Westwood Intermediate/Middle School

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The end of the trimester is quickly approaching. Students have until the last day of the trimester (November 30) to turn in any missing assignments and complete reassessments based on the first trimester’s learning outcomes. Students have time during Panther Time and/or WIN (What I Need) time to complete missing assignments and receive help from their teachers.

We have scheduled our next safety and security drills. These drills provide practice for staff and students to respond to a variety of scenarios. We will have a lockdown drill with students this Friday at 9 a.m. for grades 5-8. If you do not want your student to participate in the lockdown drill, please let us know so we can make accommodations.

At the beginning of our second trimester on December 5, please note these important before and after school protocols:

• Students in grades 7 and 8 can be dropped off starting at 7:15 a.m. Students are not able to enter any part of the building prior to 7:15 a.m. Students arriving before 7:15 a.m. will need to wait outside until the doors open.
• Students in grades 5 and 6 can be dropped off at 8:20 a.m. Students are not able to enter the building prior to 8:20 a.m. Students arriving prior to 8:20 a.m. will need to wait outside until the doors open.
• All students are required to be picked up or go home on the bus at their dismissal time.

If these times and protocols don’t work for your family, there are before or after school care options for your child. Before and after school care at the K-4 elementary schools provide bus transportation to and from Westwood, or students can be registered through Community Ed to join a club or activity offered at Westwood.

There is still time for students to get involved. We have a few clubs and activities that will be starting in November: jazz band, drum line, and weight training. Visit the Community Ed website for details and registration.

We’ll test our emergency notification system this Thursday, Nov. 9 at 6:30 p.m. See more information in the newsletter and make sure you’re getting information how you prefer. When the snow flies, we want to be ready….and until then, let’s enjoy this late fall weather.

Have a great week,

Tom Larson

Principal

Winter weather is soon upon us which means it is time to check Spring Lake Park Schools’ emergency notification system. The district will be testing the system on Thursday, November 9 at 6:30 p.m. Depending on your communication preferences, you will receive an email, text message, voicemail and/or push notification from the SLP mobile app.

If you do 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 Notification System accordion to find directions.

If you have any questions, please contact communications@district16.org.

This month, we will begin using a tool called "Talking Points" to text with parents and guardians. We will start using the tool specifically to follow up on student absences and attendance. We expect to expand the use of this tool to teachers for classroom communication as the year progresses.

Talking Points supports real-time translation. Families can text in their native and/or preferred language and communicate with staff using their preferred language.

There is nothing parents and guardians need to do to receive messages as basic SMS text messages. If you choose to, you may download the Talking Points app. The app and website are not required to receive and send text messages with school staff. Please know that if you download the app, you will no longer receive SMS texts, but will receive messages through the app instead.

Our school staff look forward to the ways this form of communication can help support more real-time connections to support student learning and success. You can learn more about Talking Points on their website. If you have questions, contact communications@district16.org.

The SLP 5th Grade Band Registration window will be open from Friday, November 10–Friday, November 24. To register your child for band, visit the band website.

Process:

• Visit the band website and click registration in the top menu
• Fill out the registration form, and choose your child’s 1st, 2nd, and 3rd choice instrument preference.
• A band teacher will review the form, and email you the following information:
• The child’s confirmed instrument
• Information about how to obtain the instrument and music needed.

Check your mailbox! A letter is being sent this week that includes feedback on the optional 5th students band instrument “Try-It” experience.

Questions? Contact the Westwood Middle & Intermediate School Band Teachers:

Matthew Marsolek, mmasor@district16.org and Julie Seiler, jseile@district16.org

• Thursday, November 9 –
• Fundraiser pick-up, WW Cafeteria, 2:30-5:30 p.m.
• Native American Parent Advisory Committee event, Woodcrest Spanish Immersion School (in the Piña Room), 5:30-6:30 p.m.
• Thursday, November 16 – COIVD booster and flu shot clinic, District Services Center, 4-7 p.m.
• Friday, November 17– Westwood Family Fun Night, 6-8 p.m. at Westwood
• Monday, November 20 – Grupo de Padres Hispanohablantes de SLP reunión, Woodcrest Spanish Immersion, 5-6:30 p.m.
• Thursday, November 23-Friday, November 24 – No school, Thanksgiving Break
• Monday, November 27 – PTO Meeting, 6 p.m.
• Thursday, November 30 –
• End of Tri
• Westwood Fall Play - "Funkyland," 7 p.m., FAC – purchase tickets
• Friday, December 1 –
• No school for students
• Westwood Fall Play - "Funkyland," 7 p.m., FAC – purchase tickets
• Monday, December 4 – No school for students
• Thursday, December 7 – Live on 65: After Hours Big Band, 7 p.m., FAC – purchase tickets

The prized bronze pig annually awarded to the winner of Iowa-Minnesota football game — made a special visit to the 6th grade wing. The Gophers entrusted Floyd the Pig to Westwood 8th grader Braxton Battaglia. After Braxton was diagnosed with cancer, the Battaglia's started their non-profit, Tb1Fund, with a mission to brighten days for patients and families at M Health Fairview Masonic Children's Hospita. That's how they met Gopher head coach P.J. Fleck and the Minnesota Gophers Football team and how Floyd the Pig found his way to school. Braxton accompanied the pig to the 6th grade wing to visit her sister, a favorite Gopher-loving teacher and all their friends. The visit was full of smiles, selfies and spreading love. Mission accomplished.

7th Grade Red Team science students met with Dr. Ed James, a molecular and computational biologist at the University of Toronto. Dr. James shared his current project on microsporidia (a fungal disease) and answered a variety of student questions about his field research, laboratory research, computer programming process, and use of AI to gain insights into how microsporidia infects its hosts, reproduces, and can potentially be prevented.

Frozen objects 🥶 + hairdryers 💨 + curious kiddos 👦👧 = Science Magic! ✨

5th graders participated in an investigation where they made predictions about what happens to frozen objects - including balloons, chocolate and soap - when heated and then observed the outcome when their teacher used a hairdryer on the various objects.

Westwood Family Night: All Westwood families are invited to a Family Fun Night at school from 6-8 p.m. on Friday, November 17. There will be an open gym, corn hole, and bingo. We are looking for volunteers to help during the family night. Join the fall family night Band or email us if you are interested.

Fundraiser pick up: Don't forget to pick up items Thursday, November 9 in the cafeteria from 2:30-6 p.m. If you can volunteer to help during pick-up sign up here.

PTO Board Secretary: Our PTO group is still looking for a secretary for the 23-24 year.

On November 7, 2023, voters elected four residents to serve on the seven-member school board of Spring Lake Park Schools. Amy Hennen, Tony Easter, Allie Schmidt and Kelly McClellan were elected to serve.

Read more about the election and these school board members.

The Winter Market is back! Join us Saturday, December 9 from 10 a.m.-noon at Spring Lake Park High School, door 29, for some holiday cheer. All are welcome.

Activities include:

• K-4 Gift Shop: Students in grades K-4 can register for FREE to shop for family members in our Gift Shop. Children will be paired up with high school and adult volunteers to shop in our shop so that the gifts can be kept as a surprise. Spots are limited so sign up early. Sign up to shop.
• Panther Store Pop-up: Shop at our Panther Store pop-up and give the gift of Panther apparel and accessories this holiday season. Holiday discounts will be available.
• Entertainment & Treats: Guests will be treated to live music and treats provided by the Panther Foundation
• Kid Activities and Crafts: Young guests are invited to get creative at the activities and crafts table.
• Vendor Tables: Guests will be able to shop various vendor tables. If you are interested in hosting a vendor table to sell items such as baked goods, handmade products, etc. please contact us today.

Get your tickets now for the Westwood grades 5/6 play "Funkyland." Purchase tickets online or day-of at the box office for a dollar more.

Message from the Director: “Funkyland" is full of fun songs and good humor. It’s a wacky musical and a great introduction to our 5th and 6th grade theater program that you’ll remember forever.

Synopsis: Funkyland is the magical kingdom where all the dances of the world are dreamed up. A happy and peaceful place - until the day the King decides that the people shall dance no more! Will his clever children be able to persuade him to change his mind before the people of the kingdom stage a full-scale revolt?

Performances:

• Thursday, November 30, 7 p.m.
• Friday, December 1, 7 p.m.

Mark your calendars for February 18-24, 2024 for the Panthers for a Purpose Week of Giving celebration. To top off the week, the biggest Panther Party celebration will be held on February 24, 2024 at Bunker Hills Event Center in Coon Rapids. Tickets will go on sale the first week of January. Want to help Spring Lake Park Schools? The Panther Foundation is collecting item donations for the annual silent auction fundraiser. Please see our Silent Auction Wishlist to donate items and experiences for our community to bid on during the fundraising week.

• Winter Gear Drive - November 1-22 – Share the warmth! Donated winter gear items can be dropped off in the front office of each school.
• Live on 65 welcomes After Hours Big Band
• Preparation for a career in healthcare
• Watch: Introduction for families to competency-based learning
• Practice Makes Proficient
• Getting to Know You

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