Westfield Arrow

Yesterday, our Girls Basketball season kicked off with games against Medinah Middle School. Our 6th/7th Grade team won 37-12. Our 8th grade team won by 1 point in a very exciting overtime game! We appreciate everyone who came out to cheer on our student-athletes! Our next home game is on Monday, October 21st versus Roselle MS.

Open House at Westfield - Monday, October 21st from 6:00-8:00pm

On Monday, October 21st, from 6:00 - 8:00pm, an Open House will be held at Westfield to provide information to members of the Bloomingdale community on the upcoming referendum questions on the November 5th ballot. Tours will be offered to show areas of the building that would be enhanced through support of the referendum and visitors will have the opportunity to ask questions about the planned enhancements. Please use our Main Entrance by the flagpole. See the flyer attached in today’s Arrow for more information.

We encourage you to visit the Bloomingdale School District's website to learn more about the upcoming Referendum on the November ballot. The site provides detailed information about the purpose and impact of the Referendum, including how it aims to support student learning, improve school facilities, and maintain high-quality programs across the district. You will also find answers to frequently asked questions, financial breakdowns, and key dates related to the voting process. Staying informed is essential, and the website serves as a valuable resource to help you understand how the Referendum will shape the future of our schools.

The website also includes updated Video tours: https://www.sd13.org/apps/pages/videotours

Fire Drill Today

Earlier today, Friday, October 18th, we conducted our 3rd and final required fire drill for the 2024-2025 school year. We were impressed by everyone's handling of the drill and we would like to thank our students and staff for their assistance with these important procedures!

Veterans Day - November 11th

This year, we will be observing Veterans Day on Monday, November 11th. We are honored to have several local veterans planning to join us to visit with students and staff in the morning on 11/11. It is always our honor to be able to recognize veterans for their service and to learn from their experiences. If you know of a veteran who would like to join us at Westfield on November 11th, please reach out to Mr. Al Sparks at asparks@sd13.org

Parent - Teacher Conference Sign up is open!

Please visit the Grade Level News section in today's Arrow for links to each teacher's individual conference calendar. Parents & guardians will have the option of visiting with teachers in person or using Google Meets.

Halloween Costumes

Students are able to dress up on Thursday, October 31st in celebration of Halloween and students may also wear costumes when attending the Fall Dance on Friday, October 25th. Please review the guidelines listed below with your student:

• Costume/Hair/Make-up must be completed prior to the arrival at school or entering the bus. Ex: No spray cans are allowed on the bus or at school.
  

• Costumes and accessories should not depict or display anything hurtful, harmful or have the opportunity to be utilized as a weapon and costumes should be age appropriate.

• The classroom learning environment should not be compromised due to a student’s costume. Ex: Oversized costumes that create a hazard or block the view of others.

• Student’s identity must be visible and easily recognizable throughout the school day. Ex: No full masks.

PTO Hot Lunch - Volunteers Needed

Thank you to the Westfield PTO for providing hot lunch for our students. We appreciate everyone who has volunteered their time to help. We are still in need of volunteers to help us serve hot lunch next week. If you are able to help, please use this link to select the dates you are available.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Stefan Larsson

Principal

Amanda Vreeland

Assistant Principal

• OCTOBER 21 Student Picture Retake Day during Lunch/Flex
  
• OCTOBER 21 Westfield Open House; Referendum Information
• OCTOBER 25 Early Dismissal at 1:40pm
• OCTOBER 25 All-School Halloween Costume Party 6-8pm
• OCTOBER 28 Begin Quarter 2 (check Explore class)
• OCTOBER 31 Halloween; wear costume/orange & black to school
• NOVEMBER 5 No School -- Election Day

The teams will be updating the links weekly during the school year with news and any upcoming information.

• 6th GRADE TEAM
• 7th GRADE TEAM
• 8th GRADE TEAM
• EXPLORE TEAM (grades 6, 7, 8)
• P.E. TEAM (grades 6, 7, 8)
• WF SPECIALISTS (grades 6, 7, 8)
• BAND NEWSLETTER

Each week the staff recognizes students for demonstrating outstanding character based on attitudes or actions that follow the Character Counts! Pillars and our WARRIORS Mission and Vision:

''We are W.A.R.R.I.O.R.S. Our mission and vision for the future are for all staff and students to be Welcoming, Ambitious, Respectful, Responsible, Innovative, Optimistic, Reflective, and Successful."

The Scoop October 16th

If a student needs Chromebook/Password/Repair/Loaner assistance from the Technology Department, the student must use the link below to request support:

Technology Support TICKET

On Thursday, October 24th, you will be painting a Beetlejuice glow-in-the-dark canvas.

Just fill out the form, pay the fee, and you're in!

Questions? Email Mrs. Matt, Art Teacher

CLUB CREATE OCT. 24 FORM

Order a 2024-25 yearbook before October 31st for a 10% discount. Yearbooks will be delivered to Westfield in May 2025.

If a passcode is requested: 1014041382501890

ORDER YEARBOOK WITH TREE RING

The Illinois Association for Pupil Transportation (IAPT) invites students to participate in the annual School Bus Safety Poster Contest. April 1, 2025, is the deadline for state competition and Completed Poster must be 11” X 17” or 12” X 18” only.

The goal of this poster contest is to increase student awareness of school bus safety issues. This contest not only allows for the student's creativity, but provides for a learning tool via awareness of school bus safety. The contest is open to all students in grades K-8 and has 6 divisions. Winners of the state contest will be awarded cash prizes in denominations of $75 for first place, $35 for second place and $25 for third place. The Illinois winners will be entered into the National School Bus Safety Poster Contest. The overall winning national poster is made into a printed poster, for distribution around the United States!

Illinois Association for Pupil Transportation Poster Contest Student Guidelines

As a reminder, absences may be considered excused for reasons of 1) personal illness/Dr. appointment/mental health, 2) bereavement, 3) family emergencies, 4) observance of religious holidays, and 5) request in writing, approved in advance by the administration. Please, use the Westfield Attendance Email: wfattendance@sd13.org, or call the Office 630-529-6211-both available 24/7 to report an absence or late arrival. Thank you!

ISBE ABSENTEEISM AND TRUANCY POLICY

On TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 5th 4-9pm, dine inside the restaurant, order on the Cafe Zupas App or at cafeaupas.com and it will count towards the Westfield PTO fundraiser!

Guests visiting the restaurant will need to let the cashier know they are supporting Westfield Middle School.

Thank you!

ALMA: is used to register students, contains attendance information, grades and progress reports. ALL families have login information for ALMA.

Please utilize this site to view grades, attendance, and for trimester and quarterly progress.

CLICK HERE for Alma Parent Login Instructions

OTUS: is our District's Data Warehouse (https://my.otus.com/login).This site contains historical (K-8) data and current student assessment data: MAP data, IAR data and CoGat data. Please review this OTUS PARENT LETTER to learn more about accessing your child's information in OTUS. If you are a returning student, you created an OTUS account last year and can view the assessment data.

> > ALREADY HAVE A WESTFIELD HOT LUNCH ACCOUNT? CORRECT YOUR STUDENT'S GRADE!

Please remember to update your student's ordering profile here! This information ensures accurate distribution of your student's lunches for the 2024-25 school year.

> > NEW TO WESTFIELD HOT LUNCH?

1. Go to www.wholesomefoodservices.com; select 'Sign Up'

2. Click 'Create Account' and set up a profile for each student by selecting 'Add New Profile' under the 'Profiles' tab

3. Select School name; select 'Order Now' to view menus and place orders

4. Enter your credit/debit card information to pay securely online

ORDER HOT LUNCH HERE

Parents/Guardians:

• You received an invoice email of fees for 2024-25 on August 16th. If it is not in the inbox, please check the spam folder.

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Please sign into My School Bucks and create an account and attach your student(s).

2. Click on the Person Icon in the upper right hand corner

3. In the drop down that appears select "My Students"
4. On the My Students page click the blue "Add Student" button

>> Once the fees are posted to your student(s) account(s), you will receive an email notification from My School Bucks. If you have not received an email, this means the fees were probably posted prior to you creating an account

>> The payment deadline has been extended to October 1, 2024.

Westfield Families:

• Along with the registration fee, 8th-grade students will have their graduation fee applied to their account to be paid at the beginning of the school year.
• Sixth-grade students will have their lock fee applied to their account to be paid at the beginning of the school year.

MY SCHOOL BUCKS INSTRUCTIONS

Fee Waiver Application

STEP 1: Download the FirstView ® ParentView App. Go to firstviewapp.com or find FirstView ® in the App Store or Google Play. Follow the instructions to download the app to your smartphone. *You can also access the ParentView in your browser at https://web.firstviewapp.com/login

STEP 2: Set Up Your Profile. Open the FirstView ® app from your home screen and begin the registration process. You’ll be asked to: a) Select State: Illinois b) Select District: D11-12-13-108 c) Enter Student ID You’ll then be prompted to REGISTER*.

STEP 3: Follow a Stop. Once you have confirmed your account, login and select Profile to “Add A Student”. This is specific to your student: 1) Enter Student ID 2) Security Code. Once you select “Done”, you will be able to see stop information in your Profile. The Scheduled Stop times will also appear on your FirstView ® Map. You may track multiple student’s stops.

STEP 4: Set Notifications Go to Settings and select “Notification Recipients” to add email notifications for up to 3 recipients, including yourself. From this screen, you can also edit your Profile or follow another student’s stop. Alerts and notifications from your district or the bus depot will appear under Notifications in the menu.

Procedures regarding spectators at Home and Away events.

• Home Games for Basketball and Volleyball this school year will be played in our East Gym (also known as our New Gym or Park District Gym), located in the back of the building. Please enter through Door 20. Spectator seating will be available along the bleacher side of the Gym and restrooms will be available just outside of the gym in our 6th Grade hallway.

• Family members of student athletes are always welcome to attend our athletic competitions, both at Home and Away.

• Westfield students who choose to stay to watch a Home Game after-school must remain in the gym for the duration of their stay. Once a student decides to leave the building, they will not be allowed re-entry to Westfield without a parent or guardian present.

• Westfield students who wish to attend an Away Game at Medinah, Peacock, Roselle, Spring Wood, or Wood Dale, must be accompanied by an adult.

• Spectators are expected to treat all visitors, players, coaches, referees, and staff with respect at all times. No profanity or inappropriate language will be tolerated. Visitors who are unable to follow School District 13 policies will be asked to leave and may risk losing the privilege to attend future events at the school. We encourage all visitors to immediately report any inappropriate behavior to the nearest staff member.

Fall is here and so is allergy season. Please, give over-the-counter. non-drowsy medications to your student in the morning prior to leaving for school.

If your student needs a second dose after their lunch, have them stop at the Nurse Office, and a parent will be contacted to bring the medication to school for the parent to administer.

Email Mrs. RIder, Westfield Nurse

1. Hand washing is the single most important way to prevent the spread of communicable diseases: wash before and after eating, using the restroom, being outdoors.

2. Get fresh air from outside: open a window.

3. Sanitize surfaces.

4. Keep up to date with immunizations: Vaccines & Immunizations

5. Do not share personal belongings such as brushes, makeup, food, drinks.

6. Keep a sick child home.

HEALTH RESOURCE INFORMATION FROM THE CDC

• The district's medication administration policy mandates that all medication administered at school requires a Medical Doctor's order. This includes over-the-counter medications; students may NOT keep over-the-counter meds in their backpacks or in their lockers--including cough drops, Advil, etc. This is an important safety concern!
• If your incoming 6th grader requires an inhaler, Epi-Pen, or any oral medication, please obtain the medication form and appropriate health care plan from your physician when your child has their exam. Forms may also be obtained on the district website.
• Questions? Please contact Mrs. Rider, Westfield Nurse at dawnrider@sd13.org
• DOCTOR MEDICATION AUTHORIZATION FORM
• PARENT AUTHORIZATION

>> TO ALL 7th and 8th GRADE PARENTS re: SPORTS PHYSICAL

A current, sports-physical exam is required if your 7th or 8th grade student wishes to participate in sports -- BEFORE their sport season starts and in time for tryouts.

SPORTS PHYSICAL FORM

Questions? Email Westfield's Nurse: dawnrider@sd13.org

Westfield Parents and Guardians! Sign up to volunteer for the school year 2024-2025:

• Committee Chairpersons still needed: Hot Lunch, Parties/Dances, Teacher Appreciation, Spirit Wear, Social Media, Box Tops
• Questions? Email westfieldmpto@gmail.com for information.

• President: Cynthia Perez
• Vice-President: Melissa Graham
• Treasurer: Agata Rojba
• Secretary: Kavita Maharaj

Benefits of your $20 membership for all students:

(Please, pay with MySchoolBucks) MEMBERSHIP FORM

• All-School parties and dances
• Classroom 'wish' lists
• Teacher appreciation
• Scholarships
• Field Trips
• Student awards

Westfield Middle School collects Box Tops for Education™.

All you need is your phone!

• Download the Box Tops app
• Use the app to scan your store receipt within 14 days of purchase
• The app will identify Box Tops products on your receipt and automatically credit your school’s earnings online

Twice a year, Westfield will receive a check for whatever the school needs!

Questions? Please don’t hesitate to contact the PTO at westfieldmpto@gmail.com Thanks for your support!!

School Day Hours: 8:30am- 3:30pm.

Students are guided into the building by staff between 8:10 - 8:20am and are expected to be seated in their 1st period class at 8:30am. All classes are 44 min with a 3 min passing period. Lunchtime, Flextime, & Study Hall for all grades are between 11:38 - 12:22pm. Students will be dismissed from school at 3:30pm. All students attend the following courses: ELA, Math, Science, Social Studies, PE, & Exploratory.

ATTENDANCE EMAIL FOR LATE OR ABSENT STUDENTS: wfattendance@sd13.org

• Standards & Expectations for Student Behavior
• Westfield Student Handbook

• Social Worker, Sheila Zagotta (szagotta@sd13.org)

• School Counselor, Lindsay Fenton (Lfenton@sd13.org)

The Bloomingdale School District has a Virtual Backpack that is filled with flyers and information from District 13 and various organizations located throughout Bloomingdale.

Please click on the link if you are also interested in activities or information from outside organizations.

DISTRICT 13 AND COMMUNITY VIRTUAL BACKPACK FLYERS

Your child can take IXL with them anywhere with the IXL app for tablets and smartphones! This app is tailor-made for mobile devices to create a fun and immersive experience that learners love.

On October 30, 2023, the Illinois State Board of Education released the 2023 Illinois Report Card for schools. Westfield received a summative designation of Exemplary for 2023. The Exemplary rating is given to schools performing in the top 10% of schools statewide, with no underperforming student groups. This is the second year in a row that Westfield has received the Exemplary rating. We would like to congratulate everyone in the Westfield Community, including our students, staff, and parents. We are extremely proud of the students and staff at Westfield!

Schools are rated on a number of factors, including student scores on the Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR) in both ELA & Math and on the Illinois Science Assessment (ISA). This year the School Report Card also included the percentage of students who showed growth on IAR in ELA & Math. For a quick comparable, here are some scores from Lake Park feeder schools showing the percentages of students who Met & Exceeded on IAR and ISA along with the growth of students relative to other students in the state in ELA & Math.

We are W.A.R.R.I.O.R.S.

Website: sd13.org > Schools > Westfield Middle School

Location: 149 Fairfield Way, Bloomingdale, IL 60108

Phone: 630-529-6211 Fax: 630-893-9336

We are working with students to create "How-To" Videos to support students and parents. Below are some of the topics we have videos for so far. We will continue to cover different topics as they come up. (*If the video is not linked here it is in the process of being made and edited, but we wanted you to know it is coming!)

Gmail:

• How to delete all email (6th grade)
• How to appropriately write an email
  
• You can only email other sd13.org email addresses
• Creating Bookmarks
• Starring and snoozing Emails

Google Classroom:

• How to Join Classroom(with Code)
• How to Join with Teacher Invite
• Check Stream and classwork page
  
• How to Turn in assignments

FlipGrid:

• Accessing
• Creating
• Responding/Replying

Chromebook:

• Pinning Apps to Chromebook Shelf

• How to set up Google Classroom email summaries for Parents and Guardians