Dear Westlake Parents and Guardians:

As we head into this last week of school for 2019 I want to thank you for giving us, the staff at Westlake, the opportunity to work with your children.  Each child is so special and bring such joy to our community.  We are so grateful for getting to spend time learning with your children and partnering with you as parents/guardians on their journey.

We wish you and your families the very best over the holidays and a very Happy New Year!  See you in 2020!

Gifted-Talented Identification Testing

Do you suspect that your child may be in need of enriched academic programming?  Does it seem like he or she may need additional challenges in their education, and may be gifted or talented?  Gifted/Talented (G/T) testing at Westlake is currently scheduled for January 28th.  If you have a student you would like to nominate for G/T identification and would like to have tested contact Michael Wedermyer (michael.p.wedermyer@adams12.org) no later than December 16.  There is required paperwork which must be completed and returned by December 18.  You may also go to http://www.adams12.org/gifted_talented_identification  for further information and for nomination forms.

Exciting Social-Emotional Learning in 8th Grade!

Starting in January, our 8th grade Wolverines will be engaging in the “Owning Up” curriculum with their classroom teachers, grade level counselor, and the school social worker/Social Emotional Learning Specialist. Students will be learning about the emotional consequences of things like teasing, gossip, reputations and double standards, as well as how to manage these situations. Students will also be learning about the art of apology, the power of groups, and other positive social interaction strategies. We look forward to engaging in this learning together, and we’re excited that these topics match up with the real experiences of our students.

WLMS Carols, Cookies, and Cocoa

our incredible music students. Money raised through our dessert and cocoa sales, as well as the cake auction, will be used to help with music program needs, including helping our 8th graders pay for music festival expenses. It will be an informal, open house style, feel free to pop in for a few minutes or for the entire evening. Ugly holiday sweaters welcome!

Upcoming Events

Click on each day to reveal the upcoming events.

[wmd-accordion tab_background=”#066196″ tab_color=”#fff” content_background=”#2196d1″ content_color=”#fff” border_radius=”4″ ls-id=”5df44d9b12265″][wmd-accordion-tab title=”Monday”]%3Cp%3E%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0D%0A%3Cul%3E%0D%0A%3Cli%3EIntramural Basketball %40 3%3A45pm%3C%2Fli%3E%0D%0A%3Cli%3ENewspaper Club %40 3%3A45pm%3C%2Fli%3E%0D%0A%3Cli%3EStudent Council Meeting %40 3%3A45pm%3C%2Fli%3E%0D%0A%3C%2Ful%3E[/wmd-accordion-tab][wmd-accordion-tab title=”Tuesday”]%3Cp%3E%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0D%0A%3Cul%3E%0D%0A%3Cli%3ECoding Club %40 3%3A45pm%3C%2Fli%3E%0D%0A%3Cli%3EIntramural Basketball %40 3%3A45pm%3C%2Fli%3E%0D%0A%3Cli%3EMath Counts %40 3%3A45pm%3C%2Fli%3E%0D%0A%3Cli%3ETravel Club %40 3%3A45pm%3C%2Fli%3E%0D%0A%3Cli%3ECarols%2C Cookies%2C and Cocoa %40 5%3A30pm%3C%2Fli%3E%0D%0A%3C%2Ful%3E[/wmd-accordion-tab][wmd-accordion-tab title=”Wednesday”]%3Cul%3E%0D%0A%3Cli%3EEarly Release Day%3C%2Fli%3E%0D%0A%3Cli%3E7th Grade Jazz Band %40 7%3A30am%3C%2Fli%3E%0D%0A%3Cli%3EPokeman Club %40 7%3A30am%3C%2Fli%3E%0D%0A%3Cli%3EArt Club 7%3A45am%3C%2Fli%3E%0D%0A%3C%2Ful%3E[/wmd-accordion-tab][wmd-accordion-tab title=”Thursday”]%3Cp%3E%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0D%0A%3Cul%3E%0D%0A%3Cli%3ECreative Writing Club %40 7%3A30am%3C%2Fli%3E%0D%0A%3Cli%3ERobotics Club %40 7%3A40am%3C%2Fli%3E%0D%0A%3Cli%3EDodgeball Assembly %40 2%3A45pm%3C%2Fli%3E%0D%0A%3Cli%3EGSA Club %40 3%3A45pm%3C%2Fli%3E%0D%0A%3Cli%3EDisc Golf Club %40 3%3A45pm%3C%2Fli%3E%0D%0A%3Cli%3EIntramural Basketball %40 3%3A45pm%3C%2Fli%3E%0D%0A%3C%2Ful%3E[/wmd-accordion-tab][wmd-accordion-tab title=”Friday”]%3Cp%3E%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0D%0A%3Cul%3E%0D%0A%3Cli%3EWinter Break Begins%21%C2%A0 See you in 2020%3C%2Fli%3E%0D%0A%3C%2Ful%3E[/wmd-accordion-tab][/wmd-accordion]

Dr. Heide, Principal Westlake Middle School

Dear Westlake Parents and Guardians:

It is hard to believe we have two weeks remaining before the end of this semester.  The Westlake school community has been working hard on our areas of focus for the year:

• Academic Excellence
• Social Emotional Learning
• Equity and Access

Our talented staff have spent time and energy in the learning space for  all three “buckets” so far this year which all are contribute to developing the caring, safe environment that best support student learning.  As we go through the year I encourage you to join our School Accountability Committee meetings or PTO meetings in order to learn more about the impact our is having in the three above mentioned areas.

In this week’s blog post I’d like to share a little bit more with you about Social Emotional Learning is and how the home/school partnership is so critical for our children.  Click HERE for a video from the Collaborative for Academic, Social, Emotional Learning (CASEL) outlining what SEL is and the home/school partnership.

Gifted-Talented Identification Testing

Do you suspect that your child may be in need of enriched academic programming?  Does it seem like he or she may need additional challenges in their education, and may be gifted or talented?  Gifted/Talented (G/T) testing at Westlake is currently scheduled for January 28th.  If you have a student you would like to nominate for G/T identification and would like to have tested contact Michael Wedermyer (michael.p.wedermyer@adams12.org) no later than December 16.  There is required paperwork which must be completed and returned by December 18.  You may also go to http://www.adams12.org/gifted_talented_identification  for further information and for nomination forms.

Upcoming Events

Click on each day to reveal the upcoming events.

[wmd-accordion tab_background=”#066196″ tab_color=”#fff” content_background=”#2196d1″ content_color=”#fff” border_radius=”4″ ls-id=”5deaa547d8791″][wmd-accordion-tab title=”Monday”]%3Cp%3E%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0D%0A%3Cul%3E%0D%0A%3Cli%3ECoding Club %40 3%3A45pm%3C%2Fli%3E%0D%0A%3Cli%3EIntramural Basketball %40 3%3A45pm%3C%2Fli%3E%0D%0A%3Cli%3ENewspaper Club %40 3%3A45pm%3C%2Fli%3E%0D%0A%3Cli%3EStudent Council Meeting %40 3%3A45pm%3C%2Fli%3E%0D%0A%3C%2Ful%3E[/wmd-accordion-tab][wmd-accordion-tab title=”Tuesday”]%3Cp%3E%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0D%0A%3Cul%3E%0D%0A%3Cli%3EIntramural Basketball %40 3%3A45pm%3C%2Fli%3E%0D%0A%3Cli%3EMath Counts %40 3%3A45pm%3C%2Fli%3E%0D%0A%3Cli%3EWEB Hot Chocolate Social %40 4pm%3C%2Fli%3E%0D%0A%3C%2Ful%3E[/wmd-accordion-tab][wmd-accordion-tab title=”Wednesday”]%3Cul%3E%0D%0A%3Cli%3EEarly Release Day%3C%2Fli%3E%0D%0A%3Cli%3E7th Grade Jazz Band %40 7%3A30am%3C%2Fli%3E%0D%0A%3Cli%3EPokeman Club %40 7%3A30am%3C%2Fli%3E%0D%0A%3Cli%3EArt Club 7%3A45am%3C%2Fli%3E%0D%0A%3Cli%3ESchool Accountability Committee %40 4%3A15pm%3C%2Fli%3E%0D%0A%3Cli%3E6th Grade Winter Band Concert %40 6%3A30pm%3C%2Fli%3E%0D%0A%3C%2Ful%3E[/wmd-accordion-tab][wmd-accordion-tab title=”Thursday”]%3Cp%3E%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0D%0A%3Cul%3E%0D%0A%3Cli%3ECreative Writing Club %40 7%3A30am%3C%2Fli%3E%0D%0A%3Cli%3ERobotics Club %40 7%3A40am%3C%2Fli%3E%0D%0A%3Cli%3EGSA Club %40 3%3A45pm%3C%2Fli%3E%0D%0A%3Cli%3EDisc Golf Club %40 3%3A45pm%3C%2Fli%3E%0D%0A%3Cli%3ENJHS %40 3%3A45pm%3C%2Fli%3E%0D%0A%3C%2Ful%3E[/wmd-accordion-tab][wmd-accordion-tab title=”Friday”]%3Cp%3E%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0D%0A%3Cul%3E%0D%0A%3Cli%3E8th Grade Jazz Band %40 7%3A30am%3C%2Fli%3E%0D%0A%3Cli%3EFilm Club %40 4pm%3C%2Fli%3E%0D%0A%3Cli%3ESpelling Bee Competition %40 4pm%3C%2Fli%3E%0D%0A%3Cli%3ESaturday School Tomorrow %40 8am%3C%2Fli%3E%0D%0A%3C%2Ful%3E[/wmd-accordion-tab][/wmd-accordion]

Dr. Heide, Principal Westlake Middle School