Westwood Intermediate/Middle School

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As we wrap up the first trimester, we reflect on a season filled with excitement, kindness, and gratitude. Our students began the school year with enthusiasm—connecting with friends, meeting new teachers, and embracing fresh learning opportunities.

Throughout the trimester, we’ve emphasized the importance of kindness, fostering a strong sense of community. Over the past month, students have been focusing on gratitude, deepening their appreciation for one another and their experiences. Our gratitude trees have grown in the cafeteria for 7/8 and in the 5/6 hallway as students have added leaves noting the things they are grateful for. (See photos)

Looking ahead, please note that next Tuesday marks the end of the first trimester. Report cards will be available through Campus Parent Portal on Tuesday, December 10.

Additionally, please remember that next week is a short week. There will be no school Wednesday, November 27 – Monday, December 2. School will resume on Tuesday, December 3. Wishing you all a restful break.

With gratitude,

Tom Larson

Principal

We conducted our annual test of our notification system for families last Thursday evening. Did you get the message? Did you get it how you prefer? If you did not receive the message on your preferred device or if you need to update your phone number or email address, visit the Stay Connected page and click on the “update contact information and communication preferences” accordion to find directions. If you did not receive this communication on any device or have any questions, please contact communications@district16.org.

Cold weather is coming and so are the germs! We are currently seeing the following illnesses in our schools: pertussis, hand foot mouth, and influenza.

Please keep your student home when they are sick. Students who have a fever above 100, or experience vomiting or diarrhea in the previous 24 hours should stay home from school. If your child is diagnosed with an illness, please reach out to the health office.

Germs and lice are critters that we see more often during this time of year. In order to avoid germs, please wash your hands and cover your cough. To avoid lice, please periodically check your student's head and remind them to not share hats or headbands with friends. Lice become resistant to treatment if overused, so please follow directions completely when using any over-the-counter products.

Keep hands clean! Washing hands is one of the best and easiest ways to avoid getting sick.

Our Lost and Found area in the cafeteria is full! Please remind students to bring home anything that belongs to them. Feel free to stop and take a look yourself. We will donate all remaining items the week of December 2.

• Monday, November 25 - PTO meeting, The Den, 6 p.m.
• Tuesday, November 26 - End of Trimester 1
• November 27- December 2 - No school, holiday
• Wednesday, December 4 - Live on 65: A Kat Perkins Christmas: Home for the Holidays, Fine Arts Center, 7 p.m. - purchase tickets

• December 6-7 - Westwood grades 5/6 play "Lost Boys," Fine Arts Center, 7 p.m. - purchase tickets

• Saturday, December 7 - Winter Market, Spring Lake Park High School (door 29), 9 a.m.-noon

• Tuesday, December 10 - 7th Grade Band/Symphonic Concert, Fine Arts Center, 7 p.m.

• Thursday, December 12 - 6th Grade Band Concert, Fine Arts Center, 7 p.m.

• Tuesday, December 17 - 6th Grade Choir Concert, Fine Arts Center, 7 p.m.

• Wednesday, December 18 - 5th Grade Choir Concert, Fine Arts Center, 7 p.m.

• December 23-January 1 - No school, holiday

8th grade band members traveled to Northrop Auditorium to hear the University of Minnesota Marching Band perform at their annual Indoor Concert. SLP students received a first-hand lesson in using music to connect with audiences. The band performed select pieces from their halftime field shows which included favorites from Mussorgsky, The Muppets, Taylor Swift, The Barbie Movie, John Denver’s Country Roads, along with other U of M standards!

Mr. Estrada's class sent letters to Private Jada Benitez on Veterans Day. Jada, who recently graduated from the Army and completed boot camp, will be stationed at Camp Campbell in Kentucky, serving for the next four years. Private Benitez had to do 20 push-ups per letter, but she said the encouragement from the kids was worth it.

5th grader, Cooper, spends some of his recess time every day cleaning up the garbage on the playground. Thank you Cooper for caring for Westwood's grounds.

Fritze's social studies class is making connections and using geographical tools to identify familiar places by creating a map of the Midwest.

Red Team Panther Times competed in their annual Lightening competition. Congratulations to all of our participants. This year's winners are Jayden T. (1st), Evan W. (2nd), and Harrison M. (3rd). Each of them represented their Panther Times well, showcasing a competitive spirit and good sportsmanship!

👭What a fun event with Girls' Club! Thank you, Ms. Johnson, Ms. Poe and MS. Vang for creating such a fun, self-affirming event!

Ms. Robasse's Pathway 1 class just finished up their probability carnival game project! Students designed a carnival game and calculated the theoretical probability of players winning level 1, 2 or 3. They created a representation of this compound event using a probability tree. Then, on game day, students collected data on how many people won each level of their game.

During circle time, Mrs. Johnson’s class painted calming rocks with Ms. Hanaa. The rocks will serve as a fidget during circle time. The students wrote a word, phrase, or picture to help remind them of their calming place when they’re feeling fidgety.

Our next PTO meeting is Monday, November 25 at 6 p.m. in the Den. After business is complete at 6:30 p.m., a presentation about Schoology, competencies, and how competencies look in Schoology will be given. 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 using this Google form Our meeting agenda can also be viewed here.

Sign up now for help with our first Trimester Treat Table of the year! All students and staff can purchase 1 item on the way into lunch for $1 to celebrate the end of the trimester. 7/8th grade A/B Honor Roll students get their item free. Click here to sign up.

The Maud Hart Lovelace Reading Challenge started last week. There are 18 weeks left to read at least three books to be a voter. Each week names will be drawn from turned in review slips for prizes which can be collected from the librarian before 11a.m. or after 2 p.m.

These books are available at the public library as electronic, audible, and hard copies. Hard copies can also be requested at Westwood Library. Students can also check SORA, Libby, MackinVIA and other reading apps for them. For instructions on how to use MackinVia click here.

WW PTO is Westwood’s Parent Teacher Organization, whose goals are to increase parent involvement and enhance student learning and experiences. WW PTO focuses on family enrichment, staff/student support, and community engagement. It is free to participate and any staff/student guardians are welcome to join the fun.

Join our BAND app at to get all the volunteer sign-ups and information throughout the year. We are also on Facebook. Or contact us any time with questions or ideas at slp.westwood.pto@gmail.com.

A set of three courses within the Health and Human Services pathway at Spring Lake Park High School are exposing students to careers in health and wellness, providing strategies and avenues to personal health and offering opportunities for college credit.

Health and Sports Performance, Exercise Science and Anatomy of Movement offer students high school credit and college credit opportunities along with insights and experiences with careers in everything from physical therapy and athletic training to nutrition and sports management.

Learning experiences span the classroom the community — from creating nutritious meals within a set of guidelines to shadowing clinician. Students are gaining knowledge, building skills and figuring out what path may be for them. Read the story.

• (Last call) Video Gamers with Mr. Bianco - Do you have a passion for video games? Are video games something you enjoy playing? If so, join the Video Game Club with Mr. Bianco! We will be learning about some of the history of gaming, as well as playing on some of your favorite consoles, such as Xbox, Nintendo Switch, PC, and even a Nintendo 64 - we might even have other surprise systems to try out! Register now to ensure your spot in this popular activity – program starts November 26!
• Intermediate Dance Team - Grades 5-6 students are welcome to join the Junior Pantherettes program! This team gives dancers a chance to experience high school dance with the Spring Lake Park High School Pantherettes. Dancers of all skill levels are welcome. The season will include learning a competition routine, improving technique, and building strength. The team will perform or compete at the SLP Invitational on Saturday, January 25. This program starts December 10.
• Curling Team - Students in grades 6-12 are encouraged to join the Curling Team - no experience necessary! Learn and compete in an Olympic sport. The season kicks off on December 4.

Shop the Panther Store during November 29-December 1 for our biggest sale of the year! New arrivals have landed, included an awesome lineup of fleece jackets, youth apparel and the latest baseball caps that you won’t want to miss. All sales are online. Gear up with Panther pride and check off everyone on your holiday list!

• Friday, November 29 – One-Day-Only Black Friday Blowout: This is our biggest discount of the year, so make sure you’re ready to shop with a massive 25% off* using discount code: BFPantherStore
• Saturday, November 30-Sunday, December 1 Weekend Savings: Didn’t catch Black Friday? Don’t worry! Save 20% off the rest of the weekend using discount code: BFWeekend24

*discount does not apply to Rooster River baseball cap

Live on 65 welcomes Kat Perkins to our stage on Wednesday, December 4 at 7 p.m. Get ready to be dazzled by the incredible vocals of Kat Perkins as she performs favorite Christmas classics. This in-person event will surely get you in the festive spirit and leave you feeling warm and cozy. It’s a must see all ages opportunity to bring the entire family! Tickets are $15 (adults), $5 (child). Purchase your tickets online.

Want to join the Opportunities in Emergency Care (OEC) program in making a difference? OEC is kicking off its annual Support a Family fundraiser drive to raise money to purchase gifts for students and families in Spring Lake Park Schools. Since it began in 1996, this annual fund drive has raised more than $112,000.

The program will be collecting fundraiser donations through a GoFundMe page. They are also taking donations of checks and cash. Checks can be sent to 1100 81st Ave. NE, Spring Lake Park, MN 55432 and written out to SLP OEC Foundation. The drive is open now until December

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