Dear Westlake Parents and Guardians:

 

Welcome to the 2019-2020 school year!  This has been a very exciting summer with the 2016 Bond Project in full swing.  It has been an adventure to watch the old carpet being removed and seeing the installation of new, beautiful flooring, seeing the creation of a new classroom space, concrete being removed and replaced, and I could go on and on.   While our Bond Project won’t be 100% completed when students return the building will have a new look and feel. Thank you to our community for supporting the 2016 Bond initiative that has allowed for our school to get this much needed repair and update. Please take a moment to read through the following information regarding the beginning of the school year and updates for Westlake Middle School.  

 

Important Dates

 

Below are the important dates for the school year.  

2019-2020

IMPORTANT DATES

 

Date	Event
08/14/19	First Day Back for Students  (6th Grade: 8:30-11:15; 7th/8th Grades: 11:30-2:15)
08/21/19	Back to School Night/BBQ  4:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
09/02/19	Labor Day – No School
Fall 2019- TBD	Fall Fundraiser
10/8/19	Parent Teacher Conferences 4:00 pm-7:00 pm
10/9/19	Parent Teacher Conferences 4:30 pm-7:30 pm
10/10/19-10/11/19	No School
10/10/19	End of First Quarter
10/25/19	Fall Dance 4:00 pm-5:30 pm
11/11/19	Veterans’ Day – No School
11/25/19 –11/29/19	Thanksgiving Break – No School
12/19/19	End of Second Quarter/End of First Semester
12/20/19	No School
12/23/19-01/05/20	Winter Break – No School
01/20/20	Martin Luther King Day – No School
Feb. 2020- TBD	PTO Night
02/12/20	Parent Teacher Conferences 4:00 pm-8:00 pm School In Session
2/13/20	Parent Teacher Conferences 1:00 pm -4:00 pm – No School
02/14/20	No School
02/17/20	Presidents’ Day – No School
03/13/20	End of Third Quarter
03/23/20 –03/27/20	Spring Break – No School
03/30/20	No School
Spring 2020- TBD	Spring Fundraiser
05/20/20	8th Grade End of Year Awards Assembly/ 8th Graders Last Day No School for 6th and 7th Graders
05/21/20	6th/7th Grade End of Year Awards Assembly No School for 8th Graders

 

Building Access and Bond Project Update

 

If you’ve happened to travel past our school in the last couple of weeks, you’ve noticed there is a lot of work happening around the exterior of our building, including our front entrance. 

 

This work is scheduled to be completed for the start of the new school year but current access to our building is very limited.

 

• If you need to come to our building for walk-in registration, you can enter through the doors on the north side of the building near the hug-and-go lane. This is the only current public access point for our building.

• The interior of our building is still very much a construction zone. For your own safety and to allow for work to be completed in a timely fashion, please do not enter through any other doors or travel into any other parts of our building not designated for registration assistance. 

 

• Parking is available in the hug-and-go lane or along West 135th Avenue. For your own safety, please don’t park or walk in any designated construction zones as this construction work is completed.

• As our front office is also being reconfigured, we have limited phone access. If you do not reach someone when you call, please leave a detailed message and we will return your call as soon as we can. If you need immediate assistance please call the district office at 720-972-4000.
• Student schedules are now available on Infinite Campus.  Lockers will not be available until students return which is why they are not visible on IC at this time.

• Please visit our calendar at westlake.adams12.org/ for important dates and times for the new school year.

 

Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) Initiative

 

Over the summer you should have received some messages about the BYOD initiative here at Westlake.  Last year was our first and transitional year to BYOD. This year will be our first year of full implementation.  As you may know, students are encouraged to bring an approved device (see below) for use in the classroom. The use of these devices is not to replace good teaching but to help teachers and students have access to learning strategies and experiences that this technology allows.  The plan is that teachers will use device-based strategies about 50% of the time while still mixing in more traditional methods of instruction.  

 

The learning experience should be the same for kids with and without a device, but the kids with a device will have the added convenience of being able to personalize their device, use it at home, get familiar with one device and develop the responsibility of taking care of one.  For students who are not able to buy a device for one reason or another, more communication will come out later about plans we have for assuring these students have access to technology as well. The hope is that over the three year period your student is at Westlake (and the years beyond) that the device will pay for itself in other school supply savings given that we have significantly trimmed the school supply list.

 

This is an initiative that has broad support from both our staff and parent community.  We are excited for the opportunities this initiative opens for your students.

 

Supply List and Device Criteria (English)

 

Supply List and Device Criteria (Spanish)

 

New Staff Members

 

We have some new faces at Westlake who will be working with your children to support them through their middle school experience.  We are very fortunate to have such amazing and dedicated individuals join our school community!

 

Jason Hall- 6th Grade Math

Sandy Kraus- 7th Grade Math

Sheri Lohmann- 7th Grade Math

Nina Gustafson- 7th Grade Science

Michael Wedermyer- 7th Grade Science

Shannon Wilson- 7th Grade Language Arts

Jerrie Strunk- 7th Grade Social Studies

Matthew Hunsucker- PE/Health

Catrina Ho- ELD Teacher

Jessica Montoya- DHH Interpreter

Dwayne Miller- SRO

LaShauna Quarles- Assistant Principal

 

The Westlake Way

 

The Westlake school community follows The Westlake Way: Be Kind, Be Respectful, and Be Invested.   We feel The Westlake Way encompasses the behaviors and attitudes we want to see from everyone in our community, every day,  throughout our school. Students will have an opportunity to receive rewards/incentives for showing achievement of these principles. The Westlake Way is an approach for students to grow socially, behaviorally and work collaboratively. Each principle is modeled and practiced throughout our school in a variety of settings. Our Westlake Way team represents teachers from all grade levels, electives and administration. We meet regularly to access behavioral data, review best practices and plan for interventions. Coming soon: Look for our new posters around the school featuring The Westlake Way!

 

The Principal’s Blog

 

Throughout the school year at the beginning of each week I will be sending you a link to my blog.  In my blog I will communicate important upcoming events, information, as well as any other goings on around the school.  The blog serves as my weekly communication to our school community and I look forward to engaging with you through this communication.  

 

Parents and guardians, we know that when schools and parents work together and have shared expectations, students are more successful. You can help with this effort by using this language with your child and encouraging them to be kind, respectful and invested in everything they do!

 

Westlake Middle School Principal’s Blog

 

We are thankful you have chosen to send your child to Westlake.  We look forward to working together to create the best possible environment and middle school experience for your child.  Please feel free to reach out to the school with any questions at 720.972.5200. See you soon!

Regards,

Dr. Rachel Heide, Principal