Westwood Intermediate/Middle School
Westwood Families,
This week, high school students in the Opportunities in Emergency Care program have been working with our grade 8 students in health to teach them CPR. It’s been fun to see students practice new skills. Thanks to our OEC students for their mentorship of our 8th graders.
In case you've missed last week's newsletter, click here.
As we approach the end of the trimester, I want to provide a few reminders of what you can expect to see when you receive your student’s report card in December. First, for grades 5-6, reporting will be similar to last year. For grades 7 and 8, there have been some questions with the shift to a competency-based approach to learning.
We continue to have letter grades for grades 7-8; grades have not gone away. Over the course of the trimester, students have been building their collection of student work - a body of evidence. Their body of evidence is what shows their knowledge and understanding of the competencies and criteria within each content area.
Schoology continues to be where students and families are able to see student progress. See the Schoology Mastery tab for a student’s body of evidence for each competency and criteria. Teachers will use the grading guide below as they look at each student’s collection of work to determine their letter grade for the trimester. This is the grading guide that has been used with students throughout the trimester:
- A = You have demonstrated that you are Proficient or Extending on most of the competency criteria for the academic area. You are very likely to be successful in the next phase of learning.
- B = You have demonstrated multiple Proficient ratings with some In Progress on the competency criteria for the academic area. You are likely to be successful in the next phase in the content area without any additional supports.
- C = You have demonstrated a variety of levels across the competency criteria for the academic area. You may need some scaffolding and support in the next phase of learning in this content area.
- D = You may have demonstrated a few In Progress ratings on the competency criteria for the academic area but are mostly demonstrating that you are Beginning. You may need significant scaffolding and support in the next phase of learning in this content area.
- Not yet = Content has been taught, but you have not yet demonstrated a level of understanding that meets any of the performance levels on a competency rubric for your current grade level.
At any time, you can visit your student’s Schoology Mastery tab in each course to see detailed information about your student’s progress in each area. See this Schoology handout for details on what to look for. You may also ask your student or reach out to your child’s teacher for more information or to check in if you have questions.
We have a few activities coming up that we want you to be aware of:
- We’re testing our notification system on Thursday evening in advance of winter weather. You should receive a test message in the early evening. It is only a test!
- We will have a lockdown drill with students this Friday, November 15 at 10 a.m. This is part of our required safety and security drills to practice how we will respond in a variety of scenarios. If you do not want your child to participate, please let the main office know before Friday so we can make accommodations.
Have a great week,
Tom Larson
Principal
Pertussis (whooping cough) in the community
Cases of Pertussis are on the rise in our community including reported cases in our school community. While children receive pertussis vaccine, immunization is not always 100 percent effective, and immunity decreases over time.
Minnesota Department of Health is recommending that a child be tested for pertussis if the child develops a cough lasting three or more days.
Pertussis often begins with symptoms similar to the early stages of the common cold - runny nose, possible low-grade fever, and a mild cough. After a week or two, a persistent cough develops. The cough occurs in bursts and may end with a high-pitched whooping sound and sometimes vomiting. Between bursts of coughing, the person appears well. Coughing attacks may continue for months and are more common at night. Pertussis can lead to pneumonia, particularly in infants.
Please call the health office if you have questions, your child has symptoms, or your child has tested positive for pertussis.
All About AVID
Nestled in a busy hallway of Spring Lake Park High School’s B Wing is a classroom with college pennants pinned on the walls. Inside, students enrolled in the AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) elective are being supported in building their academic and life skills for college readiness and post-secondary success.
AVID is a nationally recognized college preparatory program, and one of many class options available for Spring Lake Park students in grades 7-12. This school year, there are 124 students who participate in AVID at Westwood Middle School (grades 7-8) during Panther Time and at Spring Lake Park High School as an elective class.
In this story, we hear from four current students about their AVID experiences, as well as testimonials from parents and graduates about how the program was successful for them.
Tickets available for Westwood grade 5/6 play "Lost Boys"
Westwood grade 5/6 theater students invite you to join them for their upcoming performances of "Lost Boys" where storybook characters come to life to take heroes on an incredible adventure! This magical tale follows four clever kids who, with the help of beloved characters like Cinderella, Captain Hook, Peter Pan's Lost Boys, and more, must rescue a stolen magical book to restore the power of reading to the world.
Bring the whole family for a night of laughter and catchy songs! Performances are Friday, December 6 and Saturday, December 7 at 7 p.m. Purchase your tickets.
