Badger Middle School Newsletter

August 13, 2024

Principal's Welcome

Dear Badger Middle School Students and Families,

It was so great to be able to meet so many of our new students at Jumpstart! (See photo on the right.) There are several other upcoming opportunities to attend events at Badger, which were previewed in the Summer Newsletter mailed home. It is linked below also. Coming up next is the Picture Day/Activity Showcase on Thursday from noon-6pm. Hope to see you there!

You can expect one more newsletter by August 30th containing any remaining logistics for the first week of school.

We are focused on growth for all here at Badger, and are excited for the learning to begin!

Thanks for your continued support,

Patrick O’Connor

Principal

Badger Middle School

Picture Day/Activity Showcase

We are looking forward to seeing students and families on Thursday. To ensure that you have the best experience, we encourage you to arrive after 2pm if possible as there is another group using part of the building and parking lot. Signs will be posted throughout the school for the Picture Day event to help avoid any confusion.

Picture Ordering Access and Information

Schedules

Paper copies of schedules will be available on Thursday at Picture Day. We anticipate schedules being available on Skyward by Thursday afternoon also.

Please note that as always, schedules are built very carefully to balance class sizes and house sizes while also doing everything possible to make sure students are placed in their chosen electives. Accordingly, schedules are not being adjusted by request at this time. It is also important to note that due to staffing adjustments, Badger has adjusted from 6 to 5 houses for 24/25.

Busing

If your student takes the bus, please remember that on the first couple days, the drivers are learning new routes and students and it often takes longer for students to get home than is typical. Finalized route information will be available closer to school starting. Last year, routes were finalized by Riteway the day before school started. They can be viewed on Skyward once finalized. Thank you for your patience.

Drop-off/Pick-up at School

Badger has three parking lots, but only two are available for drop-off and pick-up.

The “main entrance” parking lot is off of 6th street and available for parents before and after school.
The “staff” parking lot is located off of Main St. This lot is available before and after school. Please enter from the Main St entrance and leave using the Decorah Rd exit.
The “bus” parking lot is off of 6th street and closest to our track. This parking lot is for buses only. Please do not use this lot at any time.

Open House/Meet and Greet

We hope you'll pop in August 28th between 5:30-7:30 for Open House/Meet and Greet!

Complete Back-to-School Registration

If you have not already completed back-to-school registration, please go to Skyward Family Access now to do this important step. This will help the start of the school year run more smoothly for the schools.

Here is the Registration Information.

Click here for more WBSD Back to School 24/25 Information.

Summer Newsletter

Please see the attached Summer Newsletter, previously mailed home.

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Summer Newsletter.pdf

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Who's Who: Administration

Principal: Patrick O’Connor

My name is Patrick O’Connor, and I am excited to be entering my second year as the principal here at Badger Middle School. I started in this district in 2007, and after a brief time as a principal in a neighboring district, I returned to a place I am proud to work. At Badger, we are focused on growth. I often tell our students that if each of us grows just a little each day, collectively, the gains will be tremendous! We have two years to prepare students for high school and provide an incredible number of opportunities for them to explore. I value clear, transparent communication and strive to set goals that align with these ideas.

Assistant Principal: Tyler Wood

Hello families! My name is Mr. Wood, and I am the Assistant Principal at Badger. I've been working in our district since 2007, where I also live with my wife and our daughters, and it's been a privilege to serve our community. As we embark on another exciting year at Badger Middle School, I encourage all students to get involved, explore different areas of interest, and make the most of their middle school experience. My goal is for each student to learn, grow, and be well-prepared for high school by the time they complete their journey here. Let's work together to make this year a success! Please feel free to contact me throughout the year.

Dean: Hayley Wilhelmi

Welcome Badger Middle School families! My name is Ms. Wilhelmi, and I am the Dean of Students at Badger. This is my 9th year in education, previously teaching high school English, but first year working in an administrative role. I’m extremely excited and feel very honored to start this next chapter of my career in West Bend with the team at Badger. As an educator, it has always been my personal goal to ensure that students love their time in school so that they can become exemplary human beings as adults. I hope to be a constant source of support throughout your student’s time at Badger, and can’t wait to see what wonderful things our students are capable of!

Principal: Mr. O'Connor

Assistant Principal: Mr. Wood

Dean: Ms. Wilhelmi

A Note on Communication from the Principal

Thank you for taking the time to review this newsletter. Below are details of how I will communicate with Badger families:

I will use the Badger Middle School Facebook page to communicate highlights of the awesome things our students and staff are doing.
The Badger Middle School Newsletter will be used as needed to share important dates, “big picture” messaging, and announcements of upcoming events.
To prevent sending you numerous emails, I will try to wait on some announcements until a newsletter is ready. If there is something that families should be aware of earlier, I will send a separate email (i.e. Communications about events that significantly disrupt normal operations).
I will call you back if you call me and leave a message.
I will make contact through a phone call or email if you email me.
I do not monitor any Facebook pages other than Badger’s and the West Bend School District’s. Please contact me or another member of the staff with questions or concerns.
My goal is to be in the classrooms supporting staff, or in the halls/cafeteria supporting students as much as possible, so I am not typically available immediately during the day. I am happy to set up an appointment to meet with you to ensure my availability.

My contact information:

Patrick O'Connor

poconnor@wbsd-schools.org

Direct line: (262) 335-5456

Badger main office: (262) 335-5455

Cell Phone Policy

Badger's cell phone policy is stated in the district handbook that was acknowledged when registering your child for this school year. As a review, the handbook states the expectations for phones as: Keep in lockers. They are not to be used during the school day and are subject to confiscation. If your child violates the cell phone policy we use a progressive policy to address the issue.

1st Offense: The student can pick up their phone from the main office at the end of the school day.

2nd Offense: The phone will stay in the main office until a parent/guardian can pick it up.

3rd Offense: The phone will stay in the main office until a parent/guardian can pick it up. The student will also begin a “check-in/check-out process with their phone in the main office.

You can contact the office if you need to get in touch with your student during school hours. Thanks for helping us focus on learning during school hours!

Badger Middle School

Mission: We will be respectful of ourselves and each other, work together to develop integrity, persevere in the face of difficulty, and strive for excellence.

Website: http://west-bend.k12.wi.us/BMS/
Location: 727 S. 6th Ave., West Bend, WI, USA 53095
Phone: 262-335-5455
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BadgerMiddleSchool/