Wildcat news

Dear Western Valley Middle School Community,

We are thrilled to share some exciting updates as we begin the new quarter!

Welcome Our New Team Members!

Please join us in warmly welcoming Ms. Vinson and Mr. Hickman to our teaching staff.

• Ms. Vinson is our new 7th Grade English Language Arts teacher.
• Mr. Hickman is our new full-time substitute teacher. He will start the quarter 7th Grade Math. We are actively working to fill this position permanently as Ms. France has been moved to the administrative staff.

Staff Transitions

We are excited to announce that:

• Ms. France has stepped into the TOSA/Assistant Principal role following Ms. Vasquez’s move to Sunridge Elementary.
• Mr. Camacho will also become more active as student support while continuing to teach his 8th grade homeroom and a couple of regular periods.
• Mr. Peck and Dr. Zisanhi will team-teach science for most of the day. Mr. Peck will continue with his 8th grade homeroom and one 8th grade science period, while Dr. Zisanhi’s homeroom will now be led by Ms. Osorio.
• Ms. Barcelita and Ms. Montelibano will team-teach all 8th grade ELA classes. Ms. Barcelita will continue with one 7th grade period, and her former 7th grade homeroom will be led by Ms. Hoff.

Quarterly Schedule Changes

As we start the third quarter, there are some updates to student schedules. New schedules have been distributed to homeroom teachers, so please remind your child to review any changes as they return to school.

We’re looking forward to another fantastic quarter filled with learning, growth, and success for all our students. Thank you for your continued support and partnership!

Respectfully,

Dr. Stephanie Nardi

Principal, Western Valley Middle School

We are excited to share that our students will be learning about the risks of vaping through a grant from notMYkid. As part of our commitment to meeting the needs of our students, we are implementing the CATCH My Breath Youth E-Cigarette Prevention Program.

CATCH My Breath is a research-based program designed to prevent e-cigarette use among students in grades 5-12. Each grade level will participate in four lessons led by notMYkid presenters during their regular science classes. The schedule is as follows:

• 6th Grade: Week of November 18
• 7th Grade: Week of February 3
• 8th Grade: Week of February 10

For more information about this program, please visit www.catchmybreath.org.

Student ID replacement is $5.00. Students will also be charged $1.00 for any extra lanyards and 50 cents for plastic ID pouches. Thank you.

FESD Policy:

Electronic devices including, but not limited to, cell phones, handheld devices, media players, watches, earbuds, or other similar gadgets are not allowed to be used or displayed during the school day, from the beginning to the end, unless a staff member specifically instructs or permits their use for educational purposes. It is important that these devices do not disrupt the learning

environment, compromise safety, or affect the well-being of others. Please note that the school district cannot be held responsible for any loss, damage, or theft of such devices, and students bringing such devices to school or a school event do so at their own risk.

To maintain a focused and respectful learning environment at Western Valley Middle School, we have a clear policy regarding cell phones and wearable tech:

• All cell phones must be turned off and kept in backpacks throughout the school day. This includes lunch, recess, and passing periods.
• If a cell phone is seen out during the school day, it will be confiscated. The phone can be picked up by a parent or guardian (not the student) in the office after school or before school the following day. This policy will apply to each offense.
• Wearable technology, such as smartwatches, will be subject to the same policy if they become a distraction.