Westland Middle School

Weekly Update March 31 - April 4

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Mrs. Walker's Message: March 31, 2025

Good Evening, Westland Families,

This is Mrs. Walker, and here is the Westland Weekly Update for March 31, 2025. In this week's newsletter, you will find the following information:

Spring MCAP Testing Schedule
Westland MS Highlights (Outdoor Education)
MCPS Autism Ally Outstanding General Education Teacher Award Recognition (Ms. Prokos)
Freedom Scientific Student of the Month
The Game Changer Conference
Student Service Learning Opportunities
WMS Talent Show
Read Across Westland: Creator Contest
MCPS Boundary Study (Upcoming Public Information Meetings)
B-CC HS News (Events & Updates)
Westland MS News
WMS Resources
Mental Health and Safety Resources
MCPS Community Resources and Events
PTSA Membership Information

March 31st is a grading and reporting day, which means no school for students. As we begin the 4th marking period, it’s hard to believe how quickly this wonderful year has flown by! It has been amazing to see our students grow, and we’re excited for them to finish strong. This is a great time for them to showcase their learning, talents, and achievements, both in and out of the classroom!

We also want to congratulate Ms. Margery Prokos, who has been recognized as the 2025 MCPS Autism Ally Outstanding General Education Teacher Award recipient. She will be honored on Tuesday, April 1st, in Rockville.

Also, Westland is incredibly proud of Meron Zekarias, who was nominated and recently selected as Student of the Month through Freedom Scientific! Please check out his interview—congratulations, Meron!

Additionally, we want to give a huge thank you to our fantastic Outdoor Education Coordinators, Ms. Alyssa Walstein and Mr. Ryan Ehrlich, for organizing an incredible experience for our students in sixth-grade. Our students, parents, volunteers, and staff all had a wonderful time. Be sure to check out some highlights from Outdoor Education! We have a lot of great things happening at Westland!

Finally we want to provide a reminder of upcoming testing. Looking ahead, MCAP testing will take place April 8-11. Please see the information below for details.

Our weekly messages will also be shared on the WMS website. Events with QR codes or links will be accessible when you are viewing the newsletter from your smartphones or tablets.

That concludes our message for this week. We look forward to a great week because we are #BetterTogetherWMS. Have a wonderful evening!

Sincerely,

Mrs. Nicole Walker

Principal, WMS

Westland MS Highlights (Outdoor Education)

We thank our fantastic Outdoor Education Coordinators, Ms. Alyssa Walstein and Mr. Ryan Ehrlich. A great time was had by all, including students, parents, volunteers, and staff. Please check out some of outdoor education highlights. 🙂

Outdoor Ed 2025 - Pictures!

Mornings at SkyCroft

docs.google.com

MCPS Autism Ally Outstanding General Education Teacher Award: Ms. Prokos

We congratulate Ms. Margery Prokos, who is recognized as the 2025 MCPS Autism Ally-Outstanding General Education Teacher Award. Ms. Prokos will be recognized on Tuesday, April 1st, in Rockville.

Freedom Scientific Student of the Month

Westland is super proud of Meron Zekarias. He was nominated and recently selected as Student of the Month through Freedom Scientific. Please check out his interview. Congratulations Meron!

The Game Changer Conference (4/6/25)

WMS Talent Show (4/4/25)

Student Service Learning Opportunities (March -April 2025)

Choose Respect PSA Contest

RespectFEST 2024 – 3 SSL Hour Opportunity

Choose Respect Montgomery hosts a student/community event called RespectFest. RespectFest is an in-person festival aimed at raising awareness to reduce the rates of teen dating violence and provide education on healthy relationships and consent. There will be performances, the announcement of the PSA contest winners, lots of learning stations, and a resource fair. (https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/fjc/chooserespect/RespectFest.html)

There will be a number of resource tables, learning experiences, as well as highlight student talent through performances and the awards for the Top 5 Choose Respect PSA winners. Please come join us as this is also a service learning experience!

Sunday, April 6, 2025

Wheaton Community Center

Event is from 1-4PM

Girls Up (Summer Opportunity)

MCPS Boundary Study (Upcoming Public Information Meetings)

Spring MCAP Testing Schedule (ELA & Math)

Spring MCAP Testing will take place on April 8, 9, 10, &11. All students will be taking the MCAP tests. Reminders will be shared with students and families as we approach testing. If you have any questions, please contact Mr. Ryan Bibeault at Ryan_P_Bibeault@mcpsmd.org

B-CC News (Events and Updates)

Fall 2025 Athletic Tryouts Information

Future Barons,

Please note the following: Fall of 2025 tryouts will begin August 13, 2025

Registration will be on ParentVue in early July. Students must be registered and must have a current physical. Physical form

Please reach out to Michael_R_Krawczel@mcpsmd.org with any questions.

Check our website for info: https://baronathletics.net

This info will be the same no matter which MCPS high school you will attend. Whitman's AD is William Toth, Walter Johnson's AD is Larry Hurd, and Einstein's AD is Tina Fitzpatrick.

Westland MS News

2025 Sustainability Contest

The Division of Sustainability and Compliance holds an annual poster contest to increase awareness about the importance of environmental sustainability, energy conservation, waste reduction, and responsible recycling. Students and staff are invited to participate in the contest, and then to vote online to determine the winning entries in the spring. The deadline is April 4th!

Complete the Sustainability Contest Entry Form to enter.

Read about Contest Guidelines.

Westland Resources

Communication at Westland MS

Westland strives to make clear community a priority. We will continue to prioritize communication and share about Westland through multiple venues. Please expect the following from us:

Weekly Sunday night phone call @ 6:00 pm from administration with detailed information on activities and upcoming happenings at Westland.
Weekly Smore newsletter from administration with detailed information on activities and upcoming events at WMS.
Staff members may be utilizing Remind or Parent Square, as our texting communication app.
All updates and links will be found on the Westland Middle School Website.

We are continuing our work to be more “green” and share as much information as possible with parents electronically. We will notify you with Remind or Parent Square updates when we add or update with new information. But, if you cannot find what you need in this newsletter or on our webpage, please contact the main office and we will be happy to help you!

Mental Health and Safety Resources

Montgomery County Crisis Hotlines:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: Dial or Text 988 (for more information click HERE)
Maryland Crisis Hotline - 301-738-2255
Montgomery County Crisis Center - 240-777-4000
Youth Crisis Hotline of Montgomery County - 301-738-9697

Safety and Security Concerns:

Safe Schools Maryland Hotline - 833-MD-B-Safe (833-632-7233)
Safe Schools Maryland Online Report - Click HERE
MCPS Department of Systemwide Emergency Management - 240-740-3066
Cyber Tipline - 1-800-843-5678

MCPS "STRONGER STUDENT" - Student Mental Health and Wellness APP

National Association of School Psychologists:

Supporting Marginalized Students in Stressful Times: Tips for Caregivers

Bus Transportation Information for 2024-2025

We have provided the bus stop information for the school year. Please click on the link for pick-up times and drop-off times.

MCPS and Community Resources and Events

Working Together to Create a Safe and Welcoming School Community (From MCPS)

As we begin the second half of the school year, we want to remind students and their families of the many resources available to support everyone. These resources also reflect our shared commitment to fostering a safe, respectful and inclusive school community.

Civic Engagement and Civil Discourse
MCPS is committed to fostering civic engagement and civil discourse among our students. These are essential skills and strategies that empower young people to navigate a diverse world with respect and confidence.

The MCPS Civic Engagement and Civil Discourse Google Site provides centralized resources for staff and is easily accessible via the MCPS Resources tab in Google Chrome. The website provides resources to support creating an environment where students can participate productively, engage safely, and experience uniform rule application across the district.
Strategies concerning political engagement, including guidelines for students.

Supporting Our Diverse Community
Our diversity is a huge strength for us, and it’s our duty to ensure every individual feels valued and supported. Please keep the following resources in mind:

Addressing Hate-Bias and Antiracism
MCPS tiered protocols are critical for addressing hate and bias incidents, ensuring we respond thoughtfully and effectively when these situations arise.

Procedures for reporting and responding to hate-bias incidents.

Cafeteria News & Secondary School Meals Information

Starting on the first day of school, full breakfasts will cost $1.30, full lunches will cost $2.80, and various ala carte items will be available ranging from $1 to $2.

When students go through the meal line, they will enter their student ID numbers to access their lunch accounts. Funds can be added to student lunch accounts using MySchoolBucks or payments can be made directly to our cafeteria using cash or a check. We will share a link to the monthly menu and specific ala carte offerings during the third week of August, 2023.

No student will be denied a meal if funds are not available on their account. In the event that a lunch account has insufficient funds, the student will still receive the meal and the price will be recorded as a credit which can be repaid at a later date.

It is important to complete the Free and Reduced Meals (FARMS) form if you have previously, or believe you will qualify for free or reduced meals. If your family qualifies for any level of FARMS support, all meals are free. Apply online at www.MySchoolApps.com

Parent Vue

ParentVUE and StudentVUE is a valuable resource for educators, parents and students. It creates a bridge of communication to relay important information such as homework, tests, upcoming events and grades. It is important for students and parents to check regularly to keep track of assignments and grades. However, grades may take longer to post depending on the assignment. Please be patient with teachers as some assignments may take as long as two weeks to grade.

If you need assistance with setting up your account, please email us. Information is also available on the MCPS website.

Parent/Guardian ParentVUE Support Guide (Annual Verification Instructions on page 24!)

Technology Information and Support for Parents in MCPS

Immunizations

The Maryland Department of Health released updated school vaccine requirements for the 2024-2025 school year.

Families of incoming kindergarten students, new students, and 7th and 8th graders may need additional vaccines to start the school year.

Not sure if your student is up to date? Contact your child’s health care provider or access their immunization records online. Students 18 years old and younger eligible for the Vaccines for Children program may obtain free vaccines through the county’s Immunization Program.

Westland PTSA Events & Membership Information

Address Change?

If you are moving over the summer please let our counseling office secretary, Mrs. Montano Rivas know at Alva_B_MontanoRivas2@mcpsmd.org