Words from West

Dear Middle School Families,

As we approach the halfway point of the school year, I want to express my gratitude for your continued support and partnership in your child’s education. Together, we’ve made great strides academically and socially, and I’m excited about the growth ahead in semester two. As a reminder, this is a perfect time to review academic goals, reinforce good study habits, and encourage positive behavior choices that reflect our school’s values. Your guidance at home is invaluable in helping students finish the semester strong and prepare for new opportunities in the months to come. Thank you for being such an integral part of our school community—we couldn’t do it without you!

Warm regards,

Ms. Balbaugh, Principal

January 13 - 6:30p - Board of Education Meeting

January 14 - 5:30p - PTO Meeting in Library

January 15 - 1:30-3p NWEA Testing Celebration Party

January 17 - End of 1st Semester/2nd Marking Period

January 17 - Donut sales in Atrium (morning only) $2 for Unified/Special Olympics

January 20 - No School for Students/Staff - MLK Day

January 21 - No School for Students - Records Day

January 22 - Beginning of 2nd Semester/3rd Marking Period

January 24 - Donut sales in Atrium (morning only) $2 for Unified/Special Olympics

January 27 - 6:30p - Board of Education Workshop

January 29 - HS Counselors speak to 8th graders about course selections for High School

January 31 - GB Pink Out Day

January 31 - Donut sales in Atrium (morning only) $2 for Unified/Special Olympics

February 6 - School Assembly (morning)

February 11 - 5:30p - PTO Meeting in Library

February 11 - Early Childhood Expo - GBCS - details below

We are thrilled to announce the winners of our FIRST-EVER WMS DEI Shirt Design Contest! 🎉

This year, we were able to combine two amazing student designs into one incredible shirt!

Congratulations to:

• Izzabella Heemer (6th grade)
• Eliott Morian-Bennett (7th grade)

You can purchase a shirt using the link below. We kindly ask that all orders be placed by Wednesday, January 22nd. Don’t miss out on this fantastic opportunity to celebrate our talented students and support our DEI initiative! We are hoping that staff and students, district-wide, will purchase a shirt in order to celebrate DEI as a community of GB Strong representatives.

Order Link: https://dsc.chipply.com/gbdei/store.aspx

Thank you for your support!

Open communication is vital for fostering a positive relationship between adults and the children in their care. Studies indicate that when adults use open-ended questions, students are 35% more likely to engage in meaningful conversations. This helps in developing critical thinking skills and enhances their overall attitude toward school.

Here are some suggestions for open-ended questions parents and caregivers can ask to promote a positive attitude toward learning:

• "What was the most interesting thing you learned today?"

• "Can you tell me about a challenge you faced in class and how you overcame it?"

• "What are your goals for this semester, and how can I help you achieve them?"

• "What subjects do you enjoy the most, and why?

The 7th & 8th grade bands are getting ready for MSBOA Band Festival and will have a Pre-Festival Concert at West Middle School to prepare the students for festival. The Pre-Festival concert will start with a rehearsal on stage followed by a performance of the music the band will play at band festival. Students will wear their band polo shirts and black on the bottom.

Pre-Festival Concert/Rehearsal - Tuesday, Feb. 18th.

7th Grade from 6:00-6:50pm

8th Grade from 7:00-8:00pm

Band Festival - Friday Feb 28th or Saturday March 1st. Time TBA

Detailed schedules will be sent home as soon as we know more information.

Performance schedules and requirements can be found on the band website. https://sites.google.com/gbcs.org/wmsband/performance-dates

Happy New Year!

We are excited to announce our 4th annual Early Childhood Expo on Tuesday, February 11th at the Perry Center from 6-7:30pm.

The purpose of this event is to educate our community on Early Childhood resources and programs offered in the area. In addition to the exceptional Early Childhood programs housed at Perry (Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP), Parents as Teachers (PAT) and Children’s Garden), we will also have representatives from many local organizations including Genesee District Library, PBS Kids, Flint Institute of Arts, Sloan Museum and many more!

All families with children aged Birth-5 are welcome at this free event where they can explore our facility, visit the classrooms, meet our staff, get program details from community partners, and much more!

• 2 min Parent Video: https://www.nwea.org/resource-center/resource/what-is-map-growth/
• Students will be taking their SPRING NWEA test:
• May 21 - ELA
• May 22 - Math
• Monitor yearly growth
• Advise academic interventions for your child
• 1:30-3p - NWEA Growth Party Celebration IN SCHOOL - INVITATION ONLY
• **Students will be invited based on their scores/growth demonstrated on the NWEA (pending a successful January 15th Celebration . . . TBD)

We are excited to announce a special Celebration Day on January 15th from 1:30-3:00pm during school hours. This event honors students who reach their individualized NWEA Growth Goals in both Math and ELA, as set by NWEA, or those who test to proficiency at a 60% level.

To be eligible to attend the celebration, students must meet the required scores in both Math and ELA the NWEA assessments taken on December 3rd (ELA) and December 4th (Math).

WINNERS WILL BE ANNOUNCED VIA JUPITER (to the student) on January 13th!

Thank you for your support in encouraging students to reach their goals!

This year at both middle schools our students will be analyzing their NWEA Math and ELA scores, creating goals to improve on them, and creating action plans to do so. Students will be doing this in conjunction with their ELA and Math teachers, along with their WIN Time teachers. It is important for our students to understand where they are academically along with their teachers so we can work together in creating an action plan to help all of our students find success in their education. Children learn better—and faster—when teachers have a clear picture of what students know and how they are growing academically. Using the progress monitoring NWEA assessment three times a year we are able to do this. More than 13 million students in the US and in 140 countries worldwide use the NWEA MAP Growth.

• The NWEA MAP Growth is a computer-adaptive test. If your child answers a question correctly, the next question is more challenging. If they answer incorrectly, the next one is easier. This type of assessment challenges top performers without overwhelming students whose skills are below grade level.
• The NWEA MAP Growth uses a RIT scale to accurately measure what students know, regardless of their grade level. It also measures growth over time, allowing you to track your child’s progress throughout the school year and across multiple years.
• Once your child completes a MAP Growth test, they receive a RIT score. Our students will be using this information to track where they are at and make goals for improvement for their next testing.
• RIT scores have the same meaning across grade levels. If a fourth-grade student and an eighth-grade student have the same RIT score in reading, then they are testing at the same level in that subject. This stable scale allows teachers to accurately measure each student’s academic growth throughout the school year and over time.
• You can use your child’s RIT score to help them meet their goals. You can also ask your child’s school about educational resources that will help them in their areas for improvement.

**NO popcorn sales in January

Student attendance in tutoring sessions is essential for reinforcing classroom learning and addressing individual academic needs. Regular tutoring participation allows students to receive targeted support in areas where they may struggle, build confidence in their abilities, and stay on track with grade-level expectations. Moreover, consistent attendance fosters a structured learning routine, ensuring that students gain the skills and strategies needed for long-term academic success.

Details:

• WHO - ALL students are welcome to attend (Sign up in Library)
• WHAT - FREE tutoring provided by WMS teachers
• WHERE - WMS Library
• WHEN - EVERY Week from 3:05pm - 4:10pm
• Monday
• Wednesday
• Thursday

Spanish Lab is a virtual help session hosted by Sra. Weldon a few times each month on Wednesday evenings from 8:00-8:30 pm. Students are welcome to join this Google Meet at any point during the optional 30-minute session for extra support and help with their Spanish class. Please come with specific items, questions and concepts to practice during this time.

Google Classroom Code to Join the Meet: 5pelbz3

Scheduled session dates:
January 15, 2025
January 29, 2025
February 5, 2025
February 19, 2025
March 5, 2025
March 19. 2025
April 16, 2025
April 30, 2025
May 7, 2025
May 21, 2025

As we approach the middle of the school year, we want to remind you of the many clubs available for students to join! Two exciting options coming up are:

• Bobcat Connect: A great opportunity for students to build connections, make new friends, and enjoy engaging with others in a supportive environment (Next Meeting is February 3rd from 3:05p - 4:05p)
• Quiz Bowl: A competitive academic team that participates in matches against local schools, with practices held after school.

We encourage families to remind students to listen to school announcements for upcoming meeting times and dates. Joining a club is a wonderful way to get involved and make the most of their school experience!

Clinic will be 8 weeks long, starting on January 7th and ending on February 27th.

Cost is $80.00 per player and they can choose either Tuesday or Thursday 5-6pm at the Henry Ford Genesys Health Club

The GBHS Boys Basketball booster president, Tee Looney, asked all schools to share this information:

GB PINK OUT day Friday 1/31!

The basketball program is going to continue Bryce O'mara's Pink Out fundraiser tradition 😊

Please consider ordering shirts by 1/24/25!

Shirt Order link: https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https%3a%2f%2fhooping-for-a-cure.square.site%2f&c=E,1,9h_i8LvPh9jbXLUeIJx5qC9FmTE9r5LNuZx7-mouTOhBmA0A1oucXS496sjO8Ant7tploAkEt5SyX7cDdW3v2qJMSzpzlb1bPYhd1XIzkZey4k0CbLjgzIc,&typo=1

Or Donate directly to American Cancer Society team page: https://raiseyourway.donordrive.com/campaign/GB-Hoops-PINK-out-

Any questions – please contact Tee at 810-814-2119

Counselors at WMS are available to assist your child with social, emotional, and academic concerns. Counselors are also able to assist families with community resources.

If you have any concerns with your child, please do not hesitate to reach out to counselors for assistance. For your convenience, we have listed many resources on our counseling office website found under “For Students” and then "Counseling Office" on the WMS homepage.

In early February, we will begin the process of scheduling classes for the 2025-2026 school year. Your child will be bringing home a course selection form for you to review.

The counselors also host a monthly social club opportunity for students called "Bobcat Connect." The next meeting will be on Monday, February 3rd from 3:05 - 4:05.

8th Grade students will soon begin working on their EDPs (EDP stands for educational development plan). The EDP process is part of Grand Blanc's career education curriculum. Career education activities include goal writing, interest inventories, learning about careers in demand, high school scheduling, and a visit from the high school counselors. Xello is the main program we use for career education, and an informational video can be viewed at https://help.xello.world/en-us/content/Get-Started/Xello-Families/GS_Families.htm. The video is about 5 minutes long and can be found under "Your Child’s Xello Experience" and then by clicking "grades 6-12."

Alateen is a support group to help young people affected by someone else's substance abuse. We are extremely careful to protect each other's anonymity.

Alateen members learn:

• Alcoholism/addiction is a disease
• They can detach themselves emotionally from the user's problems while continuing to love the person
• They are not the cause of anyone else's drinking , drug use, or behavior
• They cannot change or control anyone but themselves
• They have resources with which to develop their own potential, no matter what happens at home
• They can build satisfying and rewarding life experiences for themselves

If your student is affected by someone else's drinking or substance abuse, please call Mrs. Douglas at (810) 591-7339 to learn more about this group!

Easterseals School-Based therapists are master's level clinicians who are credentialed to provide services through counseling, psychology and social work. Clinicians address common issues such as anxiety, depression, stress, self-harm, trauma, truancy, poor social skills, suicidal thoughts/behaviors, substance use and attention deficit disorder. Referrals are being accepted and can be made by teachers, school-based counselors, principals, parents, and providers.

We are lucky to have Easterseals therapists working from West Middle School each day! If you feel your student needs some additional supports, please reach out to our counselors at (810) 591-7335 for more information.

January is the last chance to order a Yearbook with personalization.

Click here for a $10 off coupon code:

• https://www.jostens.com/apps/store/productBrowse/1064342/Grand-Blanc-Middle-School-West/2024-Yearbook/20230628042456760140/CATALOG_SHOP/

Pertussis (also known as whooping cough)

Pertussis can be a very serious illness and is on the rise in Michigan. The disease is caused by a bacteria that is spread through sneezing and coughing.

• Pertussis can spread easily among susceptible household members and in group settings such as schools, workplaces, and sports teams.
• Adolescents and adults are also at risk for infection since vaccine protection decreases over time.
• The time between exposure to the bacteria and disease symptoms is usually between 7 - 10 days, but in rare cases, it can take up to 3 weeks.

Symptoms:

• In the early stage of illness, pertussis can resemble a common cold. Symptoms include sneezing, runny nose, mild dry cough, and low-grade fever.
• After about 1 to 2 weeks, more serious “coughing spells” develop that can last for more than a minute and result in difficulty breathing.
• At the end of a coughing spell, the cough may make a high-pitched “whooping” sound as they try to catch their breath.
• Sometimes the coughing will cause vomiting. Between spells, they usually feel well.

Recommended actions:

For people of all ages, call your health care provider if you have any of these symptoms:

• Unusual cough lasting 7 days or more (with or without a “whoop”)
• Cough that comes in bursts (intermittent)
• Vomiting after coughing spells

Treatment and Prevention:

• Pertussis can be treated or even prevented with antibiotics if detected early or before the disease has started.
• If you develop any of the symptoms described above, stay home from school and contact your doctor immediately. Please also inform the school office of any illness.

• Antibiotics prevent the spread of disease.

• Antibiotics are recommended for all household contacts of a pertussis case and for other close contacts, regardless of vaccine status.
• Close contacts are people who have had face-to-face exposure within three feet of a pertussis case, or have had direct contact with their respiratory, oral or nasal secretions.

• Close contacts with cold-like symptoms should stay home and be evaluated by their healthcare provider. If pertussis is suspected, they should stay home from school and other activities until completion of 5 days of antibiotics.

• Hand hygiene, cough etiquette, Immunization and boosters are important prevention methods. Contact your Dr. to make sure you are up to date.

Mrs. O’Mara and Mrs. Fredrick

GBCS District Nurse Consultants

West Middle School Main Office:

Monday - Friday 8:00AM - 3:30PM

Website: https://www.gbcs.org/Domain
Location: 1515 Reid Road, Grand Blanc, MI, USA
Phone: 810-591-7309
Facebook: facebook.com/gbwms

Athletics/Main Office 591-7309

Counseling Office 591-7335

Counselor (A-K) 591-7338

Counselor (L-Z) 591-7339