West Sylvan Middle School

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Happy Friday, West Sylvan families!

Thank you to all families who contributed to the First Friday Luncheon last week! As always, your thoughtfulness adds so much joy for our staff! Congratulations to Mr. Louis Kruse for his successful production of Alice in Wonderland last week! Each performance had a full audience, and so many of our young actors were able to put their amazing talents on display! We appreciate all of the generous donors who sponsored the Silent Auction, and all of the family members who volunteered to make the play a success! This is truly a community effort, and our performing arts would not be able to grow as successfully as they have over the last several years without the support of our families!

OSAS English statewide testing is underway, so it will be critical that students have their PPS Chromebook fully charged for each day of testing and bring their charger to be successful with the hardware needed. We will move onto Math and Science after English testing concludes. Please send students to school rested and nourished for testing.

8th English: April 15-23

6th English: April 22-26

7th English (Morris/Richards): April 29-May 3

8th DLI: STAMP exam: May 6-10

We hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Jill Hunt, Principal
Ben Keller, Assistant Principal

SPANISH IMMERSION SPELLING BEE

The West Sylvan Spanish Immersion classes held our first ever Spanish Language Spelling Bee this Spring in order to participate in the OABE (Oregon Association of Bilingual Educators) competition. Congratulations to our grade level winners: Nathan Gardner (6th), Hanbit Lee (7th), and Sancho Guevara (8th) who will be representing West Sylvan next Wednesday, April 24th, at the statewide competition in Beaverton!

** ORDER YOUR YEARBOOK BEFORE MAY 3RD! ** All sales of yearbooks are pre-ordered directly through an outside company, and can not be purchased through the school. To pre-order this year’s book, go to: yearbookordercenter.com and enter the code 6339. Pre-order cost is $30. Orders will NOT be accepted after Friday, May 3rd, and we do not order extra copies. Don't miss your chance to purchase this special keepsake!

LAST CALL!! ELECTIVES FORECASTING FOR 2024-25

Forecasting for the 2024-25 school year is concluding! Students have been selecting their choices through Advisory classes. For World Languages, if a student takes French or Spanish in 7th grade, they would continue in that same World Language through 8th grade, as mastering the content in 8th grade then results in High School credits. Once High School begins, students can always choose to explore a new language at LHS, as they have so many more options to choose from, too!

The materials can be reviewed at the links below,

so that you may help your Scholar make informed decisions for next school year.

Future 6th graders in 24-25: Information is here

Future 7th graders in 24-25: Information is here

Future 8th graders in 24-25: Information is here

FAMILY INFORMATION NIGHTS

For those of you with current 5th Graders who are coming to WSMS next school year, there were two scheduled information nights for families of future 6th Graders. Information from the two nights can be reviewed here. Please click the button below to access the electives forecasting information.

Our team has now gone to visit the 5th Graders at Ainsworth, Forest Park, Bridlemile, and Chapman Elementary Schools to talk about Middle School and answer questions.

With just a couple months left in Middle School, we are planning some activities for final memories for our 8th Graders:

Monday, April 22nd:
8th Grade Panorama Picture
We take a final group picture during 7th period that families can order as a lasting memory of this 8th Grade class of students, before they all move on to High School!
**PREORDER your picture at mylifetouch.com using Picture Day ID - FO013023T0
Friday, June 7th:
8th Grade Pack Party
Final dance for the 8th Graders together at WSMS *hosted by The Friends of West Sylvan
Tuesday, June 11th:
8th Grade Field Trip to Oaks Amusement Park
Buses take students for a day at Oaks Park, lunch is served there, and we return to the school in the afternoon.
Wednesday, June 12th:
Class field trip to University of Oregon
Day trip returning by 6:00PM
Thursday, June 13th:
8th Grade Promotion Ceremonies
At Lincoln High School starting at 6:00PM in their Gym. Families have an unlimited number of guests, as we will pull out both sides of the bleachers for the event.
Friday, June 14th:
Last day of Middle School!
We’re working on some fun items for 8th graders who join us after they have their Promotion.

AFFINITY SPACES and RACIAL EQUITY/SOCIAL JUSTICE SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPS

The following groups and spaces have existed all year and continue to be available to students who share the affinity. Students can initiate Affinity spaces with adults on campus who share their affinity, or district-approved volunteers may run Affinity spaces for students during Advisory or lunches.

Asian Student Union: meets weekly on Fridays during Advisory

Black Student Union: meets weekly on Wednesdays during Advisory

Black Excellence Group: (RESJ partners) meets weekly on Thursdays during Advisory

Jewish Student Union: meets weekly on Tuesdays

Students Organizing for Leadership (SOL)/LSU: meets weekly on Tuesdays during Advisory

Gender/Sexuality Alliance: meets weekly at lunch

Neurodivergent Affinity Group: meets monthly

Equity: meets monthly

No Place for Hate: *is forming, will meet monthly

BUS BEHAVIOR REMINDERS

Our bus drivers write referrals for any misbehavior, and then school Administrators address those behaviors with students and inform families of the referrals. Riding the bus is a privilege, and not a right, so if students cannot follow the bus rules, we do have to move toward assigned seats and ultimately, bus suspensions, if behaviors persist we do move toward bus suspensions. A student who is suspended from riding PPS Transportation then would need to be transported to and from school by family members. Here is the link of all expectations so that you may also review these at home.

FOR 8TH GRADERS ONLY: MYP COMMUNITY PROJECT

After completing community service hours through their Block classes during the first semester, 8th Grade students at West Sylvan should now be in the RESEARCH & ACTION phases of the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme (MYP) Community Project, which is an essential component of the MYP curriculum and a capstone project of students’ Middle School education.

The MYP Community Project is a student-led and collaborative project that aims to encourage students to explore and reflect on real-world issues within their local community. This project enables students to apply their learning from their prior service and different subjects to develop essential skills such as critical thinking, problem-solving, communication, and collaboration.

The project has four main components: investigating, planning, taking action, and reflecting. Students should have already identified a real-world need within their community that they are passionate about and wish to address. Now, they are conducting thorough research to better understand the issue and its possible solutions.

Finally, students will develop a plan of action to address the issue, which may involve organizing events, raising awareness, fundraising, or other forms of community engagement. Finally, students take action and reflect on their learning and the impact of their project.

~ Community Project Timeline ~

Investigating: 2/8 - 3/14

Planning 3/15 - 3/22

Taking Action 4/4 - 4/25

Reflecting/Prep 5/2 - 5/TBD

Expo May - TBD

Throughout the project, students receive guidance and support from their Advisory and Block teachers, who ensure that their project aligns with the principles and values of the MYP. We believe that the MYP Community Project is an excellent opportunity for our students to develop essential skills and become active, responsible, and compassionate members of their community. We encourage you to engage with your student about the importance of service as they work to make a positive impact in their community.

This year, students will have the opportunity to share their projects with their peers and educators in the MYP Community Project Exhibition, which will take place during the 4th Quarter. They will be assessed based on the Community Project assessment criteria and graded through their Social Sciences classes. This project will be worth 10% of both their 3rd and 4th Quarter grades. Thank you for your ongoing support!

Translation available: Español / Tiếng Việt / Русский / 中国人

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. Our Friends of West Sylvan organization also regularly shares ways to get involved on campus, specifically to volunteer in the Library, monitor hallways, help in the Main Office, help in classrooms, and do recess duty.

EARLY STUDENT PICK-UP

Please make every effort to pick up students before or after their grade-specific Lunch period (see below). Once students are scattered around the field playing at recess, picking up during Lunch recess becomes more timely for all involved. Please do not call or text your student to tell them you are here or to tell them to come to the Office. If a student uses their device to check a text and/or answer a phone call, their phone will be confiscated.

6th Grade LUNCH: 11:37 AM ~ 12:07 PM

7th Grade LUNCH: 12:31 PM ~ 1:01 PM

8th Grade LUNCH: 1:25 PM ~ 1:55 PM

~ SCHOOL DOORS OPEN AT 9:00AM DAILY ~

Breakfast is available in the hot lunch room at that time. With the colder weather, we are having students who are dropped off early sit in the hot lunch room until 9 a.m. so that they are not sitting in the cold outdoors. Students with Choir before school (appears as period 0 on StudentVue), start school at 8:00 AM each day. Students should ring the bell upon arrival.

CHROMEBOOK REPAIRS

Ms. Crombie accepts Chromebooks for repairs between 10:00AM - 3:00PM each day. Damaged devices are picked up for repair each Friday, and are usually returned the following Friday. A loaner Chromebook can be issued to students in the meantime. Remind and encourage your student to take care of their Chromebook, and keep them in protective cases. If they don’t have a protective case, the school can provide one. Chromebooks are used for class assignments daily. Students will need to charge their device each night and bring their charged Chromebook to school each day. We do not have enough loaners to give to students who forget their chromebooks. Students and families will be responsible for paying for replacements for lost chargers throughout the 2023-24 school year. They will be ordered through PPS OTIS, and cost $12/each.

STUDENT ID CARDS

Please remind your students to bring and wear their school ID daily. We’ve shared out many ways that our students can be safe by displaying their IDs throughout the day through our Advisory videos. IDs are used on campus for quickly identifying students (this is especially helpful for Substitutes). Students use them to check out library books and to buy hot lunch. Bus drivers also look for student IDs to be sure that students are on the correct route.

FOOD DELIVERY SERVICES

We do NOT allow students to order items directly from delivery services throughout the day, as they are inviting strangers to our campus, and we have no way of monitoring what they are delivering. There is an unfortunate option where students can order illegal items, such as VAPE devices through delivery services. Students are reminded of this school policy regarding food delivery services when it is violated, and items are held in the office for end-of-day pickup. Family members are also notified when this occurs.

MONTORING SOCIAL MEDIA ACTIVITY

If you have chosen to give your student a cell phone, please actively monitor their social media accounts and messaging activity. Nearly every single school discipline issue on campus has started with social media posting outside of school. This is another reason that our cell phone policy exists, as we don’t want students engaging in cyber-bullying and cyber-harassment throughout their school day. Set up parental controls where your students can only access their phone during certain times, if you are allowing these devices.

ELECTRONICS POLICY

WSMS is a cell phone free zone from 9:00 AM - 3:45 PM daily. We request and advise all families to keep scholars’ cell phones at home during the school day. If a scholar brings a cell phone to school, they will be expected to store their turned-off phone in their locker throughout the entire school day (including lunch periods). Important messages can be sent to our main office via email (westsylvanoffice@pps.net) or phone, and will be forwarded to your scholars. Please do not call or text your student. If your scholar chooses to use their cell phone, smart watch, air pods, tablet, et al, the device will be confiscated. If your scholar uses their device to check a text from and/or answer the phone from you, their phone will be confiscated. Not only will their phone be confiscated, it shows you do not find this school rule important. This sets a bad precedent.

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