Westfield Arrow

We were honored to host several veterans on Monday, November 11th, for Veterans Day. It was very special for our students and staff to be able to learn more about each veteran's experiences and to have the opportunity to ask questions. We would like to thank all veterans for their service to our country and we appreciate all of our guests for taking the time to visit our classrooms on Monday!

Girls Basketball Tournament on Thursday, 11/21

We will be hosting our first annual Warrior Invitational Girls Basketball tournament at Westfield on Thursday, November 21st. The 6th/7th Grade teams will compete in our West Gym and our 8th grade teams will compete in the East Gym. The first games will begin at 4:30pm and our fabulous PTO will be providing concessions in our Commons. There is no entrance fee. Please see the flyer in today's Arrow for more information. We hope to see you on the 21st!

Fall Play Twice Upon A Time - Final Show Tonight, 11/15

We would like to shout-out the entire cast and crew of Twice Upon A Time for putting on a great show for our students and staff on Wednesday! A special thanks goes out to our Drama Department sponsors, Ms. Taylor, Mrs. Powers, Mrs. McGinn and Ms. Hayes for all of their guidance and support of our talented students!! If you did not have the chance to make it out to our performance last night, we have one final evening show tonight, Friday, November 15th at 6:30pm. All members of the Westfield community are welcome to attend. There is no entrance fee, but donations to our Drama Program are always appreciated. We hope to see you there!

Reminder - Parent/Guardian Culture & Climate Survey

District 13 is proud to partner with HumanEx Ventures utilizing its research-based culture & climate survey, Insight Ex, to collect feedback from parents and guardians regarding their child's experiences at school. The Westfield staff values the feedback from parents and guardians and we encourage you to complete the survey. The survey window will open on Monday, November 11th and remain open through Wednesday, December 4th. *Please check your email for the link sent on Monday, November 11th. Thank you!

Student Culture & Climate Survey - During the week of November 18th, students will also be provided an opportunity to complete a similar Insight Ex culture and climate survey from HumanEx. Please reach out to the Main Office if you would like your child to opt-out of the student survey.

1st Trimester Report Cards

Next Friday, November 22nd, marks the end of the 1st Trimester. With the Thanksgiving holiday break the following week, teachers will have until Wednesday, December 4th, to finalize grades. Report Cards will be accessible to parents & guardians starting on Friday, December 6th. Trimester 1 report cards will also contain 1st Quarter Exploratory course grades. Please feel free to reach out to your child's teacher(s) at any time throughout the school year should you ever have a question or concern regarding grades or progress in a particular course.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Stefan Larsson

Principal

Amanda Vreeland

Assistant Principal

• NOVEMBER 21 Girls Basketball Invitational Tournament at 4:30pm
• NOVEMBER 22 End of Trimester 1
• NOVEMBER 25 & 26 Parent Teacher Conferences (no school)
• NOVEMBER 27-29 No School - Thanksgiving Break
• DECEMBER 4 Holiday Band Tour to DJ, EE & Woodfield

The teams will be updating the links weekly during the school year with news and any upcoming information. CLICK THE BLUE LINK(s) TO SIGN UP FOR PARENT-TEACHER CONFERENCES. If conferences are full, please email the teacher for an alternative conference.

• 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)
• BAND NEWSLETTER BAND PARENTS: The attached permission slip for the Jazz and Concert Band participation in the Dec. 4th Holiday Tour is due by Dec 2nd. If you are a parent/guardian interested in chaperoning this event during the school day, please reach out via email, craighatter@sd13.org.

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."

The SCOOP for Nov. 15th

Hot Lunch needs you! Please sign-up using the link below -- even if you can only offer occasional assistance! Westfield hot lunch happens Wednesdays-Thursdays-Fridays 11:38am-12:22pm.

It's easy, it's quick, plus, you get to see your middle schooler in action!

CLICK HERE to volunteer for hot lunch

If a student needs Chromebook/Password/Repair/Loaner assistance from the Technology Department, the student must use the link below to request support:

Technology Support TICKET

• Tryouts Sign-Up Form
• Tryouts Dates & Times

Questions? Email Coach Buchholz or Coach Gabriel

Yearbooks will be delivered to Westfield in May 2025.

If a passcode is requested: 1014041382501890

ORDER YEARBOOK WITH TREE RING

As a reminder, absences may be considered excused for reasons of 1) personal illness/Dr. appointment/mental health, 2) bereavement, 3) family emergencies, 4) observance of religious holidays, and 5) request in writing, approved in advance by the administration. Please, use the Westfield Attendance Email: wfattendance@sd13.org, or call the Office 630-529-6211-both available 24/7 to report an absence or late arrival. Thank you!

ISBE ABSENTEEISM AND TRUANCY POLICY

> > ALREADY HAVE A WESTFIELD HOT LUNCH ACCOUNT? CORRECT YOUR STUDENT'S GRADE!

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

ORDER HOT LUNCH HERE

The 2024 Holiday Sale will run NOW through mid-December.

New product lines and designs make great gifts.

Shop 24/7!

ORDER WESTFIELD SPIRIT

Questions? Email Westfield's PTO at westfieldmpto@gmail.com

ALMA: is used to register students, contains attendance information, grades and progress reports. ALL families have login information for ALMA.

Please utilize this site to view grades, attendance, and for trimester and quarterly progress.

CLICK HERE for Alma Parent Login Instructions

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.

The Bloomingdale Public Library would like to invite you to a special evening at our yearly Holiday Open House on Tuesday, December 4. We have everything from Santa arriving in a fire engine to lovely harp music. Please see the attached flyer for all details.

We hope you will consider spending some time at BPL to enjoy some refreshments and holiday entertainments. This invitation is open to all!

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:

1. Please sign into My School Bucks ,then, create an account and attach your student(s).

2. Click on the 'Person Icon' in the upper right hand corner

3. In the drop down that appears, select 'My Students.'
4. 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.

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.

MY SCHOOL BUCKS INSTRUCTIONS

Fee Waiver Application

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.

Procedures regarding spectators at Home and Away events.

• Home Games for Basketball and Volleyball this school year will be played in our East Gym (also known as our New Gym or Park District Gym), located in the back of the building. Please enter through Door 20. Spectator seating will be available along the bleacher side of the Gym and restrooms will be available just outside of the gym in our 6th Grade hallway.

• Family members of student athletes are always welcome to attend our athletic competitions, both at Home and Away.

• Westfield students who choose to stay to watch a Home Game after-school must remain in the gym for the duration of their stay. Once a student decides to leave the building, they will not be allowed re-entry to Westfield without a parent or guardian present.

• Westfield students who wish to attend an Away Game at Medinah, Peacock, Roselle, Spring Wood, or Wood Dale, must be accompanied by an adult.

• Spectators are expected to treat all visitors, players, coaches, referees, and staff with respect at all times. No profanity or inappropriate language will be tolerated. Visitors who are unable to follow School District 13 policies will be asked to leave and may risk losing the privilege to attend future events at the school. We encourage all visitors to immediately report any inappropriate behavior to the nearest staff member.

On October 30, 2024, the Illinois State Board of Education released the 2024 Illinois Report Card for schools. Westfield received a summative designation of Exemplary for the third year in a row! We would like to congratulate everyone in the Westfield Community, including our students, staff, and parents.

The Exemplary rating is given to schools performing in the top 10% of schools statewide, with no underperforming student groups. Schools are rated on a number of factors, including student scores on the Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR) in both ELA & Math, the Illinois Science Assessment (ISA), and the school environment. We are extremely proud of the students and staff at Westfield!

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 on Westfield, after-school, sports teams -- BEFORE their sport season starts and in time for tryouts. (6th graders already have mandated forms submitted.)

SPORTS:

Cross Country/Basketball/Cheer/Poms/Volleyball/Track & Field

SPORTS PHYSICAL FORM

Questions? Email Westfield's Nurse: dawnrider@sd13.org

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 with immunizations: Vaccines & Immunizations

5. Do not share personal belongings such as brushes, makeup, food, drinks.

6. Keep a sick child home.

• 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

1. DOCTOR MEDICATION AUTHORIZATION FORM
2. PARENT AUTHORIZATION

Fall is here and so is allergy season. Please, give over-the-counter. non-drowsy medications to your student in the morning prior to leaving for school.

If your student needs 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.

Email Mrs. RIder, Westfield Nurse

The DuPage County Health Department MEDICAL ALERT & FACT SHEET

HEALTH RESOURCE INFORMATION FROM THE CDC

Westfield Parents and Guardians! Sign up to volunteer for the school year 2024-2025:

• Committee Chairpersons still needed: Hot Lunch, Parties/Dances, Teacher Appreciation, Spirit Wear, Social Media, Box Tops
• Questions? Email westfieldmpto@gmail.com for information.

• President: Cynthia Perez
• Vice-President: Melissa Graham
• Treasurer: Agata Rojba
• Secretary: Kavita Maharaj

Benefits of your $20 membership for all students:

(Please, pay with MySchoolBucks) MEMBERSHIP FORM

• All-School parties and dances
• Classroom 'wish' lists
• Teacher appreciation
• Scholarships
• Field Trips
• Student awards

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!!

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)

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.

DISTRICT 13 AND COMMUNITY VIRTUAL BACKPACK FLYERS

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.

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

We are working with students to create "How-To" Videos to support students and parents. Below are some of the topics we have videos for so far. We will continue to cover different topics as they come up. (*If the video is not linked here it is in the process of being made and edited, but we wanted you to know it is coming!)

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:

• Accessing
• Creating
• Responding/Replying

Chromebook:

• Pinning Apps to Chromebook Shelf

• How to set up Google Classroom email summaries for Parents and Guardians