West Pine Middle

Ignite! Engage! Grow!

A Note From Mrs. Wiley

Wildcat families,

I am very proud of the growth demonstrated by many of our students on the Middle Of Year iReady Reading and/or Math diagnostic assessments. We still have several students who will need to complete testing this week before they can update their goals that were set at the beginning of the year.

Please note that "door dashed" lunches for students are not allowed. Students should bring their lunch from home or enjoy a lunch from our cafeteria.

Congratulations to Carly S. (8th grade) and David P. (7th grade) for being recognized as Young Author State winners!

As a reminder, Friday is a teacher workday; there is no school for students.

As always, it's a great day to be a Wildcat.

Take care,

JW

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Upcoming Author Visit

In collaboration with The Country Bookshop, our school will be hosting an author visit from Steve Sheinkin on January 25th for all of our students, staff and any parents who would like to attend. All 8th graders will attend the presentation at 8:50AM and all 6th and 7th graders will attend the presentation at 9:50AM. A special THANKS to Sandhills Community College for generously providing a free copy of Sheinkin's newest book, Bomb: The Graphic Novel to all of our 8th graders. All 6th and 7th graders received a book order form from their ELA teachers for any families that want to purchase a book. Students who purchase books will have an opportunity to meet the author and have their books signed after the author event.

MCS Transportation Update

As you know, our district is currently struggling due to a shortage of drivers. In order to provide as much coverage as possible with the number of drivers we have available, Transportation must ensure we are utilizing all available daily seats. Moving forward, students must ride the bus at least once a week in order to remain on a bus roster. Students who do not ride the bus for 5 consecutive days will be removed from rosters. Athletes who do not ride during their season will simply need to request a bus a week before their season ends to get back on the roster. Students will still count on the roster as long as they ride morning or evening and are not required to ride both. Please make the school office aware if your student has an extended illness, is out of school and will miss more than 5 days on a bus so we can assist in special circumstances to keep them on rosters. In addition, if you would be willing to help by driving a bus, the district will pay for your training and could certainly use your help and support in a full-time, part-time or substitute capacity.

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Young Author State Winner

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Young Author State Winner

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We Love Captain Gooch!

Club and Academic Team Updates

Meeting Days

Tuesday: NCDOT Bridge Team and Chess Club
Wednesday: Robotics and Quiz Bowl
Thursday: NCDOT Bridge Team, BOB, and Military Club
Friday: FCA (not the 27th)

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Wildcat Athletics

Congratulations to our wrestlers on a great season!

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Upcoming Dates

January 26: End of 2nd Quarter/1st Semester
January 27: Teacher Workday
February 6: Report Cards
February 8: 8th Grade Field Trip to Sandhills Community College
March 2: Interim Reports
March 2: Mitch Capel Performance for 6th Grade
March 3: Teacher Workday

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School Information

Please acknowledge the MCS Student Code of Conduct in Parent Portal.

Instructional (including the encore fees) and technology fees can be paid online, or students can bring in cash or check. Contact Ms. Mullen, our bookkeeper, if you have any questions.

Dogs are not allowed on campus. If your dog is in your car during our morning and/or afternoon carline, we ask that you ensure your dog is restrained when your child exits or enters the car.

Don't forget to review the dress code with your child. In particular, students must wear clothing that covers their skin from chest to mid thigh with opaque (non-see-through) fabric in front, back, and on the sides. Clothing must cover undergarments, and breasts, genitals and buttocks must be covered with opaque (non see-through) fabric. For more information, visit the MCS Student Code of Conduct.

Bus Transportation Information: Students are not allowed to ride a bus in which they are not assigned. They can only ride their assigned bus.

Routes: Transportation can be viewed on Parent Portal (web browser only, NOT the app). Here you can verify your child's transportation information.
Communication: Please continue to contact the call center (910-947-5861) for any concerns or questions about your student's route.

The MCS middle school final grades are calculated as follows:

For a single semester course, a student’s final grade shall be determined based on the final exam 15% of the final grade) and the grade for each nine-week marking period (each marking period representing 42.5% of the final grade).
For a year-long course, a student’s final grade shall be determined based on the final exam (15% of the final grade) and the grade for each semester (semesters are the average for two nine-week marking periods with each semester representing 42.5% of the final grade).
Middle school students taking high school courses will be graded using the Grade 9-12 formula.

***ELA, math and science (8th) will use the EOG as the final exam. For courses without an EOG (6-8 SS, 6-7 SCI, and encore classes), the final exam will be determined and created by the teachers. World History and Math 1 follow HS guidelines. Here is the link to the grading policy for the district.

Attendance Matters

When Moore are present, Moore succeed!

School attendance is important and in order to receive the best education, students need to be present to fully support their academic success. School administrators and teachers track student attendance in PowerSchool. Parents should monitor their child’s attendance and ensure that students do not accumulate excessive absences. Both excused and unexcused absences count towards student attendance. Failure to meet minimum attendance policies may jeopardize a student’s ability to participate in sports or promote to the next grade. Parents will be contacted by school administration or a school social worker under the following circumstances:

The child has accumulated three (3) unexcused absences in a school year.
After not more than six (6) unexcused absences, the principal shall notify the family by mail that they may be in violation of the Compulsory Attendance Law.
When student absences, excused or unexcused, reach five (5) in a semester or eleven (11) in a year in grades 9-12, or fifteen (15) in a year in grades K-8, the principal will contact the family.
Students in grades 9-12 who are absent from a class more than eight (8) days, excused or unexcused, during a semester course shall not receive credit for the semester or year.
Students in grades K-8 who are absent more than twenty (20) days during a year shall be referred to an interdisciplinary attendance committee which shall determine if the student should be retained. Additional policies are outlined in MCS Board of Education Policies, Section 6000.

Car Line Key Points

Mornings

Doors open at 7:30am. For our students' safety, we ask that you not drop off your child prior to that time as there are no staff members on duty.
All students are dropped off at front of school in the morning. Please do not drop off in the bus parking lot, grassy area, tennis courts, at WPES, or at a local business.
Students who work the school store or are involved in an early morning club meeting may be dropped off in the grassy area or front driveway.
We are getting our students in to the building on time, so that is great news! The line will remain long unless more students ride the bus or families carpool.

Afternoons

Older siblings will go to the younger sibling's car line for pick-up.
Don't forget, 7th grade is picked up on the service road behind the baseball field. Cars will enter at WPES.
8th grade cars may proceed to the staff parking lot for afternoon dismissal. Once that area is full, 8th grade cars must remain in the main car line with the 6th grade cars. A staff member will be outside to help direct traffic. Use your right turn signal to alert the staff member on duty that you are going to 8th grade pick-up.
Cars are asked to pull all the way up to the first open spot. The students will walk to your car. Do not stop when you see your child. Staff will direct you to keep moving as we have MANY cars to move through the line.
Friday car lines will be much longer due to students not having athletic practices after school. Expect longer wait times.

Support our School: Link Your Lowes and/or Harris Teeter Cards!

When you link your card to West Pine Middle, a percentage of your purchase is donated to our school. These funds support many of our programs.

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WPMS PTSO News

PTSO General Business Meetings and Parent Informational Sessions. Mark your calendars and join us to learn how we all can support our students.
Our PTSO is raising money for a flag pole and flag for our ball fields. Please reach out to one of our officers (see below) if you would like to help.

Parent Involvement

PTSO

Do you want to get involved but don't know where to start? Join the WPMS PTSO. For more information, reach out to one of our board members or email them at wpmptso@gmail.com.