Wildcat news

Dear WVMS Community,

This week has been a fantastic celebration of all the amazing things happening at Western Valley Middle School! We kicked off the week by honoring our second-quarter Honor Roll students from grades 6, 7, and 8. These incredible Wildcats exemplify academic progress.

In addition to celebrating our Honor Roll students, we recognized the recipients of second-quarter Positive Office Referrals. These students were highlighted for their strong character and positive actions, demonstrating the values of respect, responsibility, and safety. Each student earned a dress-down pass and was entered into a drawing for a $25 credit at our WVMS School Store. These moments remind us of how extraordinary our Wildcats are!

During our celebrations, we also shared our 2024-2025 school goals and emphasized the importance of the upcoming AZELLA and AASA assessments. These assessments play a critical role in our students’ futures, helping shape high school placement and class selection. Growth is our number-one goal for every student, not only academically but also in character. Every step forward prepares them for success in high school and beyond.

We’re also thrilled to celebrate the success of our winter athletic teams and coaches. Our Wildcats received glowing feedback from the Athletic Director at Desert Sands, who praised our coaches for their excellent leadership. A special shoutout goes to our boys' coach for teaching the team to "play the right way." Let’s continue to send positive vibes and support as our boys’ basketball team advances to their next playoff game on Wednesday, January 22, at 4:30 PM at Raul Castro. A win will take them to face Santa Maria—let’s show up and show our Wildcat pride!

Lastly, we’re excited to share that WVMS is on the rise! Watch for news about our next school spirit campus upgrade, which will be installed by our eighth-grade students. Thank you for being a part of our journey as we create a positive, vibrant, and supportive school community.

Thank you for your continued support, and let’s keep the momentum going!

Warm regards,

Dr. Nardi

Principal, Western Valley Middle School

Our students will participate in another amazing presentation from notMYkid this quarter.

Middle and high school can be difficult for students to navigate. With social and academic pressures, we want to make sure that our Wildcats have strategies to support their positive self-image and deal with the stress and pressures that face daily. Each grade level will have a student-focused presentation on the following dates. For adult-focused information on Teen Mental Health, click here.

Grade 7- January 21

Grade 8- January 28

Grade 6- February 18

We are excited to share that our students will be learning about the risks of vaping through a grant from notMYkid. As part of our commitment to meeting the needs of our students, we are implementing the CATCH My Breath Youth E-Cigarette Prevention Program.

CATCH My Breath is a research-based program designed to prevent e-cigarette use among students in grades 5-12. Each grade level will participate in four lessons led by notMYkid presenters during their regular science classes. The schedule is as follows:

• 6th Grade: Week of November 18
• 7th Grade: Week of February 3
• 8th Grade: Week of February 10

For more information about this program, please visit www.catchmybreath.org.

Student ID replacement is $5.00. Students will also be charged $1.00 for any extra lanyards and 50 cents for plastic ID pouches. Thank you.

FESD Policy:

Electronic devices including, but not limited to, cell phones, handheld devices, media players, watches, earbuds, or other similar gadgets are not allowed to be used or displayed during the school day, from the beginning to the end, unless a staff member specifically instructs or permits their use for educational purposes. It is important that these devices do not disrupt the learning

environment, compromise safety, or affect the well-being of others. Please note that the school district cannot be held responsible for any loss, damage, or theft of such devices, and students bringing such devices to school or a school event do so at their own risk.

To maintain a focused and respectful learning environment at Western Valley Middle School, we have a clear policy regarding cell phones and wearable tech:

• All cell phones must be turned off and kept in backpacks throughout the school day. This includes lunch, recess, and passing periods.
• If a cell phone is seen out during the school day, it will be confiscated. The phone can be picked up by a parent or guardian (not the student) in the office after school or before school the following day. This policy will apply to each offense.
• Wearable technology, such as smartwatches, will be subject to the same policy if they become a distraction.