Westwood Intermediate/Middle School

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I hope you had a fun fall break. We enjoyed talking with families at conferences last week. If you were not able to make it, please reach out to your child’s teachers with any questions you have or plan to connect during upcoming office hours. We’ve purposefully created more frequent opportunities throughout the year for us to connect as school and home to help support student engagement and success.

The office hours for November are on Thursday, November 7 from 3:30-5 p.m. This is time when parents and guardians can connect with teachers. You can schedule a time or drop in. Our teachers will also be reaching out to families they need to connect with.

Have a great week.

Tom Larson

Principal

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If you have any questions, please reach out to the Technology Service Team at 763-600-5555 or email techsupport@district16.org.

Orders may be placed online at Westwood Yearbook Order Here or scan the QR code (see attached). Questions may be directed to Kristine Powell at kpowel@district16.org.

5th Grade Band Registration is open until October 29! Use the QR code or this link to register your student for band. Students will enter their top three instrument choices, and Ms. Engel will send a confirmation email with students' instrument assignments within a few days of registering. Band lessons will start early November! Reach out to eengel@district16.org with any questions.

The health office will be conducting vision screening in the next few weeks. We are excited to once again partner with the Spring Lake Park Lions Club. They will be bringing trained volunteers to use a vision spot screener to screen students for potential vision issues. If you do NOT want your child to participate in vision screening, please call the health office at 763-600-5304 by November 1, 2024.

• Wednesday, October 23 -
• Picture Retake Day
• 5th Grade, CogAT testing
• Flu/COVID vaccine clinic, Westwood cafeteria, 4:30-6:30 p.m.
• Caregiver Learning Event: Balancing Acts: Navigating the Spectrum of Relationships (Spanish speaking event), 6-7 p.m. in the Den at Westwood.
• Monday, October 28 - PTO meeting at 10 a.m.
• October 25-26 and November 1-2 - SLPHS fall play: Puffs (for Young Wizards), SLPHS Fine Arts Center - purchase tickets
• Friday, November 1 - No school
• Monday, November 4 -
• Grupo de Padres Hispanohablantes de SLP reunion, 5 p.m., Woodcrest Spanish Immersion School
• Thursday, November 7 -
• Office Hours, 3:30 - 5 p.m.
• Fundraiser Delivery, Cafeteria, 3-6 p.m.
• Monday, November 18 -
• Grupo de Padres Hispanohablantes de SLP reunion, 5 p.m., Woodcrest Spanish Immersion School
• 7/8 Grade Choir Concert, SLP High School, Fine Arts Center, at 7 p.m.
• Monday, November 25 - PTO meeting, The Den, 6 p.m.
• Tuesday, November 26 - End of Trimester 1
• November 27 - 29 - No school
• Wednesday, December 4 - Live on 65: North Country Christmas Ft. Kat Perkins, Fine Arts Center, 7 p.m. - purchase tickets
• December 23-January 1 - No school, holiday

Red team scientists have begun learning about cells. They are using microscopes to compare and contrast plant cells and animal cells and unicellular and multicellular organisms. Last week they looked at prepared slides. This week they made their own slides to look at using microscopic organisms living in pond water.

Mr. Detert's Science class did an experiment to see how force impacts speed. Students constructed a car and then measured the distance traveled from the air escaping the balloons. Students could change the amount of air or weight on the car to vary the results.

Orange Team has started a team store with the hope to focus on the good happening with our students each week and reward it when we see it. Students earn Orange Team dollars to spend at the store by doing nice things for their classmates or teachers, setting a great example, making a reading goal, encouraging a classmate, exceptional academic work, etc. A secondary benefit of this is our students are learning to manage their “money” and save for things they want.

Students shared time with Journey students by reading them four tales, playing BINGO, presenting 2 puppet shows, and as a gift they created and gave paper flowers. It was a wonderful experience in the kindness project and heartwarming to see the positive impact it had on all of our students. It brought everyone joy!

Students in Mrs. Bowman's and Ms. Davé ELA class participated in a student-led Socratic Seminar based on questions from the novel Bud, Not Buddy. The Seminar was piloted by students Josephine and Helena, who led the participants through a discussion of the hardships that Americans faced during the Great Depression.

W.O.W. Wow Oh Wow! A huge thank you to everyone who participated in our fall fundraiser. Through donations and sales profit we made $26,000 which means fun events like 5th grade welcome trip, 8th grade celebration trip, Spring Lock-In, and more will continue this year. It was great to see so many acts of kindness also completed - and we hope to continue sharing photos and more on BAND and Facebook - Special shout out today to Mr. Estrada's class who made posters about how to be kind in hallway, lunchroom, and bathroom areas and to Mrs. Backman's class who made kindness posters. Students earned a school wide prize of BINGO at lunch for earning over half of our goal. If you would like to help this Friday, sign up at https://band.us/band/89454140/post/125.

Staff had a great meal on conference night thanks to all the donations from parents and volunteers who helped set up and clean up. Thanks to everyone who helped and to Lana Rohrer for organizing us all to provide this special appreciation for staff!

We hope you will join us on Oct. 28 at 10am for our next Parent Teacher Organization Meeting. Meetings are a great place to meet other families, hear from school personnel, and find out about upcoming opportunities.

WW PTO is Westwood’s Parent Teacher Organization, whose goals are to increase parent involvement and enhance student learning and experiences. WW PTO focuses on family enrichment, staff/student support, and community engagement. It is free to participate and any staff/student guardians are welcome to join the fun.

Join our BAND app at https://band.us/@wwpto to get all the volunteer sign-ups and information throughout the year. We are also on Facebook. Or contact us any time with questions or ideas at slp.westwood.pto@gmail.com.

The Construction Trades program at Spring Lake Park High School is in its third year, giving students hands-on experience through real-world construction projects This year, 40 students will complete their largest project yet: finishing a one-story, two-bedroom house that will become a permanent home for a local nonprofit.

Through partnerships with industry professionals, students gain experience working alongside plumbers, electricians, and other tradespeople to learn valuable construction skills. They have practiced by building smaller structures, like sheds and dog houses, and are now ready for the home’s finishing stages. The goal is to finish the house by December.

In addition to honing construction techniques, the students have built a sense of camaraderie. Recently, they gathered for a BBQ to celebrate their progress before diving into the final phase of the house project.

For students Trevor Kachina and Landon Ludke, the course is more than just learning construction - it is a stepping stone to their futures. The program is not just about building houses but also learning life skills, building community and shaping futures. Read more.

If you love the story of Harry Potter, then you will enjoy the SLP HS Fall Play. Join us for opening weekend, October 25-26 of "Puffs" or "Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic and Magic!" For seven years a certain boy wizard went to a certain Wizard School and conquered evil. This is not his story. This is the story of the Puffs... who just happened to be there too. A tale for anyone who has never been destined to save the world.

This play allows you to experience the unique performance setting of “Theater in the Round.” Every so many years, the fall play is produced in “Theater in the Round” with seating on stage surrounding the actors. This unique setting provides a completely different performance experience for all. Purchase Tickets.

Have Panther gear you are no longer wearing in your home. Donate it to the Panther Thrift Shop and get a coupon to use in the Panther Store for future purchase! Gently used Panther gear with the current SLP logo will be re-sold at thrifty prices to students, staff and families at the Winter Market in December. Contact the team at PantherStore@district16.org for drop off information and to get your coupon. Note we will be unable to accept previous SLP logo gear. We will accept sport and school specific gear with the current SLP Branding. Questions, please contact us at CommEd@district16.org or 763-600-5050.

• Athleticism Camp (grades 5-8) - DASH Sports Athleticism camps provide participants with an overall athleticism-building camp experience including speed training, agility, endurance, body control/balance, quickness, strength, power, and jumping. Camp consists of many different types of activities, drills, and games, all tailored specifically to enhance overall athletic performance and fitness.
• Intramurals - Multi-sports (grades 5-8) - Join us after-school in the Westwood middle school gyms for some fun and games. Each week we will focus on a different sport/activity: basketball, floor hockey, soccer, ultimate frisbee, etc.
• Knowledge Bowl (grades 6-8) - Middle School Knowledge Bowl competitions are interdisciplinary academic contests for students in grades 6-8. During each contest, teams of students compete in written and oral rounds by answering questions related to all areas of learning. Knowledge Bowl competition provides a format for student growth centered on academics.

Join the Spring Lake Park Schools community at the semi-annual Spring Lake Park Lions Community Pancake breakfast on Sunday, October 27, 8-noon. This event is hosted by the Lion’s and co-sponsored by Spring Lake Park Schools. A freewill donation will get you all you can eat pancakes, French toast, eggs, sausage and beverages. The event features a community resources and wellness fair as well as activities for kids. The Panther Store Pop-Up will be there - you don’t want to miss the “Syrup Discount!"

Come and see how Anoka County is responding to the opioid epidemic during the Spotlight on opioids & overdose event on Saturday, November 2 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at Columbia Academy. This free event aims to raise awareness about overdose prevention and provide support for individuals and families affected by substance abuse. A day filled with insightful education, discussions, informative sessions and networking opportunities. See the flyer for more details.

• What does personalized learning really mean?
• A day in 3rd grade: Competency-based learning in action
• The daily bus ride: Going the extra mile
• Community Partnership Opportunities at SLP

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