Westwood Intermediate/Middle School
Westwood Families,
We started the week with a comfy cozy day on Monday and that seems to be carrying through as we head into winter break. On Thursday, we will have our end-of-trimester celebration pep fest for grades 5 / 6 and 7 / 8.
The December Possip themes have emerged. Thank you for taking the time to provide us with your feedback. I want to share here the top areas mentioned in Possip comments as areas for us to look at and some of our actions and next steps:
- Frequency of Schoology updates and more explanation of the new grading system to students: We presented on Schoology in a parent session at our PTO meeting in November. If you missed that and would benefit from a refresher, here’s a link to the presentation . Teachers for grade 5 and 6 have reviewed progress reporting with students as report cards went home on Monday. We will continue to work with all of our staff on providing feedback to students, so they know where they are at in their learning.
- Behavior and discipline issues in school and classrooms: My takeaway after reading some of the Possip comments is that there is a perception that there are a lot of fights at Westwood. That simply isn’t accurate. We have had very few altercations this year. If this is a concern of yours, I invite you to give me a call. It’s important for students and families to know a few things:
- First, if your student has experienced bullying behavior or is concerned about others, students can report via Schoology message to one of the administrators. There is also a form online that students can use to report anonymously. We follow up on every report with the students involved, document the issue, and when needed, provide consequences to students.
- We have moved to a technology reporting system for behaviors. The system summarizes the data by student and teachers so we can respond to individuals and provide classroom support and professional learning for staff.
- Bathrooms continue to be a reported issue by a few families. While behavior in bathrooms has improved, we continue to monitor and adjust our practices. We have stationed staff outside bathrooms during passing times, and we are trying to limit the number of passes we provide students during the school day by tracking students who are overusing them. We are also escorting students who are struggling to self-direct themselves.
- Student mental health issues and the need for more support and counseling: We continue to work with Lee Carlson, our partner in providing in-school services to students. We decreased the counselor ratio this year for our 7th and 8th graders and have added a support staff person to work with our 5th and 6th grade counselor. The counselors work with students on academic counseling and social emotional proactive strategies. They also work in partnership with families and outside therapists to support students. This is an area we continue to monitor and adjust.
In addition to these themes, it’s always great to hear the positives. This month, some areas of praise were:
- Excellent nurses who show compassion for students
- Emails from teachers that keep parents updated on what's happening in class
- The encouraging and supportive teaching staff
- The variety of extracurricular activities offered
Winter break begins Friday. There is no school Friday, December 22 through Monday, January 1, 2024. We’ll see students back in school in the new year on Tuesday, January 2.
Have a great break with friends and family,
Tom Larson
Principal
District Services Center - Winter Break
During winter break, December 22-January 1, the District Services Center will hold the following hours:
- Friday, December 22 - 8 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
- Monday, December 25 - Monday, January 1 - closed
- Normal hours will resume Tuesday, January 2
Have a question during this time? Please email SLPComEd@district16.org or enrollment@district16.org and we'll find you the answer.
The Mirandola Ensemble
The Mirandola Ensemble visited Westwood Intermediate to perform for the 6th grade choir students! The professional Minneapolis based choir performed choral selections in over seven different languages and they shared how and why they make music. The choirs enjoyed this special performance experience and they look forward to more music opportunities this school year!"
Students showcase ideas in 'Shark Tank’-style competition
An extendable baking pan, an electronic tracking tag for pets, a portable dugout roof, an app to learn music, a clothing solution for ticks, an app to get connected at college. Those are just a handful of the 29 different product and service business ideas that Spring Lake Park High School students pitched “Shark Tank style” to a panel of local judges.
Students were tasked with the challenge of developing their business idea, product or service and figuring out how to market it. After months of research and preparation, they had two opportunities to show business and industry leaders what they’ve learned and receive feedback on their pitches.
Five finalist groups have moved on to the final round. The winner will be announced before winter break. We caught up with the finalists to learn more about their product or service, how this class is helping them think about their future and what it’s like to pitch their ideas to business experts. Read more.
