the afternoon as we hope everyone takes some time to rest.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1HEkPFBp6BwGPFEU79mR8d-calBnYRFSM/view?usp=sharing

The Texas Education Agency has ruled that districts in Texas will have the flexibility to revoke the choice for remote learning for learners who have not been successful learning from home. If this applies to your learner, you will be hearing from our campus in mid-January. Learners making a 65 or below in a core class or having 10 or more absences in a 9 week period could be required to return to campus in person. While we understand some families' desires to keep learning remotely, some learners are not doing well and will be required to return face to face. We will continue to have a very low number of learners face to face and we will be able to manage our in person numbers safely even with any learners who return. If you have questions about how your child is doing, please reach out to their Assistant Principal or Counselor.

Last Names A-L:

Asst. Principal- Joseph Smith jmsmith@coppellisd.com

Counselor- Jaime Duncan jduncan@coppellisd.com

Last Names M-Z:

Asst. Principal- Josh Howard jhoward@coppellisd.com

Counselor- Stephanie Julian sjulian@coppellisd.com

CMS West conducted an evacuation drill on December 16th as part of our periodic Standard Response Protocol drills held throughout the school year. This ensures that our students and staff understand what to do in case of an evacuation emergency.

It is important for all of our students to understand and be aware of the importance of a evacuation drill and to not be afraid when the fire alarm is sounded. During an evacuation, all of our students and staff immediately evacuate and report to a predetermined site outside the building.

Our staff and students responded extremely well to the evacuation drill, and I am very proud of all of them. I encourage you to talk with your child about the drill and what they learned. There also are several resources available online to talk to your children about fires, fire prevention and other emergencies. These include the Parent Toolkit at the CISD website at go.coppellisd.com/parenttoolkit, as well as www.safekids.org/start-safe-fire-resources-parents and www.ready.gov.

Thank you for the important role you play in helping our students, our school and our district be better prepared if we should have an actual emergency situation. The safety and security of our students, staff and campus visitors is of the utmost importance to us all at West and in Coppell ISD.

A recent news story aired on Spectrum News about the electoral college process and features West Social Studies Teacher and Teacher of the Year, Margaret Anne Tucker and two of her learners- Maanav Subramanian and Shreya Singh.

https://www.facebook.com/BrianScottNews/videos/2861701124065066/

December 11th will be an early release day for learners (1 PM) to provide additional work time for district staff. Please see our special schedule for December 11th.

December 18th will be a full day, but we are going to provide a Fun Friday movie opportunity for learners. Face to face learners will watch here in person. Distance learners are encouraged to take some time this day to watch a favorite movie with their family! Please see our special schedule for December 18th.

This week you should have received an email from ParentSquare to activate an account for the district’s new mass notification system. ParentSquare is replacing Blackboard/Parentlink as CISD’s mass notification system.

ParentSquare includes two-way communication options between parents/guardians and the district, including teachers. It also offers users to select the frequency of receiving messages, such as a daily or weekly digest of emails, as well as provides users the option to receive and send messages in the language they choose. It also includes an App that will help streamline communications. When you receive the ParentSquare email, please follow the instructions to set up your account. This email from ParentSquare is a legitimate email authorized by CISD.

Here are quick videos in English and Spanish that explain what ParentSquare is and all the features for parents:

• High-level overview for parents - English & Spanish
• How to log in and set notification and language preferences - English & Spanish
• Tour and how to use common features - English & Spanish
• ParentSquare App - English & Spanish
• Parent Resource Information: https://parentsquare.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/212706883-Resource-Documents

Ms. Rindels and her learners in gardening have done an amazing job with the garden. Their produce even made it to the cafeteria for our salads!

Thank you to everyone who donated to our Lions Club Toy and Food Drive!

Saturday December 5th at 2 PM, the CMS West PTO will host a fortnite tournament for any West learners or their friends and families. You don't have to be a part of the West community to register. See the link below for more info!

https://cmswpto.membershiptoolkit.com/

Our school is decorated for Christmas and we are so grateful for Yard Signs & Decor and their partnership with our PTO. Please consider supporting our school by renting a yard sign for your special occasions. Swing by West today to snap your holiday photo. Our sign will up until 5 PM.

For learners who didn't come to West in person for picture day, we need your photo for the yearbook! Please be sure to visit the link below to upload your photo. Guidelines are in the image below! If you were here for picture day, you don't need to do this!

https://www.coppellisd.com/Page/16153

Thursday Dec. 10th from 4-6 PM will be our final drive through collection of non-perishable foods and new unwrapped toys for the Lions Club. In person learners can continue to bring their items until December 16th. Please consider supporting this cause!

CISD sent an email to all parents this week about commitment forms to indicate your choice of learning location for the 3rd nine weeks for your learner. If you are staying the same, you don't need to take any action. If you are switching from remote to in person or in person to remote after our Winter break, please be sure to fill out the form emailed to you by the district.

Please see below for a message from our Student Council:

In the United States, there have already been 10 million COVID cases, and almost 250,000 deaths. In Texas alone, we have reached 1 million cases and 20,000 deaths which supplies a tenth of the COVID cases in the U.S. To raise awareness, we have decided to make letters, posters, and video messages. These letters, posters, and videos will pay tribute to our frontline health care workers at the UT Southwestern and Parkland Hospital. Please help us in our efforts to show support for our community members that are working tirelessly to protect us from this disease.

Letters: Try to draw pictures and make it colorful. You shouldn’t say, “thank you bob” or “thank you Jeff.” Make it less specific so that when someone reads it, they aren’t feeling like their letter is talking about someone else. One letter counts as 30 service minutes. A maximum of 4 letters will be counted towards the volunteer hours, which means you can earn a total of 2 volunteer hours. However, you can write as many letters as you want to recognize the efforts of our frontline workers.

Videos: Videos must be only 25-30 seconds max. You must show your face. You should encourage the frontline workers and say good things about what they have done over the months with the pandemic. You should say thank you at the beginning or end. One video will count towards 30 service minutes. You can only make one video whether it’s for service hours or not.

Posters: Posters must be colorful and hand drawn. They should be neat, clear, and related to the topic only. The maximum size is 22 X 28, (22 length, 28 width, inches), and the minimum size is

18 X 24 (18 length, 24 width, inches). Anything in between is also fine. One poster will count towards one service hour. You can make more than one poster, however, only one service hour will be given.

For online learners the drop off day for letters and posters will be Tuesday, December 15.

Please email nza0402@g.coppellisd.com or axv5033@g.coppellisd.com for any questions.

Also please email us when you want to turn your videos in. Deadline is December 15, 11:59 pm. No videos will be accepted later than that.

As a reminder, learners will be participating in Fun Friday today! All face to face learners signed up their choice of fun sessions here in person, and remote learners can go to this document and join the zoom session of their choice to interact with whichever group interests them!

You can see the schedule for the day here. The morning will be their normal classwork and attendance will be taken, and the afternoon is a time for them to interact with peers and teachers and have a little fun!

If you weren't able to take student photos for the yearbook last week, please see below so that your learner's photo can be included.

Photos can be uploaded and more information can found at the link below:

https://www.coppellisd.com/Page/16153

Don't miss your chance to register for our Fortnite Tournament!

Date: December 5th (2PM)

https://cmswpto.membershiptoolkit.com/home

Please check out the link below for a podcast helpful to parents living in a technology rich world and managing that for our kids.

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-happy-hour-with-jamie-ivey/id880741976?i=1000499192889

We want to wish our entire West community a very Happy Diwali. We hope you have a safe and Happy Weekend. Thank you to our West PTO for decorating our school and providing breakfast this wek!

Our learners have been working hard and we want to take some time to have some fun and take a little break from schoolwork. We are still required by law to take attendance so it's required that learners participate for the entire day.

Bell Schedule for Fun Friday

How to Sign-UP

Zoom Links for Virtual Learners

Ashia Agarwal (8th grade) was named to the All-Star improv troupe for the Texas Thespians. This is a group of 20 high school and middle school students Who were chosen as outstanding in the contest. They were hundreds of kids in the contest, so this is a big accomplishment. She will be showcased in a performance on 11/21.

You can view the Virtual Book Fair and shop at the Scholastic Store.

Families have until November 15th to make purchases!

https://www.scholastic.com/bf/coppellmiddleschoolwest

Thank you for supporting the CMS WEST Library!

Our window for our learner survey is currently open for our Panorama survey. We are surveying Coppell ISD learners in order to gain insight into their perception of our school and district effectiveness. To ensure we continue to provide high quality, rigorous learning experiences that meet their academic and social emotional needs and prepare them for college and career, we need learners’ feedback.

All learners should complete the survey by November 13th by going to surveys.panoramaed.com/coppellisd and entering their student ID as the access code.

Further instructions can be found here.

The Fall 2020 CISD Family Survey is open now through Friday, Nov. 20. To participate, visit go.coppellisd.com/familyfall2020, then select your child(ren)’s school. If you have multiple children in CISD, we ask that you take the survey for each school your child attends. Please email input@coppellisd.com, if you would like to share any additional feedback or insight not covered in the survey or have any additional comments to share with the district.

All learners must change their CISD passwords by Monday, November 16th. CISD Technology will be reinforcing the 90 day password age policy. Please go to https://accounts.coppellisd.com to reset your password if you haven’t changed your password in more than 90 days. If you do not update your password before Nov. 16, you could get locked out of apps and services that use your CISD account until you change your password.

For additional support visit:

https://coppellisdhelp.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360056654554

I talk often about wanting our learners to be focused on not only their academics, but also on developing into kind and loving young adults. We have an opportunity to give back to our local community by donating canned foods and new unwrapped toys. If your family is able to donate either of these, please consider participating in our food and toy drive.

Registration opens November 18th

In Social Studies classes this week, learners will be honoring our Veterans through a Veterans Day virtual celebration. We invite our parents and families to visit our Veteran's Day Celebration website to see how our social studies team is honoring our veterans!

https://sites.google.com/g.coppellisd.com/cmswestveteransday2020/home

Next Saturday November 14th is Diwali. Many families are celebrating and early next week we will decorate our school in celebration of this holiday that's so important to many of our learners and staff members. I'm currently working with a team of educators to celebrate this district wide so look out for more information in the coming weeks. Below I've put in a background you are welcome to use if you'd like for your zoom meetings and some district activities I'd love to see us participate in!

Please select one of the available time slots for your remote learner to have their picture taken on Friday November 13th. Signups will have to be done through the student's CISD email address.

Your child will enter on the north side of the building near the gyms (same entrance that bus riders enter/exit from). In person learners will have their picture taken during the school day. Please contact Mr. Howard (jhoward@coppellisd.com) with any questions.

Social distancing and safety protocols will be in place to keep learners safe. All learners should plan to wear a mask except for the moment their picture is taken.

CMSW will be hosting a FORTNITE TOURNAMENT on December 5 at 2:00pm! Log in from the comfort of your home and play against your friends for a chance to win cash and prizes! Spread the word- anyone can play! Registration details will be coming soon!

Please visit our online book fair anytime between now and November 15th!

https://www.scholastic.com/bf/coppellmiddleschoolwest

Please let me know which teachers are really doing a great job!

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfkB38Ei1ZJ208zhwOcP5chGWupssggoIrUJxYOWAJKnQCTYw/viewform?usp=send_form

Our window for our learner survey is currently open for our Panorama survey. We are surveying Coppell ISD learners in order to gain insight into their perception of our school and district effectiveness. To ensure we continue to provide high quality, rigorous learning experiences that meet their academic and social emotional needs and prepare them for college and career, we need learners’ feedback.

All learners should complete the survey by November 13th by going to surveys.panoramaed.com/coppellisd and entering their student ID as the access code.

Further instructions can be found here.

Learners who have shown hard work, kindness, and a positive attitude. Congratulations to our winners!

6th grade winners

7th grade winners

8th grade winners

Next week, Texas schools are celebrating Red Ribbon Week to promote awareness for drug and alcohol abuse. We would encourage all learners to participate whether in person or a remote learner. The schedule for our dress up days is below.

Additionally, on Monday October 26th, our learners will be hearing a virtual speaker for Red Ribbon Week, provided and paid for by our fabulous PTO! You can see his bio below. All learners can access his presentation through their Language Arts schoology course!

Inside our school, we've set up an altar in honor of Day of the Dead (Dia de los Muertos). This is a tradition celebrated throughout Mexico and other parts of Latin America, as well as in the US. This tradition is rooted in celebration more than mourning and is meant to be a happy time to remember those we have loved and lost. I grew up having an altar at home and always had one in my classroom as a teacher. One of our teachers had the idea to do this at West and I think it's a good one.

Some of you may wonder why we celebrate so many different holidays and traditions at West, and the simple answer is this...I want EVERY learner and staff member to feel celebrated and recognized. I'd love to add any that we don't already celebrate so let me know about any not already represented! Last year we celebrated Christmas, Diwali, Eid, Ramadan, Hanukah, and some of the more traditional US holidays.

This has been a tough year in our world and in this #westfam. Many people have lost loved ones, and I hope you will consider adding them to the altar so that we can all celebrate their life. If you are a remote learner, you can use this google form to submit your loved ones for us to add to the altar.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfK_KwungDpTEmIZzd_RtSeZCK8opf2z9jzBjRUgse8oUrvTg/viewform

If learners attend in person and would like to add someone to the altar, the supplies are all there for them. You can bring their photo in a frame or there are some small metal stands to clip their photo in. Please use the cards to write the person's name and your name as well.

This is also something our learners will cover in Social Studies classes next week.

To learn more about this tradition check out some of the links below.

https://www.nationalgeographic.org/media/dia-de-los-muertos/

https://www.cnn.com/2019/11/01/us/day-of-the-dead-dia-de-los-muertos-trnd/index.html

Please see the flyer below for more information about our new coding club!

We'd like to plan a day for some fun together that both virtual and in person learners can participate in!

Please give us your input using this google form!

Check out the trailer for our yearbook! Great job to our West learner yearbook staff!

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1DDtsDrWtBSWxBmXK9gIf_XQhZo91J7No/view

All learners are required to update their ipads to IOS 14. DIrections can be found at the link below. Deadline is October 26th for ALL LEARNERS!

https://www.bulbapp.com/u/ipados-14

PTO is conducting a "booing" fundraiser! The are offering a cool way to help you surprise someone for Halloween and raise money for West.

Give someone the surprise of waking up on Halloween morning to a yard full of BOO BAGS filled with treats and a cute yard sign letting everyone know that you have been BOOed!

Click Here for more information and to buy your Boo Bags and a Yard Sign! The deadline to order - 10/26 by 5 pm. You provide the address, we will make the delivery!

Here is a fun way to celebrate Halloween safely!

You can BOO anyone- all of the work is done for you!

Boo your colleagues and friends!

Boo your learners!

Boo your neighbor!

Boo the first responders at your local firehouse!

Order Your Boo Bags & Yard Sign Today!

Both face to face and remote learners are invited to participate by decorating a pumpkin to look like their favorite book character.

See the guidelines here

All learners are required to update their ipads to IOS 14. DIrections can be found at the link below. Deadline is October 26th for ALL LEARNERS!

https://www.bulbapp.com/u/ipados-14

We have seen during the first 9 weeks that many of are learners are struggling to get work done and turned in on time. Learners have reported that they have difficulty focusing and we are asking parents to help us in helping learners to be successful. Some things we would recommend are as follows.

• Attend all zoom sessions for all classes.
• Make every effort to turn work in on time.
• Check email daily.
• Let educators know when a learners is going to be working at night rather than during the school day. It's helpful to us to know if they are babysitting younger siblings or unable to work during the day or attend zoom sessions.

We are here to help you! If your learner is struggling, please let us know!

PTO is conducting a "booing" fundraiser! The are offering a cool way to help you surprise someone for Halloween and raise money for West.

Give someone the surprise of waking up on Halloween morning to a yard full of BOO BAGS filled with treats and a cute yard sign letting everyone know that you have been BOOed!

Click Here for more information and to buy your Boo Bags and a Yard Sign! The deadline to order - 10/26 by 5 pm. You provide the address, we will make the delivery!

Here is a fun way to celebrate Halloween safely!

You can BOO anyone- all of the work is done for you!

Boo your colleagues and friends!

Boo your learners!

Boo your neighbor!

Boo the first responders at your local firehouse!

Order Your Boo Bags & Yard Sign Today!

Check out Lori's newsletter

https://www.bulbapp.com/u/meet-your-lssp

Get your West mask for only $8!

https://cmswpto.membershiptoolkit.com/

We are excited to welcome some additional learners back for face to face instruction for the 2nd 9 weeks beginning Tuesday October 13th. We are expecting approximately 60 new learners. We are still under 200 total students here in person for the 2nd 9 weeks.

Parents have the choice at ANY time to have their face to face learner transition to remote learning.

The transition from remote learning to face to face requires administrative/counselor approval once the deadline for the change has passed. If your circumstances change or you feel that returning for face to face instruction would be better for your family at any time throughout the year, please reach out to myself or a member of our administrative or counseling team.

As a reminder, Monday October 12th is a school holiday.

Some reminders for those joining us for the first time this school year in person:

• A face mask is required for all learners and staff at all times. If you forget your mask or need a new one during the day we have those available in every classroom and the front office.
• Follow the directional arrows in our hallways to help with social distancing.
• Every learner and staff member is expected to use hand sanitizer on their way into a room and the way out of a room.
• We have 10 minute passing periods to allow teachers to clean and sanitize rooms between each class. Learners will be released in a staggered announcement by grade level. They will wait for their grade level to be announced before leaving the room.
• When arriving for each class, learners will wait outside the room socially distanced from one another until the room is clean and the teacher welcomes them in.
• Learners will go directly to their first period class when they arrive in the morning unless they need to get breakfast. Breakfast is available in the cafeteria.
• Lunch requires assigned seating. Learners will all get to choose their seat on Tuesday 10/13 and will be expected to sit there every day until the new 9 weeks begins.

Our counselor question and answer session for Monday October 12th will be cancelled as that is a school holiday.

You can email them at any time for any support or questions.

Jaime Duncan (last names A-L) jduncan@coppellisd.com

Stephanie Julian (last names M-Z) sjulian@coppellisd.com

Our social studies department is going to build a website to host a virtual Veteran's Day Celebration since we cannot gather face to face to honor our veterans. If you have Veteran's related to one of our learners, please submit their names and pictures to the link below.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeb0fE0EYGJLq78vhohsxvvzcDfRctmYG1nRwlnPCqJ4lh98g/viewform?usp=sf_link

Next week any learner who did not complete the MAP test will be notified by their science teacher via email and Schoology update. We will host MAP makeup sessions on Tuesday 10/6, Wednesday 10/7 and Thursday 10/8. Tuesday will be Science MAP, Wednesday will be Reading MAP and Thursday will be Math MAP. The science educators will communicate all MAP Test logistics such as Session Name and Password. We will have a Troubleshoot Zoom for all 3 days of MAP just in case learners need assistance.

Troubleshooting Guide

Troubleshooting Zoom Session

We have passed the deadline to change your learner's learning modality for the 2nd 9 weeks, but if you wish to make a request to change, I will accept those via email at sthornton@coppellisd.com

Please update all learner ipads to IOS 14 to keep things up to date.

You can find more information at the link below. Deadline is October 15th. Learners will be locked out of the ipads following this deadline.

https://www.bulbapp.com/u/ipados-14

What: MAP Testing (Measures of Academic Progress)- Mandatory for all learners both face to face and remote. Attendance will be recorded.

When: 8:45-10:50 AM on the days listed below.

Tuesday September 29th (Science)

Wednesday September 30th (Reading)

Thursday October 1st (Math)

You can see the bell schedule here.

For athletes that do school remotely but athletics in person, coaches will send an adjusted schedule.

Why: It is important for us to assess where learners are and how they're doing so that we can better meet their needs and address any gaps in their learning. This will NOT be for a grade but is mandatory for all learners.

How:

We will be administering the NWEA Map test from September 29 - October 1st. On Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday your learner will be taking the NWEA MAP test for Science, ELA, and Math. On these three days, we will be following a modified schedule to allow for testing to occur from 8:45 -10:50 am. All information about the test will be communicated through Schoology through your learner’s science teacher. Please do everything you can to ensure that your child logs on to their science Schoology page at 8:45 am each morning to locate the information about the test in the Updates section of their Science Schoology course. They will take the test on their iPad. Please make sure your child downloaded the NWEA MAP application from Manager or they may use Chrome and the test.mapnwea.org website. Learners must turn off pop-up blocker to use the website. Please do NOT use Safari to complete the MAP test. We are offering a troubleshooting guide for learners below and Live Zoom troubleshooting help by grade level.

Helpful Resources:

MAP Learner Schedule for 9/29-10/1

Video on Logging into NWEA MAP

Troubleshooting Guide for Virtual Learners

6th-grade Zoom Troubleshoot link

(Same link for 9/29 - 10/1 and will be live from 8:45 -10:50am)

*password is west*

7th-grade Zoom Troubleshoot link

(Same link for 9/29 - 10/1 and will be live from 8:45 -10:50am)

*password is west*

8th-grade Zoom Troubleshoot link

(Same link for 9/29 - 10/1 and will be live from 8:45 -10:50am)

*password is west*

This is a friendly reminder that parents must make any changes to learning location no later than Wednesday Sept. 30th. You received a link to make any changes from Coppell ISD. You ONLY NEED TO FILL THIS OUT IF YOU ARE MAKING A CHANGE. If you are continuing in your current learning location nothing needs to be done.

If you didn't get the email or need additional assistance please email input@coppellisd.com

Just a reminder that learners must go into each of their schoology courses to find their work each day. Some learners are ONLY checking the schoology calendar, and this does NOT contain all their work. Be sure to navigate to each course and read all sections to be sure you are getting all the information and assignments. If you are seeing daily absences it is because not all work is being completed for every class.

If you are interested in ordering a yard sign for a birthday or special ocassion, please consider doing this as directed by the flyer posted below. Our school will earn some money back on each sign ordered.

Visit https://coppellisdeducationfoundation.revtrak.net/ to purchase!

In the best interest of our students, families and staff members, we will be holding a Virtual Curriculum Night this year. We are saddened that we will not be able to open our doors to welcome you in person, but also very excited to invite you to participate virtually on Monday, September 21, 2020 from 5 - 6 PM. We hope that you will enjoy hearing from Administrators, Department Chairs, and getting to know your child’s educators by following the link below from the comfort of your own home. You can begin looking at this now. The only live element that can't be done at your own pace is the optional questions and answer session with our counselors from 5-6 PM.

https://sites.google.com/g.coppellisd.com/cmswvirtualcurriculumnight/home

The Coppell ISD Technology department plans to do an iPad swap for 6th graders at the Coppell Middle School West campus on Tuesday, September 22.

**IN ORDER TO GET THE NEW IPAD, LEARNERS MUST BRING THEIR OLD IPAD, THE CHARGING CORD AND WALL PLUG.**

Face to Face Learners: If your child is attending school face to face, please send them with their ipad and charger (plug and cord). Devices will be swapped out during their 1st period classes.

APPOINTMENTS for Distance Learners: If you have chosen the remote, distance learning option, please follow the custom link sent by the district to schedule an appointment to swap iPads at Coppell Middle School West. Please be sure to bring their current iPad, cord, and charger at your appointment time. Your child’s new iPad will include a keyboard and Apple pencil.

PICKUP PROCESS for Distance Learners: The iPad swap will be a drive-through process designed with parent and staff safety in mind. Throughout the device swap process, you will remain in your car at all times. We also ask that you wear a face mask while interacting with CISD personnel, who will also be wearing masks and gloves for your safety. Thank you for your cooperation.

When you arrive at the Coppell Middle School West campus on your appointment date and time, you will need to enter the front car loop(off Ranch Trail) and you will be directed to the iPad swap location. If you enter from the back entrance off of Saintsbury, follow the loop around to the front car loop. Please see the attached map for a visual of the traffic flow pattern. All vehicles will remain in a single file line and will be served two at a time at the device swap distribution spot. Your child does not need to join you for your appointment time.

NOTE: Please note that this event is only for the swap of the old device to a new device. If you need technical support or have other technology-related questions, please submit a helpdesk ticket.

Please wipe the old ipad using these instructions. Slides 1-4 can happen ahead of time and slides 5-8 should be done the day of the ipad swap.

Thank you for your prompt response so that we can plan for the distribution appropriately.

Sincerely,

CISD Technology

Parents and Athletic Fans,

The Athletic Department has shifted to online ticket sales exclusively for the 2020-2021 school year. There will be no cash/credit card ticket sales at CISD athletic venues for middle school or high school events this year.

The Athletic Department’s priority for in-person attendance of games in 2020-2021 is the parents of the game night participants (including athletes, band, drill team, cheer, & student media). With a maximum capacity of each athletic venue at 40% this year, events with a concern of nearing the altered capacity will utilize parent codes that will be shared by each participant’s coach/sponsor.

The online ticket page on our athletic website is now active at https://www.coppellathletics.net/e-tickets.

You will access your ticket(s) on any personal device which will be scanned at the gate for entry. Mask/face covering is required to enter any CISD athletic contest. Once inside a CISD athletic facility, social distancing and adhering to no seating signs of specified rows is required.

No refunds of tickets purchased will be issued for any reason unless the contest is cancelled before the event begins.

Middle School Football

Tickets will be available for online purchase the day before the event and will remain on sale throughout the event.

While only 40% of the middle school football bleachers will be available, the area outside the track will be available for spectators. We encourage MS football game spectators to bring lawn/bag chairs which can be set up in any area not behind the teams on the sideline (10 yard line to 10 yard line).

Because of the additional space provided outside the bleachers at field level, there will not be a capacity maximum number of spectators. However, we do request that spectators of the first game vacate the premises after the conclusion of the game to maximize square footage for social distancing of the second football game.

Middle School Volleyball

The week of the games, two (2) adult tickets will be available to the home team parents beginning on Monday (for Thursday games) and on Wednesday (for Saturday games) and that ticket window will remain open for 48 hours. After the first 24 hours of the parent ticket window, visiting parents will have a 24 hour window to purchase two (2) adult tickets. After the total 48 hour parent window, tickets will go on sale to the public and will remain available until the conclusion of the game or until the 40% capacity ticket sales are reached.

Parent ticket sales will be possible with an access code the home team coach will provide the parents of the participants. That code will be provided to the visitors coach to share with visiting parents for access the second 24 hours. If parents would like to purchase additional tickets beyond the 2 adult tickets in the parent window, they will have to wait until after the 48 hour parent window to do so. Tickets will be available for sale to the public on Wednesday for Thursday games and on Friday for Saturday games with both student and adult tickets available at that time.

Students will not be allowed into a gym unless accompanied by an adult even if the student has a virtual ticket to be scanned on their device.

Online ticket sales for each game in each gym will close once the 40% capacity total has been reached. The purchase of a middle school volleyball game ticket is gym specific this year. At each respective Coppell Middle School, the first game will be played in the main gym, the second game will be played in the auxiliary gym, and the third game will be played again in the main gym. After the conclusion of each volleyball game, the coaches, officials, table workers, and players of the next game will move to the next gym where spectators of the next game will be waiting. Game times will start at their designated time, not immediately following the preceding game. Spectators will vacate the premises after the conclusion of the game for which their ticket was purchased. To accurately account for the UIL required capacity this year, if a spectator would like to attend multiple games (A and B game for example) they will have to purchase a ticket for each game.

1. Create a schedule AND follow it! You need to have the discipline to sit down and work on your class. It is tempting to say "I will work on my class sometime today..." The problem is, things come up and then before you know it, the day is gone and you haven't done anything for school. On Friday, check each classes' schedule and plan out the upcoming week.

2. Bedtime & Nighttime Routines! It is still so very important to have your students go to bed TECHNOLOGY FREE! Remote students have been on their iPads all day, the last thing they need is to be on their phones ALL night! Have students charge their phones in a parent's room nightly!

3. THIS IS NOT LIKE THE SPRING! Students should get up early, eat breakfast, and do all the things the normal daily school routines they have done for years. The only difference is, that insted of getting in a car or on a bus, they're going to a computer or iPad. Routine is the KEY to success!

2. Budget MORE time than you think you need. Another common problem online students have is that they underestimate how much time an assignment takes to complete. Double the amount of time you think you need. If you get done early, AWESOME! But, if you need it, you have the extra time to get things done.

3. Plan to turn assignments in a day early. Again, problems happen, things come up. If you give your self a deadline earlier than what the teacher expects, this gives you a great buffer if you need it.

4. Create a learning space. Find where you are the most productive. If you are in your super-comfy bed, will you actually work?? Also, get all the supplies you need to be successful and stock your workplace. If you are missing supplies, that could distract you or cause you not to complete an assignment.

5. Check-in with your courses at least 2x per day. Login to Schoology and your CISD email at least 2 times per day. This is how your instructors will communicate the latest information to you.

6. Actively participate in ALL courses. Email your instructors and classmates. Complete your assignments. Check the course for announcements and emails. This is how you will stay connected with friends and your own learning.

7. If you feel you may be struggling, speak up! Our goal is your success. We know online learning is new for most of us. Ask all the questions you need to!

One of our teachers created this document. Feel free to use if this is helpful to your learner in navigating distance learning.

Click here to learn more about schoology notifications for parents.

This is a great resource to help parents set up an email digest for their children in Schoology. I know secondary parents are used to keeping an eye on HAC to look for grade concerns rather than logging into Schoology. The email digest allows parents to sign up for a daily or weekly email that will let them know if their children are missing anything in Schoology.

This quick video can can help learners navigate their grades and feedback in Schoology on the web. Although it looks different from the teacher view, the learner gradebook in Schoology is a useful tool in getting a quick view of what assignments have not been submitted, their scores on graded assignments, and feedback provided. Sometimes learners forget to look back at previous assignments, or don't remember where to locate them. This may be a great help for them.

https://www.bulbapp.com/u/viewing-feedback-on-schoology-materials

We will be doing district mandated MAP testing on Tuesday Sept. 29th-October 1st. On each of these days we will test first thing in the morning beginning at 8:10. It is CRITICAL on these days that all learners test at that time. They will not be able to test later in the day.

More information will be shared next week but please mark your calendar for these dates.

In the best interest of our students, families and staff members, we will be holding a Virtual Curriculum Night this year. We are saddened that we will not be able to open our doors to welcome you in person, but also very excited to invite you to participate virtually on Monday, September 21, 2020 from 5 - 6 PM. We hope that you will enjoy hearing from Administrators, Department Chairs, and getting to know your child’s educators by following the link below from the comfort of your own home.

Curbside Pickup for Library books is now being offered by CMS West! The first Curbside date is scheduled for Thursday, September 17th from 11:00-12:30. Please review the information posted here, as well as, in the Library Schoology Group. Click the video link on the graphic to hear additional information.

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/e/2PACX-1vRVUv5qtTwHue7D6jgMy0RGQl_KoIwJadC3fWylVBH811KEBGqvqGGeyiFIyoz358HpEpaiCUT5dL3Z/pub?start=false&loop=false&delayms=3000&slide=id.p

Please help us to remind learners to charge ipads at night so that they can be ready for learning each day! Thank you for your help on this!

Please be reminded that learners must stay with distance learning if that is what parents selected. Learners will no longer be allowed to make changes to return face to face until the next nine weeks. Parents will be sent a link to make a new selection if they choose at the end of September. The new 9 weeks begins October 13th.

Counselors will be available every Monday at least through the first semester to answer questions to support learners and parents. Stop by to visit between 5 and 6 PM!

https://coppellisd.zoom.us/j/93612603828?pwd=YjJzNnVIYVZ0YXM2cWtuclN6c3pLUT09

We are so excited to welcome learners back on Sept. 8th in person. No matter whether you have selected to come back face to face or to remain virtual, we will continue to work hard to provide a wonderful experience for all learners.

We ask that all families who are sending learners back face to face, be sure to do a daily home health screening prior to sending learners to school each day. It is incredibly important to keep learners home when they are ill in any way and to report to our school any positive COVID-19 cases in the home.

Just as a reminder, we are only allowing CISD staff and learners onto any CISD campuses. Parents are not permitted to visit or to eat lunch with learners. Learners will need to walk in alone and parents must stay in their cars and go through our car loops to drop off learners that aren't arriving on a bus. Please do not park and walk up to the front entrance of the school with learners.

Those dropping learners off may only drop them at the front entrance to the school. You may enter school property from Saintsbury or from Ranch Trail and follow all signage and visual cues and directions from our staff. This same process is in place for afternoons as well.

I know some of our learners may be a little anxious about finding their classes. All learners will go directly to their first period class when they arrive at school. Room numbers can be found on their schedules in Home Access Center and I've linked our school map below!

1st floor map

2nd floor map

We would encourage you to take a look at the map with your learner to identify where they will start their day. Please assure learners that we will be on hand to make sure everyone finds each of their classes.

We are not permitted by the district to have microwaves available or to allow for lunches to be dropped off by parents or food delivery services. All learners will need to bring their lunch with them or buy a lunch at school.

Our counselors will not be holding their zoom Q&A session this week as we are closed for Labor Day.

We are so appreciative of your partnership and teamwork as we work to make sure distance learning is as easy to navigate as possible. As you have given us feedback we take that to heart and make adjustments where we are able to. Please continue to keep communication coming to us so that we can be of assistance and continue to improve.

Beginning Monday August 31st you will see EVERY teacher and course post (as the first item in their learning folders in schoology) a schedule for when they will host zoom sessions throughout the week, so that you can make plans. Schedules may not be the same week to week but on Mondays you should be able to see the plan for that coming week.

Starting Monday, Aug. 31, CISD will be requiring all learners to sign into Zoom using their CISD email address. This change will allow for better classroom management and will limit disruptions in the event the meeting link is shared to people outside of the district. Read more at go.coppellisd.com/ZoomSignInUpdate.

If your child is using a Zoom account not associated with their CISD email address, the next time they sign in, they will need to use their CISD login information — g.coppellisd.com or newtech.coppellisd.com — to join the meeting. We have created documentation for signing into Zoom with their CISD login information, which can be found here: https://coppellisdhelp.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360053328653.

If your child is already using their CISD email address to sign into Zoom, they will need to consolidate their account to be managed by the district. We have created documentation for consolidating the Zoom account, which can be found here: https://coppellisdhelp.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360052551674.

I wanted to touch on a few reminders as some learners return for face to face instruction.

• Please see this video message about safety precautions in place for learners and staff.
• Learners here in person are not at an advantage to learners learning from home. Whether in person or at home, learners will find all activities in schoology and will be doing the same assignments.
• All learners must wear a mask all day. If you have a medical exemption please contact your learners counselor to request the medical exemption form.

School supplies were led by our PTO and we are so grateful for their support. If you selected in correspondence with them that you wished to be granted a refund, that will be coming back to you. If you selected that you wanted to keep your supplies at school until returning, those have been set aside for learners and for classroom use.

Learners at school will need the following items in their backpack when they return (if not already purchased through PTO and NOT refunded):

• Scissors
• Notebook paper
• 2 composition books (3 books if the learner is in spanish)
• Pencils
• Markers
• Colored
• Pencils
• Glue Stick

* Learners will not be sharing supplies as to help prevent spreading germs.

Other items that are needed for the school in general (if you didn't already pay the fee):

Clorox/Lysol Wipes

Gloves

AAA batteries

*These additional items can be dropped in the front office when learners return to school.

You will likely see many teachers working with learners. In this time, we are working to meet all learner's needs by sharing responsibilities and time among teachers. Please don't be alarmed if you receive communication from a teacher who is not on your learner's schedule or see learners meeting on zoom with other teachers. It takes a village to create the best experience for our learners and we are using every single resource possible.

Some verbiage from the CISD learning plan:

The district may need to cluster/group CISD educators together within the campus/district in order to support face to face and remote distance learning needs. This could mean your child is learning at times from more than one educator based on our needs within grade levels or specific courses or programs of instruction.

We still have several library books that have not been turned in. Please look around at home for any library books and drop them in our outdoor book drop at the front entrance of the building. Also please keep in mind that per CDC guidelines, books have to be in quarantine for a minimum of 4 days before they can be touched by our library staff to be checked in and removed from your library record. Please allow up to a week to see library books that you've turned in removed from the record.

When curbside checkout begins- no one will be allowed to check out additional books if they have library books not yet turned in.

For help adjusting parent notification in schoology please visit the link below for instructions about how to turn off and on the notifications in schoology.

https://app.schoology.com/login?destination=page%2F425724517

Both Coppell Police Department and Dallas County Sheriff's Department (who serve West) are integral parts of our campus safety. Please see the fun video linked below to see what they are doing to provide other ways for parents and learners to communicate their concerns and needs.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ZjqqigiQmkPcXNA1X9C7z2X-hqrJaIDB/view

Operation School Bell through the Coppell Assistance League assists families in need by providing new school clothing, coats, shoe cards and backpacks to students. The authorization form with size chart is available through the West counselors. All inquiries are confidential.

Coppell Cares Weekend Backpack Program provides weekend food to families needing assistance. Food is dropped off each week school is in session for the student(s) to take home. Applications for this program are available through the West counselors. All inquiries are strictly confidential.

Parent Notification of Texas Student Success Initiative (SSI)

State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR®)

This letter is to inform you of the grade advancement requirements of the Texas Student Success Initiative (SSI), passed by the 76th Texas Legislature in 1999. The purpose of this initiative is to ensure that every student makes the academic progress necessary to show sufficient understanding of the knowledge and skills taught and tested at each grade level.

The SSI requires that grade 5 and grade 8 students meet the passing standards on STAAR tests in mathematics and reading before they can be promoted to the next grade; however, this requirement has been waived for the 2020–2021 school year due to the current health crisis. Students enrolled in grades 5 and 8 are still required to take each STAAR test once in May 2021. Retest opportunities will not be provided this year. Our district will have local discretion on whether students who do not pass the STAAR should advance to the next grade, just like students in grades 3, 4, 6, and 7. These decisions will be based on local criteria that reflect a student’s academic achievement and mastery of subject matter and will include STAAR assessment results, along with other relevant information.

Please note that these testing requirements are part of an overall system of support for student academic achievement. For the 2020–2021 school year, this system includes

• evaluation of student needs at grades that precede SSI grades and academic support for students who need additional instruction,

• ongoing evaluation of student progress during the school year with assistance provided to all students with identified academic weaknesses,

• additional instruction after the May test administration for students who do not meet the passing standard on a subject-area test, and

• an instructional plan for the next school year for every student who did not meet the passing standard.

The SSI recognizes and supports the important role parents play in the education of their children. Your child’s teacher(s) and I depend upon and look forward to working with you to help your child succeed.

I can't begin to tell you how happy it made our staff to see the kids this week on zoom. As much as we were hopeful they'd all be able to start here in the building with us, we are grateful to see them on zoom and in any way we can. They mean the world to us.

I hope you are celebrating the victories you had this week. Don't spend too much time worrying about the things that didn't go as planned. We are all doing our very best and we know that hiccups with technology can happen. We are grateful for your efforts and support. We continue to take parent feedback to improve our processes so please don't hesitate to reach out if there is something we can do to be better!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Please take this short survey to let us know how we did and how we can improve distance learning!

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSctSPH3Ph7XgRCHCTg7fvvwdTt3XNUBlrnkZDGtmrPqfxY89A/viewform

Earlier this week, Math 8, Algebra and Geometry learners were asked to fill out a calculator check-out form for the opportunity to check out a Casio FX-CG50 for free from the school. It is imperative that all students enrolled in Math 8, Algebra or Geometry class have a graphing calculator at home. We strongly recommend that it is the same one we use in class so that students can easily follow along when teachers are doing calculator examples during lessons.

Calculator pick-up for Algebra and Geometry students will occur Tuesday, August 25th from 4:00-6:00 PM.

Calculator pick-up for Math 8 students will occur Thursday, August 27th from 4:00-6:00 PM.

You will pull up to the front door of CMS West. Please display your 5-digit ID in large, bold numbers in the passenger window. We will place your calculator in the backseat/trunk.

Here is the check-out form for Algebra/Geometry in case you did not receive it: https://forms.gle/ZLzBduDpRBghrmR3A

Here is the check-out form for Math 8 in case you did not receive it: https://forms.gle/QrjCHX8g9NsotxAk8

Thank you so much to those of you who were able to join us on zoom on Monday for a question and answer session with our counselors! Based on your requests, they are going to do that weekly! Our recurring link for those zoom sessions will be the link below.

https://coppellisd.zoom.us/j/93612603828?pwd=YjJzNnVIYVZ0YXM2cWtuclN6c3pLUT09

password: west

If you have questions please join them on Monday August 24th from 5-6 PM and each of the following Mondays through the first semester.

How do we get the PE clothes/Spirit Wear that we ordered?

Parent can pick up their PE clothes and spirit wear at West from PTO at a curbside event that will be scheduled soon (tentative date is 8.27 from 5-6pm). Please watch for information from PTO about date and time.

When will parents be able to see attendance?

We are waiting on direction from the district as we streamline this process but will share when we know more.

What school supplies will be needed for in person? Do they buy the whole list and bring it on the first day?

School supplies will be needed when learners return in person. The list can be found at

https://www.coppellisd.com/cms/lib/TX01000550/Centricity/Domain/669/School%20Supply%2020-21%20-%20Public%20List.pdf

How do we get library books?

Right now it is virtual only. Students may check out an eBook/audiobook from MackinVIA. The week of 9/14 is when curbside pickup will begin for those who are continuing to stay at home. Mrs. Mahalik will send out info the week of 9/8 explaining the process.

Discuss attendance procedures and how it is measured in Schoology

Learners must engage in clicking on links, submitting work, watching videos, and completing learning tasks for each day for each course. They aren't able to work ahead of time as the state requires that they work each day in each class. Learners can participate in real time following our bell schedule or up until midnight each school day.

How to create a parent account for Schoology:

https://www.coppellisd.com/technologysystemsguide

We are working on a consistent format for communicating when and which classes have a zoom each week. Each course will have a weekly zoom schedule posted on Mondays in the learning folder within each course in schoology. The schedule will not be the same for every week, but you will at the very least be able to plan for a week at a time.

All middle schools will host a virtual curriculum night on Monday Sept. 21st. This will be an online interactive experience for parents who want to learn more about their learners teachers and courses.

More details coming soon!

Wednesday, August 26th is Women’s Independence Day in Texas. Women's Independence Day commemorates the ratification in 1920 of the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which guaranteed women the right to vote. From the founding of the United States, women were almost universally excluded from voting. In July 1848, reformers Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott organized the first women’s rights convention at Seneca Falls, New York.

The drive for women's suffrage gained strength after the passage of the 15th Amendment to the Constitution, which gave the vote to African American men but not to any women. In 1890, Wyoming became a state and became the first state whose constitution guaranteed women the right to vote. Over the next decade several other states—all in the western part of the country—joined Wyoming. However, it would take the passage of an amendment to the Constitution to guarantee this right across the land. On August 26, 1920, the 19th Amendment was certified by the U.S. Secretary of State, and women finally achieved the long-sought right to vote throughout the United States.

We are so excited to get back to school, even though it looks different than all of us would like for it to. If you are new to West, WELCOME! We are so glad to have you! I hope you find as much love and positivity here as I have found. We are here to help and support you! We pride ourselves on being a West family. If you follow us on social media you will see us use the hashtag #westfam because we believe in working together as a family to support one another. You can learn more about our leadership team below, but don't ever hesitate to reach out if we can answer a question, be a though partner, or support your learner or family in any way!

Email: sthornton@coppellisd.com
Website: www.coppellisd.com/west
Location: 2701 Ranch Trail, Dallas, TX, USA
Phone: 2144968600
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Coppell-Middle-School-West-109507183763282/?ref=page_internal
Twitter: @cmswestwrangler

Schoology will be our primary learning management system, as it has been for the last few years. All learners will need to be able to access and work in schoology in order to do their work. If your learner has any issues with logging in to schoology please email their assistant principal to help with a password reset as soon as possible. You can also put in a technology helpdesk ticket.

**Please know that if you've requested a schedule change or there is some necessary change to your child's schedule, schoology takes at least 24 hours to update and load the correct classes.

If issues arise as the year goes on, please be sure to submit a Helpdesk ticket.

If you need any help with passwords please see the link below.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-dzgUT0jieojUEzm7nrNU0UhZdMGEld06GGwcPEn3wA/edit

Because we are all starting in virtual learning mode, here are a few tips to make sure you're ready for Day 1 on Monday August 17th!

• Check your ipad to be sure it's in good working order and charged. If it's not working please enter a technology helpdesk ticket BY FRIDAY AUGUST 14th!
• Login to schoology to make sure you can see your schedule and classes. Click here for instructions on viewing your child's schedule.
• Figure out where learners can be most successful working from home!
• Take a look at the schedule we will follow each day. Classwork can be done up until midnight for families and learners that need more flexibility.
• Check out our virtual meet the teacher to get to know a little more about your teachers!
• Get back in a good routine of going to bed early enough to wake up and get your day started the next morning by 8 AM.
• Take a deep breath! We can do this!
• Reach out for support when it's needed. We are here for you!

Get to know a little more about your teachers! You can use the link below to view our Virtual Meet the Teacher as it's convenient for you!

The 2020-21 Yearbook needs your help! This year, more than any other, we are going to need your help to capture memories, events, successes and more to include in our yearbook. On Monday, please take a picture that captures the first day of school for your learner(s) and upload it to our First Day of School Photo Upload. (You can also find the link on the Yearbook page of the CMS West website throughout the year.)

On Monday August 17th following the first day of school, our counselors will host a zoom question and answer session for parents that may have questions or need assistance.

Link to join: https://coppellisd.zoom.us/j/94441741993?pwd=Q09WVFYxait4ZmNRY3NVSlZHNmF4Zz09

pw: west

As we begin the school year, every learner will do a daily check-in using google forms to let our counselors know how they're doing. This will happen through their 2nd period classes. If learners have needs or show that they may be struggling, our counselors will follow-up with them to check-in. You can see the form learners will be asked to fill in at the link below.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScOdVxa8i9d6rDsWizFfcG_BQHvHQmqBdTk1J-DnjfaV8T3ow/viewform

As always, if learners or parents have questions or would like to talk with counselors please feel free to reach out!

Jaime Duncan (Last names A-L) jduncan@coppellisd.com

Stephanie Julian (Last names M-Z) sjulian@coppellisd.com

You can also find lots of helpful information on the Counselor's Corner portion of our webpage and in the Counselor Chat linked below.

https://www.smore.com/4tukv-counselor-chat-20-21

Weekly Menus can be found at https://coppellisd.nutrislice.com

Money can be deposited on student accounts at www.myschoolbucks.com

You will see a 0 period/Wrangler time on your child’s schedule. This is a homeroom/study hall/intervention time under normal circumstances. We left this on the schedule but please know that as of now, learners will not have this as part of their daily schedule while some learners are still doing distance learning.

Please know that as we begin the school year in distance learning and many families continue that way after learners are allowed to return to school face to face, accounting for attendance will be critical for all campuses. Learners will be strongly encouraged to follow their schedules and work at home as they would if they were here face to face. We also understand that some learners may need to work once parents get home from work. Learners will be allowed to be marked present during distance learning by completing their work up until midnight on the school day for which it is assigned. If you have any questions about this or need assistance, please reach out to your child’s assistant principal or counselor.

Please go into the form below to give permission for your learner to participate in zoom sessions with their educators. The district is not allowing for an opt-out of zoom so if you have concerns about your learner being on zoom please contact their assistant principal via email.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeBKEZ8wwRbKTsoqgrR8jaTqDBz2-7RbBOOzpceLExxzUFhgw/viewform

Please take a look around your house. If you have any library books that belong to West, please return them as soon as possible. There is a book drop located at the main entrance that you can leave books in. In early September we will send information about how you will be able to check out and pick up books from our library even during distance learning if you have an interest in doing so.