Westfield Arrow
Aiming to Keep You Informed
September 27, 2024
From the Office
Congratulations to all four Westfield Cross Country teams for earning 1st place at the Cross Country Conference Meet on Tuesday versus runners from Medinah, Peacock, Roselle, SpringWood and Wood Dale. Way to go, WARRIORS! A huge thank you to our coaches, Mr. Buchholz, Mr. Stamatakos, and Mr. Volkman for all of their guidance and support of our athletes!
6th Grade Girls - Conference Champions!
6th/7th Grade Boys - Conference Champions!!
7th/8th Grade Girls - Conference Champions!!!
8th Grade Boys - Conference Champions!!!!
Character Counts Celebration Night - 6:30 p.m. on 10/1/24
We hope to see you in Old Town Bloomingdale on Tuesday, October 1st for Character Counts! Night. We will be joined by other area schools, including DuJardin and Erickson, to celebrate the pillars of character and recognize this year's Character Counts Award winners.
6th Grade Field Trip
Our 6th graders had a wonderful time attending the play Miss Nelson is Missing at Lake Park East on Wednesday! Along with a great performance by all of the members of the Lake Park drama program, it was especially fun to see the many Westfield Alum on stage! Thank you to our 6th grade teachers for organizing the field trip!
Lake Park Band Visit
We are looking forward to hosting the Lake Park High School Band on Thursday, October 3rd. Thank you to Mr. Lehman and every member of the LP band for taking the time to perform for our students!
Food Drive - Go Orange for Hunger Action in September
Please join us in supporting the Northern Illinois Food Bank and the Bloomingdale Food Pantry by dropping off much needed food items at Westfield. For more information on the Go Orange for Hunger Action food drive please visit www.SolveHungerToday.org/HAM
Westfield Student News - The Scoop
Check out the latest edition of the Westfield Scoop!
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We hope to see you at Erickson this afternoon for the Going Gold MAC walk!
Stefan Larsson
Principal
Amanda Vreeland
Assistant Principal
Upcoming Dates
- SEPTEMBER 30 Last Day to Donate Food Items for Hunger Action
- OCTOBER 1 Character Counts! Celebration, Old Town Park 6:00pm
- OCTOBER 11 Teacher Institute - No School
- OCTOBER 14 No School - Indigenous Peoples'/Columbus Day
- OCTOBER 15 Deadline for 6th Grade Health Physical (info below)
- OCTOBER 21 Student Picture Retake Day
GRADE LEVEL NEWS:
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)
WARRIOR OF THE WEEK
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."
Westfield This Week
'The Scoop' News Team recording
SEL in 6th grade Warrior Time
Microscope specimen in 7th Science
Gummy government in Social Studies
Genetics terminology in 8th Science
Tiki mask art history
Creepy container in Club Create
6th grade field trip to Lake Park HS
Genetics mutations lab
Fall play auditions
W.A.R.R.I.O.R.S. traits project
Clay pinch pot sculpture in Art
Westfield Cross Country Teams Sweep Conference!
Student Information
Help for Student Chromebooks
If a student needs Chromebook/Password/Repair/Loaner assistance from the Technology Department, the student must use the link below to request support:
GIRLS Basketball Team Tryout Information
>> REQUIRED: CURRENT PHYSICAL ON FILE WITH THE NURSE BEFORE TRYOUTS
Students! You Could Design the Illinois State Flag
Now through Friday, October 18th, submit your flag design artwork to Mrs. Matt, Westfield Art Teacher to enter the Illinois' State Flag Design Contest. If students need any supplies, see Mrs. Matt.
NEW! Club Create Visiting Artist
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
Order a Yearbook Early
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
Wanted! Empty Cereal Boxes
The Westfield Art Room is in need of empty cereal or cracker boxes (really any box made from thin cardboard) for an upcoming student 3D Art Sculpture Project.
Please save all thin empty cereal boxes and bring them to Westfield!
Thank you in advance for giving your empty boxes a second use!
Bus Safety Week October 21-25
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
Parent Information
Westfield Is Collecting Food through September 30th
Westfield is a food collection site for non-perishable food donations during Hunger Action Month.
Parents and students may drop off donations in the big, orange box at Westfield's Main Entrance.
Thank you!
Parent Access to ALMA Student Information System
ALMA: is used to register students, contain attendance information, grades and progress reports. ALL families have login information for ALMA.
Please utilize this site to view grades, attendance, and the trimester and quarterly progress reports.
CLICK HERE for Alma Parent Login Instructions
Parent Access to OTUS Student Information System
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.
Student Absences
As a reminder, absences may be considered excused for reasons of 1) personal illness/Dr. appointment, 2) quarantine, 3) bereavement, 4) family emergencies, 5) observance of religious holidays, and 6) request in writing, approved in advance by the administration.
Please, use the Westfield Attendance Email: wfattendance@sd13.org, or call the Westfield Main Office available 24/7 at 630-529-6211 with an absence or late arrival.
Westfield Band Newsletter
Band Parents!
Stay updated with your student's band lessons, band rehearsal, upcoming events/concerts, etc.
PTO Invites You to Order Student Hot Lunch
Welcome to the 2024-25 School Year! - End-of-Summer Sale: 10% Off Lunches through September 30th 2024.
> > ALREADY HAVE A WESTFIELD HOT LUNCH ACCOUNT?
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
A Charge for Chromebook Repairs
District 13 will absorb the first $50.00 of the Chromebook repair annually.
These repair costs will be charged through My School Bucks.
DISTRICT 13 FEE PAYMENT
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:
- Please sign into My School Bucks and create an account and attach your student(s).
Click on the Person Icon in the upper right hand corner
- In the drop down that appears select "My Students"
- 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.
First View Bus App for Parents of Daily Bus Students
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.
From Westfield's Nurse, Mrs. Rider
Student Have Allergies?
As we approach the fall season, allergy season begins. Please, give the over-the-counter. non-drowsy medications to your student in the morning prior to leaving for school.
If your student is in need of 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.
Tips to Keep Healthy
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 on immunizations: Vaccines & Immunizations
5. Do not share personal belongings: brushes, makeup, food, drinks.
6. Keep a sick child home.
Information from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
About Your Child's Medication:
- 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
A current, physical examination is required by the Illinois Department of Public Health for all children entering 6th grade -- completed by a Physician and signed by a parent/guardian. [Students in 6th Grade will be excluded from school after OCTOBER 15th without a current physical form on file.]
STATE OF ILLINOIS HEALTH EXAM FORM
>> 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 Parent Teacher Organization (PTO)
2024-2025 Parents/Guardians: Want to Volunteer at Westfield?
- Committee Chairpersons still needed: Hot Lunch, Parties/Dances, Teacher Appreciation, Spirit Wear, Social Media, Box Tops
- Questions? Email westfieldmpto@gmail.com for information.
2024-2025 PTO BOARD
- President: Cynthia Perez
- Vice-President: Melissa Graham
- Treasurer: Agata Rojba
- Secretary: Kavita Maharaj
PTO Membership Dues 2024-2025
(Please, pay with MySchoolBucks) MEMBERSHIP FORM
- All-School parties and dances
- Classroom 'wish' lists
- Teacher appreciation
- Scholarships
- Field Trips
- Student awards
Scan Receipts for Education All Year-Round!
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!!
Scan Your BoxTops
Buy 1, earn 10! Win Box Tops items for Westfield NOW THROUGH SEPTEMBER 30th.
Just scan your receipt within 14 days of purchase, and win for Westfield!
Throughout the School Year
Reminders
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)
District 13 Virtual Backpack
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.
Take Learning on the Go With the IXL App
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.
Illinois School Report Card - Exemplary Rating!
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.
Westfield Social Media Communication
Westfield Middle School
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
How-To Videos
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:
Chromebook: