RECEIVING TIMELY COMMUNICATION
We’ve outlined some additional important information below, and we will make every effort to send weekly bulletins through the REMIND app, typically every Friday. This year, REMIND will be the main communication tool for all District and school notifications. If you have not signed up for Remind access, please read through the steps here, and update your notification settings so that you receive all communications. Also, be sure to update your contact information through westsylvanoffice@pps.net throughout the year, if your email or cell phone number changes, as all Remind communications are connected to your information in ParentVue. Please note: Installation of the mobile apps is not required to receive texts/phone calls.
SEPTEMBER
- Mon SEP 9th: Friends of West Sylvan hosts Coffee With the Principal (and support Staff) at 10:00AM in the WSMS Library
- Tue, SEP 10th: Delayed start due to Staff Meeting 8:15-9:15 AM *(Students start at 9:30 AM)
- Wed, SEP 11th: School Picture Day ~ Say CHEESE!
- Wed, SEP 25th: Early Release for Students at 1:45 PM due to Staff PD from 2:00-5:00 PM
OCTOBER
- Thu, OCT 10th: Back to School Night from 5:45-7:30 PM
- Sun, OCT 27th ~ Fri, NOV 1st: Sixth Graders at Overnight Outdoor School all week
SCHOOL ID CARDS
We do expect that all Middle school and High school students are wearing ID badges throughout the school day, just like all adults, throughout PPS.
SCHOOL PICTURE DAY IS WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11th, and all students will receive their school ID card when they have their school picture taken. There will be a makeup Picture Day only for students who are absent on September 11. If your student did not receive a temporary lanyard to create their ID this week, or last week, they should ask their period six Teacher or go to the Main Office to see Ms. Crombie for a badge. Please help your Scholar by reminding them to grab their ID before leaving for the bus or getting in the car for school. Perhaps suggest they put it in their shoes at night! We have temporary sticker IDs we will have students wear if they come to school without their ID badge. We are reinforcing safety by having our IDs visible throughout the day, and it’s also a great way to learn names so that we can personalize our greetings with each other throughout the school community!
ELECTRONICS POLICY
West Sylvan is a NO cell phone zone from 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM daily. We advise all families to keep scholars’ cell phones at home during the school day. If you must send your scholar with a device, please use the parent control features to turn off access to all social media and discuss your expectation that they follow school rules. You may also mark the device ‘lost’ during school hours, thus making the phone inoperable during specific hours. The number one cause of all school referrals and school fights are conflicts initially instigated through students’ cell phones. You should have a way to monitor your child’s devices regularly. Know who their friends are, and set up the settings on devices to view and monitor students' accounts for unsafe connections and harmful content.
~ IF YOUR STUDENT IS RIDING THE BUS TO/FROM SCHOOL, PLEASE MAKE SURE THEY KNOW THEIR BUS ROUTE NUMBER ~
Students may take a school bus to and from school, and you may drop off and pick up. Route information is here, and this is the only place to find out about the bus routes. If you are dropping off and picking up by car, be advised that there is significant traffic in and out of campus due to our limited access points and turnaround style parking lot. Please pull all the way forward to the front school doors to drop off; do not stop half way through the parking lot to drop off/pick up, as you then slow down all of the traffic behind you and risk your student's safety. If you are parking in the neighborhood around campus, please do not block any of our neighbors’ driveways, use their driveways as turnarounds, or leave your engines idling while waiting. Our school works in collaboration with the Beaverton Police Department, and the BPD team regularly patrols to be sure that we are respecting our neighbors and their property.
**BUS NOTES: If your scholar IS NOT riding their assigned bus and needs to take an alternate bus route, we must have the request in writing. Please send an email to our Main Office at westsylvanoffice@pps.net and we will print a bus pass for your student to give their alternate bus drive to notify them of the change.
Portland Public Schools is using REMIND for school and class messaging and voice calls. This means text messages, emails, and calls from the school and from your student's Teachers will be delivered via REMIND to the contact information currently in Synergy. Please note: Installation of the mobile apps is not required to receive text/phone calls.
Learn more about the REMIND app and set your communication preferences at this link: Remind App for Students and Families
LUNCH / NUTRITION SERVICES
Students are welcome to bring their own sack lunch and are encouraged to bring a reusable water bottle daily to refill throughout the school day in our water fountains. Scholars will not have to pay for school lunch and/or breakfast items, and information about menus and resources are here.
We have two separate lunch times, with 6th Graders eating together first, and then a combined 7th/8th Graders’ lunchtime/recess.
Every WSMS scholar will have access to a PPS Chromebook. However, unlike past years, students will not be issued a Chromebook to take home and keep with them throughout the year. Over the last several years, the amount of loss and damage to Chromebooks by Middle School students in PPS has been an extraordinary cost. To reduce the costs associated with damage and broken devices, and to limit overall screen time for our students, devices will remain stored and used on campus. There will be “check-out” options to help students who have projects necessitating work at home and to accommodate the learning needs of students with identified disabilities. Those individual circumstances will be addressed through Dana Berglund, our School Librarian, through a check-out process. If a student purposely damages a Chromebook and/or loses a device, families will be responsible for the following costs: Chromebooks cost $515 to replace, and $11.50 to replace a lost/damaged charger.
ADVISORY
To continue the amount of time dedicated to building connections for our scholars with adults and to increase opportunities for academic and Social-Emotional learning, all Middle Schools in PPS have continued with having an Advisory within the school day. During this time our scholars engage in Social-Emotional work and community building. The updated bell schedule for 2024-25 is on our website, and Advisory content will occur during an extended period 6 for every student. For Social-Emotional learning activities, we use Wayfinder, a curriculum that can be viewed here for any wonderings.
Jazz Band is starting up next week!
Jazz band is currently open to all those who play saxophone, trombone, trumpet, drum set, upright bass, piano or guitar. We meet 3 days a week before school (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) from 8:00 - 9:00AM. Students do not have to be enrolled in a music class at West Sylvan, but must be able to read music well.
Email Mr. Arce @ darce@pps.net for more information or with questions!
Don't see your instrument listed above? Mr. Arce is looking to expand Jazz Band to have a fourth day for students who play any instruments not listed above, including strings. This option will only become available if there is enough interest from non-standard jazz instrument players, so please email Mr. Arce what instrument you play and if you're interested in joining and he will send you info.
Space may be limited on instruments like piano, guitar, bass and drums.
Interested in Volunteering and Being More Involved?
Become an approved PPS volunteer by following the information here. Once your application is approved, please contact the Main Office to see how and when you can be of service.
As we continue to plan for the upcoming school year, we are hopeful that we can have more families involved in regular school activities such as volunteering on campus, taking part in our Friends of West Sylvan (FOWS) organization, and serving on the school Site Council. If you are interested in having a voice in one or more of these school groups, please sign up here.
Get involved, show school spirit, and support WSMS!
FRIENDS OF WEST SYLVAN is parent/family organization that supports Scholars and Staff and fosters community connection through fundraising and volunteer opportunities. Join the mailing list and stay connected with other families!
A wonderful way to keep your student engaged and out of trouble is to get them involved in extracurricular activities, such as youth sports. Youth sports programs are run entirely through the Portland Interscholastic League (PIL). West Sylvan is not involved in registration or management of the teams. All information to register students for PIL Youth Sports is located here.
West Sylvan Middle School
Website: www.pps.net/westsylvan
Location: 8111 Southwest West Slope Drive, Portland, OR, USA