Westview Wildcat Weekly
Wildcat Family Newsletter - Sunday, September 17, 2023
Our annual spirit t-shirt fundraiser is coming to an end. The last day to order a shirt online was last Friday, September 15th. Paper order forms can be turned in tomorrow, Monday, September 18th.
Please show your support and spirit by purchasing a Westview T-shirt! The prices are only $13 and $15, and these funds go directly to the campus for teacher needs.
Note: T-shirt sizes are adult sizes, 50/50 preshrunk cotton/polyester
Our first PTO meeting is this Wednesday, September 20th at 6 p.m. at Westview Middle School! We hope to see you there!
We love for our parents to be involved with and contribute to our school, and we have an AMAZING PTO who continually supports the students and staff here at Westview Middle School!
If you are not already a member, please use the following Westview PTO Membership Form to sign-up. You can also find more information about our PTO on the Westview Middle School PTO page.
Each month, staff nominate students to be recognized as a Student of the Month. Students are nominated for several reasons, including modeling leadership, exemplifying our 3 campus rules (Be Respectful, Be Responsible, and Be Safe), demonstrating growth, helping others, following school rules and procedures, and coming to school ready to learn! We will recognize our recipients at our grade level assemblies, post their names/pictures in the main entrance glass case, and award them during Wildcat hour this week.
We will post names of our award recipients soon! Congratulations to our August Students of the Month!!
Progress Reports & UIL Eligibility
Our next Progress Report snapshot is this
Friday, September 22! Students who have a failing grade on the progress report will become ineligible to participate in UIL activities starting on Friday, September 29th and will have to wait until report cards are published on
Friday, October 27th to regain eligibility.
We continue to have late buses that run on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays. If your student needs to stay for any academic assistance, your student can stay for late tutorials until 5 p.m. on these days.
Teachers will offer after school tutorials Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays after school for students who need additional academic assistance.
Late buses will start running this week and will depart at 5:15 p.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays only. Teachers will keep a log of any students who stay for late tutorials. There will not be a late bus on Wednesdays or Fridays.
Picture day for all Westview Middle School students is scheduled for Wednesday, October 4th. We will share more information soon!
Mayor's Health & Fitness Award
Westview Middle School participates in the City of Austin’s Mayor’s Health and Fitness Exemplary Schools Program.
The MHFC Exemplary Schools Program highlights schools that have implemented healthy changes to create school environments that support the health and well-being of students. Schools that demonstrate practices above the state and federal standards are eligible to be certified as exemplary schools.
Westview received recognition and a banner for 2022-23 Healthy School at Austin City Hall! Thank you for representing us for this award, Mr. Valenzuela!
Donations to Ms. Pollard by the Tzu Chi Foundation
Congratulations to Ms. Pollard on receiving school supplies, and thank you to the Tzu Chi Foundation for your donations! Ms. Pollard is one of our 6th grade science teachers, and these materials most certainly provide for students in need of materials!
Staff Wildcat Spirit Award
Congratulations to our 23-24 Wildcat Spirit Award winners - Ms. Jackson (Assistant Principal) and Mr. Cossey (ELDA teacher for the Newcomer Academy)!!! Staff complete a form to recognize staff for their hard work or ways they have impacted/contributed to our campus, and a staff member is selected each week as the Wildcat Spirit Award recipient.
The following was shared about Ms. Jackson:
- “Jackson's positivity and energy is encouraging, motivating, supportive, and reassuring. Her zeal for work and realism in respect to students and peers on campus blends with the overarching "Clarity is Kindness" that I am coming to embrace, and would like to see in the yearbook. She embodies the heart of leading by example, and that example is hard work mingled with SEL!” - Mr. Collins
- “She has a contagious, positive energy that always lifts me up and makes me smile. She cares about what she does and about everyone around her.” - Ms. Pirzadeh
The following was shared about Mr. Cossey:
- “He keeps this light, funny and ultra-efficient. He has given some great teaching advice. As a relatively new teacher, he is always able to help me reframe my perspective when I'm feeling overwhelmed.” - Ms. Pirzadeh
- “Mr. Cossey is an amazing teacher. He knows how to build students' motivation for learning by making his lesson fun and engaging. He is very supportive. He always shares great insights, and and effective classroom tips. He is always there if I have any queries. I really appreciate his time and support. Thank you Mr. Cossey for being such a wonderful colleague.” - Ms. Begum
Thank you for all you do for Westview Middle School and for being amazing, Ms. Jackson and Mr. Cossey!
All students should bring their Chromebooks daily. We currently have a greater demand than supply available, so we are working through a process for teachers to check out Chromebooks that students can use for instruction and/or testing.
If your student has a broken Chromebook, please have your student bring that to the school and turn it in to a teacher so that we can have it repaired and returned as quickly as possible.
Lastly, we are working to acquire more Chromebooks to issue to students in need. Unfortunately, we do not yet have a timeline for when these will be available, but hope we can gain additional Chromebooks as soon as possible.
Regular school attendance is essential. Absences from class may result in serious disruption of a student’s education. The student and parent should avoid unnecessary absences. Additionally, the parent should provide a doctor's/excused note when the student is absent from school.
Student attendance will be marked daily for all periods, and students must be physically present in the classroom to be marked present. Students who arrive more than 10 minutes late to class will be marked present to the classroom as well.
We will continue to track student tardies. Students who have excessive tardies to class are subject to disciplinary consequences.
Electronic Devices & Cell Phones
Per PfISD policy, students are permitted to possess personal cell phones for safety purposes; cell phones are only allowed to be used in the classroom for approved instructional purposes. The use of cell phones or any device capable of capturing images is strictly prohibited in locker rooms or restroom areas while at school or at a school-related or school-sponsored event. Additionally, the following procedures are in place regarding inappropriate cell phone usage:
- 1st time phone is confiscated: Phone is taken up and turned into office. It will require the Parent/guardian to pick up. Emergency contacts are not allowed to pick up the property.
- 2nd offense and beyond: Phone taken up and thereafter turned into office. Parent/Guardian must pick up with $15.00 return fee. Emergency contacts are not allowed to pick up the property.
The student is never allowed to pick up their phone. Only a parent/guardian will be allowed to pick up the cell phone.
Airpods and headphones fall under electronic devices and should not be used during instruction as these can be distracting and take away from student learning/engagement.
Important Contacts at WVMS
Progress Report Snapshot: Friday, September 22nd
Student Holiday (No School): Thursday, October 5th
Student Holiday (No School): Friday, October 6th
Student/Staff Holiday (No School): Monday, October 9th
End of 1st-9 Weeks: Wednesday, October 20th
William Jaramillo, Principal
Westview Middle School
