Westwood Junior High

As we prepare to enter the final month of school, it’s a bittersweet moment. We are incredibly proud of all of our Wolves and the growth we’ve seen this year. Please take a moment to review the important May dates included in this newsletter and mark your calendars—we don’t want you to miss a thing!

There is so much to celebrate at Westwood, and it’s truly an honor and a joy to be part of this amazing school community.

• This week, we are thrilled to share that Coach Neese was named the RLC Secondary Teacher of the Year—an incredible achievement and a well-deserved recognition of the energy and excellence she brings to our campus each day. We couldn’t be prouder!
• Soccer season is off to a fantastic start! All four of our teams won their games against FMMS on Wednesday and will begin tournament play tonight. Let’s go Wolves!
• Today, our amazing counseling team brought together nearly 90 8th grade students to celebrate a huge accomplishment: making the honor roll for all seven quarters they’ve been at Westwood. What an incredible achievement—we are so proud of their consistency, dedication, and hard work!
• The following week, we will be celebrating our amazing teachers during Teacher Appreciation Week. We are so lucky to have the BEST in the business here at Westwood. Thank you again to our PTA and the Westwood Woohoo Crew for helping us celebrate and support them in such meaningful ways.

Looking ahead, progress notices will be sent out the afternoon of Monday, April 28th via email from your student’s advisory teacher (as listed in FOCUS). Our final STAAR/EOC exam—Math for all 7th and 8th graders—will take place on Tuesday, April 29th.

As we move closer to final exams, please continue partnering with us to support your student’s academic progress. Strong, positive relationships between families and educators are key to student success, and we hope you are experiencing the same supportive and welcoming communication that we value so deeply.

Sincerely,

Katie Mottram

Principal

kathryn.mottram@risd.org

• April 28: Spring Picture Day
• April 29: STAAR Math/ EOC Algebra 1
• April 30: National Junior Honor Society Induction at 6 PM
• May 5-9: Teacher Appreciation Week
• May 8: Howl-ight Award Ceremony at 6 PM (Invitation Only)
• May 12: Athletic Awards at 5:30 PM
• May 12-16: 8th Grade Spirit Week
• May 16: 8th Grade Dance
• May 21: Wolf Walks

We are excited to share that our Multicultural Night was a huge success! A warm thank you goes out to Mr. Duncan & Ms. Arroyo and the EDI group for their hard work in organizing this wonderful event. It was a delightful evening filled with culture, community, and connection.

On Saturday, April 12th, our talented student artists represented us at the Texas Art Education Association's VASE (Visual Art Scholastic Event)—and they did not disappoint!

👏 We're proud to announce that all of our participants earned a score of 4, the highest possible rating at the event!

🌟 Special shoutout to our incredible artists:
Christopher Arevalo, Savannah Clayton, Hudson Cox, Eleanor Holloway, Alexandria Ndiritu, Rachel Okamura, Linsby Ortiz, Elissa Wade, Emily Zaltron, Grace Callaghan, Eden Parrish, and Wema Mulindi — your hard work, creativity, and dedication to your craft truly stood out. We’re so proud of each of you!

These students are part of our amazing Visual Art Program with Mr. Duncan and Mrs. Melson, whose guidance and encouragement continue to inspire the next generation of artists.

These students have demonstrated not only artistic skill but also discipline, passion, and vision. We're honored to celebrate their achievement!

We are proud to recognize a remarkable group of 8th grade students who have achieved Honor Roll status every quarter during their time at WWJH. In our first-ever Honor Roll Celebration, each of these dedicated students was honored with a certificate, recognizing their consistent commitment to academic excellence.

The event was thoughtfully organized by our incredible counseling team, and we were inspired by words of encouragement from our keynote speaker—Coach Lockett.

A heartfelt thank you goes out to the parents, teachers, and counselors who have supported these students along the way. Your guidance and encouragement have been instrumental in their success.

Congratulations to all our honorees—you’ve set a high standard, and we are so proud of you!

A huge thank you to our incredible librarians, Ms. Moore and Ms. Jones, for being the heart of our libraries. Your dedication, knowledge, and passion inspire our communities every day. We appreciate all that you do—this week and always!

The Richardson ISD Foundation is thrilled to share that Satako Neese has been selected as the Secondary STARS Teacher representing the Richardson Learning Community! The Richardson ISD Foundation surprised Coach Neese with an awards parade. Congratulations to Coach Neese for this well-deserved recognition!🎉

Last week, we celebrated and recognized the incredible dedication, time, and love our PTA members pour into our school community. Your efforts make a lasting difference in the lives of our students, staff, and families. Thank you for your unwavering support and commitment—you truly help make our school shine! We are incredibly grateful for their generosity in bringing a "Shining STAAR" breakfast cart to our teachers. Your support truly makes a difference, and we appreciate all that you do to uplift our school community.

Honoring Our Amazing PTA Members:

• Amy Borne, President
• Aimee Bacarella, Parliamentarian
• Amanda Clair, Event Coordinator
• Anna Schwietz, 1st VP
• Ashley Ramirez, SAGE
• Ashley Williams, Back to School Coordinator
• Autumn Petersen, Student and Teacher Awards
• Beth Carroll, Arts and Education
• Derek Valz, Council Delegate
• Eric Delgado, Back to School Coordinator
• Iqua Newell, Event Coordinator
• Katy Spicer, Ways and Means Assistant
• Kelly Wallaert, Spirit Wear
• Laura Devinney, Hospitality
• Laura Evans, Clothes Closet
• Laura Luburich, Hospitality
• Laura West, SecretaryLindsay Costanza, EdTalk Hospitality
• Mac Nieto, 3rd VP Membership
• Mary Alyce Kaetzel, Treasurer
• Melissa Andreani, Arts & Education
• Morgan Ballard, Spirit Wear
• Paige Delgado, Council Delegate
• Paula Hopper, 2nd VP Ways & Means
• Rene Henderson, Volunteer Services
• Teresa Martini, 4th VP Communications

Richardson ISD is in the early stages of planning for a potential construction project at Westwood Junior High to increase capacity at the campus. This construction project is part of RISD’s plan to transform all remaining junior highs into middle schools. To obtain stakeholder input on the Westwood Middle School project, Richardson ISD formed a Program Planning Committee (PPC). The Westwood MS PPC is comprised of Westwood JH administrators, staff, community members, and other district personnel. We are in the middle of this exciting endeavor and more information is available on the Westwoodl JH website at: https://schools.risd.org/WestwoodJH/construction-planning/

Since Westwood is located in the City of Dallas, the planning process for this project includes working with the City of Dallas to change the planned development amendment for Westwood Middle School. Please note that the City of Dallas has lengthy processes and we are wanting to give you all an advanced notice - we are still very early in design for this campus. As an HOA member or neighbor who resides in proximity to the school, you may receive an early notice from the City of Dallas regarding this zoning case. RISD has scheduled an informational meeting at 7:00pm on Monday, May 19, 2025. The meeting will be held at the Westwood Junior High library. We look forward to seeing you there as we go through this exciting process and design the new Westwood Middle School!

Track & Field: CONGRATULATIONS TO THE WESTWOOD GIRLS AND BOYS TRACK AND FIELD TEAMS! The track and field teams demonstrated excellence at the 2025 RISD JH District Track and Field Meet by capturing first-place finishes at various events. Overall, 7th-grade boys finished 2nd, and 7th-grade girls placed 4th as a team. The 8th-grade girls finished second place, and the 8th-grade boys earned fifth place. Thanks to the athletes, students, parents, family, and the Westwood Wolves community for supporting the Wolves this season.

Soccer: The soccer teams traveled to Berkner to compete against Liberty JH last week. The 7th grade girls and boys and the 8th grade girls won, and the 8th grade boys tied 0-0. The next games will be played on April 23rd against Forest Meadow Middle School at Eagle Mustang Stadium. Game times are 5:30 and 6:30 for boys and 7:30 and 8:30 for the girl's teams.

2025-2026 Cheer: Congratulations to the new cheer team! Good luck as you prepare for the upcoming school year. See attached roster.

Tickets: Tickets for all RISD Athletic Events can be purchased at the gate or by visiting the link below: https://richardsonisd.brushfire.com/

April is School Library Month! To celebrate students will be engaging in a contest each week of the month: Quackenger Hunt each week, Database Challenge, Bookmark Contest, Guess the Bookworms, and a Morse Code contest! All information will be in their Library Schoology Group each week.

****Reminder that STAAR tests are coming up in April. The database TexQuest, in your child’s Classlink -> Library Resources, has practice tests for reading, math, science and social studies! Practice at home or anytime, 24/7!

Want to support the library? Check out our Amazon Wishlist of items we need to pull off these library events. Thank you so much to those who have already granted some of our wishes!

Thanks so much for your support!

We have met 65% of our fundraising goal and need your financial support to get to the finish line. Your donations allow all the fun things for our students and staff – parties and treats for our teachers, quarterly student award gifts, teacher of the month awards, school dances (PAR-TAY!), and the end of school luncheon for teachers, we would greatly appreciate it. Donate online here.

We are thrilled to announce the upcoming 2025 Community STEM Day at Collins Aerospace! This is your chance to join us for an engaging, fun-filled day dedicated to exploring the fascinating world of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM).

Event Overview:

• Who: K-12 future scientists and engineers

• What: Hands-on activities, interactive booths, and the opportunity to meet real engineers!

• Where: Collins Aerospace, 3200 E. Renner Rd. (Outside in the north parking lot)

• When: Friday, June 6, from 3-6 PM

What to Expect:

• Hands-on STEM activities

• Interactive booths

• Exciting giveaways

• Meet-and-greets with real Collins Aerospace engineers

This FREE, in-person, outdoor event is designed to inspire and engage individuals of all ages in the wonders of STEM. Don't miss out on this unique opportunity to explore, learn, and have fun!

How to Participate:

• Save the Date: Mark your calendars for June 6!

• Register: Please register at the Eventbrite link to help us plan for activities and giveaways.

This family-friendly event is all about creativity, curiosity, and connection. It offers students and families an inside look at the amazing world of STEM through play, exploration, and real-world innovation. Whether you’re dreaming of building rockets, designing robots, or simply curious about how things work, there’s something here for everyone!

We look forward to seeing you there!

If you have any questions, please reach out to Zaire Silvia.

#STEMDay2025 #CommunitySTEMDay #CollinsAerospace

Dear Westwood Families,

We’re excited to announce that enrollment for the 2025-2026 school year is now open! As we prepare for another year of academic excellence, we encourage all families to complete their student’s enrollment as early as possible to ensure a smooth and timely start to the year.

To make the process easier, simply visit www.risd.org/enrollonline and follow the steps to complete your registration. If you need assistance or have questions, feel free to contact the Westwood JH enrollment office at 469-593-3510 or via email at Paulina.Ochoa@risd.org.

We look forward to welcoming your child to Westwood next school year!

RISD recognizes the work our teachers perform to support every child, every day. And we believe there is an opportunity EVERY day to show our appreciation for all they do to ensure student success. Click here to learn more about the Thank a Teacher program and how to sign up, and we will connect you with a campus.