WEST WILDCAT NEWS

The positive energy in the building this week has been incredible!

From the amazing job our WEB leaders did welcoming the sixth graders into our WMS community to the more than 200 student-athletes that came out for track yesterday, our Wildcats are already demonstrating our CARE values of Community, Achievement, Respect, and Equity.

Students have jumped right into some very engaging learning experiences with one another. Here is a highlight from each grade level:

• 8th grade Science: Working on Engineering Design and an introduction to forces through the Egg Drop project
• 7th grade Math: Collaborating on the Race to 100
• 6th grade Social Studies: Becoming Archeologists to explore a Fictional Civilization

There will be so much more to come, so please take a few minutes each week to talk with your student about these experiences and what they are most excited about in their different classes this year. Each teacher’s Schoology page is also now available for students and parents to stay up to date with what is happening in class.

We will have student pictures on Wednesday, August 21 (please see below for more information), and students will receive their WMS IDs at that time. They will use these IDs to purchase breakfast and/or lunch and check out library books.

Our WMS before and after school Homework Help sessions will begin Monday, August 19. For the morning session, students need to enter the front doors at WMS between 8:00-8:20 a.m. They will be directed to the Commons. This quiet, supervised workspace will be available from 8:00-8:40 a.m., Monday through Friday, beginning 08/19/24. The after-school Homework Help sessions will be offered Monday-Thursday, in the Commons from 3:50-4:40, also beginning this Monday, August 19. While in study hall, students may work on homework or read silently. Students will not be allowed to use their cell phones and should be engaged in academic work.

Thank you to everyone who joined us for Back to School Night. Please reach out if you have any lingering questions. We are here to help!

Looking forward to a great year of learning together!

All my best,

Mónica M. García

WMS Principal

A big Wildcat Thank You to Dora Newlin and Lisa Stang, who coordinated our WMS PTCO Check-in last week. We appreciate all the time and effort you gave to make this a successful event for all families. Thank you also to all the other parent and student volunteers who helped with this event. One more acknowledgement - a huge shoutout to Lauren Grodinsky who again this year made the school supply kit process run so smoothly for everyone!

We appreciate you! Because of our volunteers, our Check-in was a huge success!

Orders can be placed online now, and all purchases will be mailed directly to students' homes. Visit mymiddleschoolpictures.com and select West Middle School to view the packages available and place an order. Parents or guardians can contact our photographer at customercare@cidmphoto.com with any questions about school photos.

Your PTCO Executive Board would like to say THANK YOU to all our amazing parent volunteers who helped make the 24-25 Check-in a huge success! Under the guidance of Dora Newlin and Lisa Stang, we were able to guide many families into and through the school in roughly half the time as last year, while increasing the PTCO participation rates. This would not have happened without Dora, Lisa, and their shadows for next year Lisa Friar, Samantha Chen, Hillary Conway, and Jessica Salinas. Special THANKS also goes out to Mark Leher! Switching to a new system is never easy but leaning on Mark's technical expertise with Membership Toolkit it happened with minimal issues.

Please join us on 8/26 @ 6:00 PM!

As we kick off the new school year, West Middle School Principal Monica Garcia and PTCO President Garry Roseman will highlight a lot of topics:

• School Updates

• Introduction of new teachers

• PTCO fundraising updates

Back to School Night

The PTCO will have a table set up for Back To School Night. Please stop by to introduce yourself and ask any questions that you may have regarding the PTCO and how we can collectively enhance our children’s experience at West!

Be on the lookout for more communication as we ramp up our main fundraiser for the year - The Wildcat Challenge.

We look forward to another great year at WMS!

In Cherry Creek School District and West Middle School, our top priorities are your child’s safety, academics, and whole well-being. To maintain and excel in these areas, it’s critical that our kids come to school every day.

Did you know that 1 in 3 students in CCSD in the 2023-24 school year were chronically absent? Chronic absenteeism is defined by the state as missing more than 10 days in the school year.

Chronic absenteeism has a significant impact on the academic performance of a child and their classroom. Over 4 out of 5 students who miss more than 10% of kindergarten and first grade are unable to read on-level by third grade. By 6th grade, chronic absenteeism is a critical warning sign that a student may not graduate high school. Missing just one lesson or period in class can have a serious impact on a student’s understanding of academic concepts.

We also know that strong attendance improves our students’ Whole Wellbeing. Our students who experience anxiety about school often find care in our counseling staff and their support team in our school building. Missing school often exacerbates anxiety when our students then need to make up work that they missed, causing them to fall further behind.

To improve this process and best support our families, this year CCSD is shifting the way that attendance is tracked and changing the notification process to guardians.

If your child is chronically absent or misses more than 10 days of school, parents or guardians will receive a letter from the district on behalf of our school notifying them of the issue. You will receive a second letter if your child misses more than 15 days of school. Our hope in automating this process at the district level is to provide our school staff with more time to meet with caregivers and problem-solve if your child or family needs extra support to attend school every day. We understand there can be challenges and barriers that we would like to work together to address.

In order to accomplish our goals of student safety, literacy, and well-being, caregivers and staff will need to work together to support our students. If your family anticipates an issue with attendance this year, please reach out to our office and we will make a plan to ensure your student gets to school.

Thank you for your partnership.

Track season has officially begun! Track is open to all grades and all levels of experience. Practice will be held Monday thru Thursday from 3:50-4:40 pm, no practice on Fridays. There will be a late shuttle offered for students that need a ride home after practice, if they are eligible for a bus. Our first practice was on Wednesday, August 14th!

Please, join us in cheering on our track team during their meets! Track meets will be held on the following dates:

• 8/28 Campus @ West
• 8/29 West @ Prairie
• 9/4 West @ Falcon Creek
• 9/9 West @ Sky Vista
• 9/17 Laredo @ West
• 9/21 District Meet at Legacy Stadium
• 
  

We look forward to your student being a part of our WMS track team!

Track meets begin when the visiting team arrives. Arrival times are based on the bus pick up, traveling distance, and traffic.

There is a $60 fee that should be paid in Revtrak for the Track season. Please make sure you fill out an emergency contact/waiver form!

Students interested in acting or tech should attend an info meeting on August 29 in D127.

Student meeting after school from 3:45-4:45 followed by a Family Meeting and Ice Cream Social from 4:45-5:30. Get info on ALL of the great opportunities in store this year. Questions or if you cannot attend, go to bit.ly/wmsdrama or email Mrs. Brickley - jbrickley@cherrycreekschools.org

How sick is too sick?

• Parents/guardians are encouraged to follow the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) How Sick is Too Sick? Guidelines https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RcdCmU4SYXwmVhJrA3Pyk0gP0MTDClkF/view

• Common symptoms of illness in students such as fever (100.4 or greater), diarrhea, and vomiting should be fully resolved for 24 hours (without the use of medication) before a student should return to school.

Medication & Health Conditions

• Any medication needing to be taken at school (including all over the counter medications) must be given through the clinic.

• The WMS clinic has standing provider orders for and stocks the following medications: antibiotic cream, anti-itch cream, saline eye drops, acetaminophen, antihistamines (Benadryl, Claritin, & Zyrtec), and ibuprofen. These may be given as needed if parent/guardian approval was given in PowerSchool.

• Cough medication (guaifenesin and/or dextromethorphan) can be given per CCSD standing orders if the medication is provided by the parent.

• Consent to give medication forms, medical procedure orders, and action plans are valid for 12 months from doctor's signature. If you need new forms, please contact the WMS clinic or visit https://www.cherrycreekschools.org/Health

• Reportable health concerns (concussions, new diagnoses, etc.) should be communicate to Nurse Brenna (720-554-5117)

Immunizations

• Colorado law requires one dose of Tdap for 6th through 12th grades in addition to previous preschool/elementary requirements that can be found here https://cdphe.colorado.gov/schoolrequiredvaccines

• Please send any updated immunizations to bsalas@cherrycreekschools.org or fax to 720-554-5183

Allergy Aware School

• To prevent any accidental exposures to allergens we discourage any sharing of snacks.

• When bringing snacks to school please consider common allergens (Milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soybeans).

Tips for setting your student up for success

• 8-10 hours of sleep, no technology in the bedroom.

• Bring a water bottle every day.

• Eat breakfast & lunch every day even if you are not hungry - these meals are available at no cost in the cafeteria.

As we prepare for the upcoming school year, we are excited to introduce our Dean team: Kari Kusek and Shirley Lia. Ms. Kusek will work with our 6th graders, and Ms. Lia will work with our 7th and 8th graders. We also have a Dean's assistant, Emilie Gertz, who will support us and meet your students' needs. Our Dean's talks will begin on August 19th, and we encourage you and your student to contact us with any questions or concerns.

Ms. Kusek - kkusek@cherrycreekschools.org

Ms. Lia - sliacheadle@cherrycreekschools.org

Our team is here to assist all families and students, so please don't hesitate to visit our office if you need help or guidance. To start the year smoothly, we recommend reviewing the WMS Student Handbook which is available on our website. This handbook provides important information about behavior expectations, attendance, personal electronics, and more.

We are looking forward to a fantastic year ahead!

Welcome students and families to West Middle School from the Counseling and Mental Health department! As a team, we are thrilled to be here to provide support for all students' academics, social emotional, and future pathway exploration.

Visit our Family Resource Center for more information about our team and how to contact us.

Message from our new school counseling intern:

Hello Parents and Students,

My name is Elise Konrad, and I am thrilled to join West Middle School and Cherry Creek High School as a school counseling intern during the first semester of this year. I am currently completing a master's degree in school counseling at the University of Northern Colorado and plan to graduate this December. I will be at West Middle School on Mondays, Tuesdays, and every other Wednesday.

I look forward to getting to know students and being a source of support as they navigate the complexities of middle school. With four years of experience teaching Special Education in the CCSD district, I am eager to bring that background into my new role to support students academically and help them reach their full potential as learners. Additionally, I am excited to build strong relationships and provide unconditional support to each student.

As we begin this new school year, I encourage students to stay organized with class assignments by using a planner, get to know their teachers and communicate how they learn best, and seek additional help from their counselors whenever needed. Establishing a consistent routine and setting achievable goals will help make this year successful and rewarding. I can't wait to get started. Let’s make this the best year yet!

As a reminder, we are using MY RIDE K-12 for all transportation services. Your children's bus schedule for both AM and PM are accessible through this app.

You can download it here:

• My Ride K-12 – Apple App Store (iOS)
• My Ride K-12 – Google Play Store (Android)

Last year, CCSD launched a new transportation program with RFID cards for bus riders. The program was designed to increase safety, parent communication and bus route efficiency. The new My Ride K-12 app is an important and helpful tool for families whose students use bus transportation.

For more information: check out the Parent User Guide:

· Parent User Guide – English

· Parent User Guide – Spanish

For other questions, please contact Teresa Peterson at tpeterson4@cherrycreekschools.org and 720-554-4647.

Thank you for your attention to this matter. We look forward to continue providing safe and reliable bus transportation for your child.

Transportation is required by CDE Regulations to account for all students on the bus and unauthorized passengers are not permitted. However, the Transportation Department recognizes that circumstances may arise, e.g. a family emergency, parents out of town, etc., when a student needs to ride home with another student on a one-time only basis. The student must get off at the assigned stop of the student they are riding with (no exceptions).

Make sure to fill out and turn in the linked Permission Slip to the Dean's office no later than 9:00 AM on the requested ride date. Forms can be printed and handed to the Dean's Assistant. Hard copies of the form can be picked up from the Dean's office if they are needed but must be picked up prior to the day they need to ride a different bus. No emails will be accepted. If there is an emergency, please call the main office at 720-554-5180.

Dear Parents/Guardians,

Please see the below message regarding the new CCSD Volunteer/Partner Process. If you are currently volunteering or plan to volunteer in the future, please complete the online volunteer form. It should only take a few minutes to complete. We want to thank you in advance and if you have any questions, please feel free to contact the school.

New Colorado legislation has prompted greater need to screen and document volunteers in our schools. Therefore, beginning January 2022, we must ensure that every volunteer completes a brief application to support activities in CCSD schools. This information will be automatically linked to the Raptor System. The good news is they only need to complete this form once per school year, and it will meet the requirement to volunteer in all CCSD buildings.

To access the form, please click on the following link: https://apps.raptortech.com/Apply/NzU0OmVuLVVT

Definitions

• Volunteers are guests who are supporting students, completing tasks, and under the immediate supervision and direction of District licensed personnel.

• Visitors are guests who are solely entering the building to conduct business such as participate in a meeting, eat lunch with their student, or attend a school sponsored activity.

The safety and security of our students and staff remains our top priority. Every person entering our buildings must have a District ID or a badge printed from the Raptor System.

Thank you again for your continued support.

Get your West Spirit Gear!

Store link: WMS Sideline Store

Remember, a portion of all proceeds return back to West Middle School to support our students -- so thank you Wildcat families!

Beginning Monday, August 19, Homework Help/Study Hall sessions will be offered to interested students in the Commons.

• Before School: 8:00am to 8:40am, Mondays - Fridays

• Enter the building through Door 1 and enter the Commons.

• After School: 3:50pm-4:40pm, Mondays - Thursdays; no after school activities on Fridays

• Enter the Commons after the final bell.

• Expectations for Homework Help/Study Hall

• Use the restroom and fill your water before entering.

• Stay in the Commons.

• Bring a charged device.

• Sign in. Find a seat. 1 person per table.

• Keep your phones put away and off.

• Work on school work quietly until dismissal.

At the end of Homework Help/Study Hall… Push in your chair and take all your belongings.

Monday, August 19th

Optional Homework Help Starts 8:00-8:40 (Monday-Friday) & 3:50-4:40 (Monday-Thursday)

Tuesday, August 20th

Orchestra Rental 6:00-8:00 in the South Gym

Wednesday, August 21st:

Student picture day - during the school day.

Friday, August 23rd:

No afterschool activities or late buses.

Monday, August 26th:

PTCO General Meeting 6:00pm-7:30pm

Wednesday, August 28th:

Track Meet @ WMS - Field Events start at 4

Wednesday, August 29th:

Track Meet @ Prairie - Field Events start at 4

Friday, August 31st:

No afterschool activities or late buses.

You can pay your student's fees by visiting the West Middle School Revtrak page or you may send your student with cash to the bookkeeper. Regrettably, we are unable to accept checks.

Parent/ Guardians are now able to update Additional Contact info in their https://my.cherrycreekschools.org/ accounts by clicking on the Guardian Tile.

Some things to keep in mind:

• If a Household 1 Parent/Guardian has not completed Parent Forms, they will not have access to the Guardian Update tile.
• Household 2 will only be able to access this tile if they have a 2nd household setup in PowerSchool. If they need to create a 2nd household, please see the Admissions section on the District Website. On the left menu, they will need to click on the link titled “Change/Update/Verify Address or Household Info."
• Changes made through the update tile will be visible in PowerSchool within minutes.
• Occasionally, parents will not see their students listed when logging into the Guardian Update tile. Refreshing the screen will correct this issue.

If your student is going to be absent, you must call the WMS Attendance line to report the absence at 720-554-5110 (last name A-L) or 720-554-5111 (last name M-Z). For any student who is marked Tardy or Unexcused Absent during the school day, automated phone calls will go out at 10am and 4pm daily.

• If you feel an error was made in your child’s attendance, please contact the attendance clerk at 720-554-5109.

August 28th, 2024

6:00 PM - 7:30 PM

Fremont Building

14603 E Fremont Ave

Centennial, CO 80112

September 3rd, 2024

9:15 AM - 11:00 AM

Click here for the PIN Website

Fremont Building

14603 E FREMONT AVE

Centennial, CO 80112

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