February 27 2017

Week of 2.27.17

Thank you, Westlake parents and guardians, for our support of our school through the recent Check Drive Derby!  We are still in the midst of making the final count, but your generosity towards the school has been tremendous and we are extremely grateful.

You as parents and guardians are an invaluable and powerful part of our school community.  Our partnership between the school and our parent community is critical to the success of our students.  There are many ways to get involved in the school in order to support our goals. Volunteer to be a Watch DOG or come to our next PTO meeting on March 1st.  Thank you for your support of our school and let us know of ways you might be interested in being involved.

 

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Did you know students can receive breakfast at school? Adams 12 Breakfast is a great way to kick start the day!!!

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day and helps students to be more alert, pay better attention in class and be sick less often.  Starting your student’s day with a healthful meal goes a long way and Nutrition Services is here to help in that process.  Have your student join us for breakfast at Westlake Middle School each day and enjoy all the benefits it brings now and in the future.  Adams 12 breakfast includes a fruit or 100% juice everyday and is 100% whole-grain rich.  Students can come to school and enter in through the cafeteria to enjoy a healthy breakfast every day.

 

 

 

 

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February 20 2017

Week of 02.20.17

Dr. Heide, Principal Westlake MIddle School

 It’s hard to believe that we are only a few short months away from the end of the year already.  While May is just around the corner we continue to work hard to achieve our goals at Westlake around instruction and school improvement.  In coming in new to Westlake this year, part of my goal has been increase community involvement.  Getting the PTO started was definitely a big part of that goal.  Connecting parents to what is going on through my new Principal’s Blog or previous weekly newsletter, Remind text alerts, updating our website, being very visible at school events and throughout the course of each day, connecting with individuals in the community, etc. are also parts of this goal.  I hope to also increase communication and school connection to the community through the marquee we are currently raising money for as well.  The marquee idea is a single means of communication and as well as a means to ensure Westlake continues to be a community school of excellence.
As you know, with the passing of the bond Westlake will be receiving money for a renovation as well as for instructional upgrades.  We want to focus the bulk of our instructional upgrade money on purchases that will support increased student learning and not on a communication tool like the marquee.  Parents and staff were surveyed in the fall to help inform the main areas of interest for focusing our instructional upgrade money.  The main areas that came out of that survey were around technology, furniture, and large indoor/outdoor spaces.  These categories could include purchases such as chromebooks, 3D printers, items for developing a maker space, mobile furniture for flexible use, climbing wall for the gym, outdoor garden, as a few examples.  We are slated to be receiving the bulk of our bond project work the summer of 2019.
From now and into the future I will be working closely with our PTO and SIT (School Improvement Team) to look at how we can achieve our instructional goals together.  Your insights are critically important so I do hope that you will be able to find a way to either share your thoughts through PTO, SIT, or with me directly. Please feel free to call or e-mail any time. 720.972.5200 or rachel.e.heide@adams12.org.
Category: Weekly Blog Posts | Comments Off on Week of 02.20.17
February 13 2017

Week of 02.13.17

New Format!

Dear Westlake Parents/Guardians-

Welcome to the new format of the weekly update!  My goal is to use this blog post as a means to not only keep you updated on the events and goings on at Westlake, but also to create a more user friendly, engaging approach to our communication.  Below is information similar to our usual weekly newsletter.  My goal is to not have so much repeat information in the newsletter as you will be able to access past blog posts with the information.  Thank you so much for your partnership with us at Westlake and let us know if you have any questions or concerns.

Check Drive Derby

From Monday, February 13th to Friday, February 24th Westlake will be hosting a “Check Drive Derby.” If each student collected/donated at least $25 we would raise approximately $28,825 for this wonderful school.  The primary focus for the funds raised is purchasing a digital marquee for WLMS!  The marquee will help our school to increase our communication with our parent/guardians through an engaging display.  Staff will compete “Kentucky Derby” style to raise funds.  Their students may choose a teacher to donate their money towards for the race.  The funds will be updated daily on the race track that will hang in the front foyer of the school.  The teacher they want represented will jockey as they try to pull ahead of the pack.  This is how kids will know how their jockeying teachers is doing.  Obviously the more money the teacher collects the further ahead their jockey will be. The staff member that promotes and collects the most money and crosses the checkered flag first will be given a special prize for their classroom.  All funds will be distributed throughout the school.  To make this an even more fun event students will be given the opportunity to participate in derby hat day, bow tie day, get their picture taken as a jockey during lunches, and a fun horse race by the top three teachers on the last Friday of the race.  Top student fundraiser will earn prizes at each grade level. Watch for updates through Remind! (If you haven’t signed up yet there is information below on how to get Remind messages).

There are several ways you can donate.   You may donate in the form of a check made out to WLMS, cash brought to the main office, or online by going to Westlake.adams12.org and selecting the Check Drive Derby link. 

Please consider donating to help us provide improved communication through a digital marquee for our school. 

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Volunteers Needed

Westlake parents/guardians we are looking for volunteers who can walk with the 8th grade leadership class to Centennial Elementary and back during their class period.  We walk on Tuesdays and leave the school around 12:25 and return to Westlake around 1:20.  It is a large class, so we need another pair of eyes and supervision. Perks would be seeing these students interact with elementary students to mentor and play games.  It is a short 8 minute walk each way, so great exercise!  Here is the signup link. Thank you!

www.SignUpGenius.com/go/20F044AA5A729AAFB6-leadership

BOOK FAIR COMING TO WESTLAKE!!

Need a book to read? Come check out the book fair in the Westlake library the week of February 13 – 16!  Hours are as follows

Monday (13):       8:30am – 4:45pm

Tuesday (14):      8:30am – 4:45pm

Wednesday (15): 8:30am – 8:00pm

Thursday (16):     8:30am – 12:30pm

See you there!!

Parent Teacher Conferences-

PTC are just around the corner on February 15th and 16th so mark your calendars.  Detailed information about the format of conferences will be coming from your student’s teacher teams shortly if you have not already received it.  Please call the school with any questions you might have.  See you at conferences!

PTO Meeting-

Please join us for our next PTO meeting Wednesday, March 1st at 6:30pm in the library.  Your input on this team is very important and needed, so please join our PTO.  

Join Remind!

Would you like to receive reminders or announcements via text message or e-mail?  Sign up for Remind notifications for your student’s grade level.  Below is information on how to get signed up.

Follow the links below to sign up for the grade level(s) you would like reminders for:

6th Grade    https://www.remind.com/join/wlms6

7th Grade    https://www.remind.com/join/wlms7

8th Grade    https://www.remind.com/join/wlms8t

Release of Students-  

If a student needs to be checked out of school for any reason, a parent/guardian must come into the main office and show proper identification before the student will be called from class and released. Office personnel will not call students out of class early to wait for the parent/guardian. This is done to avoid students missing instructional time and for the safety of our students.

Main Entrance Check-In – Any visitors to Westlake must enter through the main entrance and check in to the main office. Westlake is equipped with an Aiphone which allows Westlake office personnel to admit building visitors. Visitors will approach the Aiphone, press the button, and identify the purpose for the visit. Visitors will also be asked to have their identification available prior to entrance into the building. Visitors will not be granted access without identification.

Breakfast at Westlake Middle School – Just a reminder that Westlake Middle School serves breakfast daily before school from 8:00-8:25 a.m. in the cafeteria. The meal includes a main entrée, fruit, and milk for $1.65. Students on free or reduced status eat for free. 

Dr. Rachel Heide

Westlake Middle School

Principal

Follow me on Twitter!  https://twitter.com/dr_heide

Category: Weekly Blog Posts | Comments Off on Week of 02.13.17